Summary: We read Baki's thoughts on Temari, Kankuro and Gaara during the Chunin Exams.
Disclaimer: The Naruto characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This story was written for personal enjoyment.
FORCEFUL WINDS
Baki Chronicles
Sunagakure: Two Months Before Invasion
q: Mission successful. Must see to getting blood stains out of uniform; Gaara is getting too happy with his Desert Coffin. Umbrella? No, too pansy. Send cleaning bill to Kazekage and work on Wind Shield. Have Gaara work on surveillance, develop a third eye with his sand jutsu. He has the talent and it's not bloody.
q: Temari succeeded in summoning jutsu. Magnificent move, until Kankuro starts chanting, "Pop goes the weasel." What the hell does that mean? Did not intervene when she clubbed him with her tessen.
q: Kankuro's substitution jutsu is improving. Must tell him to quit scaring the little kids with it (although it's mostly the hellions). Don't know what's more disturbing: Karasu or growling Kankuro.
q: Home invasion again last night. Good thing the potted plants are now flourishing on the patio. Temari comes daily to check all the plants and the irrigation system (to thank my Grandfather for her tessen, she says). Getting to like vegetable soup (the only thing I can cook). Chased them out around midnight.
q: I see a weekly pattern developing. Kankuro arrives first seeking refuge from sister on warpath. Temari storms up the cliffs declaring Kankuro dead meat. Gaara follows like some malevolent shadow. Apparently Kankuro has a talent for disrupting anything Temari could call a 'date.' Nice to see the boy is putting his mischief to good use.
q: Escorted Kazekage to a meeting with strange visitors in Suna. Sound Country freaks: Viper and his Minions (Viper's Pet, Mohawk, & Flute Chick--who kept staring at me, must be skanky). They make the Sand Siblings seem normal. Alliance? It would be a strange one.
q: Kazekage assigned new duties to me so he can personally work with my team. He wants to make sure my 'genin' are ready for the upcoming chunin exams. Finally! But personal interest is disconcerting. How does he intend to warp them now?
q: I'm doomed. New duties: listen to 'minor' complaints (write report), review personnel (write report), check current trade agreements (write report), review accounts (write report). And my favorite: report to the Council as a sub for Kazekage. Yura merely smirks at me--until I ask him if his sons are sleeping through the night yet. Hiroko would have twins, bless her.
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Sunagakure: One Month before Invasion
q: Kazekage had another discrete visit from Sound but this time at the Tower. Don't know who's creepier, Viper or his Minion. Saw the boy staring at Temari through the window. Must find out who the little twerp is. He looked like he was dissecting her--literally--with his eyes.
q: Learned more details. Secret alliance with Sound against Leaf during upcoming chunin exams. Promotion to chunin is inconsequential. Devious. Dishonorable? Desperate. Kazekage plans to unleash the Shukaku. He's taking Gaara out on solo 'missions.' Boy is too unstable; I don't know if we can survive our secret weapon.
q: Kankuro and Temari seem harder since their time training with the Kazekage. Their attacks have a brutality that verges on the psychotic. I trained them to be cold and calculating. The Kazekage encourages them to be cruel and callous. Is this what Suna is to become?
q: Kankuro killed a cat. Accident, not cruelty. He was cleaning Karasu, but even Temari swears it was a freak event. A chunin was showing off his ability to manipulate water (father was a rogue Mist-nin) to Temari by mall fountain.(Note: recommend boy to Border Bears.) Gaara described it thus: Water hits tree, cat flies off tree onto Gaara's head, claws can't pierce sand armor, cat bounces off and plunges onto Karasu's knives.
Arrive to find Cat Girl sobbing, "You killed Kankuro!" First thought was that Gaara had finally smothered his brother. Relieved to learn the cat was named Kankuro. Sobbing stopped when Cat Girl flung herself onto Kankuro (boy, not dead cat). Temari had to pry her off before she suffocated him. Gaara's sand swept him and Kankuro away in relief. (Gaara finds weepy girls aversive?) Told girl she'd be compensated for cat and to cease naming them after real people. Cat Girl cried. I do have a way with women.
q: First home invasion in six weeks, this time with Temari seeking refuge from Kankuro (she was teasing him about Cat Girl). Thought Gaara wasn't with them until we went to the back patio to gather vegetables. He's found a rock that he likes in the garden. I think it's to hear the wind chimes. My team almost seemed normal (for them), but the Kazekage has been gone these three days. Perhaps there is hope for their humanity.
q: The Kazekage is back and working with the team. I am confident of their progress through the chunin exams. I just wonder how many bodies will litter their success? Damn, I'm tired of these extra administrative duties. I'm tired of arguing with the Kazekage about an alliance with Sound.
q: I will go to Konoha; I will follow orders; I will do my duty. My access to records verify that the Daimyo is slowing destroying Sunagakure; this alliance between Leaf and Sand is killing us! The fool Daimyo sends away the most lucrative missions to Leaf while restricting our funding more each year. I now understand that the man must be taught a lesson. The Council has agreed to this alliance and I have agreed to cease arguing against it.
q: My team has become virtual strangers to me now. Temari seems to have lost her gentle side, Kankuro has lost his sense of humor, and Gaara is lost to his bloodlust. The Kazekage thinks he can stay one step ahead of Sound. Discovered that it is Orochimaru. Sannin, snake. They will unleash Shukaku.
But the truth is, we expect Shukaku to get out of control and so I am to call the retreat back to Suna once I gauge the menace to our people to be greater than our gains. The demon does not bear allegiance to Wind Country; he merely kills everything in his path. Let the Leaf and Sound fall to Shukaku's blood lust. Let the demon expend all his energy, leave him vulnerable. Gaara's reward for serving his father will be a chance to finally sleep. Death.
q: The Kazekage threatened give Temari to someone else as a wife after the chunin exams if I didn't sign the formal marriage contract now. Why the urgency? It's as if he expects to conduct the ceremony as soon as we return from Konoha.
q: I know the secrets of the Crystal Caves, so they are my back-up plan. Left supplies. Discovered that the Kazekage has collected a special kettle from the temple. I fear what he leaves unspoken. Shukaku will be extracted somehow from Gaara before his death--and that puts Temari in peril. The wedding must happen and that night, we would flee Suna. But do Temari and Kankuro still trust me?
q: The Kazekage sent us off to Konoha. He received us in formal chambers. Although the screen was raised so we could clearly see him, he did not lower the veil on his face nor offer a benediction for the travelers as a father should. Does he really care if any of us survive this task?
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Fifth Year: Konohagakure Chunin Exams
q: Konoha. Lush, green, humid. Can practically hear the grass growing. Trees obstruct the open view. Pollens upset many from Suna, like Kankuro (sour mood due to sinus headache). Temari enjoys the flowers (quite the botanist) and it is good to see her smiling. Gaara now cycles through being depressingly silent to loquaciously maudlin. While my team undergoes exams, I reconnoiter. I have discovered who the little twerp is: Kabuto, a medic nin in Konoha.
q: Konoha has more than its share of fine looking kunoichi. Dark hair, crimson-eyed beauty (Are those bandages or a dress?). Purple-haired Anbu (Pity to hide her lovely face behind a mask). The Konoha vet (Fang tattoos accent her eyes). But who do I get sidling up next to me at the bar? Some loud, crazy Trenchcoat Chick stuffing her mouth with dango. I leave before she can breathe on me.
Find Temari on the cliffs viewing the sunset. After she murmurs that Kankuro is watching Gaara, we sit in silence as is our norm. She can't know about the impending marriage or she would not be comfortable when she's near me. Konohagakure looks peaceful below us. We feel the breeze on our face and turn in synchrony to let it wash over us. You can always tell a wind user by the way the person turns into the wind. I almost feel as if Temari is back. I am becoming a sentimental fool.
q: Sent the team to complete the first exam. My one piece of advice was to listen carefully to the instructions. Temari notified me that written exams are over (Wind Whisper jutsu: it takes two wind users to work). Gaara used his Third Eye, Kankuro used Karasu as a proctor clone. Temari waited and waited and actually answered many of the questions on her own.
q: Seems that Trenchcoat Chick is the next proctor. At least she'll be occupied for five days hanging around the Forest of Death. Think I'll hit that bar again as I reconnoiter. Ate at Ichiraku Ramen stand. Great food (and another lovely young lady behind the counter). Why am I noticing women so much? Oh, right, the last time I indulged was--Damn, has it really been that long?
q: Temari used Wind Whisper to describe their adventures in the Forest of Death, which they completed in record time. Gaara could be such an amazing ninja, but his mental stability continues to worry me. I wish Gaara would think like Kankuro! There's a true chunin for you; he understands how to set his priorities. At least Temari was able to diffuse Gaara this time. Thank goodness she keeps that silly stuffed bear of his in good repair.
q: I am with the other jonin after the second part of the chunin exams. Gaara stands there without a scratch on him. I push away the perverse wish of seeing some damage to him. The Kazekage has convinced us all that Gaara is invincible. The next round of the exam begins immediately. Kankuro seems to be playing at his battle whereas Temari is ruthless.
We turn to watch Gaara's match. The bloody battle prior to his has left him on edge. Konoha shows its weakness by how the jonin stepped in to stop that match. In Suna our tendency is to cull the weaklings; the harsh environment requires a hardiness to survive. Yet I wonder, would I step in as they do?
Kankuro has taken it upon himself to get acquainted with Konoha and selected the Loudmouth blonde boy, Naruto. I ignore them to watch Gaara's match. I couldn't imagine the speed, the strength the odd little green fellow uses. It is astonishing to watch Gaara's head as it jars back, but it ends when this Jolly Green jonin steps in before Gaara kills the boy. Perhaps the kick in the head will do Gaara some good.
q: We are given the instructions for the final rounds of the chunin exams. We have a month to prepare, so I direct my team to keep up their training and to take turns watching Gaara.
q: I find Temari again on the cliffs watching the sunset. I ask her what she was trying to prove in the arena. She sighs before explaining that as long as she is as ruthless as he is, her father won't force her to marry.
How many monsters is the Kazekage trying to create in Suna? I reply that if she hardens her heart too much, she will lose her humanity, like Gaara. We turn our faces into the breeze and I feel her shoulder leaning against me. I do not mention that marriage awaits her regardless of her actions. Fate can intervene in so many ways.
q: The team is training hard, but it is a meeting with Kabuto that makes me anxious. I use the excuse that I'm watching Gaara while Temari and Kankuro sleep. Kabuto and I see Gaara destroy the Sound nin in the moonlit night, but I'm not prepared for the casual manner that Kabuto dismisses the death. I don't understand him, although I can see his conceit. I already knew about the failed attempt with the Uchiha boy, but to brag about revealing his treason? I take the scroll with the plans and admonish that Suna will withdraw its support if the Sound continues to be reckless.
But there is a mouse listening to us and I don't trust Kabuto to kill him. I recognize the proctor and stand to fight. His moves are impressive for one so young but the proctor's naivete shows when it's clear he didn't recognize the tattoos on my face. His three-way attack fails although I sacrifice my shoulder to stop the blow. My Wind Sword, on the other hand, is unstoppable. He was a worthy opponent, so I leave his katana in his hand rather than take it for my collection. I make sure Gaara is back at his quarters then before I leave.
q: I deliver the scroll to the Kazekage in Sunagakure, but again he receives me in the formal chambers and this time, even the screen remains in place. Why is this distance so important to him now? I report the progress of my team. I make my request to have the troops closer to the border with Konoha, but the Kazekage denies this. I am fatigued by the sprint to Sunagakure. Normally it takes 3 days and I do it in half that time by riding the wind. The Kazekage sends me immediately back to Konohagakure.
q: I inform my team of their roles in the invasion of Konoha. When Temari questions the need for war, I smile inside to see her concern. She is obviously re-thinking the idea of becoming a heartless tool. I take the time to explain what I have learned. I know I can count on Temari and Kankuro's loyalty, but Gaara? I try to emphasize to Gaara the importance part he will play, but it is literally like speaking to the the cliffs of Suna.
q: I bang on the door early in the morning. Gaara has been been spotted about Konhagakure without one of his siblings as escort again. Temari and Kankuro fidget and look guilty. They thought he was in his room. We don't find him until late in the day, wandering around the hospital grounds. Gaara refuses to speak.
The Jolly Green jonin sees me later and tells me that Gaara was about to deprive his student of the springtime of his youth. Couldn't he have just said Gaara wanted to kill the Little Green Sprout? I wonder how Konoha tolerates such an incredibly annoying individual.
I need a drink, but the Trenchcoat Chick is at the bar! Oh, to hell with it. I let her buy me a drink. And another. And, what the hell, I can handle one more. What is she saying about snakes?
q: Wake up with headache, dry mouth, and in a strange bed. Refuse to open my eyes and verify my worst fear. Then I hear the Jolly Green jonin extolling the virtues of the day. Damn, there is no way--sigh in relief to find I'm fully dressed. The gods are merciful.
Eyes blink open to face a large black caterpillar--no, that would be the Jolly Green jonin. Then I remember what happened at the bar. Trenchcoat Chick picked a fight with some burly Grass nins when they bumped into her, but was too drunk to handle it. So I stepped in, but suddenly their number tripled. Then the Jolly Green guy--. Wait, that is his name, Gai, stepped in proclaiming the evening was perfect for such youthful dancing.
Gai is thrusting a cup of foul smelling coffee at me while he rambles on about the great alliance between Fire and Wind Countries, his enthusiasm for ending--never starting, mind you--bar room brawls, and the necessity for upholding the honor of Konoha's fine kunoichi--even the crazy ones.
"So who decked me?" I manage to ask. I'm no taijutsu specialist, but with my size, I'm not an easy man to take down. Gai suddenly starts weeping in apology for an errant fist that caught me as I turned to swing at another opponent. The fight ended, I was out cold, and the Trenchcoat chick--Anko?--was escorted home by the Scarface proctor.
Please, if I survive this mission, let me never set foot in Konohagakure again! Wait, I don't suppose it will exist in the near future.
q: I catch Gaara leaving the assigned quarters. Mumbles something about justifying his existence when I ask where he's going. He's vanished before I can catch him, so I send Temari to check at the hospital while Kankuro and I spread out.
We look for dead bodies crushed by sand, but see nothing out of the ordinary. Temari joins us and thinks she's spotted Gaara. She runs without watching and intercepts a tubfull of squid and octopus. I jab Kankuro in the ribs to stop his laughter, but honestly, Temari's death glare loses its vigor when there are tentacles stuck to her hair and a little squid quivers on the bridge of her nose. I send her to spend the afternoon at the hot springs.
Find Gaara sitting near a stream staring at fish. I swear if we all survive this mission, I'm getting him a fish bowl. Well, perhaps I should say, I'll get a fish and name him Gaara.
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Konahgakure Invasion
q: The final round round of the chunin exams starts. I would feel very proud of my team under other circumstances, but now is no time for glory. The Uchiha kid is missing and I look at Gaara wondering if he killed the boy. This puts a major snag in the plans. Then I see the Kazekage entering the arena.
The blonde Loudmouth has an interesting match, but he is of no concern to us. The Uchiha is still missing, but it appears the Kazekage has convinced the Hokage to postpone the match. I look to Kankuro and see that he's next. This match should never have occurred--and I feel relief when Kankuro forfeits. He understands that he cannot reveal the full capacities of his puppet.
But what next? Temari glances my way and I give her a nod. She extends her fan and uses it to glide into the arena to face her opponent, the Shadow Boy. It is odd to consider that someone from Suna is avoiding the shade; we learn to hug any cover from the sun at a young age. But Temari has a keen mind and stays ahead of the game. Then to my surprise, she is caught by the boy's shadow technique. I am further astonished when the Shadow Boy simply gives up. I understand her feelings; it is an empty victory.
And a meaningless one for the purpose of being here is not to become chunin, but to destroy Konoha. The Uchiha boy arrives at the last second and I'm not sure whether I am relieved or more anxious now. We wait for the signal, but the battle is not going as expected. No, Gaara has retreated into his orb! He's losing control, I see the demon's arm emerging just before the Uchiha strikes.
Gaara is bleeding?! That's impossible, but I see the crimson staining his shoulder. Gaara has lost it--and then the signal to begin the attack sounds. What the hell? I follow Temari and Kankuro down to the field and land between them and the Konoha proctor.
The arena falls asleep, but the Kazekage has taken the Hokage to the roof. That wasn't--it is Orochimaru! Everything is going wrong! Gaara is useless, his reaction to being wounded has broken him. I hear Temari's concern, Kankuro's frustration, and I order them away. I don't give a damn what the Kazekage or Orochimaru is doing, this mission is aborted. And if the Kazekage is dead, then I cannot have Shukaku unleashed in Konohagakure.
Temari asks what I will do, but there is no option for me; I am a Marshal. I must stay and fight, make sure that jonin are not going after them. Make sure I contact the Sand nins who are invading Konoha with the expectation that a demon is fighting on their side.
I face the proctor, who sends the Uchiha after my team. A kunai is deflected, but I must trust Temari and Kankuro to take care of themselves. Still, I have to think ahead. The broken alliance between Fire and Wind Country is clear, but no one has seen me kill a Leaf nin yet. And I can tell by the look in the proctor's eyes that he wants me alive for questioning.
Our attention is drawn to the roof, so our battle is one more of containment. The Wind Shield protects me against the proctor's senbon, which I then send back at him. The stands are alive with battles and I see flashes of the Jolly Green jonin and the Copy ninja. I will get no help from the Sound nins in the arena.
Forbidden jutsus are used by both Orochimaru and the Hokage. I see the fatal blow, but know Orochimaru is severely wounded. Kabuto finally appears beside me and verifies that Sound has abandoned the field. I use his exit to mask my own from the arena.
I want to find my team, but duty to my country must come before personal interests. I find the Sand nins--what's left of them--easily enough and call the retreat. The disaster is complete and I fret over my team. Their lives may now be forfeit in Suna.
End Chapter 1
Author Notes:
I used the chronicle style for this chapter because I like to avoid a complete rehashing of canon scenes. The manga and anime seem to vary a bit in content, so it's a mixture of them. The rest of the chapters will be written in my usual story mode. I edited the q: to designate the beginning of each diary entry.
Many people think that one would automatically prefer lush, green forests over desert country, but to those born into the dry climates, the vegetation can be a detraction. I express this view for Baki.
The Kunoichi that attract Baki's attention are Kurenai, Yugao (Hayate's lover), and Hana (Kiba's sister). I like Anko, but thought she'd be a woman Baki would avoid given the characterization I'm using. He doesn't think she's sleazy, just crazy. Oh, and Guy seemed to insert himself into the story, so I let him have his fun.
I found a site (forget where) that lists vegetable soup as a favorite and squid/octopus as least favorite foods for Temari, so I used those items in the story.
This part of the story was driven by wondering how the Sand Siblings dealt with the aftermath of the Invasion. You don't see them grieving, uncertain, or having lost status in Suna. I think Baki would have been the one watching out for them and hope to convey that story in the next chapters.
Thanks for reading. Reviews will be warmly welcomed, but the story will proceed without them, although a bit slower at this time of year.