Late at night, all was silent, save for the ever-present wind of Sunagakure, howling outside the window.
Shira lay on his hard bed, wide awake. The physical exhaustion from his intense training had done nothing to quiet the thoughts churning in his mind.
It had been over a year since he came to this world. He had gone from being bewildered and helpless, to struggling to survive, to finally gaining a preliminary foothold and even forming bonds with Gaara, Chiyo, and others.
All of it rested on his knowledge of the original story's "general plot."
But now, a sense of anxiety unlike anything he had felt before gripped him.
He knew that he, the "butterfly" who had stumbled into this world, had already begun to flap his wings.
The biggest variable was his relationship with Gaara.
What had Gaara been like in the original story before he met Naruto?
Shira tried to remember. Lonely, violent, cruel, and sleepless, driven to the brink of collapse by Shukaku and his father's orders to have him killed-he had been a "monster" in every sense of the word.
But what about now?
Though Gaara was still lonely and an unstable factor remained within him, his emotions seemed much more stable because he had a friend he could talk to normally and train with every morning.
The madness and despair in his eyes seemed to have faded somewhat, and every now and then, a faint, childlike spark even appeared in them.
Was that a good thing?
Emotionally, Shira firmly believed it was. He did not want to see the red-haired boy follow his original tragic path.
But what about from the broader perspective of the "plot"?
Shira sat bolt upright, cold sweat instantly soaking his back.
He remembered the direct cause of Fourth Kazekage Rasa's death-he had accepted Orochimaru's proposal to hold joint Chunin Ninja Exams, and on his way to Konoha, Orochimaru, Kimimaro, and others had ambushed and killed him!
Why had Rasa agreed to Orochimaru's proposal so readily? One important factor was his extreme distrust of and disappointment in the "weapon" that was Gaara!
He considered Gaara unstable, a failed product, and was eager to find new power and allies to secure Sunagakure's position. He might even have wanted to use the opportunity to test Gaara again or dispose of him.
What if my interference has made Gaara a little more stable now than he was at the same point in the original story?
Shira's mind raced as he worked through a terrifying possibility. Would Rasa's assessment of Gaara change because of that? Would he think the "weapon" had become controllable? Would that make him less desperate to make a deal with the devil and join forces with Orochimaru?
If Rasa isn't so eager to seek outside help, would he reject Orochimaru's proposal? Or treat the alliance more cautiously?
If he doesn't go to Konoha, wouldn't that mean he won't die?
The thought made Shira's heart pound!
Rasa could not die!
At least, he absolutely could not die now!
Shira rubbed his forehead hard, trying to recall more details. He found that his memories were so hazy that, aside from the major battles and famous events in the main storyline, many details had faded away.
He did not know the specifics of the cooperation between Sunagakure and the Sound Ninja, and he was not even sure how many deviations his presence would cause.
All he knew was that if Rasa died prematurely, it would be a devastating blow to Sunagakure. With no leader, internal power struggles and powerful enemies in the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth lying in wait, Sunagakure would fall into unprecedented weakness and chaos.
And he, close to Gaara and caught at the center of the turmoil, along with his parents, would have no way to keep themselves safe in such upheaval!
"I have to keep things steady," Shira murmured, his eyes glimmering with wisdom in the darkness. "Sunagakure has to remain stable. Rasa has to stay out in front as a 'shield.'"
That meant he had to adjust his course of action.
He had to continue playing the part of a "beneficial factor," making Rasa believe that his presence had a positive effect on Gaara's "stability" and "controllability," thereby reducing the likelihood of Rasa resorting to extreme measures, including joining forces with outside enemies or personally assassinating Gaara.
At the same time, the growth of his Taijutsu also had to demonstrate his potential value to the village. He could not let Rasa decide he was useless and eliminate him.
He also had to stay alert for any signs from outside, especially any trace that might be connected to the "Sound Ninja" or the "Konoha Crush Plan."
The moment he spotted any sign of it, he had to find a way to give a warning. But whom should he warn? How? That was another difficult problem.
But all schemes were futile before absolute power. Only by becoming strong enough himself could he have a voice and the power to protect himself in the coming storm. He had to train in the Seven Heavens Breathing Method faster!
His mind raced, countless thoughts colliding as he worked through possibilities. His anxiety had not disappeared, but it had transformed into a more concrete sense of danger and an urge to act.
He feared that his wings would stir up a storm, but he feared even more that fear would leave him doing nothing, until he could only watch as everything slid into an unknown, possibly even worse abyss.
"The butterfly effect..." he murmured, feeling the heavy weight behind those words. "Since I've already flapped my wings, I'll do my best to control the direction of the wind."
His primary goal was to ensure Rasa stayed alive and Sunagakure maintained a semblance of stability until he had gained enough power to deal with the changes ahead.
The night was still long...