Son of the Sannin(Back)

A Failed Rescue...?

Sunagakure, Kazekage's State

As the sun started to set in the desert village, Rasa was about conclude a meeting he had with Suna's Council of Elders regarding both the village affairs, and the new treaty with Konoha and Kiri. Tensions were high, since a good deal of the councilors barely tolerated an alliance with their longtime allies of Konoha to begin with, they found the idea of an alliance with one of their worst enemies outrageous.

"I still can't see why you're against this alliance, Chiyo-baasama," the Kazekage told one of the female councilors. "So far, we've gained a lot from it, and it's not even settled."

Chiyo was an elderly woman with black eyes, wrinkled face, and dull lavender hair tied in a bun, with two bangs that framed her face. She has been the most prominent dissident to the idea of an alliance.

"Suna should be strong on its own, not depend on the charity of other villages. Next thing I know you'll replace our proud puppeteering corps with those mechanical abominations from Uzushio," Chiyo scoffed.

"Sister, please, don't insult Kazekage-sama in such a way," another councilor, an elderly man with shadowed eyes and thick grey eyebrows told her. "No Kazekage in his right mind would dismantle Sunagakure's pride and joy."

"No Kazekage in his right mind should make us depend so much on foreign powers, Ebizo," Chiyo told her brother.

Rasa groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Listen, either with or without your support, this alliance will have my approval and will continue until the very end. So just for once, try to make things easier for me and-"

Then, at that moment, a small, goggle-wearing toad carrying a scroll on his back appeared from a cloud of smoke in the middle of the table the Kazekage and the councilors were sitting around. The ninja guarding the room immediately drew out their kunai and other weapons, in any case it was an assassination attempt on the Kazekage or the councilors.

"What's the meaning of this!?" Rasa bellowed.

"Hello there. My name is Kosuke. Are you the Kazekage?" the small toad asked. "Jiraiya-san said that the Kazekage was a man that sucked the joy of living out of you by being in the same room as him, and out of all the people here, you fit the description the best."

"So Jiraiya told you that..." Rasa said, his eye twitching a bit. "Did that white haired idiot send you here? With what purpose?"

"Yes, he did! He said he had an urgent message for you," Kosuke replied before handing the scroll to the Kazekage.

"For your sake, someone better be dying," Rasa fumed as he unfurled the scroll. As he read it, color started to disappear from his face.

"Kazekage-sama?" a councilor asked.

Rasa didn't say anything. He then burst out of the council room, leaving the elders flabbergasted. Running as fast as his legs could carry him, the Kazekage slammed the door of his office open and entered the room. He started rummaging under his desk until he finally found what he was looking for, a hidden switch that revealed a secret compartment.

Opening the compartment, Rasa checked its contents, and his worst fears were confirmed. One of the special compasses designed to track Gaara down was missing.

...

Forests of the Land of Fire, close to the border with the Land of Rivers

At the same time, the group of six decided to make camp and rest for a bit. It was decided that they would be on the move an hour before the sunrise, since they have no time to spare. After a light meal, all of them decided to go to sleep. Kankuro, who still had to repair his puppet, volunteered to make the first watch. Naruto left a clone for him as company, and to help him guard the camp.