Infiltration

On their way to their destination, Gaara found himself struggling with how to start the conversation with Lady Chiyo. He wasn't sure if he could trust her, but his thoughts were muddled, so he decided to open with something simple.

"How is Sasori?" Gaara asked, his tone neutral but curious.

Lady Chiyo was stunned. Not many people knew of Sasori, and she couldn't help but wonder if Gaara had heard rumors. She attributed it to that, but her mind raced, trying to discern his intentions.

"He is doing okay," she replied, her voice steady, though there was a hint of reluctance.

Gaara nodded slowly, then asked, "I will be leaving the village?"

Lady Chiyo stopped walking for a moment, taken aback. "Why?"

"Some things need my attention," Gaara said quietly, his words carrying weight.

Lady Chiyo raised an eyebrow. "More than Sunagakure?"

"More than the whole Shinobi world," Gaara replied without hesitation.

Lady Chiyo was quiet for a long moment before speaking again. "I've always known you to be mature-minded, Gaara. There must be a reason for this. So, I assume you want something from me, that's why you want me to see you in the light of Sasori?"

Gaara smiled softly at her sharp deduction, then nodded, admitting, "Yes. I need you to be a mother again. I know it's not within my power or responsibility to ask, but—"

Lady Chiyo cut him off, her voice firm yet caring. "Gaara, my boy, I need to let you know I am not in support of this. You are still young and have so much potential. Your future is bright."

Gaara shook his head, his expression unreadable. "I've learned what I can from Sunagakure."

Lady Chiyo frowned. "But you have no experience yet."

"That's why I'm leaving," Gaara answered, his voice steady but filled with conviction.

Lady Chiyo sighed. "That's why you should stay. You're not ready."

Gaara's gaze hardened. "It's of no use. I've thought it through. My father, my siblings, the village, you, Yashamaru, and myself… For the upcoming and impending danger, I need to leave. I need to gather experience. It'll probably be dangerous, but that's why I have to do it now. The earlier, the better. Time is not on my side."

His voice cracked slightly, and for a brief moment, Gaara felt the weight of his decision more than he had anticipated. Lady Chiyo only stared at him in silence, her eyes softening in understanding, before she spoke again.

"We'll talk about it later, when we get back to Sunagakure. For now, be on guard. We're here."

Gaara's mind raced, his emotions stirred. 'Why did I get emotional? This isn't real. This isn't real.' He tried to convince himself, but in the end, he couldn't shake the feeling that his decision was final. 'I guess six years anywhere changes you both mentally and spiritually.'

Kankuro, who had been pretending to sleep, opened his eyes briefly, grunted in dissatisfaction, and went back to sleep without saying a word.

Soon, their target came into view, and they focused on the task at hand: Get in, get the documents, and get out. No one could know they had been there.

They surveyed the building carefully, noting the security stationed all around. Yet, there were still people inside, seemingly unaware of the danger.

Lady Chiyo acted quickly, releasing a cloud of hallucinogenic gas into the air. Once Gaara and she inhaled it, they would be able to slip by undetected for at least five minutes as the hallucinogens made those around them stand frozen in a dazed stupor.

This allowed them to slip inside through the front door, unnoticed. The lights were off inside, but Lady Chiyo's mask came into play. It was a special tool, one used by puppeteers, but it functioned like night vision. It cloaked the eyes, allowing her to see in the dark with ease.

'Tools like this could be useful,' Gaara thought, quietly taking note of the mask.

Lady Chiyo gave Gaara a signal to stand guard. He was more suited to this, given his ability to detect danger. To her surprise, Gaara didn't move but instead released tiny, almost imperceptible particles of sand into the air. In the darkness, it was nearly impossible for the naked eye to detect, but Lady Chiyo knew that it was a subtle yet effective sensory technique.

'A good sensory and medical ninja,' she thought, silently impressed. 'His worth keeps going up.'

Gaara's focus was unwavering as he stood guard, waiting for any sign of trouble. He didn't allow himself to be distracted, his sand still floating gently around the room as he scanned for any threats, while Lady Chiyo moved deeper into the building to complete their mission.