Copyright notice: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.
*FIXED 2.0*
The Wind Daimyo: Empty Words
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Bitter experience has taught us how fundamental our values are and how great the mission they represent.
Jan Peter Balkenende
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Hinata's pale lips trembled before she began to speak. Her mind was scattered, trying to focus both on not fainting and gathering the right words to speak before the Wind Daimyo. She felt sweat on her palms and beading along her hairline. She took a quick glance under her eyelashes toward Temari then Kankuro. They were counting on her, even though both held tense postures as if waiting for the axe to fall.
Self-confidence, Hinata!
Hinata held her head high and grasped her hands together, keeping her knees as loose as possible.
"Lord of Wind, I am Hyuga Hinata. I represent my village Konohagakure and Lady Tsunade, our Kage. I have been asked by Ambassador Temari of Sunagakure to be a reference for Sabaku no Gaara's election as Kage of Sunagakure."
The daimyo stroked his goatee, looking her over.
"Your clan is quite renowned, even here, for their skills. I am quite honored to have such a person as your self here, even under the circumstances."
Hinata nodded meekly in return.
" You were asked then, by the ambassador? Have you come of your free will with your own proof of this Sabaku no Gaara's skills or ordered to simply as a pawn in their scheme?"
Hinata frowned before tilting her head. "No-no. I came here of my own free will. I know Gaara will be a strong leader, both wise and compassionate. He will protect and revive Sunagakure."
The daimyo turned toward a darkly dressed servant, beckoning him over with his hand. The servant handed him a scroll, which the daimyo skimmed over quickly before rolling it carelessly.
"I have gone over the Council's reports of Sabaku no Gaara's accomplishments as a ninja, as contributions and…detractions to their village. I have also read the reports of the meeting held with you, Lady Hyuga. You provide an exceptional and passionate defense of his nomination. Why?"
"He may have wandered from the code of honor…but he is wise and he will care for his village. I-I have seen and experienced first hand his control and improvements. Many ninja have witnessed this."
The daimyo plucked up a date and eyeballed it before fixing his gaze on Hinata.
"He is dangerous. Am I to trust him as a leader of my hidden village?"
Hinata did not even hesitate to answer. "Yes, because Konohagakure does."
"Do the Hyuga approve? Do they agree?"
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Temari felt a growl deep in her throat.
The bastard is playing with her now, like a cat with a mouse on a string. He could give a damn about Sunagakure, even less about Gaara. He thinks my brother is a murderous monster.
Temari looked over at Gaara, whose stiff features hid his slowly growing anger regarding the daimyo's disrespect towards Hinata. The same Hinata who had risked her life to come here to see this shallow 'noble' and help Gaara get the title of Kage.
Only Hinata truly believes he can do this but even this little charade is out of her league.
"Lady Hyuga, I am flattered by your presence here but I am not so convinced that Sabaku no Gaara will be a good Kage for my village."
The daimyo stood slowly, motioning for his servants to move the tray of food from his path. He held out one dainty hand, waiting for Hinata to glide to him. Temari frowned. The man was so gleeful over a Hyuga visiting for the first time that he might as well have keeled over on the spot with selfish flattery.
Hinata, unsure at first, regained shy composure and slowly climbed the golden steps to his level. She bowed low, her body upright before letting one shaking hand slide into the daimyo's.
The daimyo smiled in delight. "I am delighted by your visit. Please, there is no need to be daunted by my presence. I am flattered and honored. You and your guests must stay for the kabuki theater performance this evening. I planned it in hopes of the Hyuga heiress enjoying the offerings of the Land of Wind before leaving for Konohagakure."
Hinata's cheeks lightly burned pink as his hand patted her own small one. The daimyo let her bow deeply, taking in the beauty of her gown before a gong sounded off that the meeting was over and preparations for the kabuki theater would commence.
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Hinata felt faint. She was embarrassed, angry, defeated and she wanted to cry. She had failed her mission…another one to add to the long list in her mind. She looked at each of the siblings' faces once they had briskly moved toward the hallway they had entered from and shakily put her palms on her face. She felt wet tears build in her eyes and threaten to fall down her cheeks.
I failed them.
I failed myself.
I failed my clan.
I failed Konoha.
I failed…him.
"Hinata-"
Temari's warm voice was cut off by another voice, an unrecognizable man.
"Even before you entered his mind was made up. The daimyo is selfish, living only for himself and his own desires. Your words were empty to him, no matter what they would have been my lady."
Hinata turned her head, her watery eyes taking in the robust figure of one of the nobles from the hallways. Her mind was swimming. His words were lost, especially now. She was fated to lose from the start…
"The bastard is a spoiled little king on his throne. He is killing our village. Our economy, our land, everything is dying. Sunagakure ranks dead last out of all the Hidden Villages because of him. We started a war with Konoha because of him and we lost nearly everything!"Temari barked in anger, her fan out and fiercely tapping her exposed leg.
"Tem-"Kankuro began tiredly.
"She is right, jonin of Sunagakure. He is running up our debt, all for this pleasure palace. Some of us are weary and we cannot withstand watching our people wither, our lands die because we lack funds to build proper infrastructure or afford help. We need a new daimyo."
"You are quite bold to speak such things out in the open,"Ko whispered.
The man nodded his baldhead, his chubby cheeks shaking.
"Yes, but we share the same sentiments. I share such bold words because I wish to strike a proposition."
Silence filled the air before Gaara's gravelly voice finally broke the tense moment.
"Go on."
"The ones I mentioned, we are not few but a group. We have decided to form a coup against the daimyo. We had not formulated a plan or time for such an event until your fated arrival. It is our luck to have such skilled ninja here, especially ones whom share our grievances. Support us, fight with us and I will approve Sabaku no Gaara's nomination."
"You?"Temari frowned while raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. I am a high-ranking member and one of the wisest. My group has voted and agreed on my nomination. I have an extensive record-"
"This will be dangerous, what you ask."
The man eyed Gaara, before slowly nodding.
All eyes turned to focus deeply on Hinata before Temari spoke up.
"Hinata, we never imagined any of this to happen. You don't have to participate but I cannot think of any other option."
"That's saying a lot too."Kankuro agreed, his eyes focused on her with worry.
Hinata swallowed before raising her chin and trying to form a weak smile.
"I will agree and help."
Particles of sand drifted along her hands sharply, the temperature in the hallway dropping quickly. Gaara shifted into her view, his hands moving towards her own before dropping to his sides…almost in fear of touching her.
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"I will agree and help."
Gaara felt a pain in his chest that quickly ran down his arm then up towards his head. He felt the throbbing begin, the old migraine threatening to break the gates of his sanity and the cage of Shukaku. He felt heavy and as if that one sentence whispered so sweetly had spun him out of control. He could only imagine this going one way, this proposition. This trip was not meant to play out like this, but fate seemed to have her hand dealing out cards no one thought would be on the table.
He looked at Hinata and images flashed through his mind of her child-like face on the balcony, her eyes that seemed to cling so fiercely to her belief that he could change and that he had. Coldness came over him and the sand from his returned gourd seemed to drift on impulse, mimicking his emotions. He moved to block her view, gazing sharply into her eyes. The turmoil rolled through him, besting his long held self control and walls he had built long ago...until her.
They've been cracking, breaking down brick by brick.
You will be the death of me...or the reason for any shattering of my sanity.
"Hinata..."Gaara whispered, unconsciously bringing his hands up to touch her own before he realized and swiftly pulled them away. Still now he feared touching her.
Blood on my hands.
Murderer.
Monster.
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"Hinata…"Gaara whispered in his grainy voice, his eyes intent on her own. The emotions playing in his mind were fierce, a battle of his own playing out along the shifting emotions on his face before calming once more into a blank nothingness.
"Gaara-san, I came here to complete my m-mission. I believe in you becoming K-Kage. If this m-means this is the only way, t-then I will d-d-do it."
Temari sighed before shaking her body and focusing on the nobleman. "You heard her. We meet at sundown. You will strategize with me and I will break it down for everyone else."
Everyone nodded.
Temari smiled wickedly, tapping her fan on her other hand.
"We got a daimyo to take down and a guy to make Kage."
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Author Note: I fixed this after realizing Word had gone haywire and screwed up some sentences, plus I added some extra thoughts from Gaara on this chapter. How will the coup happen? Who will survive this? Fate has surely drawn a interesting, dangerous hand for Hinata and Gaara.