"Love Between Sand and Nature" is a Gaara love story fanfic. "LBS&N" or "LBSaN" are abbreviations of the title. There are several original characters in this story due to the fact that so few Sand Ninja are known.
Laughing is permitted throughout this story.
Female lead: Aina Yuukihono (original character)Male Lead: Sakaku no GaaraOther Pairings: Temari-Shikamaru, Naruto-Hinata, Kankuro-Kakime (oc), and other basic in show/manga pairings.
Opening Summary:
Gaara is the young Kazekage of the Hidden Sand Village and is leading his shinobi forces during a war in the Land of Wind. Now that the war is coming to an end, the village has felt many heartaches and in need of something pleasant to happen in the village. The village council, and his family, decided that now would be a good time for the 21-year-old Kazekage to think about marriage and family, so they hired the best Matchmaker in the land...
Love Between Sand & Nature
Chapter 1
Enter: Aina Yuukihono!
Inside the Kazekage building of the Hidden Sand Village, the twenty-one year old Kazekage sat at his desk as he worked. Gaara's family, friends, and even the village council told him that he needs to meet a girl. That's why his older brother, Kankuro, as well as the council decided to hire the best Matchmaker around to watch his every move and take notes every so often for three days. The woman annoyed the heck out him. How could everyone do this to him? He's the Kazekage and there is a war going on right now. He doesn't have time to be dating.
In the last few years he had tried dating, but it never lasted long since he didn't really have much in common with the girls. Gaara understood why everyone was urging him to meet somebody and have a long term relationship. One reason was for the village. Because of the war, there was high tension and stress among the people, even while they are winning the war. It seemed that everyone Gaara knew got the bright idea that him seeing someone would help. If he was taking the time to date and maybe even get married, then it would prove that things weren't so bad after all. If the leader of the village was happy then the village would be happy too.
That's the only reason why he allowed it. For the three days the matchmaker was here, she insisted on doing a thorough evaluation on him, well, as thorough as he would let her. Each night she said that she needed to watch him sleep to learn about his sleeping habits like if he snored, kicked, or anything else. He said no, it was too weird, but he was almost positive that Kankuro let her into his bedroom the last night she was there, the faint stench of her perfume was present when he awoke.
That was a couple weeks ago and Gaara was once again going over the details about the team of ANBU guards he put together, so he could secretly leave the village to meet and escort the woman that is suppose to be his possible match to his village so they can get to know each other.
There was a familiar set of knocks at the door. "Come in," Gaara said not lifting his head to see who it was, he already knew.
"Hey Gaara," Kankuro greeted. "Everything is in order, nobody should know that you'll be gone until at least after you're already back."
Gaara nodded, "Good."
"So… Are you excited?" Kankuro asked.
Gaara raised the nonexistent eyebrow below the kanji on his forehead. "I guess…" he said skeptically.
"Geez Gaara, with that attitude, even if she is the perfect girl for you, you won't even notice."
"I'm only doing this because everyone asked me too," Gaara said before walking past his brother and out the door. Kankuro followed Gaara as he went into his bedroom and locked the door behind him, leaving Kankuro to wait in the hallway until he came out again.
Gaara came out wearing his ANBU uniform instead of his regular clothes. "Whoa, haven't seen you wearing those in a long time," Kankuro commented. Gaara only grunted in response as he tied on his headband, covering the love kanji on his forehead. "Guess you can't go out there in your regular clothes or your Kazekage robes for that matter since this is suppose to be a secret mission so the enemy doesn't find out you left and try to attack either you or the village."
Gaara gave him a look that clearly said, 'No shit Sherlock,' before going back downstairs and to the kitchen. There he took a water bottle and some smoke bombs from the refrigerator. Instead of picking up his sand gourd he decided to take his much smaller sand gourd and tied it to his belt. Again his gourd would have been a dead give away to his identity.
"Hey Gaara," Kankuro called to him before he could leave. "Don't forget a mask," he grinned as he tossed him one.
Gaara caught it and looked at it, it was a Shukaku mask. "Is this a joke?" Gaara glared.
"Yes," Kankuro stated simply with a wide grin.
Gaara continued to glare even as he slipped it into a pouch attached to his belt. "I'm leaving," Gaara said as he turned around.
"See you later, don't get yourself killed!" Kankuro called.
"And don't destroy the village while I'm gone!" Gaara called back. "Or I'll kill you!"
Kankuro laughed. They always said stuff like that whenever Gaara had to go on a top secret mission or into battle where Kankuro stayed behind.
~~~ Sunflower Village ~~~
A woman with short blond hair sat at the edge on her daughter's bed while tucking her in. The little girl had red hair and silver eyes that showed her sleepiness. Once the girl was laying down the mother began to tell her a story, one she would know by heart because it was the girl's favorite.
"Over a decade ago, there was a powerful kunoichi. This red-haired beauty stopped evil, protected women and children, and restored the earth wherever she went using the powers of nature. Some said she was merely a legend, when they claimed they saw her they said she was either a demon or an angel in disguise, depending on what side they were on. Many in the west know the story of the powerful ninja who was given the name, Mother Nature. It is unknown where the story started, some believe it was Mother Nature herself wanting what she did to be remembered. This is that story…
"It starts when she was a little girl. Her family was killed by war, leaving her alone in the world along with other children who survived. These children ran to the woods and tried their hardest to survive in harsh winter conditions. One by one, the other children died from sickness, leaving only her and one other boy. Together these two survived until spring began and they finally found their way to the nearest village. There, they were able to receive a little charity.
"One day, the boy went into town by himself to see what he could find. The girl didn't understand why he was still with her, maybe because she had been helping him too and they both didn't want to be alone. It was hours later before the boy returned, but he was limping and bloody. The girl tried desperately to help him and even called for help. He had been stabbed many times by a gang of rouge ninja. In the end, only hours later, he died.
"She cried and ran deep into the woods not even watching where she was going. She ran long after her bare feet protested painfully, until her legs gave out and she fell unconscious. When she awoke she had no idea where she was. She was now in a thriving forest, nothing like the one she was in before. Not knowing what she should do, she merely sat up and looked around at all the plants and animals she had never seen before.
"Soon a large silver wolf approached her, but she simply watched it, without fear, even as if lowered its head and touched its nose to hers, making the red-haired girl giggle happily. The sudden noise seemed to bring the others animals attention to her presence and many of them approached her as well and mimicked the wolf's gesture of touching their noses to hers. She accepted each gesture and laughed as the animal's fur and whiskers tickled."
The mother telling this story touched her finger to the little girl's nose, making her laugh before continuing the tale.
"A squirrel ran up to her, did the same thing, then stood in her lap and seemingly offered an acorn. She looked at it questioningly then to the silver wolf who had not left her side. Seeing the wolf nod, she took the acorn.
"When she looked up, she was back in the forest she was in before, but something felt different, more like, she felt different. It was only minutes when she realized her power, the leaves and vines moved to her whim. Knowing what she had to do, her mission begun. She rode the leaves all the way back to the village she just ran away from, found every evil doer there and tied them up using the vines before disappearing from the area.
"That was only the beginning. For the next twenty years, she kept the peace, fought for the people, and restored life to the land that had been destroyed by war. Life seemed to naturally flourish around her, people and animals were cured from sickness and became fertile when once infertile. She grew entire crops of food for children and found homes for abandoned pets just by lifting a single finger.
"It wasn't long until she found love herself, but it was in the most unlikely of places. During the last Great Ninja War, she was busy protecting everyone and everything she could against invaders. She was so successful that the enemy's most powerful shinobi was sent to get rid of her. This shinobi managed to get past her defenses and even the wall of trees she had created.
"As the legend goes, they finally came face to face, and stopped, each only inches from eliminating the other. It was then, upon seeing each other's faces, the equal determination and loneliness in their eyes, that they realized their entire lives were devoted to fighting. They were suppose to put an end to it, but the fighting seemed endless. Now was the time to stop. They quickly found each other's arms and it was said that they never left each other's side.
"It is unknown what exactly happened after that, but both the woman dubbed Mother Nature, and the shinobi disappeared soon after the battle. There was peace in the land, and the fighting had moved east towards the Land of Fire. Many thought that they had followed the war.
"Two years later, a group of rouge ninja appeared to reclaim the west. Rumor has it that Mother Nature appeared again, appalled by their hatred and destruction they caused on the land. She was successful in defeating the enemy. After that, she vanished again. They say it was because her mission was over, and now that the land was at peace again, she wouldn't come back until in a time of desperate need."
"When do you think that will be Mommy?" the young red-haired girl asked her mother after she was finished telling the familiar story.
"Hopefully not for a very long time," the blond-haired woman laughed softly. "But you're here, I'm sure you would do Mother Nature proud with your own abilities," she smiled and kiss the girl's forehead.
The girl smiled widely. "Good night, Mommy."
"Good night, oh and don't forget, even the prettiest flowers need to sleep," the woman reminded.
"Aww," she pouted as she turned to a small plant on her night stand. "Good night flowers," she said and waved her hand over the plant, making each of the flower's petals close for the night.
The woman stood up from the side of the bed and walked to the door. "Sleep well, Aina."
That was fifteen years ago and now a fully grown Aina sat in the garden of her family's estate, remembering the story her mother used to tell her as a bedtime story. She wondered why she was suddenly thinking of it until her father sat down next her on the stone bench.
"Good morning Aina, your mother told me about him," Masaru Yuukihono stated. Being a fifty-five year old retired shinobi, his once red-hair is mostly gray, he spoke softy, and walked with a cane now that numerous old injuries were causing some difficulties for him in his old age.
Aina sighed deeply and a pink rose on the bush next to her seem to mimic her reaction. "Number 5, fail," she said plainly. "Next," she said as if calling the next person in line.
"What was wrong with him? I thought he was a nice young man, or was it something about you?"
Aina shrugged. "I donno, maybe it was me but… I couldn't stand his voice or the way he talked!"
Masaru laughed, "That can be a deal-breaker!"
"You're not mad? Mom is one of the best Matchmakers in the world and she is having such a hard time finding a match for me…"
"Of course I'm not mad, when the right man comes along, you'll know," he smiled. "Heck, maybe you'll find love on your own like your sister, Makoto, did."
"Maybe," Aina said as her father stood up again. She has three older sisters, and two were matched by their mother, the Matchmaker.
"Just remember that you cannot-"
"Cannot find my soul mate if I turn away, I know, I know…" she finished for him with a sigh. "And I'm not turning away, I'm just not in any hurry to find a husband, and it's no big deal to me if I never find love."
Masaru turned towards her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You have grown into a beautiful, confident, and strong-minded woman," he said, "I am almost certain there is a young man out there you are destined to meet."
"Heh, maybe," she laughed skeptically. "By the way, did Mom get back from the Sand Village yet?"
"Yes, she just came with the escort that was sent. Fine group of shinobi they were, reminds me of back when I use to do missions like that."
Aina laughed as her father punched the air a few times before going back inside. "I wonder what the Hidden Sand Village is like?" she thought aloud as she picked a lily and twirled it between her fingers.
~~~ One Week Later ~~~
"Wait, what?" Aina asked in disbelief. "First, I'm going to the Sand Village to meet a kage? My escort is arriving today? And you're leaving!" She stood up from the dining table at breakfast and stared at her mother.
"Oh honey, I thought you'd be happy to get out of the this village and see a new place, and you are attracted to authority and strength so he matches that," Aina's mother, Ume, said putting down her chopsticks. "And your sister Airi will be having the baby soon, so I have to be there to help with the delivery, your sister Emi is coming to help out too."
"But the guys you set me up with always come here to meet me," Aina complained.
"Well he's the Kazekage, he can't just leave his village, especially during a war," Ume explained.
Aina groaned and turned towards her father, "Father…" she tried.
"I wonder if it'll be the same escort that was sent with your mother? Fine shinobi they were," he nodded making Aina sigh and drop her head.
"So what does he even look like?" Aina asked, seeming uninterested as she picked at her food.
Ume thought for a moment. "He definitely has a shinobi's physique and he has red hair, but if you really want to be able to tell him apart from anyone else, he has a red tattoo on his forehead," she explained by pointing to the left side of her own forehead. "It is the kanji of love if I remember correctly, I made of a note of it when I saw him."
Aina thought that was a strange place for a tattoo, but she's seen men with their entire face or body tattooed before, so she doesn't mind just one tattoo, as long as it's not an ex-girlfriend's name on their rear. "Well at least I'll know him when I see him," she said standing up. "I guess I need to pack and get ready, bye Mom," she said hugging her mother who was going to leave right after she finished eating.
~~~ Later that day ~~~
Once Aina returned to the living room, she was packed and dressed for the journey. She was wearing a gray sleeveless top with an upright closed collar that had a single button and a full-length zipper down the middle of the shirt. She also had a pair black full-length pants, the kunai pouch her father gave her for whenever she would leave the house was strapped to her leg, and a navy blue skirt was wrapped around and tied just below navel under her top.
She was just about to sit down when her father popped in. "They sent an ANBU team this time," he said excitably before motioning for her to follow him into the front room.
There were three sand ninja waiting, two were standing at attention and in high alert behind their masks. The last one was sitting at one of the seats around a coffee table, he was obviously the one in charge, the authority radiated off him. All she could see of him was that he had red hair because of the mask.
"Is this my escort?" Aina asked.
The leader stood and removed his mask revealing firm blue-green eyes surrounded by thick dark circles. Much of his headband was covered by the hair hanging over it. "Yes, I will the leader of this mission to ensure your safety," he said in a deep calm voice, "I would prefer to leave as soon as possible."
Aina was speechless at first, his presence was so intense. She nodded. "Alright, I'll be right back," she said and left to get her bag, leaving her father to admire the ninja that always seem to remind him of himself.
"I use to be a shinobi guard in my day," Masaru started. "State your name, rank, and age son."
"My name is Gaara of the Desert, I am the Kazekage, and I am twenty-one," he stated.
"Holy…" Masaru trailed off. "That's pretty young to be a kage, and my wife forgot to mention that you were coming in person."
"I have been Kazekage since I was fifteen, and Mrs. Yuukihono said it was important that I come."
"I see," Masaru said seriously before Aina returned.
"Okay, I'm ready," she said now wearing a backpack. She turned to hug her father, "Bye Father, just watch I'll be back in no time," she winked as she pulled away.
"Aina-" Masaru started but she was already running out the door.
"I know, I know, I was just kidding," she called back. The two still masked ANBU quickly followed and Gaara bowed respectfully to Masaru before leaving as well.
Masaru shook his head, "Aina… Aina… That isn't what I was going to say," he said to himself before smiling. "Well, at least this will be interesting… wait… did he say he was Kazekage since he was fifteen?"
~~~ On the Road of Sunflower Village: Heading East ~~~
"So if it's going to take a couple days to get to the Sand Village, shouldn't I at least know your names?" Aina asked as they left the village.
"I am Gaara," he said.
The only female ANBU slipped off her mask and showed a friendly smile, "I'm Kakime," she said. She had black shoulder length hair and green eyes while standing only a little taller than Aina.
The last ANBU was male, somewhat larger than Gaara, had took off his mask too. "I'm Ty, nice to meet you Aina," he said, he seemed just as friendly as Kakime. Ty was over a head taller than Aina and he had spiky brown hair and blue eyes.
Aina nodded. "And as you know, I'm Aina," she said, "I don't travel much, can we walk and talk or do we have stay silent?"
"We can talk," Kakime said, coming to walk closer, "Gaara-sama doesn't like to talk much from what I know, at least not until we're completely out of the village, so you can talk to me and Ty."
"Oh okay," Aina said. She thought it was strange that Kakime mentioned Gaara in this matter. If he didn't want to talk, he doesn't have to.
After a couple hours of walking, Aina mostly showed her knowledge in botany by pointing out the native plants in the area. Then more in zoology when the local animals seemed to come and greet her. Gaara showed interest in what they were talking about by commenting every now and then. It wasn't until she started talking about geology that he really got interested. He basically took over the conversation, and Aina was surprised to have found his interest so quickly.
"Really, you can make sand out of anything?" Aina asked.
Gaara nodded. "Most of my jutsu are sand oriented, I use my chakra to control it," he explained.
"I use my chakra to control the plants, my father says that I'd be a jonin if I were a hidden village ninja," Aina added. She found a real conversation starter there, this got all of them talking about the different types of jutsu until the sun started going down.
Author's Notes:
So that's the first chapter!
Thanks for reading!