FINAL EXAAAAAAMS! CRISIS! Sorry, no uploading for a while.
(Gokage summit)
The kages were all arguing, fighting and….whatnot. The Raikage had *SIGH* splintered another table, Mizukage was shaking her head in distress, the Tsuchikage was glaring around the table, nearly five minutes for each person (an extra five for Gaara), Tsunade was shouting on top of her voice and Gaara was ready to use Sand Coffin on the other four for saying unruly comments about his young age and incapability for running a village and of course, for creating such havoc. Sayaka boredly stared at the floor, not being able to make head nor tail of the conversation.
And suddenly, she lost it.
"CALM DOWN! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!" She screamed on top of her voice. Everyone jumped and stared at her.
"Goodness, Arigatou. I thought I was going to lose my ears there. Please, if you argue like this then how will we, shinobi of our respective villages, trust you to provide us with a healthy, organized and respected environment in our lands." She shot a grave look at Tsunade, who turned her head away.
"What do you know? I mean, how old are you again?" The Raikage sneered.
"What has age got to do with this? Goodness, I can see why Kazekage-sama gets frustrated! This is a war we're handling here! One that will determine the future! One that will lead the world to either light or….darkness. You can't let a minor thing like age draw you back! How can we have an Allied Shinobi Force when their leaders are not at a truce. If there's anything I understood from your argument it is that you need a strategy to defeat Madara and maybe…I have an answer."
Everyone silently stared at her, waiting for more.
"It is believed that there is a scroll so complicated and thick that only two known people have been able to decipher it. The Sage of Six Paths and Madara. In order to control the Juubi completely, the Sharingan isn't enough. Madara needs to seal it inside his body. And no ordinary seal can be used to seal the juubi. What I'm saying is that I have seen that scroll with my own eyes. Madara said that the sage of six paths took 15 years to write it and it is impossible to memorize. Though his words cannot be trusted, I think he meant it. If we take the scroll and find a way to destroy it, the whole problem is over, there and then."
"What do you mean find a way to destroy it? Are you saying that there is a specific way to destroy it?" Mei questioned.
"Hai, it is written in the scroll how to destroy it. However, since it is written in codes, I know only one person whose expertise on creating and deciphering scrolls is capable enough to crack the codes." Sayaka turned and looked at Tsunade, whose eyes widened in surprise.
"No, not me, I don't know how to…."
"You do, I'm sure you would understand it. I understood it partially and so would Sakura-san. So who else but our teacher can crack the code?" Sayaka said it with conviction. Gaara smiled to himself as he saw her usually serious, intense black eyes shining with hope as she unveiled her plan.
"So you're saying we can just defeat him by destroying a scroll."
"Yes, for now. But he may emerge a few centuries later with perhaps a new dream."
All of the Kages looked at each other uncertainly. Gaara closed his eyes and considered it.
"It wouldn't kill him nor the ten-tailed so what's the point? Madara's immortal right? 150 years is nearly nothing to him. He may be able to come up with another scroll."
Sayaka looked like she was ready to practically strangle Gaara. But then she looked disappointedly at the floor.
"You're right." Sayaka gave a sigh of frustration. Gaara's eyes softened.
"But it is an idea which we should consider. Why don't we all sleep over it tonight and come back with our opinions tomorrow." Mifune suggested. All of them nodded and proceeded to leave. Gaara rolled his eyes silently. Sleep over it. Yeah right. It was more like ponder over it in Gaara's case, since he couldn't sleep.
Temari was impatiently waiting outside for him, tapping her foot on the stairs outside. Gaara looked surprised at her furious expression.
"Did something happen?" Gaara asked cluelessly.
"OF COURSE SOMETHING HAPPENED! YOU'RE SUCH A FOOL!" She screamed at him as he winced.
"Naze? What did I do?"
"Crushed a young girl's dreams."
"Whose?"
"Sayaka's"
Gaara looked at her confusedly. He hadn't done it intentionally. He had just said what he thought.
"she didn't seem sad or angry."
Temari shook her head in despair.
"Of course she didn't. You think anyone understands ever what that girl feels? She hides her feelings."
Gaara looked at Sayaka's direction. She was cheerfully talking to Shikamaru however, now that she mentioned it, the smile she was giving wasn't as genuine as the one she'd given him when she thanked him for the kimono he'd bought her. This one was a pure fake.
"She was never like this. She always used to smile when she was happy and cry when she was sad. Then who? Who warped her into this? Could it be…Madara?"
(Land of iron's city)
Sayaka wandered around in disguise. They had strictly been told to mingle around in disguise other than the Kages who were to be accompanied by at least one of their escorts.
Her eyes lit up at the sight of a big box of chocolates. And then she saw the price.
Ryō 1000
Sayaka rolled her eyes and proceeded to continue walking.
She came to a small stream of flowing water. Surprisingly it was the only one not frozen yet. Sayaka walked towards it when suddenly she noticed Gaara sitting on the edge, deep in thought. She really wasn't in the mood to talk to him. Then she realized that since she was in disguise, it's not as if he could recognize her
Sayaka walked over and sat down beside him. He snapped out of it and looked at her in surprise.
"Ohayo!" Sayaka said cheerfully, changing her voice.
"O-Ohayo" Gaara stammered, unsure of what to say.
There was an awkward pause between both of them. Gaara decided to break it.
"It's very decorated. The village. Have any clue why?"
"Well…I don't know. I'm a newcomer. Though, it may be for White Day which is in about a week."
Gaara stared at her blankly.
"White Day? You know, the day boys chase after girls. A day for celebrating love."
"Love? You mean this" Gaara lifted a lock of his crimson hair off his forehead to reveal his tattoo.
"Funny, he has a tattoo of it but he has no clue about what it really is." Sayaka wondered to herself.
"So, planning on giving some girl something?" Sayaka asked him, still in disguise.
Gaara shook his head. Sayaka looked at him, disappointed.
"Don't you love anyone?"
"Nope"
"No one?"
"Nope"
" Not even unsure about it?"
Gaara hesitated at that.
"Well, maybe there is someone."
"Really! Who?"
"She…..well she's not exactly from my village."
"Starting letters of her name?"
"S, A"
Sayaka stiffened. There was only one person she could think of with her name starting with those letters.
"She's not married, is she?"
Gaara gave her a funny look and said, "No, of course not"
"*PHEW* That rules out Sakura-chan. But who could it be then?" Sayaka racked her brains furiously absolutely clueless
"Okay, so how does she look?"
Gaara hesitated
"She's…the most beautiful person I've ever seen."
"Well then, you should go for it. Tell her what you feel." No idea about what she's getting herself into.
Gaara considered it for a moment and shrugged, "Maybe next time."
"Matte, could you at least tell me the name?"
Gaara looked at her suspiciously and shook his head.
"Aww, why not?"
"Because you know her the best, Sayaka-san." Gaara gave a smirk and vanished into thin air leaving a bewildered Sayaka.
Sayaka nearly fainted with shock. He'd seen through her disguise! But of course, he was the Kazekage.
(Later that night)
Sayaka sat on the roof of the inn she was staying in. It snowing lightly. She stared up at the cloudy sky at the falling snowflakes. She caught one in her palm and watched it melt away.
"Kameyo-baa-chan, It's snowing! Come help me make a snowman!"
She sighed and clenched her fist tightly.
"Why is it that whenever I meet you, I always hear you sighing?" Gaara said, sitting down beside her.
"Maybe you arrive in the worst possible times?" Sayaka said, giving him a watery smile.
"That's a possibility."
Both stayed silent for a while when Sayaka stuck out her tongue and let a snowflake drop on it.
"I used to love doing that when I was small."
"When you were small? I've never heard any stories of your childhood, other than the ones you had told me when you first met me."
Sayaka stiffened. Gaara looked at her in surprise. Sayaka noticed him staring at her and said wearily,
"I'm fine, you don't have to look so worried."
"Well, I can't help but be doubtful. Are you sure you're alright?"
"Well…..I…..No…I don't know. I'm so confused I could faint! I just want run away from everything, from Itachi, Sasuke, raikage-sama, Tsuchikage-sama, Tsunade-sama, Madara, Kabuto, Zetsu from everything! I'm so tired. I haven't slept for days, I haven't eaten and….and….."
Sayaka was cut off when Gaara pulled her closer to him. Sayaka was really shocked at first but then slowly felt warm and comfortable in his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder and slowly felt her worries fade away.
"You worry too much."
"I've been told."
Sayaka hesitated.
"Gaara-san."
"Hm."
"Is it wrong to love someone?"
Gaara looked at her astonished.
"Of…course not."
"What….would you say…..if I said I love you?"
For the first time in his moderately short life was he speechless. Had he heard right?
"I mean there's no way a decent person like Gaara-san would like me right? Today when you said you liked someone I couldn't help but envy her and…"
"Do you anyone's name which starts with S and A and whose not married?"
Sayaka shook her head. Gaara sighed hopelessly. She was so clueless at times.
"How do you spell your name?"
"S, A, Y, A, K, A but I don't see how…wait no it can't be!"
"It's your name, Sayaka."
"But Gaara-san doesn't like me. He can't like me! I am wrong for him."
"Stop talking in third person, I'm sitting right in front of you."
Sayaka stopped and stared into his eyes. He looked at her kindly with a strange gentleness. It was affection, love. His eyes were full of it. Slowly, she too had the same look.
Slowly she lay her head on his shoulder. Gaara's arm was around her protectively. She felt like she was the safest person at the moment, and the luckiest one too.
A similar thought ran through Gaara's mind too. Except the first thought was about protecting rather than being protected.
"If anyone tries to even touch her, I swear I won't leave them alone."
A/N: Officially the starting of SayakaGaara Pairing. Enjoy! I was tired of simply giving hnits all the time.