Part 9 Just A Friend?
Now the where are the training grounds around Suna? I had slept on the floor that night and had decided I needed to do some training to keep myself safe from all these ninjas after me, I hate being a damsel in distress it's so pathetic. After I did some walking that felt like all around Suna I actually had forgotten all about training and had started to walk back to the Kazekage manor sub-consciously. Why couldn't I stop thinking about him? I passed the academy on the way to the Kazekage manor, all the little children training to pass and get the headband, they all seemed to be in groups of friends already, they all seemed to be similar to each other. I smiled to myself, Makaiko and I were quite different, for one thing I was human, I wondered if I would ever see her again, I also knew she had gone to Iwagakure after leaving Hoshigakure, well I know she didn't fight because she deserted the village and refused to participate, she may be a demon, but a loyal friend.
My heart beat fast; I wanted to go to Suna because Sach-, I blinked back tears. I thought but my mind seemed to be too jam packed trying to comprehend the things that had just happened. Mother was killed right in front of my eyes and Sachiyo my beloved brother and my one great protector was gone, one thing was for sure I wasn't going back there, especially if my father was still alive. The only other person in the whole world I knew who I could ever go to was Makaiko my best friend who happened to be in Iwagakure, the village that had attacked, well I wasn't going to stroll into it wearing the Hoshigakure headband for one thing, so I stuffed it into my shoe. Well it was the best place to go for now, I wondered if she had changed her appearance at all? And she could have changed her name? Well I could try my best.
After a few days I leant against a tree and slid down the trunk breathing heavily, I had still been recovering when I set off, I was absolutely starving and so tired but I couldn't sleep for fear of being set upon. As I journeyed through the woods I started to see high walls and a pair of wooden gates, I had arrived at my intended destination. I slid through the pair of gates and entered, the ninjas were all clearly still in Hoshigakure, I skulked in the shadows not wanting to be noticed suspiciously walking around. I saw a pub just a head, if she was anywhere she might be there, mind you I couldn't talk, I liked alcohol way way more. It was deserted apart from a bar man wiping some glasses, I plonked myself on the stool in front of the bar. The man looked up; he had dark purple eyes and wavy blonde hair,
"What can I get you my pretty?" I glared at him, he looked taken a back and winced as my glare scorched his roughly shaven face,
"Warm sake and make it quick," I hissed, I was only being like this to protect myself from unwanted strangers, I was in the village that murdered my mother and brother, I scratch my nails along the roughly carved wooden bar, the man turned around,
"Don't do that," I gave him another scorching glare and rested my head on one arm and with my free hand drummed my fingers, "Something else you want missy?" he brought the mug of warm sake over and set it down, I looked up,
"Yes," he looked at me questioningly, I raised my head up off of my arm, "Has a girl of 17 and who goes by the name Makaiko ever come into your bar?"
"No, I have never heard of this Makaiko you speak of,"
"Don't give me that shit you bastard," I said through gritted teeth,
"I ain't lying!"
"What about," I paused for thought who else could she have been, a thought struck me, "What about a neko girl, has a very sarcastic manor and loves killing and bloodshed," after all she was part demon and didn't like taking on a full human form if she could avoid it, he screwed up his face in concentration,
"Oh yes, 'cept she goes by the name of Hikari, likes to have a good drink, very rude girl she was, also had weird likings for danger and dangerous things," I smirked that sounded just like her,
"Yes that's her, do you know where she is?"
"Well she refused to take part in attacking that smaller village called Hoshigakure and I think she has deserted this village along with a lad, blonde hair and hyperactive what was his name?" he scratched his head like a monkey, "Deidara, apparently he was a local heart throb dunno where they went," I downed the sake and put some money on the counter then strode out of the dingy pub all in quick succession. Well seems like I am on my own, just my luck 'spose I'd have to go to Suna in that case the chances of me finding the shape shifting Makaiko anytime soon were zero.
I decided to find Temari, with any luck she might take me shopping, I drew to a halt outside the kitchen, the door was slightly a jar, I heard voices so I pushed the door open. Kankurou looked round; he gave a big grin,
"Oh, hi Keitii erm we were just-" Temari shot him a warning look, "Talking about your village and that they requested some ninja to help fight against Iwagakure,"
"Oh," I knew he was lying by the tone of his voice but I couldn't be arsed pursuing the subject, I sat on the kitchen work surface,
"Aren't you worried about your father?" Kankurou looked at me tilting his head to one side,
"No, he is an evil git and can go burn in hell, I wish him the slowest and most painful death possible," I said tonelessly, they both looked shocked; I didn't know what it was like to have a 'normal' family life. I glared out of the window swinging my legs, after a long tense silence Kankurou spoke,
"Why-," he began but I cut him off,
"I hate him okay, I blame him for the death of Sachiyo and not to mention the fact he almost killed me!" I kicked my legs and swung off the counter then stormed out slamming the door behind me. I flopped down on my bed and Kotaro did and impression of me, I looked side ways at him, I had a bird who understood me, so no actual human people who understand, just Kotaro, "Kotaro, do you reckon I'll ever find someone who understands my messed up life?" I stared at the ceiling for what felt like centuries. No-one else even new about what had happened back in the Hoshikage manor, Makaiko only knew a little bit when I'd turn up with bad bruises covering me. I had got into the habit of wearing clothes that covered me up so as to not show the cuts and bruises that only showed half of the pain I endured. There was a soft knock on the door,
"Keitii-chan," Temari called softly, she pushed the door open, I didn't move, "Are you okay?" I looked into her blue eyes, what could I say?
"Oh yeah I'm ….. fine," she looked at me concerned,
"Why did you leave Hoshigakure anyway?" I looked away, suddenly a flash crossed across my mind.
"I don't care you seem determined to make Keitii and I more powerful even if it means you loose us! Keitii has been out cold for two days now because of what you said to her!"
"How dare you speak to me like that!" a pause then, BANG! BANG!BANG!
"NO! Stop it!"
I was jerked backed to reality by a knock at the door,
"Come in," a maid strode into the room,
"Kazekage-sama wants to see Keitii immediately,"
"What's happened?" I asked in horror, surely he wasn't about to send me back, the maid shrugged. I shoved her out of the way and ran down the corridor, Temari picked up Kotaro and ran after me leaving the bewildered looking maid in the doorway. I forgot to slowdown and went crashing into a wall, a painting fell down on my head and so did a pot off a shelf. The room span and stars twinkled in front of me, Temari bent down, "A two headed Temari!" I screamed, she raised her four eyebrows,
"Two heads? You sound a bit concussed," she pulled me up and I steadied myself against a wall then shook my head violently. What had I been doing to crash into a wall? I stood there for a while dazedly gazing at Temari and Kotaro who was now dive bombing off her shoulder. Then it clicked,
"Gaara!" I yelled then sprinted off along the corridor Kotaro and I had done our mission impossible down. I drummed hard on the door but didn't wait for a reply and burst in.
All of Team nine and the ninjas from Konoha stared at me,
"Ah," Gaara breathed, "Right well now you're finally here I can announce it," I couldn't look at him, not after the previous night, "Exactly 15 minutes ago I received a message from the Hoshigakure council saying that the Hoshikage was killed by an Iwagakure ninja," they all drew in breath, I could feel Gaara looking at me but I did not seek his eyes. I felt a warm hand take mine, I looked up in surprise and saw the hazel eyes and ruffled green hair, it was so nice for someone to maybe understand, someone to care and someone to protect and hold. He put a hand on my back and pulled me in and hugged me, I knew what he was going to ask me. I pulled away from him,
"Comeback Keitii-chan, I'll look after you," I looked up in to his eyes, tears burned in mine,
"I can't," I whispered,
"Please, I need you," he whispered back I got drawn in by those hazel eyes like had done as a love struck young girl, I started to open my mouth then,
"She isn't going back," Gaara glared at Katsou, I looked at him,
"You can't stop her, she has every right to comeback," Gaara still glared at him and refused to look at me,
"No she doesn't, as Kazekage of this village-" Katsou yelled over him,
"Oh I have heard about you Gaara of the desert, the unloving monster!" I stared at him my mouth open, Gaara's eyes widened in shock, "Just because you have never felt love you think you have a right to stop her! I love her!" Katsou grabbed my hand and I stared down in shock, I couldn't take much more. I glanced around the room tears started to roll in glittering beads down my face; I jerked my hand away and ran out of the room. I wanted to run and run and never to stop. I reached the roof and closed my eyes. The desert wind blew in my hair, the tear tracks dried on my face as I calmed down; I heard footsteps and snapped my eyes open,
"Keitii-chan," I heard his voice whisper as the footsteps stopped, I felt a hand on my shoulder, I put my hand on it and turned around to face Katsou, "Keitii-chan I love you, I can't bear not to see you ever again," he whispered in my ear, I felt his warm breath tickle my ear. I looked into his eyes, the captivating hazel I knew and fell for many times,
"I can't leave Gaara said-" he scowled and I realized why he was saying this, he was jealous,
"Oh so that's how it is?" I gulped and turned my head away, "You love him don't you? That monster who doesn't even give a shit about you, just treats you like some object," I stayed silent and let his rage continue, "Look at me when I talk to you!" he yelled, frightened I turned my eyes to his once again, "Tell me the truth! Do you love him?" I closed my eyes once again the tears swirled in my eyes, "Oh don't cry, don't be pathetic!" I glared at him, all the hatred for him I felt was because he was now just by saying that I was pathetic reminded me of my father,
"Don't call me pathetic!" a torrent of flaming fury burned inside me, "Yes! I LOVE HIM!" I took a shaky breath, "These people here know more about me than you ever did! They actually care for me! Gaara isn't the unloving monster! It's you!" I screamed I couldn't see through the tears blurring my vision, "Gaara has never had a chance at a normal life! He has never known love! All he needs is someone to love him for who he really is!"
"Oh don't give me this crap!" we were standing at logger heads, you could almost feel sparks fly from our eyes,
"You never noticed in all the years of knowing me that my father beat me every single day! You never noticed the bruises, cuts and scars of a scared girl! It takes me to run away to make you realize what I meant to you! Well sorry, mate, that's not good enough!" I felt like everything I'd bottled up over the years was flooding out, "You never even seemed to care I was in danger! You're just like my father! Not caring about anyone but yourself!" he launched himself at me, I screamed he looked like he would kill me. An arm of sand flicked him back as sand underneath me picked me up and put me down beside Gaara. He seemed to have been watching the whole yelling match, how much had he heard? I thought horrified,
"Aww look, the monster boy has come back to collect his little drunken whore," he sneered, Temari's voice spoke as Gaara shook a little with rage clutching at his heart,
"Leave this village and never come back you low life scum," Katsou stayed still and glared at me,
"Fine," he said coolly, turned and vanished into the distance. I could not even bare to look at any of them, I turned and ran down the stairs.