The Life and Times of the Kazekage's Assistant

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto. This story is inspired by a novel by Lauren Weisberger. I do own Tsubasa Imamura, any other OCs in the story, the designer labels and names of the magazines/newspapers, and the plot.

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I hope it was timely enough ;)

Chapter Twenty-Two: A Sizzling Rendezvous

I never fell asleep that night. Instead, I lied in bed with my eyes refusing to close and deliver me to a place more peaceful than this one.

There would be no peace for me though. The note that I'd received was evidence for that, and I wasn't even sure how to go about handling the situation. I'd never been blackmailed before. It was a big deal. My reputation wasn't the only one at stake. Gaara's was too.

I wanted to ignore the message, wanted to pretend it never happened. I wanted to keep calm and carry on, but that was selfish of me. I had to be proactive at least to an extent. My first approach had been to send word to Kiba. I needed to know that he wasn't the one at the bottom of this. I'm sure the guy had a plethora of reasons for the blackmail, and that's why he was my number one suspect.

A carrier pigeon was sent almost immediately, as well as a strongly worded e-mail. Kiba would likely receive the pigeon before he bothered to check his e-mail. All I could do was wait to hear back from him. Thankfully, I had the weekend off of work and could spend all day waiting for that damn bird to return with a response.

It was late afternoon when I was graced with a response from Kiba. With a Do Not Disturb sign hanging on the doorknob of my room, I sat on the balcony and read Kiba's response quietly to myself.

Tsubs,

I didn't tell anyone anything about us. I can't believe you'd think I'd ever blackmail you. I would never do that to you. Is everything okay with you? I'm really worried. Keep me posted if you find out more. I'll keep my eyes open for whoever did this. If you need anything, let me know. I'm here for you.

-Kiba

Typical. He would call me Tsubs instead of Tsubasa in a time like this, no matter my protest to it. I let my eyes roll at his last words. He's here for me. Here for what? To continuously torment me, confuse me, be in my life as a looming shadow no matter what? Yeah, Kiba. I really feel how here for me you are.

Now could you please go screw off?

I wouldn't be replying to his message. I needed to take greater action somehow, but how?

Gaara was the last person I could go to about this. If I had to make a choice between telling him and killing myself, I'd be dead by now. Although, in a sense, going to him to tell him the truth would be a sort of career suicide, which would just ultimately destroy me in the end. I feel like I'd be dead meat either way.

I needed other options. Kankuro was one. I'm not sure what dear Kankuro would do or say about this situation, likely something vulgar even though it was serious. He'd make several jokes, all with sexual innuendos, and then suggest some unorthodox method of solving the mystery of my blackmailer.

My teammates were two options, but I don't see what they could do. I hadn't even told either of them about my little situation with Kiba. I wasn't sure if I wanted to. I really rather not tell Tazuna. She was wonderful, but there was nothing she could do in this situation other than encourage me. As Temari's number one model, she probably dealt with rumors, blackmail, etc. So perhaps she could give me one helluva pep-talk.

Temari. Now, that was an option I hadn't wanted to cross my mind, but looking at my helpless circumstances, she was actually the best choice. Temari was semi-aware of the situation. She'd made her snide remark about my lipstick and had known what occurred. She wasn't at all pleased, as I suspected she wouldn't be tickled about this either, but I knew that she'd do her best to help me. Well, I shouldn't say help me. She'd be helping Gaara and only Gaara.

Or I could go to what I had originally intended to do: Ignore the situation entirely.

Perhaps that was the true best solution. The blackmailer could be someone playing a joke to mess with me (like Naruto, another person I needed to add to my suspect list), or any kind of dumb hoax. I hadn't exactly ruled Kiba out either. I still didn't trust him.

I wouldn't want to accuse the guy, but I wouldn't put it completely past him to do such thing, especially if he was after me. It would be in his best interests for me to get into serious trouble with the Kazekage, get pretend broken up with, then get fired, move back to Leaf because Suna would set fire to me if I stayed, and then marry Kiba just because no one else wanted me except for him.

Kind of a dramatic way to think about things, but I could definitely see Kiba's line of thinking going something like that. He was rather impulsive and didn't always weigh out every kind of scenario and its probability of playing out. He was a shoot now ask questions later kind of guy, and this is why he stayed as the number one suspect of my list.

My stomach grumbled, reminding me that I probably should get food into it. I hadn't eaten a thing, had only been concerned with this whole blackmailer issue. I needed a break. I needed to replenish my fuel, collect my thoughts, and get some fresh air.

I set out for the flea market of Suna, hoping that I'd find some exclusive deal on a rare item that would take my mind off of things.

The noise of customers haggling with sellers, carts clacking as they pushed by, the multitude of people roaring past me, and money being passed from one hand to another delighted me beyond belief. It had been so long since I visited the flea market without being on a personal errand for one of the Sand Siblings. I could finally just shop for myself and enjoy the market by myself.

No pressure, just enjoyment.

I'd wasted no time in gorging myself on delicious corn topped with a creamy sauce and cheese. It was a delicacy only available at the Suna markets from a vendor with a full-set of teeth (likely all the better for eating the corn). I was a little saddened when it took him a while to recognize me before saying, "How would you like your corn, Miss?"

Before I began work for the Kazekage, I was a regular. He knew how I liked my corn adorned with only a few specific condiments. Just the cream sauce and cheese, not the spicy stuff he put on it for other customers. However, since I'd been MIA from the flea markets, he'd forgotten my usual. I tried not to take personally and instead reminded myself that it was only because I'd been away for so long.

After eating my corn, I resolved to buy a few different items I had my eye on. There was a time when I budgeted and had to watch my spending carefully. Free room and board, free meals, free clothes and just free for nearly all my living expenses had significantly fattened my savings account. Spending was no longer something I had to approach with caution. Everything provided for me allowed for me unimaginable luxuries with spending. It was a beautiful thing.

Grinning, I handed a vendor some money and purchased a handmade pillow with floral designs for Sorachi to match with her bedspread. I'd also bought Hoshiro a new hunting knife and a lovely knitted scarf for Tazuna that I knew she'd love. I got a shot glass for Sanosuke-Sensei. He was always easy to shop for because all he liked was alcohol and anything that related to it.

I paused before a stand which caught my eye the moment I rounded the corner.

Painted rocks. It was so simple, yet something I'd never seen before. Cute animal faces were painted on smooth stones of various sizes. They were so adorable.

My eyes fell on a particular stone with a raccoon on it. It reminded me of Gaara with black rings around its eyes. Blushing, I wondered if he would like something like that, or if he'd find it silly. I wouldn't want to get him something that he thought was junk and used as a paperweight. I wanted to get him something he could value and cherish.

"That one's calling to you, isn't it?" asked a girl with light features. Her eyes were as teal as Gaara's, offset against her darkish long hair. Her tresses were pulled into ringlets which framed her face, giving her an angelic appeal.

"Yes," I admitted, "it reminds me of someone I know."

"I see," she smiled. Her hands lifted the rock and placed it into tissue paper.

As she begun wrapping I asked, "How much?"

She shook her head. "You can have this one for free. Something tells me it belongs to you."

"That's so kind," I replied, surprised at her generosity. I outstretched my hands to receive the bag.

"You should give it to him," she said to me. Her eyes held such a spark that it startled me slightly.

"Give it to him?" I repeated, wondering how she knew so intuitively, so instinctively that I had someone, a Him, to give it to.

"You know, the boy it reminds you of. It is a boy, isn't it?" She smiled again.

"Yes," I replied, fighting the blush back.

Swinging my new purchases and gifts gaily, I stepped back out onto the main road ready to get back home to relax. A voice reached from behind me, causing me to whirl around as a little boy approached me.

With a freckled face he said, "This is for you." He outstretched his arms and handed me a small envelope.

It was addressed to me, which caused for concern. I'd never seen this particular boy before and was fairly certain that there was no way that he could possibly know who I was. Puzzled, I puckered my mouth slightly. My fingers peeled back the flap of the envelope to reveal a note. I slipped the note out and read the most dreadful statement.

Break up with the Kazekage, or I'm going to send him a message next and attach photos.

Slacken mouthed, I lifted my gaze towards the young boy. "Who told you to give this to me?"

He gave a shrug before turning his body to point in the direction of an alleyway (how convenient). "Some old man told me to give it to the girl with pink hair. He gave me some money to do it. Am I in trouble?" He looked dismayed with his last statement.

My stomach churned. "No, you're not. Thanks, kid," I murmured through gritted teeth.

My jaw had become sore from the clenching, but it was time to act, not react. I shoved my purchases underneath the safety of my under-shoulders and headed directly into the alley. It likely wasn't the blackmailer's real identity, but a transformation jutsu so that the young boy couldn't be able to repeat any recognizable characteristics.

Silence overwhelmed me as I entered the alley. A cat skirted past me in search of a morsel, but other than that it was empty. No traces of anyone.

Defeated, I returned home to drop off my purchases, forgetting the joy I felt when I'd gotten the nice raccoon painted rock for Gaara. Instead of sulking, I rose again and closed the door to my room behind myself.

Crossing through the hallways, I treaded in the direction of Temari's office.

The door loomed before. I could feel the unbearable heat bursting through the cracks of the door, Hell's flames licking at me teasingly and promising a certain fiery demise. I could hear the screams of those who swam in Temari's lake of fire, but I reminded myself that it was only my nerves. Gulping, I attempted to swallow my fears, but instead an invading knot formed within my throat.

Still, I lifted my timid hand and knocked.

"Come in," Temari said from behind the door, "this better be high priority considering you're disturbing me at this time, Tsubasa." It terrified me that she even knew it was me. I didn't want to begin to question how she was aware of this knowledge. Likely it was her she-devil powers at work.

Heart thundering within my chest, my hand went to the knob. I was surprised by the coolness of the metal and remembered that I'd only imagined the flames from before. They weren't real. Temari wasn't always as devilish as I'd made her out to be…

Who was I kidding?

She was the devil incarnate.

Sure, she didn't have a pitchfork as the devil was often envisioned with, but what she did have was a fan. A gigantic fan that could augment and magnify any kind of flames, including Hell's incinerating blazes. Red was her favorite color. Her eyes were cold and without compassion. Completely soulless. She gained such amusement through the torment and pain of others. She was sinister in demeanor, attitude and personage. My destruction was her life's goal and she was utterly devoted to it.

All the signs were there. She was the devil, and she wanted my soul so she could drown it in her lake of fire for all eternity, just suffering and burning. My body she'd hack to little bits and pieces and throw into the sweltering mere to blister with my soul.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside, knowing that I was about to take a dip in Temari's lake of fire.

Author's Note: This chapter was shorter than usual, but I wanted to make sure to have an update out to you guys in a more timely fashion. School has been taking up much of my time as is life in general. I've also been working on another project that will not get posted until this story is complete and finished. I don't want to distract from this story and would like to finish it within 20 more chapters or so. I have everything completely planned out (: I'm very happy about that. At the finish of this story, I'll put a teaser of my next story that I plan to begin. That one will be a KakashixOC. Also, don't forget to check out That Akatsuki Cray! It's my newest story and has some funny random moments about our beloved Akatsuki members! :D

Anyway, enough of that (: What did you think of this chapter? Anymore ideas of who the blackmailer could be? What do you think Temari will have to say to Tsubasa? Will she help her or turn the other cheek and force Tsubasa to handle the situation on her own? Stay tuned for the next chapter ;)