Yashamaru had gone back to his place and left Gaara to play with his new friend. Niiane and Gaara continued their sand castle building. She explained to him what she meant by not being able to control his powers.
"My grandfather told me I was born with this gift," Niiane told him as she patted the sand. "But for some reason, I don't really know how to control it yet. I know how to use it, but sometimes..." she let her words flow while she twirled a thin vine with her finger.
"Why do you call it a gift?" Gaara asked her.
"Hm? Oh, well... I call it a gift because that's what my grandfather always calls it. Why? Doesn't your family call it that?"
Gaara's green eyes grew with the same sadness she saw before.
"Did I say something wrong...?" Niiane asked, feeling guilty.
"No..." Gaara shook his head. "It's just... No one told me what it was called. I don't know why I know how to do all this, but I just do."
"Well, trust me. Call it a gift." Niiane smiled at him. Gaara nodded again and they went back to their game. The two youngsters were beginning to bore Kakashi. He pulled out his copy of Make-Out Paradise to read, but still he was bored. He had been sitting up there for so long. Kakashi had seen and heard everything in the event. Now he pondered weather he should report to the Hokage what had happen. Should he tell him about this Gaara and his powers? He decided against it. The Hokage already has a lot on his mind. Kakashi was settled. Besides, Niiane couldn't have been the only one to be 'blessed with a gift' so perhaps this little boy was just another one like her.
The sun was beginning to set as well. He was about ready to poof down there and drag Niiane back to the Hokage when he noticed two figures coming. Kakashi sighed when he made out who they were.
The Hokage and Kazekage made their way slowly to the two children playing in the sand. The Hokage rushed up to them when he saw Niiane.
"Niiane!" he called to her. She looked up and smiled at her grandfather. She got up, took Gaara's hand, and ran over to the two men.
"Hi Grandfather," Niiane said sweetly.
The Hokage sighed and said, "Where have you been? Where is Kakashi? Why isn't he with you?"
"Nothing happened, Grandfather. I'm fine." Niiane smiled up at him. He gave her a look but then he noticed Gaara standing next to her.
"Oh? Who's your new friend?"
"Gaara," The Kazekage said and both Niiane and her grandfather looked his way. Gaara looked down at his feet as if not daring to look into the Kazekage's eyes.
"Hi Father," he finally said.
"Father?" Niiane question and turn to Gaara. Their hands were still touching and the Hokage's eyes seemed to have noticed this.
"So this is you're son, Kazekage?" the Hokage asked him.
The Kazekage chuckled softly. "Yes. He's the one I mentioned when I asked Niiane about her age. So what have you been doing, Gaara?"
"Nothing..." Gaara said sadly and looked up this time.
"Well, we'd better get going, Niiane," the Hokage took Niiane's free hand but she didn't move.
"Can we stay here a few more days, Grandfather?" she pleaded. "I wanna play with Gaara a little more."
"Niiane we have to—"
"Oh, I'm sure that the Hidden Leaf village will understand, Hokage," the Kazekage cut him off.
"No, we really should get going."
"Grandfather..." Niiane whined.
"It's alright Hokage. I think little Niiane has grown fond of my Gaara. Why not stay one more day? We still didn't finish that treaty completely either, but I think I know a way we can make this work."
"Hm? What are you thinking?" the Hokage said. Niiane's heart jumped. She knew that he sounded convinced. She had only known Gaara a few hours, but she was quite fond of him now. She turned to Gaara and smiled. He still looked a little sad, but he smiled back, slightly.
"Well, we'll just discuss this back at my office." The Kazekage told the Hokage.
"So can we stay, Grandfather?" Niiane asked again.
He had no choice but to shake his head and sigh. "Alright, but only for one day. We'll be leaving tomorrow understand?"
"Aw... ok..." Niiane frowned, but was glad she still had time to spend with her new friend. Even Gaara, who looked sad, smiled back at her.
"Good...good..." the Kazekage said, more to himself than anyone else.
"So what are you planning on doing with the treaty?" the Hokage asked. He and the Kazekage were once again back in the large office room. They sat facing each other at the desk.
"Well," the Kazekage began. "I was thinking. What kind of life do you want for your little Niiane?"
"Why are you interested?" the Hokage challenged.
"I was just wondering. We all want our children—or grandchildren, to have happy future don't we? I just want to know if you have any future plans for little Niiane." he nodded at the door. On the other side of the door, Niiane and Gaara were happily talking and playing with each other with Yashamaru watching over them two. Kakashi was in the room with them, no doubt finishing his book. The Hokage looked over, but couldn't see them playing because of his angel.
"Well..." the Hokage said slowly. "The kind of life I want for Niiane is a normal one; a life where she can be happy of course with whoever she chooses to be her husband if she's willing to get married. I really just want her to live a simple life."
"Wonderful," the Kazekage said. "I do think we can make this treaty work then."
"What are you saying?"
"If you are willing to have Niiane engaged with my youngest son Gaara, then Sunagakura and Konohagakure will be allies forevermore."
"What!" the Hokage practically jumped out of his seat, but succeed to stay where he was. "How can you think of marriage? At their age?"
"I did say 'engaged' did I not? We'll let them grow up and when the time comes, we'll have their wedding. It's as simple as that."
"But whats does a wedding have to do with the treaty between out villages?"
"Think about it Hokage, the granddaughter of the Third Hokage and the son of the Fourth Kazekage. That would unite both our villages for sure."
"I don't know..." the Hokage said sadly. "What if they're not a good match for each other?"
"Did you not see them this afternoon? They were getting along so well and Niiane seems attached to Gaara already."
"Shouldn't we tell them before we make any decisions? I mean, it is their lives we're dealing with here."
"Don't worry so much," the Kazekage shook his head. "We can keep this a secret until they're a little older. You sound like you're considering this, Hokage. What do you say?"
"I'm still not sure about giving up my granddaughter."
"You said you wanted a simple life for her. I'm sure Gaara will live a simple life as well."
The Hokage thought for a moment. Somehow, this idea sounded as if it had something to do with what had happened this morning at their previous meeting. The Kazekage had once again asked about Niiane, but this time, he had asked the Hokage himself. The Hokage simply answered that she had the power to control plants at will. If he wanted Niiane for her gift, he thought, why does he want her to marry his son?
But then again, the Hokage remember the look on Niiane's face when he told her they were leaving. He also remembered the way she didn't let go of that boy's hand. Maybe she would be happy with this boy... but she had only known him for what, a few hours? But then again, the treaty was an important issue... Niiane is the Hokage's eldest grandchild and giving her up for a treaty would have broken her parent's hearts if they were only alive to see it happen. Niiane... the treaty...
The Hokage sighed. "Alright. Niiane will wed your son when they both come of age. I may not be able to control her life while she grows up though..."
"Oh that's quite alright. They're still children after all." The Kazekage pulled out a scroll. "Here we are. The Suna Konoha Treaty. Just sign right here with your name and it is complete. Oh, and we must buy those two engagement charms as well."
When the Hokage finished signing his name on the treaty scroll, he slowly got up out of his chair and nodded. 'I hope I'm doing the right thing.'
The next day, Gaara and Niiane were allowed to play with each other. Gaara didn't really seem as excited about it as Niiane was, but he followed her around wherever she wanted to go. Kakashi had no choice but to follow them as well. He really didn't like the fact that Niiane was going to run around with the Kazekage's son. He just didn't seem... normal to him, but neither was Niiane.
Gaara had seemed so sad the whole time they were together. Niiane didn't ask why, because she knew it must have something to do with the incident with the ball the other day. Another thing she didn't understand was why the villagers of Suna would rush away from them when the two of them came near anyone. Some would even give them alarmed glances. Gaara had almost lost his control again and was about to attack a man for cursing at him and Niiane. She was able to stop him in time and no one got hurt.
It was now late afternoon and Niiane was about to leave soon. She and Gaara were heading back to the Kazekage's office when she told him to wait for her and ran off to someplace private. Niiane chose a small alley nearby. She clasped her palms together and concentrated on her chakra. A beautiful necklace appeared in her hands. It was made from the same vine that she had used before. Tiny green leaves spurted around the vine necklace. At the center, a single pale-blue flower bloomed. Once satisfied with her creation she rushed back to Gaara.
He really did wait for her. He had an emotionless face, but changed that to a happy one when he saw Niiane running toward him. She held the necklace out to him.
"Here," she panted and blushed.
"What's this?" Gaara asked and gave her a confused look.
"It's a present. I have to leave soon, but if you wear this, I'm sure we'll meet each other again one day. Don't worry; the flower will never wilt as long as I still remember about it. I tried this before." She giggled.
"Uh... Thank you." He reached out and took the gift.
"Try it on." Niiane said when she saw him just staring at it. Gaara did as he was told and pulled the necklace down his head. It was a little big on him now, but it might not be later.
"Prefect," Niiane smiled at him. Gaara looked at it first and smiled back.
"Wait here," he said and ran off.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Niiane reached out to him and called.
"I'll be back!" Gaara called be to her.
She lowered her hand and waited there in silent. 'Where is he going..?' She sighed and waited patiently like she was taught to do. Niiane gazed up toward the late afternoon sky and saw two birds flying by. A smile grew on her face and she thought about herself being with Gaara. She was still young; only six-years-old. Still, this was one of her childhood fantasies. What seemed like an hour had gone by when Gaara finally came back. Niiane waved to him and greeted him when he got up to her.
"Where did you go, Gaara?"
He panted first then said, "Here." He held out something to her. It was his teddy bear, the same one he was hugging when they first met.
"What?" Niiane startled when she saw the teddy bear.
"For you. Since you're leaving..." he blushed as he nudged the gift at her.
"But this is yours. I can't take it." Niiane shook her head.
"No, just take it! You can have it."
"Umm... well... ok. Thank you, Gaara." Niiane took the teddy bear and hugged it in her arms. "I don't really want to leave, but I'm sure we'll meet each other again, right?"
"Uh... yeah."
"Yeah," Niiane said. Then she flung her arms around Gaara's shoulders and held him tightly. "I can't wait till we see each other again."
Gaara stared straight ahead wide eyed. Never in his life had someone held him like this. He was startled and shocked, but other than that, he liked it. He just didn't react to her embrace.