Bloody Sun

Matsuri remembered the first time she had met her sensei. She had turned thirteen that day, and it was hard to not imagine what her parents would have done to make the day special. Her mother would make her favorite food, and her father would play his interments and sing. That was how her parents had celebrated Matsuri's birthday last year, but they were gone now. Her parents had not been shinobi of Sunagakure, and they hadn't wanted her to take the path of a kunoichi. Matsuri had been taken in kindly in the village; all her life she had lived in the Land of Rivers near the border of Sunagakure. Although she had started late in the Ninja Academy and was an orphan, Sunagakure needed more shinobi than ever. The Kazekage had been slain along with many others. Would my parents have wanted this? As Matsuri stood in line next to her classmates, she was wary of her potential teacher before her. The tallest was a shinobi with purple face paint. He was slightly frowning, as if he didn't enjoy the situation he was in. Matsuri eyed the bandaged pack that was on his back. She wondered what was in there. The single kunoichi was also carrying something on her back; a fan, Matsuri instantly realized. She had golden hair that was tightened in pigtails, and sighed from the noise coming from the Academy students. Matsuri cringed, although she was not making a sound.

Somehow Matsuri's eyes drew to the quietest one. He was shorter even than she, and he had red hair. Dark circles surrounded his pale eyes, and his arms were crossed against his chest – not from irritation, Matsuri realized. His red hair parted to reveal a kanji which said ai, or love. His face was calm. Matsuri continued to gaze at the shinobi, wondering who he was. They seem very strong, she thought. As one of them began to speak – Temari-san – Matsuri froze when she mentioned weapons. The gleam of the weapons, suddenly closer than before, almost blurred her vision, and against her will she flashbacked to her parents' death.

Matsuri had been running away from former shinobi, and her mother and father had tried to fight them so their daughter could run away safely. She remembered how shock coursed through her body when the weapon had narrowly missed her neck, and of how she felt nothing but numbness when her parents' bodies had fallen slowly to the ground. Even now the sight and smell blood echoed in her mind a year later, and she slowly became aware of reality again when the other students dispersed. As Matsuri thought about the students Temari-san and Kankuro-san had, she gazed at Gaara-san, who had no student. "A weapon is…" What had he been trying to tell her? She had vaguely heard the other classmates talk about him in quiet, hushed whispers, and Matsuri remembered how another long-lasting hush had taken place when she had told Gaara-san that she wanted to be his student. And so Gaara-san became Gaara-sensei.

In the year training with him, Matsuri had realized how lonely Gaara was. Although not knowing much about his past, Matsuri knew what loneliness could create. Sometimes when he thought she wasn't looking, she would see him looking at the clouds, head tilted at the sky; on his eyes betrayed the raw emotion he felt. Through others Matsuri came to realize that the Kazekage himself had tried to assassinate his son for the past six years, and that Gaara had never known love. Matsuri hadn't known what to say when she had learned that the Kazekage had tried to kill his own flesh and blood, but as she watched her sensei then, she had realized that she didn't have to say anything. Matsuri only had to be there for him and love him. How scarred he must be, to not have known love or friendship. Gaara had made her stronger as well. He had taught her that weapons can be used to protect people. "Weapons can be used to protect someone precious to you, Matsuri." Although a year older than him, Matsuri felt at ease with her sensei even though he pushed her to her limit. She enjoyed training with him, and her skills of ninjustu, genjustu, and taijustu rapidly increased under his tutelage. She remembered his surprise and pride when she had preformed her first wind style technique before reaching genin rank. Temari-san had been promoted to jōnin that time, and Matsuri remembered the older girl's shock when she told her about Gaara's smile. "Gaara…never smiles." Although the years of his tortured childhood had ended, Matsuri's sensei had difficulty interacting with others and showing his emotions, Temari-san had explained. Matsuri had been confused, and so Gaara's older sister told Matsuri everything. She told her about the terror Gaara had imposed in the village, and of how he liked killing then. The assassinations grew Gaara's bloodlust "to keep him feeling alive." Matsuri was stunned after the revelation. At first she couldn't speak. She remembered Gaara's kindness and patience with her during their training lessons. How could her sensei be the same person as the jinchuukiri who willingly killed people? Temari-san had asked her if she wanted a new teacher, but Matsuri had surprised her by saying this: "Gaara-sensei redeems himself every time he trains with me and every time he goes on a mission. He accepts the love you have for him, and he has people to protect now. I remember him telling me his dream one day, and he said that he wanted to become Kazekage to protect those people who are important to him now. I believe that one day he will become Kazekage, and his wounds and wounds he created will be washed away. Don't you think, Temari-san?"

Matsuri had watched Temari-san struggle to speak for a second. Then she cleared her throat and said, "Do you know who he considers most precious to him, Matsuri?" The older girl said Matsuri's name slowly, as if she was tasting a sweet. Matsuri remembered how she shook her head. Now the words came to her again as the seventeen year old girl held her tears at bay.

"It's you…Matsuri."

Temari-san had explained that she and Kankuro had too hated and feared Gaara. Even the Konohagakure shinobi who had saved him had not been exempt from those feelings. Gaara's siblings had learned to love him after Sunagakure's defeat. "Even though you didn't know who he had been, you accepted him as your teacher as the others ran away. You accepted him as he was, and still do even when I told you everything." Matsuri remembered how Temari-san had sounded saddened from each word she spoke. "You were the first one to not hate him, to not fear him, and to not doubt him." Matsuri remembered how her face had been frozen with shock when Temari-san smiled brightly. "You the most precious person in his healing heart."

Temari-san… Matsuri had thought as she ran alongside the Allied Shinobi Forces, do you…? Tears threatened to escape from her eyes again when she realized the truth. Temari-san nor Kankuro-san did not know that Gaara was mortally, perhaps fatally, injured. It was a bond that remained a mystery to the former master and student. Matsuri could feel in her mind if Gaara was injured. The likewise was the same. That had been how Matsuri had been so calm after Akastuki had kidnapped Gaara for the tailed beast inside him. She could feel the pain in his head from the bomb, and of the other wounds even though he was unconscious. When his life force had gone, it was as if Matsuri had ceased to breathe. The sights had lost their color, and Matsuri could only feel the emptiness where her heart had been. Matsuri had almost cried when she felt the life flowing through the Kazekage again. Now it seemed as if her world was ending once more. Matsuri had been certain that the five Kage wouldn't be defeated by Uchiha Madara. But they had. Pain more agonizing that Gaara's wounds had almost made her scream and sob out loud. For a moment Matsuri thought she wouldn't be able to stand. A feeling inside of her knew that Gaara wouldn't make it this time. He was near death. There wasn't anyone to save him. A couple shinobi were concerned when they saw her pallor and the blood on her lips. Matsuri couldn't pay attention to their concerns. Matsuri admired her former sensei not only for his strength, but of the compassion he had despite the young life he had been given. He was resilient, and never gave up hope. "As long as there is life, there is hope, Matsuri." Gaara had been Matsuri's first friend, her first teacher, her first love, and now…

Matsuri had wanted to shout to the Allied Shinobi Forces that they needed to save Gaara. But the entire existence mattered upon the well-being of two jinchuukiri, not one Kage. Matsuri gazed at the sun, observing that the color was dark red, the same color as the blood coating Gaara's body. A bloody sun, she thought dully. Gaara… Her heart and mind were shattering into pieces. Then she heard it.

At first, Matsuri didn't know what the sound was. It sounded ragged, like a death-rattle. The words were inaudible. Then she heard it again. A name, she realized, listening to the voice. She heard the desperation and of the love pouring from it. Then Matsuri realized who it belonged to. Gaara… This was the first time she had heard his thoughts. She felt him again. He was dead. He was not unconscious, but barely. She heard his voice again, rasping and weak as he called her name.

"Ma…tsu…ri…"

As Matsuri continued to run, she stopped hearing Gaara calling her name. But that didn't mean he was dead. Gaara was still alive, hanging onto his life…for her. She remembered of what Temari-san had told her all those years ago. "Do you know who he considers most precious to him, Matsuri? It's you…Matsuri."

You're the most precious person to me too, Gaara. When you come home, when we come home, I'll never let you go. And next time, I'll be the one to protect you, my Gaara.