Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. ANY and ALL characters, places, etc. in both works belong to their owners.
Ok, so this chapter is very long. I did this because I didn't know where I should divided it up at so I just left it like this. There is going to be a lot of time skips in this but it is just so that we can get to the plot related stuff faster. And also build up stuff for later use in the story. I hope you enjoy.
I had to shake off the memories as I woke up. Thinking of last night made me hiss in anger and sadness. But I was also happy. After years of wanting to communicate with Gaara, I finally could pull upon my magic. Even though it still pissed me off that Yashamaru had set up Gaara to be a monster. If it wasn't for me I'm sure that the pillar that held Gaara from sinking into the demon's insanity would have been broken. Plus I was becoming overly poetic, I blamed the solitude.
Heck, I didn't even know if Gaara was ok. Mentally or physically right now. I decided my first priority was to check on my brother before thinking of what to do.
As a snake, I didn't have any eyelids, so I couldn't really wake up to the area around me. Instead I had to think of my surroundings for my never ending vision to focus out of a blur. As my eyes came to center, I noticed something strange around me. Usually when I wake up I am under Gaara's blankets, not that he used the bed for sleeping. At night he would just lay there, read a book, or look out the window. Then there have been times when I ended up physically on him. Often my instincts as a snake took over and guided me somewhere warm during the cold Suna nights. Waking up between your brother's two cheeks of his butt as he was going to the bathroom was never fun. After that I normally woke up the minute he moved in the morning, not wanting a watery death.
Now though I seemed to be in a dark place with no light. However the feeling underneath wasn't Gaara's skin, instead it was wet and coarse.
I tasted the air, only to hiss in displeasure at an overpowering odor. The air smelled like blood, as did the area around me. I was bathed in it, giving my tan and black scales the color red.
Last night I remembered his face was covered in blood. In his anger, he had carved the kanji for "love" above his eye. At the time I didn't get over the fact that I was actually talking to my brother to think about it much.
So if this was his blood then where was I?
I could feel the blood on my body. No doubt some of it was drying from last night's nightmare.
Although I could also feel like I was being compacted by all sides, like I was buried… under sand.
I slapped by head with my tail and cursed. I was a complete idiot. Sand was going everywhere last night and when I pass out along with my brother I was right over him. My best guess was that I was in Gaara's sand. Which was easy for a snake to slither out of.
I did just that. Digging upward until I met fresh air.
Looking around I saw that I came up from the circle of sand surrounding my brother. Like me, it was stained crimson. Though I could also see traces of what looked like gold sand mixed it.
It reminded me of Gryffindor colors from before my animagus transformation and death.
I made a mental note not to let Gaara practice with his father's Gold Dust. If anything maybe something close to Ravenclaw colors in his sand would be better.
I looked up at my brother. He was sitting on the sand with bloodshot eyes. He wasn't crying, but I could tell he had done enough of that to last a few days.
I slithered to him as a ninja came near Gaara. By the time the ninja had come close enough to be heard I had already reached my brother.
As I reached his ankle I noticed the blank look in Gaara's eyes. He was in shock.
"Kazekage-sama wants to see you in his office."
It went unnoticed by the two as I cursed a string of hisses. Silently moving up Gaara's leg as he got up to see his father.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
A Few Days Later
I took in the taste of the air of the redhead's new room. There was a plain bed, not that he needed one, a desk and that was about it.
We were currently in our father's home. Being the leader of Suna apparently gave the man a huge place to live in. Just the fact that our room was the only one completely isolated from the rest of the house proved it.
When our father told Gaara he was going to live with his brother and sister in his home I was shocked.
I didn't think the very man that wanted my brother dead... would have him stay so close to his family. Though after a bit of thinking... I thought it was a cunning plan on the man's part.
Gaara would be kept more in check at the house then by himself now that their was no one to take care of the six year old.
All the Kazekage wanted was to have his weapon on a leash. To him that was all Gaara was… not his son but a weapon for Suna, and it made me pissed.
It was nighttime and Gaara was making his way out of the room he had only just move into yesterday. I had already guessed he was going to walk out tonight so I came with. I traveled with him in his underwear as the redhead walked Suna at night.
I watched as my brother's legs slowly moved. He wasn't going fast, so I had time to think.
I was mad that Gaara was still being called a monster by the stupid citizens and ninja. Solitude was getting under my brother's skin and it didn't help that our siblings never spoke to him either. The only time they did was when they brought food to Gaara's room. Only asking if they could come in, and then immediately leave like fire was licking their heels.
However, I was also saddened by what our uncle did. Because of that man Gaara would need me more than ever. I thanked him for pushing me enough to be able to access my magic, but I hated him for betraying Gaara. He left a broken child to suffer alone.
I now had to be the person Gaara could trust. He was my brother, but I knew that even brother's can't solve everything. I told myself that as long as I try to keep Gaara safe from the demon, then he should be all right.
As the night went on I finally noticed Gaara had stopped walking.
Stealing my will, I slithered out of my brother's pants. I went down his leg before hitting the cold roof top. I then moved further behind Gaara that way I wasn't directly behind him when I transform back into a human. It was going to be the second time in six years… I couldn't help but feel eager. I quickly tasted the air for someone, but got no other smell than Gaara's. Good, now I could do it without risk of being seen.
The magic flowed through me. Just like that one night I tapped into my very soul.
In less than a second I was now looking at Gaara's back. I seemed to be the same height as my brother. Then looking up I saw my hair was the same as well.
Gaara said that I looked like him, but to my surprise I was in fact his twin. I was now sure that I was a perfect copy except for my eyes.
Gaara had saw my left eye and thought I was the demon. I didn't have a mirror but I guessed my eye was the same as Shukaku's for my brother to think I was that thing. My other eye was either my old one or the same as Gaara's... I didn't know.
I smiled, having the familiar feeling of arms and legs was a blessing. I had gotten so used to being a snake I wasn't sure that I could keep my balance though. I looked down at my body to see if everything was ok, only to mentally curse when I saw that I was naked. Not a scrap of clothing on me.
I stopped looking at my human body, mentally sighing in relief when I felt my balls and pennis. For a second I thought I had a girl's body. Being a snake, I really couldn't tell and I never tried to figure it out for some unknown reason.
I rubbed my neck, trying to get comfortable before I was going to have to give a long explanation to the six year old.
I took a deep breath. "Hi Gaara."
Before I knew it my brother spun around. Eyes shocked. I wondered if the sand would have attacked if anyone else was here.
The boy was quiet. His emotions were like steel ever since Yashamaru's betrayal not even a week ago.
Not thinking he was going to speak I decided to. "Do you remember me?"
He nodded. "Sabaku no Jeremiah." His voice was calm, but held something I rarely heard... happiness.
"If… If you're really my brother, prove it." Even though Gaara seemed calm, I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. If it wasn't for what I said, if I had waited to show myself to him, would he have even given anyone else a chance to prove themselves? How much power would the demon have over him if he never met me?
I flashed a smile. "I was born the same day as you, and I have been with you ever since. You might not believe me now but I can show you later. " I paused, think of what to say next. "Gaara, I may not look like it but I am actually 16 years old, not adding the six years as your brother. Before I was born with you, I went by a different last name and was part of a different world. There were no ninja or Hidden Villages. Instead we had secret places where people with magic met, lived, and learned. There I was 16 and in school. Unfortunately, I was a loner with only two friends toward the later years. Because of that I did a very stupid thing and decided to force a very risky and dangerous spell to do what I wanted without asking for help."
Gaara still gazed calmly at me. Although I could see he was having problems not giving me a disbelieving look. Me being naked probably didn't help.
"Long story short I overpowered the spell with magic from the school and got it to work at first. Then I died due to another's spell, and I couldn't stop the magic flowing into my soul from the ritual spell. After that I ended up in our mom's belly. Later I was born with you."
Gaara narrowed his eyes. "Then if all that's true. Where were you?"
"The spell changed me into what I wanted. Unfortunately when I was still in our mother's belly my magic was that of an unborn child's body. And due to the risks of the spell, I ended up unable to change back into my unborn human self. My soul has much more magic than my body, so it forced me to a smaller version of what I originally wanted because of the sheer difference between the two." I paused for a breather. "I have been with you since birth. No one, not even you knew I was with you. My small form hid me from sight and the little magic I could acces kept me from your notice. Stopping you from even noticing I was there through any form of touch."
I slowly put a hand on my brother's shoulder. His eyes widened, as if he expected his sand to think of me as a threat.
"Gaara... you are my brother. I don't think of you as a monster. The monster is the demon, not you. I love you, and I know that together we can beat it. You can gain full control of the sand, because I'll be supporting you. I..I don't have much time left, Gaara. Staying human is draining my magical core. Just know that I love you."
The last thing I did as a human was give my brother a hug.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
Gaara was shocked. During Jeremiah's story all he could do was think how stupid it was. He thought that the crazy boy was going to hurt him, like his uncle, but what he never expected was a hug from his naked look alike.
He thought about how the boy looked so much like him that there was no doubt he was a twin. The redhead was still nervous but kept up a calm face during the story.
He had never heard of anything the boy was talking about, so at first he thought the other kid was lying. His demon was screaming in his mind to kill. To spill the blood of someone who had to be a fake.
The bloodlust was there, just under the surface, but he never gave in. Gaara never heard anyone sound so kind and sincere. Not even his uncle spoke like that.
Then what he never thought was possible happend. Blue-green eyes widened in shock as Jeremiah told him he loved him. No one had ever loved him that. He was told his mother had loved him, but that was a lie. He thought his uncle loved him, but again that was lie.
For the first time Gaara felt something he thought he never would have… hope. The person claiming to be his twin didn't think of him as a monster, but wanted to help him.
Shukaku was screaming and yelling about lies. They hurt his head, giving him a huge headache, but he ignored them. Jeremiah looked the same as him. He even had the left eye of the demon to prove his connection. What other proof was there? The boy had the left eye of the sand demon for crying out loud.
Gaara, realizing this, was about to return the hug when all he felt was air. His new brother had vanished right before his eyes.
His brother had said that he was small and that he couldn't feel him.
Acting quickly, Gaara put his hands onto the roof, laying them flat. Then five seconds later the redhead saw a very small tan and black dash move in his right hand. Gaara realized that it was so small that only someone really looking hard for it could see it. The dash almost completely blended in his his skin color and the sand around him perfectly.
What Jeremiah said was true. He couldn't even feel anything from the... he guessed a snake.
The six year old looked at the snake that was his brother for a long time. He couldn't see any details about the snake, so he carefully cupped his hands and moved near one of the street lights to get a better look.
Once Gaara was under the light, he could he see his brother more easily, but not by much. He couldn't make out the scales, but was able to see that his brother was a tan desert snake with a little bit of black. He also saw his twin's eyes were the same in human form as snake form, just more like a snake's eyes.
The six year old boy was excited as he walked home, but kept on the calm and emotionless face. He thought to himself why other people, the ones who hated and feared him, his brother, sister, and father were so different compared to Jeremiah. They wanted him to be a weapon. While his brother wanted him to be who he wanted to be.
Realizing this, Gaara decided he needed to calm his emotions, so that no one would know about his brother. So that his new brother wouldn't be taken away. His brother was the only one who loved him. The only one who looked after him. So Gaara walked home making an oath.
'Love no one else but my brother. Care for no one else's existence but ours. Fight only for us. Protect Jeremiah at all cost.'
0o0o0o0o0o0o
It was night time as Gaara picked me up in his hands. The redhead had wanted me to go with him to one of the desert training grounds outside the village.
I groaned.
Gaara laughed, not hearing the hiss because I was so small, but because he saw me move my head along with it. I guess I could just sleep in Gaara's crack again. It being the only warm place for me when Gaara was outside during the cold nights. I knew my brother was embarrassed by my favorite spot, I would be to if I was human. I had spent too many years hiding there every time he ever went out to not have it be my favorite spot.
It was a training grounds that no one used because Gaara and claimed it a few years ago. It was outside of the village and a great place for us. No one came there, not even the ANBU.
Everyone from the village knew that Gaara went there some nights, so nobody would follow us. Not even the Fourth Kazekage's assassins went somewhere that was purely made of sand if Gaara was involved.
The first few attempts to kill Gaara happened before he was nine. It was when he was first in the academy up until he turned eleven, when showing progress in becoming a "weapon", they stopped.
There were around eight different attempts on his life during those days. Ranging from ninjutsu, poisoning, and even traps.
None of the attempts worked. Ending in the death of the people trying to kill Gaara.
The third attempt on Gaara life was in the very training grounds Gaara was walking towards. After what happened nobody messed with Gaara when he had tons of sand around.
Flashback.
It was during a full moon that I had asked Gaara to go to the training grounds outside of the village. It was so that Shukaku's blood lust wouldn't urge Gaara to kill anyone tonight. Unlike the last time when Gaara stayed in Suna.
I was sure that someone found the bodies of the drunk men the next morning. They did after all call my brother a monster.
It was because I really couldn't stop the demon screaming in my brother's head during the full moon, that I thought up a spot where Gaara couldn't hurt anyone. Then the idea of outside of the village in the desert training grounds came to mind.
I was in his hands as he traveled outside Suna.
It took a while, but eventually he made it. The night went on as Gaara stared at the moon. I was in his hands the whole time, moving from one to the other. I wanted to see how fast I could get in my animagus form. Then I panicked when I smelled another's sent with my tongue.
The ninja whose scent was in the air attacked.
"Damn you! You're a disgrace and a demon. Suna doesn't need somthing like you in our village! Everyone knows that you had this coming! JUST DIE SHUKAKU!
The ninja was wearing black clothing and had no weapons in his hands. At first I thought he was going to use some type of jutsu. Usually Gaara's sand blocked fire, wind, and earth natures but after learning about chakra nature in the academy I grew worried that the man was going to try something else.
Gaara trusted his sand way to much for me to not worry. Even I knew that one of these days someone would find something that could penetrate his ultimate defence.
So I was completely surprised when the ground underneath us gave way instead of a frontal assault.
I curled up closer to Gaara's giant palm so I wouldn't fall.
Gaara hit the ground, landing softly because of his sand. Unlucky for me he was taken by surprise and forgot about me.
As we were falling I lost contact with Gaara's palm and because he was many times bigger than me. He hit the ground sooner, leaving me free falling.
With wide eyes I realized I was going to hit Gaara. Normally it wouldn't be a problem, but I was pretty sure than even a snake, much less a human, couldn't survive meters, turned the height of four floors I was now falling. I was going to hit my brother square in the head, but end up as a blooded pancake on his face. I wish I could turn human. Then I would only be dropping a few meters but I couldn't. I could only change when my magic core was full. It wasn't tonight.
I hissed out curses as I fell. Thinking of Gaara seeing his brother had impacted his head, then go on a massacre when he realized the fall had broken my spine, killing me.
Instead of a hard skull, I found myself landing on soft sand.
Gaara, when I saw his worried and shocked eyes, wasn't the one who caught me. Meaning it was the sand itself that protected me.
"I made this hole just for you demon! With this I'll bury you in the sand you love so much. The people of Suna will never have to live in fear of you ever again!" the man screamed from a top of the hole, "Kai!"
I smelled burning before the familiar sillizzing of a paper bombs hit my ears. I looked to see the walls of the deep hole were covered in the bombs. 'Shit.'
They all exploded. Gaara's sand surrounded us. It protect us from the blast but not the cave in that followed. I blacked out after that.
When I came to I felt something pressing on me.
I looked up to see Gaara nugging me with his huge finger.
"You ok brother?"
He looked worried and his eyes were watery. It looked like he had been crying.
I nodded, not being able to say I'm fine. He gave me a smile. "You really scared me. You weren't moving for a few minutes." Gaara's grin turned into a cold frown. "I dealt with the man for trying to end our existence. He died quickly."
His maddened eyes made me shiver. He usually got a little nuts after killing someone, due to the demon. I looked over to see a bloody mess that was once a ninja.
End Flashback
The ninja's death was spread around the village. Rumors of Gaara using the very desert to kill spread quickly.
They were mostly true, like how Gaara told me he spread his chakra into the sand on top of us to control it, then using it to Sand Coffin our attacker.
Of course the rumors only made Gaara seem even more like a monster to the people of Suna. But, after the attack we learned two things.
One was that no one, even during the day, came to the training grounds in fear of meeting Gaara with an unlimited amount of ammo.
Then there was also the fact that Gaara's sand had protected me, without his order to do so. It was a huge relief that if I ever did get into trouble the sand would protect my small body.
Gaara shook his hand, getting me to focus.
"Are you paying attention?"
…
He sighed. "I asked you to change. I want to talk to you about when I become a genin in a month."
Oh yeah, I remembered that the academy graduation was next month. Gaara was going to pass no matter what anyway. He had the chakra control to do all the required jutsu. Plus they didn't dare teach him how to spar with the other 12 year olds. He was isolated enough in the classroom enough that none of the other students or teaches even bothered with anything but the standard lessons.
Gaara sat me down on the sand then backup giving me some room. In a second I had transformed. I stood naked in front of my brother, not that it bothered me.
He groaned. It made me snicker to hear the always cold and collected redhead break his mask around me.
"I forgot my spare clothes for you."
I had a cheeky grin. "It's fine Gaara. Now what about you being into a genin?" It wasn't like I was ok with not having clothes, it was just that going so long as a snake made me not even think about it too much.
He sighed. "Well… I want you to start training with me before that happens." I was about to laugh. When I did he was silent.
He was being serious.
"You said it your self that my ultimate defence would be breached one day. If that happens then I won't be able to protect you. So, if we both train then I can learn something other than my sand. While you can work with your magic stuff and also know how to control sand like me."
"Ok I give thats a great plan, but I can only turn human when my magic core is full which is every few days. So what are we going to do for the rest of the time? You will have missions and we can't train during those. You probably can, just by using your sand, but for me I'll have nothing to do."
Gaara smirked. "No you won't, because for the next year you will be teaching me to understand all of the hissing you do."
My jaw was dropped and I was shocked. Out of all the things in the world for him to say… it had to be that! "Y-You want me to teach you how to understand me?"
Gaara nodded. "Didn't you say that the once great Harry Notta was able to speak to snakes?"
"It's ...Harry... Potter…" I facepalmed, slowing saying the hero's name, "and he could. No one outside of his friends knew how though. Everyone guessed it was because he killed the Dark Lord the first time."
"Well that's not an option, but is there any other way? It sounds like a kekkei genkai."
I nodded scratching my chin. "Yeah it kinda is. Being able to speak Parseltongue is said to be a dark trait of Salazar Slytherin."
"I don't need to speak it Jeremiah, only understand what you're saying."
"It's harder than you think Gaara. I don't even know if it's going to work."
He stood up. "Can't hurt to try. It's about two in the morning. You want to train on using your sand or sleep?"
"I can sleep during the day. Help me with the stupid sand stuff. Then I'll start teaching you something in Parseltongue."
0o0o0o0o0o0o
I woke up to the feeling of being moved. I stretched my tan and black colored scales as I noticed I was covered in liquid of some kind. It was wet against my scales and smelled really bad.
I felt cloth under me as well and looking up I saw Gaara must have moved me to his chest. His shirt was wet with sweat and he looked to be very tired.
He was laying on his back breathing heavily. I found that it was early morning and we were surrounded by desert. Meaning that we were currently in Gaara's personal training grounds or to the villagers…. the demon's territory.
I slithered up his shirt to his face. Then I made my way up to his eyes before poking my head in front of one… getting his attention.
"Oh hey brother I was just getting a breather."
I tilted my head to the side looking confused.
"Why? Well I was practicing using my sand all night. I ended up with a new jutsu using different minerals. Do you remember when I spent that whole week using my sand to dig up rock?"
I nodded, remembering teaching him some simple Parseltongue to Japaneses words during that week. Mostly one syllables like "don't, yes, no, how, where, eat, run", and a few others.
Gaara picked me up by his fingers and placed me in his palm as he stood up. "After all that searching I found some rare minerals that I'm keeping in my sand gourd until I need them."
I wasn't going to ask what rare minerals were, guessing that he wanted to surprise me later.
It looked to see sun was rising. Meaning it was morning, and Gaara had to go to the academy to become a genin and get his team. Which would be his brother Kankuro, and sister, Temari, as they were the two people that he would be less likely to kill should Shukaku make him insane.
I slithered up his off his hand and up his arm. He was asking me what I was doing but I ignored him. I reached his shoulder in a few seconds and went up along his neck and head. I then slithered into his left ear. I just felt so small knowing that his ear was like a massive cave when in reality it was less than the width of his finder.
"Can you hear me Gaara?" I spoke in hisses.
"Hear? Oh, yeah I can."
"Much better. You should get to class now, it's morning." I hissed.
"Umm… oh, it's morning. Oh! You're telling me to head to the academy. It's still early but I can leave now. I won't respond to you if I'm around other people ok?" He was still having problems understanding some of the words.
"Got it."
0o0o0o0o0o0o
Gaara sat in his corner in the ninja academy class room. He was isolated but it didn't matter to the two of us. I listened as the teams were called.
Unlike some other villages, Suna takes all graduating academy students rather than giving another test.
I figured it was like Hogwarts in the fact that Suna and the Wizarding world had a smaller population and so every one who passed got put on a team best suited for them.
But in Gaara's case, he was going to be with this brother and sister, insuring that at least his team would survive with the strongest of the class together.
When Gaara's name was called I heard that his sensei was going to be a jounin named Baki.
"G-Gaara… can y-you please meet with your brother a-and sister at the training ground near the village's wall. It is number 023.
Gaara didn't respond to the nervous teacher. The man always seem to stutter when addressing him and he had gotten used to it during the academy.
I saw as Gaara as calm as ever walk to the training ground.
It took about 15 minutes but he finally made it. From my higher vantage point in his ear I saw that much of the field was covered in large boulders and sand. There also seemed to be slabs of concrete scattered about. It looked more used for getting someone use to fighting in different areas than just dull ground or sand.
"Hi Gaara."
I heard the voice of Kankuro to my right as I saw my older sister was on my left.
Gaara must have gave them a passing glance as they didn't talk after that.
"You could talk to them. It'sss not assss bad asss it soundss to have a conversation with them brother." I hissed.
A few moments passed before Gaara spoke up, thankfully taking my advice to at least talk to them.
"Kankuro. Temari."
I saw my sister nervously glanced at Gaara. "Yes?" she asked.
"Don't be a nuisance. My existence depends on you to not be in my way."
Well... not the most nicest then he could have said but it was better than not talking at all. At least he is trying to be civil. I flicked my tongue, smelling someone approaching.
"I think our ssensi issss here."
My tongue didn't let me down as Baki arrived in a few seconds.
"Good to see you here. We will meet at seven each morning to train. Then after that we will start taking missions. You have the rest of the day to get anything you need. See you tomorrow."
I sweat dropped. Only hearing his voice I could tell he was strict and wasn't going to take shit from no one. Yeah, being under this man was either going to be hell or wicked cool. I just hoped this would give the redhead a chance to open up to someone who wasn't dependent on him… unlike me.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
After the first meeting with Baki, Gaara had taken me to our usual training spot out of Suna.
I was in my human form with my red hair, right hazel eye, and left eye of Shukaku. Fortunately though my twin brought me some clothes so I wouldn't have to be stark naked like the last time I was training with Gaara.
I focused on my magic, feeling it flow in my soul. That was were my magic was. Back in my old world it used to be located in my magical core in the body. But here people had chakra in the body, not magic. So when I became Gaara's twin I guess my magic was not able to push the life giving chakra out of my body, which would have killed me, thus making it harder to access my magic in my magical core because I didn't have one.
Well that was my best guess anyway. It explained why I had trouble using magic during most of my time with Gaara.
I had only recently started using it again. It was so hard without a wand. No wonder Hogwarts was eager to teach the wizards and witches of the UK. As I quickly found out that accidental magic, aka wandless magic for those who can't use magic without a wand or haven't had any schooling, tended to make bad things happen around the user.
One of the easiest spells, Wingardium Leviosa, had instantly backfired on me. When I had pronounced it I willed my magic to lift the stone in front of me.
If it wasn't for the sand automatically protecting me as a human I would of had stone shrapnel all over my face from the explosion.
"I don't why this is so hard! The spell was taught my first year and I went through it like it was nothing."
Gaara, stopped practice with his sand in the air. Currently it was in a shape of a spear. "Jeremiah, didn't you say that only people like Voldemort or the headmaster at Hogwarts could be proficient in wandless casting?"
"Yeah, it's the hardest thing to do aside from elemental spells. You have to will and focus your magic like your wand would, but with your hands. They say the reason it's so hard is because our wands get us use to having the magic already focused. But without a focusing point many wizards couldn't perform spells, thats why they're essential."
"It sounds like chakra, using hand signs and chakra control exercises to better jutsus. Magic is all about control right, so why not get something to control and focus it."
I sighed in irritation. "I wish but I don't have anything to make a wand, let alone the know how. All I know is that the wand has a core of some sort. My old one had Unicorn hair as its core and was made of ash wood. It was just a standard wand that chose me. I don't even have a clue as to what else goes into the darn things to make them work." I was pulling at my hair at this point, extremely frustrated that my spells weren't working and I didn't know how to fix that.
"Why don't you just find a new core and materials to use."
I shot him a questing look. "What do you mean, like experiment until I get something right?"
Gaara nodded and turned his back to me, continuing to increase the speed of his sand.
I stood there not knowing what to do. There was no magic in this world, so I couldn't use anything that I knew of because it didn't exist. I figured I could figure it out later after I had some time to think.
Deciding to scrap the idea of wands for now I went back to work on casting first year spells Which all ended up in failure.
After spending the next hour of the night I started working on manipulating sand like Gaara with chakra. It was slow when it came off the ground but I found it wasn't talking a lot out of me like I thought it would. Then again I was an identical twin to my brother, so I most likely had the same chakra reserves as him.
"But without the control." I muttered to myself. Seeing sand move around me at the speed Gaara had surpassed years ago. "Why is nothing easy for me!" I whined, causing Gaara to laugh.
I had eventually given up very late into the night. My magic core running out of juice to keep me human.
It was kinda unexpected when suddenly I was human and then only a few centimeters. I immediately noticed that Gaara didn't know about my abrupt change, so I had to wait for him to find me. Which took two hours of desperately going from grain to grain looking for me.
Thankfully he finally did in a near state of panic. After that little screw up he promised me that something like that wasn't going to happen again because with my size I surely could have died from the cold or any desert animal that might of found me.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
-Months Later-
"Would you knock that off Kankuro! I was trying to sleep!"
"I can't help it if Crow gets damaged while on a mission. The wood is split in two different places and its joint is sticky. I have to remove the bolts before the pistons get jammed with sand."
"Uhh! Why do you have to do this now! Were a day away from the village. You can work on the puppet some time later you know, like not when I'm trying to sleep!"
"Well sorry if our eighth C-rank wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Were both tired after dealing with those enemies but you can't expect me to not repair my puppet. It's like if your fan got damaged, Temari."
"Would the both of you be quiet. I'm trying to focus."
Leave it to Gaara to shut the two up. They had been bickering most of the time they were on the mission. Arguing over little things and Gaara was the one to stop them.
It wasn't like Temari and Kankuro didn't like each other, it was just they never get along very well after a long time together. It was nighttime and the group was about a day's walk to the Sand Village. When we had to take shelter at night in tents, Gaara and myself had to listen to the two augering about Kankuro and his puppets.
The redhead was in his own personal tent when the two started. He was reading a book and wasn't giving his other siblings his notice. After about twenty minutes I think they finally annoyed him enough for him to go out of his tent and tell them to knock it off. After that there wasn't a peep from our brother's and sister's tent, or the sound of Kankuro fixing his puppet either.
Gaara came back into his tent then zipped it up. He was unusually the one to stop them from arguing. Mostly because Baki never did and had his own tent further away from the rest of his team.
Only the wind blowing sand across the desert could be heard as Gaara sat down on his sleeping bag before going back to his book.
'He's definitely gotten a lot more calmer since all those years ago.' I remembered when he would snap at anyone who got in his way or threatened him. Back when his demon was in more control.
He only killed the ones that attacked him. Anyone else was just pushed back by his sand, injured and scraped up, but at least still living. It took some work but over time Gaara started become less violent.
Now he never killed unless they were enemies. Even when Shukaku was no doubt screaming at him to kill he stayed emotionless. His blood lust only really coming out on the full moons and even then he never just randomly went out and killed anyone. Only those that happen to piss him off.
Gaara was hated and isolated in the village, but at least he had made some bonds with his teammates and siblings. They no longer feared that he would kill them with his sand, but they also didn't exactly be friendly with him either. Temari was nicer and more gentler with Gaara. Actually chatting with him on missions and at home. On the other hand Kankuro often times tried to joke around with Gaara, who still didn't understand them at the end of the day. Over the last few months they were teamed up the three became closer. Gaara still couldn't trust them fully and often times kept to himself, but at least he tried.
I curled up on Gaara's shoulder for the night. Not really feeling like moving to another part of his body. My brother didn't know where I was, but trusted I was with him. It really didn't matter anyway as he wouldn't be moving from his spot with it with it so windy at night. My last thoughts were how proud I was that Gaara had completed his eighth mission without a scratch.
-The Next Day-
(3rd Person POV Until Next Break)
Gaara was in front of his father. The Leader of Suna and overall number one person Jeremiah hated in the entire village was sitting at his desk, looking at Gaara's team. His eyes passing over all three of his children, but he seemed to pause, staring into his youngest son longer than the rest.
"As you know, Suna has suffered greatly in wealth ever since the third war." He paused to look at the Baki and then the rest of the team. "In a few days time we are to have our nin take part in the Chunin Exams that are being held in the Leaf. Kankuro and Temari, as the children of this village's Kage and experienced shinobi with eight C-Rank and one B-Rank, expectations are high that you go far in these tests."
The air thickened.
"Not only is Suna taking part of the exams, we also plan on an invasion of Konoha."
There was dead silence in the office. The Kage wasn't kidding, he truly was going through with this plan.
"A partnership with the new Hidden Sound Village, lead by former Leaf sannin Orochimaru, will lead to our victory. I know that the Leaf is a powerful village. To attack will be risky, but our goal is to cause damage and then an organized retreat. Insuring we look like the victors to any potential clients. The invasion is to begin during the final exam on my signal. Konoha has taken our wealth and our Wind Lord sees us as nothing compared to them. In order to survive this village must show its worth."
The Fourth Kazekage looked at Bake. Getting a nod from the man he addressed his children again. "You are to show the strength of the Sand and protect Gaara during this time. His status must be kept a secret as much as possible. When the time comes Gaara will need to transform into Shukaku. I trust you two in guarding him when he releases the demon. You are dismissed."
Gaara and his siblings walked out of the building rather quickly. Kankuro and Temari never spoke as the three walked home. Baki was no doubt getting more information about the invasion to inform his team on what to do later.
The redhead never said a word, never shown his thoughts on what his father had said. He was stoic and didn't once say anything as they walked home. Needing to get ready for leaving to the Exams tomorrow.
The three made it two the mansion. It was quiet and nobody was home. Gaara walked right past the living room with his gourd of sand strapped on his back he walked up the stairs.
"Hey... Gaara?"
Kankuro's voice stopped him before he reached the top of the stairs. Gaara turned his body, looking at his older brother. Kankuro's eyes, much to Gaara's surprise had fear. Though not the fear directed to him, no not that, because the puppeteers eyes never met the redhead's eyes. Instead he was staring at the gourd behind Gaara's back.
"The first day we became more than just siblings and actually a team, I noticed something. You weren't, aren't, the person I thought you were. Your isolated and alone but never to us. Temari and I, we're distant, but we still want our brother to be safe. I don't want you to go back to being what you once were. If that thing gets out, I... I don't to lose the brother I've gotten to know."
Gaara fully turned to his older brother, seeing his sister there as well. They looked nervous as Gaara opened his mouth to speak.
"All of my life I've had no one." Gaara thought about his twin brother. 'I can't tell them about Jeremiah. I don't know if it's safe to or what someone might do to him.'
"I've had a demon in me who has tried to take over my mind on more than one occasion. He has caused me to be alone and a killer. After I killed Yashamaru, he took control. Rampaging until father stopped him. Since then I have tried to control it, but at times failed. You've seen what happens."
All three had mental images of bloodied bodies and red soaked sand.
"I am not a monster, but many think I am. Yet you don't see me as a monster, you used to, but not anymore. Nor am I a weapon for this village. I'll do what I have to do because if I don't then my existence may be destroyed. I love myself and fight for myself, but what use is there when you have only yourself? So I will trust you to be a reason why I exist, rather than a monster with no reason to live other than to cause death. I want you two to keep me from losing myself."
They were both teary eyed as they nodded. Gaara headed into his room to pack for the exams.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
Baki lead the his Suna team to the gates of Konoha. Guards, who were posted at the entrance, signed their papers, allowing his team to get through.
The village was much more colorful than Suna in my eyes. There were no roads of sand or stone but actual pavement. There was sidewalks and grass in yards. Trees were a common sight along with the occasional vender selling things like candy to ice cream.
The village was truly wonderful for the people that lived here. To bad it will be wiped out by the invasion.
The village was like a drier version of Britain. There were people in the streets talking and chatting. Children playing at the parks and people going to work just like the ones back home did every morning. I briefly wondered if this place could have been a great place to escape with Gaara to.
Then the thought was cut short as I heard Kankuro bump into some kid.
"Ow! Heh?"
I saw my older brother grab the kid by the scarf, bring him up to face level. "Do you need something?" His voice had a hint of annoyance. Well the little brat did just run into him.
"Put him down, Kankuro. Or you know you'll pay for it later." Temari was wearing her usual white shirt with fish net guarding her shoulders. She had the her head band around her neck and with her darker blue eyes she looked bored.
"Hey, I'm sorry about all this it was my fault."
I looked over to see a pink haired girl standing with a blond boy, two kids were standing behind them. Probably friends of the kid Kankuro was picking up.
"YOU BETTER TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF HIM RIGHT NOW!" The blond suddenly shouted.
"We got a few minutes before he gets here. Why don't we mess with these punks."
"Aaaaa. Put him down!" The blond Leaf nin, most likely a genin, charged at Kankuro. Only to stumble and land on his back.
"Konohamaru! Thats it, drop him now or I'll take you apart you got that you fool!"
The puppeteer huffed. "You're annoying, all of you. I don't like runts or any other squany nobodys. So when a kid like this starts shoot off his mouth," the kid, Konohamaru, gave a squeal of pain as Kankuro tightened his fist, "I just want to break them in half."
"Uh, fine. I'm not involved in any of this," spoke the four ponytailed blond.
Kankuro moved to punch the scarf wearing kid. Then he let the kid go as a rock came out of nowhere, hitting his hand.
I looked to see another kid with a blue shirt, white shorts, and a Leaf headband sitting on the three branch with a pebble in his hand.
"You're a long way from home. Your way out of your league. Get lost." He took the rock in hand and crushed it to dust, trying to act cool, and succeeding. Was Temari blushing? Nah.
"Hey! Snot nosed punk get down here so I can deal with you myself!" yelled Kankuro. He grabbed Crow from his back, about to unwrap it.
"Kankuro, knock it off. You're just embarrassing yourself."
Everyone looked shock, even my older siblings, at hearing Gaara voice. I held back a smirk- could I even do that as a snake? I gave Gaara the idea of being upside down, making his entrance kinda cool.
"Hehe. Sorry about that."
Gaara used a Sand Substitution, appearing next to our siblings. "Lets go."
The pink haired girl had said something but I tuned the rest out. Not wanting to the hear the rest of the conversion. I decided to fall asleep in my brother's ear.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
When I woke up Gaara was moving. I could feel the motion of going up and down in his ear as he walked. Seeing light from outside I knew it was sometime in the morning.
Slithering out of my brother's ear to get a peek as to what was going on, I was shocked at what I saw. There were hundreds of ninja's from all around. I really didn't know were by looking at the headbands, but seeing so many different symbols and teams I knew what all this was.
We were in the first part of the Chunin Exam.
"Wow this is the big bad Chunin Exams. Hey Gaara look at the kid over there in the back, it's the same kid that threw the rock at Kankuro. And there are his teammates too."
Gaara nodded, not being able to speak to me in a crowded place.
'I really needed to form some type of mental connection with him or something.' I thought. Getting very of bored of talking and then not receiving a reply when Gaara was with other people.
My brother was calm and didn't move a muscle, unlike some of the genin here, when a loud booming noise came from the front of the room.
After the smoke cleared I saw a group of chunin behind another person.
"Quiet down and listen up! I'll be your proctor, Ibiki, and that's all you get to know about me during the exam. Now take a number and your seat so I can explain the test."
Gaara took his seat in one of the many chairs as the proctor, Ibiki I thought his name was, explained the exam.
Which I rolled my eyes at. The final score is a combination of the team, you miss points if you are caught cheating, and there is a tenth question at the end. No biggy, the OWL's that I passed were harder than this test. Then again they were about magic subjects and this test is over ninja stuff, so I really couldn't be help to my brother.
"I don't think I'm going to be much help here Gaara. Ninja stuff isn't my best subject."
My brother didn't respond. He was looking intently at his test, trying to figure it out. Fingering that just staying in his left ear was going to be boring for the next hour I decided to at least spend my time better, or in Gaara's case be annoying as hell until something interesting happens.
I focused my snake eyes on my target. The pink eraser on the end of the pencil in Gaara's hand. I decided to make a game out if it. If I could make it to the top without him seeing me then I will be the winner, if not, then whatever. A wizard turned snake needs something to do at least once in a while.
I followed down his arm under Gaara's clothes. Popping on to the back of his hand and slithering onto his index finger to reach my goal.
Looking up, Gaara was putting two fingers on his eye with his other hand. He put down the pencil and flipped the hand I was on over, so that he was looking at his palm. I was on the tip of his index finger as sand started forming in his hand, creating a single brown eyeball.
Gaara's Third Eye turned around, it was probably going to be crushed and dispersed into sand before it zeroed in on me. The eye's pupil narrowed.
I looked up to see Gaara spotting me. Even though one eye was closed I could tell he was scowling at me.
He sighed, probably questioning what the heck his brother was doing before crushing his eye, sending the sand to reform and spy on another person's test.
My eyes met dull green as Gaara looked at me with one open eye. I had only a second before sand surrounded me, keeping me from moving.
Darn it Gaara! All I wanted was to do something to occupy myself!
My brother's sand was wrapped around me in a ball. I still had my head uncovered but I couldn't move at all. Being stuck on his paper as he started to fill in each question until the test was completed.
Gaara removed his fingers from his eye, canceling the Third Eye jutsu.
Looking at the clock I saw that an hour had passed. Meaning everyone was getting the tenth problem in the class room.
I looked around, seeing team after team be called. Ending their chance at moving on. Around one fourth of the people had already got busted cheating. Which I thought was stupid because all the shows I watched before coming to this world depicted ninjas as sneaky and good at gathering information. So even if a lot of them in this world relied more on fighting then sabotage and sneaking around, I still thought that at least most of them would have a jutsu for that kind of stuff. Apparently not.
"Alright listen up! Here's the tenth and final question! But before I give you the question there are some more rules that I think you need to be aware of-"
Ibiki was cut off as Kankuro came back in the room. 'Why was he coming in the room now? Didn't he know that the goal was trying to get the answers? Instead he spent all that time in the bathroom?! Really!'
"Ahh, made it just in time," said the proctor. "I hope you found your trip to the bathroom enlightening." He had a small smirk before gazing back to everyone else. 'What was that all about?'
"These rules are unique to the question." He paused as a chill went down my spine. I wasn't even taking the test and I was feeling nervous! The guy could pass as a death eater for making everybody in the room so paranoid.
"Rule number one, each of you can choose not to be given the final question."
Temari must have been thinking the same as me as she blurted out what the catch was. There was no way something like that didn't come with one.
"If you choose not to take the tenth question, regardless of your answers to the other nine, you get a zero. In other words you fail, and that means of course both your teammates fail as well." The proctor continued talking as others in the room started whispering. "Not so fast you didn't let me finish. If you do accept the question, but answer it incorrectly. You will be banned from taking the Chunnin Exam ever again!" He yelled the last part. Most of the room went still.
One ninja yelled out then others followed. Claiming that it was unfair and that others had taken the exam before.
Looking up, I saw Gaara as calm as ever. Not even stressing out about the question. Heck, I remembered my OWL's and they scared the crap out of no matter how much I studied. I quickly wondered how the redhead could even do that when I was actually way older than him by a good amount of years.
I shivered again as the proctor laughed. Then telling us that we were unlucky and that anyone can just give up now and take in again during the next exams.
Some of the teams started raising their hands and quitting right then and there. Under these choices if I could I would have said screw it and left. Not risking never competing after this for a stupid question. If I could I would have told Gaara to quit, but he had a mission to destroy this village and couldn't no matter what. I hissed angrily, not liking the risks for this stupid exam.
After a good chunk left and a blond kid shouting about never giving up. Ibiki drop a bombshell on us, telling us that everyone who stayed had passed the first test.
Gaara removed his sand from me as the proctor started talking about information. The proctor removed his headband, but before I could see what he was showing us, Gaara grasped me in his fist. I could only hear gasps and then a crash later. A lady then shouted to head the Forest of Death for the next test.
'Great,' I thought. 'another forest. Why can't we be getting anything easier?' Remembering the forest behind Hogwarts and how I hated the place. It was creepy even in the day time no matter what Hagrid said. The huge teacher showed and taught us all kinds of magical beasts that terrified me. Spiders, monsters, trolls, and big ass dogs...no thank you.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
The second proctor told us about the two scrolls and what her part of the exam was about. Surviving at least five days, don't look in your scroll, and get another team's by the deadline.
Gaara stilled held me in his fist. Not leaving me any wiggle room to get out of my temporary prison. Even using sand to block some of the spots where I could squeeze through. It was dark, I couldn't see a thing, and I could only rely on my hearing and smell.
I smelled that their were a lot of people around us until people's sents started to fade away. The sound of foot steps meaning we were walking away and getting to the spot for Gaara's team entry into the forest.
"Gaara! Gaara!" I shouted. "Come on man open up!"
He didn't hear me. Curse my small voice.
After a while all I could hear was the forest around me. No one was talking as they moved through the forest by ground.
Eventually though the night chilled and Gaara let me out as they stopped to eat lunch. A rabbit that Temari had caught and killed was being cooked.
Gaara put a small piece of meat in his hand when the other two weren't looking. Even though I was a snake and the rabbit meat was bigger than me I ate as much as I could. Which wasn't much giving my size.
As Gaara ate the rest I slithered up his body then into his ear. At least I could talk to him even though he couldn't with our siblings around.
"What was that for?! I don't like it when I can't see Gaara, you know that."
My hisses pounded against his ear drum, but he never responded. I would have to wait till we were alone before we could talk.
It was a while later when we ran into another team.
They were Rain genin. I could tell because of the umbrellas, and the symbol was right there on their headbands.
"Hey look at this, these guys think they can challenge us head on. The nerve of these Sand ninja."
"What fools."
"To bad kids. You should have picked your opponents better. Now you're all going to die."
I sighed. The minute someone threatens mine or Gaara's life… they die, no exceptions. Fighting was one thing. And Gaara was painful to fight against, but he never crushed anyone who only fought. Some nasty injuries ya, but nothing to permanent. But with the sadist in front of us, I worried about the amount of blood this will end with.
"I've heard enough out of you. Lets make this quick. I don't want to waste time." Gaara loosened his arms, getting ready to pulverise the guy.
"Hey Gaara? Doesn't it make more sense to gather information first. I mean if they had the same scroll as us it would be pointless to get in a fight." said Kankuro.
"Good point Kankuro, but they threatened me first. We can deal with if they have a heaven scroll not later. If they had asked us to surrender then maybe. They didn't do that, so my sand will be bloodied today."
Kankuro grimaced but relented. I figured Gaara's point was good. They did threaten us first and all.
The Rain nin grabbed his umbrellas before throwing them in the air. "If you think you can kill us. Then try it!"
Hundreds of sebon came down on at Gaara. Only to be stopped by his sand.
"Wow, if it wasn't for the sand, that many needles would have killed you. Never mind being crushed to death. Apparently the new trend is pricking until there's too many holes to prick."
Gaara snorted. "Ha funny. You think that pricking me to death will work? Is that all you can do?"
More sebon came at the redhead only to be useless. "A sebon rainstorm huh? I have an idea, lets make it rain blood instead."
The scared ninja ran at my brother as Kankuro started blabbing about Gaara's sand. 'Really Kankuro! Even if the others live after this do you have to go out and blab?' I mentally cursed my older brother for talking so much. There are scare tactics, but that was a little too sensitive information to be giving out.
Unfortunately, or fortunately for us, the enemy had to come closer to attack. He screamed as Gaara wrapped the sand around him, fully encasing and suspending him. Then came the blood, a lot of it, when my brother used his signature Sand Coffin.
The other ninjas screamed as their teammate turned to mush. Then begged to be spared as one of them put down a scroll. It was white, meaning it was a heaven scroll. The one we needed to pass.
"They already lost a member so they can't pass. Just grab the scroll and leave. I want us to be the first one to the building."
Gaara smashed the last two Rain ninja back with his sand. Sending them on the ground rolling. "You annoy me. Leave."
I eyed the sebon umbrella on their backs. The darn things were killer and relied on speed. Plus by the jutsu the dead ninja used in looked easy enough to use them.
"Pss. Hey Gaara. Order them to leave behind all of their umbrellas and sebon."
Gaara coughed twice quietly. It was our secret way of communicating when he couldn't talk back. Two coughs, asking why.
"You can let weapons like those just walk away. Suna has puppets and stuff but nothing that can launch sebon in a sphere like his jutsu can. Think of what we could do with those."
"Also leave your umbrellas and any sebon you have." Gaara voice didn't make them hesitate to throw all their stuff to the ground and run. Gaara walked up and placed the four umbrellas on his back and pocketed the sebon case.
"Nice, they had a heaven scroll, but why grabbing all their stuff Gaara?" asked Kankuro.
"Insurence. Need a new tool now that my sand has been found out."
The redhead looked straight towards where I tasted the scent of other people in the air, and a dog's as well.
"Come on Gaara lets go."
My brother nodded as Kankuro lead the way. I was sure that other team was scared shitless when Gaara looked in their direction. 'Who wouldn't be after that mess?'
0o0o0o0o0o0o
We all made it to the center building just fine. In fact we were the first ones there, meaning four more days until Gaara and my siblings fight.
Temari was in the showers and Kankuro went to the men's as well. Leaving me alone with Gaara.
"Jeremiah, what was the reason for bringing the Rain nin's sebon umbrella with us? Kankuro was becoming annoying asking me about them."
"The sebon are a good tool to use in an emergency. Like if you are cornered and need something to get the enemy off your back. Think about it, your sand will protect us, but if you're stuck and being pressured into using that dome of sand. The last thing someone would expect his a hit from the air or behind."
"I get it. While they're focused on me, I can surprise them while my sand is busy taking damage."
"Exactly," I hissed, "although we don't know how to use it."
Gaara sighed. "Again brother, you don't think things through. Remember that time when you were training and you exploded that rock."
I slapped my tail against his ear drum, snickering. "You mean when you screamed blood murder when it went off from under you. Haha… you flew so far."
"Yes, yes laugh it up. Just know you get the spend the night in the gourd."
I stopped, horrified. The image of Gaara freaking out from his flying lesson faded. It wasn't the gourd I was afraid of, it was being put with sand that had killed people, a lot of people, and smelling like intestines even after shedding my skin.
"Hahaha… I'm just joking Gaara." My voice definitely didn't sound confident I was getting out of this. It was just a little wandless magic... ok so instead of conjuring a snake I got a redheaded rocket getting shot into the sky.
Gaara huffed. "And magic doesn't exist. Oh wait, only you can do it."
I grumbled about it not being my fault. "Anyway, just ask Kankuro to teach you. The umbrella shouldn't be as bad as his puppets to figure out."
We just left it at that about the new tool in our arsenal. Gaara promised to get it checked out.
When Gaara finally did the next day it ended up being tricky to use. He didn't have the muscle or right twist to toss all four of them into the air, let alone the wind manipulation needed to get the needles flowing in all directions around a target. Plus the fact that they were one time use kind of tools sucked. Meaning you have to constantly pick up the sebon on the ground or get new ones.
So for the next four days, Kankuro managed to teach him enough in weapons to use them correctly. The redhead, never having used anything other than his sand, made it hopeless in teaching him different tools. Taking hours of work and practice to get the lone chakra pulse needed to fire off the needles was a pain too. Then because Gaara had lots of chakra, he couldn't use chakra strings to pick up the sebon, which forced him to use his sand to pick up each needle and refill the cartridges.
xXx
One Day Before Last Day Of The Second Exam
The four umbrellas spun and then launch into the air by a vortex of sand. It was like a rocket, much to Gaara's annoyance. His sand would spin them then launch each one skyward. A pulse of chakra later the target dummies were shredded
By the end of the last night Temari managed to teach Gaara enough wind manipulation to make the sebon go in multiple directions. Making me really giddy about using the deadly weapons.
I was confident that we were going to win. Who in the Konoha could stand up to my brother in this test? No one, not anyone can lay a scratch on my brother.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
Everyone was in the main arena of the building. Multiple teams from Konoha, a team from Oto, and Gaara's team were the ones to pass.
I rolled my eyes at the stupid speech by the Hokage. The whole reason for this test to get more clients for the villages that come out on top.
It was sort of like Wizards and their politics. Always trying to be the one on top through manipulation of the people. That was the reason I didn't like this exam, it was all for political gain.
Great, now there are going to be preliminaries. I kinda wondered why not having more fights for the third exam was ok, but guessed they needed to weed out the weaker ones somehow.
Thankfully the first match was starting and my siblings got to wait above the battle.
I didn't watch the battles hardly at all. None of them really exciting me as I glanced from Gaara's ear. The Leaf ninja that had injured Kankuro with a rock was in the first match. Sasuke Uchiha was strong, but other than taijutsu we did get to see that much before he left the arena. He won his match, but during it I got a similar scent from him and another watching.
The man I was smelling was tall and very pale. His looks didn't matter, as it was his smell that was worrying me. It was coming off him like an odor, and it also seemed to attach itself to Sasuke too. It was the pungent smell of snakes and decay. My instincts were telling me to get away from him and anything that man touches.
"Hey Gaara. That man over there, by himself, I get bad vibes from him. Same for the Leaf ninja who just fought. That man doesn't smell right, like a bunch of decay and snake skin."
Gaara turned his head to get a look at the man. I had a pretty good idea that the man was now put on my brother's shit list. I just didn't plain trust or like that man. He was dangerous and Gaara would protect me from any threat.
After a few matches Kankuro and Temari had theirs. Kankuro ended up against a guy who could completely control his own body. Giving a new definition to the word flexible.
As I expected from my older brother, the battle was quick as well as Temari's. Though I didn't like that they showed their jutsus so much. They both lost an element of surprise for the finals.
When Gaara went down for his match I was hoping to have harder opponent than just a ninja in a green spandex but oh well.
End of the chapter! Till next time!