Author's note:
I do not own the characters, world, or show which inspired this story. Those belong to Kishimoto.
Hotaru, Hideaki, Satoru-sensei, Chieko, Kenta, Maoko, and Reona (Mother) are all my invention.
Alterada: spanish, feminine, panicked

Chapter 8: Alterada
Bolded section Kishimoto's work.

A weak later, Hotaru awoke to loud voices coming from the kitchen. It sounded like her mother. She got out of bed and opened the door. Yup it was her mother.
"What do you mean you left her alone with that monster? She's just a child!" Her mother's voice cried.
"She was the only one willing to care for him," it was her sensei's voice.
Her little sister Chieko opened the adjacent door and rubbed her eyes.
"What's all that noise about?" she asked grogily.

Understanding her mother's feelings, Hotaru had kept from telling her about the mission she was given while in the hospital. Her poor mother was already at a breaking point. After three of her nephews died in the offensive, the Kazekage's death, and Suna's swift decline of power, she was at wits end. She didn't have the heart to tell her. Now, the possibility that she could have lost her eldest daughter pushed her well beyond the edge, especially since Hotaru was now the main bread winner of the family.

"Mama is upset," She explained.
"Why?" Chieko asked.
"I had to take care of Gaara after they came back. He was injured," Hotaru replied.
"But I thought you were his friend," Chieko asked innocently.
"Mama doesn't know that, remember?"
"Oh, yeah. I didn't tell anyone," Chieko whispered.
Hotaru smiled, despite herself. She wondered if that little lie she had fed her sister a year ago had allowed Chieko to view Gaara as something more than the monster.
"I have to go comfort Mama," She told her sister.
"I'll go with you," Chieko said.
Both girls entered the kitchen, only to be a shocked by what they saw. Satoru-sensei was standing amidst broken cups and plates, with a thirty-something woman grabbing at his collar, yelling at the top of her lungs. He stood firm against the onslaught, mustering as much dignity as he could.
It was a wonder she had not woken them before.
"How dare you allow my daughter to enter such a dangerous situation! She could have been killed. That creature is dangerous. He should have been left to die!"
"Mother!" Hotaru called, her voice filled with rage and shame.
"Hotaru, my poor little Hotaru," her mother bent down and hugged her desperately but Hotaru pushed her back in disgust.
"Mother, I am shinobi now. I am not a child anymore. You can't expect me to skip out of missions because they're too dangerous."
"But your poor cousins, they left and died," she began to weep.
"And your behavior is dishonoring their deaths," she exclaimed.
"Your father left and died..." Her mother was on bended knees, knuckles to the ground, and tears streamed down her face.
Chieko, the most sensitive of the children, rushed to her.
"Mama, don't cry. Please don't cry," her eyes became moist.
Compassion filled her heart.
"Mother, it's OK. He didn't try to hurt me. I think he's changed a little," she explained.
Everyone's eyes fell on her.
"What do you mean he's changed? He can't change!" her mother cried.
"Mama, Satoru-sensei is here to take me for training. Chieko should be getting ready for the Academy. You have to wake up Maoko for her training. We need you to stay strong, mother," Hotaru consoled.
Her mother nodded weakly.
"Get ready," Sator-sensei abruptly announced.
"I'll be back in a few minutes," she replied.
In less than ten minutes, she was out the door with her sensei.

Their training was hard that day. Hideaki was relentless as he fought against both her and the tank.
"Is that the best you can do?" He swung his bo to the right and hit Hotaru in the face. She fell back and landed on her back. Undaunted, she immediately began to sign.
"Fuuton: air shuriken" her chakra manipulated the wind around her, creating short bursts of air which she hurled at the strong one.
"Hmph," he exclaimed arrogantly and merely side-stepped the projectiles while slamming the back of his fist against the charging tank.
He jumped back and sheathed his bo staff on his back.
"I can fight the two of without it," he taunted. Instead of his usual, playful demeanor, his voice dripped with anger.
"Like hell you can!" Hotaru exclaimed.
"Duuton: earth concussion" the tank slammed his fists against the ground, creating a controlled shock wave that headed towards the strong one.
The strong one laughed and jumped to the side, but ran into Hotaru's flying kick.
He stopped her mid-air with his left palm and then used his right hand to flip her vertically, dropping her roughly on the floor.
The tank wasted no time and while Hideaki was busy disposing of Hotaru, he ran to him with chinese hammers in hand, elevated and ready for contact.
"Heh," the strong one sneered, his right leg landing a kick on the gut. It was hard enough to send him reeling back a few steps, but Kenta was not called "the tank" for nothing.
"Is that the best you can do?" the giant boy taunted in return.
"You forgot me!" Hotaru cried as she threw several kunai through the air, aimed for the strong one.
He jumped back and straight into the tank's knee.
"Ahh.." he cried out in pain as his back doubled over with crunch. He landed on the ground and did not move.
"Wait!" she cried and rushed towards the comrade.
"He's fine," Satoru said unconcerned. "It seems that you guys beat him at last."
She bent over him with worry.
"Are you alright?" She asked.

Suddenly, she felt an arm over her neck and the world became pain as the strong one landed a hard punch to her face with his free hand. She felt blood rush from her nose and her vision became speckled. Kenta rushed at him but his legs were kicked under and he fell flat on his back.
Hideaki quickly went through the hand signs:
"Duuton: Earth Tomb."
He crouched and touched the ground with his hands, earth surrounded the tank and encased him up to the neck.
"You bastard!" the tank yelled indignantly.
"You weak shit," the strong one responded coldly.
He then unsheathed his ninja sword, which he carried across his back with his bo staff.
"The reason we are weak is because of shits like you. I can't believe I have to waste my time working with you bastards!"
"Ayame Hideaki! Stand down," Satoru commanded.
"Shut up!" he cried. Satoru noted with alarm that his eyes were dilated to an unnatural degree.
The man rushed towards them but feared he was too late. Already, the sword was raised in the air, ready to strike Hotaru, who was only beginning to recover from the blow to the head.

He's really going to kill her, Satoru thought with alarm.
As he quickly made his way to them, the knife seemed to move down in slow motion. It was about to reach its target when a burst of sand threw him eight feet in the air. He landed heavily on his arm with loud crack on a large slab of concrete. Hideaki yelled in pain and grabbed at the injured arm.
"What happened?" Satoru cried as he looked around him in alarm.
He then noted a boy dressed in black, his arms crossed, with sand slithering from the gourd on his back. His face fell.
Gaara's green eyes were fixed on Hideaki, who had by this time recovered himself, but still gripped his broken arm in pain.
"We are not weak because of her, we are weak because of idiots like you who put themselves above others," Gaara said. "You are pathetic."
The strong one sniffed but looked down in fear. Satoru would not have been more amazed if the sand dunes that surrounded Sunagakure had suddenly burst forth with rich vegetation.
"Gaara," the Satoru said hurriedly, not sure of what to make of it. "I thank you for saving my student. However, there is no need to kill him. I am sure that the events which have transpired have upset him. With some rest, he should be back to his senses."
"I was not going to kill him," Gaara said. "However, he needs to learn that true strength is found only when one protects those who are precious to you."
Satoru was shocked into silence, and could only stare, wide eyed.
With a flick of his hand, Gaara dispelled the tomb and freed the tank, who was also shocked beyond measure. Kenta did not move.
"You need to see a medic," Gaara told Hideaki.
"I'll take him," Satoru said.
Hideaki was sulking on the slab but did not complain as Satoru led him out of the practice area, followed by the fearful Kenta
Hotaru's head still stung. But she heard every word.
"You should go with them as well," Gaara told her. His sand was now securely in the gourd.
"No, I can heal myself," she replied. She placed her hands on her head and with some concentration, the pain receded and she could see clearly.
"You never go to the rooftops anymore," he said.
"Oh, well, I was scared."
"I understand," he answered quietly. "You don't have to be afraid anymore."
And with that he turned and left.

After the incident, Hotaru wasted no time and headed for the roofs. It had been so long since she had last traveled them and she missed them terribly. But also, she needed time alone. What her teammate had tried to do had upset her more than she would have liked to admit.
The sun was beginning to set, giving everything a rosy glow. The wind tossed her hair about, making the strands dance with every jump.
A guard waved as she passed by.
She gave a polite nod, but could not help but think that she needed the type of isolation that could only be found outside, beyond the protective canyon bowl that surrounded Suna.
Minutes later, she was at the small path had had been carved through the rock, creating the only exit from the vale, long ago.
"Who goes there?" one of the guards demanded.
"It's just me," She replied with a wave.
The guard looked at her skeptically. He didn't know her very well, after all, and Suna ninja were not allowed out of the city without permission. But the rules were generally bent unless there was time of trouble. However, he was also young, and new to the job, making him overzealous.
"You don't seem to be on a mission," he remarked suspiciously. "State your name and purpose."
Hotaru giggled.
"You're so nervous, my name is Yamane Hotaru, and I have a message for one of the guys outside."
"What message is it? I will deliver it!"
"You can't expect me to give him an ultra private message through you!" She replied, aghast. The performance was topped off with her covering her blushing cheeks with her hands.
"Ah…well…you may pass! But I warn you, this is something we don't allow every day!"
"Yes sir!" she answered mock severity.
What's with that guy? He's so serious, she wondered, perhaps forgetting in her mirth that nearly everyone but her in Suna was serious.

After she left the canyon, it didn't take long for her to see that she wasn't the only one who had sought solace outside the city. Gaara was facing the sunset, his arms firmly crossed, and his brother stood several feet behind.
She crept by slowly, but then felt compelled to stop. There was something very private in their manner, and she didn't want to intrude. However, curiosity kept her from walking away all together. Straining her ears, she could hear their discussion.

"Bonds with others meant nothing to me," Gaara said. "Up until now, for me that was nothing but hatred and the intent to kill. But now, I understand everything."
"Gaara," Kankuro started, but could not find words to continue.
"He knew the same suffering as I do. And so he taught me that I could change my life forever," Gaara continued.

Who knew? Hotaru wondered.
At that moment, she felt overwhelming shame and quietly walked away. She hoped that they had not noticed her presence. But in her fluster she had forgotten again, that foolish kunoichi, there are other senses shinobi can use.
Kankuro's eyes narrowed, and quickly turned his head to see a strawberry-blond-haired kunoichi creeping away. He smiled at her, but she could not see it, and was not meant to.
"It's OK. I don't mind if she hears," Gaara said, trying to appease his now protective brother.
But Kankuro already knew.

That night, she barely touched her dinner.
"My team has been called for a mission in Wave country. Minaki-sensei said that we have to act as though we are not weak so that other countries won't take the opportunity to attack," Maoko said quite smugly. "It's a level C mission. How long did it take you to do level C missions, Hotaru?"
She didn't look up from her plate.
"Maoko, you are so mean," Chieko scolded.
"She may not have been doing level C missions until six months after her graduation, but she was made to treat Gaara when he was sick," her mother defended. Her tone was now one of pride and there was not a hint of the near breakdown she had experienced that morning.
"Are you serious? You had to take care of that monster when he came back?" Maoko asked with awe.
Hotaru still didn't acknowledge them.
"Well," Maoko asked again impatiently.
"I helped him. The doctors treated him. I wasn't skilled enough," she said.
"Hah! See? Still not such a big deal. I'll go toe to toe with him in a little while. Minako-sensei told me I was good enough to use a battle fan like Temari. But I don't think I'm going to use one quite so big..."
"What's wrong" Chieko interrupted Maoko's bombastic tirade.
"I haven't gone to the rooftops for a while," Hotaru mumbled, trying to find some way to deflect from what was truly weighing on her mind.
"What? You used to go to the rooftops!" her mother exclaimed. "Heaven preserve me child. You will drive me to my death!"
"Why not?" Chieko asked.
"Gaara. But he said it was OK now," Hotaru replied.
"Does that mean I can go up there too?" she inquired.
"Yes."
"Absolutely not!" her mother slammed her hand on table. "You can do whatever you want now but she's still only nine. I will not have you take her up there with that thing."
"He's different now, mother. I almost died in practice and he saved me," she explained.
Her mother's face went pale. Maoko's chopsticks fell to the floor.
"How did you almost die?" She asked with a dangerously calm tone.
"It was an accident," she lied.
"Gaara saved you?" Maoko asked incredulously.
"Well, I will have to talk to Satoru about that..." her mother began.
"Does that mean we can really go up on the roofs again?" the little one enquired.
"Yes."
"Well, you can go. I'm staying right here," Maoko declared.
"What ever happened to you saying you'll be stronger than Gaara one day?" Chieko taunted.
"I'm not strong enough yet!" Maoko yelled, defending herself.
"You are not taking her up there. And that is final," her mother commanded.
"I promise, nothing will happen to her. Besides, she needs to practice and that's the best place for me to teach her," Hotaru argued.
Her mother placed her hands on her face and Hotaru could see with alarm that they were shaking,
Is the whole world gone mad? she wondered.
"Fine, take her. What do I matter anyway? I'm only your mother," she left with a huff and then slammed the door of her room.
The three girls sat awkwardly around the table. Finally Chieko broke the silence,
"You're all talk, Maoko," she sneered.
"Shut up!"

That morning, on the pretense that Hotaru was not good enough to train Chieko properly, Maoko joined them on the roof. Although she acted very calm, her eyes darted too and fro nervously while she explained to her sister the art of the shadow clone.
"This will put you ahead of your class, and you'll end up being the strongest kunoichi, like me!" she bragged.
Of course, Chieko still being quite young and not having very good control over her chakra, made very poor clones.
"That one looks like balloon!" Maoko scolded. "Do it again!"
"I'm trying to do it as well as I can! Get off my back!"
Hotaru giggled as she watched her sisters argue.
"I see you decided to come up again," a soft voice said to her right.
This time, she felt no fear.
"Yes," she replied.
"They are all quite animated," he said. "I could her them from the other side of the village."
Hotaru laughed. The girls stopped their argument abruptly.
They were too busy looking at the boy beside them, wide eyed, to remember what it was they were arguing about. After a bit of silence Chieko was the first to speak.
"Hello," she said simply.
"Hello," was his reply.
"Ah..." Maoko began but could not find the words.
"I hope our fighting hasn't disturbed you," Hotaru apologized.
"No, it hasn't. You should continue your practice," he replied and then turned to leave.
"Wait," Hotaru called. "Why don't you stay? You can join us for breakfast if you like."
Maoko approached her and asked with a whisper, "What are you doing? Mom will go crazy."
"When she sees how much he's changed, she won't worry so much anymore. She'll get off my back," Hotaru replied.
"But how do you know he's changed?"
"Trust me," she replied with a smile.
Later on that morning, when her mother entered the kitchen, she almost died of shock. Besides her three precious daughters, there was a redheaded boy at the table with green eyes and a giant gourd on the floor beside him.
The breakfast was already served, presumably made by the youngsters, and they were all eating it with relish.
"Good morning mother!" Chieko called. "We made breakfast so you wouldn't have to work."
"There is plenty left for you," Hotaru added.
"I made most of it,"Maoko bragged.
"Good morning, ma'am," Gaara greeted calmly.
"Oh..."
She could not find the words to reply.