Chapter 16
Akatsuki's Arrival

Weeks passed...

Once the meeting with the Suna Council was over that day, Gaara returned to his office within the stronghold of the Kazekage's mansion – going over mission papers and status reports from the border patrol squadrons. Shortly after his arrival, Nomasaki returned from her first mission as an official rookie with the tracker corps and resumed her normal duties as his assistant. Wearing a casual blue and white kimono-like dress rather than her Suna shinobi attire and flak jacket, she wore her silky hair down and kept her clipboard of reminders and papers close by. It was a job she was very proud of – aiding someone she considered a friend and the village where she now called home, performing tasks such as helping him with his mountains of paperwork, fetching him tea, and organizing his schedule amongst other things. Her mask and tracking attire was hidden behind a series of clay bricks within the darkened corridor, the thought stiffening her motions throughout the day. Kenzō or Tojiru could summon her at any time - and she had to be ready no matter the time. As of late, they had become eerily tense within their secret meetings within the decaying chambers they gathered.

Something was within their sights, she realized, And it's in my best interest I shouldn't find out.

"Wolf-girl," Kenzō spoke earlier. "Your orders are to remain within the village until summoned. Do I make myself clear?"

She pondered cautiously. "But... what if Commander Moro summons me to -?"

"You answer to me!" He snapped, dignified and controlled. "I don't care what orders that brute gives you... you are to remain. Is that clear?"

Tojiru sneered through his mask. "The outsider refuses to listen... should you be so surprised, Kenzō-sama?"

"Fine." Nomasaki surrendered, her violet eyes narrowed.

She could not shake the foreboding feeling her blood gave her as it writhed and boiled beneath her tightened grip on her clipboard. Although the Kazekage's office was a calm and comforting room with a dry desert breeze flowing from the open window, it did nothing to ease what her gut provoked. Something was amiss for sure, but she was uncertain as to what she should be sensing. There were no strange chakras, no disarray, no panic outside - nothing.

Then why do I feel this way?

Gaara did little to ease her worries. The next round of Chunin Exams were due for arrival, and his paperwork was at its peak. Since he loosened the restrictions on foreign visitors and immigration, the village was bustling with new families and citizens who aspired to be shinobi. The prejudice remained amongst the elders, however. That would never change, but one could hope that it would change slowly. Despite their daily closeness, she did hold slight fear of him due to his remarkable prowess, reminding herself he contained the skill of earning the rank of Kage at his young age and his status as a formidable jinchuriki. She knew he would never hurt her again, but the feel of Shukaku's chakra still haunted her since the day she seen it rear its fearful strength towards her. She tried not to remember the wounds Gaara inflicted upon her those few years ago, but her senses reminded her constantly as it detected the tanuki's blood-thirsty presence within his office every day she worked.

It got worse since he loosened the seal, she thought.

Despite her fear of Shukaku, she knew she could trust Gaara and that she was safe in his hands. After all, he was not the monster - despite Shinto convincing her to see otherwise. Gaara's reign as the village's Kazekage for nearly a year left its mark, his strength admirable and fairly obvious, and mostly importantly – Shukaku was dormant. At least, for a time. Despite his victory over control from the beast two years prior, Shukaku's defective seal was once again becoming weakened through a compromise between demon and host. As she could still sense its chakra stirring nearby while she worked alongside him, it never emerged nor attacked her like it did that time in the forest. Since that day, the memory of the sand creeping up on her was lurking within her nightmares.

"If anything were to happen where it emerges, get away from here as soon as you can."

The words the council told her when she took the job rang through her mind almost every day as a warning – and she accepted that warning wholeheartedly. Even though she was afraid of his chakra, she could feel something else as she stood idly by his side while he worked, something that was not the burgeoning presence of Shukaku, but a feeling of warmth that comforted her. They were comrades turned friends, turned coworkers - and yet, the feeling persisted. No matter how long she pondered the thought, she could not figure out what it was. If anything, it was guilt. Keeping her thoughts to herself, she continued her duties as his assistant.

Afterall, he was the Kazekage and she was a wolf.

That was something she accepted from the start.

Without the Kazekage's knowledge, she also kept her word to Kenzō – spying on the young ruler as he would return to his chambers each night while she remained undetected and a fly on the wall. Not since that time of the assassin weeks ago, it appeared Gaara did not suspect a single thing. Although, the monster that lurked within him might have a hunch as to who or what was following them during the darkened hours of the night. Shukaku was no fool, and neither was she. The beast knew she was following him that one time, but if Gaara knew - she was unsure. She hoped he was unaware. He would be safe from Kenzō's hands, she reminded herself, And mine.Every moment she placed that mask upon her face was a moment where she cleansed herself from all that her existence knew of him. He was her target, nothing more. Putting aside her admiration and held friendship for him, she followed through on the demands of her mission and made sure she did not let the jinchuriki out of her sight – or that he was aware of her assignment to begin with.

She was determined to keep that a secret above all else.

Making her way down the winding corridor, Nomasaki found herself within the sights of the councilmen. Conversing with one another as she walked past, they seemingly ignored her. Thankfully, she thought to herself. As she overheard what they were saying, she caught on to their conversation. Dissidents, she realized.

"...The Kazekage once again rebels against our ancient customs." One groaned. "How can the village survive if we depend on other lands?"

"He's still too young to understand." One reasoned. "That much, is expected."

"He's certainly not his father." Another chimed in. "But that might be both a blessing and a curse."

"There's foreigners walking about in our village - our village! The audacity of this decision is daunting. Never in my years have I ever -!" They saw her. Glaring to the strange-eyed outsider who stood across the corridor, the elders watched her suspiciously. "As I said... because of you outsiders, the village will fall."

Their words suddenly made her feel strangely brave. "The village has already fallen years ago." She corrected. "I'm just a kunoichi, not an army."

The councillor seethed. "You -!"

"Michi-sama," Baki entered, stern-faced and cross. "As a councillor, I expected more from you. To go from commanding the ANBU years ago to insulting the Kazekage's young assistant must not have been your ideal decline."

"She provoked me." Michi defended. "Or should I say, her existence provoked me. These lands are ours, not for the likes of them!"

Baki stood firm. "She's a shinobi of Suna. She is of our lands. Also, it's my understanding that there sits a councillor who is from a foreign land. Am I not mistaken?" Michi stood unamused. "I stand correct, then. The jonin commanders need this space. Leave us."

Disgruntled, Michi and the councillors who conversed with him departed down the hall. Watching their backs leave, Nomasaki turned to Baki in slight surprise. Never did she expect the man who interrogated her so harshly years ago to defend her. "Baki-sama," She said. "Thanks for that."

"Their insults have no place here." He acknowledged, his face iron-firm. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have intel to report to the higher-ups."

Nodding, she was left beside herself. Continuing on her way, there were more councillors speaking to each other as they pooled from the chamber's open doors. Keeping to herself, she avoided all eye contact with them out of fear for hearing from Kenzō. Although an act of disrespect in Suna's culture, she continued on with her floor-locked pace. As silence entered her senses once more with the departure of the councilmen and their chatter, she was once again free to continue as usual. Striking her senses, she suddenly felt the presence of someone watching her closely. Pausing, she turned towards them.

Captain Yura.

Once a young and talented shinobi, he was the captain of the Sunagakure's border patrol and a trusted senior advisor to the Kazekage. His glare towards her as she passed by was unsettling, she thought – his eyes locked onto her as she made the bend of the hall. Pausing once she was out of sight, she narrowed her eyes towards his direction. His chakra felt strange and distorted all at once, lurking the halls only steps away from where she was concealed. She had crossed paths with him once before, she remembered – but his chakra certainly did not feel like that.

Was there something amiss?

By the time she returned to the Kazekage's office that evening, the sun was soon disappeared from the desert sky.

With a stern glance, Gaara was filling out the vast amounts of paperwork that sat upon his desk, placing the finished forms neatly into their respective piles beside his pot of cacti as Nomasaki stood beside him diligently – awaiting for his next request for assistance. With a brief stroke, the pen in his hand paused upon the paper. In the back of his mind, he sensed something that alerted his attention – and Shukaku was sounding the alarm.

"An intruder…!" The beast grumbled in his psyche. "Watch the skies...! They're here... for you."

Turning towards the window behind him, he could see something flying in the darkening sky, its silhouette darkened and with great wings that bounded against the air. The distant shadowy figure was shaped as if it were a large bird - a very unusual sight for the lands of the desert, considering there were no birds known to their barren country other than the vultures and other birds of prey. With narrowed ringed-eyes holding suspicion, he peered at the great creature, analyzing its motives from afar.

"Is something wrong?" Nomasaki spoke, stepping closer to the window.

"It's nothing," He replied, turning back to her. "You can sense it, too… can't you?"

Slightly surprised by his observation, she turned towards his gaze at the window. Through the aged glass, she saw the darkened shape bound through the far-off winds of the sunset. Upon seeing the suspicious shape, her eyes narrowed as she could sense their menacing chakra close by – its erratic presence and aggressive nature alarming her more than the rising presence of his inner demon.

"Yes, it's… puzzling." She said, her eyes stern. "Whoever it is, they made it past our defenses. Their chakra is also disturbing, so I take it they are a formidable foe." As she watched the mysterious shape in the sky draw closer, her eyes appeared worried. "I have a bad feeling about this…" Turning towards him, she noticed his unwavering gaze at the figure. He was completely invested in his focus, his tanuki-like eyes narrowed into a glare as he examined its flight above the orange village skies. Not once during her tenure as his assistant had she seen him so troubled, and it worried her. "Do you think… this could be the Akatsuki?"

"Perhaps," He replied. "The Suna Council described them as unorthodox in method, so it's a possibility. Even so, I wouldn't be surprised…"

After a moment of watching the shadowy figure bound against the skies once more, he accepted its taunt. With a furrow to his expression, he stood up from his chair and started towards the door at the end of the room. Startling her from his action, she stepped towards him, her expression alert and bewildered. "Gaara-sama –,"

"Nomasaki, you stay here." He said, pausing in the doorway, his voice stern-sounding. "I'll be right back. In the meantime, alert the ANBU to guard the village perimeter for the remainder of the night. Things might get out of hand… we must protect the villagers."

"Where are you going?" She asked, turning towards him – her eyes wide and concerned for his sudden actions, clutching her clipboard tightly to her chest. "You can't possibly… –?"

Glancing towards her, she could see the brisk seriousness in his ringed turquoise eyes, conveying his authority as leader of the village to her – the eyes of a Kage. Meeting her concerned glance, his ringed-eyes were tinted with a protective and swift nature of a natural ruler with a ferocity for conflict.

"…I'm going to greet our intruder."

Surprising her, he left his office alone with the thud of the closing wooden door. Swallowing her concern, she accepted the fact that he had gone to face the unknown foe who infiltrated Suna without any warning – and she had a task to complete. Her gut twisted with unease, reminding her of the feeling she sensed earlier that morning. It was for certain a bad omen.

Moments later after he departed for imminent battle, Nomasaki started down the hallway towards the ANBU meeting chambers. Standing before a squad of fifteen ANBU, she stood calmly and controlled before them – relaying her urgent message from the Kazekage. "Those are Kazekage-sama's orders." She finished. "They are called the Akatsuki and could have reinforcements. I sense no other enemies nearby, but just in case, guard the perimeter of Suna."

Their concealed faces nodding, they accepted the command. "Understood!" Within a flash, the ANBU disappeared from her sight in an instant - heading towards the battle that was only just beginning to wage. Standing still, her lilac eyes narrowed as she could sense a sinister presence lurking behind her. Keeping her emotions in check, she stood her ground, clutching the clipboard against her breast. From the corner of her eye, a malicious-looking Suna-nin appeared from the winding corridor, exerting an intimidating presence while he stood behind her in the hallway.

"You're all alone." He grinned. "Kazekage-sama's secretary, is that it?"

Hiding her anger and fear, she turned her body towards him. They've infiltrated the village, she realized, But this one... he has a Suna headband. Masking her expression with a warm friendly smile, she forced herself to not break under the emerging fear. Wolves do not fear, she reminded herself, Wolves devour fear. "Hello, there." She spoke, calmly. "May I... assist you?"

"Yes..." The man replied, with an eerie undertone. "I would like you... –," Suddenly, a glimmer of a kunai appeared from his sleeve. Grasping the weapon in his hand, he bolted towards her as she stood with her guard down. "...to DIE!"

Swiftly, as he approached, she set aside her clipboard and dodged his lunge by a hair - the air from the attack breezing against her expressionless face. Suddenly, he lunged forward again with the kunai. Without breaking a sweat, she grabbed his wrist and took hold of his weapon with her other hand. Her training within the desert village suddenly appeared before her eyes, and soon the silhouette of animal masks flashed before her. Her heart dropped. Act quickly, she forced herself, Act quickly!

"But... but how?!" He coughed, his teeth gnashed in anger. "You're just... –!"

"A woman?" She asked. "Yes, I'm a woman. Also, you're wrong on the secretary-part... –," Glancing up to her eyes, he felt the contempt and suppressed rage within them, her eyes appearing almost feral in anger. Flinching near death, he swore he met the eyes of a monster, a beast – a wolfish creature glaring into the broken confines of his departing soul. Was this death, he thought, Or a mere figment of the mind?! The gleam of her protruding canines were convincingly real – and so was the bore of her beastly narrowed eyes. "I'm Kazekage-sama's assistant." She spat. "You treacherous fool!"

"A shinobi who cannot kill is not a shinobi... Those who can't be true shinobi are cowards…"

Tojiru's mocking words rang in her ears.

Turning the tables on his attack, she stabbed him in the chest with his own weapon before he could even process what had happened, puncturing his flesh. He sank to his knees, blood running from his wound and painting his flak jacked in fresh crimson. Coughing up blood, his eyes began to glaze over. "Ōkami...! Damn you...!"

With a loud thud, his body hit the carpeted floor of the hallway, staining the rug with crimson. Kneeling down towards her defeated would-be attacker, she narrowed at his Suna shinobi attire and the gleam of his headband – the emblem of shared village loyalty visible from the scattered light of the corridor. His strange chakra felt similar to Captain Yura's, she thought to herself, Distorted. Within a few mere moments, his final breaths sputtered from his bloodied lips. Suddenly, the reality set in around her in that corridor.

She made a kill.

Her first one.

Eyes wide, she felt her hands tremor at the sight before her. Dressed as a comrade, her enemy lay slain upon the floor. Her shivering fingers grazing his flak jacket and the bloodstained puncture of the kunai lodged into his chest, she made sure that he was dead. As the crimson painted her fingers, it was clear to her that he was not waking up anytime soon.

"Nomasaki!"

Turning towards the voice, she seen Baki running towards her from the beginning of the corridor, accompanied by Kankuro and two other Suna shinobi. Their expressions were reasonably shocked as their footsteps came to a screeching halt before her and the dead. Gritting his teeth, Baki glanced down towards the corpse of the enemy, examining their flak jacket and the blood that pooled upon the floor and on her hands.

"What happened?!" He demanded, the shinobi at his sides readying their weapons from their concealment. "Explain yourself at once!"

"Baki-sama –!" Her words clattered from her throat. "It's not what it looks like –!"

"You have scarce time amongst yourself. That man has a Suna headband, he's one of ours!"

"This man," She began, swallowing her fear and glancing to the side in suspicion. "I believe he was one of the Akatsuki spies."

"Are you certain?" Kankuro pressed, disturbed by the sight.

Nodding towards him, she gave a stern glance, hiding the shock that trembled through her. She was a shinobi, she remembered - she had to hide her emotions, especially in times of war. Turning to the lifeless corpse before her, her lilac eyes narrowed in suspicion. "He was lurking in the halls all evening, since Gaara-sama left his office. He was tailing me for about an hour, and then proceeded to attack me once the Kazekage was gone. His chakra also felt distorted, somehow. I don't know how to explain it… but it was… ominous."

"Damn it!" Baki spat, angered. "Blast the Akatsuki! They must have been planting spies all around the village... This whole time!"

"It must be a forbidden jutsu," Kankuro added. "In the early days, the puppet corps used a technique to create spies, or sleeper agents, to spy for Suna." Looking down at the defeated enemy, he analyzed their defeated and gaping expression. "This one must've been under that jutsu... then planted in Suna as a chunin to avoid suspicion."

"Shit," Baki grit his teeth. "So, it seems that's the case. Those bastards...!"

"What are we to do, sir?" One of the idle Suna-nin asked. "There could be more within our corridors as we speak."

Baki turned to them, his expression stern and urgent. "Report to the village's center," He commanded. "We must protect all civilians!"

"Yes, sir!"

"You look rattled,"

Jolting her, she turned to meet the narrowed glance of the Kazekage's older brother. Pausing beside her, she saw the glint of his dark eyes examining her expression, breaking through the cracks of her calm expression. She felt as though he could see the shock painted within her eyes. It was intrusive, she thought. Just like his younger brother, he seemed to be able to read her eyes well. Only with Kankuro, it felt as though she were being examined by a stranger.

"Were you hurt?" He asked.

It was a strange question coming from him. Only scarcely in the year she was Gaara's assistant had she interacted with the younger puppet-master. The air of distrust was around him, his guarded expression conveying it to her without uttering a single word.

"Are you alright?"

"No," She brought herself to answer. "I... –," Her words stopped. Swallowing her fear, she met his eyes. "...I just killed a man."

Taken aback, Kankuro stood silent from her words. Glancing back towards the corpse of the fallen who lay sprawled against the bloodied floor, he noted the blood still painting her pale hands. He suddenly remembered the difference and gaps between them. She was from a far off land sheltered from the shinobi world. Never had she experienced the lifestyle of shinobi until she wandered through their village gates those two years ago. Her violet eyes held a scarred innocence to them.

He turned back to her, his eyes empathetic. "He was controlled by the enemy and would've killed you." He said. "It couldn't be helped."

"Nomasaki," Baki's approaching voice drew both of their attention. "Can you sense Captain Yura?"

Diverting her attention away from her mortal crime, she formed a single hand-sign and closed her eyes. In deep focus, she entered her sensory abilities. All around her, she felt the chakra of her surrounding comrades, all the civilians outside, and the growing dark chakra of the foes who entered the village. Not too far off, she sensed Gaara. His chakra was fraught with the feel of Shukaku, the beast exerting a pulse within his as he countered attacks from the enemy.

But no Captain Yura.

Opening her eyes, she shook her head. "No, he's gone." She answered. "I can't sense his chakra anywhere – and believe me, if he lingered I could detect it." Gesturing her glance towards the body of the slain Suna ninja, their glances followed. "His chakra was disturbed... like that man."

"And Gaara –!" Kankuro entered, sternly. "Where is he?"

"He's fighting the enemy. He's above the village, in the skies."

After the other two Sand ninja were deployed, Baki turned to them. "Kankuro, Nomasaki. We have to report to Kazekage-sama, in case he requires assistance!"

Nodding, they followed Baki to the rooftop of the Kazekage's mansion towards the emerging threat. That night as the full moon rose above them, hundreds of villagers and ninja crowded the streets to see the grand spectacle above. In the darkened sky, their young Kazekage was battling a mysterious cloaked enemy upon a clay bird – fending off explosive attacks with his impervious sand. Up above in battle with the Kazekage, Deidara was engaged in combat, using his explosive-style attacks. A feared rogue ninja from Iwagakure of the Land of Earth, Deidara was infamously known as the terrorist who destroyed everything he ever touched. Within each blast and lunge of the sand, his yellow hair whipped across his mechanical eye as he moved closer to the young Kazekage – his black and red cloak swaying rapidly in the violent desert winds.

"Kazekage-sama's opponent…" A Suna ninja began. "By his garb, I suspect he's a member of the Akatsuki."

"I thought so." Kankuro replied, watching the battle above beside Baki and Nomasaki. "I guess we were right about those sleeper-agents after all…"

Witnessing the battle with lilac eyes filled with worry, Nomasaki stood alongside them, narrowing her eyes into a glare as she watched the rogue-cloaked ninja launch attacks towards Gaara above. She could not help but think Kenzō might have had a hand in allowing the intruders to slip past their gates so easily. I have to keep my wits about me, she thought, He may very well be behind this... which is why I was told to stay, most likely. "Akatsuki…" She repeated, quietly. "How foul…"

As she began to weave a hand-sign for a wind-release jutsu, Baki suddenly held out his arm in front of her – blocking her silent attempt of aide. "No, Nomasaki." He commanded. "We can't risk hitting Kazekage-sama by accident. Stand-by for now, until given orders."

Averting her gaze in slight embarrassment, she lowered her hands, surrendering her jutsu. "Forgive me, Baki-sama." She apologized, quietly. "I… couldn't help myself."

With a stern look, Baki turned to the squad of Suna shinobi behind them. "Prepare to battle now! We must cover Kazekage-sama!" He commanded. "Medical corps, erect a shield and evacuate all non-combatants!"

"Yes, sir!" They nodded.

Within a blink of an eye, they dispersed into the village, following their given orders.

"Kankuro," Baki spoke.

"Sir?" Kankuro answered, turning to him.

"We must consider the possibility of Gaara going feral and have a contingency plan in case Shukaku emerges." Baki said, sternly. "We must consider the worst-case scenario."

Kankuro gnashed his teeth for a moment from the thought of the monster, the feared Sand Spirit. After a moment, his expression calmed – remembering the growth of his younger brother and his strong resolve to protect his comrades. After remembering Gaara's words he told him two years ago on his dream to become Kazekage, he smirked to himself, knowing there was no way he would cause the village harm. "Come on, no way." He said. "Gaara wouldn't hurt any villagers."

Up above in the night sky, Deidara's clay creation had sudden expanded in his palm – its ghastly expression conveying widespread destruction and fire. "I should destroy this village, hmm?" He cackled. "It's distasteful to be attacked from below, hmm? And I'm tired of seeing your expressionless face!"

Suddenly, the giant clay bomb plummeted towards the village in weighted speed – on its path to wipe the desert clean of civilian life. Shocked, Gaara's eyes widened as he looked on at the threat to his village – pondering what he could do to stop it before it was too late.

"What is that?!"

"It's coming straight for us!"

With frightened worried eyes, Nomasaki watched the descending attack as she could sense the doom conveyed by the bomb's expression – fearing the worst.

"Not good!" Baki shouted, directing the Sand ninja and villagers behind him. "Run!"

At that moment, Deidara formed a hand-sign, grinning menacingly as the villagers began to scream and panic in the streets as the bomb drew closer. Then it was detonated. All of the sudden, there was a great blinding flash and a deafening blast.

As if fire was set to the desert sky.

When Nomasaki opened her eyes, she was surprised of the sight. Blanketing the entire village from above, a massive wall of sand broke between the sky – protecting everyone from the Akatsuki's attack. Weakened from the amount of chakra he used, Gaara panted within his floating cocoon of sand, his strength and chakra nearing its ultimate limits.

"You're in range, hmm?" Deidara said, grinning.

Forming a single hand-sign, he glanced at the exhausted jinchuriki. Jolting, Gaara's eyes widened from the sight - from the corner of his eye, he saw a tiny clay bird inches away from him, one of Deidara's bombs. Suddenly, it exploded before him, striking the sand surrounding him with a fiery might. When the smoke faded, the sand shield surrounding Gaara became completely enclosed, protecting him like a shell. He was unharmed, thanks to his prowess.

Smirking at him, Deidara shot him a glare. "Swift and resilient."

To Gaara's shock, tiny clay spiders crawled out through the cracks of his sand shield from the inside, pacing towards him – leaving no time to react.

Without mercy, Deidara formed his signature hand-sign.

And it was all over.

From below, the villagers keeping watch saw the sand shield shudder, hearing the muffled blast that was inside it. Slowly, the cocoon of sand started to crumble away into nothing in the night sky above. As the sand fell, Gaara was seen – injured and weak, with his sand armor crumbling off his body. Although it was hard for the villagers to believe, Gaara had been defeated by the Akatsuki foe.

He lost.

Slowly, his weakened ringed-eyes closed as his head of crimson slumped forward - losing all traces of consciousness. As his sand was gone with the desert winds, he descended from the night sky – to his death. Shocked and horrified, Nomasaki cupped her hands over her mouth. "Oh no!" She gasped. "Gaara!"

"G-Gaara!" Kankuro shouted.

Suddenly, Deidara's clay bird swooped down and snatched the young Kazekage with its tail, flying away from the village with the young ruler in capture. Looking back at the captured jinchuriki, he smirked at his defeated crumbling body.

"Snagging you alive was the hard part," He spoke. "And a most satisfying end to this masterpiece."

To the village's horror, the Fifth Kazekage was gone.

Captured by the mysterious enemy in the cloak of red clouds…

Notes: Ōkami (狼), translated to "wolf" in Japanese, are spirits within Japanese folklore believed to be the messengers of the gods, or "kami" and can either be benevolent or malevolent beings. There are tales of ōkami escorting humans to their villages and even protecting them, while others involve the ōkami betraying their human companions.