Chapter 8.
The second morning of their journey to Suna, Hanabi woke up in a tent. Taking in her surroundings, she was sure she fell asleep outside. It was obvious who relocated her, she realized, searching for Kakashi.
The man was hunching in front of the campfire, with his side towards her. He didn't look up at her, focusing on their breakfast. Hanabi found the image interesting, so she picked up the camera and took a quick picture. The sound of a photograph being taken diverted her target's attention from cooking and he finally turned to her.
"Good morning."
"Morning," the girl replied, still a little sleepy. "What's that?"
"Breakfast."
"Looks like scrambled eggs, bacon, mushrooms, and… beans?" she asked, not sure what else that reddish goo could possibly be.
"I've picked the recipe from my travels to the Land of the Sea. Try it, it's good."
Hanabi never tried anything like that for breakfast. What kind of breakfast was so filling? She felt stuffed just by looking at it.
"I thought being surrounded by sea meant to have seafood in your every dish," she stated, picking on her food with her fork.
"Apparently, not every sea is good for seafood industry. They do have lots of fish, though. Come on," he urged when she was trying to eat only the eggs. "It is the best when you eat everything together."
To demonstrate, Kakashi scooped a hearty amount of each component with a spoon and shoved it in his mouth. Of course, a tiny and totally unnatural sandstorm prevented Hanabi from seeing his face. She did not even bother determining the source of this temporary and sudden rise of the wind. Instead, she mimicked her companion, tasting every part of the food together. To his credit, the peculiar dish did taste better that way. Grunting in approval, Hanabi quickly devoured her share.
After eating and packing, the duo went towards Suna in a relatively mild pace. It was a breeze compared to their yesterday's spurt. Despite them being in a desert, Kakashi promised they were going to see much interesting stuff.
"Virtually all of Land of Wind is composed of deserts," Kakashi lectured her. "Oases are the only thing that allows people to survive in here."
Hanabi listened with rapt attention. She loved everything about their journey, even running was somewhat pleasant due to these little lessons of Kakashi's. The freedom she felt in the last couple of days of their mission was exhilarating.
"I remember reading that Suna also had been given a plot of fertile land to farm on by the First Hokage," she told him, remembering her history lessons. She didn't like her tutors, but it didn't mean that they were bad teachers.
"Yes, that is true. Do you know that it is located right near Konoha?" Kakashi then added, to which she shaked her head negatively. "It had been a cause of many disputes between the two villages throughout the years. It's actually one of the things I was hoping to settle during this visit."
His words made the Hyuga think. In retrospect, the idea seemed poorly thought out. Of course, Shodaime had no advantage of witnessing the results of his decision like she had, but still. The issues with logistics alone would deter anyone, not to mention all the scuffles it had the potential to cause in the future.
"I can see you do not approve of his decision," Kakashi's statement cut through her ruminations. "I cannot blame you. Shodaime was a compassionate and charismatic ruler, his strength being his ability to sway others to his way of thinking." Not dissimilar to Naruto. "It is his brother, Lord Second, who was the farsighted one. I imagine he would've agreed with you."
"What do you think, then?" Hanabi inquired, genuinely curious of his opinion. Kakashi remembered what Hinata once told him, that her little sister would only ask for someone's opinion if she respected it.
"I think," he said after a little pondering, "Lord First's decision was more of a gesture, rather than an attempt for a solution." He then elaborated, "Shodaime suggested it during the very first Kage Summit. You can imagine tensions were through the roof." He smiled, seeing understanding flash in his charge's eyes. "So, in order to show the right way, to lead by example so to speak, Lord First proposed several agreements. One of them was that Konoha allocates some of its more fertile lands to Suna. They've always had a problem sustaining their village."
"So, what you are saying is that all the villages gained something from the agreements?"
"Yes. In a way."
"But I always thought we didn't gain anything from the agreements. Apart from the Kyubi…" Hanabi urged him to explain.
"It is true that Konoha did not negotiate for lands, resources, or any materialistic riches directly. We benefited from trading agreements, but that is all. No reparations, no reimbursements for damage were negotiated for from our side. We only asked for the return of war prisoners and Kyubi."
A caravan was passing by them at that moment, and Kakashi's gaze was as disinterested as ever, but just as sharp. It was clear he paid as much attention to their surroundings as to their conversation. Deeming the caravan as a non-threat, Kakashi took a swig from his flask and continued.
"This further proves the cunning of Tobirama Senju," he said, wiping his lips and putting the mask back on, "for a man like him would never allow Shodaime to give out such opportunities without a gain. You see, by being so generous Konoha gained a reputation of a more fair and noble hidden village. It also allowed us to ask for Kyubi, who is by far the strongest Tailed Beast. Tobirama knew the extent of Kyubi's power, being the one to research it. The others just knew that Nine-Tails is the strongest, they had no idea just how strong he is compared to the others."
"So, what you are saying is, Konoha's actions were just a front, and there was a selfish intent behind it?" Hanabi didn't sound disappointed at all. The girl understood more about politics than most of his generation at her age. Kakashi had no doubt she'd make for a great ruler one day.
"Yes and no. Shodaime knew that Konoha will gain more than it would seem, but I believe his main objective was establishment of peace and diplomatic relations between the Hidden Villages. The concept of leaders of five strongest shinobi villages gathering under one roof to resolve their problems via a dialogue rather than battle… It was unheard of at the time. Shodaime and his brother the Second understood the importance of this first Summit's success. It had to result at least in some profit for all parties involved to establish the practice."
"Wow," was all Hanabi said. It was much more complicated than what she thought, and yet much simpler at the core of it.
"Indeed. To this day the first Kage Summit remains a textbook example of negotiations that benefit all, both short-term and long-term."
"First Hokage's goal was not to gain advantage during those negotiations. It was to show others that negotiations themselves can work!" the girl exclaimed; face lit up with her revelation.
"More or less. And it was a success, because since then Kage's regularly met and discussed the state of the world. The number of skirmishes and casualties dropped markedly after the first Summit, while the number of individual meetings between Kages increased considerably, indicating a negative correlation between the diplomacy and losses."
After his lecture, Hanabi took some time to digest all the information. It wasn't long because she turned to Kakashi again.
"So, what are you planning to do with the land?" she asked, regarding the fertile land given to Suna by their village.
"I plan to negotiate a better deal for Konoha. As of now, Suna is paying Konoha a rent for the land, but no other agreements have been made, including about the duration of the rent." Hanabi nodded in understanding; it didn't seem fair to give Suna their good land indefinitely. "People farming the land are from Suna, and there are quite a few of them. Normally, they would be allowed to enter Konoha freely, provided they have documents. However, because of Danzou's policy, access to Konoha has been heavily restricted. This damages our relationship with Suna, as well as our economy, since the farmers used to contribute to it significantly. I got Danzou's permission to lift restrictions for farmers, only if I get better conditions for Konoha in this agreement."
Hanabi understood that as well. There really was no valid reason to prevent Suna farmers and contractors from entering Konoha. They could be spies, but so could any other visitor. Danzou did tighten the border control and immigration policy, but it started to get to a point of absurdity recently.
"That is my main objective. Of course, in order to get us even more benefit from this already disadvantageous to Suna deal, we have to offer something back to them. I want to help Gaara, their Kazekage, to stabilize his position."
Kakashi stopped their run, briefly looking around and consulting with his map before signaling them to continue going. What use was the map when sand was all they had around them? Hanabi didn't get to ponder on it as the jounin spoke up again.
"Current Kazekage is young, and he received the position as a result of the assassination of the previous Kazekage. As such, he is viewed by many as lacking competence. Many anti-Kazekage groups are being formed in Sunagakure, destabilizing the situation. They spread rumors, cause discord within shinobi ranks, even go as far as assassination attempts on Kazekage and his close advisors."
"If you help them deal with all that, they will probably allow certain concessions…" Hanabi mulled.
"Exactly. This way everyone gets what they wanted."
"How are you planning to eliminate an underground rebellion group as well as any potential political factions that side with their ideas? We have only a couple of days until we go back to Konoha."
Hanabi's question was perfectly valid.
"I have some things in mind," was the Copy Nin's cryptic reply.
"Well, you better…" murmured the girl, skeptical.
After their conversation ended, they picked up the pace and spent the rest of the day mostly running.
They had many breaks, the harsh desert sun tiring them much quicker. Oases they encountered were a nice reprieve, allowing them to replenish the water they lost, as well as to cool down. Hanabi marveled at mirages they saw, every time going to check if it was an illusion or if there really was a pond in the middle of all the sand. Desert was stretching in every direction, countless dunes, the sea of sand. A small wind was passing by sometimes, slowly moving the yellow waves and reshaping the landscape. A rare plant they encountered stood proud, its mere presence in this lifeless place reason enough for amazement. But the desert was never devoid of life, Kakashi knew. Its inhabitants, despite being inconspicuous, were numerous. They mostly acted at night, but even during the day Kakashi and Hanabi spotted some lizards and scorpions. Desert is beautiful in its own way, she'd told him, and he couldn't disagree. Konoha's forests were prettier though, she added. He only chuckled in response.
Couldn't argue with that either.
It was growing dark when they finally arrived at the gates of Sunagakure no Sato. They were promptly met by Kazekage's sister, Temari, accompanied by an impressive entourage of guards. The first thing Kakashi noticed was how young those guards were. None of them looked older than twenty and that, coupled with their relaxed demeanor, were a major determinant of how Kakashi would direct this meeting. He supposed Suna wanted to manage their forces efficiently by using green shinobi for menial tasks like guard duties, but being a covert operations expert, Kakashi couldn't be happier at the opportunity it provided him. There were many ways to exploit your enemy's inexperience.
After the customary greetings, Temari led them to their accommodation during their temporary stay. Hanabi nearly cringed everytime Kakashi bugged the woman in his attempts at small talk. Either he was doing it on purpose, or he really was a dunce when it comes to talking to people. Hanabi figured it was a bit of both. Temari, to her credit, showed remarkable ability at looking unbothered, probably long used to the man's weirdness.
"By the way," the masked ninja asked, as aloof as ever. "Can you recommend a place to try your famous Sand Dumplings? Me and my bodyguard," he gestured towards Hanabi, making everyone blink in surprise at the twelve-year-old, "are starving after the journey."
"She is your bodyguard?" asked Temari in disbelief. Some of the guards started quietly whispering among themselves.
"A guard, advisor, as well as a friend," was his cheerful reply, making said friend uncomfortable with all the attention.
"Alright," their guide coughed, still not quite convinced of the man's sanity, "there is a place just around the corner."
"Splendid! Let's head right there."
Hanabi was as surprised by Kakashi's declaration as everyone else. She quickly recovered, however, and was able to watch others. She noted with amazement how that little scene had shaken up their whole group. The mood changed instantly, with some guards loosening up. Hanabi realized that it was Kakashi's objective all along – to use all the weirdness to his advantage. He seemed adept at doing that now that she thought about it. The Hyuga heiress smirked when nobody was looking at her; now Kakashi was controlling the situation.
Just like that, Kakashi brought everyone, including their guards to a small dango shop. The owner was taken aback at first, not everyday you see Kazekage's sister accompanied by a dozen shinobi barge into your small café. They thronged there awkwardly, Kakashi being the only one seemingly unaffected.
"Fifteen portions of your delicious Sand Dumplings, please," he said to the owner, startling him.
While they awaited their dango, he gestured Temari and Hanabi to sit with him at the table. He then asked the guards if they wanted to take a sit too, their response being some incoherent mumbling. He shrugged, joining all the available tables, making one large table for everyone to sit at. Temari watched, bewildered, as their guards clumsily arranged themselves around, taking their places. One of them even volunteered to bring the order when it was ready.
When their dango was done, Kakashi offered it to everyone. The guards were cautious at first, but eventually he managed to cajole them. Hanabi didn't know how, but somehow Kakashi's eccentric aura had made everyone unwind. Wasn't long before everyone was eating, engaged in casual conversation. Hanabi liked the dumplings, they looked like sand and even had the texture of sand. Luckily, they didn't share its taste. She'd had enough of it during their run here.
After their meal, Kakashi and Hanabi were escorted to their quarters. Temari, despite being the only one who was suspicious of Kakashi's actions, did a good job not showing it. They politely wished each other good night, before parting their ways. Now only Kakashi and Hanabi were left, in a joint hotel room.
"I can't believe you just had dinner with our escort!" Hanabi exclaimed.
"Relax, Hanabi-chan. It was all according to plan."
Hanabi perked up. Here were her suspicions confirmed.
"Don't tell me you did it on purpose," she asked, to which he nodded immediately.
"I did it for several reasons. First off, it confused them–"
"No doubt," the girl commented, remembering their bewildered faces and Temari's exasperated one.
"It will help to change our image. If we act as expected, they will think of us as expected, meaning we will be Danzou's ruthless ambassadors. Now, their perception of us will be different, if only a little."
He allowed Hanabi to think on it, before continuing.
"Also, I managed to pick up on the general mood of Suna shinobi from observing the guards during our shared meal," he said, shaking his head at their unprofessionalism. "I also heard some rumors, as I'm sure you have as well. Temari did not interrupt the guards, could be for various reasons, but I think she just didn't think it to be that important."
"You are just using her inexperience to gain advantage in negotiations!"
"If you put it that way…" the masked man shrugged. "Anyways, lets go to sleep, I am pooped."
Now that was a suggestion Hanabi gladly followed.
On the morning of the next day, they were greeted by another member of Kazekage's family, Kankuro. The man did not seem to be in good spirits. Fortunately, it didn't look like his guests were the reason for his sour disposition. Hanabi tentatively asked him what was wrong. It seemed appropriate to be cordial to their hosts.
It looked like Kankuro just realized that his expression might offend them. "I apologize," he said as graciously as possible. "I just received an invoice confirming an order for fifteen portions of dango…"
Kankuro took out the offending piece of paper and smacked it once with the back of his hand, as if it would make the bill disappear. He showed it to his guests, before shoving it back into his pocket. That was strange, because Hanabi was sure Kakashi ordered the same amount at the dumpling shop yesterday...
She looked at her companion questioningly.
'Don't tell me he…' She didn't even know whether she should laugh or be horrified at Kakashi's dare. Putting your order on Kazekage's brother's tab? Really?
Copy Ninja just gave an innocent smile, prudently changing the topic. "Kankuro-sama, I believe we are being waited for," he reminded.
"Yes," their escort cleared his throat, "follow me."
Everyone was already present when they finally entered the conference room. Notwithstanding, they weren't late. Still didn't prevent the Hyuga from getting nervous.
Hanabi sat beside Kakashi, trying to mimic everything he did as best as she could. Kankuro and Temari sat at each side of their brother Gaara, the Kazekage. The two parties were facing each other at the opposite sides of a large rectangular table, with other Suna advisors sitting across.
No papers were on the table, not even the encrypted ones – a bad sign Kakashi thought, since their absence meant they didn't trust them not to snoop. It was sensible, for any ninja worth their salt would easily be able to peep on the papers. The only paper in the room was held by Temari, Kazekage's main advisor. She had it on a clipboard she held in her hands, so that there was no way for Kakashi to see its content.
"Greetings, Kakashi-sama," Gaara started. His voice was hard and gritty, much like the sand he commanded, tiredness seeping through each word he uttered. "I hope everything went smoothly upon your arrival?"
"Oh yes. Temari-sama made sure everything was to our liking. Your dumplings are quite delectable, if I may say so myself. Why, just this morning Kankuro-sama told me he received an order for fifteen of them, no less!"
That remark made Hanabi wince. Everyone in the room looked confusedly at Kakashi.
'This guy is insane' she thought, nervously watching Temari for any signs of recognition. If she took any note of Kakashi's words, she didn't show it on her face.
"Certainly," Gaara cleared his throat, not sure how to respond to that seemingly out of the blue praise of their local cuisine. "Shall we start?"
"As you please," Hanabi heard her companion calmly say.
And so began their negotiations.
Four hours into their discussion, and still no agreement was reached. Two sides argued back and forth, not willing to step back even a little. Suna did not wish to give up their concessions while Kakashi couldn't back down on behalf of Konoha. It looked like those farmers will have to manage without their village leaders reaching an agreement.
Hanabi was apprehensive the whole time. It was her first negotiations, and very serious too! Despite her nerves, the atmosphere was far from volatile. Kakashi somehow managed to diffuse the tensions with his random commentaries and aloof aura that he expertly switched on and off in a flash. It would've been really off-putting had it not been the sole thing that made those talks more or less civil – everyone was just too busy trying to comprehend the weird man from Konoha.
"I think it is clear that these negotiations will not go anywhere today," Kakashi said after a borderline rude remark of one of Suna's councilors, not even deigning a look at the man. He looked Gaara in the eye instead, noting a displeased expression from the young Kazekage at his subordinate's behavior.
"Perhaps tomorrow will be more fruitful," Kazekage agreed, trying to smoothen the conclusion. He did not believe a single word he said.
Unlike the Copy Ninja, it seemed.
"I am sure it will."
Kakashi's expression when uttering those words was that of someone coming to a cinema already knowing the movie was going to be good. Hanabi wasn't sure if she liked it.
Suddenly, the last Hatake stood and came up to the Kazekage who, to his credit, remained seated and unfazed. The only ones who reacted were Gaara's siblings, who immediately blocked the masked man's path. The other Suna officials just observed with calculating eyes, each waiting how everything would play out.
Kakashi just lifted his hands in a placating manner, friendly expression still firmly plastered on his face.
"I just wanted to shake hands with Kazekage-sama," was all he said.
They looked at him suspiciously. Thankfully, no one was tactless enough to pull out their weapons on Konoha representative.
"Temari, Kankuro, it's fine," they heard Gaara say, his voice infinitely more tired than it had been in the morning before everything started.
Immediately, the siblings stood aside, allowing Kakashi to pass. He shook hands with Suna's leader and wished him good day. On his way back, he stopped and picked up a paper from the floor.
"Must've fell when Temari-sama stood up," he said, handing it back to Gaara, as if she didn't jump from her chair for Kazekage's rescue, scattering all the papers she'd been holding.
"Thank you." Kazekage looked surprised but thanked Konoha nin anyway. He took the proffered paper, a surprised expression crossing his face upon seeing what was written on it.
"Well, I hope some day we could meet in a less formal condition," Kakashi said, loud enough for the three siblings to hear. He then looked at Gaara, the same look as he'd given him a minute ago. "The dumplings are particularly good for dinner."
Something told the young Kazekage that he was being covertly communicated with.
When everyone apart from his brother and sister was dismissed, Gaara still kept his eyes at the paper given to him by Kakashi. It was Kankuro's bill for the dumplings. It was a regular invoice, but one thing stood out to Gaara. The word 'private' in 'Private invoice' was underlined.
"Hey, what are you– Where did you get that?" Kankuro asked, seeing that his brother was holding his invoice for dango.
This caused even more suspicion in young Kazekage. There was no way Kankuro would lose his invoice, not to mention that it couldn't possibly come from Temari, which meant Kakashi didn't get it from the floor. Copy Nin stole the invoice and intentionally gave it back to him.
"Did you write anything on it?" Gaara asked his older brother.
"Why would I write anything on it?"
His suspicions were pretty much confirmed. Kakashi was the one to emphasize the word 'private' on the invoice. He mentioned the dumpling shop twice during their negotiations, once at the beginning and once right before he left, the best times to make it memorable. Both times it came seemingly randomly. Random isn't in someone like Kakashi Hatake's style. Everything that man did had a purpose. It unnerved him before, but now he understood what the strange ninja meant. Everything pointed to Kakashi asking for a private audience, and through a dumpling bill no less!
Come evening, Gaara sat at the corner table of the same dumpling shop Kakashi visited yesterday, his two siblings by his side. They were all disguised of course, the disguise won't fool a good ninja, but it will prevent civilians from noticing them.
"Are you sure he will come?" his sister asked, masked as an old lady. "We've been waiting here for almost an hour."
"Yeah, I think the sight of dango will make me sick if we don't leave soon," Kankuro butted in, having been eating dumplings the whole time to maintain their roles of grandparents and their grandson dining in a dumpling café.
"He said dangos are good for dinner. Which probably meant he wants to talk at dinner time," Gaara explained for umpteenth time.
'He just conveniently forgot to mention when the dinner was supposed to start' the red head thought, patiently sipping his jasmine tea.
Suddenly, the doors of the shop fluttered open, revealing a young man of inconspicuous appearance. He looked around, as if searching for someone, before his eyes stopped at their table. He went straight towards where they were seated at the far corner.
"Hi there," he said. "The dumplings are really good for dinner."
There was no doubt it was him, thought Gaara, remembering Kakashi's last words to him earlier. He greeted their "friend", allowing him to take a sit.
"So, you wanted to talk," Temari addressed the man, pushing a plate of dango towards him.
"Oh yes! I also want to help," the man whom they have already identified as Kakashi said. "But before we start, I'd like to present the lady with a gift," he smiled charmingly at Kazekage's sister, before pulling out a brand-new book and handing it to the confused woman. She accepted it graciously but didn't look at the cover. "Now, I heard you have a… pest problem," he continued, as if a random gift wasn't odd in the least.
"Pest problem?" Gaara repeated. He could hear Temari's indignant mutters from beside him. She seemed to finally take a look at her gift and judging by her reaction, she didn't appreciate the present.
"Yeah, they never seem to like you, them pests," Kakashi continued meanwhile, unfazed by Temari's reaction. "I know that you are a fifth person to get the house, so the problem is probably caused by those before you. By the way, I heard that the previous owner, the one before you, died recently. Bit by a snake, can you believe that?!"
The trio of siblings shared suspicious looks. It can't be, they thought.
Kakashi kept rambling, nonchalant.
"...He was a rich man. I heard he traded gold. Talk about money buying everything, eh?" he smiled. "Anyway, enough of gossip, how have you guys been lately?"
Gaara was perplexed by this man's ability to give double meanings to every casual conversation. His seemingly unmindful chatter had implied their father, Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage. By the looks of it, his siblings had also gotten his hints. They were frowning, not comfortable with their father's death being discussed in such a light manner.
'If he meant Fourth Kazekage by that previous owner, then what did he mean by pests?'
Gaara had his guess: anti-Kazekage groups.
"The pests," he started; if he had to play along then so be it, "don't seem to be numerous. However, I'm afraid they multiply quickly."
Kakashi grinned, glad he got the message across. The same look of understanding passed between Temari and Kankuro, too.
"I'll exterminate them tomorrow," Kakashi said.
"Surely you cannot mean to get rid of them all in one day?" clarified Temari, a look of disbelief clear on her face.
"Well, maybe not every single on of them… But the biggest rats, for sure."
So he meant to eliminate the leaders of anti-Kazekage movement? If he managed that, it would help Gaara immensely.
On the other hand, Suna's security needed major improvements if Konoha was able to gather as much information about their village's internal state of affairs.
"How much do you usually take?" Gaara asked, sure that Konoha nin would demand something in return.
"Well, you are friends, so…" Kakashi tapped his chin, clearly enjoying himself. "Tell you what, the discussion we had before, if you can do all of that, consider it a deal."
The man spoke that last part with steel in his voice. Kazekage understood that it meant 'agree to our terms or there is no deal'.
"Alright," Gaara finally said, thinking a moderately unfavorable agreement worth the stability of the Village Hidden in the Sand. They do get Suna farmers allowed to enter Konoha, after all, despite other disadvantageous demands. "Tomorrow it is, then."
With those final words, the trio of siblings stood up and left. Kakashi happily took the dango they left behind and went back to the hotel. He needed to dismiss his shadow clone and take his place in his room. Hopefully, his stealth skills were better than that of those assigned to spy on him.
When Kakashi was finally back in his suite, he was fairly sure nobody noticed his absence. Glad to know his ANBU skills have not deteriorated, he went to preparations for his plan.
Their hotel was good. Aside from a desk and some essential stationery, there even were letter envelopes. Perfect. He immediately sat at the desk and started working.
"What are you writing?" asked Hanabi, entering his room after some time. She too, tried to keep an eye on their surroundings, regularly using her Byakugan to check the perimeter around their hotel.
The girl was probably bored, so Kakashi decided to let her in to his plan. He didn't have any doubt that he could trust her with this.
"Letters," he said.
Hanabi looked at the content of the letter he was writing and gasped.
"Tomorrow Kazekage will be assassinated," she read quietly. "What does that mean? Who are you writing to?"
The Hyuga girl looked horrified. Surely, she wouldn't think that he…
"These are for Kazekage's council and advisors," Kakashi explained, chuckling. "Tell me, if you received a letter like that, what would you do?"
Upon hearing his explanation, Hanabi let a sigh of relief.
"Well, I must warn my Kage, regardless. If the information is true, Hokage-sama will be prepared. If it is not, then nothing happens. At least we are not taking any chances."
Hanabi's reply was immediate. He was glad his young charge was such a good pupil. He patted her head for a job well done, much to the girl's irritation.
"Exactly," Kakashi said, putting his finished letter into its envelope. "Which means if you don't tell your Kage about it you are either a fool or a traitor."
The girl's eyes widened in understanding.
"You want to test Kazekage's subjects' loyalty!"
He nodded. "And you will help me."
And so, he began dispensing the letters. He had to do it manually, delivering each letter to its recipient's doorstep, sometimes breaking into their house and putting it on their beds. Hanabi was entrusted with information gathering. Her Byakugan was a great help in avoding security and finding the best route for them to enter their targets' houses. Once the last letter was safely delivered, the pair went back to their hotel. They were careful to take a convoluted route and change their appearance several times before finally entering. Kakashi was glad he taught Hanabi his disguise jutsu, the girl was talented indeed, picking it up in the short few days they traveled.
Hanabi could no longer contain her excitement once their suite's door closed behind them.
"I can't believe we did this!" she told him eagerly, plopping onto her bed, face up. "What's next?"
The girl was enthusiastic, he gave her that.
"Did you manage to find anything useful while I was meeting with Gaara earlier?" Kakashi asked by way of answering her question.
"Yeah, I think…" Hanabi replied. "It is mostly shinobi who are unsatisfied with the current Kazekage, and even then, it is the minority. Most of Suna's ninjas respect Gaara for what he did for the village. Those who do not, though, are pretty vocal. They slander him and his siblings, blame them for every bad thing that happened to the village." Why did that sound familiar to the Copy Ninja? "There seems to be little organization right now, though. That's what people say, anyway, and I don't think there is any threat of open rebellion yet."
"They must be desperate," commented Kakashi, remembering his observations of their escort when they had just arrived. "I was afraid they are an organized group, like Danzou's Root, but it seems they are just some bitter shinobi scheming half-baked intrigues. Good job, Hanabi-chan."
"I also heard rumors that some big shots in the government are not much opposed to Gaara leaving the position of Kazekage."
"Probably true. I doubt they are planning a full-blown overthrow any time soon, but they are preparing. Readying the soil, so to speak. The assassinations, the slander, the rumors… All of it creates a toll on the Kazekage."
When he said that, Hanabi couldn't help but notice how tired Kakashi himself looked at that moment. It was clear that his words could be applied to his own position in Konoha. Afterall, one can only endure so much until all the stress starts taking its toll. The Hyuga stood up from her bed and approached her older companion, punching his shoulder shyly.
"Hey," she said, trying to smile cheerfully, "you alright?"
Kakashi looked at her, surprised by her uncharacteristic sentimentality. He grinned openly, the mask stretching under his smile, before ruffling Hanabi's hair affectionately. She, of course, protested half-heartedly, but still smiled back.
They stood in companionable silence for a few more seconds, before Kakashi spoke up.
"Fortunately, Gaara's reputation and actions prevent all these opportunists from acting. We will wait till tomorrow," he said, banking on someone getting caught as a result of his "assassination letter plan".
The problem with unstable governments was that those who are indifferent to the current state of things could easily sway to the enemy's side if given enough incentive. Kakashi suspected that most of Suna's officials would go with the flow should Gaara be deposed, but would never actively seek to overthrow him. Thus, they would never plan something like assassination themselves. However, should a warning about Kazekage's planned murder appear, they will be more likely to withhold that information.
Kakashi just hoped that somebody would take the bait and do exactly as he expected.
Tomorrow's meeting started as inertly as yesterdays. After all the formalities, Kakashi decided to cut to the chase.
"Good to see everyone again," he started. "Allow me to digress from our current agenda and speak to the esteemed Kazekage."
Gaara and his siblings were not surprised by his antics. Having talked with the Copy Nin the day before, they had already expected something like that. The other Suna officials, though, were properly surprised. Not waiting for someone to object, Kakashi continued.
"I am aware that Kazekage-sama received warnings, probably even shown letters regarding his planned assassination today."
The mood in the room had completely shifted. Kakashi carefully looked at each person, gauging their reaction. As expected, some showed surprise, some indignation. Yet some had a completely blank expression on their face. Those, in Kakashi's experience, were often the ones to look out for.
"What are you–"
"I want to ask you, Kazekage-sama," Kakashi interrupted one particularly scandalized councilor, "who, out of all present in this room, did not warn you of this letter?"
Again, he carefully watched everyone's reaction. People were shocked, but it was understandable. Afterall, why would anybody conceal such an important information from their Kazekage? One person, however, a middle-aged severe looking man, was starting to show signs of nervousness. It was subtle, but to Kakashi's trained ANBU eyes it was obvious.
Copy Nin was glad that those weeks spent at studying reports on Suna's internal affairs didn't go to waste. He spent quite a bit of his time preparing for this very moment, and Kakashi felt confident that today will be a win for both villages.
Gaara looked thoughtful. He too had leaned into his chair and looked at his advisors and council members. After a short pause, he replied.
"Only one of my subordinates hasn't told me anything about this letter of yours," he said, fixing his gaze at the man Kakashi suspected. Gaara seemed to understand what Kakashi was trying to do. "Nobu-dono, would you like to explain?"
Said man was looking distressed by the second. He struggled for words, panic briefly flickering in his hard eyes.
"You must forgive me, Kazekage-sama, but I don't understand what Konoha is saying about the letters and assassinations," he feigned ignorance, measuring a suspicious glare towards the masked ninja.
"Oh really?" asked Kakashi, each syllable making a noose around Nobu's neck ever so tighter. "Then you must forgive me for saiying that you are a liar, Nobu-san. I had my companion deliver each letter to every single Suna council member in this room," Copy Nin said, gesturing towards Hanabi who sat beside him, eliciting a collective gasp from said council.
Hanabi was shocked, but outwardly did not show it. For Kakashi to give the credit to her, it had to be part of his plan. Before, he called her his bodyguard and advisor, now he said that she could sneak to the private residences of Suna's top officials undetected… It was clear that Kakashi was trying to create a reputation for her, probably intending for her to use it in the future. Indeed, the occupants of the room started whispering among each other, likely discussing the "Hyuga prodigy" Kakashi brought with him to the meeting.
"Wait a minute, you wrote those letters?" asked another advisor, returning everyone's attention back to the subject at hand. A wave of indignant murmurs washed over the room.
"Kakashi-sama's explanation will wait," cut the Kazekage, effectively silencing everyone. "Right now, I want to hear Nobu-dono. Why is that other councilors warned me, and you haven't?"
The man addressed only now understood that he was cornered. Others won't help him, not with Kazekage praising them for their loyalty with his last remark. If he played stupid from the start, claiming that he didn't want to bother Kazekage with the letter he was sure was fake, he would lose his position, but at least would keep his life. Now, when he already claimed ignorance, there was no way out. He'd dug his own grave. He could claim that Konoha was trying to frame him, but in any case, the protocol is an investigation, which was sure to discredit him.
"I think Nobu-sama will not mind an interrogation and his house getting searched," spoke one advisor helpfully. "A suspicious situation such as this warrants an investigation."
There was a hum of agreement from the others. Kakashi grinned under his mask. These people were sure quick to throw their colleague under the horses. It seemed Nobu shared his assessment. The man suddenly stood up, looking furious, his chair falling over at the floor with a loud clang.
"Sniveling sycophants!" he yelled, enraged. "Licking a fledgling's boots. Look at you, smarming before a child!"
"That's quite enough, Nobu-san," Kazekage's voice was hard and commanding. "If you have any problem with me, I am always happy to listen. However, I will not stand for this disrespect, nor will I tolerate any undercover intrigues."
With those words Gaara measured a meaningful glance at everyone in the room, before making a signal. Several shinobi appeared out of nowhere, arresting Nobu.
"I served under two Kazekages before you, pup," Nobu said, turning to Gaara. "Lord Third was strong, a real leader. He would've squashed those anti-Kazekage groups during the first week of their emergence. You can sit and play Kage with those dogs," he throwed a contemptuous look towards the council, "but you'll never be my Kazekage."
Nobu's words were gruff, he looked like he meant what he said. A heavy atmosphere hung in the room after the man was taken away. Not a single soul dared to say anything. Kakashi quietly shook his head – these kind of people were the most dangerous.
"Leave us," Gaara barked, addressing his council. "I would like to speak with Konoha in private."
Everyone hurriedly left, not wanting to incur any further wrath from their Kazekage.
"Temari, Kankuro, that means you too."
Brother and sister understood. Gaara wanted to treat every one of his advisors equally, making them leave too will show that he was not biased towards his siblings. Once everyone cleared the conference room, leaving only the Kazekage, Kakashi and Hanabi, Gaara started.
"You planned this from the start."
"I did," Kakashi admitted.
Kazekage was silent. He looked at the masked man for a long while, as if searching for something. Finally, he spoke again.
"I am grateful for your help." He sighed, "A deal is a deal, Sunagakure accepts the conditions of this agreement," he said, tapping the papers on the table before him.
Young Kazekage looked tired, like he would rather face another assassination attempt than deal with politics. Nevertheless, this had been an important lesson. He bowed to Kakashi, steeling his expression back to guarded politeness.
"I am teaching my… sister-in-law," Kakashi suddenly started, gesturing towards Hanabi, surprising Gaara. "She is a Hyuga clan heiress. I want to make her understand that being a leader means to constantly face your shortcomings."
Gaara looked curious, but didn't speak, allowing the older man to continue.
"That doesn't mean, however, that you shouldn't stop trying. A leader will have to make a decision that some people won't like or agree with. No matter what you do, your decision will be wrong in some person's eyes. A leader must be confident, even when facing their incompetence."
This seemed to resonate within the Kazekage. He bowed, this time a little deeper. He'd tried to appease to everyone but forgot that it was impossible to begin with. Instead of trying to always reach a compromise and being afraid to act, he should've listened to his heart and be decisive. Afterall, a Kazekage is not one who makes everyone comfortable, it is the one who makes everyone better.
"Thank you, Kakashi-sama."
They called the others in and finalized the agreement. Suna accepted the terms. There were some who objected, suspicious of Kazekage's talk with Konoha. However, Gaara's resolve had quickly put them in line. Everyone saw, their Kazekage changed after his talk with Konoha shinobi. His eyes, though still tired, held a newfound vigor. Before them stood a man confident in his decisions. Some of the older council members could have sworn they saw glimpses of Lord Third when their Kazekage was dealing with Nobu. They were not born yesterday, Suna was bound to accept these terms one way or another. Advisors objected, but it was but a cover, they did not want to appear weak. They were hoping their Kage would take the burden of making this disadvantageous decision for them. Suna did not need a proud Kazekage, she did not even need an experienced one. What Suna needed was a brave and confident leader, who would unite the people under him.
They expected to hear of anti-Kazekage groups no more.