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Chapter Twenty


She never would have imagined Gaara's training to be so rigorous, and so exhausting looking for the child. She never would have guessed Rasa would work Gaara through countless hours in the dry, desert heat. There had been many times she had wanted to step in, to tell Rasa that Gaara had done enough, but stopped herself in the midst of doing so when remembering why they were there.

For Gaara's control. To wear out his added stamina. To make sure this night of the new moon would be a calm one. Above all, for his future, the one Sakura had no business interfering with. Rasa had eventually told her they would stop when it became night, so she waited, watching exactly when the boy at a point drew in heavy breaths with an open mouth. Sweat now drenched his face, hair and shirt, and his eyes had grown finicky to all the movements around him. Even if Sakura took a few steps from her spot at the sideline, she could sense Gaara's eyes shift in her direction for a brief second. He had grown attentive, aware of his surrounding, though his main focus was sorely at the man who was his father.

Rasa certainly kept to his word, for this was the second most worn she had seen Gaara, yet a part of her was still skeptical at what was playing out in front of her. Wasn't he too young for this sort of training? Shouldn't he instead be learning from books like she was at his age? Did this truly help his control, or did it just make him so exhausted that his discipline would be lost from the fatigue? Sakura again tried not to linger so much on those thoughts, definitive that all this happening in front of her would lead to his bright future.

It was just training after all.

The sand swam high into the sky, morphing itself in precise positions and points. The grains never looked so beautiful than now to Sakura as the sun twinkled the ground they were on. The sand sparkled, it swam, it rumbled and shook the earth under her at times, digging up what debris lay deep under them and sending it flying through the air. Everything about now made her quiet and lose herself in her thoughts. Time had become slow for her, almost boringly so. Yet, she did her best to watch on, smiling reassuringly when the boy's eyes happen to fall back to her, though he did not return the feature back towards her. Not that she expected or wanted him to anyway. There were no smiles in a battle.

It wasn't until the sun began its routinely descend, painting the sky in a magnificent orange and red glow, did Sakura decide the time now would be right to fetch the treat she had promised Gaara. Hopefully by her return the training would be finished and she be right there on time with the sweet to congratulate Gaara with.

She turned, walking away from their battle with her back towards them. She was stopped however when a wall of sand erupted suddenly in front of her. She was taken aback before swiftly turning her head to question the culprit with her eyes. By the time she found his eyes, he was already racing towards her, a bridle glint in his heavy gaze, and a disapproving frown on him as he came close to her. Gaara used his sand to bring himself taller than her, looking back down at her with a competence she knew his older self to very much have.

"You cannot go," he told her plainly.

Sakura's eyes widened for a moment. His characteristic had suddenly changed. He spoke much like his older self, clear, without question; Someone with control. It was intriguing for the rosette to see his young self suddenly speak to her in a manner that was his way of telling her she was below him.

Behind him, Rasa had voiced his disapproval, calling back for his son. Yet, surprisingly to both him and Sakura, Gaara did not budge, did not falter at Rasa's voice, nor fear what reprimand may come. Sakura offered the boy a soft smile then, something that made Gaara's eye twitch, and she spoke to reassure him.

"I won't be gone long. I will be back so-," Sakura began but was cut off.

"No," Gaara said, slowly shaking his head as he spoke. "You cannot go. I won't allow it."

Power. Control. Everything that defined what Gaara strived for was now in front of her, though it was thoroughly misplaced. He needed to learn to lead, not control, a person. She narrowed her eyes towards the child as he looked down at her with a high nose.

"Gaara," she spoke slowly, warning in her tone, "You cannot tell me what I can and cannot do."

He stared at her hard after her words, silent for the longest time, perhaps waiting on her for something else to say, something more, before he opened his mouth to say his peace.

"Gaara!"

Rasa's voice echoed all the louder, tone far from a pleased one, yet it had been enough to morph Gaara's eyes back to the abysmal fear he naturally had for his father. Disheveled, frantic, that was what Sakura saw in the little boy before he hurriedly turned his back on Sakura and rushed back towards his father. Meanwhile, the young woman stood and watched as the training resumed with question again in her mind at the scenario that happened between them. Yet, she shook the idea off just as quick, remembering the child's mood swings, and abrupt anger. There was also the moon to put into blame for his sudden behavior, so Sakura thought nothing more of it. Simply turning once again in the direction of the kakigori stand.

She would never learn of the boy who took a quick glance at her departure, fighting in his mind against a beast that she would return to him.


"He's not with you today?"

Sakura blinked a few times to that question, staring at the money in her hand. Something still so rare to hear, others regarding Gaara, that the rosette took a moment to herself just to make sure she had heard the man in front of her right. A sly smile found her when she realized his words were true, and she carried that smirk up towards the man.

"Why do you ask? Are you sad he's not with me today?" Sakura teasingly asked.

She tried to hold back a snicker when the man turned to her with a mortified, frazzled look.

"N-Not at all!" he stumbled with his words. "Just gotta know where that bratty kid is at all times, you know?"

The man turned his face back to the ice below him, his frown heavy. His next words were low, almost in a mumble. Almost like he would regret what would come next.

"It was a full moon yesterday after all."

Sakura paused her shuffling fingers for a moment, saddened to hear the man in front of her say such a thing. Like Annaisha, he was one of the few who seemed to be giving Gaara another chance to leave a better impression within their mind, yet his words now seemed to contradict that sort of thinking.

'It's not too late,' she reminded herself. 'He, everyone, will see one day.'

So she kept silent to his words, instead answering his question from before.

"He is with his father today, training."

The shopkeeper nodded before making another upsetting comment in Sakura's mind.

"Our great Kazekage-sama."

He said nothing more, but it gave Sakura an understanding that the man's views in front of her were no different than everyone else here. He praised a man who had destroyed a child's spirit, just like everyone else here. They remained quiet until the exchange of money for food happened.

"Sakura, is it?"

The young woman widened her eyes in surprise. As familiar as they had become of one another, she only realized now that between them they were only familiar with Gaara's name, not each others. The rosette nodded towards the man.

"Sakura, be sure to bring him along next time. I have a new flavor I want him to try."

Sakura smiled softly at the man long after that, holding on tightly to the small cup of the usual cherry syrup-drenched, ice. Her long stare made that man pout embarrassingly before turning away from her gaze.

"W-What is it?" he mumbled.

"You know he always picks the cherry flavored one," Sakura commented, smiling still. "He isn't interested in anything else."

The man turned his eyes back on her then.

"Don't argue, just bring him along next time!" The man replied before mumbling angrily under his breath.

Sakura snickered.

"Alright, alright. I got it. I'll bring Gaara next time."

Despite the agreement, Sakura lingered still, staring down at the sweet treat for some time.

"And you?" she suddenly asked.

She earned the man's eyes again, and he raised his brown gaze questioningly before Sakura rephrased her sentence.

"What is your name. I'm sorry I haven't taken the time to learn it."

"Ah," the man murmured. "Tsutomu."

"Tsutomu," Sakura repeated under her breath, rolling her eyes above her while trying to recollect ever hearing the name or meeting the man in her future.

When she could not find any recollection, her eyes fell back to him with a smile and nod.

"Tsutomu-san, thank you."

He waved her off without looking at her.

"You better go before that melts. I don't want you two coming back here tonight asking for another one."

Sakura rolled her eyes while shaking her head then, once again about to depart until she noticed Tsutomu beginning to place his stock, and supplies away. Even if the sun had set, there was still a sliver of light in the sky, and Sakura had learned the shopkeeper's hours early on.

"Why are you closing up so early?" she asked.

The man simply gave her a skeptical look, as if the answer should be as obvious to her as it was to him. Eventually, to that look, it clicked in Sakura's mind why Tsutomu was now on the move.

'Gaara,' Sakura's mind silently answered her. 'The full moon yesterday. The threat of the Ichibi.'

Sakura wanted to voice herself to reason with him that tonight wouldn't be any different from the others, and that Gaara was currently training to help himself better control. Yet, she couldn't find the right words to do so. Perhaps she was too tired from being up these past few days, perhaps somewhere in her mind she remembered Gaara's future would prove everyone otherwise, or maybe it was because she knew arguing right now would prove to this stubborn man nothing, but whatever reason she remained silent.

"I'll bring him tomorrow, to try your new flavor," was all Sakura said, before turning and walking down the empty sandy road.

Her pace was slow, her mind full, and a cold cup still in hands. Yet, when the street lights around her began to flicker on, and a cool breeze tossed grains against her ankle, her mind went sorely back to the boy who had begged her not to leave him with his father. Her steps turned into a light jog then, hastily making her way back to the training grounds with a smile on her face thinking how Gaara's eyes would light up to the treat in her hands.

And yet, she never made it there. As empty as the night made this place, a figure was slowly making their way in her direction. She, of course, paid the person no mind until she recognized the familiar white robe. She stopped then, watching him come slowly closer towards her.

"Rasa," she whispered.

Then where was Gaara, she questioned in her mind. Had he gone back home on his own, had he left his father's side to come searching for her? Yet, none of those questions mattered once she realized Rasa was carrying the small child in his hands. To that sight, Sakura's heart sank and body froze. Never would Gaara allow himself to be this close to his Father.

"Gaara!" Sakura cried, dropping the cup of ice from her hands before sprinting towards Rasa.

Stopping in front of him Sakura paid no mind to Rasa, instead staring down at Gaara who was tucked in his arms. At first glance, it looked like a boy was simply overtaken by sleep with a caring father returning him home. Yet that scenario, Sakura knew, would never play between these two characters, and as Rasa began to unfold his arms a little more open, offering up the boy to the rosette, Sakura could see Gaara's eyes then battling to remain open. Rasa had kept his promise, to exhaust the boy of his added stamina, yet Sakura hadn't planned for it to be this way. Gaara was down right fatigue to the point of passing out.

Sakura hastily reached for the small boy, something Rasa was more than willing to hand over. She cradled Gaara against her shoulder before sneering at Rasa.

"What is the matter with you?! This is too much!" she spat with venom. "Have you no compassion?! He's just a little boy!"

But Rasa's eyes never were, nor fell, to her cries; they were instead on Gaara. He approached the boy in her arms, and Sakura watched as Rasa planted his hand on top of Gaara's red hair and stared longingly at his son. He stood like that for minutes before backing away and turning his eyes towards Sakura.

"Go home," Rasa ordered. "No matter what, stay inside."

The rosette's eyes narrowed at the man.

"I know that," she hissed. "Don't remind me what I need to do with him."

Another silent minute happened between the two while Rasa seemed to be studying her before he commented.

"I'm talking only to you."

With that, he turned away from her, leaving behind a confused, and frustrated, Sakura.

"Monster," Sakura whispered under her breath, watching the man's figure disappear into the night.

Her small comment made the boy laying on her shoulder begin to shuffle, and Sakura turned her attention back sorely onto him.

"Don't worry, Gaara," she said soothingly, rubbing his back lightly. "I'll get you home soon."

She began jogging back down the sandy road, holding the boy in place. In her hands, she could feel how hot his skin was even through his clothing and stopped shortly after spotting a Chozubachi. She paid the reason behind the bowl no mind, she would ask forgiveness from this act later as she cupped the water in her hands and began rubbing the cool drops on the back of Gaara's neck. She felt Gaara tense to the cool touch then, shuffling once more against her hold, he only managed to turn his head to face her neck.

The cool water must have put some life back into him for his eyes were more attentive now. They scoured his surrounding before he pushed himself back to take a look at who it was who was holding him. When his eyes met Sakura's own, she gave him a smile.

"Hey," she mouthed. "Feeling better?"

He gave her another long stare, as if trying to recount who she was or making sure that it was actually Sakura, before he rested back against her. Sakura scooped more water, pouring it this time on top of Gaara's red hair and then patting the remaining drops onto his cheeks. The coldness on his face made him once again lift his head, and Sakura brought more water to his face to wash away the sweat and dirt that had caked on his skin. He moved to her touch, tilting his head to meet her hand a certain way which made Sakura curious. Why he did this made all the sense when he stilled his lips against her wet palm. She was unsure of his meaning, feeling him brush his lips against her hand. She wondered if he was trying to thank her with some sort of kiss, but when she felt him begin to suck lightly, she understood him completely.

"I think this sort of training is too much for you right now," she murmured before scooping water once again and offering the liquid to his lips.

He found his strength to hold up his head and slowly drink from her hand. After a few more scoops and drinks, Gaara was now holding himself upright, pushing against her shoulder and staring at her silently. Sakura offered him a smile.

"A little better?" she asked, and was happy to see him nod.

"Kakigori," he made a breathy wish, causing Sakura to tense.

"Ehhhh..." Sakura murmured, staring still into his gentle eyes. "We'll have to go tomorrow. The old man closed up early tonight."

The boy must have been too tired still to argue, or put up a fight, for he simply lowered his head back to rest against Sakura's shoulder. Something which made the young woman sigh. She regretted terribly now agreeing with Rasa. If this was the only means keeping Gaara in control around a full moon than Sakura vowed never to put Gaara through this again and to find other means.

She had found a bench next to the water and placed herself there before unwrapping her hands from Gaara so that he could sit next to her. Yet, despite her ushering, he held onto her. He was content sitting in her lap and resting against her. Something Sakura found both surprising, and understandable, given his desperate sought for physical embrace. So, she let him rest against her, even bringing a hand up to gently rub his back. He tensed to her movements at first, before sighing and relaxing to her touches.

They stayed silent, tranquility hitting them both while Sakura stared up at the lit sky of stars and the giant moon.

"I'm sorry, Gaara." Sakura apologized, still feeling guilty. "I didn't realize your training would be this hard. Tomorrow will be better. We can do whatever you want. Eat Kakigori..."

Sakura paused for a moment, trying to recollect the small list of things that brought some joy to the little boy.

"...We can hang out with Annaisha."

The boy didn't reply, and Sakura looked down at him to be sure he hadn't passed out on her. His eyes whipped to hers the instant she brought her head close to him, once again stoic to her soft smile.

"Don't fall asleep on me," she joked, trying to invoke something within the boy.

She hated to think it but she wondered if his quiet demeanor truly was fatigue, or if he was upset at her for taking him along to his father. He seemed to have accepted the fate earlier, but now stared blankly into her emerald gaze.

"I am not allowed," Gaara commented back.

If his quick glance was any giveaway, Sakura assumed that Gaara did not choose sleep even if the option was there. He was well aware of the outcome if he did, but the thought made Sakura think. If he held no attachments to anyone, declared love and fondness to be entirely gone from his soul, what had stopped Gaara before from simply unleashing his beast within?

His father still? That fear?

She gripped Gaara a little more closely then, the boy's deep dread for Rasa appearing all the more barefaced in the rosette's eyes. She couldn't blame the child now for feeling some sort of animosity towards her. She would feel betrayed as well.

And yet…

He relaxed in her lap. Did not ignore her voice, and inwardly still longed for Sakura's attention. Her friendship overcame the disloyalty she had shown him, enough to where he thought no less of her.

"Your brother wants to play with you," Sakura whispered, turning her head back up to stare at the sky and moon.

To her words, Gaara's body recoiled. He tensed so hard that Sakura, for the moment, stopped her ministrations. She simply assumed the boy growing excited hearing that one of his siblings wanted to be a part of his life.

"I was with Kankuro and Temari earlier," she continued. "We found a picture of your mother. Temari and Kankuro really loved her. Your brother told me she was very nice and liked to sing."

Sakura gave Gaara a moment to take this in, not surprised by his silence with the passing minutes.

"What do you want to do?" she finally asked him. "Do you want to play with your brother? I bet you sister could tell you nice stories about your mother."

Sakura's eyes widened when she felt Gaara suddenly tremble in her lap and arms and quickly brought her eyes to look back down at him.

"Gaara?" she asked, before a sharp gasp left her.

His eyes were narrowed ahead of him, he shook while biting his lip and flexing his fingers, but the worst of it, in Sakura's eyes, was the small dewy drops that were in the corners of his eyes. By the looks of it, he was struggling with his might to stop those foreign tears from falling.

"What's wrong?!" Sakura pleaded, trying to maneuver his head in her direction.

When her fingers graced his face however, he roughly cast her arm aside before pushing himself off of her and jumping to the ground below. The rosette made a reach for him, worried he was about to take off running into the night when he turned to her with grinding teeth and enraged eyes.

"Liar!" he screamed at her, causing her to freeze in her spot.

Before she could even ask, before she could even come to terms to what he called her, Gaara shouted at her again.

"I have no brother!" he bellowed. "I have no sister!"

Sakura could only stare at him with round eyes and a dropping jaw. This hadn't been the reaction she was trying to achieve with the boy, and she watched horrified as he began digging his nails into the scar on his head.

"Nobody wants to play with me! Nobody wants to speak to me! Nobody wants to be around me! Nobody wants to be my friend! Everyone just hates me!" he screamed, eyes shutting and head swinging towards the ground.

He no longer had a build-up of tears in his eyes, those had dried away as anger enveloped more and more.

"That is not true," Sakura tried to correct him.

His eyes opened then to her words, but he spat in her direction.

"You lie," he commented. "You just keep lying. Why would you say I have a brother who wants to play with me?"

Sakura opened her mouth to reassure him, to remind him that she was his friend, but was cut off by his biggest holler yet.

"You're just a liar! You're just like him! You're just like Yashamaru!"

His cries stilled Sakura's voice, but as soon as she saw his scar begin to redden from his scratching, worried he would make himself bleed, she approached him. Yet, he back away from her movement.

"Mother is not nice!" he screamed in her direction. "Mother is...! Mother is-!"

Gaara stopped his shouting then, eyes widening. Even his ministrations to his head had ceased, and he stared wide-eyed at the nothing in front of him.

"Gaara?" Sakura questioned, approaching him slowly once more.

She was unsure what this frozen sudden nature meant. Had he just realized something? Lost himself deep in thought? Calmed his own unhinged nerves on his own? Sakura stopped her steps when she saw the boy turn his body around and stare high at the moon in the sky.

'Oh no,' Sakura thought as she watched the boy stare longingly at the giant orb, a repeat of what had happened yesterday night came to her mind.

"Mother is calling," Gaara finally whispered, before he began sprinting into the dark streets.

"Gaara!" Sakura called after him before following suit.

Yet, when she drew near, the boy paid her no mind, and only did Sakura reach out to him when she saw grains picking up around him as he tried to blind him from her. Her hand ghosted through the sand, and she knew she had lost the boy to the sand when the dust settled to reveal nothing left for her.

"No!" she cried, spinning herself around over and over, trying to catch the faintest of hints where Gaara had run off to.

Her mind scoured with questions. What now? Where should she go? Should she seek out Rasa for help?

"Rasa!" Sakura seethed with distaste.

It dawned on her then that Rasa's advice, and help, had done nothing to fix the situation tonight. The boy's fatigue had only rattled his mind, and Rasa had left her with the aftereffect.

"Bastard," she cursed in a whisper.

Yet, her feet carried her once more down the road without a second thought of the man. Past the home Gaara and her resided in. To the kakigori stand. Throughout the village. She searched with her eyes from the highest of roofs, and followed every chakra signature she could feel in the streets, no matter how distant or foreign they felt to her.

In one instance she had had followed it up to the guarded entrance of Suna. Stopping in front of two men who seemed curious at her appearance just as much as she stared down at them, upset once more that her tracking had led her astray. She stopped in front of them momentarily, catching her breath while trying to decide where to look next.

Was it possible Gaara had left the village?

Her eyes widened to that mental thought, and she took another step towards the two men, attempting to make her leave.

"You are not allowed," one of the men answered to her with hostile behavior.

She stopped then, challenging the man with her eyes. If needed be, Sakura could knock back both these men in a flash.

"Where...Where is he?" the other guard suddenly asked, anxiety in his gaze.

They knew her. Knew who she was, who she was ordered to look over. The reason behind why they didn't not allow her a chance outside the village.

"I lost him," she answered plainly.

She no longer cared what panic may follow, nor if her words with taint these men's minds of the boy. If it was someone who could offer insight, any help at all, to where Gaara may be, she was willing to admit to them that the moon certainly made the child unstable. Yet to that thought, Sakura narrowed her eyes towards the ground, upset at herself.

'If I had just said the right things to him...' she thought. 'If I had just chosen my words more carefully, maybe he wouldn't have ran off.'

She blinked before returning her eyes to the guards, surprised by their silence. The anxious one looked more shaken to Sakura's information while the other grimaced in thought.

"Did he pass through here?" Sakura asked. "Have you seen him?"

They each shook their heads, before the more bravado one gave his input.

"But that doesn't mean he can't find other ways..."

"A night like this… I sure hope he is out of the village. We're still cleaning up the mess from last time," the other said.

Sakura sunk her shoulders before shaking off the whatever dread she had on her. She stared at men then, determined to past by them.

By any means necessary.

She drew in a heavy breath and flexed her fingers before forming a tight fist. She hurled herself towards the first man in a flash, about to collide her fist against him, when suddenly the ground beneath her shook. It was a low rumble, small, but it shook the entire village for a brief moment and took Sakura, and the men, off balance.

"Don't tell me..." one of the guards murmured under his breath.

Before the men could ask her what it was she was about to do, before Sakura herself could even collect herself, their attention was caught by a loud whistle erupting from the center of the village. By the time their eyes fell towards the direction of the sound, a whirlwind of sand was beginning to build up and accumulate in the area of that whistling noise.

"Gaara!" Sakura called out before making a dash in the direction of the building storm.

"Wait!" both men behind her called.

"Don't go after him, he's dangerous!" one called.

"Wait for the Kazekage!" the other cried.

Sakura ignored their heeds however. Gaara was indeed dangerous, but misunderstood, and she wasn't about to wait for Rasa to try to calm Gaara. If anything, the father would probably unravel more unstable emotions within the boy.

'No,' Sakura decided then to continue after Gaara. 'What he needs now is a friend. He needs me!'

The direction of sand and wind mixed together never changed. He remained dead center in the village, rooted in his spot for whatever reason. Sakura wondered what this use of his power meant. Had Gaara grown unstable? Had the Ichibi been let out? Was this his way of calling for her? Sakura wasn't sure what to make of any of it, just simply knowing she had to get to Gaara somehow.

She held nothing back when she finally approached the whirlwind. Even if the winds had grown, and was a simply just a giant cloud of sand, the air current was light enough where she could venture within the storm with some ease. She realized then that this vortex wasn't meant as a means of attack, but instead a way to hide oneself. Gaara was masking himself.

"Gaara!" Sakura cried, wincing as the dancing grains entered her eyes.

Her voice was drowned out by the loud whistle of the wind. Despite that, Sakura continued to call his name. She could sense just the faintest of chakra, and continued blindly following in that direction. The longer she traveled, the more hard hitting the storm became. Soon enough, she was beginning to feel the effects of the wind and sand. It was becoming almost suffocating within, she was blinded completely, and even she could no longer hear her own calls of Gaara's name. She focused her senses completely on her means of surviving now while searching for Gaara. Yet, even that sense of chakra she felt before was now completely lost to her.

Still, she continued on. And continued on. And continued on. When suddenly the air around her became less thick. She opened her eyes a little wider when she felt a chakra signature, widening them when she could make out the silhouette of the little boy, hidden within the cloud of sand.

"Gaara!" she called out.

Yet, his attention, and Sakura's now, fell to another silhouette within the thick air.

They were not alone. A figure was approaching Gaara back and forth with such speed, that Sakura could see Gaara's defense faltering lightly against this person's attacks.

'Who?' Sakura asked herself, rage building inside of her. 'Who was cold-hearted enough to go after a child who had done nothing?'

The child was smart. Even Gaara could sense that the person attacking him spelled trouble. The assailant was much too quick, almost sensing each time when Gaara would send his sand out to nab them and jumping back and away at just the right times. The little boy was able to comprehend too that his defense was staggering to their speedy attacks. Maybe Rasa's training had fatigued Gaara too much, or maybe it would be many more years before the little boy could fully understand how to approach this scenario and quick think his way to success. Whatever reason, he chose to run and hide instead of fighting back, Just as the attacker jumped back from him, Gaara too would cast his sand in front of him and back away more into the roaring storm to hide within.

He did that in front of Sakura, the calm leaving along with him before she was hit by the hard grains once more.

"Gaara, wait!" she managed to cry, but fell silent when she could see the shadow of the attacker turn to her call.

Yet, for the rosette, and unlike Gaara, she was more than willing to take this person head on. Storm, or no storm.

"Come here you bastard," Sakura muttered when she saw the person's shadow level their small swords out in front of them, taking a quick stance.

Again, the person showed off their speed by drawing near Sakura in a flash. Even if the rosette wasn't as quick, she was able to catch the assailant's wrist before they were able to plunge the sharp object into her. Next came the other sword, aimed for Sakura's side. Yet, the person faltered upon hearing Sakura's words.

"Don't you dare try to lay a finger on my friend!"

The assailant had froze then, and Sakura was given an opportunity, one that she didn't even need, to send the attacker flying miles back with a hard punch. Sakura was quick on her feet, following suit where she had sent the person flying, and not surprised that she found herself running out of Gaara's whirlwind of sand and past many roofs to the other side of the village. Sakura followed what appeared to be small piles of rubble, caused by the person flying back.

'It's a woman,' Sakura began analyzing in her mind as she continued to run in the direction that person had landed. 'Definitely broke some ribs there.'

Though broken bones had ways of being fixed in an instant in this world, Sakura was well aware. Even more possible were those able to fight still despite the pain. That's why she sprinted fast, across the village, following still what little rubble she could see before coming to a small crater on top of a roof. It came as no surprise to the young woman that she was able to scout the assailant, but what did shock her lightly was that said assailant hadn't even gotten back up.

Sakura approached them carefully, taking into mind her surroundings and the possibility of a trap. Yet, staring down at the masked assailant, she could see the woman groaning in pain with her chest heaving up and down rapidly. The rosette's medical side of mind took over, and she knelt down quickly to analyze the situation. She took notice of the woman's Suna emblem forehead protector before opening her flak jacket and pressing her hands lightly against her chest.

Behind her, Sakura could still hear the whistles of Gaara's whirlwind, but her attention was solely on this fallen assailant. In the back of her mind, Sakura simply hoped Gaara's sand now had been caused by this woman's ambush and that he would calm himself as soon as he discovered that the threat was now gone.

"Your rib punctured your lung," Sakura muttered to the woman. "I'm going to heal you just enough to get you to the hospital for surgery. I would suggest you don't try anything in the mean time, otherwise I can assure you that you will die here."

The woman's brown eyes winced lightly to Sakura's words, opening wider as they stared up at the rosette's stern face. Sakura just shook her head.

"I'm sure the Kazekage won't be too thrilled seeing one of his own men going after his son," Sakura mumbled.

Though she spoke those words, somewhere distant in her mind she was being called a fool to the thought of Rasa, and was reminded of his limited concern for his son. Still, Sakura said nothing more as she brought her glowing, green hands down against the woman's chest. Yet, before long, the assailant under her finally spoke.

"Please, do not heal me… Sakura-sama."

Sakura gasped. Her hands stilled their movements, and she lost her healing chakra for the moment as her eyes grew round. She recognized that voice with ease. There was only one person here who addressed her here in such a high, respected way.