Chapter 34 - ArcIVii-Deep Secrets: Chapter 4

Shikamaru ran his theory by Asuma. At the end, Asuma asked the obvious question:
“Why haven’t they hurt anyone yet?”

“So we wouldn’t take them seriously,” Shikamaru replied instantly. “They’ve had years to plan revenge- that’s a lot of time to appear inconspicuous and gain trust, all while plotting.”

“We’d better move, then,” Asuma announced, getting up and reaching for his trench knives. “We might have moved up their timetable by being suspicious.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Hey, where are Naruto and Sakura? Oh no, don’t tell me!”

Asuma exhaled in frustration. “They’re near the water group.”

“So what do we do?”

“We assume they can handle themselves, and we get the Sand on alert for people with mysterious smiles and the ability to start fires.”
--

Naruto and Sakura were sitting in a corner of the wooden dojo, quietly talking amongst themselves about all that was going on. Both agreed there was something beyond suspicious going on here- something they couldn’t ignore. If the water people were experimented on and shunned, then their motivations were understandable. But couldn’t they just as easily have demonstrated how beneficial they could be? It seemed as though they had nitpicked the Kazekage for a reason to feel hatred.

“This just doesn’t add up,” Sakura whispered, looking around. “First, they boy attacked us for no reason. Next, we see those creepy smiling people all over the village and around all the wooden buildings-except for this one.”

“They’ve gotta be involved,” Naruto agreed, looking around carefully to make sure no one heard him. “So how do we prove it?”

Sakura took a few moments to think, but decided on a way that was of the least risk and the likeliest probability of a favorable outcome.
“We ask the right question. We ‘unintentionally’ provoke them. They’ll say things that they don’t meant to say- or, really, things they CAN’T say- and then we’ll have our proof.”

“Let’s do it!”

Sakura yanked Naruto back down. “Hold on! There’s a lot of these people. We’re going to have to fight them, more than likely. Let’s plan this out, first…”
--

Asuma walked by another smiling person standing by a wooden building. This time, they were looking for anything that could be a bomb, or a trigger, or even something that could make a flame. But after two trips around, both Shikamaru and Asuma had found nothing.

“What are we missing?” Asuma murmured. “There’s something we aren’t thinking of. But what?”

“There’s nothing about these people to suggest they’re- hey, what’s that?”

Shikamaru was pointing towards something clenched in a grinning man’s hand. Looking closer, it looked like razor wire or fishing line.

“Did any of the others you checked have that?” Shikamaru questioned Asuma.

“No…he’s the only one I’ve seen…”

The man slowly turned his head. His face was painted with a maniacal smile, and he even seemed to chuckle with glee as he tugged on the string.

There was no explosion, but a fire began inside the building nearest him. Soon, others had sprung up in all the wooden buildings. The fire reared up high, the buildings but kindling.

Asuma’s earpiece chirped.
“Shall I ready the sand?”

Asuma tapped the mic back. “No. Let’s see if the water moves. It’s only natural that they’d be among the first defenses for a fire…”
--

A small microphone was stuck to the inside wall of the wooden Water dojo. Sakura noticed it first. Wondering when it had been planted, she walked by it. But outside, she billowing black smoke distracted her. Leaping to the roof of the dojo, she could see a good expanse of the Sand village.
There were many fires. Too many to be a natural occurrence.

Leaping back down, Sakura raced in.
“Fire! There are fires out there! You’ve got to help!” she pleaded. The water dojo people ignored her at first. Then one said:

“This is what they get. Sand scum. If they only want us around when it’s convenient for them, then maybe that SHOULD burn.”

Sakura looked over her shoulder- the person saying that had been well within the range of the mic.

The only problem now was getting out of here. It seemed the water group meant to keep their business and their story secret. They began to surround Naruto and Sakura.
--

Asuma grimaced after hearing the water end of things. He gave the command to ready the sand to help put out the fire.
“Shikamaru, you stay here and supervise. I’m going to help bail out Naruto and Sakura. Anyone of those bombers who live- hold them until Suna’s ANBU arrive.”

Shikamaru nodded, taking that in stride. He and Temari began to direct the evacuations. For once, though, Temari’s normal demeanor wasn’t in place. It seemed…cracked. If it wasn’t Shikamaru seeing it, it would likely have gone unnoticed. But…

“Hey,” Shikamaru called to Temari. They had done all they could, save for catch anyone who ran for it. “You alright?”

Temari blushed, not used to this kind of thing. “I’m just…not used to being useless, that’s all. My Wind Style would only make the fire worse…”

Shikamaru gave a small grin. “And my shadows? If it’s dark out, I’m screwed.”

It was a simple exchange, but both parties felt better. Which was good- they felt better just in time to see someone familiar make a run for it. Shikamaru ran through all the possible matches in his mind.

Short blond hair…hollow cheekbones…thin, like he hasn’t eaten right in years…
Shikamaru figured it out. Now to test the theory.

“Shuto!”

The man looked at Shikamaru. That was it- the ‘Mad Bomber’ was right there!

“You know too much, kid! Now- eh?!”

Shikamaru’s Shadow Possession was success.

“You’re not familiar with the Leaf, I guess. So let me clue you in: This is the Nara clan’s ‘Shadow Possession’ Jutsu. You can’t move unless I let you. If you want to take a look, here:”
Shikamaru looked down, forcing his trapped counterpart to do the same. Shuto saw his shadow connected with Shikamaru’s.

“Damn it!”

Ka-boom!

An explosion went off right near Shuto and Shikamaru. The flash disrupted the Shadow Possession, and Shuto ran for it.
Unfortunately, he ran straight into Temari.

“Guess I’m not so useless after all,” she said around a smirk as her giant fan cracked him in the head, knocking him out. “You okay?”

Shikamaru was getting up slowly, rubbing at his ears and eyes.
“Yeah, fine. I’ll recover in a few seconds. Nice catch.”
--

The water group was closing in on Naruto and Sakura. But they didn’t seem to be attacking.

“You think we’re wrong, don’t you?” Yuuko asked quietly. “To let the village burn.”

“Hell yeah, I think you’re wrong! How can you sit there and let people die?!” Naruto shouted, clenching his fist in anger. “It just isn’t right!”

The blind/deaf woman, the matriarch of the clan, shifted her position. The identical people on her right and left began to speak for her.

“We can’t expect you to understand…” said the left.

“But please- we aren’t cruel. We believe in…”

“Justice.”

Naruto balked. “Justice? THIS is justice?”

“Indeed,” said the Right. “When our clan faced extinction from a horrible disease that affected…”

“Only our chakra, they denied us the most basic of help. We were…”

“In dire straits. The only one who dared help us was…”

“Your leader, the Queen of Slugs and Elixers, Tsunade.”

Sakura knew Tsunade better than almost anyone, and now she had to speak up:
“And THIS is how you would repay her kindness? This village is an ally of the Leaf’s- of Lady Tsunade’s! And no matter what, letting people die is wrong! The cycle of hatred has to end somewhere. Now, your group can snub the Sand, and they can snub back, but you’ll just keep hating each other. It’s a pointless cycle that you, right now, have the power to break!”
-

Asuma was outside the door, ready to charge in. But he smiled to himself and popped a cigarette in his mouth.
No trouble here. Wonder which instructor taught them to talk like that? They’ve gotten lucky there.
--

The meeting between the Kazekage and the water group went well, from all indications. The four Leaf shinobi removed themselves from the equation about now, leaving internal affairs to those directly involved.

“Mission accomplished,” Asuma said with satisfaction.

CAW!

A bird flew toward Asuma. He looked at in non-chalantly for a moment, but changed his tune when he saw the Fire daimyo’s symbol on the bird’s carrier pouch, right along side Lady Tsunade‘s. The others looked on curiously as he unrolled the letter. He exhaled some smoke, clearly deep in thought.

“Got no choice, huh?” he muttered. “Alright, listen up. We’re making a detour to the Fire Daimyo’s mansion. There’s been a massive Akatsuki attack there. We’ll be staying to help while the new Guardian Twelve are selected.”

Jaws hit the floor. The Guardian Twelve were the best of the best. To think that even they were taken down by the Akatsuki…
It made Naruto’s blood boil. The Akatsuki always left such horrible destruction…

Sakura gripped his arm, trying to silently comfort him. Their jonin leader was now a little shaken. That meant that, as the medic, Sakura could relieve him and appoint a new leader, if he became unstable. She hoped that unhappy duty wouldn’t fall to her.

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