Kurama didn't reply to that, instead perking up with a frown on his face."Kit, do you sense that?"
"Sense what?"
"Past the main gates."
Hikari blinked at the confusion and urgency in her partner's voice but obliged, extending her sensory range past the walls of Konoha.
Blue eyes widened when she finally sensed what Kurama was referring to.
"No way! It can't be…!"
Hikari shifted from foot to foot uncertainly, not sure if she should head towards the gates or go in search of an explanation. The need for the latter won out and the girl spun on her heel, sprinting towards the Hokage Tower.
A short flare of chakra was the only warning she gave before slipping through the open window in one smooth movement, landing perfectly on her feet in front of the surprised Sandaime.
Hiruzen took one look at her half-panicked, half-serious expression and activated the privacy seal. Whatever had spooked the usually unflappable girl must be serious. "Hello, Hikari-chan. What can I do for you?"
"Why?!"
"Why what?"
"Why is a group of people from Suna heading here?!"
"Ah," the old Hokage hummed as he leant back in his chair and puffed at his pipe once before his expression turned mildly serious. "I believe you know that we have a treaty with Suna? A delegation is coming over to discuss some of the terms; they are facing some difficulties so they wish to find alternatives to keep the treaty in effect."
Hikari took a deep breath in an attempt to regain some measure of calm. It didn't work entirely, an edge of hysteria still present in her voice when she yelled, "Then why is theJinchuuriki of the Ichibicoming here as well?!"
The pipe slid from Hiruzen's slack fingers and fell on the desk with a clatter, the sound rather loud in the otherwise silent room. "Are you certain?" he asked her, urgency in his tone.
"Yes. I'm fairly sure that the Jinchuuriki is Gaara but Shukaku's chakra signature is very distinct. Kurama verified it as well."
Hiruzen steepled his fingers, eyes narrowed in thought. Perhaps the Kazekage was bringing his children along, to allow them to experience the sight of a different village. But when he voiced his thoughts, Hikari immediately shook her head.
"That's a good theory but I don't sense any children in the group, Jiji."
"I see…how far out are they?"
Hikari quirked an eyebrow at him in question but answered, "At their current speed? Six hours or so before they reach Konoha."
Before Hiruzen could say anything, she spoke over him, "Something like this never happened in my dimension! Did you do something, Jiji?"
"I suppose I did," the Sandaime agreed thoughtfully. "Or rather,youdid."
"Hah?!"
"Think about it; in your world, Konoha would have been weakened slightly because of the incident with Kumo. The other shinobi villages would have taken the chance to either slip in spies or undermine any existing treaties. But that didn't happen here."
The redhead blinked.
That sounded just about right.
Thanks to their swift but firm dealing with Kumo's kidnapping attempt where Konoha had emerged as the clear winner despite what was said on paper, the other villages would have become wary. Suna already had a treaty with Konoha and what Hikari knew of their declining economy meant that they were desperate enough to negotiate for lighter terms, instead of going against them.
In her dimension, Konoha's perceived weakness would have put off Suna from doing such a thing, which was probably what gave Orochimaru the chance to make use of them.
While she was rolling that idea around in her head, Hiruzen continued speaking, "I remember what you told me of Suna attacking us during the Chuunin Exams, Hikari-chan. I agreed to the negotiation in the hope that a satisfactory treaty between us might make Rasa think before allying with Orochimaru."
Hikari sighed, shaking her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts. Both she and the Sandaime had come to similar conclusions, despite starting at different points. "I suppose," she finally said, looking up at the Sarutobi. "But I don't understand why he brought Gaara along."
Hiruzen grimaced. He had heard about the unstable Jinchuuriki from Suna, the Ichibi often breaking out from the seal to wreak havoc on the village. He had initially thought that the other village was planning on attacking Konoha but since the Kazekage himself was coming, a betrayal was unlikely.
"Do you think they might use Gaara-kun as a bargaining chip?"
"I don't know. Suna's circumstances don't support the damages caused by a rampaging Bijuu but I don't know why the Kazekage would bring him along."
The old Hokage took in Hikari's fidgeting, deducing that she had probably known the child in her former dimension and had had a close relationship with him.
He didn't know how right on the mark he was.
Gaara was one of Hikari's concerns; she knew about his childhood, which in a way was worse than hers. At least no one had tried to outright assassinate her.
But Rasa had used Gaara's uncle against him, shattering his already fragile psyche. Considering the timelines, it was likely that incident hadn't happened yet and she wanted to prevent it. Hikari knew that she could fix the boy's seal, freeing Shukaku from the madness it caused and breaking the twisted link between them.
However, sneaking into Suna wasn't the same as sneaking into Konoha or Kusa. Suna nin were suspicious of foreigners and would have attacked her on first sight, which was why she was putting off helping Gaara, much to her heartache and consternation.
Now, he would be in the same village as her but still with a distance that she couldn't cross, lest she cause a diplomatic nightmare.
"Hikari-chan."
"What?"
"Should the Ichibi get loose, do you think you can stop it?"
Hikari scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Of course I can, Jiji. Who do you think you're talking to?"
Smiling slightly at her confidence, Hiruzen said, "For now, we will treat the Suna delegation as guests unless proven otherwise. Should the Ichibi escape and the Kazekage does nothing to stop it, I want you to handle it, Hikari-chan."
The girl nodded absently, already planning what she could do. She certainly couldn't go as herself; a simple henge into her former self and chakra suppression seals should work as a decent disguise. Plus a cloak to cover her face, to ensure that there would be no unwanted questions.
But she still hoped it wouldn't come to that.
Rasa sat stiffly in his seat, staring at the Hokage on the other side of the room. One end of the long table was occupied by his men while the other end had the Konoha Council.
To the Kazekage's surprise, he did not see the Advisors; instead, there were only four men accompanying the Hokage. Their features gave them away as a Hyuuga, an Uchiha, a Nara and an Aburame. Most likely, the other Kage had cut down the number of people in order to match the Suna delegation.
The Kazekage inwardly winced, recalling the thinly veiled threat from when the Sarutobi had met the delegation at the gates the previous evening. Bringing his son with them had been a calculated risk, one that nearly brought down the entirety of Konoha's forces on their heads before they took even a single step inside the village.
Thankfully, the Hokage had been temporarily appeased with the explanation that it was too dangerous to leave him in Suna. Rasa was the only one who could stop the Ichibi when it was rampaging and if he was out of the village, then there was no telling what kind of damage the Bijuu would cause in his absence.
After a short but tense silence, the Hokage started with the initial formalities and pleasantries, making Rasa relax minutely.
"Well then, Kazekage-dono, shall we get straight to business? I believe it would be prudent; all of us are busy men, after all."
"Quite, Hokage-dono," Rasa agreed stiffly, inclining his head in a curt nod.
And so it went for the next few hours, the two sides arguing for the best possible benefits for their own village. Suna was the more persistent of the two, desperately needing more money to keep their village running. There were very few missions coming to them; it wasn't quite because of the quality of their shinobi but due to the meagre resources available to them to complete a mission perfectly.
For that they needed money, and to get money, they needed more missions.
It was a vicious cycle.
In the end, Konoha decided on outsourcing an average of 10 A-Rank missions per month for two years to Suna, plus providing a complete arsenal of weaponry to some of their best Jounin.
"I thank you for your generosity, Hokage-dono," Rasa said, slightly stunned. He had not expected such a good offer; 10 A-Ranks might not be much to Konoha but it was more than enough to improve Suna's immediate conditions, considering that they had little to offer in return. The weaponry was something completely unexpected though. "But forgive me if I doubt it. Why would you provide us with so much in return for little to no benefits?"
Hiruzen hummed, not breaking his gaze with the Kazekage. "I wish for this peace to continue between our villages and it is only right to provide aid to our ally in their time of need."
Rasa wasn't sure if that was the complete truth but didn't probe further, knowing that he didn't have the leverage to do so. Instead, his thoughts shifted in another direction, one that did nothing but fill him with dread. He knew he had to do it though.
The man cleared his throat in a bid to gain the attention of the Konoha group. When Hiruzen focused on him, Rasa spoke, voice steady but quieter than before.
"In a gesture of goodwill between our villages, Suna wishes to give our Jinchuuriki to Konoha, should you accept."
Hiruzen froze in his seat, stunned speechless by the words that had come out of the Kazekage's mouth. Was Suna really giving away theirJinchuuriki?
Thankfully for him, Shikaku recovered quickly and spoke, "Even if the village does not use them in battle, a Jinchuuriki is usually meant to maintain the balance of power among the Five Great Shinobi villages. How would it benefit either of us if you give your Jinchuuriki to Konoha?"
Rasa was prepared for the question, "Suna, much to my sorrow, is currently not equipped to handle a Jinchuuriki. We cannot balance both the rebuilding of our village and the boy's training." It galled him to admit such a thing but it was the decision that his Council had taken and he had no choice but to follow through.
"The amendments to the treaty are not reliant on your acceptance of this offer," Rasa reassured quickly when the Nara's expression turned skeptical. "Should you accept, the Jinchuuriki will immediately be handed over to your custody. Of course, once the current Jinchuuriki dies, the Bijuu will be returned to Suna."
Hiashi's eyes narrowed at the wording. It was obvious that Suna was plotting something; by saying that they wanted the Ichibi back when the Jinchuuriki died, they meant byanycause of death. Even if it was caused intentionally by Suna.
It was a tempting offer; having two Bijuu in their possession, even if for a short time, would increase Konoha's standing in the eyes of the other villages. Bonus points if they could control the supposedly unstable Jinchuuriki.
Feeling eyes on him, the Hyuuga Clan Head shifted his gaze to meet his Hokage's questioning eyes. In response, Hiashi folded his hands casually, a sign to say that he was withholding immediate decisions. Fugaku, Shikaku and Shibi did the same; none of them was comfortable enough to make a split second decision just for the sake of instant benefits.
Hiruzen nodded imperceptibly and turned to the Suna delegations. "May we have time to deliberate on this, Kazekage-dono?" he requested lightly, but his stormy expression told another story. "I'm afraid this is not a decision that can be taken swiftly."
"Of course, Hokage-dono. In the meantime, we can prepare the documents for the amendments to the treaty."
"A fine suggestion. Let us adjourn for the day," Hiruzen got to his feet, inclining his head respectfully to the other Kage and flicked his hand behind his sleeve. An ANBU appeared next to him and the old Hokage said, "Bear will take you to your accommodations, Kazekage-dono. I hope you will find them satisfactory."
Once the door shut behind the Suna nin, leaving only Hiruzen and the four Clan heads in the room, the Sarutobi sat down heavily.
What a headache.
Shikaku hung back in the room after Fugaku, Hiashi and Shibi departed; they had been discussing the offer made by Suna and despite their misgivings, they had to reluctantly agree that it was a good idea. Having two Jinchuuriki would certainly bring more power to the village.
They had decided to speak with the rest of the Clan heads before bringing their collective opinion to the Hokage, who would make the final decision on whether to accept Suna's offer or not.
Dark eyes watched the exhausted form of the Sandaime, a thin eyebrow rising when the Sarutobi pulled out a kunai and channeled some chakra into it. Not a second passed before a familiar redhead materialized in the room, Hikari slamming her hands on the desk anxiously.
"What happened, Jiji?"
"Apparently, Suna wants to give us their Jinchuuriki."
"They what?" Hikari's thought processes crashed at the dry statement, leaving her to stare at the Hokage dumbly, mouth agape. She had not expected that.
"Yeah," Shikaku affirmed, pulling out two chairs and settling on one before sliding the other in the redhead's direction. "Something about not having the resources to handle a Jinchuuriki."
Mouth snapping shut, the girl dropped into the chair, tugging on her hair in thought and frustration. "That's weird. They didn't do this in my dimension."
'Is this another change?'
"None of us believe that they don't have ulterior motives," Hiruzen said. It was something that the men who had been in the meeting collectively agreed on; the Suna Council was much too shrewd and power hungry to give away one of their best weapons.
Hikari nodded, biting her lip as she looked between the Hokage and Shikaku. Her expression clearly displayed her hesitation, something uncharacteristic of her.
"What did you decide?"
"For now, we're leaning towards accepting," Shikaku told her. He couldn't help but also let her know of his suspicions, "Honestly, I think they're planning on destroying Konoha at least a little. Their Jinchuuriki is clearly unstable and it is possible that they're betting on the Bijuu getting loose and leveling the village."
"That isn't Gaara's fault!"
The redhead bristled, not willing to let the perceived insult to her friend's counterpart slide. "Those stupid, incompetent Suna nin slapped a botched, inferior seal on him! It's hurting both Gaara and Shukaku!"
That loaded statement sparked a ton of questions, Hiruzen asking curiously, "Do you know the Jinchuuriki, Hikari-chan?"
"He has a name; use it," Hikari countered irritably, crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't like how they were talking about Gaara. In the back of her head, she knew it wasn't entirely their fault and she was simply taking out her frustration on them but she couldn't help it.
Shikaku winced at the anger on the girl's face but nodded agreeably. "You know Gaara-kun then?"
"Yes. He was like a brother to me."
The Nara didn't doubt that; both Jinchuuriki would have had a connection simply because of the Bijuu within them and it sounded like Hikari and her world's Gaara had formed a bond through choice. It would have tied them closer than a simple friendship.
"If we were to accept Suna's offer," Shikaku started slowly, eyeing the stiffening girl with hidden humor, "would you take care of him, Hikari?"
"I…"
"Gaara!"
The blonde girl clung to the redheaded male, wrapping her arms around him tightly as she sobbed into his chest. "Please…"
"Naruto," he said gently, one arm around her slim waist as he patted her head with his free hand. "You know I must."
In the distance, thick branches ripped through the land, letting the two know that the reanimated Hashirama was approaching. It was almost certain that at least Tobirama would be with him, let alone the other remaining reanimated Kages.
They were running out of time.
Naruto knew that herself; if they didn't seal away the Edo Tensei Kages soon, then the remnants of the Allied Shinobi forces were done for.
Out of the survivors, Gaara was the only one capable of doing so in one fell swoop.
But she wanted to be selfish; she didn't want to lose him.
"Naruto, please."
Gaara pulled away and instead cradled the blonde's face, pressing his forehead to hers. "I wish to protect everyone, Naruto. I know you understand that."
Tears beaded at the corners of blue eyes but Naruto didn't let them fall. She did understand; both of them were Kages, entrusted with the protection of their respective villages. How could she stop Gaara from doing something that she would do in a heartbeat?
"…okay."
Her grip loosened but she didn't let go completely yet, wanting to bask in her friend's, no,brother'swarmth for one last time.
She knew that he would not be coming back.
The redhead stepped back, arms dropping to his sides. He shot a small but genuine smile at the girl, whispering a few words to her before leaping away.
Naruto stood frozen in her spot, senses focused on Gaara as a wall of sand hid him from her view. She didn't move, keeping watch over him as he fought against the Kages. One by one, they went down, sealed away by the Godaime Kazekage's sand.
Time passed and the last flickers of chakra disappeared from the blonde's keen senses, snuffed out by the sand coffins. Only the girl remained, standing in the now silent battlefield, Gaara's last words ringing in her ears.
"I love you, little sister. Be safe."
"Hikari?"
The redhead jolted out of her memories at Shikaku's voice and blinked in confusion at the man. "Sorry…what did you say?"
"I asked if you would take care of Gaara-kun if we accepted Suna's offer." The Nara had a knowing glint in his eyes, as if he knew that she had just taken an impromptu trip down memory lane. But to her gratitude, he didn't draw attention to it.
But his question was a valid one.
Looking at the two men in the room, Hikari decided to reveal something from her past. "Remember when I said that Suna and Oto joined forces to attack Konoha during my Chuunin Exams? Gaara was a vital part of that," she admitted. In truth, most of Orochimaru's plan had revolved around the Ichibi providing a distraction while he went after the Sandaime.
Hiruzen and Shikaku mulled over that piece of information, the Hokage eventually saying, "Wouldn't it be a good thing if we have Gaara-kun then? Orochimaru wouldn't be able to use him."
The Nara, however, picked up on what the girlwasn'tsaying and interjected before Hikari could reply, "You're thinking that Orochimaru's plan will change if he doesn't have Gaara-kun."
"I…yes."
On one hand, taking Gaara in would give him the same chance little Naruto had gotten, the chance to have a relatively happy childhood, where he wouldn't have to face the hatred of the people around him alone. Konoha wouldn't hate him as much as Suna, anyway.
On the other hand, it would mean most of her future knowledge would become useless.
Sure, she could instead offer to fix the boy's seal and send him back to Suna. That way, some things might still remain the same.
But was that worth it?
"You know what," Hikari spoke up suddenly, shooting to her feet and startling the men, "screw it."
"What?" Shikaku asked, bemused, as he eyed her warily.
"Screw the timeline!" she yelled, throwing up her hands. Almost nothing had gone the exact same way as in her dimension since she had come to this world and it was likely that the trend would continue. There was no point in sacrificing her brother's sanity for the sake of information. "We're taking Gaara in; the future and Suna and Orochimaru be damned!"
Hiruzen chuckled, taking her outburst in stride. He had suspected that she might react like that but he also had to consider the consequences. "Suna will not be happy when they realize that they won't be getting their Bijuu back for a long time."
"Hmph. They were the ones who made that stupid decision; they can shut their traps."
"There's also the matter of Danzo," Shikaku drawled, resting his chin on his palm as he thought about how the Shimura would react. He had already tried to get Naruto multiple times, even aimed for Shibi's son, Shino, and was vainly trying to isolate the redhead currently ranting in front of him.
Since all of his plans were failing, it was likely that the old man would resort to ungainly methods to get the Jinchuuriki of the Ichibi.
Hikari waved her hand absently.
"Don't worry about the old geezer," she said, a dismissive note in her voice. Gaara was going to be as much a public figure as Naruto was if he was moving to Konoha. If Danzo couldn't touch Naruto because of that, how could he get Gaara?
"Just get the approval of the rest of the clans and we're good. The noisy and useless advisors can just whine, for all I care."
"You realize that none of them will object?" the Nara pointed out, amused. If Hikari asked for it, he knew that the Hyuuga and Uchiha would stage a coup for her. He himself would support it, not to mention the Inuzuka. The rest would remain neutralifthey didn't join in and there was quite a number of powerful shinobi who would side with her over the Hokage himself.
Not that he thought Hikari would even consider such a thing, but that was the kind of loyalty she inspired.
Hikari shrugged in response to Shikaku, finally calming down a little. "Maybe. Doesn't change the fact that I want to help Gaara, no matter what. Besides," a devious smirk curled her lips, "I'dloveto see the Suna councilmembers' faces when they realize that they lost their Bijuu."
"Danzo isn't going to take this well," Hiruzen sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair. He knew his old friend enough to predict that Danzo would be frothing at the mouth when the other man learned of his decision. "Two Jinchuuriki and neither of them under his control."
A snort broke his train of thought and the old man turned his head to face Hikari, who raised an eyebrow at him. "ThreeJinchuuriki. Did you forget that I'm one too?"
"Ah, that's true. But he does not know that."
"Yep. Anyway, send me a message when I can pick up Gaara. I'm going to get his room ready. See you later, Jiji, Shikaku-san!"
The girl vanished using the Hiraishin, leaving the two men to shake their heads in fond exasperation.
Yashamaru watched his nephew play with his bear, grains of sand floating around him. Unlike the clueless redhead, he knewexactlywhy Gaara had been brought along on this diplomatic mission.
He clenched his fists upon remembering the Elders' decision: Gaara's faulty seal was eventually going to break and release the Bijuu, so why not inflict that danger upon another village?
Konoha's growing power had alarmed the Elders enough to go to such drastic measures. The death of the Kazekage's son would not be on their hands if their plan succeeded and the Ichibi would be returned to them soon. A suitable host could be found in the meantime.
All in all, Suna benefited greatly.
But Yashamaru could not accept it, not when it was his beloved sister's child who was going to suffer because of the cruel decisions of the Elders. Gaara was a sweet child; he did not truly understand why people hated and feared him. Yet he longed for love and acceptance, which even his own family could not provide him with.
Temari and Kankuro were scared of their little brother and Rasa was slowly beginning to see his youngest child as a useless tool. The number of assassins sent after Gaara proved that.
"Yashamaru! Yashamaru, look!"
The little boy's delighted voice distracted the man from his dark and depressing thoughts. Yashamaru managed a strained but genuine smile, "What is it, Gaara-sama?"
"Look!"
Gaara waved his hands in the air, making the sand carry his bear towards the man. Yashamaru's breath hitched; this was the first time Gaara manipulated sand so easily without having to infuse his chakra into it. The boy's face was scrunched in concentration as he guided his sand, determined to make his bear reach his uncle who was on the other side of the room.
"That was amazing, Gaara-sama," Yashamaru praised when the bear finally landed in his arms, crouching to be level with the child when Gaara ran to him. "Your control has improved greatly."
"Yes," Gaara beamed, green eyes sparkling with joy. "I want to train more with Father, like Temari and Kankuro! So I have to practice lots."
Oh, no.
How could Yashamaru tell this sweet child that his father was probably going to leave him in Konoha?
A knock on the door pulled Yashamaru from where he was seated on Gaara's bed, the child sleeping for a bit. Thanks to the Ichibi, he could not get a full night's sleep but he could manage short naps when he was really tired.
With mounting trepidation, the man stood up to answer the door, knowing that it was the Kazekage on the side.
"Rasa-sama."
"Yashamaru," the Yondaime Kazekage said, inclining his head a little. "Konoha has informed us of their final decision. They have accepted."
Those simple words were enough to cause Yashamaru's heart to freeze. "But, Rasa-sama-"
Rasa cut him off, face set in an impassive glare. "There is no point in protesting. The decision has already been made and to go back on it now will earn us the ire of both Konoha and our Elders."
Having said his piece, the Kazekage turned, walking away without even bothering to check on his son. "At least this way, the boy will be of some use to Suna."
"He's your son! How could you do this?! Kazekage-sama, please reconsider!"
"That boy is more beast than human, what with the Bijuu exerting its control more often than not. He no longer has a place in our village."
The slamming of a door indicated the end of the conversation and Yashamaru slumped against the wall, staring down the empty hallway blankly.
There was nothing more he could now, except hope that whoever was going to take charge of his nephew was kind.
'Oh, Gaara-sama…I'm so sorry…'
At the gates of Konoha, two delegations stood facing each other, a tense silence surrounding them. Gaara stood next to Yashamaru, holding onto the man with one hand while staring between his father and the old man in red and white robes.
"Gaara," his father finally spoke, eyes trained on the old man. Not once did his gaze waver, even when addressing his own son.
Surprised at being suddenly called, the little boy stuttered but managed to respond, "Y-Yes, Father?"
"From this moment forth, you will remain in Konoha."
What?
Yashamaru knelt down, seeing the child's confusion. Smiling sadly, the man explained, "You'll be staying in Konoha from now on, Gaara-sama."
"W-Why…?"
"I'm sorry, Gaara-sama."
"But, Yashamaru-!"
Heart clenching at the teary expression on his nephew's face, the sandy-haired man squeezed the child's hands once in comfort before letting go and getting to his feet. Any longer and he might not be able to fight back the urge to take Gaara and run.
Unmindful of the interaction happening next to him, Rasa shook hands with the Hokage. He could tell that the other Kage disapproved of his attitude towards his son but he had to be a leader before he could be a father, especially towards a child he was beginning to resent.
Formalities completed, the Kazekage nodded to his entourage and turned around, starting a brisk pace towards Suna. Accompanying soft footfalls told him that Yashamaru and the others were following, even if his brother-in-law was hesitant to leave.
All was for the good of Suna.
"Father! Yashamaru!"
Gaara kept screaming for his father and uncle, unable to believe that they had left him behind. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and forming wet patches on the ground but he didn't care. He kept staring towards where Rasa and Yashamaru had disappeared, hoping that they would come back.
It hurt.
He wasn't bleeding anywhere like Yashamaru had said when people were hurt but his heart felt like it would burst from the agony he was feeling.
Emotional pain.
Wound of a heart.
Gaara thought he had understood what that meant; he felt it every time someone flinched or ran away from him, every time he sensed glaring eyes on him.
But what he was feeling now was far greater than anything he had ever experienced.
'Why, Yashamaru…Father…? What can I do to make you love me?'
No matter how hard he tried, no one smiled at him; no one was happy to be in his presence.
He tried so hard!
He kept trying to smile, to be friendly, so that someone would like him.
All he got for his efforts were pain, glares and harsh words.
"That's right…kill them all, Gaara…"
The child flinched upon hearing the dark voice that always echoed in his head; his father had said that it was a monster and Gaara believed him. The voice always scared him, telling him that it would kill everyone when he slept.
Gaara didn't want that!
His dreams were always haunted by that scary feeling and so he never slept for long, scared that he would wake up and find out that he had hurt or killed people.
"Kill them, Gaara…no one loves you…Only I am on your side…!"
"Stop it!"
Gaara dropped to his knees, clutching his head tightly. Tears were still falling from his eyes, the pain in his heart so very overwhelming. The fear that the voice caused made everything worse and he didn't have Yashamaru to help him.
The voice laughed, cruel and high-pitched."I want blood…isn't red a pretty color…?"
"Child…"
Another voice this time, one that Gaara vaguely recognized as the old man in robes, spoke up, something soft in his tone. The man took a single step towards him but stopped when sand rose up around the little boy, swirling threateningly.
He was scared.
Darkness was enveloping his vision, breaths coming fast as Gaara tried to get air into his lungs.
"N-No…"
In response to his spiraling emotions, the sand rose higher prompting the shinobi who were gathered around the boy to pull out kunai and other weapons.
"See? These people do not care about you…kill them, Gaara!"
The sand rose higher and higher around the panicking boy, causing the civilians present in the area to scream and run in terror. The shinobi tensed, not sure what to do and what level of threat the sand posed. But before any of them could do anything except shift a foot, someone shouted, the authority in the voice making them all freeze in place.
"Stay away from him!"
Hikari jerked when she felt Shukaku's chakra spike, almost dropping the plates she held in her hands. The Sandaime was supposed to bring Gaara over after seeing the Suna delegation off but that dark chakra, crushing Gaara's own panicked chakra signature, let her know that something had gone wrong.
"Hikari-chan?" Manami popped her head into the kitchen, her features expressing her worry. "Do you feel that?"
"Yeah. Manami-san, can you watch over Naruto and Karin?" Hikari asked urgently, setting the plates down on the counter and drying her hands on a towel. "I think something happened to Gaara."
The woman's eyes widened in understanding and she nodded, stepping to the side when the girl rushed past her. Manami had been told about Gaara the previous night, along with Naruto and Karin. All of them had been supportive when Hikari had hesitantly explained that the boy would be living with them, the kids delighted to have another sibling.
Manami, however, had been pulled aside after Naruto and Karin had gone to bed. She had been informed of what exactly Gaara was: a Jinchuuriki, just like her nephew. But unlike him, the other boy's seal was faulty, hurting him greatly.
Hikari had assured her in a worried but confident voice that she could help him and that no one had any cause to be concerned.
Honestly, the woman didn't need the assurance. She had learned long ago that Hikari accomplished whatever she set her mind to and if she wanted to help Gaara, then Manami would support her.
Besides, after hearing what the child had experienced in Suna, there was no way Manami could be so cruel as to refuse him.
"Hikari-chan," she called, smiling gently when the girl paused in pulling her shoes on to look at her inquisitively. "Bring Gaara-kun home safely."
Hikari grinned, bright and warm, snapping off a salute before running out the door. "It's a promise!"
Not bothering to waste time running, Hikari used the Hiraishin to appear in a shadowed street near the gates of Konoha. The rising sand only added to her concern and she ran up the walls of the village to get to a good vantage point.
From high up, she could see the small form of Gaara in the middle of the miniature sandstorm. She frowned; the boy's emotions were all over the place, from sadness to deep agony to intense fear. Shukaku's chakra was still leaking from the seal, causing the fear to spike.
'I think Shukaku is provoking Gaara somehow,'she thought. Hikari had known that being told to stay behind in Konoha was going to hurt the boy but she had the feeling that Rasa and Yashamaru had not handled it well. It was likely that the information had been sprung on him out of the blue, making him distraught, the unfamiliar environment not helping.
The Konoha shinobi were drawing their weapons in response to the perceived threat, even though the Sandaime held a hand up to prevent them from attacking. It wouldn't help though; Gaara was already on the verge of a complete meltdown and the mere sight of weapons would cause him to panic.
"Stay away from him!" she yelled, jumping off the wall and right into the eye of the sandstorm. She faintly heard Hiruzen shouting at her over the wailing of the sandstorm but she ignored it, having eyes only for the boy in front of her.
Surprisingly, Gaara heard the soft thump as she landed on the ground and he looked up in alarm, stumbling back and falling on his butt as he lost his balance. Hikari noticed the tears on his cheeks, his green eyes blown wide with panic. Fighting to keep the rage from showing on her face, she knelt down in front of the boy, hands held out to show that she didn't have a weapon.
But she desperately wanted one, to chase down that bastard of a Kazekage and skewer him, to make him feel even a smidgen of the pain he had inflicted on hisown son.
"N-No..! Go away!"
Hikari's heart broke at the pure fear in Gaara's voice but she didn't falter. Softening her expression, Hikari stayed where she was and let a gentle smile curl her lips.
"It's okay, Gaara…"
The little redhead looked at her with teary eyes, chest heaving as he tried to breathe. His panic was one thing but the dark voice still screaming in his head didn't help matters at all. Gaara scrambled back, not trusting that the girl wouldn't hurt him. Or thathewouldn't hurther.
To his surprise, she didn't move from her spot, still staring at him with that calm gaze. Her hair was a deeper red than his own, the long strands whipping about in the wind caused by the sandstorm raging around them. In the shadows caused by the sand, her hair looked like blood splatters.
But her eyes were blue, the deep blue of the sky on a sunny day, warm and gentle, in a way that not even Yashamaru had matched. Gaara's own teal green eyes connected with hers and he was startled at the absence of fear in those blue eyes.
"Why…?"
"Why what?"
"Why aren't you scared of me?!" Gaara yelled, the sands lashing out in response to his wild emotions. But the girl didn't even flinch, simply tilting her head to the side to avoid the haphazard attacks. "Everyone is scared of me! They don't like me and they only hurt me!"
"Maybe," she replied softly, her voice almost lost in the howling wind. "But I'm not scared of you."
"I-"
"I know you don't want to hurt me, Gaara."
"But I always hurt everyone! Father said that I have a monster in me!"
Gaara was certain that the girl in front of him would now have the same expression people had in Suna, whenever they saw him. An expression of fear and hatred, solely directed at him for things he did not understand and did not ask for.
Seconds ticked by, the boy waiting for the expected shriek of fear and mad scramble to get away.
But…
That didn't happen.
He watched as the girl's expression turned sad and she dropped her hands, instead holding them out towards him. "You won't hurt me," she said confidently, still holding his gaze. "The being in you isn't a monster."
She paused, eyes closing for a second before opening, now with a determined light in them. "And neither are you, Gaara."
The sheer amount of certainty in her voice stunned him and for a moment, Gaara forgot how to breathe. There was an emotion in those bright eyes that he had seen many times directed at others, but not at him.
Neverat him.
But…that was no longer the truth, was it?
Because this unknown girl in front of him stood her ground even when he lost control, something his own father had never done.
Because the emotion Gaara had longed for was so clearly visible in her eyes, in her expression, in the curve of her smile.
Love.
He recognized the gesture she was making by holding her arms out like that, having seen parents reach out for their children in a similar manner.
She was welcoming him, giving him the chance to choose for himself, to experiencelove.
Refusing to get his hopes up yet at the same time yearning, Gaara whispered a few words, focused entirely on the strange girl. Unbeknownst to him, the sandstorm had died down, only a few scattered grains of sand floating in the air.
"Will you love me?"
"I already do."
Hiruzen watched anxiously as the tornado of sand rose higher and higher, worried for the redhead who had leapt in minutes prior with no concern for her own safety. If the situation didn't change in the next few minutes, he would have to use force.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, the tornado slowed down, sand falling to the ground like rain and eventually dissipating. In what had been the epicentre were the two redheads, the Suna child staring at the female redhead with glassy eyes, filled with a mix of pain, despair and hope.
Hikari was kneeling on the ground, arms held out to the boy. She did not pay any attention to the gawking shinobi and civilians around them, focused only on the child in front of her. A kind smile was on her face, a smile that he had seen only directed towards a few select people.
"Hokage-sama, should we…?" one of the shinobi spoke up, glancing nervously between his leader and the two children. It was safe to say that he was unnerved by the sudden disappearance of the sandstorm.
"Wait."
Hiruzen shook his head, willing to leave the matter in Hikari's capable hands. She did have official custody of the Ichibi's Jinchuuriki and she was the only one in the entire village who would not fear him.
He simply watched as the little boy shakily pushed himself up onto his feet, taking small, hesitant steps towards Hikari.
Hikari mostly ignored the shinobi surrounding them, only sparing enough attention to ensure that she could deflect any attack aimed at her or Gaara.
Speaking of Gaara, the child was slowly walking towards her, hesitantly reaching out his hands. But she didn't move yet, waiting until he placed one shaking hand in hers. Smiling, Hikari gently closed her fingers around that tiny hand, tugging him to her.
"You really are not scared of me?" Gaara asked, shuffling closer, teal green eyes watching her expression closely.
"No," Hikari replied, wrapping her arms around those small shoulders, telegraphing her movements as she did so.'Sage, he is so small; even smaller than Naruto!'
Gaara stiffened in her hold, whether out of fear of his sand striking out or being pushed away. When neither happened, he sniffled, tears forming in his eyes again. He let himself go, grabbing fistfuls of the girl's shirt and burying his face in her neck as he started to cry.
"There, there," Hikari shushed him, running a hand down his back soothingly. "It's alright now, Gaara. You're safe."
"Y-Yashamaru and Father," Gaara hiccupped, burrowing closer when he recalled the coldness in his father's eyes as he told him that he could no longer go home, "th-they said I can't go home."
Hikari ruthlessly squashed the white-hot fury that erupted in her at those words, finally learning what had truly set off the boy earlier. Even though it was not an ideal situation, Gaara had not been eased into it. Instead, the information had been dumped on him at the very last moment, giving him the impression of being abandoned.
There was no need for Gaara to mistakenly assume that her anger was directed at him.
"I'm so sorry, Gaara," Hikari whispered into his hair, hugging the boy just a little bit tighter. "But...would you like to come with me? To a new home?"
Gaara froze at the question, shock overpowering any other emotion he had been feeling.
"Of course, it won't be just you and me," she continued blithely, as if oblivious to his dilemma. "There will be at least four other people, two kids your age, an aunt and a big brother. Sometimes, there'll be others too but they're all very nice."
She stopped talking when the fingers gripping her shirt tightened, digging into her skin. "Gaara?"
"They will like me? Play with me?"
"Yeah," came the cheerful reply. Hikari cradled the boy's face with one hand, brushing away the remnants of tears. "Naruto and Karin are looking forward to meet you."
"But…Temari and Kankuro are always afraid of me…"
"Well, good thing we're not them, right?"
Hikari drew back a little, meeting Gaara's eyes. "I know we're strangers to you and you're very sad and hurt, but will give us a chance? I just want you to be happy, Gaara."
"I…"
Gaara didn't know what to do. Less than an hour ago, he had been literally abandoned by his family in an unfamiliar village, lonely and hurt. But here was a strange girl, offering him everything he had ever wanted. Telling him that she loved him, wanted him to be happy.
"KILL HER! SHE IS NOT YOUR FRIEND! ONLY HER BLOOD WILL SATISFY US!"
The voice, which had been surprisingly quiet since the girl had arrived, suddenly screamed at him, making him flinch violently. But for the first time in his life, there was warmth around him, a gentle hand cradling his head and holding him as if he was something precious.
'Even Yashamaru didn't do this for me…'
And so Gaara found the courage to talk back to the voice.
"No…you can't hurt her!"
"GAARA!"
"No!"
Hikari frowned when she felt Shukaku's chakra spike and Gaara flinch in her arms but to her surprise, the sand did not rise, not preparing for an attack. She studied the child's expression, eyebrows rising in shock when there was a look of defiance on his face.
"Gaara? What is it?"
"The voice…it says it wants your blood," Gaara muttered, causing the nearby shinobi to tense and reach for their weapons. "But I won't let it!"
The girl blinked at the bold statement, taken aback by the sudden vehemence in his tone. "Aren't you a brave kid?" she praised lightly, patting his head. The seemingly innocent action hid what she was actually doing and that was placing a temporary seal to quiet Shukaku.
She would have to look at Gaara's seal when they were in a safer location but for now, it would have to do.
"But, you know," Hikari whispered softly, hugging the child to herself tightly. "You don't have to fight the voice alone. I'm here now."
Slowly relaxing thanks to the positive feelings the embrace evoked, Gaara melted against the girl, eyes starting to droop. When he realized he was falling asleep, he jolted but Hikari shushed him.
"It's alright, Gaara. You can sleep; I promise that nothing will happen."
"But…"
Hikari pressed the boy's head against her shoulder, running a hand through his hair. "It'll be just fine, okay? If you're really that worried, how about a short nap instead?"
That sounded better, Gaara thought and nodded tiredly, completely exhausted thanks to the emotional turmoil he had been through. Maybe, just this once, he wouldn't have to wake up to destruction and pain.
Hikari sighed as she rose to her feet, a sleeping Gaara cradled in her arms. There was no doubt that he would break down again in the future, old enough to understand what had been done to him but too young to deal with it in a healthy manner.
Sleepless nights were in her future for sure.
'I don't regret my choice though,'she thought, smiling when Gaara snuffled and pressed deeper into her neck and she adjusted her posture to support him better.'As long as I can give him a happier life, I won't regret it.'
"Hikari-chan."
"Hey, Jiji," Hikari replied absently, still not taking her eyes off the boy in her arms. "Mind telling everyone to calm down? I don't want to spook Gaara in case he wakes up."
"Of course," Hiruzen agreed, waving at the gathered shinobi. Most of them saluted and dispersed, the ANBU vanishing into the shadows. A few lingered though, curious about the girl who had faced an out-of-control Jinchuuriki without a hint of fear.
"You're going to get more attention now, Hikari-chan." Her little stunt might have been necessary but she had literally stared down death earlier. "That was a dangerous thing to do."
Hikari bristled like a wet feline, face set in a glare as she finally shifted her gaze to stare at the old man. "I don't care," she hissed, mindful to keep her voice down. "Itoldyou that I would not allow any harm to come to him."
The Sandaime sighed, the exhaustion of the day starting to weigh on him. "I suppose so. Are you going to leave now?"
"Not yet. I want to ask you something: did the Kazekage only tell Gaara about the arrangement before he left?"
"Yes. It was cruel of him," Hiruzen replied, expression darkening as he remembered the callous way in which Rasa had handled the matter, withhis own son. "The only person who showed any form of kindness was the child's uncle; I believe his name is Yashamaru."
Hikari hummed, blue eyes narrowed as she stared out the gates. "I see."
Recognizing that tone of voice, the old Hokage barely withheld a shudder. He almost begged, "Whatever you do, Hikari-chan,pleasedo not cause an inter-village diplomatic nightmare."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Jiji."
"Hikari-chan,please."
Rasa watched the distant tornado of sand, visible despite the distance between Konoha and the Suna delegation, with a blank expression on his face.'Not even an hour since the boy was left there and the Bijuu is already breaking free.'
At that rate, Suna would have their Bijuu back in their possession sooner than expected.
Just as he was about to turn away, something caught his eye and Rasa focused back just as the sand disappeared. His brow furrowed; knocking Gaara out wouldn't stop the Ichibi from getting out from the seal. There were only two possibilities: either Gaara managed to control the Bijuu or someone sealed it.
Neither was likely.
"Gaara-sama…"
Yashamaru was the only one staring in the direction of Konoha with concern and sorrow, having truly cared for his nephew. He didn't like having to leave the child amongst strangers but there was nothing he could do.
"The boy is no longer any of our concern, Yashamaru," Rasa reprimanded his brother-in-law, stern and unbending. "He is now Konoha's responsibility."
"Be as it may, Kazekage-sama, Gaara-sama is my sister's beloved son and he will always have my concern," Yashamaru shot back, expression demure but with eyes of steel. He would never be able to forgive Rasa for his cruelty towards the son he had made into a monster.
"At least one of you genuinely cares for him. Better than nothing, I guess."
The Suna delegation tensed at the feminine voice, all of them turning around rapidly to face the source. Up in a tree a few feet away from them, a woman dressed in black was perched on a branch. She had short black hair framing her face and porcelain-like skin. But her eyes were the strangest feature.
They were crimson, with slitted pupils.
"Who are you?" Rasa demanded, wary of the woman who had come so close without alerting any of them. There was an aura of danger around her even though she looked delicate, like she would break at the smallest touch.
"No one you know," she replied, staring at him with an unnerving intensity. "I just wanted to see what kind of a person you are to abandon your own son like that."
Rasa tensed at the accusation. "That is none of your business."
"Hmm, really?"
The woman tilted her head to the side, still staring at him as she twirled a kunai on her finger. "Well, that's neither here nor there."
The air suddenly turned cold, intense killing intent leaking from the woman. Rasa grit his teeth, fighting to stay on his feet and not fall to the ground in a shivering mess, like his shinobi. For some reason, Yashamaru was the only one spared.
"You see, I could care less about Suna," the woman said, voice pleasant like she was talking about the weather. But her eyes and expression were icy, something almostferalin those crimson depths. "But you messed with Gaara, making me very, very angry."
She hopped off the branch, landing on the ground soundlessly. Strolling up to the frozen Kazekage with her hands held behind her back, she continued speaking.
"I can take a guess as to what you're planning," she whispered softly, leaning into Rasa's face. "You want the Ichibi to break loose, wreck Konoha as much as he can, killing little Gaara in the process. If the kid didn't lose control within a certain timeframe, you would send assassins after him, forcing his hand."
Crimson eyes flashed with barely restrained rage, killing intent spike in response and crushing Rasa into the ground. His body shook, terror overwhelming him. The woman hadn't even raised a finger to attack him, yet her presence was terrifying enough to send him, a veteran of the Third Shinobi War, into a terror-stricken state.
"Win-win, isn't it?" she murmured, voice like velvet, serene despite the picture of horror she painted. "You can get rid of your unstable Jinchuuriki, legally destroy Konoha a little and get your Bijuu back. A pretty good plan, actually."
Rasa gulped, not wanting to hear what she was going to say next but having no way to stop her. Facing down a Bijuu on a near daily basis was nothing compared to this woman. He couldn't even move a finger.
"Too bad it involves an innocent life."
Now, the woman's voice was shrouded in deep protectiveness, with a steel sharp enough to slice someone open if they were careless.
"No one will harm a hair on Gaara's head. If someone does dare to try, they'd have more luck against an army compared to getting out of my sight alive."
Oh, Rasa believed her. For all that she looked fragile, the woman delivering subtle threats to him could have killed him and his men at any time, powerful enough to paralyze them with pure killing intent. If she wanted to end their lives, nothing could save them.
"I'll only give you one chance, Yondaime Kazekage," she said after a long pause, finally releasing the Suna nin and letting them gasp for breath. "Stay away from Gaara."
Rasa, managing to move his head, stared at her feet moving away from him, into the forest. "You're from Konoha," he rasped weakly, attempting to push himself up but his shaking body wasn't cooperating. "That's why you're threatening us."
"Am I?"
The woman stopped, looking back over her shoulder. One dark eyebrow was raised, amusement dancing in the single crimson eye Rasa could see.
"A lot of the people there can burn, for all I care," she stated, a whimsical smile playing on her lips. But there was a dark edge to it that made the Suna nin shiver. "But since Gaara lives there now, I suppose Iaminvolved with them. Feel free to complain to them all you want; there's no way to persecute someone who they don't even know."
With those parting words, the woman disappeared into the trees, taking with her the remnants of the oppressive aura. It was like she had never been there in the first place.
'Just what kind of a monster have we provoked?'Rasa thought tiredly, running a shaky hand over his face. He could only hope that the mysterious woman wouldn't get it into her head to attack his village or something. There was no way he could fend her off.
"I believe we should heed her warning, Kazekage-sama," Yashamaru said drily, moving to help the man sit up. He had not interfered, having secretly wanted someone to tell off Rasa for his stupid actions. Looking after the best interests of Suna was a good thing but there was a limit to how utilitarian one could be, especially when it came to people.
Hopefully, Rasa would take the incident as a sorely needed reality check.
"Quiet, Yashamaru," Rasa snapped, covering his eyes with a hand. "What can we do against a woman that powerful, anyway?"
The threat in her words was all too real and Rasa wasn't willing to test his luck. He could only hope that his council would take his words seriously and not go too far. He did not want Suna to end up in ruins.
Back in Konoha, Hikari bit back maniacal laughter when the memories of her Kage Bunshin came to her. It was pretty funny to see the Kazekage all but shaking at the mere sight of her Henged form. She wasn't sure if he'd prevent any assassination attempts on Gaara but at least he would think twice before trying anything.
Besides, no assassin was ever going to get past her.
Filing away the memories for later, Hikari tuned back into reality. She had introduced Gaara to Naruto, Karin and Manami; the two kids had immediately taken to bombarding the poor boy with questions about Suna, not put off by his hesitance. Instead, it only seemed to make Naruto and Karin more determined to get him to open up.
Manami had laughed at their enthusiasm and had settled into the role of mediator, charming Gaara with her kind personality. It probably helped that she reminded him a little of Yashamaru, both adults having a calm demeanour with a core of steel.
Hikari knew that years of trauma wouldn't be wiped away so easily, but when Gaara managed a quiet giggle and shyly held his arms out to her for a hug, she decided that it was a good start.
