Matsuri gritted her teeth in frustration. Training with Gaara was always hard for he expected much from his student. It was two months into his sand tutoring and she still hadn't got past lesson one.

Gaara watched his pupil with kind, firm eyes. "Matsuri, you have to try…"

"I can't!"

Gaara simply waited for her to continue her outburst.

"I can't, Kazekage-sama! I'm trying…I'm trying…I've tried! Every time I try to manipulate the sand, it just…sits there!"

Matsuri growled at the stubborn pile of sand that she had been trying to infuse with her chakra for weeks. Nothing seemed to be working. Maybe Gaara was wrong…maybe I don't have the special ability to manipulate sand as he does…

"Matsuri. No one every accomplished anything on the first try." She glared at him then, remembering that he was the Kazekage, she lowered her eyes apologetically. "I'm sorry, Kazekage-sama. I shouldn't be so disrespectful."
"You're just irritated. But you're never going to get anything out of this training if you remain frustrated. Relax."

Matsuri closed her eyes and took a breath. She was trying to relax; it just didn't seem to be working. Finally, she opened her eyes and taking one more breath, she formed the seals and attempted lifting up the sand.

Nothing happened.

Tears gathered in Matsuri's eyes. Gaara smiled gently. "Matsuri. Try imagining yourself within the sand; make it a part of your body. Like you did with that jhouyou. Remember?"

Matsuri did remember. She decided to try Gaara-sama's suggestion. She closed her eyes again and let herself slip into what her mind's eye saw as the very essence of the sand. She continued doing this and felt as if the sand really was a part of her own being. Matsuri opened her eyes…and stared in shock.

The sand hovered in front of her pleasantly. She directed her hands back and forth and it obligingly went in whatever direction she intended. Matsuri gave out a laugh and clapped her hands in delight.

"I did it! I did it!"

Gaara smiled gently at his student. "That's enough for today, Matsuri. I'm hungry."

"Me too!" The girl ran over to Gaara and grabbed his hand as they headed back to the Kazekage's mansion.

"Kazekage-sama…?"

"We're not training now, Matsuri. It's Gaara. Now what is it?"

"I was just wondering…how did you get that scar…on your forehead? No one will talk about it…" She trailed off when she noticed that his eyes clouded over. "Gaara?"

"Let's eat first," he replied as they entered the mansion. "I'll tell you a story afterwards."

--

Gaara had been training Matsuri since he rescued her from Seimei. She had excelled rapidly at taijutsu and genjutsu techniques. Ninjutsu, however, was a different story.

Gaara suspected that Matsuri had the capacity to manipulate sand as he did. He also realized that it could take several months for her to unlock this ability. So he began. It was a frustrating path, one that led to many arguments between the strict Kazekage and the discouraged Matsuri. After she accomplished her first manipulation, Matsuri excelled in her new craft, more so than she had in taijutsu and genjutsu. These abilities propelled her through her first chuunin exams and she was quickly put under consideration for jounin a few months afterwards. She was fifteen years old, just like her master Gaara-sama.

--

Matsuri listened silently as Gaara recounted the story of his uncle Yashamaru, explaining rather painfully how he had acquired the "love" kanji on his forehead. After he finished, Matsuri noticed a small tear gather in the corner of his left eye.

The girl leaned her head on his shoulder. Gaara flinched in surprise, then allowed her to settle comfortably in that position.

"He was wrong."

Gaara was puzzled. "Who was wrong?"

"Yashamaru. You were always meant to be loved, Gaara."

Gaara frowned. "Who loves me?" he said, speaking to no in particular.

Matsuri lifted her head from his shoulder and gazed at the Kazekage. Then she stood up and knelt in front of Gaara, locking her eyes with his. Gaara looked back at her questioningly.

Silently, the girl pulled out a kunai and put a small cut into her finger. Gaara's eyes widened in surprise. "Matsuri! What are you…?"

She placed the bloodied finger on this scar and held it there. Gaara felt a small prickling sensation. Then she removed her hand. Tears coursed down Matsuri's cheeks and she began to shake.

Gaara held her blood stained hand in his and gazed at the cut; it was so much like Yashamaru's cut all those years ago.

"Gaara…" her voice was quavering, "Gaara, I have an ability…"

He stared at her.

"I can…if my blood touches another person…I can see their deepest thoughts and all of their memories. I can see it…but I can also…feel it…all their happiness and sadness…and their pain. You are so…brave." Matsuri's eyes were downcast.

The tear that had formed in Gaara's eye slowly coursed down his cheek. "Matsuri…"

Matsuri looked up at him. "I love you, Gaara. And Temari does too. And Kankuro. Don't ever feel…unloved again…"

They sat there like that for almost an hour, staring into the other's eyes; saying a million things without ever saying a word.

--

The new jounin gazed out happily from the top of the Kazekage's mansion. Her dark eyes shone beautifully and her long blond hair whipped about in the wind. Gaara stood next to his student proudly.

"You did very well."

Matsuri's eyes danced. "I'm so happy! It's all thanks to you, Gaara-sama."

"Kazekage-sama."

Gaara turned to see a jounin patrol guard speaking to him. "Yes?"

"It's time for the meeting."

Gaara nodded. "I'll come back later, Matsuri."

Matsuri nodded and gazed contentedly back at the sky. Gaara disappeared to the meeting room.

The girl's eyes wandered over the clouds and city walls…and then her gaze froze. A great white bird was flying over the city, heading from the gates to the heart of Suna.

"Bird's like that don't exist in this desert."