Chapter Five
Pint-sized Security Force
Gaara had been settling in for a few weeks now. Hinata was home-schooling him, and he was zipping along through his studies. After a few days she realized it was simply better to give him the textbook and let him teach himself, since she just seemed to slow him down. About twice a week someone came in to check up on him, including how he was doing on his tests. All of his work was kept in binders, each one neatly labeled. He spent most of the day on his schoolwork, and as a result he was doing eighth-grade math as a six-year-old. He would be moving on to ninth grade the next day, through all of the integrated levels first, then to the specific types that went with high school. The nearby school had made a deal with him to supervise his tests and laboratory exercises that he would need to go through, provided that he stayed well away from the students during school hours.
He was also moving along in his art and science classes. He was a shinobi, and therefore did not have to be involved in any gym classes or after-school activities, much to his relief. He didn't want to be around the kids anyway.
Business was slow, painfully so. He had been spotted, and people avoided the place as a result. Hinata tried to keep their financial situation away from him, mostly because she didn't want him to worry. He knew, however, and he knew how much it worried her. No one could've guessed the events that were to happen this day, or just how far reaching the effects would be.
It was towards the end of the day, and Hinata was tallying up the day's sales money, and trying not to sigh aloud in disappointment. Gaara was in a little alcove nearby, finishing up his final science packet for the eighth grade, and preparing to take his final test, which was tomorrow. He paused to sharpen his pencil, and went back to scribbling down his answers. In short, it was a typical evening, and soon he knew they would leave for the market to pick up stuff for the night's dinner, which would also be dinner for about a week.
The front door banged open, and a guy in a mask showed up waving a little pocketknife. Gaara immediately took notice, as did Hinata.
"Gimme the money! All of it, right now! Or else!" he gestured wildly with the little pocketknife that was maybe an inch and a half long. Hinata just gave him an odd look. She had lost her patience with these guys long ago.
"Or what, you'll knick me?" she was unimpressed, not the least frightened of him. She contemplated the many ways that she could toss the guy out on his butt, which was a very appealing option.
"Shut up you little whore!"
Gaara didn't give him time to say anything else.
"Don't you call Hinata names!" with that Gaara launched into the air and landed heavily on the guy's back, slamming him into the floor. He then began to pummel the hapless would-be robber. He somehow managed to get away, and bolted for the door, only to be pursued by Gaara, who launched into the air again and twisted him around; body-slamming him on the ground. He grabbed the guy by the collar, jerking him up and smacking his head on the ground a few times.
"This is my neighborhood now, and you're not welcome! Get out and don't come back! If I catch you here again, you'll get worse! Now beat it!" he used his sand to suck him up and spit him out about a hundred yards down the street. He got up and ran with a limp as fast as he could. Later he would wonder just how a little kid had managed to kick his butt so completely.
Gaara scooped up the little pocketknife that the guy had dropped, and went back in to give it to Hinata. He ignored the stares and whispers that the surrounding crowd was directing his way. Hinata gave him a kiss on the head and a cookie for his troubles.
Later that night he ran off some vandals and a few drug dealers on the corner. He also got in a scrape with a small gang, but he emerged victorious. He was confident that news of his presence would spread fast, and eventually the criminals would move on to easier pickings. The two crime families, however, would be a little harder to convince, as would the three major gangs that worked in the area. But if there was one thing he was good at, it was persuading people that his way was the best way.
The next night Hinata joined him at the window, where he was watching a small group of teens get ready to spray paint something on the wall.
"Hey Hinata, watch this!" he rested his hand against the wall from the inside, giggling softly. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Just as the one guy raised the can of spray-paint up, Shukaku's head appeared. It roared in their faces, and sent the guys scattering.
"Yeah! That's right you losers! Keep on running! Just who do you think you are, trying to graffiti my wall?! If you ever come back I'll eat your livers! Bwa ha ha ha!" the head disappeared. Hinata and Gaara cracked up. That was one way to discourage vandalism.
The next day a little old lady came in. Since Hinata was busy, Gaara helped her.
"May I help you, ma'am?" he inquired politely.
"Uh, ah, we-well I think so…" she was a little nervous. She was already in a bad neighborhood, and now she had to deal with the monster. Gaara waited patiently for her order, but then decided that she may need a little nudge.
"What is it that you're looking for, ma'am? Perhaps I could help you find it…" he figured that it would take a bit of coaxing to get her to come out and tell him, but he was willing to put in the effort. When he wasn't chasing off the local crooks, he tried to be as friendly to the neighbors and customers as possible. Besides, he didn't want the lady to have a heart attack and die on him. It would be very bad for business.
"I'm looking for some bread, white preferably. Do you have any?"
Gaara thought for a moment. "Um, Hinata just put some in the oven, so it'll be about forty minutes. Is that alright ma'am?"
"yes, I suppose. I have to pick up a few things first anyway, so could I come back and get it?"
""Of course. I can keep one of the loaves on the cooling rack in the kitchen for you."
"Ah, that would be nice, thank you. I'll be back soon." The woman tottered out. Gaara jotted down a note to remind himself. Then looked up out the window. As the woman shuffled down the street a man wearing a mask shoved her to the ground and stole her purse. The woman wailed, and Gaara was out the door in a flash. He chased the guy for about twenty feet before slamming into his back, knocking him to the ground.
"Just what do you think you're doing?! You can't do that! I don't let such behavior go unpunished! Shame on you!" he dragged the screaming and cursing mugger back to the woman, and trapped him with his sand. He helped the lady to her feet, and sat her on a bench.
"Are you okay ma'am?" Hinata burst out, looking around for Gaara, who was helping the lady stand, so they could bring her inside. The lady was shocked at just how Gaara was behaving. He was so polite, and kind too. She had always been led to believe that he was a vicious little monster, who would attack without warning.
"Hey! I know you! You're that guy who tried to rob us the other day! I told you not to come back!" Gaara shook the guy, who had been dragged in rather helplessly.
"You owe me money!"
"The only thing I owe you is a good kick in the butt! You're just a greedy scumbag who likes to pick on women! What's wrong with you?! You should respect your elders, not steal from them and push them down! You apologize!"
"I agree, Gaara. Really, you should be ashamed of yourself!" Hinata chided from where she was caring for the woman. She used healing chakra to mend the woman's broken arm.
"Shut up, you slut!"
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL HINATA NAMES!" Gaara dragged the jerk towards a trash bag, tied him up and pulled the drawstring around his neck, so that his head poked out. He taped a sign to the protesting bundle that read: I rob the elderly and disrespect women.
"You should show more respect towards your elders. Don't come back unless you want worse!" with that Gaara used his sand to suck him up and spit him out into a distant neighborhood. It was decided that the woman should wait for her bread and have Gaara escort her to her home. The woman was very grateful, and decided to do her shopping there from now on. The bread was really good, and the security was not to be sniffed at.