To anyone who's still reading this, thank you for sticking with me! I'm writing the story for myself, but I decided to share it just for sharing it. So, I'll keep posting anyway.

Gohama was actually a character (although very undeveloped then) I invented maybe ten years ago, for playing Naruto with my friends. Along with a new Village, the Arms (I'm not sure if Buki was also destroyed the first time I imagined it, or if it was just Gohama's family dying... Either way, very tragic). I was between 7-9 yo. I still have a drawing I made of her back then.

Last summer, I re-watched Naruto and decided to write a story for this character just for fun. And probably a little for the nostalgia. I've always loved inserting OC's of mine or just making my own worlds, either for playing, as a kid, or for simply imagining them, now.

-RedPowder

Part I | Chapter 5

The stadium was full. People were still outside trying to enter. Sakura had already fought, but lost. Honestly, Kakashi didn't think she was ready for the Chunin Exams. He could see it still pained her to remember her last one. Her opponent was clearly stronger than she was; however, she had fought bravely and well, mastering the genjustsu he had just taught her. The only reason he decided to train her for a mere three days was guilt. He had somewhat neglected her over Sasuke, which ended up being useless in the end, and Naruto. When both of them left, he decided to focus on his missions. Then Gohama had to push his buttons, how she managed to do it so easily was irksome, and he, as usual, felt guilty. At least, she had freed him from the burden of teaching. Not that he hadn't enjoyed his time with Team 7, they really had grown on him, but he had been a terrible sensei. Thankfully, Sakura continued fixated in becoming a medic-nin. He was glad she had found her way as a kunoichi. She would truly make a great medic if she got her mind on it. Sakura had told him she was thinking of asking Tsunade to be her mentor. Kakashi hoped the Hokage saw his student's potential, he really wanted the best for her. But he knew it wasn't him who could give it. He had never managed to get that right with anyone. Team seven the most recent prove of that. Nothing had changed since his first team.

His pink-haired student waved beside him "Inoichi-san!"

Kakakshi wondered how Sakura was so familiar with him. The man approached her.

"Sakura. Good to see you. Did you fight already?"

"Yes, I did. I lost…" she said turning glim, then her eyes lit again "Ino will be so happy that you could come see her!"

So, that was how Sakura knew the Yamanaka.

"Yes, of course I did. See you around, Sakura."

Before he left, he shared a knowing look with Kakashi. He made sure Inoichi saw his disapproving. Lowering his gaze, the blond man walked away into the crowd.

"Hey, Kakashi." Asuma asked, he was sitting beside him "What was that about?"

"What?" he innocently asked.

"The look."

"He dropped his coffee all over my Icha Icha Paradise. I can't get the stain off of it, but worse is the smell." he neared Asuma, whispering "I think he did it on purpose. He never did approve of the books."

Asuma scoffed knowingly. "You know. Ino never did pass the second phase. But her father that came just to see her doesn't know." he nodded towards Sakura "And I'm not the only one that finds that interesting."

People were growing impatient. Most had specifically come to satisfy their curiosity over the Kyura. They kept talking. Some wondered how she had survived, others how and why she had been hidden. Everyone already knew she was the daughter of the Yukikage. Most suspected he was the reason she had managed to be kept alive and safe during the massacre. His figure was still highly respected as a powerful, diplomatic and honourable kage. Few dared taint his image with bitter and mocking words. That, however, didn't extend to Gohama. They saw her above all as a Kyura and nothing more. Behind Kakashi were three men only concerned about Gohama's physical attributes, wondering if she was as all Kyura women through rude and leering words. Sakura became clearly uncomfortable and tense when she caught onto the conversation, especially after they explained the explicit ways they would treat the heiress.

The tolerance minutes were passing by. What was up with great clan's surviving heirs and being late for the last phase of the exam? And why did it seem Kakashi was to blame in both cases? He hadn't made sure Gohama was told about her fight. Maybe she hadn't been. After what they had put her through on the Exam, if she were to flunk over such careless, stupid—

She materialized onto the ring before he could finish his thought. The Kyura sage-green cloak, proudly flowing from her back. The embroidered crest was white against the green background, the head of a white wolf. The summon of the Kyura and the symbol of their clan. The Cloud shinobi she was fighting had his own clan crest on his back, but none knew or were interested in its name. The crowd became silent, attentive, scrutinizing. They looked at Gohama with distorted wonder. She was a relic. She was no more than a museum piece from an ancient time, displayed on a shelf for passing, curious eyes to see. A piece found after years of people thinking every piece had vanished. An artifact from a forever-lost village and a forever-dead people. After the first wave of awe passed, the shouting began «Kyura, Kyura». No more than a shard in exhibition for the people to entertain themselves.

The signal to start. The crowd began cheering feverishly. Kakashi didn't like battles made into shows. It made them cheap. It robbed them of their gravity, their precision, their beauty, their loneliness. And the chant for the Kyura made everything more despicable. He saw her fast hand signs. A genjutsu? That genjutsu? Few Kyura had focused on genjutsu, they valued direct attacks. Their chakra control would be optimal for genjutsu, some Kyura had been famous for them, but they were uncommon. Kakashi had never seen Gohama fight, still he had never pondered what her fighting style would be this. With her bloodline limit, it was a surprise.

The two adversaries stood still, quiet. Then the boy fell onto his knees, a scream echoing through the stadium. It made the crowd silent and tense. Some murmuring, never above a whisper, asked if it was it. Disquietment settled into the collective chest.

"Sensei, what's happening?" Sakura asked, unsettled.

"It's a genjutsu, a torturing one."

"Why is she using it? It's cruel…"

Gohama turned her gaze up, a frown sculpting her features.

"Are you not entertained?" she shouted towards the crowd. (1)

The screaming and contorting stopped. Gohama was breaking the expectations for a spectacle. Genjutsu fights were boring to watch. Only the fighters saw and experienced the action. There was a smugness to her stance, she enjoyed provoking. She was playing with the audience, not the enemy. A shout came from behind him "Fight!"

The rest of the spectators kept quiet, though. Gohama snickered and crouched into a fighting position. "Get up, shinobi." she ordered her adversary "You heard the crowd. Fight me."

The Cloud nin stood up, his body still trembling. However, he took initiative and ran towards her, a determined yell breaking through his sore throat. The crowd's cheers sounded again. The taijutsu fight lasted a few seconds. A chakra-enhanced punch threw the kid against the ring's wall. Again, she was disappointing the audience.

"Is this not what you wanted?" Gohama shouted.

"Show us your tits!" another stray request.

Amused and agreeing laughs broke from the mass. Gohama smiled and with a sweet voice, said "Then come down here, honey."

People shut up.

"Fucking fight like a Kyura!"

She smiled cockily. A swirling column of pure light-blue chakra erupted around Gohama. A shock wave twisted the soil of the fighting ring and thrust through the audience. The raw power of the energy making lesser shinobi shudder. Sakura, beside him, gripped her armrests tighter.

"I can't say I've missed the Kyura chakra." Asuma jocked. "Remind me never to piss her off."

"Scared of a genin, Sarutobi?"

"A simple precaution."

"Sensei… Why does it feel so different?" Sakura asked, never moving her wide eyes from the Kyura's swirling energy.

"That's the Kyura bloodline limit. It's called totipotent chakra, it is an undifferentiated state of every chakra nature affinity. It's energy in full potential."

"What does that mean?"

"It means chakra can be manipulated in its pure energy form outside of pathways as if it were matter."

"I don't understand…"

"Imagine what Gaara does with his sand, but with chakra."

Sakura silently awed. It was a fascinating bloodline limit. Difficult to perfect. Kakashi had seen it in action during the war, he had fought a Kyura with the bloodline limit before. The sheer power of it breaks any ninja's courage. It had made his legs falter and obedience crumble. Never had the flight instinct been as inescapable as before, as sweet and persuasive. He had never been afraid of dying. That wasn't what had made him waver. The chakra didn't evoke the fear for death, it evoked fear for itself in all its raw power. Kakashi had chosen to fight, the last remaining sense of duty willing him to stay.

Gohama finally acted. She slowly dragged her feet towards the Cloud nin. Spreading the suspense through the audience, the fear intensifying with anticipation. He tried repelling her with his lighting release. He was just a genin. It was sad too. Against any other opponent, he may have managed to win, but never with Gohama. His eyes widened and muscles froze in panic as the chakra swirl almost touched him; small cuts breaking onto his skin. The crowed was electrified with craving for the show of a lost symbol of power, of rule, of violence, of death. Then the chakra disappeared, as suddenly as it had come. Gohama laid her hand on his stomach and he never protested, did nothing else but tremble. A flow of energy surged between the two. The crowd still hadn't caught up with what was happening. It remained still and expectant. The kid fell to the ground with a thud, his body limp.

The examiners voice shattered the confused silence

"Winner, Kyura Gohama!" he announced.

The girl disappeared in a swirl of snowflakes. The fight had been a disappointment for everyone.

"What happened?" Sakura asked.

"She took away her opponent's chakra."

Scotch was the nectar of gods. Rough, heavy hands grasped the glass with sloppiness. The dark fingers scrapped prickling stubble as the glass was brought to thin lips. The dark-gold liquid burning the throat. A hand brushed through short and coarse hair. It had been a tough day. A food stand stool had called for the shinobi, who was easily persuaded; it had been some time now, not that it actually mattered. The noise of a busy street, with shuffling feet, loud children and talking murmur, helped stir the numbness of alcohol, unclench the tightening guts. Finally some alone time, where the shinobi could be no one. Just one more client. One more person relaxing after a workday. One more, the same as all the others. There was peace in anonymity, in collectiveness. A name was too much work, too much to live up to. The shinobi passed the back of a hand over the side of a cheek. The roughness of manly stubble had always been soothing.

A sand shinobi sat beside the drinking ninja. He didn't make a move to order, the vender pretended he wasn't there. His chakra was strong, jonin or higher. Definitely, ANBU.

"Kazekage-sama summons you."

What a pain in the fucking ass.

"I'm Konoha. I can't meet the Kazekage without my own kage's permission."

"It's a diplomatic reunion between Sand and Arms."

The shinobi played with the liquid, stirring the glass left and right. "That card, huh?"

"You can keep the henge." Gohama sipped the last of her drink and stood. "A man?" the Anbu asked.

She took the manly hand to her manly cheek. "Something about the beard." she replied playfully.

The brownish tones of everything in that Village were making her physically sick. During the first days, it had been new and exotic, now it was just dreadfully dull. Gohama didn't know she expected anything else from the Kazekage's office. Only when a deep sigh involuntarily escaped her lungs, did she realise she was disappointed. The walls were brown. The desk was brown (yes, it was wood, but they could have painted it). Even the fabric covering it was a reddish shade of brown. The washed out greens of desert plants couldn't compete with all the brown. Gohama could not understand the fixation over such boring colour. They could paint the sandstone, break with the environment, give a little variety to their tedious streets. Sand surrounded the Village, why did everything about it had to be the same damn colour!

And why did she give a shit? It had to be the heat. The heat and the scotch. Even Konoha's rainbow roofing was better than brown every fucking where. Gods, she was going mad. The place was driving her fucking mad. A damn colour would drive her over the edge?

Gohama stood before the young, redhead Kazekage. It felt frustrating to see a kid in such a powerful position. She still had a long way to go. His eyes were clear blue, beautiful, but jaded, not brown. A blonde-haired woman was standing beside him. A big fan on her back. She didn't seem amused by her presence. Gohama didn't bow.

"Kyura-san, good that you could join me."

Gohama gave him a saccharine smile. "Wasn't our last time together enough, Jinchuriki-sama?"

"You're to address the Kazekage by Kazekage-sama or Gaara-sama." the blonde snapped beside him.

Gaara raised his hand. "It's okay."

"Calling someone a jinchuriki shouldn't be considered offensive. It's quite a feat to any person's body and mind. There's nothing to be ashamed off."

"I didn't except different from a Kyura." Gaara said calmly.

"But I did hear about your little breakout at the last Chunin exams."

The blonde woman scowled, hostility dripping from her expression. The Kazekage looked unfazed. He did seem a collected, reasonable person. His chakra was stout and quiet. Gohama could also sense the one-tail chakra. It was frightening, all power and bloodthirst, a mad, frantic undertone to it. The seal wasn't as strong as a Kyura's. It was probably more difficult for him to control the beast. No other fuinjutsu master had achieved the Kyura's secret of bending and locking the ten-tails' own will to the jinchuriki one. The biju couldn't act by its own without the jinchuriki wishing it so. That seal had prevented many disasters.

"You probably already suspect the reason I asked for this meeting, Kyura-san. I, the Kazekage, officially offer you a position in Suna's military, as a Suna shinobi."

"That is extremely thoughtful of you, but I'm already a Leaf kunoichi."

"And still you wear the Arms' hitai-ate." he pointed towards her waist, tone neutral.

"A small eccentricity of mine."

"What do you want me to offer?"

Gohama mocked pondering. She began strolling through the office. Uneasy ANBU eyes following her every move. She looked beyond one of the small rounded windows towards Sunagakure in all its tedious brown. She was overheating just by looking at the bare landscape.

"I accept, If—" she interrupted herself for dramatic purposes "you paint all the buildings in the Village."

"Do you think this is a joke?" the blonde spit out.

"I'm very serious. I could never live in a place that was all brown. And the heat…! I swear how can you be wearing all those layers?" she had pointing at both of them "I think my brain wasn't made to work in such temperatures. People are nice, they don't really give a shit about anything, well, except for this White Fang guy, that's Hatake's father, by the way. The food is appalling. It makes me sweat just from the burning. How you can eat that in all this heat? It's fascinating… But the worse is the heat. And the brown, that damn colour is in everything! Why? Explain to me! Why this fixation with brown? Of all colours… brown."

"Are you drugged?"

"Not unless someone put something in my scotch." she quipped gleefully.

Gohama really was drunk, but she was just messing with them. It felt ridiculous, flattering, but ridiculous that they would try to recruit her for Suna when she was already Konoha. She felt like a toy being fought over by little kids that wanted the precious last doll from the special edition collection. She was not a thing they could win just to boast over the other kids at the playground. A pretty figurine they would display for others to see, forever keeping her in a box, never to do what she had been made for. This was what was driving her mad. Not the brown, although extremely nauseating, but the parade of the last Kyura, ready for the highest bidder.

"Sand, unfortunately cannot undergo aesthetic alterations at the moment, but we can offer other things. Better things." Her angered gaze turned towards the calm blue eyes. Let the bidding begin. "I know what you desire form the Leaf. Sand can give you that, more. You'll be appointed as a Jonin. Outside our Village's missions, you are free to investigate and act on whatever you wish, wherever you wish. No questions asked as long as it doesn't compromise Sunagakure."

It was a good bid. A very tempting price. Gohama would be given the freedom to search her Village's murderers. She would be given the means to becoming stronger, powerful. Konoha had just accepted her, they hadn't offered anything back. Now, she had the higher ground. Now, she could play them for more. Suna wasn't the best Village, extremely capable, but too brown and hot. Gohama, however, could easily look over her discomfort if it meant room to achieve her duty. Maybe other Village's would offer more. She could take advantage of her parading, of her place as a pawn in politic chess. None had come to her yet and Sand's offer was too good.

But Konoha… Yes. She had her Buki hitai-ate, but she was also Leaf's. Hadn't her duty become to the Leaf also? It would difficult her avenging, but not prevent it. She was Leaf. She had signed the forms, she had taken the Exams with a Konoha team, she had even put a down payment on an apartment, with a nice ample view to their rainbow roofs. Western style; she had never lived in a western style apartment, with pulling and pushing doors, she was curious. It was a shame to lose that money, it had been more expensive than she had expected. Not that it really mattered. Gohama had inherited all of the Kyura wealth.

What truly kept her from accepting right away was Uncle. He trusted Konoha. He had sent her there, because he wanted her to live there and fight for their Village, while she tried to fight for her dead one. Besides, now Gohama represented the Arms. The Arms was an ally of the Leaf, which meant that, as an Arms kunoichi, she had to be faithful to her Village's allies before others. Yes. Konoha had taken advantage of the Exams to painfully and degradingly probe into her memories. But Gohama could see why. She had come out of nowhere. They had taken her in. For the Village's safeguard, Tsunade had to make sure she wasn't a spy. It would also be important to know if she was the so desired ten-tails jinchuriki. If Gohama was going to sell herself, it had to be for a good price.

"ANBU."

The corners of Gaara's lips raised almost imperceptibly. "Okay."

"You do realise this will give you more headaches than gains?"

"I don't think Konoha cherishes you enough. Not after Phase Two."

She scoffed. "You were also there."

"I took advantage, yes. But it was not my initiative. And you are not one of my shinobi, as you said: you are Leaf."

Gohama was Leaf, because Uncle Tsukate wanted her there. She had run out on him after he had no more to offer her. All she could do now was respect his wishes. She was Leaf and she was Arms.

"Do you accept?" Gaara asked.

She sighed and she glanced over the window. "Changing sides would give Tsunade's unreasonable ways some sort of justification. And I couldn't really live with that." she wistfully sighed "Not when I enjoyed leaving her high and dry so much…"

Night had cooled the streets of Suna. A refreshing breeze passed from time to time, washing away the spoils of day's heat. The Village was beautiful at night. The moon shone over the sandstone buildings, changing their dull brown into a mystic blue. She wandered through the roofs, stopping here and there for some peaceful contemplation. At night, she could appreciate the Village. When she felt like it, Gohama went back to her room. She hadn't been there in quite some time.

Sakura was laying on the bed, reading. "You missed the meeting with Tsunade-sama." she coldly said.

The tone surprised Gohama, but she wasn't really in a state to care. Teenage girls' mood swings she supposed. She flopped onto her bed with a sigh.

"You're a chunin, by the way." Gohama had supposed as much when Gaara so easily accepted her condition of being ANBU. "I didn't pass."

Was that why she was mad?

"There's always next year." Gohama offered.

Sakura didn't answer. She turned a page of her book and shuffled around in her position. The silence was tense. It was obvious she had something else she wanted to say. Gohama could feel her examining glances. That helped explain why she hadn't passed, the girl wasn't discreet at all.

"Spill it."

"What?"

"Whatever you want to say, just say it." Gohama turned her face towards her, with an innocent expression "I promise I won't bite."

Sakura hesitated. "Your fight… you were cruel…"

Gohama genuinely laughed and turned her gaze towards the ceiling. "You won't last long in the shinobi world."

"You used him… you used him to play with the crowd…" Sakura said fearfully.

"You wouldn't understand. You're nobody." Before Sakura could lash out, Gohama continued, "I don't mean it as an insult. Haven't you ever wished Sasuke wasn't an Uchiha?"

She gasped at her sudden words. Taking some time to think, she answered "He wouldn't be Sasuke if he wasn't an Uchiha."

"Perhaps. But maybe that would be for the best" Gohama glared at her "if it means having a chance of being happy."

"He has a chance."

"Sweet little pink-haired Sakura." she said bouncily.

"Where were you in the past few days?" Gohama stood up. "Who interrogated you during Phase Two?" So, Sakura suspected something. Gohama ignored the question and went for the door. "There's curfew…" Sakura warned.

"It wouldn't be nice to leave the Hokage hanging, now, would it?"

Tsunade was at the hotel bar. A bottle of sake half drunk in front of her. Her assistant – Shizune, wasn't it? – sitting at the table beside her, holding a pet pig. Kakashi was standing in front of them, slouching, hands inside his pockets. The three turned their gazes towards her, when she entered the bar.

"Nice of you to finally join us. I was about to send Hatake in search for you. Where have you been, girl?"

"By the smell of it, a bar." Kakashi mumbled.

"Also." Gohama agreed lightly, pointing a finger at him "But most importantly the Kazekage's office." The three tensed slightly at her comment. Gohama smirked, delighted by their reaction. They all knew what Gaara had wanted of her. "You wanted to see me?"

"What did he want?" Tsunade asked sternly.

"Gaara asked me to join Suna." Gohama explained nonchalantly.

Tsunade poured a full glass of sake and drank it in a swig. As she tried to refill it, her assistant held the bottle. The Hokage shot her a threatening glare and continued filling the cup. Gohama was enjoying their distress too much. Her resentment towards Tsunade was still prickling at her blood.

"And?"

"He has a very tempting offer." she pointed towards the pig "Can I pet him?"

"Girl, don't joke around this." her rage slipped through her tone. The deathly stare was enough to put Gohama in her place. "What does he offer you?"

"ANBU." Kakashi scoffed beside her. She crunched her brow in disregard. "What are you still doing here?"

"You're a genin."

"A chunin actually." Gohama corrected "But not if I'm Suna." she smugly added.

"Kyura" Tsunade called "Did you accept the offer?"

"No."

They didn't relax.

"Will you accept it?"

Gohama feigned a pondering look. "Well, it is a tempting offer. It's nice to feel appreciated for once. Besides, the Leaf hasn't been the most welcoming of places… I am technically Konoha now, but the rapport can't be only one sided. Phase Two did show the true colours of the Village.

Another sake shot. "You have to understand my need, as a Hokage, to make sure the Village is safe."

Gohama's coolness was starting to crumble, as she remembered the prying, the vulnerability, the pain. Tsunade wasn't even trying to negotiate for her place in Konoha.

"Was it worth it, Hokage-sama? Did you actually get any of the information you were looking for?" she remained silent at Gohama's accusing words "When I said you wouldn't, I wasn't lying. Using my own clan's secret serum on me." she hissed "You know the risks and still went for it."

The Hokage was silent, gripping the cup, but not out of anger.

"That is no way of talking to your Hokage." Kakashi admonished. Gohama ignored him, she continued her charges.

"If you truly thought I was a threat to the Leaf, you wouldn't have made me a Konoha kunoichi. Is the Leaf that desperate? Huh, Tsunade? Now that the last Uchiha defected and the nine-tails jinchuriki left, is the Leaf that desperate for the ten-tails? That's why you accepted me so easily, isn't it? You need the Kyura jinchuriki in your hands. You bet on me. Too bad I wasn't the winning number. And every lost bet comes with its costs."

"You're a Leaf shinobi now. You'll be considered a missing-nin to the Village."

Not one try at a respectful offer from Konoha.

"Do you actually think I would come back here, if I was thinking of accepting the offer?" Gohama asked amused. "Did you actually think I would say my goodbyes to you?"

All three of them seemed utterly confused. "Why didn't you?"

"I'm from Snow. Suna's too hot for me." Gohama took a stray cup from the table, filling it with sake. She downed the drink and sighed in pleasure. "Thanks for the drink." she said, as she turned around and left them.

Two pairs of eyes and a lone dark one stared at her fading back.

"What the hell just happened?" Tsunade asked loudly.

"Gohama just proved her loyalty to Konoha." Kakashi muttered quietly.

Tsunade started rambling with Shizune, entertained with filling her glass with alcohol again. The lone dark eye remained fixated on the bar's door, from where Gohama had disappeared. The so familiar heaviness settling on his chest and guts. It would have been best if Gohama had stayed with Suna.

Kakashi laid his forehead against the cold glass. He gripped the letter inside the pocket of his pants. He wondered how his dark-haired, green-eyed friend was doing. Praying probably, meditating. Kakashi had once gone to the Monastery to meet him. The place was beautiful, standing right beside a cliff onto a sea of boreal forest green. Tsukate must know by now about Gohama being a chunin. The newspapers following the Exam had been buzzing over the newfound heiress of the Kyura, with the thought long lost bloodline limit.

Kakashi hoped he could give some relief to his friend's burdened life. All Kakashi had been carrying Tsukate did an hundred times heavier. After watching Gohama's memories, he had witnessed his friends despair. And his niece's despair too. No matter how much he had lost himself, Kakashi would never be able to comprehend the full extent of their own loss. Maybe assuming Sasuke was the same as his young self was what had led him to fail him so miserably. The ones he loved had died, but he still had the ones he knew, the ones he saw in his daily life. Even if he had never even talked to them, they were still a part of his life just by crossing his away on the streets of Konoha. With Sasuke most of those people had died with the Uchiha, with Gohama and Tsukate all of them were gone. He could never truly understand that pain. He hoped he never would.

The door opened and Tsunade entered. "Finally, you're the one kept waiting." she said victoriously. She sat on her desk and Kakashi moved away from the windows to stand in front of the Hokage. "So, you wanted to see me."

"First I wanted to thank you for accepting Sakura as your apprentice. She won't let you down, Tsunade-sama."

"I sure hope not. Are you here to talk about Haruno?"

"I was wondering if you had already assigned a team to Kyura Gohama."

"I have a few possibilities in mind, but not yet. Why, Hatake? Have you gained a soft spot for teaching? For the girl maybe?" she asked with an arching eyebrow.

"Oh no…" he said rubbing the back of his head "I think my inability as a sensei has been proven enough. I have an option for a team."

"Go ahead…"

"Giranai Hansuke." Kakashi laid the file he had requested on Tsunade's desk. She read it while he spoke "They're only a three men team with an open slot. The others are also chunin. Hansuke is a great shinobi that can challenge her. I trust him with my life."

"You want to put a Kyura and Hyuga in a team together?"

"I think Hansuke can handle the… disagreements…"

"By disagreements you mean the centuries old brotherly hate between two clans?"

"Yes."

Tsunade closed the folder and let it fall onto her desk. She leaned against her chair and pondered, while scrutinizing the Copy Nin. "Why do you worry so much about the girl, Kakashi?"

"You know why." he answered quietly.

"All right." the Hokage said, gathering the paperwork in front of her "I'll talk with Giranai. This was also one of my options."

Kakashi bowed and left the room. He hoped this wouldn't put a burden too great on Hansuke.

(1) Couldn't help but make a small reference to the film Gladiator.