Author's Notes: This is it, the final chapter. It consists of a slight prelude, the fight, and then the aftermath. It might be a little shorter (and possibly a little anti-climactic) than people hope, so if there's anything you think needs to be added, let me know. Either in the comments or by emailing me at my hotmail address, tyrnav. Thanks! I should have the first chapter of the second story (set 2 ½ years after this one) up during the summer. Oh, and Senjo's rant at the end of the fight is courtesy of CelticKitten, who Senjo is based off of.
Chapter 15The day seemed to come too early, and Kohaku blinked as the sunlight momentarily blinded her when she opened her eyes. It was dawn, and soon her brother and Gaara would finally have the fight that everyone had been predicting since the desert child's creation. Shaking her head, she stood and stretched, rotating her wrists until she worked all the kinks out of her arms. The scars seemed to glow in the light, but she was slowly getting used to them again. "Kohaku?" a soft voice asked from the doorway.
"Yes, Daichi?" He walked in, sitting on her bed and watching the window for a moment as the rays slowly traveled down the wall to the floor.
"Who do you think will win?" She was silent as she worked on an answer, her gaze coming to rest on the picture of her team when they had first been formed. Kurai was behind her and Senjo, arms on their shoulders and a smirk on his face. To most people, it would seem like he was cold, almost removed from them. But Kohaku knew it was a defensive posture, as if Kurai was daring anyone to mess with his team. That he had changed so much and so little in two years amazed her.
"I can't answer that."
"Do you think Kurai has a chance?" Her little brother seemed nervous for some reason, constantly fidgeting with the sheets, fists clenching and relaxing. "I mean, if something were to happen-"
"Like what? Gaara going berserk and killing him?" Daichi closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Yeah, that." She turned to look at him, one eyebrow raised. Was he suddenly having second thoughts now that Kurai was going through with what they had tried to talk him out of for so long?
"I'm surprised at you, Daichi. After all, you were the one who kept sneaking up to watch him train. Wasn't it you who said we should try to be like Gaara instead of fearing him? Between you and Senjo, I wasn't sure who was his staunchest defender."
"I know I said that, but-"
"Did you mean it?" She was staring at him now, and Daichi was surprised at how harsh her gaze was. Her eyes were locked onto his, and for a moment, he wasn't so sure that it was his sister staring at him. She almost seemed like Inkei's mother, or one of the teachers at the academy.
"I don't-"
"Daichi, a ninja does not say things without meaning them, especially not to your own family. I will ask you again: Did you mean what you said about Gaara?" There was a moment's pause as he sucked in a quick breath.
"Yes," he whispered, eyes wide. She broke eye contact, smiling slightly.
"Then Kurai will be fine. Whether he wins or not depends on if he took good notes like you."
Kurai was meditating on the cliff top near the sentries' post when he felt someone coming up beside him. "Yes?" he asked, not even bothering to open his eyes.
"Am I disturbing you?" an unfamiliar voice asked. When he looked, Kurai saw the ex-Sound spy standing next to him, a hesitant look on his face.
"Yes, but what did you want? Come to deliver a message from Senjo about how she never wants to see me again?" His tone was harsh, resentful, and completely stupid. He knew that Senjo wouldn't resort to sending a proxy to say something. And even if she did, it would be Kohaku, not this stranger.
"No, nothing like that." He sat down across from Kurai, readjusting the cloth forehead protector so that his bangs weren't caught beneath it. It was the same color as Kurai's, but lacked the metal plate with the village symbol. "Actually, I came to confess."
"Confess what, exactly?" Kurai raised an eyebrow, moving his hands to the ground as a precaution. Though he didn't expect this man to attack him or tell him he was still a spy, he didn't like where this was leading.
"That my feelings for Senjo were not exactly pure in the beginning." Daisuke was not sure why he was telling the boyfriend of the girl he cared for about this. Kurai might lash out and do some serious damage, and that would be bad. Both for the attention it would bring, and because it would make the situation with Senjo even worse.
"Define "pure". Because if this is going where I think it is-" His eyes narrowed as he placed his palms securely on the ground.
"I had no idea she was with anyone, let alone one of the Hajino Clan," the other boy said quickly. "She seemed so innocent when I met her, and the littlest things seemed to make her happy. I fell in love with her because of that, until your sister told me about you two yesterday. And I wanted to tell you before someone else said something and you took it the wrong way." Kurai pulled back a bit after this confession. He had not been expecting love to be anywhere in there. Though to be fair, he had not been the greatest supporter of Senjo and her feelings over the past month or so. He'd been gone for training, and even when he'd returned, he had not wanted to see her that much. She had probably turned to Daisuke out of loneliness, finding something they both shared so neither had to suffer alone.
"You still love her?" he asked after a few moments, moving his hands off the ground and onto his legs. Daisuke frowned slightly and sighed.
"I'm to be adopted by her parents if I prove my loyalty to the village. I'm living in the same house with her, and it's driving me crazy. But if she's going to be my "sister", then I can't love her like that. Besides, Kohaku said she still cares about you, no matter what happens." Kurai nodded, suddenly wondering if there was a point to this tangent, other than to distract him before the fight. He had determined that he wasn't going to injure Daisuke, but beyond that he still wasn't sure what exactly was going on.
"Is there a point to all this? Because it could have waited until after my fight," he finally said. Daisuke sighed heavily again and placed his hands in his lap. They way he was looking at his arms reminded Kurai of how Kohaku would stare at her scars.
"Kohaku, told me about how she was betrayed by Akanaho Tansei, and Senjo had told me about Kuro and his attacks on her. I did some thinking last night, and I want to apologize partially for what I said to you yesterday. I still think it's selfish to fight Gaara, but… What you do is your own business. I just don't want to see Senjo hurt." Kurai stood up, and Daisuke followed his lead.
"Neither do I. I've been able to do a lot of thinking myself, and I came to a conclusion: Senjo means more to me than any slight against my clan. For that reason, I need to challenge Gaara." The shock was written plainly on Daisuke's face as he tried to find the words to express his confusion.
"Then why are you still going through with it? That's what's hurting her more than anything! She thinks you need to prove something."
"I do." Again the confusion was written plainly on Daisuke's face.
"You've lost me."
"I realize that. Even my siblings are confused as to why I'm doing this. And like I told them, it will all become clear during our fight. You are not the heir to a clan, nor have you ever had your honor called into question, so you wouldn't understand."
"I understand that as of right now, I'm an outcast." Kurai walked past him, meeting his eyes for a moment.
"In that then, we are alike." He walked a few steps, and then turned around. "One more thing: If I find that you've abused your position with the Tanamaris to get to Senjo, I will kill you."
"I believe your sister already made a similar threat."
"Yes, but I'd kill you quicker." Then he left, leaving Daisuke very confused.
The morning was slowly turning to afternoon as Senjo stared out the window of the kitchen. She was trying to make lunch, but was too distracted and kept forgetting what exactly she had been trying to put together. She had rice, chopped fresh vegetables, and some meat from dinner last night, but it was all just sitting on the counter. "It's not like I have to focus on anything," she said to herself. "Kurai's the one fighting Gaara, not me."
"But you're still worried about him," her father said as he walked into the room. Senjo turned and smiled out of habit, but she knew her eyes were distant. She had not spoken to Kurai or Kohaku since yesterday, and the things she'd said before running off were weighing heavily on her. "Want to talk about it?" Seishin asked, sitting down at the table and pulling a chair out for her.
"There isn't anything to talk about, really. Kurai's going to fight Gaara no matter what I do or say. Both of them don't seem to think there's anything wrong." She sat down and folded her hands in her lap, and they were quiet for a moment.
"So what's wrong with them fighting then?" her father asked softly. "I mean, they're not trying to kill each other, right?"
"No, Gaara promised me there would be no useless bloodshed."
"Did he now?" Seishin's eyebrow went up as he smiled slightly. Senjo looked up and frowned. There was something in his tone that he wasn't saying outright, but she could guess where it was going.
"There's nothing going on between us, dad. We're just friends."
"Where the desert child is concerned, that is something. But he is a little young for you." When Senjo blushed, he began laughing.
"Did you and mom ever have any problems like this?" she asked when he stopped chuckling. "I mean, where you thought your relationship was over?"
"We argued a lot, but nothing like this. Mostly we argued with Taru, trying to talk him out of one stupid idea after another."
"Stupid ideas?" Seishin sighed heavily and shrugged. Talking about the past wasn't something he normally shied away from, but where Taru was concerned, things could get a little complicated.
"The Hajino clan has always been harsh on those who will one day take over as the heir. Taru was the eldest son, so there was no one for him to really fall back on or go to. He was constantly trying to take missions that would show his elders that he would be a fit leader for the clan. But… It changed him. He got such a stick up his ass after we became Genins, and it was all your mother and I could do to make sure he didn't kill himself and us. And of course, this was during the ongoing shinobi war, so every mission was a dangerous one. Honestly, if it wasn't for your mother, neither of us would be here. That's why you were selected to be with Kurai and Kohaku. The abilities you inherited from your mother allowed us to get out of quite a few situations with little injury. At one point though, I thought I was going to lose her. Taru and I were in a bit of a competition for her affections, and I thought he would have the better chance."
"Because he was heir to a bloodline clan?"
"Exactly. But that was also the reason your mother chose me: Because I wasn't. She didn't like what the clan was turning her teammate into, and she couldn't stand the thought of her children going through the same thing. So, that's why you're here and not at the Hajino house asking Taru why he's such a stubborn jerk."
"I heard that he was angry at what you told Kurai and Kohaku."
"That would be an understatement," Seishin said as he sighed and shook his head. "Fuming would be more like it. He's coming down too hard on Kurai for stupid things that the boy can't possibly control."
"But Kurai's still going along with it." Her father bent down and locked eyes with Senjo, frowning a bit.
"Did you ever think that maybe he doesn't have a choice? That he's doing this because the alternative would be worse?"
"I don't understand." Her voice was a whisper as her mind began coming up with a thousand things that could be worse than fighting Gaara.
"Atsui said Taru threatened to disown Kurai if he didn't fight Gaara. His own son… Can you imagine how that must've made Kurai feel?" Senjo's breath caught in her throat as her chest tightened slightly. Never would she have thought that Hajino-san would actually do that to Kurai. He was the pride of the family, the heir to the clan. And Kohaku wouldn't fight Gaara, and Daichi looked up to him. So would that mean that the three of them would be disowned? Surely their father wouldn't go that far…
"I- I never thought of it that way. He just seemed so calm about wanting to go through with the challenge."
"He's probably had time to consider his options, and decided that this is the best course of action short of leaving the family he's always known. But either way, what about this fight is really bothering you?"
"What do you mean?"
"We know they aren't going to kill each other, and if Kurai's doing this so as not to get kicked out of his family, what's the problem? There's still something on your mind that's not sitting right. What is it?" Silence passed between them for a few minutes as Senjo fidgeted. She knew she should be able to tell her father mostly anything, but still…
"He doesn't need to do this. He could do something else to prove himself to his father. But he's just allowing himself to be pushed in the direction Hajino-san has always had him going."
"Why don't you wait until the fight's over before you pass judgment?" Seishin said, patting her shoulder as he stood. "Kurai might be Taru's son, but I think his stick is at least starting to come unstuck." Senjo grinned in spite of herself and hugged her father.
"Thanks for making me see things differently."
"I wouldn't be me if I didn't, Senjo. Now let's see if we can't salvage something edible from what you were doing. I swear, you get more like your mother every day."
Naiteki was sitting at her desk, responding to various letters from other villages about missing-nin and their crimes. "I'm going to have to ask the Kazekage about getting more hunter-nins. We lost a couple during the fight with Konoha, and it's starting to take its toll." A knock on the door didn't even give her reason to pause in her writing. "Enter!" she called out, resting her head on her free hand. A moment later she sensed a familiar chakra and looked up to see Atsui standing in front of her. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise. What brings you all the way out here?"
"We need to talk," the other woman said, voice flat. Naiteki raised an eyebrow and pointed with her pen to an empty seat at the closest desk.
"What did your foolish husband do this time?" Atsui didn't laugh, and Naiteki wasn't smiling. What could've passed for a joke at any other time was now taken seriously. After a moment or two of silence, Atsui sighed heavily.
"He and I just had a very long talk over lunch. Actually… No, that's not true. Taru told me what he was expecting to happen during the fight later."
"Oh really? And what does he think is going to happen?"
"He said that if Kurai does not outright kill Gaara, then he will petition the Kazekage to allow the clan to take care of the problem. The former Kazekage forbid them from attacking Gaara, for fear of a fight getting out of control. But now…"
"The Kazekage won't allow it, Atsui, you know that. Much as I hate to admit it, Senjo was right about Gaara. He even feels different to me, the few times I've managed to get a read on his emotions. Even your children have changed their tune about him."
"What do you mean?" Naiteki leaned back in her chair and tossed the pen down. She regarded Hajino Atsui as a friend and a fierce political advisor. Taru had wanted a shinobi for a wife, but instead he'd gotten one of the most calculating and educated women in the village. And the way things seemed now, at least some of her traits had been passed down to all three children. They were all starting to think things out and weigh the consequences.
'And, they're even beginning to contemplate alliances with those they used to consider enemies.' A smile crossed her face, but it wasn't a completely friendly one. "Kurai used to not even be able to say Gaara's name, let alone calmly challenge him to a fight. Whether or not Taru forced his hand doesn't matter. I've heard Inkei say that Daichi looks up to Gaara as a pseudo-mentor, or at least just someone he can measure his abilities against."
"And Kohaku?" Atsui leaned forward in her seat, not at all surprised that Naiteki knew more about her children then she did. They were all good at hiding things, for fear of their father finding out. Naiteki shrugged and looked at the ceiling for a moment.
"I think she's just tired of blindly following everyone else. Kurai will become a wonderful Jounin, just like his father. But Kohaku and Daichi's talents lie slightly elsewhere, and I think they're beginning to realize that."
"And you think that Gaara has something to do with it?"
"No, I think the Hajino clan's obsession with him does. They were thrust into a conflict they didn't start, for purposes they didn't understand. It's how every great shinobi war begins: From just a simple problem."
"I won't allow my children to be used like that. They aren't tools, and I'll be damned if I let Taru treat them as such."
"Then what do you plan on doing, Atsui?" Naiteki asked as she leaned forward in her seat. "You can't go to the elders of the clan, and your family has no impact on what the ninjas do."
"But I know someone who does," the other woman replied with a small smile. "All I need you to do is get me in to see him." They both grinned like children, but the grins had a darker purpose.
"Taru's going to be mad," Naiteki said five minutes later as they reached their destination. Atsui shrugged as they approached the guards.
"I don't care anymore. If my children are taking a stand, then I will too."
"State your business," the guard said.
"Hajino Atsui, to see the Kazekage immediately."
"Let her through, boys," Naiteki advised. "It's bad to get between a mother and her children," she said with a wicked smile as they nodded and ushered them inside.
Three o'clock finally arrived, and it seemed the entire village had gathered on the outskirts of the desert to watch the fight. Up on the cliff, the sentries and some of the elderly were watching with interest, but the main scene was down on the ground. Senjo found herself guided to the front by her father and Daisuke's gentle -and not so gentle- shoving. Inkei stayed close to her, silent for a change. Further down the line of people, the redhead glimpsed Kohaku and Daichi, both of them staring intently at Kurai. The Chuunin was standing calmly out in the deeper sand, eyes closed in what seemed like either prayer or contemplation. "What's he doing?" Daichi asked, looking up at his sister.
"Going over his moves and countermoves," she replied. "Unless Gaara throws something at him we've never seen, he'll be ready." Her gaze traveled across the assembled villagers, and she saw most of the clan elders standing at the end of the crowd, her father right in front. "Looks like the show is about to start." As if on cue, Gaara broke through the crowd on the other side, walking out into the desert and closer to Kurai. He too, seemed to be at ease with the situation, as if he accepted challenges from other shinobi all the time.
"Mother and Naiteki-san are over there," Daichi said, pointing to where a group of Jounins were standing. Kohaku saw their mother just in front of the group; arms hugged to her chest and her mouth a tight line. Naiteki-san was beside her, an arm around the other woman's shoulders and talking to her about something. When one of the Jounins near them bent to the side for a moment, the Hajino siblings saw the unmistakable blue and white hat of the Kazekage. "He's here too?"
"Of course, Daichi. This is a fight between one of the village's oldest clans and the vessel of Shukaku. I'd be surprised if he wasn't here." Elsewhere in the crowd, Temari and Kankuro were keeping an eye on their brother. Both Karasu and Kuroari were with them, and the blonde had Shooting Star planted in front of her.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kankuro asked again.
"No, I don't. But Gaara said it would be okay."
"And you believe him?" Temari turned to face the black-clad ninja, a frown on her face. Karasu came up behind them and draped an arm over Kankuro's shoulder. The move seemed very human, and she only sighed. That her brother treated his puppets better than his own family had long since failed to bother her.
"Of course I do." Out in the desert, Gaara and Kurai stared at each other from five feet away, neither one moving.
"Nice of you to show," Kurai teased.
"I would not have missed this fight, Hajino Kurai," the redhead replied in his typical monotone. "I am, however, slightly confused by your recent shift in perspective of me." The brunette smiled then, shrugging a little.
"I'm just full of surprises lately." And then he bowed, keeping his eyes on his opponent for just a moment before lowering them to the ground. Gaara's eyes widened, but he too, bowed to Kurai and averted his gaze to do so.
"They're ready," Kohaku said softly as the whispers and discussions immediately dropped off. Naiteki stepped out of the crowd, cupping her hands over her mouth and taking a deep breath.
"BEGIN!" The word seemed to echo across the desert, bouncing back from the cliff walls to wash over the crowd. And the two boys wasted no time on following the command. Both leapt back, and Kurai landed with two hands on the ground and called his first attack:
"Suna bunshin no jutsu! (Sand Clones)" Two copies rose up from the desert, and they charged towards Gaara while Kurai flung shuriken at him and raced sideways; further into the desert. The desert child stood with his arms folded across his chest as the sand poured from his gourd to shield him from the weapons. After that, when the clones struck the sand shield, a tendril extended from it, wrapped around each one, and broke it into dust. Gaara dropped the shield in time to see that Kurai was forming seals. "Fuuton: Sakashima senpuu (Air Element: Reverse Whirlwind)." As the air around him changed direction, Gaara's eyes widened for a moment before the sand went to work, forming a bubble around him that did not let the whirlwind force him down.
"Attack him faster!" Taru shouted, the first to break the silence of the crowd.
"Sabaku kyuu! (Desert coffin)" Gaara said, lifting his hand and focusing a bit on the sand around him. It shot forward, covering the distance between the boys and quickly wrapping around Kurai's legs. But he just smiled, allowing the sand to encase his hands.
"You'll have to do better than that!" he challenged, focusing on the sand around him and pushing his chakra into it. Much to the crowd's surprise, the grasping attack stopped and receded, curling back towards Gaara.
"What the hell?" someone asked. "How did he do that?" And that unleashed a torrent of both cheers and questions:
"Go Kurai!"
"Did you see that?"
"You can do it, Kurai! That was great!"
"How did he turn back that attack?"
"All right Hajino clan!"
"That was one of Gaara's killer moves. How did he stop it?" Kohaku and Daichi grinned and each other as they heard the talking start up again.
"Interesting," Gaara said, allowing the sand to rise back up towards him. But a moment later, he was staring at a sand clone of Kurai that formed from his sand, one that launched itself at him in what looked like a tackle move. A sudden movement on his right showed that the real Kurai was running at him, much faster than had been anticipated. The sand could not keep up, and Gaara felt like he was back in the Chuunin exam as a fist connected with his cheek and he went flying towards the ground. The clone was attached to his legs, preventing him from moving far. But as he watched, the clone dissolved back to sand, and he heard Kurai's voice:
"Suna gokusha! (Sand prison)" The sand began twisting its way up Gaara's body in an eerily similar way to the redhead's own ninjutsu attack. And now the crowd went silent once more. Senjo's eyes widened as she realized what was happening. Seishin, Inkei, and Daisuke had gone still next to her, all three focused on the fight.
"Is that what I think it is?" her father whispered. "Is that really Gaara's own attack being used against him?"
'Father threatened to beat you within an inch of your life when he found out,' her own words echoed in Kohaku's mind as she held her breath and looked over at the clan elders. All of them had their mouths hanging open, but Taru's face was beginning to turn red as the new whispers reached her ears:
"How did he do that?"
"Hey, where did Kurai learn that move?"
"Wow, Hajino-san looks really mad." But the boys continued their fight, too far away and too preoccupied to hear what was going on. Gaara turned his attention to the sand at his waist, extending his hand and feeling the flow of chakra restored to the familiar blend of Shukaku's and his own. The sand stopped trying to engulf him and twisted away, returning to his gourd.
"You are indeed full of surprises," he said as he quickly got to his feet. Kurai grinned, keeping his hands on the ground.
"Just wait for my next one." With that he sunk into the sand, disappearing from view. Gaara frowned and knelt, extending his chakra out in hopes of finding his opponent. He felt a small knot of Kurai's chakra moving rapidly away from him, and a smirk twisted his lips as he concentrated for a moment. As he was gathering the necessary chakra, Kurai emerged from the ground, quickly brushing sand out of his hair. He stood still, every nerve and muscle alert and ready for what he knew would be the final test of the challenge. Sure enough, he felt Gaara's chakra begin to swell, and the sand beneath his feet suddenly felt less stable. "Here it comes." Back in the crowd, Daichi was rubbing his arms as a chill went down his spine. Kohaku shook her head, hand tightening around her staff. They both felt the power, and it seemed to wash over the crowd as even the Hajino elders began shaking their heads and arms to get rid of the prickly sensation that crept over them like a slow sandstorm.
"Something's happening," Inkei said.
"Something big," Daisuke added. Kurai took a deep breath and closed his eyes to slow his racing heart; calling on every available shred of chakra he had remaining.
"I am a Hajino. I am the heir to the clan." Another deep breath as he knelt on the ground and placed his hands firmly on it.
"Bakuryu Ryusa! (Desert Avalanche)" The sand responded quickly to Gaara's command, forming faster than anyone imagined into a wave of sand that swept towards his opponent, who still had not moved.
"Kurai, get out of the way!" Taru yelled as his brother held him back.
"This is his fight, not yours," the younger man reminded him. "He fails or succeeds on his own." Kurai sensed the wave approaching, and centered his chakra in the sand around him, eyes still closed.
"I am the son of Hajino Taru and Atsui. I am the brother of Kohaku and Daichi. I am the boyfriend and protector of Tanamari Senjo." His eyes snapped open, more focused and ready than he had felt in a long time.
"I am Kurai, a shinobi of Hidden Sand. And this is my fight. Suna no Tsunami! (Tidal Wave of Sand)" Lurching to life, his own sand wave wasn't as fast, but he knew it didn't need to be. More and more sand was pulled from the sides of it to gather at the center. It was large, slow, and solid.
"He did it," Daichi said.
"Yes, he did," Kohaku agreed, eyes wide.
"Oh my-"
"Do you see-"
"Amazing!"
"How on earth-"
BOOM!
The two waves collided with the sound of a thunderclap and landslide all in one. Gaara's wave seemed to dissolve into Kurai's, and then they both dropped back to the desert floor so hard that everything shook. A few people were knocked off their feet, and someone screamed. A thick haze of dust settled over the battlefield, and everyone was straining their eyes to see what had happened to Kurai and Gaara. And when everything cleared, they saw the two boys standing face to face, unmoving.
"You did well," Gaara said, breathing heavy.
"So did you," Kurai replied. "It was a little tricky to ride the end of the wave like I did, and I probably wasted some chakra doing it."
"Then why do it?" Kurai shrugged, wiping sweat from his face.
"Because I wanted to see the look on your face when I did this." Before Gaara could say anything else, he dropped to one knee, arms crossed in front of him. "I yield!" The crowd all went silent, some with wide eyes, and others trying to figure out what had just happened. Kohaku and Daichi moved first, jogging out to their brother and Gaara. The rest of the crowd followed, and Senjo cast a quick look at Kurai's father. Taru was stalking out to his son, the rest of the clan at his heels.
"Let's go," Seishin said as he met Naiteki's eyes across the crowd and nodded. The Tanamaris followed everyone else, trying to keep up front. Taru stormed over to the pair once the crowd had reassembled itself, eyes centered angrily on Kurai. Every vein in his face and neck seemed to be standing out, and his fists were clenched tight at his sides.
"What are you doing? The Hajino Clan never gives up a fight!" he shouted from a foot away.
"It's pointless to continue when I already know the outcome. This fight was a starting point, to see where we measure up in terms of skill and power." Kurai's voice was even, controlled, and slightly monotone. His body did not appear tense as he stood up, but slightly loose. But his eyes never left his father, because there was no way to predict what the older man might do. "And I will continue to train so that one day I can surpass him."
"I will not have my son admitting defeat to that… Thing!"
"He's a fellow shinobi-"
"He's a monster!" Taru pointed an accusatory finger at Gaara. The statement swept over everyone, and Senjo closed her eyes and wished she could will those words out of existence. How many times would Gaara have to hear that word, that tone, that sentence? Wasn't twelve years of hate and loathing more than enough for him to endure? And then murmurs and whispers began to make their way among the crowd, passing between adults, children, ninjas, and regular folk. Some were agreeing with Taru, and some, like Senjo, thought that this had gone on long enough. The desert child stood still and silent, arms folded across his chest as he watched father and son argue. It was like he hadn't even truly heard the words, but knew what everyone was referring to anyway. Had he had similar fights with his father, with the same accusations and uncaring ideas? Kurai narrowed his eyes and also pointed at Gaara, who tilted his head slightly. The whispers died down as people craned their necks forward to hear what he would say.
"His name is Sabaku no Gaara, and you will address him as such." Eyes wide, face red, and patience gone, Taru's hand dropped back as he made to hit Kurai.
"No!" Atsui screamed, seeing a kunai slide from inside her husband's sleeve and into his hand. Naiteki and Seishin were already moving, followed by a few of the elders of the Hajino Clan. Senjo saw Kohaku and Daichi rocket forward, but Taru struck before anyone got there…
Only, what he hit wasn't flesh, but a short wall of sand that sucked his blade and arm into it, immobilizing him. Kurai stared in slight shock as Gaara walked up beside him, eyes narrowed at Taru.
"There will be no senseless bloodshed here, Hajino Taru-san. I promised someone that, and I will not have you undermine my words." And then Taru saw people walking up beside his son and the vessel as the sand released him.
"Gaara is not our enemy, Father," Daichi said, standing safely in between his siblings. Kohaku had her staff raised, blocking both the boys from an attack if one came.
"He never asked to be made into Shukaku's vessel," she added. "And I for one am tired of blaming him for all our supposed shortcomings."
"Did you ever stop and ask your children what it was they wanted?" Seishin asked from behind. "Didn't you ever think that maybe instead of fighting each other, they might be able to work together?"
"Impossible!" Taru shouted, turning to the adults in the crowd. "He's not even human! He's a-"
"Stop it!" Senjo yelled, coming up beside Gaara. Inkei and Daisuke were right behind her, followed by Temari and Kankuro. "He's just as much of a person as anyone here. If there's any monsters in this crowd, it's you, Hajino-san!" Now all eyes were on her, and Senjo knew she had just crossed a very wide line. But things had to be, no; needed to be said. And she was just the person to say them. "You're all so blinded by who Gaara was to see who he's become! Did you really expect a child who was hated by everyone and feared from the day he was born to be normal? To be the picture-perfect child? We made him the way he was. But if you would all take the time to get to know him, to trust him like I have... To be his friend, then you'd see how much he's changed. He's not dangerous, he's not a monster, and he's not this evil, vile creature to be ignored. Everyone needs to take off their blinders and pull the sticks from their asses and see Gaara for who he is now! He's just a boy, and he's my friend. He's a friend I'd trust my life to, no matter what the situation. Not one person in this village has even thought of giving Gaara a chance. Everyone here only sees him as he was. The fight with Konoha changed him. Why can't you all see that? Has he ever once made an attack on this village since then? Has he threatened anyone here? If he was the evil monster that the Hajino clan makes him out to be, don't you think he would have killed us all and buried the village with sand by now? But he hasn't, has he? He's never once attacked anyone with out provocation since he came back from the Chuunin Exam. Wake up, people! He's different. He's changed. He's just...Gaara." While everyone was busy popping their eyes back into place and dusting off their jaws, Senjo turned and threw her arms around the red-haired boy, who almost lost his balance.
"Senjo…" He trailed off, staring at her as she continued to hold on to him. No one moved for a full minute, and then Senjo finally pulled away, leaning into Kurai with a soft sigh. "Thank you," Gaara whispered.
"I meant every word." Then she took Kurai's hand and squeezed it, smiling up at him. Suddenly the crowd parted, and the Kazekage stepped through. Atsui was beside him, eyes sweeping over her family as the children nodded.
"There has been enough excitement for one day. Taru, I do believe a Hajino Clan meeting is in order, and I will be attending."
"Yes, Kazekage-sama," he replied hesitantly as everyone bowed.
"You heard the Kazekage!" Naiteki shouted to the crowd. "Move along, people!"
"Father, there is something you should be proud of about Gaara," Kurai spoke up again. Taru and the other elders all looked at him, some glaring, and others with puzzled expressions. "The only person who is stronger than the Hajino Clan had to be created, not born or trained. We are still the best natural users and shapers of sand and rock." Taru said nothing, but turned and followed the others back to his house. With Naiteki and her squad waving them away, the crowd soon cleared, leaving only the kids.
"That was amazing, Gaara-sama," Daichi said as he turned to face his idol. "I hope one day to be just like you and my big brother!"
"So I have yet another rival to consider?" Daichi blushed slightly as Kurai and Kohaku smiled and ruffled his hair.
"That was quite a show," Kankuro mused, grinning broadly. "I never knew you could be that loud, Senjo."
"She takes after our dad," Inkei explained as he dodged a reflexive swat from his sister, who was blushing fiercely.
"We should get going," Temari broke in, arms on both her brothers' shoulders. "No doubt we'll be getting a mission in the morning, and Gaara should rest a bit."
"Very well," the desert child replied.
"Gaara," Kurai said when the siblings turned to leave. "Don't think I won't keep trying to beat you. If you slack off in your training, I will gain the upper hand. I expect only the best from my rival." He was smiling, though it seemed more like a smirk. Gaara nodded, the expression on his face matching Kurai's. When they were gone, Kohaku shifted her gaze between Kurai and Senjo. They both looked happy, yet at the same time, hesitant. What they needed to do was hash it out and make up.
"Come on boys," she said. "I think these two need to do some talking."
"Kohaku-" Kurai began, before she leaned over and whispered:
"Talk to her and patch things up. Be the man our father no longer is." Eyes wide, Kurai could only nod in response. With a smile, she tugged on Inkei and Daichi's shirts, pulling them along. Daisuke kept pace at her side as they walked off towards Senjo's house. The couple was silent for a few minutes as they looked everywhere but at each other. Finally, Kurai's attention went to their still-linked hands, and he smiled. She had always been there for him, through everything: Makoto, Kohaku's attack and recovery, the Chuunin exam, his father's increasing demands, and in Konoha. Even when she wasn't physically with him, she was always on his mind. That he would've willingly given up on something so great as their relationship almost made him sick.
"Senjo-chan?" he asked softly.
"Yes, Kurai-kun?" There was no malice, no contempt, and nothing in her voice but hope and emotion.
"I'm so sorry I put you through all this. I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you when this all started. I'm sorry-" She placed a finger to his lips to shush him, and he obeyed. Their eyes met, and then they were in each other's arms, holding on like they'd never let go. Senjo was the first to pull back, and she was smiling. "Forgive me."
"I love you, Hajino Kurai." Their lips met as they embraced once more, and their four family members hiding in the shadow of the next building silently cheered that everything was finally back to normal.