Blood In The Sand

"You're back."

The voice was enough to send chills down Kana's spine. She didn't feel too good, her cuts and bruises littering her body. She had no time to stop. They had taken everything from her. All of her team members were dead. The man who had taught her all he knew- vanished. His stuff had still been there, so she assumed they had taken him. It was disgusting. She didn't even know what she was going to do. All she knew was she wanted Rena to suffer for everything she no longer had. "I failed."

"I know."

Kana didn't know how to approach Tsukiyoji. His voice was low, strands of hair masking his eyes as he moved his head, hair falling from his shoulder. He stared at her with dead eyes, unimpressed, with a will of cold ice. "She took everything from me, my Lord. Please... please..." Kana collapsed, sobbing, only for Tsukiyoji's cold hand to brush against her cheek, raising her head, looking deep within her.

"Then we shall do the same. We shall take back what she took in blood." His head turned as he began to weave his hand signs at a blindingly fast speed, coughing a little as he spat up some blood. He struggled to stand to his feet as Kana supported him. "Forbidden Technique; Illusion Becomes Reality."

Kana took a step back, letting go of Tsukiyoji and backing up as a figure began to form from sunlight. The very dust itself formed a body, white hair framing a face with rather tanned skin. As the figure opened its eyes, standing naked before them, she could see the blues of the ocean. He stood, his eyelids fluttering, looking at his hands in a form of muted curiosity. "I am..."

"My creation. A new life, birthed from the realms of the illusionary made real. From now on, for as long as I live, you cannot defy me." Tsukiyoji staggered forward, his chest heaving as he pressed a hand to the boy's chest. "I order you to live only for the purpose of my clan, only for the purposes of those who have lost everything to the demon... " As the light shone on Tsukiyoji, Kana gasped, averting her eyes from his hideous appearance. So this is what the Eternal Curse looked like... "Mugen."

"I am... Mugen."

"You are Mugen Hikari if it suits you. Mugen Uchiha if you need to. Mugen Hyuga if you feel like it. You are the illusion of this world's dreams; all of my bitter rage and hatred, fueled by the life of the Eternal Curse and made flesh and reality by the power of your ancestors handed down to me and stored in my being. I cannot match my sister, but you... have much work to do and much to explore and unlock within yourself. I have given you the keys, but you must unlock the gate. Go, now. Follow Kana to your destiny."

Mugen's head turned to Kana and she didn't think she could move. "Just... what the hell is that...?"

"It is a monster given life; a being made solely to match my sister. If only I was strong enough to bend the fabric of reality any more than this, I could do so much more..." Tears rolled down his cheeks, his dead eyes betraying what emotion he seemed to feel. "I could become who I was before I cursed myself, seal this dreaded power and put our progenitor's abilities to sleep... destroy my sister, all in one... but I am not my progenitor and I am no hero." He gestured to Mugen, who was as silent as a mouse. "This is the best I could do- create a being that can go above and beyond my own strength... for that's all I have left." Tsukiyoji sputtered blood, collapsing to the floor as he could feel a torrent come up from his broken and battered body, the curse sinking deeper as it sucked the very life from him to make up for the power he had used to bring someone with such potential into existence. "Do not fail me... Mugen."

"Lord Tsukiyoji!" Kana gasped, kneeling by him as he curled and twisted in cruel suffering.

"Follow the directives of Kireina, Kana. She will train you and Mugen well. She knows my will, as will you..." As he breathed, hard, gasping breaths, a few people in white robes rushed by, clearly doctors by their garb. Kana backed away, shooting a glance at Mugen, who seemed to obediently follow her without asking any questions.

If she was going to train this 'Mugen' creature, she'd need more than just her own expertise. Kirena was the only person in the Hidden Light that had gone against Sansa and won that she knew of. She was just the perfect match-up to make sure Rena sunk, not swam.

Baki watched as the children filed in through the door. He still wore his headwraps, but he was in a more casual outfit now. He felt a bit uncomfortable that Genin were invading his personal space, but he was busy dealing with all of the troubles in the Hidden Sand- more or less, the paperwork- securing things and sending letters out to minor towns along the border, saying they were sending protective squads. He was organizing all of it from his home office, and the requests coming in by their messenger birds were overwhelming. The Elder Council was handling the Daimyo and he could only imagine how much of a nightmare that was. Thank god it wasn't him.

"Baki. They'll be staying with us from now on. Send them to their rooms, I have to assist the ANBU." His day just got a little more annoying. He already had so much to do... but he guessed Sansa had more. She hadn't talked about the Kazekage since she got back. She'd also been strangely... cut off. He had known about the two of them for a long time, about how their bond matched that of his old wife's. He didn't know the details of why Sansa left Rasa, but... he could only imagine how she was feeling right now.

"Go ahead. I can take care of things here." She nodded as she body flickered away, leaving Baki in a room full of...children. He wasn't feeling enthusiastic about it, but he waved them over. They seemed to circle around him with their devil-eyes and devilish thoughts. They were probably thinking about breaking everything in the house. He wouldn't allow that to happen.

For the most part, the Sukuma were quiet, but their brood was known for their rowdy youths. Going by the assumption that these little monsters were the same as his own Family's, there would be no mistakes. Rena broke away from the group, causing Baki to turn his head at a speed that cracked his neck. Su jumped back, startled by the unexpected noise, but what was scarier were Baki's eyes, bloodshot and targeting her, although she paid no mind to them. "Don't go off on your own!"

"I'm going up to my room!"

As Rena dashed up the stairs, ignoring Baki's calls to return, he almost threw up his hands in defeat. He supposed she was sort of allowed to, maybe even homesick. She'd find her room was exactly as she left it as she ripped open the door, slamming it shut behind her and exploring her old home. The bed was a single, as expected. On the nightstand, a single photo of her and Sansa, the day she'd been promoted to some sort of rank by the Kazekage. On the other side, she and Gaara as children. As she picked up the photo frame, brushing through the thin film of dust with her index finger, she stared at him, her eyes softening. "Gaara?" She whispered, looking up and turning around, searching for him. She was sure he would be there.

But there was nothing. She looked under the bed, trying to scan for any hint of sand, any twist that Gaara had at least been there. She wrenched open her closet doors, pulling out all of her now-tiny clothes, piling them on the floor behind her. She opened the window, her eyes searching desperately for the boy she loved, but her heart sunk when she realized that he wasn't coming. That he wouldn't be coming. Why? Had she done something wrong?

Maybe he didn't love her. Maybe she had pressured him into saying it because she had said it so much that it made him uncomfortable. Or maybe he was just... his old self. Another painful pang ran through her as she thought of the moment where he stopped the Elders. She wondered where that would have gone, had Kankuro not stepped in after him.

As she fell back onto her bed, she hugged the picture to her chest, squeezing her eyes shut. She hoped that eventually, he'd come into her room, even if it was through the window. Like that, she drifted peacefully to sleep despite her worries, lost in a sea of calmness.

But still, darkness slumbered within...

X

Hidden Leaf

Setsuna Mansion

X

"You can't just take my right to go outside like this! First, it was you can't leave the house, now it's you can't leave the tower? You're building a tower for me. A TOWER! Doesn't that scream 'I'm locked up, please help me?'"

"Chisa..." Her father pinched the bridge of his nose as he set his glasses down, folding one hand over the other as he grimaced at her. "You have a legacy to uphold. You are the sole heir to our fortune. With the current stunt the Hidden Sand pulled and the way you tried to sneak out, it's just not smart to leave you out in the open."

"Why couldn't my brother just-"

"Your brother is a bastard!"

It was true, her brother was born from a tryst her father had just before the arranged marriage was settled. It was insulting, but he had covered it up perfectly. "You didn't even know what I was going to say, father. Why couldn't he just protect me outside? All would be fine!"

"Because you and your brother have an uncanny resemblance, Chisa. The tabloids would eat it up. Rumours would spread. Our way of life as you know it would be endangered and your brother..." His eyes shot to the boy, who stood in the corner of the room, masked by shadows, his blonde bangs falling over his eyes. "Well, I don't think I'd have to tell you the series of events that would happen as a direct result. He was born to protect you, Chisa, but not off of these grounds or outside of our caravans unless attacked."

"What's the point of inheriting it all if you're just going to lock me away and stop me from seeing the world that I have to cooperate with?! Let me become a shinobi! Let me have the chance to protect myself!"

"Chisa!" Her father barked. "The Setsuna name will not be sullied with death! Shiga, take her away. Make sure nobody gets in... or out... of that tower." Although Chisa moved, her brother was faster as he clasped a hand over her mouth and struggled, but she couldn't beat his strength as she was dragged back into the shadows, disappearing and watching her father fade from her sight. If only she had been born the bastard rather than the heir... then she, too, would have a chance to taste a life of exciting danger. She wanted to be saved from this trap... she wanted to live her life, not waste it!

It was clear, however, there was no prince coming to save her from the tower for a very long time...

X

X

Sansa stood in the Kazekage's chambers, looking around his room. Things she couldn't fathom welled up in her as someone came up behind her, their mask still fastened to their face, but her voice betrayed her attempt to hide her gender. "Sansa. There is nothing here. This room was searched twice over. I'm afraid that we are grasping at straws."

"Go back to the Kuki. To Kasai. Tell her she fulfilled her purpose well; that in service to her Kazekage this moment will be remembered." Sansa turned her head to the ANBU member, who nodded, placing a hand over her heart as she bowed slightly. "You do good work, Ibame, but I... would like to continue my search alone."

"Understood, Lady Sansa. I will depart now." As she body flickered away, the silence felt like roaring thunder; she was truly alone. Even her betrayal to Baki seemed to take second place to her worry of where the Kazekage was... and if it had been the Kazekage she'd been with. He'd been acting weird all night and she hadn't noticed. What if it had been a call for help? She walked forward, wanting to sit on the bed, take in his scent and memorize it, just in case the worst had truly come to pass, but her feet bumped into the board below, which made a rather hollow sound. As she flipped the covers over the bed, she leaned down, rapping her knuckles against the wood before prying it away, the board popping out rather easily. She could see something in the darkness as she reached out, grabbing what seemed to be a cardboard box.

She put it on the bed before sitting next to it, digging through the files. A few letters to his ex-wife. Some to his children. But most... most of them were to her. With shaking hands, she unfolded one that looked fresher than the others, less weathered. She read it aloud, but she heard his voice, felt his presence beside her.

"Sansa, I don't know how to say this. I'm a prideful man, something we both know very well. I'm also extremely stubborn- the only one who beats me in that category is you." She almost chuckled. Their competitive bouts, who could do what better or get what done in what amount of time... who was stronger. "But the one thing I don't have experience in is admitting when I'm wrong. Even when I felt you slipping away... No, that wasn't what happened and I'm sure we both know it. I was the one that slipped away because I didn't want to acknowledge my feelings or feel like I was in the wrong. I ended up blaming a lot of that load, a lot of the damage done to our relationship, on my son." Gaara. She knew that. She knew the way he'd treated the poor boy, allowed the village to drive him to insanity. "Along the way, however, the way I felt about my son crept in and destroyed what we had. I felt disgust, anger, disappointment... defeated. Like it wasn't worth my time to try to fix it or try harder."

Sansa almost choked on the next line, her tears welling up in the corners of her eyes as she realized that she wasn't the cause of their problems, nor was Gaara. All of these problems that Rasa was admitting in this letter was because of something he could never say to her face.

"I couldn't stand looking at Rena. She reminded me that she had a different father than me. I wanted so badly to be the father she needed, but all that happened the more I tried to get close to her and the more I saw her getting close to my son was further anger. It's completely natural to have more than one partner in life, but I wanted so desperately to be the only one. I didn't want to think that someone touched you the way I did, whispered sweet words into your ears... that is what started the rift between us. I can rewrite this letter, again and again, but it will never change the fact that I don't have the courage to give it to you."

Tears dripped from her eyes, staining the parchment paper. It smudged the word you as she tried to wipe them away, but she gave up and read on. "When you lost her... I really wanted to comfort you. I wanted to be the one you turned to, but I realized I had no right. I felt awful, like never before. Worse than when my wife died, you know. Although I had lost her, I never had to watch her as if I were behind a glass wall, unable to touch her as she mourned and grieved over her child. So I gave you space. I started to neglect you and avoid you, even more, dread growing every time I saw you. I'm selfish, a terrible man, Sansa. Even to Karura... I don't know if you know about her. She smiled, but I could have been better to her. And when I got a second chance, my pride got in the way again."

She did recall that sometimes, Karura wasn't always as cheerful, but the woman had always carried the burden with a smile. She could respect her. If anyone could stand by Rasa, it was Karura. "I wanted it to end but I didn't know how. My first contact with Orochimaru was dark and dreary, but he promised that he would bring not only income to the Hidden Sand, but return something he'd originally stolen. I wondered what he could have taken from us, but he fed me small hints with every meeting until finally, I realized that it was Rena. I made a deal with him- He releases her, I give him whatever he wants. Anything. He said that he wanted her to be a shinobi, Sansa, that he wanted her trained and happy, acting normally in the village. A monster like that, wanting something so... trivial?" Her nails dug into the paper as she read on. Rasa had known about Rena... for god knows how long. "I don't know how long you can stop her from being what he wants her to be. I know more than you think I do. I know you're not who you say you are, and that, Sansa, Rena does not have a father." Her heart almost stopped. "And like that, all of my pride vanished, leaving only emptiness. My first thought after what he told me was selfish, wanting to throw you out or have you killed for treason, but I realized that everything you have done, everything you are, has been for Rena. You sacrificed everything for her. Any meaningful relationship you ever created, any chance at power, any chance at love. Any chance to have your own family. And in doing so, you became the strongest force I have ever come across. I am awed by you, Sansa, every day I look at you. I fall even more in love despite knowing you are engaged to one of my closest friends. You did something for a child that wasn't even yours, truly. And meanwhile... the way I treated mine... someone like you with such a loving heart didn't belong with someone like me. I understand everything, Sansa."

Rasa had known all of that. How long...? How long did he look at her, at Rena, and know the truth about them? It was so painful to keep reading, but this was the cold, raw truth. No more secrets. Everything she had been keeping from the people she loved... Rasa had known. It would have made everything so much easier. The burden... this burden she carried, all on her own, now felt like it was a load off of her shoulders. "I don't know what will happen in the future. I hope to object to your wedding or find some way to take you back from Baki. I'm a damn selfish man, Sansa... I take and take and take and all you are is someone who gives. You have always given me your all. It almost makes me want to stay out of your way and let you live your life, but I want you. I want to do right by you. I'd do anything for you, anything to catch your attention. I want both you and your daughter- our daughter- to have as much as I can give you. So... I'm going to accept his deal, no matter what it brings, and stand with the both of you until the end. Love, Rasa."

Her shoulders shook as she sobbed, the letter dropping to the floor as she remembered the day all of this began. One of the days she was trying to get close to him to ease the pain of losing Karura.

You should write to Karura, you know.

Why would I do that? What's the point? She's dead. The dead can't read.

The dead may not be able to read, but I think that if you took the time to write the words you can't say out loud, then maybe a burden will be lifted from your shoulders. It's something I used to do.

You? What kind of burden would you have?

Ah, Kazekage. Don't judge a book by its cover, my regrets might just surprise you.

Don't bother me with this subject any longer.

As she looked through the letters, she felt like she was invading his privacy, but she couldn't stop. The earliest dated one was the very day she had told him to start writing. She noticed a pattern; they began slow, most devoted to Karura, but they slowly ebbed into him writing his feelings on everything, including her. He had asked for forgiveness, even though he felt it silly because he was having feelings for another woman; it felt like he was betraying his marriage, but he knew that Karura would want him to be happy. Gaara rarely came up as a subject, but when he did... it wasn't happy words. It was night by the time she had looked at all of the letters. As she covered the box once more, she placed it back in its hiding spot, putting the board back over it. Her eyes were raw as she rubbed at them and she knew.

There couldn't be any more mistakes. No more secrets. A relationship was there to share burdens, not make more. Even if she couldn't tell Rena, she had to... she had to talk to Baki. As she walked down the road, she reached the porch of her house, where he looked up from lighting a cigarette only to drop it, rushing over to her as she cried in his arms, spilling everything. No matter how much it hurt, she was sure that they would be able to bear that pain together.

Although many of the denizens of the house were sleeping, a few remained awake. Baki and Sansa were talking quietly outside, while Rena laid awake, looking at the ceiling. Gaara hadn't come to see her... how could she fall asleep? He was staying away. Why? She could feel the loneliness echo through her, worry keeping her awake. Had something happened to him? She was going crazy! As she got up, moving out of her bed, she opened her window, looking up at the sky and feeling the cool desert breeze on her skin. A shadow moved in the backyard below, catching her eye. Who was that?! As she propped herself up on the windowsill, she jumped out, landing quietly below. This is the kind of stealth that would surely get her good marks in any shinobi academy!

She raced after the shadow, alleyway through alleyway, but lost it around the center of the town. "Dammit!" She snapped, turning her head from side to side. Great, whoever she had been tracking got away. What if it had been Gaara?! Well, it would make sense that it would be him who gave her the slip. He was amazing, after all. As her face flushed, she held her hands to her chest, trying to calm her viciously beating heart. Just the thought of it being him who she was chasing made her like this... really, how could she face him?

But it hadn't been Gaara, even though Rena desperately wanted it to be him. No, the person creeping through the streets at night was not the red haired boy, but a boy with jet black hair and sclera. Ikarinochi snuck through the streets, victorious in his efforts to shake his pursuer. It had been quite easy, actually, considering most of the streets in the Hidden Sand connected and wound through one another.

As he descended into the emergency evacuation exit for the Hidden Sand, he realized that they were majorly unstaffed- normally something like this should be guarded by at least one person, but they'd suffered great losses when Orochimaru pulled back. It almost made the job he'd been given pitifully easy, to the point where he considered telling the operative to simply find a way in themselves. But still, as he climbed out and went ten clicks north, the walk feeling rather long and agonizing for him.

But as he saw the operative, huddled under her cloak, sitting atop a branch in a dead tree surrounded by what looked like rather battle-ready shinobi, he couldn't help but wonder aloud. "I'm here, so what's going on? I have a way in for you." As they turned their heads to watch him, they were dead silent. The way they carried themselves, stand-offish and silent, meant they weren't at all close with the Hikari operative. "Did you bring friends?"

"No. Customers. I'm going to escort them into the Hidden Sand. It's on lockdown, after all." She jumped down from the tree, her feet hitting the ground with soft thuds. As she walked forward, they followed. "I was told to find someone and guide them to said person. It's for a reason, but we require further funding."

It didn't seem like these shinobi really cared about her reasons as they continued on, but she stopped halfway in the tunnel into the village. As he turned around, the other shinobi kept on walking. She simply shrugged her shoulders, before moving over to the wall, pressing her hand on it and shifting, disappearing into it with a single wave goodbye. He didn't really care what she was doing, but he was curious about the people she'd brought with her.

He was walking behind him when suddenly three split off from the group and one turned their head to gaze at him. His blade made a rather metallic sound as it slid from its sheath, glinting in the desert moonlight. "Know it gives me no pleasure to do this, kid, but you're not on the list of witnesses allowed to live."

"So you're doing something wrong, then?"

"Don't assume you know what we're here for."

"Then why would you be threatening me like this if I didn't know? Is what you're doing here so bad you need to erase whoever saw you?"

"You know, kid, you were recently put in the bingo book, wanted for the murder of a lord's children. You must be stupid. I may only deal with the missing, but I think I can make an exception for scum like you."

Ikari's expression darkened. "And now who's the one assuming?" In a flash, the blade pressed against his neck, a cut welling up as the Jonin clearly had him outmatched in speed.

"All I can grant you is a quick death, kid." As he swung back to slice Ikari's head cleanly from his shoulders, despite his long, sweeping motion, his sword-hand trembled. "What...?"

As the blade had touched Ikari's neck to sever his head, it shattered into tangible pieces. Ikari's eyes narrowed, before he shrugged, rolling his eyes. "When you were the only one left, I figured you'd pull something like that. I'm not as cool as someone who can do it on the spot, but with a little bit of time and effort, I'll be able to activate my Kekkai Genkai instantly rather than after thirty seconds without hand-signs."

"A... Kekkai Genkai?!" The man leapt back, but it was too late for that now as Ikari rose his hand. The shards of his blade swirled around Ikari as he stepped forward.

"Are you really... a hunter nin from Kirigakure? Since you're called the Hunter Nin, your reputation is all about how good you are about getting rid of bodies. I guess nobody had to say you're actually good at the fighting part, though." The man ducked and weaved as the boy sent shard after shard flying after him like little homing blades, all with his hands in his pockets. Something caught the Hunter-Nin's eye, though, black blood seeping from the wound he had previously inflicted, just a small cut.

Although it was a simple technique known to all, the Hunter Nin had a few guesses as to what had happened to break his blade, but he analyzed that it was most likely skin contact. It was either the touch of his blade to Ikari's flesh or the fact he cut the boy. Seeing his eyes follow his movements meant that whatever he was doing, he had to have eyes on the Hunter Nin to find him with the blade pieces. The Hunter Nin performed his hand-signs, mist silently spewing from his mouth and thickening. Ikari took a few steps back, his eyes hardening before a blow to the side caused pain to bloom across it. He turned around, his blood bursting out of the wound to catch the aggressor, but it was impossible- he'd dropped his blade.

His voice was everywhere and nowhere at once. "You've been fighting genin battles up until now, boy. Your ego will be the end of you, especially when you signal your abilities so loudly." He'd analyzed Ikari that quickly?! As Ikari moved again, he tripped over something, skidding across the ground. The Jonin knew that he couldn't make Ikari bleed, or touch his skin in any way. He hadn't narrowed it down to one or the other, but he'd play it smart for now.

As the smoke cleared, the man coming in from the front and angling his jagged blade, thrusting it into Ikari's throat. Nobody could recover from a puncture like that. Blood seeped from the wound, Ikari's face stuck in a state of shock...

As Rena wandered around, searching for Gaara, she realized that she was lost. Even though she felt like she could navigate the streets, they had changed plenty within the past six years. Nothing was as she remembered it- even the dry desert air had changed just a bit. She paused, staring off into the distance as something in front of her moved. "...Gaara?" She called out, her voice steeped in desperation. However, it wasn't Gaara that stepped out of the showers, but a man with a cloak draped over his shoulders. She took a step back- his face was masked, which meant she was unable to ascertain his identity.

"Rena Hikari... you've been marked for assassination. As per request, the message I've been told to give you is... Go back to the snake and the puppet, interloper. You don't belong here." Rena's eyes widened. Only a few people knew of Orochimaru, but Sasori...?! Her eyes narrowed as they dashed around the area, looking for some form of escape. This didn't bode well for her time here- Sasori told her that nobody could know, or Tsukiyomi and Suno are as good as gone. She pulled a kunai from her pouch, squeezing it so tightly that her knuckles turned white. There were no other options- for their sake, she had to make this guy talk! But how...!? Nobody would send a novice assassin, but she wouldn't expect someone to send one at all!

She flashed forward, putting all she had in going on the aggressive, but a frontal attack wouldn't work. The man easily dodged, one after the other, never attacking himself. "Who are you?!" She yelled, not actually expecting a response.

"Loyal to those who should lead this village, not the dying breed that is the Suna Family."

Damn it! Who was this jerk, spitting in the face of the Kazekage and everyone she cared about!? They traded strikes, dodging and weaving, but it was clear he was matching her, blow for blow rather than getting straight into the killing. He wasn't striking with the intent to kill, or even lightly maim... was he really an assassin? Although the strikes rang out into the night, nobody could possibly hear them... it seemed like he slipped up, as Rena's hand shot out, dislodging the mask from his face and pulling it down, exposing purple eyes and a beauty mark under the assassin's left. His eyes widened and he struck out, cutting into her arm. The bandages she had kept on began to fall off, exposing that her arm was completely fine despite the red blood that stained it- he seemed to stare down at his blade for a second as the droplets of purple ran down the ridges and dripped into the sand. Rena's hand clasped her wound, purple seeping between her fingers as she glared at him.

He turned, dashing off, but she wouldn't just let him do that. She took to the rooftops as well, chasing him with max speed. They vaulted over clotheslines, dashing through small rooftop alleys, the pursued and the pursuer. She wouldn't stop! There was no way she'd be defeated by her lack of ability! The harder she pushed herself, the more her lungs burned. She wanted to collapse to the ground and wheeze, but she couldn't- she paced her breaths, speeding up. She only saw her target, her eyes narrowing as she reached out to grab him, fingertips brushing against the material that was his cloak...

But a burst of sand caught the corner of her eye and she stopped, the man disappearing into the darkness as she teetered on the edge of the building, her head snapping, relief filling her in droves as she stared at the boy she missed so dearly...

His sand was fast, as fast as it had ever been as he raised it in the air, a sigh escaping his lips. "So you won't tell me anything."

His captive remained silent, but as soon as Gaara closed his fist there was no longer a captive. Blood rained from the sky above and Gaara winced, the showers reminding him of the countless lives he'd taken before. His actions were faster than hers, his hand whipping in her direction, tendrils of sand reaching out, wrapping around her wrists as she stared at him in shock. As he turned his head, clearly stunned by seeing her there, his sand collapsed, falling to the earth from which it came. "G-Gaara..." She reached out to him.

"Rena..." He looked like a cornered dog as he stepped away from her, bursting into sand and high-tailing it out of there. She grabbed her chest, a painful beat causing her to collapse to her knees. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she wondered what she could have done in a past life to deserve this kind of treatment. Why was he treating her like this? What was the point? Her hands balled into fists as she shrieked into the night,

"Fine! I didn't want to see you anyways! You annoy the hell out of me! Don't ever show up in front of me ever again!" It was a childish, stupid comment, but it was enough. Enough to hurt him, the boy who wanted nothing more than to reach out to the girl that he could feel a rift forming between their bond, protect her and be the one she needed. As Sansa had said, he wasn't the right one for her. He couldn't give her what Kankuro could. And her wish... All he could do was grant it as he disappeared into the night, fully. No more stalking her in the darkness. From now on... he wouldn't see her again. No matter how much it pained him, how much he suffered, it was his time to bear this burden. She had given him so much- it was all he could do to return the favour. To give her the life she truly deserved.

What he didn't hear, however, were her weak sobs as she tried to brush the tears from her eyes. "Why... won't you just talk to me? Am I that... that..." She didn't know what word she should choose. "Repulsive...?"

You are repulsive.

The voice tolled in her head like a funeral bell; as she clutched her arms, trying to draw her limbs in as close as possible to try and curl into a ball. As she clutched her chest, the feeling within her grew stronger. "I'm not..."

Then why is he running away?

"Who...?" Her vision was blurred, but she swore she could see someone- or something- standing above her, reaching out its hand to her.

The only one who thinks you aren't repulsive.

"Su doesn't think that! Tsukiyomi doesn't! Suno and Ikari-"

Since when do they matter?

"Wh...what?"

You keep telling yourself that you care about all of these distractions, Rena. That's your problem. That's why he's running from you- all of these insignificant, minor side-characters in a story where you and him are the main characters- the only ones that matter. You lost your way, child. He can sense it- you don't care enough about him anymore.

"No! I care about him! I care about him a lot!"

No. It's not enough. You don't care solely about him. He isn't the only reason you're breathing anymore and that's why he doesn't want you.

"You're lying!"

Well, why don't you try to ask him yourself?

"He won't let me approach him..."

Let us take care of that for you, child. Take my hand...

The being offered it to her, and although hesitant, it rose... and finally clasped the ice-cold hand of the beast. As if an illusion came over her, she began running over rooftops, only coming to a stop an undetermined amount of time later. Suddenly, she woke up, her eyes gaining back the light and pain she had in them before.

We will show you the truth. Only we have the ability to get you the answers you seek. You should not trust anyone around you. Tonight, we will prove that to you... that everyone but us is a monster, keeping secrets that you should rightfully know. You only need to put your trust in our capable hands.

He could still sense her reluctance, but bit by bit, that shield was ebbing away. Her negativity, all of the darkness inside of her, was roaring up once more. Just a bit more... and the preparations would be complete. As he lead her to the edge of the rooftops, a man stopped in front of her. He was shrouded, like the previous assassin and she realized she may need to defend herself, but her hands didn't raise. She felt like there was no point. He had nothing to do with Gaara. He had nothing to do with anything. Even as he moved toward her, with clear intent to hurt her, she felt like she couldn't move in any way.

"Why... are you just standing there?!" Although Gaara had moved away, he was surprised at how she'd found his hiding spot so quickly. And that assassin... his hand twitched, his sand surrounding and restraining the man. "You... do you have a death wish?"

It was only Gaara's voice who snapped her out of her stupor, as she looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. "Why... why are you avoiding me?!" She wanted to know, wanted for him to communicate, to say anything other than confirming that what the voice said was true. As he crushed the assassin, more blood seeping into his sand, he struggled to find the words to reply to her. She had endangered herself just to talk to him. Just to get an answer.

"Because... there's better people around you than me now." He looked away from her momentarily, sighing, defeated. "You don't need me anymore. You have all you need to make a perfect life for yourself." He moved his head back, eyes widening as he realized, the moonlight crossing the rooftop, that she was no longer there. Her presence was just gone.

She could feel nothing but darkness surrounding her. Although cold, it was comforting, spitting her back out into the world as she detached from a wall halfway across the village from where it had swallowed her.

Do you trust us now?

She took a moment to weigh her options, but it was clear there was a shift in her demeanour. "You're right. I haven't been focusing on Gaara enough. I trust you. What else do you have to show me?"

...Very well. Your mother is planning on turning you into a weapon.

"Sansa? Why would she...?"

She's not your mother, helpless child.

"What... do you mean...?"