Whispering Bells

Trouble at Home

Temari looked out from her balcony at the rolling hills of sand before her. It was a sight of beauty. The sand changed its creation each day so the landscape was never exactly the same. The hills physically shifted, the colours of the sand changed, new flora was exposed. It was a scene she was accustomed to, but still loved. She had recently become a Jounin, and her eyes to the world had opened up. She was starting to see the world and the beauty that lay in other lands.

Each village had its own personality she had found. Her own people of Suna were proud to a fault. They kept all emotion under wraps, and tended to be abrupt and cold. Showing weakness was an eternal sin in her village.

She had recently returned from the Hidden Village of the Leaf after her last mission. To her surprise she enjoyed her time in the village. The air felt lighter, the people more jovial, and dare she say it – kinder? Was this the influence of the environment, or was it the Kages that had led the village? She knew that the spirit of her village had changed tremendously from when Gaara had taken over as Kazekage.

"Lady Temari?" a loud voice boomed.

Startled, Temari turned around to see an armed guard standing in the doorway. She straightened her long black kimono robe and stood tall.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Lord Rasa wants to see you at once."

Her father? What did he want? Her relationship with her father had always been strained. His cruelty towards Gaara his whole life was not something she could easily forget. Making Gaara a Jinchuriki, the multiple assassination attempts on his own child, making Gaara think that his own mother hated him. Temari shuddered. He was always putting the village before his own family. Well, he was no longer Kazekage, and she did not have to come by his command.

Temari stared coldly at the guard the turned her back to him, sending him a clear message. She stared out the window, a vibrant pink desert lily caught her eye.

"He requested you come immediately. I have orders to not leave without you."

"He is not the Kazekage. I do not take orders from him."

The guard planted his feet and looked straight ahead, not letting on any expression.

She sighed. Her father was a stubborn man, she might as well find out what he wants.

***

Shikamaru tried to balance the large stack of chunin exam results and profiles, while knocking on the Hokage's door. She wanted to personally review each chunin candidate carefully. He had spent so much time writing up an assessment of each student. It was so troublesome...how did he get himself tied into the chunin exams of all things.

He could hear light laughter coming from behind the door. Was she not alone?

Shikamaru rapped on the door again. This time louder. He was about the drop the large stack of papers on the floor, so he decided, probably against his better judgement to just open the door.

Hokage Tsunade quickly shoved a book under a large stack of papers. "Shikamaru, you startled me."

"Sorry, Lady Tsunade. I knocked but there was no answer." Shikamaru looked around the room. There appeared to be no one else there. He dropped the large stack of profiles on her already overflowing desk.

"Are those the chunin results? What are your thoughts?"

Shikamaru slumped down in the chair in front of her. "Well, I think we have a few excellent candidates in there, but I'll let you review my assessments."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes as she looked at Shikamaru. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his hands looked blackened and cut. He looked so tired...almost to the point of total exhaustion. Shikamaru was never the most energetic ninja, but this was distinctly different. Something was off. He had been looking progressively worse ever since his failed mission to retrieve Sasuke.