Meeting Kankuro

For now, Gaara decided he needed to survey the area and assess the conditions in Sunagakure. However, in his current state—with long, unkempt hair and dirty clothing—he would stand out far too much. A bath seemed like a good start, followed by a proper meal.

Before setting out, he waited briefly for the chakra clone behind him to accumulate a decent amount of chakra. In the meantime, he restructured another seal nearby, this time using natural energy to test its efficiency. Satisfied with his progress, he prepared to leave.

As they walked through the streets of Sunagakure, Gaara and his clones blended into the bustling activity. At one point, they discreetly "acquired" a cloak from a passerby without the owner's knowledge, brushing off the guilt as a necessary "tax."

The streets were more orderly than he remembered, a clear sign of the village's improvement. However, their quiet observation didn't last long before they were intercepted by a shinobi.

"Excuse me, sir," the shinobi called out, his tone firm but cautious. "We've received reports of suspicious activity in the area. Could you please remove your cloaks for identification?"

Gaara's chakra clone stepped forward. "I don't mind," he replied smoothly, "but my sister tends to be a little shy."

The clone removed his hood, revealing a petite boy with red hair and unremarkable features. The shinobi, though initially calm, narrowed his eyes at the sight of the boy and signaled for the second cloaked figure to reveal themselves.

The natural energy clone complied, lowering its hood to reveal a feminine face with striking red hair and soft, almost delicate eyes.

The shinobi hesitated, stepping back slightly as his composure faltered. "Is there a problem, sir?" the chakra clone asked.

"No, no problem," the shinobi stammered. He glanced between the two of them, his tone becoming more inquisitive. "You just look... familiar. Are you twins?"

"Yes, we are," the chakra clone replied with a slight nod.

"Who's this familiar someone?" the natural energy clone asked, her voice sweet and soothing.

The tone seemed to relax the shinobi further. "Well, it's not common to see redheads in this village—if there are any at all. The only one we've had in recent years caused quite a disruption. He's a felon now, so... just be careful how you present yourselves. Don't stay long."

At the mention of "years," both clones perked up, their attention sharpening. They were tempted to press for more details, but any further questions might draw unnecessary suspicion. Instead, they nodded politely and allowed the shinobi to pass.

As the guard returned to his post, he muttered to himself, "If they made it past the gates, they're probably high-profile visitors from another village. The village has been fortified too much for any random intruder to sneak in—especially kids."

Meanwhile, Gaara continued his search for information. He had two potential sources in mind: his siblings or Yashamaru. He dismissed the idea of approaching Lady Chiyo, not wanting to risk antagonizing her or causing further trouble. Similarly, he avoided Rasa, who was often seen with Baki. Instead, he made his way toward his house.

When he arrived, he found that Temari was not home. Kankuro, however, was there, engrossed in his work.

Through his passive sensing ability—a skill that allowed him to perceive anyone connected to the earth within range—Gaara noted Kankuro's activities. His brother was toying with a puppet resembling a tanuki, which seemed to be evolving in shape and complexity under his guidance. However, Kankuro wasn't merely playing with puppets. He appeared deeply absorbed in research, experimenting with chemicals, likely poisons, and refining his puppet mechanisms.

The scene painted Kankuro as a kind of technical genius, a mix of a puppeteer and a chemist. So focused was he on his work that he didn't notice when Gaara quietly entered and sat behind him, patiently waiting.

It wasn't until nightfall, as Kankuro finally leaned back to stretch, that he realized two figures were sitting behind him.