Chapter 28:
"Why have you come here?"
"I'm here to see the Kazekage. Is he available?"
Finally after another hour of walking in the desert, Raxiel had made it to Sunagakure. She was hoping to get into the village as soon as possible…
But it looked like it wouldn't be that easy.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. No guests are allowed right now into the land. Please leave now."
Raxiel's eyes widened at the guard. "No… guests?"
"That's right. You'll have to find yourself another place to go."
But Raxiel wasn't going to give up that easily. She turned around and walked away… past the guard where the only thing that was keeping her from Suna was a big wall.
"I can climb it," she thought, thoroughly examining the wall. Soon she was on top of the wall, ready to make her way downwards into Sunagakure.
Not until the guard caught her…
And, sure enough, there were other guards with the guard she had previously talked to.
"Stop! Akatsuki!"
Raxiel's eyes widened. "They think I'm with Akatsuki!" she thought.
Suddenly, her heart raced. She knew what they'd do if they caught her. Quickly, she jumped off the wall and into Suna. She knew that would buy her some time, but somehow, she had to find him. She had come all this way, and she wasn't about to become captured.
Raxiel looked around to see nearly all of the used-to-be towers were destroyed due to the war. But there was one tower in the middle of the village that was still standing. She decided that would make a good hiding spot… for the time being.
Quickly, she started heading for the tower, soon hearing loud footsteps behind her of guards chasing after her.
"Half-way there! Just have to figure out where the door is!" she encouraged herself as she neared the building. Figuring out that there was no door on the side that she was running to, she quickly ran to the other side of the building to keep over for a few minutes to try to lose the guards. She leaned her body against the building, trying not to be seen. Her panting wasn't making her hideout any better.
"I just need a way to get inside!"
Suddenly, she felt something rough and hard begin to cover her legs. She looked down to see what it was.
Sand…
Raxiel's eyes widened, and she started to wince as the sand began to crawl up her whole body.
Swiftly, the sand pulled on her body, forcing her body… into the wall?
Invincible…
Once the sand had taken her out of the wall and into the pitch-black room in the building, Raxiel looked around, flabbergasted by what had just happened.
The sand let go of her…
Then, a dagger moved towards her from behind her, barely slitting her throat.
"Name yourself, Kunoichi from Akatsuki."
That voice…
Raxiel had had enough. Fearfulness turned into anger as she burst out with rage. "Why does everyone think I'm with Akatsuki? My name is Raxiel, and I'm here to see my friend, who just so happens to be the Kazekage!"
The enigma's dagger moved away from her throat a few centimeters.
Raxiel's temper grew even fiercer. " And I'll have you know that if my friend saw you doing this to me, he'd have you dead by now with his sand…"
Sand…
"Raxiel?" the stranger said softly.
That voice…
How misguided she was.
Raxiel choked. "Yeah, that's my name," she said calmly.
"You're a friend of the Kazekage's?" he asked gently, his dagger was now removed from her throat.
With the room being pitch-black, Raxiel knew it would be futile to turn around to see or even try to make out who the enigma was.
That voice…
His voice…
"Yes, I was hoping to find him. Do you know where he is?"
"He's hiding. No one can see him, unless they know how."
With her eyes getting used to the dark, Raxiel could see the wall that was in front of her… and a light switch. Quickly, she jerked the switch on.
Light…
She turned around to see a redhead, green-eyed seventeen-year-old Kazekage by the name of Gaara. His hair was a bit longer and more ruffled, and his body had put on more mass due to muscle. His porcelain face seemed to have taken on a bit of color, and his facial features seemed more relaxed.
As Raxiel studied his tall structure, Gaara couldn't help but do the same to her, noticing how much her body had matured over the months he had been absent from her. While they were staring though, not one of them paid attention to the footsteps of the guards coming their way.
Gaara was about to say something when he was suddenly jerked around his neck by a pair of arms encircling him. His eyes shot wide open.
"She's doing something to me…
"What is this called? A hug?"
Soon he felt something warm on his chest… and a vibration…
"She's laughing?"
Soon her embrace became even tighter, making him want to do something in return.
But he wasn't sure what to do…
He had never been hugged before…
Before he could try, Raxiel had let go of him and backed away.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hugged the Kazekage."
Hug…
"So that's really what it's called," he thought to himself, watching Raxiel begin to laugh the laugh that he had missed. Soon, it was his turn to respond. "Don't call me that," he said bluntly.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Gaara. But you know, it is the truth."
"What are you doing here?" he asked sharply, noticing that Raxiel's smile was beginning to grow. "What?" he asked, pretending to be annoyed with her so-happy attitude.
"You're still the same, I see. Well, if you must know, Akatsuki kidnapped me. Fortunately, I was able to escape. Turns out I came across this place."
"It's not all a lie," she thought…
"Okay, it is a lie, but what other excuse can I come up with? If I has said I came here because I was worried about him, he'd probably be upset with me…"
Soon she noticed Gaara's eyes turning into concernment. "You were captured?"
"Yeah, but I'm fine," she said hesitantly. She didn't like that look on Gaara's face.
"They didn't do anything to you," he stated demandingly.
"No, of course not! I already told you; I'm fine. Nothing happened."
Gaara sighed with frustration. Raxiel looked at him angrily. "What?" she asked sharply.
"…There's been spotting of Akatsuki members around here. They must be looking for you."
"Oh…"
"And out of all the lands you could have come to, you had to pick this one," he mumbled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked angrily. "Aren't you glad to see me?"
Gaara's eyes widened. "What? Of course I am, Raxiel. Don't be ridiculous. It's just that, since Sunagakure just had a war, we're basically in no condition to fight, especially since this is Akatsuki we're talking about. We're at a big disadvantage if they figure out where you're at."
Raxiel looked down. She knew he was right. If she stayed here, it'd only bring worse things for him and his land. She didn't want to leave…
But it was the only option.
Raxiel looked at him with a cheerful smile. "Alright then, Gaara, I'll leave Sunagakure. That way, your land won't be in such a bad position."
Once again, Gaara's eyes widened. "What?"
"It only makes sense that I should leave, right?"
"Uh… well, that's not entirely true. There is one way we could keep you hidden, but still live here," he spoke hesitantly.
"There's no way she'll go for this…"
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
"You could stay at my place. My sister and brother live there, too; so it wouldn't be just us two. You'd have your own section of the house, and you'd have much-needed security, until Akatsuki leaves. Then we could get you your own apartment."
Raxiel looked down, concentrating on her shoes.
"But if I can make her stay, I wouldn't have to be alone anymore…" he thought desperately.
After a few anticipating minutes, Raxiel finally shifted her eyes into Gaara's eyes and spoke. "Aright, we'll give it a try, as long as we're under a few negotiations."
Gaara's eyes widened with shock. She had said yes…
Trust…
"Sure; we can discuss them while I take you there."
"That's fine," Raxiel said. Soon they both heard loud noises coming from the narrow hall behind Gaara.
Raxiel's eyes widened. "Oh no! It's those guards!" she said, now seeing them getting closer. Gaara turned around to face them. As he did, the guards stopped, looking at the Kazekage with bewilderment.
Finally, Gaara spoke to the men. "What's this all about?" he snapped.
"She crossed into Sunagakure without our consent," a guard responded.
Gaara turned around to look at Raxiel. He stared at her, amused by her hesitant facial appearance. "How were you able to get past the guards?"
"I… jumped over the wall…" Raxiel spoke embarrassingly.
Gaara couldn't help but smirk from the expression on Raxiel's face. He knew she didn't like to do the wrong thing. It was like she was waiting for her punishment from him, the Kazekage. He quickly turned around to look at the guards again, his expression back to emotionless.
"Get out of here, and don't let me see any one of you again for the rest of the day." he ordered with seriousness in his voice, and immediately, the guards took off. Raxiel watched in bewilderment. Gaara soon turned around and smirked at her in a friendly way, this time, so she could see it.
"Follow me."
