Disclaimer: Naruto is mine the way that Adam Pascal is mine. Which translates to: not mine at all.
A/N: Thanks to Kira who told me the names of the jounin I couldn't remember! . They won't show up anytime soon, but they will eventually!
Chapter 10: Meetings and Decisions
Sakura's impromptu celebration and Kina's announcement were interrupted by the appearance of Tsunade herself.
"What's going on?" she asked, irritated by the noise.
"Tsunade," Jiraiya said. "We have some important news to give you from Suna."
Tsunade looked over to her old teammate and nodded. She had expected as much. She looked over the group from Suna and immediately noticed Kina and Temeki's unique chakras. Her eyes widened at the sight of Temeki, but otherwise she remained passive.
"Sakura," she said. "Please remain here until I call for you. Same goes for you Kakashi."
If either shinobi was curious at the order, neither one showed it. They just bowed and sat down on one of the couches. Kakashi immediately took out his book "Icha Icha Paradise" and Sakura put on her new vest, running her hands down the green fabric.
The others just followed the Hokage into her office.
"Well," she said as the door shut behind her. "Do you want to tell me what Uchiha Sasuke is doing back in Konoha under a genjutsu?"
Jiraiya smiled and folded his arms across his chest. "We came across him on the way here," he explained. "He was wounded and so we managed to subdue him and bring him with us."
Tsunade nodded at this and folded her hands under her chin. "And how did you manage to keep him subdued?"
"No one is a match for three demon vessels," Gaara replied.
Temeki's eyes widened and Tsunade nooded again at the Sand nin's comment. "Yes, it would be troublesome to fight the three of you," she agreed. "Naruto, take Temeki outside and wait with her and the others. Gaara can fill you in on the details afterwards."
"But baa-chan—"
"I need you to watch the Uchiha, Naruto," Tsunade said. "Gaara and the others need to tell me what's going on, but Sasuke doesn't need to know. He can't be left unguarded by one of you three. You're the only ones strong enough to make sure he behaves." She stared at the Uchiha and frowned. "He's already heard too much. We don't know where his loyalties lie."
Naruto knew that what she said was the truth, but it didn't make it hurt any less. He looked over at his old friend and sighed. "Yes, Tsunade-sama," he said. "What do you want me to tell Kakashi and Sakura?"
"Tell them to keep waiting. They're to escort the Kazekage and his entourage to their apartments after our meeting," she answered. "Tell Aoba and Genma to go back to the gates and greet the other feudal lords who are arriving."
"Hai, Tsunade-sama," Naruto bowed and took Temeki's elbow. He gently forced her from the room and gave her orders to the two jounin still by the door. He then sat down across from Sakura and his old sensei.
Team 7 reunited at last, he thought sadly. He looked over at Temeki and frowned. Although I didn't think it would be exactly like this.
Temeki was thinking along the same lines when Sakura spoke up.
"What's going on Naruto? Is that girl really Gaara's wife? What are they doing here?"
"They're here for the Summer Festival, Sakura-chan," Narurto answered. "Gaara brought Kina-chan to introduce her to Tsunade-baachan."
The pink haired kunoichi scoffed and pointed at the blonde. "That's bullshit and you know it! Tell me the truth, Naruto."
Naruto looked down and then at Temeki. "I can't tell you, Sakura-chan," he murmured. "It's more than what I'm saying, but there's other people involved. Tsunade-baachan will probably tell you in time, so be patient, okay?"
Sakura only heard this tone of voice from Naruto when he talked about Sasuke. She nodded and forced a smile to her lips. "Okay Naruto," she whispered. "I'll be patient for now."
Temeki was impressed by how her ex-teammates have grown. Naruto and Sakura were both more serious now. She couldn't tell if it was because of her betrayal or if they would have naturally become more serious as they grew older. She felt Kakashi's stare on her and met his eye.
"Who is this, Naruto?" the masked ninja asked.
"Oh, this is Temeki," Naruto laughed, scratching the back of his head. He felt Temeki tense beside him and let his arm fall heavily against the girl's shoulders. He squeezed hard and silently ordered the genjutsu affected Uchiha to behave. "She's Kina-chan's handmaiden."
Sakura took note of Naruto's arm on the girl's shoulders and felt a small burst of jealousy within her. Just how close are those two? she asked herself. Wait, am I jealous of Naruto
Kakashi noticed the move also and just smiled behind his mask. He had already figured out what was wrong with the girl. (Sort of.) I wonder when Naruto will notice that Temeki is a boy, he wondered. Remembering Haku, his smile widened. What is it about Naruto that attracts crossdressers?
The quartet was silent for a while before Sakura yelled at Naruto.
"Will you stop jiggling your foot? It's annoying."
"Just because you're a chuunin now doesn't mean you can boss me around."
"Actually," Kakashi started in as well.
Temeki watched as the three started to argue. Well, Sakura and Naruto were arguing while Kakashi would interrupt here and there with a few comments. Guess they aren't as grown up as I thought.
"It's funny…" Naruto suddenly said. The others turned to the blonde. Kakashi and Sakura waited for him to explain while Temeki simply raised her eyebrow in question.
I've seen someone do that before…Sakura thought.
"Well, I was just thinking," Naruto started. Sakura snorted at the comment and promptly shut up when Naruto scowled at her.
I wonder if I can learn how to do that, Temeki thought.
"Here I am," the blonde placed his hand on his chest, "and I'm Jiraiya-sama's apprentice. I'm learning what he knows and can summon the animal he can summon."
Kakashi and Sakura nodded. Temeki just looked at Naruto with respect. He's Jiraiya's apprentice? she thought.
"There you are Sakura-chan," he then pointed to the girl. "You just got promoted to medic chuunin and you're Tsunade-baachan's apprentice. Can you summon slugs yet?" Sakura nodded and Naruto smiled.
"And Sasuke's…"
Naruto turned to Temeki and looked into her eyes. To the others, it seemed as if he stopped because of the presence of the foreign girl. But in reality, Naruto was speaking directly to the Uchiha.
"Sasuke's with the other," he finished lamely.
"Each of us is being trained by a Sannin," Sakura concluded. She looked over at her sensei and felt his uneasiness. "Maybe it's a sign."
"That you three will become the next legendary Sannin?" Kakashi asked lazily.
"That history will repeat itself," she corrected.
Naruto laughed and took his hand off Temeki's shoulder. "I'd rather Kakashi's prediction came true than yours Sakura-chan. No offense."
Sakura smiled and met the boy's gaze. "Me too."
00000000000000000
As soon as Naruto left the room, Kina collapsed onto the floor.
"Kina-chan!" Gaara gasped. "What's wrong?"
"She's suffering from chakra depletion," Tsunade said. She walked over to the girl and laid a glowing green hand on her head. "I can give her enough to last through this meeting, but she needs to sleep off the worst of it."
"How'd she lose her chakra?" Kankuro asked. "She barely has any to begin with."
"It must've been when she healed Sasuke," Jiraiya thought out loud.
Tsunade pulled the girl's top off of her shoulders, revealing her tattoos. She traced the 'demon' one and then the 'life' one. (1) "Whoever bound her was messy," she said. "They bound Kinabuhi's natural chakra as well as the chakra of the demon within her. But as I said, they were messy. The binding was immediately counter-acted by the 'life' tattoo."
"Itachi…" Gaara growled.
Tsunade looked up and asked, "Is he the one who did this?"
Kina nodded. "Along with other members of Akatsuki," she said. "I don't remember what happened before I woke up in his tent. But I think that I hurt one of them."
"I can change what Itachi has done and give you back your chakra," she announced. "You will also be able to access your demon's chakra. I have to warn you, though, the relationship between you and your demon will be more like Gaara's and Shukaku's rather than Naruto's and the Kyuubi's. She might be very vocal about her captivity."
Kina nodded again and smiled. "It's okay. Shukaku lets Gaara sleep when I'm with him. I don't see why my demon should be any different."
"I want you to rest," Tsunade said. "With the festival going on, I can't perform the binding until after everyone leaves."
Gaara was about to protest, but was stopped by Kina's hand on his arm. "I understand," she said. "Now what are we going to do about Sasuke?"
"Until we're sure where his loyalties lie, he has to be monitored at all times. Like I said before," Tsunade said, sitting behind her desk once more. "I can't trust that he'll behave unless he's guarded by a demon vessel."
"There's also the problem of his genjutsu," Kankuro said. They all noticed the sheen of sweat on his forehead. "It requires my chakra to keep it going and I don't have an unlimited amount, y'know."
The Hokage nodded and started to sift through the papers on her desk. "There was something here about a jutsu that activates and deactivates a henge without using too much chakra. Here it is!" She read through the requirements and frowned. "We're going to need a locket and a lock of hair from each person who can activate the jutsu as well as the person the jutsu will be cast on."
"We'll need to limit the number of people who can activate and deactivate it," Gaara said.
Tsunade nodded and looked at the couple. "Since you three will be Sasuke's guardians, so to speak, Gaara, Naruto, and Kina will provide the hair. Tell Naruto to take Temeki out and buy her a small locket and an ankle bracelet after you've settled in the Kazekage apartments I've set aside for you."
"Ankle bracelet?" Temari asked.
"Sasuke can remove a necklace easily and a locket on a bracelet is too noticeable," Tsunade explained. "Kankuro, teach Naruto the jutsu you used on Sasuke so that it'll be his chakra that Sasuke uses while they go shopping. I want all four of you back here at 6 o'clock tonight—before the welcome dinner. We'll perform the jutsu then, but only if Kinabuhi is well rested!"
"She will be," Gaara vowed. They all bowed to the Hokage. Gaara swept Kina up bridal style and walked out the door. The others followed, snickering at Gaara's back.
Naruto and the others in the waiting room stood up to see Gaara carrying Kina.
"What happened?" Sakura asked, medic instincts reaching out.
Gaara deftly blocked the healer and smiled apologetically. "I'm afraid the journey has been too much for Kina-chan," he said. "If you could show us to our apartments, she can rest before tonight's dinner."
Sakura smiled at this nicer and friendlier Gaara. There was something about the way he treated his wife that made Sakura wish for someone to treat her like that—like she was precious.
"Of course," she said. "If you'll follow me."
The group exited the Hokage's building and mounted their horses once more. Naruto and Temeki shared a horse while Sakura rode Naruto's old one and Kakashi led the horse and cart. She led the way to a small, but stylish building.
"Tsunade-sama wanted you to have the most traditional of our guest houses," Sakura explained as everyone dismounted. Servants rushed forward to take care of the horses and luggage as Gaara walked into the house with Kina in his arms. He toed off his shoes and used his sand to put Kina's next to his on the floor.
"I don't mean to be rude…" Gaara started.
"Yes you do."
"Quiet, Kina-chan. But where is my room? Kinabuhi needs to rest. She's in a delicate condition."
The servants in the hallway froze and started to whisper to each other. Kina turned red and Temari coughed into her hand.
"What?"
"Baka!" Kina hissed into his ear. "When you say that a woman is in a 'delicate condition' it's a euphemism for saying that she's pregnant!"
"Oh…" (2)
Temeki smirked as the mighty Gaara, Kazekage of the Hidden Village of Sand, turned as red as his hair.
"That's not what I meant," Gaara corrected. But the damage had already been done. Now most of the household servants believed Kina to be pregnant and in 10 minutes so would the rest of the village.
Kina laughed and buried her head into the hollow between Gaara's neck and shoulder. "Nevermind," she sighed. "Just get me to our room. I need to sleep."
Gaara didn't bother listening to Sakura's directions. Instead he walked through the house, opening and closing doors until he got to the biggest room. He gently laid Kina down on the bed and removed his gourd from his back. He lay down next to her and sighed.
"I'm gonna pay big time for that, aren't I?" he asked, resigned to his fate.
His "wife" nodded sleepily and smiled. "Oh, yeah…"
"What do you want?" Gaara sighed.
"Tell me a secret…a big one."
A/N:
Hehehehe…more gossip and fun to come, kiddies! What secret did Gaara tell her? You'll find out!
(1) Kina has the 'demon' tattoo on her right shoulder and the 'life' tattoo on her left.
(2) So Gaara didn't know this…most guys don't anymore anyway.