Chapter 4 Choices

The Land of Wind/Sunagakure

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Gaara looked down at the scroll his brother left by his gourd earlier that night. He opened it and it read:

Gaara,

Supply & Demand. Weak link in the chain. Multiple Shogi pieces. Hime? Super bratty & not attractive.

Kankuro?

While grinning about his brother's opinion towards Yamanaka-san, Gaara began trying to unravel the short lines of information in the scroll.

Supply and Demand. That could be anything ranging from Ninja's to water.

Weak link in the chain. A spy perhaps? A door unwatched? Whose chain was Kankuro referring to? Suna's, Konoha's, Kumo's, Tsuichi's? Certainly not Mizu's. Please Buddah for all that is pure, let it not be Mizu! And what type of chain were we hinting at? Trade routes? Family bloodlines, perhaps? Enemies?

Multiple Shogi pieces. His mind sprinted to Shikamaru or at least someone from the Nara clan.

Were the Nara's the spies in everybody's bloodlines? They were resourceful he'd give them that. He'd never met a clan that was so underestimated and yet a goldmine as far as intellect. Although he'd never admit it outloud Temari, if she so chose, would be very well taken care of with that clan.

Gaara sighed. Although it was something his brother's summative report didn't give him enough to persuade Baki to leave the Yamanaka alone. It seemed he'd have to find out if he biasedly did make political decisions based on his friends.

Gaara turned to the horizon, and saw the blue-black sky tint with a very light orange-yellow.

Dawn. He'd best wake up his entourage. Sunagakure was calling.

(^.^)

Ino was a bit put out to be honest. She had followed her mission to the letter, and according to Shikamaru she should have already have spoken with Suna's Kazekage.

Life couldn't have disappointed her more even it tried. Upon his return to their camp the Kazekage relieved cat boy from his post and began the night's second watch. Ino tried to capture his attention, and make small talk, but she was ignored. Gaara assumed his meditation position and turned his back to her. So much for clearing up matters. She could only hope that Shikamaru had made it to Suna yesterday and that upon arrival they could both state her case, and get Konoha back on Suna's good side.

"Welcome to Suna, Hime! Too bad your stay won't be as pleasant as promised, but I guess you have yourself to blame for that, don't you?"

Ino stared at her captor's back with a blank expression. She tried to see around him to take a glance at the guards. She saw the remantns of the gigantic walls that used to protect the village inside it, and marveled. It must have taken years for those walls to be built. Sadly just like her own village the war had left it's scars. She wondered if Suna would ever recover its walls.

"Kazekage-sama, the great wind smiles on your return." The two guards on the ground bowed at the waist.

"Continue your watch. Kankuro, pick her up we need to speak with Baki as soon as possible. We'll take to the rooftops to the tower." Gaara inclined his head.

Even though Ino heard his words she squeaked in surprise and disapproval as she was man-handled like a sack of Tsuichi potatos and was piggy backed so to speak on cat boy's backside. She said nothing, however, being in unfamiliar territory, but she did send him an evil look.

The jumps across the village had taken a little longer than Ino had hoped. She was not the biggest fan of having to latch onto someone so…distasteful. Ino honestly couldn't fathom why she held such negative thoughts and feelings towards the Kazekage's brother. She had heard he was brave,strong, and ridiculously cunning, but there was just something about his disposition and the way he talked to her that set her on edge, and gave off a vibe that was not to be trusted.

There was finally a balcony coming at them, or they were finally landing on a balcony. At first due to the wind and sun Ino could see nothing, however when she looked up her heart skipped a beat.

The one eyed Sunan sensei was awaiting them and next to him one stupid pineapple teammate and his annoying but tolerable girlfriend! Judging from Shikamaru's face it didn't seem like she'd be tortured in an Ibiki-like session.

"Kazekage-sama. Kankuro." Baki put an arm over his chest and bowed in respect.

"Baki. Temari…Nara-san? I hope you are here for valid reasons." Gaara replied as his eyes slid to his sister.

Kankuro unhooked Ino's arms around his neck, and she wasted no time removing her person from his. They both gave each other an annoyed look before moving towards the trio that awaited them.

"I am. I've aleady spoken with a member of your council, and I was here officially to clear up the misunderstanding.

Gaara snorted and recited the words he first found on the replica of the stolen peace treaty. "Kazekage, 'm not sorry for trying to steal the scroll , but I am sorry that I needed you to be involved…-Godaime Hokage" I'm sure "misunderstanding" is an understatement, Nara-san. And what do you mean 'was'?"

"Ahem." Baki cleared his throat and stepped forward. "While you were away Nara-san and I discussed the matter and came to a tentative conclusion."

Gaara's eyes narrowed on his councilman. "Without my consent or notification?"

Baki didn't back down and met his kage head on. " Like I said, it is tentative. We should move this conversation to your office."

"Without the rest of our council?" Gaara thought that this had better be one hell of an explanation. Councils were always suspicioius when decisions were made without their input or consent. In a way they held more power than he did.

"They shall be made aware of it until then."

"You do not want to interrogate the Yamanaka while Nara-san and I discuss this issue?"Gaara was sure that he would be able to side track Baki, and give him some time to digest and analyze whatever 'misunderstanding'was un-misunderstood without his presence.

"Arrangements have already been for her to be moved into a Temari's apartment for the evening and then with Kankuro to be watched for the next month."

Gaara said nothing as he tried very hard to control his mounting frustration and anger. He had heard every word from Baki's mouth, but the parts that kept playing over and over and over again were: Arrangements have already been made.

Ino stood with her mouth open like a goldfish trying to swallow more water. Tsunade-sama had informed her about nothing of this part! She felt extremely betrayed, and did Temari's ex-sensei mention something about her staying with cat boy? Life hated her. It had disappointed her earlier that day and now it was just plummeting to the ground in her opinion. for the next month! What she had to do would take one week at the most!

Kankuro, who was the smartest person on the balcony decided that he would keep his mouth and his thoughts to himself. They may have to deal with a national security issue in a couple of minutes, but in a couple of seconds they had managed to piss off a man with horrible anger management issues, and Kankuro preferred to stay on his brother's good side. A side that Baki would not be seeing for a while!

Gaara finally spoke up.

" . We will leave for my office now. Temari send for Tsutei at the gate, and ask him to escort Yamanaka to my greenhouse in approximately ten minutes."

"Kazekage-sama, I'm not sure this talk will conclude in ten minutes."

"Ït'd better," Gaara coldly rebuttled. "because as Kazekage, that's all I'm allotting you."

Gaara rushed past everyone to his office, and Shikamaru gave Temari a worried look before following.

Baki chanced a glance at Kankuro, who nodded in passing, and then completely overlooked her.

"She's all yours, Tem! Good luck!" Kankuro left the balcony in search of Gaara and the others.

Ino cursed as she kicked the dry sand on the balcony floor.

(^_^)

Ino followed silently behind the guard guiding her to Gaara's greenhouse. It was relatively small and had a dome shaped roof instead of a triangle shaped one. It bore no signs that it belonged to the great Commander of the Shinobi forces nor did it bear a flying Sunagakure flag.

"Ah-hem." The guard cleared his voice.

Ino turned to her right to find that the guard was holding the door open, awaiting her entry. Through the door and further towards the back of the greenhouse she saw the Kazekage. He was wearing a pair of black pants that stopped above the ankles, and a loose black cotton shirt. He bent down to retrieve two white small shallow growing dishes. His eyes looked up at her, but he did not stop gathering more materials.

"That will be all Tsutei-san . You may wait outside."

Gaara picked up the tray containing the dishes, the soil, two cacti, and a bottle of dark liquid and brought it over to a table standing a few feet in front of Ino.

"Yamanaka-san." He inclined his head toward her in greeting.

Ino did the same. "Kazekage-sama."

"I trust you slept well?"

"As well as one can sleep away from home, Kazekage-sama." He nodded as he walked over to a sandbox and grabbed a handful before depositing it onto the tray.

With neither of them being too familiar with the other ,save for their connection to Temari and Naruto, silence enveloped them both. Pulling at straws Ino broke the silence.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Ino immediately regretted the comment when she heard him give two short chuckles in his throat.

"As good as one can sleep who is not used to it." Ino's face showed confusion.

"But I thought that-"

Gaara cut her off with a wave.

"It's a long story. Perhaps during your stay with Kankuro, he can regale you with the tale." Ino pursed her lips.

"I'd rather hear it from the source, Kazekage-sama."

Gaara placed both hands on the table and leaned over it towards Ino. A curious spark in his eyes.

"One source is as good as another isn't it? Same coin just different sides."

"That may be true, but I always prefer hearing it from the head and not the tail."

"The tail is just as powerful as the head, and without it the head would have nothing watching it's back."

"A tail is a liability. Even if it is watched where would it hide from the teeth of an enemy?"

Gaara just looked at Ino. Ino feared maybe she had said too much and decided to soften her earlier statement towards the Kazekage's brother. Were they really that close?

"Luckily, tails do grow back, on most reptiles anyway. So it would be wrong to say that there is no value in it. My apologies, Kazekage-sama." Ino folded her hands and gave a quarter bow. She was nervous.

Gaara began preparing the transplant of a baby cactus into one of the shallow dishes as he spoke.

"Did you know, Yamanaka-san, that without a tail a fish cannot achieve locomotion through the sea?

Ino nodded, unsure of where this was going.

" Some land mammals even use it to swat at annoying pests. " Ino nodded again, urging him to continue.

"Felines and Kangaroos have incredible balance due to this same appendage. Don't you find that fascinating?"

"Ridiculously so, Kazekage-sama."

"Then you would be delighted to know that monkeys as well use it to take ahold of branches and also use it for locomotion. Deer, as I am sure you are quite well-acquainted with, use theirs to warn others of nearby danger, and dogs, both wild and tame use it to signal certain emotions. There are other uses, but I won't bore you with those. I probably have already."

"Not at all Kaz-" Gaara cut her off.

"Regardless my point on the subject matter is that tails are quite valuable and serve many purposes to their headsof state. I'd appreciate it if my tail, which you have quite clearly shown a quite a dislike for, remains intact during this month mission. The guard will escort you to Temari's room, Yamanaka-san. Thank you for your time. "

Ino bowed, and turned to leave. Gaara stopped her at the door with his comment.

"As you've previously stated reptiles do indeed regrow their tails over time if the original is cast away. And even though I've almost lost my tail once, if I found myself in another situation where I had to cast my tail away from me again, then I would be highly…displeased…good day Yamanaka-san. May you sleep well."

"As to you as well, Kazekage-sama."

Ino walked with the guard back to her shared quarters like a dog in a doghouse. Ironicly she felt as if she had a tail, and right now hers would be between her legs, and her head bowed down low.

"Well, that went smoothly. Lesson no. 1: Never insult the Kazekage's brother." She murmed.

"Or liken him to a tail." Ino froze. No, not that voice. She didn't notice Tsutei being changed as her guard/escort as they had been walking.

"Kankuro-san." Tsutei bowed and moved to the side. Exposing one cat boy leaning against a door frame.

Ino stared, and remembered how his demeanor had changed after her insults in Kawa no Kuni. She also remembered her fresh encounter with his brother, the Kazekage. Ino was bold, but she wasn't that bold.

"I can escort Yamanaka-san from here, Tsutei."

"Yes, Kankuro-san." Kankuro walked a couple of steps until he stood infront of Ino.

"Now, Hime, What's all this talk I just endured about a green house campaign, and why does she insist on puppet traps to defend it?"

Ino took a deep breath in, and sighed. This was going to be another long night.