A/N: Part two of the side trip. Sorry about the delay…the last two months have been extra busy: My Beta's eighteenth Birthday, then Katsucon, then catch up in general on life. I am not the most organized of people…sorry. And of course to top it off my Beta is prominently featured in her High School musical so free time has been in short supply for her. Not to mention her post show physical crash and burn.

This flashback is set well before Mayonaka's (Kankurou's younger son) birth… the reference point is made as part of the story as well, but I didn't want you to get too confused over the issue.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but I can write his name over and over again: Naruto Naruto Naruto Naruto…see, as long as I give proper credit to Kishimoto Masashi. This has been a public service announcement, thank you.

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Wrongs of Passage

---Temari's long flashback continues---

She awoke in a hospital bed in Konohagakure. Sitting in the chair by her side was Shikamaru, in his left hand he held a book while he was jotting down notes with his right. She watched him for just a moment, somehow it didn't faze her that she'd come to in a place other than she expected. The fact that he was by her side…just being himself, made her so happy. "Hey there, handsome," she smirked in spite of her best effort not to, "what brings you to a place like this?"

"A troublesome woman," a slight smile, but the relief was clearly there. He set the book and papers aside to free his hands so he could take a hold of her right.

"How long have I been here?"

"About a day and a half," he replied. "Shizune said that the deep healing sleep they put you in afterward would be wearing off by this evening," he leaned closer, "so here I am," his lips brushed hers, but lingered only briefly. "Unfortunately, I promised Sakura I would get her as soon as you came around." He got up and left the room.

Temari tried to sit up a little more, her movements felt slow and awkward. She desperately wanted to look at her leg, but there was a definite weakness still in her body; she didn't like it at all. Sakura, get in here and tell me this is only temporary. She stared at the door as if it would make the arrival come more quickly.

Finally, the door opened with the return of her husband followed by the pink haired medic.

"Came around earlier than we expected," Sakura smiled as she moved closer, "seems like a good sign."

"Except now that I'm awake, my body responds like a limp noodle."

"You're almost sitting up, that's not the position I left you in," her husband commented. "Not exactly what I'd call limp."

"And speaking of that word, your legs should recover completely, so you won't walk with one." The medic's green eyes regarded the patient, "You were smart, telling your team to pack up the remains of the jar's contents. Tsunade felt it made a big difference in how quickly a cure was found."

"So what exactly happened?"

"Mission-wise, that's the Hokage's job to tell when you get your final debriefing," she was already taking Temari's wrist and checking vitals. "Medically, I can tell you pretty much anything you want to know. Well, first of all, Asuka's a pretty smart medic." Sakura smiled, "She noticed that the warmer she kept you, the slower it seemed to spread. There must have been something deliberate about the cold location contributing to whatever was being worked on up there. As it was, she felt she lucked out that first night by calling the boys in to nest around you, if she hadn't you might have started thrashing in the middle of the night, instead of first thing in the morning." She pulled back the sheet to reveal the leg. "You spent you trip home pretty much delirious, but strangely enough not feverish."

Temari could see hints of bruising around the jagged looking pink scar.

Sakura ran her finger along it, applying just a bit of pressure, watching Temari's expression. "You should have seen it when they got you here," then her finger traced an area at least six inches around the healing area on all sides. "I've never seen some of the colors on human skin outside of tattoos. At first, we were worried we'd have to amputate…I suspect Asuka thought the same. The girl was exhausted; she had Reito carrying her when they arrived. She must have used as much of her chakra as she could each day to heal you. I guess you should be grateful that the route you took to the mountains was through fairly safe territory. They made amazing time getting you back.

"While Shizune and some of the other medics worked at holding the infection at bay, the Hokage and I worked in the lab analyzing the items they brought for us." She covered Temari's leg again, "Once we got the chemicals figured out, the cure came together quickly. When it was formulated and given to Shizune's crew we got almost immediate results." The pride in this success was clearly written on the pink haired woman's face.

"Thank you," Temari said. "Now, how do I get the Hokage here for my debriefing? You wouldn't believe how many things I want to ask."

Sakura smiled, this was the Temari she knew. "All I can tell you is you'll have to wait until tomorrow." She added, "Why don't you give Shikamaru a little more time, before visiting hours end. Ta-taaa." She fluttered a wave as she headed out the door.

Shikamaru spoke softly, "I think your doctor just gave you some very good advice."

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Shikamaru returned in the morning, getting there before Tsunade did. "Once the Hokage's done with your debriefing, I'll bring Haji and Zuki in to see you as soon as I can get them from my parents place." He bent down to give her a kiss, and was immediately interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

Two sets of eyes turned to the door, expecting to see Tsunade or at least Shizune. Instead they met the bright blue eyes of Banno Asuka. The girl straightened her posture and said, "You didn't have to stop on my account."

Shikamaru couldn't believe what he just heard, he glanced briefly at his wife. The slight smile told him that not only was Temari happy to see the girl, but this kind of talk was not an unexpected occurrence.

"Well, good morning to you, Asuka-chan," the blonde got just a slight bit of revenge for the interruption.

The strawberry blonde just shrugged it off, coming closer to her sensei. "Glad to see you too," she claimed the chair next to her, "got a message that someone was finally getting her mission debriefing this morning."

"You, maybe?" Temari teased.

"I'm only here to see you, Temari-sensei," the girl looked at the woman in the bed, "and make sure the Hokage gets the details right when she tells you."

"Yeah, right," Shikamaru muttered.

The door opened again to the Hokage, followed by her assistant and the remaining members of Team 17. Shinji's eyes looked moist as if his relief at seeing her was bordering on tears of joy. Reito's expression as usual was hard to read, his reddish brown eyes studied his sensei as if looking for obvious changes.

Tsunade approached the blonde jounin and wordlessly she did a brief examination. She lingered over the line of the wound, poking with fingers and prodding with chakra until she was completely satisfied with the situation. She then took the chair to Temari's right and began, "Well, first the good news, it appears that we have completely cleared that foreign matter out of your body. There has been absolutely no reoccurrence overnight, of course we'll still hold you here for one more day just to be sure." Her expression as she looked at Naras seemed bemused. "Shikamaru, I'd actually like you to stay for this in case you come up with something I should tell the two men I'm planning on sending out to investigate Team 17's findings."

"Of course," he bowed his head respectfully.

Over the course of the next few minutes the Hokage had Shizune read back the report she'd written when Asuka, Reito and Shinji had been called to fill in gaps as to what happened to Temari.

It was the blonde jounin who offered the first correction to the report she hadn't just dropped the jar: Reito had been startled and bumped into her.

"Is this true?" the Hokage asked all three genin.

Asuka and Shinji admitted they had both been looking elsewhere at the time. Reito bowed his head slightly and said, "I don't remember what made me react that way."

Shizune and Tsunade looked at each other for a moment, then as if an unspoken message had been exchanged, they resumed the reading of the report.

By the end it was quite apparent that the team had taken Temari's chain of command instructions to heart. Whenever Asuka was indisposed, either by her need to work on her sensei's injury or the exhaustion she experienced as their return trip continued, Reito followed Shinji's orders as well. Thank you, she smiled gratefully at them, this was the breakthrough I wanted…a real team.

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Shikamaru agreed with his wife and the Hokage that the mountain cave was very likely one of Orochimaru's labs. He also knew immediately that the two men Tsunade was going send out were Sasuke, who had made a point of destroying as many of the Snake Sannin's hideouts as he could find before returning to Konoha, and Naruto, who he assumed would go with Sasuke solely to prevent Sasuke from sinking back into his obsession of trying to wipe every piece of Orochimaru's works from the face of the earth.

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Once Temari was released to go out on missions with her genin again, there was a genuine sense of camaraderie…well, at least for three of them…Reito was still a little peculiar, but at least he seemed less distant. Mission successes came one after the other, surpassing the record of two previously more successful teams that had formed out of the same graduating class as her own had been. To Temari's secret delight each held on of the genin she'd originally wanted for her own. Team 4 had Aburame Shigeo and Genma's Team 19 had Irino Megumi, as well as Hyuuga Hiromu, who was the current generation's most promising clan member.

So it came as no surprise that the next winter the chuunin exams were offered all three captains nominated their teams. In short order, Team 17 was heading off to Kaminari no Kuni for the exams in Kumogakure.

Temari had acted as an exam liaison numerous times between Suna and Konoha, so the waiting was nothing new to her. She passed the time talking with her fellow Konoha captains, Genma too, was comfortable with the exams from his own insider experiences, but his had been one step better, he'd experienced one of the stone mazes that were cut into the canyons outside of Kumogakure. As long as his team made it out of the written exams he had no doubt they'd get through the maze, Hiromu would see them through.

Yeah thanks, just get your bragging rights in now, if your Hyuuga runs into Reito in combat I'll bet my boy kicks your boy's ass…soundly.

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Temari settled into the lounge that had been set up for the jounin leaders of the Exam Candidates who had survived the 'written exam'. The most carefully withheld information by any shinobi that's passed. Such a wonderful collection of trick questions as we study of how subtly our young shinobi can use their skills. I can't wait to see how my sons handle that when it's their turn. Then again, if my team survived it…now all that matters is them following the chain of command we set up. Reito is in trouble if he gets separated from the other two…unless Asuka was smart enough to tell him to keep going for the goal under those circumstances. She can't be so cocky that she'll forget she can't pass this without the rest of the Team 17. Just get to the domed central complex at the heart of the stone canyon maze… She glanced around to see who was currently in this section of the complex that had been set up as the waiting areas. She saw Genma sitting with one of Kumogakure's jounin, for the briefest moment she considered joining him. But no, I just don't feel like hearing him repeat what a breeze this maze will be for him since his team has a Hyuuga.

"Is this seat taken?" A woman's voice interrupted her thoughts.

The blonde woman's head swiveled to regard a Suna jounin. She remembered who she faced immediately: "Shiroko," she smiled, "I'm surprised I haven't run into you here sooner."

The amber haired woman was a cousin to her brother's wife. Unlike Shiori, there was nothing beautiful about this member of the Chidoku clan. The woman had a body like a gangly teenage boy, with just enough wiry muscle to show why she was a battle hardened jounin, her hawkish face held the warm brown eyes that also seems a nearly universal trait of her clan.

"Oh please," Temari gestured to the chair beside her, "make yourself comfortable."

"Thank you," the woman claimed the chair next to her. She sat half a head taller than Temari, but as she settled in her harsh features were tempered by a soft, but narrow lipped smile. "I assume our Kazekage has shared his good news."

"That Shiori's expecting again," the blonde said matter-of-factly, "yes, but I was surprised how soon it happened after Yuugure."

"More importantly that she's made it through the first trimester." Shiroko took a deep swallow from her water bottle, "Didn't your brother tell you anything about the difficulties of Chidoku biology?"

"I know how your blood is toxic and you can use it to poison you weapons. I know that any anti-venom derived to use against you might not work against one of your cousins." The direction this conversation is getting to be curious. Her teal eyes studied the jounin she faced.

"Those same toxins kill about sixty percent of our children before they get past the second month of gestation. The odds get better after that, fifty percent by the end of the first trimester, then almost normal odds by the final months."

Temari was shocked, "No, he never told me." Her heart suddenly ached for both of them.

It's a high risk for being a biological weapon.

"I don't think anyone even thought of telling Shiori until she had gotten engaged to your brother." The amber haired woman shrugged, the shifting of her Suna style vest gave her more of figure than her body would normally have, "Sometimes it's easy to forget her upbringing wasn't the same as the rest of ours after she lost her mother."

"I know all about those kind of details," Temari agreed, "luckily with two boys I don't think I'll need to give those kind of instructions." She looked at Shiroko again, Hard to believe this boyish being is related to someone as beautiful as my sister-in-law. Even Shinta would make a better woman. Suddenly, she found herself fighting against the blush that her bizarre thoughts were generating. "So how do Chidoku women manage?"

"We use a lot of caution, and enforce some very strict rules on our gravid women."

"Bed rest and all that," Temari muttered,"must make your kunoichi crazy." She reflected on how lucky she'd been with her pregnancies: nausea and swollen feet, but no major medical issues.

"I suppose it would, I've never had anyone worth settling down with, and I've always been exceptionally careful with lovers. No, our woman get much more drastic monitoring. Married women test early and often to see if they've conceived because the risk to mother as well as child can be great." Shiroko continued, "The woman is isolated from her husband to avoid any temptation that could endanger the child more than it already is."

Suddenly, it made sense that Shiori had conceived as soon as she was able to again. Temari thought about her brother's previous liking for the attentions of women, and that he seem so obviously 'in lust' with his wife, it certainly would have made him anxious to get back to it. She smiled wickedly, "Must frustrate the two of them horribly."

"Shiori certainly makes no secret of her feelings on the matter," the hawkish woman said.

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The rest of that day the two of them conversed about the general state of affairs in Suna. The next morning, Temari sought out Shiroko's company as well. "I know we shouldn't talk about our team's actual abilities with each other, but how do you feel about their actual chances of getting their chuunin status out of this?"

Shiroko smiled, "I have a pretty solid group, all their skills are well rounded. One of the boys has the habit of talking the other two into mischief, but I think even he has enough sense to keep the objective in mind under these circumstances." She slouched comfortably in her chair, "I don't think I'll have to worry too much." Her eyes looked to Temari's, "How about your three?"

"The girl on my team can be an egotistical bitch," the blonde replied bluntly. "If the boys don't make it through this round, they'll suffer far worse by her hand."

The hawkish woman laughed, "How do you stand it? There's only room for one bitch on a team, you can't let her steal your position," she shook her head with her amusement.

"If she thinks she's running things after all this, I'll give her a healthy reminder," the blonde grinned back.

"You're certainly capable of it; I know I never wanted to get on your bad side."

For a few minutes they settled back into an easier going conversation again, anticipating passing the hours in this comfortable fashion.

Then with a clatter of door handle one of the primary monitors of the exam threw open the door deliberately drawing the attention of everyone within the lounge. "Will the captains of Iwagakure Team 5, Takigakure Team 2, Konohagakure Teams 17 and 19, and Sunagakure Team 9 please come with me?"

Temari and Shiroko regarded at each other as they started to rise, then the blonde's gaze went to where Genma was since his team's number part of the summons. The Iwagakure captain turned out to be a massive mountain of a man, almost a head above the next tallest man in the room and a strongly muscled body the width of two ordinary men. The Takigakure jounin on the other hand was a smaller man, with blue hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He wore goggles and his hitai-ate was built into a half dome structure that completely covered his forehead. As they walked down the hall he muttered, "This could be really good or really bad."

Considering my brothers and I still hold the record for best time, Temari thought, and one of Konoha's teams didn't make it there much after, I think a day and a half wouldn't be bad…

The monitor guided them to another chamber, as the door opened it was clearly seen as having a series of monitors covering one wall and on one or the other walls was one large monitor. Temari's heart dropped as she took in the scene before her.

"The long haired boy got the survivors to launch their surrender-retrieval flares," one of the other monitors spoke, "I guess we can congratulate Konohagure's Team 19 for surviving the worst massacre I've seen committed by one genin since I've been monitoring these things."

"One genin did all this," the Taki-nin seemed surprised, "which one?"

Temari looked at the bodies and saw only one of her team in any position resembling upright, she was focused on him, as the monitor used a pointer to indicate him. Not Shinji. He's the one I would think of as least capable of something like this. Someone must have hurt Asuka or Reito and… "I have to go to him," the words slipped out and almost ashamedly her hand went to cover the lips that had betrayed her concern.

"You know the rules, special retrieval teams only. Those they bring back get put under so they can't see the best route to central in case they have to face the maze again."

"Besides," said the monitor who'd first brought them here, "it's probably more important for you to see how your teams accounted for themselves in this fight." He gestured at the open floor, "Sorry, we're short on chairs, if you can make yourselves comfortable, we'll try to get the replay ready for all of…well, maybe not you," he looked at Genma, "your group's still in this. When the retrieval squad gets there they'll chase them off, you don't need to stick around for the replay."

"Nah," the senbon that was held in the captain of Team 19's mouth bobbed up and down, "I think I'll be here for my fellow Konoha captain." He settled down to the floor to Temari's right hand side.

As they reviewed the video it became obvious why so many teams had been involved in the incident. There was a land bridge that Shiroko's team had decided would be a good spot for an ambush to get the other scroll that they needed to pass the exam.

A girl with blue-black hair tied back in a short braid, gave a sign to her teammates that seemed to indicate that the area was clear but she indicated the direction from which they'd come as the one to watch. She scooted across the land bridge and used a large rock for her place of concealment. Temari recognized a distinct detail in the girl's outfit, the left shoulder and arm were heavily layered in leather. "That's got to be Junnosuke's daughter, right?" She asked, Shiroko softly, remembering the smiling man who'd gone on to take care of Suna's messenger birds after the loss of a leg had removed him from active duty. Then in the back of her mind she tried to remember if she'd seen the girl alive at the end of all this.

"Yes," came the reply, "and that," a gesture at the screen indicated a teen with a dew-wrap style hitai-ate, 'is the trouble maker I told you about."

As he clambered down the near side of the cliff, Temari realized that she'd recognized his maroon jacket among the bodies she'd seen when they'd first seen the screen.

"He was such an amazing climber," Shiroko continued with a calm detachment, "moved like a fly on the wall."

After listening to the other women, the blonde suddenly realized that her own steely exterior was not as strong as it used to be. Perhaps being a mother has opened more cracks in my armor than I previously thought.

So the replay continued on with the Sunagakure ninja having set themselves up optimally based on the terrain.

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The Iwagakure team was the next to arrive on the scene. They took a moment to study the lay of the land as if they too need to set up an ambush to get what they need to make it past this round. A lanky girl who was part of their group stopped just before the bridge and stretched her arm out before her as if she was feeling for something in the air. Her fist suddenly closed and she jumped back pointing to where the Suna girl and the third of that team were hidden.

The tallest member of the Iwa team, a brown haired teen, shouted a challenge, "We know your hiding places, come out and gives us a real fight or I will make you regret it."

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"And Masahiro was more than capable of carrying out that threat." His captain's voice carried as a deep rumble, "He was the strongest master of his hereditary genjutsu in over two generations." This man spoke with great pride of the genin.

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Just as the third member of the Suna team, a youth with a huge curved blade , made himself visible, appearing chameleon-like from the very spot the Iwa girl had pointed, Temari's team could just be seen creeping into view between the rocks. Asuka's hand could be seen gesturing in small tight movements conducting Reito and Shinji alternately through the cover, setting up to flank the third member of the Iwa team.

A hawk circled briefly through the frame as the Suna girl rose from concealment. "Things have just gotten interesting," she spoke freely, "one more team has arrived, and another will be here shortly. And none of us are from the same village."

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"Nice," Shiroko commented with a smile, "notice how Junko states it all so confidently without revealing her source of knowledge. A gambit played to put the team they face off balance as well as ruining the element of surprise of the new arrivals."

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The Iwagakure girl spread her hand out before her as she'd done before and with a slight tilt of her head confirmed the direction of the other team.

"Three teams, three scrolls, looks like one team will leave happy," Masahiro growled in the direction of the new threat.

In a brilliant combination of stealth and speed, Asuka practically materialized behind the third member if the Iwa team. "Let the games begin," in a flash she had rope garroted her target and was holding him as he struggled for air.

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"Damn she's fast," Genma muttered with approval, seemingly forgetting that this was a playback.

Temari was anticipating something from the boy that would be the attack on Asuka that would trigger Shinji to take whatever actions that had left him so blood covered.

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Shinji and Reito tensed in readiness for whatever would happen next.

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"Yes, Masahiro," the guttural voice of the Iwagakure captain said, again with approval. It was becoming obvious that the tallest member of his team had been his favorite.

Temari caught the end of the hand signs. 'He's one of them,' her inner Temari danced with glee as she shouted, 'YES,' and enthusiastically jerked her arm downward as her fist clenched shut. She couldn't resist voicing her sentiment in a different way: "They couldn't have run into a better situation."

"What?" the deep voice of the man-mountain queried.

"My team is all too familiar with this genjutsu," a grin spread across her features, "Shinji had the ability to do it too."

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Asuka smacked a metal knuckled glove into the back of her targets head immediately knocking him to the ground. Her hands then moved to do the release for the genjutsu before it could take full hold on her.

Reito had already taken the same action.

"Is that the best you've got?!" Asuka called out.

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For a moment Temari was feeling proud of her team, then suddenly she saw how it all fell apart: Shinji.

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The teen's normally gentle features were distorting in anguish as his body seemed to twist in a battle for control.

It was at that moment, unaware of her teammate's agony that Asuka did something unexpected but totally in character with her ego. She held one hand tilted before her face and broke into laughter, and not just any laughter: it was what some referred to as the dreaded 'princess laugh'.

Shinji's voice tore from his throat in a primal scream and he lunged for the strawberry blonde. Two blades ripped open her throat as she turned to see why her teammate had screamed. He left the blades buried in her neck as he dropped her face first into the ground. His hands went into his version of the genjutsu.

Masahiro, who'd been advancing on the partially subdued form of the young Sunagakure swordsman, went to his knees due to the back lash of the genjutsu. He stared in wide-eyed disbelief due to the sensation he felt. His gaze turned to regard his own left arm, then turned his face to the approaching Shinji.

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Both Temari and the Iwagakure captain gaped as they came to the same realization. The two looked enough alike to be brothers…except one kept gazing between the approaching genin and his own arm with fear while the other wore the expression of a demon.

"Shit," the deep voice rumbled, "he can't handle it."

Shiroko asked, "Masahiro?"

"No, the other one," he replied. "We can usually identify them while they're young and kill them off. It's better than having them go berserk and massacre everyone around them in a battle, enemy and friend alike."

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The boy Asuka had knocked out had come around and decided to lunge at Shinji from behind, presumably to break the genjutsu's hold on Masahiro who was in the process of taking a senbon and stabbing it into his arm.

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"So that's the genjutsu that makes you feel like something is burrowing under your flesh." The Takigakure captain commented, "I had a friend who had a run in with one of those shinobi a couple of years back."

"What makes it nasty," Temari spoke, "is that since it's effect hinges on pain, the action of stabbing or cutting yourself doesn't snap you out of it like it would from a normal illusion."

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Shinji responded to the attack with unnatural speed, twisting to one side to grapple his assailant and pin him beneath him. A moment later the boy was permanently pinned to the ground by a kunai thrust so deeply into the eye that no evidence of it could be seen as the brown hair genin lurched to his feet again. The Konoha shinobi continued on his way to his previous destination, the still suffering Masahiro.

While this was going on the Sunagakure 'fly' had emerged and was tussling with the Iwagakure kunoichi. The swordsman had shaken off the last of Masahiro's genjutsu and was advancing to help his teammate.

Reito took another moment to study Asuka's body, then looked over to where Shinji was confronting his near twin. Although as he stood next to him it was apparent that Masahiro was just a little more broadly muscled than the other teen. In spite of the physical difference, with one powerful move Shinji leaped up to knock the other genin over with his knees to his target's chest. The larger teen hit the ground hard, Shinji adjusted his position, sitting on top of him. His hands wrapped around the throat and he repeatedly lifted and slammed Masahiro's head into the ground. The evil expression was still distorting his features, after five of these his victim was like a rag doll in his hands, two more and he practically threw aside his broke toy. A moment later he rose looking for new prey.

He turned toward the next closest person: Reito. As he advanced on his teammate, the all-male Takigakure team made its presence known, jumping from cover. As one went for Reito's back, the other two cleared either side of him in an attempt to take Shinji down.

One with blue-black hair called up a twisting stream of water that attempted to encircle the berserker in rope like loops. The other did a jutsu that started to cause the water to freeze around their target. Unfortunately as they completed the maneuver Shinji had barely managed to set off his genjutsu again and it subdued them. The water ninja fell to the ground with a look of absolute terror on his face. His teammate took a more violent course, pulling a kunai and in his panic had hamstrung himself and blacked out from the pain.

Shinji, even more enraged, threw himself to the ground violently shattering the ice the encircled his torso. As hard as the impact was it was only the madness that had taken him that seemingly gave him the ability to rise to his feet again.

Reito's assailant was making no ground with him. Although he'd lost the first in his line of command, and no new orders had been forthcoming from Shinji, his defensive skills had always been first rate. He'd spun at the last possible second to get out of the reach of the metal studded gloves of the olive clad teen who come at him from behind. He used the momentum of his maneuver to roll across the ground, rising again to his feet just out of the range of the genjutsu he'd seen Shinji reactivating. He ended up in the middle of the battle between the two male Suna shinobi and the Iwa kunoichi. Grabbing his pursuer by the wrists he flung the Taki ninja at the swordsman. He then sprung for the girl, grabbing at a tube-like structure she wore on her belt, while sweeping a leg out to knock her off balance. The holding onto his prize he whirled out of her reach.

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Dammit, for a moment I though he was showing some real initiative, Temari groaned inwardly. But he's only running in defensive mode, probably the last order Asuka gave him was to acquire the other teams' scrolls. So much for that next big breakthrough.

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Reito confirmed her thoughts with his next action, he check the contents of the tube he'd snatched. "Shinji, we got it, the other type," he spoke as if making a report, not as if he was in the middle of a battlefield, and certainly not as if he was paying attention to the change that had come over his teammate.

The Iwagakure girl tried to reclaim the scroll case by raining shuriken down on him. He maneuvered skillfully in his dodges but then he looked again to Shinji, "I need to know what to do next."

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"Is he a moron?" The Takigakure captain gaped, "How did he ever make it this far?"

Temari felt a flush of embarrassment at the man's words, Sometimes I asked myself if the Hokage gave him to me as the ultimate test of my loyalty to my new home. There's no other explanation for the team I was saddled with…yet somehow, we made it this far. It hurts to see it ending like this. "I can't really explain him, he's really top notch as far as his shinobi skills go, but for some reason he seems to lack the ability for independent thought."

"Sounds like he was born just to take orders," Shiroko's voice had a definite hint of distain.

A shiver ran down Temari's spine as a memory struck. When they had been in the mountain cave, Just before he stumbled back into me…Reito said "Mother?"…Omigod, he wasn't born, he was created. Temari's eyes snapped back to the events unfolding on the screen. I can tell the Hokage when I bring what's left of my team home.

She heard Shiroko gasp at her side.

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Shinji was still fighting like the incarnation of a monster. He'd impaled the Suna swordsman on an earth spike he'd summoned with alarming speed. His actions seemed to flow faster and faster, one after the other. He'd also taken the charge of the Taki-nin who'd previously been after Reito, his insane strength showing no end. The teen thrust a kunai deep into Shinj's shoulder. The Konoha lad seemed impervious to the pain and grabbed his assailant, twisted the body and flung it to the ground with so much force he was half buried by the impact.

The Sunagakure 'fly' became the next target, he tried to dodge his way back toward the land bridge but Shinji raised a rock wall in his path, as if his madness allowed him to anticipate his prey's every move. Then as the teen dodged to the left rock seemed to swirl out of the ground wrapping around his lower body and crushing him front the waist down.

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Would my Shinji have ever come up with that? Temari realized that she was seeing this creature as if it were a different entity from the gentle 'puppy' of a boy who'd she worked with. I always thought he was more likely to be the weakest link of the team than Reito, certainly the most likely to die because he'd misjudged an opponent.

Meanwhile, Reito continued his 'dance' with the last of the Iwagakure shinobi. The girl almost caught him, her fingers just sliding off the scroll case, when suddenly she was jerked backward by Shinji snatching her ponytail. She managed to turn the momentum in her favor, twisting to kick her new opponent in the jaw. However, almost as quickly as his head snapped back he managed to recover, grasping her other leg then trying to swing her by it. Her ready response was to release a handful of senbon at close range, apparently hoping for better luck than she'd had with Reito. Shinji's reaction was immediate, he raised a wall of rock between himself and the kunoichi, unfortunately it smashed violently into the leg he held snaping it at an unnatural angle before wrapping around it. The rock slab then fell over pinning the girl beneath it.

Reito looked at his teammate, then advanced toward him, "Shinji, what do we do now?"

On the outer edges of the screen the members of Team 19 approached warily.

The crazed shinobi advanced on his teammate, hand whipping claw-like around the blue haired teen's throat. "You die."

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Temari felt a chill run up her spine, the cold voice that had come from him reminded her of when Gaara had been a blood thirsty monster. She remembered how much she'd feared her little brother and saw herself in that moment as Reito accepted his final order while Shinji snapped his neck.

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A strangled cry escaped the mouth of Hyuuga Hiromu, "No."

Shinji turned to face the new arrivals throwing the limp body to the ground then began to run toward them with a snarl.

"Shinji, stop." Hiromu readied his body, taking a defensive posture. He stood, meeting the monster's gaze and a strange thing happened: The moment the brown eyes, seemed to make contact with the pale Hyuuga eyes, Shinji froze. Slowly the head tilted sideways, like an owl would while it studied something.

The brown haired boy's posture suddenly relaxed and a very scared voice asked, "Hiromu, what happened?" Legs suddenly gave out beneath him, and the tan clad Hyuuga caught him taking both of them to their knees.

"It's all right Shinji," the other genin said as he looked about him, while the other teen settled his head on a shoulder. A look of disbelief spread across the rescuer's face.

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Genma commented, "Bet he saw a lot of it with his Byakugan before he got there, but it's not quite the same as seeing it up close and personal.

The Iwagakure captain was gawking in disbelief. "How did he stop him? It takes a lot of men to kill one of them once the madness hit. That's why we dispose of them young, as soon as we discover they're unable to control it. Are they lovers or something?" A hint of disgust filled his tone.

"No," Temari couldn't believe he expressed the thought so openly, "for some reason Shinji's always been enthralled by the Hyuuga eyes. When he first discovered his genjutsu, a Hyuuga was always part of the group that helped him get it under control."

"Should have killed him back then," the massive man muttered.

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As they watched the Takigakure water ninja staggered to his feet only to be stopped by Ryuuichi of Team 19.

"You've got to take him down before he kills again," there was definite hatred on his face as he spoke.

"No, its over," the Konoha shinobi held fast.

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"It doesn't surprise me that he wants him dead," the goggled jounin spoke, "the boy in olive drab was his best friend."

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Hiromu gestured toward the rocks at the far side of the land bridge.

The kunoichi of his team, Irino Megumi tossed a cloth into the air and gestured. A breeze seemed to carry it over to drop just behind the indicated location. She raised her voice, "I've just sent you a flag, White is surrender, red means you wish to fight me one on one. Come out and show me your intention."

Slowly the final member of the Sunagakure team emerged from her hiding place. The white side was clearly displayed as she did so, as she stepped onto the land bridge she held her left hand up. A hawk came down landing on the heavily wrapped part of her lower arm. "I must admit that I am grateful to you," she spoke with deliberation. "I recognized early on that this battle was impossible to win, but somehow I couldn't stop watching." Her eyes flooded with tears of shame, "I really tried to come up with a strategy, but none would come to me, then there's Jiyo…" she reached her other hand to smooth the feathers of her hawk, "I couldn't risk Jiyo, he'd have broken her for sure."

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It was apparent to the observers that this girl was the youngest shinobi involved in this conflict.

"I almost held my team back because of Junko," Shiroko spoke softly, "I wasn't completely convinced she was ready."

"Only one way to confirm that," Genma's tone was reassuring, "if she still wants to follow the path of the shinobi after this you'll know you made a right choice."

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Megumi opened her arms broadly and offered an embrace to the girl. Her lips moved, as she whispered something to her.

Shinji was just coming enough to himself that he was taking in the scene around him in disbelief.

"Pull your emergency retrieval flare," Hiromu said, "if there's a way to save any of them, it has to be done."

In the background the Takigakure boy fumbled for his, while Shinji followed suit.

As Junko pulled hers out, she also handed her team's scroll to Megumi, "Your team is still intact, use this if you need it." She launched the flare above their heads, officially declaring her team's surrender.

The Taki boy made ready to give over his scroll as well, Ryuuichi said simply, "Give it to her," he gave a gesture toward his teammate, "I want to see who can still be saved." He moved quickly from one to the next, Asuka clearly beyond help, the next, he shook his head, to Reito this time he paused…but only long enough to take the scroll the blue haired corpse still clutched. Stashing it, he stopped at the Takigakure boy who'd hamstrung himself, he lingered there green aura appearing briefly around his hands as he did a basic healing, before gesturing to the genin's teammate to come over and keep tending him so he could move on.

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Temari heard an exhalation of relief from the Takigakure jounin, one less tragedy for him to report.

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Shinji saw the collection of scrolls that Team 19 was acquiring, he reached into his jacket to pull out the on his team had been given still in the case that concealed its type. "Hiromu, take ours as well," he said still gazing at Reito's body. "Did you happen to see when Reito got the other one?"

"Shinji, don't worry yourself," He looked into his friend's eyes as if searching for something. "If you don't remember anything, then it's best forgotten."

Ryuuichi was now working on the Iwagakure girl, his expression intense, this healing was more intense than the last one.

Junko walked over to him, "I'm good at channeling chakra," she placed a hand over his, "you shouldn't exhaust your reserves at a time like this." She smiled at the teen, "You have to get through this with your team. Take my energy, I'll help you keep your strength up until the retrieval team gets here." Her hawk watched from the specially built perch on the shoulder of her jacket.

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"Well, I don't think you'll have to ask her after all," Genma chuckled, "that's a determined kunoichi if I ever saw one."

As Shiroko smiled, Temari added, "It might be interesting if we can make an arrangement for Konoha to send some more healer trainers as part of our exchange programs. The girl may just have the gift."

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As the retrieval team arrived, they immediately identified the one intact team and loudly declared, "You have twenty seconds to clear the area or you will be disqualified."

Hiromu, Megumi and Ryuuichi jumped up, leaving Junko to scramble backward to avoid a collision with the healer.

"Hey," the Takigakure genin called, "here's some supplies, as a thank you for helping Amaki." He tossed a pouch toward Megumi, who caught is and tucked it into her jacket. Team 19 bolted across the land bridge and out of sight.

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The exam specialist turned off the large monitor. "Show's over," he said as he gestured for all of them to rise, "in about ten minutes the retrieval team should have the survivors and the bodies." He turned to Genma, "I guess you get to go back to the regular lounge." Then he led them back out into the corridor, "At the end of this hall you will find a desk, one of the attendants there will get you to our medical facility." He turned and went back into his viewing room.

"Well, good luck then," Temari said as she gave Genma a hug.

"If you need anything don't hesitate to let me know," he replied softly.

"I'll be fine," she answered, "I just have to make my report, think about what I'll say to the families, you know all the standard business." And tell the Hokage what I remembered about Reito. What could he have meant by "Mother?"

She turned down the hall to follow the rest of the captains.

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On the way to the medical center Temari found herself in a conversation with the Iwagakure captain about the nature of Shinji's having a hereditary genjutsu and no one to instruct him in using it. Through an amazing series of connections they made during they discussion based on the ages of their students and when Shinji had come from they came to a startling conclusion: When he'd killed Masahiro, he'd killed his own half brother.

What were the odds that their paths would cross under such tragic circumstances?

The giant man still insisted that it would be in their best interest to destroy the teen before it could happen again.

Temari defended her new home by explaining to him that one of Konohagakure's greatest strength was in its ability to heal. Of course she realized that Shinji's situation involved a different kind of healing than her village was best known for, but she had the utmost faith in her Hokage and those she'd trained.

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After they arrived at the medical center the captains were taken one by one to confirm that the bodies were those of their genin. The sight of Asuka's slashed throat barely phased Temari; she'd seen far worse deaths in her years as a Sunagakure jounin. Strangely though, Reito's blank expression proved a little harder to take, she was almost tempted to speak to him in order to see if he react. "Mother" you'd said. Were you born or created in that cave? She looked at his blood colored eyes, You poor thing, now you'll never know your purpose… She leaned closer, "I promise, I'll do my best to find out the truth." She gave him one last sad look and headed back out of the morgue.

Shiroko was waiting for her turn, she offered her hand to Temari and gave a reassuring squeeze before stepping inside.

The Takigakure captain was to be last in, he stopped the flaxen haired woman before she could head out to see Shinji. "When you see your fellow jounin and his team healer, please give them my gratitude."

Temari nodded, slightly uncomfortable with the fact that it was her student who'd been responsible for the slaughter. She then turned to head up the hall in the direction of the main desk. In short order, she'd found her way to Shinji's room. Unlike the other rooms she'd passed, she noticed that his room had two guards of at least chuunin level stationed outside. One of the actually had to unlock the heavily constructed door for her. Once inside she notice not only were the windows barred they had barrier sigils written around them as well. There asleep on the bed was her brown haired genin, IV's providing a steady dose of some drug meant to keep him subdued. He looks like the quiet boy I'm used to seeing, how could he have become such a beast? She sat next to him and held his hand, his skin felt normal beneath her touch.

"I wish I knew how to make things right, so it never happened, but there are things even the most skilled shinobi can't do. I can't change the past, but since you are still here I will do what I can to ensure you have a future. You have to go on, I don't want to be the last of our team." She squeezed his hand, but felt no response. Maybe I'm getting too sentimental, I was kind of hoping…

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The next evening she received two pieces of news, the first was that Team 19 had successfully completed the second part of the exams. The second was that she and the members of Konoha Team 4 would be traveling together, along with two specialists to bring the remains of Team 17 home.

Be ready to leave at dawn, she sighed, I just spent the day at Shinji's bedside, now I have to rush out to try to find Genma and his Team to thank them for their assistance before I go.

She already had her bag packed, she tended to keep it fairly contained anyway. She hurried down the hall seeking the room they'd been assigned, They're probably already out celebrating, sounds like it was a small group that passed, so they'll all be in next month's tournament.

Just as she was about to tap on the door it opened to an unexpected sight: the Iwagakure man mountain was ducking his head to fit through the doorframe. His eyes narrowed at the blonde in front of him, the voice rumbled, "so, did you come to a decision about him yet?"

"Shinji's going home with me." She refused to give him the satisfaction of hearing that it was under medical sedation. She stepped aside to ease his passage, "the Hokage will decide on his treatment."

"Give her this," he handed her a small sealed packet. "I outlined our case, this way she can make her decision with the proper facts." His lips folded back in a half sneer, "Thanks, you saved me the trouble of finding you." He lumbered down the hall and around the corner.

"Are you going to come in or is the architecture of the place fascinating to you?"

She turned to see Genma's smiling face, Ryuuichi was standing by his side. Megumi sat at the desk cleaning her weapons, while Hiromu slouched in a chair looking uncharacteristically casual for a Hyuuga.

"Betcha want to know what he was here for," Genma grinned, senbon wiggling as he spoke.

Do you sleep with that thing in your mouth? Temari suddenly realized she'd never seen him without it, "I suspect he was here to talk to Ryuuichi." I sure as hell hope he didn't talk to you in front of your team about killing Shinji.

"I did my best," the medic replied, "he told me my efforts saved the girl's life, but it seems she'll never make a full recovery," there was a sadness beyond that one would normally find in the eyes of a fourteen year old.

"Still it seems better to go home with one of a team than a total loss." Megumi added, as she started to put her weapons away.

"That reminds me, the Takigakure captain sent his gratitude as well," Temari spoke to the Team 19 medic. "As for me, I am so sorry this happened. I really had no idea Shinji was capable of that."

"So it really was all his doing?" The young kunoichi looked at Temari, concern clear on her features, "what's going to happen to him?"

"They're shipping him home, drugged into unconsciousness. The Hokage will have to evaluate him, I'm sure she won't leave it to anyone else."

Hiromu started, "They've got to find a way. They can't just keep him doped up, can they?"

The flaxen haired jounin raised a hand to silence the pale eyed teen. "If you'd have heard what the Iwagakure jounin said to me while we watched Shinji's rage you might think it best." Her expression softened, "Hiromu, thank you, your mere presence saved his life and the lives of at least four others. Whatever magic he finds in those eyes of your clan, I hope it bought us the time we need to get him home so we can get him the help he needs."

A reflective silence fell over the group. Finally, after a few minutes, Genma broke it, "I know you've got an early start tomorrow, but would you like to join us for our celebratory dinner?"

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During the meal Megumi admitted that she wished she could have had the opportunity to work with Temari for her intensive training before the finals. So she settled for advice on wind control during the meal.

The teal eyed jounin could still sense the underlying tension of the genin about what had happened to her team, but she herself had come to terms with it. When they've been shinobi as long as Genma and I have they'll realize that nothing should be unexpected, and the sooner you accept the possibility the better.

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Three days later she was back in Konoha offering sympathies to Asuka's family and the man who had raised Reito. Shinji's family had been another matter; there were arrangements to be made for his ongoing care and well being. Plus there was the distinct impression she got that they were already afraid of him before this happened. Of course the missive she'd given the Hokage from the Iwagakure captain hadn't made the decision any easier…

---end of flashback---

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And so here we are waiting for the pass code to be entered to Shinji's cell. She glanced over to Hiromu, This guy is about as loyal to Shinji as my husband and Chouji are to each other. If something like this had happened to one of them… She shook her head to clear the thought away. The attendant guided them through the first door leading to the tunnel that ended with the actual door to her former student's 'apartment.'

That's exactly what the cell resembled, a comfortably furnished studio style apartment, small, neat and practical.

The uniformed woman tapped on the door before opening it, just to give him a slight notice of their arrival. The attendants always reminded them that his mind was still classified as fragmented so the more closely on could keep him to a routine the less likely it was that that he would be 'set off' again. "Touma-san you have visitors."

"Temari-sensei," he was already smiling as he closed his book and rose from his chair.

As always it was one of the ten books he kept reading over and over, his muddled mind seemed to have messed up his memory. Yet somehow, he always remembered her.

"Hello Shinji," Temari smiled back reassuringly, "I brought you a cake." She held up the box. She walked over to set the box down on his counter so her arms were free to give him a hug. And now the moment of truth. She watched as his gaze turned to Hiromu. On past occasions the brown haired teen had called the Hyuuga by the names of the others he knew: Neji or Hinata, the ones who Sakura had brought in when he first needed to gain his focus.

"Hey Hiromu," the voice sounded happy as he spoke over her shoulder and he released the hug, attention now fully on his former classmate.

He said the right name, which means he's having a 'good day'. It would be nice to have a lucid conversation; there had been time when he'd spent the whole visiting hours just gazing into the lavender eyes of his friend.

Shinji turned back to Temari, "So how's your family doing, sensei…?"

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A/N: I have decided that after this my future chapters will be a little shorter. Hopefully this will achieve two things: 1) I will be able to update more often and 2) My Beta will be able to read things through in a shorter session…I guess I should try to keep her comfortable…happy maybe difficult.

The title was a play off the phrase 'Rites of Passage' since the Chuunin exam is, of course for young shinobi. The 'wrong' is for the potentially foreseeable problem with Shinji that cause this series of events.

Thanks, as always to those who take the time to review, comment etc. on my madness: Awaii, shelvesinthecloset, Shubaltz Crazist & wwefollower. I really didn't mean to keep you waiting so long.