Thunder Bird

I don't own Naruto

Chapter Six

Raiji bit her lip roughly. Kakashi was sitting infront of her, trying to convince her that she could submit Sasha for the Exams. She knew for a fact that he would be submitting his entire team. Just as Asuma and Kurenai would be...

The Rookie Nine...

She shook her head, thinking of how there was the chance that Sasha hadn't even gone to an acadamy.

Naru stared at Kaya's back as they walked through Suna with Temari.

"You realize that when we get to Konoha, we'll have to steal two entry fourms, right?"

"Yes, just remember this. No one is to know of our condition. No one at all."

Naru frowned, bowing her head and watching her sandels. Up ahead of her, Kaya growled to herself.

Why is he following us? Gaara was trailing them. She could feel his chakra as it jumped from hiding place to hiding place.

It was driving her crazy. It was bad enough that she was having to damn near share a room with him.

Either he was watching out for his sister, or he was stalking them.

Kaya wasn't sure if she'd want either one.

Gaara growled to himself. He watched the shift of Kaya's posture as she continued to walk next to Temari. The slight tense in her shoulders indicating that she was fustrated over something.

He found his attention moving down to the sway of her hips as she walked. She'd had to borrow a pair of Kankuro's jeans, and least to say, being a few inchesshorter and an estimated fifty pluspounds lighter made a big difference when borrowing someone's clothes. However, due to the fact that she was female, the width of her hips helped to fill in what Kankuro's gut usually did. The rest was just hope that the jeans wouldn't fall down while she was walking.

She'd borrowed a mesh shirt from Gaara, and it was thrown on over a black undershirt that she had managed to dig up in his closet.

Gaara sighed, wondering if he should follow them into the store. Upon seeing the fact that it was one of the more expensive stores that Temari had managed to find over the years, he jumped off of the roof and followed the trio in.

Kaya frowned as she felt him follow them into the store.

Might as well give a show. She thought, smirking to herself.

Again, what the hell am I doing? Gaara asked himself, watching as Kaya shifted through a rack of shirts.

She pulled something off the rack, looking at the black material with a lip pulled between her teeth.

Dammit, I'm going to have to track down sensai's shop again. I can't believe those bastards burnt my gi! Kaya growled at her reflection. She'd grown oddly accustom to having her gi jacket tied around her waist. She'd been forced to watch as her captors took the blasted thing, her only prized possesion, and set it aflame.

She observed the black top she'd picked out, noticing that, due to her bust size, it came to just above her belly, rather than above her belly button. The black jeans she had grabbed would have to rolled up. She sighed, eyeing the jeans the she had borrowed from Kankuro.

Then again, I could just go back to my old clothes. All I'd need is another gi set from sensai, and some binding... She bit her lip, patting one of the pockets that had been sewn onto the jean legs.

But Gaara's reaction to this may just be priceless... She growled under her breath, placing a fist on her hip as the jeans slid, showing a strap to the thong that she stolen from Temari's drawer.

She opened the door to the dressing room, finding Gaara standing there. Her cheeks lightened to a pale pink as she saw him go as red as his hair.

"Um..." She adverted her eyes, chewing on her lip gently. "Well?"

What the fuck? Gaara mentally screamed, his eyes lowering themselves to the shirt, then to the jeans and the black thong, and back up to the shirt.

Kaya's eyes closed as a sudden pain shot through her chest. He obviously doesn't like it... I don't even know why I tried with this asshole. I mean, come on, he's Yondaime's son.

Gaara watched her face, noticing the pain that flashed through her eyes. Or atleast, the only eye he could see through her hair. He frowned, noticing that it was the same wild mess that it had been since she'd taken the time to brush it out the night before.

"I... I'll go change..." Kaya's voice was soft, slightly heartbroken. Gaara sighed, waiting for her to go back into the private confines of the dressing room before following her.

"Kaya, wait..." He said, his voice low incase Temari was anywhere near them. He didn't get as far as the doorway before she turned, glaring at him.

"No. Forget it, Sabaku no Gaara. In the past eight years, you haven't change at all!" She yelled, slamming the door in his face. She closed her eyes, biting her lip as she changed back into the clothes she had borrowed.

Gaara, on the other hand, stood outside the door, completely frozen.

Eight years?

A silver haired girl smiled softly as she looked up at her sensai, asking silently if she could play with the small red head before her. The man nodded, returning her smile. The girl walked forward, watching the man next to her sensai cautiously before taking Gaara's hand and running out of the room.

That had been her? Gaara frowned, remembering faintly that that very little girl had been the first person to get pass the protective sand barriar. She'd had exellent shinobi training by that age.

But Kazekage had wanted her to become the Wind's next weapon of destruction, and her sensai had denied the request. Kazekage had gotten pissed, and had tried to kidnap the little girl. And so, her sensai had taken her away from Gaara, hiding her away. Gaara blamed his father for the loss of the girl he'd grown so attached to.

Before Gaara realized it, he was standing outside of the store, watching Temari, Naru and Kaya as they walked out the door with their bags. Kaya turned to them, completely ignoring the red headed teenager watching her.

"I've got something I need to do, so I'll catch up with you guys later. Alright?" Kaya asked, and Temari raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know where the house is..."

"I'll take Gaara with me." Kaya said, jerking a thumb behind her, in Gaara's general direction. Temari simply nodded, dragging Naru down the street with her.

Gaara watched her, wondering if she was waiting for him.

"Kaya, I'm..."

"Didn't I already say that I didn't want to hear it?" She snapped, turning and looking at him. Gaara nodded. He silently indicated for her to lead the way as he jumped onto the roof.

"Sensai?" Kaya called, opening the door to a shop. She looked around, smiling to herself. After the Kazekage had tried to kidnap her, her master had taken up selling weapons.

"Youjo-Chan?" An old man called out. Kaya's smile brightened as she heard him. "Youjo-Chan, what happened?"

"Just... stuff. I got into a bad situation, but everything's cleared up now. Um... Sensai, by any chance..."

"I already have a new gi made up for you, youjo-chan." The old man smiled, and Kaya found herself remembering that Gaara was outside, waiting for her.

"Thank you so much, Sensai!" She exclaimed, hugging the old man. She took the brown paper wrapped package and gave him a smile.

"I'm going over to Konoha for the Chunin Selection Exams, so I won't be seeing you for a while." She told him, giving him another hug. The old man nodded, watching as she turned around to leave.

"Take care of yourself."

"I will." Kaya called as she walked out the door. Gaara dropped down next to her, looking at the package.

"What's that?"

"Something that I needed, not that it matters to you." She glared at him, and Gaara looked away.

Kaya sat down on the cot that she had set up, opening the package that she had gotten from her sensai. Her hair was damp, and her brush was sitting next to her, completely forgotten.

Gaara looked at her, watching as she opened the package carefully. He looked down at the object in his hand, then back up at her.

He moved off of his bed, picking up the brush silently and sitting behind her. He heard her gasp as he started brushing her hair.

One he was sure he'd gotten all the tangles out, he started brushing it up to the back, forming a pony tail. He took the object in his hand, a thin red ribbon, and tied it around the pony tail tightly. When he was done, he leaned his head on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry for earlier." He whispered. Kaya swallowed.

"I don't know why I expected you to remember me anyways." She answered softly. Gaara wrapped his arms around her, feeling her tense for a second, and then relax against him.

He looked down at her, clad, once again, in one of his shirts and a pair of his boxers.

"How could I possibly forget someone like you?" He whispered, and Kaya's breath hitched.

She turned slightly, looking up at him. With a sudden boost of confidence, she pressed a light kiss to his lips.

Gaara offered a small smile as she pulled away. Kaya automatically yawned.

"Sleep, I'm going to be here all night." He said to her, taking the package and letting her go. From the torn paper, Gaara could see the symbol for Tenchi. He set it on the floor next to the cot, standing and walking back over to his bed.

Kaya got up, turning off the lights. For a second all Gaara could hear was the sound of her bare feet against the wooden floor, and then a slight weight next to him on the bed.

"How much do you remember?" Kaya's voice cut through the silent darkness, and Gaara considered how much to tell her.

"Just that you were the certain girl to make me consider that maybe there is more to life than death." Gaara said, and felt Kaya's head on his shoulder. He shifted, laying her down with him, an arm around her waist.

"Night." She whispered, and Gaara heard her breathing pick up a rythm. He sighed to himself, remembering that they were leaving for Konoha the next morning.

"Goodnight, Kaya."