Part 17: Two Loves
We just stayed like that for maybe several sunlit days, "You'll always have me Keitii-chan, I promise," I raised my head up and smiled looking directly in to those hazel eyes as he stroked my hair, "You're staying right?" he asked tentatively,
"Yeah," I whispered back to him in his ear, he smiled and I leaned my head on his shoulder again. We eventually let go, I got a few stares from people, "Why are they staring at me?"
"Because you're so stunningly pretty," I snorted, "Okay it's because a lot thought you were dead or captured until we tracked you down, but our mission was kind of secret so expect stares,"
"What, so they think I am a walking zombie?" I laughed and made groaning noises like one and put my arms horizontally straight,
"You haven't changed a bit,"
"Nope," he grinned,
"Well in that case I know where we are going next," he grabbed my hand and ran through the crowds dragging me in to a pub. But to my surprise he didn't take me to the bar but let me over to a clustered table. I sat down neatly and swiftly on a stool, then I glanced around. Pairs of wide eyes stared back at me, "Look who I found guys,"
"Keitii?" a voice said disbelievingly,
"No, shit Sherlock," I rolled my eyes, "And before you ask no I am not dead," they laughed, Katsou headed over to the bar,
"Where did you go?" asked one,
"Well I travelled around to try and find an old friend," I thought it was best I didn't say that it was Makaiko as they might know which village I'd gone to first, not good, "Then when I found out that they weren't there I decided to go to Sunagakure," I said indicating the headband,
"So you're part of Suna now?" they seemed to hang on my every word, some had belonged to my fan club,
"Yes, but I went out to do something..." I let my voice trail off trying to think what I'd been doing. I remembered being in a swirling sandstorm but nothing before that. Katsou came over with my drink,
"So where are you staying then Keitii?" I blinked, I hadn't even thought,
"I dunno I haven't really given it any thought, an inn maybe?"
"Not afraid of roughing it in those dodgy inns then?" Katsou looked at me a bit concerned,
"Well it's not like trawling through the desert was a bundle of laughs." We played a few card games me beating them of course, afterwards I wandered around Hoshigakure with Katsou again,
"Well lets find you a place to stay in," further up the street there were a few inns, (some pretty dodgy ones as well) we walked in to one of the nicer looking ones, I saw a young very bored looking manager at the desk,
"Can I help you?"
"Yes, I need a room," she glanced at Katsou,
"Would that be a double for you both?"
"No, just me," I said quickly with a look at Katsou. She handed me a key with her long talon jewelled fingernails. She went back no staring out of the window as we made our way upstairs, I looked at the key to check what room it was. I stood facing an oak door with a brass handle, the lock clicked as I opened it. I ran over and flopped on to the bed then kicked my shoes off which almost hit Katsou.
"Watch it,"
"Sorry," I grinned at him, I looked around the room. It was smaller than any I'd lived in obviously but it did have a double bed, a horribly coloured bathroom, a T.V and a nice view of the village.
"It's not exactly what you're used to I suppose,"
"Personally I just want a bed," suddenly Kotaro flew in through the open window, I heard a voice call, "We still have to find Keitii-chan you stupid bird! Fine I'll find her then!"
"My baby!" I screamed,
"What?!" Katsou looked horrified, I turned around cradling Kotaro in my arms,
"Mummy will never leave you again,"
"Oh you meant the bird," he sighed in relief. I put Kotaro on a cushion because he was getting a bit big and heavy to go on my head constantly. The sun was throwing its bloody rays over the village making shadows long. I switched the T.V. on and sat on the bed, next to Katsou. Automatically a childish program came on, "I thought this was your favourite," he said mockingly, so I bashed him with a pillow, "Okay it's not your favourite then," he grinned, I eventually deduced that the only sane thing that was on was a romantic story called 'Jaaku Kijo'. I got up again to look in the salvation cabinet aka the mini fridge which had some small umeshu bottles in, I chucked one at him and he caught it,
"Thank the lord for alcohol," he laughed,
"Old habits die hard," I leaned back on to the pillows, the film started. The plot unfolded in secret affairs, a necklace stolen by a so called respectable lady who dressed up as a highwayman and got a necklace back she'd lost. She had an affair with a man called Kit because she was in an arranged marriage. But when the husband and lover came back in a horse and cart they decided to let everyone have their true love. But the lady decided to shoot her husband because she knew not of the arrangement and tried to kill him but Kit her lover shot her because he thought that she was a highwayman and when he found her in her bedroom I let tears roll down my face. It was so sad, I felt an arm around my shoulders that pulled me in closer in to a warmth that I gladly accepted, I leant on the chest and felt so over come with tiredness, that I felt safe enough to close my eyes and I fell in to a deep sleep.
Darkness swirled around me enveloping me in darkness, I saw a light in the distance and walked towards it. The bright light drew closer very quickly, it was a hopeful thing that made me feel as though I walked on air, drifting towards it like a mere ghost. The light grew all around me, swallowing me whole as I was blinded. I span around and around.
I arrived in a forest clearing with Gaara standing opposite looking helpless, I felt a hand on my throat with a point sticking in to my neck. I looked sideways and saw an ANBU mask and I heard a gravelly voice speak,
"Attack and she dies!" it yelled, Gaara stepped forwards, my captor held a kunai to my stomach, "Just let her come with me, she does not love you, she didn't even attempt to find you," the voice said laughing manically. I opened my mouth and tried to tell him that I loved him but I didn't even make a sound, "See she doesn't even deny it," I looked at Gaara trying to will him to understand what I wanted to tell him, what I wanted to scream to the heavens!
"She's coming back with me," Gaara said flatly with no real anything for me showing through. My heart panged as I realised the inevitable, that he didn't even think I was worth a damn, especially if it wasn't for Kotaro. I tried to say something but again, just a silence.
"No, oh no, she wants to be with the one she loves," the manic laughter continued to spiral around in my head so I shook it, "Lets see who she wants to go back with," they said releasing me, "If she chooses you then I'll kill her, but if she chooses me then she comes back with me," this guy was off his rocker, I turned around looking at both men in turn. I couldn't live I life without him, even if it meant I had to die right here right now. But how would I tell him what I wanted to say? When I couldn't utter a sound of reassurance. I took three steps towards Gaara then I felt a pain just next to my spine and I collapsed almost instantly. I saw sand fly up around and some red hair and cyan eyes. I coughed as I tasted the taste of blood. I felt the coldness creeping up my body slowly as the world started to blur. Gaara lifted my head,
"Keitii stay with me," my eyelids flickered, I must tell him the truth right now,
"I-I" he waited holding his breath, he was slowly sliding away as the coldness gripped my heart until I was on my very last heart beat I whispered, "Love... you," he smiled as I span once again in to blackness.
I landed in the bed breathing heavily. I remembered nothing of the dream but felt what I'd needed to do,
"GAARA!" I screamed,
"What's the matter Keitii-chan?" Katsou muttered his arm still around me which I'd fallen asleep in,
"I have to leave now!"
"Why?!" he looked alarmed, I slid my shoes on and picked up Kotaro putting him on my head and running out of the room. Katsou caught up with me and grabbed my wrist and pulled me around,
"Where exactly are you going? You promised you'd stay,"
"I have to find Gaara," I said in a whisper,
"Well he's in Suna,"
"No, he was captured by Akatsuki that's why I was out in the desert," I said hurriedly,
"You're not going to find him on your own if Akatsuki are involved,"
"Well I have to and not just to find Gaara but to tear Makaiko limb from limb for betraying me," Katsou tried to reason with me,
"Look lets go the Hoshikage to put a team together so we can help like Suna helped us,"
"You know I do work alone,"
"Not this time," he said forcefully and dragged me towards the Hoshikage manor. As we approached, I stopped,
"I can't go in there," he sighed and held out a hand,
"Come on Keitii-chan please, it'll be okay," we ran to the entrance, and saw Amaterasu standing there,
"What the-"
"Look I need to see your father now,"
"Why?"
"No time to explain, where is he?"
"In his office like he always is," she led us up there, I whimpered a bit as I passed some places of my most painful memories, but Katsou squeezed my hand to say it'll be alright. Amaterasu knocked,
"Come in,"
"Oh I see you found the alluring Keitii then," he joked,
"Look," I stopped myself in time and remembered I had to be polite, "Hoshikage-sama, I was in the middle of the desert because I'd gone after Gaara the Kazekage because he's been captured by Akatsuki, please I have to go after them," I pleaded. He looked at me over his finger tips surveying me,
"Right then I am sending you two," he looked at Katsou and Amaterasu, "And also Raiden on this,"
"Well it helps with Raiden-sensei,"
"Akatsuki are involved so I suggest you tread very very carefully and don't take any risks," he looked at me, "Do you have any information Keitii?"
"Well you remember Makaiko, she is with them," Katsou looked around registering I didn't call her my friend, "The one who kidnapped him was called Deidara I think and he controls this kind of chakra filled clay that he makes in to bombes, the bombs can also take many forms and he flies on a clay bird,"
"Right then, Hiroshi!" he called, a tall guard entered,
"Yes Hoshikage-sama?"
"Go get Raiden I need him urgently for a mission. He exited and we just looked at each other and shuffled our feet until Raiden-sensei entered even though he wasn't my sensei since I didn't belong to Hoshigakure anymore I still felt he was the one who had trained me to be stronger than Katsou and Amaterasu. He was tall with mid-length dark blue hair.
"You wanted to see me Hoshikage-sama,"
"Yes, you are going on a rescue mission with these three, the Kazekage has been kidnapped by Akatsuki. The information we have so far is that Makaiko is with them and that there is one called Deidara who makes chakra filled clay bombs which take on many forms, right then I want you to set out straight away,"
"Thank you Hoshikage-sama," I said and we exited.