Disclaimer: Not even a little.

Hey, all! I'm back! Are you glad to see me? (silence) Fine! I see how it is!

I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter… it was almost 2 separate ones actually, but it was so disgustingly short, I had to add to it. Now… it's long… real long. As always I thank my wonderful reviewers for doing what they do best!

JVOP

lovefatedestiny

avatar-chik

Ugly.Beautiful

Now… On with the chapter!

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-Part VII-

Kira's footsteps rang in her ears: the only sound in the deserted street, save for her rapidly pounding heart, as she raced towards the northern gate where thick, raven-black hued smoke billowed into the unbelievably blue sky.

The young Jonin understood what must be taking place at the village's edge. The knowledge only quickened her steps and kicked her adrenaline into full throttle.

She reached her destination and skidded to a halt, hurriedly surveying the scene.

Seven, nineteen… fifty or more shinobi dressed all in white, with matching masks were storming the gate with no more than twenty or so of Suna's own for opposition. Among those Kira spotted her teammate and student, fighting like they belonged there, like they had lived in the sand village their entire lives.

Erokay ripped open a scroll, sending more smoke, silver hued, into the thick, hot afternoon air, summoning his most prized possession: Kurima, a doll built of solid dry ice wearing a dress of the soft, muted colors of the Aurora Borealis: the northern lights. Directing the attention of several white-clad shinobi, Kurima began to fight with such grace; she seemed more like a ballet dancer then a deadly weapon.

Even Masashi was holding his own. The boy pulled an array of letter bombs out of gods-know-where, blowing everything in reach to smithereens, sending a few white-clad shinobi to the next life, and others still diving for cover.

Kira ran into the thick of the battle, pulling a small, aluminum canister from her pocket, fingers falling into familiar hand signs all the while. When she reached a good spot, one thick with enemies she threw the canister into the air, followed be a single shuriken. The canister burst part when the small weapon punctured its side. Water spitted out, freezing instantly as the snow Jonin made one final hand sign and murmured, "Ice Style: Deadly Rain Jitsu."

The frozen water curled together into one thousand tiny, razor-sharp icicles, swirling around the kunoichi majestically, stabbing and cutting and slashing at all nearby enemies. It bent to Kira's will, molding itself into a variety of arsenal. Kunai, shuriken, axes, scythes, senbons, knifes, kunai again, then finally, the ice rested as a pair of shimmering curved swords in the snow-nin's hands. She wielded them like an expert, slashing and stabbing her enemies, three or five at a time, silvery-blue chakra surrounding the blades, willing them to become sharper, stronger, and more dangerous.

"K- Kira-sensei!" Masashi shouted over the roar of more explosives. "I'm almost out! There's too many!"

"Calm yourself," Kira's eye's shinned with triumph as she continued. "You will receive a lesson on battle tactics this evening. Remember who you are, find the solution." She swung her blades with unimaginable expertise even as she spoke. "Failure is never an option. Understood?"

"Hai, sensei!" The boy yelled, dodging several kunai. He spun around and fired the last of his arsenal into the thickest collection of enemies visible.

"Fool!" Erokay laughed madly, as a particularly large white-clad shinobi tried and failed to break Kurima. "She is indestructible!" The doll's beautiful face was the last thing the masked shinobi saw before his life was ripped away from him in a flash silvery light.

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The battle ended almost as abruptly as it had begun. The Suna medical ninja counted their losses, and disposed of the enemy corpses.

The Kazekage strapped his enormous gourd across his back, feeling pleased with his village's accomplishments for the day. The casualties were minimal, and fifty-three enemy bodies had been accounted for thus far.

The crimson haired shinobi rounded the corner, sighing to himself. Suna was not attacked by this large a group of shinobi every day. One more thing to add to the 'To Investigate List' for the month. He thought, sighing again.

As he walked past the most energetic part of Suna, absorbed by his musing, he almost didn't notice the eerie silence about the usually bustling neighborhood. Almost. He stopped on a dime, surveying the street with a full three-sixty degree sweep.

Nothing. Nobody was anywhere to bee seen. No mothers attending to their children, no fathers walking home from a day of work, no arguing kids running from house to house looking for a favorite toy. Some things were to be expected, after the day's events, but Gaara couldn't help but wonder why he saw no kids peering out windows waiting- preying for their parents to come home soon, to tell them it would all be alright. The street was completely deserted.

Tug, tug.

The young shinobi would have jumped, had he not had a strong, tough Kazekage reputation to keep up. Instead, he turned calmly around to face whoever or whatever had been tugging on the back of his coat.

Standing in front of him, looking terrified, was a tiny boy, who could not be any older than five years. He had short, filthy brown hair and large, matching eyes. He looked up at the Kazekage as if he was some kind of god, or perhaps a super hero. The child, Gaara realized, was too young to remember what his Kazekage had once been.

"Please, Kazekage-sama, sir," The boy pleaded in a small, timid voice. "I- I-" He trailed off.

"What is it?" Gaara leaned forward, so to hear the small boy better.

"I- I can't f-find my sis-sis…" He instantly burst into panic-stricken, choking tears.

"You're looking for your sis… sister?"

The child nodded frantically, tears flying off of his dirty cheeks.

"Okay." I can do this. He promised himself. Then his parents will see that I'm not off my nut anymore! He glanced around him. "Can you tell me what she looks like? Or maybe where you live?"

"Sh-she's got b-brown hai-air and big round g-glasses."

That's a start. "Anything else?"

The child nodded. "She's b-bigger th-than me and her na-ame is Jihero."

The Kazekage nodded. "Do you know where you were when you saw her last?"

He shook his head and squeaked, "After nap-time, sh-she was g-gone!"

"Let's go find her." Gaara stet off, a man on a mission, with the little kid tailing just behind him.

The child bounced forward, jogging slightly to keep up with the Kazekage's purposeful stride. He slid his small, dirty hand into Gaara's, squeezing it tight.

The crimson haired shinobi's eyes widened slightly at the gesture, but curled his fingers protectively around the small boy's hand, as if he had comforted children this way many times- as if he had ever held anyone's hand to comfort them before.

"My name's Judo." The boy said, no longer crying or stuttering. He acted as though he were talking to Super Man, not Kazekage Gaara, the one who used to kill people for no reason. "You're my hero, Kazekage-sama. You always save everyone." He smiled up at the older boy, who was so surprised he nearly forgot to walk. "I want to be just like you when I'm big."

The Kazekage didn't smile, it was against his character, but as he looked at this tiny kid, he almost allowed one to play across his lips. His face remained impassive, but his aqua-marine hued eyes shined with the closest thing anyone had ever seen to sane happiness in him. That was close enough.

When they reached the center of the village, Judo's smile faded, only to be replaced by a look of pure horror at the sight that met the pair's eyes.

A small, horribly mutilated figure swung by its neck from the arm of the bronze statue of the first Kazekage, dripping thick, dark blood.

Gaara's heart fell into the pit of his stomach when his eyes met the carnage. A child! He exclaimed to himself, fury mixed with panic burning inside his chest. How dare that bastard kill a child! His anger grew more powerful; more defined when he realized the corpse had brown hair.

Gaara dropped Judo's hand to avoid breaking it, and then stormed into the center of the silent circle of people who had gathered around the statue, horror-stricken. He climbed onto the statue's stone base and cut the girl's body down himself. He almost dropped her; the aura he had recently learned to equate with one's soul being ripped was heavy and suffocating. However, he stepped down off of the stone and laid her down gently on the brick paved street.

The Kazekage's people stared at him from all directions, waiting with bated breath for his response to the crime. No one moved, except for little Judo, who pushed his way though the crowd, screaming, "It's not her! It can't be her! Jihero! JIHERO!" Te boy reached the corpse and fell to his already scabbed knees. "Sister…" he whispered, tears streaming down his face in a steady, heavy flow.

Gaara took a deep breath, looking away from the child, pained. "This is an injustice beyond comprehension," He began, barely containing his rage. "Children not only hold the future in their hands, but natural, pure integrity and loyalty and… and love as well. It is worse than I feared." He admitted almost to himself. "Be assured, my people, that every measure will be taken to prevent this disaster from ever reoccurring. An investigation will be held to locate and bring to justice this fiend who has committed this crime. I ask that if anyone has any information regarding this murder, that they visit me in my study at any time of day or night. I will be there. I want to see all of the Jonin ranked or higher immediately. We will get to the bottom of this." Some things take precedence over others. "Disperse!" he commanded.

People hurried in different directions to spread the word. Soon Judo and Gaara were the only ones left in the square.

Gaara knelt down next to the sobbing boy and murmured, "I'm sorry."

Judo sniffed then looked into his most admired Kazekage's angry eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but found that he couldn't, so instead he though his arms around the older boy's waist, burrowing his head into the crimson haired shinobi's chest.

The young Kazekage gasped, but wrapped his arms around the sobbing form, preying to the gods that that was what he was supposed to do. How can life be so unkind to this village? He asked himself. If anyone should have died today, it should have been me, not a little girl.

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-sniff- I kinda hate myself a little right now. I wanted Gaara to help little Judo find his big sister and have everything be okay, but alas, I couldn't do that… Damn, now I'm depressed. Maybe I'll write a Judo spin-off someday to make up for it… Hmmm….

Speaking of spin-off (and on a much lighter note) does anybody want to hear more about Kurima? (Erokay's favorite weapon) I don't think I'm going to be able to fit it in here, but she has this whole back story thing. If anyone's curious, let me know! I could put it up as a bonus chapter.

Hey, was Gaara OOC? I hope not… By the way, does anyone know if he still caries the gourd of sand after his demon is sucked out of him? As always I would love to read your reviews if you care to send me one! Thanks! Later! XD