Chapter I – I Still Remember
Gaara the Kazekage was doing paperwork in his office one overcast afternoon. It looked like it was going to rain any minute. The weather perfectly matched Gaara's mood – he felt pretty down. Temari and Kankuro were out on a mission and Gaara was preparing the paperwork for the upcoming Chuunin exams.
"Done!" Gaara nearly cheered and leaned back on the chair. He glanced out the window and it was already beginning to rain a little.
"This weather reminds me of…" He trailed off.
Gaara grabbed a key from his pocket and unlocked a drawer in his desk. Rummaging through, he pulled a photo out from the bottom of everything. Looking at it, he smiled.
Gaara started thinking and remembering the story behind the photo. His best friend…
Kisame had just gotten back from a mission with Itachi. They got back just as it had begun raining. The base was empty because everyone else was either out on a mission or just out.
"Well, now what?" Kisame asked his partner.
"Hn", was all the stoic ninja said. (Translation: I have no idea)
"Me neither", Kisame agreed.
Itachi walked off and left Kisame alone.
"Where are you going, Itachi?" Kisame glanced over at him.
"Hn". (Translation: I won't be gone long. I'm just going to the pub. I'll bring you back a bottle of whiskey or something)
"Thanks. See you later", Kisame waved.
"Hn". (Translation: No problem. See you later)
Then Itachi disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"He'll be back in about four hours, wasted and sulking. Damn it Itachi", Kisame muttered. (When Itachi gets drunk, he gets emotional over the demise of the clan at his hands and how Sasuke turned out).
Kisame frowned and walked to his room. Delving under his bed, he pulled out a box. It was dusty and starting to fall apart. He fumbled through the box and pulled out a photo, the same one Gaara had too. He smiled at the photo.
Stretching out on his bed, he reminisced back to the time the photo was taken, back to the time he had a best friend…