MY NEXT CHAPTER HAS ARRIVED!!!! God it took forever! That either means it's good or I'm a lazy shit... hmmm could be either one. I'm pretty proud of this chapter though, it's pretty sick nasty (in the good way). I know in this chapter Gaara daydreams a lot but I wasn't going for him to be spacey, I was thinking more along the lines of insightful. I do make references to stuff that happened in the show so if you don't know what the whoo I'm talking about I apologize in advance. LOVE TO MY PEOPLES! All my fans (three whole people! Wheeeeeee I'm a star!) who generously reviewed I'll have you know I'm eternally grateful.
Je ne possède pas naruto ou chacun a rattaché chracters
enjoy!
Chapter 4
Matsuri POV
"Are we almost there? God, I feel like I might keel over any second." Sari had been complaining practically the entire way to Konoha, but I didn't really mind.
"I guess so. It's been more than three days now." Our little party had been on the move for about half a week, traveling by day and resting by night. No matter how hard I tried, it became impossible for me to get accustom to sleeping on the forest floor. The ground was so inflexible and cold compared to the warm, malleable sand of the desert. Even though our journey had barley begun, I couldn't help but feel twinges of homesickness. I miss being able to stare up at the iridescent starlights that hung in front of an ominous black backdrop without my view being obstructed by vegetation.
"So Mat, what do you think of Yuudai?" Sari's arbitrary question scratched the record of my pleasant remembrance of home.
"Say What?"
"Do you like him?" she asked allowing her gaze to drift to the boy leading our formation.
"Ummm… No!" I said with a bitter snap. "Why do you ask?" I wondered after I was sure my opinion was clear.
"I don't know." She said with a cloudy gaze still held in his direction. Oh god no...
"Do you!?" I said in a disgusted tone.
"Hmmm maybe."
"Oh Sari! Don't tell me you have a crush on him!" I said with a little too much force.
"Well he's wicked hot." She said in her own defense.
"He's an A- hole!"
"Oh so you know him? Can you introduce me?" her eyes brightened. My mouth hung open slightly but then closed as I smiled and shook my head.
"Sari, Sari, Sari… What am I going to do with you?" For what seemed like hours after, Sari was chattering away in my ear about Yuudai's degree of attractiveness. She had only met him three days ago but acted like they were meant to be. I wondered how long it will take her to realize that he was bad news. I'll give it to her that he's hot, but relations are so much more than that. A person's character is all that really matters in the end. Looks are the basis of weak crushes while compatibility of the soul builds a strong relationship. The deeper you dig into the purity of someone's heart the more capable you become at understanding and loving the other person. Well, that's what I think anyway.
Gaara POV
It wouldn't be long now. Familiar landmarks and bends in the road breathed life back into my memories of this place. Most were those of malevolence and blood that managed to slither their way to the forefront of my subconscious despite my best efforts at suppression. Powerful images of those fool enough to stand in my way and those who were strong enough to defile my purpose brought up emotions of confusion, hatred, and bloodlust. My ability to kill those around me escalated from a skill necessary for my survival to an addiction. My heart had begun to ache so I closed my eyes in an effort to clear my psyche. My mind found its most vivid memory. Naruto Uzumaki appeared. I opened my eyes to give my body guidance as I ran, but my brain remained fixed on the image. His body lay only feet from mine but it was tired and broken. Deep cuts wove their way across his face and down his neck. A thick stream of blood followed the contours of his forehead and curved its way around his nose. I distinctively remembered the bright crimson color of the liquid due to the exposed blood cells becoming saturated with oxygen. He was in pain as his expression made clear. To my surprise, this pain was not caused by anger, only sadness. He was sad because his village was under attack, he was sad because his friends were in danger, but he was also sad for me. There was no hatred in his eyes, only pity. He said he knew of my dark, lonely hell and of the kind of people who damned me to reside there. He had been there just like me. He was not like me though, for he had people in his life. People who pulled him from the depressing abyss and brought him back to the living. For that, he had given these people the entirety of his heart. He knew I had no one. My soul remained desolate and my heart existed displaying no devotion, and he was sorry for me.
"Whoa! Look at that!" Matsuri's voice triggered my brain to align with the images of reality that my eyes were sending it. The cause of Matsuri's excitement became evident when the peek of the Konoha gate became visible over the tree canopy. As we approached the village, the three students paused to marvel at the immense doors. I halted with them so Kankuro and Temari copied.
"Whew, it gets longer and longer every time we make the journey, eh?" Kankuro said stretching out his muscles by leaning over to touch his toes.
"Psh, you're just out of shape." Temari joked. Kankuro replied with an unamused glance. I was tired too. I didn't feel it physically, only mentally but what else was new? Temari proceeded to the desk of the two men guarding the gate to gain our party clearance. I remained stationed at the entrance, staring up at its impressive construction. My mind wandered as it had so many times before. Another memory flashed dismal bleach white walls and pasty sheets smelling of laundry detergent. I was lying on my back with eyes glued to the plaster ceiling of the Konoha hospital. Uzumaki lay in a bed to my right. He was cocooned in bandages as I was only he was fast asleep. Being cursed as the host of the Shukaku brought me infinite nights with only my thoughts and darkness. I remembered that on that night, my being was haunted by the events of the previous day. I had been captured by a band of callous ninja who saw my existence as merely a creature to be sought and used. Matsuri had been the bait. She was only my pupil for a few hours and her life had already been threatened due to her ties to my fate. I will never forget her face when she witnessed the Shukaku. I saw Matsuri incapacitated by unbearable fear and revulsion. The shock had knocked her to the ground as she cringed with eyes wide and mouth open as if any moment she would let out a scream. Lying in the hospital I remember thinking our relationship to be at an end. She would leave in search of a new teacher, thus running away like all the others before her. Little did I know that as dawn broke painting its reds and oranges over the blank canvass sky, she would be at my bedside, wondering about my condition as if nothing had happened. As if I was not the monster I was named at birth to become. Why did she come back to me? I had been pondering that question ever since that lonely night gaining little ground toward a satisfying answer. She truly was a strange little girl.
Matsuri POV
We were defiantly not in Sunakagure anymore. The structures that line the street are dressed in colorful banners displaying various promotional slogans. I spotted one for a flower shop, a hotel, and several restaurants. Beyond the buildings towered a memoir to all the past Hokages forever etched in stone. It was truly magnanimous and created a sense that though the Hokages of the past were gone; they never ceased to watch over their village. In the shadow of the mountain bustled thousands of leaf citizens. Some were racing down the corridors as if they were late for something while others lightheartedly strolled along taking their sweet time. Everything was so foreign. I was afraid of getting lost in this place so I followed closely behind the group.
"Hey you guys." A voice said from in front of me with meager enthusiasm. The source of the sound was a tall, pony tailed boy wearing a green vest to signify his Chunnin status.
"Hi Shikamaru!" Temari said back in a cheery tone. "How have you been?"
"Oh you know same old same old." He started walking with us for what seemed like the purpose of an escort, but my three superiors seemed to already know their way around. It wasn't long before we found our home for the next month or so. It was in an apartment building about three stories high. Once inside, it became known that our living quarters would consist of one large communal space connecting four smaller bedrooms. The bedrooms were divided so everyone received there own except for Sari and I who would share and Gaara who claimed he didn't want one. I know he preferred the roof.
"Sweet! It'll be just like a sleepover!" Sari squealed as I rolled my eyes but smiled. She reminded me of one of those chipper, popular girly girls back at the academy that I never seemed to get along with. We had such different personalities but somehow are friendship was working out.
"Did you see that cute pony tail dude who let us in?" she said.
"Oh don't even think about it! Yuudai would be so jealous." I teased.
"Oh Mat, you know I've got to play the field."
"That's a pretty big field."
"I like to keep my options open." I giggled childishly at the audacity of my friend.
"What about you hmmm? See any boys you like?" she looked interested. To tell the truth, I didn't think about boys. Maybe the rush of hormones that already plagued Sari had not yet distorted my interpretation of the opposite sex. I played along despite this.
"Not yet." Sari and I talked late into the night, mostly about her favorite subject but there was the occasional comment on events of days to come. The Chunnin exams were a big deal and I was ready to give it everything I've got.
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