Chapter Three
Kisho awakened at dawn, but it hadn't been the coming light that stirred him from his forced slumber. It had been the vibrations rising through the frame of the cot. They were subtle enough for most people to not notice, but his affinity for earth style jutsu had left him with a heightened sensitivity to the workings of the ground beneath him. Now the gift was doing him justice, alerting him to the impending danger mere moments away. If only he'd been paying as close attention yesterday…
He'd pleaded with the kunoichi holding him captive, warning her of the earthquake, but her sluggishness in responding was costing them dear seconds of time. Then the moment of escape was past as he felt the violent shift below them. The plates in the earth were pulling apart, and they would be swallowed up, building and all. She realized her mistake in not trusting him, but it was too late. The foundation of the outpost groaned as its support suddenly dropped away, the mortar between the stones cracking and crumbling as gravity tried to pull them downward. The kunoichi lost her footing as the room tilted sideways. A squeak erupted as the cot slid towards her and the wall, and for a moment he thought the bed might pin her. But she was quick, and by the time his bed hit the shelves, she had regained her balance and was standing with her feet on the narrow side of the shelves, chakra keeping her in place.
"Release me now!" he demanded.
Leaning forward to reach the bed, Temari swiftly flipped the buckles loose. Wasting no more time, Kisho's hand shot out like lightning, grabbing her by the wrist and flipping her across him and under the bedframe. He hit the edge of the shelves as gravity took effect, scrambling to right himself. Gripping the edge of the cot, he jumped over it to stand beside her. There wasn't much room between them, but he managed to crouch down, palms on the wavering surface below.
Using what little chakra he had regained, Kisho pushed it into the stone of the wall, molding it until it solidified into one piece. He reached as far into the rock beyond as he could, striving for an extra foot of purchase. But his chakra gave out on him before he finished, and he collapsed on top of the Sand kunoichi. Above them, what used to be the floor splintered and cracked before curling around them as the uppermost portion of the building landed solidly against the far plate of earth. The inner walls gave way and fell into the chasm below. With a growl Temari roughly pushed him off of her, regained her feet, and snapped open her fan. Using it as a shield, she crouched over him, deflecting the debris and rocks that would have fallen on top of them both.
What seemed like an eternity later, the world stopped moving and everything grew quiet. A thick layer of dust hung heavily in the air, clogging Temari's lungs and making her want to cough. Her arms were beginning to ache from being in one position so long, and her heart was thundering in her chest. Kisho did cough, and wincing as he shifted to a sitting position, surveyed the surroundings before turning to her.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice still rough from his sore throat.
She snapped her fan shut and stared at him incredulously. "Are you nuts? We just fell kami knows how far into the earth, we're trapped beneath half the building, I'm wearing a ridiculous skirt, and you're asking me if I'm okay?"
"Yes."
"No, I'm not okay."
Chiding herself for losing her temper so quickly, Temari straightened to survey the destruction and sort through her options. The six foot square wall/floor they were standing on was the only recognizable part of the outpost that was left. The rest was a mess of rock and furniture. The toilet was hanging by its metal piping to her left, the lid dangling open at an odd angle. The shower stall was gone, as well as the rest of the bathroom. She peered over the edge of the cot, only to discover that the shelves were missing too, leaving the gaping maw of nothingness below her. She could barely make out the twisted metal of the staircase dangling beyond. Or maybe it was the railing from the deck, she couldn't be sure. Above her the western wall was still wedged like a broken bridge, the middle splintered nearly in half.
She wouldn't be able to climb the rock face, it was far too unsteady, and a sudden aftershock could send her falling to the bottom without warning. There was nearly no breeze, and the passage was too narrow for a wind jutsu, so she couldn't fly out either. But maybe if she let the other end of the wall drop, there would be enough room to jump to the far side of the chasm, then onto the remaining section of wall and climb the rest of the way out from there. That way if she did fall, she would land on the building and not be worse off than she already was.
Temari started to snap open her fan again, but was stopped as Kisho's hand landed on her wrist.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting out of here, what else?"
"Don't do that."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't remember when you became the Kazekage. And I don't take orders from anyone else."
He let her go, scooting as close to the wall as possible. "Suit yourself."
With a powerful blast of chakra, Temari swept the obstructing piece of ceiling out of the way. But as soon as it shifted and fell, the remaining section of wall began to groan. It vibrated before swinging downward, right on top of them. She tried to bring her fan back around in time to defend herself, but couldn't maneuver fast enough in the tight space. Just before the debris hit her on the head an arm came around her and she was swept backwards, her spine hitting the wall as Kisho shielded her from the tumbling stone. Luckily, the cot caught the brunt of the blow, and the grating of stone against metal was loud as they were enclosed in a tight triangle of debris.
Breathing heavily from the exertion, Kisho glared at her. "I told you not to do that."
"Shut up."
"…"
"And get off of me!"
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Kisho gave her a bemused smirk as he twisted his body around and sat down. The ledge he had created was just big enough for them to sit side by side, shoulders touching. His companion refused to even look at him now, let alone talk, so he listened to the sound of the earth as aftershocks rumbled through the crust, shifting nervously as he prayed his handiwork stayed intact. More debris fell when a particularly strong one rolled through, but it held despite the vibrations. At last it was completely quiet, and there was nothing left to do but wait until he had rested enough to escape.
After steadfastly ignoring him for a half an hour, the silence was beginning to wear on Temari, until finally, she snapped. "This whole situation is ridiculous! Are we ever going to get out of here?"
"As soon as I regain my chakra, I can get out easily."
She gave him an incredulous look. "How?"
He just stared at her until she heaved a sigh. "Fine, don't tell me. But just remember who it was that saved your life."
"My life wouldn't have been in danger if you hadn't detained me."
"You're right. It wouldn't have been in danger because you'd already be dead. When I dragged your sorry ass inside you were nearly gone from sunstroke and dehydration. I'm beginning to wonder if it was worth my time."
Kisho patted the solid floor. "Just remember who it was that saved your life."
Temari scowled at him, hating the fact that he was right. He glared right back, refusing to back down. They warred silently until he turned his head away, letting his dusty hair fall over his face. "Can't we agree to work together until we get out of here?"
"Fine. So what do I call you anyway, other than Enemy Ninja."
"Kisho."
"I'm Temari."
"I would say I'm pleased to meet you, but under the current circumstances, I'm not so sure."
"Same here."
They fell silent again, and Kisho shifted to relieve the numb feeling in his backside from sitting on the hard stone. He tried to get comfortable, but it was hard to do. Leaning his head against the wall behind him, he closed his eyes as he mumbled, "I need to get some sleep. You might as well do the same. It won't be easy getting out of here."
Temari gave him a disbelieving look. He actually expected her to go to sleep right next to an enemy shinobi, exposed to attack with no help within reach? He had to be insane. Looking back up at the debris above them, she ran through some more options, and still came up empty handed. If she tried to use anything to move the rest of the ceiling, it would come crashing right down on their heads. There was only a small hole on either side of the cot legs in which to crawl, with no purchase on the cliff wall beyond. She couldn't see the top of their makeshift ceiling, and had no idea how stable it was. It seemed that no matter what she tried she would inevitable fall to her death, not a thought she relished. It would be better if she died at the hands of the man beside her than lie broken until her body gave in to its injuries.
Finally she relented, and as if on command, her entire body relaxed. The shock of the earthquake was settling in, making her more tired that she had ever felt in her life. She did her best to stay upright, but she was soon slumped against Kisho, dozing off with her head on his shoulder. He did his best to ignore the stinging sensation every time her hair rubbed against his skin, but she slept lightly, moving often. At last he couldn't stand it anymore and gently shifted her until she was lying with her head in his lap. She opened her eyes sleepily, frowned at him, then dozed off again.
He watched her for a few minutes, his fingers finding their way to her layered hair. He supposed if his mission had to be a failure, this was one of the better ways for it to happen. Exhaustion finally caught up with him, and he closed his eyes against the burn making them water. His head fell forward and he dozed off as well, one hand still in her hair.
At least she hadn't noticed when he began leeching her chakra…
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It was pitch black when Temari awoke, and for a moment she didn't know where she was. She was incredibly thirsty, tired, and her eyes felt like they were covered with grit. Then a snore right above her head sent alarm coursing through her. Bolting upright, the top of her head crashed into something before it gave way and allowed her to sit. Kisho muttered a curse and cradled his smarting chin, and the day before came rushing back to her. She fumbled around for her pack to find a flare, only to remember that she was in her civilian clothes, beside an enemy shinobi, and didn't even have a kunai. Covering the tang of sudden fear with humor, she shifted to a more comfortable sitting position.
"Good morning."
She felt his eyes on her in the dark, and knew he was glaring at her. Ignoring it, she peered out the hole beside her, watching as the rock began to separate from the free air. She wished she knew what time it was, but the sun in the sky seemed an eternity away. Turning back to him, she tried to find his face in the blackness.
"Have you regained enough chakra to get us out of here?"
"Yes."
"So what's the plan then?"
"The separated plates are still frail, and it's impossible to tell when the edges will begin to crumble. The safest way out is to tunnel into the earth behind us, angling up until we reach the surface."
"And how do I know you won't just leave me buried in the ground?"
She felt more than saw his sudden anger.
"Look, we agreed to work together until we got out of this mess, right? Just because I'm from a different country doesn't mean I'll go back on my word. Rock shinobi are just as honorable as Sand nins. I won't leave you behind."
Trying not to wince at his harsh tone, Temari shot back. "Well, I'm sorry. I don't make it a habit of trusting anyone."
Without answering her, Kisho turned until he was facing the opposite direction. Pulling away the floorboards with little effort, he exposed a large section of concrete. Then he lay his hands flat on the surface. Invisible in the daylight, his chakra flared up, producing a faint blue glow in the darkness. Temari had twisted around as well, and was watching him carefully. Feeling out the rocks, he broke the bonds holding the layer of concrete together until he created a soft spot.
"Dig the debris out." he said without breaking concentration on his task.
Leaning close and reaching under his outstretched arms, Temari scooped up a handful of soft plaster and rock chips just below his hands. Scooting back, she tossed it through the hole in the side of the cot and came back for more. Little by little they made a hole in the foundation big enough for them to crawl through. Once into the softer earth behind it, Kisho was able to manipulate the substrate faster. After nearly an hour of steady work, they were able to crawl into the crater.
Thanking her lucky star she wasn't claustrophobic, Temari followed him into the tight space, scooping the loose earth between her legs and behind them as they went. Once they had a six or seven foot section cleared, Kisho began angling upward, keeping the angle gentle. Time ceased to exist altogether in the darkness, and she had no idea how long they had worked before she began to feel a change in the earth she was moving. It became grainier until she was sure it was sand she was moving instead of dirt. Then there was a shift above them and the sand rained down, nearly knocking them back as it fell on their heads.
At last fresh air hit their faces, and Temari took a grateful breath of the dry desert air. Light followed shortly after, and before she knew it Kisho had turned and grabbed her hand to help her out of the hole and onto the desert floor. Chests heaving, they lay on the sand, uncaring of the sun that beat down on them overhead. Judging from the distance of the sun and the horizon, they had been beneath the ground for nearly the entire day.
Kisho looked over at her dirt covered form, imagining that he didn't look much better. "So, what now?"
"We'll never make it to Suna before it gets too cold to travel. We need to find somewhere to camp."
"We need water as well."
Lifting her head off the sand, Temari glanced at the horizon on both sides. Then she dropped it back to the ground. "There's a stand of cactus at a dry oasis a half mile north of here. We can cut a few of the limbs for water. And if I remember correctly, there are some dead trees that we can use for shelter until it's time to move."
"You're sure?" He wished he had known that the day before. Then maybe he wouldn't even be in this predicament.
Temari glared at him. "What the hell kind of question is that? I live in this desert. Of course I'm sure."
Kisho just stared back at her before leaning up on his elbows. Arms feeling like cooked ramen, they pushed themselves to a sit, then a stand. Temari led the way, away from the fault line and the destroyed outpost. She was glad to see that the break in the earth ran in a zigzag from east to west, not even close to Suna. Her brothers were safe. Which meant someone was already on their way to check on her. She would be fine until they arrived as long as she had her fan and chakra.
The cactus patch was exactly where she said it was, and Kisho took great interest in his surroundings to avoid the satisfied smirk she leveled on him. Walking up to one with a multitude of arms, she used her fan to swipe the needles off before gently pulling one loose at the joint. Sticky green fluid oozed out as she broke it in half and handed him one. He waited until she was greedily sucking on hers before he raised it up to his lips. The fluid was warm, and he had to suck it from the fibers, but he was so thirsty he didn't care.
When he got all he was going to, he tossed it down and turned around. He froze at the sight of Temari, standing in nothing but her tank top and underwear, tossing her unfolded skirt over two fallen logs to create a shelter from the sun. He couldn't stop himself from staring. Her tan legs were firm and smooth, and the black bikini underwear she was wearing covered her toned ass nicely. It gave him an instant hard on.
Feeling his eyes on her, she turned to frown at him, sudden discomfort turning her cheeks red. Her teal eyes hardened. "Stop staring at me. It's better than roasting in the sun."
Crouching down, she crawled underneath the log, laying with her back to him. After a few minutes of debating with himself and wishing for a cold shower, he removed his sandals and followed her, scooting as far away from her as the small space would allow. He turned his back to her as well, staring at the nearly petrified wood. The trees had fallen in a 'v' shape forcing their feet together. Which was just as well. If he was going to escape, he would need more chakra, and the only way he could drain any more from her was with direct skin contact. Luckily, it didn't matter which part of the body it was.
An hour passed, and at last he felt her begin to relax. He shifted his foot slightly, until he was nudging her ankle with his toe. She twitched a little, but didn't move her foot. At once he began to drain her chakra, an unnoticeable amount at a time. When he was halfway to his maximum capacity he heard her breathing even out as the drain forced her to sleep. By the time the sun began to set she was out cold.
Satisfied that he had an ample amount of chakra, he crawled out of the shelter. Following her example, he used her fan to remove the needles from several more cactus arms, then pulled them off and wrapped them in her skirt with the fan. There he stopped, staring at the sun bleached trees and her blonde hair peeping around the edges. If he left her as she was, she would tell the Kazekage about him and they would be on him faster than a hound at the races. Since this was their territory, he wouldn't stand a chance of escaping alone. He should just kill her and toss her into the rift, letting them think she had died in the earthquake. But shinobi that he was, he couldn't bring himself to do it. If they hadn't helped each other, they would both be dead. But he didn't relish the thought of turning her over to Hidden Stone either. They would torture her, ruin her in their quest for information before sending her back to Suna in as many pieces as times she screamed for them. It felt like a betrayal after what they just went through. But not taking her back would be an even bigger betrayal to his village.
Swearing under his breath, he summoned one of his stone lions before dragging her out from under the logs. Picking her up he climbed aboard the kneeling beast, struggling to balance both her and the weighty bundle until everything was firmly in place. Ready at last, he wrapped one arm around her and used the other to guide the lion north, toward home.