A/N: Ok reloading this chapter cuz of a major mixup. I sorta uploaded this in an attempt to update before I had to go to work and accidentally uploaded the wrong draft...(yeah...total fail, I know.) Then I was too tired to bother checking it when I got home so it went unnotice. o.o Juxtaposition32's review made me realize I uploaded the half-finished original chapter for the story (which is a reader insert of Fos-ff)...and since I changed it to a normal Oc story specifically for this site (due to the fact that reader inserts weren't allowed and I didn't wanna get in any trouble)...the point of view was all crazy. ^^" But I've fixed it! and I'm uploading the real chapter...and will probably avoid updating until I'm back from work and able to check what the heck I'm uploading. O.o But anyways...sorry for the mixup guys! ...heres the real chapter...
"Is everything alright, Kiku-chan?"
Kiku's head turned away from the view of the window to face Aya. The
blonde leaned forward in her chair, elbows resting on her knees as her
chin rested on her hands.
"You keep staring out that window." Aya said, getting up from the chair.
"They're leaving for the chunin exams...the kazekage...and a group of
others." Kiku said, "I was just hoping to see it...but I can't see much
from here. Just the crowds going to see them off."
The young girl let out an audible sigh and Aya grabbed her friend's arm to pull her up.
"Let's go talk to Emiko-sensei. The hospital is running slow
today...nothing for us 'medic trainees' to do anyway. Let's just see
if we can take a little break to see everything then we can come back
and see if there's any work for us."
Kiku nodded and followed Aya through the halls of the hospital, taking
note of the earie quietness. There was nobody in the halls, aside from
a small group of medics whispering and laughing amongst themselves.
The halls of the hospital were never this quiet. They were always full
of people...sick or mildly injured that the younger staff was normally
sent after while more experienced medics cared for the more serious
cases.
Kiku wondered if everyone was merely ignoring their own minor injuries
to see the group leave for the chunin exams. She that she
certainly would have.
After a few moments of searching, the two girls found Emiko. Their
teacher was leaving the room of one of her patients, a young ninja
who'd been at the hospital for the last four days after being hit with
several poisoned needles. Luckily he'd gotten to the hospital in time.
Emiko and Aya had worked together to help him and Kiku was there to
observe their technique. It looked difficult, but Emiko assured her
after the ordeal that she would learn it soon enough. The thought had
made new new medic happy. She was working hard to improve.
"Kiku-chan, Aya-chan...did you girls need me for something?" Emiko
looked at the two curiously.
"Could we go see the kazekage and the others leave for the chunin
exams...please Emiko-sensei?" Kiku asked, hopeful.
Emiko seemed to think for a moment, looking around at the empty halls
before shrugging her shoulders and nodding.
"I guess it wouldn't hurt for today...but make sure you both don't
stay out too long. We'll need your help later."
Kiku and Aya broke into smiles and turned to run down the hall.
"Thanks Emiko-sensei!" They both yelled back as they headed towards
the exit.
Once out in the streets of Suna the girls could just feel the excitement in
the air. The chunin exams were very important, and it was always a
celebrated time. This year seemed particularly important. The kazekage
was even sending his own children to participate...a bit later than
expected for the oldest, ppl said, but it was the kazekage's decision.
Nobody dared go against the kazekage's decision.
The closer they got to the village's edge the denser the crowds became.
Street vendors filled the area, most offering drinks to help quench
the thirst of the citizens who'd been in the sun for the majority of
the morning.
It seemed like everyone was rather excited for today. Kiku found it a
little odd, as the chunin exams had never caused such a stir before.
Mild celebration to wish the prospective chunin luck was commonplace,
but the village seemed to have turned to a festival.
After a while, She and Aya managed to push their way to the front of
the crowd. Kiku sighed, realizing that nobody was there yet. Just the
crowd, split along the center to form a path for the group preparing
to leave.
"Kiku-chan...I'm gonna grab us some snacks while we wait, alright.
Wait right here so I can find you again."
The girl nodded, twirling a strand of purple hair around her finger, and Aya headed off towards a nearby cart.
For a while Kiku closed her eyes and tilted her head back towards the
sky. The warth felt nice and she let out a calm sigh.
Memories of her childhood rushed through her head. Memories of her
and Gaara...young children playing amongst the sand while the warm sun
beat down on them...just like today.
"It's great, isn't it?"
"He'll be gone a whole month, right?"
"That's good news. I won't have to worry about my sister wandering off
for a while."
Kiku heard talking from behind and opened her eyes to see the
three young women standing there. They didn't notice her staring, or
if they did they simply ignored it.
"It's always exciting when the kazekage sends him away...but this time
is way worth the celebration. Our village will be rid of Gaara for
over a month...and on top of that we have a chance to show our
strength to Konoha. Their ninja can't hope to compete against the sand."
"That's true...we can all relax until the exams are over. Then we may
have some new chunin to add to our ranks. Gaara for sure...no matter
how scary that thought is. Maybe with the new title the Kasekage could
send him farther off more often."
"I hope so. The village is better off without him here."
Kiku's hands involuntarily balled into fists. She couldn't stand people
talking bad of Gaara. She understood everyones reasoning, but she
couldn't bring herself to agree one bit. It was this mentality
everyone had of him that drove him to what he was today.
Kiku was considering interupting their conversation when a small glass
was suddenly thrust in front of her.
"You look upset about something Kiku-chan. Cheer up, it's almost time
for them to get here. The vendor told me so."
Kiku looked at Aya and smiled, taking the glass and one of the small
bags of pastries she had hanging off her wrist.
"Thanks Aya-San."
"No problem."
The two medics looked out at the empty space, sipping their drinks and
eating their snacks.
A sudden roar of the crowd sent the two of them staring up the pathway.
There stood the Kazekake and the rest of the ninja on their way for
Konoha. Kiku and Aya joined in on the cheers as the group got closer.
The energy grew more and more intense as the group began to pass.
Kiku's eyes looked over the crowd, searching until they settled on that
familiar red hair.
Her heart raced as she watched Gaara walk by. His expression was
angry, looking straight ahead as he walked. The smallest one of the
group he held such a presence of power it almost made her breath
catch in her throat. She wanted to reach out and touch him...to hold
onto him and wish him luck...but she didn't move.
Instead she just watched him walk by. Not once did he glance in her
direction...her very existence currently unknown to him.
All Kiku could do as he passed the gates of the village was close her
eyes and hope once again that he'd be alright and that someday she could have
her friend back...the way he was when they were children.