Standard disclaimers apply. I'm just borrowing these characters for a little while.
Author's note: Kishimoto-sensei's plan is to fit the entire 4th Shinobi War Arc into a matter of days in the Naruto timeline, but I'm taking the liberty of extending it since war is never so quick and clean-cut. Events from the manga will be added, removed or shifted around. Please pardon my impudence.
You guys think we can hit 1580 reviews before I post the next chapter?
Gaara was fast losing patience with this entire debacle. The last thing he had time for today was a summon from the Daimyo's of the Five Shinobi Nations. But like his fellow Kage, he had no choice but to answer every beck and call of the Daimyo - their war funding relied entirely on the shinobi world's obedience to these feudal lords' whims. He never liked these politically-charged meetings to begin with, but he liked meeting his Daimyo even less.
Which was why he found himself seated at the vast, circular table, eyes trained on a large television screen at the other end of the conference room. A took the position right across the screen at the lacquered table, and Tsunade and Gaara were to his right. Between them stood Inoichi and Shikaku, while Shikamaru took his place behind Gaara as his second-in-command.
The Hokage did not look too thrilled about this conference either, if her tapping foot under the table was any indication. Small comfort, at best.
"... Are you listening, Kazekage?"
Quietly, Gaara cursed his brief moment of inattention and nodded towards the screen as he steepled his hands. The gathering of Daimyo on the screen glared down their noses at the War Council, their expressions ranging from impatience to indignance.
"Of course, Yamamoto-san."
"You could have fooled me," the beady-looking eyes of Wind Daimyo Yamamoto narrowed even further for a brief second in disapproval, then he turned back to address the entire table, "As I was saying, this war has gone on for far too long. Six months we have been at war! Six. Months!" He rapped his fan against his knee to emphasise his point, and the other Daimyo all muttered their agreement.
Of course this damn war has been going on for far too long!
It was easy to pout and throw judgemental statements about while secluded away in safety, while the shinobi world bled and died for them. Perhaps they were bored to death from playing their two-hundredth game of mahjong, or the latest shipment of seafood from the Land of the Sea was not up to their discerning palates' standards. Whatever was the reason, they had summoned the War Council for no good reason that Gaara could think of.
Or it was the cheap thrill of reminding the Kage exactly who the Hidden Villages relied so heavily upon. Yamamoto had not been pleased with almost all of the changes that Gaara had made to Sunagakure once he assumed the title of Kage. As Suna grew more prosperous through trade and better-trained shinobi, their reliance on the Daimyo's patronage lessened. Correspondingly, Yamamoto found himself having less sway over the running of the village.
"There is no reason for this war to have dallied along for all these months! Our coffers are not infinite, you know!"
Ah, money. The lifeblood of their war machines and efforts. And it was given to them most graciously by the benevolence of their Daimyo. That the Five Hidden Villages had to come back to the Daimyo for their war funding was proof to Yamamoto that he was in fact indispensable.
"I assure you, honourable Daimyo's, that it is not our intention to let the war carry on for much longer. We have managed our expenses to the best of our abilities, and we thank you for your continued generosity," Gaara bit out as calmly as he could.
Gaara was at least glad that the Daimyo's could not hold his unwanted birthday party's funding over him: that money had always been budgeted for by the Suna Council, as within their culture, turning eighteen was considered an important marker of responsibility and adulthood (the legal age for alcohol consumption remained a frustrating twenty years of age, to align with the rest of the shinobi world); They just never expected to spend those funds on a celebration outside of Sunagakure.
The Wind Daimyo snapped his fan open and began to fan himself briskly as he said, "Yes, I am certain that you have given your full, undivided attention to Akatsuki and Madara, Kazekage. I must have been drunk when I heard about your kept woman and the amount of time you spent playing house with her. What is her name? I know it was some kind of flower…"
Everyone could feel the war room's temperature drop several degrees in the seconds that followed. Tsunade chanced a sideways glance at Gaara and caught a subtle tic in his jaw as he clenched his teeth, no doubt attempting to prevent himself from launching some choice words at his Daimyo.
Gaara exhaled, then replied almost too softly, too calmly, "You speak of Haruno Sakura, Hokage's apprentice and my personal medic."
"Yes, that's her name! A Konoha-nin for a kept woman, Kazekage? Surely you know better than to -"
Whatever else the Daimyo said was lost in the roar of blood echoing in Gaara's ears. He lowered his hands to flatten them on the cold tabletop, closing his eyes briefly to refocus himself.
All these ridiculous assumptions! These rumours are getting too far out of hand…
"Gaara", Tsunade asked airily through their sudden mental connection, courtesy of Inoichi, "Want to refill the war chest?"
Gaara gave her the equivalent of a shrug mentally, not trusting himself to verbally reply.
And Tsunade was off like a wild horse.
"What is this?" The Hokage bellowed, rising to her feet as she slammed both hands down onto the table. She effectively cracked the solid oak table and created a crater of splinters, "You are engaged in an illicit affair with my student, Kazekage?! After I have entrusted her into your care?"
Gaara flinched, though it probably had more to do with the flying shard of wood that came close to striking his forehead.
"The Daimyo is mistaken, Hokage. I am not doing anything untoward your precious student."
What is she playing at?
"Don't pretend to be dense, Kazekage," The Wind Daimyo continued as if he was berating a child for misbehaving; which he probably thought he was doing as he had children of Gaara's age, "Those moonlit walks, private tea sessions, full-body massages and gifts of silk and jewellery. Is this how you have spent your days and our generous contributions?"
If they could somehow harness the power of the Rumour Mill and use it towards the war, Gaara was all but certain that he could convince Madara that he was dying of some horrible, terminal form of syphilis and send him off globe-trotting in search of a cure. And thus endeth the Fourth Shinobi World War.
"Silk? Jewellery? You woo my brilliant, hand-picked apprentice with such extravagant trinkets?"
Ah, so that's her game. Well, two can play at it.
"Of course not, Hokage," Gaara had to pause to stop a puff of amusement from escaping his lips, "Our budget does not permit for such frivolities. Whilst Haruno-san is very talented with her hands, her services don't warrant said rewards. Yet."
Ohnoki ducked his head in time to avoid spitting out a mouthful of tea clear across the table.
"Ho!" Tsunade pointed an accusatory finger at the redhead, "So you think it is funny to use my apprentice and cast her to the wolves after you are done? This alliance is off, Kazekage!"
Gaara waved a hand for silence as the other Kage's retainers all tensed simultaneously; All except for the Konoha shinobi with them who were all watching the game plan unfold. Mei, Ohnoki and A exchanged confused looks, and the Daimyo's on the screen looked around in a mixture of shock and surprise.
"Now, now Hokage, I'm certain that the Kazekage meant no disrespect to you or your apprentice!" Yamamoto's fan flapped so fast that it translated as a blur on the screen, "Your apprentice is said to be the finest medic-nin of her generation, and I'm sure the Kazekage will make an honest woman out of her! Won't you, Kazekage?"
"Oh, the dishonour upon her family!" wailed Tsunade almost too dramatically.
The Daimyo began to whisper loudly amongst themselves, taking turns to cast nervous looks back towards the screen. Gaara, in the meantime, was leaning back in his seat with his arms crossed as he levelled his gaze at a gesticulating Tsunade. It was all frankly a bit much, but if there was one thing he was certain about, it was that no one needed the alliance to be dismantled in the middle of a world war, even if it was made in jest. The Daimyo won't allow such a threat to be uttered and left unaddressed.
A concerned-looking Mei motioned to Shikaku, who leaned over to tell her in a practised stage whisper, "This is all very problematic, and if Hokage-sama has been so thoroughly humiliated by the Kazekage's treatment of her prized apprentice, then all bets are off."
"A dowry!" Boomed Fire Daimyo Mogami, "The Daimyo of the Land of Wind wishes to gift the Hokage's apprentice a generous dowry, to make up for the transgressions of their Kage!"
"But I di…" Whatever Yamamoto was about to say, he was stopped by a swift kick to his shin by the Fire Daimyo.
With Yamamoto still doubled over and trying (unsuccessfully) to reach his injured shin to check for damages, Gaara took over the negotiations, "You mentioned silk and jewellery - they are fitting gifts for a Kage's chosen companion, but they will be of no use to her on the front."
"If she even lives long enough to enjoy them! Such trifle knicknacks you dare to offer me, Yamamoto-san? This is the price of my student's good name?!" Tsunade punched the surface of the table once more, then turned on her heel as if to leave the room.
Chaos erupted on the screen.
"Wait, wait! I'm certain Yamamoto will offer something more substantial!"
"Stop talking on my behalf, Mogami!"
"Dammit, you two, she's leaving!"
"We're all going to die by Akatsuki's hands now!"
Tsunade was certainly selling this show, judging from the way her heels clicked determinedly towards the exit.
"The emerald mines in the southeastern sector near the borders with the Land of Rivers, Yamamoto-san. Surely those will make for a more fitting dowry for a Kage's apprentice?" Gaara suggested smoothly as he looked towards Tsunade's retreating back. The slightly predatory glint in his eye remained unwitnessed by the bickering Daimyo's.
"You got your dick wet and I'm paying the price for… stop pulling my sleeve, Kashimi!"
Abruptly, Tsunade stopped her march. She turned around, a finger at her chin as she tapped it ponderously, "Well, emeralds will make for a more appropriate dowry for a woman of Sakura's standing." As if finding the offer acceptable, Tsunade walked back to her seat and settled back into it, calm as you please. It was almost as if she had never left the table to begin with.
"Then it is settled," Gaara allowed a smile to ghost across his lips before he turned back to the screen, "Have the paperwork written up immediately to transfer ownership of the four mines to the Hokage herself. She will hold them in trust for her apprentice until she is of age."
Tsunade raised her teacup enough to hide the conspiratory wink she threw Gaara's way.
"Of course, Kazekage. We trust that our Konoha allies are pleased with this arrangement?" Yamamoto did his best not to look bitter about the loss of one very large source of his income.
"It'll do for now," Tsunade sniffled with mock resignation.
"Very well. We'll have this done by today. Our funds will continue to be transferred towards the war coffers. And we certainly hope to hear better news about the war efforts in the coming days."
"My congratulations on your first wedding anniversary with your eighth wife, Yamamoto-san." Gaara could not resist interjecting just before the screen went black.
Tsunade threw back her head and absolutely howled with laughter. A made a disgusted noise and muttered something under his breath about conniving minds and absurd rumours. Gaara allowed himself a small smile at how this ridiculous farce worked in their favour in the end.
That smile was promptly wiped off his face when Shikamaru rejoined him at his side and asked, "So, what are you going to do when whatever just transpired here gets back to Sakura?"
"I would strongly recommend that none of it leaves this room then, Shikamaru-san."
Deep down, Gaara knew that he could threaten everyone in the room with a very sandy demise and carry out said promise. However, the (very exaggerated) rumours about his relationship with Sakura have somehow made their way to the sequestered Daimyo. Intelligence leak, it seemed, was their biggest concern in this war.
Or at least, baseless gossip was.
"A dowry is certainly an interesting choice of words on Mogami-san's part," amused Shikaku as he moved to his son's side. He cocked an eyebrow at the young Kazekage, adding, "I hope your intentions align with the 'gift', Kazekage-sama. Because a lot of us in Konoha can attest to the power in Sakura's punches if you cross her."
"I'll deal with it should it come to that," Tsunade peered down her now-empty teacup, as if her glare could make it refill itself with sake instead, "We just secured our war funds for the next few months, if what I've been told about those mines is correct."
"And much more after," agreed Shikaku, "Intelligence has reported that there is a particularly vibrant shade of green in the emeralds found there - extremely coveted and highly valuable."
Gaara knew he should be concerned that Konoha's intelligence had obtained knowledge about their mineral resources, but he knew he could not call them out on their surveillance attempts on rival Hidden Villages. Sunagakure has their share of spies in various lands, and even he was only privy to information pertaining to the immediate safety of his village; However, if need be, he could request for reports on other areas, and he knew his shinobi would not disappoint him.
Know thy enemy. Information was the lifeblood of their profession, after all. Just as the Daimyo kept tabs on each other, the Kage preferred to not be kept in the dark as well.
Speaking of which.
"Kazekage, I understand the politicking you and the Hokage just carried out, all in the name of securing our war funding," began Ohnoki, "But don't think for one minute you can try to forge a permanent alliance between your villages without consulting the rest of us."
"I didn't call it a dowry - Mogami-san did!" Tsunade tried to sound offended, but the grin tugging at her lips conveyed that she did not feel that way at all.
A finally decided to speak up, and it was clear he was speaking for both Mei and Ohnoki when he said, "As long as the balance of power does not shift. Otherwise, we of the other villages will have our say in this matter."
"My focus has always been on Akatsuki and Madara, Raikage," replied Gaara coolly, "My future nuptials are not up for discussion, nor are they a matter of concern for the other villages. Sunagakure has a tradition of choosing the strongest kunoichi in our nation for the title of Kazehime, and I think we can all agree that this tradition has not caused issues with the other villages in four generations."
With those words uttered, A seemed to settle back into his seat although he did not appear completely satisfied with the answer. Trained from young to ascend to his title as a Kage, A had immersed himself in the culture and politics of the other Five Shinobi Nations, and Sunagakure's practices of a hereditary Kage title as well as their penchant to wed only within their village were truths he could not deny. However, Gaara was a brash, young Kage - possibly full of dangerous new ideas; he was someone he needed to keep an eye on.
Mei, on the other hand, had clapped her hands to her mouth whilst wearing an expression of shock on her face. "Do you mean to tell me, Kazekage, that you've been leading the Hokage's apprentice along with no intention of making her your wife? She's being strung along and will be left as an old maid that no one will dare court for fear that you may one day wish to take her back into your harem?"
"We do not encourage the practice of keeping concubines in Sunagakure, Mizukage," Gaara could feel the beginning of a headache starting to form in his temple, "The Kazekage does not keep a harem, contrary to whatever absurd rumours you have heard."
"Oh, forgive me for that assumption, Kazekage. After all, your country is the only one to still deny the title of Kage to women," the Mizukage did not sound sorry at all.
Therein laid the multitude of national issues he would have to tackle once the war was over; Gaara could not refute the more outdated practices of his village, such as limiting the title of Kage to only male heirs, or the custom of relegating the wife of a Kage to playing the role of a pretty trinket to be seen and not heard. It was completely absurd, especially since the Kazehime had to prove herself the most formidable of all kunoichi's - such a waste of one's talents when they became bound to their Kage.
There was also the fact that he knew without a doubt that Sakura would never allow herself to be hidden away like a helpless matron, performing as an obedient broodmare to further the Kazekage bloodline. She had chased after her Jinchuuriki teammate and the Uchiha traitor for too long to be content being left behind, whether in terms of her skills or her presence. Throughout the war, and long before that, she had proven herself a worthy successor to Tsunade, and might come to even surpass the Legendary Sannin one day.
He would be damned if he took all that away from her.
"In any case, this meeting is adjourned," announced A, then he turned to Inoichi, "Have the Intelligence Division prepare their latest reports for our next meeting in an hour's time. And see if you have any updates on the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki and my brother."
"Naruto," Gaara stated.
A scowled at him with a narrowed glare.
"His name is Uzumaki Naruto, Raikage," Gaara lifted his own challenging gaze back, "He is not just a vessel for a Bijuu, just as I do not consider Killer Bee-san a mere Jinchuuriki."
Tsunade chanced a glance in Gaara's direction. The subject of Jinchuuriki's was no doubt a sore subject for the former vessel of the Ichibi who had to fight tooth and nail to be seen as more than a weapon to be wielded; and that after so many months, the fact that A had not bothered to use Naruto's name directly reeked of disrespect to the redhead.
However, getting into an argument with the Raikage was not something Tsunade condoned Gaara doing, no matter how amusing the situation was. She knew that the young man's respect for the Raikage had worn thin since his colourful outburst yesterday, and cooler heads would have to prevail if they didn't want to end up actually tearing this alliance apart.
"Kazekage," she called out to him, "May I go over some matters with you before that?"
Breaking away from his staring contest with the Raikage, Gaara turned to her and nodded. She rose from her seat and gestured for him to follow her. Their retainers followed a short distance behind.
Gaara was expecting to be led to one of the interrogation rooms - the Hokage seemed to favour those spaces for her more private discussions with her own shinobi. However, the soft echo of Tsunade's voice in his head told him that she was going to say her piece while they meandered the hallways.
"Gaara, I know the Raikage is a very difficult and headstrong man, but you do not need to stoop to his level to challenge him at every turn," said Tsunade in his mind, "I know you're smart enough to think beyond this war, and the years after. If you want to maintain peace between our villages, and if you are serious about your relationship with Sakura, then you should know that you need the blessings of all Five Shinobi Nations to seal our alliance through a political marriage."
Gaara deflated slightly, his anger spent. "Forgive me, Hokage. The Raikage is indeed a very trying man. I will temper my words when we speak again."
"I've received a missive from Itachi some time ago, and he raised a good point," she ignored the spark of irritation he threw at her mentally, understanding his ill regard for the Uchiha clan and their tormenting of two of his most precious people, "If our villages were to ally ourselves in an unbreakable bond, not only will we be able to share shinobi and resources more openly, we will also be able to prevent any one clan from becoming too powerful and prevent them from ever swaying a village's goals."
All that made no sense to Gaara, who had no clue to the truth behind the Uchiha Massacre. However, he did hear of the whispers of a coup d'etat being planned by the Uchiha clan over a decade ago that was quickly ended by their own prodigious son; if any one clan proved to be a dissenting voice within their own village, they now had to face the might of both villages and twice the number of council members before any of their plans could come to fruition.
And more manpower meant more eyes and hands catering to the well-being of their people as well. Sunagakure and Konohagakure could more readily exchange techniques and knowledge for the betterment of both their villages without having to resort to more underhanded measures like they had before the Fourth Shinobi World War.
There was perhaps too much riding on his relationship with Sakura, but he found it a surprisingly welcomed burden to bear.
"So," began Tsunade aloud as she tapped a finger to her chin, and she turned to meet Gaara's gaze, "I'm not hearing any disagreement to our future plans. Does that mean that you've patched things up with my apprentice?"
"There was nothing to patch up, Hokage. It was simply a misunderstanding."
Tsunade heaved an exaggerated sigh, "That's a real shame. I heard about the magical property of tanuki testicles, and the medic-nin in me was hoping to acquire a pair of them to experiment on."
Gaara paused in his steps as he shifted his stance to discreetly check that certain body parts were not in immediate danger. It was a very male thing to do, if a somewhat awkward action to take. Behind them, Shikaku, Inoichi and Shikamaru all made the same quick body-checks as well out of male empathy (and fear).
Tsunade noticed and smirked at him.
"As the myth goes, the tanuki's testicles are representative of great wealth. I'm certain that is simply folklore and there is no truth to that," Gaara recited coolly, then tilted his head in a curious manner, "Are Yamamoto-san's mines not enough of a financial gain for you, Hokage?"
"Bah. You know we'll be redirecting all the profits from those mines to the war efforts. And afterwards, depending on how your courtship of Sakura goes, I may have to hand it over to her parents sooner rather than later," Tsunade looked put-off by the idea of ceding such a nice bounty of wealth for her village.
"That, Hokage, depends very much on how soon I can persuade you to relinquish Sakura from her citizenship."
Goddamn cocky tanuki.
Tsunade flipped her hair, and replied, "That, Kazekage, depends on if you can convince Sakura that you are worth more to her than her loyalty and duty to Konohagakure."
"I will."
Gaara spoke with the supreme confidence of a man far older than his own years, jade-greens intense with promise as he met Tsunade's stern brown eyes.
Tsunade decided that there would always be time to kill him later, if he ever proved unworthy of Sakura.
In the end, much like the debriefing that he attended each day, the Intelligence Division yielded no new progress for the Allied Shinobi Forces. Naruto and Killer Bee were well on their way to confronting the six Jinchuuriki, and they were expected to cross swords within the next few days. Communication between them and the Intelligence Division had dwindled as the distance between the War Council and the two Jinchuuriki grew, but Naruto promised to send back a shadow clone the moment he won his fellow Jinchuuriki's back to their side.
A very optimistic outlook, no doubt, but his belief in being able to do so bolstered the morale for those privy to these war developments.
Sakura knew better than to probe Gaara for news about Naruto, of course. He had not offered up the information unsolicited, but she knew that he kept a close eye on his dearest friend; as long as Gaara's mood did not turn, it was a sign that all was right with Naruto and Killer Bee. He remained affectionate with her, kissing her breathless each morning and night, betraying only a hint of frustration at the impasse their army (and their relationship) were in.
Which was why she was caught completely off-guard when Baki tore into their tent on a slightly cloudy day of no particular consequence, insisting on Gaara's presence at the eastern gate at once.
Madara had finally come for them.