Chapter 94 - Cap 87: Joke! It's a joke!

The afternoon had passed and Temari had to admit that she was surprised at the level of the two shinobis who were training, particularly Kurama, who was only a Genin.

". . ." - she could only remain silent as she watched the two men stop their confrontation.

"Is something wrong, Temari-san?" - Kurama asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"No... it's nothing," said the girl from Suna with a small smile on her face.

". . ." - Kurama didn't answer her, he just shook his head - "I think it's time we all go back"

"I don't have a problem with that," answered Temari as she bit her lip. She wouldn't lie, she had enjoyed today. Everything that had happened this afternoon was new and exciting to her, especially the pursuit they had been involved in.

"A pity it has to end..." - Temari muttered as she sighed ruefully.

"Your happiness will escape if you sigh like that, young lady," said Jiraiya as he noticed the sudden change in the girl's expression.

"I'm sorry... it's just that I was thinking that my brothers must be worried because I'm not back yet" - said Temari with a forced smile.

"We better go back," said Kurama calmly as he sent a silent signal to the Sannin.

"Let's go," Jiraiya nodded as he shrugged.

* * * * *

The trio arrived quickly in the residential area of Konoha, although two of them were transformed because after what happened with the revelation of Sekkusu Kami-sama, they did not want to have any more problems.

"I can go by myself from here," said Temari with a smile. "Thank you for fulfilling my request and forgiving me for 'that'.

"Don't worry... just don't let it happen again" - said Kurama seriously.

"I promise nothing," answered Temari as she ran off to the hotel she was staying at.

"Well?" - asked Jiraiya when he saw the redhead's expression turn neutral.

"She..."- said Kurama seriously - "She showed a clear feeling of guilt, sadness, pain, and acceptance when she saw how we were fighting..."

"Isn't that normal?"- Jiraiya asked - "I'm sure it's because she will tell her brother about your abilities..."

"No... the guilt is much greater..." - said Kurama with a scowl - "It's as if she doesn't want to do something but is doing it out of obligation..."

"Hmm..." - Jiraiya started thinking about the words his 'godson' said - "That sounds like a forced mission... perhaps a spy mission? No... with her identity as a participant in the Chunin Examinations, she doesn't stand much of a chance of getting important information from Konoha..."

"I find all this too strange, Ero Sennin" - said Kurama seriously - "First, Orochimaru appears with his men, Second, a Jinchuriki appears who is allied but at the same time unstable, Third, the emotions that Kankuro and Temari-san showed... she is showing a feeling of guilt, obligation, and acceptance while her brother is only showing feelings of denial and confusion as if he was thinking they were making a wrong decision..."

"How do you know that?" - Jiraiya asked curiously.

"Because after merging with the Kyubi, I acquired his ability to feel people's emotions" - answered the redheaded man calmly - "I don't only know when someone is lying to me, but also when someone has dark ideas about me or other people..."

"It's a useful skill" - said Jiraiya while c.a.r.e.s.sing his chin - "With it, you can know which woman has a great l.u.s.t and take the opportunity for an easy conquest"

". . ." - Kurama only gave the Sannin a neutral look, who started sweating when he saw how the boy was gathering a lot of chakra in his hand - "It was a joke! It was a f.u.c.k.i.n.g joke!"

"Okay..." - Kurama only undoes his Jutsu when he sees the white-haired man apologizing. It wasn't like he could throw a Bijuudama in the middle of Konoha either.

"But back to the main topic... if you put all those events together, it's a little strange..." - Jiraiya said seriously - "Maybe we should talk to the old man about this"

"I am sure he told you about my situation with him, so I will let you be the one to inform him," said Kurama calmly.

"Yes, he told me," sighed the Gama Sannin. "Though I cannot blame you, Asuma was the one who made the decision and paid for it"

". . ." - Kurama didn't say anything else, he just walked towards the Uzumaki residence.

"Wait for me! I want to talk to Kushina!" - exclaimed Jiraiya as he left in pursuit of the boy.

* * * [Meanwhile with Temari] * * *

"And that's all..." - said the girl as she looked at her sensei Baki, a man in standard Jonin de Suna clothing, who had a slightly tanned complexion and was wearing a white turban with a cloth covering half his face.

"This became more complicated than I thought..." - said Baki as he sighed with regret. Not only had Konoha increased the level of its security by the appearance of Orochimaru, but there were also more Anbu walking the streets - "The Genin, Kurama Uzumaki is not only at a much higher level than we thought, but there is also Jiraiya, one of the Densetsu no Sannin..."

". . ." - Temari was only silent as she looked down. She was biting her lip because she honestly didn't want anything like this to happen but as Suna's kunoichi, she had to follow her Kage's instructions.

"In addition to that, Orochimaru informed me that this boy is the 'Jinchuriki' of Kyubi no Yoko" - said Baki with a scowl.

"What do you mean by 'Jinchuriki'?" - Temari asked in surprise. She noticed the slight change in tone of her sensei when she said the term she hated so much.

"It is because when he was a baby and the Kyubi was sealed inside him, an accident occurred that caused him to change drastically..." - Baki said calmly - "He and the Kyubi got mixed up although it is not known how big the influence of the Bijuu is on the boy... although it would not be crazy to say that he is much more sadistic than Gaara if he is upset too much"

"!" - Temari was surprised when he heard this. She thought her younger brother was the unluckiest Jinchuriki talking about seals but now she hears that there was a much worse one.

"You may go, Temari" - said Baki as he turned around.

"Hai... Baki sensei..." - said the girl as she retired.

"You could have kept silent, Temari" - said Kankuro when he saw that his sister had left his instructor's room.

"You know very well that is impossible," sighed Temari as he shook his head to get rid of this horrible feeling inside him.

"Do you like him?" - Kankuro asked as he looked at his sister.

"No... we have only met three times," answered Temari as she walked to her room.

"That may be more than enough" - answered Kankuro as he shook his head.

". . ." - Temari stopped her steps for a few seconds but quickly continued to advance - "I don't like him... I just find him interesting..."

"That is surprising praise coming from you, Temari," replied Kankuro as he watched his sister disappear into her room. He understood the pressure his elder sister had on his shoulders. She was not only the eldest daughter of the Kazekage and therefore the Princess of Suna, but she was also the one who had the highest expectations of the three.

Gaara was considered a monster and a weapon for Suna. Kankuro was only a genius at handling puppets and poisons but the problem was that this practice was not widely used in Suna over the years, being viewed with better eyes in times of war. That left Temari, the eldest daughter, as the most important of the three. She not only had a powerful Wind affinity but had also acquired her mother's beauty as well as her gentle attitude.

"I've already lost count of how many bastards have gone after her just to increase their political power or for her body" - snorted Kankuro. He slowly walked to the entrance of his hotel and looked up at the sky that was now slightly dark - "This plan is a mistake... a mistake that could have been fixed with a single conversation..."

He understood the situation very well. Suna was going through a big economic crisis because the Daimyo of Kaze no Kuni was sending the high-paying missions to Konoha because, according to him, Suna's services were not optimal. This had left the shinobi of Suna furious not only with the leader of the Land of the Wind but also with Konoha despite that they were only doing their job.

"This is getting out of hand..." - Kankuro muttered as he recalled the latest events - "That idiot of a father should not have made such a hasty decision so soon... one mistake and Suna will become just a carcass that what once was..."

Kankuro looked up at the sky and noticed how the stars were starting to shine - "I guess I've thought too much... I'd better get back..."