Chapter 3

A.N. Kishimoto owns all except my characters-Kiminari, and Kimiko, and later characters. Also I'm probably not going to follow any of the story line except a few small things. I may take the characters outside their natural personalities, but that's because it's my story, and it'll add to it.

Kimiko's P.O.V. from this point on, unless for a small moment

Even though I was very upset with myself, I was not uncomfortable in the Kazekage's office. I had spent many hours in here while Gaara asked me about school, and if I had many friends ( usually the answer to that was no, so after a while, he just stopped asking ). We had gotten to know each other quite well. He had told me why I didn't have parents ( although he only said that my mother had to send me away to stay safe, but never why I was in danger ), and why he didn't. I had a lot of sympathy for him, and empathized with not having friends as a young child.

Last year, when I turned five, he learned that I had never been given a birthday party at the orphanage, because the woman who ran it didn't have enough money to give any of the children one. So he and his brother and sister bought each of the twelve children a gift, and had a huge cake made. I didn't blow out the candles that day, because I felt bad being the oldest kid there, so I let the youngest child, a two year old boy named Yamaru, blow them out. Although I had no friends at school, I did get along with the children at the orphanage, because I guess they saw me as a big sister. Normally when a child turned six, they would be sent to the ninja academy to train, or if they possessed no abilities, like me, they would go the academics only academy. I didn't really mind going there, ( partially because I didn't know what I was missing at the ninja academy ) but I was still upset, because the orphans who attended that academy got an apartment of their own when they turned ten. It made me sad that I would have to wait until I was sixteen to get a job and rent my own.

As we sat there, Gaara doing paperwork, and myself thinking while I sipped from a cup of orange spice and ginger tea ( my favorite; he had asked an office assistant to bring up), there was a light knock on the door signaling that the jerk had been healed and had been brought her to talk to the Kazekage.

"Come in." said Gaara as he reorganized his desk. The door opened and in came that jerk. Although I was still ashamed of myself, I almost laughed at the two black circles developing around his eyes. He would look like a raccoon tomorrow.

He stiffened when he saw me, but said nothing. He walked closer to Gaara's desk and bowed,"Kazekage-sama."

"Nice to see they left you with a tad less dignity, Anaki." Replied Gaara. "That means I won't have to punish you as severely, since you've already punished yourself." A small smirk. "As I understand it, you and one of your friends had a good time making rude comments and jokes about a six year old earlier today. So, what do you have to say for yourself and to Kimiko?" It was amazing to see the effects of the stern look on his face mixed with those words that were spoken so calmly, but with a threat behind them that said 'just try me child'.

This "Anaki" hung his head shamefully. "Kazekage-sama, I am sorry that I have disappointed you, but she is dangerous."

"Enlighten me." Was Gaara's reply.

"Well, after she hit me, something happened. It was like everything just disappeared. I was all alone in the middle of a room. It seemed like I was there for weeks, and all I could feel was searing pain in my chest." He looked like it pained him just to remember the experience. "When I came too, she had my kunai to my throat, and was demanding that I take back the insults, but I was still too shocked to say anything."

Gaara's usually indifferent face rose a little where there should have been an eyebrow. "Well I can't imagine her ever doing something to hurt anyone else. She must have been very hurt by what you said. So, I have decided that, for your punishment, Kimiko will get the payment from your next three missions, the first mission starting today. You will go to the Konoha and ask the Hokage to allow Kakashi Katake to come to Suna. I believe he has some information that could be helpful to us."

With that "Anaki the jerk" left to prepare for his mission. Then Gaara turned to me and said, "Kimiko, you will stay at my family's estate until further notice. For now, we need to keep you out of trouble." He said with a small smirk. And with that he took my hand and led me to his house.