Whispering Bells

A New Mission

Temari tucked the dried desert flowers into her satchel, ready for delivery to the Hokage. She stopped in front of the mirror in her room. She looked the same as she always did, but she felt different. Temari ran her fingers across her lips. Had last night happened? Had her and Shikamaru really kissed? What a kiss that was. That wasn't a stumbling first kiss, it was so full of passion. She had always been secretly drawn to the Leaf ninja, but nothing had ever transpired between them. She blushed as she recalled the kiss...he had called her beautiful. She had no idea that he had feelings like this. She reached back into her satchel and pulled out a small bottle. It was the extract from a camellia flower that had such a beautiful scent. She dabbed a little bit behind her ears.

Temari left her room, and headed down Main street towards the Hokage's office. A million thoughts were running through her head. What was going on with Shikamaru? Would the hokage question why she came to Konoha after being there just a few months ago? How was she going to get information that her brother requested?

Temari continued towards the alleyway near the local bakery. It was a shortcut that Shikamaru had shown her once. She took a few steps down the alleyway when suddenly someone grabbed her arm and slammed her face first into the wall. She tried to grab her fan but a man was pressed up hard against her from behind. She could feel his every muscle pressing into her.

"Get off of me" she hissed trying to move from his grip. She pushed against the wall to no avail.

"I have a message for you Temari" the man whispered in her ear.

How did this man know her name?

He pressed harder into her. "You may run away from the Sand Village, but Rasa has friends in high places. In far places. He's made his intentions clear. He's looking to make a powerful alliance through you. And...." The man started chuckling. "He said to make sure to check out the merchandise."

"Get off me!" Temari struggled trying to breathe as she was pressed so hard up against. "My father is not the Kazekage anymore, and Gaara does not agree to this"

"Gaara is young. He still yearns for his fathers approval. I think you should not underestimate Rasa and what he can do. He has years of connections. Powerful connections." He leaned in and pushed his nose against her neck. His sick stench was overbearing.

"Mmmm....you even smell good. But are you fit for purpose?" He took his hands and grabbed her hips and grinded himself hard against her. "Oh yes...I think you'll do just fine."

Temari looked down and saw that he had changed his stance when he had grabbed her hips. It left a small opening for her to move her arm.

"Oh Oba-sama" she whispered in a timid voice. The man started creeping his one hand from her hip to her waist towards her chest.

"Mmm" he grunted as his hand creeped dangerously higher.

"You messed with the wrong Kunoichi."

***

Tsunade gazed out the window at the cloudy skies of Konoha. Everywhere she looked there was trouble brewing. Relationships between the villages were acting up again after the attack, the whole Sasuke Orochimaru mess, the Akatsuki. She needed to sort things out, and today was the day she was going to make a start. Shizune walked into her office to drop off some paperwork.

"Shizune. Did you contact everyone I requested? Are they all coming?" she asked rifling through the papers.

"Yes Hokage. They really should be here any min-"

"You called lovely lady?"

Both the ladies turned around to see Jiraiya crouching in the window sill with a big grin on his face. Jiraiya was larger than life, and his smile never failed to put Tsunade at ease. He was the one constant in her life, and as big as a pain of the ass he could be, she was always happy to see his smiling face.