"What do you mean we have two sky rolls? Take a closer look, I can see the earthy tones," Lee threw at Baki, who was more or less annoyed as he checked the teams' collected rolls.

I rolled my eyes. But he wouldn't let up, would he? Of course it was bad for Gai's team to have brought two identical rolls, but the test was over either way. So what was the point? A few minutes ago, Gaara had appeared and told us that he was going to cancel the exam. He would send letters to the other Kage to let them know how we had done.

It was going to be fun. To be honest, I had no idea how we would do. Of course, everyone hoped to become a chunin, but in the end... Gaara's words and then Tsunade would decide how we would fare.

While Fuu and Gaara had been inside the cocoon, I had fought together with Tenten and Lee. It turned out that our opponent came from Suna and, as suspected, was intent on extracting Shukaku from Gaara. But Neji was able to seal his chakra point in his stomach at the right moment, so that the chain that was supposed to extract it was directed against its user.

At the last moment, we managed to free the young man from his situation. What would happen to him now was left to Gaara, as was the decision as to what he would report about each of us to the appropriate Kage...

My hands clenched into fists. Still... I had to make it, this position. Then I could finally go and find my father. Bring him to justice. Bring him before a court that would deal with him. I just had to...

With burning eyes, I looked up the tower to where Gaara had been standing a short time ago. He had been exhausted, no question. But still. This speech seemed to have been very important to him. He had emphasized the purpose of the trials, the friendship between the countries.

Which he was right about. Because if this prevailed between us, not the desire for revenge and retribution for deeds carried out by our ancestors, peace might prevail. But the hearts of the shinobi were by no means so simple. Only very few found it easy to forgive. Not everyone could forget and even fewer could forgive. Past events were too deeply ingrained in their memories to ever be forgotten. They told their descendants and so it would go on, the eternal line of hatred.

Of course, I knew that I too had once been plagued by the need for revenge. I understood that feeling. Nevertheless, it was not a good way. Once it was satisfied, it would in no way remove the pain inside. Gaara could probably tell you a thing or two about that. I still gave him credit for being able to turn away from his path of hatred in order to be a good Kazekage for Suna, there was no doubt about that.

At least he had tried.

Whether everyone saw it that way was another question. Like Naruto, many saw him as a monster. He had only become what he had been made into. All the hatred, the fear, the mistrust, the attacks. Nobody was a monster. There was always a background. No one was vicious for no reason. Not even my father.
My gaze wandered around, past the clamoring Lee, an annoyed Baki. To the sun, which was sinking into the west with determined steadiness. Sending its last warm rays across the vast sandy plains. Warming us one last time before the moon would take its place.

Soon the gates would open and we could spend our last night here in Suna. I couldn't describe how much I was looking forward to Konoha. Trees. Forests. I would spend several hours in them once I was home.

Home. A smile crept onto my face at the thought.

Wide awake, I sat on the soft mattress of the bed, unable to close my eyes for even a few minutes. Too many thoughts were keeping me awake. Tugging at me, preventing me from sleeping. Sighing, I swung my legs over the edge and stood up. A little invisible walk would certainly do me good now.

It was cool in the countless corridors of the tower. The air brushed pleasantly over my arms, giving me goose bumps. Everything was quiet. Only the voice of the wind flitted here and there through a corridor. Whispering in its mysterious language.

"...it's better if we leave now, when they're all still asleep."

I pricked up my ears, made the chakra invisible and pressed myself against one of the sandy walls. The voice was very close, maybe a few meters away.

"You're right...Lady Konan will settle for this, for sure. We have much more than they wanted," whispered another.

"An incredible power and two jinju..."

Someone interrupted her, but I already knew what the person had wanted to say. A shiver crawled down my spine. Gaara and Fuu. They were in danger again. Everything inside me urged me to run away now... But I stayed put. I saw their shadows on the torch-lit walls and froze.

The Ame-Nins. The ones who had watched me strangely and attacked me the following day. And who was Lady Konan? As far as I knew, the leader of Amegakure was Hanzou with his salamander. Or was he?

They flitted past me like shadows in the night, not noticing me because of their invisibility. Nevertheless, the fear hadn't left me even when the three of them had long since disappeared.

I sat up shakily and clenched my fists. What I had just heard could not simply be forgotten. I had to get to Gaara immediately. Without further ado.

His room was on the top floor of the tower. The guards hadn't wanted to let me pass? All right! There was another way. Now I was hanging here, my chakra gathered in my feet and hands, on the sandy facade of the tower. My progress was slow. The wind howled in my ears as if it wanted to stop me from doing what I wanted to do. But I refused to be deterred. This message was more important than any other.

I should have guessed that the windows were glazed. I knocked on them with shaky, half-frozen fingers. My whole body was shivering with cold. I really was tired of living. Why hadn't I put something else on? But his life was important to me, more important than it had seemed so far, as was Fuu's.

My icy fingers slid down the thick pane, unsteadily, and all at once reached for nothing. Losing my balance, I fell into the warm room, right past a stunned, surprised and slightly annoyed Gaara.

My whole body shaking, I sat on the large armchair opposite a serious Gaara, who no longer seemed so annoyed by the fact that I had climbed up the front of the tower to scare the living daylights out of him. Which he seemed to blame on my current state of health. Yeah, right.

I probably wouldn't care as much about the approaching cold tomorrow as I did at the moment. When I made a shivering noise again, his patience with my stubbornness finally snapped. With a sigh, the redhead fetched a blanket with the help of his sand. I hid a grin. That was almost as lazy as Shikamaru... but I would probably not rub his nose in it.

Because I was hanging on for dear life.

"So they're after the girl too," he said thoughtfully.

Resting his chin on his hands, he looked over at me. Goose bumps ran down my spine, as it felt like he was x-raying me to the bottom of my soul. He didn't even need a Byakugan to do that.

"...and behind something else...a useful power...did you say?"

"Incredible...", I said quietly, not really wanting to improve on him.

"Never mind."

He leaned a little further forward. I was already surprised that it went any further. Soon he would topple over and... Don't grin Tora... but it would still be funny to see...

You're definitely overtired.

I pulled myself together. There was no time for that now.

"We need to find out that too, and just as quickly as...who is behind the name Konan. Because it doesn't mean anything to me and from the way you've expressed yourself, she seems to have a high position in Amegakure."

The redhead let his gaze wander thoughtfully around the room before he returned to me.

"Tomorrow I'll talk to my closest confidants about how we can protect Fuu. And about the other topic too."

Then he stood up and walked towards me, holding out his hand to help me up. I swallowed as I let myself sink back. I didn't return the gesture. My heart leapt into my throat with excitement. There was one more question I wanted to ask him.

"What about your safety, Gaara? You can't just disregard that."

He paused and looked at me in surprise.

"You almost sound like Kankuro," was the quiet reply, which only encouraged me to continue.

"And he's right about that. You are just as much in danger as Fuu. Try to protect yourself as well. It's important that you see yourself, your life, as valuable. Because it is. Not only for you, but also for other shinobi around you. Nothing is further from your mind than hurting others, so don't carelessly put yourself in danger to disappoint the people who care about you," I said urgently.

Hopefully I would be able to talk him into it a little. That stubborn man. Regardless of whether he was the Kazekage. Direct and honest words almost always helped.

Hopefully this time too.

To my surprise, he held out his hand again.

This time I returned the gesture.

"Thank you for your friendship, Tora."