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"Ms. Yamanaka, this is Zureko. He is the head medic in our village."
I looked at Baki then looked at Zureko. He was a much older man, who had an expressionless stare on me. I held out my hand for him to shake it.
"Hello, Dr. Zureko. It's a pleasure to meet you." My hand still held out extended but he never shook it. I slowly lowered my hand to my side.
"Of course it is. Let's make this quick." He turned and began to walk towards the doors.
"Excuse me?" I stood dead in my tracks. The nerve this man had.
"Doctor, I advise you treat me like a medic. I am a highly trained medic from the Leaf Village and I'm here to examine your techniques, staff and equipment. This is what will determine the future of your hospital and the people of Suna. So, Doctor, as I was saying. Hello." I extended my arm out again to him and gave him a stern look. I could feel my team tense up behind me, I even felt Baki tense up a little.
Zureko just looked at my hand and quickly shook it then retreated back.
"Very well then, let's make this highly irritating and intruding tour quick. We have a lot of work to return to."
He just didn't get it did he? I just glared at him as I began to walk towards him then passed him. He followed behind then caught up to be ahead of me.
The tour took much longer than it should have. He only took me into empty rooms to show me some equipment. He just showed me the view of the greenhouse but would not let me in. I argued with every time to let me in and conduct further examination but he would not allow it. I finally lost it, when he would not let me look at what was inside their greenhouse.
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" I shouted at him as my hand balled up into fists at my sides. "How can the Leaf Village help you, if you will not let me look, touch or breath on anything? Don't you want what's best for your staff and people?!" I was out of breath and beyond furious.
"I cannot just let you into these places, such as the file room. This is for only medics of Suna."
"I have special permission from the Kazekage and Hokage to be on this mission-"
"I understand but until I get a written consent from the Kazekage, I cannot take you into these rooms."
"Even your damn greenhouse to see your selection of herbs and medicine?"
"Yes."
"This is fucking nuts!" I began to storm off towards the direction back to the waiting room. Zureko followed after me.
I slammed open the doors to the waiting room. It startled my team and they rose to greet me.
"Ino what ha-"
"This, this HAG won't let me see anything here! I have no information to report to the Hokage and this is just absurd." I replied to Shikamaru as I pointed accusingly at Zureko.
"Excuse me, miss. But I gave you my reasons why."
"Very stupid reasons!" Shikamaru put a hand over to block out my words as he began to speak to Zureko himself.
"I'm sorry, Doctor. We have special permission granted and we really need this to help out the Sand Village and strengthen the relationship between our two villages."
"I understand, but I told her that I need written consent from the Kazekage for her to enter many rooms here that are for medics of Suna only."
I bit Shikamaru's hand and he yanked it away. "You're just a sexist old man." Choji and Asuma jumped to pull me away and cover my mouth again.
Shikamaru and Zureko stood in shock at my accusation.
"Please forgive her for this. We will consent the Kazekage and report to you."
"Of course," Zureko turned to head back to into the hospital but stopped to reply, "and please if you could, find someone else to be given the tour to."
I stood in shock at his very last statement before he slid into the doors. I kicked Asuma and Choji off of me and began to run towards him until my body stopped in place. I looked down to see my shadow connecting to Shikamaru.
"Don't be troublesome, Ino. We are in foreign territory and we don't want to make things ugly. We will do what he says and come back for another tour."
I sighed and nodded to him as we began to head out towards the Kazekage building. I began to think at the possibility of having to stay a night here. Then my eyes widened a little as I thought of the fact I am about to face Gaara again. This time I was determined not to make a fool out of myself.
We entered the building and Baki stood at the entrance.
"There is matter that needs to be discussed with the Kazekage, am I correct?" He looked directly at me, and I nodded towards him.
"He is aware, you may follow me." He turned and began to walk up towards the stairs. We all followed and as we reached the door. He stopped before knocking to look at us. "Ms. Yamanaka may talk to him, if needed the others may join." He then knocked on the door and we heard a brief "enter" from behind. "Ms. Yamanaka is here to speak with you."
"I told you before call me Ino." I walked past Baki without waiting for further consent from Gaara. He just looked at me then looked back at Baki.
"Very well, you may wait outside." Baki nodded and closed the door. He looked back at me and closed his eyes as he began to speak.
"You wish to speak with me-"
"What the hell is wrong with your staff?" I looked straight at him as I kept my head high and demanding. He opened his eyes quickly and looked a little shocked at me, but I swear I saw the corner of his mouth tilt up a little.
"It seems my staff has the same question towards you, Ino."
"Well, just hear me out first. No I'm not going to ask, 'cause you are going to hear my side first! I took this mission because Sakura is on another and your medical staff may need help with advancement. So what happens when I show up to take a tour of your hospital? I get treated like shit. Your head medic, Dr. Zureko-whatever wouldn't give me the time of day. He wouldn't let me enter through a lot of the rooms, except for empty surgery rooms. He says they are for only medics of the sand village, I couldn't enter the file room-"
"Well that's understandable. The file room may contain files that they wouldn't want a foreigner's eyes to see-"
"Okay, but the greenhouse? I couldn't even get in to see the herbs and medicines you guys have! I couldn't look into surgeries and see the techniques that your staff uses. I have nothing informative at all to bring back to Konoha. This is supposed to improve the bond between our villages and even better, help your people! So why can't I be the one to help? Oh yeah, 'cause I have tits and an ass." After I motioned to my body parts, I placed my hands on my hips and stared at Gaara. He watched me attentively throughout my ramble and he closed his eyes after my last statement. He arose from his desk and opened his eyes to look at me.
"I am sorry for the way that they treated you. As of what Zureko has sent to me, he said you were very disobedient the entire tour and had no respect for him or his staff and-"
"Is that really what he said?! I can't believe-" I shut my mouth when Gaara raised a hand up to signal for me to silence myself. I keep forgetting I'm in the presence of a Kage.
"I am aware from your story that he has mistaken your intentions. He did not inform me of the reasoning for your statements throughout the tour." Gaara then sat down and looked at me. "Now you may speak.
"I only said what I said because he would not let me enter many rooms that were crucial to look at. Okay, I understand the files, but he will not allow me into further exploration until he has consent from you. I like his staff, I only got to meet a few that happen to run into us, but that is it. He won't even let me meet the staff, Gaara." I stopped to watch him and he was writing. "Gaara..?"
"I am listening continue." He didn't look up at all when he replied. I stood silent until he finally put down his pen and looked back up at me. "Okay, please continue, Ino."
"I just need your written consent," I stopped to make sure he was still watching me, he nodded for me to continue, "for me to be allowed to see a couple surgeries, see all the equipment, staff, herbs and medicine. Then I can be on my way, and your head medic can go on to his usual life looking down on women." When I looked back at him he was writing again, not looking at me. "Not to be rude, but what are you writing?"
"I just finished writing a note to be given to Zureko for your allowance into what you have listed, a written consent for you to take with you on your tour tomorrow and for rooms to be accommodated for you and your team for tonight's stay." He stood up to walk towards me. He stuck his hand out holding the note. I gave him a half smile and took the note from his hand. My finger's brushed his hand and I felt him tense a little then relax.
"Thank you, Kazekage-sir."
I looked down at the note and quickly skimmed it. I noticed he still stood rather close and I looked up at him. He gave me a half smile that was oh too charming. You may even use the word sexy to describe it. His smile dropped and without breaking eye contact, he called out for Baki to enter. As Baki opened the door Gaara looked towards the door then turned to walk back to his desk. I stood there staring at him as Baki walked up next to me.
"Yes, Gaara?"
"Please take this note down to give notice for four rooms to be open to Ino and her team. Then send for this note to be delivered to the hospital to head medic Zureko. Also have Temari and Kankuro sent up here to escort them to their rooms once they have been assigned. That is all."
"Yes, Gaara. Right away." Baki nodded towards him then left out the door.
"You may head out with your teammates down stairs to the entrance where you can wait for your room assignments. It shouldn't take long. I am sorry for the inconvenience you experienced today, I hope tomorrow will be better." He sat down behind his desk and began to sort through papers.
"Thank you, Gaara." I walked over to his desk and leaned over it towards him. He looked up at me, eyes opened a little wider than usual. "You were the one person who gave me the one thing I wanted the most today."
My hair laid on his desk, the ends rested on his hand. He looked at it then back at me. "And what was that, Ino?"
"Respect." I smiled at him. He stared up at me before responding.
"You're welcome." I leaned off his desk and began to walk to the door. Before I grabbed the door handle, I looked back at him. I saw he was staring at his hand where my hair brushed it. He then looked up at me and I gave him a half smile before exiting the door.
