"Suicide doesn't kill people. Sadness kills them."


A slight breeze woke her to the sound of leaves and grass branches rustle about the woods. Ruby stretched. Light tried to penetrate through her eyelids but she pulled her hood over her eyes and turned her side.

She felt too relaxed to get up but her yawn made her eyes water. After she rubbed her eyes with her fingers, she finally opened them. Naruto was still dead asleep like he was last night. His back to the ground, drooling mouth gaped towards the sky.

It was too dark to really get a good look at his face but he had these weird whiskers. She just wanted to touch one of them. Not yet fully awake, she reached to feel one of his whiskers. It wasn't of hair but a little carving in his skin.

Ruby realized what she was doing and quickly pulled her hand back. She hoped no one saw that. After she sat up, she quickly looked around and saw Matsuri sleeping on Yukata's shoulder. That's what best friends are for, right? Good thing that fallen trunk they laid against was huge.

Jiraiya slept against a tree. His arms folded across his chest with a frozen face. In fact, it looked like he was merely resting instead of sleeping. Whatever, at least he didn't see her touch Naruto's face.

Suddenly, as a yawn came to be and forced her eyes closed, she didn't care. She placed both hands over her mouth to conceal it and stood straight up to stretch for the sky. A walk sounded like a good way to spend her time over just waiting.

There were plenty of trees, that much she expected. But then she came to a small stream of water, barely a foot wide, yet it cut through the ground at ease. Might as well follow it up. It was not too far from their campsite, so best have a trail to lead her back.

The fewer trees that cluster about, the more the water widened, and the louder the sound of falling water could be heard. Soon enough she came to the small waterfall Ruby knew she was destined to see. However, it appeared rocks were placed intentionally to stop the water from falling. They only allowed the water through the little cracks between them. The hill was very steep but very short. In fact, it wasn't much bigger than Ruby.

She climbed up the elevation. Up here, it was more like a prairie than a forest as there were only but a couple of trees, which were yards away from the now wider river, which proved to be at least two yards wide. The water sparkled as it rested in its little creek, waiting patiently for the rocks to move. The grass looked amazingly soft, even for sensitive feet that mean, coarse sand abraded the bottom of them.

Ruby dragged her hood off and undid the strings of her cloak. She then sat on the soft grass and took off her sandals and socks. After all that time in the scorching sun just two days ago, the small warmth it gave today was too polite. Would have been rude to not show it some love.

Ruby stood up and squeezed the grass with her toes. It wasn't dried out like that dreadful sand. Shel took a few steps to the water and looked at it. Sun was bright enough to see a reflection by just standing, so she sat criss-cross over it.

She smiled. Her transparent reflection smiled back. Besides her red-tinted dark hair, silver eyes, and pale skin, she yet had no idea what she looked like before then. But everything checked out. In fact, she was prettier than she would have thought. But, she wondered just who she really is.

After she gazed at the water, her legs folded and dropped into the water. This was probably the happiest and most relaxed she's been since she came here. Although she couldn't really compare to her old life if she didn't remember it. She rested her hands on the grass behind her and gave it a slight squeeze with her hands.

'A hand hug,' per se.

The clouds were puffy like smoke, and with each time they cut into the sight of the sun, they made a dark overcast. She remembered back in that dark void, the earliest cognitive memory she could recall, that when the man first talked, that gray clouds sped over her. They were probably white, and only gray because of the lack of light. Equally as puffy, though. However, those clouds were fast. Too fast. The ones over her right now took their time.

Perhaps those clouds weren't fast but, instead, her perception of time was flawed. She kept on trying to figure out when and where she was but there is no real way to tell. Maybe she should take her time, too, to find out who she is.

She lowered her back onto the grass and rested her head on her folded arms. If this world's turn of events have gone wrong, what is she supposed to do? Who is she suppose to help? When the bridge broke, Naruto said the same thing as that man, 'You need to answer my question. There is not much time.'

Could it really be such a coincidence? What would Naruto need help with, at any rate? Not to be annoying? Not that he's not an amazing person after he helped save Matsuri.

Ruby gazed to her left and noticed something red. A flower. Her eyes fixated on it as she stood from the water and walked closer to it. A red flower on top of a giant, green stem.

She really didn't want to pluck something so magnificent. Instead, she gently touched one of its petals. "A rose?"

"What, have you never seen one before?" A deep voice said behind her.

Ruby yelped as her entire body jerked. She liked to think herself as courageous but can't help with surprises. Quickly, she turned around and saw Jiraiya. "Jiraiya, right?"

"Glad you remember my name." He had a really gentle grin. He walked around the girl, crouched down, and plucked the rose. After all the care she gave to not pluck it. It annoyed Ruby, actually.

He handed the rose to her, "There is a lot more foliage up the river. Don't worry about this one."

That made Ruby feel better. Yet, what a poor flower. To be all alone out here. She held it close to her chest. It was bright red, like her cloak.

Jiraiya pushed his hands on his knees and stood up. "So, Ruby. You're not from here, are you?"

Ruby took her eyes off of the rose and looked at the man. "Is it that obvious?" She asked in a quiet voice.

The man made a loud laugh. "Are you kidding? It was obvious just from the way you were looking at that rose."

Her face frowned down as she made a frustrated noise. But she peeked up at the smiling man, who still had that warm, honest smile.

"But don't worry. Whenever you're done with the water gathering, I want you to pack whatever you have. And then I will teach you."

She gave the rose a shy grin. "You know, Naruto said you were a pervert."

"What?! Me? A pervert! How dare he!"

Jiraiya started to walk back the way she came, probably back towards the camp. It seemed like he was being sarcastic when he said that like he expected his pupil to say that. "Don't stay out here too long. Naruto and I need to get going."

"Alright."

The sooner Naruto gets back to his village, the sooner she can start training. When he dropped to lower terrain, she headed the opposite way. She will head back soon, she just wanted to check out the other roses. Jiraiya said there were more just up the water, right? Wouldn't hurt to look.

Sure enough, there were hundreds of roses scattered through the green layer of grass. They must like it up here, where it's always in their warm sunlight and away from other plants and trees. Nothing but their own kind. In her hand, Ruby held the rose right at its throat, where the prickles didn't dare to be. She bent down, laid the rose on top of the foliage, and walked away.


Hidden by her cloak, feet outfitted with her sandals, Ruby came into the sight of the just woken Matsuri and Yukata.

"Hey, Ruby. Where did you come from?" Yukata asked.

"Just a short walk. Hey, Matsuri, feeling any better?"

"Hungry more than anything. We left everything at our camp. You two think we should go get our stuff?"

Ruby and Yukata gave each other a nervous look. "That would be hard seeing…"

"The bridge was destroyed," Yukata finished. There'll probably be another bridge to get back or they'll have to go all the way around. Either way, it would take a while.

"What?! How are we going to finish our mission?" Matsuri made a small groan as she gave herself to gravity and fell against the fallen tree.

"Think Naruto and Jiraiya will help us?" Yukata asked.

"Maybe."

Jiraiya seemed to have taken a stroll of his own as he still wasn't back. Naruto, somehow, was still asleep. He was obviously breathing but he hasn't moved an inch since Jiraiya laid him down.

But, maybe it is a good thing he is a heavy sleeper. Or else he would have woken up to a bizarre, uncanny girl touching his cheek.

Beyond the boy, Ruby saw the incoming Jiraiya. She wondered what the point of taking a detour back was.

"You three ready to go?" He asked.

"Yeah, but Naruto is still asleep," Ruby explained.

"That so?"

Did he really not notice that the boy was still asleep at his feet or was he just playing coy? The man gently kicked the blonde's side to wake him but it was unsuccessful. He held his chin his chin and studied the boy. "I guess there's no helping it."

He picked Naruto up and placed him on his shoulder. "I'm just glad he is still somewhat light after these two years. Let's get going."

Ruby walked on the side of Jiraiya which he carried Naruto as the other two girls strolled along the other side. Although she didn't have much to her name, Ruby took it upon herself to carry Naruto's backpack.

"So is Naruto your grandson?" Matsuri asked. It sure seemed like that kind of relationship.

"No. When we met, the brat wouldn't let me research until I trained him."

"Research?" Yukata inquired.

"Wait, the name Naruto sounds familiar. Isn't he the one who-"

"Beat Gaara?"

When Jiraiya abrupted them, Matsuri and Yukata made an ashamed look. Of course, the master would be proud of a student if he accomplished something like that.

Ruby gave an alarmed look to the boy when she heard those words. Power enough to shape sand like it was smoke from a fire and to be a leader of a huge village, it was obvious Gaara was extremely strong. But Naruto managed to beat him?

"When was that?" Ruby curiously asked.

"It would make sense you wouldn't know. You only came to the country as of recent. Three years ago during the Chunin Exams," Jiraiya explained. "Gaara and Naruto were matched against each other. In fact, the battle was so tough they both collapsed at the end."

After she heard that, she had to admit, as vexing Naruto is, he's also amazing.


Naruto quickly stood up from the cold, freezing water. What a way to wake up. The water came to his waist, and after the thrash he made to get up from drowning death, the three girls giggled.

"Wow, you finally woke up, huh?!" Jiraiya mocked.

Naruto took a second to analyze the situation. When he realized he was thrown into the water, he then held up a fist in anger as he scowled, "Did you just throw me in the water, you old pervert?!"

"It's noon, you idiot! I had to wake you somehow." Jiraiya kept his calm posture with his arms folded. It seems he enjoyed doing that. Maybe a little too much.

When Naruto started to walk back to the dry ground, Jiraiya walked back to the path. The girls followed. However, Ruby stayed to wait for Naruto..

"Give me your jacket."

"What? Why?"

"It's wet. I'll rag it out for you and carry it while your clothes dry."

He gave it a second to think. The warm sun would dry him out but not if he had his jacket on. "I get your point but I can do that my-"

Ruby swayed her eyes away. "How else am I supposed to thank you for you helping me yesterday?" Ruby asked softly.

"Okay, fine. I see your point," Naruto said in guilt. After he unzipped and pulled off his jacket for Ruby to grab, it left nothing but his mesh shirt. It was a lot thinner than Ruby's own mesh shirt, enough to be somewhat transparent. She took a small glimpse of his abs.

Quickly, she rotated and like a master to a dog, she demanded him to follow. "Come. They're waiting for us."

He furrowed a confused eye but did as she said.


Ruby ragged the jacket and swatted it in the air, much to the annoyance to Jiraiya as he was the target of the water. He walked in front of the four so how could they see his annoyance? How could he yell at Ruby who acted so innocent? Poor girl didn't even know she was doing it, after all.

The three others smiled when Ruby took a gasp of air. However, Jiraiya groaned quietly. She raised Naruto's jacket out in front of her before she started to violently swat it.

After a moment of Ruby's 'drying,' she held the jacket and rubbed the inside of it with her thumb. When she was satisfied with her results, she smiled at her handy work and gave it to Naruto. Completely oblivious to how wet Jiraiya's back has become, she dusted her hands together.

Jiraiya pouted as he looked behind, "Is it finally over?"

"Jiraiya, what's wrong? You've been depressed since we woke up Naruto!" Ruby asked.

The man made an obvious, loud laughter, "It's just that I'm just going to miss you! Our paths will be diverging soon!"

Ruby's eyes sparkled before she frowned down, but Naruto nudged his arm to her elbow and made their eyes meet. Blue really was a good color for them. they matched the sky.

Just like how Jiraiya said, it split left and right in front of them, like the letter 'y.' He stood in front of the girls with Naruto close to his left, who looked to ruby. "Well, see you around?"

Ruby nodded her head, "Of course."

"Obviously you two will. Ruby will be coming to Konohagakure in a few weeks," Jiraiya said.

After he heard Jiraiya, Naruto smiled. "Wait, what? Is she coming on a mission from Sunagakure?"

Matsuri and Yukata already knew Ruby wanted to train under Jiraiya, but Naruto was asleep the whole time.

"As it stands, Ruby isn't but a guest in Sunagakure. She was just lucky she came through the sand, other villages might not have been so hospitable."

Jiraiya was right. Although rough around the edges, Gaara was as hospitable as someone could be.

"So she'll be joining ours?"

With a smile, Jiraiya glanced at Ruby. "Well, that would be up to her, wouldn't it?Jiraiya said as he glanced at Ruby.

She shyly looked away, "I don't know. I might want to go home someday so joining any village would be- you know."

"Problematic. You shouldn't need to worry about that then. I'll see you soon enough. Matsuri, Yukata, see you around, too," Jiraiya said, making his leave.

"Be sure to come find me when you arrive at Konohagakure, Ruby," Naruto added,

With a watchful eye, she looked at him as he rotated and left, and much like any disciple, he shadowed his teacher. She didn't even notice Matsuri taking her wrist to go their own path, "Time to go, Ruby!"


In a few hours, the three girls stood at the top of a flight of concrete steps. Ruby could see the sun about to set behind a blanket of a blue sea. In front of the sea was a huge concrete layout instead, with dozens of buildings. Mostly made of bricks or dry walls.

"Gaara said it would be the building closest to the East, so…" Matsuri took her index finger to point at a very small lodge way to their left, "That one?"

After they found their destination, they started to walk down the stairs.

"It's getting late. I'm not exactly excited to camp again after last night," Ruby stated behind them.

Ruby's concern made the other girls turn around at the end of the stairs.

"She's got a point. Why don't one of us go look for an inn?" Yukata suggested.

"I could do that."

"Are you sure, Ruby?" Matsuri asked.

When she nodded, Matsuri made a proud smile. "Well, alright. Let's meet here in thirty minutes?"

"Yep," Ruby said as she started to head to the West side of the town.

It wasn't exactly dark yet. Just an orange tint from the descending sun. There was wide, tall building close to the West so she started that way. In only about five minutes, she walked across the whole town.

She passed many other buildings and finally arrived the front of the inn. More elegant than the other buildings here, it was a few stories tall. It had a sitting area with a huge patio. Huge, double doors that had just swung open for two men in black cloaks to walk out.

One had a scythe.

The masked man glared at the staring girl but paid no attention. The other man, whose cloak was ripped on his right shoulder enough to show much of his chest and a wicked necklace realized the gawking girl. The ninja headband around his neck had a strike on it. Although to Ruby's ignorance of the symbols of the headbands, it meant nothing to her.

"Yeah? You're freaking me the hell out with your staring."

"Sorry! I just thought your scythe was cool!" Ruby blurted, embarrassed that her stare was so obvious. The scythe was entirely different from that shadowed person yesterday, so they're probably unrelated.

As he heard her words, the man grinned. "That so? Wanna hold it?"

Ruby slowly nodded. The man took his scythe and held it horizontal for Ruby to grab. Although manageable, it was much heavier than she thought it would be. Red, with three chines. Softly, Ruby whispered to herself. "It's so cool."

With a single hand, the man took it snath and sheathed it to his back, "What's your name? There are few ways to get my interest and one of them is to compliment my scythe."

"It's Ruby. Just Ruby."

"Just Ruby, eh? My name is Hidan. It was my master who got me interested in scythes, and her name was Fuyu Bara."

"Think she would teach me how to use a scythe?" Ruby asked.

The masked man walked closer to Hidan and used his hand to whisper something into his ear. His grin went to a flat smile, "My partner and I need to get going. As for your question, she used to live in Yugakure but disappeared when I was thirteen."

"Oh," Ruby said displeased as they walked away. The girl looked at the double doors. It came dark in so little time so she should better go meet up with Matsuri and Yukata.

As she walked back, she remembered the men's headbands. They both had a different symbol, none which she recognized. But why would two members of different villages make a mark on their headbands and work together?

Her own teammates were already at the concrete steps.

"Hey, Ruby!" Matsuri said loudly as Ruby approached. "Little late, don't you think?"

The girl smiled, "Sorry, I ran into someone that had a scythe and asked about it."

"A scythe, huh? Why would you ask about that?" Yukata questioned. Ruby remembered neither one of them saw that man who grabbed Matsuri last night. She completely forgot to ask Naruto what happened.

Ruby smiled. "Oh, I just think they look cool."

"Did you find a hotel?" Matsuri asked.

"Yep! It's just a walk to the right."

"Great, let's go!"

Ruby acknowledged how they gave each the same warm smile and wondered how long they had been friends. Must have been before they became shinobi.

"How did the water gathering go?"

Matsuri took a blue scroll from her side bag, "They gave me this."

Ruby furrowed an eyebrow. "I thought we came here for water?"

She placed the scroll back into her bag and winked. "It's not the scroll that is important but what will come out of it."

"Wait, a little thing like that can be used to hold objects?" Ruby questioned.

"Not exactly. It's more like transporting the object from somewhere else," Yukata answered.

"Still, that's amazing." Maybe she'll learn how to do that soon.


Many hours later, Ruby looked up at the inn room's ceiling. She had a feeling this huge bed, which had more than enough room for all three girls, was more for a 'couple's night out.' But that's not why she was still up. It was more due to the excitement of getting back to Sunagakure to wait for Jiraiya.

The room was a square, and even with the light off, she could count the huge cracks in the ceiling. They made the shape of a lightning strike.

Next thing she knows, something hit her in the face. Confused, and a bit irritated from being woken like that, she saw Matsuri accidentally let her hand fell in her sleep. She felt the need to shake her awake but managed to restrain herself. She peeked over to an irritated, awake Yukata.

Matsuri had her knee bent towards the black hair girl, almost forcing her completely off the bed. They just had to put Matsuri in the middle, although Ruby couldn't have known she was such an active sleeper.

Once Yukata noticed Ruby also had Matsuri's hand on her face, they both chuckled at each other's misfortune.


On the way back home, they managed to find another bridge that crossed the huge gap in the world. They were even able to pick up whatever they left at their initial campfire and managed to get to Sunagakure's distant desert by mere sundown.

"What about the scorpions?" Ruby asked.

"They don't like this part of the desert for some reason. I think it's because of how little sand they have between the forest and the village," Yukata replied.

"Good. I hate the scorpions. But I hope Gaara's awake so we can give him the scroll."

Matsuri and Yukata nervously looked at each other before Matsuri gave an equally nervous smile to Ruby. "I'm sure he will be."

It didn't take too long to get to the center of the village, in which stood the largest building. Gaara's building. Where else would a leader watch over their people? Matsuri told Yukata she could go ahead and go home.

After they reached Gaara's office door, they had knocked twice and received no answer. Ruby thought he did go to sleep but Matsuri was positive he didn't. Instead, she had Ruby follow her up a staircase and to the roof of the building. They both saw Gaara looking over the village from the railings. It was like he was anticipating something, just like when he saved Ruby.

"Lord Gaara?" Matsuri nervously asked from her distance.

He looked over his shoulder, without an effort to face her.

"Did you get the water supplies?"

"Yes, I-"

"Put it on my desk."

"Oh. Alright."

Gaara went back to peer into the distance of the sand while Matsuri slowly walked down the stairs. Ruby had wondered what that was about. Was he that anti-social?Ruby thought of asking him what was wrong but figured, it's not her place. Instead, she followed Matsuri down to the hallway.

"Hey, Ruby?"

"Yeah?" At least Matsuri wanted to talk.

"Do you think I'm pretty?"

"Of course I do!" Ruby said rapidly.

Matsuri stood like a statue for a few seconds before rotating and come towards Ruby, who put her arms around her neck to give her a hug. "Thanks, Rubes."

"What are friends for?" Ruby asked, rhetorically.

After Matsuri left, Ruby walked into the same room she slept in just a few days ago. After she closed the door, she undid the strings of her cloak and put it on top of the dresser. She sat on the side of the bed and took off her socks and sandals.

It's weird. After barely sleeping the past few days, when she crawled into bed and laid under a blanket, she didn't feel so drastically exhausted until now. She felt so tired, that if a hundred of bombs went off right above her, she would probably sleep through it.


12/15/2017 Edit: Removed epithets. So many "the blonde." Fixed so everything is past tense. Removed anything that Ruby wouldn't know about. She does not know how Gaara used to be.