Only two pillars remained: one each for Tenten and Sakura. They both knew that, with each passing second, more and more people were falling to Marunomi’s jutsu. They rushed as fast as they could.
Finally, they were upon them, both reaching their pillars at approximately the same time. Tenten pulled out a large mace, while Sakura reeled her hand back, ready to deliver one last punch. They both struck the pillars, demolishing them. With all the pillars gone, the giant dome flickered, and then, sure enough, began to dissipate. Soon, the entire dome was gone, to Tenten and Sakura’s immense relief. They both headed for the village square to check on the villagers.
---
Lady Sushi stared up at the sky where, just moments ago, the huge dome had encapsulated her village. The villagers were cheering, but a nagging doubt kept her from fully sharing their joy. Had the ninjas really defeated Marunomi so quickly?
“Lady Sushi!” cried a voice from a fair distance.
She looked to the source of the voice and saw that it was Sakura, who rushed to her side.
“Are you alright?” Sakura asked.
“I’m fine,” Lady Sushi responded.
“Lady Sushi! Sakura!” cried another voice.
Lady Sushi and Sakura looked up to see that it was Tenten. In a matter of moments, she joined them.
“You two destroyed the barrier, then? Thank you.” Tenten and Sakura were still young, so the pride they felt at being thanked was obvious. “So…you’ve defeated Marunomi?” Lady Sushi added hopefully.
Tenten and Sakura paused for a moment. “Well, we didn’t,” Sakura said. “Temari and the others went off to fight Marunomi while Tenten and I broke the Melting Pot.”
“WHAT?!” Lady Sushi cried. “No, no…why did you stay behind?! You all should have gone off to fight her!” The happiness left all three's faces.
“Lady Sushi, we were trying to save your lives.” Sakura had erased almost every trace of annoyance from her voice.
“They weren’t in danger yet!” Lady Sushi cried. “The effects of the jutsu are temporary!”
“What?” Tenten said.
“If nothing else happened, everyone who was rendered into chakra would return to normal in no more than an hour!” Lady Sushi explained. “Marunomi is the bigger threat, you should have combined your strength to defeat her and freed us afterwards!”
Suddenly, a horrible realization entered Sakura’s mind. “Is...this what she wanted?” Sakura asked.
“Sakura?” Tenten said.
“She wanted to divide us,” Sakura said. “She wanted to split us up and we fell right into her trap.” She clenched her fists in frustration.
"It’s my fault,” Lady Sushi said. “I should have told you everything I could about the jutsu.”
Lady Sushi’s words were cold comfort. The fact remained that they had been tricked. And now who knew what Marunomi was doing and—
“Sakura.” Tenten's voice snapped Sakura out of her reverie. “If that’s true, then we need to rejoin Temari and the others now.”
“Yes...you're right. Let's go.” Sakura calmed herself, and she and Tenten turned to where they'd split with the others.
“Leaf ninjas,” Lady Sushi called. Tenten and Sakura turned to her attentively. “You must destroy the Behemoth’s Tongue.”
“Destroy—?” Sakura repeated, surprised. “But Lady Sushi, you said—”
“I know,” she replied. “But I know now that that…monstrosity cannot be allowed to exist anymore. So please, I beg you…destroy it.”
Though ninjas were not keen on destroying powerful artifacts, Tenten and Sakura were not ones to disobey an order. Especially if it made their task easier. The two turned to each other, and nodded.
“Yes ma'am,” they said. “We’ll be back.”
“I pray you will,” Lady Sushi murmured.
