Seeing Red
Chapter One
A boy stared at the sky with misery. His eyes were red from the fallen tears of loneliness that had racked from his childhood. His lower lip quivered and his body sunk onto his knees with his gourd following him. The boy's short, wild dark blood locks fell softly into his pale face. His eyes were a light green with black insomniac rings circling around them. The young boy's body quivered with sadness. W-Why? Why me? He pleaded within his psyche. There was no around for miles. This notion upset the boy more.
The sand shifted circling around the boy as if to keep him safe from other things about him. It was a lonely existence. Thunder rang throughout the sky as if to cover up a loud noise. The wind passed against his skin like a feather. But through the rain clouds the sun kissed his pale skin gently as if a comfort to the red headed boy. The only thing the boy had ever wished for was a friend; someone who could understand them and love him for what he was. But he knew in his heart; that there could be never someone to be his friend.
The boy's name was Gaara. He was sixteen years old and had no to depend on; half the time not even himself.
GET ME SOME BLOOD BOY!!
Gaara clutched the side of his head with his pale arm on instinct and groaned out in pain. The sand – surrounding him – shifted in reaction reversing in the other direction. He then vaguely remembered the day that…his entire family was killed.
A younger Gaara sat beside his mother holding her hand tightly. He whimpered loudly until his mom shushed him by hugging him against him. He heard the piecing murdering screams of his older sister's – Temari- and older brother's – Kankuro – from the door. Kunai knives were launched through door hitting them. Their deaths were quick and painless. Gaara whimpered even louder and tears spilt down his face. Gaara's mom looked down at him sadly.
"Gaara…shush…"His mother quieted him down. He stared at her through burning tears. "It'll be okay…"
The wooden door swan open almost breaking the hinges and a man stepped in. Gaara couldn't tell what he appeared to be because it was too dark from where he sat. The man's body swerved around a little as if searching for something. Gaara's mother accidently bumped into the table they were under and the man's eyes narrowed sharply upon the table. He quickly pulled out a kunai knife and it shone in the light from the full moon outside the door. His mom clutched Gaara in her arms shielding him from the blade's path as it was launched.
The knife struck her spinal cord without ease. Her eyes left wide open with an astounded face. Blood was forced from her throat and it landed onto the floor separating her and Gaara. Gaara stared in horror and his mom's eyes fluttered shut and hit the ground with a thud revealing Gaara to the man. The little red headed boy trembled in fear and saw the dead bodies of his family laying on the floor all drowning in blood pools. Sand emerged from Gaara's gourd – that layoff to the side – it crept across the floor silently.
"Mom…"His eyes glanced off to his mom's bodies. "Temari…Kankuro." His light green eyes scanned over his sibling's rotting bodies. "…Father…" But his father's body was nowhere to be seen.
His fist tightened firmly and it trembled. The man flinched away at the sight of the sand and pulled out another knife holding it up close to his face. The full moon gave power to the young red head. He held up his fist and the sand slithered up the man's legs like a snake. The man gazed at him with bright sky blue eyes and he gasped like he was looking at a mirror. It struck him hard in the head and he clutched it.
KILL HIM BOY!! A creature screamed in his head directing him something. He bit down on his lip and the sand quickly slithered back down the man.
He stepped back in retreat staring at the young hurt boy. Gaara's light green eyes stared at nowhere in particular and the man stared down at him. The red head boy's eyes flooded over with tears it slid over his black rings that kept him from sleeping. The blond haired man stepped towards Gaara and the sand erupted like a volcano and bounded like a tiger in a cage. The sand whipped him hard in the stomach and the blond man began coughing up blood which soaked into the sand. Minutes later the man's body sprang out of the little shining particulars.
"I'm sorry…" The man apologized with a sad face. He disappeared within a yellow flash leaving the red headed boy alone.
Gaara trembled out of fear of the bodies of his family just laying there with pools of fresh blood. The sand crept around his feet as he looked down panting hard. It held the blood of the man now and he could begin his long search for the killer of his family.
He winced at the reminiscence as if it caused him immense ache. His light green eyes burned for revenge as he thought up the description of the man; tall, blond hair and bright blue eyes; a serious and intent look. He looked to be in his mid thirties. If Gaara had to guess, he'd be in his forties by now and probably with a wife and child. That thought made a demented smirk; this was too good, he'd made that man feel what he felt ten years ago.
Rain dripped down from dark clouds and hit Gaara's forehead. His blood-created "Ai" tattoo – that Gaara made created after the man left – was where the drop fell. But the rain began to pour onto his wild blood locks and it felt cool against him since he'd been the desert gathering his strength over the years. He bit down on his lip and hid inside a tree stump for shelter.
BLOOD! Get me BLOOD BOY! The creature inside him shouted out an order. He clutched it pain as it laughed evilly at him. He groaned out in pain and the rain pounded against the tree stump.
Gaara bit down on his lip and began shivering from his ripped clothing. He leaned his head inside the stump and his eyes began to waver out of weariness of traveling for so long. I…feel really tired. He thought through the wariness. The creature laughed in his head and he gripped his head with his hands rushing them through his red hair. But he didn't hear the sound of footsteps walking lightly on the wet grass and the person gasped seeing Gaara hurting. The person rushed over to him and lightly touched Gaara's shoulder.
Gaara was launched out of his own little world and his heart beat raced as he looked up at the person. This person was a boy with short, wild blond hair and bright sky blue eyes staring gently at him. S-Someone reached out to him without fear. But he flinched away out of dread of the blond boy with his light green eyes widening. The frightened red head then saw three fox whiskers on each of this boy's cheeks. He smiled gently at Gaara even as he flinched away.
"Come on, it's alright." The boy attempted to reassure the red head and held his hand to him. The red head gulped and hesitantly – realizing that this blond boy could be pleasant – reached out his hand to the blond. Gaara held it and the blond boy heaved him up onto his feet slowly and the rain drenched the blond's locks. "Good. Now, what's you're name?"
"G-Gaara…"He stuttered nervously staring down at the ground. The sand shifted around him slowly feeling no threat against the blond. The boy nodded slowly – still holding his hand – walked Gaara towards a camp.
The blond boy – who Gaara noted to be nearly taller than him – turned to study him. The red head didn't mind it; maybe he…Gaara shook off the thought. This camp had a campfire and there were two other people sitting by the fire watching the burning embers. One was a girl with short pink hair and it bounced above her shoulders turned to stare anxiously at the blond – while Gaara hid behind him out of fear. She stood up and firmly folded her arms.
"Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, here warned you not to wonder off." She said in an annoyed tone while shaking her head.
The man nearby her – had short, spiky silver hair and with one dark eye revealed – the other hidden behind a dark blue mask. He was older than the blond – er…Naruto and the pink haired girl – but not as tall as the blond. His one dark eye moved from this orange book that glowed in the fire light and stared at Naruto blankly.
"Naruto…who's you're friend?" Kakashi-sensei asked with a frown hidden under his mask. Naruto shuddered visibly and tightened the grip on Gaara's hand. Gaara was frightened and stayed behind the blond boy.
"He really…isn't comfortable with me telling you." Naruto stammered with a frown. Gaara whimpered from behind him. Kakashi stood up and walked towards the red head, but he cringed away in alarm. "Look, he trusts me. Let me work with him."
Kakashi sighed heavily and returned to his book. "Fine, Naruto report to me later." The blond nodded.
Sakura sat back down and crawled into her sleeping bag silently. Gaara sighed and felt Naruto's hand loosen over his hand. It was comforting – even though he wasn't sure if he could trust the blond boy. He's okay…Gaara thought with a blank face. For now always…
I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO GET ME BLOOD, BOY! Gaara clutched his head in pain and cried out – Kakashi and pink haired girl noticing this. Naruto panicked as the red head slumped to his knees and Naruto trailed him down in order to soothe him.
The blond touched his arm and Gaara stared at him surprised. The sand didn't move at all; it was weird being touched by someone that was strange and the sand not reacting. He was no threat to him. But…those eyes…they were…
"Gaara, it's all right. I'm right here." Naruto smiled brightly and Gaara nodded. His face was blank and he yawned. Naruto chuckled lightly. "You tired?" He nodded acting mute.
Naruto offered the red haired boy his sleeping back and accepted it. He helped himself inside the bag and stared at the dirt ground for awhile letting his thoughts take over. This kid…is nice and…a lot like that man…but he isn't. He pondered over his thoughts. But…I know that…he isn't…anything like him. He licked his lower lip and continued to stare at the dirt. The sand crept up along side him and he glared down at it in disapproval and it attached to his skin as a protection. He saw Naruto glance over at him just make sure he was all right.
"Naruto, I think you can tell me his name, now?" Kakashi-sensei asked quietly so Gaara couldn't hear, but though he could hear it perfectly. Naruto glanced at him and Gaara shut his eyes tightly to make it appear he was asleep.
"The only word he's told me was his name; Gaara." Kakashi's eye broadened a little, but no one could have seen it except for Gaara. Kakashi said, "I've heard reports on Gaara. He's been an orphan ever since he's been six and – from what we've received of information – he has the Shukaku trapped within him."
"Shukaku?" Naruto repeated. His eyes darted down onto the ground in sadness. "Is it…is it like the Kyuubi?" Gaara's light green ringed eyes widened. Kyuubi?
He heard Kakashi sigh heavily. "Yes, though – the Shukaku – has one tail while you're demon – the Kyuubi – has nine tails." Gaara darted over to the blond's back. That explains…the whiskers. I guess.
His eyes fluttered and shut easily. He fell right to sleep.