Chapter 34
A Promise
The winds stilled.
Her fingers trembled in the sand as they clasped the grains in her palms, the red iron staining the ground beneath her. Shaking, she hung her head low and closed her eyes tightly, trying her best to prevent her tears from escaping. But it was no use to quell her shaken heart. As her tears fell from her shut eyes, she let out a pained wail of grief. Her last and only remnant of her home of the north was gone forever – her loyal companion and guardian. And he gave his life protecting her, the fragment of her ancestors.
The last wolf was left in shambles.
"Hanone…!" She wept, her entire body quivering. "I'm sorry…! I'm so sorry…"
Looking on in shared sorrow, Kyō stood silent and witnessed his daughter shout on the red sands, mourning her loss in her emotionally fragile state. Taught all her shinobi life to conceal her emotions, she could not bear to hold them within any longer. Curse the shinobi world, she thought, How else would I be able to cope? Hanone would never have died if this war never happened... if Yamagakure was never destroyed... If - her thoughts trailed.
She had to remember - she was still on dangerous ground.
And the Edo Tensei must be stopped.
As her breathing returned to normal after crying out into the still air, she opened her eyes and glanced at her bloodstained hands before her – her damp eyes narrowed in hatred for the caster of the Edō Tensei. Wiping away the tears from her cheeks, she knew that the battle against her reanimated mother was far from over. As her hands were painted with her wolf's blood, Nomasaki clenched her fists as she lifted herself up from the ground where he gave his final breath – eyeing the resurrected enemy with a glare tinted with sorrow and great anger all at once. She could sense her mother regenerating her lost torso and limbs as the flutter of decay surrounded her grey body as if moths to a flame.
She gave in to her rage.
"Curse you!" She yelled. "I'll drag you to hell!"
Never before had she felt such intense hatred for someone before. Grounding herself in the sands, she suddenly ripped through her skin and changed into a snarling beast – a thick coat of white fur enveloping her as a loud snarl broke through her morphing muzzle of sharp glistening canines. Digging her claws into the dirt, the wolf gave a ghastly growl from its jaws and dashed towards the resurrected kunoichi in pure ferality.
She was not a shinobi – she was a wolf.
Before Mikomi could react, the snarling beast leapt towards her and tore off a limb in an instant – particles of her fragile husk scattered amongst the winds. Before the wolf could lunge towards her once more, Mikomi gave a snarl as she shook off her paper skin and became a wolf as well. Lunging towards her daughter, the decaying wolf with the dead lilac eyes snapped and tore at the fur clinging to her thick mane. Tumbling and yelping as they exchanged bites and swipes of their clawed feet, the two white wolves rolled in the disturbed dunes with fanged barred. Although a snap decision on Nomasaki's part, it proved to be a dangerous one as Mikomi's size was larger than her own, near rivaling the size of her summon who was alive only moments ago. Nearing the size of the direwolves spoken in legends of the Land of Frost, Mikomi was much larger and far much stronger. However, she was not faster.
After hitting a drop from the dunes, the two wolves were separated at last. Bounding around the large snarling wolf that waited to strike out, Nomasaki leapt from the cover of the mists – landing a hit towards Mikomi's hind leg. Then, another to her neck, the fragments of her husk erupting into the air from the impact. Suddenly, there was silence as the smaller white wolf disappeared in sight and sound.
A faint growl erupted into the still air.
Out of the heavy mists that concealed the battlefield along the battered coastline, the smaller white wolf leapt out from its hiding place with only one thing on its mind – the hunt. Lunging towards the towering wolf, Nomasaki landed upon its backside. Without a second thought, her fangs dug into its coarse and decaying fur and pulled from it a pound of charred flesh and bone – the pieces bursting into fragments as her form desperately tried to reassemble itself. Yelping and growling, Mikomi's body shook as it tried to shake the pest from its back. Unrelenting, Nomasaki bit into another spot, travelling closer and closer to the neck.
The hunt was made.
Release the jutsu! Release the jutsu!
Furiously, the larger wolf whipped itself around, forcing Nomasaki to grab it by the tail with her jaws. Upon making face to face contact as Mikomi's tail brought her closer, their muzzles flared in monstrous snarls as their ears flattened against their heads. Once more, they quarreled, snapping towards each other with their fanged jaws against the sands. Ferociously, the larger wolf struck her. Forcefully, Nomasaki was flung against the dunes, her wolf form striking the sands with a loud thud and a pained yelp followed by an angered whimper. Circling her, the large wolf barred its fangs and arched its back as it watched the small white wolf transform back into its human form. Wiping the blood from her lips, Nomasaki found her strength to stand once more against her reanimated and demonic mother. Startling her for a moment, she sensed an oncoming attack approach from her right.
From the corner of her eye, a large blast of wind struck the snarling wolf that stood before her.
It knocked the beast away, sending it apart in scattered pieces that struggled to reform the shape of its fallen shinobi. Turning behind, she saw her father in fighting stance – his palms and fingers still locked in his last weaved hand-sign. "Dad!" A snarl echoed. Looking back towards the wolf, she narrowed her eyes towards it as she felt her rage begin to fade. "Mother's really strong... she's the toughest opponent I've ever faced. Our jutsu repertoire is nearly the same!"
"She was quite the shinobi in her time... perhaps the one who summoned her knew of her existence." Kyō said, glaring towards the beast. "Orochimaru was said to have robbed graves for his samples... That snake-bastard must've known... I wouldn't put it past him!" He glanced to her. "Do you have any jutsu she can't wield? Mikomi is a master at wind-release, she can use earth-release, but her water-release is not the strongest. Water-release would be our best bet to defeating her and sealing her away once the sealing corps arrives."
Nomasaki flinched. "My water-release is my weakest. I only just learned it not even before I was a jonin." And I needed the help of those three Kiri-nin when we used it against Pakura-sama. "I can try the Water Dragon Bullet, but I don't have much chakra left."
Knowing she had to end the battle quickly before her chakra was depleted, she thought hard for an effective strategy. Her third and final chakra nature transformation, water-release was something she still struggled to harness. She was lucky she was able to help use that jutsu against the scorch-release user. Alone, she would have ben incinerated. As shinobi would become stronger with time, it was not unheard of for some to have three chakra natures. She was born with the wind and learned how to change the earth when she was all but a chunin. Water was her last and only option – and the nature she was weakest at using. Detecting footsteps beside her, she kept her glance locked on her slowly regenerating mother.
She clenched her worn and bloodied fists. "...I only have enough for one shot, but that's all I can do."
"We're running low on time," Her father spoke, pausing beside her with a glare locked towards the fragmented wolf. "I'll help you finish this. Clan law or not, this is war. This being is not the Mikomi I've loved, or your mother. This is a wight brought back from the dead... commanded by the Akatsuki."
"I need a diversion while I form my jutsu," She said. "My water-release is new to me… so I will need appropriate time to cast the jutsu. Can you do this for me?"
"Of course, I'm your father - and a father must always support his children!" Grasping the sheath of his katana strapped on the back of his tan flak jacket, he formed a single hand-sign. "Follow my lead, and quickly!" In a flash, her father leapt forward with his blade, a thick aura of wind encasing it like a veil. The katana pierced the very air it touched. "Wind release! Wind Blade!"
As Mikomi's human husk was nearly healed by her caster, she reached out as if to counter the blade. Her hand was sliced clean off in an instant from the approaching winds of fury. Again, Kyō struck her - this time slicing her torso. The third slice removed a leg, and the fourth made her burst into a thousand pieces. "Now, Nomasaki!" He shouted. "Quick, before she regenerates!"
"Right!" I need to act now! Forming the hand-signs needed, Nomasaki solidified her stance for her technique.
Ushi.
Saru.
U.
Tori.
Wincing, her body pulsed at her gesture, forcing her to fall to her knees in weakness. My strength is failing me, my wounds are starting to hurt. She prevented a curse from escaping her iron lips. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself up again as she could sense her father begin to struggle against Mikomi's counters with her regenerating hands and wind-release attacks. Clapping her hands together at the end of the jutsu's hand-signs, she could feel the force of her chakra squeezing the last bit of strength she had left, gnashing her fanged teeth in desperation for the jutsu to arrive in time. Please work, please... Summon my chakra!
Miraculously, she felt its presence awakening – its flow sweeping before her.
"Water Release! Water Dragon Bullet!"
Appearing before her from the water vapor of the shroud of mist and fog, a large beast-like form emerged from the water that collected on the battlefield. As its massive shadow covered its target from a distance, her father leapt from its reach as it let out a wail in pursuit. Dashing towards Mikomi in a violent speed, the dragon of water lashed out at the resurrected woman, fending off against the wind-release counters she summoned. Suddenly, in a quick movement, the dragon struck her abdomen – sending her decaying body across the desert sands with a thud. While the fragments of her husk desperately tried to reconstruct as her body was cut in half – destroyed beyond reasonable repair.
And then she was swallowed by the raging waters.
"Quickly! This way!" As Kyō turned, he seen a team of four sealing shinobi from Suna approach from beyond the dunes, scurrying towards the battlefield in urgent speed. "The resurrected enemy is directly ahead!" One called. "Ready the binding cloth and sealing tags!"
As she lay separated on the dry earth below, the woman's eyes suddenly changed from white to their familiar pale purple. As if a saving final grace, her mother regained her mortal consciousness. Mikomi looked down in shame. Her lilac pupils shone slightly in her severe decaying state, making her joyous sadness appearing almost human. "You've done well, Nomasaki." She said, softly. "I'm… proud of you. You managed to stop me... I'm grateful for that."
Her strength finally left her. Collapsing to her knees, Nomasaki panted heavy breaths. Exhaustion from the overuse of chakra was never an easy obstacle to overcome. Every muscle fibre of her body ached, and she had wounds that needed to be healed. She felt as if she were hit by a tonne of bricks. She winced at her leg, feeling the muscle stretch further from its proper place. "At least now the enemy can't use you…" She panted. "When the caster releases the Edō Tensei, you'll be free. You can return to the Pure Land when this is all over... and be at peace."
"Mikomi," Kyō spoke, stepping forward. "I…–,"
"No need." As he stood in surprise of her interruption, Mikomi smiled warmly at him. She remembered him as soon as she met his worn hazel eyes. Her husband. "It's alright. I understood the circumstances… You only did what you had to do for the sake of our family... I don't blame you for anything."
Tears forming in his eyes, he nodded, acknowledging her words. "Mikomi…"
"I should be the one to apologize." Mikomi spoke, her decayed body unable to regenerate in her split state. Sealing cloth danced around her frayed lower half. "I couldn't gather the courage to tell our daughter the truth… why you left… For that, I'm sorry… to both of you…"
Trying to mask her pain, Nomasaki closed her eyes in hopes of repressing her sorrow. "It's okay, mom." She assured. "I now understand why... Father did it to protect us. It was his duty... to protect the ones he loved." The sobs rose back into her throat, hanging her head low with shut eyes. "Just as Hanone...–,"
She could not bring herself to say the rest.
"Yes," Mikomi nodded, understanding. "Hanone fulfilled his promise to me... He protected you and he cared for you deeply... He was true to his word... right until the very end..." Closing her faded eyes, her empty husk felt a tinge of mortal sorrow. "I'm so sorry for what happened... My body isn't my own... It moved by itself, bending to the will of that caster... I regret that we are reunited in this way... As your mother, I apologize... Remember me as you always have. Forget about this monster laying before you... Remember your kind, patient, and wolfish mother..."
Her lips quivered.
Shutting her eyes tightly, Nomasaki averted her glance and forced away the crying. Tears streamed from Nomasaki's shut eyes, her hands trembling as they clutched her knees. One by one, they struck the black fabric of her pants and the sands that settled around her. "Hanone told me – to tell you... that he's... waiting for you – in the Pure Land...!"
Seeing her tears, her mother have a gentle smile of empathy, guilt and regret hidden behind her greyed eyes. She nodded. "I'll be sure to tell him everything... when I return. I must apologize to him, for all that's happened..."
As Kyō stood watching his daughter and late wife bear their souls, he tearfully smiled at his family. It felt as if it were yesterday that he sat by his wife's birthing bed and looked upon the newborn that lay asleep and swaddled in its mother's arms. She was born during a great snow, he recalled. The great hearth of the Yamamori homestead kept them warm while the blankets of pelts comforted them in sleep. They chose their child's name carefully, with Mikomi remembering the blooming blue flowers that poked through the mountain's unforgiving snows. Blue blossoms in a field of white - that was where the name came from. Seventeen years had passed since then, and not a day went by where he was not wishing circumstances were different and that they were together as a family. Sunagakure and its loyalists called him a blood-traitor, a beast-lover – a defector.
The Deserter.
Seventeen years of scouring the western desert was his punishment, acting out his sentence by the grace and sympathy of the Fourth Kazekage who took pity on him. It was not until the arrival of the Fourth Shinobi War where he would finally reunite with his lost daughter as a young woman grown – and gain the news that his wife has passed. It tore him deep inside to see his wife brought back by their unseen enemy, forced to fight the living under their ruthless bidding.
At least her soul can finally be at peace... and mine, too.
"Nomasaki," Mikomi began, her consciousness fading. "Your father and I are very proud of you for what you have become. You're an excellent shinobi, and we love you very much. I know Hanone-sama was just as proud as we are. Kyō, my love... I entrust our daughter to you."
Kyō managed a nod. "I'll protect her with my life... I promise."
Watching her mother be sealed, Nomasaki remained strong in composure despite the tears that swelled and ran from her violet eyes. Somehow, it felt as if she were watching her funeral pyre all over again. Only she was not dressed in white amongst the towering frosted pines that sheltered the mountain graveyard. And she was no longer a child. The fires that licked the cold skies swam with a rumble under her mother's sleeping corpse. She lay on a bed of animal pelts, surrounded by snow lilies and kunai as the flames ate her earthen husk and turned her to ash.
Nomasaki's eyes now turned red not from the fire, but from the tears that scorched her cracked and wounded cheeks.
Comfortingly, her father went on his knees and placed a hand on her shoulder. At least this time, I am not alone. My father is with me... so we can say goodbye together. "Mother," She spoke, in a voice choked with sobs. "We'll meet again someday... when I'm old. And I'll tell you of my life and all I've done."
Mikomi smiled gently. "I'll look forward to that... when your time comes." As the white cloth began to wrap around her, she let out a relieved sigh. In all her decaying beauty, her face began to crack and peel away under the cover of the sealing jutsu. As her fading vision glanced at the silhouettes of her husband and daughter, the shroud of white concealed her away from the constricts of the living. Darkness soon clouded her vision, holding her in its everlasting embrace. "I'm sorry about this, to both of you… I love you both."
The sealing shinobi placed the red tags towards her prison of wrappings. "Ninja Art! Sealing Cloth Jutsu!" Watching the red seal tag activate on her mother's sarcophagus of white, Nomasaki and her father looked on in their shared grief. At last, her mother could finally be at peace.
And Hanone, too.
It was not until midday when the winds finally calmed.
Sensing their injuries and exhaustion, the sealing team escorted the father and daughter pair to the medical corps unit. After a moment of silence to the mist-filled winds, a medical-nin healed Nomasaki's injuries from her skirmish with Mikomi. Her wounds were scarce and easy to treat, but her chakra had a ways to regain what it lost. She was pushed to her limits, and her chakra was still reeling.
"Hold still, this may hurt a bit at first." The pink-haired medic said, her green healing aura surrounding her careful hands. Nomasaki flinched from the twinge of her torn muscle. Then, the soothing feel of the chakra tied the ripped muscle together again. Fortunately, the wound of her calf was the worst of it all. Once that was done, the healer moved on to the scratches that painted her cheeks and the slash wounds on her arms. "Your wounds aren't as bad as they seem... You were lucky."
Glancing to the medic, Nomasaki suddenly realized who she was. "You - you're from Konoha, right? I think I remember you, I recognize your chakra... Are you Haruno Sakura?"
The medic met her curious eyes. "How did you know?"
"You healed Kankurō that time, when Gaara-sama was taken by the Akatsuki." Nomasaki gave a light smile. "Thank you for that."
Sakura nodded, humbled. Studying her patient, she was reminded of a person with the same strange violet eyes and golden hair. Sunagakure, I see... A Suna-nin. A thought crossed her mind. "You seem familiar..." Her memory jolted. "Ah, I think I know! You're his assistant, right? The wolf-girl."
"Nomasaki." She nodded back. Looking to her arm as it was being healed, she could sense the precise stitching of the technique. It felt as if the skin were never wounded in the first place. "Your healing jutsu is very refined, you remind me of my friend. She's a medical-nin, too. Did you meet Meiyumi?"
Sakura turned. "Meiyumi?"
"She's from Suna, like me. Dark hair, brown eyes."
For a moment, Sakura pondered. "Come to think of it... I think she was sent to be with the Fifth Division. Some of us were deployed to the front lines to help against the Edō Tensei." In a matter of minutes and careful focus, her wounds were quickly healed. "There! How does that feel?"
"Much better, thank you." Before Sakura took her leave, Nomasaki called out. "If you see her, can you tell her something for me?"
Sakura turned, her face curious. "Sure, what is it?"
Hesitating at first, Nomasaki pushed forward and gave a glance that held bravery. "Tell her... I'll be looking for her and Shinto once the war ends. It's due time that Team Hashira has a reunion."
Her words struck the medic.
Sakura found herself reminded of her genin team. Team Seven. Masking her sadness, she gave a smile and nodded. "Of course."
As Sakura walked off to discuss matters with their fellow medic-nin, her father approached where she sat. His expression was calm and fierce from his brow, but she could sense his concern that he masked behind his exhausted hazel eyes. "Are you sure you're alright to go on?" Kyō asked. "You used up quite a fair bit of chakra. You can rest, you've fought hard."
She nodded, meeting his eyes. "I can't, I'm afraid. I must return to the Fourth Division as soon as possible. I'm a sensory-type, so they need me out there." And Temari wants me to return alive, so I'll be doing just that. Lightly, she gave a smile. "You and mom said I'm strong, so I'll be okay. I'm a Yamamori clansmen, and I'm also a shinobi of Suna... but I'm also a wolf. The blood of the wolf flows in my veins – I will be strong."
Assured, Kyō smiled. If the desert gods of mine were good, her words could be trusted. "Well said." A loud guffaw and cheering suddenly broke the silence of the still air that danced along the mists. Turning towards the boisterous noise, the group of sealing shinobi in the distance were huddled together sharing pitched cheers of relief. Amongst where they sat, they could faintly make out their conversation from the winds that carried their words. "Something's got them all riled up," He turned. "I wonder if it's good news."
"Hey! Did you hear? Kazekage-sama and Tsuchikage-sama defeated the past Kage!"
"T-The past Kage?"
"Yeah! The ones brought back with Edō Tensei!"
"That's Kazekage-sama! No one stands a chance against him, he's the strongest shinobi Suna has ever witnessed! It's no wonder Gaara-sama was made the Regimental Commander."
Nomasaki's heart jolted.
Kazekage-sama... Gaara! He's alright.
Surprised, her eyes widened from the mention of his name. She felt as if her heart would skip a beat, the mere sound of his title alone jolting her concern. Breathing easy, she was relieved to hear that he was alive. What was more – he was leading his people and the Allied Forces to victory against their enemy. He would crush them, she knew it - and they would crush the Akatsuki at last. When she would see him next, she decided she would congratulate him on his victory - and maybe even feel brave enough to tell him everything her curse seal allowed.
Kyō grinned out of pride. "That means we should be on the move, then! We should make haste to support our Kazekage-sama!"
Her father's voice jolted her for a moment, catching her off guard in her brief daze. "O-Oh, right –!" She nodded, slightly flustered. "Y-Yes. Let's go."
She let herself be taken by her thoughts. Looking down to her lap, she smiled gently to herself, thinking of her village's young leader. He was incredibly strong, powerful, wise for his young age, and a peacemaker – an esteemed leader suitable for the title of Kazekage. And she stood beside him through thick and thin, on good days and bad days, and during times of peace and times of strife. She seen it all. Why should I be so surprised? You've become a fine leader, and I've seen it happen from the very start.
Starting for the division in the far-off distance, she soon realized that her father was headed into the opposite direction. Feeling an eerie presence on the winds, Kyō turned towards the gusts, his fading orange hair swaying from the breeze. When he turned to meet her glance of concern, a stern slate etched onto his expression, his years as a shinobi shining through his hazel eyes.
"I'm going to escort these shinobi back to the front lines," He spoke. "Be careful, for me, okay?"
"Will I see you again?" She asked, her eyes growing saddened. "Will you... come back?"
"Of course," He drew his katana from its sheath and kept it at his side. "When the divisions regroup, I'll be sure to find you."
With a smile, she nodded. "Alright, then. Take care, father." Before departing, she turned back to him for a final time. "Until the war is over, I forbid you to die!"
A faint chuckle passed his lips, amused by her choice of words. "Same from me to you. Be safe, Nomasaki."
After giving her a parting nod, she turned her back towards him in the winds. A coat of white soon enveloped her, shrouding her as she changed into the wolf within. Swiftly, the white wolf bounded across the dunes and broke through the shield of mist that separated them from the rest of the world.
Leaving it all behind.
It was not long until the husks of the Second Mizukage and Third Raikage turned back into dust.
While Gaara stood on the battlefield beside Ōnoki after the Third Raikage was defeated, the winds were strangely at ease. The calm before the coming storm. Narrowing his eyes off into the distance, he knew that the war was only just beginning. As he could hear the sounds of slight commotion and conversing behind him, he turned to see what was occurring in his division. His eyes widening in slight surprise, saw the shape of a white creature in the distance amongst the hundreds of shinobi. Pausing, he seen the wolf become his assistant, bowing her head briefly to Temari as they seemed to exchange words with one another.
It was her.
"What is it, young Kazekage?"
Turning to the elderly Tsuchikage, Gaara glanced ahead with a calm expression of relief on his pale features. "My assistant has arrived."
Calmly, she walked towards him, kneeling before him in servitude. "My apologies," She began. "My scouting was interrupted by the enemy… they were using the Edō Tensei as a diversion." Feeling the sting of battle enter her mind, she averted her eyes to hide her emotion. "Unfortunately, the battle took longer than planned... but we were able to stop it with the help of the sealing division."
"Hm," Ōnoki scoffed. "It seems every division has experienced the Edō Tensei at some degree. Akatsuki, the cowards…!"
Nodding, she stepped closer, pausing before them with a scroll in hand. "Here is the intel we gathered on the front," She replied, holding out the parchment. "It's not much, but according to my senses, the Edō Tensei is nearly contained. Only a few remain."
"Good work," Gaara nodded, taking the scroll into his pack on his side. "Can you sense anything nearby?"
"Nothing really," She spoke, turning to the west. "Although… there is a presence far off that's concerning. The chakra is… not human."
"How so?"
Turning back to him, her eyes slightly narrowed. "… it's riddled with death."
"Kazekage-sama," Ōnoki interrupted, turning to him. "We should send for shinobi to scout the perimeter. There could be more of the Edō Tensei lurking."
"Right," Gaara nodded, glancing to him. "We'll send for them now."
"I'll see to it,"
As the elderly Tsuchikage floated towards the scouts a distance away, Gaara turned to her, an expression of slight concern visible on his face. He noticed the scratches upon her cheeks and the evidence of sorrow in her eyes. She appeared as if utterly defeated – emotionally spent. Likewise, he appeared the same – although more so exhausted from the ongoing ordeal of war. He could read through her eyes like a book.
"Who was it… you fought?"
"My mother," She answered, her eyes blank - understanding what he meant. "And you?"
"My father."
Looking down, her eyes closed halfway as she contained her sadness. "I guess we both weren't very lucky," She spoke, quietly. "This war… the enemy is toying with us… knowing full well the taboo of emotions in shinobi law…"
Nodding once in agreement, he glanced to his side. The memory of his encounter with his father, the Fourth Kazekage was still fresh in his mind. The words they exchanged resonated within him - how Yashamaru truly cared for him, and how his mother's undying love was present in his sand's protective veil. He was still struggling to mentally process everything that occurred, but it brought a sorrowful relief to him, nonetheless.
"It's cruel," He replied. "But in a way, healing at the same time."
Meeting his glance, she looked on with an empathetic gaze. "That's true."
Even as he stood before her, the rift that was edged between them was obvious. Her bruises may have been gone, but the memory of them painting her face still struck him. The knowledge of the lashes that scarred her back haunted his thoughts that still swirled around the dissident he had imprisoned before the advent of war. She had been a tool - but a tool to ensure that he would be safe from Kenzō's scheming. Things have not been the same since that fateful day the coup was stopped in its tracks. Still, her eyes appeared to him as they always have. Kind. I gave her the benefit of the doubt and forgave her, he remembered, It was all Kenzō's doing, not hers. He wanted to trust her – and trust her he was going to do.
"Nomasaki,"
Catching her attention, she paused in the sands, turning to meet his face. "Yes, Kazekage-sama?"
"No, don't call me that – not now," He said. Averting his eyes at first, he rose his eyes towards her. "I need to ask you something. Not between a Kage and his assistant, but between two shinobi... two friends."
She felt her heart still. "What is it?" She asked, her eyes concerned.
Looking down, he found himself growing strangely vulnerable as the words spilled from his lips. He confessed. "This war is pushing everyone - the world, even. I have to do everything in my power to not only command, but to live up to my role as a leader. I'm worried that I... won't be able to be the leader... I want to be. I'm worried that... as Kazekage, I will fail." He confessed, his ringed-eyes closing halfway. "My father... When we fought, he said he judged the value in things, determined their worth..." Meeting her curious and worried eyes, a stern expression etched itself on his face while his ringed-eyes appeared pleading. "I'm asking you as a shinobi – as my friend... How can I be sure I'm doing what's right?"
His words struck her as strange.
Taken aback briefly, she stood in silence as the winds blew past. "You're not one to second-guess yourself." She answered. "Aside from my... -," She hesitated. "...debt... -," Thankfully, her seal on her tongue did not burn. "From working as your assistant these past few years, I know the pressure you face as our Kazekage and the challenges that come with it." Pondering to herself, she felt his eyes locked on her from across the sands, waiting for an answer. "It's not for the faint of heart... That's for sure." Glancing up to him, she gave a calm nod. "Being Kazekage was your dream, to unite everyone under the name of the village and protect them as its leader. All I can offer you as someone who is of the sand... is that before you can be the Kazekage you want, you must be the Kazekage we need."
"All chunin and jonin-level shinobi in their positions!"
From the call, she started towards the formation for their division so she could prepare for the unit's next attack. Pausing in her steps, she stood in the cool sands that morning. glanced back at him for a moment. "I've kept my promise to you."
Catching his curiosity, he turned to her. Meeting the gleam of her golden hair from the sun, he was reminded of the words she spoke to him during the Chunin Exams in Kumogakure – her pledge to him in his endeavours. "I will be there for you because... I believe in you. I will be there, I promise."
"For the last three years, I've been at your back... supporting you as Kazekage." She continued, her back facing him. "I'm grateful that I'm your assistant. But now," Turning to him, she gave a soft and determined smile. "It's time for us to support each other."
Meeting her gaze, he looked into her bright violet eyes at a distance before she departed to her position with the rest of the Fourth Division. His ringed-eyes still dry from weeping earlier, he watched Nomasaki leave to join Temari and the other shinobi as she was beckoned to their side. While he watched her stand in position, he saw her golden hair sway in the eerily calm winds as her serious yet determined lilac eyes gleamed from the hesitant sun. Thinking about the words spoken to him by his late father and Yashamaru, he began to understand what they meant by what it truly was to give and receive unconditional understanding and protection.
Love.
As he looked on from a distance, he kept his worrying thoughts to himself – preparing for what was to come over the horizon…
Notes: The name of Nomasaki's mother, Mikomi, can be translated into a few different meanings. Mikomi (見込) can be translated to "prospects", "hope", or "expected" depending on the spelling/characters. An unofficial translation of the name can also be interpreted as "incorruptible child" but the meaning is not entirely certain.