"Gaar-kun?" a small voice came from behind him.
"Yes?" Gaara didn't move from where he was sat looking out at Kanoha's night sky
Sakura leant on the railings beside him, admiring the stars that were for once untouched by the moon. They stood a few moments in silence until Sakura spoke. "Thank you for earlier, I should be able to stand up to him, but sometimes its easier to run away" She smiled "Reminds me of what we were talking about before he showed up"
Gaara looked at her interested. "About?"
"Gaara-sama, he tries to fit in, to make up for his past….yet no one will accept him"
"His family do….Kankuro and Temari are better for him now, his team" Gaara said defending his siblings
"And you" Sakura added smiling
"Me?" Gaara asked confused
"You did say you were friends, ironic seeing as your names were similar"
"Hn" he answered avoiding lying anymore. "Sometimes…..wait why are you avoiding Sasuke-teme?"
This time it was Sakura who was surprised "What?"
"Didn't you protect him? Didn't, don't you love him?" He asked quickly
Sakura's knuckles tightened turning white "How did you know about that?"
"Gaara told me about the fight, Are you frightened or embarrassed?" He asked unable to read her face, covered by her pink bangs.
"Bit of both, it was a memorable moment….as for Sasuke, be careful around him, he no longer sees me as a team mate or a person" She turned as if to walk back in but Gaara's voice stopped her
"What does he see you as?"
He saw her steady herself on the doorframe as she looked back, her eyes dark and deep "He sees me as HIS" she replied in a dead voice before leaving his presence.
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You can't keep this up much longer Kit
What do you mean? Gaara snarled
Your Chakra is low, which means I'm feeding this illusion you have and I may have to drop it if something else comes up
Are you threatening me demon??
A shooting pain pierced his mind and brought him to his knees Never forget who rules you Kit, never forget it is a whim of mine that I haven't made you kill her yet….
Gaara suddenly found himself looking into the eyes of his internal enemy, but briefly he saw something reflected in the mad depths, he backed up away from the demon.
What was that?
Shukaku growled I do not know what you mean, don't ask me!
Gaara stood slowly, grabbing the rails before him, inside his mind he approached the raccoon, to his shock the huge creature backed away.
Why are you hiding something from me demon?
Keep away, stay away! It tried to snap at Gaara but as he brought his head down Gaara caught his jaws in his arms, and found himself eye to eye with the demon. Shukaku growled, a long deep growl, one that ran all the way down Gaara's spine, but still he held on Shukaku….you see all in my mind, but now, I think it's finally time I saw into yours
NO!
Too late Gaara released the massive jaws with one hand and used it to form a one handed seal Hidden skill of the sand: Mind spy technique and fell.
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It was dark, full of dark shapes that were blacker than the blackness that surrounded him and the occasional glint of eyes and teeth in the light that seemed to flow from him
-Shukaku-
-What is it brat? Isn't it bad enough you're in my mind? Or do you want a guided tour! -
-What did I see in your eyes just then?-
Shukaku didn't answer, but with the jutsu he didn't have to, his thoughts were plain to see to Gaara, he saw blurry images, a raccoon demon so much larger than Shukaku was visible in one scene, trees and woodland forests, lonesome rivers and lakes so still the night sky was reflected.
However when another raccoon demon came into view Gaara realised that although he could always feel the demons bloodlust and anger, he never knew he could feel the demons love too.
-Who…?-
-Stop this…- Shukaku said demanding
The raccoon looked about her, as if something was lost, she sniffed at the ground
-What is she looking for?-
-I don't want to see this!-
She found something and ran along following a trail, she found sand, a desert and began to run across, familiar looking cliff's came into view and Gaara's eyes widened
The female perked up her ears and ran forward, too fast for any guard to see, she ran into the village of the sand, she sniffed around again trying to catch a scent and finding it ran towards the Kazehage tower, through the wall and up the steps where screams could be heard echoing. She reached a door and entered.
-No- Shukaku moaned quietly
Gaara gasped as he saw, for the first time his mother, she was lying on a table in the middle of a medical room Gaara had seen often in the Kazehage tower. His father stood to one side whilst medic nins and Chiyo were around his mother, encouraging her to push.
The female raccoon screamed as she saw Shukaku being held in a jutsu to one side, ready to be implanted into the woman as soon as she was ready to give birth.
-NO! Kit don't – Shukaku said as some medic nins turned at the females scream of rage, the Kazehage however performed a one handed seal.
-please kit! Don't make me watch! Please!- he finally begged, but it was too late, Gaara saw the raccoon as she suddenly burst into flames, screaming in pain it seemed an eternity before she stopped her death throws and disappeared the raw chakra that made up her body suddenly gone. At the same time a new set of screams appeared as Shukaku was implanted into the woman.
Gaara watched as her bottom half was ripped apart by his emergence, the nins around him splattered with blood, he heard the cries of his father, the dying curse of his mother, and he saw Temari and Kankuro, looking around the door, their faces horror stricken at the sight before him. The worst thing however was the pain, not the pain of the people in the mind of Shukaku, but the pain of the demon himself.
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"g…r" he heard a faint voice
"gaar"
"GAAR!" that was accompanied by a slap, bringing him out of his stupor He looked up into the face of Sakura, lit by the morning sun. He felt something a horrible wonderful feeling and clutched his heart
Tell me Shukaku, is what I feel the same as you felt for her?
The demon was silent.