~Desert Fox~

CHAPTER 2

Clouds over Sunagakure

"Is there... somebody precious to you?"

~Haku

. . . .

"How do you know it's going to be a girl?" Temari asked. Shikamaru held his wife's hand as they walked through the woods lazily.

"I just know."

"mmmm. And what if it's a boy?"

"I guess we'll have to take him back and get a girl instead."

"Shikamaru!"

He smiled at her, tightening his grip on her hand. It was moments like this which reminded him, despite the wars, what happiness felt like.

. . . .

"No." Gaara said. He resisted the urge to fold his arms in front of himself, it was an action that felt comforting to him, but was not becoming of the Kazekage, especially in this situation. The young Chunin shuffled his feet nervously, ". . . Lord Kazekage, the Hokage excepts an answer."

"I just gave you one." Gaara said.

"But . . ./"

"You may rest here in my village before your journey home if you wish. This discussion is finished." Gaara made a pointed nod towards the door, then stood silently, waiting for the young man to take his leave. The messenger from Konoha stood in shock and fear, but did not move.

"What is your name?" Gaara finally asked.

"Juson my lord."

"I don't know you. And you have never been here before."

Juson shuffled his feet nervously, "I am newly a Chunin."

"I was not aware there were Chunin exams in Konoha"

"Well. . . " said Juson, looking frightened. "They are very small now, they don't attract much attention."

"I see." Gaara said, he turned away and faced the window. "Who trained you Juson?"

"Um . . . My sensei's name is Rock Lee,"

"I see, and where is Lee now?"

"Pr. . . Probably training another team."

Gaara nodded. This boy had given him a lot of information in only a few words. First; the chunin Exams were being held unannounced, second, they were training and advancing teams unusually quickly. Only one bit of news was even partly good.

"When you see your sensei again, ask him to tell you the story of the chunin exams when I almost killed him."

Juson gasped quietly and Gaara was pleased, obviously this boy had great faith in the ability of his teacher. Gaara faced the young chunin, arms crossed in front of himself. "And after that, tell your Hokage that if your shinobi come here and try to take my niece by force I will kill them. Along with anyone else who tries to lay a finger on her or this village"

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Tami played with her chopsticks, slurping the ramen noodles the best she could in the flimsy take out container. She watched as a group of first year academy students played soccer in the sand. Personally, she thought the game rather ridiculous. But she hadn't played much so perhaps that was why. She stirred the noodles in the thick sauce and watched one of the young boys make a goal. Why was Uncle Gaara so late today? He was never late. He had been training her everyday this entire week, normally from noon to night nonstop. He hadn't asked her to do the shadow possession again. Gaara was the type of person who understood that one's power only extended as far as people were willing to obey, and he knew Tami wouldn't obey if he asked again. So, he was in a sense, powerless against her. She smiled at the thought, but it also made her uneasy. Well I guess he could force me. . She thought. But she was never going to willingly make a human shadow puppet again. She smiled. Shadow puppet. Her uncle Kankuro had made puppets, least he had before he disappeared several years ago. She could barely remember him, but she still had a small wood doll he had made her, and a small canister of face paint. Tami wondered if he would have encouraged her to use the shadow technique, it was after all a bit like puppets. She shook her head, slurping up the last of her noodles and setting the left over trash beside her. "Darn it Uncle Gaara. Where are you?" She muttered under her breath, only to spin in shock when he answered her.

"Right here."

She jumped to her feet quickly. "You're late!" she cried in dismay, but she happily noted that he wasn't wearing his white kage robes, which meant their training session hadn't been completely canceled. "What took you so long?" she asked.

"The messenger from Konoha took longer then anticipated." Gaara replied "Really, Tami, you should have checked behind you once in a while. A Shinobi has to be aware of her surroundings at all times."

"I don't have eyes in the back of my head." she replied defensibly. But she knew he was right. "How long were you standing there?" She asked

"Long enough to let you finish your ramen,"

Tami grinned evilly See, that's what I said about power. She pulled loose the two small hand fans at her belt. "Where are we training?"

"Right here." Gaara said. "But we'll move a little ways from their game so as not to interrupt." HE turned, and she followed him down the street towards the center part of the city.

"This exercise will be control based," Gaara told her coldly, not looking at her, but at the path before him "Hit me with any force you wish, any jutsu you wish, but watch out for the civilians."

"What did Konoha want?" Tami asked, She nodded to a few people as they passed. They all ducked their heads respectfully to Gaara. This was one of the few times no one glared at Tami, that was because they were too afraid of the Kazekage.

"Pay attention." Gaara said "Simply flinging your chakra around, or that of the nine-tailed-fox could result in damage neither of us can repair. You must be watchful and careful."

"Do Konoha nin always where those dumb vests?"

"Tami."

"I know, I know. I'm listening. Get you, don't hurt anyone else. I got it."

"Good."

"Uncle Gaara are you alright? You look kind of pale and distracted."

He shook his head, coming very close to rolling his eyes, but of course not doing so."I'm fine. Now pay attention. I'm not going to go easy on you."

Tami flipped open her fan "Good. That's the way I like it."

He nodded, sand began to spin.

"Uncle Gaara?"

"What?"

"Can we have ramen for dinner when we're done?"

". . . You just had ramen. . ."

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The sand hit her full force. Tami skid across the ground, bruising the back of her legs as she hit some rock steps. No kid gloves today. She frowned at her uncle, dodging again as another arm of sand extended towards her. Isn't this a little rougher then usual? The last week of of training had gotten more and more intense, harder and harder everyday, but this was getting crazy..

Tami jumped and spun, throwing a handful of Kunai. They only got inches away from Gaara's shoulder before a burst of sand stopped their progress. The sand swept across the street, wrapping itself around and turning, rolling forward in a massive wave. Tami repositioned her feet, glancing at her pathetic, hand sized fans. Gaara had told her once that size didn't matter half as much as control and resolve, she wasn't so sure. With a quick upward swing she moved herself out of the way and perched on top of one of the buildings. The sand only barely missed her feet.

What was wrong with her uncle today? He seemed distracted. He wasn't instructing her near as much as he normally did in their spars, and even though he was clearly in control of his sand, his eyes seemed distant. Tami gritted her teeth. She gasped and was forced to jump rooftops as two large sand snakes attacked her from both sides. They crashed where she had just been, She gripped onto the windowsill of the nearest building, holding herself there near the broken glass shards breathing hard. What the heck is he purposely trying to kill me or something? She thought.

"Ah!" She rolled right into the window as the sand burst against it. The remaining glass shattering beneath her. She groaned as she hit her head against the wooden floor of the old school's storage room. She could hear a kid shouting downstairs.

"Sensei there's a sand storm outside!"

"Quiet Yuu, it is the Kazekage." a women's voice replied

"I want to go out and see him!"

"No you don't. You stay here. It's dangerous. We'll wait till it's over."

"Who's he fighting sensei?"

"I don't know. I think it's . . . /"

A man's voice over-rode hers. "It's that girl, the fox child. Stay out of their way. If we're lucky he'll kill it and be rid us the problem."

Tami clinched her jaw, brushing the sand and dust from her face as she stood, wishing she hadn't overheard the words. She knew people talked about her, but usually it was when they knew she was around, so it was quiet. She rubbed her sore arm.

"Now Hodo, you know he wouldn't" The women teacher replied. "She's his niece."

"All I can say is Lord Kazekage better open his eyes and see the truth before it's too late. She's a danger to us, He'll see that soon enough."

"Sensei look! The sand wants to come through the door!"

Tami held her herself shakily, glancing out the broken window Isn't he going to come make sure I'm alright? She walked to the window, staring out, but backing closer to the wall when she saw more sand spinning in the air, nearly getting into the window. She backed away quickly, almost knocking her head against an old mirror, She glared at her reflection, fighting the urge to touch the whisker marks on her cheeks.

"It's the truth." Hodo explained, his voice raising so Tami could still hear, almost as if he knew she was listening. "If he has the ability to care about us at all, he'd kill that thing before it destroys everything!"

Tami stared at her reflection, the image slightly distorted. Would he kill me? . . . Is that what Konoha wanted? . . .was that why he was so late. . So distracted. . .fighting so hard. . . She rubbed the scratches along her arm, feeling the dampness of blood and roughness of sand would he. . .I haven't destroyed that much right? A couple rooms, a table once. . .a few. . .Teachers. . . She blinked several times But I never meant to! Inside her, hot chakra raged, reminding her once again who she was, how different she was. He can't he wouldn't!

Balancing her chakra in her feet, Tami lept back out through the window. She made a sand clone quickly, but Gaara hit it and made it disappear almost instantly. She jumped onto the roof and ran across the rafters, stumbling once, then jumping down and across the street. She made a slicing motion with her hand and the wind lifted her. Her chakra raged She barely manged to grasp the roof edge and swing herself over, her small fan slipping in her fingers and interrupting her grip. "You stupid thing!" She threw the weapons down into the street and ran across the rooftops as fast as she could. Away from the sand, away from Gaara, from everyone, tears stung her eyes.

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Finally feeling far enough away to be safe Tami leaned against the partly broken balcony rail to rest, breathing hard.

"If we're lucky he'll kill it. . ."

"She's a danger to us. . . "

"If he the ability to care about us at all. . ."

Tami lowered her head slowly. They all hated her. Now they were even back biting her uncle, the Kazekage himself because of it.

She shut her eyes, picturing the way Gaara's sand flew up around him when he had entered the training room weeks ago, how it raised up to the doorway, but never crossed it, because he had commanded it not to. There was no doubt the Kazekage cared about his people. He would do anything for them.

"The sand want's to come through the door!"

The way the sand shoved her though the window.

He did have power. What if she, as jinchuuriki really had become a threat to the village? She has heard a rumor once t that she was the last jinchuuriki, that all the other bijuu were gone, destroyed in the war. . .What if . . . To protect his people. . . He really did have to kill her?

Where would he do it?

Would he take her out away and alone? Gently explain it to her and assure her it was the right thing to do? Or would he do it in a place like this? Now? Where the people of Suna could see and be comforted? The nine tails fox. Destroyed.

No. . . No. . . NO!

Hot sand stung her face,causing her to spin and almost stumbled off the rooftop as Gaara appeared, standing on a floating island of sand. He reached out his arm, directing the gold/brown grains. Tami rolled, letting herself fall off the building to the ground. She hit the street and ran, sand crashing around her once again.

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Breathing hard, she peeked around the corner where she had hid. The sand at Gaara's feet began to break away. When his feet touched the narrow street the sand rose up and swirled around him. He looked down the street, his back towards her. Slowly his head began to turn, and he formed a sign with his hands. By the second sign she realized she didn't recognize the jutsu, but by the way the sand swirled at his feet she knew it was gathering for the kill. She had to stop him now! Tami shut her eyes, feeling a tear creep down her hot cheek. If even her uncle wanted her dead then what was the point of living anyways? Maybe it would. . . NO! She wasn't just going to be crushed into nonexistence! She wasn't going to disappear from the world for no one to remember her name. She was Tami Nara, she was somebody, she held the nine taild fox demon inside her so that stupid, ignorant, leaf village children could sleep at night.

That wasn't someone who was going to be crushed to nothing simply because no one understood her! No one else might have cared but she did! Tami threw her hands together and made the signs. They came easily and naturally, adrenalin taking place of all thoughts. Shadow possession jutsu!

STOP! Tami comanded.

Everything fell still.

There was no crashing wave of sand, no uttered curse, no rain of blood from the sky. Slowly, Tami opened her eyes. A thin,dark line lay at her feet and barely made the turn around the corner. When she looked, she saw the strong dark shadow stretched forward, and firmly latched around Gaara's feet. He stared at her. Even his sand lay frozen around him. Tami mentally willed him to do as she did, and she watched as he lowered his hands.

Gaara's eyes flashed, and Tami could feel his attempt to break from the bond. He couldn't' budge.

"Well done." He said quietly.

"Why were you trying to kill me?" she asked, voice shaky, breathing hard

his eyes flickered again, and Tami slacked a bit so he could move his head, mentally grasping even tighter to his hands and feet so he couldn't attack.

"Kill you? I wasn't trying to kill you." he sounded genuinely confused, which was all the more proof. He never got confused! He was too powerful, too strong for that!

She shook her head viciously, fighting back tears.

"Is. . . that what you thought?" Gaara asked, his voice haunted.

She looked away. Feeling her shadow possession weaken, she grabbed onto it with even more force, so hard in fact that Gaara visibly cringed.

"Tami I would never . . . You're. . . " He paused for breath. "Let go Tami. I won't hurt you. I promise."

She was too emotionally exhausted to hold on any longer. Slowly, her shadow slipped away, falling back to her own feet like a cloak of night and she awaited her fate.

The sand around Gaara settled, then flowed upward into the gourd. He walked forward and stood before her. Tami looked up. Her uncle stared at her for a moment, his mouth moved once, then shut again. Finally he took one step closer and wrapped his arms around her, lowering his head near her shoulder and pulling her tightly towards him. "Tami I wouldn't hurt you. . . I. . . I love you." Tami's hands clutched the warm cloth, fingers nestling in the small section of cloth between her uncle's back and the gourd of sand. She heard a half stifled sob. He's. . . Crying? She clutched his shirt tightly and lay her head against the hard grit on his tunic. "I love you too. . ." She whispered. "I'm sorry.. ."

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Author notes:

So. . . Didn't move quite as far as I had hoped, but I had to get this posted before I just threw it out and gave up. Hopefully we can understand Tami's fear here, and Gaara's reaction to it. Most of the plot and background will be more fully explained in chapter three where we get the Konoha visitor I promised in chapter one, and the main action that drives the rest of the story.

All in all I'm not content with this chapter. Anyone who want's to tell me both what they liked, and didn't like about it please do so. I have a hard time with fight scenes and I'm not convinced I made Tami's fear of Gaara killing her real enough. So comments are welcome, tell me what you think. (I'll try and fix the grammar errors later, I just need to give this chapter a break first)