Chapter 23: What Is Pain? Gaara's Past
Gaara suddenly stop mid-way from attacking Sasuke and Sakura.
"My... Body... Won't move..." Gaara thought struggling to control his body.
Sakura's fingers move ever so slightly, Gaara crash into the ground with tremendous force creating a gigantic crater behind him, he struggle to stand before dropping on his knees and spitting out some blood.
"What... What's going on..." Naruto thought his eyes widen in shock.
"Puppetry... Sakura is controlling his body...." Sasuke said slowly sitting up, he stared at Sakura's back with a hint of jealousy in his eyes, "She was able to injure Gaara without breaking a sweat... Sakura... Just... How powerful are you....." He thought clenching his fist before gasping in pain as his curse seal react on his emotion, "Kuso..."
Gaara gritted his teeth, his body shaking as he try to regain control of his body after a few struggle he manage to free his body from Sakura's hold.
"Impressive... You manage to free yourself from my control... This is going to be an interesting match..." Sakura said appearing a couple of feet in front of him with a smirk on her face but her eyes held no emotion.
Gaara gripped his head as if in pain.
"Kuso... Kuso...What are we going to do?..." Naruto thought not knowing what to do, "If they continue fighting they'll end up killing each other..."
"Why?" Gaara ask gripping his head as he remember the look on Guy's face when he stopped him from killing Lee.
"Yashamaru..."
A child Gaara was crying while sitting on a swing, he was watching the other kids play with a ball hoping he could join them, knowing that will never happen because all the kids in the village are afraid of him.
"HERE!"
"PASS IT!"
"Oh crap!"
"What are we going to do?" One of the kid ask as he stare at the ball that landed on top of a sand building-like structure.
"We haven't mastered wall climbing yet..." Another kid said.
Their eyes widen when they saw sand wrapping around the ball,lifting it in the air before it landed on Gaara's hand.
"Y-you are..." A kid struggle to say as he stare at Gaara in fear.
"Gaara!"
"It's Sabaku no Gaara!"
"RUN FOR IT!"
"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
The kids started to run away from Gaara in fear.
"MATTE! Don't leave me alone..." Gaara said trying to stop them from leaving, "I don't want to be alone anymore..."
Sand started to wrap around the kids as they shake in fear.
"HELP!"
"AAHHHHH!"
"NO!" A kid yelled as the sand head straight towards him, he close his eyes waiting for the pain to hit him but nothing happen.
"Gaara-sama, please calm yourself down..." Yashamaru plead blocking the attack.
Gaara's eyes widen before lowering his head in shame.
Later that night Gaara stared at the picture of his mother while holding a small knife, he place the blade of the knife on his wrist.
"It's no use..." He mutter as he watch the sand protect his wrist from the knife, "The sand gets in the way..."
"Gaara-sama" Yashamaru said entering the room "As a member of your medical team at Kazekage-sama's command, my duty is to protect you from any harm, please do not try to do such a thing... Although the sand will protect you anyway..."
"Yashamaru... Gomen'nasai... Do injuries... Hurt?" Gaara ask curiously as he stare at the bandage wrap around his uncle's head.
"Oh this... Well, a little... But it's nothing serious... So don't worry about it" Yashamaru said reassuringly.
"Yashamaru..."
"Hai?"
"What is... Pain?" Gaara ask a little desperate for an answer, "What... Exactly is pain? I've never been injured so... I wonder what it's like..." He said a bit sheepish.
Yashamaru gave him a thoughtful look "Hmmm... How should I put it?... Afflictive... Or dreadful... Like when your beaten or cut... Your unable to stay in your usual self... I can't explain it very well... I think I can say that it's unpleasant..."
"Yashamaru... Then... Do you... Hate me?" Gaara ask unable to meet his eyes.
"In life there are times people hurt and get hurt by others... But it's not that easy... To dislike someone from such an experience" Yashamaru said smiling at him.
"Arigatō... Yashamaru... I think I understand what pain is..." Gaara said looking up at him.
"Is that so..."
"Does that mean I am injured?... Just like everyone else... Then I... Always feel pain... Although it doesn't bleed, this part hurt so much..." Gaara said a sad smile on his face as he grip his chest where his heart is.
Yashamaru gave him a sad look before kneeling in front of him and taking the small knife from him, he used the knife to cut a small wound on his ring finger, Gaara's eyes widen as he watch blood ooze out from the wound.
"Bodies bleed upon physical injuries and they may look quite hurtful... But eventually the pain will wear off as time passes, and they can heal faster with medical aids... What are more serious are emotional scars... They are the hardest to heal..." Yashamaru explain.
"Emotional... Scars?" Gaara ask not knowing the meaning behind those word.
"Physical and emotional scars are a bit different... Unlike physical ones, there's no ointment for emotional ones... And the pain may never go away..." Yashamaru explain closing his eyes "There is only one thing that can stop such heartache... However as inconvenient as it may seem... This curse can only be given by people other than yourself..." He said opening his eyes and looking at the picture of his sister.
"What... What is it?..." Gaara ask following his gaze.
Yashamaru smiled at him "It's love..."
"Love?..." Gaara ask confuse.
"Hai."
"How... How can I receive that?"
"Gaara-sama, you're already receiving it... Love is... Care and devotion you feel for the precious ones around you... Like the feeling Onee-chan had for you..."
Gaara look at him not believing what he said, Yashamaru smiled at him softly.
"I believe she loved you so very much, the sand Shukaku is primarily a living spirit specialized in attacks... It's automatic perfect defense is a proof of maternal affection... Your mother's will remained in the sand to protect you... Onee-chan... Even after death... You wanted to be there for Gaara-sama..."
"Yashamaru... About today... Arigatō..." Gaara said smiling at him.
Yashamaru blink at him confuse "What for?"
"For stopping me..."
"You're very welcome... After all... Gaara-sama... You're my precious one around me" Yashamaru said smiling at him while sucking the blood off his finger.
"Yashamaru... I have a favor to ask..." Gaara said eagerly.
"Nani?"
"I want some ointments"
Sakura raise an eye brow watching Gaara mutter to himself, she bit her lower lip when she felt the familiar chakra of Zetsu, "Fuck..."
"Sakura, the fourth kazekage formed an ally with Orochimaru to invade Konoha... the Kazekage planned to have Gaara unleash Shukaku from the centre of Konoha during the Chūnin Exams to put the Konoha shinobi at a disadvantage from the get-go... However knowing Orochimaru he have something up his sleeves, we don't know what exactly but I think he's planning to betray the fourth and murder him" Pain said looking at Sakura.
"What do you want me to do about it?" Sakura ask raising an eye brow.
"Nothing" Pain said sternly.
Sakura gritted her teeth in annoyance "Nani?"
"Sakura... This is not your battle... You staying in Konoha is not permanent, once you become a Chūnin your leaving Konoha, what's the point of you fighting Konoha's battle when you're not even a Kunoichi of Konoha..." Pain said reminding her that her home is not Konoha.
"This is bull-... Sigh... Can't I at least help defend my team?" Sakura ask clenching her fist on her side.
"No... You defending your team is the same as defending Konoha, and I'm sure they can take care of themselves since they're not an ordinary ninja... If I find out that you disobey me... You're never going to step foot in Konoha ever again and you're relationship with the Uchiha is over, do you understand?" Pain ask glaring slightly at his adopted daughter.
Sakura met his glare without any emotion in her eyes "Hai..."
"SAKURA-CHAN WATCH OUT!" Naruto's yell broke her out of her trip to memory lane.
Hey... I know you guys are probably wondering why I didn't update for I don't know 5 or 6 months... Well the only explanation I have is... Laziness and Mental Block... I know It's not a valid excuse but that's the only excuse I have... I'll try to update weekly if I can... And I know it's a short and boring chapter but I promise the next chapter would be longer and much more interesting.
GOMEN'NASAI!
-xoxo-