The desert night was cool on Hikari's skin as she ran over the dunes, spurred on by the painful wrenching of a heart-string.
Clinging to her smudged shirt, Cyndaquil stretched up to scent the air, a warning growl reverberating through his chest.
Smoke rose in the distance, a beacon, and she almost felt the sand quake as if transferring a great force.
No no no no no no-
The massive wall of Suna rose up before her, screams echoing off sandstone as she vaulted right over, hitting the sand in a crouch before springing forward.
Buildings crumbled into alleyways, red seeping into moonlit sand, and Cyndaquil shuddered, burrowing into her neck to escape the carnage.
Blind to the destruction wreaked on the village, Hikari dodged through all the obstacles, intent only on her goal.
"Kari!"
Turning on the spot, the brunette opened her arms to catch the distraught Pokemon, breath ragged even as she tried to soothe the shaking Steel-type.
Running a hand over Aron's hand, she frowned at the scuff-marks and faint gouges that met her fingertips.
"Oh, little one…What happened?"
All of Suna seemed to tremble as a maniacal laugh ripped through the air, blue eyes snapping up to see the mountain of sand that had taken a demon's form swipe at another building with gleeful malice.
Shukaku, the voice whispered to her, calm and sad. Not Gaara.
Heart clenching at the thought of Gaara being in there, oblivious to everything and unable to stop even if he wasn't, Hikari crouched to place both Pokemon on the ground.
"Stay here."
Cyndaquil hesitated a moment, bristling, before nodding in agreement and pressing close to Aron in comfort.
Passing a hand over her partner's head in thanks, Hikari stood and stared up at the desert Bijuu with narrowed eyes.
Gaara…
Lunging forward, she leapt over all the buildings that still stood in her way, the most direct route to be found.
"Shukaku!"
The Ichibi paused in his mayhem, turning to look down on the little human that stood firmly in his path.
"Well, if it isn't the little Messenger." He greeted, bending down so as to get a closer look. "Don't you like what I did with the place? It's all for you."
Hikari said nothing, quietly staring into dark, star-pupil eyes, and the Bijuu paused in his preening.
Seeing something there that no one else bothered to find, she reached forward and rested a hand on the massive beast's snout, the softness in her eyes stunning Shukaku into silence.
"Thank you, for protecting Gaara." Hikari voiced, gentle. "But I'm here now. You can let him go."
The surrounding ninja cringed, expecting to see the girl become a bloody smear on the sand-
A purr rumbled from the great sandy tanuki as he leaned into the touch, practically nuzzling the giggling brunette as the grains tickled her skin.
"Knew I liked you for a reason."
Pulling back, the Ichibi allowed his monstrous body to fall apart, showering Suna with sand and-
"Gaara!"
Leaping into the storm, Hikari caught the unconscious boy and landed on a nearby rooftop, feet skidding on the cracked sandstone.
Checking for injuries, she paused at his forehead, gaze swimming with tears.
Etched into his forehead, leaking red, was the kanji for love.
"No…"
Wetness on his face roused the young Jinchuriki, who blinked the blurriness away to see familiar blue eyes and earthy curls.
"Kari…"
She smiled despite the tears, like the sun breaking through clouds, and Gaara felt the whole world right itself.
"Gaara!"
"Kari!"
Both children were startled to be tackled by their Pokemon, Aron practically in tears as she burrowed into her boy's grasp.
The bond thrummed, strong with relief and guilt, and Gaara held her close as Hikari passed a glowing hand over the wound on his forehead.
The scar was blood-bright, a symbol for who he would now be, and it broke their hearts.
Oh, Gaara…
