Chapter 14: Success
Gaara reached for the scroll lying on the ground next to him.
"Kankuro, approach the council members individually and ask them to sign this. Temari track the carrion and see where he or she is heading," Gaara commanded his siblings.
"Oh, I'm sure we all have a good idea of where he's going," Temari grunted, "to the Wind Lord's estate, surely"
Gaara and Kankuro nodded, sharing the same thought. Gaara turned his face to his hooded brother.
"Remember which council members have always favored Yuudai. Test their loyalties, get them to sign. I don't think they'll refrain under pressure, but we shall find out."
"Yes," Kankuro muttered under his breath. He thought of the risks Gaara was taking with this operation. Their victory or demise depended on how many would put their signature under the mandate. If Gaara wasn't going to lose face for conspiring against Yuudai in the middle of the night, he'd need to wow the council meeting with a clear majority. Only overwhelming support would make this act legitimate. If they weren't successful... well, Yuudai would have won terrain over Gaara, and his esteem would be severed. The chances someone will take use of the circumstances to manoeuvre themselves up the political hierarchy would be greatly increased.
'We need at minimum 15 out of the possible 21 signatures. I'll beat them into signing if I must,' Kankuro thought darkly, grabbing the scroll from Gaara and getting up on his feet.
"I will not fail you," he promised with a smirk, then disappeared out the window and into the night.
"I shall leave as well, Gaara," Temari softly spoke. She took a moment to stretch her arms and legs.
"You have a long run ahead," Gaara commented, "it takes at least four hours to get to the estate of the Wind Lord."
"Uff – and he took a Namib horse! Must be someone from Yuudai's household. Good thing I've conserved my chakra. I will need it to pump some power in these calves." She patted the side of her legs to emphasize her point.
They moved towards the window. She nearly had one foot on the windowsill when she suddenly spun around and pulled Gaara into a rare hug. Her hands clutched his shoulders.
"Gaara, I know it's useless for me saying this since you are one hell of a Kazekage, but I'm still your big sister. Take care here alright?" she whispered, revealing her often concealed soft side. Gaara returned the gesture by wrapping an arm around his sister's back and giving her a firm squeeze.
"Don't worry about me, we got this," he replied. Temari let go and nodded fiercely, climbing into the windowsill.
"Look out for me with the coming of the first morning light," she said, knowing Gaara wouldn't get an eye shut, and jumped away. Gaara walked towards the window and stood half-hidden behind the gently swaying linen curtain. The moon, waxing crescent, threw a cold light on the tan-colored dome-shaped houses with flattened roofs. He folded his arms and calmly observed the lights that burned behind some of the windows, the cat that prowled the street in search of kangaroo rats. It was all so quiet, so calm.
'Suna doesn't need an overly ambitious council member looking to disrupt the country by checkmating his Kazekage,' he thought grimly, 'if Yuudai doesn't change his mind, one of these days I will make sure he can't set a foot inside the council room without receiving scorn. If this move is performed well, Yuudai will be thrown a few steps back and Ayumi will be raised out of her uncertain position, while the legitimacy of my office shall be reinforced.'
Yuudai underestimated Gaara's resources if he thought such an obvious act to appeal to Suna's nobility could ever go unnoticed. He turned his back on the window and walked to the door, wanting a glass of his favourite cactus and lemon juice. As he stepped into the corridor he glanced at Ayumi's door opposite of his.
'Ayumi...'
The Suna people were a hardy folk with ancient customs and a deep suspicion towards foreigners, he knew. These negative predispositions somewhat dissipated since the Fourth Ninja War, but that was a mere three years ago. During these insecure times of guerilla attacks by an unknown force, the flame of fear and hatred had reawakened in the hearts of people. And whether in self-defence or not, Ayumi glued those guys to the Great Wall. They were still hospitalized at this moment, if only for observation. The desert people could easily find arguments for themselves why revenge on Ayumi would be justified. Suddenly he feared the worst, despite his house being the safest haven for her. This was the night directly after the incident! He didn't wait any longer and shot his hand forward to the doorknob. Stepping into the room, his eyes widened to find the window opened. Didn't he clearly tell her to keep it shut? Her body lay sprawled over her bed, in almost a diagonal position, with one ivory pale leg wrapped over the mess of thin sheets and her hair half across her face. Ayumi's chest was softly rising and falling.
'Good, all is well,' he thought, 'now for that window.'
He moved with almost inaudible steps towards the bed and reached across Ayumi's bed for the handle of the window. He kept watch of her sleeping form, dreading to wake her.
"Gaara, Gaara."
His heart nearly skipped a beat. He pulled the window closed with a soft thud and quickly took a step away from the bed.
'What would she think? I'm hovering over her bed at night. This is easy to misinterpret.'
"Yes?" he responded.
"I know you want, but you can't..."
He lightly pulled his eyebrows. Want... what? Clearly she was asleep. Dreaming... about him. Without sounding mortified, he noted. Interesting. He figured it wouldn't hurt to ask more.
"Want what?"
"Sand..." Ayumi mumbled irritably, and shifted position. "Sand isn't edible, geez."
'I'm eating sand in her dream? I wouldn't ever go hungry if I could live on sand here, wouldn't that be convenient,' Gaara reckoned amused. He expected a dream about his desert coffin grinding someone to bloody pulp, or even a cutesy sandcastle. His mood was lighter, knowing his guest was having funny dreams oblivious to all the danger. It took away the heavy atmosphere he had felt during his meeting with Temari and Kankuro. Before he exited the room, he halted.
"Sleep well, Ayumi."
She inhaled deeply and turned over facing the door faintly smiling in her sleep. Gaara closed the door gently and went down to the kitchen. A minute later Ayumi awoke with a shock.
"Gaara?" she called out disoriented. Only silence replied. She blinked a few times and ran a hand through her messy hair.
"A dream," she shrugged, pulled the covers closer and went back to sleep.
Despite the stars and the faint light of the moon, the surrounding was nearly pitchblack on Temari's way to Sunagakure and Saboten. It was easy tripping over the multiple rocks, scattered across the terrain. They were sediments of a lost time when this had all been the bottom of a sea. She tried not to pant, but pearls of sweat formed on her forehead despite the cool temperatures. Looking ahead she could barely make out the galloping horse. Nearly she had caught up on him, but she knew Saboten was close. Temari clenched her fists, mold chakra and transported it to her aching legs. A horse at full speed was not easily bested, but this time it would. Temari was so fast, even to her it seemed like she was gliding through air. The muffled thuds of her footsteps caught up on the clacking hoofs of the horse. The animal had long caught wind of the kunoichi, picking up on her anger-filled scent, and pushed his muscles to the limit. His mouth was foaming. His breathing haggard. The horse needed a rest, but the rider would not let him. He threw a glance over his shoulder, shocked the Kage's sister had closed in on him so suddenly after he had managed to keep a steady distance for hours. He stared ahead. If he concentrated, he saw the edge of the crater, the oasis of Saboten lying at the bottom.
"Hyaa!" he spurred his horse on, then quickly casted a set of needles from his cloak. Temari pulled her kunai, sparks flying as she deflected them.
"Stop! In the name of the Kazekage!" she growled.
"Are you mad?" he spat behind the shawl covering his facial features. "We're nearly within range of the Saboten Blitz-squad. Once we've crossed the barrier, you lose!"
'Shit, he's right,' Temari realized. The Blitz-squad was a special team of ultra-talented jounin, handpicked by the Wind Lord, and paid a hefty sum in gold too, to protect the oasis from anyone unauthorized threatening it. Of course Temari had the proper seal to enter the city, and so did this carrion, but if he fell into the arms of the Blitz-squad with the Kazekage's sister on his heels, that would surely lead to nasty questions.
"What the-!" the man gasped, as Temari suddenly leaped forward somersaulting in the air. She landed with her fan in front of her as a shield. The Namib horse neighed loudly and pranced. With a scream the cloaked man fell to the ground, the distraught horse running in the opposite direction. Hastily he scrambled to his feet and jumped away from Temari.
"Aww," Temari chuckled, "some horse master you are, he ditched you."
Her opponent said nothing and reached for the katana strapped on his back. The metal reflected the moonlight shortly as it was drawn. A gleam of blue light immersed from it.
"A lightning type, eh?" she said while opening her fan, "sorry to break it to you, but you're going to lose. If you remembered anything from training... wind conquers lightning!"
Wind shot forward from her fan. She left no opening, flinging her fan supply around before her, as it released blades of compressed air. The man yelped, blasted further back, his body skidding across the gravel before he gained hold of himself and went into a defensive stance. He withstood the other blows Temari dealt. With murderous eyes he ran zigzag across the terrain, evading Temari's attacks.
"RYAAAA!"
His war cry rang in her ears. She stumbled backwards, with pain in her head and sudden vertigo.
'Sonar jutsu.'
He neared her, making use of her disorientation, plunging his sword forward. Like a tesla powered tower the lightning crackled, spinning around, searching. Temari regained herself in time and shut her fan, positioning it between them. The blade ricocheted, but the long tongues of lighting found their way and lapped at her, cutting burning hot into her flesh. Temari flinched. The next second she hit the man in the stomach. She swooped her fan to the side and dealt another blow, and another, then jumped up to pound him from above. He blocked her and grabbed the thick black laquered hardwood end of the fan. Still in mid-air Temari let herself fall down and kicked his arm away. Quickly she distanced herself from him.
"Wailing punch!" he screamed, after finishing the proper hand-seals. The shrieking of lightning was so high-pitched, she thought her eardrums would burst.
"Didn't I tell you...!" Temari growled resisting the pain, opening her fan and flying it side to side. A hurricane formed before her, towering higher and higher.
"Wind-" she continued, the hurricane speeding forward, immersing the other ninja who could not flee from the wrath of her element. His body spun up in the torrent, flung around in circles like a mere rag doll. Temari slammed her fan down.
"-beats lighting!" she exclaimed, watching his body smack to the ground violently with the crunching of a few bones.
Temari breathed heavily. With her enemy defeated, she allowed herself to fall down on one knee. She held her hand to her left ear.
'Blood. Good thing he wasn't a fire type... I already depleted chakra before this battle.'
She stood up and fastened her fan to her back, then walked to the man. With a harsh jerk she removed the black shawl.
"Yuudai's youngest nephew! Numen!"
Easy enough to recognize him, the 31-year-old jounin had a maroon sickle moon tattoo around his eye socket and tattoo sleeves on both his arms of demons carrying sledgehammers, riding the clouds. They called him The Tempest, for his lightning chakra skills. Now the red moon was bleeding, blood trickling down the side of his face. It would become a nasty swelling. But his real problem were the bones he had broken. His clavicle, two ribs and a leg. Temari squatted down and searched his pockets until she found a scroll.
"Seems I got what I wanted," Temari voiced, shortly checking the scroll before she tucked it under the silk of her obi-sash. She threw Numen a bitter look, disappointed with his treason. He groaned and shifted in the dust.
"Please... help me..." he managed to groan, holding the side of his chest, "Saboten – is close... but I- I won't make it alone."
Temari bit her tongue. Not my problem, she wanted to blurt. He had aimed to harm her. Seriously harm her. But he was still a Suna ninja and the village was her kin.
"Thanks," he croaked with an awkward smile when she pulled him up and supported him. From the look of his eyes, he hardly believed the strict Temari would help him.
"Tsk," she grunted with a dissatisfied frown.
"You're a loyal man. Loyal to the wrong person, but I understand loyalty," she answered while they walked, then looked at him sharply, warning him for the next time, "I would kill out of loyalty."
Temari stopped and sighed before continuing in a softer tone, "but you are still a Suna ninja, and I won't let a comrade of the desert die here in the dust."
Here she was, bringing him to the hands of the Wind daimyo, after she had tried to prevent just that seconds ago. She didn't know if he read the secret message. Didn't know what he was told by Yuudai. Temari did understand that, being a loyal man, he would try to serve his master best he could. Was she serving Gaara best as she could right now? Was it wrong to aid him after he tried to wound her? Was death what a simple messenger deserved, if it meant protecting Gaara? A horse defeated by a bishop. But the shades of life were not in high contrast as the black and white of the checkers on the board. Sometimes right seemed wrong. And wrong seemed right. She bit her lip. 'Kankuro will succeed.'
Yes – she decided to believe in that.
Gaara was in full atire, seating before the statues of his predecessors, with Kankuro and Baki on each side. Steadily the members poured in and shuffled to their seats. Yuudai had already been there, even before Gaara to his surprise. Gaara had politely bowed to him at his entrance. Rather deeply in fact, more than was necessary according to etiquette. Due to his status Yuudai grudgingly saw him forced to bow even deeper. Etiquette did prescribe that he'd have to show Gaara the respect of his title. His nose hovered a hairbreadth above the surface of the table as his leader brushed past him to sit at his designated seat. Yuudai pursed his thin lips together. Of course he long knew of the results of his nephew's journey to the daimyo. He just couldn't figure it out. All of morning, after news reached him, he had been caught up in thoughts. What'd this Kazekage scheme, that he was so confident that his sister saw it fit to even bring Numen personally to the daimyo's infirmary? Numen was unable to accuse Temari's of his injuries. As he understood, Numen attacked the Kage's sister first. If a truth extractor inquired him they would find out surely. So, Temari was named a savior! What a lucky coincendence, Temari-sama, for finding this messenger half dead in the desolate wasteland of the dry sea. Ha! Daring of Temari-hime, to show off the Sabaku-family's so called impeccable moral so brazenly. His own message had reached the Wind Lord in the end though, so at least one thing went right. Caught in his thoughts he became unaware that he was staring. Gaara pretended not to notice, not even Kankuro made a sign. That impenetrable face of Gaara it – it gnawed at him, irritated him, he wanted Gaara to give him something, needed a clue. A nod at the purple-painted puppeteer. A 'coincedental' look at one of the other members. How was it that this Kazekage could always have the same calm expression? He didn't inherit that from his father, the Fourth Kazekage. No – he had known that man well! Considered himself a close acquaintance of the Third in fact, as his own father and grandfather of course who served on the council during the reign of the other Kages. They dined together, a few times even. His family had thrived, making the best in uncertain times of war. Especially in times of war, one could argue. This peace was never meant to be permanent. He admitted he was glad for a few guerilla attacks, because the conflict surely would not get started by Gaara! Peace will put thousands of ninja out of a job. Already you could see the militia slacked off too much, lulled by the lack of enemies. But the Kazekage was a determined pacifist. He didn't understand that, – yes, war meant casualties – but war also meant money. Money, and in the long-term, security. That's why he had advised the Third to continue sealing Shukaku inside the newborn boy. They couldn't wait until Gaara was older, his personality stronger. They had to take a leap of faith. All the other villages had jinchuuriki's off their own. Suna had been vulnerable. The Wind daimyo understood this, as he had hired the cheaper Konoha forces, throwing Sunagakure further behind without the necessary capital. That was bad not just for Yuudai's own pockets, but for the entire village. They had to secure the ties between the nobility and the town, to avoid disloyalty from them in the future. Gaara had to marry a noble woman. It would be strategically wise. But since Gaara had hardly listened to his wise council he saw himself forced to rise against the Kazekage.
"If everyone is seated, I would like to make an important announcement," Gaara's deep voice echoed through the silent room. "On the request of Mr. Yuudai, we have an honored guest."
Surprised murmuring filled the air, but nothing compared to the quick frown of suspicion Gaara caught on Yuudai's face. Kankuro softly chuckled and leaned back in his chair comfortably.
"Please welcome - Lord of the Wind Country, daimyo Kikumoto!"
The daimyo, a small round fellow with a pointy moustache, stepped into the room. Chairs scraped as the council stood up in unison to bow. With a gesture of Kikumoto's hand they sat down again.
"Ahem! I've been summoned here. I almost expected the Kazekage was not informed of my coming, but he welcomed me most courteously," he started, "I hear there is an uncontrollably dangerous and defiant girl within the town. She attacked villagers when she was on curfew?"
"That is quite right, Lord Kikumoto," Yuudai replied, standing up once more. This was his moment. "Respectfully, I've asked for your interference in this matter as the council could not reach a convincing decision and I think your Lordship ought to be aware of the risks," he haughtily started, "this girl, Ayumi's the name, has not set foot in our village for a fortnight, or she has already viciously attacked three boys. Our Kazekage refrains, without offense, from taking direct action. Instead she is eating at his table and allowed the diplomat's bedroom in the Kazekage's residence, so I hear!"
He frowned at Gaara, who kindly nodded for him to continue.
"I believe many of my peers must also have their doubts of the solution we've been given. I believe we should not risk the lives of the villagers, especially now there's already a war out there. We should focus our forces on that, without having internal uncertainties."
Kankuro almost very sorry for the man. Under any other circumstances, he probably would have shared his reasoning. At the same time he knew Yuudai's concern for the village was not always his first most priority. Likely, it usually came second. In this matter his interests seemed aligned. The daimyo looked doubtful. He glared at Gaara with brooding eyes and crossed his arms with the rustling of heavy brocade and sparkling of golden rings on each of his swollen fingers.
"This sounds grievous indeed! What have your peers to say?" he exclaimed.
The men on the council eyed eachother nervously. Nobody raised a hand to speak, no one said a word.
"Well? No opinions on important matters? Should we discuss the weather instead?" he mocked.
Baki discreetly emptied his throat. "Allow me, Lord Kikumoto. The matter was on the agenda for today, as a mandate has recently been signed by an overwhelming majority of the council."
Yuudai's eyes nearly popped out of his face.
"Oh? And? Is she to be thrown in the dungeons?"
"No, my Lord," Baki replied, "the girl has signed the Ninja Blood Covenant, she's been accepted by the council as a military unit of the village, assigned with helping us against the threat from beyond the desert."
"What!" Yuudai shouted indignantly, slamming his fist on the table.
"Why are you so surprised, Yuudai-sama," Kankuro said, "you didn't receive the memo? You were absent during the voting, but I'm sure I have sent you a copy."
Kikumoto sensed there was discord within the council and suddenly barked he wanted to see the original document. As Baki brought the scroll to him, the other council members tried to avoid crossing eyes with Yuudai.
"18 signatures out of 21 in gold ink," he exclaimed impressed, "it seems there is actually broad support for the Kazekage's solution. I wonder why I was told otherwise."
"Previously there were quarrels on what to be done, daimyo-sama, but ultimately this solution was reached with a super majority," Baki explained.
"Very well! I was inclined to favour Yuudai's position," he admitted, continuing with a shrug, "but I shall not undermine the validity of this legal document."
Kankuro tried to surpress his grin and winked at Gaara, who nodded back with a faintest smile.
"If Lord Kazekage is in charge of her training, as an ex-jinchuuriki and commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces, I shall be at rest that at least this girl is managed at the highest level."
"Rest assured," Gaara replied.
"Well, I guess since this dull affair is now accounted for, I can go shopping!" Kikumoto gushed, clapping his hands together in sheer joy. "Fluorescent camo prints are all the rage at the moment. Come guards, I need you to hold my shopping bags."
"Yes," his guard ninja droned and followed him out of the council room while the nobleman continued jabbering about clothing designs.
"The meeting is closed!" Baki called out. With exception of three or four people, the lot of them pretended Yuudai was an invisible ghost.
"Come, we should tell Temari and Ayumi," Gaara told Kankuro.
The three siblings sat with Ayumi in the living area. Gaara and Kankuro just finished sharing the news. Ayumi was perplexed. Her mouth was just hanging open without a response. Seconds ticked by and her face almost seemed frozen, unable to speak. It was so humerous, Kankuro cracked up laughing.
"Well, say something," he jested, "its getting drafty in here."
"We need airconditioning anyway," Gaara commented dryly.
"Gaara!" Temari laughed.
"I... I'm," Ayumi stammered. The siblings looked at her expectantly. "This is amazing! I can't believe it. I'm going to become a trained ninja of Suna? I'm going to learn ninjutsu and all that cool stuff?"
The general despise she used to feel for ninja had faded, especially because the Sabaku siblings had taken care of her, shielded her from harm. The prospect of becoming a schooled kunoichi was as exciting as it had been that one day in the inn when she served Naruto and his friends.
"That cool stuff takes years to perfect, Ayumi," Temari replied.
"It's going to be a crash course," Gaara said, and Kankuro started chuckling, leaning over to the lavender haired girl.
"You're happy now, Ayumi! But Gaara is not a lenient sensei, I assure you. Expect to feelevery muscle burn when you get to bed."
"Think I'm afraid cat-face?" Ayumi responded jokingly.
"We will see," Gaara commented to tease her.
"Pff, you guys really don't take me serious, huh?" Ayumi huffed crossing her arms and snorting a laugh. "But I suppose you are right. I don't really know what to expect of this ninja training. Guess we'll find out what I'm made of."
Mom... dad... lil' brother... I wish I remembered. I'm going to become a ninja! If you are gone, please watch over me. If you are alive, I'll be able to find you once I'm strong. And I swear I will get my revenge, someday.