Hidden Villages
I: Sanin Sensei
The hot sun beating down upon their heads didn't phase the two travelers as they approached the entrance leading into Sunagakure. Neither were phased when the guards at the entrance approached them asking for identification. A pale hand held out the necessary documents and the guards allowed the two past, but one waved one of the guards further up over.
"You'll escort our honored guests to the Kazekage's residence."
The Suna shinobi glanced at the two women and frowned. Their mouth opened in protest, but the other guard quickly silenced them. "You must be new if you don't know they're both welcome in Suna."
The young shinobi nodded their head before leading the two women through the streets of Suna. The people looked at the two women warily when they saw, but otherwise focused on gossiping among themselves. "When is the Kazekage going to take care of that monster?"
"I don't know, but we should be glad he didn't let that monster attend the academy. I wouldn't have let my youngest attend, but would have pulled my other children. I can't risk that monster doing what its done to some of the villagers."
"Yes, but that monster is the Kazekage's child, so talking like this is treasonous."
The woman with the lighter coloring stopped short as her bright brown eyes watched the gossiping villagers. One of the women from the group of villagers looked up and winced before nudging their companions so they might move elsewhere.
The woman who followed behind the woman with the lighter coloring frowned at the villagers. "Lady Tsunade…"
"Don't worry about that. That kind of talk is normal as of late."
"Normal?" Tsunade turned her head towards the person guiding her to the Kazekage's residence. "How is that kind of talk ever normal?"
"It's also not the business of outsiders."
"Not…" Shizune sucked in her breath as her ire threatened to boil over.
Tsunade turned towards her assistant and shook her head. "Shizune, no. While we are welcome here as friends of Suna I don't want to give Lady Chiyo any reason to come out of retirement."
The dark haired female looked away as her mouth twisted into a frown. Shizune muttered under her breath in frustration. "But they're Karura's children."
"I know." Tsunade took a deep breath.
"That child is the reason Lady Karura's dead."
Tsunade turned her head towards the shinobi. Her brown eyes took on a stern look making quite clear she wanted no more discussion of the matter. They continued on their way until they came to the Kazekage household. The man led her into the courtyard where she saw a small child playing in the sand.
"I'll let the Kazekage know you're here Lady Tsunade."
The two woman watched the auburn-haired child play in the sand not noticing anything else around him. He seemed unsupervised, but a familiar voice soon indicated otherwise.
"Sensei?"
The sullen look on Tsunade's face disappeared as she looked upon the young man approaching her. She opened her arms wide to greet the man who approached her. "Yashamaru!"
Tsunade noticed the auburn-haired child pause and then look up while she gave Yashamaru a hug. The sandy-haired young man pulled away. "What brings you here sensei?"
"I can visit one of my favorite students? Or the children of one of my other favorites?"
Yashamaru let out a laugh. Something made him pause and look to the side first before looking down. "Hello Lord Gaara."
The auburn-haired child stood looking up at the man with his eyes wide in curiosity. "Yashamaru."
The child smiled up at them as he clung to the other shinobi's hand with one while the other traced the callouses on the man's hand. The man knelt down so he was at eye level with the child. Gaara opened his arms wide before hugging his caregiver. Yashamaru ruffled Gaara's hair. "Thank you for the hug Lord Gaara. Why don't we go and eat lunch with Lady Tsunade and her assistant Shizune."
"Pretty ladies." Gaara chimed in. He walked over to the side of his vast sandbox and scooped up the teddy bear which was sitting in the shade watching the small child. Tsunade watched the child carefully.
The four arrived at the small kitchen Yashamaru made meals in. Gaara walked over to the couch and set the teddy bear down so the toy might watch them eat before heading over to the table. The auburn-haired child pulled out a chair despite his small size before climbing into the chair. The child's movement was quite awkward even for someone of his age, but he sat on the chair with a look of utter delight at what he'd just accomplished.
Yashamaru indicated Tsunade and Shizune should also take a seat at the table. The Sanin's assistant sat down near Gaara who seemed quite excited over something as simple as a meal. "Do you have a favorite food Lord Gaara?"
"Tongue and gizzard."
Gaara's response made both women look at him, but Shizune continued questioning him. "Why?"
"Temari makes a funny face when I eat it that makes Kankuro laugh."
The explanation Gaara gave made Tsunade burst into laughter. "Well, I guess that's a very good reason then."
Gaara's attention turned towards the woman who spoke. "Ka-chan."
"What?" Tsunade wondered what the child was getting at.
"Ka-ru-ra."
"No Lord Gaara." Yashamaru spoke. Tsunade recognized the sadness in his tone of voice. "Lady Tsunade is not Lady Karura."
"Oh. Pretty lady. Like mama." Gaara looked at the table. "Tsu-na-de." The child's eyes widened. "How do you write Tsu-na-de?"
"I'll show you later Lord Gaara." Yashamaru started getting out the ingredients he needed to make lunch for the three of them.
Shizune turned from where she sat watching Gaara. "Isn't it a bit late for lunch?"
"Lord Gaara doesn't exactly keep a normal schedule." Yashamaru's voice strained slightly, almost as if he were hiding something.
'Yashamaru…" Tsunade frowned as she leaned up against the counter watching the sandy-haired man.
"Lord Gaara…" Yashamaru turned towards the boy. "Why don't you go out and show Shizune what shapes you can make with your sand?"
"Okay." Gaara hopped out of the chair and went over to the teddy bear. The teddy bear swung back and forth as the boy clutched onto its arm. Shizune reluctantly got up and followed the boy out of the room.
When Gaara was gone Tsunade continued, her arms crossing her chest. "What is going on?"
"What do you mean?"
"I think you know what I mean, but if I have to elaborate I mean how I'd show up for say Temari and Kakuro's entrance ceremonies I'd either see you or Rasa, but never both of you at the same time. I never saw Gaara, so I'm assuming one of you was with him at all times. I'm not even sure I got to see him when he was younger, as I didn't realize until seeing him he's got such vibrant red hair."
"What you say is probably true."
"And what is this I hear about a monster - who happens to be the Kazekage's child - doing something to the villagers?"
Yashamaru took a deep breath. "It's complicated sensei."
"How?"
The man swallowed, yet couldn't look her in the eye. "Some days I find myself blaming the Kazekage for my sister's death. Those days I can't stomach calling him Rasa-nii."
"Are you saying the only reason the two of you get along is because of the children?
"Other days I blame myself and struggle to look anybody in the eye."
"As I recollect you weren't there that day."
"Other days I blame Lord Gaara for taking my sister away from me."
Tsunade flinched. "He's just a child, not some monster."
"No, the monster is me. I know I can't help looking for someone to blame, but Gaara was - is an innocent child who didn't ask for any of that to happen. I keep reminding myself she gave her life so he might live, but that he is the last precious thing she left me." Yashamaru closed his eyes. "The days I truly hate myself are the days I start thinking hateful thoughts towards that child I love so much. It's only ever brief, but he is no monster."
Tsunade opened her mouth to say something, only to find herself interrupted.
"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune's head peeked in from the doorway. A smile twisted across her face making her excitement quite evident. "You've got to come and see this."
Tsunade took a deep breath while Yashamaru continued looking rather forlorn. She stepped out of the room and saw the sand was moved to form various animals. Her brown eyes widened and her jaw dropped in shock. Eventually she glanced over at Yashamaru who worried his lip. "What is…" There was only one conclusion. "Are you telling me…"
She stopped not wanting to say it. Yashamaru put on a smile. He spoke in a low voice so the child couldn't hear it. "I'm not saying anything."
"I thought I taught you better, but doing this to a child?" Tsunade shook her head at him. "I trained you to use medical ninjutsu, yet you're okay with sealing a tailed beast into a child so young?"
Shizune glanced away from the sculptures. "Wait? The child's a jinchuriki?"
"Yes." Yashamaru said.
"You let someone make…" Shizune turned back towards Gaara who was obviously waiting for the next thing to sculpt. "How about you show me some of the words you know how to write Lord Gaara?"
The child smiled and complied.
She spoke in a whisper. "That's your sister's child."
"I know. You don't think I don't hate what happened?"
"I…" Shizune looked at the ground before heading over to where Gaara was so that Yashamaru and Tsunade could continue their discussion. "Is that your name Lord Gaara?"
The child nodded his head in excitement. Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Yashamaru…"
"Gaara never asked people to hate him. He may look a lot like his father, but he is so much like her." The man swallowed. "He doesn't mean for those things to happen. He doesn't even realize it's happening. The sand automatically protects him from harm."
"How? A jinchiruki's powers have never manifested at such a young age. Even the jinchiruki of our village who is just older than Gaara hasn't manifested any such abilities yet. The fourth sealed it in him as an infant. What is different about Gaara."
Yashamaru turned his head towards Tsunade. "I think you should speak to the Kazekage about this, as it is not my place."
"I most certainly will." Tsunade walked over towards Gaara. "Hi. You said you wanted to know how to write my name?"
The child beaming up at her told her everything she wanted to know.