This is another filler chapter (sorry), but I found it amusing. I apologize ahead of time for the coarse language towards the end.
"We need a new Kazekage before something dire happens," one of the elders stated. I sat there, bored. I hated politics. It was the same things over and over again. Nothing ever seemed to get accomplished in this room. Of course, I knew a lot of things did but it sure didn't feel like it. The constant heat didn't help either.
"Then elect a new," I muttered. This issue, the very one I was sent here for, hadn't gotten any closer to being resolved. Weeks, if not months had passed as I listened to the same complaints, the same troubles. It was annoying.
"It's not that simple," Baki reminded me patiently. He knew me the best and realized that these meetings drained my patience. Someone with the energy to wipe out a village shouldn't be kept in a chair for hours at a time. It was wrong on so many levels. On top of that, I couldn't sleep while I was here either. There was virtually nothing for me to do. Sure, I paid attention to everything going on around me but for someone with my multitasking skills, that wasn't saying much.
"You've not even decided on a selection of candidates. Either let's do that, or move on. Otherwise, we're going to sit here debating over an issue that were not gaining any ground on. It's a waste of time." Others nodded in agreement. Although I wasn't well-liked, many of the leaders of Suna trusted my judgment. I had an unrealistic ability to remove my own emotions from an issue and do what was best for the majority. My opinion just happened to agree with what was best for the majority in most cases.
"There is another issue I've been wanting to present," Baki volunteered. I had been expecting this but I wasn't looking forward to the conversation. Most of Suna still regarded Gaara as an unpredictable monster. Any conversation about him was heated and irritating, especially for those in Gaara's favor. "Gaara wishes to join the regular forces." As if on cue, thousands of protests rang out.
"He's too unpredictable." … "What if he attacks our own men?" … "Only his siblings have ever been able to keep him in check."
"Quiet down, quiet down," the eldest of the leaders ordered. He was highly revered but I found him to be a rotting sack of bones that needed to retire already. "Continue, Lord Baki." Baki nodded and went to explain everything Gaara had told him to justify his request.
"Personally, I don't see why we should deny him. It wouldn't be threatening us anymore than his existence already does." I knew Baki didn't mean to sound like he hated Gaara just as much as the others. In fact, Baki only said that to try to appeal to the mindset of the majority of the group.
"Putting him with our jounin might possibly be the worst move we ever make," Yura, the Secretary of Defense, stated. He continued to argue his position. Many others voiced their concerns afterwards. I was growing bored and weary of this conversation. No, I didn't really care either way but I'd fight for my friend. It was more than he deserved from me, since he still refused to remove my cuffs, but I'd do it.
"A smith does not forge a sword with the intent that it stay in a cabinet because the buyer is too scared to use it," I stated simply when it was my turn.
"But Gaara is a double-edged sword!" one younger member protested. He was older than me, of course, but still young.
"All the best swords are double-edged."
"I wouldn't use a sword that's just as likely to attack me as my foe."
"Then you're a pitiful sword-wielder who has yet to master their weapon. Gaara isn't the little boy who once terrorized the streets at night. In fact, putting Gaara amongst the regular forces might, possibly, be the best thing you could ever do with the boy."
"How so?" Yura demanded.
"To put it simply, when you create the ultimate weapon, you use it in every battle you can, that way you can ensure victory. Not to mention, putting him with other ninja gives him the opportunity to bond with the village. Isolating him was a mistake. It's because of that decision that the child has so many issues now."
"She's only saying that because she likes him," the young one said. I turned on him and held up my cuffs.
"Do you see these? These are chains, placed by the one we speak of now. Most of you haven't even faced him in battle, have no reason to hate him other than that's what you've been taught to do. I do have a reason to hate him. A personal reason. Do you remember why I was given this position? Because I can set aside my person interests and do what's best for the both villages. Putting Gaara on the regular forces is best. Now, if you'll shut your trap and listen, I'll explain why.
"First off, let's look from the position for which he was created: weapon. He is the ultimate weapon, which means he can turn on his wielder if used incorrectly. Therefore the wielder should practice and use him every chance they get, not just when they have no other options. That would make them clumsy and under experienced. That would defeat the purpose and harm them.
"Secondly, let's look at Gaara from a personal perspective. Humans, and make no mistake, he is human, are run by two things." I held up two fingers. "One is that of basic instincts, eat and sleep for most. The other is bonds. At the moment, Gaara has four main bonds. Two with his siblings, one with a genin of Konoha, and the other with me. Gaara regards me as a pet of sorts." Many found that amusing.
"This lack of bonds presents an issue. First and foremost, that makes him easily susceptible to abandon the village. Rogue Gaara would be a nightmare unparalleled. Even I would hesitate before facing that. Secondly, the fact that he has equal ties to either village means, if we were to ever lose Konoha as an ally, we might lose him as well. That would be very problematic."
"But his ties are equal to both villages. Why would he choose Konoha over us?" I smiled softly.
"Because that genin I spoke of earlier, is who taught him about friendship and love to begin with. The only reason why he has ties to Temari and Kankuro, is because of said genin. Before that, he wouldn't hesitate to kill either of them anymore than he would hesitate to kill an enemy ninja. Plus, that genin gives him access to a lot of more bonds. Temari and Kankuro open the door to bond with Baki, that's about it, at this point. But that genin gives him a girl named Sakura, and a boy named Rock Lee. Rock Lee, in turn, opens up the door to Neji Hyuuga, Tenten, and Guy-sensei. All three of which open more doors…" I grinned, pleased, when my message got across. I had been studying the connections of the leaf ninja and the sand ninja for something like this. In my room, I had journals with information on every ninja from both villages.
"And adding Gaara to the regular forces can fix this?" the elder demanded.
"Of course. Putting him into different squads allows him to interact with different ninja on different missions. He'll probably still be shunned but it's your best shot." The leaders thought for a while in silence.
"All in favor of Gaara joining the regular forces," the elder began. Over three quarters of the group raised their hands. "It is decided then," he muttered. "Meeting resolved." I bit back a sigh but was the first one out of my seat. Gods, I hated these stupid meetings.
"Nari, slow down," Baki called after me. I froze and waited. I wanted to get out the stupid white robes I was forced to wear and back into my black outfit. I could train comfortably in that. "Interesting way to put things back there," he complimented me. I nodded. "You don't hate Gaara though, do you?" He had been sure that he had been getting the vibe that I liked the boy very much.
"No, I don't hate him. I just have more than enough reason to. More reason than most of those sorry fools."
"Amen to that, sister," Kankuro commented, appearing from around the corner. "Anyway, I hate to interrupt a good conversation but I kind of need to steal Nari."
"Can't it wait, Kankuro?" I asked. He wanted to make me go eat in a restaurant or something like that. "I've been sitting in a chair all day. I just want move around… and change."
"Those meetings take a lot out of her," Baki backed me up.
"I'm afraid it can't. Besides, those robes seem nice and airy. Better than what you normally wear out in the heat." I couldn't suppress my sigh this time.
"Fine," I muttered, albeit reluctantly. "But that means you have to let me use Crow afterwards." Kankuro went to protest but then grudgingly agreed. I wasn't a very good puppet master, actually I sucked, but Kankuro was putting in a nice effort to teach me. My math lessons, on the other hand, had been discontinued. Not that I was complaining. At least now, I could write and recognize numbers up to one hundred.
Kankuro didn't let me linger any longer and yanked me down stairs and out of the Kazekage building. You'd think I was about to die of starvation with the amount of urgency he had. That's when I realized something else was up. I hadn't been paying close attention and he was doing his best to cover up his true thoughts, but this was a part of his and Temari's plan. This wasn't simply a meal. This was supposed to be a date.
"Kankuro, how many times do I have to tell you guys I'm not interested in Gaara that way? You're worse than politics."
"Then just consider us a different type of politics," he told me. I frowned and soon we arrived at our destination. "Just be yourself, Nari," he assured me. I glared at him as he handed me over to a waitress who, apparently, knew the entire plan. Gaara was already there.
"They managed to nab you too," he stated monotonously. I nodded and sat across from him.
"What would you like?" the waitress asked me.
"Just a glass of water, please," I told her. I wasn't hungry. Gaara already had his meal and ate in silence. I thanked the waitress when she returned with my water and sipped at it casually. I glanced longingly through a small porthole at a couple of kids playing soccer. I'd do anything to be on my feet.
"You just got out of a meeting, didn't you?" the jinchuriki assumed. I nodded.
"I wouldn't be wearing this ridiculous get up if I hadn't. No offense to your village culture or anything. It's just not my thing." He nodded. "So… Do you have any idea why this happened all of a sudden?"
"We stopped arguing so much." That was true. Our last bicker-session had been about a week ago. I was sincerely pissed about being treated like a pet but nothing I said or did had any effect. He remained impassive towards the issue. To him, that's just the way things were.
"Gaara… Do you honestly want to become Kazekage?" Kankuro had thought about it once and Baki knew about his desire although he didn't present it to the council today. Thank the gods.
"Yes," he assured me. "Tell me, Nari, when do you leave Suna?"
"As far as I know, when the new Kazekage is elected, my mission will be complete." He already knew the true nature of my mission. Of course, he also knew, technically speaking, I had no voice in the Kazekage's selection. My input into that situation would have to be done through the alterations of the memories of the council members. Then again, that didn't necessarily mean I'd help Gaara succeed. He had to deserve it if he wanted my support. He knew that.
"You'll leave afterwards, then."
"I believe so," I responded. Silence lasted the rest of the meal. We paid for our separate orders and left. "Well, I'm going to change and then meet Kankuro at the training grounds. Care to join us?" Gaara nodded. He didn't have anything better to do. I hopped back to my room and changed quickly.
"Where do you think you're going," Temari demanded as I stepped out.
"The training grounds. Kankuro said he'd let me play with Crow." Temari was already shaking her head. They had been watching us during dinner. Apparently, our meager conversation was unsatisfactory. I didn't see why. What did they expect? Gushy confessions of infatuations that didn't exist? Please.
"Isn't there something you need to tell Gaara?"
"Like what?" I demanded.
"I don't know, maybe that you convinced the council to let him join the regular forces?" I let out a low breath. More with the politics? Seriously? Can't a girl get a break? "We thought you should be the one to tell him."
"You make it sound like I did this for him," I mumbled. "I didn't."
"Yes, you did," Temari argued. "And we all know it. Now, go on. Tell him. He's on the roof."
"Imagine that," I breathed. Getting to the roof took me all about three seconds. There he sat, watching Suna. "Gaara, excuse me for not being very enthusiastic but the council has decided to allow you to join the regular forces." He glanced back at me, an amused look in his eyes.
"They're not leaving you alone."
"No. They're not. I just want to train." He nodded and turned away from me again. That was his way of saying I could leave now. I took off, taking the longest route so as to avoid any more distracters. When I finally reached the training grounds, I thought I'd collapse in joy. I stood up tall and snatched a couple of shuriken from my pouch, aimed, and…
"Nari, the council requests your presence." I glared at the elder who had been sent to summon me.
"You're kidding me, right?"
"No."
"Gods, damn the politics of the world. Damn them all to Hell." I thrust my weapons back into my pouch and stormed after the slightly amused elder back to the Kazekage building, back into my stupid, white robes, and back into the high backed chair that needed to be thrown out a window. Spy, fine. But ambassador? That was not my thing.
Thank you all for reading and, as always, please review. I also wrote another Naruto fan fiction. It's very short and it's not a romance but I'd enjoy it very much if you read it. It's called "A Slave's Silence". Thank you again and have a fine summer.