Possibilities
by: Fragile Wishes
Current Location: Canon World, Uchiha District
The doors opened before Gaara could make his presence known. Hatake-san was waiting for him at the porch of a house. He looked like he didn't even notice Gaara was standing there, the man was probably confident he could kill the Jinchuuriki, and Gaara didn't doubt it that the man could achieve it if he wanted to.
Compared to the sounds of the village, this part was eerily quiet. Even at nights when all of Suna was asleep, the sounds of the living filtered through. The houses in the Uchiha clan looked clean and kept. But it looked abandoned. It was abandoned. There were no children running around, no old ladies watering their plants, and no people walking around. He could almost imagine them living here. Everyone had heard of the Uchiha Massacre. He had seen some people from Suna celebrating the fact, and others whispering worriedly about it (bloodlines being killed in Mist and Konoha. Who was next?).
"Tsunade-sama said you'd be coming." Hatake said standing but not looking up from his book.
He nodded at the man and followed him. He didn't care that the Jounin walked deliberately slowly. His eyes didn't leave the book, but Gaara felt watched. He is always being watched.
He heard Naruto's screech of laugher from far away and then…
"No fair!"
He still can't imagine how a Jinchuuriki who was hated by a whole village can smile and can believe in protecting people. But Gaara had seen the blond. He's seen it and he had felt the truth in his heart.
{Line break}
She felt Gaara's chakra approaching. It felt different… less refined than what she remembers the Kazekage's being, but it was probably the age difference.
She smirked as she got to pop Kakashi-sensei's clone. The clone just crossed its arms in an exaggerated pout and dissipated when she touched him on the arm. It looked funny over a mask.
"Everything is fair, Naruto" She said. Sasuke pointed out an open piece to Naruto and he took it gleefully.
"Hah! In your face- …Gaara!"
Naruto abandoned his place as the Hokage and ran to the Sand Genin with a grin as soon as he saw the red head. The robes flapped behind him and the hat moved around.
Gaara's eyes were sharp as he watched Naruto, who put his arms behind his head and dropped the transformation jutsu of the robes blushing.
"We were just playing Shogi the Fun Way," He says, as if that was the only explanation needed. Kakashi stared at all the clones. A few copies of him were on the playing field too, one even going as far as to henge an orange Icha Icha book. There was another Shikamaru on the ground with a fire headband completely refusing to play. Naruto loved henging to the 'characters'. She smiled. This was just like when she was teaching him back when they were Jounin. Now Naruto could hold out on his own for a while.
"Ah" Kakashi said as if disinterested. "Gaara just wanted to talk to Shikako-san before he leaves for Suna."
Shikako walked forward, Sasuke coming to her side too. It was weird that Kakashi would add a san after their names, but she could guess he was trying to keep some distance.
Gaara just looked like he did, his eyes not shifting. But He'd stopped being so intimidating to her after she saw him play with the children in the Academy. It's just difficult to factor in a scary Gaara with a Gaara trying to pick out glitter in his sand patiently.
"Hello, Gaara" She said carefully when he didn't speak. This Gaara doesn't know her. He had eventually stopped being so quiet (she'd gone to Suna as an ambassador more than once), but this was a bit familiar.
The shadow clones start popping as Naruto loses interest in the game, leaving the field empty.
"Is it possible?" He asked simply after a few awkward seconds. She realized that she was still wearing the transformation jutsu of the Kazekake robes and hat. It's a bit embarrassing, so she dropped it. Gaara was still staring intently, waiting.
"Yes," She says simply after considering it. This is what he had come here for after all. What was a push in the right direction? Gaara was not a person to slack off because he knew something could be achieved. It just…gave him momentum.
"What is?" Naruto asked loudly looking between them "What you talking about?"
"Ah. That's for Gaara to know" She teases him. Gaara's eyes are a bit wide in surprise. He wanted it, and he would achieve it. Hearing it was still a surprise, clearly.
"You" he didn't continue. He doesn't know what to say. Then he continues after all "You were there during the invasion?" Has the other Gaara done horrible things? Did people also mistrust and hate him?
It's not her who answers, but Sasuke. "We were" he nods "and we're friends" he says a little bit defensively. Like daring someone to call him on being kind.
Shikako almost wants to hug her friend. Sasuke had been lonely at one time too. Kakashi was watching them sharply and maybe he knew what they were talking about.
It's sensei. He knew.
Gaara's looks away from her eyes, like he's processing the information. Naruto has no idea what they are talking about but he knows that expression.
"And now we can all be friends! Right Shikako-neesan?"
She smiled brightly "Of course, Naruto" She said putting a hand on his shoulder.
Gaara stays to watch the game at Naruto's insistence. Kakashi even pipes up eventually when his clone is in the line to be popped. His eyes move sharply around the field. He points out her strategies but eventually Shikako starts running them over.
"Naruto, can I borrow your clones for the next game?" Kakashi says when the match is concluded in Shikako's favor. Not really surprising, given that she'd been playing Naras for years.
"Are you sure you want to play against a Nara?" she asks grinning, because if she had been taught something well, it was playing Shogi as one.
300 Folllows. Woahhhhh
F. Wishes: almost 300 follows. Omake time?
Lady: omake time. Which character this time then?
F. Wishes: umm…
Lady: I'll just throw some names around and you pick one
*5 minutes later*
F. Wishes: Yosh! Let's show some love to Kankuro & sand team
Omake: Truth is stranger than fiction
"Kazekage-sama, a message arrived from Konoha. Shikako-san won't be able to come as the ambassador. She had a sealing accident during a mission"
Gaara's hands stilled from signing the next paper. Kankuro backed away a little bit when the killing intent rose in the room. The sand made sounds as it slithered in the ground.
"What?" He said carefully, making the Jounin swallow.
"What did she do? Briefly become a Kami again? What can be worse than that?" Kankuro said looking up at the ceiling. Another accident!? Again?
"That was a bad joke, Kankuro!" Temari said smacking his head.
Gaara pinched his nose "get out or keep quiet, both of you. Is she in the hospital?" looking ready to fly to Konoha on his sand.
"Well…she was missing at first, but she has been found healthy…she's just kind of stuck somewhere else and they don't know how to get her back?" The Jounin said sheepishly.
Kakuro sighted "explain so that it makes sense, yeah?"
"Techinically they found her…in another world" The Jounin said like he couldn't believe he was saying that. Everybody stared.
"Damn, Sparky" Kankuro muttered "That's a new one. All you need is time-traveling and you'll be all set for weird missions"
The Jounin shuffled.
"Well…actually…"
"What?" Gaara demanded, a flat stare on his face.
"Ah…she kind of landed after the chunin exams…the first one" He finished not looking into Gaara's eyes. Yeah the first one. No one liked to remember his psychotic murderer days.
"What were you saying Kankuro?" commented Temari looking at her nails.
"Nevermind" The puppeteer said "she's part of team 7, should have known it was some freaky shit. Nope. That one can hog all the weird shit going on"
And this is what happens when we message each other back and forth. Stuff like this comes out lol
Fragile dreams.
Reviewer Shinonome Sakuya asks:
Is there Shikaara on Switch? Is that why Shikako was so happy that Gaara was there or is it purely platonic?
Well, she arrived and just saw Chibi-Gaara ^.^" who's gourd looks a bit too big for him. As for DOS switch. Hah! Well….maybe you'll find out…maybe you won't.
Floatingmangocake says:
Waaa…Gaara-sama so cool~
Well, Fragile Dreams agrees *Squeeee*
Things to come : Conversation Excerpt Redacted
F Wishes: He/She dies
Lady: That's dramatic. More plot settled though
F Wishes: everyone is going to hate us
Lady: Notoriety is just another type of fame.
And we're ruthless….