I'm trying to write a novel about Graffiti, much like my fanfiction Tagging Hearts but completely different.
The hardest thing about writing a book that I one day hope to have published is that I'm always worried I'm making the wrong decision. Fanfiction is nice because even if I mess up it isn't a big deal. Since Fanficiton is free it doesn't have to be perfect. Whatever work I want to have published has to have a lot of quality.
One of my English Professors is looking over the first two chapters of my novel for me and I'm so nervous to hear what she has to say. She won't go easy on me and I hope whatever advice she gives me will help. I hope she won't think my work is completely useless.
The Akatsuki were all in the meeting room, papers and plans thrown across the table between them. They had finally settled on what to do, Sasori and Deidara still calling the shots since capturing the Shukaku was their mission.
"Deidara will go in first and cause a distraction on the north side of the building. This will draw the Shukaku out." Sasori summed up their plans. "I'll sneak in on the east and find Sakura then assist Dei in the capture."
"Right. I can hold them off for a while." Deidara was attaching bags of clay to his hip. There were bombs carefully placed in a backpack for him to use.
"We'll leave now." Sasori stood up. "Be ready for our return."
He grabbed a backpack of his own and a particularly wrapped bag of wood. They were originally going to be much sneakier about capturing the Shukaku, but with everything in high speed mode, they had to go with an all-out attack. Deidara could hold his own though and so could Sasori, they were a good team.
"Wait. I'm going too." Itachi stood from his seat.
They all looked at him. Sasori sighed. "I already said no. You have to wait here. We don't need you."
"I'll go and get Sakura. You two can work together to get the Shukaku. It'll be easier to capture him if you work together and let me worry about Sakura." Itachi reasoned. "Besides, I'm quicker. It'll be faster for me to find her."
He had been trying to get them to let him come for a good time.
Not that Sasori and Deidara weren't capable, Itachi just wanted to handle Sakura himself. He knew she trusted him more than Sasori and Deidara and he knew he could find her faster. He seemed relentless to let them leave him behind. He wanted to go. He had to.
"Fine, fine." Deidara rolled his eyes.
"Whatever. We're wasting time." Sasori sighed. "Hurry up."
Itachi didn't hesitate, getting up to join them. He was aware of all the others watching him, judging him. When it came to Sakura, he acted differently than normal. Usually he followed orders without complaint and never acted out on his wants and needs or even gave an off opinion. Today, he was full of surprises.
"This is Temari, my sister, and Kankuro, my brother." Gaara introduced. Both his siblings avoided his eyes and stayed at least five feet away from him. "If you need anything, ask them."
"Right, thanks." Sakura swallowed nervously.
If any of the Akatsuki caught her here they would be so pissed. She would surely be fired and killed on the spot for fraternizing with the enemy. Gaara was their target and Sakura was in his home, helping him with whatever he brought her here to help with. She still wasn't so sure why she was here but she hoped not to cause too much commotion. Maybe she could help Gaara then leave without either him or her bosses knowing she was assisting both of them.
"W-Welcome back, Lord Gaara." A woman said, opening the car door for him. "Do you need anything?"
"No, leave me." He said to her, glaring.
She jumped and nervously scurried away.
Sakura followed him forward and realized that it was actually a mansion. There were some small houses next to his but most of this underground cave was consumed by a huge sandy mansion.
Everyone they passed would look down or away from them, some even backed up and moved as far away as possible. Temari and Kankuro kept their eyes to the ground too, only Gaara stared straight.
"You, come here." He said to a random person standing on the stairs leading up to the mansion. The guy jumped with fright before hurrying over, cowering in front of the red head. "I want a report from the other Sand homes as fast as possible."
"Yes, Lord Gaara." The guy mumbled timidly. He quickly moved away as their group passed further.
At the door, a maid stood and waited. She did not look scared though, she looked silently spiteful. There was hatred in her eyes and anger behind her tight lips, a deep frown creased on her brow. Her words had a particular bite in them. "Anything you need, my Lord?"
"Bring my dinner in an hour." Gaara ordered.
The maid gave a short, almost mocking, bow and walked away with angry, heavy steps.
Half the people were scared and timid while the rest had hate in everything they did. They spoke to Gaara in harsh tones and quiet whispers, hardly looking him in the eyes. He looked down at all of them and ordered them around with no compromise.
Gaara led Sakura into the biggest part of the underground mansion. The inside, like the outside, was made of sand and clay. The furniture and decorations were conservative but still impressive, mostly in shades of brown and black. They went up the tallest tower to a circular room with a wide window. It was an office and Gaara sat at the desk, looking at the rest of the land outside the window.
Temari brought them drinks and Sakura thanked her. The blond seemed like a nice enough person but she was obviously tense in Gaara's presence. Both Temari and Kankuro stood behind Gaara, looking away from him but standing at the ready.
"This is my underground society, left to me by my father." Gaara explained, gesturing out the window. "We do a lot of protection work for powerful people. When politicians need extra guards or diplomats need traveling protectors, I hire out my people. In times of war, we have been known to help sides that ally with us. We work in the shadows and get work done silently. We are the Hidden Sand."
"It's very impressive." Sakura said honestly. "Are you the only ones?"
"No, there are many underground homes all over the country. They are all under my power."
"I see. That's a lot of responsibility."
"It is…" Gaara was silent for a moment. He looked at his brother and sister. "Leave us."
They didn't even hesitate, walking a little too fast out of the room. Right when they left, Sakura became nervous. Now that she'd seen Gaara's power and knew how his people treated him, she reasoned there must be a good reason to be scared of him.
"What do you think of my home?" Gaara asked, leaning back in his seat.
Should she tell the truth? Part of her believed he would kill her if she didn't say something nice. "Well…it is a little strict around here."
There was a thick pause where he just stared at her and she was sweating in her seat.
"You do not think I rule properly?" He asked easily.
"I think, I mean…You might be a little too hard on your people." Sakura tried to sound casual, like it wasn't a big deal. "You lead them with fear and force."
"How else am I to command them? They react to the fear; they let me lead them with it. If I go easy on them, they might not do as I say." He looked at the wall where pictures of men were in a straight line. One particular man looked very much like Gaara without the red hair and eyeliner, darker skin. "My father led them with an iron fist and he was always listened to."
"What happened to him?" Sakura asked.
"Murdered a few months ago." He answered simply, giving no hint of discomfort or sadness. "Now I am the head of the Hidden Sand people, even though I am the youngest of the family."
"Can't Temari or Kankuro be the boss?" She asked, "It doesn't look like you want the position."
"Temari wants to go off and do other things in the world. Kankuro does not fit the requirements for the job – he is not smart or political or educated. He is more invested in the arts."
Folding his hands on the desk, he looked at her rather seriously. "You are wrong. I want this position very much."
That was a surprise. "Really? Why?"
He looked down and, for the first time, there were hints of discomfort on him. His shoulders tensed and his red hair shaded his face, keeping her from seeing his emotion. Clearly, this wasn't a subject he often talked of. "I want…I want to prove myself to my people. I want to show them that I can be a good person if they would give me the chance. I've always wanted to be accepted by my people but they've never wanted me."
"Why don't they like you? I mean, you're hard on them now but as a child…" Gaara was scary, that was for sure. His lack of emotion and dark demeanor was very off putting and Sakura could understand how people would want to keep their distance from him, but as a child he surely must've been different? Why would his people treat him so harshly since the beginning?
There was the slightest frown on his face.
"My mother was a loved woman. All our people cared for her and she felt the same for every person in the Sand. When she was around, my father was kinder and gentler to the people. She treated my siblings like angels and taught them both about the good in people. She was the most loved person in our home….I am the most hated for causing her death."
"You…you killed her?" Sakura covered her mouth. She couldn't imagine a son killing his mother, especially a mother so kind and loving. "Didn't you love her?"
"I never knew her – I never got the chance to love her." Gaara glared at nothing and everything. "She died giving birth to me. I am the monster that brought her end."
His eyes held mostly bitterness but there was a tiny bit of sadness there too, and longing. It was clear Gaara had wanted to meet his mother, wanted to love her like everyone else seemed to. Knowing all this made it obvious why Gaara was such a recluse and so dark – he had grown up in a world full of people that hated him, and now he was their leader. If it were Sakura, she would be hard on the Sand people too. She wouldn't want to rule them kindly after they'd spent years hating her.
Gaara didn't want to be cruel to his people though, he wanted to lead them the right way. He strived for their acceptance and yearned to be loved by them, to know what love really was. No one had ever given him a chance and now he had the opportunity at last. Sakura felt for him and wanted to help.
"Gaara, it wasn't your fault." She whispered softly but didn't dare touch him. "You were your mother's last child, I'm sure she would have loved you a lot."
He did not say anything but her words had struck him somewhat; calming the bitter rage in his eyes and leaving them blank once again.
Right. So, he brought her here to show him how to be a good leader.
"A good leader builds loyalty out of love, not fear." Sakura instructed sternly. Gaara hesitated but nodded, listening to her. "If you want to lead them properly, you must have all your people at heart. Whatever you do, you do with their interests in mind. If you love your people, you'll know what to do."
There was a silence in which Gaara considered her words.
"…I do not know how to love them." He looked down again. "I do not know how to love anyone."
Sakura hummed. That was a problem.
"Well, you should just try to be more like your mother." She suggested. "The people loved her and treated her right, just like she did to them."
"I never knew her. I don't know how to be like her." Gaara glared at her a bit.
"Gaara, she's your mother. Part of her is in you."
This seemed to hit something in him and Gaara softened slowly. Sakura saw the emotion in him and knew he would get it, knew he would be ok. Gaara wasn't actually an emotionless monster, he cared. He wanted his peoples' approval and that showed he cared about them, about what they thought of him and wanted from him. His mother's kindness must have passed down into him, because other people wouldn't seek acceptance from people who hated them their whole lives. Other people would want their haters to suffer, but Gaara didn't. Yes, parts of his loving mother were inside Gaara now. He would be ok.
"Just love your people, like she did." Sakura smiled. "You'll know what to do."
Gaara didn't say anything but he nodded and Sakura knew he understood, he would be ok. She supposed it wasn't a bad thing to help him, despite what the Akatsuki would think. Gaara was pretty nice guy and Sakura couldn't help liking him as a person.
"Gaara!" Temari barged into the room urgently.
"What is it?" He frowned at her. Clearly she never spoke to him like this.
"Intruders!"
They looked out the window were smoke and explosions appeared on the far end of the cave where the cars were lined. Bombs were going off all over and people were screaming, running around. Gaara cursed and stood quickly. He followed Temari to the door, stopping Sakura from leaving. "Stay here, don't go outside. We'll handle this."
"But I can-"
"Stay." Gaara shut the door and she was alone.
Sakura looked out the window again and saw all the explosions. The way the bombs were going off dawned realization on her – it was Deidara. Those were his bombs blowing everything up. The Akatsuki were here.
"Gaara." She gasped, covering her mouth. The Akatsuki were here to get him.
She watched as the action unfolded.
Deidara was throwing bombs right and left, drawing all the attention. Some of the bombs were bird shaped and seemed to fly around, sticking to different surfaces and exploding in fire bits. A few of the Sand people were fighting back, pulling out weapons and aiming them at the blond, but Deidara's bombs were strong. He threw small ones at the people and they went off with a bang, blowing the offenders away.
The blond was laughing with joy, watching his work explode around him.
Gaara finally showed up with Temari and Kankuro. He ordered his soldiers around, telling them how to defend themselves. Temari used a strange gun that seemed to blow at Deidara, knocking him back.
Sasori came then and pulled human puppets out of his large bags.
They moved as if on their own but Sakura knew Sasori was controlling them somehow, ordering them to attack. The puppets came at the Sand people with sharp weapons and attacked ruthlessly, spilling blood everywhere. The Sand couldn't stop the wooden people because their attacks didn't harm Sasori's puppets that weren't alive. They attacked and were in no danger of pain – the perfect soldiers.
Between Sasori's master puppets attacking and Deidara's beautiful bombs exploding, Sand people were falling right and left. Some ran, most were unconscious on the ground, and Temari and Kankuro had fallen.
Soon, it would only be them and Gaara.
"No." Sakura whispered to herself, biting her lip. "Don't hurt him…"
"Don't hurt who?"
Itachi threw open the door to the office, appearing silently and in perfect condition. He had faced very few foes in his search for her, as most of the Sand had gone to fight the artists in the courtyard.
"Itachi!" Sakura was shocked to see him. "Itachi, you have to stop them! They're going to hurt Gaara!"
"What are you talking about?" Itachi came over and looked at her, trying to find any wounds. "He's the target; we're here to capture him. You know that. Did he hurt you?"
"No, why would he hurt me?"
"Because he took you." Itachi frowned at her in confusion. "Right? That's why you're here? He caught you and took you here, because you're one of us."
"What? No, he doesn't know I'm in Akatsuki." Sakura waved her hands in defense. "I came here with him willingly."
"Why would you do that?" He looked at her.
"Because…" Sakura looked down, closing her eyes. "…Because he's my friend."
Whether Itachi was angry at her for making friends with the enemy or shocked that she could make any friends at all wasn't apparent. After a pause, he took her by the arm and led her out of the office and the building. His part of the mission was to save Sakura and he had done that, despite the fact she didn't need saving at all.
They went to the courtyard where all the fighting was slowly subsiding. Less and less people were fighting against the artists now. In fact, only one person remained standing against them.
Gaara.
He was crouched next to his brother and sister, covering them like a shield. The ferocity in his eyes said one thing clearly – don't touch them. Gaara wasn't going to let any more harm come to his siblings or to anyone.
"What do you want?" He demanded. "Stop hurting my people, I'll do what you ask."
Itachi and Sakura walked over to stand with Deidara and Sasori, all of them looking down at Gaara. The Sand leader looked at them all defiantly but his eyes rested on Sakura with shock.
"What is this?" Gaara turned on Sakura, glaring. "Are you with them?"
Sakura big her lip, wanting very much to say no but knowing the truth was already on her face. Oh god, he is so going to kill her now.
"I'm sorry…" She mumbled, looking away from him. "They're…my bosses. It's just business."
Gaara almost growled at her. "I thought you were here to help me. I thought you were good."
Sakura felt like crying. He had trusted her and all along she knew the Akatsuki were coming to hurt him. Itachi put a hand on her shoulder sympathetically and she turned to press her face into his chest so no one else would see her tears. His arm went around her back, holding her protectively.
"Would you do the honors?" Deidara looked to Sasori.
"Why not?" Sasori moved to grab Gaara, wrapping his fingers around the boy's neck.
"Stop! Don't hurt him!" Sakura cried.
She pushed away from Itachi and knocked Sasori's hand out of the way, standing right in front of Gaara. The Three Akatsuki were thrown off by this outburst, looking at her in amazement. Who would dare to step in the line of fire like this? Someone with a death wish probably. Nevertheless, they all paused and waited for whatever Sakura thought she was going to say. "Look, do you have to hurt him? He's a good man, he just wants to lead his people."
"Sakura, this is business." Itachi stepped forward, looking down at her. "Get out of the way."
"Please…you only have to capture him. Do you really have to hurt him?"
Itachi was silent. He looked back at the others who were clearly waiting for his word. There were bodies all around them, Gaara's protectors scattered about. Temari and Kankuro were unconscious, laying closest to Gaara. The Shukaku had one hand on his sister's shoulder and his body was between Kankuro and the Akatsuki, protecting him.
He looked back at Sakura, her eyes were bright and passionate. She would not back down, he knew it.
Sighing, Itachi looked at Sasori and Deidara. "Take care of him. Humanely."
There was a flicker of surprise on the artists' faces, and then understanding. Deidara nodded and went to Gaara, who flinched and moved to cover his brother and sister further. Sakura hesitated, about to step up and stop the blond from getting close, but a look from Itachi silenced her. Sakura stepped back.
Taking out a thick clump of clay, Deidara covered Gaara's hands in it and the stone held them together. He slapped a layer over Gaara's mouth too, keeping him quite. "Come with us and we won't hurt anyone else, got it?"
After a moment, Gaara nodded and stood up. Deidara grabbed his shoulder and pulled him along. With that, they went for the exit and took their captive back to the other Akatsuki.
"Well, we got him." Sasori kicked the door to the office room open.
Deidara shoved Gaara inside, Itachi and Sakura following close. Sakura kept behind everyone, unsure how deep in trouble she was. They all took their seats and Pein put Gaara in a chair at the front. What was to happen next? Only Pein knew. They'd never been told what would happen when they got a tailed beast in.
"Now, we have two options." Pein looked at all of them, keeping a hand on Gaara's seat. The tailed beast sat quietly, looking at all the Akatsuki evenly and awaiting his fate. He didn't move or flinch, just stared straight ahead. "We can either deal with him now, or keep him locked here until we have all the Jinchuuriki."
Gaara's bright eyes lit up in recognition when Pein called him a tailed beast. He looked at Pein and at everyone, lastly Sakura, and there was clear worry in his eyes.
"If we deal with him now," Hidan put his feet on the table, "What does that entitle?"
"Murdering and replacing him." Pein answered. He gestured to Sasori. "We will make a replica of him, to take his place – a body that does his job but under our power."
"Wait…so, we would be in control of the Sand people?" Sasori frowned, confused.
"Yes, that is the idea. When we have all the Jinchuuriki, we will control all they control and have all their power."
"Pein, the Akatsuki is an assassination company." Kakuzu spoke up. "We don't get power for ourselves."
It was true.
Akatsuki did a lot of dirty things, but they did it for money and not power. To have all the power for themselves was not the plan. They did what other people weren't willing to do, so that those people could gain from it in return for obscene sums of cash. Sometimes they got a little more out of it, but the question of power was one they never trifled with. They were the hand that delivered the pain, not the body that gained from it.
"We will not remain in control of the Jinchuuriki forever." Pein explained, choosing his words carefully. "Our buyer, who hired us to capture them all, will take over once we have all of them."
There was some understanding in this, now that money was involved. Pein didn't explain who their buyer was but this was hardly unusual. Konan did not seem shocked so no one else did either. The day Konan worried about Pein's choices was that day shit really would hit the fan.
"So, kill him now or later?"
"Well, might as well get it over-"
Sakura shot her hand up.
They all looked at her. Shit, did she really just raise her hand? This isn't school! She didn't have to do that here! Sakura reacted before she thought clearly, biting her lip hard.
"Yes, Sakura?" Pein gave her a curious look.
"Do we…Do we have to kill him?" Sakura asked carefully. "Isn't there a way to keep him alive and get the job done?"
Now they all looked at her like she was stupid. This was work! Killing was their job. Sakura was used to them killing by now, but not someone she knew. Looking at Gaara, Sakura felt horrible. She couldn't just let them kill him. Gaara wasn't a bad guy. He was nice to her.
"I don't know if you realized or not," Deidara snickered, "But we are assassins."
"Killing is kinda our thing." Hidan teased as well.
Even Itachi was giving her a pitying look.
"Sakura, this is how we get things done here." Pein explained easily. "Akatsuki kills people. I understand you are new and it will take some time to get used to our way, but we have to do our work. We need to control the Shukaku."
Think quick. If she didn't come up with something right now, Gaara will be killed.
"What if he swears to work for us?" She said quickly.
Everyone stopped teasing and chuckling at her. They stared at her in interest now, curious at what she was planning. In truth, Sakura didn't know what she was saying. She had to come up with something, though, before the Akatsuki took matters into their own hands.
"Gaara will swear to do everything we tell him. He will let us control him." Sakura looked Gaara in the eyes. "If he doesn't, you can kill all the Sand People."
Gaara glared at her. Everyone else stared, intrigued.
"Go on." Pein crossed his arms.
"He saw Deidara and Sasori in action. He knows they're strong enough to take out all his people, and that's just the two of them. The nine of you could easily get rid of all the Sand people if he ever betrays you." Sakura improvised. "Let him go if he swears to obey you. If he tries to get away later or go against us, you can kill his people."
The Akatsuki all looked at Pein, waiting for his verdict. It was clear some of them were doubtful of this plan, but they wouldn't speak out against Pein. Whatever their leader decided, they would listen obediently.
It was quiet…and then…
"Sakura is such a smart girl!" Tobi yelled, drawing their attention. "What a good plan! Less work for us, more work for Shukaku! Easy Peasy! Good plan, Sakura!"
Shit. Pein probably wouldn't listen now that the idiot Tobi spoke up. Sakura looked at Gaara apologetically.
"Alright, we'll do it." Pein said.
"What?" They all gawked. Even Konan, who was usually in step with Pein, stared at him with wide eyes. He turned to Gaara and ripped the clay off his face and hands, setting him free. The Shukaku stood slowly, glaring at Pein in suspicion. "You do everything we say or we kill your people, all of them. Got it?"
Gaara was quiet and Sakura could hear her heart pound her ears. "…Fine."
"Good. Sakura, walk him out." Pein stepped back.
Getting up on shaky legs, with everyone watching, Sakura went up to Gaara and led him out the door. They didn't speak all the way to the lobby, walking slowly. When they finally got to the ground floor and the doors opened to the red and black room with the glass doors leading outside and Zetsu sitting at his desk, watching them quietly, Gaara finally stopped and looked at her.
"You saved my life." Gaara whispered. "You didn't have to do that."
Sakura physically relaxed, letting out a huge sigh. "Don't thank me. You're still in trouble. The Akatsuki still have you, just in a different way."
"I'll figure some way to get out of this." He said calmly. "After all, I have a good ally on my side."
"What? Me?" Sakura shook her head, smiling. "I saw you protect your people. You only want them to be safe and happy. You're a good leader and they need you."
There was, for the first time, emotion in his eyes. Gaara nodded and gestured for her hand. He took off his headband and put it in her palm, the symbol of the Sand people shining up at her. "You are always welcome in my home. If you ever need me, I will be there for you."
"Thank you." Sakura held the band close.
"I'll be leaving, then." Gaara turned to go, walking out the glass door.
Hesitating, Sakura rushed out after him and stopped him on the streets. Everyday people passed them, having no clue Sakura and Gaara were or the importance in their positions. He was the head of an underground society and she was an assassin assistant, but they were just people to the rest of the world. Gaara looked at her with question.
"You know, if you ever want to hang out at school or after school." Sakura blushed, biting her lip. "I mean…if you wanted a friend…"
At this, Gaara blinked in surprise. She wanted to be his friend? "I've never had…a friend…before."
"Well, I would like to be the first." Sakura said confidently. "I want you to be my friend."
There was a pause and then he smirked, closing his eyes in content. Sakura, his friend? The idea was silly, considering what they'd just been through and their positions in society. He remembered the ferocity in her eyes and the honesty in her words and smiled. "I agree, we shall be friends."
She smiled and he smirked, on those steps in front of Akatsuki. A new friendship began and Sakura hoped it would never end.
(End)
I really wanted Sakura to make a friend at school and Gaara is her first!
My roommate Sara and I have decided to start a cake shop once we finish college in 2-3 years. I love baking and we both think this is the best idea.
Part of me has doubts though because I also really want to write books. Until now the plan was for me to get a Masters in English and become a Professor so I can teach and write at the same time. I wonder if it would be better to be a baker while writing books or a Professor while writing books. Both sound equally time consuming but I don't know.
Deciding my future is so worrying. I wish life wasn't so expensive so I could just write without worrying about money.
