Shooting Straight II

Chapter 5

Kankuro sat up in his bed, coughing as he glanced around the empty hospital room, weakly calling for his sister as he heard her whispers cease from down the hall. Her hurried footsteps drew close as her head peaked around the door adorning a concerned expression.

"Kankuro?" Her face flushed with panic as her brother attempted to stand, wincing in pain. "Don't be so reckless, you're not going anywhere. You need to rest."

He looked up to meet her gaze, his eyes sunken and his skin grey. Even though he was set to recover from Sasori's poison, it still did quite a number on him. Temari's face softened, placing a consoling hand on his shoulder as she gently pushed him back into a resting position.

"I will get Gaara back, no matter what. Don't worry." She assured him, her voice firm and unwavering in false confidence, trying her best to mask the flurry of anxiety and shame she was hiding within her mind. She had known what Arrow was capable of oh-so-many years ago, and she couldn't even bring herself to wonder how it had changed. But of course, she wouldn't let Kankuro see that.

~~~

"Are you kidding me, or what?" Temari's eyes narrowed into a glare, her dry tone filling the desert silence around them. "Border patrol? Seriously?"

"Orders from above," Baki crossed his arms over his chest, shifting under the disproving gaze from the shinobi behind Temari. Her expression changed at his explanation, hurt and confusion flooding her face. "If word gets out that the kazekage is missing, our enemies may use this time as an opportunity to attack."

"Isn't that all the more reason to let us go?" Temari's jaw clenched as she tossed her arm out in a wild gesture at the world outside Sunagakure, "We have to get Gaara back as soon as possible! These Konoha shinobi came all this way to go to Gaara's aid, and Gaara isn't even their leader! Shouldn't it be a Suna shinobi to save him?" She was pleading, her voice pitching up as she became more distressed.

"Look, I'm sorry-"

"Well, I'm going!"

Chiyo's voice interrupted Baki from above, where her shadow fell over the gathered ninja from her position on the building behind them.

"If a sand shinobi is needed, then I will go." She threw herself off the building, much to Sakura's panic, only to prove she was still battle-ready as she landed perfectly in front of the group. "I'm retired, which means I can do whatever I like. After all, it's been a while since I've doted on my beloved grandchildren."

Naruto's face twisted in confusion, "Grandchildren?"

Kakashi sighed, "Yes, Naruto. Lady Chiyo happens to be the grandmother of Arrow, as well as his cousin Sasori, the one who poisoned Kankuro."

Naruto scrunched his face in an expression of revolution, eying the old woman suspiciously as if something evil was part of the bloodline. He quickly shook himself back into reality, refocusing and rationalizing that it was unfair of him to take out his hatred for his former teammate on an old woman, a relative of his enemy or otherwise.

"Well, I suppose we will go on alone then," Kakashi announced, offering a comforting smile to Temari, who stared blankly into the distance, lost in her head.

"I am sorry again," Baki replied, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. "I will try to convince the higher-ups..."

"Don't worry, by the time you catch up with us, Gaara will be long since rescued!" Naruto tried to maintain an optimistic tone, his sights locked on his missing friend's sister, fighting the recollection of Arrow's arm around her upon their first meeting.

Sakura offered a comforting smile of her own, "Hey Temari," she called, "you don't have to worry, he will be okay."

Temari numbly nodded, acknowledging the other kunoichi's words without a response. She couldn't escape the pained feelings of betrayal that stung like acid in a fresh wound, accompanied by the swell of other emotions she couldn't place. Be it grief or sorrow, she was trapped, either way, confined by her conflict between love for her brother and love for the closest friend she'd ever had. For her, it seemed as though there was no place for both.

With Sakura's promise still hanging in the air between them, the Konoha shinobi and Lady Chiyo took the moment to turn and depart without looking back.

Temari stood in the same spot, watching until she could no longer see their silhouettes against the backdrop of the setting sun over the desert. Once she was sure they were out of her view, she turned back to her village, raising her head, swallowing the lump in her throat, and dabbing away the tears that had gathered in the corners of her eyes. Her gaze hardened as she released a slow breath and returned to the work ahead of her.

~~~

Gaara's body writhed, his skin darkening as Shukaku continued to ooze out of him - even for Arrow, it wasn't a pleasant sight. He'd been consumed in his thoughts, swimming in old memories and tuning out the sounds of slow breathing, when Zetsu's low voice broke the silence.

"An enemy is nearing this hideout,"

Deidara was the first to react, his eyes shifting over to the holographic plant-man monstrosity, urging him to continue speaking.

"- and a highly skilled one at that. His name is Might Guy."

Arrow couldn't stop himself from the huff of ungodly annoyance, vividly recalling the green-glad man who called himself Kakashi's rival. His reaction piqued the interest of a few others.

"Who is that?"

Itachi responded before Arrow could, "A Konoha jonin who uses taijutsu. He's a clever operator - it wouldn't be wise to underestimate him."

Arrow snorted, rolling his eyes but biting his tongue. He was already in a bad mood from having to kill his former best friend's younger brother and it was only furthered by the thought of having to deal with someone like Guy. Kisame grinned.

"That freak beast, hey?" 

Upon deliberation, it was decided that Kisame would be the one dispatched to deal with the threat, seeing as in his own words he described it as 'having a bone to pick'.  

~~~

It was once again Zetsu who broke the tense silence.

"Another guest... a little noisy this time, isn't it Deidara?" despite his tone not changing, there was still snark evident behind his pointed words. Deidara's jaw slacked in surprise for a second before he snapped it shut and scowled.

"Well - the jinchuriki was stronger than the other two! He's the kazekage for Kami's sake!" He pointed an accusing finger at Gaara's limp, darkened body.

"I told you at the start, didn't I?" Sasori grumbled, eyes narrowed at Arrow who expertly avoided matching his gaze. The hunched man turned to Deidara, "Your jutsu wasn't suited for covert operations."

"Hey! I'd say your traps were pretty loud too, huh?" Deidara smirked, arms crossed as if he'd made some incredible comeback. Sasori bellowed in disbelief, the beginning of a slew of curses leaving his mouth when Pein snapped.

"Quit your fighting!"His hologram roared, quickly silencing Sasori's rebuttal. "Concentrate on the jutsu. Now then, who should I send this time?" 

Hidan spoke, his face relaxed and confident, expression boldened with his ego. "This time - it's my turn, without a doubt." 

"Another leaf shinobi," Zetsu interjected, snapping Itachi's attention. 

"Decided, then." Pein nodded. Arrow looked up, sights settling on Itachi before the Uchiha was gone to meet the next threat. Arrow's mouth tightened, mind wandering to the curiosity of who it might be that he was facing.