Revelations
Chapter 4
(A/N: This chapter, characters might have an OC moment in here. OH read the bottom author's note, it's important! Thanks for all the reviews for my first real story!)
Sakura and Gaara arrived at the gates for Suna a day ahead then they had planned. The duo made excellent timing, and Gaara was even surprised that she kept up with him most of the way.
Flashback
Two people were moving past the trees in a blur. The first one had red hair while the one behind him embodied pink.
'At this rate we'll get there in a week!' Gaara thought inwardly, 'Maybe I should speed this up a bit? And if she can't handle it, I guess I'll slow down.'
With that, he pumped more chakra into his legs and sped off. Sakura noticed this and began to pump more chakra into hers.
'Like hell I'll be called weak! I will not slow us down, I'll just have to keep up with him for the time being…and maybe sneak a soldier pill if need be.'
The two continued on like this, and every five hours took a short break, or until darkness descended upon them. Gaara would continue to pump even more chakra into his legs during their little adventure and Sakura would be forced to keep up, but she didn't complain. The two hardly spoke…but kept thinking what would happen the next day.
End flashback
"Kazekage-sama!" a Suna shinobi yelled and saluted towards Gaara. "Everything is as you have left it. Kankuro-dono sent a message saying he'll be arriving later than expected, and told me to give you this scroll. It arrived a few minutes ahead of you."
Gaara took the scroll from the man's hands and released the seal on it. It said:
Dear Gaara,
How are you this fine day? Well…as for me, I'm taking a short break from my journey to write you this little letter. The day you left to go back to Suna it came to my attention that after three hours from the point we were at the woods, you still hadn't appeared. Well you could imagine the conundrum I had at that moment. I was wondering where the two of you were the whole time, I couldn't help but feel you guys were out somewhere doing the nasty…but then I got realistic and thought you couldn't do that since…you probably don't know how ahaha, but then I started saying to myself:
"I wonder where my brother has gone to, really. And the nurse that is supposed to help our sister, who is also our dear friend, Sakura? The two of them are both not here." And also "Surely they wouldn't leave their beloved Kankuro"
These questions troubled me for sometime. I waited for hours until nightfall the very same day like a lost puppy at the gates. Then it finally came to me, you already left and were probably half way back to Suna right now.
So as I write this letter I hope I'll arrive sometime tomorrow, and I curse you and I hope you caught rabid bunnies for dinner. Or tripped on some roots, or got sand in your eyes, or fell on sand. Or some 13246878125468731 shinobi attacked you (because you are after all the Kazekage, but during the fight you also let our dear friend Sakura run to safety to Suna while you fought your way through the shinobi of course) and then die…
Signed, your dear Kankuro,
Kankuro.
"So…um Gaara what did it say?"
Sakura had been waiting patiently as Gaara read the letter. It took several minutes for him to read it, and he had a look of indifference on his face or was it seriousness, but hey when didn't he.
After a few more minutes, Gaara spoke.
"We left Kankuro. Let's go see Temari." Gaara started walking towards a tall building near the center of the village besides the Kazekage tower. He didn't even turn around to make sure Sakura was following him. But why wouldn't she follow him he thought, the reason why she was here was to help Temari.
"Huh? Oh yeah let's go!"
During the walk Sakura couldn't help but wonder why there weren't as many people outside, sure it was a desert but people needed to run shops so the villagers could buy food and all. So Sakura did the only thing she could think of with what to do with a question: Ask!
"Hey Gaara, why isn't there anybody outside right now?"
"Maybe they don't want to, and plus there's one right now." Gaara pointed to their left at the man leaning against a wall while he was sitting down. His eyes were closed and his clothes were soaked, in what he couldn't tell, because the man was wearing a red shirt and black pants. Maybe…it was blood?
Sakura took one look at the man and walked up to him. She checked his pulse and Sakura turned to look at Gaara.
"He's dead."
"Probably a heat stroke"
"Aren't you going to say anything?" Sakura gestured at the dead man she was holding.
"I did…I said probably a heat stroke."
"But aren't you going to do something? What if all the villagers are like this?" she yelled.
"Well then maybe the rest should go inside. It's cooler in there"
Sakura stared at the man in front of her incredulously, Gaara, not the body.
"B-but. He's dead! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"Maybe to his family…if he has one. Why does this man mean anything to you?" Gaara continued to walk away from Sakura and the dead man.
The moment he started to walk away, Sakura instantly dropped the body she was holding and ran after him.
"No. I don't even know him! But does this happen often?" She put her hands on her hips as she stopped in front of him and gave him a look, waiting for his answer.
Gaara had his arms crossed in front of his chest and watched Sakura as she stood in her 'woman stance'. What should he say? Seeing dead people on the street didn't happen often but yes it did happen. What did she expect it is the desert after all? If you can't stand the heat you die, or at least go find some shelter or something!
"No this doesn't happen often, but it does happen. What do you expect? This is the desert after all. If you can't stand the heat then you die, or you go seek out some shade and shelter. And plus, someone already stabbed him" Gaara turned to look at the body a few feet behind them.
They both looked, and Gaara was right, he was stabbed. Why didn't Sakura see it? Who knows…but placed on the back of the man, was a note.
Dear whoever,
I killed myself.
There.
Signed, Juugo
"Juugo eh? I knew him…put him in prison for robbing old women and killing them. There see, he died, and now he won't rob old women anymore. Or murder them. So I guess it's better he died then." Gaara kept walking not really thinking about Juugo, because I mean he was a killer, he shouldn't be thinking about that right now…he should be thinking about his sister. Maybe nobody knows he cared about Temari, but whoa-ho did he ever.
Sakura was thinking. Suna was a very eerie place, there was nobody outside, and they just saw a dead body for crying out loud!
Man…this place is weird.
Damn straight! I wouldn't be surprised while we were walking one of us got killed or something…
The duo continued walking through the barren streets of Suna. Not a soul went by, not an animal stirred, and no tumbleweeds were tumbling.
"But that doesn't explain where all the villagers are…" Sakura stated matter-o-factly. She had just remembered that nobody was outside. She had gotten sidetracked from the whole dead body ordeal.
"This…doesn't seem right, maybe enemies are here."
Gaara contemplated on her statement, where were all the villagers? Usually he would see children running around playing a game, or he would see men and women conversing and exchanging gossip. As Gaara looked up at the sun he thought it seemed sometime during midday, noon even. But…if there were enemies, there would be signs of destruction and fighting.
Where is everybody?
At that moment the pair arrived at the building they were heading for, the Suna Medical Hospital. Which was conveniently located next to the Kazekage tower, so Gaara could go visit his sister anytime he wanted while she was at the hospital. They were on their guard; they could tell something was up. Gaara glanced at Sakura…maybe she had felt that same chill that had went down his own spine. Once their eyes met, he knew she felt it too.
A few seconds went by…then out of every corner and behind every building, the villagers popped up shouting:
"WELCOME BACK KAZEKAGE!!!"
Confetti was being blown everywhere! People were dancing and singing and just having a ball. Even Sakura looked happy at the display in front of them!
They…they were having a party for me coming back? Gaara thought. He was surprised. Nobody had ever thrown him a party, and in the back of his mind Gaara thought the villagers hated him!
Gaara was at a loss for words. He was stunned to say the least! Then the crowd started to calm down, and through the throng of people somebody was walking through the parted citizens. It was one of the councilmen called Daemi.
"Kazekage-sama. Welcome back to Suna!" said Daemi, "The villagers and all the councilmen are thrilled for you to be back, I'm not sure if you remember or not but it's your birthday!"
(AN Psst pretend that in January it's hot, even though we were in the desert, that can't explain why it was hot in Konoha hehe. Now back with the story.)
"You didn't tell me it was your birthday! I would have gotten you a present! Oh no …I forgot, I'm such a bad friend! Grr it's January 19th already?" Sakura started rambling on next to Gaara, she had forgotten her best friends birthday, sure she hadn't seen him in years, but who cares it's still a bad impression! Stupid stupid stupid Sakura!
"It's okay. Um…thank you everyone." Gaara tried to say it as sincerely as he could, but he wasn't sure how to act…so he spoke slow and put as much feeling into each word. But to everybody else it seemed that he was talking in a monotonous voice that wasn't pleased, at all.
Sakura being the person who's known Gaara for years, recognized that he was trying to be nice, even though he was struggling. For an emotionless person, he was doing pretty well for himself and she couldn't have been more proud. But first she needed to make sure the villagers of Suna knew he was trying.
So Sakura whispered to the nearest person to her on her right, it was an elderly woman who had a twinkle in her eye. She seemed to know that he was trying and that he really did appreciate all the work they did to surprise him. "Um excuse me, ma'am?"
"Huh? Oh yes dear?" She looked up at Sakura smiling a sweet smile like a grandmother would to her granddaughter.
"Can you um…sort of tell everyone that he's being sincere? I'm not sure everyone can see that." The elderly woman looked at the crowd Sakura was gesturing to. An aura of sadness washed over the crowd as the villagers hung their heads down low in disappointment.
"Ah, I understand sweetie. Don't worry, leave it to me."
First she whispered to her right, which the person in front of her overheard, so they started spreading it. Then the others around them accidentally heard and started to spread it to the others around them. Soon enough everyone was telling everybody, and spreading it all the same. And everybody soon learned that Gaara, their Kazekage was overjoyed, and appreciated their little party.
"Um…I thank you all, but I really need to see my sister now." Gaara thanked the people whom he passed to enter the hospital. Sakura also greeted those they passed and thanked them for their greeting.
But in Sakura's mind she was wondering how simple villagers could hide themselves well enough that not even shinobi could sense them! But…first things first, Temari.
The party continued on outside, but they had to relocate it to not harm or disturb all the patients in the hospital with their loudness.
Sakura pushed open the hospital doors, and the smell of sterilization hit her full blast. It seemed like so long since she had smelt that smell. For some weird reason, she felt the need to put on her doctor's uniform and enter all the rooms to check on patients.
But as the bit of nostalgia passed, she realized that Gaara had turned a corner far ahead of her. She'd need to run to catch up to him. There were many twists and turns in this hospital, and Temari was in one of these rooms, she was supposed to be helping her.
She started running, passing other nurses and doctors and patients. Yelling out apologies as she passed people rather hurriedly, they seemed to be stunned or at least horrified that they might get hurt again or that this random pink-haired woman would hurt their patients. Sakura turned the corner and saw Gaara turn another corner ahead. She broke out on a run. Damn you!! Oh man…when I get you, you are so dead for leaving me!
"Gaara! Wait up you-son-of-a-bi—" Sakura skidded to a halt and stopped yelling, in front of her was Gaara, who was a little wide-eyed with a little girl equally wide-eyed in his arms.
"Um…I mean" Sakura smiled and scratched the back of her head. Shit what do I do? "Hey! You stopped, hehe…thanks! I was trying to catch up."
Gaara put the little girl down and she ran away once she hit the ground. "You scared her…and you were swearing in a hospital…I thought you had a little more class than that Haruno."
"I didn't actually swear…I was just…about to…" She quickly thought of a cover up. "And plus…I was about to say you-son-of-a-big-cute-dog I can't wait to hug you!"
Sakura walked over to Gaara and gave him a quick hug, but when she touched him, she felt it. She felt that same feeling when she first hugged him, it was like electricity. They looked into each other's eyes, both searching for answers. They seemed to be asking 'What was with this jolt?' 'Why does this keep happening?' As jade met emerald, their lips instinctively moved closer.
What is this feeling? I just want to kiss him…
What is this feeling? I just want to kiss her…
As their lips met in a short chaste kiss, they parted. Sakura looked up into his eyes and she found that he was already looking down at hers.
"Gaara…"
She was breathless, the kiss was short but it was the best kiss she ever had, hell it was her first kiss! And it was perfect. A small smile graced her lips; she just couldn't explain to him how she felt. She just wanted to scream that that was amazing! But realized that she couldn't even speak. That…that was, amazing. It was just, perfect. Sure it was short but there was just so much emotion in it! I could feel electricity running through my body every time I touch him! Oh my god, wait till I tell Ino! She will never believe it! I got the first kiss in our group! Ino will never live this down! I know she was lying when she said that Shikamaru and her were making out in that bush because she told me she thought she wasn't ready! But ahaha oh man I just remembered that excuse. OH wait is he talking? Sakura stopped talking to herself just in time to catch what he was saying as he glanced over his shoulder, while he was running away!
"—to Temari" His voice was a little high and she noticed, but as he finished his sentence, Sakura noticed his face was just a little bit pink and it seemed like he was trying to shake off the heat by shaking his head side to side, but she could still see his wide-eyes, that were like a window into his soul as he ran.
"As shy as ever, Gaara." She gave a little laugh and picked up her pace to catch up with him, a small blush was also creeping up her face; her fingers went up to touch her lips that still felt oddly warm.
"Doctor what should we do? She can't speak properly now!" A nurse was pacing back and forth as the doctor stood next to Temari. Gaara stood by the door and turned around as Sakura caught up and walked into the room.
"What's going on in here?" Sakura saw Temari on a hospital bed. She looked the same but her eyes were sort of dazed. "Why are you saying she can't speak properly now…how long has this thing plagued her?" Sakura was scared for her friend…this was serious, it wasn't some high-tech poison like last time with Kankuro, it's not blown up arms or legs or part of her head. This was a mental illness that was serious if it could affect her speaking abilities. "What else can't she do?"
The nurse looked sullen, "She can't walk straight, so she'd have to use a wheel chair. Before she used crutches but now it's hard for her to move…then she started to choke on her food, and she can barely eat. She can't hold anything up…and now she can't speak."
Sakura turned around to stare straight into Gaara's eyes, "Tell me…everything, from the beginning."
Gaara started to explain that Temari came back from a mission a couple of months ago maybe…six months tops. She told him that she couldn't through her kunai at the enemy at one point. She kept tripping on braches during the battle and on her way home. She thought she was just tired because she used up most of her chakra fighting this missing nin. She said she only tripped a couple of times though, maybe once or twice.
Then a few weeks later she fell flat on her face, but as she fell, her hands didn't try to stop her fall…she just fell, and she knew she was falling. But for some reason her hands didn't respond to the situation. She realized how weird this was and told Kankuro and him about what had happened. A couple of days after the incident, she couldn't hold her chopsticks properly, and she was falling constantly. Kankuro thought she was just being clumsy, and that all shinobi go through some bad weeks after some really strenuous missions. She bought his excuse and thought nothing of it. Until she realized she couldn't swallow her food anymore. We were eating like every other day. She put the food in her mouth, started chewing and then; she just couldn't swallow it down and started choking!
He took her to the hospital the same day after he and Kankuro gave the Heimlich maneuver to her. The doctors didn't know what was up, but just continued to watch her. Gradually she had trouble walking and they gave her crutches, which led to a wheel chair. Then she couldn't hold things in her hands and keep holding them after a while.
"And now…she can barely talk." Gaara looked down at the floor after retelling the past few months to Sakura.
Sakura was amazed…Temari can't walk, she can barely eat, and now she can hardly speak? This…this didn't sound like her at all. Wait…she first started falling…and tripping. Then she couldn't catch herself as she fell. Then she had trouble picking things up, and now she can barely swallow. And finally now she can hardly speak? Plus this has been going on for months! Didn't I read something like this before?
As Sakura thought, everyone in the room just watched her; she kept switching expressions of thoughtfulness to confusion. Then it was as if a light bulb went on in the pink-haired medic's head because she exclaimed, "I got it!"
She then started to take off her backpack to rummage through it. After about some time, her hand emerged holding a thick brown leather book. Sakura started to flip through the pages…when she stopped suddenly and started reading a section near the middle of the book.
"Excuse me miss? What is that book?" the doctor questioned, if this medic had a book with Temari's condition, then shouldn't they the Suna medic's have the very same book?
"Oh this?" Sakura gestured at the book, "This book belongs to my teacher, Tsunade, I'm sure you've heard of her."
Both of the doctor and the nurse gasped at the name of Tsunade, she was the best medic in the world, and realized that this must be her apprentice. The book she was holding had to be Tsunade's special medical book that she made for herself, for reference to all the illnesses she had come across. If anything…Temari's condition would be in that book. So they waited, and waited. Sakura seemed to be reading away, and time flew by. By the time Sakura flipped through about 10 pages, she stopped and slowly looked up. Her eyes were full of tears as she shut the book in her hands.
Gaara was wondering why she would be crying. Could it be that his sister's illness wasn't in that book? Was it because she wasn't strong enough to perform the procedure? As he thought these things, he was compelled to walk up to Sakura and embrace her. And he did just that. He stroked her back as he held her…he had seen Kankuro do this to many girls as they cried. Usually the girls would give him their address after they had calmed down. Kankuro told him that this was a way to make them stop crying and help stop the pain they were going through.
"Ga-Gaara!" Sakura was sobbing, but nobody knew why. She was in Gaara's arms, and as she cried, tears were flowing endlessly from her emerald eyes.
After a few minutes of sobbing, Sakura calmed down a bit, her tears had stopped falling but her eyes were red and puffy. Sakura choked down another sob that was coming up and started to speak.
"Gaara…I'm, I'm. I'm. I'm so sorry!" She started to cry some more. She tucked her head in the crook of his neck as she clutched his arms holding him tight.
Gaara whispered words of encouragement, telling her that it was all right. That everything would be okay, sure it was out of his element, but it's not like he would do this for anyone else. This was Sakura we were talking about, one of his VERY close friends!
It took about an hour for Sakura to calm down. (AN don't worry Sakura's not weak at all, but if you hate her…sorry!)
"Gaara, I-I'm so sorry for what I'm about to say." Sakura was thinking about the best way to go about this…and decided that, "So…I'm saying that I can't say it, you just have to read the book."
Sakura handed over the old leather book to Gaara and turned it to page 568 Chapter 87.
Chapter 87
Spinocerebellar ataxia
Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is a genetic disease with multiple types, each of which could be considered a disease in its own right.
Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is one of a group of genetic disorders characterized by slowly progressive in coordination of gait and often associated with poor coordination of hands, speech, and eye movements. Frequently, atrophy of the cerebellum occurs.
As with other forms of ataxia, SCA results in unsteady and clumsy motion of the body due to a failure of the fine coordination of muscle movements, along with other symptoms.
The symptoms of the condition vary with the specific type (there are several), and with the individual patient. Generally, a person with ataxia retains full mental capacity but may progressively lose physical control.
There is no known cure for Spinocerebellar ataxia, which is a progressive disease it gets worse with time—
"No…" As Gaara read through the page, he couldn't, he just couldn't continue after he saw the words there is no known cure for the disease, that it just gets worse over time. He couldn't accept this, ever. "No…you got this all wrong Sakura."
The doctor in the room took a peek at the leather bound book and read the chapter. After about several minutes of taking the contents in, he came to the conclusion, "I'm sorry Kazekage-sama, this medic-nin, Sakura, is right. Temari is diagnosed with Spinocerebellar ataxia."
Gaara stood there, in shock. First Sakura told him, and now the doctor was confirming that his sister had Spinocerebellar ataxia, and that she would never get better!
No…this can't be happening. Not my sister. NOT Temari!
Gaara couldn't take it, and punched the opposite wall, once all the smoke cleared, you could see a gigantic hole in the middle of the wall, or what was left of it. People could see into the room now, as if there wasn't even a wall to begin with. Gaara disappeared instantly.
Sakura was on the floor crying next to Temari's bed. The doctor was still standing with a sullen look on his face as he read on in the book. The nurse was trying to make sure Temari wasn't injured at all during their Kazekage's rage and powerful blow to the all. People were trying to get a look at the scene, while others tried to clear always the rubble that was left of the wall after Gaara had punched it. And others were trying to scrub the walls of dust, and while others still, tried to move other patients away to safety. But Gaara was nowhere to be seen.
Kankuro walked past the gates of Suna, the guard already fully recognizing him let him through instantly.
"I wonder where everybody is…hey maybe Temari's better already! Sakura probably already cured her with her magic fingers! I should go see how they're all doing."
Kankuro started to skip merrily on his way to the hospital. He saw the villagers doing a conga line and having a party. He heard music and laughing and saw everyone having a good time. Everyone was cheering for Gaara and his arrival, and that his birthday was today. He turned 19!
"Nothing could ruin this day!" Kankuro yelled as he started to skip faster, adding a little whistle of Camp-Town-Racers. He didn't even see a black cat pass in front of him, or that he had walked under a ladder. He just kept on skipping.
TBC
(A/N: Wow I know this was a fast update...well this chapter was sitting on my computer for a while now and I feel that I should post it up. Even though I just posted another chapter yesterday! FYI I PROBABLY WILL NEVER DO THIS AGAIN, posting chapters the very next day. Hehe...that's just me that's why. Anyways, if there's any problems review or send me a private message. I think I need to put a little more dialog in here...and if the story is going too fast, tell me!
Spinocerebellar ataxia is a real disease, and you can watch a little Korean TV drama on Youtube called 1 Litre of Tears. It's only like 11 episodes, but they're like 20 minutes long. But it's a really sad show and it's based on a true story.
OH I know...the whole 'Welcome Back Kazekage' thing was really OC for Gaara, and when he was wide-eyed, sorry about that. But I don't know, I just wanted to put some random bit in there for today.
Sorry for all the grammar or spelling errors, I read my stories before I post them, but sometimes I miss things.
Review! and Yours truly, PandaxXxchan)
