The Hokage reviewing the information presented finally came back with an answer. They would believe Suna and prepare for an invasion for now, without giving anything away to the potential attackers. The hint was exceptionally obvious though that if anything occurred Suna had best be helping Konoha out or there would be a declaration of war.

For the immediate group, that meant Sute was essentially being tagged with one of the Suna nin at all times, no longer just because she was friends with the Kazekage's children, but now because while it was entirely doubtable Orochimaru remembered that a civilian had been with Gaara and his team as the cause of the attack...well there was still the fact someone could wonder why they kept her around. Indeed because Sute had no chakra and had fallen back, as always instructed to do so, frankly the number of ninja whom would even remember the common coloration of a child in Suna was...not going to happen.

Sand coloration in general was dull, it was part of what let Rasa, Gaara, and Kankuro stand apart. Temari and Sute were far more normal in the coloration, if Temari was still a little on the paler side. There was a saying that 'the people of Suna start to look like it.'

Of course this meant Sute had to have a good non suspicious reason to drop her hospital hours. To keep up her completely civilian charade.

"What symptoms?" She asked Nanashi, and it was saying much over shinobi lifestyle that they were all eating around the table, various other Suna-nin perched on furniture around the room or the floor as they ate as well.

"Vomiting, nausea. Sweating. Nothing so severe it couldn't be brushed aside. Keep it believable as that a weaker immune system lacking the sort of chakra we have would be susceptible whilst we would not."

"So.." Sute paused, chewing on a bite. None of the others had an interest in herbalism and so ignored the discussion.

"Well sure I can keep spider legs round, not like she can get in much harms way if I'm just using Crow." Kankuro was saying to his siblings and Baki.

"That'd be better. I need to work on that cutting gale with my fan more, it's still causing some drag when pulling from the moisture around here. I miss Suna's properly dry winds."

"..hm." Gaara tilted his head, scowling, but agreeing at the same time. "She needs to not have an obvious tail." It was clear Gaara hated admitting such, posessive of his friend as he was but Baki cut in before they could be dealing with the stubbornness that all the kids inherited from their sire.

"I can have one of our Anbu follow her. I'll get the chunin we brought to henge and look like we're doing so to all of our civilians. They'll just think we are being foolishly paranoid and overlook it."

"...fine." Gaara glanced over where Sute was still discussing things with Nanashi. "Female."

Though the group looked confused Gaara just snorted. "Sute mentioned wanting to go to the hot springs."

"Right. I'll ensure her tail is a woman." Baki gave in simply, though he did fight the smile back that wanted to come out. Every so often, Gaara seemed quite thoughtful in his own twisted way.

()()()()()()()

The next few weeks of time were mostly routine. The others trained, Sute after spending half a week 'sick' was now back to wandering around usually with an Anbu from Suna trailing after her. Mostly she was seeking out any new sources of information as she slowly got to know various civilian's, almost always the girls, on the various opponents her friends would be facing. There were plenty of rumors about the Hyuuga but without being blatantly obvious Sute could think of no way to outright ask for information. It had her frustrated.

The perfect solution came when she was browsing in the ninja herb shop, making a face at the awful selection if you weren't looking for poisons or corrosive additives. It was there she bumped into a girl with pale eyes reaching for the same jar of lotus root she had been.

"Oh..s..so..sorry."

"It's all right. What do you need it for? There's not much but maybe we can share?"

"Ah, my heart."

Sute blinked. "Why not use the common devil's blaze?"

"I can't..find any."

Hinata slowly worked her way through a list of plants with Sute asking to clarify, and it turned out Suna and Konoha had a lot of different names for the same plants. Some Sute was familiar with due to location, and others she had never heard of with Hinata gaining confidence as they spoke on a subject dear to her. Finally Sute had just grabbed Hinata by her wrist, the ninja girl not even doing more then making a tiny gasp sound at the contact, and pulled her along to a smaller dark shop in the civilian's district.

"This one's better. Civilian's are more interested in herbal remedies you know. And this store gets stock from Suna and is in good standing so it's all really high quality. I've resupplied a few times when I felt like making something because I was bored."

"Really?" Hinata smiled at her shyly. "I didn't think about going here, my family usually has items delivered or goes to the ninja shops only.." And only a few come to think of it but Hinata was looking around with stars in her eyes at the numerous jars and ingredients there, and all of them far less expensive than she was used to.

"Yeah. So why do you need heart medicine? A family member?"

"No, myself. In the last exams I had a bad strike. It weakened my heart."

"Ouch! Who by? I missed the fights until the end but even then it seemed like they were pretty finished.."

"My cousin, Neiji. Hyuuga."

Sute paused and then turned, her eyes calculating. Huh. All right, blatant it was because she got the feeling Hinata was pushed around enough, and would appreciate the honesty.

"He's supposed to fight my best friend in the matches."

"That monster?" Hinata paled and put a hand to her chest, making Sute rush to calm her.

"He's not! I mean, he's just another ninja. All the ninja can be scary and crazy you know..right you are one, but you know what I mean. The strong ones are all..just.." Sute waved her hand and sighed. "Look, I'll make you a deal.." Sute smirked at Hinata, glad that for all the shop was small and cramped it was built in a way that would muffle sound. If anyone was observing them, it wouldn't be easy. "You explain how your heart got hurt, so I can know how to patch up my friend after, and I'll give the same sort of advice with what I know of Gaara. You can pass it on to your cousin or not as you choose."

"..okay." Hinata nodded. "Some of it I can't because clan secrets.."

"Likewise. But enough to patch up the silly boys when they are done."

"...we're going to need a lot more medicine."

"I'll buy if you start explaining what happened to your heart and how."

Hinata was no fool and took her up on the deal, of course since Sute had a spending account that was covered by the Kazekage, especially if she could prove it was related to Gaara's care, she didn't even blink at the high price.

It helped that she genuinely liked the timid girl. She was astoundingly brilliant when it came to plants and Sute set up another day to meet and go wild foraging around Konoha together. When she entered the hotel room with a large grin and bags, the entire group was gathered for a snack as usual.

"You are late." Baki scolded her.

"I was off learning more about Neiji's fighting style and what he did to his cousin, and filling her in on how Gaara's defense works so she can pass that on."

There was stunned silence except for the ominous deep laughter that came from Gaara as Sute went to plop beside him, taking out the boxes of unsalted jerky she had picked up for everyone that were provided by a merchant who was supplied from Suna.

"Uh why is Gaara doing the creepy thing? Again?" Kankuro looked worried. "Gaara no killing Sute."

"Idiot. She's ensuring I get a good fight." Gaara replied and leaned back, still grinning. "Thank you."

Sute was the only one not surprised and just smirked at him. "You wouldn't be happy if he didn't make you work for it."

Once again, Gaara started laughing. Baki groaned. "And now I have to include in the report to Rasa that Sute is helping an enemy potentially injure his son..and he's happy over it."

"He won't be surprised." Nanashi retorted as he sipped his tea. "Besides, let the children have their fun."