Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and all of this belongs to the creator of our favorite ninja manga/anime!
Happy reading my delightful readers!
Waking slowly, and glancing at the clock, the jounin knew he had a few hours left before he was actually needed to get up. He lay back, face clear from the facial paint he normally wore on his proud features. He was aloud to laze in bed today. Glancing at the calendar that hung by his bed, he wanted to know what day it was today, he just felt . . . fuzzy. Like he could be lazy and not get in trouble. His green eyes looked at the calendar and widened slightly, the day on which he'd awakened was circle. Why? He sighed as dawning realization came to him. He groaned and turned over, could it really be his birthday? He opened his eyes, hardly knowing that he'd closed them as he glanced back at the calendar, it was his birthday. Not that it was truly surprising for it to be his birthday, just, he'd never actually thought about it before.
He thought back the last seventeen years of his life. Reflecting over everything he'd done. Kankuro looked around his room, there were various puppet pieces littering the ground, some were even hanging from the ceiling. He smiled and lifted up a hand; he rubbed his right eye gently and sighed, relaxed. He glanced over to the other side of his room, there was a rather large case there, filled with bookshelves and cabinets, each shelve was filled with things only a puppet master would know. Although, even a genin would be able to see the shurikens and kunai knives there. But he doubt'd that they would understand the poison string, or the jars that held his precious poisons. He rolled over and groaned, he placed a hand under him, meeting a solid object that had been the cause of the uncomfortable sensation. He growled slightly and pulled out a puppet hand. He sighed and glanced at his Karasu leaning against the corner; as if it had something to do with the hand on his bed.
The jounin sat up on his bed, a hand running through his short brown hair. He groaned and sighed, then stretched his arms out slightly. The bare hands seemed so different from a few years ago. The puppet-master sighed and slowly got out of bed, looking at the mirror that he'd bought a while back, or had he received it as a gift? Kankuro couldn't remember. He thought about his life once more. He remembered being younger, bolder, and more scared of Gaara. He still shivered whenever Gaara's anger peaked, but that was less and less now that the boy had fought with that Naruto kid. Kankuro still wondered at the ability of that yellow-haired maverick everyone laughed at. He still wondered how in the world he'd beaten Gaara. He'd known that Gaara was in his mostly demon form after the chunin exam when he'd fought Sasuke.
Sasuke was another matter to the puppet-nin. The boy trouble him, and once he'd heard that the boy had run off to join Orochimaru and his villains. Kankuro was ashamed to say that his proud village had been involved in the evil plots of Orochimaru. Kankuro thought a moment, or was he truly saddened that it had happened? If it hadn't, he'd still be scared of Gaara, and Gaara would still be cold and lifeless like he used to be; Kankuro shivered with fear when he thought of how Gaara used to be. Now he looked towards Gaara as more of a brother, and less of a demon-child. Not that Gaara didn't have his moments. He just felt closure to the boy.
He paused and thought about his years before that, living under his father's command, even though he had Gaara, the strongest nin in the village, he'd lived his life in fear. However much his puppet abilities worked, he'd never be able to beat Gaara. For a few moments, the jounin's mind turned towards Gaara.
The child born with the spirit of Shukaku infused with him. Kankuro sighed and shivered, having remembered the few chance times he'd been able to get away from the demon when it had taken control of Gaara's body. He shivered, sand still scared him, but this place was his home, even though it was made of sand, it wasn't scary sand, not sand fused with chakra and the blood of one's enemies. He was sure glad Gaara had never killed him, although that wasn't for his sake, Gaara needed a three-man team to enter the chunin exams in the first place, and since Gaara would have killed any other nin who'd traveled with him, Kankuro had had to go with him. Kankuro sighed and lifted a hand to his brown hair again as he stood in front of the mirror. He was more gaunt since the poison had been injected into him. But if it wasn't for Sakura, he'd have died a few days later.
He shivered, the shinobi life style wasn't one for the faint of heart, in fact, if there were any imperfections in the heart, it would be terrible to become a shinobi. That much he knew. He turned and looked around, a knock on his door startled Kankuro out of his thoughts, he turned to the door,
"Um, come in?"
He called hesitantly to the hidden door knocker. The door handle slowly moved and Kankuro braced himself, ready to fight it that's what was needed. He secreted a shuriken in his hand, not even on his birthday was he safe. His green eyes focused on the door as it slowly opened, a hand curled around the frame slowly as Kankuro relaxed,
"Temari-kun, what do you want?"
The door opened fully, reveling the jounin where she stood, her blonde hair drawn back into four ponytails, each reminding Kankuro of bushy pompoms. He snickered suddenly, thinking about the small little fuzzy things. Temari threw him a hard look with her green eyes, the only trait that seemed to run in the family. Really, Kankuro thought to himself, All we share is blood, and eye color. Well, Gaara and I are both male, but that really doesn't account for much…Gaara has red hair, Temari has blonde hair, and I have…brown was it? Ya. Brown hair. Looking at the sibling he felt less afraid of, he put his hands up as she raised her left are to casually stroke her metal fan. She gave him a smile,
"Awake already? Darn, I was hoping to wake you up sleepyhead."
She said rather playfully, her hitai-ate hung at her neck, she lifted her head to look at him smiling, her green eyes alight with playfulness and joy. Kankuro's face pulled into what he hoped was a mock-scowl and lowered his voice, seemingly angry,
"Well, you did kinda wake me up."
Temari voiced a laugh. She looked at him through her green orbs,
"Well someone's a grouch."
She said, sticking out her tongue playfully, Kankuro growled, she turned and winked at him, then darted off. Kankuro voiced a laugh, then darted after his sibling.
Temari looked over her shoulder and led her brother, who was slower, on a merry chase, Kankuro growled as they entered the a flat over desert part of their home, he nodded and came to a stop, he realized he'd left his Karasu in his room, he huffed and looked around at his sister, who was at a complete stop and looking expectantly at her brother, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He noticed she was resting on her fan, which was nearly as tall as she was, he sighed and closed one eye to the sunlight as he gazed at his sibling,
"Temari-kun! You have to advantage!"
He said suddenly, looking at her, he sighed and laughed, after a moment, she did as well, then her eyes flashed into a look Kankuro knew it was going to get rather messy here. He looked around, he didn't have a puppets with him, what could he do? Sighing, he noticed her pick up her fan, holding it with two hands, she suddenly called out,
"Kamaitachi no Jutsu!"
Her hands flicked over the seals she needed to perform, then her hands clasped the fan once more and she fanned him. Kankuro gulped slightly, there was no way he'd survive if she hit him with that technique! He jumped off to the side and launched a few shurikens at her, she easily deflected them with her fan. He knew he was at a huge disadvantage with her fan she was a distance ninja. He'd have to keep his guard up!
"Kamaitachi no Jutsu!"
She called out again her arms performing the seals, but this time, Kankuro was ready, he lookedat the whirlwind as it sped towards him, a creation of chakra and wind, pretty powerfully, but it really only had a ten-meter radius affected area. He could easily stay out of range.
"You'll have to try better than that Temari-kun!"
"Kamaitachi no Jutsu!"
"Nami?"
Kankuro turned and looked at the attacker, she was behind him now! He called out; he was too close! He threw up his hands, knowing they were a pitiful defense against his eminent death, Strange, He reflected silently, I'm so calm, and I'm about to die. I wonder what Gaara will do when he finds out…The jounin thought to himself as he looked at the whirlwind as it bore down upon him. He caught a glance of Temari's green gaze, it was stricken with fear,
"Suna no Tate!"
A wall of sand suddenly came around the bewildered jounin, he lowered his hands, shocked when the wind dissipated as soon as it touched the sand, he didn't see it of course, but he felt the wind crash against the sand-wall in front of him, he turned suddenly, green eyes looking into the green gaze of Gaara. Relief flooded his features as he saw the familiar face,
"Gaara-kun."
"Kankuro-kun."
They both looked at each other, having greeted one-another, Temair was still looking shocked, and then relief came over her feminine features. She heaved a sigh and looked up at Gaara,
"Thank you Gaara-kun."
Gaara looked at her, his gaze suddenly cold, even though it wasn't directed at him; Kankuro froze with fear, that look, that terrible cold look, it froze the jounin's heart with fear. But that was why Gaarais ourKazekage, he strikes fear into the heart of our enemies. With most of the sand at his command…Kankuro shivered, refusing to follow that line of thought,
"Temari-kun, you need to be careful, Kankuro-kun had no way of defending himself."
Temari lowered her head in shame, she looked at Kankuro,
"Sorry Kankuro-kun, I kinda lost it when you taunted me."
Kankuro looked startled at his sister, Temari lost her head in a fight? This was new, he mused silently, looking at Gaara, the puppet-master turned back to Temari, apparently, she wasn't done speaking yet,
"What can I do to make up for it?"
She asked, She looks miserable, Thought Kankuro, What can I have her do? Cook my meal? NO! Never… He shivered once more, remembering the last time Temari had tried to cook anything. They'd had to ask the builders to build them a new kitchen. Kankuro gained an evil grin on his mug, Temari stiffed, knowing what he was going to ask, or at least, guessing what he wanted,
"Kankuro-kun, you know I can't – "
"Fight me."
"Nami!"
"Fight me."
"But-I nearly killed you!"
"I know, but now I'll have an advantage."
"Nami? What's that?"
"Gaara-kun will be on my team."
Kankuro smiled, pleased he'd be able to fight with one sibling and fight against another sibling. He smiled and looked at the two, both equally shocked, although Gaara's facial expressions were still hard to tell, the boy wore a deep red outfit that was loose around his body, he no longer carried around the gourd filled with his special charka on his back, but that didn't make him look any less fierce.
"Kankuro-kun, what makes you think I'll fight with you against Temari-kun?"
Kankuro turned and looked at Gaara, he met the green eyes and shivered, then went on,
"Because it's my birthday."
Gaara looked a trifle startled, it was Kankuro's birthday? Gaara tried to think when his was, when had he had a birthday last? Was it before he'd accidentally killed the person who'd taken care of him since he'd been born. That person was also the on who had been the one who'd tried to kill him when he was little, what had driven him over the edge when he was a tiny-tot. He looked at Kankuro, the boy's face, he was startled to realize, was clear of the paint he normally wore. Why was that? He looked at Temari, his sister, an the pom-poms coming out of her head.
"Alright then Kankuro-kun. Just this once…brother."
"Nami! I'm going to get killed over here!"
They both looked at Temari, who was grining with the challenge. She laughed at them when they looked at her, she directed her gaze to Kankuro, her head held proudly like the jounin she was, confident, bold, and trusting in her abilities. She opened her mouth and spoke boldly,
"We'll meet back here later and the fight will happen."
"Why later Temari-kun?"
"Well, Gaara-kun, we need to let Kankuro-kun get all of his 'toys.'"
"Temari-kun! They are not toys."
"Do you 'play' with them Kankuro-kun?"
She looked directly at her brother, her green eyes fixed on him, as well as Gaara's eyes, Kankuro twitched under such close scrutiny. He smiled suddenly,
"I suppose you mean I should put my makeup on as well then?"
Temari smiled, her eyes sparkled with the light of playfulness,
"Exactly!"
Kankuro laughed, he was startled into silence when Gaara suddenly laughed as well. It unnerved him slightly. Gaara…laughing? Kankuro laughed again with the absurdity of it all, Temari looked startled, like a deer about to run, mostly when the Gaara laughed he'd been about to kill something. And only when he was truly cold, it unnerved her, and Kankuro admitted, it unnerved him as well. Gaara looked at them, as if guessing they were startled, he stopped, it had accomplished his goal, he chuckled again and a smile grace his white lips.
"We'll meet back here at three."
With that said, the boy with red hair and green eyes, pale skin and the former soul-bond with the desert demon, vanished with a swirl of san about his deep red clothes. Kankuro and Temari shared a look for a second, then they looked at the spot where their brother had vanished from and burst out laughing,
"That was so scary!"
"I know Kankuro-kun, I've never heard him laugh so!"
They were holding each other by the time they were done, they were on the ground. Both were even more startled when they laughed, they stopped as soon as they noticed others were on their way. They straightened up, it wouldn't do for the liaison and the puppet-master, whom everyone regarded with awe and fear,to belaughing with the unbridled rein of children. They looked at each other, embraced with hands and then went off to get ready for Kankuro's birthday battle.
Later that day
They met on the field a few moments from each other, Kankuro arriving first, decked out in his full garb; black. His face was painted once more and his Karasu was hanging on his back, perfectly balanced. He looked at Temari, then they both looked around, standing in perfect silence as they waited for Gaara. Kankuro looked around slowly.
"Where do you think he is?"
He asked finally, looking around.
"Since when am I Gaara-kun's keeper Kankuro-kun?"
Temari retored swiftly, they looked at each other. Suddenly a swirl of sand erupted around the, both instantly flung their hands up to protect their faces as they fought to stand still. Both Kankuro and Temari had closed their eyes, each focusing chakra con their feet, trying to stay where they were. Suddenly, all o the sand stopped, Kankuro, who had opened his eyes first, turned and looked at Gaara. He smiled and waved,
"Gaara-kun! Nice enterance!"
Temari sighed and shook her head, clearing as much sand as she could from her hair without taking them out of their ponytails. She looked at Gaara and smiled,
"Are we ready then?"
"I suppose so Temari-kun."
Gaara nodded, Kankuro smiled, this was turning out better than he'd hoped, but then again, things had been better since Gaara's demon was removed, since Gaara was now able to sleep, life had been easier on all of them. Most on Gaara though, who sometimes slept more than necessary just to feel 'rested.' Gaara looked at Kankuro,
"Ready onii-san?"
Kankuro was startled, he turned and looked at Gaara, who gave him a ghost of a smile. Kankuro grinned slightly and nodded. Temari huffed,
"Don't I feel soooo left out?"
"Shall we begin then?"
"Hai!"
Temari took a stance, ready for anything; she watched both of them, her fan ready for instant use in her firm grasp. She turned and eyed the two, they weren't moving. Then, her sharp green eyes spotted Kankuro moving his hands. Puppets, she thought, I hate puppets. Gaara smiled, then he crossed his arms in front of his chest, his mouth opened and the battle began,
"Suna Shuriken!"
The sand Gaara controlled flickered up around him and formed solid shuriken-like objects. They launched at Temari, who readied herself, steeling for the blow, she called out as she flicked her fan at the sand-shurikens,
"Kamaitachi no Jutsu!"
The high-powered gust of wind fused with some of her chakra, launched at the shurikens, rendering them to dust before the eyes of Kankuro and Gaara. Kankuro's hands moved as he worked with one of his favorite, and most commonly used jutsu, Kugutsu no Jutsu, the puppet technique. His puppet suddenly appeared behind him, he smiled,
"Come and play Karasu!"
"Oh no you don't Kankuro-kun! Kamaitachi no Jutsu!"
"Not this time Temari-chan."
"Nami?"
Kankuro pulled his fingers back, the puppet leapt into the air, dodging the high frequency winds. Kankuro smiled, he moved his fingers slightly over the patterns he'd drilled over and over again when he trained by himself. The puppet responded by opening it's mouth and launch a few kunai at the fan-user jounin. Kankuro smiled as Temari dodged them with a blast of her wind jutsu. He smiled, both he and Gaara were too far away to be in ay danger of attack. Temari smiled,
"Nice try Kankuro."
"Boo Temari-chan."
"NAMI!"
Temari turned and she looked at Gaara, she didn't remember him getting there! It must have been his body flicker technique, she cursed silently and moved away from him as he cast more sand shurikens at her. One of them grazed her shoulder, she winced and sighed, she'd been careless, but it was hard to do since she had to fight both of them. She launched away with a body flicker of her own, narrowly dodging the sand weapons. Gaara smiled slightly, she gulped in air. Her chakra levels were still in the green, but she couldn't keep up with the two. She had to either end it quickly or else she'd lose. She thought a moment, then decided what technique she would loose the fight. She had one move…she shook her head, if it failed…but it hadn't failed her before…she smiled and looked at the two of them. Her hands slipped into familiar seals, she ran through them, Gaara and Kankuro tensed.
"Nami, what is she doing?"
"I don't know…"
"Wait…that looks like…"
"Kankuro-kun! Dive for cover!"
Gaara and Kankuro instantly were on guard and they quickly covered themselves as the last of Temari's seals were placed down. Gaara quickly flashed him sand-shield about him, Kankuro grimaced and quickly pulled his puppet back to him. Jumping into the air, he hoped that he would be able to dodge her jutsu. It seemed unlikely that he would though, he sighed, and launched into their air. Temari called out suddenly, her voice strong on the air as she drained the rest and last of her chakra,
"Kuchiyose: Kirikiri Mai! Quick Beheading Dance!"
She launched her jutsu, Kamatari, the weasel carrying a sickle launched out powerful gusts of wind, utterly destroying every thing that was within a half-mile radius. Kankuro watched the destruction as he was safely in the air, unlucky for him, a few of the gusts zipped up at him, hitting him in the middle, he doubled over in pain. He groaned and moved his fingers, intercepting another guts with Karasu. The puppet willingly moved and defended the puppet-jounin. Kankuro groaned again and cough slightly. He felt as though he'd been pounded, Oh, wait, He thought, I did just get pounded. He sighed and groaned as he fell back to the ground, bracing himself with his hands, he landed after the last gusts of wind had come out of the weasel and the summon had vanished.
He turned and looked at a huge wall of sand, he smiled, trust Gaara to use his best defense, after all, it was nearly the most perfect defense. Unless it's against Chidori though. Kankuro thought silently. He looked at Temari, she looked beaten, that jutsu must have taken a lot out of her. He thought, startled. He sighed and rubbed a hand on the back of his head,
"Should we called it quits Temari-chan?"
"Nami?"
She huffed at him, Kankuro smiled, his yes knowing,
"Hai, we are done now, Gaara-kun and I win."
"NAMI?"
He heard her call, he looked at her, her bold eyes, never ending in their quest to be the best. He smiled and gave her a wave,
"You're beaten, what's the point Temari-chan?"
"Kankuro-kun is right Temari-chan, we also must still get ready for his birthday party."
"Oh…ya."
She looked deflated. Kankuro sighed and crossed over to her, he placed a hand on her shoulder, his fingers no longer glowing with his chakra strings. He smiled and placed an arm over her shoulder.
"Let's go back and get ready."
Temari looked at him, and gasped when Gaara placed a hand on her shoulder, it was very out of character for him to do such rash acts of affection for anyone, let alone his siblings. But he'd chanced. And perhaps, for the better. Kankuro smiled at Gaara and nodded, the two had passed a look between them. They both picked up Temari and walked back to the village with the struggling Liaison in their grasp. She stopped struggling once Gaara whispered something into her ear. Kankuro thought he knew what it was. He smiled at both of them. Temari offered him a smile back, and Gaara even gave him a half-smile. It was more than Kankuro had ever gotten from the boy. From his Kazekage, from his brother. Kankuro stood straighter, this was the best birthday ever. Kankuro knew the one who he'd have to thank if he ever saw the boy again.
He'd have to thank Uzamki Naruto for his brother's strange improvement.
R & R people!
I need to know if I used all of the jutsu's correctly, I mean, I hope I did.
And I would liketo know if I should keep this thing up.
And I want to know what all of you think of it, I want it to be good…I hope this new theme will bring happiness to everyone…
Next on the list: Umino Iruka (Coming on the 26 of May)