Every ninja village had its own traditions and own way of doing things. The long delayed audience with the Kazekage only served to remind her of that. It wasn't the fact that she and the others were required to submit to a search and had to hand over all their weapons. (Though letting a stranger take her katana almost felt like letting someone take Naruto from her.) Every village required foreign ninja be disarmed prior to meeting the village leader. Only ninja of the same village were permitted into a leader's presence armed. It had been the same way in Whirlpool and Konoha. So while she didn't like it she accepted it.
No. What she really objected to was being required to kneel. Her father had served as the leader of Whirlpool for most of his life. His title was not Kage but Headsman, visitors would offer him a bow or nod of the head as a polite greeting and he would always return the courtesy. Though he took great pride in being the leader of the Uzumaki clan and Whirlpool village he never behaved as though he walked above the earth. Sarutobi too, despite his other faults, was always courteous and respectful to his guests whatever their status. He was the undisputed leader of one of the five great ninja villages, but had a manner of a kindly grandfather rather than a powerful ruler.
But apparently the Kazekage preferred a different image. After being searched and disarmed they were ushered into his office and informed they were required to kneel and not speak until the Kazekage gave them leave. As though that were not enough he was sitting on a small raised dais behind a cloth screen. With an open window behind him they could see his silhouette, but were not permitted to look at him directly. It reminded Kushina of stories about speaking with demi-gods who had come to earth. In those tales even glimpsing the true form of the divine was enough to cause instant death. Perhaps he is made of a different flesh, she thought unhappily. Maybe if he is cut water or wine flows out instead of blood. But somehow I doubt it. The reverence the Suna ANBU and servants showed also bothered her. They really did seem to act as though he were a kami made flesh rather than simply the strongest ninja of the village.
But having come this far and at last having been permitted an audience she knew better than to share her thoughts. We have to be the ones to adapt if we're going to live here. I can't expect everyone to have the same traditions of home. So she went in and knelt and lowered her face as she'd been instructed.
"We welcome you," a voice spoke smoothly from behind the screen. "Please do forgive the delay in meeting; we fear it was unavoidable."
Kushina lifted her eyes, though she remained kneeling. "We are simply grateful to be allowed into your presence and to be given this opportunity to speak with you."
"Yes," the voice replied as though expecting that very answer. "And what business have you brought before us?"
"Kazekage-sama, we have come before you today to ask your leave in reestablishing our clan here in the village of Suna. If you will grant us a home here and recognize us as a clan then we will pledge to you the same devotion and loyalty we gave to our original village."
"A whirlpool in the desert," the Kazekage said with a faint trace of amusement. "Are all present included in this request?"
No, and you damn well know it. "No Kazekage-sama," Kushina answered politely. "The request is only for the members of my clan, myself, my brother, and my uncle and will of course also include our children and descendants."
"And what would the others ask of me?" The Kazekage inquired. "Is it your intention to remain here or return to your own villages?"
"With respect," Kakashi spoke. "Though I left my ancestral village I have no desire join another. I would however be willing to work on behalf of this village on selected missions that did not take place in Fire country or oppose the forces of Leaf."
They could see the shadow of the Kazekage's head turn towards Kakashi. "We were under the impression you had abandoned the Leaf village, yet you object to opposing them in the field?"
"I did leave the village," Kakashi replied. "For my own reasons. However I still have many comrades and friends among the Leaf nin and I would not want to draw their blood." As he said that a picture of Rin's sad face came into his mind.
"For the famed Copy Ninja we are certain that some accommodation could be reached."
"As for myself," Tsunade spoke up. "I have seen too much killing all ready. In any case despite everything I've gone through I'm not ready to sever my ties with my grandfather's village. What I will do is work in the local hospital and teach others medical jutsu. That's if Kushina and the others end up staying of course."
"We would be greatly honored to have the services of the legendary Sannin Tsunade, even if it is limited."
"I…" Shizune hesitated and had to gather herself. "I would like to stay awhile and help the lady Tsunade and the others. But at some point I would want to return home to Konoha." Tsunade looked at her apprentice slightly disappointed, but said nothing.
"We understand, you will of course be free to leave whenever you choose." The silhouette seemed to focus back on Kushina. "This village suffered terrible losses in the previous war, losses that have left Suna shorthanded. We would be pleased to welcome three Jonin into our service. We offer each of you the honored title of Suna ninja and the rank of Jonin."
"What about a residence and recognition of our rights as a clan?" Kushina asked warily.
"We fear we cannot grant you such. You will be welcomed into the village and permitted to serve as regular ninja."
Kushina's mouth set in a hard line. "I am very sorry Kazekage-sama, but I am afraid that is not good enough. If we are to come here and serve you and this village then we must be granted the rights and privileges of a clan."
"Must you?" The voice said much too gently. "In Suna there are only eight clans. They are referred to as the Eight Great Houses. They are each guaranteed a place on the Council of Wind and granted all sorts of special privileges and rights. Were we to recognize you as a clan Suna would have a ninth Great House. Why should we allow you such an honor when all you bring with you are three ordinary ninja?"
Kushina clenched her hands and tried to keep the fury from her voice. "With all due respect Kazekage –sama, the Uzumaki have never been ordinary ninja. If you doubt me you have only to speak to the Tsuchikage or any other ninja from Iwa.
"Actually we spoke with the Tsuchikage some years ago prior to the war, back when we were negotiating, before we became Kazekage. You would be interested to know that the Tsuchikage did mention your clan, he also praised of it."
Not only Kushina but Saishu and Shinzou all wore matching expressions of total disbelief. "Forgive me, Kazekage-sama, but I find it hard to believe that the Tsuchikage would ever praise us. We were the most bitter of enemies."
"Well… it was praise of a sort. He was speaking of his intentions in the coming war and mentioned he planned to conquer Whirlpool before moving on to Waterfall. I believe his exact words were, 'the land there isn't really worth having. But it's worth destroying just to get rid of the damn Uzumaki.'"
Kushina heard her brother chuckle. "Dad would have liked that."
Kushina smiled fondly. "Yeah I think he really would have."
"Still," the Kazekage continued. "Even if you were fierce opponents of the rock ninja that alone is insufficient reason to grant you the title of clan. Clans are normally created because they have some unique ability. Tell us, does your clan possess a kekkei genkai?"
"We do not," Kushina admitted. "But clans are formed because they possess either a unique ability or skill. We Uzumaki have always been recognized as the most skilled of swordsman. All three of us who kneel before you are fifth level blade masters, the highest rank. We are the deadliest users of the katana in all the elemental lands."
The head behind the screen bobbed up and down. "A most useful skill we grant, but still insufficient for establishing a Great House."
"With all due respect Kazekage-sama, our skills and training techniques are worthy of recognition. I am certain other villages would agree. We are ready to be your most faithful and devoted guardians, to fight for you and lay down our lives for you, as my clan did for three hundred years in out village by the sea. But only if you permit us to be a clan. We will not remain here if we are to be treated as ordinary ninja. And as our friends have stated they will not remain either. Surely the services of three expert swordsmen, the world's top medic nin, and the famous Copy Ninja warrant the establishing of a new clan?"
She saw his arms come together front of her chest. In her mind's eye she pictured a man in Kage robes steepling his fingers. "We fear it is not enough."
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! I brought everyone here for nothing! There was no point in joining a ninja village if they were not going to be allowed to stay together as a clan. A clan meant your fighting style and your traditions were always respected. It meant that each generation would grow up together strong and united, bound together not just by blood and by name but by custom and common practice. The Uzumaki had been a clan for three hundred years and had been among the founders of Whirlpool. She would not be the one to let her beloved clan begin to wither and fragment.
"In that case, Kazekage-sama, I fear I have wasted your time." Without asking permission she rose to her feet. Seeing this the others got up as well. "I sincerely thank you for granting us this audience, but if you will not grant us clan status the n I think it best that we leave."
"Is clan status really so important to you?" The Kazekage's voice seemed to almost purr.
Kushina narrowed her eyes. He wants something. "It is absolutely vital; we will not remain here without it."
"We could grant you what you seek. But there has been no new House in Suna in over fifty years. Were we to grant you such an extraordinary privilege it would require some equally extraordinary service in return."
"I see," she replied carefully. "Does the Kazekage have a particular service in mind?"
"There is a child, our male offspring, who possesses the potential for great power but who we fear may be dangerously unstable and therefore a threat to all those around him."
"Your male offspring? You mean your son?"
"No," there was iron in his voice. "That child is not our son even if he does hold our blood. It is our wish that you adopt this child into your clan and take responsibility for him. If you will agree to this then we will grant you a residence and name Uzumaki the Ninth Great House of Suna."
"You want me to adopt your s… your offspring and raise him?" She was shocked. Her son was the most precious thing in the world to her. For that matter all the members of her family were more precious to her than gold. (Even her annoying brother.) How could a man be so heartless as to get rid of his own son? "I… I would have to at least meet the boy first before I could give you my answer."
The Kazekage chuckled. "You really don't know do you?" he sounded very amused. "You have already met him. In fact we believe you had dinner together just last night."
"Gaara?" She gasped. "Gaara is your son?!"
"He is my offspring," the Kazekage said coldly.
She remembered what the little boy had told her.
Everyone calls me a monster, even my family.
She hadn't wanted to believe that. How could family members be that cruel to their own flesh and blood? Now, shockingly, it turned out that Gaara was part of the ruling clan. She'd assumed he was just part of a regular ninja family. And the Kazekage, his father, refused to refer to him as son. What sort of cruel heart does he have?
"Will you accept our terms? We must tell you that once Gaara is adopted he will be expected to obey the laws and customs that other ninja follow. No exceptions will be made for him," the Kazekage sounded almost savage. "Should he kill or otherwise break the laws of this village both he and you will be made to suffer for it. He will be completely your responsibility."
"In every village I have ever heard of a ninja is free to defend himself if attacked and his fellow ninja would be free to help him," Kushina said coolly. "Is that also the case here?"
"It is," the Kazekage replied.
"In Konoha the clans were given the right to deal with trespassers in any way they chose including killing them on sight."
The shadowed head bobbed up and down. "We have a similar law. The clans are considered to be sovereign within their estates."
Kushina took a deep breath. "In that case, Kazekage-sama, I will adopt Gaara myself. He'll be my second son. I will raise him to be a fine Uzumaki and I promise I will keep him safe."
"Be certain to keep the village safe from him as well."
"Just so long as the villagers don't try and attack him," she said happily.
She again saw the Kazekage nod again behind his screen. "Very well then, we will grant you the rights and privileges of a clan and Great House."
Kushina nodded and allowed herself a tiny smile. "The Uzumaki of Suna. The whirlpool of the desert."
She liked the sound of that.
