A True Samurai
Chapter Ten, Warriors In Love
I was scared. So scared in this place.
It was dark, and they had stripped us of our clothes. The room was so cold that I could see my breath.
"Sakura..." Makino whispered.
I looked over at the girl with green hair that was sloppily cut. Not that mine was any better. When they had taken us, they cut our hair sort with a kunai.
"Yeah?" I answered, trying to stay as quiet as possible, terrified that they would come back.
"I'm so scared... I want my mommy..." Makino whimpered.
I held her close to me and stroked her hair soothingly.
"Shh... It's ok... It's ok... Good girl." I smiled.
Three of the other children moved closer to us and we all huddled closer together, trying to stay warm.
We then heard the thundering sound of heavy foot falls. Clanking metal. Then the cell door of the dirty, stone cell room was wrenched open.
"UP! UP! EVERYONE UP! LET'S GO!" The large, dark haired man roared.
Four of the man's followers herded us out, whacking our ankles and backs with canes.
We scrambled out of the dirty, dark cell as fast as we could. Once outside, they blind folded us and walked us outside.
I could feel the snow under my bare feet. Makino was still beside me, clinging to my arm.
We finally sopped and the took the blind folds off and shoved us inside of an old, seemingly abandond thatched house.
They threw some rags on the ground.
"Wear these." The dark haired man said.
After we dressed all of the three to four year olds, including me, were lined up against a wall.
"Your families are all dead. Nobody knows that any of you exsist. You, belong to us now." The dark haired man said.
Makino shook in fear beside me and I held her hand tightly.
"You, are candidates to become the next generation of Yukigukare's feared weapons. Kuetsuki no Buki. Your training starts here. Only a few of you will come out of this alive." He continued.
We were terrified. Absoulutly terrified of this man. Of this place. These people. What they were going to do to us. Mostly, because we knew there was no escape.
"We are the Shinobi of Yukigukare. And our one, and only purpose is complete domination of all the Shinobi lands." He said.
Another man with bright blue hair and an eye patch walked up behind the darked haired man.
"Today, marks a new day for all of you. Today, you become our comrades." The blue haired man stated.
"And we will distroy the weaklings who dare to speak ill of our village. We will kill all who stand in the way. The time has come for Yukigukare to be truely seen as the strongest of the Shinobi Villages! The current Yukikage is dead to us, for he cannot give us the strength we need! So we will be the strength, and you, will be our weapons!"
I shot up from my sleeping mat, my body covered in a cold sweat and my breathing ragged. I buried my face in my hands.
That place... I never want to go back there...
I slowly got up and dressed in my black and white gii and sheathed my two swords. Today, Gaara was addressing all of the Allied Shinobi Forces.
Upon arriving to the gathering plains, I saw Okisuke waiting for me, along side Urakaku. We held eachothers gaze for a moment, then looked away. Urakaku gave us both a confused look.
"You two are quiet. What, lovers spat?" Urakaku laughed.
I gave him a glare the clearly stated to shut the hell up. He did so quickly and stayed quiet as we made our way to the higher platform where Mifune and the other commander's were. I stood on the right of Mifune. On my other side was Gaara, then after his was a masked man with outragous white hair that defyed gravity. I saw the shinobi begin to quarrel. Then small groups here and there began to physically fight.
Well this is going PERFECTLY...
Sand spiraled inbetween the arguing Shinobi and knocked them appart. I gave a shocked gasp and turned to the only known sand user. Gaara stood there, watching the Shinobi and they too watched him. All eyes were on the young general.
"Three times now... We've fought world wars for our own nations, our own villages. We've hurt one another. We've hated one another. That hatred bred a lust for power, and that lust for power created me." Gaara said.
Gaara.
"I was a Jinchuuriki, the embodiment of hatred and power. And I hated this world, and all the people in it... I wanted to destroy it with my own hands. The exact same thing Akatsuki and Uchiha Madara are trying to do today." Gaara stared thoughtfully at the ground, as if recalling a memory.
The Shinobi continued to watch their leader, in awe at his words.
"But one man, one shinobi from Konoha stopped me!" He said.
I stared at Gaara. I had never seen this side to him.
"I was his enemy, yet he wept for me! I hurt him, yet he called me his friend! He saved me! My enemy, my fellow Jinchuuriki... He suffered the same pain as me, yet bore no ill will!" Gaara yelled.
The Shinobi's eyes shined with streangth, strength Gaara was giving them with his inspiring words.
"There are no enemies here because we've all suffered at Akatsuki's hand!" Gaara said.
So that's what you're doing...
"SO THERE IS NO SAND, NO STONE, NO LEAF, NO MIST, NO CLOUD! NOW THERE ARE ONLY-"
You brilliant, brilliant man Gaara.
"WARRIORS!" Gaara gestured to the Shinobi and Samurai.
They cheered, more passionate than ever, all fighting and arguments forgotten.
"And if you still hold a grudge against the Sand, then when this war is over, come and take my head instead!" Gaara said.
I smiled lightly.
"Our enemies are after my friend who saved my life! If they take him, if we hand him over, our world is finished! I want to protect him, and I want to protect our world! But I'm too young to protect it all on my own! All of you, I beg of you! Lend me your aid!" Gaara shouted.
The Shinobi and Samurai erupted into cheers and applause.
The more passionate they are, the more they'll want to work together. Good job Gaara.
"Tomorrow we move out for battle. Sakura, you will be Gaara's second in command." Mifune said.
I saw Okisuke's fist clench and heard a small growl coming from him.
"Yes, Mifune-sensei." I bowed.
Gaara came up behind me.
"Excuse us, I just was to run over some last minute battle tactic's with my Second." Gaara said.
Mifune nodded in approval.
We left the conferance room and walked to Gaara's small, make shift office.
"What is it you wish to discuss, Kazekage-sama?" I asked.
"Haven't I told you to call me Gaara." Gaara muttered.
"We have to go to war tomorrow, we don't have time for this Gaara-"
"That's why I want there to be some time." Gaara hissed.
I gave him a confused look.
"Yes, we're going to war tomorrow. That's why..." Gaara reached a hand out and caressed my cheek, his face closing in on mine.
I felt blood rush to my cheeks.
"I want to have some time... Even if it's only a second... I want to..." He whispered, inching closer and closer.
"G-Gaara." I whispered.
He left me no time to protest and sealed my lips with his in a gentle kiss.
It wasn't like Okisuke's. Forced, rushed and overpowering. A onesided kiss. But Gaara's... It was soft but passionate, needing and filled with something, that could only be described as love.
He slowly pulled away, eyes locked on mine.
"Why did you..? What...?" I was at a loss.
Gaara sighed.
"You're so smart but so brilliantly stupid sometimes." He chuckled.
"H-hey!"
"Isn't it obvious?" Gaara whispered.
My eyes widened.
No way.
"Sakura. I'm in love with you." Gaara said.
I shook my head and pushed away.
"No."
"What do you mean no?" Gaara growled and took a step forward, twords me.
"I mean, we are going to war tomorrow. What if... What if one of us don't... What if you..." I couldn't bare to say it.
Gaara took my hands in his and held them to his chest.
"I don't want to live my life with a tonne of 'what if's'. Sakura. I don't want to die tomorrow, without knowing that you and I would have had a chance. And if we do... I will fight harder than anyone out there to stay alive and come back to you." Gaara stated.
He pulled me to him and held me tightly, seemingly never letting go.
"Gaara I.." I whispered.
"Please Sakura... You don't know how badly I want to hear those words." He said.
I pressed my lips into a thin line and pulled away.
"Survive. Come back in one piece. Don't die our there. And if you do... Then I'll say it." I answered and left the office as quickly as I could.
It only took ten chapters but... They finally kissed! But sakura! Why must you be so mean to Gaa-chan.
I know! I know! A bit of a let down with the romance. But don't worry, next chappy is gooey and lovey and action-ey... Eh.
anyway...
REVIEW FANFICTION MONKEYS! O_O
~Nagato-chan