Hey guys

How was everyones holiday?

Here's the next chapter, and I tried to add a bit of humor into it.

Hope everyone enjoys.

I Don't own Naruto

Chapter 9

Something felt off about her dad. He seemed more relaxed, and was even smiling! I don't think I've seen him smile like that since before we started traveling.

"So, how was your day you two? Any stories you have for me?" Her father asked.

"No Oji tomorrow is our review on the henge. Me and Hikari-chan are going to kill it" Naruto said, hitting his chest in the process.

"Well, I'm sure you two will do well" Her mother commented.

I chose to be silent and observe my dad throughout dinner as he continued to talk with Naruto. I wonder what he and the hokage could have talked about that would cause such a change.

"I don't feel so good" mother quickly ran to the washroom.

Father followed after her, "dear are you alright."

Naruto turned his head to look at me, and I just shrugged; I wasn't going to explain to him what happened since I figured it wasn't something that could be understood without a long explanation.

Both of them returned, and mom just said she felt tired so she went to her room to rest. Dad said that he was going to stay with her for a bit, and Naruto offered to help me clean up the table after we were done eating. I wasn't really paying attention to what he was talking about until I heard a familiar name he mentioned.

"Say Hikari-chan, do you think that Hinata faints because she's sick?"

Blinking, I raised an eyebrow at that as if asking for an explanation.

"Your mother was so pale after she got sick, and said she felt tired, so I thought perhaps Hinata's just sick, and since there's nowhere to really rest, she just faints" Naruto explained.

I don't know how he thought what happened with my mom and what happened with Hinata had any connection, but it was one of the few times where I was annoyed that his thought process didn't make sense.

"What happened with my mom is completely different with what happens with Hinata. No", shaking my head as he was about to ask, "I don't know, and it's their business. Ask them if you want to know."

Looking a little hurt, he nodded his head, gathered his stuff, waved a goodnight, and left. I sighed, feeling a bit guilty for my response.

I really didn't mean to sound annoyed, but my mind had been more focused on dad that when I heard the unfathomable explanation, I couldn't keep the annoyance out of my voice. I guess Naruto noticed since he chose to leave instead of asking anymore questions. I better apologize tomorrow.

I gathered the rest of my stuff in my room, and got prepared for bed.

Gaara had been looking at the photo he had received in the mail, along with holding the letter in his hands. It was the first letter he had gotten since he wrote his first one to Hikari . He glanced back at the letter to read it again for the 5th time:

Hey Gaara

I didn't know that Suna and Konoha were allied villages. That's great! I'm also glad to hear that your family is getting along better, even if your dad still isn't acting like a dad yet. Sorry to hear that people are still not giving you a chance, maybe becoming a ninja will help them change their minds. I met a boy here that I believe is the same as you. Not too long after I moved into my new apartment did I randomly bump into him. He gave me a tour of the village, and was kind but, the look people gave him reminded me of the time when I would hang out with you and people stared a similar way. He's an orphan so he has no one which is why I'm glad to hear that you and your siblings are getting along better. I sent a picture frame of the two of us; the boy with whiskers is called Uzumaki Naruto. He wishes for people to stop looking at him with those glares you're so familiar with so he plans on becoming hokage as his goal. What do you think? Perhaps you should try for Kazekage to get people to acknowledge you as well. I think it helps if your siblings are on your side. Perhaps you'll eventually get your dad to like you. Anyways, the next time I send a letter Naruto wants to send one with me. He says he really wants to meet you in person. Until next time Gaara.

Love Hikari

Gaara turned his look back at the picture frame; the boy called Naruto had spiky blond hair with blue eyes and whisker like marks on his face. He appeared to be short as himself. His clothe consisted of blue shorts with a green t-shirt that was covered with an orange and blue vest. On his forehead was a pair of green goggles.

'Strange attire' Gaara thought; most people hardly wore such bright colors. What he was curious about, though, was that Hikari said this boy was just like him. What did that mean? Did this boy also have a monster, or was he just shunned upon for something his parents had done? Hikari had said that he was an orphan so he was probably more alone than himself currently. Before Hikari, his life felt like hell, even with his uncle's fake care for him. He truly wanted to meet him to see what the similarities were. Once Hikari reads and sends her next letter, Gaara will ask more questions.

"Gaara, are you in there?" The voice behind the door told him that it was Kankuro.

"Yes, what is it?" He asked in a calm voice.

Opening the door, his brother looked around before spotting the photo in Gaara's hand, "She still sending you messages Gaara? She sure is persistent isn't she" the smirk that was on his face made Gaara feel like he missed out on some kind of joke.

"I suppose; she had just recently settled in Konoha, and has made a friend. This is them in the photo" Gaara handed the picture frame to his brother.

Taking the frame from Gaara, he took a look, and made a face; the girl was Hikari alright, but the boy looked like such a brat.

"Konoha eh; well, at least it's in a village we are on good terms with. Anyways Gaara, I was wondering if you could help me with something" Kankuro asked.

"What is it?" he asked. Even though his relationship with his siblings had improved, it seemed Temari was still a little scared of him. Kankuro on the other hand treated him like he treated everyone else, even when he got annoyed, so he was closer to his brother.

"I had just upgraded my two puppets, and was wondering if you could have a spar with me? Just promise me you won't destroy them though during our spar. I haven't laced them with poison yet because I want to see how they work first" Kankuro explained.

This would probably be the first time Kankuro came to him to meet with instead of him going to Kankuro; he felt warmth fill him.

"Sure, but what about Temari; did you do something to anger her again?" He asked.

"Hey, last time wasn't my fault; she left her fan on the floor, causing me to trip. At least she was able to get the spaghetti out of her hair" Kankuro defended himself.

Gaara couldn't help but smirk at the memory; it was one of the few times where he truly let go and laughed.

"I will spar with you. I won't destroy your puppets, but they might require some repairs based on how serious we get" Gaara said.

"That's fine with me. Let's go" Kankuro left with Gaara following him.

"By the way, dad's going to Konoha to meet up with the Hokage in a couple of months, inviting me and Temari to come once the semester ends. Want to come? I wasn't going to say anything before, but since your friend lives in Konoha now, I thought you might wish to come and see her" Kankuro asked.

Gaara looked surprised; He never talked with his dad except with minimal stuff since neither really like each other, but the fact that something this important was left out made him feel a tad bit annoyed.

"If you can get dad to let me come with you guys, I will come; I wish to see Hikari and her new friend" Gaara answered.

"Cool. And don't worry; I and Temari will vouch for you. And Gaara, don't worry about the kid in that photo, he's nowhere good looking to steal Hikari away" Kankuro laughed, thinking the thought was funny.

"Why would I be worried that he would steal Hikari away; from Hikari's letters, he seems like a really good friend to have" Gaara felt confused by his brothers' words.

"Never mind, shall we get started?" Kankuro prepared his puppets as Gaara nodded.

"Kankuro" A yell came from the left causing the two to turn their heads; it was Temari.

Kankuro began to sweat seeing his sister looking pissed, "Hey sis, what's up?" Kankuro asked as she walked up to him, just to get hit on the head with her fan.

"Don't you 'hey sis' me! What did I say about going into my room without my permission? It's such a mess now" Temari looked like she was getting redder with anger by the minute.

"Ow, hey, how do you know it was me and not Gaara? You have no proof" Kankaruo began putting both of his hands on his head to protect it from abuse. Gaara just raised an eyebrow at the accusation.

"Gaara is too nice and respectful to enter my room without asking. Besides, I don't think he would ever put any make up on his body" Temari answered, trying to calm down.

"Hey, it's not makeup, its war paint!" Kankuro defended.

"So it was you" Temari raised her fan to hit him once again.

"Crap" Kankuro said as he started sprinting away, with Temari chasing after him.

Gaara watched as his two siblings started running around the training ground. It was amusing to say the least. His family was never boring whenever he was around the two. It told him very much that yes, even if the village didn't like him yet, he wasn't alone at least.

'If my family is like this, it's no wonder people would be scared of me; Temari can be just as scary if she chooses to be' a smirk spreading across his lips as he sat down to watch Temari attacking Kankuro.

"Ow, dammit Temari, that hurt! Gaara, help me out here" Kankuro yelled out as he began using his puppets to fight back.

Gaara just smirked some more seeing his sister get another hit on his brother, "Nah, this is more fun to watch."

"Traitor" And that was how the sand siblings spent the evening.

"Hikari?" Kori knocked on his daughter's door before letting himself in. The lamp still was lit, and a book was lying on his daughters lap while she was sleeping. Walking quietly, he slowly took the book out of her hands, and pulled the covers over her. Taking a look at the book, he was startled to see it was about the human body, and the page she was on was talking about nerves.

'Since when had Hikari showed interest in such a thing?' He knew his daughter to be one of the kinds who enjoyed reading, even if it was never about fantasy stories but about information. Whenever they went to a village, with the exception of Suna, Hikari spent the majority of her time in the libraries. He didn't believe that the academy was teaching this stuff to the students, so he assumed that she had gone to the library to get this book.

'It seems with me being busy with the business, and looking after Sora, I haven't been paying much attention to her daily life' something he planned on fixing tomorrow.

"Dad?" A groggily voice. Looking down, he saw that his daughter was awake, but still half asleep.

"Yes sweetie?" He answered back.

"I'm glad you look happier now; business must be doing well then" she said.

"It is, but we can talk about that later. For now, go back to sleep; you have a review in the academy tomorrow" he said, planting a kiss to her forehead.

She just closed her eyes again; breathing even to tell him that she was asleep. It was quiet pleasant to watch; he doesn't think he ever had seen his daughter sleep so peaceful since she was three.

Turning towards the lamp, he was about to turn it off when something caught his eyes; it was a picture frame. Taking a closer look at it, he recognized the person in the photo; it was the Suna kid with red hair.

'She's still in contact with him?' looking next to it was one of the letters she had gotten a few days ago.

Even though he knew he shouldn't, he couldn't help but feel curious; that boy had seriously injured her a few days before they left, and he wanted to know if he should be worried:

Hi Hikari

Hokage huh? I think that sounds good. If he became hokage, and I became Kazekage, then not only would people treat us better, but perhaps our villages would be stronger since we would be friends.

I'll start with becoming a ninja, and work my way up there. I would be honored to read what Naruto Uzumaki would like to say. If he's anything like me, and you say he's an orphan, then both of us are willing to be friends. He looks as short as me. I want to meet him. Hope he'll like me. How's the academy? Since people are scared of me, dad won't let me attend. I work with my sand though, so I'm not weak. I think dad plans on making me and my siblings a team since no one else would be with me out of fear.

Looking forward to reading you and your friend's letter.

Gaara.

Kori was to say the very least stunned; while he didn't really know too much about the boy, it states here that he and Naruto are similar in some way. The memory of a boy with killer eyes did not match the letter he read.

'It looks like I'm more unaware than I thought' one thing for sure he would correct tomorrow was knowing what had been going on with his daughter's life for the past month.

There we are.

Since Gaara isn't quite alone, he's capable on cracking a smile every now and then.

Hikari proved that she can get annoyed.

Thanks for the feed back on when to make her graduate, I have decided, but you guys will have to wait when it comes to that part of the story.

Now, I was asked if Gaara would turn bloodthirsty sometime in the story, and he may since his seal isn't the most stable, but I thought I would ask the question; do you guys want to see a bloodthirsty one sometime during the story? If not, then there'll just be the angry kind.

Anyways cheers