Bab 1: chapter 1
Fear was nothing new to Temari. It was an aspect of her everyday life since she was a child. And yet this time was different. This time there was more than just her life at stake, and much more weight sitting on her shoulders. Things were tense on all sides. Everyone was on edge and there was no shortage of suspicion. Greater minds were working overtime to think of solutions; everything from surrender to an all-out war had been considered. But at the end of the day, it was all just wasted time between bickering old men.
War was obviously out of the question. Even the most arrogant minded individuals of Suna weren't able to lie to themselves enough to think they stood a chance against Konoha, especially after what happened during the chunin exams. No one wanted a repeat of the humiliation that was handed to them. Surrender was suicide at this stage. If Suna showed any sign of weakness after losing so many shinobi, they would become the target of any and all villages with enough guts and ambition. They could defend their home well enough, but they couldn't afford to be trapped in a siege.
Desperation had gotten the better of them. They had clutched at every straw, reached farther than they had wanted, even begged for an outcome that didn't leave them at a clear disadvantage. From a political standpoint, they were fucked. That hopelessness and desperation however did open up avenues, avenues that unfortunately led to her current position. She wished she could say she was happy that she could be of use to her village, to be a key player in the salvation of her home and people, but it would be a lie. The failures of Suna had haunted her for so long already. She wanted nothing more than to focus on her life as a shinobi and distance herself from the politics of it.
Yet here she was, the gates of Konoha clearly visible in the distance, and her anxiety growing with every step she made. Her hands had long since gone numb from clenching too hard and she couldn't help but feel like she was noticeably sweating. Those travelling with her weren't saying anything but it was clear that they were aware of her nervousness. They kept walking for a while, slowly making their way up the main road like a bunch of commoners so as to avoid raising any suspicion. A safe approach, maybe, but it was insulting for a shinobi to be forced to give up all tactical advantage in such a manner. Once they were close enough to the gates Baki ordered the group to stop for a brief rest before being forced to brave the no doubt unpleasant welcome Konoha had waiting for them.
Temari took any delay as a blessing, quickly separating herself from the group and finding shade under a tree. Things were moving a little too quickly for her liking, there hadn't been enough time for her to stop and truly process what was happening, what was going to happen. More than ever, she had to rely on her training to keep herself from buckling under the pressure of it all. Her father was dead, her mission a failure, her village humiliated, and now she was being forced to go and grovel at Konoha's feet on behalf of her people. All of this within the span of a month. It was maddening.
"Are you alright, Temari?" Baki asked, his one eye showing what little compassion he could without losing face.
Temari nodded. "I'm fine," she said. "It's just… a lot."
"No one expects you to hold yourself together during such things," he said. "Letting them see how you feel isn't wrong. They will expect as much."
"I won't let them have that. They have already taken too much from us as it is."
"Now is not the time to think of them as the enemy," Baki scolded. "Before our failures, Konoha was a loyal ally to our village. They may not have been kind or generous, but they upheld the rules of our treaty and never attempted to push things. That alone is more than we could have asked for from a more powerful village. Others would have taken advantage. Instead, we were the fools."
"But that doesn't change the fact that they are screwing us right now."
As they should," Baki said coldly. "We are shinobi, Temari. Things are not black and white. We betrayed their trust, we assaulted their home, and we were allowed to crawl away to lick our wounds. Konoha has shown us a level of mercy that we simply do not deserve. For that, we will do whatever it takes to make up for our mistakes and attempt to re-establish any form of truce that can be salvaged."
Temari frowned but didn't dare to say anything back. Baki knew what he was talking about, she had no choice but to trust his wisdom. That didn't make it any easier to swallow her pride. "I don't know if I can do this, Baki," she said. "What if I screw it up?"
Baki sighed and put his hand reassuringly on Temari's shoulder. "Anything you do from here, be it beneficial for Suna or not, is done with the best intentions. I know it, you know it, and everyone back home knows it," he said. "How things go is now entirely up to the Hokage and the council of Suna. Your part to play is important, but is at best a formality. Anything you can do to help smooth out the peace talks will be more help than you can possibly imagine."
"I…I'll do my best."
"I know what is being asked of you is a lot, but if anyone has the ability to make the most of a difficult situation, it's you," Baki said. "Now, I'm sorry, but time is short. We have a schedule to keep and the Hokage is expecting us. Are you ready?"
Temari nodded. By the time they reached the gate she had a better grip on her emotions, putting on a façade of confidence as best she could. Entering Konoha was simple enough, save for the dirty looks the gate keepers gave them. The civilians were much the same. No one was quite game enough to say anything out lout, but their eyes screamed a different story. Forget their reputation for having the most dangerous shinobi, Konoha homed some of the angriest looking civilians Temari had ever seen. Finally reaching the Hokage residence was a major relief; Temari was sure she heard more than one sigh of relief from the traveling party.
A squad of ANBU were quick to circle them at the door and lead them through the building until they reached the Hokage's office. Temari was surprised to see not only the Hokage, but also the two elders at either side of him. The elders didn't seem too pleased to see anyone from Suna, but what wasn't missed was how they were eyeing her up like a piece of meat, and if their expressions were anything to go by, they didn't view her as a very good cut. The Hokage's expression wasn't negative, but it wasn't positive either. He looked at least ten years older than when she had seen him at the chunin exams, and that was saying a lot considering his age.
"Welcome to Konoha," the Hokage said. "I hope your travel wasn't too much."
"Thank you, lord Hokage," Baki said with a bow. "Our trip was pleasant enough. I'm sorry to ask, but our ambassadors are tired after the journey and would like some rest. If our talks could hold off until later this evening, we would be most grateful."
The elders looked annoyed, but the Hokage gave an understanding nod. "Of course," he said. "Such matters should not be rushed. Take all the time you need.
Perhaps we could focus on other subjects in the meantime," Koharu said, eyeing Temari again. "Assuming the girl is up for it?"
Baki turned to Temari and gave her an assuring look. "Temari?" he asked.
Temari took a moment to steady herself and stepped forward. She waited patiently as Baki ushered the ambassadors off with the ANBU, leaving only herself, her teacher, the Hokage, and the elders in the room. Nerve-racking was an understatement. After everything that had happened, her involvement in the invasion, the idea of being left to stare down the Hokage himself was enough to make her hand tremble slightly. The door closed and suddenly all eyes were on her.
"So, you are the late Kazekage's daughter?" Koharu said sceptically. "I expected more."
"Easy now," the Hokage said warningly. "There is no need for that, Koharu. We are here to establish peace, not rub salt in wounds."
"Are we even sure this is a good idea?" Homura asked. "Things are shaky enough as it is without us adding the unpredictability of children into the mix."
"He makes a point, Hiruzen," Koharu said. "It isn't a widely used practice anymore and for good reason. Too often does it fail or backfire. Even with the best of conditions it is too unreliable."
Hiruzen hummed in thought as he too eyed Temari closely, watching how she reacted to his old teammates' statements. To his surprise she was holding her composure well for a genin. "My advisers make a good point, Baki," he said. "Such a practice was fairly outdated even in my time. While I understand the sense of necessity on your part, we are not so ready to force such a thing upon those who might not be as willing to go along with it."
Baki gestured to Temari with his hand. "If I may, lord Hokage. Perhaps it would be best for you to talk to Temari herself on what she thinks of the situation," he said, giving the girl's shoulder a comforting squeeze before stepping back and giving her centre stage.
"Well then, Temari, if you would. I would love to hear your side of things," Hiruzen said, motioning for her to speak.
Temari bowed deeply to the Hokage and the elders. "Thank you, lord Hokage," she started, doing all she could to contain her nerves. "I understand the proposition that has been put forward to me. The council of my village and my sensei have gone to great lengths to explain in detail what would be expected of me and the importance of such a role in these difficult times. It would be my honour and privilege to serve my village in any way that ensures its survival and safety. This is, as far as I see it, the most important task I could ever be given as a shinobi, and as the daughter of a Kage. I only hope that I am enough of an offering to appease whomever you nominate."
Koharu burst into laughter as soon as Temari finished. "Very good, girl. Very good," she said. "Even I couldn't have brought myself to spew out such drabble. Your dedication is something to be proud of."
"Hmm, that does sound awfully scripted," Homura said.
Hiruzen chuckled. "Forgive them, my dear. But as I am sure you can guess, we have seen a lot in our lifetimes. Sincerity is a difficult thing to pass off," he said. "Now, if I could, I want to hear your opinion on the matter. And I do mean your opinion, Temari. There is nothing to gain from reciting whatever your council have convinced you to say to us."
Temari felt like she was on deaths door. She had some minor experience with the political aspects of the villages, but not enough to weave her way through the literal shitstorm that had just presented itself to her in this very moment. On the one hand she could continue with following the instructions of the Suna council and say a bunch of pointless nonsense that she couldn't possibly sell as sincere. It would destroy the credibility of her own advisers, most definitely put a major dent in the peace talks, and leave her with a sense of shame she wasn't sure she could survive. On the other hand, she could tell them what she really thought and ruin any and all chances of a truce, most likely get herself and the other Suna diplomats killed, and start a war that they were specifically trying to avoid. It was a lose-lose situation.
Somewhere, deep down in her mind, a part of Temari said 'fuck it'. "If I'm being honest, lord Hokage?" she began. "I was not prepared for any of this. Not the invasion, not the defeat, and definitely not this nightmare right now. But that is the life I signed up for. I am a shinobi first and foremost and I'll be damned if I let my own personal insecurities get in the way of my being anything but an exceptional asset to my village. I love my home and my people. They are relying on me right now and I can't let them down. This decision was made by those much wiser than me with only my village's best interests at heart. I won't let them down. I won't fail my village a second time. So, if you wish to reject the proposal my village has made towards peace, then so be it. But I will stand by the decision and do everything I can to make it work."
The room was silent. Baki couldn't help but look down at Temari with pride in his eye. She truly was what any Suna shinobi should strive to be. The elders were both wearing subtle smiles, clearly impressed by the girls resolve and honesty. It was the Hokage, however, who's expression left something to be desired. He wore a smile, but his eyes were holding back a hesitance of sorts. Temari couldn't tell if it was sadness or fear hidden in the mans face, but she wasn't about to let it dissuade her.
Are you sure?" the Hokage asked softly. "We offer this one and only chance to back out. If you choose to continue, then Konoha will officially accept Suna's offer and there will be no going back."
"I understand," Temari said with certainty.
"Hah! Finally, a kunoichi with spirit and backbone," Koharu said cheerfully. "I can only hope you rub off on some of our youth. We have been sorely lacking in your type of professionalism. I for one strongly approve."
"I too forward the notion," Homura said.
"I suppose the matter is settled for the time being," Hiruzen said.
"Thank you, lord Hokage," Baki said, bowing deeply. "This kindness and respect will not go ignored by our people. If I may, might it be alright if we could meet your village's nominee?"
The two elders shared an uneasy glance as Hiruzen seemed to develop an entirely different aura. No longer were they in the presence of an old man showing kindness to some poor genin. "I'm sorry, but that won't be possible at the present time," he said. "I promise I will arrange a meeting for the earliest possible time."
"If Konoha needs more time to choose a suitable candidate…" Baki began.
"No," Hiruzen interrupted. "Sorry, I don't mean to offend. We have come to a decision, but the candidate is currently unavailable and… unaware of the situation."
"Unaware?" Temari asked curiously.
Nothing to be concerned about," he assured her. "We were not ready to make any of this public until we were certain that you were sure of what you were getting into. Our candidate will not be backing down if that is your concern."
"We trust your choice, lord Hokage," Baki said.
"Can I at least have a name?" Temari asked, earning a sharp glare from Baki. "Sorry, lord Hokage, I didn't mean to speak out of turn."
Hiruzen frowned as he carefully picked up a folder from his desk and held it out towards Temari. "Everything you need to know is in here," he said. "I would ask, if I might, that you keep an open mind. While everything in this file is true, it does not paint the full picture."
Temari was hesitant to go for the folder, but curiosity was everyone's weakness in the end. She made her way to the Hokage's desk and carefully took the file from him. It was heavier than she expected, surprisingly thick in its content. Her internal anxiety was already running miles in her mind, thinking of all the worst-case scenarios that she held in her hand. She couldn't turn back now, but part of her was starting to wish she had taken the option out.
She had helped her father from time-to-time compile information on shinobi, so she had a reasonable idea of how much info was usually attached to different levels of people. What she held in her hand was no civilian or nobles file; they never had enough interesting information to fill more than a few pages. The two options left were either a chunin, or jonin. Both options could be anyone, of any age, and the idea of being stuck with some old guy mortified her. So, without waiting for anyone to say anything else, she quickly flicked the file open to the opening page. A quick glance was all it took to absorb more than she needed.
A name, a title, and a rank.
Naruto Uzumaki.
Jinchuuriki.
Genin.
Hiruzen wanted to scream at something. He wanted so desperately to unleash a rage that had boiled and grown within him for years. Sadly, he could not, and he held his thoughts close to his chest as he bid his two old teammates a goodnight. They had been surprisingly pleasant today so he wasn't quite ready to rip their heads off after what was by all means a good job. Once they finally left and closed the door behind them, he felt the weight of the world come crashing down on him. He had failed to try and deter Temari from going along with the proposal, but sadly there was not much he could do. Any more than a simple offer to refuse would be seen as Konoha spitting in Suna's face at the offer.
He knew things were going to be rough for the foreseeable future. The poor girl had handled it better than he could have hoped at least. Opening the file in his office was perhaps a mistake, but displaying no more than a brief moment of panic was admirable. It was still panic. Intense panic at that. He had read the reports from the invasion. He knew that Temari and her brothers had a run in with Naruto, although the full details of said interaction were minimal.
She had all but run out of his office after that, her teacher following shortly after. He was concerned when she didn't return with Baki and the ambassadors later in the evening, her absence being attributed to being tired. It was a blatant lie, but who was he to push the subject. The initial peace meeting went well after that. As soon as Konoha's acceptance of Temari was made known everything else seemed to fall into place rather smoothly. There was still much to go through, and only time would tell what would become of it all, but there was much promise.
He let himself fall heavily into his chair and turned to look out at his village. It was quiet. That was good. What with all the chaos that they had seen, the people truly deserved what peace they could get. "Have you been listening in the whole time?" he asked.
"Not the whole time," Jiraiya said cheekily, climbing in through the window.
"Why do my ANBU keep letting you do this?"
Jiraiya shrugged. "Once they realised that they couldn't stop me I think they just gave up."
Hiruzen rolled his eyes. "Truly setting a good example for those to come," he drawled. "I imagine you have something to say about all this?"
"It's a bad idea," Jiraiya said sharply. "You know it, I know it, but everyone else is turning a blind eye to the obvious issues. They all see it as a means to an end. An easy way to get rid of him."
"They can't do anything so long as he doesn't give them reason."
I expect that Suna will put up with whatever they have to for the time being," Hiruzen said. "They are desperate and they know that we know that. For them to even propose a political marriage in the first place is enough of a sign that they are willing to do anything to ensure a bond with us. Even if they view our decision as an insult, they have no room to argue."
"That's cold, even for you."
"That's war, Jiraiya."
"We aren't at war."
"We are always at war. The invasion only made it more obvious," Hiruzen said. "Konoha cannot afford to show favouritism to Suna after what they did, and Suna cannot afford to reject what little mercy we are willing to give them."
Jiraiya sighed and let it go. He knew how arguing with his teacher would go. "How do you think Naruto will react?" he asked.
"I don't expect it to be good. Which is exactly why you're here."
Jiraiya deadpanned. "I am not a sacrificial pawn, Sarutobi."
"You are whatever I need you to be, and right now, I need you to be the messenger."
"I hate you."
"Duly noted."
On the outside, Temari was trying to be the pinnacle of calm and collected. Her instincts were working overdrive to ensure that her body didn't betray the raging chaos burning in her mind. Internally, she had been screaming at the top of her lungs since the moment she left the Hokage's office. Out of fear or anger, she wasn't quite sure yet, but she wasn't in the right mind to find out. Every fibre of her being was telling her to run, to forgo her pride and loyalty and save her own skin. If she could just get a clean run out of the village and out to freedom, she would… no. Thinking like that would get her killed. It would ruin her village, and worse, it would piss Baki off.
She pulled her knees to her chest and leant back against the head of the bed. Thankfully Konoha was especially generous as a host. Each and every member of those that had come from Suna were given their own Hotel room. If hers was anything to go by, they were not skipping on any expense. The place was big and open, empty feeling. She had tried to have a shower to drown away the mess of thoughts. It didn't help. All she could do was stare blankly at the folder spread out on the bed. She had gone through it all in record time; something she now regretted deeply. Blissful ignorance would have been extremely appreciated right now.
This whole bullshit plan was supposed to get her away from such things. Away from the fear and danger of her life back in Suna, away from Gaara. But now she was in a worse position than before. At least with Gaara she had the peace of mind that he wouldn't just kill her for no reason. Naruto was an unknown element to her, and a very dangerous one at that. Temari had seen very little of the boy and his actions during the chunin exams, but what she had seen would haunt her for some time to come. He was strong, inhumanly so even for a shinobi. Lacked any fear of death and appeared to hold no one's life in high regard, including those of his fellow shinobi. His file only seemed to confirm his brutality and carelessness. In some ways, his file was more unnerving than Gaara's. It didn't give any real reasons as to why he was the way he was, nor did it seem to imply that there was any reliable method of controlling or directing his actions.
'I'm so fucked' Temari thought to herself.
There was a gentle knock at her door that pulled her back to reality. She put the papers back into the folder and got up to open the door and was relieved to find Baki on the other side. "Are you holding up alright?" he asked softly.
She nodded. "I'll be okay," she said. "I just didn't expect it to be this… bad."
Baki gave a slight grunt of acknowledgement. "Their decision is a curious one," he said. "The thought of using a jinchuuriki for such a thing is unheard of. I don't see what advantage they are hoping to gain from it, but sadly we are in no position to argue."
"I know, but… it doesn't make sense," Temari said. "I've been reading everything in the file the Hokage gave me and nothing stands out. He doesn't have a clan, no bloodline limit, or any political connections of value. I thought political marriages were meant to be used strategically to benefit each village as much as possible. I just can't see how they are benefiting from this."
"It is an outdated practice, Temari. Long gone are the times when a simple marriage could be used to gain significantly valuable assets. Konoha has all the leverage here. They could very well be content with only attaining a symbol of peace between us, and a deterrent," he said.
"Is that all I am? All I'm worth to them?"
"What you are to them is not important. What and who you are to us is everything," Baki said. "You are the eldest child of our late Kage, a loyal shinobi, and you were the only one, of all the candidates, that our village unanimously agreed was not only capable, but also trustworthy enough to be considered for such a thing. You are the hope of Suna. You are a symbol of strength and sacrifice to our people. Suna will not forget what you will accomplish here. I won't allow it."
Temari scoffed. "That's only if I don't get killed first."
Baki took a moment wander over to the bed and pick up the file, looking through it curiously. "Naruto Uzumaki," he read aloud. "Genin. Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi. Student of Kakashi Hatake. Responsible for death of Zabuza Momochi and Gato of wave country. From what I saw during the chunin exams, he was a rather reserved boy until the fighting started. The brutality he unleashed on that girl from Oto was… unsettling. Our reports say that he was the one that fought Gaara during the invasion, is that right?"
"He's the one that beat Gaara," Temari said.
"Do you know how he accomplished such a feat?"
Temari shuddered. "I wasn't able to keep up with the whole fight," she admitted. "I know he was able to summon shadow clones, more than anyone should be able to. Gaara might as well have been fighting an army. And his chakra, it was leaking out of him, like a red ooze in the form of a fox. It melted through the sand. By the time we caught up to Gaara it was over. He was covered in burns and beaten to a pulp."
And Naruto?" Baki asked.
"Drenched in blood, but barely a mark on him. He just stood there and watched us take Gaara away. Didn't say a word."
"Jinchuuriki are more dangerous than people think these days. But I don't need to remind you of that. He is still only a genin, but he will only get more dangerous from here on," Baki said. "You have more experience than anyone in how to deal with being around such a person. We gave Gaara a reason not to touch you and Kankuro, but we can't strong arm this boy like that. The most important task for you right now is giving him a reason to keep you around."
"How am I supposed to do that?"
"Sadly, that will have to be up to you, Temari," he said. "But I have complete faith in you. Now, get some sleep. Tomorrow will be more of a headache than today and you'll need all the energy you can spare."
Temari wasn't sure if she could groan loud enough or roll her eyes back far enough at the thought of what was to come.
Fucking politics.
— Bab baru akan segera rilis — Tulis ulasan
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone