A/N: Ok, here's the next chapter. I know I haven't updated in forever, I've been going through some writer's block as well as waging holy war on my spawn of Satan computer (it hasn't let me upload anything until now) and I know it's kind of short but I seriously found THE perfect stopping point for this and can't write anymore without giving too much away and getting ahead of myself.
Chapter 25: Return
"Run ahead to the village and inform them of our return."
"Yes, Kira-sama." The ANBU stated and disappeared as Gaara looked over at his mate and smiled ever so slightly.
They would hopefully still have a few days before the full meeting with the other Kages in which he could prepare her but otherwise she was ready. It baffled him really. She fell into the role of leader faster than he could have imagined and it suited her. He could only hope that the other Kages agreed or he would have a serious problem on his hands. He would worry about that later. Right now they still had to get the children into the village and find them somewhere to stay until they could be taken home.
Kira knew Gaara was worried about her upcoming meeting with the other leaders and knew he would continue to be until after it was over. She found that she wasn't worried about it in truth. Sure she was nervous since they were the leaders of the other villages but deep down she felt no concern or fear. It confused her that when she looked deep within herself all she saw was a deep pool of peace filled confidence. Although she wasn't quite used to it yet she found that she liked it. Kira felt at that moment that nothing could bring her down and as she walked beside her mate while the village slowly came into sight her she held her head high and confidently. It made her brother and sister smile to see her do so.
A short while later they arrived at the gates of the village to see a large crowd of villagers waiting for their return. It made Kira smile as the children began to shout to their parents and run forward towards them as they ran out as well. Kira could sense the slight twinge of sadness in her mate underneath the overall happiness and pride he felt at the sight.
"I love you." Was all she had to say to make that sadness go away and he smiled at her as they watched the scene of parents being reunited with their children.
"Reina! Maika!" they heard a woman's voice call out making them watch as Tora and Reina's mother ran forward and hugged her little daughter tightly as her husband helped Tora's twin come forward.
"Okaa-san! Papa! Maya-nee-tan!" the little girl shouted and hugged her mother first as she began to ramble about how she and all the other kids were saved by Kira and how Gaara and everyone else helped out.
Gaara watched as her father set Tora's twin down next to his wife and looked up at the Kazekage. Gaara knew Kinkou Ryuu well enough to remember that this man never really approved of him and had openly opposed the idea of Gaara taking up the office of Kazekage. However what the young Kazekage saw in the man's eyes was much different from what he had seen before. As the father walked over to his two Kages Kira watched as he stopped in front of Gaara and bowed. She smiled softly as she listened to the man try to apologize for his previous behavior until Gaara stopped him.
"What is in the past is done. Go be with your family."
"Thank you Kazekage-sama." The man stated and bowed before watching his other daughter come forward with some help from Kira's brother and he walked over to her, "Tora."
"Papa." She greeted and bowed to him which made Gaara vaguely recall that the relationship between those two had always been somewhat strained, and was made even more so by Tora's decision to support Gaara, "I have returned."
The man hugged her in response as Tora's youngest sister chattered on in great detail about how "Kibbews and Akamawo" saved her when they walked up. This apparently pleased Amaya as the next thing either Gaara or Kira knew Kiba was on the ground with Amaya smothering him with kisses while shouting "Thank you!" in between each one. Kira laughed in amusement at the sight as did many of the others, including Amaya's family.
"I told you you'd like Maya-nee-tan, Kibbews!" Reina exclaimed happily.
Two weeks later, after finding temporary housing for the other villages' children and once again seeing the majority of the Konoha shinobi off, Kira found herself in her and Gaara's office early one morning listening to Kiyomi's sensei complain about his new student.
"She is headstrong, reckless, and has no respect for her superiors!" the man once again stated as Gaara and Kira, who both were resting their chins on their hands at that point, glanced at each other.
"I really don't blame her for not respecting this idiot, Gaara-kun. He repeats himself too much." Kira stated through their bond and Gaara agreed.
"We will reassign her to another team more suited to her skills. You are dismissed." Gaara stated and signed off on the paper as the man began to protest that he didn't want her reassigned he wanted her sent back to the academy which only made Gaara look up at him more than a little annoyed, "Tokiwa Kiyomi cannot go back to the Academy. Kira and I have both made that very clear to you. We will reassign her. You. Are. Dismissed."
The man bowed stiffly and left just as Tora arrived and bowed to them. This was an unexpected visit and made both of them quite curious as to what was going on.
"How can we help you Tora?" Kira asked while sitting behind her desk.
"I wish to resign from my position of ANBU captain and be pulled out of the ANBU." She stated much to the surprise of Gaara who spoke next.
"On what grounds?"
"While I am honored by your trust in me Gaara-sama the missions keep me from my family too much. I feel…responsible in a way for what happened to Reina. No matter how many tell me that it was not my fault in anyway I still feel it was. On top of that I believe that my skills can be put to better use as a regular Jonin of the village. My sister Amaya has no doubt informed you of the village's lack of teachers for the Academy. I can help. I want to help." The young woman stated as she looked at them and they watched her while, unknown to her, they were discussing what to do with her.
"She was correct about the village's lack of teachers." Gaara stated through their bond to his second in command.
"I am aware of the situation, Gaara-kun, but the question is where to put her within the academy. There are a number of positions that need filling."
"I know. Too many of the shinobi in the Academy are handling more than one position. Her sister alone sees to three different subjects if I am not mistaken. Where do her strengths lie?"
"Ninjutsu and kenjutsu are her strengths, her taijutsu is slightly above average, she has a little skill with genjutsu but not as much as her sister, and if I remember correctly she specializes in Fire Release techniques. Over all she's a highly skilled kunoichi that progressed through my training fairly well."
"Very good. Where do you think she will be put to the most use?"
Gaara nodded in agreement as Kira told him then stood up and gave an order to the person outside the door and sat back down. Tora was still watching them anxiously until Gaara spoke.
"You are dismissed from ANBU and will be reinstated as a Jonin. Your first new assignment will be as a sensei."
"To Tokiwa Kiyomi." Kira finished and continued as she saw the confusion on Tora's face, "Her former sensei was the man that you just saw leaving. He couldn't handle her so…"
"I accept." Tora stated and a few minutes later Kiyomi was brought in and told of the change.
"But…I thought Sensei was going to have me sent back to the Academy." Kiyomi stated confusedly, "He swore up and down he wouldn't leave here until you sent me back."
"Since when was that man ever able to make Gaara-sama or Kira-sama do anything?" Tora asked slightly amused and continued as the girl remained silent, "Exactly. You will meet with me first thing tomorrow morning in front of the Academy to begin your training."
"Yes, Tora-sensei." Kiyomi said and bowed then they both bowed to Gaara and Kira after the two dismissed them.
Soon after that it was lunch time which meant it was time to meet up with Kira's siblings, including Naruto of course, as well as Gaara's. Kira's mate was still adjusting to Hikaru and Kokoro but overall he found he could tolerate them easily.
Kokoro he found to almost be a female, slightly more hyper Kankuro when you got right down to it. Most of the time he spent around her was watching her out of the corner of his eye as she stared at him half expecting her to pounce on him or something. Kokoro was like a hyperactive kitten until you got her on a battlefield or a training area for practice and then Kankuro's nickname for her definitely described her. She was a little viper that hated being underestimated but used that to her full advantage every time. Her expertise in poisons was unquestionable and, since she had offered her services in the field to Suna, was currently working with Suna's Puppet Brigade and Poison Division to improve the potency and use of their poisons. All in all Kokoro was actually a very valuable asset for the village.
As for Hikaru, Gaara discovered that he actually got on rather well with Kira's slightly overprotective brother until Hikaru was reminded that Kira slept with him. Despite that most of the time he and Gaara spent talking was devoted to topics you would have expected two Kages to talk about. Kira's twin was just as intelligent as she was and Gaara valued his insight on certain things. His temperament was much tamer than that of his sister Kokoro although he could be just as playful or wicked as she could at times. The biggest difference Gaara noticed was that while Hikaru's sisters felt quite at home in Suna and fit in very well, Hikaru himself did not. Kira's twin felt comfortable in Suna but not at home.
Kira herself sensed this, as did Kokoro and her newest best friend Amaya. Tora's twin sister enjoyed teasing the former ANBU member about her growing relationship with Hikaru, and Kokoro liked to tease her brother about it as well. When the two weren't teasing their siblings one or the other usually remarked on how Hikaru seemed to refuse to settle in. Kira herself had asked him about it and was answered by Hikaru stating that he wasn't doing it intentionally and that it just seemed like something was preventing him from settling down into a new home.
"Gaara! Nee-chan!"
The two looked in the direction of the call to see Naruto sprinting towards them. He looked ever so slightly panicked as he did, however when he reached them it took him a second to catch his breath.
"What is it, Naruto?" the young Kazekage asked his blonde friend.
"The other Kage's are at the gate." He stated and Gaara sighed slightly.
"Nii-chan, why did they send you to tell us this?" Kira asked since it slightly confused her.
"They didn't. I just saw them walking in."
"Okay," was all she managed to get out before one of the gate guards ran up to tell them the same exact thing, "Thank you. Get them set up comfortably and tell them that we will be there after we take care of some business."
"Yes, Kage no Kage-sama." The guard stated and went off to do as told.
An hour or so later found the two young lovers, along with Naruto and Kakashi in tow, walking into the meeting room to meet with the other Kages, and Gaara could only hope that they wouldn't cause too much trouble. He knew to expect some kind of trouble from the fact that she was his lover, but he didn't really know what to expect from them when it was revealed that Kira was a Jinchuuriki…the Jinchuuriki of the Juubi. He didn't know what to expect but he knew very well it was not going to be pleasant.
A/N: Ok, there you go. Once again sorry for the long wait. Chapter 26 should be longer although I don't quite know when I'll get it posted. My computer is the spawn of the devil But as usual: Review or message me about any questions you may have or with any comments you've got.