The gates of Suna loomed on the horizon. The white limestone practically shining in the afternoon sun, the surrounding wall that circled the village made of sandstone and plaster opaque in comparison, the arid desert sands at its base, so hot they seemed to make the air simmer with the heat.
But to the hundreds of refugees that now made their way towards this village, the gritty, dusty dirty visage of what they had strived through hardships and dangers to get to could not have been more beautiful to their eyes.
The sighs of relief floated through the air, like leaves caught in the breeze. Daisuke listened to their words a smirk finding its way onto his face.
"Oh Suna!"
"We've made it!"
"Thank goodness."
The Anbu commander took his place on a dune, a bit to the side of where the refugees paved their path closer to Suna, watching as his men held a perimeter around the caravan. He let his eyes scan over the civilians, seeking out one in particular, though this one was only a civilian in the technical sense at this point.
He found her easily enough, she wasn't hard to miss despite her efforts to the contrary. All around her were dozens of people, each heaping their praise and gifts upon the girl by the ton. With the enthusiasm of his own men, it was only natural that the civilians, once they had caught up to them, would find out about the girls exploits. He had seen, and heard her try to correct some of these claims and statements but the human's natural and uncanny ability for exaggeration was in full effect and at this point he and his men were barely even in the story.
He didn't care really, about the recognition, or the fame. In fact he was grateful for it. No, what had him watching the girl was what he could already see being built right before his eyes.
They were placing her on a pedestal, they were making her into their...hope.
It wasn't surprising really. This victory...her victory. Was the first definitive clean cut victory against Konoha in years. Iwa had fought, and held out, but eventually lost when the Kage of Konoha himself marched onto the field of battle. Kumo had fought and driven them back, but had practically destroyed their own village to do so and all battles since those two had been truly just been skirmishes, nothing definitive and nothing significant.
This had been a skirmish too, but this was a Skirmish that had not only involved none other than the famous Hatake Kakashi, but had also been "witnessed" by roughly 30 chuunin. And those chuunin had spread the word to nearly 1000 refugees.
And those refugees were ignorant of military matters. They didn't know or care as to the skill level of her opponents. That she had taken on a squad of chuunin. They just cared that she had taken on a squad, single handed.
And they didn't care that Kakashi had chosen to retreat, to them, retreat was synonymous with defeat. To them, she had beaten Kakashi. There was nothing else.
But he knew the truth, and he could tell she knew it too. That battle could have gone either way, one false move from either side and the tides would have turned in a second. Kakashi had made a tactical withdrawal, not a retreat. And that is why, this vision that they now saw, building itself and coming ever more closer terrified the both of them.
They were laying all of their hopes that Konoha could be defeated on her...and if she fell...then they would all fall with her.
Ino slowly made her way through the mass of people. When the guard had yelled out that he could see the column the courtyard of the front gate became a bloody convention as everyone seemed to morph out of the walls and cobblestone floors in order to be the first to catch a glimpse of the refugees as they arrived, particularly she noticed many of her fellow Konoha exiles in the crowd, apparently the faint glimmer of hope or excitement that old friends would be in this reputedly large contingent of refugee's was enough to draw them here.
Peeking her head over the people she managed to catch the sight of pink hair from her peripheral vision. "SAKURA!" She called out and saw the girl snap her head around to face her. Quickly adjusting her course she pushed her way past the tightly packed crowd and saw the Haruno glancing around, searching for her.
"Sakura over here." Ino said finally pushing her way past the people, making Sakura turn to face her as she smiled.
"Ino." The pinkette greeted, hugging her long time friend when she came in close. It was then Ino caught sight of two others standing just a few feet away.
Pulling away from Sakura Ino's greeting was cheerful, but held within it, a hint of hesitation. "Hana Kiba! You're here too?"
Hana turned to face Ino, her wolfish smirk adorning the quirk of her lips but not fully reaching her eyes. "Damn right. I wouldn't miss this for the world."
Kiba's response was a nod, the small, strained smile of his lips now somewhat of a common sight to his friends. Ino worried for him, they all did. Perhaps that was the reason his condition right now was so delicate. Because none of them could really hide their worry, none could shrug off what had happened to him, what was happening to him. And because of that they could not treat him as they used to, they could not treat him the same and so that, that alone was a constant reminder of just what he had lost, as if the empty space beneath the cloth that was now draped over his left side wasn't enough of a reminder.
"Hey Ino" he greeted somewhat awkwardly. "A lot of fuss over this eh? Wonder if it was the same for us?"
"Maybe." Ino nodded. "I cant really remember."
"Well if we did get a reception this big when we got here then they did a magnificent job of hiding from us."
Ino and the other three turned to face the newcomer, finding the red spiky mane of Akamichi Chouji as the heavyweight awkwardly made his way through the crowd of people towards his friends, his cheerful smile in place. "Hey guy's how's it goin."
"Chouji." Sakura and Ino said delightedly, hugging their plump friend in greeting as Hana nodded with her familiar smile. Kiba nodded as well. "Hey big guy. How's it goin?" He questioned bringing Chouji's attention to him.
Again that hesitant smile came to Chouji's face, as it came to all of his friends when they looked at him now as the Akamichi stepped forward "I'm good man." He said shaking Kiba's hand and giving him a one armed hug. "How you holdin up?"
Kiba smiled placing his hands on the Akimichi's shoulder. "Ahh I'm ok...really." He added watching as Chouji drifted his eyes away from his own.
Chouji nodded before he looked to the now parting gates. "So any rumors going around?" He questioned.
"Not right now." Sakura answered shrugging. "At least...nothing official anyway."
Chouji and the others turned to face the pinkette. "What do you mean?" Hana questioned.
"What she means are the two Anbu Commanders that Gaara had been chewing out last night." Said Shikamaru from his place to the side as if he'd been standing there the whole time, the but of a lit cigarette firmly between his lips, smoke wafting into the air as he joined his friends.
Sakura nodded. "Mm-hmm, I could hear him all the way down on the sixth floor. That's two whole floors below him. I haven't heard him that angry in a while. I poked around a bit with the receptionists and security details and they said that those two commanders abandoned the bulk of the refugee column, you know the poor, the sick and the injured. They left them in favor of getting some of the more privileged families out when Konoha caught up. They say the attack was lead by Hatake Kakashi, so its a bit of a surprise to hear that there are still so many refugee's that are arriving today. I'm not sure but I think I heard that there were three Commanders on the mission, I can guess that the other decided to do the right thing and turn back around."
Ino nodded. "Makes sense still you think that a single Anbu commander and his squads could drive back someone like Kakashi? I've heard that guy can copy any technique you use and turn it back against you."
Shikamaru took another long drag of his cancer stick before putting it out beneath his foot. "He's a man of flesh and blood just like us and no ninja is invincible."
A heavy silence descended on the six ninja as all of their thoughts turned almost in synchronization to one particular individual, who many would argue was one who could prove such a statement wrong.
The echoing crack of the massive gate as it was pulled open brought their attention away from the conversation, the grating, massive iron hinges screeching loudly as they were forcefully pivoted granting passage into the village.
Shikamaru tapped Sakura on the shoulder, catching her and the others attention as he pointed to the other end of the courtyard. "Look. Gaara's here."
They each turned their eyes onto the gestured area, finding that indeed, the Kazekage was making his way into the courtyard, Baki at his side.
It did not take long for the courtyard to be flooded with hundreds of more people once the gate was fully open, with hundreds more still waiting outside the gate in order to enter. Chuunin and gennin did their rounds, gathering supplies, weapons, camping equipment and animals leading them away from the people to have them registered and inspected for weapons, either explosive or toxic in nature.
Gaara watched all this with apathy from where he stood, sharp green eyes scanning the crowd. Finally he saw Daisuke, as the spear wielding Anbu began making his way closer. When he was roughly four, maybe five feet away the commander Bowed to the Kazekage. "Kazekage-sama. The refugee's are safe."
"I can see that commander." Gaara said flatly before smirking. "You did well. Rest assured that Cobra and Tiger have received their proper...reward...for their actions on the field. If I could...I would promote you for your bravery but if I promote you I'd have to retire."
Daisuke offered his own smile at the joke but soon shook his head. "My lord though I helped...if you want to thank the one who was the key to this victory you must look to another."
Gaara looked momentarily taken aback but watched as the Anbu commander looked back over his shoulder gesturing two of his chuunin with a quick hand movement. The men nodded before turning and walking into mass of refugees. Pushing past the lethargic bodies of flesh as they sought the girl out.
A few moments later Gaara could see the refugee's parting, giving way to a single girl that was flanked by the two chuunin that had been sent to retrieve her. They kept their distance though, slightly behind her, their eyes staring at the girl as though she was a Kage herself, that hint of disbelief, admiration and awe evident in their expression.
Gaara eyed the approaching woman up and down, she clung the heavy wool cloak tightly over herself, it was raggedy, the edges in tatters her head was ducked down, trying to avoid his gaze and practically everyone elses' as she stepped closer, her body seemingly weighed down with dread and nervousness with each step she took towards him.
Finally she stood just two feet in front of him and Gaara absently noted the hush that fell over his courtyard, broken only by the whispered murmurs of a few of the more avid gossipers.
Gaara cleared his throat as he looked down at the hooded woman who was a good two inches shorter than his 5'10. "Commander Daisuke tells me that you are the reason for our victory over Konoha..." He paused watching as she shifted a bit from foot to foot. "Is that true?"
A pause. "Yes." Her voice was faint, hesitant, weak. She did not display the countenance of a woman who had just saved hundreds of people from Sharingan no Kakashi's strike force.
Gaara's eyes narrowed a bit as he watched Daisuke also eye the girl with a confused stare. "Well why doesn't the hero reveal herself?"
He saw her mouth open for a second as if to argue but eventually closed and with a resigned air she raised her hands and pulled the hood back, revealing bright blond hair and sky blue eyes.
Gaara recognized her instantly.
To his credit, the Kazekage gave no outward reaction to her face, instead nodded to her and the rest of the men before turning to Baki.
Keeping his voice low he made sure that only his former sensei would hear him. "Conduct a thorough search, then make sure you lead the refugee's to the living arrangements we've managed to set up for them along the southern wall, I want the chuunin in office and debriefed in two hours tops."
"As you command." Baki said with a stiff, formal bow before he went off to carry out his orders.
Gaara turned his eyes to Daisuke and Akina, "The both of you come with me please, there is much to discuss."
The hidden meaning of his words was not lost on Akina, nor was the sharp glint of his turquoise green eyes.
Minutes later as the door to the Kazekage's office slammed shut behind the Anbu commander and the rogue Kunoichi it did not take long for the Kazekage to round back fully to face the girl and Anbu.
"What are you doing here?"
There wasn't any anger in his tone but there was a definitive edge to it that made her consider her words carefully. Daisuke from his place infront of the door let his eyes go from the girl to his Kazekage in confusion.
Not receiving a quick answer from her Gaara turned his eyes to Daisuke. "Commander, did you have any idea that this girl is in fact a Kunoichi of Kumo, a Kunoichi, which before I left Kumo was rumored to be mentally unstable?"
Daisuke shook his head, his composure unshaken from the Kazekage's glare. "No sir. I did not."
"Hmm." Gaara nodded before turning back to Akina. "I hope you have not come here seeking asylum. Because as it stands the immediate and official protocol should be to detain you, and transfer you back to Kumo's custody at the earliest available opportunity."
At his words Akina 's eyes filled with dread, she knew that was the official action the books dictated in this sort of situation but hearing it was something else. "No!" She nearly yelled before collecting herself. Continuing in a normal tone after her outburst. "No please...please don't send me back to Kumo. Zhuge Liang...you don't know him he's not what you think. Please...I...I can fight. I'll swear myself to Suna's service if I have to just...don't send me back."
Daisuke watched the desperation clawing at her insides, working their way into the edges of her eyes. "If I may sir." The Anbu commander spoke interrupting the girl and village leader. "When she attacked the enemy it drove me and my men to do the same. When we emerged victorious the men all began...well...for lack of a better word worshiping her."
Gaara sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose quickly deducing what the man was getting to. "And those men spoke to the refugee's and the refugee's are now speaking to our civilians just as the chuunin are speaking to our other ninja. The tale being exaggerated and exaggerated with each telling, which means that this Hero-worship may only be just beginning. Which would make imprisoning, and transferring the new Hero of Suna detrimental to the men's morale and the support of the village. I understand the situation." He said with an aggravated breath as he threw his head back in aggravation.
Akina bit her lower lip to keep from speaking. God she did not want to return to Kumo, she wouldn't return to Kumo. The thought of taking orders from Liang and Tsunade again made her stomach churn with dread and her blood boil with seething anger. But she realized that at this point her best bet was to remain quiet while the Kazekage thought.
Finally Gaara's eyes opened and he turned to face her. "I assume you wanted to stay here." A slight pause which he quickly interrupted before she had a chance to answer. "Either way the decision has been removed from your hands. Your actions have set circumstances which forces me to not only keep you in my village but also give you a place in the military. He snapped his fingers and two Suna Anbu appeared at the girls side, flanking her. "These men will take you to the hospital. I have not forgotten, those rumors that had been floating around the Kumo hospital about your mental health before I left the village. We will test you on that, if you come out clean then..." He paused, eyes shifting to the Anbu commander at his side. "Then you will be placed in a probationary service period under the command of Commander Daisuke here. I warn you, that though I may give you a position in our forces today, when Kumo discovers your presence here, because they will, if they demand your immediate return into their custody I will not stand in their way. Am I understood."
Akina blinked, her mouth slightly agape as she tried to fully comprehend everything that had just passed through the Kazekage's lips before she quickly caught herself. Nodding quickly, she bowed. "Y-Yes Kazekage-sama."
She turned, the Anbu at her sides quickly escorting her out of the office.
Daisuke remained behind eyes staring to the Kazekage as the red head sighed again, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Kazekage...that was rather abrupt wasn't it."
"Unfortunately Daisuke-san." Gaara began, shifting through the papers on his desk. "I do not have the time to spend hours arguing a single point in which the decision has practically been made for me." He finished, looking up to the commander. "In order to win this war, the men must believe we can win this war and she-" He pointed outside his door. "-is the only one that has brought that belief to our ninja in years. If I remove her from the scene now we will be even worse off than what we were before her. Once we've brought a few more victories to us, without her help then it will be safer to give her to Kumo, until then she is with us."
Daisuke nodded. "I understand Kazekage-dono. I will keep my eyes on her."
Gaara nodded. "Comander..." He offered one last warning. "You must be ready...with her in your unit...victories will only get harder to achieve with every one and defeat...will be all the more crushing."
Daisuke nodded, bowing low once to the Kazekage before turning and leaving the redhead to his buisness.
The Kazekage sighed as he looked up to the ceiling. He wasn't sure how he knew, but something in his gut assured him that this girls achievement...would carry much more significance than a few village rumors.
Naruto sat in his office, eyes closed, hands laced together as he rested his forehead on them, elbows on the table, his face was as blank as ever, but the crease of his brow and the thin lines of tension strewn about his features gave away his perturbation at the news he had just been given.
The individual who had presented this report and was the cause of his current thoughts still stood in the room. When Kakashi had rejoined Ibiki at the rally point he had immediately left all matters pertaining to the men, the garrison and any attack or defensive countermeasures to him.
He had packed up whatever he needed to pack up and left, under the premise that the information he had could not afford to be leaked to anyone but Naruto. Ibiki hadn't been happy, but the interrogator knew the value and dangers of sensitive information it also helped that he knew that he wouldn't have been able to stop Sharingan no Kakashi if the man was really set on leaving which he was.
So here he stood, eye fixed on the man who would bring the world to its knees as he sat behind his desk. Even without the Sharingan, Kakashi could tell, this news was something that, to him, was not entirely unexpected.
Though it was common knowledge that Naruto did not like to be questioned, hell no leader really did, Kakashi decided to brave the possible consequences of his words as he let them slip through his lips. "Naruto...do you know who she is?"
Naruto brought his eyes up, the shards of blue glazed with a strange boredome as their gaze met his. "Yes...I do." He stated simply watching Kakashi for any reaction to his words before he continued. "She's my sister."
The statement was so simple, so flatly delivered that Kakashi's mask actually dropped a centimeter or two as his mouth fell wide open, eyebrows vanishing into his silver hairline. "Your what?" The man hailed as Sharingan no Kakashi questioned, his voice pitching itself at the last word in order to demonstrate his incredulity.
Naruto said nothing, merely blinking as he watched Kakashi visibly trying to compose himself, his mouth opening and closing several times as his hands twitched, their motions indicating questions that were cut off before they were spoken until finally one broke through the frenzy that was currently making its way through the copy ninja's mind. "Since when have you had family."
'Since when indeed' The blond thought. The words spoken were different though. "She was hidden away, from the council. She lived with a foster family, the both of us, ignorant of the other. When I took control of Konoha, I killed her family. She's been hiding in Kumo until recently. Now it appears she has turned Suna into her home. Or at least intends to. The power you witnessed is the same that I hold. The nine tails."
The blond paused, visibly thinking how best to explain the reason for that particular detail. "Too powerful to seal into one, so divided into two. She holds four tails and I hold five.
Kakashi swallowed, visibly gathering his composure before he spoke up. "Ummm, well...how long have you known that she was your...sister?" He stated awkwardly forcing himself to not slap his forehead as he realized just how stupid he sounded pausing as if tasting the word in his mouth, it was such a strange concept...Naruto...with relatives?
So unbelievable in fact that in the copy ninja's mind it was actually more stunning to hear about that than the fact that the nine tails was actually..."split". Though the fact that he had more or less suspected such a thing since his confrontation with the girl two days ago on the dunes of the Suna border may have helped
"That question is irrelevant." Naruto said standing up and marching around his desk. He stood directly in front of Kakashi, making the Copy ninja feel very small as he did so. The blond Godaime glared. "What matters is, that if the villages under my control will remain under my control they must believe certain things. One of those, is the belief that I control the full power of the Kyuubi. I trust you to keep your silence." The veiled threat in his words was not lost on Kakashi as the blond's eyebrow quirked just a bit. The copy ninja nodded just a little too swiftly.
"Hn." The blond grunted as he straightened turning back to his desk he walked around it in order to take his previous position at his seat. "Still weather or not you realize it your retreat from that field of battle may yet prove to be quite a problem in the coming months."
Kakashi's brow furrowed a bit. "Why? It was just a small skirmish, sure we lost the civilians that were fleeing Suna but the most that could cost us would be, at most a little bit of economic stability and military strength number wise but over the last decade we've, swelled our coffers as well as our military force beyond anything anyone thought possible, even with the recent desertions and battles we are still the numerical superior to our opponents and we obviously have the stronger ninja."
"What must be done to conquer a people Kakashi?" Naruto asked rhetorically. "You must break their spirit. Their will to resist. And the first step and most important is removing all hope that they can resist. If Akina would have driven back just your squads of chuunins it would have meant nothing. A skilled Jounin who did something brave. But she did not defeat just a squad of Chuunin she defeated you. You, Sharingan no Kakashi, The copy ninja, Thousand Jutsu Hatake. And that...
"Will bring the people hope." Kakashi finished.
"And prolong the war." Naruto stood, walking toward the balcony. "Now we only need to see by how much." Looking at the copy ninja over his shoulder he met the man's single black eye. "You are dismissed Hatake, begin the trip to return to your men tomorrow. Once you arrive, swear them to secrecy. Kumo and Suna will not risk telling the world of her status as a Jinchuriki in order to avoid the eyes of the Akatsuki. And we cannot afford to do so either if we are to stop from fanning the flames of hope she has already sparked."
Kakashi nodded bowing once before he left the office.
Naruto allowed his eyes to scan over the village taking a deep, slow breath as he did. "Foolish girl."