The Maiden's Curse

The Trip To the Cloud

Chapter 6 The Trip To The Cloud

"what is it that you wish to speak with me about Lady Tusunade dose it have to do anything with the mission?"
"No Temari it....... About Shikamaru I worried about him and by the look on your face I can assume you feel the same?" Temari didn't know what to say to the Hokage and just nodded in response. With a heavy sigh Lady Tusunade continued "He's been dealing with a lot from his father to Inoichi, Neji and even some of the members of his own clan, their death toke a hug toll on Shikamaru and not only on him, his clan as well. Many people from this village has gone rouge throughout time but never has a Nara stepped out of this village with intentions to never come back."
"One of the Nara's when rouge?"
"Yes one of Shikaku every best friend Shikamaru think that he is not strong enough to hold his clan together like his father did, he think he is not good enough to be the head of the clan. that why I ask your kazekage to send you and no one else. I know that your can help him. I've seen the way you looked at him before the war. You love him don't you Temari" Temari's eyes widen at her comment then turned her face to no longer look at the Hokages face "I did" was all that Temari could say to Lady Tusunade who now has a raised eyebrow "did" she asked questionably "I don't understand what do you mean "did" Temari have you fallen for someone else that your brother didn't tell me about?"
"It's not that It....its wait what do you mean.... that my brother hasn't told you about. Are you and my brother? No wa...wait ok..... When did this topic come up? why are you two talking about my love life? I'm old enough to do things on my own. God when I get home I'm going to kill Kankuro"
" it was actually the Kazekage who I was talking about but never mind that like I was saying, I wanted to give you two same time to relaxed to see if maybe you could get through to him"
Tamari once red face turn back to its normal color looking the Hokage straight in the face she nodded her head in confirmation that she'll try her best, that said and done she turned around to exit the room
Temari stopped midway back still facing the Hokage she spoke "I will.... I will get the old Shikamaru back I have to he can't keep going on like this not him I just don't know how to do it but I will and by the Time we get back he will be his old self. no matter what it take no matter what I have to do or say I will" she then walk to the door and left. Tusunade look up at the ceiling and smiled at herself
"Young love hm jiraiya...... Do your best Temari" outside waiting to escorts Temari back to her hotel room Shikamaru stood leaning against a tree. once she was in his sight he stood up tall signaling her to follow him. They walk through the village without saying a word. Shikamaru stop causing Temari to bump into him. turning around he saw her rubbing her nose and she looked at him in confusion "we need to get going in the morning so get some rest I'll come pick you up when I'm done getting ready and packing my stuff good night Lady Temari" he once again turned around and walking away before she even had the chance to speak. "Goodnight" she said to no one in particular walking into her hotel room to get some rest before her missions in the morning one of them would be easy but the other won't be so easy as she first thought.
The next morning Temari's alarm went off at 6:30 AM she got up and when straight to the bath. once she was finish she got out and she put on her normal black kimono with her red sash she tired her hair up into her usual four tails putting all her ninja tool into her pouch tying it around her right thigh.hearing a knock on the door she walk over picking up her fan in the process "must be Shikamaru" she told herself while opening the door "are you done Teamri we have to get going"
"Yes I'm all done lets go" walking out of the door and closing the it behind them. There was nothing but silence. she couldn't take it anymore so she opened her mouth to speak "so how you been Teamri" but he beat her to it. "I been fine" He let out a long sigh he was trying to started a conversation with her but all she did was give a simple answer. in his eyes she was the one who changed not him. He just thought that he was a little more motivated "she's was the one who was always Nagging me about being lazy now look who being lazy" he thought to himself. Making there way to the village gate they stop for breakfast at a little dango shop he would always take her to. Seeing that they where headed to the dango shop made her remember old time with him, the old him the one she fell in love with the one who always complain about how much she nagging him or how scary and troublesome she was. Oh how she wished he would call her troublesome woman once more. But she knew that was never going to happen and It just made her sad. she never thought that she could ever lose someone without actually losing them "Temari is something wrong" Shikamaru words snapped her out of her train of thought. "I'm fine why'd you ask"
"No reason in particular you just seem quiet that's all"
"Does me being quiet bother you? well I thought you would like the fact that I'm not speaking since you are always telling me how annoying and troublesome I am and there is the time when you told me to stop nagging you"
"Tsk troublesome woman I just asked if you we're feeling OK I didn't need you to got all crazy at me" Temari heart skipped a beat she was so happy, he was starting to act like his old self maybe it would be easy to brake his shell. she hoped so. after eating breakfast they made their way to the gate to start the mission " OK we will get there in five days time so I hope you have everything you need" Tamari nodded her head confirming that she did "OK then let's go Tamari"
They set out to start their mission they both jumped tree to tree until dawn. Once dawn was upon them they jumped down to start Camp "four more days to go I'll go get fire wood ok Temari set up camp I'll be back in a little" Shikamaru walked away toward the forest. That's how the past three days went by Shikamaru went to go get the wood and Temari stayed behind setting up camp. But the last Night Shikamaru and Temari camped out Temari went to go look for the fire wood while Shikamaru stayed behind to set up camp Temari was noticing the fatigue in his eyes and there would also be times when she would wake up in the middle of the night to him pacing back-and-forth. She knew that those past four days he has not been sleeping and she was the only reason he didn't go anywhere. While looking for firewood Temari was grabbed from behind she tried to escaped the mans grip but that just caused his grip to get tighter around her neck. " now look at what I found who would've thought that I would find such a Beautiful Maiden in the woods"
"Let go of me or I'll kill you "
"Ha please my love just say quite and let me enjoy the sight that you are" He reached his left hand down Temari back to put her sash. Loosening it and now making his way up her bare thigh. Temari didn't have her fan or her pouch she left it at the camp site with Shikamaru. Then suddenly she felt pain on the left side of the neck and the men's grip slowly loosened and standing before her was Shikamaru. His arm was stretched out as if he was pointing at somethings but Temari knew better, by the man action she could tell that Shikamaru through a Kunai at the man "he's dead get back to the camp I'll get the fire wood" he didn't say anything else Temari was still in the man arm. she grabed the Kunai and pulled it out of the mans head and hand. Once she pulled it out the man body drop to the ground with a thump. Temari place her hand oh her neck to discover a cut on it " He cut me.... Shikamaru cut me.... That it he is no longer the man you loved Temari and there is no saving him now" she return to the camp and went straight into her tent. She didn't wait for him to come back and at this point she's feared him.