"Only one kid seemed to be from a ninja village, but they could still be spies who can fool our best sensors," said Baki.
"Fukashi confirmed that they were speaking the truth. Besides, if they can do that, they would all have just changed their chakra signature to Suna's. It wouldn't be hard," Rasa said, looking up at the 24 year-old elite jonin, who, despite being ten years younger than himself, is his right-hand man.
"Then should we simply kill them, turn them out of Suna, or send them back to their homes?" As expected of the head of the police department, Baki only had getting rid of suspicious people in his mind.
"You said one of them is Konoha's jinchuriki and can get help from the Nine-Tails. Bring him to me before I make a decision," said the kazekage.
After what felt like forever, the door of the detention room opened, and Baki stepped in.
"Naruto, is it? You're coming with me to see the kazekage," he called.
Naruto exchanged worried looks with Kimimaro and Tayuya. "What about my friends? Can they come with me?" he asked.
"Your friends will be fine here."
"For now," Toji added sneeringly. Baki glared at the newly promoted jonin, who lowered his head apologetically.
Naruto got up from his chair begrudgingly and followed Baki out of the police department. The sun shone brightly in the afternoon sky. Unlike Konoha, there weren't many citizens to be seen. Maybe because it's just too hot right now. They finally arrived at the end of the avenue, in front of a five-story, round building with rows of small round windows and a huge kanji "kaze (wind)" painted on a circular signboard. Several other avenues spread out in different directions from this building. The top of the building was flat and tiled, much like the roof of part of Konoha's ninja academy where the hokage's office is, with a water tower to one side. Baki led Naruto up the stairs to the top floor, where seemingly only one room took up the space. Baki knocked on the door, then without waiting for an answer, opened it.
"Kazekage-sama, I have brought him in."
The man on the office chair rolled up his scroll and put it aside. He wore a similar outfit to the third hokage's: a white haori and a white collared, loose fitting kimono tied using a white sash. The only difference was the color of the kimono. It was green instead of red. The man had a very stern look on his face that was not exactly intimidating, but cold and distant. Naruto couldn't tell if he was just a serious person, or that he was feeling depressed, or both. Fukashi, the head of the intelligence department, stood beside the office desk, looking a bit grumpy.
"So you're the kid the entrance guards found strange," said the man behind the desk. His voice was just as icy. If Naruto were a normal kid, he probably would have been a little scared, but Naruto wasn't unfamiliar with people's frostiness.
"Uh, sir, I -,"
"Kazekage-sama," Baki shot Naruto a sharp look.
"Kazekage-sama, I am Naruto Uzumaki from Konohagakure. My friends and I want to become Sunagakure ninjas."
"Uzumaki?" Fukashi raised an eyebrow. "That explains why you have that much chakra."
"I… do?"
"Tell me," the kazekage cut straight to the point. "How does your tailed beast help you?"
"Tailed beast…?" Naruto was confused again. "Do you mean the nine-tailed fox?"
"Yes, aren't you Konoha's only jinchuriki?" Baki looked at Naruto skeptically.
Jinchuriki. Another term that Naruto didn't understand. But he didn't dare ask.
"Umm, doesn't like people calling him a wild beast, though. But to answer your question, Kazekage-sama, he can talk to me and give me chakra."
Rasa straightened his back and leaned a little closer. Naruto thought he saw a not necessarily wicked, but cold sparkle in his eyes. "Elaborate."
"He led me all the way here, and gave me chakra to kill a giant scorpion in the desert that was about to eat my friends," Naruto replied.
"That's something not even an average genin can do," said Fukashi in surprise. "And I suppose you haven't graduated from ninja academy?"
"No, I haven't, sir, I'm only 6 years old. I blacked out after the giant scorpion hit me, but saved my life."
Rasa rested his chin on top of his laced fingers as if contemplating something, then asked, "Why did you choose Sunagakure over Kumogakure or other villages? What do you know about us?"
"I actually know nothing other than I might be able to live in a better place where nobody hates me because of the nine-tailed fox sealed inside me," Naruto answered honestly. "We thought we would get better training in one of the 5 major villages, and chose Sunagakure because we were closer to here."
"Very well," Rasa nodded. "You and your friends may stay in Sunagakure and go to ninja academy, starting next week. All three of you will be living in my residence."
"What?" Baki couldn't believe his ears. "Please forgive me, Kazekage-sama, but may I know the reason for your decision?"
Rasa rose from his chair and looked at Baki with an even more serious expression. "I would rather invest in this boy than in Gaara," he said.
Baki gasped, but then slowly nodded. "I see, it is very wise of you, Kazekage-sama." He understood what Rasa meant. This kid called Naruto can not only get directions from his tailed beast, but also lend its power to fight an opponent that should have been too difficult to defeat for a kid his age. He might be able to become the ultimate weapon of Sunagakure, which in turn will be the solution to Suna's problems. Keeping watch of a jinchuriki like him is easier to do when he lives with the kazekage.
"However, if any of you three leave Sunagakure without permission, or are confirmed to do harm to this village, you will face severe punishment under our laws," said Rasa to Naruto.
"Understood. Thank you so much, Kazekage-sama." Naruto raised his right hand in a salute.
Rasa turned back to his subordinates. "His identity as jinchuriki shall be kept as a top secret among council members and Yashamaru."
"Yes, sir."
Jinchuriki. Probably means a person who hosts a "tailed beast" inside. Baki called him Konoha's "only" jinchuriki. Are there jinchurikis in other villages, too? And who is Gaara? Walking with Baki back to the police department, Naruto's mind was puzzled with questions. But strangely, for the first time in his life, Naruto felt… respected. The kazekage promised that nobody other than a few people would know what he was made of. He hated that in Konoha, everyone knew it. Everyone in the village but himself.
"Naruto! What did the kazekage say?" Kimimaro was happy to see his friend come back safely, but nervous about what Naruto was going to tell them.
"We'll be going to Suna's ninja academy and living in the kazekage's residence!" Naruto gave Kimimaro a big smile.
" thank fuck I thought today was the last day of our lives." Tayuya put a hand on her chest. "You better behave from now on, shrimp, or I'll punish you myself!"
"Aww, don't worry, I'll become the best ninja in Suna!" Naruto grinned at Tayuya, to which she rolled her eyes.
It was already sunset. The west side of the village was cast in a dark shadow created by the tall walls, while the east side remained lit. The three children followed Baki to a three-story house with a front yard. Baki knocked on the gates and called, "Temari! Kankuro! Come out!"
Two children about the same age as them answered the door.
"Temari, Kankuro, these three will be living with you from now on. It's a direct order from your father," Baki said and looked down at the three kids. "Introduce yourselves."
"I'm Naruto, nice to meet you!"
"My name is Kimimaro."
"...Tayuya."
The two children slowly exchanged looks of bewilderment. Baki sighed, "I don't have time to explain everything, you can chat all you want in the house."
Sitting at a long dinner table full of scrumptious food, no one moved a finger. The only sounds that filled the dining room were the noises of pots and pans being washed by a middle-aged woman in the kitchen.
"Hi, uh, you are the kazekage's children, right?" Naruto couldn't stand the awkward atmosphere anymore. "Which one is Temari and which one is Kankuro?"
The boy who bore a striking resemblance to his dad spoke first. "You guys aren't from Suna, are you? Nobody in Suna wears a color that bright," he said, pointing at Naruto. The brown haired boy wore an olive brown colored v-neck t-shirt with mesh armor underneath.
"Uh, yeah. Konohagakure in the Land of Fire, the Land of Water, the Land of Earth." Naruto gestured at himself and his friends.
The girl with teal eyes and sandy blonde hair gathered into four pigtails frowned. "So why is Father having us live with you three?"
"Er, well," Naruto rubbed his arms nervously as if hugging himself. "I don't exactly know, but Kazekage-sama said something about investing in me instead of Gaara. Do you know who that is?"
Bam! The boy slammed his hand on the table and stood up, frightening the three children across from him. "He'd rather focus on some kid from another village than care about his own son?!" he said indignantly.
"Son?" Kimimaro knitted his eyebrows.
"We want to live with our little brother, not with a foreigner who's going to replace him!"
The girl tugged at the boy's sleeve. "Kankuro, sit down, we don't know if that's true."
Kankuro quickly sat down and turned to his sister. "Principal Sajo said it. That bastard Tojuro is trying to convince Father to get rid of Gaara. These strangers in our house are proof!"
"Woah, hey, can you guys explain what the hell is going on?" Tayuya spread out her hands in confusion. "We ain't gonna let you yell at our faces without telling us."
The girl whose name must be Temari turned and glared at Naruto. There was an obvious hostility in her eyes. "You. Is there a demon sealed inside you, too?"