So I just got the fiery love for my sand panda. It's been a while since I wrote a Naruto fic, so be nice.
Sabaku no Gaara strived to protect his village, as Kazekage. This enemy, this member of the Akatsuki, had succeeded in penetrating his defense and the last thing he saw was a flash; the last thing he heard was a deafening explosion.
No, that wasn't exactly right. As he struggled to have the sand fall outside of Sunagakure, his strength fading from him, he saw one last thing in his mind's eye: the smiling face of a female ninja that he encountered at least three times…
Why am I thinking of her now?
The strange woman of Konoha, with eyes the color of blood; eyes that shimmered with kindness and burned with chaotic fury, skin as pale and fragile as marble, and a face framed by locks of deep amethyst. He had met her a few times during the Chunin exam and raid of Konoha—she didn't stay away even when he had threatened to kill her. The next time he saw her, she was assisting in rescuing his kidnapped pupil, Matsuri. Every time, she had that kindness in her eyes when she saw him. The last time they ever spoke…
"Gaara-kun."
He wasn't sure how to respond to the honorific, turning to look at the girl who called his name, as he and his siblings were about to depart Konoha for Sunagakure.
She smiled, raising her hand and waving. "You take care of yourself, ne?"
He remembered his first impression of her. She's different.
"There's something about you that's interesting." The strange girl was asking to die, begging for this forest to be her grave. If she knew any better, she'd have stayed away—or run screaming like everyone else.
So why didn't she…?
"If you want to die, I can grant that wish," he told her coldly, glaring at him.
The girl's lips curled into a smile. "What, you don't want to be friends? I'm hurt."
Sarcasm. It grated his nerves. "Stay out of my way."
She raised a hand slowly before extending her index finger, pointing at him. That damn smile was still on her face. "We'll come to be friends soon enough. You'll see."
His eyes were heavy now; he couldn't keep them open as his body fell forward, hurtling toward the earth…
"You're not the most talkative ninja, are you?"
"It's official. Whether you like it or not, I'm going to be your friend!"
"You really are interesting. Just like I thought."
"Don't be a stranger."
Her voice was ringing through his mind now, clearer than any bell. His mind was going blank, his strength gone, and yet…
His body was snatched into the air, and as he faded into unconsciousness, all he could see was that woman...
Mariko…
On the way back to Konoha, a fifteen-year-old shinobi turned her attention to the sky, as though being called. The breeze rustled through the leaves, toying with the amethyst strands of her hair. Ill-ease settled into her bones, knotting her insides.
What is this feeling…? Did something…?
"Mariko? Something wrong?" Her comrades, Tachibana Sayuri and Kuronami Tsubasa, stood little ways ahead of Sakamoto Mariko. Sayuri had spoken, wondering why the amethyst-haired female had stopped.
"I just have a feeling…" Mariko trailed off, a sharp lance of pain shooting into he heart. She hadn't felt pain this strong before and wondered at the cause. Was it linked to the feeling she had that something was calling for her? "Something is wrong…"
"Let's hurry home," Tsubasa suggested. "Maybe Lady Tsunade will tell us if something bad has happened. We still have a day's walk to go."
Mariko gave a reluctant nod. "…Yeah."
