Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own it. Thanks to Gnarls Barkely's: Crazy, I could do this with chuckles and fun.
Chapter 4: Crazy.
She was bathing away, content to just stay there. But the water wouldn't have it and forced itself to get cold early. Getting out, she yawned gently, getting ready for bed and her new mission.
It had been years since she saw Gaara, but she'd heard he'd become the new Kazekage, and was doing almost as good as job as Tsunade. He'd warded off many attacks by then and no one dared stand against him and his other half.
In other good news, she was almost eighteen and bursting with knowledge and Medical nin know-how. She was up to par with the Godaime's training and even knew how to call on those handy slugs. She had literally fists of steel and was feared when anger. Well, feared by all but Naruto, who just took the bops with a whine then spazzed onto something else.
She grabbed up her pack and tent. Then she was out the door fast, running down the way to meet her team and her old sensei. Naruto was wreaking havoc and Kakashi was trying to stop him from reading his book as usual.
"Well, now that we're all here, you guys can read on about the mission and who is to be the third for this mission." Tsunade said, handing Kakashi the neat and tidy scroll that listed everything.
"Who is it?" Naruto asked, trying to look. Their sensei got fed up and handed it to Sakura, the only sensible one out of the two. She read over the mission and waited to see who was the third. It was yet another mission to make peace with a small faction of renegade nins. The third was…
"Gaara?" Sakura choked it out, making Naruto look at her funny.
"Ne, what about him Sakura-chan?" He blinked, scratching the longer blonde hair that he almost never took care of. With the Kyubi helping Naruto more, Konoha was a scary place to go against as well as Suna. Sakura was shaking and just sighed.
/I'm a Medical nin, Tsunade's pupil. I can do better than acting like a child, or at least better then Naruto. / She convinced herself. Her Inner self had long since gone quiet after Sasuke left to kill his brother. She looked over at the confused blonde, his whisker marks moving along with his cheeks. "He's our third."
"Eeeehhh!" Naruto blinked, holding his pack tight. "We've not seen him for a long time now, do you think he's crazier or…" He scratched his head, trying to think of a word.
"I don't think he'll ever be sane Naruto, not with his demon loose inside of him." She murmured, putting up the scroll. Better safe than with her friend who was still fizzling his thick head. Thinking for Naruto was like putting one's brain in the sun to fry. Sakura gave him a tiny smile and ruffled his hair.
"We ready then?" Kakashi asked, looking up from his book for once, the lone eye half open. The older Team 7 nodded their heads, giving him grins of eagerness. Nodding once, he leapt off and was followed.
-…on the edge of Sand…-
"You sure you'll be fine Gaara?" Temari asked, Kankuro behind her, trying to get her out of there. Sure, her brother was getting better at controlling his emotions but… He could be his old wild self at times. The Suna's best were standing near the entrance to some thick woods that lead to this odd little faction's village.
"I'll be fine, I am Kazekage after all." He muttered, crossing his arms and leaning back against the tree, his gourd set beside him. His dark hair had grown out some by then but had been trimmed back. Though, it was still spiky and matched the 'Love' mark on his forehead. He was no longer short but almost as tall as Kankuro and some inches over his sister.
Temari nodded her head and was out of there, the oldest brother at her heels with his puppet on his back. Even though he could take care of himself, she still worried. Kankuro cared for him, but knew Gaara's defenses were almost impenetrable. The two headed back to do some filing and paper work while he was gone on this peace mission.
-…near the same area…-
Sakura and Naruto were panting by the time they reached the same woods. Good or not, they were only human and needed to rest for a bit. Kakashi gave them camp orders; Naruto was to help Kakashi and then go find some fish. Sakura had to fetch some firewood for the night. It all seemed boring and too easy. The Leaf shinobi felt good because there was no Gaara in sight.
She could still hear Naruto about killing himself on the tent and Kakashi trying to help him. It was utter chaos from them. She giggled and left them to their fiasco. The dense trees were rustling here and there, with few songbirds. /Strange… usually the birds are going nuts this time of year. / Sakura thought, looking around and picking up decent sized twigs and branches. Everything was too calm for her liking.
She tried to turn in time, but the firm hand had her around the neck sooner than she could move. Sand slithered up her ankles like snakes, keeping her firm and in place. The hand loosened and fell away. "You're too soft." Sakura shivered, that voice unnerved her to no end.
"Gaara…" He stalked around to look at her face. She was much too short to look at face-to-face, so he did a bigger circle. Wine-red and white layered clothes adorned his frame, and his Kazekage hat was nowhere in sight. She looked at those jade eyes and watched his face turn in disgust at her. This ticked her off.
Smashing the sand, she as gone in an instant and her fist smashed into that smug face. Gaara started laughing in amusement at her as his clone faded away and the sand grappled her arms, double of what held her legs.
"Maybe you've learned some new tricks since then, but I hope your healing is better than your fighting." He came out nowhere, his arms crossed as constantly. He stopped no too far from her struggling body. "I also hope you found a reason."
Let me at her… You're not one with words or actions to get good information, stupid boy. I can make her beg for Death and sing to him before the day is over! Shukaku growled, moving restlessly within his dark corner. Gaara winced and touched his head gently.
/From the look on her face, you could only do one of those two. / He straightened back up, but the pink haired shinobi was watching him with weary eyes. Cocking his head to the side, he gave her a half snarl and turned away. One jade eye turned a golden hue, the pupil taking on an odd shape. "Sing for me harlot before I get pissed off and just eat you!" Gaara roared, sand filling out half of his face so she knew whom it was, plain and simple.
Sakura sighed, relaxing into the sand and sagging, trying to get more room to breath. Shukaku/Gaara were waiting, stalked around her like she was a trapped meal.
"I remember when,
I remember,
I remember when I lost my mind,
There was something so pleasant about that phase.
Even your emotions had an echo,
In so much space ,
And when you're out there,
Without care,
Yeah, I was out of touch,
But it wasn't because I didn't know enough,
I just knew too much…
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Possibly…
And I hope that you are having the time of your life
But think twice, that's my only advice
Come on now, who do you, who do you, who do you, who do you think you are,
Ha ha ha, bless your soul,
You really think you're in control!
Well,
I think you're crazy,
I think you're crazy,
I think you're crazy,
Just like me.
My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on a limb,
And all I remember is thinking, I want to be like them,
Ever since I was little, ever since I was little it looked like fun.
And it's no coincidence I've come,
And I can die when I'm done.
Maybe I'm crazy,
Maybe you're crazy,
Maybe we're crazy,
Probably…"
Sakura was long out of breath by the end, the sand had let her go and Gaara was standing near a tree. It took her a couple of seconds to see he was watching her like an object of desire. He had joined in, but never got close to her when she sang. It was like an animal warming itself by a fire. Close enough to get warm but never burned. Gaata gave her a wry smile, shrugging gently. She gave him a small frown.
"I think you're crazy."
A/N: (Comments and ideas welcome. More coming soon.)