Wedding planning has to be the most tedious thing I've ever dealt with! It was fun helping my aunt pick out the dress but it's a real drag. Yes I stole the line from Shikamaru. Weddings are troublesome!I have a killer work pile...
"You're leaving?" Reiko asked sadly.
She watched as Harumi packed her things. Hiroshi and Kuroku were helping Kia pack her room. Reiko swallowed hard. She couldn't look the violet haired girl in the eyes.
"I'm going with Kuroku to the rain." Harumi told Reiko.
"I'll miss you."
Harumi looked up from her suitcase. She was crying. Reiko hugged her. A few tears spilled from her own eyes.
"I promise to write you everyday."
"You better or else I'm coming to the rain village, kicking Kuroku's butt and then dragging you back here." Reiko teased.
"As if you could."
"I wouldn't be able to." Reiko said.
Harumi nodded. She didn't want to leave but Kuroku was the only connection she had to get to her family. Her aunt lived there and he had offered to help her get home. Harumi knew, just as well as Reiko did, that she had to take his offer.
"I'll visit when I can." Harumi promised.
Reiko stood at the gates. Kuroku, Harumi and Kia were leaving. She waved until she couldn't see their retreating figures. She swallowed hard. There was a dull ache in her chest.
She nodded in acknowledgement to the two guards at the gates. The sent her looks of sympathy. And they watched as she walked away, with a heavy heart, to the training grounds. She just wanted to forget that Harumi left but the lack of the other girl's presence was different.
Reiko sighed as Mio jumped onto her shoulder.
"Will you watch me train?" She asked the cat.
Reiko had her scroll open. It was showing her a water bending technique. Reiko figured that if Gaara could manipulate sand why couldn't she do the same with water and air? She smiled as she tried to make the water hover out of the water. It did.
She spun in a circle. The water followed her hands. It twirled around her as she spun. Laughing she threw her hands up and clenched her fists. The water bubble exploded and it rained down on her, making Reiko looked like she walked through the rain.
"You know I hate water!" Mio snapped shaking off in the trees above her.
"Sorry Mio…"
"If you were sorry you wouldn't keep doing it." The cat scolded.
Reiko smirked. The night she went home when she learned she was a Tsuyoi she also learned that Mio knew before all of the drama with the imposters but since no one asked her she never told anyone.
"Want to go see Lee? I'm pretty sure he's still in the hospital. Naruto and Chouji are there too."
"It's better than getting rained on."
"Shut up, Mio." Reiko said blushing.
Reiko signed in at the hospital. There was a sign on the front desk that read, 'Out to Lunch.'
"Honestly… You think they'd leave someone to work the front desk!" Reiko groaned.
She walked through the hallway. It was ominously quiet. Reiko shivered involuntarily. Subconsciously her hand slipped to the new thermos of water at her side. She hesitated when she reached Lee's door.
Then she threw it open. Gaara stood over Lee's bed with sand above the sleeping figure. Reiko's water lashed out to smack Gaara across the back of the head. His sand stopped it. The sand and water mixed and created a sludge that just fell onto the ground and splattered.
Gaara turned to look at Reiko when suddenly he froze. Naruto came out from behind Reiko and punched Gaara across the face. Reiko blinked when she noticed Shikamaru in the room. He winced just like Gaara did as Naruto hit Gaara.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Naruto yelled.
"Hey, Naruto… Don't forget, while I've got the shadow possession thing going, anything you do to him I feel it too!" The genius told Naruto.
"Sorry Shikamaru!"
"Guys…" Reiko scolded. "Lee's sleeping. Why don't we take this outside?"
"What the heck are you trying to pull?" Naruto demanded Gaara. "What were you trying to do to bushy brows?"
"I wanted to kill him…"
"What?" All three leaf shinobi asked shocked.
"And why do you want to do that? You won you match against him! Do you have a personal vendetta or something?" Shikamaru asked.
"No nothing like that. I wanted to kill him… Because I just wanted to kill him… Just like how I want to kill her…" Gaara said.
His eyes flickered to Reiko. All eyes were on her. She shook her head. Mio waltzed into the room and jumped onto the bed with Lee. Everyone looked at the cat in surprise. Her tail swished as she sat over the slumbering Genin. Her eyes were narrowed like slits. If the cat were human the look on her face would rival one of Gaara's glares.
"Reiko is fond of this boy. Don't make me have to hurt you."
Reiko was about to say something to Mio but Naruto interrupted. "Do you even know what the hell you're saying? Do you?"
"You really weren't raised right, were you? You're so self-centered…" Shikamaru commented.
"If you try to interfere… I'll kill the two of you as well…" Gaara told Shikamaru and Naruto.
"I've seen you fight…" Shikamaru said. "I know you're strong but you see… Naruto and me… We're both pretty capable fighters, too. We both still have moves in reserve that nobody's seen yet! Plus it'll be three on one. So you'll be at a disadvantage. But if you swear to leave Lee and Reiko alone we'll let you leave. No harm done!"
Reiko looked at Shikamaru. She blinked slowly. 'Is he actually intending on fighting Gaara?'
"I'll say this once more… If you keep interfering, I'll kill you."
"You can't kill me!" Naruto yelled.
"It's truly amazing how this boy can sleep through this ruckus." Mio said.
It was. Lee was still sleeping mean while a fight was about to break loose any second over his life. Reiko was just as amazed as her feline companion.
"I told you to quit it!" Shikamaru yelled. "Don't forget… This guy has monster-like strength!"
"But I've got a real live monster inside of me! I won't lose to somebody like him!" Naruto yelled.
"You idiot! What do you think you're doing, egging him on like that?"
"Do you mean the Kyuubi?" Reiko asked softly.
No one heard her. Mio's ears twitched. Her tail was swaying around. She seemed rather agitated.
"A monster? Actually… I've got one of those too. Just like you said, I wasn't 'raised right'. In order to create the world's strongest shinobi, my 'otosan' used Ninjutsu to implant an incarnation of sand within my body… In the process of my birth, I stole the life of the woman I was supposed to call 'kachan'. I was born a monster!" Gaara told them. "Known as Shukaku, it was the spirit of a former Sunagakure elder… That had been sealed inside a teakettle."
"A type of possession art that causes a fetus to be forcibly possessed…? To go that far… That's crazy…" Shikamaru said.
"No." Reiko said. "It's disgusting. How could someone's otosan do that? It's dehumanizing!"
"You're right, Reiko. What kind of parent would do that to their child? What twisted love…"
"Love?" Gaara asked. "Don't judge me by your standards… 'Family'… Let me tell you what that word means to me… Mere hulls of flesh… Bound by hatred and murderous intent. My kachan's life was sacrificed so that I may be brought to life as the village's greatest master piece and as the Kazekage's son. My 'otosan' taught me secret shinobi skills one, after another. I was raised in isolation, spoiled and overprotected… At first I thought that was love… Until the incident…"
"Gaara? What incident?" Reiko asked.
"What are you talking about?" Naruto demanded. "What the heck happened?"
Gaara got a twisted demonic look in his eyes. He smiled and his eyes got wide. Reiko looked at Gaara worriedly. She took a half step towards him.
"For the past six years… Ever since I turned six… My 'otosan' has been trying to assassinate me. I've lost count of how many attempts he's made." Gaara said.
"Huh?"
Naruto's eyes were wide with shock. He shook as he stared at the young sand sibling. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Gaara even if he wanted to he just couldn't.
Reiko wanted to open her mouth to say something but she had no idea what to say. There was no right thing to say. Mio just watched her from the bed. She seemed interested in how this was going to turn out.
"What? But you just said your otosan spoiled you… So what do you mean?" Shikamaru asked.
"A presence that is too powerful becomes a presence that is feared. Having been born through jutsu… My mind is unstable… It seems the fools of the village finally realized I had emotional issues. To my 'otosan', in his role as Kazekage, I was the village's most powerful weapon… But at the same time, I was a fearsome and dangerous object…" Gaara explained. "So apparently when I turned six… They determined that I was too great a liability. Prior to that, I had merely been handled with care… Like any other hazardous instrument."
"That's wrong!" Reiko shouted. "You shouldn't let others make you think you're something dangerous. You have a lot of power. But you can use it to do something good."
"No. To them I am now a relic of the past that they wish to erase and forget. So, for what purpose do I exist? Why am I alive? At first, when I asked myself that, I had no answer. But while I continue to live, I need a reason. Otherwise… I might as well be dead."
'So if my meaning is so pitiful, tell me… Gaara, what should I do?' Reiko had told Gaara at the first exam.
She swallowed hard. She finally understood why he was so cold and harsh to everyone.
"What is he talking about…?" Shikamaru asked.
"So this is what I came up with… 'I exist to kill all humans other than myself.' Living in constant fear, knowing that I might be assassinated at any moment, I finally found inner peace. By killing those who sought to kill me… I was able to discern a reason for living and justify my own existence." Gaara told them. "I would fight only for myself and love only myself. If all other people existed to magnify that love, then there is no more splendid a world than this one. They all allow me to experience the joy of living… for as long as there are people out there for me to kill… Then I will not cease to exist."
Naruto was shaking like a leaf. He trembled as he stared at the murderer in front of him. Reiko finally snapped.
"Enough, Gaara! I've had enough!" She yelled.
"Help me feel alive…"
Gaara's sand started to lash out at them. Reiko stepped in front of the two boys and all of the water in her thermos spilled out. It hovered in the air. Just as the sand and water were about to clash the door swung open.
"Enough! The finals start tomorrow. Do not be in such a hurry…"
The foursome looked up to see Lee's sensei in the door. He didn't seem to be too happy. Mio took that as her cue to jump off the bed and onto Reiko's shoulder.
"Unless you're eager to become impatient today?"
Gaara clutched his head. His eyes widened. He rushed to the door even as his sand retreated into his gourd. Just as he was about to exit he stopped.
"I will kill you all… Just you wait…"
Reiko watched as he left. She touched her neck lightly. She jumped when Shikamaru pulled her hand away from it.
"Why do you have his kanji on your neck?"
"What?"
"His kanji… It's on your neck…"
Reiko looked in the mirror. As true to Shikamaru's words there was an 'Ai' kanji on her neck. 'When did that get there?'
Reiko fidgeted with her new outfit. It was a black midriff shirt with a red shirt underneath. Her black pants made it to mid-shin revealing bandages on her legs. Her shoes were well worn and dusty from training.
She opened her weapons pouch so she could stock it with new weapons. She found the rose that Kuroku had made for her during the second exam. It still hadn't melted. Kuroku told her it never would. She smiled and set it back into the bag.
After she made sure her forehead protector was secure above her brow Reiko walked out of her room. Hiroshi was waiting for her.
"Ready imoto?"
"As ready as I'm going to get, neesan."
Hiroshi grinned. He always would whenever she'd call him her older brother. It felt like a natural thing for them to act as siblings would.
The two smiled at each other and walked towards the arena. People pushed and shoved to get into the stands. There were very many people from other villages as well as the Konoha citizens.
"Hey, Reiko!"
Reiko turned to see Sakura running to her side. She smiled and waved.
"Hi, Sakura."
"Good luck in today's matches."
"Aw! Sakura! I'm probably jinxed now!" Reiko groaned teasingly.
Sakura smiled and walked off to join Ino. Hiroshi grinned and pulled Reiko into the stadium.
Reiko stood proud. She held her head high. They were standing in a line in the arena. The crowd looked down at them. In order stood Reiko, then Temari, Kankuro, Gaara, Hiroshi, Neji, Naruto, Shikamaru and finally Shino. It was sorted by their gender and then by alphabetical order using their first name.
"Ahem, Ladies and Gentlemen, esteemed guests… Welcome and heartfelt thanks for gathering here in Konohagakure… For the Chunin selection examination!" Sarutobi yelled for the crowd to hear. "We will now begin the matches of the final round between the ten candidates who advanced in the preliminaries. Please sit back and enjoy!"
The crowd cheered. Reiko looked around. There were only nine of them present. 'I thought Kuroku said I was fighting that sound guy… What's his name again? Dosu? Dozo?'
"Before we begin I have a few announcements. Look here!" The proctor shoved a piece of paper out so they could see it.
There were a few alterations to the way everyone was going to be fighting. Naruto and Neji were fighting first. Then it was Sasuke and Gaara next. After them were Kankuro and Shino. Temari and Shikamaru's match followed it. Dead last were Reiko and Hiroshi fighting each other.
"There have been a few last minute changes. Look again and confirm your assigned opponent." He told them.
Reiko looked just as surprised as Hiroshi was. He looked at her worriedly.
"Hey, Hey!" Naruto yelled, raising his hand in the air.
"What?"
"Sasuke's not here yet. So, what's gonna happen?"
"If he doesn't come by the start of his own match he will lose by forfeit." The proctor told them. "Listen up, all of you. This is the last exam. The landscape may be different, but just as the prelims; there are no set rules. You fight until one of you dies or admits defeat… Unless I determine that a clear winner has already been decided, in which case… I'll stop the match before anyone's killed, understand?"
No one said a word. The proctor took that as everyone understood.
"All right then… Match one, Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuga Neji you two stay down here. The rest of you, proceed to the waiting room outside the arena!"
Reiko shrugged and walked to the platform to which they were to wait at. Hiroshi jogged to her side.
"Reiko…"
Just by the tone in his voice she knew he was worried about their match.
"Don't tell me you're not going to fight me. You made a promise remember?" Reiko reminded him.
"No way! I was just going to tell you not to hold back on me!" He lied.
Both of them knew he was lying. Neither one wanted to fight the other.
"Reiko!" Naruto yelled.
He tackled her in a hug. Reiko nearly fell over the railing. Then she stopped. The two Genin looked up to see Kankuro holding the both of them on the proper side of the railing with his chakra strings.
"Don't injure yourself so soon, Reiko." He teased.
"I wasn't. The crash might've."
Kankuro grinned. Naruto looked between them confused. He let go of Reiko and turned to the sand puppet master.
"How do you know Reiko?" Naruto asked.
"I did introduce myself to him during the first exam. One would hope that he'd remember my name." Reiko said.
"Who are you?"
Reiko laughed. Gaara glared at the two of them. Kankuro looked away. Reiko calmed herself down. Best not to get Kankuro in trouble later.
Naruto won his match against Neji. Reiko was at the edge of the rails watching them duke it out. She was surprised when she saw that Naruto had dug into the ground and resurfaced to beat Neji.
Then it was Shino and Kankuro's match. Reiko was shocked when Kankuro withdrew. She looked at him confused.
"I thought you were ready for this match, Kankuro." She said.
"Um… While training the other day I threw out my shoulder…"
"Do you want me to heal it?"
"Nah! I already had someone look at it. He said it was better to let it heal naturally."
"If you say so…" Reiko said uncertainly.
Temari won her match against Shikamaru. Though, she may have won the match she lost the battle. She merely won because Shikamaru quit.
"Shika, if you're such a genius why couldn't you make you're chakra last longer?" She teased.
"It was too troublesome."
"Tsuyoi Reiko versus Tsuyoi Hiroshi."
The crowd fell silent.
The next match is Tsuyoi versus Tsuyoi. We'll finally get to see Hiroshi's fighting style. I've got a question for you. Do you want Reiko or Hiroshi to become Chunin? It's your choice. You can vote for Reiko, vote for Hiroshi or vote for them both.