Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Sand and Earth. Enjoy the 900-word chapter. I don't own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto and a few others do.
Kurotsuchi sighed as she started to look over the papers all around her. The Tsuchikage let out a sigh before rubbing at her temples and looking around.
"Damn it all." Kurotsuchi muttered before leaning back in her chair. "Why is there so much more work then yesterday?" Kurotsuchi asked herself and rubbed at her temples. She didn't hate work.
She was a soldier. Kurotsuchi knew being a leader came with being prepared to deal with the consequences of such.
"Having trouble at the moment?" She heard from the door and sighed as she realized it was her grandfather.
"No, I'm just dealing with paperwork." Kurotsuchi muttered and ran her fingers through her temples.
"Ah, so you're dealing with the thing you said you could do easy?" Onoki asked as he walked up to his former desk. "I thought you could easily handle it." Onoki joked with amusement.
"Well, I am glad you're finding it funny, old man." Kurotsuchi stated with a smile as Onoki looked out the window.
"I heard you talked to the assassin you subdued." Onoki put in which caused Kurotsuchi nodded and leaned back in her seat. "I'm guessing you will not tell me easily?" Onoki put in before cracking his neck. He grunted and rubbed at his back.
Kurotsuchi chuckled as the man walked to his seat. Onoki let out a hum.
"Should I point out that your letting an assassin be one of your bodyguards?" Onoki asked with a raised eyebrow as the man took his seat. "Do you have anything to say about it?" Onoki asked and rubbed at his neck.
"I'll have to say he's an innocent man who tried to assassinate me." Kurotsuchi said while starting to look over the rest of the papers on her desk. "Should I point out the fact that I'm now leader of the village?" Kurotsuchi questioned as Onoki smiled.
It was very odd for Kurotsuchi to get a smile out of her grandfather. The man always seemed to be grumpy and ill tempered when it came down to it. Then again? He was the oldest of the previous '5 Kage'.
"You know it's a very bold and cautious choice to do something like this at the moment?" Onoki questioned his granddaughter who could only shrug her shoulders. "How do you know he isn't playing with you? Trying to break your guard as it were?" Onoki asked her.
"Should I point out not only was I your bodyguard?" Kurotsuchi questioned in response. "But that I interrogated countless people. I know when someone is lying to me." Kurotsuchi said before crossing her arms.
"I am well aware of the risk hiring someone like him to be my bodyguard is." Kurotsuchi added while letting out a sigh. "But there are far too many things for me to do alone. I can't get out there and handle field work anymore. I have to rely on others for that. It isn't exactly something I like doing nowadays." Kurotsuchi put in.
"You're as stubborn as me sometimes." Onoki said while Kurotsuchi smiled.
"Comes with the desk I guess, old man." Kurotsuchi responded only for the man to smack his cane on her desk. "Your going to damage it if you keep hitting it." Kurotsuchi teased and let out a yawn.
"Go and talk to him." Onoki stated as Kurotsuchi looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I can handle paperwork for a single day. You need to make sure the people guarding you can be trusted with the duty of guarding a Kage." Onoki said before Kurotsuchi sighed and rose from her desk.
"What, you didn't trust me to be one of your 2 bodyguards?" Kurotsuchi asked only to get a frown in response. "Ok, I'll go see him. Learn to take a joke." Kurotsuchi muttered under her breath as she left for the prison cells.
She knew Onoki was up to something when it came down to it. The old man used to visit her every single day to check on her status. Now? It seemed he never had time to visit someone like her. Onoki was either busy with a project, or he was not long for this world anymore.
Kurotsuchi knew a great light would go out when the former Kage met his end. He was the heart of the village; she was still trying to live up to the legacy he set forth. It was very much one of her reasons for taking the job seriously when it counted.
The other reason was her concern for her village and the desire to protect. They had lost countless people in the war. Kurotsuchi promised herself nobody else would die unless it was needed. Even then? She would carry their deaths as part of her weather they died for a good reason or not.
Kurotsuchi left the office behind her, she would come back in 2 hours.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter done! I want to point out that Kurotsuchi and Nao will be growing closer soon. Next chapter will be in 6-9 weeks or in 2 months and will show Kurotsuchi making sure that Nao is fine and willing to serve her. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!
P.S: Next chapter is 900 words, Sarada might be delayed. Hanabi, Sakura, and Ino are iffy currently.