Chapter 39: Standing Alone Against The Council

The following day, the sun rose over the walls of Sunagakure, bringing with it the familiar scorching heat of another desert day. Sakura stirred in bed, her senses greeted by the irresistible scent of maple bacon crisping in the air. She groaned softly, turning over to avoid the harsh light streaming in through the window, intensifying the warmth in the room. As she shifted, her eyes settled on Gaara, who was still resting peacefully beside her, his breathing steady and calm.

A playful smile tugged at her lips as she gently poked his cheek, whispering, "Hey, sleepyhead. It's time to get up. The village can't run itself without its Kazekage, you know."

Gaara blinked slowly, his teal eyes meeting hers without a word, his expression soft but thoughtful. He hadn't expected her to be awake before him—recently, she'd struggled to sleep, her rest disturbed by Shukaku's lingering, hostile presence. After a brief pause, he asked, "Did you manage to sleep at all?"

Sakura gave a small, reassuring smile. "I slept enough to get through the day. Don't worry; I won't hold you back today."

Gaara hesitated momentarily before rising from the bed, the weight of his responsibilities already pulling at him. He began dressing, slipping into his Kazekage robes with quiet precision. As he fastened the last buckle, he asked softly, "How long has this been going on? Are you... worried about Shukaku?"

Sakura sat up, her gaze following him, lingering for a moment. She knew the question carried more weight than he let on. "It's nothing I can't handle. Shukaku's presence has been stronger lately, but I can manage it."

Gaara stood still for a moment, his back to her, deep in thought. He understood the complexities of Shukaku better than anyone, but his concern for Sakura lingered. He didn't need to say it—she could feel it in the way he paused before heading toward the door.

"We'll figure it out," he finally said, his voice steady, though the unspoken worry lingered in the room.

"Yes, but not right now. By now, the Sunagakure council of elders has probably learned what happened, and they'll likely blame me for the destruction," Gaara said, his voice heavy with frustration.

"Those explosions were caused by another shinobi who's slipped through our grasp more than once," Sakura replied, her tone firm. "I can handle him alone if it comes to that."

Sighing, Sakura rose to her feet, the weight of recent events pressing down on her as she dressed in her shinobi uniform. The aftermath of the explosions still haunted her, a stark reminder of the day she nearly lost him. "How are we going to fix this when you barely survived Deidara's attack?" she asked, the worry in her voice unmistakable.

Gaara's expression remained calm, though his eyes darkened slightly. "The Akatsuki is a completely different organization, driven by a singular goal—collecting the tailed beasts. Whoever this shinobi is, their attacks are reckless, and they likely operate alone or with a smaller, less organized group. They're not the same threat."

Sakura's eyes flashed with determination as she clenched her fist. "I want to be the one to put an end to this. Once and for all." She moved toward the door, her hand gripping the handle as though steeling herself for what lay ahead.

Gaara frowned, his voice quiet but firm. "Don't make this personal, Sakura. I know losing May was hard for you, but she was beyond saving, no matter what we tried. We must be grateful that we kept the village safe with as few casualties as possible."

Sakura paused, her grip on the door tightening, but she didn't turn to face him. His words echoed in the quiet room, a reminder of the painful truths they both carried.

"Yeah," Sakura sighed, her breath heavy with lingering frustration. She opened the door, and immediately, the rich scent of freshly cooked breakfast filled the air, overwhelming her senses. The weight of her previous missions and the emotional strain that had clung to her all morning began to lift, carried away by the warm, inviting smell of eggs and fluffy rice.

Behind her, Gaara stepped out of the bedroom, taking in the aroma. "Looks like Temari woke up early to make sure we're fed before the meeting," he said, his voice soft but appreciative.

"I wonder if she's nervous too about what the village elders might say to us," Sakura replied, her mind briefly returning to the tension they would face later.

Suddenly, the door to the other bedroom swung open, and Kankuro strolled out in unusually high spirits. He playfully nudged Sakura on the shoulder as he passed by. "Quit worrying about things you can't control. Let's eat before the food gets cold."

Sakura chuckled softly, her mood lightening. "We're coming," she said as they descended the staircase to the first floor, which led directly into the kitchen and dining area.

Temari was busy in the kitchen downstairs, her movements precise and focused as she prepared what looked like the perfect breakfast spread. The dining table was already set, every dish arranged neatly, ready for them to sit down together. Sakura paused momentarily, watching Temari's dedication to her siblings and feeling a warmth spread through her chest. Temari's care and love in these small acts of kindness nearly tore her eye.

One day, Sakura hoped she could provide that same unwavering support to the boys when they needed her most.

The warm morning light filtered through the shoji screen, casting soft patterns onto the low wooden dining table where Sakura sat. Her long, wavy black hair fell over her shoulders. Her red eyes glanced toward Gaara, who sat quietly beside her, his arms folded, his expression calm yet intense. Kankuro lounged on her other side, his face partially obscured by his black hood.

Temari stood proudly at the end of the table, placing a steaming plate of freshly made Japanese Omurice in front of each of them. "I hope you all enjoy it. We've had a rough week, so I figured we deserved a little treat today," she said, her tone light but hiding the tension beneath. She took her seat across from Gaara, folding her hands together.

Sakura smiled softly, "Thank you, Temari. It looks delicious."

They all began eating, the air filled with the pleasant clinking of utensils, but a shared unease hung over the group like a shadow. After a few minutes of silent eating, Sakura could not help but break the silence and leaned back with a sigh. "We don't want to discuss the bombings before the meeting, but we must figure out something."

Gaara's pale green eyes flickered up from his plate, his voice steady but grim. "There's something coordinated behind it; we're not the only ones affected."

Sakura looked between them, her brows knitting in concern. "Right. Gin from the Land of Rivers—he came to cross-reference our intel. His village was hit, too."

Temari's fork paused halfway to her mouth, her expression suddenly more severe. "Gin mysteriously appeared out of nowhere. He can't be trusted so easily. Are we sure he came from The Land of Rivers?"

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed," Kankuro added, folding his arms again. "He wasn't wearing a head protector, which raised some red flags. We might have to contact his village to confirm if he is a real Shinobi or a rogue." 

Sakura shuddered slightly, recalling Gin's hollow, unreadable single blue ocean eye. "He was way too nice to us as if he was attempting to gain our trust quickly."

Gaara's voice cut through the room, quiet but commanding. "We don't know his intentions yet, but we'll discuss it during the emergency council meeting. The elders need to hear what we've learned. If there's a deeper threat, we have to be ready."

The group fell into another stretch of silence, each lost in their thoughts. The once comforting smell of Temari's cooking now felt distant as they faced the growing realization that their mission had only opened the door to something far more dangerous.

Eventually, Kankuro broke the silence, dropping his chopsticks onto his empty plate with a satisfied grin. "That was amazing! We should do this more often," he declared, stretching his arms behind his head.

Sakura glanced around the table and asked, "Should we start heading to the office?"

Gaara nodded, rising smoothly from his chair. "Yes, there's a lot to take care of today." He walked toward the front door but paused, waiting patiently for the others to join him.

Sakura hesitated momentarily, the brief comfort of their meal lingering, but the weight of the day ahead settled back over her. Nervously, she admitted, "I won't lie… I'm scared."

Gaara turned toward her, offering a reassuring hand on her back, his touch gentle. "Nothing will happen to you," he said softly, his voice filled with quiet strength. "They have no right to dictate where you belong. They can't possibly understand the harm caused by judging someone who only wants to help this village—and the world."

Kankuro, ever the jokester, leaned in and whispered, "Yeah, well, you weren't exactly saving the world during our first Chunin Exams."

Before he could finish, Temari grabbed his ear between her thumb and forefinger, twisting it sharply. Kankuro yelped, rubbing his now-red ear and muttering complaints as the group moved ahead, leaving him in discomfort.

Sakura couldn't help but smile at the familiar bickering, the moment offering a brief reprieve from her worries as they headed toward the next challenge together.

The three prepared to leave, stepping out the front door with their weapons. The Kazekage office wasn't far from their home, so they walked silently, the weight of the day ahead pressing down on them. As they passed through the village, the locals bowed respectfully, their eyes filled with admiration and fear. The siblings were all too aware of the tension that awaited them at the council meeting. The elders had never been particularly kind—some had even wanted Gaara dead.

When they reached the office entrance, a group of Jonin greeted them, escorting them inside and up to the second-floor meeting room. The space was daunting, lined with towering statues of past Kazekage and dominated by an unnervingly long table. Sakura took her seat beside Gaara while Kankuro sat across from her next to Temari.

The first to enter the room was Baki, the siblings' former sensei, and a respected council member. The other elders followed until all twelve had taken their seats. Baki, however, remained standing, his presence commanding attention. "Kazekage," he began, his tone formal, "thank you for convening this emergency meeting regarding the recent incidents in the village. But other pressing matters demand our attention."

He tossed several mission reports onto the center of the table, their contents grim. The reports detailed the missions of shinobi and the tragic deaths of children, each losing a heavy blow to the village. Gaara, Sakura, Kankuro, and Temari each collected their respective paperwork, preparing to present their findings.

Gaara held the reports firmly in his hands, his voice steady but somber. "Our primary mission was to investigate the disappearance of children from the Land of Wind. Each case followed the same pattern—children vanishing without a trace, all under similar circumstances."

Temari flipped through her own reports, recounting her most recent findings. "Before we left for our family break, I was tasked with locating these missing children. But none survived. Witnesses described a shadowy figure abducting them at all hours. We set up watches, but even the fastest Jonin couldn't catch the children before they disappeared into the shadows."

Baki slammed his fist on the table, the sharp sound echoing through the room, making everyone flinch. "So you failed your mission to locate the Phantom Kidnapper," he snapped, his voice filled with frustration.

"'Phantom Kidnapper,' huh?" Kankuro muttered, leaning back in his chair. "It's fitting. We can't catch him, and no one's seen what he looks like. Might as well call him a ghost."

Sakura, her face tense, stared down at the reports before her, the weight of her father's involvement heavy on her mind. She sighed and added, "The shadows he uses are like sinking into thick octopus ink. It paralyzes you, making moving impossible before you're transported somewhere completely different."

Baki's eyes narrowed, his tone cold as he asked, "Did this happen before or after you transformed into Shukaku and caused chaos in the desert?"

The room went still. Gaara, Sakura, Temari, and Kankuro exchanged quick, startled glances. No one outside their mission team should've known about Sakura's transformation. Somehow, Baki had learned the truth, though none were shocked. News like this had a way of spreading, even when it was supposed to be kept secret.