A few days later when Sakura deemed it safe for her to resume training, Emi found all her high collared gear and goggles were gone. Normally she would have had a panic attack, tearing her room apart but now she only felt mild apprehension. The Sand Siblings and Sakura had been helping her build up her confidence enough for her to face the outside world without her mask. Sakura stood next her as Temari stood at the door, her hand on the doorknob to the outside world. Just beyond that was Suna and her sensei whom she was supposed to meet in less than ten minutes at the training ground that was a fifteen minute sprint away. She had wasted enough time worrying and pacing, flitting back and forth between anxiety and wavering confidence.
"You're going to be late if you don't leave now, and Gaara doesn't do 'late,'" Temari pointed out bluntly. Emi stopped fiddling with the bottom of her shirt hem and glanced towards Sakura who was smiling at her encouragingly. Not once had anyone in this home pointed out her flaws. That first night at dinner, Kankuro had merely been curious, not condescending. He had apologised profusely the next day and had even called her pretty before Temari and Sakura knocked him out with a well-placed blow to the head. Emi had been left blushing and doubting until Temari tugged her towards a mirror. She hadn't seen her reflection since her father's passing. She took in the distantly familiar features and compared them to the two kunoichi beside her.
She had never been deemed beautiful by herself or others until recently, but she was a ninja and she was strong. She was a kunoichi who would take her weaknesses and make them her strengths and she was going to succeed.
Emi dropped her hands to her side and gave a firm nod to Temari. "I'm ready."
The doorknob turned and bright day light greeted them, the warmth of the morning sun seeping inside to glint off her Suna forehead protector beneath her bangs. She shot the two kunoichi a smirk and took off, her feet kicking up dust a second after her feet had made contact with the earth. People were a blur as she lost herself to the sensation of the wind in her hair. Since she had always worn it beneath her hood and that had been discarded, Temari and Sakura had taken to her waist length locks with scissor, evening out the layers and trimming a few inches off. A few stray strands whipped about her face as she leapt high over fruit stands, ignoring the angry merchants as she pumped more chakra into her legs.
She found a sense of freedom in running without the hindrance of her coverings. She felt faster and stronger, more streamline without the added bulk. Her training gear was a simple armour shirt with black shorts and a cream tunic dress that came mid-thigh that was belted around her waist. Her weapons pouches were strapped to her thighs, her chain sickle and rope javelin handing from her belt and her katana strapped to her back.
Soon enough she was rounding the corner to where the training grounds were, almost tumbling as she saw all the other chunin's there. She didn't have time to panic though, Gaara had already spotted her. His arms were crossed and he looked less than impressed. She skidded to a halt in front of him, dust speeding past her in a cloud to coat the other chunin in the fine powder.
"Sorry I'm late, Gaara-sensei," Emi rushed her apology with a hasty bow, straightening to look her sensei in the eyes. She could have sworn she saw his lips quirk a little.
"Actually you're right on time."
Emi felt her eyes go owlish before breaking into a huge grin. She had been training on running faster times, had convinced herself that she was too slow. It seemed losing her coverings were a good idea after all.
Her bliss was temporary however when a few chunin boys approached her with scowls in their faces.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, huh girly?" a blonde boy sneered.
"Yeah! I think you should apologise for that dust cloud you just covered us with!" a raven haired boy said, taking a step forward threateningly. Something inside of Emi snapped as Gaara's words echoed in her mind. Your vulnerability and fear makes you weak… turn your greatest weakness into your greatest strength.
Emi was through with fear and hiding. She once thought her coverings were a blessing, acting as a shield between her and the outside world, but her greatest enemy hadn't been an outside influence, it had been herself all along. Enough. Time to be me.
"Are you fucking deaf? I said apologise or else!" the raven haired boy crowed again.
Emi chuckled and tilted her head to the side, smiling a creepy smile. A few of the boys stepped back. "I'd say you look a lot better covered in the dirt since that's all that you are. But then again, beggars can't be choosers." Gaara watched on in silent awe. Before him he was witnessing Emi come into her own. Her eyes burned with newfound confidence and he felt a hint of pride swell inside of him.
The blonde, who Emi suspected the leader, recovered first. "What the hell did you just say!"
Emi sighed and rolled her eyes. "I don't know why I bother sometimes…" Emi turned to walk away, smirking when she felt a hand on her shoulder squeezing into her flesh. "You always did have a temper, Riosho," Emi tutted.
She turned around in time to see the boy blanch. "How do you know my name?"
Emi grasped his hand in her own, twisting until he was turned with his wrist at an odd angle behind his back. His friends back peddled rather quickly as the other chunin watched on with wide eyes. Matsuri had her eyes narrowed as she tried to place Emi's voice.
"I wouldn't expect you to remember a freak," Emi muttered in his ear. At his shocked gasp she released him, shoving him forward and away. He turned around to face her, his face contorted with embarrassment and anger.
"Fuck you, Emi! You really are a freak!" He turned on his heel to stomp into the training yard, his friends following as the murmurs started up. Matsuri approached Emi cautiously.
"Emi? Is that really you?"
Emi gave the mousy girl a small smile and a nod. Matsuri grinned at her, her eyes flickering from her tattoo to her very visible birth mark, the girls smile faltering a little as she look at the size of it. Emi struggled not to shift out of habit.
"You should probably go inside, Matsuri. Your team's waiting," Emi said softly. Matsuri's eyes snapped up to Emi's her cheeks a slight pink as she realised she was caught staring. With a quick nod, Matsuri turned to leave, casting Gaara a longing glance before disappearing into the training ground until it was only Gaara and Emi.
Emi looked at Gaara with a quirked brow in question.
"We have a mission. Follow me." Gaara turned and strode away, Emi following him towards the Kazekage tower. She had been in the tower plenty of times, but that was when she was masked. Now, people looked at her with curiosity, their gazes flickering over her body as they tried to place whether they had seen her before.
Gaara and Emi climbed familiar stairs and came to a familiar door, Gaara knocking twice before entering, Emi entering after him.
The jonin council eyed her with curiosity. The only one to not be surprised was Baki, the Sand Siblings jonin instructor. He had dropped by the house one morning and had been surprised to see her at the kitchen table in her pyjama's but once Temari and Kankuro had explained the situation he was in agreement.
"Welcome Gaara. Who is your companion?" One elder jonin asked.
"She is Emi, my student," Gaara said simply. A few of the jonin eyed her with curiosity but Emi could make out a few disgusted faces as they eyed her birth mark and tattoo. She dutifully ignored them, her focus on Baki and Gaara and no one else. Baki gave her the slightest reassuring smile before schooling his features but that infinitesimal twitch made her feel better.
"You both will accompany Sakura Haruno back to the Hidden Leaf Village. Upon arrival you will give the Hokage these propositions," Baki held up two thick scrolls. "You will remain in Konoha for four days before returning, as per the request of Lady Tsunade. Whilst there, you will be acting as representatives for Suna for their Academy, showing their students the difference between foreign schooling techniques. On your final day the Hokage should have an agreement or comprise drafted for you to return here. Understood?"
Emi and Gaara both gave stiff nods to accept. Baki handed them the scrolls before shooing them out the door.
"You leave within the hour."
It was around two in the morning when Emi decided that sleep was going to evade her once again. They had arrived in Konoha late that afternoon after three days of travel from Suna. After their debriefing with the Hokage, Lady Tsunade, she had let her assistance Shizune show the sand nin to the small apartment they would be using during their stay. It was small and cramped but they were only using the rooms to sleep. It was sufficient enough.
Emi tugged open her curtains and was met with a wall of green, very unlike Suna. Konoha was called the Hidden Leaf Village for a reason. Opening her window, Emi swung herself up onto the gutter and flipped herself onto tile. Her movements were fluid and graceful like a cat. Calmly, she walked along the roof and sat beside Gaara. Because of the Shukaku inside of him, he rarely slept. Once he was unguarded in sleep, the demon would break forth and take control and run rampant.
Emi was battling her own inner demons in her dreams, so she rarely slept also. Their strange weekly ritual was almost like a religion, both sitting side by side, neither speaking and just watching the world go by, waiting patiently for it to wake up with the sun.
"You handled yourself well today."
Emi turned her head to look at Gaara, her face blank. He shot her a sidelong glance before turning his gaze back to the sky. "What?"
Emi cleared her throat and leant back, the cool tiles seeping through her clothing. "Oh nothing. It's just that sounded oddly like a compliment."
Gaara rolled his eyes as Emi's lips quirked. "It helps when you have a great sensei," Emi said softly. She had known her sensei long enough that he was uncomfortably with praise after being on the receiving end of hatred and fear for so long, but the people of Suna were beginning to change in their views of him since they saw Emi's progress. The fact that she was still alive also eased their worries. He had worked tirelessly to protect Suna, ignoring the jibes that some people still gave him for being a jinchuriki. She had been around him long enough to know that just because he housed a demon didn't make him one.
His heart and soul went into every mission for the protection of Suna, travelling endlessly between countries to deliver treaties and propositions, strengthening the ties with Konoha, one of the strongest of the hidden villages. Emi admired him.
"Why do work so tirelessly to protect Suna?" Emi asked out of the blue. Gaara remained silent for so long, Emi figured he wasn't going to answer until…
"Because my village is precious to me."
Emi turned her head to gaze at Gaara, his fiery red hair at odds with the moon bathed greenery around them.
"Even after they spurned you?" she asked quietly. She had given up on understanding Gaara a long time ago, but she had gotten better at reading him. His eyes were more expressive than the rest of him. He looked deep in thought, processing her question. It was innocent enough.
"Spurned or not, I would still protect Suna and its people. It is my home."
Emi sat up and turned to face Gaara, shuffling a little so she was now sitting on her hunches in front of him. She waited patiently for him to look at her. Azure met emerald.
"Become Kazekage," Emi said firmly. Gaara quirked a brow slightly in question as Emi shrugged.
"Suna needs a leader, one who thinks about the best for the village and its people. I have yet to meet someone as dedicated as you to Suna. You have the strength to lead Suna to greatness and peace, changing the minds of the other villages for the better of the world. Why shouldn't the Kazekage be you?"
Without waiting for his reply, Emi stood and walked away, heading back to her room. Before she leapt over the side she turned and flashed him a winning smile.
"You'll have my vote, that's for sure."
And she disappeared, leaving a stunned Gaara to contemplate her words.