Bonus chapter. Thank you for the 100 PS.
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Back on the park bench;
"You know them?" Naruto asked, looking at the two older kids that Gaara was looking at. He could feel the change of emotions from Gaara as he looked at them.
"They are....my older siblings," Gaara said with the feeling of uncertainty obvious in his voice.
"Why do you say it like that?" Naruto said, looking at Gaara with a raised eyebrow.
"I don't really know them. Father tells them to stay away from me." Gaara said with sadness as he stopped eating.
"Father rarely talks to me. I haven't even spoken to my siblings. My mother died giving birth to me. I sometimes wonder if they hate me because of that." Gaara muttered as his mood plummeted even more.
"Don't say that, Gaara. Your mother's death had nothing to do with you. One can't simply blame that on a newborn. And I am sure that your mother loved you." Naruto said. Good mothers have the maternal instinct to love their children, but there are sadly some exceptions to the rule. Naruto hoped that he didn't lie to Gaara.
"You think so?" Gaara asked, looking at Naruto with some hope, fear, and uncertainty.
"Of course, you being here means that she wanted you in her life. It is just unfortunate that she was gone before she could see how much of a good kid you are." Naruto said with a soft smile as he ruffled Gaara's hair gently.
Gaara looked down and put his hands on his head, where Naruto's hand was. He had a smile on his face as he liked the feeling that Naruto gave him. It felt warm and comforting. Something that he isn't accustomed to.
"Keep on eating your food. It is better when it is still hot." Naruto said as he ate his food, making Gaara start eating again.
On the top of a building nearby;
"Yashamaru-san. Kazekage-sama said to keep a close eye on what was happening and only interfere if there was a suspicious movement or use of chakra from the Konoha nin." Said the Anbu after returning from the Kazekage tower.
Yashamaru just nodded and kept his eyes on Gaara and Naruto.
Rasa wasn't thrilled at all by what was happening. But since it was Gaara who went and met Naruto, he had few options to go with.
Rasa was actively isolating Gaara in hopes of making 'An ultimate weapon' for the village; he hopes that Gaara's interaction with Naruto wouldn't cause problems for his plans.
Back on the park bench;
"So, Gaara. Do you get enough rest and sleep?" Naruto asked Gaara as both of them had finished their food. Gaara didn't finish his entire bento, but the amount he ate was already huge for a four-year-old boy. His siblings had already left a while ago without approaching or saying anything.
"I do rest, but I can't sleep," Gaara replied
"Why?" Naruto asked; he had already seen the dark circle around Gaara's eyes, an obvious indication of a severe case of insomnia.
"If I sleep, I lose control," Gaara said in a low tone.
The answer made Naruto's blood boil with anger. As an Uzumaki seal master, he knew that Gaara's seal was horribly flawed or extremely weak. Gaara needing to be awake all the time means that what is keeping the seal intact is Gaara's own mental strength and nothing else.
Naruto would have done something about it, but restrained himself as he couldn't do anything to a foreign nation's jinchuuriki, not even help him. The political and regional consequences would be severe. He was sent to Suna as a messenger and a warning. Let's not overcomplicate the situation even more.
That didn't mean he wouldn't help Gaara. He will, but without anyone knowing how. Not Gaara himself will know how.
"Gaara, before I leave tomorrow. Let's meet here one more time, ok." Naruto said
"You are leaving tomorrow?" Gaara asked with sadness seeping into his voice.
"I have to, buddy. I am not from Suna after all." Naruto said with a sad smile.
Gaara looked away with sadness filling his eyes.
"Don't be sad, Gaara. We will still meet tomorrow. I will give you something to remember me by. You don't know, we may meet again in the future." Naruto said softly, which lifted Gaara's mood a bit.
"Ok," Gaara replied before climbing down the bench.
"Where are you going?" Naruto asked
"I need to go home. The sun had already set, and I'm not allowed to stay out any longer." Gaara said while hugging his teddy bear.
"Oh, in that case, make sure to return home safely and see you tomorrow, ok?" Naruto said with a warm smile, to which Gaara nodded before walking away.
Naruto kept his eye on Gaara until he disappeared between the buildings and out of sight. His face then turned cold and emotionless as he looked at the Kazekage tower in the distance.
Rasa had already lost Naruto's respect after his stunt with Reiko (Pakura). But now, Naruto sees him as a failure. A failure as a leader and as a father. Not only has Suna suffered a decline in manpower, food, and resources, but everything since Rasa became Kazekage seems to be going wrong, and even his own household leaves a lot to be desired.
Naruto shook his head slightly before standing up and walking out of the park. He is going back to his room in the inn, but he needs to make a quick stop at the toy store in the market.
Hours later, somewhere unknown;
"A person of interest was seen entering Suna and hasn't left yet," a deep and hoarse voice said, making a purple eye with a ripple-like pattern look at him. The speaker, among the others present, wasn't there physically; it was a mirage-like image of him standing on what looked like huge stone fingertips.
"Is it the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki?" A deep voice was heard asking. The speaker remembered what 'Madara' told him a few months ago.
"Yes." A simple reply from the earlier voice.
"Who is the nearest to Suna right now?" the person with the purple eye asked, looking at those present.
"This idiot and I are in the land of rivers right now." A new voice said in a deep tone.
"Oy Kakuzu, who are you calling an idiot. Do you want me to offer you to Lord Jashin?" a voice with a somewhat slick tone said.
"I would like to see you try, Hidan," Kakuzu replied
"Enough." The person with purple eyes said before continuing, "You are to intercept the Kyuubi jinchuuriki on his way back to Konoha. And Sasori, tell your contact to tell us when the Kyuubi jinchuuriki leaves Suna."
Sasori just nodded while the one beside him chuckled.
"I wish I could see Sensei's face when he learns about this," a deep, raspy voice said
One by one, the mirages disappeared, and no one was left.
In the land of Rain;
"Don't you think it is too early, Nagato?" A woman with blue hair and amber eyes said.
"It is. But Madara's warning was concerning. If they couldn't catch him, at least they would evaluate his strengths. They can take hits, and I don't want the world to know about me early." Said a man with orange hair and purple eyes with a ripple-like pattern. His face was filled with piercings all around.
"And Konan." The man called, making Konan look at him
"Call me Pain when I am in this body." Pain said as he turned around and looked out the window at the rain that was falling from the cloud-filled sky.
To be continued.
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