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“Tsk, ...” Shikamaru clicked his tongue, his voice was laced with disdain. Eventually, rationality prevailed. Not that the outcome was ever much in doubt. “Always the same with you. You’re always such a drag. Listen, Asami, we accept your terms, but only under one condition. Release Ino first. Afterwards, we’ll return your partner.”
“...” Asami narrowed her eyes, dissatisfied. A counterproposal ... “I am certain that you are aware that you have changed the terms of our agreement, Shikamaru-kun. Tell me, why should I continue to honour my word given?”
“Sure, as if we’d believe you and your ‘word’, Asami.” Shikamaru sneered. “It’s not the first time you’ve raised your sword against Konoha, and yet you expect us to trust you? Quite the big ask.”
“You wound me, Shikamaru-kun.” Asami tilted her head, her grip on her katana firm. “Have I ever spoken anything but the truth?”
“Plenty of times, and more than I’m willing to recall, but we’ve no time for your sophistry, Asami”, Shikamaru snorted. “Release Ino if you want your precious Tobi back.”
“...~ ...~ ...~” Tobi whimpered, his puppy eyes welling up with tears. “Tobi helpless, senpai~! Tobi all alone~! Senpai~ must save Tobi!” Her partner was not exactly strengthening her position. Quite the contrary.
“...” Asami giggled ominously, the purple edge of her blade pressed against Ino’s unprotected throat, her gleeful smile laced with venom. It would be a simple affair to just dispatch Ino. Her blade was sharp. A single careless cut would suffice to end her life. “Hehehe~ hahaha~, you have grown bold, Shikamaru-kun, audacious even, if I might say so. Nevertheless, I hope you realise that you are playing quite the dangerous game here. This is not just some game of shogi. You decide whether Ino will live or die. Retract your terms, and we might find an agreement.”
“... ... ...” Shikamaru maintained his poker face, stoic, unperturbed, his eyes unflinching, his entire face unyielding like granite. He was pretty good. Better than she had given him credit for. Certainly better than back then in the old days. “No. You release Ino. Then we’ll give back your Tobi. These are our terms. They’re not negotiable. Take them or leave them, Asami.”
“... ... ...” Aurora intensified her glare. Her purple eyes pierced his soul. “...”
“... ... ...” Yet Shikamaru never wavered. The Nara heir held firm even under the full weight of her gaze. “...”
In the end, it was Sasori who would end their stalemate. The commotion at the periphery did not escape her, nor the elation and the feeling of relief of their enemies.
The fight had ended. Contrary to her expectations and against all odds, their enemies had emerged victorious. Two swords, two blades, pierced his heart, embraced by two puppets that looked not unlike him. His ageless shell of a body lay defeated. Sasori had fallen ...
“... ... ...” A gentle sigh escaped Asami’s lips. This was the end. The fight had come to an end. “It appears that our positions have changed profoundly, Shikamaru-kun ... And not necessarily in my favour.”
“...” Her hand deft, Asami sheathed her sword, returning her blade to her scabbard. “You are free to go, Ino.”
“...” Ino did not make her wait. The Yamanaka girl took the opportunity and was quick to join the ranks of her comrades.
“...” Asami turned her gaze onto the Nara heir, expectant. “I have honoured my part of our agreement, Shikamaru. Now it is your turn to honour yours. Release Tobi, and we will take our leave. It would be ... unwise at this point to fight each other.”
“... ... ...” Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. He understood her implicit threat. A rueful sigh escaped him. “Tenten, release him. We’re done here.”
“...” Shock and confusion spread like wildfire. Ino, Tenten, Choji, Lee, his comrades stared, gaping in disbelief at his words. Except for Guy. His questionable appearance aside, the man was still a jonin, a seasoned one, no less.
Tenten reacted, startled. “What?”
So did Ino. “What are you saying?” The girl could not believe her ears. “We are letting him go? ... why?”
“...” Shikamaru hesitated for a moment, still cautious. “Listen, Ino, we’re not like them. We are ninja of Konoha. Unlike them, we keep our word.” Most of the time, which went unsaid. Not that she was one to complain. At times like these, the Will of Fire and the honourable ways of Konoha served her well.
“...” Shikamaru glanced at her, suspicious, distrustful, but his decision was taken. “Not to mention, as loathe as I’m to admit, Asami is right. We’ve won this fight. No need to take our chances at this point. As long as the self proclaimed princess leaves us in peace, I’m fine with her and her court jester leaving.”
“...” Asami smirked in appreciation. Smart boy. He had understood her implicit threat. She always knew that Shikamaru was someone who could be reasoned with, even when it came to more delicate matters.
Thus, Tobi was released. Her loyal lapdog immediately returned to her side, only to shamelessly grovel before her while shaking his rear. He prostrated, supplicated before her, kissing her feet with near divine reverence. “Asami-senpai~! Tobi loves senpai~! Senpai best for saving Tobi! Tobi will be an excellent table! The best table ever! Promised!” His gesture was appreciated, even when inappropriate. Nevertheless, this farce had to end.
“...” Asami lowered her gaze. A mere glance from her sufficed to silence him, her purple eyes boring into his mask. “Tobi ... It is time to depart before we overstay our welcome.”
With a flicker, within the fraction of a second, Asami disappeared, vanishing into thin air, much to Tobi’s apparent confusion.
“Wah! Waah! Waargh!” Tobi scrambled with his hands, his head turning left and right erratically, in search of his lost wits. “Senpai~! Senpai~! Asami-senpai~, where’s senpai gone? Senpai not here ... No, no, senpai~! Don’t leave poor Tobi ... Tobi needs senpai~... Ah, yes, yes, never mind. Right. Exactly. Tobi remembers now. How could silly Tobi forget. Yes. Yes. Tobi has orders to leave. Yes. Yes. Tobi is supposed to leave. Yes. Yes. Tobi is a good table. A good table follows orders.”
Tobi followed her motion, his body flickering before disappearing. They were gone, the space they had once occupied now empty.“... ... ...”