Color Me Emotional *Chapter 4* Desert
*((Revised))*
By: Kitty Amani
Out of the corner of her eye, Tylina saw Yukio's eyes grow wide and his mouth drop open, revealing a clump of half chewed ramen. She was sure that her facial expression wasn't much more appealing, but how could they not react this way? Temari stared at them hard, waiting for a response and Shikamaru, who didn't understand the situation as their longtime friend did, just raised an eyebrow in confusion. Tylina quickly closed her mouth and swallowed her food with a loud gulp.
"You want us to what now?" Tylina blinked a couple of times, her emerald orbs locked with Temari's teal ones.
"Escort Gaara to Konohagakure," She said again slowly, attempting to help them comprehend. Yukio and Tylina glanced as each other, both thinking the same thing. Neither of them had been out of the village in years, since their sensei died. Now they were asked to accompany the sand's most important person to a place that was a three days walk away? They were, indeed, impressive shinobi, having mastered using three different chakra natures and being trained by some of the most skilled ninja in Suna; but Gaara was valuable, and he was like their little brother. It was too soon for them to trust their abilities in a situation as crucial as this, outside the walls of their home.
"Temari, I-" Yukio started, but she quickly cut him off, holding up her hand as a stop sign. She leaned forward on the table looking from one them to the other.
"It would be you two, Shikamaru, and I," She informed them with intent eyes. "After the world gets used to Gaara being the Kazekage, it won't have to be like this, but for now, we need tight security, and you two are the best ninja we have here." She paused as if considering her words carefully, chewing her lip as she thought. "And we have known you guys forever. You understand what Gaara goes through." Tylina buried her face in her hands. Every day she craved and yearned for something like this to happen, but now that she was given the chance, her thoughts were wavering. And every day she wished for something out of the ordinary to happen to her, to experience something different, to see all the colors of the world as it truly was, but was she worthy enough?
"Why does Lord Kazekage need to go to Konoha anyway?" Yukio broke the silence, obviously avoiding being the one of the two of them to answer. Tylina threw him a look of disgust for he was putting all the pressure on her.
"Lady Hokage wants to meet with him," Shikamaru explained, staring out the restaurant window lazily. "Something about important political shit." He shrugged, showing how much he didn't care.
"But then why can't she come here?" Tylina cocked her head to the side in confusion as she began to stir the blue tinted drink that sat in front of her. Temari smiled lightly, softly, sort of like a look of admiration.
"Lady Hokage thinks it would be best if Gaara could see some of the shinobi there, the ones we met during the chunin exams," She explained in a soft voice. "Of course, Naruto won't be there because he is still of training with the toad sage, but I believe Gaara needs people contact nonetheless." Tylina's lips replicated Temari's smile. This is exactly what Gaara needed. It was so nice of Lady Hokage to think not only about the sand village itself, but the leader individually. All of a sudden, her mind was made up.
"I would be honored to contribute to this mission, Tema." She replied, placing her hand over heart as if swearing on her life that she would make sure everything went as planned. Yukio hesitated, before his features grew hard and his gaze flared, and he nodded. Temari's face immediately lit up as she practically jumped over the table to throw her arms around the two of them in thanks. Tylina also noticed that Shikamaru wore a small smile of satisfaction, but she couldn't help but wonder, was it because they had accepted, or because of Temari's reaction to their acceptance.
"So, who's watching after the village while Gaara is gone?" Yukio asked when Temari had finally seated herself again.
"This is one of the situations in which we have the Elders for," Temari informed them. "But Kankuro and Sunshine will be the ones sitting in Gaara's chair, with Baki-sensei as their advisor." Tylina nodded quickly in agreement, thinking that Temari did well with that arrangement. She knew the situation between Kankuro and Tylina, so she split them apart, and did the same with Yukio and Sunshine due to their constant bickering. When one needed plans set up as perfect as this one, it always helped to have a genius in your midst.
"Sounds like everything has been covered," Yukio voiced, sounding impressed. Tylina couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"Of course, Yuki," She expressed, highly annoyed. "This is Tema we are talking about. She plans everything out, and does it very well at that." Tylina's eyes brightened and she smiled cheerfully. "So, when do we leave?"
"In four days," It was Shikamaru who answered, shaking his head. "It's such a drag having to run back and forth from Konoha and Suna all the time, but as Temari's hired bodyguard, it's my duty, I guess." Yukio and Tylina sneaked a glance at each other before giggling lightly.
"Hey, eh, Temari," Yukio smirked, leaning across the table toward her. "It's a little funny how one of the best kunoichi in the village and one of the Kazekage's guards in fact needs a guard for herself." At this statement, Temari's cheeks immediately turned magenta, getting another giggle from her girlfriend.
"I'm sure that Gaara and Kankuro know that you can handle your own, so, who hired Shika?" Tylina pressed on with a knowing smile on her face. At this point, Shikamaru's gaze and turned to Temari as well. Seeing her blush seemed to make his face turn a light pink color as well, and he cleared his throat loudly.
"Troublesome woman," He muttered, looking back out the window again. Temari shot a death glare at the two across the table, completely embarrassed, but that just made them laugh harder.
About an hour had passed before the four of them finished their meal and their conversation about the newly assigned mission. After leaving the restaurant, they parted ways, leaving Tylina and Yukio to now express their thoughts openly.
"Do you think we are strong enough outside of our safety zone?" Tylina's voice was soft as she hugged herself tightly, staring at the ground, watching one foot move in front of the other.
"Definitely," He voiced, not sounding sure of himself at all. "We used to go on missions all the time, remember? Dangerous ones at that."
"Yeah, but," Tylina paused. "That was when we had Masura-sensei with us."
"Pft, Ty, she didn't make us the fighters we are," Yukio shook his head as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ironically, she was like our backup." Tylina knew this to be true, but it hurt her to even think that she was any better at being a ninja than the one who had shaped their perfect team. She chewed her bottom lip.
"In a way, I'm kind of excited," She forced a smile as she glanced at Yukio, who raised his eyebrow in question, hands shoved deep in his pockets. "We are about to go to the place where Gaara found himself. Maybe," She trailed off, going deep into thought. The two remained silent, thinking about what Tylina had been about to say. Konoha was no ordinary place, for it had changed all three of the siblings, and for the better. What were the odds of a miracle occurring for them as well? Tylina slowly came out of her thoughts, gazing at the familiar, almost beige ground that she walked on every day.
'Desert,' She contemplated, biting her lip. 'A place, a color, all the same, something that is bare, with no true way to sustain a life. That's how it is here. Yuki and I, we don't know what life truly is, not yet anyway. Maybe, just maybe, I have my own Naurto Uzumaki waiting for me in the village hidden in the leaves, in the place that is so different from here. Hiding within the sand, it seems, has only caused broken hearts and deep scars. Not just for the two of them, but also Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, and Sunshine. Even Baki and Masura had their share of pain. Well, I'm going to label this as attempt number one for my own recovery and maybe, one day, I can heal just as Gaara is.'