10
Yamigakure, Chikage's Office
Chi sunk back into her memories as they swarmed her. She tried to shake them off but they were vivid and resistant. Eventually she managed to bypass them and back to the present where Gaara sat opposite her in silence. He was watching her with curiosity and interest. Could he have known that she had gone back in time to relive her memories? Turning, she tried to think if it would be a good idea to reveal to him secrets she had kept to herself for sixteen years. He had revealed something about himself. It would only be polite to do the same. Yet she couldn't do it. She had never spoken to anyone about herself before. It was strange and she really didn't know if she should partake in it.
'I too was born from a former Kage.' She started, inwardly cursing herself for doing this. 'I was raised differently. It was a life of both being revered and feared. I was treated like a princess, kept happy at all costs. They feared me because they saw me as a monster, one powerful enough to destroy them. It was the life for a Chikage and it will always be the life of any future Chikages.'
'What are you saying?' he asked, unsure on how to feel about that.
'The Chikage is selected through the heir of the former Chikage. In others words, the next Chikage would be my child.'
'Are you saying that old woman, your Obaa-sama, was the Chikage two generations ago?'
She shook her head, depleting his surprise and shock. 'That was Ojii-sama, my Obaa-sama's goshujin. It's not a female inheritance, thankfully. I wouldn't want my daughter to go through it. It just depends on who's born first or even if I have more than one. If I manage to survive the first birth.'
'You were raised to be the Chikage, inherited it from your parent before.'
She nodded. 'That's right. The difference with our Kage to the other five is that every generation of Chikages contains a demon, and usually the same one.'
'How do you feel about it all?'
She looked up at him. 'My feelings are irrelevant.'
He frowned. 'They may not be able to change your tradition, but they're not irrelevant. Someone could at least help you through all of it rather than just letting you deal with it all by yourself. What about your sister?'
'She doesn't like the fact that I'm the Chikage and she's not.'
'She resents you.'
'She does not!'
'She does.' He argued. 'She may respect and love you a lot but she wants to be the Chikage, I could see it in her eyes. She hates the fact you were born before her. I may not be an expert on people, but I know that she feels like she's your shadow. She feels inexistent beside you. I'm guessing there's not even a single moment she's never compared to you and it pisses her off.'
Come off it, Chi, he's right.
Chi stilled. Gaara easily noticed that she went stiff as a board. She shook her head at him before he could speak. Her fists clenched on the desk and her eyes closed. It was almost as if she were trying to fight for control over something. Could it be her demon she's trying to keep out? Earlier she had such control over her demon form that Gaara thought she had no problems with her demon. Could he have been wrong?
'It's nothing,' she said trying to be reassuring. 'She's never normally talked unless it's during battle where I've called on her power.'
'You must feel close to your parent that was the former Chikage.'
'Why?' she asked, suspicion dancing in her eyes.
'The demon you carry is the same as the one that one of your parents hosted.'
She sighed, stood and walked towards the window. 'My demon isn't the same as the one the previous Chikages have carried.'
'But you said – '
'I know what I said. I wasn't passed down the demon that resided inside of my mother.'
It's okay, tell him.
She turned to face him, leaning against the windowsill. 'The demon I carry is a rare entity people believe is only a myth. Every village has heard of her story and they all dismiss it.'
'I've heard of a rare demonic entity. I've read the records when people refused to discuss it with me. Are we talking about the same demon?'
'Which one did you read about?'
'The nineteen-tailed demon wolf, Juuku – '
'The Blood Demon.'
Yamigakure, Fountain Park
'What do you think they're talking about?' Matsuri asked everyone. Concern was clearly detectable in her voice.
'No one knows what Kages talk about most of the time. It's even more impossible to know what those two are talking about when we don't know any of the Chikage's business.' Sakura answered.
'What if he's in trouble? What if the Chikage's hurting him?'
'That's enough of that!' a voice snapped.
They looked up to see that Chikage's little sister standing there with a hand on her hip. Attitude spoke in the way she looked at them with a sneer.
'You have absolutely no respect if you're talking of my Onee – Chikage-sama – like that. She wouldn't even touch the Kazekage unless he did something to her first!'
'How do you know that?' Matsuri demanded, standing up and staring down at the twelve year old. 'By the looks of it, you and your sister aren't even close! How would you know what she's like?'
The girl's face turned red. 'Watch your tone with me!' she snarled. 'I could easily take your head off your shoulders.'
'I think that's enough threats,' Sakura said interrupting.
'You!' she snarled turning to the pink haired kunoichi. 'You disgust me!'
'Now wait just a minute!'
'You think you're so strong. You don't even know our abilities or how we could pulverise you with a mere thought! Don't think that you're capable of walking all over us to get your way. It's not going to happen!'
Sakura read something in the girl's eyes. 'You want to be the Chikage, don't you?'
She stepped back in shock and surprise. She feigned outrage at the idea. 'What are you talking about?'
'I can see it in your eyes. You don't like the fact that you're sister's the Chikage. You wanted the top position. You want to be the one everyone looks up to, to rely on, and to depend on. That's why you're trying to grow stronger quicker, it's why you're waiting until you've reached the highest position before you strike, isn't it?'
'You're crazy! I have no wish to be the Chikage! I hold no ill will towards my own sister!'
'Do you know what it's like for her to be the Chikage? Do you even consider her feelings in all this?'
'Her feelings are irrelevant!' she snapped. 'Besides, I'll never become the Chikage. It's not how our tradition works. Now if you'll excuse me, I have training to do.'
She turned and walked away, leaving the others to ponder about the village's traditions. How exactly does the system here work?
'I really don't like that girl.' Ino stated.
'She's got something up her sleeves, that's for sure,' Neji agreed.
'Shall we tell the Chikage?' Naruto asked, standing from where he sat.
Sakura shook her head. 'Leave it for her to sort out. I'm sure the Chikage's already wondering what that girl's problem is. Perhaps she'll be able to figure it out what she's doing before it's too late.'
Chikage's office, 5:15pm
Chi sat writing a letter to the other Kages. Gaara had left ages ago. She had wanted to inform the other Kages before Gaara returned to his village to sort out whatever he and the other Kages needed to sort out. She was sure that she and her village was one of those things that they needed to sort out. She wasn't sure how that was going to go about yet. Finishing the four letters that were identical to each other, she called for Lula who took them to the message building so they can be delivered by air.
Gaara's words rang in her mind. Her own sister resents her. She was power greedy, she had already known that. But she had no idea that her own sister would hold such hatred towards her because she was born four years before her. Why would she do that? It's not her fault that she happened to have been born first. If she could, she would hand it straight to her instead of continuing to be the Chikage. She didn't want the position, never had, but she knew she couldn't turn it over. The only way for her sister to become Chikage was to kill her. If something happened to Chi, the seat would go straight to her.
If she planned to kill her, her sister was in for a rude awakening.
Be careful around her, my dear.
Suspicions confirmed, even her own demon was letting her know to be careful. It seems that what was said was true after all. Was that why Kureha was training so much? Was she aiming to get strong enough to take her on, claim the position of Kage? The Tsubasa family was known for fast learning and many capabilities to learn various jutsus. Even Kureha was capable of learning anything the rest of the Tsubasa family could learn. After all they are sisters, came from the same parental line. The only thing that Kureha lacked was a demon.
To be the Chikage, she needed a demon.
Would she willing accept one into her body to become Chikage?
Doubt.
If Kureha became Chikage, she would instantly change the traditions to the way she wants it. She'd make it so no one else could take the position away from her and she'd try to ensure that she lived for a very long time. Would she go the same way as that snake in order to live forever? To rule forever? It seems that she would. If there's anyone who could stop Kureha, it was Chi. She knew the girl more than Kureha thought she did.
All she had to do was wait for the first sign of rebellion and she would strike.