In which Gaara talks to his siblings, Utakata trains Kimimaro, Sasuke gets jealous of Naruto, and Han plans treason.

O-O-O-O-O

"Excellent work as always, Gaara-sama," Baki commented once Gaara finished his demonstration of a sand clone. "We will probably take another mission soon, once we find something suitable."

Gaara nodded, eager to go home. However, Baki stood with his hands behind his back- which told him he had some news. He suppressed an impatient sigh and waited for the man to speak.

Baki cleared his throat, a clear sign the news might not be positive. I knew it. What does the Kazekage want now?

"Gaara-sama, your father..." Baki looked away and swallowed. "Your father has mandated that your siblings will live with you starting tomorrow. He believes that you three would benefit from spending time together outside of training sessions."

Gaara blinked in surprise. Living? With me? Why now?

After their initial introduction, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro had started training as a team. With Baki's instructions, they had completed drills and exercises together. However, he rarely exchanged words with Temari and he had yet to talk with Kankuro at all. He really didn't know how living together would work.

Gaara nodded reluctantly and Baki sighed, obviously relieved that he hadn't protested. With that announcement out of the way, Gaara went home, trying to put his feelings into words and failing.

He knew that having his siblings nearby would change a lot. Since Yashamaru's death, Gaara had lived alone. The only visits came from caretakers to supply him with food and other necessities. With more free time than he knew what to do with, he spent his nights cooking, cleaning, and taking care of his cacti collection. That'll change if Temari and Kankuro live with me. A sense of dread and impending doom kept him fretting the entire night, unable to relax at all.

The next morning, Temari and Kankuro moved in, choosing from the many empty rooms in the house. He heard his father, Kankuro, and Temari speaking to each other from downstairs. His father's voice only served to keep himself locked inside his room.

Even when the Kazekage left, Gaara hid away for the remainder of the day, not wanting to interact with his siblings. Eventually, however, his growling stomach compelled him to go out in search of food. He left his room and headed downstairs, where he could hear voices talking inside the kitchen. He swallowed, forced his face into a calm mask, and stepped inside.

He found Kankuro and Temari at the dinner table. They laughed and talked while they cradled glasses of water in their hands. They fell silent when Gaara entered. They stared at him in shock and fear. Temari was the first one to recover.

"H-hello, Gaara!" she greeted, trying to smile and failing. "How are you?"

In front of her, Kankuro grunted and glared at Gaara, silent as usual.

Gaara stared back at them in silence, contemplating the question. He knew his sister was only asking out of obligation, but part of him still wanted to answer sincerely. He stood silently for so long that his siblings shifted in their seats.

"Hungry," he answered in the end, walking to the fridge and leaving with some fruit in his hands. I'll get something more filling once they go to sleep.

His siblings said nothing else, simply watching him walk away with his prize. He heard an outbreak of whispers once he left the kitchen.

He walked as fast as he could back to his room, not wanting to listen to anything they said. His facade broke as soon as he was in the relative safety of his bedroom. He stared at the fruit in his hands with a frown.

Despite knowing that a relationship with a normal person was doomed to fail, part of him desired their companionship. He wanted to spend time with them, eating in their presence, but he couldn't. I can't trust anyone, especially anyone from Sunagakure.

Alone in his room, he took a bite of an apple.

From that first encounter, Gaara tried to see his siblings as little as possible. However, he couldn't avoid them all the time. Whenever he wandered out to use the toilet or make himself a meal, he often bumped into them. Temari, who spoke to him as if he were a stray dog, concealed her fear with kindness. Meanwhile, Kankuro used anger to hide how terrified he truly was.

For the first few days, Kankuro didn't say a single word to him. He only scowled and ran away. They lived in tense silence until Kankuro finally snapped.

"Don't you feel bad about all the people you killed?" Kankuro yelled. He slammed the palms of his hands on the table where Gaara was eating.

"Kankuro..." Temari said, grabbing onto his sleeve. He shook her off. Gaara took another bite of his food, forcing his face not to display any emotion.

"Don't you have any shame?" Kankuro continued. "So many people died because of you! And so many buildings were destroyed! It's all your fault!"

Gaara took another bite of his curry while Kankuro seethed, grinding his teeth.

"It's because of you that our mother is dead!" he shouted.

Disoriented, Gaara paused as he placed his spoon down. He shifted his eyes up to stare at his brother, forcing his face to remain impassive. How much they know about what happened to our mother? he wondered to himself as he looked at his brother.

"Kankuro!" Temari shouted, the angriest Gaara had seen her yet. Gaara blinked up at her, surprised at her defense.

"Don't make him angry!" she continued. "Do you want him to destroy more of the village?"

Gaara's spark of hope disappeared. So that's what she's most concerned about. I should have known

"Kankuro," Gaara said his brother's name for the first time. Kankuro flinched and Gaara frowned. "Temari..." he continued, wishing for support from his sister, but she took a step back instead.

Gaara thought about what he wanted to say but couldn't think of an answer. He looked down at his unfinished meal and found that his appetite had left him. Part of him wanted to cry and scream, but he forced his face into a now-familiar mask. He stood up, pushing his chair back, and walked away, leaving his unfinished dish on the table.

"Baki says we will have a mission soon," he said as he departed.

Both Temari and Kankuro said nothing in retort. As usual, they broke out into furious whispering once Gaara was out of the room. Gaara clenched his fists in frustration as he left.

He walked to his room and collapsed on the bed he couldn't use, hating Sunagakure with every fiber of his being. However, he couldn't try anything. His father would kill him and Gaara would never get to see any of the other jinchuuriki in person.

He needed to stay in Sunagakure as long as he could endure. Hopefully, it won't be much longer.

O-O-O-O-O

Utakata had no idea what he was doing.

Thankfully, after jumping through the Mizukage's window, Harusame and the boy had followed after him. The three of them had arrived back at Harusame's estate, where they had warmed up their meal and eaten together.

Utakata tried to talk with his new charge. However, the boy, Kimimaro, didn't speak unless spoken to first. He answered reluctantly, sharing snippets of information about the Kaguya clan. His statements only served to confirm the worst rumors surrounding his clan. He didn't know how Kimimaro had managed to survive in that environment.

After lunch, Utakata gave Kimimaro a tour of the estate before leading him to the gardens. They sat together in silence. Occasionally, Utakata laid down on the grass or blew bubbles. He wanted to talk to the boy, but he had no idea what to say.

Kimimaro said nothing the entire time, tailing Utakata like a shadow until it was time to sleep. They went to their respective rooms after dinner, agreeing to meet up in the morning for their first day of training.

Now, Utakata stared at the boy standing in front of him. Kimimaro stared impassively back, a small frown the only thing betraying his uneasiness. Utakata sighed. I think I'd rather be on an assassination mission right now.

"All right," Utakata said with as much cheer as he could muster, which was not much. "First things first, show me what skills you already have. I can make a training plan based on that."

"Yes, Master." Kimimaro bowed his head. Utakata grimaced. He had always hated overly ceremonial displays.

"Don't need to be so formal," he said. "First, I want to see your physical conditioning. What's your endurance and stamina?"

Kimimaro began to bend forward into a bow before he stopped himself and he nodded instead. Progress.

"I'm not sure, Master," Kimimaro said.

"Too formal," Utakata insisted. "Sensei is fine."

"All right... sensei."

Utakata nodded, relieved. "We'll go on a run together," Utakata decided. "See if you can keep up with my pace and for how long. If you start feeling tired, just say stop and we will move on to the next test. Okay?"

"Okay."

Without waiting for his response, Utakata sprinted away. Kimimaro hesitated for only a second before following, keeping pace with Utakata despite his smaller strides. Utakata blinked in surprise. This boy has good speed already.

Utakata ran for over an hour without slowing down, at one point increasing his speed when Kimimaro remained at his side. His student stuck to him like a shadow, not appearing tired at all, even in the heat and humidity of early summer. When Kimimaro continued to say nothing, Utakata was the one that called for the exercise to end.

"You have good stamina, Kimimaro," he said as he stopped at the center of the training grounds.

"Thank you, master." Kimimaro stood in front of him. Despite running for more than an hour, the only signs of exertion were thin droplets of sweat on his brow. Utakata was impressed. I definitely could not have done that at his age, jinchuuriki or not.

"Mizukage-sama said you have a kekkei genkai," Utakata said. "It's the... uh... shi... kotsu... uh... shi... what was it again?"

"Shikotsumyaku," Kimimaro answered effortlessly.

"Yeah that. What is it anyway?"

Kimimaro was silent for a few seconds as he mulled the question over. "I can control my skeletal structure," he answered.

"Skeletal structure?" Utakata wished he had listened more to Harusame's lectures about the clans of Kirigakure.

Kimimaro nodded. He lifted a hand up. Small phalanges emerged from his fingertips and fell to the ground. Kimimaro lowered his hand. Utakata stared at the small bones on the ground. It was a sickening sight, yet Utakata couldn't look away.

"H-how much control do you have?" Utakata asked in wonder.

"I have near-total control," Kimimaro said. "I can take out my bones and use them as weapons. I can also control how strong they are. I can alter the shape too. That's why..." Kimimaro paused, looked down, and swallowed. "That's why the other people in my clan were scared. They... the shikotsumyaku kekkei genkai is very rare, even in my clan."

Utakata hummed in understanding. "Having the ability to control your skeletal structure is very advantageous in battle," he said. "I can see why they would be afraid of you."

Kimimaro flinched and looked down. Guilt settled into his stomach at the sight. Maybe I shouldn't have been so blunt.

"Now I understand why the Mizukage wanted me to teach you specifically," Utakata said. He tried to make his voice as gentle as possible.

The boy looked up, a small frown on his face.

"We're the same, Kimimaro," Utakata said. "The people of Kirigakure are terrified of me, too."

"What? Why?" Kimimaro looked up at him, eyes wide open.

"I have a very dangerous ability," Utakata explained. "If I really wanted to, I could probably destroy half of Kirigakure before being brought down. There's not much that can truly stop a bijuu on a rampage."

"A bijuu?" Kimimaro asked.

Utakata sighed and looked away. He scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. I've never had to explain this to anyone before.

"A bijuu is a creature made of chakra," he said. "When I was very young, the Six-Tails was sealed inside me, giving me partial access to his chakra. It's been a pain, to be honest, but I have received a lot of abilities I wouldn't otherwise have."

"I see," Kimimaro said as he mulled over Utakata's explanation, his frown deepening.

"I think the Mizukage made a good choice," Utakata said as he scratched the back of his neck. "We've both been gifted in ways we didn't want." Utakata looked at the sky before glancing down at his student again.

Kimimaro shifted uneasily. "What's the point of being given this ability?" he asked. "How... how did you decide that your life was worth living?"

Utakata frowned. Not even ten years old and already questioning his reason for existing.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I just know why I want to keep existing."

"Why is that?" Kimimaro asked, desperation leaking from his every pore, waiting for an answer.

"My family," Utakata answered with a smile.

Harusame had been a father in everything but name for most of his life. The other jinchuuriki had been there for him as well, acting as siblings or uncles. He would not trade them for anything in the world.

"I don't have family," Kimimaro said bitterly, a grimace on his face. "I don't even know who my parents were. And even if I knew, they're all dead."

Utakata shook his head. "Family is not blood," he explained. "Your family is your precious people. The ones you care for above anyone else."

"Precious people?" Kimimaro asked, looking close to breaking down. It was the most emotion Utakata had seen in the boy so far. "Where do I find them?"

Utakata shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "And honestly, a lot of times, they find you when you least expect or want them. Sometimes, they just shove themselves into your life and give you headaches." He winced at the memories. "Wait and see. You will find people."

Kimimaro nodded reluctantly as he processed Utakata's words. Utakata forced himself not to shift in unease. He wished Harusame were there. His master was much better at dealing with existential questions.

"Kimimaro," Utakata said when the boy said nothing else. The boy looked up, broken out of his reverie. "Can you show me more of what you can do with your kekkei genkai?"

Taken back to the present, Kimimaro looked up at him. He nodded and took a few paces back. He inhaled. When he exhaled, two sword-shaped bones appeared from his shoulders. With the swords in his hands, he began an intricate kata that looked more like a dance than anything else.

Utakata watched the routine, transfixed. He really didn't know what he was supposed to teach the kid. His fighting skills were already at genin level, if not higher. He saw no flaws in form and his kekkei genkai gave him an advantage over anyone else. Can't I just promote him to chuunin already?

When Kimimaro ended his kata, he bowed down to Utakata. Utakata clapped his hands together. Kimimaro only stared down at the ground.

"Well! That was incredibly impressive!" Utakata said with a grin. "Now, I can test your genjutsu and ninjutsu knowledge and then I can recommend you for a promotion already!"

Kimimaro blinked up at him. "What's genjutsu?" he asked.

"An illusion cast using chakra," Utakata explained with a frown, his plans starting to fade away. "A genjutsu can affect your senses and make you believe things that are not true. For example, it can make you see something that's not real."

"What's chakra?"

"It's the energy you use to do ninjutsu, genjutsu, and, to an extent, taijutsu," Utakata explained. "There's a good basic guidebook Harusame-shishou wrote about it. I'll give it to you and you can read it in your free time."

The two fell into silence. Utakata could only hear the sound of the nearby flowing river and the birds in the trees. Kimimaro stared up at Utakata with a small frown on his face, looking like he had something to confess. Utakata waited patiently, not wanting to intimidate the boy more than he already had.

"I don't know how to read," Kimimaro finally admitted.

Utakata suppressed a groan of exasperation as his earlier hopes for a short mission flew out the window. I guess natural talent doesn't account for everything.

O-O-O-O-O

"Hey, Sasuke, look!" Naruto yelled as he arrived at the training area. "I've been practicing a new trick! I bet you can't do it!"

Sasuke snorted. "As if you could do something I can't."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at Sasuke before throwing a kunai at a training post. Without hesitating, he took out a second kunai, which hit the first, causing it to ricochet in the opposite direction. Both kunai hit separate targets in the center.

"My brother can do that with ten kunai," Sasuke said with a grunt. "He says it's easy once you get the hang of it."

Naruto rolled his eyes. Despite his words, Naruto could tell that Sasuke was impressed. He never says what he really thinks.

"Well, if it's so easy, why don't you try it?" Naruto asked as he placed two kunai in Sasuke's hands.

Sasuke looked alarmed for a second before frowning at him. "I bet it's easier than it looks," he said.

Naruto shrugged and watched as Sasuke took deep breaths in and out. He glared at the first target and shifted his eyes to look at the second. He grasped the first kunai tightly in his hand, miming a throwing motion. Naruto waited, but Sasuke only pretended to throw.

"Just do it already!" Naruto yelled, tired of waiting.

Sasuke startled and glared at Naruto. When Naruto only glared back, Sasuke returned his attention to the trick with a frown on his face.

Sasuke threw the first kunai. Less than a second later, he threw the second. It hit the first and caused it to bounce in a separate direction. However, instead of landing on the targets, one kunai flew off into the forest while the other landed on the ground, yards away from its target.

Naruto blinked at Sasuke. He had practiced the trick with Yugito and even his first attempt had not been so bad. He burst into laughter.

"What?" he yelled as he laughed. "That was so weak! I thought you said it was going to be easy!"

Sasuke's face turned red as he snarled at Naruto furiously. "It was the first time I tried!" Sasuke yelled back. "I bet you didn't do so well the first time, either!"

Naruto shook his head. "No," he admitted. "But that just sucked, ya know!"

Sasuke growled. "Just watch! I'll get it soon enough! I'll probably be better at it than you!"

"If you say so," he retorted with a snort. "I'll believe it when I see it."

With a grimace, Sasuke fetched his kunai and repeated the throw. Once again, the weapons flew off in different directions from their target. Naruto said nothing, only smirking at the furious pout on Sasuke's face. Sasuke tried a few more times, grimacing when he saw the smirk on Naruto's face. it was only on the tenth attempt that Naruto broke and decided to help Sasuke.

"Your grip is too tight, ya know," Naruto said, watching Sasuke stumble when he tried to throw the kunai.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"Your grip is too tight!" Naruto repeated. "You need to relax a little!"

With that observation, Naruto threw two kunai again. As before, the second kunai ricocheted from the first. Both hit their intended targets in the middle.

"Don't tell me what to do," Sasuke said with a deep frown on his face. "My brother says you need to keep a solid grip on a kunai or someone can take it away."

Naruto shook his head. I can't make change his mind. Sasuke was unbelievably stubborn when it comes to his brother. He wondered what kind of person he was if Sasuke was so obsessed with him.

"Just keep trying your way!" Naruto said. "I'm not gonna spar with you 'til you admit I was right, ya know!

"Fine," Sasuke retorted, turning his attention back to the targets.

"Fine!" Naruto yelled. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and sat down a few feet away, leaning against a post with a huff.

Silently, he watched Sasuke try again and again to hit the targets. Despite all the attempts, he kept failing. Naruto scowled. Can't you just listen to me for once?

With nothing else to do except watch Sasuke, Naruto took out a book from his bag. He opened it up and started to read. His speed had been improving a lot and he rarely needed to sound out words anymore. Yagura had helped him a lot. He was surprisingly patient, although he often got a faraway look on his face when helping Naruto.

Naruto read. A few times, he looked up from his book to see if Sasuke was doing better, but the other boy refused to meet his gaze. Naruto rolled his eyes.

They spent the next few hours in silence as Naruto waited for Sasuke to give up and ask for his advice. Meanwhile, Sasuke kept throwing kunai at the targets in vain and failing every time.

It was only at sunset that anything interesting happened. Naruto was getting ready to throw in the towel and head home when he heard footsteps coming from behind him.

Naruto turned back to look at the entrance of the training grounds. A tall teenager walked in. He looked a lot like Sasuke, dark serious eyes and pale skin. However, unlike Sasuke, he had long hair tied back in a low ponytail. Naruto frowned at him as he stood up. Is he Sasuke's famous brother?

"Nii-san!" Sasuke yelled, putting his kunai into his holster. "What are you doing here?"

"Mother was getting worried because you still hadn't come home from the Academy," his brother said. "She asked me to find you."

Sasuke nodded at Itachi's words. "Sorry," Sasuke said. "I lost track of time."

Naruto walked closer to where Sasuke and his brother were standing.

"Hello," Naruto greeted warily.

Sasuke's brother turned his gaze down to him.

"Good evening," he returned the greeting. "My name is Itachi Uchiha. Thank you for spending time with my brother." He bowed his head.

Naruto blinked in surprise at the respectful tone. He bowed his head down briefly, not sure how else to react. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki," he said. "It's... nice to meet you."

"Likewise," he said. Naruto got the impression that Itachi was a lot more serious and respectful than his younger brother.

Naruto crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Sasuke says you're really strong and that you know a lot about ninjutsu and stuff."

"A lot of people seem to think so," Itachi answered, face neutral. Naruto grinned.

"Sasuke can't figure out this trick to throwing kunai," Naruto tattled. "He says you can do it, but Sasuke can't figure it out. I tell him to relax his grip, but he doesn't want to do it!"

"Really?" Itachi asked. Naruto saw Sasuke look down at his feet in embarrassment.

"Yeah! Look! Look! I can do it but he can't!" Naruto said.

With that declaration, Naruto took out two kunai and threw them, showing off the trick perfectly once again. With the task done, he looked back at Sasuke, a smirk on his face.

"I can do it!" Sasuke lied.

"Oh yeah! I wanna see it, ya know!" Naruto yelled while going to fetch his kunai.

Sasuke gulped. He looked up at his brother as if waiting for him to interrupt, but Itachi was silent. Naruto smirked. He's not gonna save you, ya know?

Sasuke took out his kunai and threw them again. However, instead of hitting their two separate targets, one kunai landed on the ground while another flew away in the distance. Itachi said nothing and Naruto could see Sasuke's face burning in embarrassment. Without saying anything, Sasuke walked away to pick up his kunai.

"Argh! I told you to relax the grip!" Naruto yelled exasperatedly. "You're too tense!"

"You're not tense enough!" Sasuke yelled back, putting the kunai back.

"What does that mean? I got it right!"

"You're too relaxed!"

"You're too much of a jerk!"

"You're a loser!"

"Shut up and relax!"

Naruto prepared himself for a spar when Sasuke tried to lunge forward. Before they could begin, however, Itachi grabbed his younger brother by the shoulder.

"Sasuke, you're too tense," Itachi said.

"W-what?" Sasuke asked, dumbfounded. Naruto smirked. I told you so!

Itachi nodded. Without waiting, he took out two kunai and threw them at their targets. As expected, they hit their marks exactly.

"Try again, but slacken your hand," Itachi said, leading Sasuke back to the throwing point.

Naruto watched Sasuke breathing in and out to relax his grip on the kunai. He threw them. That time, instead of falling or ricocheting in the wrong direction, the two kunai hit their targets- a little off-center. Sasuke smiled at the victory.

"Did you see that?" he said as he pulled on Itachi's sleeve. "I did it!"

"Congratulations, little brother," Itachi said. Sasuke grinned. Naruto thought it was the first time he's seen Sasuke so excited.

"It's off-center," Naruto muttered. Sasuke glared at him and Naruto stuck his tongue out in return. However, he also beamed at him in congratulations. Sasuke looked away. Naruto rolled his eyes. Just take the compliment, jerk.

"Keep practicing, Sasuke," Itachi said. "We need to go home, say goodbye to your friend."

"He's not my friend!" Sasuke and Naruto protested at the same time.

Itachi opened his mouth as if to say something before closing it and shaking his head. Without any other words, he took Sasuke's shoulder and led him away from the training area.

"Goodbye!" Naruto yelled with a wave of his arm.

"Hn. See you," Sasuke responded as he walked away, refusing to meet his eyes.

Naruto grinned as he watched the two brothers leave. At least Itachi is not a jerk.

O-O-O-O-O

"Is he really not your friend?" Itachi asked Sasuke once they had left the training area. "You seem to spend a lot of time with him."

Sasuke scoffed. "He just has really good endurance, so we train together. I don't really like him."

"If you say so," Itachi responded with obvious disbelief.

"He talks a lot with the Hyuuga heiress. Whatever her name is."

Itachi sighed. "You need to remember your classmates, little brother."

Sasuke shrugged.

O-O-O-O-O

"Do you know why Onoki wants to see both of us?" Roshi asked Han as they walked down the hall to the Tsuchikage's office.

"Not sure," Han answered, a small frown visible through the gap in his armor.

Roshi sighed. Onoki hadn't called for both of them outside of general meetings since the Third Shinobi War ended. The world had been at peace for the past eight years and he hoped Onoki's bad nature wouldn't end that. If he tries to start a new war, I might try to kill him myself. I'll probably die trying, but the risk might be worth it.

They reached the end of the hallway. Roshi didn't hesitate before pushing the door open, Han following behind him. Inside the office, Onoki sat alone behind his desk, looking at a map in front of him with a smirk.

"You called for us, Tsuchikage-sama?" Han said as he bowed down in front of the Tsuchikage. Roshi followed at his side.

"Yes, Han, Roshi." Onoki turned to each of them in turn. "We received some interesting intel about Takigakure."

A chill ran up Roshi's spine. Fuu had told them about the chaos in the past few weeks. Their village leader had died, Fuu's secret had become public, and the new head of Takigakure was barely more than a child. Fuu was caught in the middle: shunned by her classmates and fellow villagers. He knew her safety was in jeopardy while Takigakure settled down.

"What news have you heard?" Han asked, voice free of hesitation and worry. Roshi wished he had the same level of self-control.

"It's related to the jinchuuriki of Takigakure," Onoki said with a smirk. Roshi bit his cheek in an effort to appear as composed as Han.

"There is a jinchuuriki in Takigakure?" Han asked, feigning surprise.

"Well, we have always known they possessed the Nanabi," Onoki said. "But we didn't know any details. We didn't know if the bijuu was contained inside a jinchuuriki, or if the jinchuuriki had any sort of control over it."

"However, an informant of mine had confirmed that they do have a jinchuuriki," Onoki continued. "And that their jinchuuriki is only a child: a young girl."

Roshi's heart beat faster inside his chest. "What do you expect Iwagakure to do with this information?" he asked.

"Iwagakure? Nothing for now," Onoki answered. "However, we have been given an excellent opportunity. In addition to learning about this jinchuuriki, my informant has let me know that Takigakure is currently in a very precarious situation."

"How so?" Han asked, a frown the only sign of discomfort.

Onoki grinned. "The jinchuuriki's identity was discovered during an attack on Takigakure. The previous village head, Hisen, was killed during the attack and left his son in charge. From what my informant says, the new village head is incredibly young and inexperienced."

"What else has the informant told you?" Roshi asked. So some of the events of that day came out.

"Not much in detail," Onoki admitted. "My informant got his information through an Amegakure shinobi that managed to escape. Apparently, a Takigakure missing-nin also abandoned the village the same day. However, my source has been unable to find him. All that my informant could figure out is that the jinchuuriki is a young girl. "

"I see." Han nodded. Roshi felt his shoulders marginally relax at the news. So they don't know Fuu's name or what she looks like.

"What would you like for us to do, Tsuchikage-sama?" Roshi asked. "Why have you called us here?"

Onoki grinned, showing all his teeth. Roshi felt a strong sense of foreboding coursing throughout his body. He bit his tongue to keep himself from saying anything.

"I want you two to enter Takigakure, find this child, and bring her back to Iwagakure," Onoki said. "If you are unable to capture her, you are to assassinate her and bring back the body as proof."

"You can't!" Roshi yelled, slamming his hands on the desk.

"What do you mean I can't!?" Onoki yelled back, face thunderous as he flew up in order to look down at Roshi.

Roshi flinched and tried to get his expression back in order.

"I only mean... uh... I don't know if it would be the best idea," Roshi said. He tried to force himself to appear like the tool Onoki desired above anything else.

"I believe Roshi is worried we would be starting a new war," Han explained with his calm voice. If Roshi didn't know any better, he would have thought Han didn't care about Fuu's fate.

Onoki grunted, floating back down and sitting behind the desk.

"It's a rare opportunity to surpass the other villages," Onoki explained. "Suna and Kumo are still recovering from the effects of the war. Konoha has an old and weakened man as their Hokage. Kiri is focused on its internal affairs. If we gain an advantage now, we will be unstoppable in the next shinobi war."

"Konoha has a treaty with Taki," Han said. "If we attack Takigakure and take their jinchuuriki, we are declaring war on Konoha in all but name. Suna is also allied with Konoha. We would see attacks from three fronts. Kumogakure is an ally, but they are unlikely to fight by our side if we start a war."

Onoki waved Han's objection away with a smirk. "It doesn't matter if Konoha, Suna, and Taki declare war. We would have three bijuu at our disposal. At that point, no village could threaten us. Konoha is still rebuilding and mourning from the Kyuubi attack six years ago. Even if they have a jinchuuriki, six years is not enough to gain control over the Kyuubi."

"I understand," Roshi said, trying to keep himself calm, "but... I don't know if attacking a child is the best course of action, Tsuchikage-sama."

"You've done worse things during the last war, Roshi," Onoki said with a scoff.

Roshi grimaced. "I remember," he said.

Grown men and women sobbing and pleading for their mothers. Recently graduated genin killed on the battlefield, too young to have truly lived. Shinobi forced to take their own friends out of their misery. He never wanted to see anything like that again. He wanted to be responsible for it even less.

"When do you expect us to set out, Tsuchikage-sama?" Han asked. Roshi's heart beat faster in his chest.

"As soon as possible," Onoki answered. "Taki's jinchuuriki is currently vulnerable, but they will make a move to protect it soon."

"Can we set out tomorrow morning?" Han asked. Roshi looked up at his friend. Han has a plan. What does he want us to do?

"Of course," Onoki answered. "No one is to find out about this, even other Iwagakure shinobi. This is a top-secret S-rank mission until you bring back the jinchuuriki or her body. Am I to be understood?"

Roshi nodded reluctantly. Despite knowing Han didn't plan to follow Onoki's instructions, he couldn't help but feel like a traitor to Fuu and the other jinchuuriki.

Onoki nodded, satisfied in the false belief that his shinobi would follow orders.

"Is there anything else, Tsuchikage-sama?" Han asked.

Onoki shook his head. "That will be all. Prepare to leave as soon as you're ready."

Han and Roshi bowed their heads down together before turning around and leaving the office. Roshi bit his tongue.

"Let's make a plan in my apartment," Han said once the door was closed behind them. Roshi understood his true intentions. Stay quiet and wait. Roshi nodded in understanding as they walked together down the hallway.

Upon leaving the Tsuchikage's office building, they headed toward Han's apartment, walking side by side. Roshi wanted to run, but they needed to remain as inconspicuous as possible. They already got a lot of attention from the people of Iwagakure as it was.

"What the fuck!" Roshi yelled once they were alone in Han's apartment and he had locked the door behind him. "What the fuck does that bastard want us to do?"

Han scoffed, his facade falling in the safety of his home. "I know, Roshi," he said with a grimace.

Roshi clenched his fists at his sides and forced himself to exhale. "What are we going to do?"

"What else can we do?" Han asked. "Ignore the order."

"Ignore it?" Roshi asked. "Can't we go to Onoki's office, kill him, and institute ourselves as the new Tsuchikage?"

Han sighed. "You want to be the Tsuchikage?"

"Not really," Roshi admitted.

"Me neither. Besides, even working together, I'm not sure if we could defeat the old man. He's surprisingly hardy for his age. Not to mention that his guards would jump in as soon as we started to attack."

"So what are we going to do?" Roshi demanded.

"Pretend we're leaving on the mission, but in reality run away from Iwa," Han answered, plopping himself down on the sofa.

"Run away?"

"We can meet up with Yagura or something," Han said nonchalantly as he stretched his arms over his head. Unlike Roshi, whose heart seemed to be beating a mile a minute, Han looked relaxed at being given the order to kidnap and potentially assassinate a ten-year-old girl.

"What would we do with Yagura?"

"Help him on his mission to find this organization chasing down jinchuuriki," Han answered. "Or just meet up and talk to him in person for once. I've met Yugito before. Yagura would be interesting."

"You're taking this incredibly well, Han," Roshi complained. "I don't think it's going to be as easy as you think. Once Onoki finds out we didn't go to Takigakure, he's going to hunt us down."

Han shrugged. "There are a lot of powerful players already hunting us down," he said. "What's one more at this point?"

Roshi sighed. "Shouldn't we talk to Yagura about this first? We don't even know if he wants company."

"That man is loneliness personified, Roshi," Han said. "He would probably cry if he had someone at his side. The three of us might not stick together the entire time, but he will definitely enjoy the company."

Roshi chuckled. Well, Han is right about that.

Roshi sat down at the armchair next to Han. He felt much calmer already. Onoki's intentions with Fuu had rattled him more than he wanted to admit. Reassured with Han's words, he took a few seconds to stare at the ceiling and allow his heart rate to slow down.

"I guess I should pack anything we wish to take with us?" he asked once the silence had stretched on for a few minutes.

"Probably. I have an extra sealing scroll if you need it."

Roshi shook his head. "So do I. There's not much I'm planning to take with me, anyway."

Roshi stood up and made his way to Han's door. "See you tonight," he said. "We can discuss the situation in the Room."

"Of course," Han said. "Want to place a bet?"

"A bet?" Roshi raised a curious eyebrow.

"If Yagura will cry about having new company or not?"

Roshi chuckled as he left Han's apartment and headed toward his own. He had a few hours to prepare everything he needed.

O-O-O-O-O

"So tomorrow morning when we wake up, we're supposed to head out to Takigakure and kidnap Fuu," Roshi finished explaining to Yagura.

Yagura sat cross-legged in front of him, a hand stroking his chin. After the children had left the Room and gone to sleep, Han had called on Yagura. The former Mizukage had joined them soon afterward, where they had told him about Onoki's orders.

"So you're not going to follow this order, I presume?" Yagura asked. "If you do, you will just throw the entire world into chaos."

"We know," Roshi said with a nod. "I might have tried fighting him, but the Tsuchikage is too powerful, even in his old age. Even working together, I'm not sure if Han and I could hold him off."

"What's your plan, then?" Yagura asked.

Han and Roshi shared glances.

"We're going to ignore the order," Han said.

"Of course." Yagura nodded his agreement.

"And when we're far enough away, we will find you. We will set out together to track down the organization you're looking for," Roshi added.

"Find me?" Yagura asked, surprised.

"We might not stay all three together the entire time," Han admitted. "But three heads are better than one. It's not like we have anything else to do if we abandon Iwagakure."

"You could claim asylum in a different village," Yagura suggested.

"Will becoming part of a different village actually change much?"

Yagura sighed and shook his head. "Not likely," he admitted. "Still, once you leave Iwagakure, you can spend it relaxing in hot springs or at the beach instead. Tracking down this mercenary group is my responsibility. I have to protect Kirigakure. You don't need to follow my lead."

Roshi scoffed. "To be honest, I don't really care about Kirigakure," he admitted. "But... it's your village. Your family is there, isn't it? We will help you, not because we have to, but because we want to."

Han nodded along. "We leave Iwagakure tomorrow morning," he said. "Where can we meet up? Somewhere in the Land of Fire would be ideal. It's one of the most stable regions."

Speechless, Yagura's eyes widened at their admissions. For a wild second, Roshi worried that Yagura would actually burst into tears. To his relief, the former Mizukage's face remained composed.

"I... uh..." Yagura cleared his throat. "I can tell you more once you are closer. Talk to me once you get to Tanzaku Quarters. I'll meet you somewhere there. People don't ask questions in Tanzaku Quarters. It's infamous for a reason."

"Of course," Han said with a nod of his head.

Yagura cleared his throat again. "I will see you soon," he said. "Goodnight."

Without waiting for a reply, he disappeared from the Room, leaving Han and Roshi sitting together side by side.

"You think he might cry?" Roshi asked with a smirk.

"Definitely crying now," Han answered. "I told you so."

"It wasn't a question of if, but of when," Roshi retorted. Han chuckled.

O-O-O-O-O

A/N: I wrote, like, another thousand words of Kimimaro and Utakata interacting, but it was pure fluff. I'll probably publish it... eventually.

You can talk to me at waffledogwrites on Tumblr.

Thanks so much to the r/fanfiction and r/narutofanfiction discord servers. Y'all are awesome, inspiring, and helpful!

Next chapter: Fuu takes a test.