Chapter 27

Kankuro wondered how long it would take Shouryuu to contact his ANBU sources and get the information they needed.

As it turned out, that time frame was two days. On Saturday morning, Baki announced, "Shouryuu has sent me a message indicating that he has the information we require."

Yondaime smiled. "Then you should go collect it."

Baki bowed. "Yes, Kazekage-sama."

Kankuro smiled, bemused at the way that Baki and his father continued to do this odd dance of formality around each other. They seemed to react in harmony with each other, but in a way Kankuro couldn't understand. He wondered if that was what it was like to know someone for a long time. If people gained a secret language, a secret way of communicating, that other people couldn't fathom.

He hoped someday he would have a language like that with Gaara. For the time being, his brother was mostly a mystery, even though Gaara had begun to open up to him.

"Awesome." Temari grinned. "Does that mean we get to spar with the jonin again?"

Baki grinned back at her in return. "I think it does." He looked to Yondaime. "How about it, 'Dad'?"

Yondaime nodded. "I think that is a good idea. Get some practice in, and maybe learn a few new tricks."

"Awesome," Kankuro said. He hadn't had a chance to find out what his nature release was last time. He was hoping he'd get a second chance. He was dying to know what he'd been born with. It could be anything.

Even Gaara looked pleased. He nodded, not scowling.

xXx

They ended up on the cliffs again. Baki went off with Shouryuu, while the rest of the jonin team entertained 'the kids', as per Baki's joking request.

Yozora, the jonin with wind release who had helped Temari last time, paired off with Kankuro. Temari ended up with Enshi, learning how tough it was to fight a jonin puppet master. Gaara paired off with Tsutomu and learned some basic taijutsu. It was a radical change to see Gaara worried and struggling, but Kankuro considered it a good sign that Gaara wasn't snapping out with his sand to stop the fight. That showed a good level of trust.

The first thing Yozora did was pull out a piece of square paper and hand it over with the instruction to run his chakra through it.

Kankuro did, and the paper immediately burst into flame, burning into cinders in the blink of an eye.

He didn't have to be told what that meant.

"No way!" Kankuro exclaimed, feeling a grin split his face. "Fire release? That's super useful!" He was pumped. Having fire release meant he could totally help Temari in battle when the puppet jutsu wasn't a good idea. And at fourteen, his chakra channels were more than developed enough to learn some pretty badass techniques. Before he'd been transferred onto Baki's team, his sensei had just agreed to test him. Being transferred in the middle of something like that had been a bummer.

Yozora laughed, seeming happy with Kankuro's enthusiasm. "Wanna try out some collaborative moves? I know a few fire release techniques. The first one you'll learn is how to blow fire, like a dragon."

"Awesome!" Kankuro pumped his fist. He couldn't wait.

xXx

By the time Baki came back with Shouryuu, Kankuro was sweaty, tired, and very happy with his results. He'd learned how to blow fire in the space of an afternoon practice. Yozora praised him for being a quick learner.

Baki gathered them all together. Temari and Gaara looked similarly worn ragged. "Ryuu's going to summarize what he told me, so you get to stay in the loop."

Kankuro nodded. He was grateful for the consideration. After all, they were all adults upon graduation. They deserved to be treated as such.

"Sound is an independent group of ninjas like Akatsuki," Shouryuu said.

Kankuro looked to Baki. He didn't get the reference. However, he saw Baki understood.

Shouryuu continued. "My contact says that they've been working secretly for a while as a group, avoiding detection. Now they've seized a country, and are reshaping it into a suitable base of operations. That would be the Land of Rice, north of Fire. They're calling it the Land of Sound, and they've founded their own ninja village. Sources say they plan to enter the Chunin Exam."

Anyone could enter the Chunin Exam if they wanted; if one had a team. The Chunin Exam was not strictly regulated as far as who could enter. The regulation all happened within the exam itself: any unworthy persons would be weeded out with extensive testing.

"So they're a bunch of missing nin grabbing at legitimacy," Baki murmured, frowning.

Shouryuu nodded. "Yes. But their political backing, and just how they've managed to survive this far, is unclear. Everyone needs a leader, but their leader remains hidden so well that no one can figure out who he – or she – is."

"Who's your source?" Baki asked. "Anyone I know?"

Shouryuu smiled. "You know normally I can't reveal. However, I can tell you it is a certain, unnamed person."

Kankuro didn't get it. He looked at his teacher in surprise as Baki suddenly chuckled.

Shouryuu grinned. "You get it." He saluted. "But you didn't hear it from me."

Baki gestured. "Alright, get back to work."

"Hai." Shouryuu bowed and rejoined his team, running them through basic exercises. 'Basic' used loosely, since their exercises were miles ahead of anything Kankuro could do with his team.

"A certain person?" Kankuro asked, turning his attention to Baki. "I don't get it."

Temari and Gaara drifted off to sit down in the shade.

Baki grinned. "The code name of the person who provided the information is Boushi." 'Boushi' was a word that could mean, 'a certain unnamed person', as well as being a name in its own right.

Kankuro wanted to smack his forehead. "Oh…"

"Yeah." Baki squeezed his shoulder. "ANBU loves word play. Remember that if you ever decide to join. You'll have to put up with a lot of puns."

Kankuro thought about the masks and the clearly bordering-on-suicide level of the missions. "No, thanks." Then he paused, curious. "Do you know many people in ANBU?"

Baki shrugged. "Maybe half a dozen. It's hard not to when you get to be my age. By the time you're thirty, you'll know a lot of friends who enlisted in ANBU, too. It's a popular profession for the skilled. A lot of pay and a lot of adventure to go along with it. Lots of people become ninjas to see the world, and ANBU virtually guarantees that. It's a tour of service with a lot of honor, too, which people also crave."

"But you wouldn't do it," Kankuro concluded.

Baki gave him a sly smile. "How do you know I haven't already done my duty?"

"Because your name is still Baki," Kankuro teased in return.

Baki laughed. "Fair enough." He paused for a moment, then answered, "I don't think I'd do it. I think the anonymity would get me."

Kankuro nodded. "That seems fair enough. I don't think I could do it, either."

Baki smiled at him gratefully and squeezed his shoulder.

Kankuro felt like they were closer than ever. It was a warm feeling in his chest.

"Let's go home and tell this information to your father," Baki said.

Kankuro nodded. "Hai."

They collected Temari and Gaara and left, with thanks to Shouryuu.

"Any time," Shouryuu said. "You know, I'm right here. Call on me more often."

Baki made a face. "I will. I tend to get self-absorbed. I know."

"You do," Shouryuu agreed with a smile. "You need to remember that you have friends."

Kankuro found that a curious comment. He filed it away for future reference.

xXx

Baki summarized the information for Yondaime.

"So Sound is an independent group of ninjas intent on forming their own nation," Yondaime said.

"Yes," Baki said. "According to Shouryuu's sources."

Yondaime nodded. "Very well, then. I will put that information to use."

"What does it mean?" Kankuro asked.

"For now, it means the Council has decided to back a group of revolutionaries," Yondaime said. "They must think they have something to gain. Also, if I don't miss my guess, Sound is responsible for the Council's decision to attack Konoha. Sound has contacted the Council with information suggesting Konoha is traitorous, and so we go to war." Yondaime shrugged. "It seems unbelievable that the Council would trust such people, but then, people with whom we do not share a past of hostility might seem more credible than the Leaf."

Baki looked displeased. "Hmph."

"I agree," Yondaime said.

"So we have to shut Sound down somehow?" Temari asked. "Or do we just have to prove they're slime?"

"I think we just have to prove they're slime," Kankuro said. He looked to their father. "Right, Dad?"

Yondaime nodded. "Right. Something that Jiraiya may be able to do, now that we know who they are."

"Or it might get harder than ever," Baki said.

"So cynical," Yondaime teased.

"So realistic," Baki countered. "Knowing who they are doesn't mean anything. We have to know how to contact them, lure them out into the open, and then reveal them for the snakes they are."

"Yes…" Yondaime stroked his chin. "Perhaps it's time to cooperate. Jiraiya can only do so much. It would be easier if we gave him an inside track to this whole issue."

"Inside track?" Baki asked.

"I am suggesting that we reveal what we know of the Council's collaboration with Sound and insist on being let in," Yondaime said.

Kankuro could have sworn Baki paled.

All Baki said was: "Oh."

Kankuro wondered why it was such a big deal.

"If I can, I'll appoint you as a representative between Sand and Sound," Yondaime said. "That way, we can have you spy on them."

Baki nodded slowly.

"I know it's not your specialty, but I was thinking perhaps Jiraiya could give you some tips," Yondaime said gently.

Baki nodded again.

Kankuro understood why Baki was reluctant now. Being a spy in contact with a group of unknown strength and intent would be dangerous. Very dangerous. So much for not being ANBU. This is practically an ANBU mission. He must have known what Father was suggesting from the start.

"I'll do it," Baki said. "If it helps lure these people out into the open where we can challenge them, I'll do anything."

Yondaime inclined his head. "Thank you."

Baki shrugged. "It's my job. My job is to do everything I can to protect you. And Suna."

Kankuro thought the order of those two items was telling.

"I appreciate it," Yondaime said softly. "And I wouldn't like to lose you to this thing."

Baki inclined his head. "I'll do my best, Kazekage-sama."

That seemed to be the end of the conversation.

xXx

When dinner time rolled around, Baki couldn't find Jiraiya to tell him he was invited. They had to eat dinner without him.

However, Yondaime insisted upon saving a plate of sushi for the Sannin. "If he's working, he's got to be hungry."

Kankuro found himself wishing Jiraiya would never leave. In the space of a short time, both Baki and Jiraiya had become family. He was getting too used to the family dynamic to want anything to change.

After dinner, instead of their usual routine, Yondaime and Baki stayed downstairs to wait for Jiraiya.

"You're invited to wait with us," Yondaime said. "Why don't you share a glass of plum wine and hang out?"

Kankuro was thrilled. "Okay." He joined his father and Baki on the sofa, each of them sitting on either side of Yondaime. He took the spot on the left, for once not worried about having people to his right. He reclined against the arm of the sofa and watched them both. Baki poured everyone their plum wine and left the bottle on the kotatsu table nearby. This was unusual, since etiquette usually demanded that everyone serve each other, but Kankuro didn't think much of it.

After all, Baki had probably been made aware of his sensei's habit of medicating stress with alcohol and simply took over serving as a matter of protecting Yondaime.

About fifteen minutes into some harmless small talk, Kankuro felt a familiar presence join them, even before he saw the Sannin walk into the room.

Jiraiya sat on the arm of the couch and helped himself to a swig of plum wine from the bottle.

Baki sighed. "It's yours."

Kankuro snickered.

Jiraiya grinned. "Thank you."

"It's a gift," Yondaime said wryly.

At times like these, Kankuro felt privileged to be considered an adult. He couldn't imagine the indignity of being shooed away from this gathering and told to go to bed.

Jiraiya took another drink. "So, what's the news on your end? I assume you have some."

Baki nodded. "We have information on the Sound."

Jiraiya went still. "Do tell," he drawled, but his expression was tense with interest.

"Apparently, they're a group of ninjas who've taken over the Land of Rice to use it as a base," Baki said. "They're formerly missing nin, but now that they've got their own country…"

"Their allegiance to each other is valid," Jiraiya mused. "I see. Clever." He took a sip from the bottle of plum wine. "So…they're going to take over Suna? Or Konoha?"

Kankuro thought that was a bit of a leap. He leaned against his father and took a sip of his own plum wine. "Why?" he asked simply.

Jiraiya shrugged. "I dunno. In my experience, people willing to take over a country rarely stop at one. Countries are like ramen chips for those people. You can't have just one."

Baki snorted.

"Isn't that what world domination is all about?" Jiraiya challenged. "Greed? And if we didn't have urges for such things, there wouldn't be wars. It's not enough to defend. We as ninjas have a deeply rooted history of violence that goes back to the samurai. Like the Land of Iron. People say it's a sleeping volcano."

Kankuro hadn't heard much about the Land of Iron. Only that it was the only nation still controlled by a Shogun, with the troops trained as samurai instead of ninjas. "A sleeping volcano?"

Jiraiya nodded. "Because samurai are programmed to control and conquer. It's in their blood." He looked contemplative. "Like all of us. Really, we're all samurai at heart."

Kankuro had never really thought about it before. But he supposed that since samurai had been around longer than ninjas, Jiraiya's statement was technically true. The ninjas had evolved from humble families in order to defend themselves against the samurai and take back the land they owned for themselves instead of suffering tyranny and unfair taxes. In the end, the humble people had turned into conquerors themselves. Is it in our blood, after all?

"That's an interesting statement for someone who believes in world peace," Baki said wryly.

"I want world peace," Jiraiya countered. "I don't believe in it without any sacrifices. For one thing, we have to sacrifice the calling to our deeper natures and embrace the higher natures."

Kankuro recognized that as the basic philosophy of the desires of the earth versus the desires of the heavens. Godly or heavenly ideals were supposed to be better and gentler. As opposed to baser and fiercer. In that framework, demons were earthly, and priests were heavenly. It made sense, basically. But the further you got into religious texts, the weirder it got.

"Be that as it may," Yondaime said mildly, "the fact is that Sound wants Sand to attack Leaf."

"And we should pretend to give our allegiance to them wholeheartedly so I can lure their agent out into the open," Baki said. He nodded. "We've already decided that this afternoon."

Jiraiya went wide-eyed. "Whoa. Isn't that kind of dangerous?" He looked at Baki with worry.

So they have gotten close, Kankuro thought. He took a sip of his plum wine. "Yeah. It's dangerous. No one's saying that it isn't. But Dad thinks that if Baki can get this guy who's badmouthing Konoha to show up, we can capture him and pump him for information and stuff. Or you can."

Yondaime nodded. "The plan was basically to help you out, since it's always easier to unravel something from the inside."

"That's generous of you, but…" Jiraiya trailed off and looked at Baki.

Baki shifted uncomfortably. "I already agreed to it, so you don't have to go all worried ototo on me."

Jiraiya sighed. "Whatever. Just be careful. I'm not gonna like it if I find your corpse, Niisan."

Yondaime didn't seem surprised that they had shifted their relationship from that of cousins to brothers.

Kankuro thought it was interesting that Baki was the one being called 'Niisan', even though he was the younger of the two by a lot. But, I guess it has more to do with personality and dynamics than it does with age. Especially since they get to pick what their relationship to each other is.

That reminded him of how he was basically in charge of his relationship with his father, even though he was the younger one.

"We saved sushi for you," Yondaime said casually. "If you want to wash down your wine with some food."

Jiraiya grinned. "How kind of you. I think I'll help myself, then." He walked out of the room with the bottle and came back with both his plate of sushi and a new bottle of plum wine.

Yondaime took it, bemused. "I didn't put another bottle in the refrigerator." The bottle had condensation on it.

"I cooled it with a jutsu I learned in Shimogakure," Jiraiya said casually. Shimogakure was in the Land of Frost.

Baki snorted with laughter. "You never cease to find domestic uses for perfectly dignified jutsu, do you?"

Jiraiya grinned. "No."

They stayed up for a long while, mostly talking about the Third Shinobi World War and reminiscing. Kankuro listened in near silence, fascinated. He learned that his mother had known Jiraiya and Minato as well. Somehow, in spite of the logic of it, this still surprised him. Of course she would have been involved, supporting father.

xXx

After bidding Baki and Jiraiya good night, at what had to be at least one in the morning, Yondaime and Kankuro went upstairs to Yondaime's room to sleep for the night.

They ended up fully awake, side by side in bed. Yondaime stared at the ceiling. "Do you think my plan is foolhardy, Kankuro? Is it unwise to risk the life of someone who loves you so much?"

Kankuro gave an internal start at the phrasing of that question. His heart skipped a beat. But outwardly, he remained calm. "Well, I mean, you gotta do what you gotta do…"

His father smiled sadly. "But that's my flaw, you see. Risking others, those I love. People who never get to enjoy the high ideals of their actions."

Kankuro reached out under the covers and clasped his father's hand, squeezing it gently. "If you're talking about Mom, she agreed to it. She couldn't have just laid there and let them put Shukaku in her along with Gaara. All I've heard of her is how fiery she was."

"Yes, but I was her husband," Yondaime said.

"So you oppressed her," Kankuro said sarcastically.

Yondaime cringed. "No…well…" He stared up at the ceiling with a guilty expression.

"It's easy to convince yourself that when you're so consumed with guilt that you let go of reality in order to flog yourself," Kankuro said.

Yondaime's gaze shot to his son. Then his cheeks flooded with red, and he smiled wryly. "You certainly have a way of putting things."

Kankuro squeezed his father's hand again. "I try. I try to make you see how foolish it is to hurt yourself over things that aren't your fault."

"I'm so used to everything being my fault," Yondaime murmured, "that I don't even fight it anymore."

"Well, you should start," Kankuro said. He nodded to himself. "And I'll help. If I see anyone blaming you unfairly, I'll correct them. Then they'll have to deal with me. And Karasu. And Kuroari."

His father laughed. "You couldn't actually attack them…"

Kankuro raised an eyebrow. "Couldn't I? They insulted my father. Isn't there a code of conduct for that somewhere?"

Yondaime looked at him incredulously. "The dueling system. You'd bring that up, to defend my honor?"

"You're my husband now, aren't you?" Kankuro asked flatly. "And my father. I'd say I ought to be doubly protective."

Yondaime blushed and fell silent, awed.

Kankuro smiled, satisfied with the reaction he'd gotten. That's right. If anyone attacks you, I'll hurt them. And that's if I'm in a good mood. If I'm not…crunch crunch. Kuroari will eat them. Suckers. They'll learn to be more respectful when they're being torn limb from limb by a puppet.

For all he knew, he'd be able to sign on as a third bodyguard when he passed the Chunin Exam. He knew he'd try. He wanted to protect his father all his life. If he didn't get accepted the first time, heck, he'd just try again, until he got to stand among his father's bodyguards as a full-fledged member of his father's guard.

He went to sleep still holding his father's hand.