Chapter 37
Temari can't afford to lower her guard not when she's living under the roof of the man who wants her dead but doesn't seem to be trying hard enough.
Kankuro's animosity is also palpable. He follows her every move with his eyes, not trying to mask the hatred in his eyes.
While Gaara, if Temari considers anyone to be at her side, she would consider it to be Gaara. But it's possible that she's reading more to his silence.
When she arrived at the Sabaku residence, working as a servant Temari was made privy to the other servants' gossips. One of the servants loudly complained that Shikamaru's bedroom is now being used as storage room for Kankuro's puppets, revealing that she couldn't do her job of getting rid of Shikamaru's things that have remained inside. Afterall Kankuro had warned all the servants not to enter his brother's room because his puppets might be damaged.
Kankuro could store his puppets on the room closest to his. He's obviously safe guarding Shikamaru's possessions, making sure the servants don't throw them away as ordered by the Kazekage. The Kazekage has already accepted that Shikamaru is dead.
According to one of the servants, several weeks ago Kankuro arrived from his mission in Tanigakure and the first thing he did was ask if Kamaru has returned. When every one of the servants just shook their head in negation; he seek out the Kazekage and requested for a team that he would lead to find and probably to aide Kamaru. The servant Temari has befriended continued to gossip; some of the servants find it odd that the Kazekage had refused Kankuro's while others that have stayed in the Kazekage's household longer, shared that they had already foreseen the Kazekage's reaction. The Kazekage has never shown interest towards his first son much less to his welfare. And it wasn't totally unexpected that the Kazekage just sent an unknown number of trackers rather than Kankuro to find Kamaru.
Temari understands the secrecy. The Kazekage probably fears that Kankuro might discover the truth about his 'sibling'. The Kazekage must have sent someone he could trust or maybe someone he could eliminate after to search for Shikamaru.
Temari's source farther added that one of the shinobi scouts or maybe the only scout sent by the Kazekage returned to Suna with Kamaru's bloodied satchel. It was reported that the bag was discarded along the road just outside of Suna. It was as if someone wanted them to find the satchel. When no new reports arrived though and no body—dead or otherwise—turned up even after a month since Shikamaru went to a mission, one of the servants was tasked to clear Shikamaru's room, showing that the Kazekage is now convinced that Shikamaru is dead. But Kankuro threatened the servant with death if she touched his brother's room. When the servant reported back Kankuro's threat, the Kazekage himself visited the room. The servants thought that the Kazekage was looking for clues to find his son but Temari knows the truth, the Kazekage just wanted Shikamaru's room swept for any telling documents regarding the birth switch; if there was any the Kazekage had already destroyed it even before Kankuro placed his puppet inside the room.
Temari, using a jutsu to pick the lock on Shikamaru's bedroom door, is able to enter. There are several protective jutsus already applied on the room and if it is a servant coming inside the room uninvited the servant would surely be killed.
Looking around the room, Temari's eyes fall on the corner near the door. Just as she guessed only one puppet is residing inside the room, not taking much space at that corner.
Temari approaches Shikamaru's bed. Sand and dust have accumulated on its surface. She's been here in Suna for three days now. And Shikamaru has been gone for more than a month. Considering that his mission is in Iwagakure, a village much much farther than Konoha to Suna, a month is not long enough for him to be considered missing or dead.
Grabbing the bed cover Temari raises it to shake the dirt away. She needs to change it though. The first thing he'll do when he gets back is sleep and he needs this bed then.
Temari walks closer towards the closet and opens it. It contains a few of Shikamaru's clothes. On the bottom there are two drawers. Sitting on her heels, Temari opens the first one, it contains kunais and some shurikens and two pouches. Opening the pouches, both are empty except for some grains of sand left in them. The second drawer contains a few folders. Not really interested in their contents Temari browses through them. When she lifts the first folder, an old photograph is exposed. It was of a woman with brown hair, smiling, as she carries a dark haired baby.
Lifting the old photograph, Temari stares at her mother. Karura looks so kind and she obviously adores the child in her arms. It is Kamaru. There's no mistaking the one-year old in the arms of the contented woman in the picture. That baby should have been her. She should be the one who have felt the lost of her mother when she was just three years old.
Returning back the picture where she found it, she is about to leave the room when Kankuro passes outside his brother's room.
Kankuro notices that the door is ajar.
Temari doesn't bother to hide.
Kankuro pushes the door inwards.
Temari stands her ground.
Kankuro glowers at the proud kunoichi. "What are you doing here?"
"It's my responsibility to clean yours and this room."
"I also said to leave it!" Kankuro is livid. He suddenly grabs Temari's forearm to pull her out of the room.
Temari allows herself to be dragged out. She figures she owes Kankuro. If not for him that picture of her or rather their mother would have been destroyed. But once they are out, Temari shakes off his hand. "Let go!"
Kankuro releases her arm abruptly as he swears, "If you are looking for clues to find him, stop. It's not your responsibility. It's mine! I already searched his room numerous times, there's no indication that he planned to leave for any length of time. His most precious possession is still there!"
"You mean his mother's photograph, don't you?"
Furious, Kankuro raises his hand to slap Temari.
"Try that and you'll be sorry." Temari bares her teeth.
Kankuro's hand pauses in midair. Gritting his teeth, he snaps, "The only reason I stopped is because big bro would have my head if I did. Remember, Temari-san, I'll be watching you. If I learned you are involved in my brother's disappearance, I won't hesitate to kill you. Nobody will stop me from having my revenge not even Kamaru-niisan." With one last poisonous look, Kankuro strides away, with each step resounding on the floor.
Temari clenches her hands, glaring at her brother's broad back... Shikamaru is missing and she knows deep inside that maybe she is the reason.
TBC
~4/5,8/11AF~