Chapter 7
The Jinchūriki of Suna

He appeared as if a monster.

Covering the right half of his body was a layer of hardened sand resembling the shape of Shukaku's arm and tail – the first phase of the one-tail's possession was completed. As if split, the left side of his face was mired by purple inscriptions and sand in Shukaku's likeness – the tailed-beast's eerie black pupil and sharp jagged teeth as evidence for its bloodlust.

From afar, the Ishi ninja smirked at his true form. "No wonder you're so powerful at your age," He exclaimed, eager to fight. "You're a jinchuriki!"

With a gaze that hungered for blood, Gaara's menacing eyes glared at the enemy – the eyes of Shukaku boring into his foe, the eyes of a monster. Desperately, he was fighting a war in his mind to regain control of his actions and urges - battling fiercely. "Get out… of… my head…!" He growled, his limbs trembling as he crouched in agony.

To his dismay, Shukaku decided to emerge at the worst possible timing. After countless hours of meditation and training, he was still in a tug-of-war battle to keep Shukaku at bay - its urges still too strong for him to handle alone.

Suddenly, he was inside his mind...

Looking up from his closed eyes as he stood, he sensed something burgeoning behind him. Turning around, his eyes widened – Shukaku was sitting across from him on the water-covered ground, its massive body casting a shadow over his stance. "So… you're finally here." It scoffed at him, darkly. "It took me awhile to gain control over your weak mind, but this fight really got me going! I'm going to slaughter them all!"

Glaring in exchange, he faced it alone and unafraid. "Why are you like this?" He questioned, sternly. "I can fight on my own, I don't need your help!"

"Help?!"

Forcefully, Shukaku slammed its sharp paws onto the ground - making the water ripple as their surroundings shook from the weight. In a threatening and intimidating nature, it leaned forward towards him. "I'm not helping YOU! I want to help myself! There's so much blood to be spilt, and so little time!"

Gaara's eyes narrowed at it. "I told you: I'm not doing that anymore." He barked. "I've found my resolve. I don't need to kill to prove I exist."

"Hm?"

"I've set out a new path for myself, I'm a shinobi of Sunagakure that can one day be the Kazekage. I'll protect the village and everyone in it... regardless what you think."

"Oh," Shukaku scoffed. "So you think you're better than me, huh?!" Whipping its tail, it gave a monstrous grin. "Don't forget! I'm the reason why you're so strong at your age, and the reason why you can't sleep at night!"

"I can deal without sleep, but my strength comes from me and my will to protect my comrades!"

Taken aback by his words, Shukaku leaned away. Gaara stepped forward, strong in his resolve against the tailed-beast. "I don't need you interfering with my psyche. Not anymore." He said. "Your words can no longer brainwash me."

"Tsk... Why you little runt! Just because I'm a tailed beast doesn't mean you can talk down to me like a dog!" Its tail whipped once again, displaying its sand-covered body with ancient purple markings. "You may think you can beat me… but I'll always be itching to take over your body and kill all the humans! Like the ones who sealed me... the bastards!"

"Shukaku," Gaara began, his voice calm. Looking down, he closed his eyes – almost as if in empathy for the monster. "If I could have a choice, I would not be a jinchuriki. But that fate was decided when I was born, and I had no control over that." For a moment, Shukaku's frustration dissipated as he listened to his words. "We're in this together as jinchuriki and tailed-beast… we should try to cooperate." Gaara continued, opening his eyes. "But for now," Clapping his hands together, chakra suddenly began to flow around him, creating a powerful wind. "I'm sealing you further!"

As the feel of wind and power flowing past the tailed-beast forcefully, Shukaku looked on at his jinchuriki – a changed young boy who overcame his violent urges. As he continued to watch his stance from his jutsu, he was reminded of the Sage of Six Paths and the old monk who was his jinchuriki many years ago – seeing them in Gaara's stance. Curious and not the least bit defensive, he accepted his jinchuriki's attempt at subduing his chakra.

"Alright then, runt… let's see if you truly can handle me… and my power…!"

In the blink of an eye, the lone Ishi ninja leapt into the air - throwing paper bombs at Gaara's monstrous form.

With a blinding flash of debris and fire, the projectiles exploded as soon as they made contact with his sand-covered arm - not injuring him whatsoever. Violently, the sand surrounding his arm extended, grabbing the Ishi ninja and throwing him to the ground in the distance - shattering the very earth beneath him with a loud ear-splitting crash. Unconscious from his grave-injuries, he laid on the now-shattered earth of the forest – blood leaking from his nose and mouth as his eyes turned white.

With frightened eyes, Nomasaki watched Gaara's tailed-beast state, her hands trembling at the sight of Shukaku's grasp onto his body and mind - shuddering from the presence of the vile chakra that cloaked him. As she looked from beyond the cover of the unscathed forest, she could tell he was trying to fight back for control over his actions - an expression on pain on his grotesque sand-covered face. He was inhuman – gleaming jagged teeth that whispered snarls and the beast's eerie pupil scanning the perimeter. The jinchuriki of Suna, as he told her when they first met. Shukaku had partially emerged. This is what he was talking about… The one-tail, She thought to herself, trembling beside Hanone as they watched the battle from afar.

Standing across the battlefield from the unconscious Ishi ninja, Gaara stood panting – his chakra sapped by the ever-demanding needs of his tailed-beast.

Gritting his fanged teeth as he stood on the sand beneath his feet, he grasped his head of crimson hair tightly, attempting to resist Shukaku's growing urges for blood and its call for power. With what little of his control he maintained, he was struggling to keep within his reach as Shukaku's will wanted nothing more than to destroy everything in his path – as he used to enjoy while psychologically tormented by the beast, mania returning to his mind although briefly. Feeling his muscles contract painfully, waves of agony ruptured through him as he could feel the sand expand along his body – his bid for control slowly receding as Shukaku's chakra pounded through his veins. His teeth gnashed in pain and resistance, the tailed-beast's influence forced him to raise his morphed hand towards the unconscious enemy – feeling its growing cover of sand and bloodlust swell - ready to kill the Ishi ninja once and for all with Shukaku's brutal strength as he was desperately trying to restrain the urge.

Sensing the rising dreadful chakra in the air, Nomasaki looked on in horror as she seen Gaara's sand-covered arm reach towards the defeated foe – his eyes bloodshot and possessed, his will barely grasping hold to his psyche. Her fingers trembling as she watched, she could feel the pain conveyed by his expression – not wanting to use Shukaku's power in the slightest but losing in the battle to fend off its urges.

"Hurry!"

Jolting her, she turned to Hanone at her back. Meeting the wolf's feral yellow eyes, she knew what she must do for her own safety. Swallowing her fear, she hopped on her wolf's back, securing her fingers into his coarse white fur as she grasped his mane. With a lurch, the massive wolf leapt from the shadows, bounding across the forest floor against the brisk and cool winds. His black claws scrapped against the green earth below, the wind whipping her gold hair against her face as they fled the thicket.

Running, She thought to herself, why was I always running?

Her body shaking, she put her fear in his chakra aside. A sudden rush of bravery filled her chest, propelling her forward. Grasping Hanone's fur tighter, she pulled towards the battlefield. Gaara was within her sights. With a snarl, the wolf heaved, his body changing coarse through the forest. "Nomasaki! What's the meaning of this?!" He barked. "What are you doing?!"

"We can't leave him!" She shouted from her mount. "I have to help him!"

Reluctantly, the great wolf accepted her change of path. Dashing through the sea of trees, she saw the clearing directly ahead. Her legs shaking underneath as she tried to stand on her wolf's back, she saw him. Taking in a courageous breath, she faced her fear. Shifting her skin for fur, she leapt from Hanone's back as a wolf. Bounding towards him as she entered the open clearing where the trees ended, her feral violet eyes locked onto his back. Shukaku's tail was whipping behind him, the ghastly purple-laden sands covering half his body in possession.

She saw her chance.

"Wait!" Hanone called, his voice snarling at her from the cover of the trees. "Nomasaki! It's not safe! He's a jinchuriki!"

Growling at her from the thicket, he watched her run towards him – not listening to his words of warning as she sprinted to the crossfire. She knew she did not stand a chance against his strength, but she had to do something to help him – but what? Swallowing her fear, she kept on towards him.

Suddenly, a stream of sand flew towards her. Sensing its approach, she dodged it, her claws scrapping against the earth as she slid away in haste. Another quickly approached, breaking apart into a flurry and hail of sand. Keeping on her charge, the wolf barred its muzzle and kept on. As it ran through the storm of sand projectiles, it was struck above the shoulder, the beast letting out a bark-like wince form its jaws. A faint haze of crimson sprayed from its wound.

Approaching closer, she changed her form back to human, her scrapped legs pushing herself to get to him in time. With a wince from the red leaking into the white fabric that covered her shoulder, she moved her trembling body forward – running forward towards him across the forest floor, gritting her teeth in efforts to suppress her fright and sorrow - fighting her senses against the vile chakra.

"Gaara, stop!" She yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You're not a monster! You're not Shukaku! Please, stop!" As she ran closer, Shukaku's demonic eyes had seen her – shooting a glance towards her in pure mania. Before Gaara could react to her presence, she threw her arms around him, burying her silent sobs into his sand-covered chest. "Please -!" She begged. "Stop -!"

From the feel of her warm and comforting embrace, his possessed eyes of Shukaku widened greatly.

Feeling his heartbeat once again pound through his ears, the tailed-beast's power rumbled through him. As she clutched onto him, she could feel something flowing around her feet. Glancing down, her eyes widened at the sight in terror. Slowly, his sand was suddenly rising towards her, grasping onto her legs – its hold tightened aggressively, as if its goal was to smother her. Fearfully, she closed her eyes tightly as she could feel her body tremble in its clutches.

Her hold onto him became tighter as the sand crept up onto her torso, its grip on her frame tightening as if to crush.

Within Gaara's internal chamber with his tailed-beast…

Opening his eyes from the jutsu, the seal on Shukaku was finally set. Suddenly, a series of gated barriers fell onto Shukaku's neck and tail – falling from above in great might as they crashed onto the water-covered ground below. "Ungh!" Shukaku wailed, as it was secured into place. With the gates clasped onto it, the tailed-beast could no longer possess its jinchuriki – bested by the host who contained him.

"It's done. You can't try to control me anymore!" Gaara shouted, glaring into its monstrous pupils from afar. "Only I can control myself now."

"You…! Bastard!" Shukaku growled, attempting to reach its sand towards him – but failing in each attempt. "You'll regret this one day… I'll make sure of it!"

Forming a single hand-sign, Gaara gave the beast a slight smirk in torment – his single victory against the tailed-beast lifting the burden off his shoulders for the first time. "Until next time, Shukaku." He said, as the sand-ridden winds surrounded him in his mind – disappearing from the chamber within a gust of desert wind.

Laying down in defeat, Shukaku smirked in its sorry-state of ridicule – out-witted by his young jinchuriki who contained him for thirteen years. "I guess he managed to do it after all… Oh well… it was fun while it lasted… Maybe… I should leave him alone… for the time being, at least…" The beast thought, amused by what the future may hold.

Within an instant of the sealing, the jinchuriki's eyes turned wide with the final pulse of strength.

Shukaku's monstrous sand crumbled and fell off Gaara's crouched body onto the earth below, – releasing Nomasaki from its grasp as it reached her neck. Worn from her capture and her risky maneuver, she fell to her knees panting and shaking from her near-death experience. Once the sand was gone and all traces of Shukaku non-existent, his ringed-eyes reverted back to normal – exuding the familiar turquoise shade she knew, a sign he regained complete consciousness of his reality.

"Nomasaki!" Gaara spoke, turning towards her – his expression surprised to see her so close to him. "How did you…-?"

Suddenly, the lone Ishi ninja laying within the crater coughed up blood – grinning to himself as blood began to flow from his mouth. "Die…" He whispered. "Turn to ash…" Opening his flak jacket with his last remaining strength, hundreds of paper bombs were littered across his torso. Breathing a soft flame from his charred lips, one of the explosives were lit – alerting them to his direction. Willing to face death for the sake of the mission, the last mercenary accepted his fate with lips wet with iron as the paper tags reached the end of its trail.

Almost within an instant, Gaara quickly stood before her, startling her from his movements. In a matter of seconds, the sand at their feet rose from the command of his palms - forming an impressive shield of sand that protected both of them from the last-ditch effort of their adversary. Suddenly, the fiery explosion struck the shield with a large thundering bellow, the sands withstanding the blast with ease.

Then it was over.

Once the dust faded into nothing, Nomasaki looked up to him with surprised eyes as she sat upon the cold ground below. Overwhelmed with what she had witnessed, her pale cheeks were faintly blushing from his strength. Slowly, the sand returned to the ground beneath and into the shape of his discarded gourd.

"Are you... hurt?" He asked, turning to look at her. Looking down at her crouched position, sadness and guilt entered his expression, realizing what had transpired – his Shukaku state, the sand that crept on her, the memory of seeing fear in her eyes. Then, he seen it. Grasped between her fingers on her shoulder was the wound, its red stained and dried upon her white clothes. Flashes of seeing her from his possessed eyes rang through him, and he remembered what he had done. "I'm sorry... about Shukaku..." He said, his eyes averted from hers sadly. "I didn't mean to hurt you..."

His words jolted her from her daze, catching her off guard for a brief moment. "I… I'm fine."

Feigning a light smile, she tried to push aside the stinging wound on under her clutched palm. With a wince, she released it from her grasp. Her palm was soaked in old blood fraught with grains of sand. Before he turned away, he noticed the faint line of the cut he inflicted upon her only the day prior. although it was near healed, the sight sent a shiver through him, his gut twisting in guilt. And now he hurt her twice. Shame filling him, he averted his attention from her. Attempting to ignore his ominous chakra, she watched as the sand disappeared around them.

With slightly frightened eyes, she turned to him - his back facing her. "Why did you come to… save me?"

"You're a shinobi of Suna," He said, his tone calm and controlled. "You're a comrade." Surprised, she looked up at him as he turned to face her. His expression was calm and empathetic. "...I didn't want to lose you."

Her eyes widening, she unknowingly blushed from his words - her heart suddenly feeling lighter in her chest. Softly, she gave a smile in relief – looking down at her sand-covered lap. "Thank you." She murmured. "And… I'm sorry… about this."

Walking forward over the remnants of the battle, Hanone approached the young jinchuriki - his massive jaws forming an expression of intrigue and disgust from sensing the dense chakra of his tailed-beast. "I must say," He spoke, his fangs showing. "You may be a sand-bastard, but you're certainly not useless. Thank you in helping me recover Nomasaki." Turning to the wolf, Gaara nodded in silence - acknowledging his words. "We're all we have left... being that her clan is forgotten, and our village now destroyed. Keeping Nomasaki safe is my purpose… as her mother wanted." Sadly, Nomasaki held her head low from hearing the mention of her parent. Although two years passed since her loss, it still pained her to remember her death. Stepping forward, Hanone let out a vicious snarl directed towards him - standing only inches away from Gaara's stance in the sand. "Just because you fought her captors doesn't mean you're exempt from my grudge I hold against you humans," He growled, barring his sharp teeth. In his threatening state, the fur on his arched back stood up as if they were daggers. "If you harm her... your head will rest within my jaws...!"

Gaara's eyes narrowed at the beast, glaring back in retaliation. "I won't hurt her." He promised, sternly. "You have my word as a ninja of Suna, and as a jinchuriki."

From his snarl, a bellowing monstrous laugh emerged from Hanone's jaws, surprising and slightly confusing him from the wolf's reaction. "In due time..." The wolf uttered, then he turned his back towards him as he walked off towards his protégée - his long white tail whipping behind him.

"Hanone," Nomasaki spoke, as he approached closer to her. "Please don't threaten him. You said it yourself, he helped you save me."

Scoffing at her request, the wolf stood obediently beside where she sat on the forest floor. Weakly, she lifted herself up from the ground by grasping the thick fur on the wolf's legs. Wincing, she stood on her feet, panting from her thirst and hunger of walking with her captors - her strength severely depleted from the ordeal. Surprising her, a wave of sand beneath her feet swept under her, gingerly rising her up so she could mount on her wolf's back without straining herself. Once she was situated, she turned to Gaara, noticing his hand held out to direct the sand around them.

"Thanks." She nodded, gratefully. As the sand receded back into his gourd, he relaxed his arm. Turning to her, a small smile appeared on his lips.

"Nomasaki," Hanone started. "It's time we returned to the mountains. Yama is destroyed, but that's where-,"

"No, Hanone." She interrupted. From her words, the wolf growled under his breath. Looking towards the sunlight beaming through the trees, her eyes glistened - suppressing her sadness for her homeland. "We return to Suna," She replied. "That's my home now."

"I'll guide you," Gaara entered, stepping towards the direction of the desert. Pausing for a moment, he glanced behind him at the girl and her wolf guardian. "My sand abilities can be of use." He said, his face stoic. "The desert can be treacherous at times, so it's best to follow my path." Smiling, Nomasaki nodded, her eyes shining with comfort from her decision.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Hanone asked through his jaws. "You wish to live amongst the desert-folk in their village, and leave your homeland behind? You're an outsider… how can you even bring yourself to abandon who you are to appease these sand-bastards-?!"

"Hanone, I made my choice." She spoke, her tone stern. "You said it yourself… our clan is forgotten, our village destroyed…" Keeping her emotions in check from his remarks, a faint growl escaped her lips – her wolfishness briefly showing itself in her voice. "If you ask me again, I'll return you to your scroll…!"

"Hmph…!" He snarled at her. "You can barely walk as it is… but I challenge you to act against me while you're still only learning to control your Kekkei Genkai." Gulping from his retort, she averted her gaze – embarrassed and slightly frightened by his argument. Glancing up at her on his back, the wolf's eyes narrowed – dismayed at her decision. "Are you sure about this? Is this what you choose?" Turning to him, she nodded - a saddened yet determined tint to her lilac eyes. Averting his gaze, he swallowed his pride and accepted her answer. "Very well… I will stand by your choice."

Noticing their finished squabble, Gaara started for the forest boundary, silently stepping through the dry earth towards the beginning of the vast desert. "We should go." He spoke, calmly. "Your team is waiting for you."

His words jolting her for a moment, she remembered her teammates – Meiyumi and Shinto, her friends. Warming her heart, she looked down with her eyes closed, smiling to herself as she became eager to return to them – remembering her new friends and comrades. "Yes," She nodded. Patting the back of his neck with her hand, she smiled down at her wolf – who gnashed a growl towards the young jinchuriki before them. "Hanone, let's go."

Begrudgingly, as Nomasaki sat on top his back of white fur, Hanone followed the young Sunagakure ninja into the never-ending sands beyond the shrouded forest to Sunagakure.

Home.

After only hours, they could already see the towering outer walls of Sunagakure in the distance amongst the orange sands.

The village appeared smaller than she had ever seen, and the first time she could take it in fully. Never before had she been so relieved to see its clay valley cliffs waiting for her. Beyond the sunset of the horizon, Nomasaki saw shapes running towards them on the far away sands. Their chakra was familiar to her. As she watched them appear closer, she could see the faces of her teammates in her view. Warmed, she felt as if tears were forming in her eyes.

"Nomasaki!" Meiyumi called out. Coming to a sliding stop, the kunoichi stopped and tried to catch her breath. Relieved, she smiled up at her from her wolf's mount. "We were worried something happened to you! Are you alright?"

Nomasaki gave a nod and smiled back. "Yeah, I should be."

On his guard, Shinto averted eye contact from Gaara. Noticing the familiar white beast, he near gasped from meeting its gaze again. "Don't tell me... The wolf that attacked the village is yours-?!"

Hanone was not humoured in the slightest. "I belong to no one, pathetic human! Mind your tongue... or your head for that matter, if you value it."

Seeing him flinch, Nomasaki ignored her wolf's remark. "This is Hanone, my guardian. We're bound by a summoning-contract."

"Summoning contract?" Shinto asked. "You didn't tell us you could do that!"

As he watched Team Hashira reunite, Gaara distanced himself from their conversation. It was a matter between team members, he understood - he had no place there. Turning towards the mouth of the silent village streets, he saw Kankuro waiting for him. Leaning against the guard tower, his brother met him on the road with his hands in his pockets. At least there was a conversation where he belonged, he thought.

"I take it the retrieval was a success," Kankuro spoke. "You're lucky Baki-sensei was more than reasonable this time around."

Gaara nodded. "It took longer than expected. Thanks again... for covering for me. Those Ishigakure shinobi were troublesome."

Kankuro's brow furrowed slightly. "And Shukaku?"

"...It was a partial possession, but I managed to tighten the seal on my own."

"Tighten the seal?"

Gaara nodded. "She... distracted Shukaku long enough for me to use the jutsu." He hesitated, remembering the red that painted her white clothes. It haunted him, just as it did the night before. He hurt her twice - it was twice too many. "And... she got hurt."

Turning, Kankuro glimpsed at the young girl who sat upon the large wolf before the gates. Perplexing him, he turned away and pondered his thoughts. Never had he took Gaara to be one concerned with if he hurt someone or not. He really did change, Kankuro accepted, If this is any indication. "Don't worry about that. Baki-sensei wanted to see you before you turn in. You should go see him."

No question the elders found out. A headache was the last thing Gaara wanted - or needed. Just as he was about to depart for the Kazekage estate, he heard Nomasaki's voice call for him. "Gaara!" Pausing, he turned and met her timid expression. "I just wanted to say... thank you. I wouldn't have made it back from those Ishi-nin if not for you - or Hanone." She said, gratefully. "I'm in debt to you for that."

"No need." He replied, calm-faced. "We're comrades. I guess I should say... thanks for what you did back there, when I was... influenced by Shukaku. That was... brave of you." She eyed him confused, but then she realized what he inferring. Her wide violet eyes spoke for herself. "I'll see you around."

Before she had a chance to say anything more, he turned his back to her and walked off into the distance. As the desert winds rose, he disappeared into infinite grains of sand that passed him by. Beside herself, Nomasaki stood on the road in bewilderment. She could sense Hanone approach from behind, pausing behind her on the desert sands.

"Hanone," She said. "I want to continue my training."

The wolf was intrigued. "I see. Now that you can fully change form, there remains a few more jutsu of the Yamamori clan left for you to learn." His eyes narrowed. "You truly want to be a shinobi? After all that's happened?"

As the wind blew past that evening, she turned to face him. Her glance firm, she gave a single nod. "Yes. I want to be a kunoichi... no matter what it takes."

Taking in her answer, Hanone swore he saw a fragment of her expression appear as if it belonged to the man who disappeared that one winter night thirteen years past. The man who fell in love with his previous master. Anger churned in the pits of his stomach as he remembered the man's face in his faded memories. Nomasaki's eyes appeared the same, the wolf realized, She has eyes like him.

She left Yama a peasant girl - and returned to Suna a shinobi.

Fate had been cruel.