I do not own anything except my OC's!
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"The reason I talk to myself is because I'm the only one whose answers I accept."
George Carlin
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"Is it really that easy..?"
She reached out her small hand (it wasn't that small, but it was tiny compared to the powers around her) to touch the black water pouring down in front of her perplexed face. It felt glossy and ran off her fingers like silk instead of liquid, leaving no trail on her pale digits.
"Of course, it is, child. Simply drink and you will be rewarded greatly," said a slithering voice of dark.
"But for every power there are consequences."
The girl turned around and looked up and up and up until she reached the glossy eyes of a light figure that loomed above her young body.
"Just like any other jutsu, right?" She explained to herself aloud, "There's not a perfect one out there."
"But that's where you're wrong!"
An obsidian hand brushed by the teen's face, causing her to wince; it was as though the stone being had dragged a knife across her cheek.
"You see, this jutsu, this technique, this Kekkai Genkai, is flawless."
The floating essence of black swirled around the girl's body like a cloud of smothering fire, blistering her pale skin and tearing off her pure flesh.
"With the Hyuuga's, there's a blindspot. With the Uchiha's, there's the blindness and too much effort! And those are just two of the famous ones. Every single one has a flaw, but this."
"Why is that?" She asked ignorantly, her mouth agape and her eyes wide with curiosity.
"It speaks only lies, child. There is always a consequence, some more minor than the rest."
"False! You see, precious little one, your clan, your family, was blessed with the gift of this Kekkai Genkai, from the ages of the second Hokage! Somewhere along your line, your family was given the greatest honor of all… Housing us."
The girl twisted around the room, following the sinister voice until it landed upon the two figures that had greeted her upon entering the transparent room.
"We are not gods of any kinds," said a softer tone, "we are aspects of your mind, and the minds before you."
"W-what does that even mean? Are you saying that you're a part of my brain?"
"There is no correct way to explain our connection to you besides the fact that you have always known us, yet you have just now achieved the essential power needed to awaken within yourself."
"Awaken within myself?! This all sounds like nonsense…"
"Have you ever been lucid in a dream?"
"Yeah, I guess. Maybe once or twice."
"You were able to see and feel and understand all around you, yes? Then compare awakening your mind to becoming aware in your dreams. It has always been available to you, yet you have never had the power before to open the gates."
Black and white eyes fleetingly glanced about the translucent cavern.
"There's no exit in here, though, and I don't remember there being an entrance."
To that, the two heavenly beings had no response. Their bodies were motionless and for a moment, Maiko thought they had left her presence.
"Hello?"
"You two never told me your names… And how I leave."
"My name," said the dark one with an eerie hiss "is Yami."
"I am its counterpart, Hikari. As I have previously stated, we have always been a part of your self-conscious, speaking to you before this experience rarely. The one with the greater influence over you, speaks louder, thus you may only recognize Yami's voice."
"Okay," Maiko sighed, crossing her arms, "So my Dragon Eyes, then. They're more powerful now?"
"Only if you choose for them to be."
"I am the one who gives you power, child."
"And I am the one who gives you hope. If you drink the dark matter that Yami offers you, the power of your eyes will grow with each sip."
"And, if you'd like to rid yourself of your great powers and become a weak, spineless fool, you will drink of Hikari's fountain, and become a powerless ninja."
"You mean that I won't get any power or anything?" Maiko inquired, peering at Hikari's motionless body.
"I am afraid that I offer you no new powers, but the hope of a future. A future where your family will no longer be laid waste by Yami and I. You will be rid of us completely."
"Well, why would I want that? This decision is pretty easy if you ask me."
Taking giant steps up the clear steps, the young, boyish body of Maiko appeared before Yami with a cocky grin.
"It doesn't taste bad, right?"
A sick and twisted smirk appeared on the face of the dark being and it offered its fountain one more, pouring down the black drink with an ominous sizzle.
"Swallow this and you will awaken in reality."
Reaching forward, the teen cupped her hands and gathered some of the liquid in her hands. It dared not mark her flesh, but seemed to move around it, like it was being rejected by her very body.
Curiously, Maiko peered behind her at Hikari and noted its pose. It had fallen to its knees with a saddened aura, and reached out desperately towards the green-haired girl with a familiar sob.
"Please don't be sad," the tomboy reassured, "Maybe I'll drink yours one day. But for now, I need to be stronger for my friends."
Pressing her hands to her lips, Maiko drained the black into her mouth. It obediently swished and swashed against her teeth, and all was well until she swallowed.
Nothing in her life had ever felt so painful. She remembered once having her leg broken while playing in the village, and screaming her lungs out, but this, whatever it was, surpassed that experience by a long run.
It felt like the liquid had formed blades in her throat, cutting her through from the inside. Her body tried to reject the drink, but her mouth was sewn shut and she could not regurgitate it. Yami's dark laughter filled the chamber.
Falling to her knees, Maiko grasped urgently for something to stabilize her, and ended up sloshing some of the black matter onto the mirror-like floor.
The drink sizzled and popped, as though it were boiling, and after a few short moment, crystalized into sharp points and the green-haired teen writhing on the floor regretted swallowed the evil poison.
Yet, for the next three years of her life, she would continue to drink from it as though it were the Elixir of Life.
-:-
Haru was running from something and it crawled upside down with pure white skin and black eyes. The little girl had never felt such fear before, and hurriedly rounded a corner in what seemed to be the village's marketplace, panting heavily.
But her little legs couldn't hold up for long, and she found herself pinned down by razor sharp claws that dripped with a dark liquid. At the top of her lungs, Haru shrieked, and she thrashed and large crocodile tears crashed down on her cheeks from her big blue eyes.
"There's no escape now!" The beast proclaimed.
Haru cried out, "Daddy! Daddy! Mommy!"
The figure suddenly morphed and its face changed into the familiar visage of Hiromi Sato, though the girl had a pained look.
"You didn't do anything, Haru! You're useless, Haru!"
"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Hiromi, I'm sorry!"
"That's not good enough… Look at what you've done to me!"
The teen revealed her stump of a left arm and Haru began to wail loudly. She whipped her body back and forth, trying to escape the claws that pinned her, but failed. Her tears were large and fat, rolling down her cheeks in a quick manner, and the little toddler began screaming at the top of her lungs when she felt the sharpness of the monster's claws at her neck.
Right as it sliced at her, the girl awoke with a frantic sob and grabbed at Kakashi, who had sat by his disturbed daughter's side, attempting to wake her from her horrific nightmare. She clawed at his jacket to ensure he lived, and buried her face into the nook of his neck.
"D-d-daddy! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"
"Haru, it's okay! You're with me and I'll protect you."
The little girl listened to nothing he said, wailing and sobbing into the night until she lost her voice, all the while in the arms of her father, never once stopping in her apologizing to notice his sad and worried expression.
When Haru had finally fallen into a light slumber, Kakashi brought her up into his lap and gently carried her to his room. He laid her upon the mattress and went to the closet, reaching into its depths to bring out a beautiful kimono. It was one of Hanako's.
He carefully draped the fabric over the sleeping tot and observed quietly as Haru buried her face into the silk with a calm expression and a content sigh.
The silver-haired jounin ran his hand over his face, frustrated. Not at Haru, of course, but at himself. He was some fantastic ninja who had defeated thousands of foes, but he couldn't help his precious daughter when it came to her recurring nightmares.
Kakashi hated nothing more in the world than watching Haru suffer, yet he saw it every night.
-:-
"Don't forget that she needs to nap at least once today because she didn't sleep well last night, and all the food you'll need is in the fridge. Just know that she hates peanut butter and won't eat anything sour, like candy, which I don't really care if she eats some before bed because she would just get tired out eventually."
"R-right."
"Oh, and feel free to take her wherever you think she might want to be. It's getting a little cold out, so I would give her a jacket if you do plan on going out. Also, before I forget, tonight, when she's getting ready to sleep, feel free to let her sleep in my bed. There's a kimono of Hanako's that helps calm her down at night, but she has nightmares, so please, if she does wake up, just try and soothe her in any way you can."
"Is there anything else, Kakashi-sensei? Or would you rather just stay?"
The silver-haired ninja froze and he sighed. Embarrassed, he rubbed the back of his neck. He hated having to leave Haru with a sitter, though he trusted Hinata to take good care of the toddler, but he hated feeling so clingy too.
"I need to go. If I didn't, I wouldn't let her out of my sight."
Kakashi had to go with Naruto and Yamato; it was direly important. But as he laid his dark eye upon his daughter, who sat plainly amongst her toys, each of her dolls looking livelier than the toddler herself, he wished he could abandon his student.
"I'm sure whoever needs you will understand if you stay," Hinata urged softly.
"No, this mission is important to me, as well. I need to do this. Thank you for this, Hinata. I'll be sure to pay you somehow when I return."
The Hyuuga smiled, "There's no need to pay me, sensei. I love taking care of Haru-chan."
"Alright. Thank you again."
Kakashi nearly stepped out the door right then, but stopped and turned around. He noted with a chuckle that Hinata was frowning at him.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I just forgot to say goodbye to her."
The teen allowed him back inside and watched from afar as the jounin knelt in front of his daughter who looked up at him nonchalantly with her beautifully round eyes.
"Haru, I'm going now, but I'll be back soon. I promise."
The tot's lip quivered for a moment before she whimpered out, "Pinky promise?"
Kakashi gently wrapped his significantly larger pinky around his daughters, noting solemnly the difference in size.
"Pinky promise. I'll be back, Haru."
As he stood and made his way to the door, thanking Hinata once again, the little girl wobbled her way to the door behind him.
"Bye-bye, Daddy."
"Bye-bye, Haru."
-:-
Snow was one of the most beautiful things Kotone had ever seen. It crunched beneath her feet, yet looked like a soft blanket of pure white. As beautiful as it was, though, the teen found it equally challenging to travel through.
The closer she came to the summit in the Land of Iron, the colder and thicker the snow became, and Amaterasu began to realize that her cloak was not enough to keep her warm. Yet, she realized with joy how useful her geta were, elevating her above the trickling ice water so that her tabi would not soak and her precious toes would not bathe miserably.
Upon being given hours of time to herself, Kotone realized something about herself; she was quite determined and hardheaded. No matter what she did, whether it be paperwork or meticulous training, she did so with a single purpose in mind and a no-nonsense attitude. She imagined that it was very hard to be friends with her, yet she noted that she had many friends.
Hiromi, obviously, was her teammate and stood with her, rarely questioning Kotone's causes. Hinata was also a sweet girl who had embraced her from the beginning despite her puppet-form. Shikamaru wasn't all that bad, either, and he seemed to address Kotone with something akin to familiarity every now and then.
As the white-haired teen jumped up to a thick tree's branch to see her position, she hummed in thought. Was that really it? She considered Naruto a friend to everyone, so he counted as one as well. And with Naruto came Sasuke. There was really no friendliness between the two, as he had tried to kill her on many occasions, or voiced his wish to do so.
Despite this, Kotone could not help but think that it was simply some sort of rivalry that they shared, and not an actual hatred. If she truly hated him, she wouldn't have been so casual about him staying in her homeland with her.
White eyes softened as Amaterasu finally realized that she had missed one of her closest friends: Gaara. She couldn't believe she nearly forgot him! Yet it seemed, the two of them weren't exactly friends, but something stronger, like comrades or something else of the sort. He had been kind enough to house her when she passed through on her way back to Konoha, and he also gave her the kimono she wore presently.
He was truly a kind gentleman indeed. Or at least, he had grown into one. In his younger years, Kotone feared that he too was after her head in a way, as she remembered their tense showdown outside of her apartment.
Truly, things have taken a turn for the better, in regards to her relationships. She was surrounded by kind people and she was finding out more and more about her true self each day.
She still, though, could not find words to describe her friendships with Sasuke and Gaara, but she shrugged it off, reasoning with herself that the discussion of such things would have to wait, as there were more important matters at hand.
-:-
"Are you sure you're feeling up to this? We can go back to your house and just rest for a while if you're not."
"No, Kiba, I have to do this. It's either now or later, and I'd rather just get it over with."
"Alright. Let's go then."
Hiromi shyly took her boyfriend's outstretched hand and let him lead her to the door. She had just recently been released from her tent and allowed to return to her new home. It had only just been a day after the reveal, but they decided that cooping her up in the dark shade was not going to help her recover.
So, the blonde was allowed to leave, only if she swore to return every other day to check the progress of her recovery. Currently, though, she was about to step out and walk amongst the villagers for the first time in a long while. Kiba had promised her with his intense eyes focused on hers that he would stay by her side the entire time, in case she broke down.
As the sun kissed her pale cheeks, Hiromi breathed in the fresh air. She looked around at all the hustle and bustle of the repairs and the giving out of rations and smiled forlornly.
"This place used to be so beautiful and full of life," she uttered quietly, "now look at it."
"It's not all that bad," Kiba grinned widely, "I mean, we can always replant the trees and flowers, right?"
"I guess you're right. I just kind of miss the old Konoha," Hiromi sighed.
"Well then, that just means we have to build an even better one, right?"
The blonde smiled at her sweetheart and nodded, "Yeah, you're right. We'll do our best."
"Hiromi-san!"
Turning slightly, the girl waved kindly at the approaching Rock Lee, releasing Kiba's hand in order to do so. Lee looked nervous somehow as he stopped in front of her with a serious look.
"Ah, Kiba-kun, I'm glad you're here, too. Shikamaru-kun's asked me to gather up everyone."
"A gathering? For what?" Hiromi inquired.
"It's about Sas-" Rock Lee paused and gasped at the blonde's lack of a left arm, "Hiromi-san! Are you alright?! What's happened?!"
"Well, umm, I was…" She struggled for a response, as she was unsure whether or not telling him of Maiko's killer intent was appropriate for the situation.
"She had an accident during the invasion. One of the Pein's took her arm," Kiba voiced confidently.
Rock Lee's eyes glinted with pity, "Hiromi-san… I'm so sorry."
"I-it's alright," the girl tucked a hair behind her ear, "W-we should probably head to that meeting."
"Oh, yes!" Lee brightened, "Of course, just follow me, you two."
Kiba once again claimed Hiromi's hand as they walked. She found herself watching her feet with her head ducked as she contemplated the issue with Sasuke, and the private one with Maiko. They were both equally dangerous and had to be stopped, but no one wanted to kill either of them.
But it seemed like the only way. Hiromi had already made the claim that she would be the one to stop Maiko, and she wasn't going to back down from that, especially since her discovery of the fact that the disturbed teen had joined the Akatsuki, but so had Sasuke, right?
"Kiba," Hiromi whispered, "do you think that it would be right to kill Sasuke and Maiko?"
"I'm not sure, yet. All I can say is that they're both criminals who have to pay for their crimes eventually."
"It's not like we can just welcome them back into the village; they may harm someone. But no one's willing to end their lives either…"
"Yeah, I can see what you're saying… I think Shikamaru's going to tell us that that's the only way."
"To kill them or let them live?"
"Kill."
Hiromi released a melancholy sigh.
"It must be so hard for Naruto right now. Everyone is determined to kill Sasuke, but he's still so determined to bring him back… I guess that level of friendship I'll never really understand."
"Well, Sasuke was Naruto's first and closest friend. They were each other's best friends, even if they didn't realize it."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Oh, look," Hiromi smiled, "everyone's here."
As the meeting began, Shikamaru explained the actions of Sasuke and the consequences they would serve. He led a compelling argument of how if they did not end his reign there, then Sasuke would only lead the nation into war. As he finished and the group agreed on a single decision (though Hiromi still had her vague doubts that she pushed aside in hopes of making the right choice), Ino was in tears.
"Ino…" Choji comfortingly sat beside his childhood friend with a pitying expression.
Since the slim blonde had started crying, Hiromi noted that Kiba was growing aggravated, grating his teeth from time to time and releasing his girlfriend's hand to cross his arms.
"Stop crying, Ino!" He growled.
"Don't talk to her like that, Kiba!" Tenten argued, "Ino's-"
Hiromi soothingly rested her hand on her boyfriend's shoulder, yet he persisted.
"What else can we do? It's not like it was before!"
The blonde girl frowned and spoke firmly, "Kiba. She's just upset. Let her be."
"Are you sure?" Shino inquired, "If Ino's like this, then Naruto and Sakura will…"
Neji cut in, taking a serious tone, "Let Shikamaru deal with them. He'll be able to explain everything. Besides, since he failed in his duty of being the leader, then he must feel some responsibility; that's why he volunteered to tell them."
The group took a silent pause, except for Ino's brief sobs, as each member contemplated the fate of their ex-comrade.
"Ah!" Hiromi looked around at the face around her and realized, "Where is Hinata? She deserves a say as well!"
"Hinata-sama is taking care of Kakashi's child while he is away," Neji responded swiftly, "I asked her if she wished to bring the girl here, but she refused. She seemed to have already predicted the outcome of this meeting."
Hiromi quieted in thought, unconscious reaching over and grasping Kiba's jacket. He eyed her curiously and his frustration diminished at the sight of her troubled countenance. The brunette hated seeing his love so distressed, with the crease between her brows and her sapphire orbs glossing over in worry.
Gradually, he reached down and took Hiromi's hand in his own, squeezing it gently. She looked up at him and tried to grin, but couldn't force herself.
"I hate this feeling of just waiting around," Kiba growled.
"Me too," the smaller teen muttered, "but there's not much else for us to do right now."
It was no sooner than an hour that Sakura arrived, explaining that she would be the one to tell Naruto the group's decision, taking along with her Kiba, Rock Lee, and Sai.
"Please," Hiromi took Kiba's hand tightly as he finished putting on his cloak, "be very careful. It's top secret, right? So don't get hurt."
"I won't!" He smirked wolfishly, "I've got Akamaru! And, it's just Naruto. He's pretty easy to find if you ask me."
"Ha-ha-ha, come one, please, be serious!" The petite teen chuckled, "I really, really don't want you to injure yourself, so don't be careless."
"Hiromi," Kiba softly took her chin in his hand, "I promise I won't be careless. So don't worry, okay? I'll be back before you know it."
"O-okay… Just… Umm…"
Leaning up, the golden-haired girl pecked the brunette on the lips chastely. She pulled away hastily and held in a bubbly giggle. She was still a teenage girl, after all. Her face was a harsh red as she spun back around and avoided the taller male's surprised gaze.
"J-just come back safely!"
-:-
Kotone eyed the entrance with keen eyes, watching the guards posted there routinely march back and forth, or stand stiff. She didn't just want to waltz up to them and ask for entry, but she also didn't want to break in. The former was less likely to get her arrested, but at the same time, arrest was a possibility in both cases.
She also couldn't just sit and wait for Gaara to leave because she needed to grab Kankuro and plead for his help immediately; Hiromi needed to begin adapting to a false limb as soon as possible.
Breaking in would provide many liabilities, like getting caught. Kotone didn't think she was a weakness-less all-powerful shinobi, so there was always the chance of failure. So, she should probably just walk up and ask if she could step inside for a while.
Just as the slim teen began to make her way towards the opening of the summit, the samurai posted there seemed to receive a message via microphones, and scrambled.
This is going to be my only chance to get in, she thought to herself. Breaking in it is.
Cautiously, Kotone approached, as silent as a mouse. She was within hearing distance of the guards now, and she listened closely for any hints or clues as to where Gaara and Kankuro may be.
"Be on your guard," said one, "we have to keep an eye out for Uchiha Sasuke, in case he tries to make a run for it."
"He'll never escape with all of the kage here," said another.
What is Sasuke doing here? That means… the Akatsuki are here?
Deep in thought, Kotone accidentally sunk deep into the snow, causing a loud crunch. The samurais at the entrance unsheathed their swords and looked directly at her.
"Do you see anything?"
"No. Perhaps it was just the snow falling from a tree?"
But… they're looking right at me.
Never before had Kotone been so grateful for her white appearance, as she could slip right past the guards in the snow, for she blended in semi-perfectly. When she saw an opening, the pale-faced kunoichi rushed in, and her kimono very nearly brushed by one of the samurai as he inspected a patch of heavy snow.
The halls were dark and dank, filled with the stench of mildew, yet she pushed onward, eyeing her surroundings with curiosity, as she had never before been in the inside of the Summit.
"So, now there's only a single obstacle left," Kotone murmured to herself as she reached a fork in the hallways, "Which way to the kage's meeting?"
-:-
Maiko was curled up in a ball, with her arms wrapped tight across her legs. She was dressed in the long Akatsuki cloak and buried her face deep within it, as the cold wind beat against her, causing her eyes to water.
"I hate being alone like this," she whimpered to the ice.
"But you are not alone."
"No, no, I mean alone without Deidara-senpai… I would kill that stupid Sasuke if I could, but Tobi wants him alive… Why?!"
Angrily, the green-haired teen punched at the wall of snow beside her, causing it to cascade down like thick rocks. Below, the tiny dots that were samurai began to scatter like confused and lost ants.
"Look at them," Maiko hissed, "they're so stupid."
"But they're all together."
The imp sunk further into her arms, only her black eyes perched over her knees. Her thin white limbs were wasting away in this icy blizzard, and she hated it. She wanted to go back home to the base that Tobi had set up. She liked it there. It felt deep underground and it was dark.
"I'm all alone…"
She observed the panic beneath her, watching the black specks scurry to and fro and when she noticed a small spot of white slither its way into the Summit, she scurried to her feet with an expression of shock.
"What is she doing here?! She has no business in our affairs!"
"Calm down. She's nothing. She'll be wiped out by the aftermath."
"But she's…"
Maiko reached down and stroked the cloth that covered her thigh, knowing that the diagonal scar beneath it was from her previous comrade's blade. The cold white steel had pierced her and she could clearly remember the burn. Luckily, though, she could overpower Kotone easily, so there would be no issue in letting her roam. Maiko was a cat playing with her food. And that's the way she liked it.
-:-
It was completely empty! Upon further investigation, Amaterasu realized that there was nearly no one on a regular patrol. The halls were bare and confusing, as she wandered with a perplexed crease between her white brows.
Taking the absence of any samurai as a sign of relief, she walked through them with no worry of being caught, for at this point, there was no one to catch her.
"Sasuke must be their main concern at the moment; he must be here… Likely not for negotiation."
Unexpectedly, the ground shook as though there was an earthquake and Kotone fell to her knees. A burst of excess chakra hit her senses from beneath her and she put her hand to the floor with interest.
"They must be fighting beneath me. I suppose I could just break through the floor, but… There must be a staircase of some sort somewhere."
She looked around with increasing urgency for a while until the next tremor occurred, and once again, she found herself crumbling to her knees.
"Seems as though I'll be taking a faster route," Kotone sighed, beginning to unsheathe her katana.
"Over here! We need to provide reinforcements!"
In a swift motion, the slender teen threw herself against the wall, sidling her way to a corner and peering around it with attentiveness. There was a large gathering of samurai going down a spiral stairwell; Kotone couldn't see where it led to because of its depth, but she figured it was the only way to go.
There seemed an endless number of them and another quake shook as they cascaded downwards. When the guards were no more, Kotone edged out of her hiding place and hastily followed those, scuttling down the endless steps until she met with the back of a samurai and silently crept backwards.
He seemed to be in awe of a show in front of him and the smaller teen wished to see, but he stood firm until in an abrupt movement, he rushed forward with his short sword drawn.
The ashen girl inched her way out into the open room at this point and let out an inaudible gasp. There was destruction everywhere; the ceiling had caved in in a certain area, and the walls were scarred by marks of jutsus and impacts. There was static electricity in the air, and as Kotone stole closer and closer, she noticed the dark energy of fire that inhabited the center of attention.
She took a single second to look at the black fire before her eyes glanced over to see Gaara, Kankuro and Temari standing guard. There was still dust settling, so they must've attacked the evil being, who was surely Sasuke. And any enemy of her friends was an enemy of hers.
Drawing her katana, Kotone stepped out of hiding, happy she was not immediately set upon by the samurai, and held her blade in front of her defensively.
"Kotone?"
The teen with the eyes of snow nodded in a friendly manner to Gaara, who looked more than surprised at her appearance. She sent him a ghost of a smile, unable to form a full one quite yet.
"What the (curse.) are you doing here?!"
"I am need of your assistance, Kankuro," Kotone cut to the chase hastily, "Perhaps we may speak of my request on different terms once the pests here are taken care of."
She challengingly pointed the tip of her sword in Sasuke's direction and stared firmly into his morphed eyes; they were mystically different, and blood seeped from one of them. It reminded her of Maiko and she stiffened in remembrance of her lost comrade.
"It seems like you and I have formed a habit of bumping into one another, huh, Kotone." Sasuke spoke tauntingly, the beast of fire around him stopping her from attacking.
"It seems so. Why do you not address me as a true opponent? Fight me, as you have always sought to do so."
"Kotone," Gaara stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention away from Sasuke for a split second before she returned to watching him sharply, "To invoke a battle is not wise under these circumstances. Please, do not act mindlessly."
Gradually, the young woman lowered her katana before turning her face towards her redheaded companion.
"Thank you. I am afraid for a spell I was acting foolishly, but…" She reached up hesitantly to the Kazekage's cheek, resting her ashy hand there fondly, noticing the comparison between skin tones, and used her thumb to wipe away a lone tear that was threatening to fall, "What is it that ails you, Gaara?"
Before the elder teen could respond, the flame beast that engulfed Sasuke swung at the supporting pillars of the room.
"The roof won't hold much longer!" one of the samurai cried out.
Just as he predicted, large sections of the rock ceiling began to collapse upon the shinobi and samurai below. Stepping away from Gaara, Kotone prepared to perform a jutsu, but her hand was yanked backwards by the Kazekage whom had his hand raised, commanding his ultimate defense.
The sand formed a wall above their heads, and an unrecognizable ninja thanked the sand nin with an embarrassed grin.
As the men and women recovered from the cave-in, Gaara approached his white-haired comrade and grabbed her shoulders.
"Kotone, why are you here?"
"You sound like you doubt my ability to defend myself," she returned with an insipid glare.
The redhead frowned, "You twist my words. I am simply worried for you. What are your motives for being here? And how did you enter?"
"I need your brother's help. There's an urgent request I must bestow upon him," Kotone spoke speedily, "And I entered … through the entrance."
She was slightly ashamed of her criminal act of sneaking past the guards, but a ninja's life was shrouded in shadows, right?
Gaara sharpened his gaze on her with a sigh, "I see. The request you have for him has to wait. There are more pressing matters at hand."
"No, wait, please! I need only ask him a single question!"
The red-haired teen turned towards Kankuro who shrugged at him with an indifferent look.
"Fine, but we must pursue Sasuke, and you must retreat to someplace safer. You might be caught in the kage's crossfire."
Kotone rushed to Kankuro and his eyes widened in shock when she bowed before him in pleading.
"Sabaku no Kankuro-san, I ask of you a single thing. Please, could you make a false left arm for my teammate, Sato Hiromi?"
The puppeteer put his hand to his chin in thought and she continued, "I beg of you. Any price you present I will pay tenfold."
"Kotone, I'll help you. You've been a friend to Gaara, so you've been a friend to me. But," Kankuro heaved a sigh, "I can't make your teammate an arm without finding out the required measurements. And even then, I probably won't have it ready for a week or two."
The slim young woman brought herself up to her feet, "There are no words to express my thanks… And though I boasted of paying any price tenfold, I have no means of doing so. I will work and gain any money you seek."
"There's no need," Gaara interjected compassionately; "I will provide any materials or costs for you."
He was immediately engulfed in an embrace as Kotone rushed to him and threw her arms around his neck. The Kazekage's teal eyes widened in surprise, yet he still reservedly placed his hands on her back.
"Thank you, Gaara! Thank you," she murmured into his shoulder, "I wish there was some way I could repay you."
"There is no need."
"Kazekage!"
The two teens released one another in a hurry as the Raikage called for the redhead. Kotone's face felt warm as she backed away and looked at anything besides Gaara himself.
"I'll send you the measurements; Hiromi is in no state to travel far distances. I cannot thank you enough," Kotone said softly.
"It's not any issue," Kankuro responded, "but you should probably follow Gaara's orders now and get out of here."
"But-!"
The Kazekage pleaded softly, "There is only danger here. I do not wish for you to injure yourself mindlessly."
The white-haired queen complied, "I understand, but… you must promise you and I will see one another soon."
At this moment, Gaara reached forward and placed his hand on her cheek just as she had him earlier.
He stated melodiously in response, "I promise."
-:-
"Love is a friendship set to music."
Joseph Campbell
-:-
A/N: Hello, everyone! Sorry for the horribly long wait! It's been almost a month, right? Anyways, I present to you, a long chapter! 26 pages on Microsoft :) So I hope you all enjoy! We're almost up to the war, now, aren't we? Hurray!
Thanks to..
Reviewers
ShadowBloodNinja
Thank you ;) I tend to be an honest person!
;_; I know, I'm so sorry. I just get so mind-blocked and I just can't think up anything sometimes :( But I try :O
Thank you so very much :D I really do appreciate your compliments! So, what do you think is going to happen next?
I hope you liked this chapter! Thanks for reviewing c:
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FullmoonSwan
Thank you so much for following my story! :) I hope you enjoy it!
Favoriters
FullmoonSwan and Sweets Kingdom Kid
Thank you both for favoriting my story; I really appreciate it c: I hope you both continue to enjoy the story!
Still chewing on the idea of a Beach Chapter.. I think once things get really depressing I'll break it out to lighten the mood ;-) Anyways, Happy New Year to all! My resolution is to stop eating at 2 am and then trying to justify waking up at 3 pm!
Btws, review! :)
Be looking forward to the next chapter!