9
Yamigakure
Gaara stared at the hysterical assistant. A kunai was held tightly into her hands and her eyes were filled with hatred and protectiveness. She was going to protect her Chikage with every fibre of her being. What she doesn't seem to understand was that they weren't there to kill her. It seems that once secrets are discovered, things change and so do people. Would the Chikage be so defensive now that they know her ultimate secret, know that she's Jinchuriki? The one way to know was to ask her.
When she's not in demonic wolf form that was. She may decide she wanted to eat them like she ate her enemy.
'We're not forsaking her,' Gaara said just as his sand blocked her kunai from touching him.
Lula wasn't prepared to listen. She kept striking but did no damage. Gaara shook his head at the others to stop them from attacking her. He could understand. She was hysterical and she was willing to protect her leader from any threats. She saw them as a threat because they know the Chikage's secret. It seems she's gone too deeply into her already made up mind that she doesn't want to listen to reason. It was as if she was impossible to reach, as if she were the Jinchuriki herself.
He suddenly wanted to deal with Chikage in her demonic form rather than this frantic woman before him.
Suddenly it got dark. They all froze and looked up. Chi loomed over them in her wolf form, her blue eyes staring at them in contempt. Was that the demon or Chi? What could be the reason for the change in feelings towards them? But just as suddenly as she appeared there, the contempt in her eyes vanished. Her eyes went to Lula who suddenly attacked Gaara once again, but the sand blocked it even without his attention. She jumped back and struck once again, but a giant blood red paw intercepted. It blocked the path in front and Lula's kunai sank into the paw.
Screaming in horror, Lula quickly pulled the kunai out and looked up apologetically at Chi. 'I am so sorry, Chikage-sama! I didn't expect you to put your paw there.' Tears streamed down her face. 'Forgive me, Chikage-sama!'
It seems like she was fearful of her leader as much as she revered her. Gaara slightly narrowed his eyes at the sight of the loyal assistant begging for forgiveness from Chi's current wolf form. Did this village really not care that she was a Jinchuriki? Or perhaps did they hide their fear in hopes that they wouldn't anger her and get themselves killed?
It wasn't a nice idea to contemplate, but someone has to think such thoughts. Maybe Chi has done that already.
That same red chakra that turned Chi into this form swirled around her. It become so blinding even he had to turn away from the sight. The light dissipated a second later. Chi's form stood there covered in her Kage robes and looking as if nothing had happened. The only difference in this form was her right hand was bleeding from the cut on her palm. She didn't even seem to acknowledge it was there. Her eyes were connected with Lula's. There was no ounce of emotion on her face whereas Lula was sweating in fear.
'Chikage-sama…' she whispered fearfully.
'Save it, Lula-san.' Her voice sounded as innocent and angelic as ever. Just like her face, her voice expressed no emotions. Perhaps seeing fear from one of her loyal subjects changed her thinking towards them.
'Chikage,' Gaara began and stopped when her eyes suddenly zeroed on him.
'Now you know.' She made no indication of attack yet he could see that she had her guard up. 'What do you plan to do now?'
'We have no intention of striking against you if that is what you're thinking.' He answered. 'You know the reason we came here, nothing's changed, not even when we know you're a Jinchuriki.'
Emotion peeked through her mask. Surprise at the name he had just called her?
'What's a Jinchuriki?' she asked, tilting her head in confusion.
Lula, her assistant, knew she was a Jinchuriki but she didn't herself? How can she not know what she is? How can she not know that she's a host for a demon? Scratch that, she knows that she's a host for a demon, but how could she not know what the term for a demon's host is called? Was this village keeping her in the dark at the same time as revering and fearing her? What kind of sick twisted place is this?
'A Jinchuriki is a person that possesses a demon within them. You're not the only one that contains a demon within, Chikage, I did too.'
Her eyes hooded as she retreated to her thoughts. 'My demon mentioned that term to me not too long ago.' Then she appeared to look at Gaara as if his words finally sunk in. 'You have a demon inside of you too?'
He nodded. 'It's not something I'm proud about, but yes.'
'Let's return to my office to discuss this further. I'm sure we also need to resolve Lula's actions towards you.'
At the words Lula cringed as if she feared what was going to happen to her. What would happen to her once Chi has had a word with her and us about what she's done? For all things considered, Gaara didn't see the girl as ruthless or merciless but she can be unto her enemies. I'm sure there's going to be some leeway for Lula's actions, he was sure of it. She would probably only receive a little reprieve or scolding for doing what she'd done, nothing more excessive than that for punishment.
Chikage Office
'Forgive me for attacking you, Kazekage-sama!' Lula said in sincere honesty as she bowed at him.
Gaara simply watched her without acknowledging her apology. Chi watched him watch her. Would he strike out for her attacks or would he accept her apology? The Kazekage was a strange man, someone she could never understand no matter how much she may get to know him. Why should she get to know him? Well to better their alliance of course. If she didn't understand anything about the Suna Kage, she and her village could likely be put in danger for their ignorance to their allies and their enemies. Becoming allies doesn't necessarily mean they would avoid the inevitable of becoming enemies. She'd have to be careful in case they decided to break their alliance with them once it's valid.
Was the Kazekage really telling the truth earlier on? Did he really have a demon inside of him like her? Or was he simply trying to bypass her defences so he could strike?
Shaking her head at the foolishness, she continued to silently watch the pair. If she was going to have such negative attitude at the beginning then she might as well avoid the alliance entirely. Who knows what other kind of negative thoughts might cross her mind during the alliance. But the truth was she and her village needed the alliance, especially if they want to progress, gain more prosperity and more businesses across the villages.
'Your loyalty is strong to your Kage if you're willing to attack me.' At his words, Lula tensed up, expecting punishment in retribution. 'Due to your loyalty for your Chikage, I won't officially file a report to have you punished for your actions.'
Everyone released their breaths they didn't realise they had been holding. Lula must have been the most relieved considering she was being let off the hook, but only barely. Turning to Chi, Lula's relief dimmed until it finally left her body. Chi still had no emotion in her blank expression. It seems that the Chikage had yet to accept that Lula's attacks were to protect her. Lula didn't like seeing that part of her leader where she was utterly emotionless. It was never a good sign.
'Chikage?' Gaara's voice broke through her reverie. 'There's no need to punish your assistant when she was merely protecting you in case we happened to forsake you because of your secret.'
'We need to talk,' was all she said. 'Leave,' she ordered the others.
At first Gaara's company refused. A nod from him got them leaving through the door which Lula held open. Naruto looked behind at his friend but left with concern in his eyes. The Kazekage turned back towards her, noting that she had yet to move or even show the faintest of emotions.
'Is this about how your own very village fears you as much as they revere you?' he asked, cutting right to the chase.
'So you managed to catch that, did you?' she bunched her robes under her knees and sat in her chair. She waved her hand at the chair in front of her desk. Taking it, he sat waiting for an explanation. 'In who's right mind would not fear a demon other than those containing one themselves?'
'If they feared you why did they allow you to be their leader?'
'Why did your village allow you, a demon host, to be their leader?'
He frowned. 'Eventually my village managed to learn to trust me. As soon as they recognised I was the strongest ninja in my village, they selected me as their Kazekage.'
'And it's been easy pickings for you since?'
'Not quite. There are still many who fear me and that I may revert to my old ways.'
She crossed her arms. 'Every host's past differentiates but many can be quite similar to others. I take it yours and that boy, Uzumaki Naruto's, past was quite similar but you both turned out different.'
'So you know that he's a Jinchuriki like us?'
'We can tell fellow hosts apart.' She leaned her arms on the desk. 'I'm not one to share secrets to those I don't know, especially secrets involving my village. So if you hope to receive anything it's never for free.'
'You never tell someone in confidence?'
'Who's there to tell?' her eyes frowned. 'My village already knows and outsiders I don't trust.'
'So everyone in your village knows how you feel about this?'
Her eyes widened before the emotionless expression quickly took hold. For a moment he thought that he saw she was surprised by his words. Could it mean that no one knows how she truly feels about being a Jinchuriki?
'Feel about what?' she asked feigning ignorance.
He frowned. He was risking it but there was only one way for her to open up. If there was any way for them to make an alliance it's to understand each other. He couldn't think of any other way but to indulge her with his past and what he was like before he changed for the better.
'My father, the Kazekage before me, implanted the one-tailed demon Shukaku inside of me before I was born. I was born prematurely and it killed my mother. My father hated me for it ever since. Due to having a demon inside of me, everyone in the village hated me. My father tried to keep me controlled. When I was six, he realised I couldn't be controlled and started to make assassin attempts on my life. I was protected each time, witnessing the death of all those assassins sent after me. After that, I learned to live for myself and love only myself. Those who came after me, I killed. Then I later grew on to hate the world and kill to prove my existence. It was during the Chunin exams five years ago when I realised what I was doing was all wrong. Uzumaki Naruto was the one who made me realise.'
During his story her eyes had become sad and she looked away. 'It must have been horrible to be viewed as a monster.'
'It was. I would have killed anyone who looked at me the wrong way back then. Now I'm capable of ignoring it. My village has changed towards me, accepting me and learning to depend on me.'
'Even look up to you,' she said with a smile. 'I've seen the way those Suna ninjas look at you. They worry about you due to your rash decisions sometimes.'
He shrugged. 'Sometimes the risk needs to be taken.'
'Yes, it does.'
He watched as her eyes seemed to dull in colour as her mind was transported back to a time he couldn't indulge in. Now that he's shared a bit of himself, would she do the same? Would she trust him enough to reveal any of her secrets she's keeping away? Would she tell him of her feelings about all the situations she's been placed into? Who knows? Only time will tell.