Butterflies
"Me? I'm nobody. I'm not skilled like Uchiha-san. I am not passionate like Haruno-san. I am not smart like Nara-san. I'm not as strong as Chouji-san. I'm not as collected as Aburame-san. Or as pretty as Yamanaka-san. I'm not as confident as Inuzuka-san. If anything, I'm like Hyuuga-san, socially awkward. Oh wait, no, she's just shy. The socially awkward one is me." OC! Team 7 remix!
Chapter 66 – One-way ticket to sand
8-8
Twin kodachis, check. Twin wakizashis, check. Tanto, check. Shinobue, check. Prisoners' scroll, complete with Sand delegate for transport, check. Hip pouch with three scrolls –medical knickknacks, shinobi tools and my usual travel supplies– check.
I'm wearing the same style clothes I wear to work – a teal furisode shirt, skin tight pants, hip pouch hidden under my obi, gloves, kodachis strapped to my forearms, summoning scroll strapped to my lower back, prisoners' scroll sealed in my glove, wakizashis peeking up over my left shoulder, tanto just above the scroll. Okay… so not exactly like how I would go to work.
I wonder if I should to get more pairs of glasses in different colours to match my outfits, but… a worry for another day. I have an extra pair in case this pair breaks. That's enough for now.
Nodding, satisfied that-
"Baby, you're not leaving until I check you have everything. Didn't we already agree you should pack in front of me to save yourself from this?" Mom… you're never going to change, are you. "Don't give me that look. Please hurry! I still have to bug Naru-chan. And I would like to spend some… quality time with my husband before he dashes off into the sunset again. I swear, I'm going to make him stop taking missions sooner or later. All the angst isn't good for me."
8-8
"I still can't believe mom didn't bug the living daylights out of you two? I mean, how is that fair?" I complain. Hitomi and Tsu giggle at my expense. I roll my eyes, annoyed. I know she annoyed Naru-nii, but did she… nevermind. The goofy grin tells me exactly what she did to daddy. At least he had the decency to wash up and remove the evidence – mostly.
It's hard to remove ALL the evidence when I can smell that he accidently used a different shampoo, but the usual conditioner. I can't tell if an acute sense of smell is a Namiki thing, like it's a Hatake and Inuzuka thing. But I know that if I know a person well enough, I can tell WAY too many details they would usually try to keep to themselves. Like Hitomi being a virgin. Not just not having sex recently, but a virgin.
We walk through the customs gate, waving to the two there. They know who we are, there's no need to worry about silly things like protocol, or stopping.
It's really weird, now that I think about it. I sort of remember, just before mama died, that I was suddenly starting to notice a lot of smells I didn't notice before that. Why am I even remembering that at all?
"'Kashi-nii?"
"Nn?"
"Weird question, I know. But do you know around what age most Inuzukas and/or Hatakes start developing their enhanced sense of smell?" It's common decency to not body flicker just outside of the gate, so I know we'll walk for about ten to fifteen minutes before picking up the pace.
"Hnn? Around age five, usually. Some even younger. Why?"
"Well… I don't know if my sense of smell is more acute than anyone else's. And I don't have anyone else to ask, really." I shrug, wondering about that some more. I don't think Sakiko and Katsuo will 'suddenly' develop Namiki DNA, so asking them is just silly. Same with Yasu-nee. Yes, they are my family, my sister and brother, but that doesn't change they weren't born Namikis. Though, honestly, I think their kids have a half decent chance at developing more Namiki traits, given that I'll treat them like my ancestors treated their children. Eventually, no one will be able to tell the difference between their children and mine, seeing as I don't have a bloodline of some sort, I don't think. As it should be.
"I see. Well… the Hatakes, Inuzukas and Namikis are a lot alike. Not just for our closeness to canines, but our training to mimic them in a lot of ways." He says, a faraway look in his eyes. "Though none of us has what many might consider to be a bloodline, we do have something similar."
I think about that. Namikis having almost yellow eyes, like the wolves we bond with. A possible –maybe even likely– naturally enhanced sense of smell, and maybe even hearing and vision (that's purely an assumption, seeing as I'm as blind as a bat without my glasses). But… what else would that include?
"Oh?"
"Even before you knew about your heritage, you acted like a wolf. Some of it is learned behaviour, I'll admit, but… not all of it. Learned behaviour doesn't including the differences in instincts." I wonder about that.
"What do you mean?"
"I've worked with a lot of Inuzukas, and a lot of other shinobi. There's a unique difference in how we, the three canine clans, react no matter the situation. Some of it comes from our enhanced senses. I mean, seeing as we can tell when someone is afraid, if someone just had sex." His eye flicks to daddy briefly, but I catch what he means. "We have a tendency to be more down to earth about most things. We tend to assume that if we notice, others will notice, so there's no point in pretending."
Yeah, I can agree with that. I mean, I kind of got desensitized to the smell of a woman feeling aroused by now. It's kind of hard to living in a residential area and not get desensitized, I guess… crap. Even before the training I was able to smell and identify that. So, yeah, heightened sense of smell is a Namiki thing too.
"But what hearing and sight? I mean, my vision isn't exactly twenty-twenty." I wonder.
"Enhanced hearing also starts showing up around the same age. And sight… well, usually our brains compensate. Most Inuzukas can only see black and white. Hatakes don't have that, and seeing as you can coordinate an outfit, I'll assume neither do Namikis." 'Kashi-nii thinks about that, I guess. "I don't really know what we compensate with, to be honest. Or maybe the Inuzukas inherited the doujutsu and grew close to canines because of it? I don't know."
"Doujutu?"
"Hereditary eye technique, like the Sharingan and Byakugan."
"Ah." I think about that. "So our genes react to our training?"
"Of course. Why do you think powerful shinobi raise even more powerful children?" His eye flicks to Naruto-nii. That makes sense. His parents were legends!
"So, you would agree that if I train Sakiko and Katsuo like they are true Namikis, then their children have a greater chance at developing our heritage? And their grandchildren?"
"Hnn… Over time, yes. How much time, I don't know, but I'm sure our ancestors at one point were just regular people, working the land."
"Good." I say, nodding and smiling. Even if it takes generations, I don't care. I want them to eventually forget they were ever not a Namiki. I want to forget that too. They are my family, my clan. They deserve to be honoured as such.
8-8
We break for lunch, and for dinner, but we don't stop until going on midnight. Tsu had a bit of trouble adjusting to tree-hopping in the dark at first. After I told her to step where I step, she's pretty much good. She still fumbles sometimes, but I catch her each and every time – sound release is useful like that. We don't even have to slow down in the least.
Once we find a decent enough tree – I don't know if there's a tree-picking logic or system, but I know I avoid funny smelling branches. And I check the braches above me just to be safe.
Being used to sleeping next to Tsu, I call her up to my branch. This way, I have a warm cuddly blanket to sleep with. Hitomi gets jealous though, and decides to join us. I don't mind, more warmth is always welcome.
8-8
"Aya, time to get up."
We go through the usual morning (non-Anbu) routine, but I do make sure Tsu and Hitomi wash down anyway. There's nothing worse than a frowsy kunoichi. Literally, nothing.
The whole time I can't help but think about that weird dream. Chouchou and Chouko… weird. What's even weirder, was seeing –what I can only describe as– two chubby Namikis with swirls on their cheeks like Chouji.
At any rate, I hand out breakfast and a bottle of water to everyone. They all likely have their own sealed away, but I'm the medic, I'm not taking any risks. I need to make sure my team is taken care of.
Once everyone is taken care of, and I seal away the empty bottles – littering isn't just bad for the environment, it's a horrid security breech! That's a trail with our scents that can stay good for WEEKS! No. Just no. Even when we go, I make sure Tsu and 'Tomi cover their tracks, so we don't have to worry about a thing.
We take a break for lunch, but this time curiosity is getting the better of me. "Hitomi?"
"Nn?"
"Weird question, I know." She smiles, amused. Naru-nii and 'Kashi-nii are quite used to my weird questions, so they don't even react. Daddy is… well he's used to me, just not on missions. "You don't miss being with the Hyuugas at all, do you?"
"… No." She looks away, no doubt trying to hide how much either the question or the answer hurts.
"If I were to offer you a place among the Namikis, permanently, would you accept it?" She looks at the company she finds herself in, decides there'd be no harm in being honest. After all, Jiraiya's a spymaster, it's not like he can't keep a secret. She already knows Naru-nii and 'Kashi-nii would just as easily welcome her into their compounds as I would. Loyalty, the pack, above all else. And daddy? Well, if a jounin commander doesn't know to keep a secret, then what is this world coming to!?
"… I don't see how you could arrange such a thing, but… yes. I would."
"Good to know." I say, making a mental note of that. "If I come up with something, I'll let you know before I make a move. Deal?" Her eyes soften, and the Hitomi I know –truly know– briefly shows herself. That just goes to show how much she trusts the team she's with – usually it's just Tsu and I that see the gentleness just beneath the surface.
"Alright, bottles. We need to start heading out."
8-8
I stare ahead. I blink. The view doesn't change. I blink again. Still doesn't change.
We're taking our lunch break high up in the last tree that marks the end of the Land of Rivers and the beginning of… that. In front of me is maybe fifty metres of grass. Then seemingly endless desert. Sand. And no, not the village, the object. Just sand. Endless sand.
No wonder why they call it the 'Village hidden in the Sand'.
"How much further, exactly?" I ask, already hating this. I can feel the heat from the desert trying to bake me already.
"It's a three day journey." Daddy answers. We've been traveling for a day and a half. So…
I sigh. "Too long. Can we at least travel at night to not bake?"
"No. We risk freezing. And night hunters." Daddy unseals kasa hats and cloaks. Tossing one to each of us. "That's why we stopped an hour early. We'll be heading out in the heat of the day."
I sigh, not liking this one bit. Still, I don the bulky cloak and the rice farmer's hat without complaint. I know daddy's just looking out for us.
Luckily Jiraiya and daddy have been to Sand quite a few times, so I don't think we have anything to worry about. They'll get us there safely. And it's a good thing mom suggested (demanded) I pack three times as much water as I usually would. I decide immediately to make sure they drink considerably more than we usually would to keep hydrated.
8-8
When the sun starts setting, we immediately start making camp. Jiraiya makes a seal in the sand, which crawls out in every direction. He explains it's to keep out scorpions, spiders and snakes – the usual night hunters. I cringe just thinking about waking up to find any of those things in my tent.
I've slept in trees so often they've become comfortable. I've slept on boats so often that the rocking is almost a mute lullaby. But this? I've never hated a mission so thoroughly before.
"The good news is, because we continued until midnight last night, we're half a day ahead of schedule. We should reach the village before the heat kicks in." Jiraiya says looking up at the stars. I shiver, feeling cold just looking at him.
Baking during the day, then freezing during the night!? How can anyone live in this place!?
"Who's taking what watch?" I ask.
"Princess, you're our medic. You don't take watch." Jiraiya tells me, a smile in his tone.
"Works for me." I shrug, unsealing and handing out dinner and two bottles of water each. Jiraiya looks at me funny. "What? I've learned not to bother arguing when people tell me that. It's pointless. And with Naru-nii and 'Kashi-nii here as well? They'd just refuse to wake me and take my shift themselves."
"You were hoping I would say something different?" He asks, his face completely neutral.
"More curious if you would." I shrug. Tsu looks at me funny though. "Most Konoha shinobi have this weird habit of thinking that since I don't have a choice in whether I save their lives, they don't have any choice in letting me be as well rested as I can be. If you become a decent medic, they'll think the same after you save their skin the first ten times."
"You don't fight it?" Tsu asks, curious. I used to, but…
"Not anymore. It gets people tense. They start thinking that I feel they can't be trusted. Sasuke and I had a major fallout because of that." There's nothing worse on a medic's nerves than a tense teammate during a critical mission. Tension means heightened risk of mistakes, which means we have a plausible patient we'll have to save. Possibly in the heat of battle. Not fun.
"That the time you ended up dragging broody underground to patch him up?" I wince. "… Sorry, sis."
"It's alright. My own fault." Both then and now. I shouldn't have brought it up. Thinking about my teammates, my hunting pack, getting hurt… it hurts.
8-8
It's going on eleven in the morning when we arrive at the giant sandstone gate of Sand Village. Jiraiya and daddy do all the talking, but the guards eventually decide to ask us each a random question.
I get, "How do you like the weather?"
"I can't decide. Are you talking about the blast furnace we're in now, or the freezer I slept in?" I'm NOT a happy camper.
"Sweetie…" Daddy's exasperated with me.
"If he'd asked about the architecture, the organization or my reaction on them being able to survive here, it would have been positive. The weather? Forget it. There's nothing good about the weather." I tell them honestly. The guard chuckles, obviously liking my honesty. I unseal another round of water bottles, handing one to everyone. I don't offer the guard, for obvious reasons. One, he wouldn't take it. And two, he'd be suspicious of me offering it to him in the first place. Making a customs officer in a shinobi village suspicious of you is asking for trouble.
I make sure everyone sips. And when Naru-nii tries to gulp, I swat him. Twice. Hard. "Sip, idiot! If you gulp in this heat you risk doing more harm than good!"
"Oi! Alright, alright! Sipping, ma'am!"
"First timers, huh?" The guard asks.
"Is it that obvious? I can't wait to get home! Geez, how do you guys live here? I mean, I'm half scared my chocolate will melt before I open the packaging!"
"Sis! Please don't tell me you…?"
"Mom had me pack muffins. Relax." He breathes a little easier. The guard looks curious. "If you think I'm a brat now, then you don't want to see me when I don't get chocolate. Trust me." Naru-nii and 'Kashi-nii nod sagely. They've seen it. First hand. Repeatedly. It wouldn't surprise me if they started packing chocolate for me, just to be sure.
Don't get me wrong, I'm careful (more like paranoid) with that these days! But… if a mission drags out, or if something REALLY stressful happens, or I'm on my period? Chocolate has run out enough to warrant the added precautions.
I just pray I'm not on a mission and all three of those things happen! Kami-sama! I don't want to know what I'd do to people!
The guard –customs officer, whatever– (probably) decides we're too weird to be lying, so he lets us through. And we're immediately greeted by Baki – the Sand Trio's jounin sensei.
"Nara-sama, Jiraiya-sama. We were not expecting you again so soon. Is… something the matter?" He asks.
"You might say that." Daddy answers, obviously the spokesman. "We wish to rest a bit, but we'd need a meeting with your council tomorrow morning, as early as possible, seeing as there is much to discuss."
"You could have sent word ahead, we'd have made arrangements."
"Daddy, can I go look around the village?" I interrupt. It's rude and bratty, but something you might expect from a young teenage girl, kunoichi or no. "Ple~eeeeeeeeeease!"
"Sweetie, I'm-"
"Come on, daddy, you promised we could go shopping! And since you're talking about your meeting tomorrow, that means you have the time today. Don't you?" I beg with my eyes, pouting and all.
"I didn't forget, princess. But daddy's working right now. Hold your horses for five minutes and we'll go." He says, patting my head to get me to calm down a bit. I don't miss the proud smirk though. He's grateful for the distraction to throw the idiot off the seriousness of our visit. "I'm sorry, my daughter all but begged that I bring her and her friends to Sand. I swear, that's the last time I mention exotic clothes and foods around her."
"You're daughter…?"
I shake my head, annoyed. "What? You waiting for me to mutter 'troublesome' like Shika-nii? Sorry, I'm not that kind of girl."
"Sweetie. What did I say?"
I wince. I look away, blushing from embarrassment. "Sorry, daddy." He tugs me to come stand beside him, then nudges me to bow and apologize.
"Baki, I know she's a bit much sometimes, but please forgive her. She isn't used to the heat." Daddy apologizes for me. "As I was about to say, we were bringing my daughter and her friends anyway, so Hokage-sama thought it prudent to give me a few things to discuss while we're here."
I start looking around, noticing a stall here and there, so I excitedly point it out to Tsu and Hitomi. Hitomi rolls her eyes now and again, but Tsu is just as excited about shopping. And that isn't her acting skills either. Shopping is something she looks forward to!
"A few things that might take all day?" He isn't buying it, and obviously he's subtly eyeing Jiraiya and 'Kashi-nii.
"Would you argue with a woman that happens to be your boss?"
"Hey, hey, dad… you're coming too, right?" Tsu hugs 'Kashi-nii's arm, begging. "Come on, you know I'm never going to stop bugging you unless you do!"
"What did I say about calling me that outside of Konoha?" 'Kashi-nii looks annoyed.
"Da~aaaaaad. We're in an allied village! Come on, lighten up will you!" She sounds just as annoyed. "And don't try to weasel your way out of this! I know that's what you're doing! You have years to make up for! Now come on! Aya-chan and uncle will come when they're done. Right? Or better yet! Uncle can come find us when he's done! That way we can try to find a nice little café to get something to eat!"
"And get out of the sun." Hitomi agrees wholeheartedly. "I'm for it."
Baki starts shaking his head, obviously he buys it, even if only a little. He subtly eyes Hitomi, probably wondering how she ties into all this. Hitomi wordlessly tugs her headband down so it hangs around her neck, showing her unmarked forehead. The best part? We aren't technically lying. "I'll make the arrangements. I'll contact you later during the day to let you know what time."
Well. I guess I should have picked infiltration. Because we seriously just outwitted a jounin! Well… not entirely. More like we diverted his attention with a bunch of teenage girls itching to shop. Still, whatever cooks the rice.
8-8
We make it to a café in no time at all. Jiraiya says he'll find us three rooms to spend the night, and he drags (or tries to, at least) Naruto-nii along – who's complaining and dragging his feet because he's hungry. I don't mind either way, I can always bug him what's taking them so long.
"You know what? Fine. If you're just going to be a brat, then I'll leave you here. I'll come find you guys. And I don't want to hear you complaining that I abandoned you with a bunch of girls."
"See ya!" Naruto happily starts his way back to us, but obviously Jiraiya was trying to use reverse psychology. So not working on an Uzumaki.
"I mean it! I'll let them drag you all over this village shopping all afternoon in this heat!"
"I can live with that." Naruto waves him off, grinning ear to ear. He loves riling people up. And Jiraiya tends to be just the kind of dramatic Naruto likes. "You want me to buy you a new hat or something? I'm sure sis can find a lovely shade of pink to go with your sunburn."
"I never seem to get the respect I deserve!" He cries dramatically.
"Yeah, yeah. Poor you. Did you want me to order you something or not? And no, that isn't an offer to pay for you, scrooge!"
I mostly ignore the bickering, focusing on the village itself. The buildings mostly look… like oddly shaped domes. Must be heat related or something. And it all seems to blend naturally into the sand. I don't know, I don't want to. Not my problem.
Most people seem to be covered up from head to toe, showing only (a portion of) their face and their hands. Civilian women seem to cover everything from the nose down. Probably a sun exposure thing. Not sure.
Whatever.
8-8
The thing about exotic cuisine and fashion? You'll never find a dish you recognise, and you can't ever find a good reason to wear the clothes at home. We did each buy some decorative fans and we even found some cute umbrellas – for the sun, so we didn't buy those.
I notice a distinct lack of herbs (I recognise) for cooking, but I don't know yet if that's because of the lack of demand or the lack of supply. So I ask one of the market vendors, and I quickly find he's more than happy to discuss the details of buying if I'm selling. I play it off as curiosity, but I make a mental note of it nonetheless. So does daddy. He loves it when I start asking thought provoking questions.
Soon, the heat just gets too much, so we retreat to our rooms. I drag Hitomi and Tsu into the room I'm sharing with daddy. 'Kashi-nii tries acting annoyed, but I can tell he's smiling all the same.
We settle in, mostly going through our usual stuff. Tsu and I talk about things we saw, Tsu points out the boys she saw – I already have Chouji, so I mostly listen or shrug. Hitomi on the other hand…? I don't know. She isn't really too much into boys, and she doesn't seem to be too much into shopping unless it's for weapons. Bring her into a blacksmith's or an outfitter, and leave her there for days. She won't notice you're gone.
I start feeling a little lazy, so I lay my head in Hitomi's lap. Tsu seems to like that idea, so she's quick to do the same. 'Tomi doesn't mind, she never does. She smooths our hair, listening as we continue talking about this or that.
Eventually Baki finds us, so daddy invites him in. I wave lazily, but there's no way I'm getting up right now. Tsu seems to agree. He and daddy discuss the time for the meeting, and daddy specifically asks if it's the Shinobi or Civilian Council that will be there. Baki assures him that both will be present. The Civilian Council will be excused once military issues need to be discussed. Daddy nods, accepting that.
"If you don't mind me asking a more… personal question?" Baki asks, eyeing me as well as daddy. Daddy tells him to go ahead. "How are my three students? I've heard little to nothing about them, other than that Temari is 'possibly' engaged to your son."
"They aren't engaged. Both my wife and my daughter refused that out of hand. Temari and Shikamaru are spending time together, and simply seeing where it will lead." Daddy offers.
"I see." Baki seems to be worried, not just for their standing, but their wellbeing.
"They're fine, Baki. Temari is training most days with Shika-nii. They tend to talk a lot about politics and he's teaching her shogi as well. Kankuro is entertained. I haven't seen him in days. Not since he got 'a new toy' to play with. Temari says that's normal for him? Not sure how that can be normal though."
"Anyway, Gaara is doing alright too. A little social butterfly, if you could believe it. He keeps complaining that we don't cook 'gizzard'… but I'm still not sure I want to know what that is. Anyway, since cacti seeds aren't easy to come by in Konoha, he started a little vegetable garden. He seems to like it, but I'm thinking on buying him a few cacti while we're hear. If for no reason other than to give him one less reason to complain about the humidity." All completely true, even if I'm leaving out more than half the story.
Gaara and Fuu have hit it off pretty well, but Baki doesn't need to know about Fuu. Temari is also becoming fast friends with Minori, but he doesn't need to know about Minori either. And Aomaru and Kankuro are getting along thanks to their shared love for Kabuki theatre – not my thing, thanks. So much so that they have been putting on professional quality puppet shows, good enough that even Senju-san and Katou-san enjoy it. Kankuro makes the puppets, Aomaru does the sets and the costumes.
To be fair, I'm not sure if it's because the puppet tends to pour Senju-san another drink when she starts laughing.
Still, all in all, they're right at home with us. Their quirks don't even stand out all that much anymore, really.
"… Good. Thank you. Do you think you could arrange an audience with them? I'll be in Konoha in two weeks… I… would like to see them, if I may?"
"Not my call to make, Baki. However, if you ask at the Tower, I'm sure Senju-san can point you in the right direction."
"… Senju-san?"
"She means Hokage-sama. Aya has… a thing with names." Hitomi explains. "You get used to it eventually, I'm told."
"Ha ha. Cute, 'Tomi."
"My point exactly."
"What? I suppose you want me to call you Hyuuga-sama then?"
"Thanks, no."
"'Tomi it is then!" She sighs, probably asking herself why she bothers. "You know you love me, darling. So there's no need to be shy about a cute little nickname." She blushes a deep crimson.
"Sometimes I wonder how I got stuck with you." She teases, but she still scratches my scalp lovingly.
"Fate, obviously. Is that what what's-his-face keeps babbling on about?"
"Who, Neji-san? You learn to filter it out eventually." Tsu and I giggle at Hitomi's dry monotone. She really doesn't like that one.
8-8
Nine in the morning. Council Chambers. Forty headless chickens, all clucking and pecking for the bigger the worm. We're not here to make friends though.
Baki seems curious that our whole group is here, but I don't care. I am grateful that he showed me where I can buy some young cacti, and he knows which ones are Gaara's favourites. He's a decent man, I'll give him that.
"Honoured council. As you no doubt have guessed, there are matters that need to be discussed. However, not all of these matters are mine to discuss." Daddy begins professionally. I can tell just by looking at him that he's comfortable even in this kind of situation. "There are four points that Hokage-sama wishes to be hashed out. And unfortunately, today is the only day available for this. I ask that you be patient as we lay out the problems we've encountered one by one."
There is some murmuring, but mostly they seem fine with how daddy lays it out. "Thank you." He bows low to them. "To start off with one of the more… troubling issues, I pass the floor to my daughter. Aya?"
"Thank you, daddy." I say, my tone and body language every bit as professional as daddy's. "I'm sure most, if not all, of you know much of what I'm about to say. However, I believe it important to the problem. As such, I find it important to explain to offer the problem some context."
"Temari and her brothers were captured during the failed invasion of Konoha." I don't show how pleased I am with their discomfort. "As such, they were detained for quite some time. Given their pride and status in Sand, they were… not cooperative with our people. As such, I was called in. I spoke with them privately, to explain my views on their situation and to offer them arrangements more fitting their status, should they cooperate with us."
"Days later, daddy returned from Sand with three delegates to make arrangements. One of which includes a proposed arranged marriage between Temari and my brother, Shikamaru. I cannot say why, but Temari and her brothers eventually requested my presence to advocate for them. As such, I was called in a second time to provide aid to the Sand Trio – as they're called in Konoha. I suggested putting aside marriage talks, to offer Temari more say in who she marries, to offer her and Shikamaru a chance to fall in love on their own, should that even be possible."
I pause, studying the unfamiliar faces. Most seem vaguely interested in my story. One seems nervous.
"Temari agreed with my proposal, as it agreed with her pride as a kunoichi and to honour her loyalty to Sand to offer her life for the sake of peace." I like how daddy suggested I say it just like that, to really stick a dagger into the guilty party now mutely fidgeting. "So imagine my surprise when, after relocating Temari and her brothers, she's asked to attend a private meeting with your delegates. I say surprise, because said delegate attempted to give Temari a suicide mission and weapons."
There's an air of discomfort sweeping across the room. They don't like where this is going, and we haven't even gotten to the worst part. "What's worse, is that this mission, given to the Fourth Kazekage's daughter, this suicide mission… is the assassination of three clan heads of Konoha."
The silence is deafening.
One of them looks confused, and more than a little worried, so he asks, "I'm sorry. I'm not sure I understand, Namiki-sama. You're suggesting that one of our delegates was trying to order Temari, a political prisoner, to assassinate three clan heads? How would she accomplish this?"
"Because of Temari's convenient placement amongst us. You see. These three are none other than Hatake Kakashi, Uzumaki Naruto and myself. We are, respectively, the clan heads of the Hatake clan, the Uzumaki clan and the recently instated Namiki clan. Given our close ties, we and the head of the Yuki clan, are constantly together. It would be a simple matter of timing to try take us out, should the assassin be skilled enough." They REALLY don't like the sound of that. And the presence of all three intended targets isn't helping their nerves.
"So. After Temari's willingness to offer her life for the sake of your village. After I aided her and her brothers, took them into my home and provided for them. Three members of this council conspired to ruin not just the lives of the Sand Trio, but wished to assassinate three clan heads and ruin peace talks between our villages."
I look around, not hiding my disappointment or annoyance. "But, by all means, don't take my word for it. I'll bring out the missing delegate involved." I unseal the prisoners' scroll, and unseal the delegate. He wobbles a bit, so I gently grab him by the arm to help steady him. "I'm sure you all recognize this man. And I know he recognizes all of you. So, my good sir. I would ask you do not lie, and tell you story. Please keep it short, and indicate who gave you the scroll and the mission to kill peace talks between our villages."
Many of the council wince at my wording, but everyone looks uncomfortable. The delegate tells his story, but I don't listen to most of it. In study to councilmembers, trying to pick out who's reacting worst to what's going on.
"And who gave you this mission?" One of the councilmen asks.
The delegate points as he calls three names.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
Three indicated idiots are now chained to the ceiling. Everyone bristles and starts shouting this and that, the Anbu guards look like they want to do something stupid. "Hold!" I warn, holding up my hand to stall them and outshouting them all. "Your delegate is the one that named and pointed at the three I've detained. Has he not?"
They all look uncomfortable, but no one has anything to say about it.
"So, the first issue to deal with is interrogating the three indicated to see if there is truth to the matter. Naturally, you understand that I will not allow these three to simply… walk away and disappear. After all, they risked not just the Sand Trio, but your village's very existence. To risk a war so soon after losing so many shinobi, let alone your Kazekage? Is that the type of person you wish to defend when my actions are both legal and justified?"
Murmurs go back and forward again. I seal the three councilmen away, sealing the scroll into my glove once again. "Furthermore, I will only warn your Anbu guards once. Should they draw steel in my presence again? Theirs will be the first heads to roll." The change is immediate.
Shing!
Snap!
"That's one that wishes to forfeit his life." The Anbu that wishes to test me is now on the ceiling, just as the councilmen were not a moment ago. "Any other takers?"
"You would dare threaten us in our own village!?" One of the councilmen, a jounin judging by his scent, is pissed.
"How is that any different from your village invading ours?" I ask meeting his gaze easily. "You started this. You allowed your councilmen to try to incite even more bloodshed. You allowed a mission to bring my head back to Sand. I am merely cleaning up your mess."
He isn't backing down. "So you feel justified in bullying us."
"Let me put the shoe on the other foot. Say Sand was the victor of that invasion. And we tried to assassinate your Kazekage as revenge? Or perhaps a little lower, just you. Say it's your name in that scroll. Would you react any different?" He blinks, but still isn't backing down. "Yes, you would. You wouldn't care for investigations or laws. You would hunt me down and kill me yourself. Be grateful I am not like you. Because I assure you…" My fingers are poised to snap once again.
"If I want you dead. You're dead."
8-8
End Chapter 66
8-8
A/N: I suck at not updating. I really do. A bit of a cliffhanger, but still a good place to end this.
I've been bugging poor Setokaiva again abut the last major plot point. WHAT!? Yes, I said that last major plot point. We're at the end of pre-Shippuuden, more or less. Everything left is mission filler arcs. There's just one thing though... Seto suggested (without knowing it) a VERY vital plot point that I wouldn't have thought of without him. You'll see what that is when the time is right.
Happy holidays, guys! Enjoy it!