Kokoro
6 years before…
When Gaara approached with the ball, the others froze. We all knew who he was.
A demon. A monster.
Immediately, you could see the hurt on his face.
"Thank you, Gaara!"
Gaaras face might have been the least shocked. I looked at my big brother carefully.
Daichi was smiling at him. Perhaps he was showing off, showing how daring he was, trying to impress that Hana girl. But his smile seemed genuine enough. The demon-boys face went from shock to confusion.
"Would you like to join us?"
"Daichi, we don't want him to play."
"Don't you know what he is?"
"He'll kill each and every one of us!"
"Fine then. You go play by yourselves. Kokoro and I will play with Gaara, seeing as it is my ball."
I struggle unsuccessfully to conceal my horror.
Did Daichi not listen at all?
"Thank you" Gaara replied, as the others walked away, muttering. I heard the harsh words they used against my brother, and swelled up with rage. Silently, I move to my brother's side. He places a hand on my shoulder.
"Don't mention it, I mean, you saved my ball!" He chuckles. "This is Kokoro."
Gaara looks at me.
"Hello" I say. A Lady must always be polite, no matter who she is speaking to.
He nods at me.
"My, you two must be the same age! Are you in the same class?"
"Gaara doesn't go to school" I say, my voice as calm as I can force it to be.
"My father teaches me ninjitsu" Gaara says. He keeps looking me and my brother up and down. Especially my brother.
"Well, I guess that if you're being taught by the Kazekage, you wouldn't need to go to the school anyway!" My brother laughs, putting a hand behind his head.
I do not like this, but I do not like to be away from Daichi.
"Kokoro?" My brother says impatiently.
"Hmm?"
"I was just saying that you have your own little defence system too, like Gaaras sand."
"Gaaras… sand?" I say questioningly. I look at Gaara, and he grins shyly, whilst a wall of sand rises up in front of him. "Wow!" I say. "Uhm, I guess, but mine isn't as cool." I say. I concentrate hard. I remember what my brother said about controlling my chakra. It's so so difficult…
"Mushoku no tate!" I say, in a tone not unlike a stage whisper, and my chakra forms invisible armour around my body.
"Try and hit her." My brother says.
Gaara uncertainly throws a kunai knife at my knees. It bounces off with more force than it was thrown with.
My armour disappears suddenly and I fall down.
"She cannot properly maintain her cha-"
My brother stops talking and watches as sand gently picks me up and places me on my feet.
"Well. Are we going to play or not?"
Present Day
"Daichi! Daichi, guess what day it is!"
"You leave for the Chunin exams today, don't you?"
"Yes! Oh wow, I cannot wait!"
"That reminds me, Father wants to speak to you."
My mouth hangs open in shock, and I cease jumping on my brother's bed to rush back to my room. I change quickly into my best kimono – not something I can often wear, in this heat.
"Kokoro, please, be seated."
I sit down on a cushion and watch my father carefully. He smiles at me.
"I am aware that today is the day you depart for the Chunin exam."
"Yes, father."
"Are you excited?"
"Yes, father, although I will not let that get the better of me."
"Good. You are a clever girl, Kokoro. Maybe you'll pass first time around, unlike that brother of yours."
"Daichi was attacked by a member of his own squad… he could never have seen it coming…"
"Don't defend him, Kokoro!" My father snaps. "That was a disgrace to the family name, his failure. If we'd thought it to be acceptable, he would still be heir!"
I flinch away.
"However. We ask you this – you must try your best to pass. If both of my children were to disgrace the family name…" He trails off ominously.
The breakfast with my father lingers in my mind long after we depart from the Academy.
"Kokoro?" Gaaras deep voice comes from behind me.
"What is it, Gaara?"
"You seem distracted."
"My father says I cannot fail."
"My father says I shouldn't let it take over."
"You win."
"I always do."