So sorry, guys! I wasn't able to upload for TWO WEEKS! Therefore, this is a raw, unedited version of my story. I hope you all will forgive me for my busy schedule..
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I think you guys know by now.
awesomeinhumanform, this one's for you!
Actually, as of right now, this entire story is dedicated to you! So, you know.. Enjoy! :3
Thanks to all those who were nice and cuddly. I shall now give you a Gaara plushy! -gives you a Gaara plushy-
Oh yeah! To make me feel less guilty, I have included a special surprise for you guys in this chappie! Yay me!
Fuyumi-chan and I continued walking and walking, throughout the whole of Suna. I was getting really sick of the village's ugly landscape, and my eyes were extremely irritated with dust particles being blown into them. Nobody else seemed to have a problem with the horrible climate and weather, though. I guess they all adapted.
"Wow, Akahana-chan, let's visit that store!" Fuyumi exclaimed, pointing excitedly to a store that sold decks of cards. I raised an eyebrow in question, but followed the ecstatic Fuyumi inside. Of course, her eyes were vibrant and blue, not like my watery, starting-to-be-red eyes. Figures.
"This stuff is pretty cool," I started, "But why the great interest in cards?"
"Because I use chakra infused cards as my weapons," Fuyumi responded, almost shyly, with a dainty blush forming on her cheeks.
"Wow." I said dumbly. "You must look pretty graceful, huh?"
"I suppose," Fuyumi nodded approvingly at a hand-painted set of cards. "Though I don't like to battle much, so I wouldn't know." She flipped the back of the card over and carefully examined the queen on the other side.
"Don't like to battle much, huh?" I frowned as I pretended to be immersed in a deck of worn, antique cards. "I guess you do seem to be almost pacifist."
"I think I like these." Fuyumi suddenly said. A hand of seven, painted cards was shyly pressed in front of her face.
I gave Fuyumi a confused look at her stance, so she explained, "This is my fighting position."
"Wow, you really must be a great fighter," I took in her remarkable balance and mystery. Not like me, I was a lumbering hippo even in my sleep..
"Oh, I'm just average." Fuyumi assured me, but I knew better.
Oh, she's so modest. Not like you. You're arrogant and don't even have a reason to be.
Oh, look who decided to disturb my otherwise pleasant thoughts. Hmp, retarded voice.
"Well, then let's go pay!" I grinned. "Those look expensive though.. Are you sure you can afford them?"
"Oh, yes." Fuyumi earnestly nodded. "I don't tell many people, but I have quite a bit of money.."
"Wow, seriously?" I gaped. Perfect. Someone financially stable. Maybe I could get some advice! "How on earth do you get the money, then?"
"Hard work." Fuyumi smiled, before heading up to the register and leaving me alone with the super annoying voice.
Wow, she's a hard worker. Aren't you putting off getting a job right now?
"Am not," I grumbled, though I knew otherwise. With training, being wary of Ramen, and keeping tabs on Fuyumi, I really wasn't eager to begin a job. My head was constantly spinning with thoughts, and I didn't want to add to my stress.
"Thank you very much, have a good night," I heard Fuyumi say as she bowed to the elderly man working the register. She walked back to me happily, a small bag in her hands.
"So, where to next?" I asked as she approached me.
"I think we should head home now," Fuyumi said. "A full night's sleep is necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle."
"Alright," I stifled a yawn. I was really happy this hanging out thing was over, because truthfully, Fuyumi scares me. It's like going out to a carnival with Tobi, when you know his true side. Scary.
"Good night, Akahana-chan."
"Good night, Fuyumi-chan." We bid our farewells and head off in separate directions. Fuyumi went off to the richer district, and I to my apartment. When Gaara-kun rented out my apartment, he made sure not to get anything rickety and cheap, though he didn't exactly want to spoil me, either.
I never really gave a hoot about my house anyways, but the way Fuyumi just finds it a survival necessity to be subconsciously better than me in everything really stuck a nerve with me.
I sighed and lumbered into my apartment, feeling drowsiness overcome me. Weird, I usually don't get this tired. Walking around with a friend must be pretty tiring. I fell asleep on my couch, nestled into a pile of manga and sketch pencils.
Gaara
This was getting tricky. I sat in my office, impatiently rifling through stacks of paper. My personal assistant Marie, dropped off more files of murder cases around Fire Country, and all of the Kages had to try their best to find out who the murders linked back to.
It was well into the night, but I didn't mind, of course. The light in the room was always too bright for my liking, occasionally hurting my eyes.
"Kazekage-sama?"
I looked up to see my jumpy assistant.
"Yes, Marie?"
"Another file," Marie bowed her head and placed the file onto my desk.
"Marie, I have a joke for you." I said suddenly, with the sudden urge to make her smile. I've never seen her smile.
"Yes, Kazekage-sama?"
"How does an octopus go to war?"
"How?"
"Well-armed."
"Oh, you got me there!" Marie scrambled out the door. "Goodnight, Kazekage-sama!"
I frowned. Everybody here seemed afraid of me. Even after Naruto changed me for the better. But why was that? The fangirls most definitely were bold, but I knew they each harbored a secret fear. Even Matsuri shivered a tiny bit whenever I got mad, but I guess it was just the fact that I was her superior.
"What do you mean, I can't see the friggin' Kazekage?" A familiar voice demanded. "Oh, he's busy? Well then make him un-busy!"
I definitely knew who that was.
"Miss, you cannot go up there!" Marie cried.
"I don't care."
"The Kazekage is very busy!"
"Gee, you definitely didn't tell me that one before!"
My office door was slid open violently, and in stumbled a very tired looking Akahana. I hid my amused smile behind my papers.
"Hello, Gaara-kun!" Akahana chriped.
"Greetings, Ayumi." I said. "Do you need something?"
"No, it's you who needs something!" Akahana smiled. "You see, I have just woken up and now have insomnia. Then I remembered you must be slaving away in here, and.."
Akahana blushed, seeming to recall a memory, and I blushed too, but stuck my face into a bunch of papers again. Just earlier today we were so close.. Too close. I should've been more responsible as her sensei and teacher.
However, it felt there was no other way to get Akahana to listen. After I found out what she was doing, I had to do something. And freaking her out the way I did seemed like the best option. Sneaking around in two dimensions.. I needed to get more information out of her.
"Anyways!" Akahana said loudly. "You are about to experience the most fun you've ever had, Gaara-kun!"
"..Fun?"
"Yeah! Like, we'll share stories and eat snacks and tell jokes and stuff!"
I raised an eyebrow. Honestly, I couldn't tell whether or not she noticed I was buried up in paperwork concerning a very serious criminal.
"Ayumi, in case you haven't noticed, I am very busy right now." I said as gently as possible.
Ayumi's expression never even faltered. "Then I'll help you with the paperwork!"
Oh, so she did notice.
"It's very classified information."
"I'm your student!"
"Sneaking around in two dimensions is not very trustworthy."
"Please?"
"No."
"I'm great at paperwork!"
"I highly doubt that." I deadpanned.
Ayumi's eye twitched only a bit, but in the same cheery tone protested, "Come on! Don't judge a book by its cover, that's how the saying goes, right?"
"Ayumi, I'm not judging you."
"Yeah you are! Just let me do the paperwork!"
"It's classified."
"Back to this again?" Ayumi whined.
Her complaints irritated me heavily. Whenever something didn't go her way, her high-pitched whining never failed to attend. Why couldn't she be a more accepting, mature ninja, like Fuyumi?
You did not just think that.
What's this voice in my head? My conscience?
Screw Fuyumi. Screw you for liking Fuyumi.
"Pretty please with a bajillion pandas on top?" Ayumi begged.
I needed to clear my head. I couldn't do it with the pest of a student here.
Pest? You really are a screwed up bastard.
"Leave, Ayumi." I said firmly.
Ayumi's face portrayed no sadness at all. "Alright, Mr. Grumpiness, see you when I see you!" she said and left.
Gee, you're a friggin' idiot. You're way too stupid to see how much you hurt her just now.
"I don't know who you are," I scowled as I calmly addressed the voice in my head, "But Ayumi is way too happy to get hurt."
Wow, shallow moron. Betcha' didn't know that Ayumi is one of the most sensitive people in this friggin' country, huh?
"You're exaggerating."
Exaggerating? Think what you want. But I know Ayumi sure as heck wouldn't appreciate how insensitive you're being.
"Get out of my head." I ordered.
Getting frustrated, are we? Already? Ayumi's patience with me lasted longer, but I suppose that's to be expected.
"What do you mean? Do you haunt Ayumi's thoughts too?"
Oh, but of course. Her thoughts are much too creative and valuable to ignore.
"Creative and valuable?" I snorted. "Next thing I know, you'll be telling me Ayumi is smart."
Extremely smart. Very, very intelligent. Her mother wasn't exactly accepting of anything but top-notch performance. I pity her family life. And social life. Life in general, I suppose. You've had it worse though, I assure you.
"Just shut up already."
Good night, Kazekage-sama..
I sighed in relief as the mocking voice disappeared. I couldn't trust it, no way.
"Kazekage-sama?" the timid Marie poked her head through my door shyly.
"Yes?"
"Matsuri, Kankuro, and Temari are all here to report back from their mission."
"Good, send them in."
"Yes, Kazekage-sama."
I sighed and tilted my head back. I didn't want to deal with my siblings, not at this hour. Matsuri was fine, but the perverted Kankuro and scolding Temari were unwanted right now.
Seconds later, three people barged in through my door.
"Gaara!"
"Hi, Gaara."
"We're back!"
"Welcome back Matsuri, Kankuro, Temari," I addressed each ninja. "How was your mission?"
"Successful." Temari grinned. "That mist shinobi won't ever be heard from again."
"Did you get any information?"
"We've only obtained a few scraps of unnecessary information not worth mentioning right now," Matsuri explained.
"We'll just put it into our reports." Kankuro finished.
"Very well then. Good night to all of you." I sighed, and they headed out the door. Matsuri shot me a sympathetic smile as she exited, probably sensing my exhaustion. I was good at a lot of things, but paperwork was not one of them.
Delving into information also reminded me that I needed to start tutoring Akahana, she couldn't just fight. Well, is you call what she was doing "fighting. I think of it more as flopping around with a determined look on your face.
"Another person here to see the Kazekage?" Marie's exasperated voice exclaimed downstairs.
I sighed. Now what?
"My apologies." Hey, I know that voice. "But please, if you would check in with the Kazekage first? Tell him that Fuyumi wants to see him, please?"
"Fine."
Footsteps echoed up the stairs.
"K-kazekage-sama?"
"Let her in, Marie." I said without looking up from my papers.
"I can always tell her you're too busy-"
"No, it's okay."
"As you wish, Kazekage-sama."
I smiled through my headache. A sane person would be welcoming right about now.
"Hello, Gaara-sama." Fuyumi politely entered my room, unlike some people.
"Greetings, Fuyumi." I looked her in the eyes. Strange how she looked similar to me. Red hair, blue eyes.. Only hers were deeper and darker. Very alluring, for lack of better wording.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you," she started, "but I came to see how you're feeling. I've heard you've been very busy, and was hoping to see if I could be of any help to you."
I looked at her. "No, the files are classified, my apologies, Fuyumi."
"Do you deem me untrustworthy, Gaara-sama?" Fuyumi's silky sweet voice asked innocently.
Don't give in, you moron!
Oh, the lovely voice has returned.
"Forgive me, Fuyumi." I said. "If you really do wish to do so, you may assist me with my paperwork, though I must plead that none of the information you obtain here will be leaked to anyone else."
"Of course, I understand, Gaara-sama," Fuyumi graciously bowed her head. She walked over to my crowded desk and sat down in the seat across from me, taking a paper and studying it intently.
"Now, what I can tell from reading just one incident, your murderer seems to have very clean kills. However, it is possible that there is a network of hired killers that lead back to one main boss. It is also another possibility that your murderer trains her 'minions', if you will, how to kill identically as to give the image of one killer, thus making shinobi underestimate the forces."
I nodded, amazed at how Fuyumi was able to analyze such data with such precision from looking at just a few sentences.
Shut up. Fuyumi sucks. Douchebag.
That voice, what does it want with me?
Next Time on Sand vs Bubbles
"I hate you and you hate me, right?"
"No, Kira-chan!"
"Kill it with fire!"
"Blight! You're back!"
