Underwhelmed.
Naruto turned out to be a sort of fox-ish look about him, though he had a typical lean musculature for a ninja. Young. Not especially cool or handsome or powerful-looking. He didn't seem to have great intellectual prowess, something she would have found intriguing as she LIKED smart. Probably because planning and cleverness was not a dominant trait in either of her brothers.
He had appeared in a dome of green or silver fire. It had been a minor interest in that she couldn't decide which it was, as if the color couldn't quite decide itself.
Still, there was a seriousness about him she hadn't expected. He was someone who had already been tried in combat.
The older guy with him she knew as well, by reputation. Jiraiya, one of Konoha's three Great Sages. He was the Toad Sage and supposedly easily distracted by feminine wiles, but quite formidable when he turned serious.
Gaara was looking on, interested, apparently having heard the stories himself. Temari noted this and decided to make a move now rather than have a certain bloodthirsty brother try his mettle against a Sage.
"So you're Naruto Uzumaki," said Temari, stepping forward and giving an obvious up-and-down scrutiny to Naruto. "I take it you know why I'm coming back with you?"
"Yeah, some sort of cross-training exercise with a member of the Sands Village operating with Leaf Village," said Naruto.
"And?" prompted Temari, who glanced at Jiraiya. Jiraiya shook his head once. Temari frowned at that, taking it to indicate that the engagement hadn't been mentioned for some reason.
"Learning something of sorcery or one of the other skills they practice back on Faerun, right?" asked Naruto.
"Something like that," said Temari, deciding that she was going to question people as to WHY the boy wasn't informed of that arrangement. Without that little tidbit, it was going to make her job all the harder.
Not that she wasn't up to it.
"Yes, this 'magic' ninjutsu I've heard of," said Temari. "I'll need to see something of it."
Naruto nodded and pointed at a trash can and said something that seemed to echo slightly in the air.
Temari watched as first dew formed on it, then the dew froze. When she touched the metal of the recycle bin, despite it being in the blazing sun they were used to in the Hidden Village Of Sand, it was extremely cold.
Temari considered that from the viewpoint of someone who'd lived in a desert all her life, with brief sojourns to areas that were more green. An emulated ice jutsu meant being able to gather moisture out of the air and provide cooling for people who'd been out in the sun too long. Both concerns she was well acquainted with.
The Kazekage appeared with his retinue, made a few comments that were political speak - indicating nothing of substance but just meant to mark this cooperation between rivals. Not that it couldn't all fall apart in minutes. When he got closer he leaned close in a manner to suggest he was giving encouragement.
"If you fail, I promised Gaara he could practice the Sandworm Bath technique," whispered the Kazekage, who then continued on his way. "Remember that."
"Uhm, sensei?" asked Naruto of Jiraiya. "Why did she just turn pure white, start sweating, and get an expression as if she was faced with a horror beyond anything sane?"
"I don't know," admitted Jiraiya. "I was just wondering that myself."
Temari slowly became aware that the two were waiting for her. Well, she'd show them! She'd show them all! She had rushed out last night and gotten a copy of 'Sexy Kunoichi vol. 4: Leaf Shadow, Dragon's Coil' to figure out her attack plan!
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(Posted Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:39)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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