"Aimi whats wrong with you're arm? I think its broke! What happened?", Dai said kneeling his large frame down, he bent his golden head down as he took her arm gingerly and took the mishappen little limb into his hands, and began pulsing his chakra through her little arm to mend it. Dai took her onto his lap, "How did this happen? It had to hurt why didn't you cry?"
"It hurt real bad!" Aimi said turning her large blue eyes on her uncle.
"You didn't shed a tear I am impressed." Dai said smiling at the petite blond girl on his lap.
"I wanted to but I knew I couldn't. Gaara would have felt more confused right here," His niece placed her hand over his heart.
"Gaara did that to you!?, I should go talk to the Kazekage!" Dai pulled her into a large embrace and cuddled her close. The rea;ization that he came so close to losing her hit him like a brick.
"Its ok he felt really bad about it! He asked me to forgive him!" Aimi said trying to push out of the engulfing hug.
"And did you forgive him."Dai said pinching her cheek affectionatly.
"Sorta," she said slapping his hand away.
"wait what do you mean sorta" Dai gave a hearty laugh.
"Well, I hugged him and told him I would forgive him when we were married. Than I kissed his cheek and came home." Aimi said avoiding his gaze.
"Married. Oh so you like the Kazekages youngest son." Dai said with a grin.
"Yes but its not just that. When he touched me I had one of my awake dreams. We were adults. He was holding my hand as we watched a little red haired girl with my eyes bend sand. We must have been married I a certain that was my daughter." The seven year old looked at the floor.
Dai jerked her face to look at him his playfulness out of his voice, "Aimi how many times have I told you that you can't reveal anything about the future not even little hints. You can't change it, but talking about it to others will harm you it is the curse of our kekigenki. A burden only for us alone." Dai pulled her close once again, "Remember what happened to your mother and father."
"I know but he was so lost. It made my heart hurt." Aimi said her big blue eyes brimming with tears.
"You saw you and Gaara married with a child. Let time take its course, and just live you're life as laid out and let him live his till that time." Dai said standing up with his niece in his arms and wiping her tears off her rosey cheeks. "Now off to bed."
Aimi jerked awake with a snap, and looked around her bedroom of her little apartment Why would she dream of Uncle Dai the day before exams. He had been dead nearly three years. Did she really need such a vivid reminder that nobody would be there to cheer for her when she graduated. Aimi got out of bed and stretched her arms towards the ceiling then gently rolled her body till her arms pointed to the floor. She stood straight up, and walked towards the bathroom to shower. Aimi walked out of her cool shower and began pulling on her clothes for the big day! Aimi pulled a black tank top on She stretched her fishnet short sleeve top over her tank and pulled on her black shorts, fishnet thigh highs and her black ninja boots. She strapped her pack to her right thigh, and double checked to make sure there were plenty of kunei in it. She looked into the mirror, and proceeded to brush and put her knee length golden hair in pigtail buns where her bangs cascaded down the side of her face. She was ready for the Genin exams and pumped. She was one of the top students in class and knew she would pass no problem. She wasn't looking forward to all the happy parents and children after graduation. She had lost her mother and father when she was five and at the age of eight lost her last living relative her Uncle Dai. She was alone and had accepted that years ago, but it still hurt during festivals seeing all the happy families.
Aimi glanced at the clock and squealed! 'Holy crap I woke up late! I need to book it if I am going to make it on time.' She said to the empty room as she darted out the window towards the academy.
…...
"Oh Aimi how nice of you to join us." A cross looking sand ninja with scars all over his face said staring her down as she entered. " Do you think the Kazekage has nothing better to do than wait on you.
"I am so sorry Kazekage-sama, Sensei" Aimi bowed low and blushing.
"Its alright child. Today is a very special day I lost my own head when I was graduating from the academy. Please dear, take you're seat." The Kazekage said gesturing towards the other students.
"Thank you Kazekage-sama" She said bowing again and taking her seat in the front row.
"Now class as I was saying the Kazekage and myself will be judging you're sand clone jutsu and rank you accordingly. Tomorrow you wll find out what squads you have been placed on based on you're known abilities and the test scores from today. Good Luck!Now I will ask the first person to stay here, and after they have been tested to go and fetch the next student from the waiting area. Gaara you are up first. Everyone else please head down the hall."
The other students rushed out, Aimi timidly hung back and approached Gaara. " Gaara!, Uhm. Good Luck!", She blushed as he just stared at her., " I mean I know you don't really need it, but I want to say it anyway! Good Luck." He continued to stare at her with his ice blue piercing eyes silently boring into her own deep blue eyes.
"Thank you Aimi. I am sorry my son is so rude. We accept and appreciate you're luck." The Kazekage said standing and placing his hand on Gaaras' shoulder.
"Thank you Kazekage-sama." Aimi bowed deep and scurried out of the room.
"Well son looks like you have an admirer." the Kazekage glanced down at his son.
" She is just a strange kid." Gaara said shrugging off his fathers hand and walking to the front of the room.
…...
Aimi sat nervously waiting for her turn there was just five kids remaining. A black haired boy with a huge smile on his face walkedin "Yo Aimi you are up knock them dead sunshine!"
"Thank you Isao." Aimi jumped up and jogged to the classroom. A she turned a corner she ran smack into something very solid and hit the floor with a thunk. She looked up and Gaara was looming above head band slung around his waist. He looked at her on the floor in front of him with those intense eyes and turned to walk away, over his shoulder in his quiet smooth voice he said, "Good Luck.", and disappeared in a poof of sand.
'Omg did Gaara actually speak to me! Better yet he wished me luck! The future is looking bright. Though he could have helped me up' she thought to herself on the floor. 'Oh god the test!' she jumped up and ran into the room breathless.
Aimi bowed low to the Kazekage and her instructor.
"Ok Aimi you know the drill." Sensei said looking up from his clip board.
Aimi nodded and took her stance her feet spread in a balanced posture she raised her hands into the signal and concentrated her chakra. "Sand clone jutsu" she shouted. A cloud of sand enveloped her. When the cloud cleared where there had only been one of her two of her now stood. They looked at each other and grinned.
"Flawless as always Aimi," Sensei said beaming.
"This girl shows remarkable chakra control for one so young." the Kazekage said getting up and examining the clone closely.
"She is the second best in our class. You're son of course being the number one ranked." Sensei beamed bigger.
"Well congratulations you are now a Genin Aimi Tori." The Kazekage said passing her a Sand Village headband.
"Oh thank you Kazekage-sama!" Aimi jumped up and hugged him close in her enthusiasm. Her body jerked and she fell to the floor as an intense vision washed over her.
A village was under attack, Sand Ninja and Sound Ninja swarmed and Leaf Village shinobi were fighting against the Sand Village. She heard a large explosion and turned to see a snake bigger than most houses crashing through a wall.
Aimis' head shot up in confusion. The Kazekage loomed over her and her Sensei knelt beside her concerned.
"Aimi are you all right do you need to go to the healers?"
"No Sensei I am alright really. I guess I just got way to excited" She said jumping up and heading towards the door.
"Aimi," The Kazekage said staring up at her with intense eyes.
"Y—yes Kazekage-sama" she said turning to face him.
"Why don't you come celebrate your graduation with my children and I tonight." His eyes were staring into hers colder than any she had ever seen.
"Oh no Kazekage-sama I just couldn't impose." Aimi said bowing deep her vision flashing through her mind.
"I must insist." The Kazekage stared still at her. 'Oh god he knows!' Aimi though panicked. "7 o' clock Aimi."
"yes Kazekage-sama", She bowed and hurried out of the room
…...
'I guess I need to tell Roji at the tea shop I can't perform tonight' Aimi sighed as she headed to her home. Aimi was a server and entertainer at the Tea Shop. It was how she managed to eat, and have a place to stay. Her apartment was right above it.
"Roji-sama!" Aimi called walking into the shop.
"Aimi!" Roji beamed. "I see you made Genin. Though I didn't doubt it at all."
"Yep also I was wondering if Icould have tonight off. The Kazekage asked me to celebrate with him and the fearsome threesome." Aimi said sitting at the bar stool in front of the portly old man.
" Celebrate with the Kazekage! What an honor how can I refuse! Of course you may have the evening off. We can part with your beautiful voice for one evening." He said grinning at her. " you just gotta tell me what kind of tea the Kazekage drinks and how strong. Maybe we can get his business." He winked at her.
"Ok Roji", Aimi jumped up and plodded up the staircase behind the counter towards her little apartment to sleep before 7 o' clock arrived.
…...
Aimi knocked on the door timidly holding the package of raspberry chai tea leafs in both hands (A blend she herself mixed up) The door creaked open and a blonde with four pigtails and brown eyes looked at her and smiled. "Oh hey Aimi you arrived just on time." Temari said stepping back and opening the door wider.
"Hey Temari," Aimi bowed, "I brought a mix of my own special tea from Roji's".
"What no way that is my favorite tea place, and man that voice of yours. I never knew you could sing like that till I heard you about a month ago!" Temari said leading her into the living room area. "Dads ot hear yet. He is always running late. So we are just hanging around waiting for him."
Gaara sat sprawled on a couch on leg pulled up one straight in his hand he lazily flipped through tv stations. Konkuro was laying on his stomach looking at the tv "Aw come on Gaara I really like that movie its funny. Please go back."
"Shut Up Konkura. That show didn't have enough blood." Gaara said glaring at his older brother.
Temari grinned and flopped down on a pillow by Konkura and patted one beside her. "Yo looks like we are watching a horror movie. Come chill by me."
"Uh sure" Aimi said and sat beside her.
"Hey Temari lets test those ninja reflexs: Konkura said grinning and throwing popcorn at her face.
"You brat you could have said that before you threw butter grease all over my face!" Temari said picking up a handful and throwing it at him.
"Alright open up lets see who can catch the most. Aimi you are totally in one this too!" Konkura grinned.
"Alright. Hey Gaara are you going to play." Aimi grinned and turned to Gaara. He stopped flipping for a moment and stared at her and than glanced at the tv and began flipping again. "Err a no would have been polite!"She turned towards the other two. "Ok lets do this!"
…...
Two cheesy horror movies and three bowls of popcorn (most of it on the floor) later Konkura proved his popcorn ninja skills and was the winner of the friendly competition.
Temari and Aimi would be finding popcorn in their hair for hours to come.
A loud "ehm" interrupted their laughter. "So Konkura you're the champion which means you clean up this mess." The Kazekage stood in the doorway with a bemused smile om his face. Temari and Aimi laughed even harder and were rewarded with a pillow straight into both of their faces from an irritated Konkura.
"Oh hey dad we didn't here you come in." Temari said standing up. "Dinner is done we were just waiting on you to eat."
"You guys didn't have to wait so late. I am sorry I was held up." the Kazekage said smacking Gaaras foot off the couch and sitting down. Gaara glared at him.
"Oh I guess we didn't realize it was so late." Temari said glancing at the clock that read 11:30 pm. "I will go set the table."
"I will help!" Aimi said jumping up. As Konkura began to pick up the popcorn typoon.
…...
"Dinner was delicious Temari, but I really need to get home if I am going to meet my new sensei tomorrow!" Aimi said, " Thank you Kazekage. Thank you everyone it was really fun."
"Wait Aimi you can't walk to the outskirts of town at this time." The Kazekage said. "Gaara walk our guest home. Its not like you don't stay out all night around the village, and no harm will come to her in you're care." The last part looked like an order.
Gaara shrugged and walked out the door. Aimi followed timidly. They walked silently till they approached the tea shop. "Thank you Gaara for walking me home." Aimi said looking up at him. Gaara turned to leave, and she grabbed his hand "Gaara wait. I have a question." He turned back to look at her. "Do you remember the playground a couple years ago when we were like seven?" He shrugged and turned to walk away. "Wait please!" She grabbed his hand again.
He sighed, "When I broke your arm?"
"Yes", she said looking up at him.
"What about it?" His smooth voice drawled.
" I meant what I said we are going to get married. I am not afraid of you. Our destiny is to be together." Aimi said blushing.
Gaara inched close and pushed her back against the door his face inches from hers. "You should be afraid.
"No I can't be I know whats in you and I am not talking about Shikaku! I wish you could see what I know is there." Aimi sighed and kissed his cheek like so many years ago. Gaara jerked back. Looked at her confused and walked away without another word. Leaving her on the doorstep of the tea shop. Aimi smiled with a grin and let herself in.