Enchantress

Chapter 16 – Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon

Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of mangaka (comic artist) Masashi Kishimoto. This story implies nothing about the characters nor does the plot of the story have any effect on the manga volumes (or the anime) themselves. This story is pure fiction.

A/N: Nothing like a 2.5 year hiatus to piss off all my loyal readers, right? I have excuses but I'm sure you don't wanna hear 'em. I've used up so much of them already. Let's hope that we can put this behind us and move on. It's not my best work but here's a nice long chapter for all of you to read as a token of my apology. I'll try to be more diligent in my updates (as if I hadn't made that promise before. :P).

—†—

The Sand Village's current reigning head figure, the Fourth Kazekage, despite his incredibly young age, was a well-respected leader and overall individual in his own right. Years of adversity coupled with crowning moments of self-actualization had transformed the once hostile and often feared youngest sand sibling into an honourable young man with an affinity for order – as opposed to chaos. As the red-head sat authoritatively in his office, with his two older siblings at his side, Minako couldn't help but feel that same bout of anxiety that she had in this very office roughly one week ago. The apprehension, the fear, but primarily the embarrassment that came from the belief that Gaara was aware of her true identity was nearly sending her over the edge. She wouldn't be able to live anything down if word got out that the infamous Naruto had been permanently – at least to her current knowledge – transfigured into a girl. Even though Gaara was never known to be one for petty gossip, eavesdropping has become quite the popular hobby amongst the general public these days, regardless of one's moral standards.

"Something wrong Minako-chan?"

Minako looked into the concerned and confused eyes of her comrade, Ino, and quickly shook her head in denial.

"It's nothing." And then, her quick thinking kicked in. "Well, nothing important really. Just uh, worried about my evaluation. Nothing big. I mean, this assignment would be my first non-theory-based job as a medic so yeah…nerves, haha." Part of this was true. While Minako was not new to the subject of being evaluated as a ninja (at least when on a standard mission), being evaluated as medic, one of "the great Tsunade's" team of personally trained medics to be precise, was another can of worms in and of itself. That thought alone was enough to make the honey blonde shiver in her spot.

While Minako's complete reasons were left unknown to her, Ino nodded in understanding and presented her comrade with a friendly smile. "I hear you loud and clear. Five years in the medical field and these assignment evaluations STILL make me feel sick to my stomach. I mean, I've had to pop joints back into place, repair major lacerations and even tend to rotting flesh…ironically, none of them have ever made me cringe quite like a performance review."

With those mental images in mind, Minako continued to fidget all the more in nervousness from her position between Ino and Kakashi as Gaara began to address her team.

"As you all know, the mission that has been assigned to the three of you on behalf of our village has now reached its conclusion. The estimated time frame for when your combined duties were to have been completed by was accomplished ahead of schedule and your respective mission objectives, which were pre-determined by your supervisors, have been completed to exceptional standards."

The four Konoha representatives nodded their heads in gratitude.

"Detailed in the accompanying files," Temari submitted one manila folder each to Minako and Kakashi while Kankuro administered Ino and Sakura's folders, "are the completed evaluations of your assignment objectives as provided by your mission designates."

The focus of the meeting then shifted over to Kankuro, who surprisingly continued to showcase his natural face rather than conceal it with a hood and his signature war make-up; an observation which Minako found most refreshing.

"Included in Kakashi-san's folder is the total base compensation that was promised to be awarded to your entire team for successfully achieving all of the written objectives that were outlined in your contract. Additional bonus payments were made to each one of you, which can be found in a light green envelope within each of your files, for accomplishing said objectives prior to the anticipated completion date."

Minako's eyes rose up in amusement. Nice!

Temari was the next to speak. "As an additional reward to the four of you for contributing so much to our village in such a short amount of time," her gaze then shifted towards Kakashi, "and for demonstrating exceptional courage and valour towards a Sand Village official in the face of danger," Minako grinned at the exchange in eye contact between Temari and Kakashi, "the three of us would like to cordially invite you all to dinner and lodging with the three of us at the Kazekage manor tonight as a token of our appreciation."

Minako's entire team bowed in gratitude.

"Your generosity is most humbling Temari-san," said Kakashi.

"Please, as it is your final day with us here in the village it would be our honour to provide you all with some much needed rest and relaxation before you all depart for home tomorrow morning."

"You are free to explore the rest of our village at your leisure until the evening. Dinner starts at 7," concluded Kankuro.

The Konoha team exchanged one final round of thanks towards the three sand siblings before making their way to the double doors of the Kazekage's office. However, just before turning around, Minako exchanged one final glance towards Gaara. The red-head continued to present her with that intimidating and analyzing gaze of his; it was the same look that he had given to her during the debriefing session at the start of her team's mission. Minako had a strange feeling that Gaara wanted to have a few words with her – and tonight would be the perfect opportunity for him to confront the blonde face-to-face as there would be no more work-related distractions to stop either of them.

—†—

After having a highly eventful morning of shopping with the girls (Minako strictly adhered to browsing while Sakura and Ino purchased to their hearts' content) and lunch with the whole team at a local eatery, Minako found herself alone with Kakashi while taking a stroll through one of the local parks. Even though Suna's parks were nothing compared to Konoha's (i.e. full of lush vegetation, various woodland creatures, and an abundance of flowing water), they were still inviting enough to anyone who desired a quiet and relaxing afternoon, away from the obligations and responsibilities of work.

"So, Minako-chan, Tsunade-sama tells me that you're one of her most promising new comers to her own personally trained-team of medics."

Minako's eyes rose up in surprise. That's a lie and she knows it! "Well, I wouldn't really say promising but I try to do my best in anything that she throws at me. If anything, class time with her somehow evolves into an all-out shouting match whenever I either do something wrong or answer one of her 'pop questions' incorrectly. Sometimes I wonder how the two of us have lasted this long around each other without resorting to violence."

Kakashi found himself nearly stunned at the young blonde's attitude of familiarity towards the Hokage. "Incredible…"

Minako raised a slender eyebrow at the Jounin's response. "I'm sorry?"

"Well it's just that you talk about Tsunade-sama as if she were a family member or a very close friend. Not that there's anything wrong with that it just seemed…surprising, but in a good way. When coupled with the knowledge that you're a brand new Konoha citizen with no known relatives living within the village, one would find it quite remarkable at how a young lady from the rural outskirts, like yourself, would adapt and find her place within a major ninja capital so quickly."

He does have a point. "Well, from my perspective," before she knew it, Minako started to unveil one of her inner-most philosophies, "life's too short to make enemies or to feel intimidated by what is new or unknown. In the long run, while accomplishments and notable achievements are a good thing to have to one's name, to me it's really all about the relationships that you develop and build with others that define who you truly are as a person. No one likes to be lonely; it's human nature to strive for companionship and intimacy." A pregnant pause was shared between the two ninjas, "And so…my goal is to make as many friends as I possibly can and achieve that sense of casual closeness and camaraderie with anyone who will give me a chance – regardless of their age, status, gender or other highly superficial things that really mean nothing when it comes to friendship."

Kakashi directed a smile towards the young blonde next to him. Despite being a new face, the girl's wholesome outlook on life greatly reminded him of another perky blonde with whom he had the honour of calling both a former student and a current friend.

"I mean sure there are certain people with attitudes and personalities that inhibit the initial establishment of a friendship," Minako's thoughts immediately went to Sasuke, "but, everyone pretty much starts off at an even level in my book. I guess I can understand why you would be surprised at how casually I can talk about our Hokage in passing. To everyone, we're nothing more than mentor and disciple but that doesn't necessarily mean that our relationship has to end there. When she inquired about my background, she got to know me a little better and in exchange, I got to know her a little bit better in the process. As my medic-nin lessons with her continued on, casual chatting just became a commonplace for us, both in and outside of the classroom."

Just then Minako had a startling realisation.

"I-I'm sorry," she let out an awkward laugh, "I don't usually go on rants like that in front of others."

Geez…Talk his ear off some MORE why don't you? Minako's momentary bout of embarrassment shifted to moderate offense when she heard the faint sounds of laughter coming from the silver-haired Jounin.

"Is something funny?"

Kakashi simply smiled back in return.

"You know Minako-chan, you remind me a lot of a former student of mine."

The statement piqued her interest. "Is that so?"

"Indeed. You've probably heard his name quite a bit ever since you came to Konoha. In fact, if I may be blunt, I'm assuming that many of the other Konoha residents have pointed out the striking similarities in both personality and attitude that the two of you appear to share in common, correct?"

Just play along…"Wow you ARE sharp. Um, Naruto was his name, right?" Hearing her original name said in passing felt weird enough; having her say it out loud and essentially reference herself brought it to an entirely different level.

Kakashi nodded. "The two of us go back a long way. I was his original Jounin instructor after he graduated from the academy. Even now, not a day goes by when I can't think of how far he has come in his young life and how proud I am to be referred to as one of his mentors."

Minako felt touched at Kakashi's musings. Is this how he really feels about me? Hmm…guess the lecher does have some depth to him after all. Minako grinned.

"Did you know that him, Sakura and Sasuke, the young man with whom you accompanied to Iwagakure as Naruto's replacement, were all a part of my original genin team?"

Minako played the clueless card once again. "Really?" as she said with semi-forced interest.

"They were my pride and joy. Things were a little bit rusty in the beginning but overtime the three of them began to respect each others talents, cooperate as a functioning team, and eventually evolve into life long friends…especially Sasuke and Naruto."

Minako couldn't help but blush at the thought of her long time friendship with Sasuke.

"Those two…they've gone through so much together. Ups and downs, highs and lows, hills and valleys; the true definition of a rollercoaster relationship if you ask me. In a way it should come as to no surprise that they hated each others guts during their academy and early genin years. Complete polar opposites."

Minako's eyes softened as memories of Sasuke flooded her mind.

"In all my years of service as an elite ninja, never have I seen a pair so backwards yet so compatibly perfect as those two. They may not show it in front of others on a regular basis but you can tell, given the history and the dynamics of their relationship, that Sasuke and Naruto are two friends who would be more than willing to die for one another if the opportunity arose – no questions asked."

Minako's memories were brought back to the very first moment when Sasuke nearly died for her safety: during their hallmark battle against Haku and Zabuza in Kirigakure. The serious tone of the conversation made a complete turn when Kakashi let out a light-hearted chuckle.

"Despite their inspiring friendship and unmatched respect for one another, the two of them, more often then not, bicker like a married couple about very petty things."

Minako's right eye twitched in annoyance. Oh, come on! Does EVERYONE think about us in that way?

"Is that…so?" Minako had to bite her tongue in order to fight back a heated remark about the "married couple" comment.

"While most of us find it endearing, there are others who are a little annoyed that their so called 'friction' has lasted this long. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if they were already married given the way that they nitpick about mundane things towards each other. Sure, now it's about how the other conducts himself in public but pretty soon we'll be hearing their lover's tiffs about house locations, wallpaper patterns, and who knows, may be even potential baby names when the time arrives." Kakashi let out a hearty chuckle.

All joking aside, much to her dismay, Minako once again found herself blushing when it came to thoughts about Sasuke. Thanks to Kakashi's nonsensical musings, Minako's current train of thought involved both her and Sasuke doing some of the "couple-y" activities that the copy-ninja had previously listed off only moments ago. The blonde nearly let out a scream of frustration.

UGH! How irritating! Minako pushed those thoughts back into the depths of her subconscious.

"To those who never believed in the idea that 'opposites attract' simply needed to take one look at Sasuke and Naruto's relationship dynamic and their views would be changed entirely. While the two of them share common interests in select areas, the notable contrasts in their individual personalities, preferences and even physical appearances make them near-perfect antitheses of each other," Kakashi paused for a few beats, "In the end, Sasuke and Naruto simply complete each other. Each one possesses certain attributes and traits that the other needs to remain emotionally balanced."

Minako was stunned to silence at the sheer profoundness of Kakashi's analysis. Her heart became filled with a sudden sensation of calm and content.

"They sound like a match made in Heaven."

"They are." Kakashi looked back into the younger blonde's eyes. "I can see why many of Konoha's younger generation have taken a liking to you Minako-chan: you're open-minded, approachable, and easy to talk to; to put it simply, you remind us of Naruto."

Minako was unsure of how to respond. "I'm guessing that's a good thing?"

"It is. And while this may be the first time that the two of us have been able to converse with one another so casually since your Konoha residency, I can honestly say that many of the adults who have also taken a liking to Naruto, myself included, feel the same way."

Minako looked back at Kakashi with conflicted happiness. While it was incredibly comforting and heart-warming to know that the extent of her friendships continues to remain strong even in her new body, the blonde couldn't help but believe in the possibility that overtime, Naruto would be forgotten and eventually replaced by Minako, completely. With many of her friends and peers identifying that the two were near identical in a handful of ways, save for the obvious gender difference, what's to stop her from harbouring such a pessimistic position? While the blonde acknowledged that this was an extreme instance, the doubt continued to linger.

"Now that I think about it, Naruto's current extended leave of absence has me worried."

Minako couldn't help but snap her head up in attention. "R-Really? How so?"

The pair's stroll eventually led them to one of Sunagakaure's most spectacular landmarks: a wide and almost lake-resembling oasis located within the Northwest quadrant of Sunagakure. A small handful of bushes, shrubs, a ring of fresh grass, and small white wild flowers lined the entire outer edge of the shoreline. Located right within the exact center of the oasis was a small island which was accessible by a long, railing-less wooden bridge. No matter how many times she had visited the Sand Village, Minako always marvelled at the surreal and almost otherworldly splendour of Aoitama (1).

Kakashi let out a muffle sigh. "It's not like him to just suddenly leave the village for more than a week without informing anyone of his departure, or at least without having anyone find out about it beforehand without his knowledge. Now, while this isn't the first time that Naruto has pulled the disappearing act on us, as he occasionally seeks solitary refuge away from Konoha as a means of clearing his mind; but this particular instance seems much too out of the ordinary, even for him."

Minako was humbled at just how much Kakashi had really paid attention to her all this time.

"Even if he doesn't tell anyone directly about his departures, Naruto usually always left a note behind on his apartment door indicating both the time and the reasons for his leaves on top of an approximate return date. And even though Tsunade-sama assures that Naruto had been assigned to an undisclosed, long-term, and highly confidential investigative mission overseas, something as big as this would not run by at least one of Naruto's closest confidants unnoticed. It is virtually impossible for Naruto to keep such news to himself. His excitement over challenging and large-in-scope missions clouds both his common sense and rationality."

Part of Minako wanted to hit Kakashi for essentially undermining her character directly to her face. Another part however was much more concerned with the idea that people were now growing suspicious about "Naruto's sudden absence." Even though the silver-haired ninja was the only individual with whom Minako had ever heard such a concern from, at least upfront, the possibility of others questioning the validity of Naruto's implied whereabouts was bound to happen sooner or later; she just hoped that it was the latter option. Remembering the cover-up plan that she had shared with Tsunade sometime ago, Minako simply continued to play along as usual.

"You must be really concerned about Naruto if you're questioning the word of the Hokage, huh?"

The young blonde's question nearly caught the copy-ninja off guard.

"I mean, if Tsunade-sama assures that he's off on a long-term mission, then that should be all there is to it, right? And because the mission has been classified as confidential, the Hokage technically shouldn't disclose any of the mission's details unless it was absolutely necessary, right?" Minako let out an awkward laugh, "Sorry, I'm just thinking out loud."

Kakashi let out a sigh. "You do have a point Minako-chan. However, there's something about Naruto's absence that just doesn't sit well with me. The fact that this so called mission has been kept so well hidden from so many people within our own village is very disconcerting. By the looks of it, Tsunade-sama appears to be the only individual, if any, who knows exactly where Naruto is and what he is currently doing."

Another pause settled between the two ninjas. Minako spent a few moments gazing into the crystalline waters of the oasis before speaking up.

"Kakashi-sensei, what do you personally think happened to Naruto?" Her curiosity got the best of her.

"I have my suspicions but…I believe that something unfortunate has happened to Naruto. Was he abducted? Did he decide to revoke his allegiance to the village and defect from Konoha? Did he vanish?" after a short pause, Kakashi answered his own questions, "Unlikely, unlikely, and quite possibly. While I can't fully justify why I'm more set on Naruto disappearing without a trace as opposed to the other possible reasons, I get the feeling that something big came up and because of it Naruto's life might be jeopardy as we speak. Nearly six weeks have passed since he "left" and no one has heard a single word from him; well, no one apart from maybe Tsunade-sama."

Minako was stunned to silence. While she knew that Kakashi had a reputation for being extraordinarily sharp, she just couldn't believe at how eerily accurate the older male's intuition actually was now that she had experienced it up close.

"But…that is neither here nor there. Despite my highly pessimistic viewpoint surrounding the entire matter, I also believe that Naruto will be able to find his way back home. He's a strong boy and I know that he is capable of taking care of himself. All I can do for him now is to hope that he is alright, wherever he may be."

Minako spent the next little while mulling over the Jounin's musings as the two of them continued their walk.

—†—

Dinner at the Kazekage Manor was an enjoyable festivity. While those in attendance only consisted of the three Sand Siblings and the four Konoha ninjas, the evening was nonetheless filled with merriment and spent in good company. The food that was served was a three course ordeal which consisted of: a light miso soup as an appetizer, a selection of pan-fried dishes (such as gyoza) as the entrée, and a final serving of chichi dango for dessert with a side of green tea to wash it all down. Being the sweet tooth that she was, Minako was particularly pleased when the manor cooks served the chichi dango; this was evident when the blonde helped herself to seven consecutive servings of the sweet dumplings to which everyone, including her own team-mates, couldn't help but stare in shock.

Throughout most of the meal however, Minako had caught Gaara staring at her on multiple occasions – halting her in place with that same lingering stare that he gave to her earlier this week and once again earlier this morning. While their gazes only met a couple of times during dinner, the fact that it had happened more than twice within the same day made Minako quite fidgety for most of the evening.

After the dining table was cleared up, everyone subsequently agreed to prepare themselves for a good night's rest as the Konoha team scheduled their departure for the Fire Country at sunrise. While Kakashi, Sakura and Ino all retired to their own separate rooms for the evening, Minako found no particular desire to fall asleep just yet. In spite of the mostly cheerful atmosphere at dinner, Gaara's actions aside, much of the conversation that she had with Kakashi during the afternoon continued to replay in her mind over and over again. While it was comforting to know that those who were close to Naruto expressed their worry over his extended absence, Minako had to admit that she was simply not prepared for when either she or Tsunade found themselves backed into a corner. It was only a matter of time before even one person managed to find a loophole in Minako's fabricated life story – and people were already starting to play the guessing game. Scoffing in frustration at her mind's inability to remain quiet, Minako decided to head out for late night walk in order to calm down.

Minako's constitutional eventually led her outside of the manor and back to the north-western quadrant of the village, specifically towards the Aoitama oasis. Upon her arrival at the landmark, the blonde then made her way over the wooden bridge and crossed it until she reached the small central island at the end of the path. The island itself was no larger than a standard living room (2). The only notable feature of the land formation was a rectangular stone tablet which was situated at the opposite end of the island. The blonde noticed that if she stood right next to the tablet, the top of the sculpture would have just touched the bottom of her ribcage.

As Minako sat down a short distance in front of the tablet, upon closer inspection, she noticed that the face of the tablet had archaic characters which were engraved directly onto the surface, perfectly aligned in a single column. Unfortunately, time must have taken its toll on the object as the entire length of the inscription was littered with large cracks, chipped areas, and appeared to have suffered severe weather damage. The only character that Minako was able to clearly decipher from the tablet that wasn't either blurry or missing entirely was "moon" - the very last character. Located just behind the tablet was a small circular plot of bare soil, which seemed quite odd as the rest of the island was covered in grass.

From her kneeling position on the ground, Minako spent a few minutes in silence simply listening to the sound of the oasis' waters being gently pushed by the light breeze. It wasn't long before the sound of soft footsteps pulled her out from her trance.

"Too much on your mind?"

Minako looked over her shoulder and saw Koki making his way over to where she was.

"You could say that..."

Koki eventually sat down on his master's left.

"I can only imagine how emotionally draining all of this must have been on you, Naruto; especially with everything that you have learned within the last couple of days about the Age of Anarchy when I first came into the picture."

The blonde made no acknowledgment in the fact that the fox pup had addressed her by her real name.

"I know it may seem like I'm constantly repeating myself but please know that I mean every single word of it. No matter where the road ahead takes you Naruto, I will remain by your side throughout your quest for the truth. Even though the two of us have quite the mission to undertake, rest assured that you will always have my company along the way. I'm sure that you are more determined than ever to revert back to your original form and finally put all of this stuff surrounding Michiko and her mirror behind you."

Minako couldn't help but stare into Koki's sky blue eyes. This was the second time today where someone had been able to articulate her thoughts back at her without provocation. She let out a little humourless laugh.

"I'm that easy to read, huh?"

"I don't need to be a mind reader to know when you are deep in thought about something. Having the ability to read and interpret body language can be a very useful skill if used properly."

After a short pause, Minako decided to shift the focus of their conversation away from her worries; she felt that had done enough of that for one day.

"Did you know, that out of all of the times that I have visited Sunagakure in the past, not once have I ever made the effort to actually come to this very spot and take a look at it up close?"

Koki, noticing his master's eagerness to talk about something else, went along with the invitation.

"Is that so?"

"Yup. I don't really know how to explain it but...I feel as though something led me here. Almost as if someone or something was beckoning me to come here. While I always thought about coming to the famed Aoitama Island on my own before but just never had the time to actually do it, tonight however seemed to have a different idea in mind."

Koki looked up at Minako in curiosity. "Are you saying that you were perhaps summoned here?"

"Yeah...," Minako looked towards the worn out stone tablet before her and stared at the character which stood for moon, "I also want to say that this particular place, this small patch of land, is somehow important to me...or at least, important to Michiko."

Koki looked up in surprise at Minako. Have Michiko's emotions started to manifest? The pair spent a few moments in silence until a third voice joined in on their conversation.

"It's not very often that people visit this place after sunset, let alone new visitors to the village."

Minako and Koki turned around and saw Gaara calmly making his way over to them from the bridge.

"Gaara, how did you know I was here?"

"Let's just say that you left a trail in your wake."

Minako stared in confusion. "A trail? What, you mean like my footprints?"

"Similar. However your trail in particular was something that only someone like me could detect...or rather, someone like us so to speak."

Minako's body straightened up at the slight accusatory tone in Gaara's voice.

"Why is it that the demon beast inside of me has been notably active since you and your team first arrived to Sunagakure? Shukaku only becomes this restless whenever he is in the presence of another biju. And since a physical biju hasn't been spotted anywhere near my village, one can only assume that Shukaku is instead reacting towards the demonic signature of another jinchuuriki."

Minako was stunned to silence; her blood ran cold. "U-um..."

"My demon's reactions tend to be the strongest when I'm around you as opposed to your team-mates or even anyone else for that matter. Furthermore, he also tells me that this other demon is one that he is in fact very familiar with."

Minako immediately shot up to a standing position. Koki could only stare at the confrontation between the two teens in suspense.

"I do not claim to be an expert in the technicalities surrounding the process of demonic sealing rituals however I am absolutely certain that once a demon has been sealed within human they are permanently bonded, even in death. Unless it is extracted from its original host and subsequently sealed into the body of another, bijus and their respective jinchuurikis will forever remain united as one."

Minako backed away from Gaara in fear.

"So tell me Minako, if that is your real name...why is Shukaku claiming that you are the host of the fabled Kyuubi no Kitsune when there has been no evidence to prove that the demon fox had ever been removed from its original host, Uzumaki Naruto?"

"W-well...that's! Um..."

As she attempted to create more distance between herself and the slowly approaching red-head, one of Minako's hands came into contact with the stone tablet behind her. Immediately following, the object began to glow in beautiful pale pink light.

"W-what are you doing?"

"I-it's not me, I swear!"

Amidst the chaos and confusion, Minako, Gaara and Koki witnessed a most extraordinary sight. As the pale pink light blanketed the entire island and all three of its inhabitants, the bare patch of soil that was located behind the stone tablet began to stir. In a matter of seconds, a small tree sapling began to emerge from the once barren earth. The sapling grew at an astonishing rate until it reached a height of nearly twenty feet. From the top of the newly formed trunk sprouted a complex entanglement of branches which spread out in all directions. Countless Sakura flowers bloomed profusely, covering the entire upper part of the tree in a sea of pinks and whites. A ring of white lotus flowers bloomed around the base of the tree to finish the transformation. The pale pink shine which once covered Aoitama Island faded out of existence.

"Unbelievable…"

Gaara's soft exclamation prompted Minako and Koki to stare at the magnificent sight before them. The light of the full moon made the entire tree appear as if it emitted its own mystical glow.

"Mina! Look!"

Minako followed Koki's gaze towards the stone tablet and nearly jumped back in surprise. The once decrepit and ancient-looking artefact appeared as if it had been restored to new. The material was perfectly smooth and free of any signs of damage. Furthermore, the engravings on the tablet were now complete and fully legible. Minako read each of the four visible characters out loud in a soft tone.

"Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon…why do I feel like I've heard this phrase before?" (3)

"It's an old proverb," said Gaara, "The four nouns that you just recited from that tablet represent a prominent visual item from one of the four central domains of the natural world: plant, animal, element, and celestial body. In summary, we as humans are advised to appreciate the beauty of nature which will in turn allow us to reflect and learn more about ourselves."

"Really…?"

While Minako was indeed fascinated by the proverb's profound meaning, she felt as though she had a much deeper and more personal connection with it along with the tablet, the Sakura tree, and even Aoitama Island itself. What that exact connection entailed however was not fully known to her at this time however, she knew that their significance was right on the tip of her tongue.

"So, Naruto…would you mind explaining to me exactly what is going on with both you and your animal companion?"

The charade was up. Naruto had been discovered.

"I initially planned on inquiring about why you've decided to pursue a brand new identity, let alone assume the physical form of a female in front of your team-mates, however after bearing witness to all of this," Gaara nodded his head in the direction of the stone tablet and the Sakura tree, "I can now say with confidence that there is a far more complex reason behind the circumstances surrounding your...situation."

Minako let out a heavy sigh.

"There is…and it will take quite a bit of time to explain."

Minako couldn't help but stare at Koki who spoke on her behalf.

"But you must promise us, Kazakage-sama, that you will retain any information that you hear from this point forward in the strictest confidence – yes even from your very own siblings. Not only will it entail a possible matter of international, and quite possibly global, importance, but it will also help protect Naruto's dignity and personal safety."

Gaara looked back and forth between the white fox pup and Naruto's female form. When he saw that neither party showed any signs of amusement or trickery, Minako in particular looked embarrassed and slightly defeated, the red-head nodded in concurrence.

"You have my word."

"Much obliged, Kazekage-sama. Now, I will allow Naruto to explain his side of the story from when all of this began. I will jump in once my role in his story becomes significant."

"Of course."

After watching Gaara sit down to a comfortable position, Minako hesitantly took her seat on the ground directly in front of him. Koki hopped into Minako's lap and looked up at his master in earnest.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

Minako took a deep breath and snuck one last glance at the beautiful Sakura tree behind her before looking straight ahead into Gaara's pale green eyes.

"Well, this whole mess started about a month and a half ago…"

As Minako began to enlighten Gaara about her predicament, unbeknownst to the trio, an uninvited guest lurked within the darkened waters of the oasis which surrounded Aoitama Island. The individual listened intently on every last word that was muttered above him.

TBC

—†—

A/N: I gotta ask…how many of you guessed that Gaara would be the first individual to uncover Naruto's secret? Stay tuned for Chapter 17!

(1) Aoitama ("The Blue Jewel") – Just a simple name for a made up oasis in the Sand Village. From my own imagination.

(2) If you are still trying to visualize what I had in mind for the Aoitama Oasis (plus island), this particular story element of mine is inspired by the desert oasis in the PS2 video game: Wild Arms 5.

(3) Kachou Fuugetsu (lit. "Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon") – A Japanese Proverb. Its intended meaning roughly translates to "Experience the beauties of nature, and in doing so learn about yourself." I made Gaara elaborate on this proverb directly in the story but I thought I'd reference it here anyway in case you guys were curious.