Chapter 24
Temari led me off to a secluded bench beneath a dead tree.
"Rayne this is about the mission Naruto is going on, we've received some information about it previously from Tsunade and we also think that Naruto is the best choice for going on the mission, however without Naruto here things are going to be extremely tough on you seeing as there is only one to aid us now and that Naruto was such a hyperactive person he got around to helping everyone and doing everything. Also Gaara is going to be extremely stressed out and it would be in your and everyone else's best interest if we all just stayed out of his was for the time being"
She finished off the last sentence with a heavy sigh and a weary look.
"Gaara isn't used to the worried feeling he is getting at the moment so it takes a lot for his to get used to it and well...every other feeling he gets now. After the extraction I don't know if yo know but Naruto helped him out a lot with dealing with all his new feelings and that is one of the main reasons Kankuro selected him when we asked for ninja to assist us"
I looked down at my feet feeling the familiar feeling of uselessness wave over me.
But now I wasn't at Konoha and Shikamaru, Hinata or Kiba weren't here to help me get out of the slum I was in.
I looked back up at Temari and nodded in understanding.
Quickly standing to my feet I looked at her.
"Is there any training fields around here?" She pointed the direction out and I made my way to the one further away.
Gaara's POV
"Stupid Shikaku" I muttered to myself feeling my rage come back in a great wave.
It had been a while since I have felt it in such a great velocity, "stupid feelings, stupid Naruto, stupid Konoha for sending him, Augh!" I shouted throwing the nearest objects across the room 'I don't want to feel all of this.
Just go away... Please!" I screamed clutching my head falling to my knees.
The emotion I was feeling wasn't a pleasant one, it wasn't like the one I felt when Kankuro told a joke or when Temari hugged me.
It was... sad, it hurt inside of me where my heart was.
This was one of the few times I wished I had Shikaku back.
I stared at the wall at a blank space drifting into one of my memories of Naruto.
He had that ridiculous smile on his face introducing a new food group to me, he called it ramen.
I remember his face had suddenly turned serious and he stared at me "Gaara sometimes feelings hurt and you will wish that you had Shikaku back so you don't feel anything again but you need to get through it. Talk to someone about it like me, Temari, Kankuro or someone else. There are lots of feelings that hurt like sadness, heartache and worry but don't worry the good feelings outnumber them like love happiness joy belonging and pervy sage was telling me about one called arousal but I still don't understand it".
I was shaken out of my memory as I heard a loud crashing sound.
Standing up I moved to the window to investigate.
Looking out into the distance I saw a cloud of smoke.
When I reached my destination I noticed not only was it a training ground but that rubble was everywhere and nobody was to be seen through the dust that had accumulated around the grounds.
It slowly cleared leaving a single person panting in the middle of the field.
She turned around to reveal a familiar face.
"Gaara" she said coolly "what are you doing here".
Her icy tone caught me slightly off guard and I gaped at her like a fish but I quickly composed myself, what had happened, she wasn't acting like herself in any way at all.
Her usual bubbly self had turned into an icy covering.
Her emotions must have been injured, wait that wasn't how to say it, how had Naruto put it, ah yes her feelings had been hurt by something.
Her cold voice brought me back to reality. "I'm only going to repeat myself once more, what do you want?" she questioned.
I looked her up and down, yes; she had been the one making all that dust.
She clothes were in tatters, her jacket long ago discarded and the bottom of her singlet had been ripped off making it reveal her belly button.
Her jeans had rips in the knees and left thigh and dirt caked them.
Looking closed I could make out that she was panting from over exhaustion.
All of this was taken in by a quick flick of my eyes.
An unfamiliar feeling came over me looking at her.
It was...unusual.
"I was just curious to who was making a dust cloud in the distance so I came to investigate the means of it" I answered in more or less the same tone she had spoken in, hard and demanding.
Her eyes hardened upon hearing this.
"Very well then" she answered turning away from him.
He could see her making hand signs and all of a sudden a giant pillar of ice shot up behind her leaving him unable to see her.
The low buzzing sound of chakra being infused with a body part was heard and all of a sudden the ice pillar was shattered leaving her visible and panting.
Her eyes locked onto his and he shuddered from the pain displayed inside of them.
Quickly composing herself she straightened up and walked past him.
"Damn that female infuriates me" Shikaku rumbled inside of him.
"Ray-" I began but I didn't get far as she collapsed falling into me.
I quickly moved to catch her not wanting to hurt her anymore than she already was.
"Shikaku" I spoke allowed questioning the means of her collapsing.
"She used all of her chakra with that last .move; she must have been out here for a while for her to use it all".
I sighed at her stupidity and picked her up bridal style and started the arduous journey through the village to the hospital.