Update! Battle of Wills is now being cross-posted onto AO3, under my username 'misspandalily'.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
If there was anything worse than being held accountable for the spontaneous disappearance of fourteen teenagers, it was not knowing why or how they'd vanished in the first place. Nothing was making any sense, but she suspected that the white scroll in the river had been tampered with the moment they placed it there on the second day. It wasn't supposed to be opened, nor would it have even if the competitors had tried, and the last thing Tsunade expected the object to do was teleport them all away. She groaned.
Three days into the most hyped-up event of the year, and everything was already going haywire. Tsunade really needed a break.
"So," Jiraiya, appropriately grave, nestled his face in his hands, "I have no idea what's going on."
She nodded, downing a bottle of sake. Shizune said nothing in protest.
"What about Orochimaru? Any news of him?"
The white-haired man looked up and grimaced. "Nothing. But I'm sure he's behind this. If he isn't, the timing is too convenient." His agents had been sent out, left, right and centre, in search for the Tournament members, and returned, void of any plausible results. Everything was too suspicious, and she was all too aware that the longer they took to find the kids, the more danger they were going to be in. She prayed that some of them would act to find a way out of their predicament, if they were even conscious.
That worried her, too. Orochimaru was known for performing various experiments, heinous tests, on unwilling victims. He'd had a habit of mutilating their bodies 'in the name of science' and leaving them on the side of the road, back before the Sandaime had banished him from Konoha. The only hope she had for the teenagers' survival is that their bodies hadn't been haphazardly dumped in an obscure location, yet.
A knock on the door, followed by some loud grumbles, startled them out of their contemplative silence. "The Yondaime Kazekage requests your presence, Principal."
She hid the sake bottle in her drawer, then neatened up her hair. Oh, boy. Here came trouble. "Enter."
Decked from head to toe in simple, black robes, the Yondaime Kazekage strode in with a frown marring his severe features. All three adults stood up from their seats and bowed in greeting.
Rasa's face was stern, and held thinly-veiled contempt within its wrinkles. "I must admit," he said, "I am highly displeased with this turn of events."
Tsunade's back straightened. Straight to the point, as per usual. "With all due respect, we share the same sentiments."
He scowled. "Clearly not, judging by the sheer lack of effort you have put into finding all fourteen children, among whom," he raised his voice when Tsunade threw him a sharp glare, "Three are my own flesh and blood. I trust," he continued with a sneer, "That this issue will be resolved."
"We are doing our best," Jiraiya spoke up, "But the perpetrator of this heinous crime has not yet been caught."
"But, you have a lead, yes?"
"We have a lead," Tsunade turned Rasa's focus back to her. If she was going to receive any criticisms for this Tournament's crappy turnout, no one else would go down with her. Especially not Jiraiya. "And our most skilled trackers are being deployed to find him as we speak."
She thanked Kami that the Yondaime Kazekage was, above all else, a military man who acted out of ruthless calculation rather than impulsive rage - as far as she was aware, anyway. His expression relaxed marginally. "Exactly ten of my men will scour the Forest of Death for any signs of suspicious activity, and they will find this man. Let it be known that they are under orders to execute him on sight."
She nodded agreeably. "Orochimaru. He is no longer a citizen of Konoha; I assure you that there will be no mercy for him."
"Ah, him." His frown deepened. "He has returned."
"Yes." They lapsed into silence. "But, we are doing our best to find before it is too late."
Rasa's dark eyes flitted back to Tsunade's face. "The question is, what is 'it'?"
After a gruellingly tense walk down several series of dark corridors, Sasuke led the three Genshos into a large, well-lit cavern. He opened the door, revealing a room full of exactly fourteen beds, fourteen sets of pillows, and eleven other teenagers huddled in the middle.
Okay, creepy.
They all looked up at the same time; Sakura was the first to gasp and extract Shikamaru from Neji's arms before taking him into a separate room for "medical treatment". Tenten nodded tersely, then wordlessly strode over to her grinning team members.
"You're safe," Temari pulled her into a relieved hug. Gaara looked up at her from behind his sister, dark eyes boring into her own. She smiled back weakly. After Temari released her, and finished checking her over for any serious injuries, Ino pulled her into a warm embrace.
"Thank Kami, I was getting worried. Do you know what's going on?" The last part wasn't voiced out loud, but resounded through her head comfortingly. Sasuke's been acting strange ever since we came to.
When exactly was that?
A few hours ago? I'm not sure. Ino's baby blue eyes peered back at her with blazing uncertainty. We can't really tell what time it is in here.
Gaara's voice was the next to filter through. Save the conversation for later. We need to at least act like we can't talk to each other in our heads.
Tenten couldn't stop her mouth from dropping open. Were they all mind-linked? When had Ino learned to do that?
It took a while, Ino's voice said smugly, But once I realised that it was totally possible, I started off with Temari, then gradually linked up everyone else. Well, They all turned towards Sasuke, who was chatting idly with Neji. "Except for him. He isn't getting through to us.
Gaara growled at them furiously. Talk later.
Tenten released herself from Ino's hug, then made her way into Sakura's treatment room, which was surprisingly well-stocked with supplies. She was hesitant to strike up a conversation with the girl. Outside of Team Suna, everyone else was a stranger.
"How's he holding up?"
The pink-haired girl frowned, the only indication that she'd acknowledged Tenten's presence. "It's serious. And, the metal coat doesn't help either." Tenten blushed, then waved her hand and wielded the metal away from his arm. A putrid stench immediately filled the air; she felt like puking.
Sakura's hand glowed a fluorescent green as she moved it down the length of his arm. Slowly, but surely, the burning, red flesh and ulcers were replaced by fresh layers of skin. The boy groaned, then sighed in relief before relaxing into a state of unconsciousness.
Tenten's eyes widened. "Did you just bring his arm back to life?" Sakura stood up, legs shaking uncontrollably. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Sakura winced, "I will be. After some rest. Carry him out for me, will you?"
Evidently, replacing Shikamaru's arm had taken a toll on the medic. But, still. Tenten brushed the tips of her fingers over Shikamaru's newly-healed arm. Even though the stench was still floating around the room, it was undeniable that Sakura had done a remarkable job of healing him. She could see why the girl was so treasured, now.
The door opened, revealing Neji, now changed into the same white robes as Sasuke, with his hair tied back into an immaculate ponytail. Tenten pretended not to notice the weird change, and gave him a hesitant smile. "Hey, you," she crooned, in faux-affection.
"Hello," Neji strode towards Shikamaru without another word. Nimble white fingers danced along the same surface of Shikamaru's skin that Tenten had examined moments earlier; Neji finally deigned to speak up. "Incredible." He glanced up at her, moon-like eyes blank and void of any emotion. "You may leave."
"I do what I want, thanks," she growled back. He narrowed his eyes at her. "In any case, we need to get him into the bedroom, so he can recuperate on an actual bed. Let's not waste any time arguing here."
Pushing past Neji, Tenten effortlessly hoisted Shikamaru onto her back and repositioned him so that his arms were wrapped around her neck. She treaded past the Hyuga boy cautiously, catching sight of the blazing red tattoo still emblazoned onto his neck, then recalled his words from earlier. It'd been hurting like a bitch, and that was one of the last times she'd seen the real Hyuga Neji. The one who'd been warming up to her, the one who'd been suspicious of Sasuke for a solid three days before he became a little puppy. That tattoo definitely had something to do with his rapid change in personality.
But what did that matter to her, when her Team was on the other side of these walls, held captive against their own will? All seven of them were in strangers' territory.
Konoha wasn't their home, Sasuke wasn't supposed to be under some sort of trance-like state, and-
"Tenten."
She paused in her tracks, her hand inches away from the doorknob. She tilted her face ever-so-slightly towards Neji, acknowledging his call.
"Put him down. I have business I need to take care of." She felt a chill run down her spine. His voice was cold, unfeeling, laced with a venomous poison she couldn't place her hands on. This new figure hidden inside Neji's body was definitely a shady one.
To hell with it, Tenten was used to taking risks. She threw the door open and quickly strode out of the room towards her teammates.
They encircled her at once; Gaara stood by her side, steadfast and calm. Reassuring.
She placed Shikamaru on the bed beside Temari's, ever-vigilant Temari, and glanced back over her shoulder towards the still-open door. Neji was still inside the medical room, staring her down like she was the bane of his existence. Tenten could live with that anger. At least there was emotion. At least he wasn't that unnervingly rigid Neji with the fanboy-complex for Sasuke. Speak of the devil: Sasuke joined him a few seconds later, noticed his livid glaring, then turned his head towards Tenten. Blank, empty. She looked away, trying not to let her legs shake from the foreboding auras emanating from the two boys.
"Tenten?" Gaara held onto her arm, whispering quietly. His eyes flickered towards Neji and Sasuke, then returned to her. "You okay?"
She breathed; in and out, in and out. It wasn't time to play nice anymore. Cruel Tenten needed to come out again. Ruthless Tenten from the Yondaime's training regimen needed to bubble back to the surface. Ruthless Tenten needed Gaara. The crazy Gaara. It was time.
Her mouth set itself in a grim line. Her brown eyes steeled themselves, locking away any feelings that might escape from their depths. She turned towards Gaara, her best friend, who met her gaze before nodding in understanding. Their backs stiffened simultaneously.
Temari, brushing the hair out of Shikamaru's eyes as she conversed with Ino in a hushed voice, rose her head and hastily gathered all of Team Suna around into a circle.
They sat around Shikamaru's bed, heads bent down together as though they were fretting over his sleeping form. Gaara's fingers laced through Tenten's ones comfortingly, like he did when they were thirteen and still wary of all the bullies who treated them like scum. She squeezed his hand in return.
So, new plan? Temari continued brushing at Shikamaru's hair. To Tenten's surprise, the boy's grouchy voice joined into the conversation.
Could you just stop that? It's troublesome.
Ino fiddled with the blankets. We're busting out of here, and we need you, Shika.
A hint of approval was evident in Kankurou's voice. Yeah. We need your shadow magic.
Tenten saw a muscle twitch uncomfortably in Shikamaru's cheek. Not magic. And, sure. This place is a bore.
In a rare act of compassion, Sai voiced his concerns. What about the rest of Team Konoha? Surely, we cannot leave them here with those two?
Tenten risked a peek at the five members of Team Konoha who were supposedly not under the control of a crazy tattoo - or so she hoped. Hinata was nervously tending to Sakura, weary of the watchful patrol Neji was enforcing on the sleeping medic, and the three normally-rowdy boys were uncharacteristically silent in their seats around Sakura's bed. Personally, Tenten wanted to ditch them and leave. Aside from Sakura and her impressive skills, Tenten saw no reason to drag more people along with them.
Team Suna functioned well as a unit. She trusted that all six of them could make it out of this place without a hitch, and Shikamaru's abilities provided an even better means of travel. But, with three boys who'd so far struggled to keep their voices down or even act stealthy for the sake of other people's safety, a Hyuga girl whose familial ties could very well place them in graver danger, and a medic who was completely knocked out, their success rates diminished rapidly. Clearly, everyone else was thinking along the same lines as her, because Ino and Kankurou vehemently protested against the idea, and Gaara was frowning in disapproval.
Sai shrugged.
Just a suggestion. We really shouldn't underestimate Team Konoha.
But, Gaara quipped, We don't want to take anymore risks, either. The Haruno medic is the only other one I'm willing to take with us. She is useful.
You all sound like psychopaths, by the way. Shikamaru's frown increased. Temari smoothed it out, tut-tutting under her breath to continue their fake-caring act, and that Shikamaru was still unconscious rather than feigning it. Tenten had to hand it to the guy; he really knew how to pretend he was asleep. Being lazy really did have its benefits.
I don't think we have long to propose anything else anymore. Sasuke and Neji are starting to creep me out, and those tattoos on their necks aren't getting any less evil. Tenten shuddered inwardly, then felt Gaara's hand tighten over hers.
Right. So, when are we busting out?
They all looked at Temari, who was mulling it over in her mind.
Ino, the blonde slowly met their leader's gaze, Think you could give your new ability a shot? Just for an hour or so. I need you to look for a clear path out of here.
I'll do my best.
Wha-
Before Tenten could voice out so much as a question, she felt a cold hand fall upon her shoulder. Crap.
"What are you all looking so grim for? Shikamaru has been healed, has he not?" Neji was grinning down at them all as Sasuke came up beside him with a cold smirk on his face. "I suggest we all celebrate with a hearty meal. Kami knows we all need the food."
Tenten forced herself not to pry Neji's hand away from her shoulder blade, and beamed back at the two of them elatedly.
"Great! What are we having?"
They smirked, then said, in synchronised monotones, "Knuckle sandwiches."
Neji raised his fists towards her face, and in the blink of an eye, she threw herself away from his reach, swiftly pulling a metal lamp off the wall and hurling it at him with ferocity she hadn't accessed in years. He pulled up a shield to block the impact, so Tenten made use of the distraction to wrench herself out of Gaara's grip and hover over Shikamaru protectively. She inhaled, then felt the metallic walls surround her body like a glove.
Then, all hell broke loose.