So, I finally caught up to Shippuden and I finished the Kazekage retrieval arc. Spoiler Alert: thank God Granny Chiyo resurrected Gaara. I was so flipping worried. Anyway, here's your dose of Nari.
Temari and Kankuro were not slow to notice my favoritism to their younger brother. In fact, that night in the hotel, they said Gaara and I should share the one bed bedroom since Gaara didn't sleep and I probably wouldn't. I didn't have anything against it. I knew, deep within myself, we'd just end up on the roof, staring at the moon. Gaara didn't protest either.
Just as I suspected, around midnight, we retired to the roof. I laid on my back, fidgeting with my bracelets. It was starting to become a habit of mine whenever Gaara was around. They weren't tight enough that they hurt or rubbed against the skin, but they weren't loose enough that they didn't constantly draw my attention to them. Their thickness made them awkward looking, more like cuffs than anything else. But they were excellent for blocking blows. No matter what anyone did to them, they didn't chip or crack. I was sure that the only one who could take them off of me was Gaara.
I felt Gaara's eyes on my jittery hands. "You don't like them," he assumed, but made no move to release their hold over me. I didn't respond. Agreeing might upset him, denying might give him the idea that I felt more for him than I did. He was a curiosity, a marvel. Perhaps a friend. At least, that's what I told myself.
"They don't disappear when I take nine-tailed fox form," I said instead. That had bothered me. Unlike everything else I wore, they didn't vanish when I shape-shifted. In fact, they just shrunk to accommodate the new size of my wrists. I felt Gaara's eyes shift down to my ankles. I didn't know why but I was hypersensitive to everything he did to grant me attention. "Don't even think about it," I snapped, but it was too late. Two new cuffs formed around my ankles.
I sighed as I sat up to look at them, wondering what kanji he had there now. On the top side of the right one, was the kanji for courage and the bottom had the kanji for hatred. On the left one, there was the kanji for surrounded and the underneath was the kanji for pain. "Antonyms," I muttered. "Is this your way of claiming me?" He stared at me incredulously.
"Like a pet?" he asked. I puffed at my bangs.
"No, not like a pet," I answered, slightly irked. "At least, it better not be like that otherwise I will find a way to get these things off." I was not an animal. I was a demon. An intelligent, independent demon. Or half-breed, as I had recently discovered. "Like a comrade," I said in a slightly kinder tone. I watched his eyes narrow. "Gaara," I called. He refused to answer me, possibly not knowing why he had done it himself. I let out a low breathe and rubbed the anklets. They would take a little more time to get used to.
"You haven't hunted in awhile," he commented after about an hour of silence. Gaara, for whatever reason, always volunteered to watch me when I went on a hunt in Suna. Personally, I thought he liked watching me eat my prey. That fascinated him. Temari and Kankuro were more than willing to comply. They weren't particularly found of watching me rip jack rabbits to shreds.
"I could go now," I replied. "It will be harder to find game at this time of night but I'll manage." Gaara nodded but neither of us made a move to leave.
"Can you truly read minds?" he finally stated. Ah, so he's thinking about the scroll. He hadn't been able to finish it but I had offered for him to keep it until he was done. I wanted him to know. I liked having someone who understood me.
"Yes."
"Can you read mine?"
"No. I believe it is because you carry Shukaku. I cannot read Naruto's mind either. I must not be able to read the minds of demons and since you're in the same body…" He nodded. "Do you want me to explain it in more depth?" Another nod. "I can read anyone's mind asides from those like yours. I also have the ability to dull the noise of all the minds around me unless a person is thinking directly about me. Them, I cannot block out. I also have the ability to dig through people's memories and bring certain ones to the surface. That is as close as I can get to communicating with them."
"Your range?"
"From this point, I can read all the minds in Konoha asides from those on the far wall." We were towards the back, right corner of the city. Close to the center but far enough away from it that I couldn't hear the thoughts of people on far, left wall.
"What are Temari and Kankuro thinking about?"
"Dreaming about," I corrected him softly. "Anyway, I'm not going to answer that. It's none of our business. If they want us to know, that is their doing." Gaara glared at me for a second but then went back to his usual emotion-drained look and peered at the moon. It was a crescent shape, whether waxing or waning, I didn't know.
"The Hokage knows," he said. I confirmed his suspicion. "Then you are also a spy, not just an ambassador."
"Yes. There are many things I'll be keeping an eye on and playing a part in. I plan on being a very influential force in Suna's politics by the time I leave." I thought his lips curved down for a moment but it must have been my imagination. Gaara stood suddenly. I didn't like how I couldn't read his every emotion and thought. It meant he could surprise me. But that's why he was a dangerous and why he peeked my curiosity.
"Come. You should hunt," he stated. I complied, shifting into beast form. I had left my staff in my room. I growled slightly as I felt the weight on my ankles. I kicked my back legs but there was nothing I could do. I'd just have to deal with them. Gaara headed in the direction of the wall and I followed. We came across a sentry but, upon seeing Gaara, he let us pass. He had heard of Gaara's immense powers and didn't want to challenge him.
I loved hunting at night. The redhead was the best to hunt with, too. He was silent as we moved about. I didn't have to worry about him scaring off any prey. My mind scanned the area ahead of me, looking for larger game than rabbits. Now that there was a variety, I was going to get something tastier. The instincts of a boar came to mind. He was tearing up the earth, looking for grubs.
My tails twitched in anticipation as I crept low to the ground. The tall grass allowed sufficient cover as I approached. Then, I let myself be seen. I was in the mood for a chase. There was no way the boar could out-run me. I had much better endurance and speed. I didn't worry about him charging, either. I could avoid the tusks and even if he did get me, I'd just heal.
The boar saw me and considering an attack until I let out a low growl. He turned tail and fled. I was a predator and he knew it. I ran after him with expert speed. My tails flapped behind me, letting the wind carry them. I caught up to the beast and pounced, taking him down with sharp precision. My teeth buried themselves around his upper spine and I snapped it between my jaws. His head thrashed about, the rest of his body paralyzed. I went for his lower neck next, ripping out his trachea. In a few moments, he bled out and died.
My body was only about the size of a large wolf so I couldn't pick my prey up. Suddenly, I felt my body grew larger so I could wrap my jaws around the thick neck. Gaara was used to this but this time he intervened. "If a sentry were to see you like this, they'd panic," he explained as he took the boar. I was at least twice his size. I deflated slightly but shrunk down to a smaller form without complaint. We leapt back to our hotel and he laid the boar on the roof for me.
I shook my front legs, rattling the bracelets, before I delved into the meal. I ripped open his guts and began devouring any flesh I came in contact with. Nine-tailed foxes had strong stomachs. We could digest almost anything. It took me the rest of the night to eat the boar. That's why I didn't hunt often anymore. I wasn't as hungry and my meals lasted a long time. I hadn't even gotten to the bones when the sun began to rise.
Gaara left me to check on his siblings. I didn't mind. I finished licking the bones clean when Temari appeared in front of me. "Can I talk to you?" she asked. I lifted my head and nodded, gesturing to the extra spot next to me. She wanted to talk about her brother. She felt protective over Gaara and she wanted to know what was going on between us. She saw the new cuffs on my ankles and went to inspect them.
"They're the antonyms of the originals," she stated. I nodded, cracking a bone open with my teeth. "Nari, can I talk to you in human form?" I considered the proposition for a moment before deciding to clean the blood off first. She didn't complain and waited, slightly impatiently, for me to change.
"What's bothering you?" I always made sure to ask these pointless questions. I didn't want someone to accidentally stumble upon my gift.
"What do you feel towards Gaara?" she began, straight to the point, as always. I liked Temari because of that. She was blunt and didn't waste time.
"I'm very interested by him. He presents to me an unusual challenge and raises many questions for me."
"Is that all? Are you… drawn to him?" I cocked my head to the side, considering that for a minute or so.
"Yes. As I said, he interests me. I wish to be near him so that I might observe his activities. And I want to help him learn how to live. I wish to be someone he confides his secrets in so that I can understand the complex structure of his mind. He's very… endearing." She shook her head. That wasn't what she meant. I was expecting her next words but they still took me aback.
"Do you have an infatuation for him?" I hesitated before answering. My mind screamed no but my heart cried a different tune. Which one to believe?
"I am developing feelings towards him," I admitted. "But I do not believe it to be an infatuation. Perhaps a friendship bond of sorts." So she's going to need a push, too, she thought. I knew Gaara was but I had hoped that she'd be slightly easier to deal with. "I don't think either of us have the emotional capacity for something more," I told her, trying to crush that idea. She thought Gaara and I might become more than friends. The very idea was disturbing. I couldn't see either of us being that close to somebody.
"Oh, okay…" she muttered, trying to conceal her true intentions. "Being his older sister, I had to ask. I couldn't have you hurting him or forcing yourself on him."
"Of course," I agreed, to not arouse suspicion. Even though we were now in my village, the sand siblings still felt responsible to watch after me. Temari sat with me as I ate the bone marrow. Unbeknownst to her, I was listening in on the strange conversation Gaara and Kankuro were having as they sat at breakfast in a small restaurant.
"So," Kankuro started. "What do you think of Nari, Gaara?" Gaara didn't reply, deciding to eat his breakfast. Kankuro sighed in frustration. He probably would've responded to Temari, the middle sibling thought grudgingly. "Do you like her?"
"Why?" Gaara finally said.
"Well, you guys spend a lot of time together and you talk with her more than anyone else. And I saw those bracelets you gave her. That was kind of you. What were they for, anyway? Was it her birthday or something?" Gaara shook his head, his messy hair shaking about. "Then why?" He refused to give him an answer. "Will you at least tell me what you think of her?"
"She is strange and too inquisitive for her own good. She needs to be watched. She is a threat." Well, that's something, Kankuro congratulated himself.
"Do you think of her as a friend?" A frown touched Gaara's lips.
"A companion, perhaps."
"Nothing else?"
"No." The short reply was curt and had a tone of finality. Gaara was done talking. Kankuro decided not to push him any further and let it be.
"Nari, have you ever dated someone?" Temari asked randomly. I choked on a piece of bone.
"N-no… Have you?" I imagined she had. Temari was pretty and her flirtatious side was very alluring. I had seen it only a couple of times while in Suna.
"Yeah… I was just wondering. You don't really seem the type. No offense."
"None taken. I'm not."
"Has anyone ever asked you out?" I shook my head.
"I'm not normally around long enough to allow them to develop such emotions. I'm not really one to stay in one place for long, or to commit to something."
"You know, wearing those bracelets all the time makes it seem like you've committed yourself to Gaara." I frowned at that and gave her an annoyed glare.
"I can't take them off," I said hotly. "Trust me, I don't have a choice."
"You don't like them?"
"I wouldn't really care either way but the fact that I don't have a choice but to wear them irks me. He could've asked for permission before putting cuffs on me."
"I think they're neat." I shrugged.
"I suppose, as far as sand bracelets go. They're chakra-infused to so they don't break or chip. That's also how they grow and shrink as I change forms."
"At least he didn't make you a collar," she giggled, amused by my irritation.
"Don't give him the idea," I growled. "I'm not a pet."
"Of course not," she laughed. "I couldn't imagine…" Inwardly, Temari was dying from amusement. She found my predicament "hilarious".
"Do you want anything else?" I snapped.
"I'm sorry," Temari apologized, stroking my hair. I flinched away from the unfamiliar display of affection. She hesitated, confused, until I relaxed again. Then she continued to smooth my black hair back. "Has no one ever done this to you before?"
"No," I admitted. Great, so both of them are clueless when it comes to physical affection. We have a lot of work ahead of us, she told herself, thinking of her and Kankuro's plan to bring Gaara and I together as a couple. We sat in silence as she pondered over the details of her plan. She didn't notice as Kankuro approached.
"We're switching," he stated randomly, talking to Temari. "I watched Gaara yesterday. It's your turn." His arms were crossed. He hadn't enjoyed his breakfast. Kankuro was normally in good humor. To see him so upset and not having been arguing with Temari was weird…
"Fine," Temari responded. "That just means you have to help Nari dispose of the bones." The eldest of the siblings pointed to my piles of bone fragments. One was depleted of bone marrow. The other I hadn't touched. Kankuro moaned but didn't say anything as he came to replace Temari as she stood. The elder kunoichi left us with a satisfied smirk.
"How long am I going to have to watch you eat that stuff?" Kankuro whined.
"I'm full," I mollified him. "And don't worry; there's a dumpster on the side of the building. We can just kick the bones down there." Kankuro helped me shove the piles to the edge of the roof and watched as they tumbled into the dumpster. Lucky for us, none of them missed the bin.
"So… What are we going to do today?" he began as we slid back into my hotel room through the window. I grabbed my staff and shrugged. "Why do you carry that stick around?" he demanded. A smile touched my lips.
"Why don't we go to the training grounds and I can show you? You tweaked up Crow yesterday, right?" Kankuro nodded and followed me as I led him to the training area. Before I took my stance, I meditated to try and gauge my chakra levels. They were around seventy-five percent. I had been up for the last four days but I hadn't done much. Usually, my chakra stopped being explosive when I reach forty percent. My forty percent was probably equivalent to Kankuro's one hundred percent.
Alright, so keep your distance in the beginning so you don't kill him, I told myself. "Are you ready?" I said aloud, taking my stance. He spun Crow out of the bandages and got into a ready position. I guessed he didn't feel like using Black Ant. I infused my chakra with my staff to make the wood more durable and then waited for his attack.
Kankuro was at a great disadvantage. Not only would his poison wear off extremely fast thanks to my high metabolism, but I also knew every move before he got the chance to execute it. Just to give him a break, I allowed Crow to get close to me, that way I could prove that the curved "stick" in my possession was not useless.
A loud crack resounded around the training ground, causing other shinobi to turn towards us. I had hit Crow so hard that his arm dislocated from the rest of his body and fell to the ground. But I knew it was far from out of commission. Kankuro could still control it if he wished. I jumped out of the way as Crow's main body came after me. I tried to focus on Kankuro's thoughts as the bystanders' attention was beginning to distract me. She's fast, Kankuro observed as I disappeared.
"Nine-tailed replication jutsu," I breathed. My clone didn't need instructions as she replaced me on the battle field. I snuck around back, hoping to catch Kankuro off guard. He didn't suspect a thing.
"Behind you!" someone shouted as I lunged out of the shrubbery. I hissed and shot a glare at the young boy as I was forced to evade Crow instead of attack.
"Focus, Konahamaru," an older ninja told the boy. "You mustn't distract the combatants as they fight. Simply observe their techniques." Yeah, Konahamaru, I snarled inwardly.
So she can produce clones, huh? Kankuro had never witnessed me perform any jutsu other than those involving wind. I had decided, since I was in the Land of Wind, I should perfect my wind technique. I had even managed to learn a few new jutsu. I rejoined my clone on the opposite side of Kankuro and waited for him to strike again.
"She's toying with you, Kankuro," a monotone voice pointed out. I quickly glanced at Gaara and Temari as they joined in observing the battle. I guessed my focus on Kankuro was having the desired effect since I hadn't heard their approach.
"You've fought her before?" he shouted back to his brother.
"Yes."
"And?"
"She has the ability to kill me." I'm screwed, Kankuro realized, but he didn't give up.
"Why are you toying with me?" he asked instead.
"Because I enjoy the game," I answered sincerely. He grimaced and sent the lone arm of Crow after me. I pretended not to notice the oncoming assailant until the last minute, when I raised my staff and deflected it. My clone decided it was time to go on the offensive. She charged ferociously. To bad for her, Crow caught up to her. He stabbed into her left hip. The yelp was ear-splitting and I cringed away.
That wasn't very smart, I reprimanded her.
I know. This is supposed to be your opening. I opened me eyes in realization as Kankuro was preoccupied trying to keep who he thought was the real Nari at bay. I lunged at him, wrestling him to the ground with a kunai shoved against his throat. Suddenly, a sharp pang ran through my head as my clone died from Crow's constant beating. "Don't even try it," I hissed as Kankuro went to set Crow after me while he thought I was distracted.
Audible exclamations were heard around the training ground as they realized the nine-tailed fox had just been a clone. They couldn't understand how it had managed to take a blow without disappearing. Welcome to my special technique, I told them silently. "I'm waiting for you to admit defeat," I stated when Kankuro just laid there.
"Oh. Yeah… You won." I nodded, pleased, and stood. "What kind of jutsu was that?" he inquired, referring to the clone.
"It is my hidden technique. I shall not share it with you." He understood. He enjoyed having a couple of tricks up his sleeve too. "So do you still believe my staff is a burden?" He shook his head, a smiling touching his lips.
"I'd hate to be hit with that thing," he admitted. I smirked triumphantly.
"I would like to fight you," a green clad ninja told me, walking over. Could it be? Rock Lee?
"Lee," a kunoichi behind him complained. "You're supposed to be taking it easy."
"But Tenten, who knows when I might have the chance to face such a formidable foe again?"
"I agree," I added in. "I've heard quite impressive things about you, Rock Lee. Is it true that you managed to find away around Gaara's defense?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gaara's eyes narrow.
"Not all of it, but I did manage to out maneuver his sand for a time."
"Then I would be thrilled to spar with you. If your friend allows it." We both stared at Tenten with pleading eyes. She sighed in defeat.
"Fine but Guy-sensei better not blame it on me." If this girl's with the sand ninja I doubt Lee's going to be able to beat her. Especially since he's not fully recovered. Lee took a ready position across from me.
"A taijutsu user," I realized. "There are very few. This will be a delightful match indeed. Would you like me to dispose of my nin and genjutsu for the duration of our spar?"
"I would not force you to. You may find need of it."
"I'm sure," I responded happily. He has to be insanely fast to get around Gaara's sand. Once Lee realized I would not attack first, he came after me. I threw my staff to the sidelines and went to block him. I loved hand-to-hand combat.
Wrist and ankle weights, Lee thought, observing Gaara's gifts. She, too, does not use her full speed and yet she was able to block my attack. Most impressive. "You're fast," I praised him, although I was more than capable of blocking his moves. "But you'll have to be faster than that if you wish to overpower me." I changed to an offensive stance and went after him. It was all Lee could do to evade me. Of course, it helped that I was reading his mind.
"Then I shall not go easy on you any longer," he claimed, jumping away to retake his former stance. I saw him concentrate hard as he opened his first chakra gate. I had never been taught such techniques. In all honesty, I probably didn't need them.
"Don't push yourself, Lee," Tenten called from the sidelines. The other ninja in the training area watched silently, fascinated by my display of prowess. Lee came at me again and, all of a sudden, his attacks were just as fast as his thoughts. No longer could I remain one step ahead of me. Now it was all I could do to evade him.
"Gods, you're fast," I repeated merrily, while going for a low strike. "I've never met anyone who could out-spar me," I explained as he parried the blow.
"You are fast as well. I have not met a ninjutsu user with such speed."
"You should see me when I'm well-rested." Lee wasn't expecting me to drop and kick at his legs. He fell under the impact and came crashing to ground. I leapt over top of him pinned his throat to the ground with one hand. It was one of my animalistic instincts. Always go for the throat. "But I do believe you're recovering from an illness?"
"I am still having a difficult time after my spar with Gaara. He is an unparalleled opponent." I couldn't have agreed more. I jumped off Lee and helped him to his feet.
"I hope we cross paths again, Rock Lee. I'd very much enjoy seeing you at full strength."
"As I would enjoy seeing you. You should learn to open your chakra gates. It would make you an even greater taijutsu master."
"I have enough energy as it is," I muttered as Kankuro and Temari shook their heads at the idea of me having more. "It would probably be detrimental to everyone involved if I did that." I rubbed at my wrists with a sheepish grin on my face.
"Understood. Farewell." He gave me a passionate salute before being dragged away by his teammate.
"He went easy on you," Temari claimed as he disappeared from view.
"I went easy on him," I retorted. "I think, in reality, we'd be equal in taijutsu. Of course, using my regular arsenal of jutsu, I'm sure I'd be able to overcome him with ease." I caught Gaara nodding in agreement.
"Are you tired yet, Nari?" she asked instead of continuing the conversation.
"Are you kidding me? I'm just getting warmed up." I saw a bead of sweat drip down her forehead. Gaara stepped out from the crowd. I was refocusing my mind reading on Temari so that I could block out the witnesses. They found me exciting to observe. I pursed my lips but nodded at Gaara's challenge. You can handle this, I told myself.
I retrieved my staff and took on a ready position. Gaara crossed his arms arrogantly. I knew, with him, I'd have to strike first. The issue with Gaara was that most of his attacks killed instantly. There was no incapacitating your opponent. I performed one of my earth jutsu, silently thanking that deceased rogue. My chakra exploded slightly, destroying the grass, but I didn't worry about it as I slid into the earth.
She knows earth jutsu, I heard Temari exclaim. Once safe underground, I performed a shadow clone jutsu, producing two clones. I sent these clones after Gaara's legs while I went behind him. They reached up and grabbed his ankles. His sand immediately went to stop the attackers while I popped up to land a kick. Before I could come in contact with his back, the cuffs around my limbs squeezed tightly, making me drop to the ground.
"Cheater," I hissed as my clones disappeared and my wrists and ankles began to crack under the pressure. I fell to my knees and curled up on myself. I realized then that they hadn't been gifts but chains. I felt a pang of betrayal at that revelation. Apparently, he didn't trust me not to kill him.
"What's he doing, Nari?" Kankuro asked, unable to see how the cuffs were shattering my bones. I held up one wrist. My hand was blue, the circulation being cut off. I clenched my teeth to hold back the screams struggling to escape. Suddenly, the pressure was gone. I sighed in relief and pushed myself to my feet. Before anyone could come to check on me, I gave the redhead a heated glare and fled into the forest.
Thank you so much for reading and please review. The next chapter will be up soon.