Puppets, a Monster and a Demon

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto

Since helping Konohagakure and forming alliance, the Sunagakure found it time to follow in the footsteps of its neighboring village the Konohagakure and create its very own ninja academy. One that the Sunagakure could be proud of.

Today was the very first day of instruction for new promising young genin. All hoping to become skilled shinobi and kunoichi of the Sand Village.

Among them was an aspiring puppet master in training young Chinatsu. She was currently sitting in the Sunagakure's council office waiting on her grandmother the honorable Chiyo. With her was her best friend Saeyuri Akatori or the demon child as the village referred to her as.

The two were currently waiting on Chiyo as she was to accompany them to the Sunagakure's new ninja academy. Each hoping to hone their skills and become kunoichi. As they were waiting for what seemed forever Chinatsu began playing with a mini human like puppet in her hands making in dance and move in the palm of her hands. Sae smiled as she was always fascinated by the young puppet master's puppeteer work.

Finally after seen like forever Chiyo finally came out of the council's office.

"I thought they'd never let this bag of bones leave." Chiyo said as she approached the two young kunoichi.

"Granny you're not a bag of bones." Chinatsu commented.

"Yes I am child, now come let us take you and Sae to the new ninja academy."

The three soon arrived outside of Sand Village ninja academy as today's class was about weaponry and being held outdoors. As the three approached they were greeted by Baki.

"Chiyo, what brings you here today?" Baki asked as the three approached.

"I'm dropping off two more potential students. My second grandchild Chinatsu and her friend Saeyuri Akatori." Baki looked over and his eyes widened when he saw Sae behind Chiyo. Never had he excepted to see the feared demon child, as a genin.

"Lady Chiyo the demon child? Are you sure she's able to control that thing inside of her?" Baki whispered.

"I am sure."

Baki sighed, and said no more for once lady Chiyo made a decision she wouldn't back down and it was hard to go against a member of the council.

"Very well lady Chiyo I'll take your word for it."

"Good. Chinatsu, Saeyuri follow lord Baki over to the tables."

"Granny you're not going to stay?" Chinatsu asked.

"No child, I'm too old to be out in this heat. Don't worry Chinatsu, you'll be in good hands."

The two girls were lead over to tables full of weapons. Around them, stood the sand siblings one of whom Sae recognized as lord Gaara Kazekage of the Sand Village. As Saeyuri and Chinatsu approached all of the other genin began whispering as soon as they saw Sae approach. Saeyuri tried to ignore them but it was hard to when so many voices talked about her as she stood right there.

"I can hear you all whispering you know, it's very rude to talk about someone who is standing right in front of you." Sae said loudly so that all the genin around her, and the teachers could hear.

"That's enough everyone. Please pay attention." Temari instructed.

Sae humphed and crossed her arms as she and Chinatsu finally joined their "classmates" and listened to their teachers talk about weapons and how they were used in both defensive and offensive purposes. The genin were then told to go with one of the sand siblings to learn more about weapons.

"Go to over to Kankuro-sensei Chi-chan." Saeyuri instructed.

"What? Why Sae?" Chinatsu asked as she adjusted the puppet scroll on her back.

"Because you kept staring at him with your mouth all agape as if catching flies. On top of that, from what I read and know about our teachers Kankuro-sensei knows a lot about puppets."

Chinatsu was now beet red at Saeyuri's comments.

"I-I wasn't staring at him."

"Uh-huh sure you weren't. Go on over there and talk to him." Sae said as she pushed her friend over in Kankuro's direction.

Saeyuri chuckled as she watched her friend walk on over to Kankuro then scanned the tables and noticed that none of the other students were going to the table which Gaara stood at and immediately headed over there.

As she approached, Gaara recognized her as the girl who all the other genin were whispering about. He wondered why. What was so different about her? As far as he could see, it was nothing.

Then why all the whispering?

He wanted to ask her but thought against it.

"Are you sure you want to work with me?" he asked when Saeyuri and another girl with shoulder length mouse brown hair in a turquoise sweater approached him.

Saeyuri looked puzzled by his question.

Why wouldn't she want to work with him? Was he that bad? Was it because she had spoken out?

The girl next to her simply nodded.

"Why wouldn't I want to to work with you?" Sae asked.

"It's because I'm a mon..." Gaara started but stopped not wanting to give his students to fear him like so many others did.

'Mon...what?' Saeyuri wondered.

"Never mind, before I continue would you two mind telling me your names?" Gaara asked in hopes of find out who the blonde haired girl was.

The mouse haired girl spoke first, "I-I am Matsuri."

"I am Saeyuri Akatori. Or Sae for short."

Gaara's eyes widened when he heard the name Akatori. She was the supposed demon child of the Sand Village. No wonder they were all whispering about her. She like him was an outcast. And like him people thought she was dangerous. He understood now. It all made sense. The whispers of her. The constant staring. In time he hoped that the people of the Sand Village would accept her and not fear her like they did him.

"Saeyuri, Matsuri. Let's get started." Gaara said.

While Gaara explained the weapon basic to Matsuri and Saeyuri, Chinatsu looked at all the weapons on the table in front of her. Each one she knew but she had no use for weapons as Fukuro her puppet was all the weapon she needed in combat. Kankuro who had been watching her for quite some time was quite curious as to why this genin was not picking up a weapon.

Was she afraid of them? Or was she just hard of hearing and didn't hear his instructions. Either way she was testing his patience.

He walked over to the young genin and tapped her on the shoulder. Chinatsu spun around.

"Yes Kankuro-sensei? What it is?"

"Didn't you hear me say to pick up a weapon?"

"I did Kankuro-sensei, it's just well...I didn't use those kinds of weapons, in my training that I did with my grandmother."

Kankuro raised an eyebrow. What exactly did she mean?

As far as he knew these young ninjas had no prior training. Whatever she meant, she had now piqued the interesting of the puppet master.

"What do you mean?"

Chinatsu reached behind her and pulled out the scroll that was on her back, unrolled it and set it on the ground before her. She then squat down.

"Fukuro." She said and summoned a large owl puppet.

Kankuro was stunned and partically speechless. Never had, he seen anyone else in the village use puppets. More impressive than that she seemed to have almost full control of the owl puppet.

"Chinastu how'd you learn to do that?" He asked.

"Oh well my grandmother taught me."

"Who is your grandmother?"

"Lady Chiyo."

"Lady Chiyo, as in the former leader of the puppet brigade?"

Chinatsu nodded.

"Well I'm impressed, not too many shinobi use puppets. Would you mind letting me test your skills and have a puppet show." Kankuro said, as he pulled a scroll off his back and summoned Crow.

Chinatsu nodded and as the two started a battle of puppets each trying to figure out the mechanics behind the other's puppet and how they worked. Kankuro smirked for her puppeting was almost as good as his. A couple more years and he could help perfect her skills and build a strong with her bond over puppet mastering.

A few feet over Gaara was watching Saeyuri and Matsuri practice their weaponry skills. As he watched his eyes kept going back to Sae who at the present moment was skillfully twirling a kunai in her hands. He hoped that while he trained her that in time she would trust him enough to tell him of her sorrow, pain, that he knew so well and maybe she too would be precious to him.

Maybe, just maybe.