Wind and Sand: Journal of Lord and Lady Kazekage
by TimeAndLife21
Hikaru Journal Entry #16: Damn the girl. I give her the one thing to help her get back to Suna…SAFELY mind you, and it has ben almost 6 hours over since the Second exams are over. WHERE THE HELL IS SHE?
I never really thought that I would worry about the Sand Cat. She was trained well enough to avoid the ANBU for quite some time, but since the ending of the exam, it has been six hours since the end of the Second part and there was no sign of Karura. I went to a couple of ANBU to ask if they have seen her anywhere, and they replied no. What do they mean by NO? They were specially trained in tracking! Hell, this worrying isn't good for me. Another hour passed and I finally went to the Proctors and told them if Kusabana has returned at all yet. They looked through their papers and confusion appeared on their faces. Then they told me that she should have returned at the time that was set to return to Suna. Concluding that she hasn't returned. I left the safety of the Village and grabbed a few provisions and took off. That girl was going to be the death of me. If she doesn't die on me first. Unfortunately, finding her isn't the hard part. It's paying three months of my salary of sake to my summoning animal to get us back to Suna…damn the girl.
Hikaru should consider himself lucky that he even found the damned girl. He kept muttering to himself that she should've used that scroll he gave her. Then again, she was stubborn as hell and most likely didn't use it. The sandstorm was getting worse and worse with every minute and he was forced to place his old ANBU mask over his eyes. On his mask was a Tanuki face. The wind whistling in his ears wasn't helping much. He shook his head clear of any distractions,. It was like he flipped a switch on in his brain. Gone was the flirtatious and smiling Hikaru; a cold, hard, personality came over him as he kneeled to the ground and focused on Karura's chakra signature.
He followed the signature and took off like a shot. His mind was focused on finding Karura. As he jumped over a dune he looked to his left and what he saw shocked him. He found a hand poking out of the sand and he didn't waste any time. He dug hard and fast and he saw the face of Karura.
"Damn it!" He thought to himself.
He noticed that there was a Sand Cat, the actual animal, on the lower half of her body. This could only mean one thing. She fought this animal and died, or the animal got to her first. He placed his fingers to her neck and there was a pulse there; it was weak but is still there. He, tossed the animal off of her and then dragged her out of the sand, hoping that she wasn't injured too badly. He was wrong. Her leg was crusted over with sand and dried blood. This wasn't good. At all. He had to wake her up. He took a canteen of water and splashed it onto her face. It seemed to do the trick. She may not have enough energy, but he needed her awake long enough for him to get to the entrance to the village and have the medics take care of her.
She coughed and he wrapped a bandana around her nose and mouth so the sand wouldn't get in her lungs. He then focused on her leg and took out a long strip of cloth and used it as a tourniquet. He didn't want her to bleed to death as soon as he picked her up. She could hear her groan.
"Where…exam…" She said weakly.
He held up her head and placed his canteen near her lips under the bandana.
"Take slow sips. You should be lucky that I found you. I'm going to clean out your wound as best I can. I need you to stay awake. Do you understand me?" He said coldly.
He could see her teal eyes holding a bit of fear and he hated that look. It just made her look so…exposed.
"I can't die out here…" She said softly over the whistling winds.
That fear shone through as she tried to get up. He had to support her by wrapping his arm around her back and waist.
"Listen to me, I will clean out your wound and then we will head back to Suna, I need you to stay calm in situations like these understood?" He said calmly.
He noticed that her wound started to open up again. She nodded weakly and he started to get to work.
"Tell me about yourself, I need you to stay awake." He said professionally as he used another canteen of water to wash out her wound as best he could.
He frowned at the gashes. She could get an infection if this keeps up.
"M' name's Karura…I have a younger brother who is a chunin…I'm trying to shoot to be a jounin." She muttered.
Then gave a sharp gasp as he put disinfectant on her wound.
"Keep going." He said.
This was a good sign. Her feeling pain means that she would survive this. He took out a syringe that was filled with numbing medicine to stave off the pain. Only high ranked ANBU could carry a small supply of medicine that would help them on missions that many may not get out unscathed. But for the syringes, only three per ANBU can be used, due to some drug overdoses on missions, they had to limit them. He pierced the skin around the gash and injected the medicine.
"I have a best friend named…named…Reiko. I have an enemy that I would love to beat to the ground." She said as she weakly balled her fist.
"I like Takiyoki and roasted lizards…" She trailed off.
He splashed some water on her face to keep her awake.
"Keep going, you are doing fine." He said as he bandaged her leg to the best of his ability.
She kept prattling on about useless stuff, but he knew that it was the only thing to keep her awake and thinking.
"Tanuki-san…did I pass this test?" She said in his ears.
"I think you did." He said back to her.
"Huh…you know… I never thought I might die out here." She said drowsily.
"You are not going to die out here. Now, I'm going to place you on my back, do you have the strength to?" He asked.
She nodded a little, trying to get up, but she couldn't keep her balance on her injured leg, but he was quick enough to catch her before she hit the ground. He kneeled down and shouted at her.
"Get on! The storms getting worse!" He shouted.
She managed to get on his back as he hooked his arms under her legs as she wrapped hers over his neck. He took off as fast as he could to the entrance of Suna. She needed medical attention. NOW! The drug that he injected into her system was to numb the pain. But he didn't know how long it will last.
"Hey…Tanuki-san…I'm tired…can I sleep?" She breathed against his neck.
That wasn't helping matters with his mind. He was supposed to be focusing on getting her treatment now.
"No! Stay awake, Kusabana! Don't go to sleep!" He shouted as he stopped at a dune.
He gritted his teeth as he tried to find Suna. The wind was blowing at him by the east side. He kept his balance and went westward.
He could tell that it was starting to get darker. Being lost in a sandstorm during the night is not a good thing with the injured on his back. He really didn't want to use a jutsu that would cost him money. But he had no choice. He gathered his chakra and quickly bit his thumb and performed a summoning jutsu.
"Summoning Jutsu!" He shouted as he slammed his palm into the sands.
Writing appeared before a giant puff of smoke appeared before him. He looked up and saw a large and slim tanuki, who was the size of a small house appeared in front of him. It looked down with a curious eye. Its fur was ashen grey and it had scars on its torso, front paws and there was one that crossed its left eye. Its eyes were a deep yellow color.
"Well, well, what have we here? If it isn't the little runt, it's been a while since you summoned me." It grinned as it bent down to the height of the young shinobi, placing its paws on either side of him, shielding the two ninja from the harsh sands.
"Hello Giro, I need your help, I need to get to the gates of Suna before the storm gets worse." Hikaru shouted.
The grey tanuki looked around the sand dunes and the wicked wind that was slamming against him. He grinned widely.
"Well, this is a turn for the worst. Who's the girl that's on your back? Hope it's not a conquest." He grinned as he bent his head to show his scared eye up to Hikaru's height.
"No! I'll explain everything once we get back to Suna! I promise! And I'll get you two barrels of sake if you can help me!" He shouted over the winds.
"3 barrels and a place to stay for a while." Giro smiled.
"ARE YOU CRAZY?" He shouted with anger.
"Oi! I haven't had a good drink in a while, so it's either that, or I leave ya here!" Hikaru frowned behind his mask.
The things he does for girls. This one just seems to be more trouble than she's worth.
"FINE YOU DUMB BEAST! JUST GET US OUT OF HERE!" He shouted.
Giro cackled and bent down so that that Hikaru could hoist himself up into Giro's scruff. He managed to move Kusabana to his front, just as Giro ran across the sands.
"Oi! You haven't explained why you have a girl with ya!" Hikaru heard the Tanuki's voice over the winds.
"It's the Jounin exams! She was supposed to return six hours ago!" Hikaru shouted as her hugged the girl tightly to him and he held on to the scruff of the Tanuki's neck.
Giro had nothing else to say. Though he was curious of why he was helping the little runt with a girl. Oh well. He will be getting Sake out of this. Hikaru could feel the soft breathing of Karura, it was getting shallower and shallower by the minute.
"Stay awake! We will get to Suna soon!" He said as he slapped her face lightly.
He didn't feel bad about doing that. She jerked awake and mustered what little energy she had to look up and glare at him.
"You're so mean, Tanuki-san." She whined.
He would have thought it was cute if her life wasn't in danger. she was starting to fade fast. He gripped Giro's scruff tightly. and shouted at the Tanuki.
"Can't you go any faster!?" He shouted.
"Oi! I was in the middle of a nap when you, little runt, summoned me, don't make me make it 6 barrels of sake!" Giro laughed back at Hikaru.
"I'll give you 8 if you pick up the pace! The storm's getting worse!" Hikaru ordered as Karura's head lolled back against his chest.
"GIRO!" Hikaru roared.
"Fine Runt! This girl better be worth it!" The Tanuki said as he picked up the pace and ran as fast as he could.
He was getting 8 barrels of sake for this. Hikaru didn't care if he had to pay for 20 barrels of sake. He wasn't about to let Karura die on him. Not now, not ever.
Hikaru was sitting outside the emergency room. Frowning to himself. Life in the shinobi world was unpredictable. You could easily get killed by enemy shinobi, or the wildlife that lurks out there, or even natural causes. He leaned against the wall and took off his ANBU mask. He was the only one (and Giro who shrunk himself to a size of a large dog and is now laying in front of him) in the hospital tonight besides the doctors.
The sand storm had dissipated after a few hours, but he knew that the winds will pick up sooner or later. He wasn't worried about his identity. He sighed as he rubbed his face. When he and Giro managed to get to the entrance of Suna, he didn't even stop to do identification. He just urged Giro faster to get to the Hospital. The Tanuki opened his eye and peered up at the young man.
"Don't look so worried, Runt. The girl will be fine." He said as he uncurled himself and stretched like a cat.
"Tch. I'm not worried." Hikaru huffed.
Giro tilted his head in a knowing fashion. This was one way that he knew was worried. His face was furrowed in concentration, his hands were twitching occasionally.
"You still own me 8 barrels and a place to stay for the next few nights." Giro taunted smiling.
"You said one night." Hikaru frowned.
"Nope. I'm tired as all hell, you little runt. I'm staying for a while." Giro laughed.
"Maybe I'll visit that temple where that priest is holding Shikaku." Giro spoke.
Hikaru lifted an eyebrow.
"You want to visit the jinchurikki?" Hikaru asked.
"Eh, why not? I might as well." Girro said as he lifted his hind leg and scratched behind his ear.
"What's the girl to you, runt?" Giro said as he looked up at the future Kazekage to be.
Hikaru glared at the Tanuki.
"Nothing. She's a rival to me." He said as he placed his elbows on his knees, lacing his hands together as he placed his chin on the intertwined appendages.
Giro smirked. It was as if the kid didn't want Giro to know about his actual feelings for the girl.
"Whatever, kid." Giro said as he hopped up onto the bench and curled up beside him.
Hikaru was conflicted. He never really cared much for girls in general. He liked the attention, and his presence practically demanded it. Karura, the stubborn sand cat, never really gave him the time of day, other than to rail on him and perhaps beat him to death of she so truly wanted to. He should have left her out there to die. She would only be in the way of many things. But damn his chivalry and, though he may deny it, soft heart. He just couldn't handle the fact that his girl-RIVAL! His rival was out there possibly dead. Yes, shinobi die, but he just couldn't bear with himself if Karura died.
The red light on the side of the emergency room dimmed and a doctor came out. He looked at the doctor with an impassive stare.
"Kusabana-san will be making a full recovery. You were lucky that you got her here as fast as you did. She had severe dehydration, malnutrition and a high fever when she came in. Her leg had taken some damage, but with rest she will recover swiftly." The medic said smiling at him.
Hikaru nodded shortly. He was relived. She was alive. That was good. He stood up, disrupting Giro's nap, and walked away, Giro grumbling after him.
"Wouldn't you like to see Kusabana-san?" The medic asked.
"Nah, if she found out I was the one to take her back here, she'd kick my ass. This is our little secret." Hikaru said as he gave a bit of a glare to the medic.
The medic nodded and left him alone.
"You are stricken, Runt. You like the girl." Giro chided the burgundy haired boy.
Hikaru made no move to prove anything.
"Ha! You like her." Giro said as he bounded alongside Hikaru.
Hikaru looked down at Giro with a cold glare. Giro brushed it off.
"Look Runt. I know that look on your face. You hadn't had that kind of look on your face since that one girl...Sa-" Giro yowled as Hikaru stepped on the tanuki's tail.
"You stupid motherfu- don't you know how much that hurts!" Giro snarled at his summoner.
"Don't. Bring. Her. Up." He said with an ice cold venom.
Giro only scowled, before letting the subject drop entirely.
"Why the hell did he bring her up?" Hikaru thought as he gave the death glare to his summoning animal. He sneered and kept walking and got out of the hospital.
"There you are!" He heard the voice of Sasori as he ran up to him.
"Where the hell have you been? You took off like a shot and then you blew through Suna like the devil himself was on your heels and..." Sasori took notice of the pissed off look that Hikaru had donned.
"Who pissed in your food this morning?" Sasori said as he lifted an eyebrow.
"I don't want to talk about it." Hikaru said as he stormed his way back to his home.
He needed to get his mind off of Karura. He put back on his ANBU mask and took off with Giro close on his heels.
He just couldn't get rid of that damned feeling of Karura leaning against his chest.
It was the next day that he visited Karura. With a sealed scroll from the Kazekage in hand, he walked down the halls of the Hospital. Giro followed along and had decided to hop onto his summoner's shoulders.
"Ugh, you are heavy, you fat racoon dog." Hikaru said as he slightly lost his balance.
"To live in these conditions? You bet." Giro said as he placed his head on top of Hikaru's, leaning to the illusion of having tanuki ears on his head.
Hikaru rolled his eyes. After giving the Tanuki one of the barrels of sake, he went to the Kazekage to let him know of Karura's condition. Tetsu was impressed.
"She faced a sand cat and lived, huh? Interesting. Very interesting indeed." Testu muttered to himself.
"If it wasn't for the storm, she would have returned sooner." Hikaru said as he crossed his arm.
Testu gave a rare smirk.
"Well then, I can't kick her out of the Jounin exams now can I?" Testu said as he opened a drawer and gave it to Hikaru.
"Give this to Kusabana-san and give her the best of luck from me." He said as he left the room, leaving Hikaru with a confused look on his face.
He sighed and kept walking. Well, he can't stay in this slump for long. He stood up a little taller and found the room Karura was in. Just as he was about to open the door, he stopped.
"What the hell? Damn it, Hikaru. It's just one girl!" He thought to himself.
A girl that was armed to the teeth and vicious as a sand cat. He took a deep breath and put on a shit eating smirk. As he entered the room, his smirk dropped as he saw Karura awake, but frowning and staring at her hands as if she did something wrong. Where was the tough girl side that she has?
"Oi, sand cat, guess hanging out with your kind was nothing short of a family reunion, ne?" He chuckled.
Karura's head snapped up and she gave him a glare. There was the bitchiness that came with her personality.
"What the hell are you doing here, Fairy? Come to laugh at me?" She sneered at him.
Hikaru grinned at her.
"Nah, I just want to point out the fact that you ran into a literal sand cat." He said as he suddenly dropped his humor.
"You know getting yourself killed to get out of a bet is a coward's way right?" He chuckled bitterly.
Karura's face turned red.
"You asshole, I would have been fine if that animal wasn't there and..." she was turning even more red.
Then the redness dissipated as she looked at him curiously.
"What the hell is on your head?" She said as she started to grin slightly. Giro spoke up.
"Hey there, girly!" He said as he jumped off Hikaru's shoulder and plopped onto the bed.
The tension that was in the air suddenly dissipated, as Karura's eyes suddenly dilated as she tilted her head cutely and petted Giro on the head.
"You are...so CUTE!" She smiled brightly at Giro.
Hikaru was floored by that smile. His mouth dropped and his normal playboy persona was thrown out the window. Karura lifted the tanuki in the air and was smiling, damn it all...
"What's a cute little guy like you with a fairy like the stalker over there." She cooed at the grey fur ball.
And all good feelings were thrown out the window.
"Shut up, chibi. I came to give you a scroll. Giro, stop it." Hikaru frowned and poked at the fat tanuki.
"Aw, come on, I was liking the attention, runt." Giro said as Karura glared at Hikaru.
"I'm not short, you vampire." She growled.
Hikaru felt his confidence come back.
"You are short and tiny. Seriously. I'm surprised that the Sand Cat even wanted to eat you, it would have eaten you in one bite and still be hungry." Hikaru jabbed.
Karura's cheeks puffed out.
"What the hell are you doing here anyways?" She glared.
Instead of handing her the scroll like a gentleman should do, he just tossed it at her and she fumbled it a bit before she got a good grip on it.
"That is from the Kazekage. Come on Giro, let's leave the chibi alone." Hikaru said as he started to leave, but not before dodging a vase that was aimed at his head.
"Get out of here, you freak of nature!" Karura yelled.
He shouted back "Pipsqueak!" and took off running just before she had another chance to aim another vase at him with Giro on his heels.
"I like her!" Giro cackled.
Hikaru grinned. He had a feeling that he would be seeing her in the near future. He was just relieved that she was still alive.
Temari looked on both sides of her and noticed that her brothers were knocked out unconscious. They must've fallen asleep while she was reading her father's portion of the entry. She looked at the clock and noticed that it was almost midnight. She let out a yawn and nudged her brothers.
"I'm up! I'm up!" Kankuro said as he rubbed his eyes, smudging his face paint and making it go everywhere.
Gaara just let out a small yawn before looking at the clock.
"Don't say I never did anything for you guys. Get to bed." Temari said as she locked the journal and stretched before heading upstairs.
Gaara was just about to reach for the journal before Temari shouted down, "Don't even think about it! We'll read more in the morning! Get your asses to bed!"
Kankuro and Gaara looked at each other and gave uneasy smiles. Better get used to the nice Temari while she still has it. Both brothers headed to bed. Filled with thoughts of what more adventures their parents have had and wonder what the next portion will be.
Temari on the other hand was laying in her bed thinking back of what she had read. Who would have thought that her mother was so rough and her father so different that what he was when she was growing up? She smiled a bit when her mother would exchange those words with her father and he would retaliate. It reminded her of her little exchanges with Shikamaru. Speaking of Shikamaru...he would be coming to Suna this weekend. She smirked to herself. Maybe he would be entertained by her parent's journal. She snuggled into her pillows and let sleep over take her.
TAL21: Clear! *Shocks story with defibrillator* Clear! *Shocks again* IT'S ALIVE! I have no clue how long it has been but I don't give a damn. Since I have started to re-read the manga and watch the Anime, I got the inspiration to finally finish up Hikaru's chapter that i had abandoned. It was a bit rough trying to remember the specifics of the chapter, but i finally got it! Have you seen the latest chapters of Naruto? Holy crap! But hey! At least Gaara didn't die (The Gaara Fangirl in me was squealing) and Shukaku is now on the side of good! Yosh! I always knew that Shukaku was just a softy at heart, however crazy he was. XD
Anyways, I have hit some writers blocks on three of my other stories and I figured that I should take a bit of a break from them before starting up again. But I had the urge to work on my Naruto stories, and the fact that i just want to keep on writing and not deal with the pain of making new stories, and so, i'm starting it up again. Hopefully i won't run out of the plot like i did however long ago, but i will be updating sporadically.
Well I have no Shout Outs to do, but I hope you guys will support me with detailed reviews and maybe even a little flame about taking too long. But I really appreciate the fact that you guys still follow my story and i hope to hear from you guys! Love you guys lots and see you in the next chapter!
KEEP ON READING AND WRITING! :D