Yeesh! Let's hope mistakes and odd glitches are over and done with! :D Here's chapter 15 for you all ^^
Disclaimer: *Wail* I own nothing!
"I got the fuck burned out of me by a Jeriko!" I finally blurted out, whipping around to face the council with wide eyes. I was mostly greeted with confusion, but the elderly Joseki was staring at me in shock.
"A… Jeriko?" He asked and I nodded frantically.
"Believe me, I wouldn't say this in jest." I said before swiftly spinning on my heel and pacing like a mad woman.
"What is a 'Jeriko'?" Baki asked with a frown in his voice.
"A Jeriko is… a-"
"Weapon of mass destruction stuffed into a human body!" I burst out when Joseki hesitated, still pacing.
"For lack of a better explanation, yes." Joseki hesitantly agreed. "A Jeriko… is very rare. There's no way of telling how they are created as they simply… appear randomly. They are able to completely manipulate any and all flames, as well as creating them out of thin air. Their powers are activated in a time of much stress, and there are no signs of their abilities until they-"
"Until they accidently light their sister on fire!" I snapped when he hesitated again.
"And once their powers are activated?" Ryusa questioned lightly, trailing off at the end.
"They become uncontrollable. Anything that irritates a Jeriko can cause them to retaliate with their powers."
"Like lighting their sister on fire." I muttered under my breath as I paced, but it went ignored.
"And their retaliation can range from a small burst of flame to an explosion strong enough to obliterate an entire city." Joseki finished with a sigh. "They can't be controlled, either. Their powers are completely uncontrollable. The only thing even close to controlling their power is controlling their temper to the point that they never get angry."
"I see… What do you suggest we do about this Jeriko?" Baki asked as Gaara scanned everyone in the room, thinking.
"Our strongest enemy has the ability to create flames that cannot be put out…" Gaara mused with a frown. "But you say they cannot control their powers?"
"No. Even if they were trying to save someone by moving flames away, it would most likely end with them causing an explosion." Joseki said unhappily.
"Then what choice is there?" Goza asked icily. "We need to eliminate the problem before they kill someone." I spun around and slammed my fist into the table as hard as I could, causing everyone but Gaara to jump in surprise. I narrowed my eyes slightly when I realized the table didn't even crack, whereas at my full strength, it would be nothing but sawdust.
"Don't you dare! It's a nine year old child for god's sake!" I shouted furiously, feeling the sand under my feet stir in warning.
"It's a massacre waiting to happen." Goza snapped back and I let out a snarl of anger.
"If you go anywhere near my baby sister, I will fucking slaughter you!" I growled and he looked taken aback. I felt the sand fall back to the ground calmly, completely unnoticed by anyone but me. I suddenly felt a rush of weakness, and was thankful that I was leaning against the table on my hand. Otherwise, I would have sunk to the ground. I felt something cold being pressed to my throat and looked from the corner of my eye to find Baki holding a kunai to my throat.
"I respect my Kazekage's decision to allow you into this sacred room, but I will not permit you to defile it with your violence. If you cannot control yourself, then you will be removed… One way or another." Baki said calmly in warning. I glared at him, but relaxed my fist, pressing my palm against the table.
"I find it curious that you even believe you can protect the girl when you aren't even allowed in the Land of Wind to begin with." Ryusa commented offhandedly, looking genuinely curious.
"She is allowed, Ryusa." Gaara cut in calmly and I looked at him in surprise. "I just finished the paperwork editing her order of exile. She is free to be in the town that she lives in, but she is not allowed to enter Sunagakure or leave her town unless called upon by myself or the council."
"Very well." Baki said as he returned to his seat.
"I… need to leave…" I said between deep breaths as I not only tried to calm myself, but tried to fight my sudden exhaustion. "I will help the girl with her temper. If I can, I will make her the mellowest person you'll ever meet." I said and was about to try to stand up on my own and leave when Joseki spoke.
"Wait… You implied that she burned you with her fire. Is this true?" Joseki asked and I nodded in confusion. "Please show us the injuries." He said and I frowned. Joseki gave me a serious look and I reluctantly untied my obi. I pulled it away, setting it down on the table, and slid my long sleeve off my right arm, which was covered in bandages. I was wearing my red camisole underneath, so nothing was revealed as I slowly began to unwrap the bandages. I watched as Joseki leaned forward, watching intently as I reached the final layer of bandages. I bit my lip at the pain as I pulled it away from the burns.
"What the hell?" Baki questioned in confusion as the bandages fell away to reveal my arm was covered in light burns. However, what stunned everyone as the thin stripe of black tattoo's on my wrist and on the skin just below my elbow. Even stranger, the entire gap between them was the burnt flesh... as though it was intentionally burned to fill the space perfectly.
"What the hell is that?" I asked Joseki, who shook his head.
"Her fire marked you as its creator. Did you awaken her powers?" He asked and I nodded, remembering her shock and fear. "Then you might just be able to teach her to control it to a degree… However, as I explained before, it cannot be controlled. The power is directly tied to her emotions, allowing her to use it to lash out, but the flames have a mind of their own. When I say this, I mean that they are similar to the Bijuu in a Jinchuuriki. The flames are alive, with a mind of their own, and they control themselves. However, they are tied to the user's emotions, so if the user gets angry, the fire does as well, and the fire will lash out."
"But when awakened, they lack control for a brief moment. If whoever was attacked lives to tell the tale, the flames are… grateful, I suppose, for allowing them to live again, albeit unknowingly, and mark you so they will always recognize you as an ally. Even if the user no longer cares for you, the flames will be rendered completely useless if used against you." Joseki explained.
"I see… So that's why I have a chance to train her…" I murmured in a slightly weaker tone, but Gaara still noticed the slight change.
"Is something the matter?" He asked and I shot him a cold look.
"I'm fine." I snapped and he narrowed his eyes slightly, but I ignored it. "I need to leave before my sister tells our father about what happened. I would appreciate it if we could keep this information to ourselves so that she isn't targeted for her abilities…" I eyed everyone icily, silently warning them.
"Don't allow what we spoke of here to leave this room." Gaara said calmly and several people nodded. "Leave." He turned away from them and looked towards the window as everyone filtered out, leaving just me there. "Why didn't you go?" He asked coldly and I frowned.
"I don't know where the stairs are." I stated and he looked at me with a slightly confused expression.
"You're a shinobi. You don't need the stairs." He pointed out and I shook my head, causing him to frown further.
"I'm not a shinobi anymore, Gaara. I permanently lost my powers when I was resurrecting you." I said calmly, watching his expression.
"No, you didn't. If you had, how did you keep up with us when you came to the Land of Iron? And how did you crush the rocks when the ceiling collapsed?" Gaara questioned and I shrugged.
"I've been steadily losing my chakra, Gaara. It was very difficult for me to follow you. I barely still had enough strength to destroy the rocks. Why do you think I was dodging the Akatsuki's attacks instead of fighting them off when they attacked?" I pointed out and he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
"So you have no chakra use?" He asked and I nodded.
"Well, I have some, but… I stopped being able to heal only a month and a half after you…" I paled slightly at the memory of him dying and saw Gaara eye me with slight surprise. I look at him and gave a slight smile.
"What?" He inquired at my sudden smile.
"I can still read you like a book… Gaara…" I walked over to where he stood and leaned against the window sill, looking out it. "Do you remember when you were… Say, 13 and a half?" I picked absently at a sharp point in the paint as I looked at the clouds. "I had told you that I had come to think of you as a friend, and you didn't know what to believe. After all, why would anyone care for a murderer?" I quoted his words and felt Gaara shift beside me.
"I remember."
"I'm glad… It's one of my fonder memories." I admitted with a small smile. "You went up to your room, not completely believing me, so I followed you. I sat down beside you on your bed, the room pitch black because it was night, and told you that it was true. I told you that I'd always be your friend. Do you remember?" I asked.
"Yes." He stated simply, but his voice was softer than before.
"To prove that I trusted you and that I meant what I said, I cut my palm open and swore on my blood that I meant every word, and that I would always be there for you… That I trusted you... And I did this knowing that you still struggled with Shukaku's blood lust, finally convincing you that I meant it… Every time you went on a mission, I would sit in my room in my little town that I shouldn't have been in, and I would pray that you would come out alive."
"Every time you left the Land of Wind for a mission, I would follow you from a distance to make sure I was close enough to help if needed…" I looked down at my arms, moving my left arm to hold it out towards Gaara, the palm upturned. In the center of my palm was a long, thin scar. "I took an oath, Gaara. I've kept it to the end, even going so far as to destroy the only life I'd ever know to save you. I intend to continue keeping it, even if I have to do it as a mere mortal." I said softly with a light teasing smile, then turned around and began to leave in the direction the council members had left in. "When you're done thinking, come and see me, would you? You know where to find me…" I paused at the door and smiled softly. "Besides… I miss you terribly." Then I left, leaving him to process everything.
Aw... So if you guys haven't noticed, Sakura's been borderline emotionless when she isn't around Gaara. This will be explained in the next chapter... and in chapter 17, they're getting back together! Yay! And in chapter 17, you'll also find out why Gaara's been treating her like he has despite knowing she's innocent.