Hana walked out of the building deep in thought, Should I even bother trying to get him to remember me? Should I just leave everything in the past? She felt someone tap her on her should, she stopped and turned her head to see a woman with light brown hair pulled back in four ponytails, dark eyes and a giant fan on her back. "Hey, are you Yuki-san?" she asked. "Yes, can I help you with something?" Hana asked the woman. "Kazekage-sama asked me to show you where you and your team will be staying, and to give your team a little tour of our village." She said with a scowl. "I'm Temari by the way." "Nice to meet you but, if you would like, my team and I could just find a regular inn on our own, if you're busy." Hana said, she got the feeling this woman didn't really want to do what Gaara had asked of her.
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to sound rude, it's just difficult sometimes to take orders from your little brother is all." Temari said with an embarrassed chuckle. Hana stared at Temari for a second, "You…you're Gaara's older sister?" she asked, surprise showing on her face. Temari studied her for a while, Who is this woman to call Gaara so informally? "Yes." She answered. Hana looked down for a while, wondering what to do, then looked back to Temari. "Temari-san, will you join me for lunch? My treat." Temari narrowed her eyes at the smiling woman before her, "Sure." What better way to get information from her. I will find out who she is. Temari though to herself.
Temari led Hana to her favorite restaurant, once they both sat down and ordered, Temari look at Hana and asked "So have you ever been to Suna before?" Hana put her tea down, "I have actually." She said with a smile. "I came here for a few days with my mother when I was a little girl." "Did you like Suna?" she asked. Temari noticed Hana's eyes lose focus, as if she was remembering and seeing the time she was here, a gentle smile graced Hana's lips, "Yes, I enjoyed myself very much." She said softly, and then she looked to Temari. "What was it like growing up with Gaara?" she asked.
Temari studied Hana, she seem sincerely interested in knowing about Gaara. "Why do you want to know?" she asked Hana, still suspicious of her. "When I was here in Suna, I had befriended Gaara. He seemed so lonely, I never knew why. And now he doesn't even remember me." Hana told Temari sadly. So that's why, Temari said to herself. "Do you care for him?" Temari asked softly. "I don't like to see anyone lonely." Hana answered. Temari sighed, "Well when he was younger he didn't have full control of his sand, so he'd usually end up hurting someone. No one wanted to play with him, he was too dangerous. Father hated him. The first time he had full control of his sand was when he got that tattoo of his. Apparently our uncle, Yashamaru, tried to assassinate him, but failed. Gaara killed him, and then carved that symbol into his forehead. Since then he became more distant, crueler, meaner. I swear it seemed as if he were truly evil." Temari said eating her food, not really paying attention to what she was saying.
Hana turned pale, "How long ago was that?" she asked. "Huh? Well I guess he was about six I think." Temari answered. "It all makes sense now." She said softly, it must have happened after i left. Temari paused in her eating and looked at Hana, "What are you talking about?" Hana closed her eyes and furrowed her forehead as if she were in pain. She slowly opened her eyes again with a sad look, "He…he probably though that Yashamaru loved him. Besides me, he must hav thought that the only other person who loved him was Yashamaru. But...then to betray Gaara like that." She couldn't continue, she felt like she was going to be sick. So that's what happened after I left. And I wasn't there for him. No wonder he doesn't remember me. I left and his uncle tries to kill him. Love had always failed him. She felt tears run down her cheeks, she couldn't help but grieve for him.
Temari didn't know what to do, or what to think. No one ever cried for her brother. She put an arm around the other woman, "It's ok. Once he met this stupid kid, Naruto, he's gotten better. We're kind of close now. I no longer fear for my life, I don't worry that he'll kill me. He actually confessed all that to me, well granted he was really drunk, but still he confided in me. He's kinder now, and we all know he really cares about the village. It's all thanks to Naruto." She stated with a smile, hoping that would cheer the other woman up. Hana wiped her tears and smiled sadly, "Yes you're right, he doesn't look lonely anymore. He doesn't look as scared to be alone anymore, I'm glad. Well I guess in that case, it wouldn't matter if he remembered me or not." Hana ended sadly, though she was happy that Gaara had friends and people who cared for him now.
Temari didn't know what to do, she didn't know her brother that well, she didn't know if she should agree with the woman or encourage her try to get Gaara to remember her. But once she looked at Hana she made up her mind. "Hana-san," she said softly, "I…I think that you should keep trying to get Gaara-san to remember you. I think it would be good for him to know that there was someone in his past that did care for him." Gaara has the symbol of 'love' on his forehead, maybe it's time he actually experience 'love', to know what 'love' is all about. Temari gave a silent prayer, Kami-sama I hope this turns out all right.
"You…you really think so?" Hana asked. "Yeah, I mean, he could have given you an answer right away, but instead he has you staying here for a week!" Temari said with a smile, to cheer her up. "You're right Temari-san, I won't give up so easily." Hana said with a smile. "Right!" Temari yelled. "Ok now, hehehe let me show you where you will be staying." Hana nodded.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
It had been three days since Hana had lunch with Temari, and still she had not gone back to talk with Gaara. Though half of her wants to see him, the other half of her was deeply embarrassed. Why did I get so emotional? Why did I run into his arms? I mean, he was just a boy I knew, right? She asked herself. "Sensei, you're still avoiding him?" Akari asked, surprised to see her sensei still in bed. Hana turned her gaze from the ceiling to her student, "N-no I'm not." Lying through her teeth. Akari crossed her arms and looked skeptical, "Come on Sensei, what do you take me for? I'm not stupid."
Hana sighed and threw the covers over her head, "I know, I'm just tired is all, now go away so I can get my beauty sleep." She said through the sheets. Akarti rolled her eyes and walked over to her sensei's bed, took a corner of the covers and threw them across the room. "You're not acting like yourself at all. We want to get to training, training with you. You know how much the guys want to be the best in the village, and that means training with you, learning from you, becoming better than you. Which means YOU need to get out of bed!" Akari scolded her teacher. "You're right, I'm not acting like myself am I?" Hana asked as she sat up, still in her pajamas, a sports bra and sweat pants.
Akari looked at Hana sadly, "Why? How do you even remember him if it was only for three days? Why are you attached to him the way you are?" Violet eyes looked into her own green ones. "I…I don't know Akari-chan. I don't know why, I guess he just left an impact on me. He was the first and only person I met who was like me." Akari knew she wasn't talking about personality, there was something special about her sensei. She was the only one on her team to know about her sensei's secret, she had accidentally over heard Hana talking to her mother.
Flashback
Akari was sitting high in a tree, depressed. That morning she had asked her long time crush to go on a date with her, and he had said that he was already seeing someone else. What hurt though and drove her to sit in the forest alone, was seeing him later embracing and kissing her best friend. She sighed, wishing the world to end, when she heard some people coming in her direction. Not wanting to be noticed, she masked her chakra as best she could and hid behind the leaves, watching and waiting.
She saw two women; one tall and thin with long light brown hair down to her knees and green eyes, a woman who looked just like her, her mother. The other woman; small and petite, long black hair to her waist, with violet eyes, her new sensei. Akari was surprised, her mother never said anything aloud but she knew her mother didn't like Hana-sensei.
"So what do you really want Kyoko-san? I really can't believe you would suddenly want to take a little stroll into the forest with me." Hana asked the woman with her. Kyoko looked at Hana coldly, "I was away on a mission when my daughter was assigned to you. I had requested Amekage-sama to put my daughter on another team or at least with another sensei." She said venomously. "However he said that since she's your student already, that it would be up to you." she spat out. "Ah, so you don't want one of the strongest kunoichi in our village teaching your daughter? Isn't that selfish of you?" Hana asked with a smirk.
Kyoko clenched her fists, "Shut up! I just don't want my daughter to be taught by someone like YOU!" she screamed. Hana turned her gaze away from Kyoko, "Someone like me, huh?" she asked softly. "Have I not proven myself to you yet Kyoko-san? Amekage-sama trusts me, why don't you?" Kyoko unclenched her fists and just continued staring at Hana, "Because I know how you can be when that monster takes over you. I know how evil and blood thirsty you become when that four-tailed wolf comes out, and I'm not taking any chances when it comes to my daughter." Hana whipped her head to look at the other woman, "But that hasn't happened in years Kyoko and you know it! You KNOW that I lost control because it was a blue moon that night and I was injured badly and was worried that you'd get killed! You were my best friend, you were like an older sister to me!" she yelled, feeling tears come to her eyes that she fought back with all her might.
"Oh yeah! If you cared so much about me then why didn't you tell me about that monster inside of you? Why did you hide it from me? Why did you betray me like that?" Kyoko yelled back. "Because I knew you would act just like you are now! I didn't ask for this." Hana ended softly. "Regardless, that thing is still in you and I don't want my daughter around you." Kyoko continued relentlessly. Hana frowned then school her face to become emotionless, "I hear you, but I am unwilling to let her go. She has great potential, and I won't let a good student go so easily. However, I am not the only one affected by my decision, I shall let her decide." Hana, still looking at Kyoko raised and her voice, "So what shall it be Akari-chan? Are you staying or leaving?"
Akari nearly fell out of the tree with shock. How did she know I was here? She wondered. She looked down upon her mother and her sensei, "Akari? What are you doing here? What did you hear?" her mother asked, shooting the questions at her quickly. Akari jumped down, not looking at either of the women. "I believe she's been here this whole time Kyoko-san." She heard Hana-senei saying. "Shut-up I wasn't talking to you. Akari, if you heard everything we said then you should agree with me and my decision for you to leave." He mother told her. Akari looked up and into her mother's eyes; she…she looks so cold, so unforgiving. Seeing this side of her mother made her sad, and then she looked at her senei, she couldn't read any emotions on her sensei's face though. She tried thinking what she would do if faced with the same circumstance as her mother.
Finally after a few minutes of silence Akari looked at her mother, "Mother, I understand your fear and your sense of betrayal." Kyoko smiled and was about to say how pleased she was. "However, I don't understand how you can just turn you back on a friend and make them into your enemy. I…I'm sorry Mother, but I would like to stay with Hana-sensei."
End of flashback
"You mean Kazekage-sama has a demon inside of him too?" Akari asked softly. Hana nodded, "It was one of the first things he told me." Akari wrapped her arms around her senei's shoulders, "Did you tell him about you?" Hana shook her head, "My family didn't act like his. My family never told me that I was a monster so I never thought of myself that way, not until…." Suddenly Akari stood up and put her hands on her waist, "You wanna know what I think?" Hana looked up at her student and smiled, she looked like she was scolding a child instead of her sensei. "Sure, what do you think?" she asked. "I think you need to train with us, it might bring you back to your old self, and THEN I think you should go see Kazekage-sama and tell him everything you told me."
Hana still felt a little hesitant when suddenly they heard someone banging on the door, "Hana-senei, has Akari-chan cheered you up yet so that we can go train!" Keisuke yelled from the other side. "Shut-up idiot." They heard Kei say, "Say what? You want to say that to my face!" Keisuke yelled. Hana and Akari looked at each other and started laughing. "Ok, give me a few minutes to get dressed, then we'll all train for the whole day." Hana said with a smile.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIt was past midnight when Gaara finally finished his paper work; this has got to be the worst thing about being Kazekage he thought to himself. He stood up and looked out the window to gaze at the night sky. It was a full moon and the sky was clear, he couldn't help but remember that it was a night just like this when his uncle betrayed him. At that thought he could feel pressure in his chest, a tightening, a dull ache…a pain that he was use to feeling.
He turned his gaze from the sky, trying to clear his head and not to think of Yashamaru, he tried to always avoid those memories. He sighed as he walked away from the window to the door, time to go home. As he walking out of his office he decided not to return home just yet, he was tired, but not sleepy, especially not this night. When he passed the place where Hana-san and her team were residing, he couldn't help remember the way she had ran into his arms after her students left. I wonder where she's been the past few days. You'd think she'd come see me everyday and probably annoy the hell out of me. Have I really met her before? A question he asked himself more times than he cared to keep track of. He shook his head, she's probably thinking of some other man, he told himself. However it didn't make him feel any better. Instead the pain in his chest came back after that, though not as strongly as before.
He had to admit to himself that the thought of someone wanting him, missing him was very appealing, even if it was impossible. People were either afraid of him, hated him, or ignored him, he felt stupid for even WANTING to be loved. Yet deep down inside, he craved it, longed for it, needed it.
After walking for about an hour he looked around him to scan his surroundings, he was in a canyon just outside the village. He sighed, trying to decide what he was going to think about all night. But then he heard a noise, it sounded almost like someone was training, or at least went for a run, since all he heard was labored breathing. Someone training at this hour? Who would it be? He wondered as he went to go inspect what was going on. As he turned the corner he watched the scene before him with slight interest.
Hana-san was fighting a clone of herself, oblivious to the idea that she was being watched. He studied her intently, her black hair was still up in a braided bun, but because of her training some tendrils had broken lose from the pins and were framing her face. She was small; he remembered that she only came up to his shoulders, and had a slender build. She was wearing a light blue t-shirt and black capri's, her headband wrapped around her neck, like they way his sister use to wear hers. Suddenly he watched her stop her attack on her clone, or vis versa since he couldn't tell the different between them.
There was a puff of smoke and the clone disappeared, Hana had her back to him, but then he heard her ask, "So, come to test my skills?" she turned her head and smirked. He came out from where he was watching her, "What no hugs this time?" he taunted her, though he didn't know why. He watched her blush, but she didn't look away "Forgive me, that was highly improper and rude of me to do." She apologized. He didn't feel it was worth a comment though.
He could she was feeling a little uncomfortable with his silence, when she suddenly got into a defensive position. "Anyways, come on. Let's see what ya got." She smiled at him, excitement in her eyes. He just stood there with his arms crossed, she stood up slowly and then started running fast around him in circles. After a while she threw a couple of kunai's at him to see what would happen. The sand blocked it easily; he wasn't even watching her go round, just stood where he was. Good, exactly what she expected.
Though she was moving very quickly he could still make out her movements, just when he was wondering why he was even here, she disappeared. That caught his attention; he looked around him, what happened? Where did she go? But unknown to him, she was still running around him, but she was moving so quickly you couldn't see her, it was really like she disappeared. She watched him turn his head to look for her, she smiled, an opening. She quickly changed her course toward him, and landed a punch on his shoulder then squat down and tripped him from behind. She jumped quickly away from him and his sand.
What the hell just happened? He thought, I couldn't even see her. He got up and dusted himself off, seems like she might be a worthy opponent after all. He got up and looked at her and her smile, "Stop smiling, it won't happen again." He told her. She was still in her defensive position, "Oh come on Gaara, you weren't even trying. Let's see what that Ichibi can do." She said. The Ichibi was a sore spot for him, he didn't like talking about it or even thinking about it.
Instead of attacking her and letting her enjoy her fun, he turned around to go back to the village. Who does she think she is, talking about the Ichibi so lightly? It made him angry, she didn't know what he had to go through when he had the Ichibi, and it still wasn't any easier on him after the Ichibi was extracted from his body. First he had to prove that he was human enough to be accepted as Kazekage, and then he had to prove he was strong enough without it!
He clenched his fists, trying to calm down, when he suddenly found a pair for violet eyes staring back at him. He stopped dead in his tracks, warily watching her. She looked at him with a sad expression and bent her head, "Kazekage-sama, I'm terrible sorry. I did not mean to upset you, I only meant….please for give me." She said to him softly. First she calls him 'Gaara' as if they were so close, and then 'Kazekage-sama'? Kami-sama the woman is annoying, pretty, but annoying all the same. He thought to himself, studying her with her head still bent.
"I don't have the Ichibi in me anymore." He stated, not commenting on her apology. She looked back at him, "You…you don't? But how is that possible?" she asked. He was definitely NOT going to tell her about the time Naruto had come to rescue him from the Akatsuki. So instead of answering he walked around her and continued on his way, "I'm happy for you Kazekage-sama." She said so softly he almost missed it. But for some reason he didn't take her words well, he whirled back to face her "Why?" he demanded. "It was hell with it, and it's hell without it." It wasn't technically true but he wasn't going to take back his words.
"Do you really feel that way Kazekage-sama?" she asked with her head down. It was really starting to annoy him whenever she called him that. He didn't understand why, but for some reason it just didn't feel right. "Can you really say that you wouldn't care if the Ichibi was still in you or not?" she continued. He opened his mouth to answer her, but she cut him off, "Because being free was always something that I never allowed myself to hope for, and here you are, mocking it." She looked at him with unshed tears in her eyes, but he just glared at her. What the hell is she talking about?
"Free from what?" he could hear himself asking her; she couldn't possibly be talking about what I think she is. Hana hesitated, she wasn't sure if she wanted to tell him, what if he doesn't want to be around another Jinchuuriki? What if he doesn't accept our request because of me? (AN: remember she's here to ask to be allies) But then she remembered something:
Flashback
Hana and Gaara had just finished builing the biggest sand castle she ever saw, they could even fit in it! She looked at her new friend, he was looking sad again. Uh oh, can't have none of that now, she though. "Gaara-kun, what's the matter?" she asked sitting next to him. He didn't look at her, "How come you don't run away? Aren't you scared of me?" She cocked her head on one side, "Why would I?" "I…I have a monster in me, that's why everyone calls me a monster. That's why they never want to be with me, why I'm always alone." He felt hot tears run down his cheeks as he buried his face in his hands.
End of flashback
He didn't hesitate to tell me then, it's only fair I tell him about me, I only hope he doesn't hate me for it. Hana thought to herself. Gaara watched her take a deep breath and turn back to him, "I…I…gulp I too am a Jinchuuriki. I have the four-trailed wolf in me." She said wit her head bent; she couldn't bear to look him in the eye. His mind went numb, she's…she's like Naruto and me? He looked at her, she worked up her courage to look at him again, she had her head cocked to one side. He scowled, why…why does that look so familiar?
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHehehe sorry it took so long to update, I've just been bombarded with exams. I made some improvements, lol I was told that I'm not very good at the Japanese stuff, so I'm only stickin to names not words. I tried to be a little more descriptive this time, and after re-reading my 1st chapter I noticed how quickly everything seemed to be, so I tried to slow things down a little bit. I hope you guys like this chapter too, please keep reviewing for me so that I may improve and write you a better story
Oh and I noticed that it is a terrible place to end the chapter, but if I were too write what were to happen next the chapter would be too long, and it's long enough as it is (sorry 'bout that), but since I have one more final left (tomorrow) I'll be working on this a lot more now, so more frequent updates. YAY! o
BTW: what does everyone think ok her having a 'four-tailed wolf' in her? i know, i can be so NOT creative sometimes, i couldn't think of anything else, so if you all don't like it, just let me know and i'll change it to a different animal...'wolf'? Oo am i crazy?...i think so ;;