Tenten should question how he knew about the details of her mission but she was too focused on the confirmation that the possibility of Shabadaba being behind the disappearance of children across the Fire Nation was very high to even think about it. She inched forward expectantly.

"I'm in. Tell me more about it."

***

The Lunar Palace dazzled with flashing lights and extravagant decor in a way Tenten  expected of a crime lord's manor. Her cocoa eyes took in every single detail as she and Neji passed, committing as much into memory as possible.

It surprised her, the fact that Neji received an invitation to Sabadaba's tenth-year-as-leader-of-the-Land-of-the-Moon celebration event. While she knew that he was a high ranking member of the Weeping City, she didn't think that a town as small and desolate as the place was significant enough to earn an invitation to the party. Perhaps Neji was more influential than she thought.

She stood dutifully beside the man— his lavender eyes carefully hidden underneath dark contact lenses— playing the part of an arm candy, as they weaved through the fancy-dressed crowd to their assigned table. Speaking of, the clothes she wore made her very uncomfortable. With the slits of her dress reaching up to her upper thighs and her cleavage sparkling under the blaring lights, Tenten fought not to fidget as several eyes roamed across her body. She was dressed to impress, be seductive even.

Neji on the other hand, was dressed in an expensive label three piece suit. Tenten was unfamiliar with luxury brands but she knew that amount was as expensive as her salary for six months, or more. His hair was nearly packed in a man bun and the peculiar tattoo on his forehead was concealed under makeup, away from prying eyes. His hand flexed several times around Tenten's waist, where it rested. It was as grounding as it was a reminder that she had to be emotionless— to pretend that she didn't understand their language. A crucial part of their plan. Their very risky plan.

Neji and Tenten spent the entire week preparing, discussing how they would bypass the tight security in Shabadaba's palace and get into his inner chambers, and all they could come up with was this dangerous one.

Now Tenten had been on dangerous missions several times, life-risking ones in fact, but none had ever frightened her as much this one did. Neji had implored her to trust him;

"No matter what happens, Xinyang, I'll get you out of there safely. I swear on my life."

His sincerity had been so overwhelming, much so that she had no choice but to place her life in his hands. After all, the only way Tenten could get into Shabadaba's inner chambers—their very brilliant plan— was to sell her to the crime lord himself.

-

The hours went by in a blur of flashing lights, conceited laughter and expensive alcohol. Neji paraded Tenten around like a priceless merchandise, introducing her to the people as a doll he got from a foreign country. The way their greedy, lascivious eyes oggled Tenten made her want to reel in disgust, but she had to remain impassive, to pretend that she didn't understand their language.

Flaunting Tenten as a luxurious item was a way of luring Shabadaba, who was renowned for his love for precious, invaluable items— even more those that weren't his—, into their trap. Her distinctively foreign features made the ploy even more believable.

Word was getting around about Neji's exotic plaything. If the crime lord was really as greedy as the informations said about him, he was sure to be curious about her already. When the groundwork was laid, the duo moved on to the next stage of their plan, which was approaching Shabadaba's high table.

They could either be accepted to sit at the table or killed for their insolence. Tenten's heart pounded with every step that they took closer. Neji seemed awfully confident, but his trembling hand around her waist betrayed his nerves. It was all or nothing.

Grabbing a flute of champagne from a passing server, Neji swallowed down his anxiety with the alcohol and he got serious. A charming smile graced his facial features as he got to Shabadaba's high table.

"What a lovely night this is, Shabadaba-sama. Even the universe celebrates your rule with its fair weather and starry sky." Sweet talking was his speciality. Once Neji started, the words flowed out of his mouth like a gushing river. "I congratulate you, sir."

One of the men at Shabadaba's high table, a man Neji fairly recognised to be the leader of one of the smaller towns in the Fire Nation, scoffed at Neji's bold attempt.

"Are you so brazen, that you don't recognise your lowly place?!" He was indignant in Shabadaba's place, "you should be killed for your arrogance!"

Neji knew the likes of him. He probably had to give Shabadaba something in return for being able to rule his county-- an arm or a leg, a daughter or son, his entire life in servitude... Neji supposed that he wasn't any different tonight. Here he was, grovelling for attention, after all.

"Ohya? If it isn't you, Neji-kun."

The hissy voice that came time the far end of the table, next to where Shabadaba himself was seated, took both Neji and Tenten by cold surprise. The long haired man had to give credit to Tenten for not giving any reaction other than the subtle sharp intake of breath she took at the eerily familiar voice. Neji's expression steeled over as he looked into the golden eyes of the serpentine man gazing at him from the high table.

"Orochimaru."

The man in question grinned widely. Impossibly. Neji scowled imperceptibly. Orochimaru knew him. Of course. The snake had connections that spread far and wide throughout the entire underground. Given the way he called his name so familiarly, it wasn't a stretch to say that Orochimaru knew just who he was. Neji was honestly very surprised that he had not sought him out for a revenge of the sorts until now.

"You know him?" Shabadaba was asking, voice deep and croaky from years of hard drug overuse. Orochimmaru simply smiled, cunning and devilish like the serpent he was.

"Why he is the leader of Amegakure!" He announced.

"Amegakure? I thought it was run by that old crook...Chiyo or whatever her name is," Shabadaba mused.

"Only defacto, my lord. Neji here is the true leader. A quite fascinating young man, I must add." Orochimaru leveled Neji with a scorching gaze, golden eyes glistening maliciously under the lights. “He and I have a veeery interesting history, you see."

The bankruptcy of Se'in Jashuu and the termination of his human trafficking and exploitation chain in Konoha. Doesn't Neji know it.

He put on an easy smile. "Why I didn't expect to see you here, lord Orochimaru," sarcasm dripped from his lips, “what a pleasant surprise."

Orochimaru's smile only broadened impossibly. “Likewise."

"Well, I came here to pay my respects and offer my congratulations to Shabadaba-sama. So if you don't mind, I'll take my leave now."

Neji pretended to leave, knowing that his brief conversation with Orochimaru had sparked Shabadaba's interest. While he hadn't been expecting to see the serpentine man at Shabadaba's banquet, his presence was to his added advantage in the sense that he helped attract the crime lord's attention in a way he and Tenten  could not achieve on their own. It also made his search for Shikamaru's child a lot easier... if he could find a way to interrogate him that is.

They hadn't gotten more than a few steps away before Shabadaba's hoarse voice was calling them back.

"Why don't you join me at the table, boy?"

Neji took a moment to turn the around and bow gracefully. "Why that is such an honour, your majesty. I am humbled by your benevolence."

He pointedly ignored the man that tried to be smart with him earlier and took a seat at a conveniently empty seat, directing Tenten to sit in his lap. He was sure the brunette would kill him for it later, but for now they had a plan to execute.

Shabadaba passed him a cigar stick and a lighter, both very expensive and of high quality, and gestured to join him while taking a hit himself. Neji didn't like to smoke, Shikamaru had somewhat desensitised him from the act, but there was no room for refusal in Shabadaba's stern gaze. He might have invited him to his high table, but could change his mind in the next minute. Neji politely lit the cigar and took a short draw.

"How did you come to be the leader of the Weeping City, boy?" The crime lord interrogated.

"It was honestly a sudden decision, your majesty. For a long time, the Akatsuki took over Amegakure's government until they were all hunted down one after the other. It was a very eventful day for us citizens. In the state of the disarray, I rose up and nominated myself leader of the people, and they agreed."

It was essentially the truth, not just the full story. It seemed to satisfy Shabadaba though, because he had no more questions regarding the matter. Instead, his eyes trailed over the dainty figure perched demurely on Neji's lap. Tenten.

"And what is the pretty thing over there?" He murmured, pointing his cigar towards her.

Neji bristled at the blatant objectification but played it off with a cool smile. "Ah she? She's exotic, isn't she? From the very Unnamed Islands themselves."

Eyes raised at the table. As none could dare speak while Shabadaba still talked, they had to wait for him to ask the question.

"The Unnamed Islands? How peculiar. I had my eyes set on the territory myself but it would seem that some got there before me."

The topic soured rapidly for Neji as it hit a little too close to home. On his lap, he could feel Tenten tense up. He tapped her waist to remind her of her mission. As much as she'd like to punch Shabadaba in the face for dehumanising her, she couldn't risk their plan getting screwed up.

What Neji didn't know was that, just like him, the ongoing conversation hit a little to close to home for Tenten too.

"It was certainly difficult, obtaining her. The traders told me they make beautiful children...I just couldn't resist."

"Hmm," Shabadaba stroked his pudgy chin. "The thing older than I prefer, but I do see your point. Beautiful children indeed..."

Neji felt sick, understanding the implication of Shabadaba's words.

From his end of the table, Orochimaru watched on in mild amusement.

"You still haven't told me," thankfully, the topic of discussion was changed, "how you and Oro-chan here came to know of each other."

"Oh." That was a question Neji did not want to answer. It was only a matter of time before Shabadaba knew of his true identity as the leader of the Tori, but he would rather much stall that moment. For now, he deflected.
"Might I indulge you in a game of cards, your majesty?"

The men at the table gasped, "how insolent!" How dare he ignore a direct question from the master!

But Shabadaba was guffawing loud and obnoxiously. "Who is this boy¿ I like him!" He exclaimed. "What do I get if I win?"

"I'll tell you about me and lord Orochimaru."

"I'd find that out whether or not you tell me."

"True," Neji nodded, "but the information is very crucial to me. I wouldn't want to give it without a fight." He gained a confident look. "And besides, I am pretty certain about my card skills."

That ruffled Shabadaba's feathers like Neji hoped it would. He grinned contemptuously. "Ohya? I'll take you on then."

"You're gracious, my lord."

Shabadaba signalled a nearby servant to fetch a deck of cards.

"However, that price is far too small for this game. How about we add something else to the pile?" He pointed at Tenten, “something exotic and beautiful." He licked his lips.

Tenten almost reeled back in disgust while Neji visibly tensed up.

"She was an expensive buy, your majesty. I haven't even used her yet."

"Even better, don't you think?"

"B-but—!"

"How dare you refuse Shabadaba-sama's orders?!" A man from the table yelled. "You could be killed and the doll plucked right out of your dead hands!"

Neji pretended to quake in his boots before hesitantly conceding. "Forgive me, your majesty. Alright then, let us play."

The game was not a fair game, like Neji predicted. The crime lord didn't even bother hiding his underhanded tricks, knowing that he could do nothing about it. In the end, Neji lost and Tenten was given to Shabadaba.

His hand gripped her waist tightly enough to leave a bruise. It was clammy with sweat. Tenten was also shaking. His strong grip held a promise that, no matter what happened,

"I will get you out of there safely. I swear on my life."

Tenten acted confused as she was passed over to Shabadaba, her eyes never leaving Neji.

This was it— the stage where things got real. She had to get into Shabadaba's inner walls and unravel his secrets before getting caught or worse... being forcefully taken. That meant that she had only tonight exact her mission.

Her outwards expression did not reflect her inner fear. So many things could go wrong. Death was a merciful fate in the hands of the likes of Shabadaba. She had to be successful.

"I trust you. You can do this."

Neji's words echoed in her head.

"I will be doing all I can to assist you from the outside."

Their eyes met one last time. The contacts he wore did nothing to lessen the intensity of his gaze. Neji nodded at her from across the table. She was now perched uncomfortably on Shabadaba's lap.

"No matter what happens, Xinyang, I'll get you out of there safely. I swear on my life."

For the want of a lost daughter; for the want of a lost family; for the want of a lost treasure; nothing will be lost. Neji would make sure of it.

***

Dun dun dun!
Would or would Tenten not make it? And Orochimaru! What is he planning this time?!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Please vote and leave a comment! Till the next chapter,

-Star.