Scroll One!
Day One:The Vow of Youth!
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He sat glued to his seat, accompanying the hospital bed, staring out the Konoha hospital window, Room 101 to be exact. When you were bored out of your mind, it paid to be exact. 'Sigh' Why was he at the Konoha hospital, Room 101?
Well, he was doing a favor for his recently obtained acquaintance, Rock Lee. It was the least he could do, but then again he had nothing better to do.
Oh, and what was this favor? To watch an unconscious girl, and be there when she woke up.
An odd thing to ask someone, but then again not a very hard task. Lee had briefly told the redhead about the girl.
You see, while on a mission Lee had found her unconscious, in the Kohoha forest. She was injured and appeared to be lost. When she finally regained conscious she had no idea why or how she got there.
Lee had concluded from this that, through the injuries, she suffered amnesia. Losing memories of who she was and why she existed. He saw this as a chance to help out, bringing her back to Tsunade-sama, so she would treat the girl's wounds.
She didn't wear a headband, so they were guessing she wasn't a ninja. But still Tsunade reminded Lee that outsiders were not allowed in the village without proper paperwork.
In a desperate attempt Lee, promised to take full responsibility of the girl and take her in as his joiner. He would teach her everything he knew about Taijutsu and his nindo.
Lee saw this as a great challenge. And what could he say he loved challenges.
And this girl was defiantly a challenge.
And that my friends is how it all started...
Four hours...Sabaku No Gaara's eyes had been glued on the clock the whole time. Four hours...He had been watching that girl. He was slightly annoyed, slightly.
He had things to do besides-Wait. No, he didn't, and that sort of added to the annoyance. What if he was doomed to have nothing to do but things like watching unconscious people, for the rest of his life?!
Oi.
Negative thoughts, clouding his mind.
The redhead struggled to clear his mind.
Or think of anything positive, for that matter. He grunted as he gazed at the girl, tearing his gaze briefly from the clock. She was sleeping.Why didn't they just wake her up!? No.
That would be rude.
The boy was puzzled. Why today? Why today did he feel so anxious...uneasy...floaty...not the norm...
Plus the chair was hurting his bottom. 'Sigh'
He shook his head slightly, it was almost a indescribable thing...a bittersweet feeling, but say was he saying!? The Sabaku No Gaara would never feel like that! Would he?
Any other day he wouldn't mind staring off into space, for hours at a time. That question rung in his head. Why today? Or why me?
He sighed at his common trait to worry and over analyzed everything. He thought...too much.
Even thought he didn't look it, Sabaku No Gaara was a big...worry wart. He would never let anyone see that side of him, the worry-filled side the almost childish side, the side he never shows anymore.
"Lee-kun?"
At the high squeaky voice, he darted his gaze in the direction of the girl.
She blinked and boar her stare into him, with bright eyes, now sitting up in the hospital bed.
"Lee-sensei?" She asked again, shifting the white the covers on the bed.
"No, Lee is not here, he'll be back soon." Gaara stated simply, returning his gaze to the clock, indifferently.
"Ohhh." She mumbled softly.
Silence. Silence was golden after all.
"Um...Mr. Redhead-chan?"
The boy twitched a bit at his named given.
"Mr. Redhead-chan?!" She asked again, when she failed to get a answer.
"My name is Gaara." 'Not Mr. Redhead-chan.' He said, then thought, in dismay, not appreciating being called such a ridiculous name. He crossed his arms as he turned to the window, leaning slightly on the sill.
"Oh, Well then...Mr. Gaara-chan?"
He inwardly sighed, that name was not much better.
"Yes?" Gaara answered disregarding the name, twisting around in the chair.
"When is Lee-sensei coming back?"
"Soon." He stated bluntly, bringing his attention back to the window.
"Why?"
"Because."
"Because why?"
Gaara sighed out loud at this girl's persistence. "Don't you want him to come back?" He asked watching the sky as it began to change color.
The girl's lime eyes strayed to the side as she scooted to the side of the bed, hanging her legs over the side. "Sure! But your very interesting person, Mr. Gaara-chan! I would indeed like to be friends!" She exclaimed holding out her hand, gesturing for Gaara to shake her hand.
He gazed at the chubby hand from the corner of his vision. The redhead turned around, raising a non-existent eyebrow. It was a rare occasion for him to be approached like that.
The brunette put a hand vertically, to the side of her mouth. "You know Mr. Gaara-chan your supposed to shake it." She whispered to him as if he was an actor who unluckily forgot his lines.
Gaara hesitantly turned the whole chair around so he was facing the girl. And he didn't make eye contact as he casually took her hand. In response she rapidly 'shook hands' with him.
"It's to nice to meet you Mr. Gaara-chan! I'm so thrilled we can be friends!" She chirped with the biggest smile ever.
"Uh." Was the only thing that came out from him.
She giggled. "Your fuuuuuny!" The girl laughed, at Gaara's awkward responses to hers.
Out of the blue she swiftly pulled Gaara's arm causing him to falter, his face to shifting uncomfortably close to her own, well it was uncomfortable for him, an embarrassing uncomfortable...
"Boy, you have some pretty eyes, Gaara-chan!" She beamed, closing her eyes in glee.
His face felt like it was on fire, he wasn't used to being this close to another person. And all that came out of his mouth was stutters... The girl however was un-phased, as she searched his aqua eyes, casually, with her almost florescent lime ones.
The moment was all too unfamiliar to the redhead, as he stared back. "You know Gaara-chan, I thought only girls wore make up." She mumbled, curiously, bringing a finger up and pointing it in his face.
His mood dimmed. "I don't wear make up." He stated in a dull tone, breaking the stare.
"Really?! What is it then!?" She asked, interested, almost touching noses.
He made sure he backed up a bit. "Insomnia." He said bluntly, she wouldn't expect anything else from him.
"Really!? How cool! ...What's insomnia?" She asked again, blinking in her own wonder.
He sighed, and she gasped as he pushed her off, sitting back up straight in the chair. "You ask too many questions." Gaara stated turning his gaze back to the clock. Four and a half hours...
"Ohhh, I'm sorry!" The girl exclaimed slightly upset, for his sudden detachment.
"..." The redhead didn't feel a need to response. 'She acts as if she a child...Like she has the mind and knowledge of a six year old.'
"Gaara-chan? I'm sorry." She whispered again.
"It-"
"I'm back Gaara-kun!" A familiar 'youthful' voice called, interrupting the redhead's sentence.
Rock Lee stood in the doorway of the hospital room. "Your awake, joiner!" He exclaimed cheerfully. She saluted.
"Hai, Lee-sensei! I am ready for your directions!" The girl chirped, hopping off the bed.
"Good!" Lee responded, walking through the doorway joining the new 'buddies'...
"Uh, can I go now.?" Gaara suddenly asked, pulling himself out of the uncomfortable chair.
"Yes, Gaara-kun, and thank you so much for your time!" Lee reassured him with a grin.
"Your welcome." He said emotionlessly, walking slowly toward the door.
"Bye Mr. Gaara-chan! I hope to see you again!" She waved as she watched her new friend exit into the hallway.
But 'Mr. Gaara-chan' was non-responsive, as he completely was out of sight.
A drip of sweat went down Lee's face. 'Mr. Gaara-chan?' He asked himself, giving his student a odd stare.
But quickly the boy in green got right to subject. "Uh, Anyway as my joiner, you will undergo challenging training and practices, and be expected to work hard!"
"I will master anything that comes my way, Lee-sensei!" She shouted confidently putting a hand on her hip.
"Good to hear, joiner! But I am sorry I cannot join you in training right away!"
Confusion and worry hit the brunette. "How come, Lee-sensei?"
"Well, later this week a festival is being held And I was assigned to help!" Lee exclaimed cheerfully.
"A festival? Could I also be of some help, Lee-sensei?" She asked twiddling her thumbs.
"Of course! I shall ask Tsunade-sama what you can do! And also, this isn't just any festival this is the Ai-Hotaru festival!"
"Thank you! And...Ai-Hotaru???" She questioned, tapping her chin.
"Yes, Ai-Hotaru! The festival of the Love-Firefly!"
The girls lime eyes twinkled as she thought of what the possibilities were. "Ohhhh...tell me more Lee-sensei!" She chirped happily.
"It's a 3-night festival where you camp out and try to caught one of the legendary ai-hotaru!"
"Legendary!?" She questioned automatically interested, on the edge of her seat.
"Yosh! Legendary! It is said that they only come out once every one hundred years! It's all in here!" Lee went on excitedly, shoving a pamphlet in the girl's hand.
She gasped and scanned the pamphlet, her eyes brightened at what she read.
"Lee-sensei! It says here: 'As old legend, anyone who is fortunate enough to catch one of the ai-hotaru is said to be granted a wish.' A WISH! Lee-sensei!"
A drip of sweat went down Lee's face, at her childishness. "Uh, Hai, joiner."
"This is too exiting!" She exclaimed waving the paper in the air, attempting a dance in her hospital gown, in the hospital room.
'I guess her injuries have healed enough...' Lee thought examining her 'actions', a drip of false sweat dripping down his head.
He shook himself from his thoughts."It is also a good first practice!" Lee pointed out to his student.
"Huh?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow at her sensei, stopping her twirling.
"If you are able to catch one of the ai-hotaru, hopefully their as hard to catch as the description, then you pass your first mission as my joiner!"
"Yosh! I'll be sure to catch one!" She chirped running over to her sensei, saluting him.
Lee cried dramatic tears of joy. "Youth!" He shouted, clasping his palms together.
"Uh, Lee-sensei?" he girl asked quietly tugging on his sleeve.
"Yes, junior?" He questioned still in his youth mode.
"Uh..." She mumbled, coyly. "Is it ok if I bring a friend?" She asked in a soft tone, shyly.
Lee's eyes widened slightly, wondering if she remembered anything before her, amnesia.
"Hai! Who do you have in mind, joiner?" He beamed at her generosity.
She smiled coyly "Well..."
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"No." That was Sabaku No Gaara's blunt answer, as he walked emotionlessly past the girl, continuing down the hospital hallway.
Lee chuckled nervously. "You have to excuse my friend Gaara-kun, he's a little...antisocial..." He whispered towards his joiner, really emphasizing the last word.
The girl frowned, still in her gown, watching the redheaded boy walk slowly away, with his arms crossed, angst-ly. Her mood went from sad to just plain annoyed.
"What's his problem!? He has no right to act that way!" She demanded in her high voice as she puffed out her cheeks and puckered her lips, pouting at the boy's inconsistence.
"He's like with everyone..." Lee added somewhat sadly, as he watched Gaara turn the corner, until he was out of sight.
The girl pondered, blinked, and blew the air from her cheeks, her lips turning into a devious grin.
"Joiner?" The boy in green asked shooting her a look of pure curiosity, at her odd behavior.
"I will help him!" She chirped, punching upward in the air.
"Help him?"
"Hai! Lee-sensei, I'm going to make a vow!" The girl said making a fist in front of herself, her eyes flashing with determination.
"A vow?" Her sensei questioned, giving her a stare.
"HAI! A vow to make Gaara-chan smile by the end of the Ai-Hotaru festival!"
Lee filled with doubtful doubt. "Uh, that's very thoughtful of you Joiner but-"
"But, Nothing! I WILL change him! For the better! I give you my word, Lee-sensei!" She shouted making everyone in the hospital hallway stare.
Lee gave her a thumbs up, and a glinting smile, what was known as the 'good guy' pose.
"Yosh! You do your noble vow! I'm proud of you, Joiner!" He shouted tears of pure joy running continuously down his face.
"SHHHH!" A nurse hushed the two 'youthful' children as she passed, holding a clipboard to her chest. "This is a hospital."
"Sorry!" The youthful pair whispered in union, sheepishly...
Thanks for reading! Uh, tell me what you think and I'll get the next chapter out as soon as possible!