Chapter 92
"He killed Asuma!" the crowd growls their accusation even after the one being accused has already left the graveyard.
Kurenai, the unruly mob before her, could only stand by and watch almost helplessly. The handful of people that remained—shinobis and civilians alike—are vehemently nodding their heads, loudly agreeing with the popular notion that is being voiced out. Konoha—or at least this portion of it—is convinced that a Suna shinobi killed her husband. Outside of this circle, it is easy to imagine that there are others who think the same or can be convinced to think the same.
Kurenai's gaze slowly sweeps the crowd, and finally notices that amongst them, the Hokage still stands, but it seems the new kage has chosen to remain quiet amidst the emerging chaos. Glancing farther ahead, her bleary red eyes catch Yoshino's stiff back as the older woman pushes her way out of the crush of people, exiting the noise and the place. Next, her eyes meet Temari's defensive ones and Shikaku's calmer ones. While Choji and Ino, whose respective families have already left for their duties, look at her for guidance.
It seems only a handful of people present, disagree. And those that disagree choose to take their stance by being silent among a loud crowd.
Kurenai has seen this scene before, the majority's opinion drowning that of the few. It happened almost two decades ago, when people had reacted the same way to the infant Naruto because of the kyubi, the monstrous nine tailed fox, inside him.
Naruto isn't at fault for what he is, for being a jinchuriki, neither is Kamaru for being a shinobi of Suna.
Kurenai, her heart twisting, she just lost a husband and the father of her small child. Even in grief, she doesn't want Asuma remembered like he was betrayed by his student. He wasn't.
She won't allow it. Her husband's death won't be shrouded with wrongful and hurtful accusations. Asuma wouldn't want that. He was a fair person as well as proud.
Abruptly raising her hands, palms out, claiming the people's attention, Kurenai announces in a strong, clear and authoritative voice, "Listen people. Kamaru did not kill my husband."
But instead of calming them down, again Kurenai's action is like pouring kerosene to an already uncontrolled fire. The crowd bursts into an uproar. The shouting becomes louder. The accusation more deafening.
"We tell you that Suna brat killed your husband!"
"Whatever goodness you saw in that Kamaru, it was just a ploy to get your sympathy!"
"You weren't even there! You didn't see what happened. How could you be so sure that that bastard didn't kill Asuma?"
"The nins that went to investigate aren't back yet. But I bet they wouldn't see a trace of the other guy."
"What's next?! That kid would try to convince us that the evidence was blown away by Asuma's jutsu!"
"So tell us, how can you be sure that that Suna nin you are defending didn't kill Asuma?!"
Kurenai gazes at the sea of faces, most of them wearing an incredulous look directed at her. Even if she wasn't there where her husband last fought, she knows her husband too well. Taking a deep breath, she is left with no other choice, she must reveal her husband's final move. "Because Asuma's last act before he died was to put his trust on Kamaru's person for everyone to see," she discloses.
—o0o—
"You're right, I'm just using this man to get information," admitted Shikamaru coldly. "But since you have blown my cover, asshole, you better allow me to fix it."
"You think I trust you?!" replied Hidan, incredulous.
Shikamaru retorted, "You have no choice, not if you want Konoha's jinchuriki."
"Kamaru, what are you doing?" asked Asuma.
"Shut up, old man. I still have use for you," Shikamaru snapped at Asuma, "But you need to be alive to be utilized."
To Hidan, Shikamaru scowled, his face turning ugly. "I can't believe my father didn't trust me to handle the situation!"
Visibly fighting for control after his outburst, Shikamaru continued, in a calmer tone, "I have seen Konoha's jinchuriki. He's such a weakling and stupid. I could have easily befriended him and take him to Suna on an errand mission. Now, once Konoha learned of this attack, they'll hide the jinchuriki, he only functions as a vessel for them anyway. You're strong but you'll be wasting time searching—the kazekage—will be wasting time waiting if we did it your way."
Hidan just laughed and suddenly with the knife, stabbed his abdomen. Asuma doubled up in pain while Kamaru didn't even flinch, walking towards Hidan slowly. "Go ahead kill him. His death will not benefit anyone."
"What makes you think I'll spare him" scoffed Hidan, "or you?"
"You'll spare me because I have something you need. The same way you'll spare Asuma because we both need something from him."
Hidan threw back his head and barked in laughter. "You're dreaming if you think I need anything from you or him!"
"Then kill him—the son of the former Hokage!" rasped Shikamaru. "Do you think they'll allow you to get close to their prized possession then?"
Hidan snorted.
"Tch, so you think you can take them all," mocked Shikamaru. "I have studied this village for the past few months, looking for its weakness. But it seems the bigger the adversary gets that stronger and more united this village becomes."
"I have threaded under the shadows, knowing that when my time comes, I'll strike silently but you—you want to take on the entire village alone!" grated Shikamaru. "You must really have a good plan in order to do that."
Hidan snickered in bravado but when he noticed that the other nin just stared at him as if he was stupid, he frowned then he scowled, "So what's your plan to get me…and you out of this shit?"
"We'll barter Asuma for the jinchuriki," said Shikamaru evenly, walking closer towards Hidan. "So what do you say?"
Hidan hesitated while Shikamaru waited.
Gradually, slowly with an evil grin on his face, Hidan replied, "No," while he was about to plunge the short blade towards his own heart.
Moving fast, Shikamaru lunged at Hidan, grabbing the hand with the blade stopping the tip from grazing the enemy's chest.
The lunge, backed by momentum and Shikamaru's weight, was calculated to push Hidan away from the circle on the ground. "Asuma, now!" he shouted.
Asuma dragged his feet and with his one good arm he raised his trench knife and slashed at the arms that now wrapped around Kamaru.
—o0o—
Shikamaru was running fast. The weight on his back not slowing him down.
"You can put me down here," Asuma murmured to the ear near his mouth.
"We need to go to the hospital right away," uttered Shikamaru, not even slowing down as he jumped from branch to another tree branch. He could almost see a clearing, an end to the woods and the start of establishments.
"Yes, but first I have something to—" Asuma coughed, a spittle of blood raining on Kamaru's collar. "—say to you."
"Later."
"You shouldn't disobey your teacher."
"Look whatever it is, you can tell me when you're on your way to recovery. Right now just conserve your energy," asserted Shikamaru, hooking up Asuma's legs higher as he carried the heavier shinobi on his back. "We'll make it. We're almost at the hospital."
—o0o—
Almost but not quite. Despite Kamaru hastening his footsteps, the hospital just seemed to be at the opposite side from where they were and time dragged slowly. Asuma couldn't just wait to ask anymore. Knowing he might not get another chance, he suddenly probed, "Kamaru, you're the real son of Shikaku and Yoshino, aren't you?"
"Yes," answered Shikamaru, with only a slight break to his hurrying stride revealing his inner thoughts.
"And Temari is the real daughter of the kazekage." It wasn't a question anymore but a statement as suddenly a lot of things made perfect sense to Asuma. He watched Temari grow up afterall. He knew how she hated her blonde hair because it was the only one like it in the Nara clan. He knew how she practiced day and night, sweating, bleeding, wanting to control her shadow but couldn't. How frustrated she became. How angry and envious of Ino she—
"She maybe his flesh but she's not his daughter," replied Kamaru, interrupting his thoughts.
Asuma slowly nodded his head, he understood that Temari would never be like her biological father.
Shikamaru then felt Asuma's action on his back rather than saw.
—o0o—
Asuma coughed and coughed blood. "It's alright you can put me down now."
"No."
"Please."
—o0o—
"Please reach into my pocket."
Shikamaru fished into one of Asuma's flak jacket's pockets, expecting to find a stick of cigarette but instead his hand came away with a stud earring.
"I want you to have it," said the older man as he lay on one of the building rooftops.
Shikamaru stared at the stud then at Asuma. "Temari has the other one."
"Yes."
"Both Ino and Choji wear a pair but Temari only has the one that she keeps inside her drawer. Don't you think it's a little unfair for Tem—"
Asuma sighed. "I assure you I tried to give the pair to her. She wouldn't accept them, saying she didn't deserve them because she failed to create any shadow jutsu." His words were then punctuated by another bough of coughing. Kamaru frowned in concern but the older man simply patted his hand.
With each breath becoming slightly labored, Asuma still continued, "As a compromise, I told her, she can wear the earrings when she's ready. She realized then that I would insist so she took the one but until now I haven't seen her wear it. It was only today that I finally understood why she felt she never belonged."
Shikamaru nodded his head.
"Temari deserves that piece of jewelry—that symbol of her coming of age as a Konoha kunoichi. But this one, this one belongs to you and Temari knows it."
Shikamaru shook his head, still not wanting to accept, not when he knew what the earring meant—a sign of being a part of InoShikaCho, a part of Asuma's team, a part of Konoha. "I don't deserve it."
"You do. You proved it today." Asuma raised his hand, proffering the stud, patiently waiting for Kamaru to accept.
Scrutinizing Asuma and reading nothing but his sincerity, Shikamaru stopped hesitating. He reached for the stud and with decisive movements, he pierced his earlobe with the sharp end, installing the new earring.
"When you get back, tell my wife and kid that I love them so much. Tell Ino to cut Temari some slack. Tell Choji to go in between his teammates until both girls are ready to reconcile. Tell Temari, I am glad to be her teacher," uttered Asuma. "And you, I want you to know that the stud fits you."
—o0o—
"Because Asuma's last act before he died was to put his trust on Kamaru's person for everyone to see," Kurenai discloses. "Asuma gave Kamaru the earring as a sign of his acknowledgement that the young man is part of his team."
A blonde woman finally steps out of the crowd, joining Kurenai's side, her own stud, glinting on the sunlight from her earlobe. "My husband did not kill Asuma," Temari snarls. "To prove it, he will bring the culprit's body for your inspection!"
TBC
—o0o—
~4 26, 6 21,22, 7 19 14AF P8 17 14~