As Shizune and the others walked toward the Gate, they saw a few figures walk towards them. As they got closer, their faces became clear to the ones standing at the Gate. There were two people who caught everyone's attention. One was a woman dressed in an Akatsuki robe with seals stuck on her body binding her in some way while the other person was Yami who had returned to the village after nearly 3 years. The way he looked, walked and the presence around him was completely different than what the people knew him to be.
Ibiki signaled his men who were standing behind him and they immediately walked toward Konan and took her into custody.
"Don't take her right now. Lady Tsunade would want to meet her." Kakashi said as he looked at Ibiki. Knowing that Kakashi and the others were able to bring her this far without any problem, he didn't mind them hanging onto her for an hour more.
"Not a problem. Have the Anbu escort her to the intelligence division once Lady Tsunade is finished with her." Ibiki said and waved his hand making his people back down.
The one leading the group was Gaara while Lady Chiyo and Temari walked behind him followed by the hidden leaf shinobis.
Shizune quickly stepped forward and bowed a little toward Gaara as she said "Kazekage Gaara...we welcome you to the hidden leaf village." the others also bowed a little to show the man some respect.
"I hope you and the Hidden Sand have been well." Shizune said giving out a smile.
"Stop with all this already. Why is that Tsunade not here? Is she looking down on our Kazekage because he is a kid?" Chiyo chuckled.
Shizune immediately became flustered as she heard this "N..No No...actually things have been happening so fast since the past week that everyone has been busy including Lady Tsunade. And since we are having everyone here enter the village without anyone knowing, we thought it would be best to keep Lady Tsunade away from here so as to not attract any attention."
Seeing Shizune explain herself, Gaara shook his head and said "Please don't mind Elder Chiyo's behaviour. She has a tendency to rile up others."
"Oh...Please follow me. I will guide you to the Hokage Building. Lady Tsunade has requested everyone to come for the meeting." Shizune said as she glanced at Kakashi and Guy while saying the last part.
'Even though everything has been explained in the letter, it is obvious that Lady Tsunade has questions of her own. I am just glad that we reached the village without any problems from the Akatsuki.' Kakashi thought as he nodded at Shizune.
Within a few minutes, everyone reached the Hokage office. Shizune tapped on the door and said "Lady Tsunade... it's me. Shall we come in?"
"Yes Yes...Shizune bring them all inside." A voice came from inside the office.
As Shizune opened the room and entered followed by the others, she saw Tsunade dressed in a green and white Kimono wearing the Kage hat. Her usual office had changed a little. The table and sofa had been replaced with a rectangular table with multiple chairs around it.
Tsunade walked forward stood in front of Gaara and said "It is good to you Lord Kazekage. Our village has been co-operating through letters and diplomatic meetings for the past 3 years but this is the first time we meet."
Gaara nodded and said "Yes...that is correct Lady Hokage. I hope our circumstances would have been a little better." to which Tsunade nodded. Her attention was then shifted to the side where her eyes met with Lady Chiyo but she didn't say anything and signaled everyone to take a seat at the table.
Gaara and Tsunade sat at opposite ends of the Table while Konan was made to stand to the side held by Lee and Neji on both sides. As everyone settled and serious talk was about to begin, Lady Chiyo said "No matter how much I control myself I can't help but be amazed at the look that you have maintained with your jutsu. Or else you might look just like me." Chiyo snickered.
Temari who wanted to bang her head on the table just nudged Lady Chiyo with her elbow. She knew that Lady Chiyo had some kind of rivalry with the 5th Hokage and she was praying that Lady Chiyo would keep her mouth shut but her prayers weren't answered.
Gaara was going to apologize was his elder's behavior but Tsunade wasn't a person to take an insult quietly...
"I almost didn't see you there Elder Chiyo. I thought you would have died by one of your own poisons." Tsunade said with a smile.
Everyone at the table including Temari tried their best to shut their lips and not let a single laugh escape their mouths and almost all were successful in that...almost.
"Hahahah...Haha...Grandma Tsunade that was a good one." Naruto started laughing while holding his stomach.
For a few seconds, he laughed and laughed and it slowly started to die down and with a small cough and glare from Sakura, the office was silent. While Naruto was laughing, Tsunade glanced at Yami as well. She didn't know what to say because the change in Yami was very different than she expected.
She thought that Yami would become more ferocious-looking or at least radiate his strength to show how much stronger he had become. But now he looked as if he was in peace. There was a different kind of air around him but it didn't make him threatening or anything.
'Even though he looks like harmless, by the feats he has achieved since he has gone to the hidden sand, I am sure that he is far from harmless.' Tsunade thought.
She looked back at Gaara and said "How is the condition of the hidden sand?"
"Thanks to Yami and the two shinobi teams that you dispatched, everything is fine, and are recovering faster including my elder brother Kankuro." Gaara said and looked at Chiyo who looked a little hesitant and said "Yes...he is right...your student here was able to neutralize a poison which I couldn't even figure out. I guess you did teach her well."
Seeing compliments come out of such a poisonous woman's mouth, Tsunade was definitely surprised. She looked at Sakura proudly and said "Well done Sakura...I am glad that I decided to pass on my medical knowledge to you."
Sakura got excited as well but seeing that the atmosphere was serious, she just smiled and nodded.
Tsunade took in a deep breath and said "Now let's get to the crux of the matter. Tell me about the man you all call Tobi." She knew that others wouldn't take him that seriously since they don't know that he is Madara and she didn't have any intention to disclose it just yet.
Kakashi told her everything in detail including the demand that Tobi had put forth. After listening to everything, Tsunade thought for a few seconds. There was no new information that was revealed in this.
"Hmm...Lord Kazekage, what is your take on this? I don't think the Hidden Sand is in any immediate danger right now. Our two squads are in their custody and the members of those quads are mostly heirs of our village clans so we can't spare any effort in getting them back." Tsunade asked. Gaara glanced at Naruto and Yami and then back at Tsunade and said "I understand that I and the Hidden Sand have no reason to take part in the meeting with the Akatsuki. But I assure you that we do not have any hidden agenda. Today me and my village are well because Yami saved us. He single-handedly stopped the assault from the Akatsuki. The two squads that were kidnapped were being mobilized for the sake of the hidden sand as well so I consider myself responsible too. Please do not think that we have any other motive for coming here." Gaara said. Chiyo looked at the young Kazekage with a smile on her face. Just a few years ago she thought of him as a ticking time bomb that would destroy the village but now he was the backbone of the hidden sand.
Tsunade nodded in understanding and said "If it was just you and a few guards with you then I wouldn't have felt a need to ask this question but since Lady Chiyo is here...I feel restless"
"Come on Tsunade...you are sitting in the middle of your own village surrounded by shinobis who would die and kill for you and you are afraid of a frail old woman?" Chiyo chuckled.
Tsunade didn't say anything and just kept looking at Chiyo who just sighed and put one hand on Temari's head and said "I came here because I want to marry off Temari to Yami Uchiha."
"WHATTTTT"
_______________________________
Extra chaps are now available on P@treon.
https://www.p@treon.com/lazarus898