7
Yamigakure no Sato, Chikage's office, next morning 10:55am
'You did what?' Chi demanded from her Obaa-sama. She slammed her palms onto the desk and glared at the elderly woman. 'Cancel it. I don't have the time to be dealing with those ninjas, especially having dinner with them.'
'Now, now, you're working too hard,' the old woman protested.
'If you even hint that I spend more time working than I do looking for love, you're delirious. I'm sixteen years old, way too young to be thinking of love, marriage or even kids. Just give me a break and stop butting into my life!'
'That's enough, Chi!' the woman snapped. 'I promised your parents that I would take good care of you. Being a Kage is very hard work and you will be targeted. I don't want you to be killed before your time and you need an heir. Every Chikage has been bugged constantly about having a child once they reach fifteen years old. You should already understand this by now.'
Chi sank heavily into her chair. 'I just don't want to be rushed into this, Obaa-sama. It doesn't seem right.'
'I'm sorry child, but this is how it must be.' There was genuine sorrow in the old woman's voice. But she didn't let up on her words. Rather than saying something else so that her point would register to Chi, she left the room, closing the door softly behind her.
Chi remained in silence, head in her hands with eyes closed. She wanted to understand, she did understand but she still felt it was wrong in a way for someone as young as her to be thinking along the lines of making a family at such a tender age. She knew if she were to make a family as such, she would do it with someone she loved rather than some stranger. With the way her Obaa-sama was bugging her, it seemed that she wanted her to go it with some kind of stranger rather than someone she actually loved.
She couldn't do it. Not like that. And especially not too soon.
Yamigakure no Sato, somewhere in the village, 12:13pm
Gaara walked the village with Naruto, Kankuro and Shikamaru. The others wondered off to do something else somewhere else. Having not yet explored the village, Gaara was awed by the sights presented. He kept his emotions hidden under an indestructible mask but that didn't stop the emotions he felt within. The village was nothing he could have prepared for. Every citizen was a ninja themselves and their harboured weapons on their person. Occasionally he caught a few fingering their weapons, but they didn't draw them.
'Hey, Gaara, any ideas?' Kankuro asked, bringing him out of his reverie.
He looked at his older brother for a moment more. 'About what?' he asked and kept walking, not before noticing the three of them staring at him in disbelief.
Rarely did he ever fail to pay attention to someone. Yet he hadn't heard a single word the three had been talking about. His thoughts had been elsewhere. Between the village and its Chikage, he couldn't come up with answers to his questions. Where did they learn their jutsus? What kind do they have? Do they have anything up their sleeves? Or do they have plans for the Five Great Nations? And why did they go into hiding in the first place?
All questions he should take up with Tsubasa Chi.
'We were determining if this village is a threat to the Five Great Nations.' Kankuro said catching up to him.
'They're not a threat as long as we don't treat them like it.'
'Gaara's right,' Shikamaru agreed. 'Had they planned on going against the Five Nations they would have already killed us.'
'Then why are they still hostile towards us?' Naruto asked. He kept looking around watching those who watched them.
'It's because they think we're a threat to them,' Shikamaru explained. 'We're strangers here and we've invaded their land. They're not taking it kindly. I'm gathering they have orders from their Chikage to lay off us. Otherwise I'm sure they would have attacked by now.'
'It's not very comforting to think that every single of them are ninjas.' Kankuro shuddered. 'Can we hurry this mission up so we can get the hell out of here?'
'Not until we've gathered enough information to present to the other Kages.' Gaara said.
Kankuro groaned but about slammed into his younger brother when he suddenly stopped dead. Before them, not far away, talking to a couple of the citizens, was the Chikage in all her blood red haired glory. She kept with the Kage attire but her hair was exposed to the wind. She was smiling, a feat Gaara thought he would never see. She was calm, happy, peaceful and loving before her fellow citizens, yet upon strangers, intruders and invaders she's the exact opposite. She keeps them at arm's length and views them with extreme caution yet keeping them close to keep a watchful eye on them.
She's a very clever leader and one deserving of her title. Yet, would she be powerful enough to actual back up and defend her title? Gaara knew she would. She was just that type of person. She would never back down to defend something she values defendable. But there was something that he seemed to be missing. The villagers were regarding her with something he couldn't name.
Her features changed into a slight scowl. Something the citizen said didn't agree with her. From his distance he couldn't hear what was said or read it from their lips. She turned away from the citizens and stopped when she saw them. She was frowning, not from disagreement with her citizen but with them. She must really not trust them. She headed in their direction.
'Kazekage,' she said with a bow of her head. She then inclined her head respectfully at the others. 'Can we talk?'
He noted the words 'in private' in her tone. He inclined his head. He started walking and she took to his side immediately. The others followed a few feet behind. Now that she had joined them, Gaara noted the way that every single citizen had taken to keeping their eye on them. Must be their defensiveness for their Kage. It wouldn't be good for them if their leader was killed under their very noses. Yet such distrust when they showed no threat was not good. It seems it would take a long time before this village started to trust others.
'I apologise for any earlier harshness or rudeness I may have displayed.' She was still all Kage on him. 'I'd like to start over if that's okay with you.'
Could she really be coming around or was it something else?
'Of course, if it helps establish a stronger alliance between our villages, then I'm sure it can be arranged.' He looked down at her. 'I'd appreciate some honesty from you for starters.'
'Honesty?' she asked. 'I'm sure I've been nothing but blatantly blunt with you and your group.'
'When addressing us you have been nothing but that.' He stopped and turned to face her. 'But I get the feeling that there is something amidst you're not telling me.'
She sighed. 'Perceptive…' she muttered. She steeled herself and looked up at him. 'What I'm not telling you are the problems I'm currently facing down myself. It doesn't involve anyone else but my village and me. I'm sure you don't need any further encouragement to drop the subject.'
'As long as it's not something that will hinder the alliance.' Her small was smile and quick but he managed to see it before it disappeared.
'Obaa-sama has arranged a dinner at six o'clock tonight. I'm sure she has already invited you, but I'd like to personally invite you myself. However, if you'd not like to go then that's fine too.'
Gaara smiled. 'I'll accept the invitation, Chikage. It wouldn't be good if I refused such an invite.'
Her cheeks deepened in colour and she looked away. 'Well then, I'll see you…tonight.' She walked away straight after as if she was embarrassed by something. She didn't run, but her steps were quick. However, she didn't fail to greet her citizens. That was a good sign of control.
'So…' Kankuro began stepping up to his younger brother's side. 'What did she want?'
'Another chance and dinner.'
Yamigakure no Sato, Five Star Restaurant, 6:00pm
'How disappointing,' Obaa-sama said as she and Chi walked up to the group waiting outside the restaurant. 'Here I thought I could get Chi out of her damned robes, yet both Kages are wearing it as if this is some official business meeting.'
'Is it not, Obaa-sama?' Chi said from her side.
Gaara resisted a smile. Even in her robes, he could see that she had made a deal out of her appearance for this dinner. Her long crimson red hair curled at the ends. She wore the barest amount of makeup, barely noticeable, as if she were afraid to let others know she was wearing it. Her ice blue eyes no longer stared at them in a cold manner. Rather she was making a good effort to not revert back to it.
'In another's land, I'm not too comfortable presenting myself as vulnerable. With my Kage robes, others will know to leave me alone. I'm sure the Chikage is the same around strangers.' Gaara said defending Chi, yet he didn't understand why he had.
'Well don't wait too long to start seeing each other without your robes!' Obaa-sama snapped.
Gaara blinked at her startled and bewildered. Chi's face turned red and she refused to make eye contact with anyone. If anything, Gaara guessed that she knew exactly what the old woman was talking about. Something that she wasn't comfortable with? He's going to have to get her alone and get her to talk about this, especially if it involves him and he had a strong feeling that it did. She kept refusing to meet his eyes!
'Obaa-sama,' Chi said in a warning tone.
The old woman huffed. 'Fine!' she snapped. 'But the conversation will be brought up again, so don't expect me to keep a tight lid on it all the time!' She stormed into the restaurant with arms behind her back, head held high.
She was ridiculous that old woman. One moment she can act her age but then she can act much more childish than a spoilt child. It seems that the old woman was used to getting her way, but not with Chi. With the way the pair act towards each other, it seems that Chi prefers to do things her way rather than following the old woman's advice. But what exactly was their relationship? Was the old woman an elder to this village or just an advisor to the Chikage?
Inside the restaurant a waiter met them. He bowed to the Chikage.
'Show some respect to another Kage,' she said to him and turned away when he hastily bowed to Gaara as he apologised. He then led the way towards a table fitting for twenty-nine people. 'Forgive him for his earlier rudeness, Kazekage,' she said to him as they walked towards the table.
'All things are well,' Gaara responded and held a chair out for her to sit down. She bunched her robes underneath her as she sat down. He took his seat at her side. The others took their seats when they noticed that the two Kages had taken theirs.
Outskirts of Yamigakure, Intruders encampment, 7:55pm
The leader looked about him. His men were getting ready for the battle. It wasn't the original battle they had planned on the Five Great Nations, but it was one that they needed to perform first. If those sharing this forest with them contacted the other villages, they weren't going to be able to have the advantage. So the village was going to have to go down first.
He was informed from one of his spies that there was a village hidden within the forest. He hadn't been able to get closer because something was preventing him. Instead he could only gather that there was a large village hidden there, something none of them had predicted or taken the care to search for. Now the leader knew who had sent the threats some time ago. He was dead adamant that they learn not to mess with them. Killing three of his men and then suddenly going quiet? Oh no, they were going to pay.
'Make sure everyone has what they need,' the leader ordered one of his men.
'Yes, sir!' he replied and scurried away to do as ordered.
Were they going to get away with killing his men or telling them to stop trying to cause war? No they most certainly were not.
The leader grinned as his plans unfolded in his head. It was only a matter of time before he could dish out revenge for his three men he had lost. If all the village could do was silently assassinate his men, then they've got nothing in a real fight. This time they would be the ones silently assassinating. They'd never know what hit them.
Chuckling to himself, he walked the encampment, strapping weapons to himself as he went.