Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any characters in this story.
The hot sun beat down as the Kazekage of Suna stepped outside the limits of the Village Hidden in the Sand. Gaara had decided to travel by himself to Konoha, instead of with his older brother and sister, Kankuro and Temari. His reasoning for traveling alone was the ever returning voice of Shukaku. Gaara adjusted the gourd strapped on his back before his chakra infused sand trickled out and began swirling around him. When he looked at his surroundings, Gaara saw he was still miles away from the village or any entrances.
Gaara took a deep breath and continued to walk at a swift pace through the trees. He decided this was the best time to clear his head before entering the village. He sighed quietly to himself before he heard it. A harsh breath and a soft thump came from about forty feet east where he was standing. Gaara calmly walked towards the noises and smirked at the sight he saw.
One rogue nin sat unconscious and bleeding heavily against a bloodstained tree. Gaara could tell he was going to die soon. Another lay obviously dead on the ground. The ground, Gaara mused to himself. Why is it so shattered and destroyed?
But what really caught his attention was the kunoichi unconscious near the center of the clearing. Her pink hair shone in the waning afternoon sunlight even though some of the strands held grass and dirt. Without thinking about it, Gaara commanded his sand over to the girl and gently picked her up with the yellow grains he controlled. He thought his hands to rough and that they might tarnish the unblemished porcelain skin off her body. The sand carried her towards him until she was close enough for him to reach out, take her from the sand, and cradle her in his long pale arms. Studying her face made images and memories flow through his mind. It suddenly dawned on him that this was the girl who tried to protect her team mate and friend from him when the Shukaku got released and took control. She certainly has grown up some, he thought.
Making sure he had a secure grip on her, Gaara began making his way towards the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He was moving fast enough to make the sand and dust float out of his hair and letting return back to its natural blazing red color. The red was in stark contrast to his alabaster skin tone that amazingly was still mostly clean. After about ten minute the girl in his arms began to stir. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Gaara. Mumbling began to pour from her rosebud lips and Gaara leaned in to help better understand the melodic ramblings. Her emerald green eyes closed again as he heard her say one phrase: "Stupid won't give me my ramen."
Panda? Gaara asked himself. Oh, she is talking about my eyes.
Gaara's blue-green eyes had dark lines going all the way around them from being severely sleep deprived as a child. A smirk rose onto his pale lips. She had a called him a panda. Panda's were soft, large, and sweet-looking animals. Everything he's not and never will be. The pink haired kunoichi had already fallen back into a state of unconsciousness when Gaara saw the gate to the village. The two guards immediately straightened as they when they saw that it was the Kazekage of Suna, but directly after they saw the Leaf Nin in his arms they ran towards Gaara. "What happened to her?" asked the female guard.
Gaara faced her fully and said, "I don't know. I found her like this and I'm taking her to Lady Tsunade."
Before either guard had a chance to utter a response, Gaara walked by them. He looked straight ahead as he walked toward s the Hokage's office. People in town were giving him looks ranging from anger to fright to awe as he walked by them. Finally, he reached the Hokage's door and used his sand to knock and open the door after he heard a slightly slurred "Come in" called out to him. The busty, blonde woman sitting behind a desk had a strangely blissful expression on her face; however, when she saw the flash of pink she immediately sobered up. "What happened?" she questioned.
"About eight miles out of the village I found her laying unconscious next to one dead and one near dead rogue ninja, so I picked her up and brought her here. She woke up on the way here and went back to sleep, so I assume she is fine." Gaara said in a voice completely devoid of emotion.
A soft smile lit the face of the Hokage as she rose and walked around her desk towards a small couch off to the side of her office. She motioned for Gaara to put the girl, whose name he has yet to learn or remember, on the couch. Tsunade's hands glowed as chakra pumped between her and the girl as they made skin to skin contact. The kunoichi began to stir and opened her eyes wide. Gaara's cheeks took on a very assuming blush as the girl looked directly at him and asked in a very confused voice,"Panda?"
That was Chapter 2. Hope you enjoyed it.
-Former Pirate