Chapter II: Enter Ayane, Beautiful Kunoichi of the Sand Village by Ravensbff

A young woman crouched in an alleyway and peered around a stack of crates to see the opening to the alley. Her name was Ayane, and she came from the Hidden Sand Village in the Land of Wind. She was currently in a small town about a day's walk from Konoha. She had very light brown hair that came to just above her shoulders and slightly flipped out at the ends. Her eyes were brown, almost hazel, and they had a very apathetic look about them. For a shirt, she wore only a piece of fabric that looked like a strapless white bra, but was actually a shirt, as evidenced by the spiral pattern dancing across its surface. Over this she wore a long sleeved, light brown jacket, the bottom hem of which stopped above her waist. Around her left wrist was wrapped her black hitai-ate, which she regularly used to deflect blows from shuriken and kunai. Under this she also wore brown leather wrist gloves. Her darker brown pants were very baggy and hung low on her slender hips with a small red bow that served as the tie for the pants' drawstrings. Outside the belt loops on her pants and hanging asymmetrically was a leather belt, onto which was tied a light wooden sheath. Her kunai and shuriken were kept in a pouch on her left hip, as she was left-handed. The bottoms of her pants hung loosely around her ankles and partially concealed her typical black ninja shoes, dragging the ground in the back and wearing a half-moon shaped patch off of the back.

The reason Ayane had ducked into this alley was that she had sensed a chakra behind her down the road. This would be no reason for suspicion, except for the fact that all ninja in the Land of Fire lived in the Hidden Leaf Village, a day away. She peered toward the entrance to the alley, hoping to catch a glimpse of this other ninja. She was expecting someone, of course. She had been hired to assist another mercenary ninja in protecting the only remaining member of the illustrious Uchiha clan from his murderous brother who had killed the rest of their clan.

As Ayane watched, a redheaded boy of about her own age walked past the entrance to the alley. His pale skin and dark clothing belied the fact that Sabaku no Gaara was from the warm, sunny desert Hidden Sand Village. His black-rimmed green eyes searched back and forth as he walked. After Gaara passed, Ayane stood and walked out of the alley, keeping him in sight. He paused and looked back in her direction once or twice, but Ayane knew how to be inconspicuous. As they reached the outskirts of town on the side closest to Konoha, Ayane suddenly sprinted forward and jumped in the air, unsheathing her katana as she went, to land in front of Sabaku no Gaara, Kazekage of Sunagakure, with her sword held to the height of his neck.

The sand from his gourd rushed up to meet her, but she did a series of acrobatics to flip out of the way, landing with her sword still held at shoulder height. The sand receded.

"Well that's a nice welcome for an old comrade, Gaara. Or should I say Kazekage?" she said sarcastically.

"Ayane, what are you doing here?" replied Gaara.

"I'm on a mission. What are you doing here?"

"I have to meet with the Hokage, Tsunade." He put the stopper back on the gourd and took a step forward. In response, Ayane put her katana back into its sheath and also stepped forward, a slight smile playing across her face.

"So it's true then. You are the Kazekage. I haven't been back in so long I wasn't sure if I should believe it. It's been much too long, Gaara."

"Since you've been back to Sunagakure or since you've seen me?" Gaara asked.

"I don't give a damn about the Hidden Sand Village. I meant since I'd seen you."

At this, the scowl on his face softened into a look of almost contentment. A slightly smug smirk lightened his features as he replied, "Good."

Ayane took another step toward him. She stood just beyond the boundary of the sand shield. "So you still think about me then. I was hoping you did. I think about you every day. I've missed you, Gaara, my friend."

"You didn't have to leave. You didn't have to abandon me without saying goodbye."

She reached her hand forward, but it was smacked away by the sand. "I knew you would have asked me to stay, and I wouldn't have been able to say no. I could never say no. With everyone else, I have an odd desire to do exactly the opposite of what they want, but not you, Gaara."

"Why did you leave? What was so important?"

"It wasn't that I had something pulling me away, but more something pushing. You know what my family was like. I just couldn't take it anymore. I guess I thought getting away from them was more important than staying with you."

"I should kill you, you know. You betrayed and abandoned me. I made myself vulnerable to you, and you showed me exactly why I never trusted anyone else." Gaara's voice had grown hoarse. The sand started to creep around her ankles and hover on either side of her.

"Do it then, if you really want me dead. I won't stop you."

He stared at her for several long moments. His sand twisted around her and crept along her legs toward her waist. His hard expression had returned as he asked her a question.

"You trust me with your life? If I don't want you alive, then there's no point in being alive? Is that it?" His voice cracked as he asked the last question.

Ayane made no response or movement. She simply stared into his eyes.

Gaara had no need to hear her affirmation. He could read it in her eyes. The sand retreated into the gourd.

"I won't kill you. I can't, Ayane-chan. Not anymore. I wanted to, once, but now I don't. But betray my friendship one more time, and you'll wish I had killed you now."

"I learn from my mistakes, Gaara-kun. Any good ninja does, and I am a good ninja. I won't be that stupid again, and not because of your threat, although I have absolutely no doubt you would do it."