Notes: Song recommendation / / "Faldne" by Danheim

Chapter 15
Silence

As the months passed, the dust began to settle as the isolated desert village grasped with their newfound sense of progressiveness. While the Fifth Kazekage passed laws that undone the restrictions of the past, the elders on the Suna Council grimaced at the coming changes while the younger generations welcomed them with open arms. Despite the positive beginning to his leadership, there were many dissidents lurking within the shadows of the village and beyond – with his siblings snuffing out the would-be assassins before they had a moment to strike.

Across the desert in the unknown regions of the world, the new threat of the Akatsuki was emerging. Slowly but surely, new intel was reaching the village from the legendary Sannin of Konoha – Jiraiya. All while the intel was being discussed and future precautions written, Nomasaki was at Gaara's side – notarizing everything and dutifully working as his assistant. Although born an outsider from a village in the far north and mistrusted by some of the elderly councilmen, Nomasaki was valued for her sensory abilities by the higher-ups – an asset that was highly valued for her closeness to the village leader and her secret espionage. Since Gaara's inauguration as the Fifth Kazekage, she made it her goal to fulfill her debt as best as she could.

That morning was unforgiving.

She silently accompanied the young Kazekage down the sunlit-filled corridors of the mansion while he was being relayed the council's business the senior advisor of the Suna Council. Kenzō, the grand conspirator. Despite the ongoing mission she was assigned, she had to pretend as if there was no prior introduction and continue on quietly – to not stir suspicion from the Fifth Kazekage, their target. Averting her glance from Kenzō as she walked closely behind, she kept her focus onto her clipboard and pen held against her chest.

Fear propelled her to stay silent.

"As such, we expect it would be wise to consult the council as soon as Jiraiya-sama relays Suna his next round of intel on the Akatsuki," Kenzō continued, his hands folded behind his back as he walked alongside the young leader. "Kazekage-sama, I suspect the intel should arrive within the coming days."

"Very well," Gaara nodded, from under the shade of his shrouded hat. "Thank you for your input, Kenzō-sama." Turning towards his assistant who followed close behind in silence, he gave her a calm glance from under the shadows of his hat. "Nomasaki, can you schedule in a meeting with the Suna Council?"

Catching her attention, she nodded at him. "Yes, sir."

While Kenzō continued on his pace, he grimaced to himself as he glared ahead into the winding hallway. "What's more is that with the Akatsuki on the move, it would be best to prepare for an ambush. They do seek the one-tail, well… according to our scattered reports we already received from the Sannin over the last two years." Turning to the robe-clad Kazekage, he narrowed his glance towards him – meeting his gaze. "Gaara-sama, you should have a contingency plan in place in the scenario that the Akatsuki attack Suna –,"

Slightly surprising him, Gaara paused.

With a stoic expression, he locked eyes with the scheming councilman. "Kenzō-sama, I would like to place ANBU on the lookout for any intruders along the village limits from now until further notice." He commanded, calmly. "Captain Yura can assist you in that endeavor, I assume?" Stunned, Kenzō bit his lip in hidden frustration – hoping that his leader's response would have been different. "Our top priority is to protect the villagers, so we should focus our energy there before planning any battle strategies. We don't want to fail, for if we were to go ahead, it could have dire consequences."

"Yes, Kazekage-sama."

Noticing her silence, Gaara turned towards his assistant, who seemed lost in her thoughts beside the blinding glare of the sun from the window. "What do you think, Nomasaki? Do you have any input?"

"O-Oh," She spoke, jolting from his question. "Well… To start, I also think it's a good idea to guard the village perimeter. But… I think you should have more ANBU at your command, being there are dissidents still in the village." As she noticed both of their attention was on her, she gave a small friendly smile to distract from any troubling thoughts. "I think it would be beneficial, being that you're not only Kazekage but also a jinchuriki. It would lessen the risk of a coup, anyways… and an attack from the Akatsuki." Pondering to herself, she averted her glance and placed her fingers at her chin – mulling over the exact numbers in her mind. "I would suggest… instead of five at your command, perhaps have ten?"

"Is that so?" Gaara replied.

As she could feel her heart race in her chest from anxiety, she clutched the clipboard tighter – hoping that her suggestion did not upset him – or Kenzō. I spoke out of turn, she thought, I said the wrong thing. Kenzō eyed her with daggers in his subtle glance. Surely I'll be punished. Never had she dreaded waited for someone to speak before until this moment. After a moment of silent thought, the young Kazekage turned back towards her, his expression calm.

"I haven't thought of it that way. Thank you, Nomasaki." He said, a hint of gratefulness on his slate-like tone. "I would like you to arrange a meeting for me with the Suna ANBU so we can discuss this further. It's a good idea that shouldn't go unnoticed."

As he started down the hall, she nodded in response. "Right. T-Thank you, Kazekage-sama."

Before she had a chance to take her first step towards him, Kenzō grasped her wrist in an aggressive and tight nature – squeezing it with his palm. She felt as if he were going to break it in his hold. Alarmed, she whipped her head towards him wide-eyed and full of silent fear – unsure of what was to come. "Don't forget your assignment…" Kenzō spat through his grit teeth, leaning in closer towards her ear. "I can't have you fail me…!"

His voice chilled her.

Gulping down her fright that jumped in her throat, she continued on behind the Kazekage as her hold was finally released. Without a sound, the councilman disappearing into the many corridors of the mansion. Thankfully, Gaara did not take notice of his actions or his sudden leave. Putting on a clean slate, she caught up to him. Walking quietly at his side with her glance averted towards the floor as they walked, she played it off as if it had never happened. She had to put herself to the test nearly every day, and that incident was just one of many things she had to deal with.

All for the sake of repaying her debt.

He'll find my father in exchange for my spying, she convinced herself, It's an even trade... but still...

As she stepped out of the Kazekage's office alone that afternoon, she felt a sinister air following her down the corridor. Keeping her wits about her, she paid no mind until she was out of reach and out of sight from any Suna shinobi or councilman who wandered the halls. Pausing within a corridor that lead to a darkened dead-end, they appeared as if a ghost from the shadows. Her gut twisted as she met their mask before her.

Tojiru.

With his fox-like mask boring its gaze into her, he stood before her at the end of the corridor – corrupting the scattered sunlight of the window from his presence. "I thought that tanuki-bastard would never leave..." He seethed, his tone low and husky. "Are you being followed?"

She averted her glance from his, narrowing her eyes in distaste. "No," She answered. "Why are you here?"

Handing her a scroll, she took it from his hands carefully. Reading its contents, her expression turned solemn and blank. Kenzō had his right-hand keep tabs on her, it seemed. Judging by the contents of the scroll, he was putting a rush onto her assignment. For months, she acted as his spy reluctantly for the greater good – and for the promise of avoiding certain exile and death. She lay awake most nights, sleep avoiding her as she devoted her time to being the Kazekage's dutiful assistant by day, and by night she was the tracking unit's newest asset for the dissident who wanted the Kazekage gone. She had bitten off more than she could chew, and it was taking its unforgiving toll on her.

"Why so silent?" Tojiru scoffed under his mask. "Can't you read?"

Glaring up at him with a furrow in her brow, she met the menacing scowl of his porcelain mask. Shrouding his face, the vulpine expression of his carved mask sent a subtle chill down her spine. From the moment of their first meeting only months before, she had sensed an air of mistrust around him – and she refused to give him any benefit of the doubt. He was only three years her senior and was a very feared and jealous man. Tojiru was hand-picked by Kenzō as a boy – just as she was. Possessing remarkable sensory skills and an admirable swordsman, he quickly rose through the ranks and became a tracker-nin to serve Kenzō as he saw fit.

He was the perfect tool – and he knew it.

Since Nomasaki joined the ranks of the tracker-nin as Kenzō's 'new tool', Tojiru made it his duty to ensure she had a miserable time. While training, he would often make an example of her towards their superiors, call her out on her weaknesses, and exclude her during any assigned missions. If she made a single misstep, he would hightail himself to Kenzō and inform him of her disgraces. Much to his dismay, she was becoming a favorite of Commander Moro – who often shielded her from such verbal attacks and sabotage. If anything was for certain, the moment the wolf entered that chamber, Tojiru's pride had never felt so threatened.

"This is your given assignment. It's in your best interest that you obey Kenzō-sama... if you were smart."

"I'm aware of that," She answered, her tone low and cold. "Tell him I'm working on it –,"

"That's not acceptable! You are a tool, remember that… and there is no use for a broken one."

She froze.

He was right – although she did not want to admit to it. Was I broken, she thought to herself – or was I not meant to be a shinobi from the very start? Reaffirming her thoughts in her mind, she knew she was not broken – she was a survivor. All that she had done was to ensure her survival, and her instincts saw to that she lived to see another day – no matter the harsh choices she had to make. Becoming Kenzō's spy was one of those choices, albeit a forced one.

"I understand…" She uttered, hanging her head low and averting her troubled glance. "Will that be all?"

Hearing the fabric over his shoulders shift, Tojiru walked past her in the scattered shadows, the sunlight once more returning. "You learned nothing…" Turning to meet his mask for a final time, she shot him a narrowed glare from her violet eyes. She could feel her back stiffen from his presence, her blood boiled subtly under her human skin as she could feel the beast within her awaken in defense. Forming a single hand-sign as he faced her, she could make out a faint grin beneath the cover of his vulpine mask adorned in markings of green and orange. "…I'll be watching you closely, outsider."

As suddenly as he arrived, Tojiru once more vanished within the shadows. Breathing easy to herself, she looked down at the floor at her feet with a saddened glance to her eyes dull with exhaustion and stress. It was only weeks ago that her training under the tracking unit hastened and took a turn for what truly awaited her, her paranoia winning over sleep. Leaving the corridor behind and starting for the outside, she wished that for once she would have it easier. Since she arrived in Suna, any time where things started to go smooth something would inevitably she remembered - she had her mission to complete. With a heavy heart, she left the estate and wondered if asking such a question would be a consequence.

And now it was time to train once more.

The sound her knees made shook through her as she struck the ground in panic.

Behind her was a wall of fire, released from Tojiru at her back. They were in the simulation grounds, located far from the shelter of the Kazekage's estate and its watchful eyes. Her home was not even an hour's walk away. Trapped with her silent comrades under the eye of Commander Moro, the grounds were heavily guarded, secret to all the villagers but the higher-ups, and covered in stone, sand, and cacti. Her shinobi attire was dirtied and worn, and her once immaculate flak jacket was ripping at one shoulder. Trembling lightly as her mask slid off her scratched face, she pressed her palms into the sand-covered earth.

"Not fond of fire... are you, wolf?"

Behind her, Tojiru stepped around her. Picking up her mask, he examined the craftsmanship and care that went into its making. Each red grove and carving of the mask's snarl was taunting him, provoking him to grasp it tighter in anger. Glaring up at him, she panted under her breaths. The fire did not provoke her fear, but that did not stop her from avoiding it. The heat, the flames, the red – everything about it deterred her. Although the memory of her village's demise was not a distant memory, her unabashed rage during her Chunin Exams fight was still haunting her in her deep thoughts. To make matters worse, the physical exertion she faced before her was far greater than any other training she endured. Not even her trial in the mountains could rival the anguish she felt in the desert.

"Oh?" He smirked, his tone smug. "Upset now, are we? Should I tell Moro-sama you're done for the day?"

"N-No," She pushed herself, biting her lip as she slowly rose from the dirt. "I can still –!"

"Don't be foolish." He interrupted. "Look at you - you're trembling like some frightened child! Tell me... what did Kenzō-sama see in you in the first place?" Noticing the faint sheen of her violet eyes, he sighed. "Ah, that's right - you're a wolf. No wonder you've been getting special treatment from the higher-ups... a new tool to be sharpened at their will. Tell me, wolf - have you ever killed a man before?"

"N-No, sir," She answered, the words jolting her as he spoke. "I... never... -!"

Tossing her mask to the ground, its porcelain shape clattered before her. Snarling up at her, her mask was an image of a pure beast. Its drawn fangs were menacing and eyes were carved thin and lined with red. She wondered if placing the mask upon her changed who she was – or if it failed to make her shed her dutiful innocence. Duty was a conflicting concept to someone such as her, someone who was never cut out to be a shinobi in the first place. Looking back to him, she could see the visible disdain and hatred in his slit eyes. Although his fox-like mask hid his expression, she could still sense his pure contempt swirling around her. Even his chakra was just as ominous.

"Then what use are you? If you can't kill, you can't be a tool. Shinobi are tools... and you are no shinobi!"

A bold anger shivered through her as she eyed him turning on his heel. Gnashing her emerging canines, she sprang towards him from behind. Before he had the chance to react, she slashed the side of his face with a beastly arm covered in white fur and with claws that were as sharp as knives. Crimson leaked from his jawline and porcelain shattered, his hand pressing against the wound while he grit his teeth in anger.

"You horrid bitch!" Knocking her away with a kick, she skid across the sand covered ground with her glare locked onto him. As her arm turned back to normal, she felt her body tense as she saw him draw out his katana from its sheath on his back. It would only be a matter of time before she had to reach for hers. Tojiru took his stance, holding his blade drawn and ready to strike, its metal gleaming from the desert sun above. "I'll show you the wrath of the Sand!"

Instinctually, she grasped the hilt of her blade with her trembling fingers – waiting for him to make a move.

"That's enough! Both of you!"

Jolting them, the demonic mask of their commander entered the foray within a burst of desert winds. Towering over them, Moro eyed them with a scowling glare. Caught off guard, she let the blade slide back into its sheath. Unamused, Tojiru relaxed his stance on the sands, his blade pointing towards the earth with the need for attack still on his mind.

"Tojiru," Moro said, taking off his mask as he turned to the vulpine. "I know Kenzō-sama has made you his right-hand, but don't let that make you forget who's in charge here." His glare stiffened. "I'm the commander of the tracking unit... and you answer to me above all else."

"As you say, Moro-sama." Tojiru answered curtly. Directing his attention to the violet-eyed kunoichi, he gave a sneer. "But I would rather not deal with beasts. They don't seem to listen." Vanishing amongst the winds, the fox-masked tracker-nin disappeared at last.

Turning towards the newest recruit, Moro narrowed his dark eyes. "You there, outsider." Catching her attention, he ignored the fear riddled over her blank face. "No matter how much you may want to... never attack your comrades! You are a shinobi, not a rabid dog. I expect more from you."

Shame marking her eyes, Nomasaki averted her commander's glare. "Yes, sir... I'm sorry."

Watching him take his leave with the donning of his mask, she felt as if she were being watched herself. Looking to her side, she saw the white and red silhouette of her mask snarling towards her. Lifting it from the ground, she looked back into its eyes as she felt the porcelain texture in her dirtied hands. It was snarling back at her.

The mask of a tracker, a hunter – a killer.

The night could not come fast enough…

Darkness danced throughout the corridor.

As midnight drew near, the brisk cold winds of the desert howled throughout the village as the sands swept through the streets in a frenzy. In uttermost silence, a darkened shape scoured the halls and ceilings of the Kazekage's mansion – manoeuvring amongst the shadows without a suspecting gaze from the few ANBU who lurked the corridor. As the young Kazekage walked silently down the darkened hallway alone, the shadowy figure followed – the only indicator of who it was being the moonlight gleaming upon their porcelain mask – Nomasaki. For the last few hours, she was tailing him without a single glimmer of suspicion, knowing full well his detection abilities could not scope her out. Her abilities as a sensor-nin were being put to the test at each and every moment. Every sound, every breath, every footstep alarmed her. Retreating into the shadows as long as she was able was her best bet.

"And if he suspects anything... kill him."

Kenzō's foul words haunted her.

Watching his garb-clothed back in the distance from the darkness, she remembered the ultimate end of her assignment. All she had to do was make sure she remain unseen by her target and she could avoid the worst possible outcome. If she complied, she could see her father - her wretched father, the man who abandoned his wife and child in the cold mountains near sixteen years ago. The mere thought of his existence made her heart heave in her chest with hate. All she wanted was to put her blade to his throat and hear his final words before collapsing in his own blood. Monsters, he called them.

I will show him who the monster is, she thought bitterly, We'll find out soon enough.

Determined to seek out her end goal, she tailed the young Kazekage silently as a shadow. His life would pay for what she wanted, but her heart persisted for another way to meet the ends set by her master. She had to make sure he never caught wind - never. If only it was Kenzō she had to tail instead. Facing Gaara in combat would mean certain death, a fate that made her blood run cold. Hiding from a kage-level ninja would be a daunting task, especially one of his caliber. Gaara suddenly paused – turning around towards where he could sense someone watching him. Stirring inside him, his tailed-beast awoke from the feel of the chakra.

"Someone is tailing you..." Shukaku warned in his psyche. "They're amongst the shadows..."

Sensing a concealed presence, Gaara glared towards the direction of the chakra – heeding his tailed-beast's warning. Edging further into the shadows, the masked tracker-nin climbed effortlessly along the walls as she felt his eyes scan the corridor with strong suspicion. Jolting her, she felt the beast's chakra enter through her senses, pulling, gnawing, grasping her internally. Was it trying to pry her from her hiding place or drag her into its lair for its revenge? She could feel the tanuki's bloodlust in the air around her.

It knew she was there.

Enveloping in her mind, her vision turned black.

It was just like that day, she realized.

Only there were no voices. She could not hear nor see anything, only the darkness that surrounded her in its void. The waters swept at her feet, the rising winds pushing it against her. Scanning through the dark through the eye slits of her wolfish mask, she felt the one-tail nearby. Turning behind herself, Shukaku reared its head. Its jagged jaws appeared from the shadows and wailed a bloodcurdling roar, its violent erupting winds whipping her hair in lashes against her porcelain shroud.

Never had she seen the beast so fearsome.

Standing her ground, she shut her eyes tightly. Focusing her chakra, she pushed its chakra away from her mind, pleading for an escape.

Her eyes shot open as she gasped for breath behind the walls of the corridor.

She was lucky to escape and she knew it – but how did she do so in the first place? Perhaps the beast did manage to pull her - and pull her it did. It was toying with her, failing to even tell its master of her presence. It just wanted to taunt her. Blast the Shukaku, she thought. The tanuki was becoming a dangerous nuisance. Thanks to Gaara's waning seal over the monster, the one-tail was once again becoming something to avoid. Creeping silently against the wall, she calmed herself.

"Who goes there?" Gaara called out, his voice echoing into the dark. "Show yourself!"

Silence.

"They got away... best be on your guard..." Shukaku spoke. "There's another... they're approaching..."

To his relief, there was no one there.

Cleverly she hid herself amongst the shadows of the conjoining hall – taking refuge from the stellar moonlight that beamed through the windows. Despite his calm and stoic demeanor as he continued walking, brushing off the presence as nothing, she could still sense Shukaku's dense and burgeoning chakra lingering on his skin – its bloodlust entering her senses at full force again as she continued to follow him within the darkened corridor.

It could still sense the wolf.

While Gaara walked alone within the confines of his mansion, he sensed the other presence lurking within the corner of his blind spot behind him. She could feel it, too. Once more, she retreated into the cover of the shadows, catching wind of the intruder. There's a presence, she realized, An assassin. Her superior would not take a liking to her meddling in other affairs. The mission could come later, she decided. Pushing Kenzō's demand for espionage at the back of her mind, she propelled herself to investigate. Focusing her sensory perception on the intruder, she snuffed them out. They're close - I have to do something.

At the opposite end of the corridor, a veil-masked ninja stood silently with a kunai in hand, glaring at the young Kazekage's backside from the cover of the hallway. His eyes were dark and menacing, his only allegiance being resistance. Assassins were becoming a commonplace in recent months from the nobles who wanted the jinchuriki removed from power, their loyalty being bought and sold by whoever offered the most gold. Treachery flowed directly through their veins. Waiting for the opportune moment to strike at his target, the assassin prepared his stance to leap out and strike. Death did not scare him – and his sacrifice would mean everything to his master even if it meant nothing to him.

Claws padded against the carpeted floor behind him.

Hearing a faint noise close to where he lurked, a growl ringed upon his ears. Shocked, the fear he pushed aside suddenly became alive as his darkened eyes widened at the sight before him. Turning around, he met the monstrous glare of a wolf barring its fangs at him, its muzzle snarling deeply while its feral purple eyes bore through his masked expression of fright. Within an instant, he made a break for it – dashing towards the direction of the unsuspecting Kazekage. Unfortunately for the assassin, the wolf was high on his trail, bounding towards him as its claws loudly clashed with the stucco floor – a deep bark-like growl ripping through its jaws as it lunged forward. Throwing him to the floor from its massive weight and strength, the wolf's paws restrained his kunai and dominant hand as he tried to strike, snapping at his face with its snarling jaws of gleaming canines. Tearing at his flesh with each snap, the man yelled out as the wolf's white muzzle soon turned red.

His screams echoed against the walls.

Alert, Gaara directed his attention towards the scuffle that was behind him. Approaching with his sand in a swift haze, he seen the white wolf ripping apart the assassin's flak jacket, blood dotting its fur in light waves as it reached the man's flesh. Realizing what was occurring, his ringed-eyes widened. She found the lurking dissident.

"Nomasaki –?!" He shouted. "What are you doing here –?!" As he could see a faint glimmer of the marking on the assassin's body while the beast continued to attack, he jolted. Paper bombs – and lots of them. Covering the assassin's torso beneath his clothes, tens of paper bombs were littered all over his body, painted in the crimson shade of his spurting blood. Swiftly, Gaara appeared between them with his sand – separating the two as his assistant became human once more in the shock of his sudden approach. "Get back!"

Standing before her as she sat crouched, he made his stance – moving his arm before him in a quick and intuitive motion. Within an instant, a violent stream of sand appeared and whisked the man through the window, smashing the glass in a burst of sand and silver as the assassin was sent far off into the night skies over the village. Shielding her face with the black sleeves of her shirt, the blast erupted into the desert sky above. The sound cracked against the dead quiet of the night, debris falling towards the streets below in a burst of flames. Luckily, no one was hurt in the ordeal – and no one had been there to see it other than the Kazekage and his assistant.

Littered across the floor of the silent corridor, shards of glass covered the once immaculate carpet that stretched from one end of the hallway to the other. Where the assassin lay under the snarling beast, faint wisps of crimson were painted on the carpet's deep colored fabric. The sight of the scene from anyone outside would be a high cause for an alarm – that was for certain.

Turning around to face her directly, Gaara gave her a concerned look from the guise of the Kazekage's hat. "Are you alright?"

Collecting herself, Nomasaki realized what had just occurred – nodding to him in response. "Yes," She replied, wiping away a spec of blood from her cheek. "I'm fine." Standing up, she dusted off her pants, making sure the fabric was not tainted with the shards of glass from the shattered window. Meeting his stoic gaze, she gave a small smile. "Thank you, Kazekage-sama."

He eyed her confused. "Why are you here? You were dismissed hours ago."

I have to lie... or else... "I sensed someone enter the village earlier." She answered, her face calm. "I followed them here, so I could... stop them."

"Kazekage-sama!"

"Gaara!"

Turning towards the other way, Kankuro and two Suna chunin were running to where the Kazekage stood – alarmed from the sudden explosion in the sky. Their expressions were frantic as they approached, coming to a sudden halt before their leader. "Gaara!" Kankuro shouted, stopping before him. "What the hell just happened? There was an explosion outside!"

"An assassin," He answered, gesturing towards the broken window with a nod. "From my knowledge, they were tailing me for most of the night. That was until Nomasaki discovered him and drew him out."

"Assassin?" Kankuro glared, angered by the news. "Could it be the dissidents are still…-?!"

"Yes, it appears that's the case. He was covered in paper bombs, and I'm certain I was his target. I could've stopped him myself, but Nomasaki –?" To his surprise, she was gone – as if vanished from the corridors. Curiously, he looked towards the direction where she previously stood – pondering why she was within the mansion so late at night and how she was able to discover the assassin so fast. As his council predicted, she would definitely prove herself to be a useful asset to have around thanks to her sensory abilities – and at this particular time, he was grateful.

"What do you mean?" Kankuro asked, raising a brow in confusion. "Nomasaki attacked him?"

"She was just here," Gaara replied. "If not for her, I would've had a fight on my hands."

"I didn't see her. Why would she be around the mansion this late at night, anyways?"

"I'm… not sure…"

While Gaara filled in his sibling and guards of what transpired, Nomasaki silently sat along the cold wall of the joining hallway – slowly and silently disappearing into the shadows as she placed the porcelain mask back onto her face. The mask snarling towards the moonlight as she took her place within the darkness…