[(Warning! - Violence, Bad Language, Limes, and mild Lemons!) * Breaking Through to My Heart is influenced by Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden. But, it won't follow the exact storyline. I've changed a couple shinobi's ages around, taken some events and used them, and made some events that never happened. *Notice: All the Naruto characters do not belong to me, nor do the places, except for the Hanahara family, the Hidden Village of the Blossoms, and a few other characters.]

Chapter 21: Three New Lessons

[Tsuki – Three Days Later]

Without someone in the house, I'd taken to waking up before the sun began to rise so that I could have some time to myself before Asuma dragged me off to train some more on my chakra control, strength, and strategy, or one of the others decided to pop in and drag me around town for a few hours. As much as I appreciated it, I needed time to focus, to reflect on things, and to contemplate life.

Today as I stepped outside I could smell the rain heading our way. I had always loved the rain, how it brought the smell of fresh earth with it, and nourished the plants and life around me. It would be here in less than an hour and I felt my spirit pick up, shoving away the darkness and fear I struggled to bury.

There weren't many people out this early in the morning as I made my way to the front gates. Kotetsu and Izumo were sitting at the entry station and smiled at me as I walked by. Kotetsu was busy slurping up some nasty clear stuff, but spoke in between bites. "Good morning, Tsuki. Heading to the river again this morning?"

I stopped for a minute and nodded. "Good morning Kotetsu. And yah, I planned on it. I wanted to watch the rain clouds head this way."

Izumo leaned his head further outside the station and looked up at the slightly lit sky, the sun not quite breaking over the horizon. "It doesn't look like it's going to rain. Are you sure?"

I laughed lightly. "I'm drawn to water as much as I am drawn to earth. I can always tell when it is going to rain, Izumo. It'll be here soon. I promise."

Izumo hummed at me and sat back down, crossing his arms. "I guess I'll hold it to you then, Tsuki. If it rains I'll believe you next time. If not, well, it's got to rain sometime. Right?"

Kotetsu let out a groan and hid his head in his hands. "You might as well go while you can, Tsuki. He'll only get worse."

"Hey! I'm telling the truth!"

I laughed and shook my head. Every day here I was falling in love with this village. And every day I became sadder knowing I'd have to leave one day to protect it. Right now I just kept laughing and starting walking on through the gates. "I'll see you both later."

Once outside them I turned left and headed along the outside of the wall until I saw my usual sitting spot with the tree that leaned out over the water. I sat down and slid my shoes off before I scooted to the edge of the river and stuck my feet in. I gave a small sigh and leaned back on my arms, swishing my feet back and forth against the current.

"Good morning, Tsuki."

I leaned my head back until I could take in the upside down Sonomi. I smile up at her. "Good morning, Sonomi. Want to sit with me?" We'd been hanging out this way most mornings since meeting and once in a while after evening training. She was a bright youthful person I wholeheartedly called friend.

"Of course." She moved up beside me and sat down with a small humph sound, allowing me time to straighten my head so that she wasn't upside down anymore. "Did you come for the rain this morning?"

I arched my brow at her but nodded. "I could feel it a little bit ago and wanted to come watch it roll it."

She pulled her shoes off and shoved her feet into the water next to mine. "I love the rain. Sometimes I wish I lived where it rained everyday… or almost every day."

I have a small laugh and bumped my shoulder into her arm. She was taller than me by several inches so her arms were longer and her own shoulders set higher than mine. "I could live with it raining once or twice a week, but not every day. I also like to see the sun and the moon."

"You're named after the moon aren't you?"

"Yep. My name means Moon of the Flower Meadow."

"Tsuki no Hanahara."

The way she said my name sort of sounded sad. "I still down know your last name."

She looked down at her lap and was silent for a little bit. "My mother's last name was Aakimi."

"Was?"

"She passed away a few years back."

"And your father, you said he was an assassin or something before he died?" I remember her telling me a little about him and her mother the first day I'd met her.

I watched her hands clinch into fists. "He was. And he was murdered."

I reached over and took one of her clinched hands. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

She shook her head. "No, it's fine. I was only three so I don't remember him that much."

I opened my mouth to say something but I closed it and was silent for a moment before deciding to go ahead and speak. "Mine was too."

She moved her head slightly so that she could peek at me without looking directly at me. "Yours was what?"

"Murdered. My family was murdered in front of me. I was only seven but I still remember everything like it happened yesterday."

She slowly shifted her body sideways so that she was sitting facing me now, her feet no longer in the water. "Is that why you always walk around like you're locked in your own world of pain and grief?"

I felt tears struggle to fall from the corner of my eyes. I brushed them away. "It's one of the reasons, yah."

"What was he like?"

I looked up at her. "My father?" She nodded. I closed my eyes and leaned back, still holding her hand, although it had unclenched. "He was really tall and strong. His voice was deep and happy, but held authority. His eyes were silver and brown." I paused and looked back at her. "Almost like your eyes, except darker. Richer, like good, healthy earth meant for plentiful harvests." I took a deep breath that shuddered while I fought back tears. "He used to sit me on his lap, with my sisters and brothers sitting around us and my mother beside him, making puppets from water and earth for us. He did it every night before we went to bed. He…"

Sonomi flipped her hand so that she could wrap her fingers around mine, squeezing our hands tightly together. "It's ok; you don't have to go on."

I shook my head. I needed this. I needed to remember him, to remember my family, to remember what happiness was. "He helped everyone who needed it. Our village was his village to watch over and to protect. He was a warrior when needed. And he loved all of us so much; my mother Emi, my oldest brother Hajime, my oldest sister Natsumi, my second oldest brother Rokurota, me, my baby brother Daisuki, and my baby sister Riko. He tried to save us."

I couldn't hold back the tears anymore, and they fell in torrents. But they were hidden as the rain finally came, falling around us, soaking us through in an instant. Neither one of us moved though. I leaned my head back and allowed the rain to wash away my tears. "I was the only one left alive, to never see my family again. Never hear my father call my name or have my mother kiss me on the cheek."

Sonomi pulled her hand away from mine and reached up to tuck my wet curls behind my ear. "I hope you kill him. The man who murdered your family. I hope you find him and kill him."

I turned my head to the side again and stared at her, my silver and green eyes staring into her silver and brown eyes. It killed me inside hearing that. There was nothing more I wanted to do than to kill Orochimaru. But I couldn't, I wasn't strong enough, and there was someone I had to protect at all costs. So if I tried to kill him, she would suffer. But I didn't say any of that. I gave a fake smile. "Me too, Sonomi. I wish for nothing more."

Sonomi was about to say something else when the sound of footsteps on grass brought both of our attentions to the person walking towards us. I couldn't see the person very well through the rain until he was standing over the both of us, looking down with beautiful bright green eyes. The rain dripping from his red hair trailed down his pale cheeks. "Good morning, Tsuki no Hanahara."

I quickly stood up, slipping a little on the wet grass. I reached up and brushed my now unruly hair away from my face. It always stuck up like crazy when it rained. "Kazekage."

He tsked at me. "Gaara."

My cheeks turned slightly pink. "Gaara."

He looked from me to Sonomi who was still sitting down looking up at him. He gave her a slight smile. "A friend of yours?"

I nodded and offered a hand to Sonomi so that I could help her stand. "Sorry, yes, she is." I motioned between the both of them. "Gaara, this is Sonomi. Sonomi this is Kazekage Gaara, from Suna."

Gaara held out his hand to Sonomi. "It's a pleasure, Sonomi."

She looked at me with wide eyes until I nudged her. She turned back, blushing profusely, and gently took his hand. "It's… it's nice to meet you as well, Kazekage."

Gaara kept her hand in his. "Gaara. Please, call me Gaara."

She pulled her hand away and moved slightly behind me. Gaara's eyes followed her movement as he lowered his hand back to his side. I gave a small chuckle, drawing his attention back to me. "So, Gaara, why are you taking a walk in the rain? I would think you wouldn't like it."

He held his arms away from his body and looked down at it before looking back up at me, moving his arms up and down and around. "It's true that the rain weighs down my sand, but I am strong enough to walk with it wet. So I don't dislike it. More like I find it refreshing."

I took a small step to the side and exposed Sonomi but she moved right back behind me again. "Did you just come out for a walk then?"

He lowered his hands to his side again and shook his wet head. I found it quite adorable so I could imagine Sonomi thought so too, which was why she was hiding behind me. "No, I actually came to find you."

I arched a brow. "Oh?"

"I know we met just once at the gates a few days ago, but I wanted to see if you would like to do some chakra training with me."

I squatted down onto my heels and looked at the ground, absently pulling at the wet grass. Sonomi was completely exposed now and could do nothing about it. I silently snickered as I contemplated Gaara's words. "Why? I've already been doing that with Asuma."

"Tsunade told me you had an affinity towards earth and water. Seeing as it is raining you might have better control over training your chakra."

"So the Hokage told you about me?"

"Yes."

I looked up at him, the rain hitting my face not bothering me. "So you know everything?"

He nodded. "I do."

I sighed and turned around, flopping back onto the ground. I grabbed my shoes and quickly pulled them before standing again, turning back to face Gaara. "Sure. I guess it wouldn't hurt to practice. I'm pretty good with my chakra anyways, so it'll fly by."

Gaara gave another small nod. "I would expect nothing less, except my training is a little different. More suited to what you will need to protect yourself."

I stared him square in the eyes, my face emotionless. "I can already protect myself."

He wasn't fazed by my look. "I never said you couldn't. I said I'd help you get stronger."

"Hnn." I looked away from him to Sonomi. She was looking from me to Gaara. I smiled and looked back at Gaara. "Mind if she comes along?"

Sonomi's voice squeaked out. "What?! No!"

I chuckled. "Yes."

She whispered at me. "No."

Gaara reached up and pushed his wet hair back away from his face, revealing his cheeks stained with a pink blush, his green eyes still watching Sonomi. "I wouldn't mind."

My smile grew into a full blown grin. I moved around Sonomi and squatted down in front of her so that I could help her put her shoes on. She protested but in the end allowed me to help. Once they were on I stood up and grabbed her hand, pulling her along with me. "Lead the way then, Gaara."

Gaara turned with us and walked alongside Sonomi instead of moving ahead of us.

As we walked through the gates I paused for a moment in front of the entry station with a huge grin plastered on my face. Kotetsu and Izumo were still there. "I guess I was right, Izumo."

Izumo gave a small scowl that ended with a smile. "I'll trust you next time."

"I'll hold that to you then, Izumo." I flicked my hands at him, sprinkling the rain water soaking my arms onto him.

Kotetsu gave a hearty laugh and moved out of the way. "Never doubt a woman, Izumo. It doesn't lead to good things."

"Tsuki."

I looked at Gaara and sighed, moving back away from the station. "Have a good rest of the morning, Kotetsu, Izumo."

We made our way through the village until we reached a training ground with a large open shelter. Gaara allowed us both to step under it before he followed. I quickly moved away from Sonomi and walked to the fire pit that was in the center of the shelter. I squatted, thankful someone had left wood beside it, and put a few pieces in the pit. I picked up the flint and steel left there for this fire pit and quickly lit the wood on fire.

I looked back at Gaara and Sonomi, both still standing where I'd left them. I sighed and turned back to the fire, sticking my hands out to warm them. Finally Sonomi moved first and walked over as well and plopped down close by me.

Gaara followed but stayed standing, holding his own hands out to the fire. "How do you fight, Tsuki?"

I looked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean 'how do I fight'? I just fight. Like everyone else."

He was silent for a moment as he thought of how to reword what he wanted to ask. "What do you use most to fight with?"

I shrugged. "Kunai, katana, poisons, or I call on my Kekkei Genkai."

"So you rely on your Kekkei Genkai mostly?"

"I suppose I do."

Gaara gave a small nod of his head. "Then there will be three things I can teach you." He finally moved to sit, the fire quickly drying his body and sand.

"Only three?"

"Yes."

"So what are they?"

Gaara turned his bright green eyes over to me and stared at me intently. "First I'm going to teach you how to use your elements as a shield, to cover your body and protect it. Like I do." He held out his hand, palm up, so that I could see the sand start to crack where it covered his body. Underneath I saw his real skin. Then the sand reformed and became his shield once again.

I shook my head. "I can already do that."

He arched one of his brows at me. "Is it an absolute defense? Able to protect you even from the hardest of hits?"

I looked down at my hands and thought about it. "I…" I finally shook my head. "No. I can only protect myself for short periods. And it's mostly used to get through something like a fire jutsu or something similar."

He nodded. "Then I will pass the knowledge of how to create a Shield and Armour to you using your elements. I use sand, but earth is how sand is created - the grinding of dirt and rock together creating tiny particles of sand. You have an affinity for earth; therefore I will be able to pass this technique on to you." He looked over at Sonomi, causing her blush and look away from him since she had been staring. "You have an affinity for earth as well, don't you?"

She bobbed her head slightly. "A little, yes."

"I can teach you as well, if you would like."

She peeked her eyes up at him. "I… would."

He gave a small smile before turning his attention back to me. "The second thing I will teach you is how to use a weapon more than relying on your Kekkei Genkai to protect you. Sometimes it doesn't matter how much chakra you have and how much jutsu you can control, sometimes you just have to wield a weapon as good as you can your chakra."

I opened my mouth to tell him I could use any number of weapons, but I knew he was right. I could use any weapon I could get my hands on but probably not as effectively as I can use my Kekkei Genkai. "Ok. What's the third thing?"

Gaara slowly stood and called on his sand. The cork of the gourd popped out and bounced on the ground until it landed next to my foot. A long stream of sand glided out of the gourd and wrapped itself around his body. He held his hand out and a long, hardened sand spear began to form out of the sand. Once it was fully formed he wrapped his hands around it and held it out for me to see. "I will teach you how to form weapons from your elements, strong enough to rip through shields and pierce a person through… should the need arise."

The sand spear disintegrated and joined the rest of the sand as it slowly flowed back into Gaara's gourd. I picked up the gourds cork from beside my foot and stood up, holding it out to him. He gently took it from my hand and the sand reached out and grabbed it, dragging it back to cork the gourd closed. "Do you think I can really learn these things?"

Gaara nodded. "I do."

Sonomi stood up too and walked up beside me, putting her hand on my arm. I looked over at her and she smiled. "I believe you can too."

I felt myself genuinely smiling back at her. I looked back at Gaara as he spoke again. "It won't be easy, and I don't have years to teach you, so I expect you to be willing to train with me from sun up to sun down for the next couple of weeks."

I frowned. "But what about my training with Asuma? The Hokage told me it was mandatory."

"It was, but she asked me to take on your training for a little bit while my siblings and I are here. So for now, your training will be with me."

I gave a heavy sigh. What was I getting myself into? "Ok. So where do we begin?"

"It all starts with you grounding yourself to your strongest element."

"Earth."

Gaara moved to the side and waved his hand to the outside of the shelter. "Then ground yourself. Touch the earth. Focus on the earth. Become the earth. Take this time to meditate on it and I will let you know when to stop."

I moved forward and walked past him, stepping out into the rain. I leaned my head back for a moment and once again enjoyed the feeling of the rain pattering against my body. I moved a little ways away from the shelter and sat down. The grass was wet but I didn't mind. I closed my eyes and reached my chakra down into the earth beneath me, feeling it as it reached out for me. I could hear its tiny voice caressing against my mind. Tsuki. A small smile formed across my lips and I began to relax, slipping into a meditative state like Gaara had told me to do. Tsuki. Tsuki. Tsuki.