AN: Chapter title: "Devotion"
One thing that was unexpected with her new position: The paperwork.
No matter what, it seemed like she could never be done with all the paperwork.
Sasuke had turned his office over to her before he left among other things. First and foremost, he had left instructions for all messages intended for him to be delivered to her while he was out the village. So far, the Legionnaires assigned such duties had performed them without issue, seemed eager to work with her instead of with the Uchiha she had quickly learned they despised.
Second, as it currently stood, the authority he had handed to her put her nearly equal to him in regards to the Orange Legion. She remained a Tribune but she was a Tribune who had been given power directly by the Legate himself. The others had none of the privileges she now had, that she could flaunt so easily if she desired.
She could command any of the Legionnaires or Praetorians not only in the village but spread across the Land of Fire, she could demand reports from all the way out in the Land of Waves, receive the messages usually intended for Sasuke alone from the Land of Whirlpools.
Currently, the only things she couldn't do were drafts new orders for the Orange Legion's Cohorts or transfer any of her new authority to another Tribune. She couldn't even raise a new Tribune barring Sasuke himself approving of such a thing. It was oddly restrictive when everything else had been left for her to use so freely.
When she had asked Sasuke about how specific his restrictions on her power had been, he hadn't provided an answer. He had seemed amused at the question before he had carried on with explaining her duties, what he expected of her while he was away, what Naruto expected of her while he was traveling with the Toad Sage.
For her latest morning in such a position, she had finished going over the latest set of messages from the various parties of the Orange Legion to the Legate.
The Second and Fourth Cohorts remained on schedule in the Land of Whirlpools, reconstruction was ahead of schedule with all attempted resistance finally wiped out. Sasuke's notes mentioned it would still take years to undo all the damage from the destruction but the two Cohorts were working around the clock to clear debris, had mostly completed surveying the site. Eventually, his notes mentioned that he would contact Tazuna in Waves for additional help, any notes he and his peers could provide to speed along reconstruction. They also mentioned a planned trip for him and Naruto to personally survey the site.
A part of her ached to go with Naruto-kun when he would inevitably depart, spend the journey to the home of his Clan with her Caesar.
The Third Cohort remained on schedule in the Land of Waves, had stamped out a vast majority of Gato's remaining holdouts. Kaiza was still under guard from any remaining Ronin, Sasuke's notes throwing out the idea of assigning a Century of Naruto's more rookie Praetorians to guarding the Vicarius of the Land of Waves for a more long term solution. His thoughts on it were scattered, primarily concerned how to keep the Praetorians from lashing out or potentially disobeying. The number of boats available to the Legion only continued to grow, the Third the quickest in their expansion into a Legion. They weren't even slowed down by undergoing further training to ready them for the rigors of sailing. The Uchiha had already set aside funds and a list of names for additional training, names of noted sailors he must've been provided by Kaiza or Tazuna. A handful of Centurions were also listed down, Sasuke aiming to put them in charge of individual fleets as the Cohort continued its steady growth into a Legion.
The Fifth Cohort was still focused solely on rebuilding after their heavy losses during the invasion. Sasuke's timeline gave them six months until they met his standards and would be ready to set out. His notes on the Primus Pilus were extensive, noted the desperation in him to undo whatever dishonor he saw from the invasion. Hinata agreed with Sasuke's findings, how blind the Primus Pilus was to the glory he had gained that day. Sasuke's collection of the corpses of what he had identified of Orochimaru's monstrous shock troopers had been discreet and the fact the Fifth had even survived the first wave was a mark to how strong they were. He seemed to have, in private, commended the Primus Pilus for his leadership to Naruto himself.
And, as Hinata was discovering, Sasuke rarely directly praised any member of Naruto's Legion. It was a habit exclusive to when he was alone with Caesar.
His notes on the Fifth's eventual occupation of the Hidden Sand were extensive. His handful of meetings with the Primus Pilus had been used to create an expected course of action once the Fifth arrived and most of it involved public acts of brutality, public slaughters, and other aspects of an iron-fisted tyrannical rule. His notes were littered with expected pushback, notable Shinobi to be aware of in the Hidden Sand, whatever issues would arise from the Kazekage being reduced to an all but figurehead, issues stemming from the Land of Wind and the Daimyo as well. It painted the occupation in a poor light. Even through his writing, the Uchiha's worry for the future was clear.
Hinata couldn't find it in her to disagree with his assessment of what was to come.
If anything, he was underestimating the resistance the Legion would face.
Besides the individual reports from each Cohort the First, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth had provided enough Legionnaires for the thousand Naruto had promised the Daimyo during the meeting with the Hokage after his promotion. So far, their inclusion in the tide of missions and other assignments had been as problematic as expected. Sasuke's notes on the four had been correct if nothing else.
The First was spread thin even after Sasuke had, once again, brought nearly all of its Centuries to double-strength. Their duties were also varied, their initial guard duty placing them in regular contact with the Hidden Leaf's own border guard, even the ANBU Black Ops from time to time. It had been trying but they had provided the 250 Legionnaires Sasuke had commanded. They were also, unquestionably, the best of Naruto's Legion when excluding the Praetorians. They worked well with the Hidden Leaf Shinobi, the contractors brought into the village for repairs and renovations, and a handful of samurai the Daimyo had left behind under the Hokage to further bolster the village's still depleted defenses.
The Sixth wasn't as taxed as the First and only two of the Centuries had been raised to double-strength. They continued to serve as escorts through the Land of Fire for supply caravans and continued to take missions, cooperating with what Shinobi were able to after the failed invasion. They were also involved in searching for a target somewhere in the Land of Fire. Sasuke hadn't written down who but the Legionnaires reporting back seemingly exclusively referred to whoever it was as 'Unlucky'. No matter how much she searched, Hinata couldn't find who exactly they were after only that it tied back to Naruto somehow.
A part of her was tempted to order someone to tell her the identity of 'Unlucky'.
Moving away from the mystery, it had been easy for the Sixth to provide the 250 Legionnaires Sasuke had ordered. They were also relentless, Sasuke's notes listed that they clearly still bore a complex mix of emotions after the state the Fifth Cohort had been left in thanks to the attack compared to their own few losses. Their pace was relentless, their drive enough to place most Shinobi who worked with them at least slightly on edge. But they didn't cause unnecessary conflict. They were merely driven to succeed.
Conflict between Naruto-kun's Legion and the Shinobi was reserved for the Seventh and the Eighth. They had both provided 250 Legionnaires each without issue but, so far, that was the only thing that had been problem free.
From everything she had read, Sasuke's notes and the Legion's many reports, neither had been deployed before and it was the cause a fair number of the problems they were causing now. They were anxious to prove themselves and considered the Legate's absence as reason enough to act without thinking, to ignore orders from herself and Sasuke's own standing orders for all Legionnaires in the village. Even the Legate's attempt to curtail their expected behavioral issues with twenty-five of Naruto-kun's Praetorians assigned to oversee them hadn't provided much stability.
Not even the pair of Centurions coming from each of the two Cohorts seemed willing to work to instill a sense of discipline in their Legionnaires. All four seemed set to compete with each other for a prize only they knew instead of enforcing the Legate's authority.
It was becoming a bigger and bigger problem, one Hinata would need to solve herself with Sasuke out the village.
His advice on the subject of problem-solving had been short if direct.
"Caesar's Legion respects strength if nothing else. I've beaten my authority into the vast majority of them since Caesar chose to name me as his Legate. If they cause you any problems, you're authorized to use the same method. All I ask is that you try not to leave any permanent damage."
She had seen the results of the Uchiha doing things his way, had watched a handful of more stubborn Praetorians pick themselves up off the ground after he had assigned them their new duties and they had disagreed with him. A pair of them had to be carried out the room by the time Sasuke had finished with them for their backtalk.
"The next time you decide to ignore my direct orders, I'll do much worse than embarrass you. I expect you to be presentable when the new Legionnaires arrive." The Uchiha released his hold on blonde hair dyed red, allowed the head of the latest defeated Praetorian to drop to the ground. His red and black eyes turned to the group on the far side of the room, barely restraining themselves. "Would one of you like to be next or are you going to listen to my orders as your Legate?"
Sasuke's method, while brutal to see, provided undeniable results. The unruly Praetorians, disappointed that they wouldn't be guarding Karin any longer, had been brought into line in less than an hour after Sasuke had issued their new orders and arrived to give them their exact instructions. Since then, she had no problems with any of them in regards to their new duties putting them in charge of forty Legionnaires each.
Although, as effective it was for him, it was unlikely to be as effective for her.
She didn't doubt her own strength, the strength Naruto-kun saw in her, but she also knew her limits.
Sasuke had personally overseen every Praetorian's training at one point or another. He knew their strengths and weaknesses at a glance, could take them apart as quickly as he could build them up. It was a skill unique to the Uchiha, a result of his own prodigal strength and his ever-growing prowess with his Dojutsu.
Whatever pressure he felt as Legate, it drove him to a level of excellence Hinata could hardly imagine.
Even if she chose to use Sasuke's method and succeeded in beating them all into line, Naruto-kun's Legion didn't hold the same simmering animosity they held for the Legate against her. Most were indifferent to her or saw her more as a curiosity than a threat or outsider. It was mostly the handful of Praetorians who had assisted her in training up Karin's new guards that held no small amount of respect for her, that may have feared her after what she had done to the three Hidden Sound Shinobi.
Well, former Hidden Sound Shinobi.
Sasuke's name for them was more fitting now: Dogs.
And, as long as they behaved, they wouldn't be scolded any more than they already had.
"I can't allow this to continue." Half of the reports she had gone through this morning concerned incidents involving Legionnaires from the Seventh or Eighth Cohort. As it stood, the First and Sixth Cohort were remaining compliant but there was no telling whether or not this new attitude from the Seventh and Eighth Cohorts would spread out to them. As disciplined as they were, they wouldn't ignore a lack of punishment. "If Naruto-kun returns to this…" She couldn't bear the idea of disappointing him, of letting him think the faith he put in her had been misplaced, that she couldn't earn the respect of his brothers in arms.
He had given her this position, had trusted her already with so much, and she couldn't let him down.
Not when he was the only one to truly believe in her.
As she fell into her thoughts, an inner storm of turmoil born from the idea of failing Naruto, a knock came from the door.
A moment later it opened to admit Gaara into the Legate's office, a pair of Centurions from the Fifth Cohort with him.
"You asked for me." The once enemy of the Hidden Leaf and now loyal member of the Orange Legion stepped up to the desk that was temporarily hers.
"Yes." Hinata had considered her options and, so far, this was the best she had come up with. It would solve the issue with the Legionnaires from the Seventh and the Eighth. "You will accompany me to the training grounds. I've assembled the Legionnaires from the Seventh Cohort there."
"I see." Gaara understood what she was asking of him with few words. He agreed to it when he stepped to the side, motioned to the door. The two Centurions who had entered with him remained by the door, offered the salute of the Orange Legion when she approached with a fist over their armored hearts.
She returned it with pride.
"Have your siblings accepted Naruto-kun's offer?" Regardless of Gaara accepting or denying her offer, she also needed to speak with him. One of Sasuke's tasks for her was concerning the two remaining prisoners from the Hidden Sand.
"Not yet." Even if Gaara's voice was normally empty, there was a hint of disappointment in his words. "They still call me a traitor to the Hidden Sand when I speak with them. The Legate mentioned that I shouldn't worry about their refusal but…" He stopped speaking.
"I understand." She did. It was hard not to. Her own family was blind to Naruto's greatness, that the future laid in his hands and his hands alone. "They're denying Naruto-kun's generosity."
"They are." Gaara couldn't recognize exactly what he was feeling as he spoke. "I've laid out favorable terms for them and they refuse to listen to them. They only focus on the past. They understand nothing of what I'm offering them. Of everything we can do if only they would listen to Caesar."
"You shouldn't worry about them if they want to behave like children. They're determined to remain blind to the future, to Naruto-kun's greatness." Hinata was tempted to visit the two herself, wondered if she could 'convince' the both of them to see how valuable Naruto's offer was, how he could change their lives for the better.
For now, she wouldn't. As long as they didn't disrespect Naruto-kun, she would allow Gaara and Sasuke to handle the two of them.
Even as important as Sasuke considered them, Hinata knew Caesar didn't care for the two. Not like he had come to care for Gaara at least.
He wouldn't be upset if the two suffered an "accident".
"I almost pity them. Caesar…he changed my life so easily. I want him to change theirs as well." Gaara could only think back on the few moments he had spent with Naruto since he had forsaken his place in the Hidden Sand, had forsaken it all to follow Caesar. "I want them to understand what I'm trying to give them but they're set to refuse out of nothing but spite."
"They'll have years to change their minds." Hinata didn't need to look at them to know the two Centurions from the Fifth Cohort were making a poor attempt to hide the fact that it was news to them. "Sasuke doesn't intend to return them to the Hidden Sand while they're so clearly aligned against Naruto. He believes they'll prove to be the symbol for rebellion if allowed back too soon, if they aren't…properly educated. While the Fifth Cohort will depart with a portion of the Shinobi taken prisoner after the invasion, he intends to keep them here in the tower. He wants to try a different approach to bring them around to supporting Naruto-kun."
A part of her knew Sasuke wouldn't want that information out yet, that he had planned to surprise the Primus Pilus of the Fifth with such information.
A part of her was also quietly pleased with sowing seeds for future chaos.
Spoiling the Legate's plan also earned her a fair amount of affection among Naruto's Legion as well.
'He may regret giving me unrestricted access to his notes.' Her smile was only for herself, a sign of her personal amusement at everything that was set to happen now.
"His strategy isn't wrong." Gaara seemed willing to commend Sasuke's forethought. "Even if they still consider me a monster, they'll try the same when I return. I'll have to avoid killing the first handful to approach me. It will be difficult but I can restrain myself if it allows me to kill all of them in one go."
"I wouldn't ask you to do that." Hinata glanced behind her to one of the few others in the village to see Naruto's greatness, pale eyes meeting turquoise. "Anyone who stands against Naruto-kun deserves to die. But they can't do so quietly. For rejecting Naruto-kun, they don't deserve anything but a horrible end. When you kill them, make it public. Let everyone know what crimes they'll be punished for before they die."
For a moment, a hint of who Gaara had been in the past emerged.
A bloodthirsty smile crossed his face.
"I'll make sure they scream it before they die."
"That's all I can ask."
AN: 1/3 chapters for this update.