AN: This is the third chapter, so, I hope so far you guys are liking it. And thank you for the comments hihihi, it means a lot. If there are any queries regarding the story, please don't hesitate to ask me and I will gladly answer them. Also, the plot development may seem slow but it's just cause I'm trying to have some pacing hehe. Tell me though if it seems too slow or too rushed. Thanks minna. Mwaaps!
Disclaimer: I really do own Naruto... In my dreams.
...
Chapter 3. His Move
Sakura frowned slightly as she watched Temari and Gaara depart from the clearing. Sure, she could say that Temari was her friend due to the kunoichi's affection towards Shikamaru but despite surviving a war and saving Gaara's life twice, he was not, in any form someone she considered as a friend that she would be comfortable to be around with, much less be teased by. Also it was out of his nature to be so, so flippant with her. He usually spoke to her with respect and distance during the war.
"Just what the heck was going on through his head?" She sighed as she lifted the incapacitated man and threw him on her shoulder like some sack of potatoes and started to head off towards Konoha's gates. For now, she had pushed the thought about a red-haired Kage from the recess of her mind and set out to berate her shishou for her deception.
Gaara was not in a good mood. He wanted to strangle Naruto badly just to shut him up (and of course, he had more self control than that, so he wouldn't) but he knew what that would lead to, a senseless bickering and more noise coming from his best friend's loud mouth. As much as he was entertained by his antics, he was in no mood and dealing with it would be, as the lazy Nara genius liked to say, 'troublesome'. Partly, he wanted to punish his older sister for ditching him with the blonde idiot of a best friend while she went about her merry way towards the said lazy Nara. His council was no good either and it annoyed him how useless and cornered he felt right now. He was used to being feared and obeyed by his council and the fact that these senile old men sans his siblings were forcing him to take a Kazehime meant that they were plotting something or they genuinely wanted him to be married. He was leaning towards the former as even if the council feared him, they would never think of his personal happiness. If they had, they never would have agreed and forced him to allow the Kazehime Trials. He sighed. Naruto noticed and turned to him, eyes alight with worry.
"Oi, Gaara, daijobu? You've been spacing out since we got here." Naruto asked as he stuffed his mouth with ramen noodles. Of course, here meant the Ichiraku Ramen Restaurant that they have been dining since whenever, courtesy of the blonde man. Gaara stared at the young man and sighed. He would have wanted to tell him his predicament but knowing that Konoha was different from Suna, he had no choice but to let it go.
"It's nothing Naruto. I was just thinking about some affairs that I had to handle." Naruto cocked his head towards the sigh and gave him a pitiful look.
"Man, being the Kazekage must be so tiring. Especially when you have to handle a bunch of old buffons who call themselves as the council. I've seen a lot of them and unless they have anything to gain, they don't act at all. Honestly, all they ever have any motivation to is when it comes to money and status." Gaara merely looked at Naruto and smirked a bit.
"You will be dealing with them when you become Hokage too, Naruto." Naruto's face scowled as he muttered colorful words that would have made any gentleman embarrassed.
"Pssh, I'll have them gone by that time. Baa-chan and Kaka-sensei will be in my council and I'll only need one more to fill that space and I'm good to go and boot those old geezers out to retirement homes." Gaara said nothing, knowing well that he, unlike Naruto, had not the privelege of caring and loving predecessors who cared enough to remove any corruption in the political aspect of Suna. That was partly the reason why he was here, he wanted advice from the current Hokage and the next Hokage and partly as well as to cement his move against his own council. He pushed the thought aside for the meantime as he eyed the ramen bowl in front of him. For now, he had sent his sand to deliver the scroll to the Godaime and he knew that he would be needed soon enough.
Tsunade's eyebrow twitched as Kakashi looked at the sand that was holding out a scroll to them. Judging by the color and the seal, it was a mission scroll personally from the Kazekage. They had anticipated that he would be arriving with a missive regaridng the trials along with trade talks, but neither expected a mission scroll to come from Suna as well.
"Hokage-sama, it seems like our young Kazekage means to have us read this content while he is not here or he would not have sent his sand to deliver this."
Tsunade glared at Kakashi, she knew that already for if he had wanted to be there when they received it, he would have been the one to personally deliver it. It either meant this did not come from the Kazekage or it was something that would earn him her ire, and she was leaning towards the latter.
Kakashi took the scroll and gave it to Tsunade who opened it gingerly. Her face changed from annoyed to downright fury before settling to understanding. She gave the scroll to Kakashi to read, and though he revealed no emotion, it was clear from the tenseness of his body that he was also taking the matter seriously. Tsunade commended the young Kage, it was a good choice not to be here at the moment.
"If he requested a mission like this, it could only mean one thing." Tsunade sighed as she rubbed her temple, her beautiful features marred by the scowl in her face.
"I want the Kazekage to be here, if I am not mistaken, he is with Naruto. I trust that you can find and bring them to me, Hatake." Kakashi nodded and with a poof, disappeared. Tsunade felt irate as she reread the contents of the scroll, knowing how sneaky council elders can be, this could mean a whole lot of trouble for them all.
Gaara felt the approach of another familiar chakra signature, he turned slightly as he saw the famous copy nin and Rokudaime Hokage approach them. He smirked lightly, it looked like they had read it already.
"Hatake-san." He bowed his head slightly, a gesture that the silver-haired man returned.
"Kazekage-sama."
Naruto being Naruto smiled and ignoring all sorts of formality hugged his genin sensei as if they haven't seen each other in a month or so.
"Kaka-sensei, are you going to join us for ramen? I ain't treating you though." The masked man's visible eye crinkled.
"Pity, but that's not what I'm here for. Hokage-sama summoned for the two of you. She would like to talk about the matter regarding the contents of your scroll." Gaara shifted slightly in his seat before standing up and grabbing his gourd. Naruto made no move howeve, merely smiling and waving bye at them. Kakashi however, had other plans.
"Ehem, Naruto, you're coming along." Kakashi said while grabbing the other teen by the collar of his orange jumpsuit.
"Ehh? Why'd I have to be there? It's official Kage business!" Kakashi bonked the teen on the head and dragged him.
"You're going to be one, in a few years, it's better to learn the in and out of it now, besides, I think you'd wanna be here when this all goes down." Naruto remained petulant and grumbling the rest of the way. Gaara looked at Naruto and silently agreed with the copy-nin. Indeed, he would like it if Naruto was with them. He needed someone who understood him and his reasons. Despite the outer, confident and strong image he projected, he was still after all, a teen, barely an adult.
Gaara smiled to himself. The council had laid down their move. He was preparing for his and depending on the response of the Hokage, he would be making his move, either way, there would be no mercy for the fools.
