Within the sand:

We made our way to the gates of the Sand, their walls were very distinctive. They seemed to be steps, almost 10 meters up each, forming the walls of the Sand into cliff faces and flat intervals where Shinobi could stand. I guessed at the reasons and concluded that for war purposes the steps prevented the enemy from using a single ladder to scale the wall, instead they would need to climb up and then lift the ladder to the next level over 3 times. I then realised that ladders would never work, because (despite other flaws with my plan) the end result would be that you have a ladder one third the size you needed to scale back down the wall on the other side. These walls must have been constructed over centuries ago, when ninja either didn't exist or hadn't invented the ability to walk on walls.

As we got closer four ninja jumped down from the first step of the wall, they recognised the leaf symbol Gaidra and I wore. "Ninja of the Leaf!" one of the men shouted, almost disapprovingly of Gaara. Gaara gave a short grunt, an unsettling threat of a sound, which parted the four from our path.

Inside the walls the Village was a surprise of bustling activity and a thriving economy, compared to the barren of the desert. I almost expected to see a small settlement of hut people hanging their cloths out in the dirt between the activity and roar of the busy settlement. I didn't see such a thing, no the sand village was a strong and powerful community. The settlement was constructed in a giant hovel between two cliff faces, meaning only two points of entry and only two fronts to attack. An attack from the air would be its only weakness but it was a known fact that Ninja do not fly. Apart from the ground were large bridge ways leading from many points in the city straight to the Kazekage's Office, making it the easiest point of attack but also the most defended(a point that can be seen and defended from anywhere in the village).

Walking ahead, Gaara guided us directly into the heart of the community, what would be the Hokage building if we were within the Leaf. Naoki remained silent, the stern character I first had known of him returned. Gaidra looked prepared, even under the prospect that we could be imprisoned or publicly executed along with Naoki. I looked inwardly at myself, what did I look like? I could see a child walking for a moment, but then I realised who I am and saw a proud ninja of the Leaf walking purposefully into enemy grounds unafraid, despite the cutting threats of the public. Finally we made it to the chamber of the elders of counsel, here we will be questioned.

The Sunagakure (Village Hidden by Sand) council was within the chamber that held the statues of all the previous Kazekage, Staring down intimidatingly on us and on the judgment of the elders of counsel. The air within the chamber hung with the familiar unyielding fragrance of pray incense. Gaara had no trouble gaining entry through the Kazekage office, we were only stopped once outside the Council room before two S ranked ninja. They inspected Gaara's ID card, flickers of jutsu told me that their inspection was more than just face value. They also asked for the meaning of our visit before Gaara departed, continuing on to other ninja business.

"What business do you have within the counsel?" The tone of his voice was directed at Gaidra. I guessed that even though she was Anbu and an enemy, she was still an authority higher than all of us.

Gaidra slipped the Scroll free from her side, making sure that the scroll was revealed not to be a weapon before it was pulled free. "A message from the Hokage" she presented the seal validation it to be a Hokage message; granting us temporary diplomatic immunity.

"The council is assembled" The other S rank announced, opening the door.

"Sigh" Brave steps Arjies. I told myself as the door was opened. The council gathered and in an unusual manner of ceremony they were introduced before they were seated at a large table; their names were stated and then their purpose with in the council. I wondered if it was for our advantage or was this simply how things were done within the Sand.

"Baki, Councillor and advisor of Military matters"

"Yūra Sana, Councillor and advisor of the matters of Village Defences"

"Gōza, Councillor and advisor of heritage and vision of Sunagakure"

"Ikanago, Councillor and advisor of Kazekage protection and law"

"Jōseki, Councillor and advisor of Peace and stability"

"Ryūsa, Councillor and advisor of Actions of state and Arms"

"Sajō, Councillor and advisor of Ninja teachings"

"Tōjūrō, Councillor and advisor of Technology and Ninja arts"

….

In total there were twelve councillors of Suna seated. I felt like they were telling us who to kill in order to disabled the Sand the most, but I also noticed they were being purposefully vague as to what their titles actually meant. Where they actively assisting in these function, or was it more of a point and do sort of leadership.

…and so here we were. We had been waiting for a while outside the room the Kazekage advisors convened in. The council first asked for the message of our departed Hokage, they deliberated the message of peace and their act of war before offering us the chance to speak. The minutes seemed to stretch, the dim light in the room made it hard to tell the time of day. It felt like a half hour passed before we were asked to enter the chamber of elders again. The little we knew of their conversation, before being ushered out, wasn't promising.

"You may address the Elders of council" One of the S rank ninja within the chamber said. It was an odd sight seeing so many S rank ninja, usually they were preoccupied with missions due to their value in higher ranked assignments. Well, I assumed they were S ranked due to their age and the importance of the people they guarded. The Advisors of Sunagakure seemed to be awaiting our contribution. This to me seemed promising; it meant they hadn't been able to agree on a choice of action… yet.

Gaidra bowed before speaking. "Elders of the Council of Sunagakure" she began, trying her best to bribe them with her policy without offending them. "I believe you have been betrayed." The elders all began to whisper among themselves but finally one advisor raised his voice above the rest. Reasoning that it was information we should not have known; their Kage's death.

Baki slid a bitter grimace over his face "The body of our Kazekage was only discovered a week ago, how could you know of this betrayal unless you were somehow involved!" It was a harsh statement considering the fact that they were the party at fault, attacking us, yet now he accused us of killing their Kage even before the betrayal from them. It was also very smart, how could you claim to be the defendant when it was likely your strike that was first.

Gaidra continued despite the shameful accusation "I believe the man responsible for the death of your KazeKage, killed out Hokage as well. Orochimaru" Her voice boomed within the hollow room ringing out long after the pause in her statement.

A series of whispers and gasps sounded "The Hokage is dead!" something they didn't know. This played the tactic in our favour, they were more likely to declare peace knowing that we were both open to attack from the Cloud nation, that we needed an Ally more than we wanted an enemy, and in that they knew we would recover a new Kage sooner to them(The Sannin three, two excluding Orochimaru. We had 2 legendary ninja to replace our Kage).

"A defector of the leaf!" Yūra Suna said, looking up from his entwined fingers disparagingly, it was an accusing remark. Again they were trying to make it seem like we attacked them even before they betrayed us. They didn't want to seem the party at fault but more precisely they didn't want to owe us a debt. Their ploy was either to accuse us of involvement with Orochimaru, or to blame us for the actions of a missing ninja we did not deal with; kill.

"Orochimaru sent sound ninja to intercept the message of peace I handed to you earlier, just as I believe he sent an infiltration unit to dispose of your envoy of peace too" Gaidra's voice did not falter in the subtle mention of her comrades deaths, she made it clear to me in our travels that to her duty comes first. Her mention of their envoy of peace granted them the assumption that we believed that they had one and that gave her an advantage. Whether they in fact had sent a tribute envoy of peace or whether they knew they had not, they were now under the assumption that the Leaf believed they had and now wouldn't admit to not sending one. She had the upper hand and she knew it. She was playing to her benefit in offered them a way out of looking the guilty party. By presenting them with the prospect that both the Leaf and Sand had the full intention for peace, but where insulted when their envoy was ambushed by apposed ninja from the party they wished to renew ties with. In a simpler manner of speaking, she was saying 'I know it wasn't your intention to betray us, you were simple reacting to the attack on your envoy. You are not to blame, Orochimaru mislead us both'

"If the Leaf will acknowledge peace, then the Sand will humbly accept" Jōseki was quick to agree, I remembered him being announced as advisor of peace and stability with in the Sand. In the way he accepted the offer of peace, he made it seem like we were pleading for alliance with the Sand instead of us offering them their only redemption.

Gōza advisor of Heritage and vision voiced his judgment next. "If this is true what you say and the Leaf's intention is for peace, then trade can continue once again with our two Villages" apparently heritage or vision truly meant the supervision of trade and market.

Another man called out against this quick acceptance of peace. "There is still the matter of Naoki, a missing nin within the Sand." Ikanago the advisor of Law within the sand spoke out. "How is it that a missing ninja comes back with two enemies of the Suna" he said the plural 'enemies' under his breath, not wanting to disparage the prospect of peace.

Both Ryūsa and Baki talked the matter over between themselves, their conversation open to our exposed ears. Baki called over an S rank ninja who vanished in a blur of chakra speed shortly after receiving the whispered order. I felt like their judgment was all just a ruse to surround us with as many ninja as possible and extinguish the possibility of peace. They didn't seem off put by the idea of weighing the challenges and sentiment of executing Naoki right there. What would it say to us if they did kill him? It would defiantly be a confused message of peace if we returned to announce the guild that helped us get to the Sand was executed shortly after arriving.

"Naoki Yamane!" The door opened and an old man stepped through with a walking stick in one hand and more cloth draped over him then was needed to cover his small frame. He walked with a steadiness that was unnerving to look at, it expressed years of training and deadly accuracy. He must have been a ninja, I couldn't see any other purpose for the way he walked, stealthy and erringly meaningful perfection. "What ruin have you brought to my door step today, Yamane?" He lifted his cane japed it at Naoki's stomach, it was an almost friendly gesture.

"Ough" Naoki groaned to the stab in at his gut, but he remained silent to the question.

"What you do not greet your master!" The old man tapped his cane to the ground with annoyance to Naoki's silence. "Speak boy, I have addressed you"

Naoki put a flat hand to his fist and bowed before his master in a strict form of respect. "Sorry master, I did not know I had been granted Grace to speak before the KazeKage Monuments" I looked up at the KazeKage statues within the room, I understood now. It must have been different for them, our Hokage monument was exposed to all of the public, while their Monument was more of an intimate honour to be within the presence of. It was something they respected and revered because it wasn't public, it was an opportunity or rather a privilege for them to be before the past leaders of the Sand.

The old man put his cane to Naoki's shoulder and pushed him aside "I am here before the council to hear the actions and judgment of my student. I will convene on his behalf as is tradition of Sensei and pupil" He settled his gaze and reformed his posture, "As of course this is why you have summoned me here, is it not?" He rested his hands on his cane.

An old man of an age similar to the Master of Naoki, began to chuckle, Tōjūrō member of the council wasn't bashful of his laughter or his insult. "Old man, old man" The members of Council remained silent to the man's words, in reverence of his age and his past; a ninja master "We did not bring you here to honour you with tradition, we brought you here to show you what a fool you have been in training an outsider Ninja arts" Tōjūrō continued to chuckle to the rage on Naoki's master's face.

Sajō, master of Ninja teachings, was of the same mind set as Tōjūrō, master of ninja arts. He also raised his voice in mock of the old man "The old ways are lost my friend, our aged teachings do not sit so well on the tongues of the youth, you were a fool to ever think they would press to the lips of an outsider"

Naoki constrained his fists, tight at his side on the insults casted at his master, but his master tapped his cane in rebuke of such an action. "Sajō and Tōjūrō, masters of the way of ninja yet you have no students or children of which to pass that mastery onto." The council remained silent in reverence of the old man even on to his insults "I cannot account for your failures in passing on the teachings of Wind and sand, but I will not fail my heritage to the fools of Sunagakure who either refuse to teach or refuse to learn"

The Elder councillor's grumbled with resentment but Gōza, advisor and protector of heritage within the sand spoke his judgment despite their age "It is true, my duty has shuffled from guarding the history and talent of our people to developing trade so that we can simple exist. Not as the Sand but as a people within the sand. Our content, our character, our being, our very existence as the Sunagakure has been defiled by our reluctance to pass on our harsh heritage our tough teachings and instead fall sway into what is easier and what is faster learnt but far less superior"

Baki hummed his voice in agreement, "We have become too soft a nation, our ninja far more complacent then the last generation, although we are far greater in strength of numbers now then we have ever been" He shifted his eyes over the two leaf ninja within the chamber. "We are a nation far better prepared for war, but far less prepared for peace, our structure as Ninja of war has crippled our ability to prosper as simply a Nation"

Yūra Sana muttered under his breath, he disliked the sudden speeches that made the Village look like a target, he envisioned his job in the future as advisor of defence to be a much harder challenge. "Yet old man" he repeated the insult despite the conviction suddenly taken up by his fellow council members "Your student is an outsider and has been an agent of counter progress in my efforts to defend the Sand village. He has already violated several rules and breached loyalty to the Sand by escaping our walls"

The old man smiled, "Yes he has, my ninja has escaped the whole of Sunagakure without your notice. He has breached those rules because he has been able to by your lack of ability to prevent him and your lack of tact in manoeuvring defence protocols so he cannot do it again" The old man's smile broadened, the rest of the council now chastising Yūra for his inability to stop a single Ninja from overcoming all the defences of the village.

"How was I supposed to prevent him from…" Yūra cut himself off, fearing his placing in the council, "But he went against the rules…" he stopped there, knowing it would buy him no favours because the enemy never plays to your rules.

"This isn't the first time you student has gone against the law of Suna…" Ikanago's voice cut off the topic of Yūra's failure, I was beginning to see him as the principle of a school system that strongly advised corporal punishment. He prompted castigation with enjoyment in his face. He told of all the many actions in the past that Naoki had 'Brought about' within the village. It sounded very promising in the case against my fellow companion but, his case was shot down with Gaidra's simple declaration.

"Our special Jonin and Navigation expert were killed in the attack by the men Orochimaru hired. Naoki was our only guild to the Sand" It was funny in a kind of ironic way, that Gaidra was defending Naoki when the main concern in entering the Sand was that they would attack us for being leaf. I remember Naoki's promise that he would stand along with Gaidra in her defence, yes ironic and funny given the attack on him now.

Baki countered the defence. "Even so, you would not release a defector of the Leaf if such circumstances we in play at your expense."

"And what assurances do we have that he is not an agent implemented by your Village, an infiltrator" Yūra shot back, backing up Baki and Ryūsa's ideal for executing Naoki.

The old man's voice steeped deep in command. "Tell them, my student, why did you leave the sand!" He was telling Naoki to be honest, as opposed to something dishonest… like a shared secrete between master and student.

"I needed material to crafter my weapon" Naoki stated plainly, adding nothing else.

For a moment the air held stiff with noise, I felt indifferent by the distaste the elders showed of Naoki's reply. Why did they have such a hard time accepting his loyalty, however far against the rules it was.

The old man cleared his throat rumbling asunder the disagreement in the room. "As you heard, my student only wished to craft his weapon so he could once again serve the Sand in fitness" The old man's face creased with off level eye brows raised in on amendment.

The incense in the air felt thick as the tension in the room grew to the unspoken pray the old Master made.

Ryūsa, Yūra and Baki discussed the matter amongst themselves. Head of state actions and arms, village defence and Military, these were not the advisors you would expect handling a situation demarcating an unruly Ninja. They seemed more concerned about the safety of their village then the prosecution of a shady ninja.

Baki declared their judgment "Naoki Yamane, the council has ruled in favour of your master's request not to have you executed as punishment" The seriousness of his tone revealed how actual the prospect of execution hung over Naoki's head "However a punishment must be set in amendment and as a result of your actions Ikanago advisor of Law will make the final judgment" The attention in the room shifted to Ikanago, the councillors rested their hands on the desk, some tapping their fingers in fading patience for the collusion to be met.

Ikanago made his final statement "Naoki Yamana, since you can no longer be trusted within the sand, you are to be exiled from the Suna as Ambassador between Sand and Leaf. This is my judgment, if you are not killed or imprisoned after 5 months in serves to the Sand as Ambassador within the Leaf, then the Leaf will be deemed a trusted ally" The sentence of 5 moths was irrelevant due to the fact that treaties usually have a 5 month occurrence period of caution before any bulk trade or services can be trusted. Ikanago took the leeway of these 5 months to deal with both his problems. The Alliance of peace and the Ninja who could not be trusted, now played in as his advantages. If the Ninja was a spy of sorts, then he could do no harm from outside the village, if the promise of alliance was false then the problem ninja would be executed thus alerting the Sand to betrayal.

The Assemble stood up from their seats and departed, Naoki and his master bowing to their leave Arjies and Gaidra following suit.

"Well that worked out" Arjies relayed the relief in the room. "and I didn't even need to 'speak' to the council" he smiled with a sly gleam in his eyes, the S Ranked ninja shot back intimidating flickers of threat to his insinuation that he could have convinced them otherwise.

"A voyage to the leaf…" Naoki hummed "Master will you join me?"

His master turned to him, lifting his cane from the surface of the floor before resting it again. "I would like that very much"

...

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