Chapter six: When the truth comes out

"I don't know Temari something just seems very off about her?" It had been three months since Yumie had come to Suna and her relationship with Gaara had gotten even stronger.

The love between them had grown immensely; there wasn't a day that went by when one did not see them together.

But something wasn't right about her, almost as though a part of her just didn't seem to be fully human. But what was it?

"It's strange…She just doesn't seem to fit in". For some time now Gaara's two older siblings had been suspicious about Yumie, they suspected that she was hiding something, the way she never really said much. Or how she'd choose her words very carefully as if she was trying not to give something away.

"I don't really know anything about her Kankuro but you may be right, she does seem to be keeping something". Multiple times the two had tried getting answers out of their younger brother and each time he refused, they assumed he knew her secret and wasn't about to talk.

Both had took particular notice to how she'd react whenever she was around water, she just seemed at ease and more open and curious.

It was almost as though a part of her had some sort of connection to the stuff, or the way she'd talk about the sea, it was how she described it that got their attention; she made it sound like it was the most wonderful thing on earth.

"How odd" "What?" Temari though for a moment, "You know I think I recall seeing something on her one night…it seemed highly out of place".

"What was it?"

"I…I could have sworn that I saw what appeared to be a fish tail…replacing her legs". Kankuro stared blankly at his sister for a moment. For he too had thought he saw Yumie one night with fins replacing her legs it was brief but Kankuro knew for sure what he saw was true.

"Hey Temari?"

"What?"

"You don't suppose that Yumie…is not really a human". Temari shook her head at her brother's thought "Don't be ridiculous of course she is". She was also trying to convince herself that everything about Yumie was normal.

Kankuro spoke again "Well…from based on what we've seen there may be a great chance that Yumie is really a…a…a…" Temari got impatient with her brother "Well!? Spill it out!" Kankuro sighed "Do you suppose that Yumie is a mermaid?"

The blond looked a bit shocked before she shook her head "That's impossible, there's no such thing". "But 'Mari think about it a connection with water, the way she talks about the sea and how we both conveniently thought that we saw her with what looked like a fish tail".

Temari was slowly starting to accept Kankuro's explanation but she still didn't really believe it. "But…but it can't be true at all, mermaids are not real there just legends that have been passed down". Kankuro placed a hand on his sister's shoulder "I don't really know if it's true either but there's only one way to prove it".

Temari sighed "Alright we'll see if you're right".

Later that night

The moon was full, and haunting as its ghostly rays shown down upon the village. Tonight there were going to be answers one way or another.

The two older siblings stood outside the door to Yumie's bedroom in the dark of the cold lonely night they could hear voices; two very distinctive voices coming from the other side. "Gaara-kun it hurts" it was Yumie's voice she sounded like she was in deep pain "Shhh its ok it will pass" both siblings gasped silently it was Gaara their own brother.

What was he doing in there? Why was he in there? They pressed their ears closer to the door groans of pain could be heard as the steadily got louder "G-G-Gaara it…i-i-it really hurts" "Hang in there love, it's almost done".

What were they doing in there? What was going on? So many questions ran through their heads as the sounds of pain and agony gradually got louder until finally they couldn't take it anymore.

The door was slammed open and the two siblings ran in to find their brother holding Yumie in his arms, her body seemed to going through some kind of transformation.

A wave symbol was glowing on her forehead, she clung to Gaara as the final stage of her transformation began she screamed into his chest as her legs molded into one and a solid fin replaced her feet, eventually the pain left and her forehead was no longer glowing. She gasped for air as Gaara smoothed her hair "There, there is alright it's done now you'll fine".

"What the hell is going on in here?!"

Both of them said Gaara looked up at his two older siblings a bit annoyed with them for barging in. Yumie looked scared "Please" she begged "Please don't come near me" Temari and Kankuro's eyes looked downward towards her lower body her legs were gone, replaced by a tail a fish tail.

But how? That was impossible "What are you?" Kankuro asked as Yumie huddled closer to Gaara "Please…please don't hurt me" she begged.

Temari rubbed her eyes and then looked back to the scene how could this happen? "Are you even human!?" she asked as she approached Yumie buried her face in Gaara's chest and started to shake in fear "Temari leave her alone".

Yumie's small fragile body shook violently, now that the two older siblings knew, what would they do? Would they spread the word? Would they beat her like so many others have?

"Who are you? More importantly what are you? A demon?" Temari asked again, her voice made the poor girl huddle closer to Gaara.

"Please…Please don't hurt me" tears now started to run down her cheeks. Gaara raised his hand "Temari, Kankuro I'll explain everything just leave Yumie alone".

The two listened attentively as their younger brother talked; as he spoke at least a dozen questions such as why so many people wanted her dead and what did this wave symbol mean.

"That's why you must not tell anyone about this, if you do then Yumie will be killed". But not even Gaara knew the whole story about Yumie, he had tried several times to ask her for the truth but each time, she claimed that she wasn't ready to talk and never said anything after.

Temari bit her lip in thought; this was all just too much. There was no way a secret like this could be kept for long, sooner or later someone was bound to find out about it; and whoever did was sure to take advantage of it, she would become a freak show. A mere thing of entertainment, people were sure to abuse her use her body for experiments and torture her while her howls of pain would only please their ears.

"Gaara…I don't know keeping something like this hidden isn't going to be easy, what happens if words leaks out? And what about this man, if he does discover that Yumie is here he's sure to kill her".

The red head knew that his brother's words were true. But it was a risk that he was willing to take.

"I know you're right, but try to understand that Yumie is one of the most precious people in my life along with you two and as such I'll do anything to make sure that she's safe. Because I love her…I love her more than anything and I want her to stay here with me where she can live without fear".

The two siblings looked at each other and nodded before looking back to their younger brother and Yumie. "You're not going to hurt me?"

"No of course we won't, you're precious to out brother, and that means you're precious to us also".

"We swear on our lives to keep your secret hidden, we will never let anyone find out about your background or that someone wants you dead".

Yumie considered their words for a moment; she didn't know them nearly as much as she knew Gaara. But they were his siblings and they seemed to be trustworthy.

"Well…alright". She accepted hoping for the best, her life was now in the care of them as well as Gaara's.

Tonight no blood was spilled, but in time that would all change as a dark and mysterious figure was slowly making his way towards Suna with only one goal to kill Yumie.

Yumie's back story will be more reveled in the next chapter as well as a deadly promise.