Chapter 124
"Let's get you and Shikadai out of here," says a voice, as the person it belongs to pulls apart the metal rails enclosing them. Then grabbing Temari's hands, he gives her two masks, one for adult and one smaller one.
It's pitch black inside her and her son's temporary cage, Temari tries to see the owner of the voice. The voice, she knows who it belongs to...It's Naruto. She looks beside him and can barely see the outline of Ino, her friend's index and mid fingers raised near her lips in a seal, her eyes closed. Then Ino's eyes open, and she gives the all clear so far sign. Next, Temari's gaze sweeps to another one with them, someone who's silhouette is unfamiliar but is holding her big fan.
"Where is Kamaru?" Temari finally asks as she puts on Shikadai's mask first, her fingers pausing then she finishes the job to put on hers.
—oOo—
"If he's our friend explain why he can perform the Nara's blood line limit jutsu and we—WE DID NOT KNOW THAT!" retorts Ino.
Good point. The person inside Hiruko cackles as she hides from their sight.
While inside Hiruko, she controls the numerous white robed puppets attacks. Of course, she can't help but listen in to the escalating argument between Kamaru, and the two Konaha shinobis—the ones named Ino and Choji. The puppets are equipped with a listening device. And she can hear quite clearly their conversations and accusations and it's quite enlightening. She gives a hoot of laughter. This is more entertaining than listening to council meetings.
Suddenly, the Leaf kunoichi's body just drops to the ground. It seems, the one called Ino is probing Shikamaru's mind. The Kazekage's boy won't like that. A very private lad that one. Unlike the mid child, he won't take kindly to having his thoughts probed.
"Don't forget Kamaru almost lost his youngest brother protecting Temari and Shikadai," defends the one called Choji.
"Ugh, growing up, Kamaru hated that brother," Ino reveals. "He thinks Gaara is a monster."
And she watches intently, moving a part of Hiruko's front plank to see better. The young blonde kunoichi has now just discovered, something unsavory about Shikamaru's deep thoughts about his brother. Despite his nonchalant attitude, Shikamaru hated Gaara and that's the truth.
She bets all her accumulated wealth that this Ino is about to discover something else. Something darker and infinitely more shocking. Indeed, the kazekage's first born thinking that the last born son is a monster, that's not surprising. However, the Suna siblings have grown closer the past few years…because of Temari...And she will witness the reactions of the two Konoha shinobis when they learn the truth that Temari is the Kazekage's real child and ops not Shikamaru.
It's obvious that this Ino and even this Choji are not aware of this deep, dark secret.
Ino has a fantastic jutsu, probing Shikamaru's mind. They will finally know that he and his wife, Temari, are hiding something from them. She can't wait.
She doesn't even have to spend too much chakra controlling her puppets for it's inevitable they—the Sand shinobi and the leaf shinobis will fight amongst themselves.
Friends? These young shinobis are about to discover they aren't friends. She laughs, hidden behind Sasori's puppet. She already knows there's no point in trusting and being dependent on another village. An amicable alliance is nothing but a pipe dream.
Shikamaru and Temari who belongs to neither Konoha nor Suna are about to discover that.
Friends...are synonymous with betrayal.
Suddenly, her lips, upturned in a gleeful laugh, straighten into a tight line as she frowns. Something feels off. She can't quite put her finger on it.
Then suddenly, it clicks. She realizes, Shikamaru and Choji both call Ino...Ino. It reinforces the feeling that they thought they are friends. While the kunoichi called Ino called her colleague from the same village...Temari-san. It's...it's an impostor! In all probability, this Ino is just acting. Choji is just acting. And Shikamaru is just acting—acting feminine and as if he is under a mind reader. They are all just acting their part to dupe her.
Then the piece of equipment wrapped on her arm, gives off an alarm. The oxygen level inside the cage where she hastily deposited Temari and her child while she fights off their visitors is being used faster than expected with just a woman and an infant. There are intruders and they have reached the enclosure deep inside the cave.
They know that she was on the look out for Shikamaru. He is then used as a bait. The fight outside the cave with Shikamaru's team with her puppets and the interesting conversations they are having that she thought they are unwittingly sharing are just diversions!
—oOo—
"Where is Kamaru?" Temari finally asks as she puts on Shikadai's mask first, her fingers pausing then she finishes the job to put on hers.
Naruto grins. "For us to slip in here, he's outside creating a distraction. With Choji and—"
Suddenly, the single bulb inside Temari and Shikadai's cage lights up cutting out Naruto's words.
"She knows you guys are in here!" Temari yells, squinting and covering Shikadai's eyes from the sudden glare. "The poison!" Then Temari suddenly grabs her fan while depositing to the unfamiliar Suna shinobi her kid and shouts, "Naruto!"
"Got it!" Naruto then creates a clone. Together they hastily make a rasengan and direct it towards the cave wall to create an opening. The thick cave wall explodes, Temari with her fan already open, swings it with no moment to lose producing a strong gust of wind to push the air and blocks of shattered rocks out and with it hopefully most of the poison.
Temari slings her fan on her backside and snatches back her baby, still squinting as the sun shines down on them as she hastily climbs out of the debri and cave. The others following her as she dashes away to put a safe distance from her and where they come from. They are now out in the open desert, the air should dilute the poison.
After a short while, Temari stops running to finally check on Shikadai. She knows that the mask is not 100% leak proof. A tiny amount of poison can still have penetrated the mask when the bulb turned on then to the succeeding explosion for them to get out from the cave, fast.
"Kamaru-san warned us, the place could be rigged with poison and any form of spark, even just the tiniest light can produce heat and activate it," says the Suna shinobi.
"We needed to get out of the cave fast. We can't dally with indecision while the fumes build up in a tiny, enclosed space. There was only one way out and we have no choice but to take that," rasps Temari as she looks at Shikadai, his mask still on, covering his face….but she can see his eyes are closed. With the noise from the explosion, he should be wide awake.
"I'm not saying your decision is wrong, Temari-san," replies the Suna shinobi. "But I could have lead you all out without resorting to that. That's why Kamaru-san sent me. I know the cave, even with eyes closed."
"I've seen the cave. It takes too long to navigate even equipped with light," replies Temari. "And you need to work with Ino to sense where our enemy is."
"We have a mask."
"The mask is useless on Shikadai! It's too loose," Temari finally reveals, her voice remaining steady as she watches her son's chest, willing it to move. "I don't think he's breathing...Ino?"
Ino immediately reaches for Shikadai's arm, lifting it up until the inner side of his upper arm is exposed then with her index and mid fingers she checks for pulse.
"Temariii! Shikadaiiii!" Shikamaru's shouts can now be heard, looking for them.
—oOo—
"Temariii! Shikadaiiii!" Shikamaru shouts, running closer towards the explosion, followed by Choji and the other Suna nin who still appears as Ino.
"Not so fast!" the puppet Hiruko finally shows itself.
"Get out of my way, Chiyo!" Shikamaru shouts.
"So you know it's me," replies Chiyo, "I shouldn't be surprised...but I am."
"Of course, I know it's you! You made quite a lot of mistakes."
"Humor an old woman and tell me..."
"Tch you did not kill Temari because you have no energy left to actually look after a baby day in, day out. And you are so old, you're eyes are failing you. You did not even suspect that Temari was leaving behind blood trails for us to follow. But most of all, the biggest give away is...the poison you used on Gaara. Only you could make something as brilliant as that."
"Thank you, indeed that poison is my best work," replies Chiyo. "Since you already know it's me, let me just get rid of this, child." the old woman then proceeds to come out of her Hiruko shell. "And you're wrong, my eyes aren't failing me, this damn contraption did. It's hard to see with this thing on. I should have made some revisions to the size inside but sentimental value gets in the way."
"Of course, all these...for revenge, because of Sasori," concludes Shikamaru.
Chiyo adopts a thinking stance. "Eeek wrong! I thought Sasori is dead for years when you and Gaara killed him."
"What is it then?" challenges Shikamaru.
"I just want your child," Chiyo simply answers.
"Well, you're not going to have him—ever—because I'll kill you right now myself," spats Shikamaru, his hands already raised to create seals.
—oOo—
"Temariii! Shikadaiiii!" Shikamaru's shouts can now be heard, looking for them then suddenly he stops shouting but he never appears by their side along with the others.
Temari raises her eyes towards the direction of Shikamaru's voice a moment ago while Naruto runs towards it to check what happened.
"He must be fighting the enemy," the Suna nin surmises. "He'll kill her."
"Oh my god, not again. First, Gaara then..." grunts Ino, finally giving up after numerous attempts. "Damn it! I can't find a pulse. But this time we have no way of getting ice. And no ready made antidote."
"Chiyo has an antidote. She hides it somewhere. I haven't discovered where yet," says Temari, holding her son tighter to her chest. "Ino, you can—"
"Yes, I know," replies Ino. "But first I need to tell the others, we need Chiyo alive for me to be able to do that."
—oOo-
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