Blood In The Sand

Kinju had dropped down a well, having a knack for finding hidden things. Maybe he should've focused on trying to find the shops he sponsored, but Kinju felt that would be too boring- he smelt money elsewhere. Bigger, better pay. Unfortunately, although he was close to the Kazekage's vault, a rainy-day-fund for the Hidden Sand, he was closer to the ANBU operation's quarters. Walking through the corridor, he found himself in an open room, so it was no surprise there was a significant amount of ANBU there. He wasn't trying to hide his presence, either, so they all turned- watching him- before sounding the alarm. "Invader! There's an invader!"

"We know that. We can see the invader right in front of us."

Kinju decided to turn, rushing back down the passageway he came, only to collide with another person. "I never thought you would be stupid enough to come here and let me see you all at once." He could feel tingles run down his spine, recognizing the voice of his to-be assailant, her blue eyes glimmering in the light, her face pouting, anger infecting her voice. His heart almost skipped a beat. "You know full well, I fucking despise you, and now I'm going to drain you of every drop of blood you have in your body."

Sansa saw nothing but a writhing maggot, a disgusting creature of the Hikari, one she had assumed dead. It wasn't any good news to her that he was alive; she would've preferred he'd found his death like all the others.

Kinju saw a glorious battle goddess, one who stood tall even when discriminated against, or when the odds stacked against her. Although words of worship were meant to spill from his mouth, what came out was, "Oh, look. It's the pathetic little bug that kept following me when we were kids."

"That was one time, one time you ruined my life over!"

"It's not my fault that everyone else snubbed you after they learned what a stalker you were." Gorgeous battle goddess, if only she would stomp on him!

"I'm going to tear each of your organs out one by one, so they have enough time to regenerate so I can do it all over again!" She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, smashing him against the wall hard enough that it cracked behind him. He immediately deduced that he wanted her to have his children. God, how he missed her beatdowns- he'd let her hit him a few times first to get him off before he inevitably escaped, leaving her in the dust. He had time, he was sure.

Gaara had decided to leave his room via his window. Chasing after Rena would be suspicious otherwise, and he wanted to be sure that nobody would alert Sansa of his behavior. As he phased into sand, rushing out into the open and, like a rushing wind, sweeping Rena in his embrace. Su wouldn't know what had happened, other than a lingering smell of blood as she turned. "Rena?" She heard nothing. She didn't even feel the small tremor of Rena's steps.

Gaara stopped on a rooftop, his hands on Rena's waist. She turned, surprised to see him, before wrapping her arms around him. "Gaara…!" It took a moment for him to realize she was hugging him, so he gently placed his arms around her, as not to hurt her as he did in the Chuunin Exams. She was so soft. So gentle. He felt like he was being driven crazy by it.

"Rena…" She tightened her grip on him, the fabric of his shirt bunching up in her hands. "I'm sorry. There's a lot of people who don't want to see me with you."

"Why does that matter? I want to be with you every day, Gaara! I want to be as strong as you, and I want to be a shinobi!" She pressed herself against him, and he could feel it as her heart pounded. His own began to thrum a similar tune, matching hers. He knew that what they were doing would be considered wrong by anyone else who perceived their relationship. He couldn't help it. Staying away from her just wasn't possible. He wasn't even thinking about forgiveness right now. Maybe he was only a naive child, and he understood that. He was surprisingly self-aware despite his naivete of the world around him, but he wanted to remain this way. Even if it meant not understanding, this was okay, as long as he could stay like this.

But he knew he couldn't. That lingering voice in the back of his mind had finally come front and center to pull him back into reality. He felt like something inside of him was breaking as he pulled away from Rena. The comfort and warmth were gone the moment her touch receded, and all she could see was him looking at her with an alien expression.

"Gaara?"

"Your life is already going to be difficult, Rena. I want you to understand that people don't want us to be together. I don't want us to be together." He glanced away from her face. He didn't want to see the pain that was crossing it now.

"Y-You're lying! Sansa got to you. Sansa made you say something like this, right!?"

"No. I thought it would be obvious." He had started this, and he had to go through with it. She had given him everything. Everything he had wanted and more, so it was okay if it ended now, and he made her hate him as long as it kept her safe, and out of Merui's grasp. Out of anyone's prying eyes. Sticking around with him would hinder her future as a kunoichi, or even a civilian if that's what she decided to stay. "Haven't I been calling you annoying since the beginning? Every single time I turned a corner, you were there, clinging to me. Saying something stupid like I believe in you." He walked to the edge of the roof they stood on, glancing back. "You're a weakling. You always have been. You haven't proven to me you have any strength- you haven't proven that your weakness will be anything beneficial to me. There's no reason for me to keep stringing you along."

"But I… I know I haven't gotten any stronger." Rena's voice was hesitant, trembling as she searched for a reason for Gaara to stay. "But I'm working on it, I promise! I'll catch up to you, give me more time!"

His heart felt like it was being torn out. "No matter how much time passes or how hard you try, you'll always be what you've always been; nothing."

And like that, he was gone. He didn't look back as he burst into sand and floated away with the wind. He didn't even care where he was going. He just wanted to get out of the Hidden Sand, away from everything and everyone. As he phased out of his travel mode, he tripped over a trash can in a back alley, his breakfast becoming a half-digested puddle on the sand. Tears dripped freely from his eyes as he staggered away, disgusted with himself.

He could feel the presence of the Shukaku coming closer, the beast tentatively waiting for him to let down his guard so it could strike and wrestle control from the boy.

Why did he have to get upset and approach her? Why couldn't he be content with avoiding her forever?

For one touch, a single embrace, he'd thrown it all away and confused her further. At least before, he could've spoken a rushed word to her. Now, he couldn't even throw a glance her way. "She didn't think you would be able to do it, kid."

Gaara turned to glance at a woman, clearly a member of the ANBU, glaring at him. He hadn't even realized she was there, which was surprising- there weren't many shinobi this powerful in the Hidden Sand. Maybe twelve, at most. The title of Jonin had been given to many freely, but few could be called a true Jonin. He has heard about this family- loyalists to his father. They had a special mask that distinguished them from the rest of the ANBU, complete with numbers- and this woman's cover was number one.

She was the head of the Kuki Clan.

"But I guess you surprised us both. You did what you had to do for the girl. Now, you'll do what you have to do for us."

"What do you mean?" He was ready to fight if it came to it. He half expected her to tell him to die. If it was another assassination attempt, he was ready. Particles of sand flowed around him, through his fingers- he was not going to take anything this village had to throw at him. Not today. Not right now.

"Relax. I'm not going to kill you- and I won't, as long as you listen to me." Gaara regarded the woman with caution but allowed himself to calm. She proceeded when she saw he was less inclined to attack. "You've proven there's more to you than just a monster. Sansa will be pleasantly surprised. She wishes to help you become a normal Shinobi of the Hidden Sand."

[Wozwald (English Cover), Will Stetson]

The stress of everything weighed down heavily upon Rena's shoulders as she walked through the alleys. To home, maybe? She grasped herself, her mind reeling over Gaara's words. The incoming marriage with Kankuro kept popping into her mind, and she wanted to find words that would escape her throat- something that would allow her to tell Kankuro that she didn't feel the same way, but then she recalled the way Gaara had just made her feel.

What if Kankuro felt the way about her that she did about Gaara?

It was a stupid, silly little thought, but to imagine something like that- crushing someone's heart so quickly- made her queasy. How was she supposed to get through the day now? Darkness crept up on her like a silent stalker, making its presence known. It didn't have to be physical to poison her mind. "I have to be stronger… if I'm stronger, then it doesn't matter who says no, right?" She glanced at her hands, stretching them out before her. It was as if she was an alien in her own body with how much hatred she was directing at herself now. "I have to do my best…"

"Excuse me, child." Her head shot up as she locked eyes with a tall man, his face obscured by his cloak. She looked him up and down. The only genuinely distinctive part about him, other than the cover itself being pitch black, was the white peeking out beneath the hem. Some skirts, maybe? "I couldn't help but overhear your conundrum. You want to get stronger, yes?"

"I don't know what that word means." She was honest. He liked that. He was surprised she was so eager to speak to him, but then again, she had never been too cautious about anything. Back then, though, she never had a reason to be.

"It means that you have a problem- one I may assist you in fixing if you'd let me."

"You mean you can help me get stronger?!l"

Her enthusiasm was cute. She was so different- as if she fit in with all these other lesser beings, acting as they did, without a care in the world. If only she saw the potential. If only she knew her past. Still, the Doctor wasn't going to tell her anything- it was more fun to watch her struggle and rise to the call all on her own, without his help. However, becoming what they wanted her to be would need a bit of a helping hand. A catalyst, if you would. "I have a gift for you, child. It's an extraordinary gift; I make medicine. I'm a doctor." He rummaged around in his cloak, searching for something. His face lit up as he grasped the object. He withdrew it, holding up a vial; it glinted in the sunlight, a clear-ish brown fluid reflecting light around the alleyway. "This gift is very volatile, girl. That means you cannot just go swallowing at any time you want to."

She reached out to grab it, but he held it high from her grasp. "Why can't I have it now?"

"Because, little bird, to drink this vial means that no matter what, your desperation to live is greater than that of your fear of death. Don't take this warning lightly, caged one." He finally released the vial into her hands, which she examined.

"It doesn't look that dangerous."

"Sometimes it's the things that don't look dangerous that are the most harmful to you."

"But, I want to be stronger now…"

"There's no easy road for you, small one. Just because you want to be stronger at the snap of your fingers doesn't mean you can do so- you, just like everyone else, must work for your future. Your potential is limitless- don't forget that."

She understood what he was saying. Rena would have to work just as hard as anyone else, if not twice as hard. There were no shortcuts to what she had to do, so she'd have to work longer and harder to catch up. "Thanks, mister! You're right- I need to get back to working hard!"

The man put his hands on her shoulders, and she stared up at him. "Don't squander your potential. You have more than anyone else ever will, a great legacy. Remember this. Most children are born gifted; you will be made gifted with abilities even a god couldn't hold a candle to." He brushed a strand of her hair to the side. "If you work hard enough, you will be able to cheat death itself. Do not be discouraged because people have trained for their strength; work hard. Work harder than anyone else, and reign supreme."

"Um, thanks?" Rena was starting to think that maybe this guy was a little bit creepy. "I have to go now, but thanks for the gift…!" She backed away from the man, turning around, running in the opposite direction, her hope for the future reignited. She would have to train!

A high pitched scream came from that direction. Rena watched as someone rushed past the alley, glancing over their shoulder, their face frozen in terror. A civilian, for sure- and then the blood splashed across her face. "H-Huh?" It was a warm spray, coating her like a thin coat of paint. A shadow cast over the ground. A human-like creature stood, their veins bulging as if they were trying to escape the thing's body. Rena took a sharp intake of breath, about to scream, but the beast already knew she was there as it leaped at her.

Rena didn't know whether it was instinct or a will to live that drove her to strafe to the side as the beast dived for her, but it saved her life. As she pressed against the wall, she glanced down the alleyway- the man had vanished. Her eyes moved back to the growling beast. Foam dripped from its mouth as it again, lunged, faster than last time. Rena's hands were already entrapped in a hand sign as her body flickered away, aiming for the top of the building.

The beast wasn't far behind as its movements followed hers as she jumped off of the walls to get up faster and with less predictable moves. She could feel it graze the back of her heel, tearing into flesh. She winced, but she knew she couldn't stop moving. She rolled away when she hit the floor, only for the beast to crash into the spot she had been.

Rena was scared, terrified, as she reached for a kunai in one of her pouches. Her hands trembled as she stood steady against this new threat. She was in danger, and her mind screamed for her to run away. Still, the blood painting her face told her otherwise. She was a shinobi of the Hidden Sand. Daughter of Sansa. If she ran away now… what would she say?

I told you, you weren't cut out to be a shinobi.

The thought of all of her friends judging her for turning tail and allowing this monster to slaughter more innocents kept her rooted to the spot, but what she was terrified of wasn't death.

It was losing Gaara.

For her to grow stronger and become the person she needed to be, this would have to be an enemy she faced on her own.

"I won't let you… hurt anyone else!" She declared. Although, saying something like that was more comfortable than putting it into action. As the beast moved around her in a circle, looking for an opening to tear into her, Rena realized that it moved similar to someone else. She couldn't quite remember the face, but she knew Gaara had fought him in the preliminaries. How did Gaara take care of him, again?

She deflected one of the beast's hands, it's outgrown nails reaching inwards to try and gouge a chunk of her flesh out. It hissed as the Kunai she held dug into its palm, jumping away. It was way too fast for her to fight carelessly- if it were someone like Kana, competing at her speed or even just a little bit more as she did, this wouldn't be nearly as hard. She had to focus. Defending would be the only thing she could do until opportunity knocked.

The beast had her on edge as she did her best to dodge, weaving through the attacks. It was pitifully clear that Rena and this monster did not match up as more cuts appeared on her body. "They aren't deep, but if this continues, it's not how deep they are that's gonna matter…" She dreaded to think of Sansa berating her for getting injured.

The beast's hand flicked out, grabbing onto her leg. Its nails dug into her flesh and she tried to hold back her screams, but the pain overwhelmed her. Her cries echoed through the Hidden Sand. Her head felt floaty as she flew across the rooftop, slamming into a wall and crashing through it. Her fingers twitched as she reeled from pain. The demon advanced, breathing heavily, before letting out an angry scream.

Get up!

Rena couldn't support her weight right now. Purple bloomed on her pants where the beast had inflicted damage, a fast and steady spread. All she could do was use her arms to drag herself backward, terror filling her as she faced the inevitability of death as she fumbled for the vial the man had given her.

This thing was different than anyone else she'd fought so far.

It scared her.

She was scared!

The more she looked at the monster, the more its face warped and twisted, becoming a pale, chalky white complete with snake eyes. Her heart began to race as she took deep breaths of gasping air, her hand tightly gripping the vial. She was rooted to the spot. She couldn't move a single muscle.

It crawled forward on all fours, slowly, as if savouring the moment, its claws raking down her leg as it pulled her close and positioned its teeth on her leg. The jaw of the monster stretched wide, nothing but hunger in its eyes, as it chomped down, tearing into her. She let out a scream of agony, trying to push the thing's mouth off of her. She clawed and scratched at its face but it refused to let go until it was ripped off of her.

Sand wrapped around its ankle and tore it from Rena, who let out a cry as it took a chunk of flesh with it. She watched, eyes wide, as Gaara flung it through the air, only for it to be blown in another direction by Temari. Kankuro snapped his puppet's midsection shut on it, and as it struggled, the wood held steady. "T-this isn't going to hold it for long. Damn, I don't think I've ever met anyone this physically strong before..." He'd rather not break his puppet, after all.

Sand flowed from all directions into the puppet and Gaara closed his fist as the beast let out a final scream. "Sand Coffin."

Blood flew out of the small holes that were meant for Kankuro's blades. It was a rush job, but it worked. Gaara turned, his face contorted into a critical, furious glare. He strode over to her. He didn't offer her a hand to help her up. "I'd just finished telling you how weak you are, didn't I?"

"But, Gaara-"

"Is this how you intend to show your strength?! By dying?! How stupid can you be? I knew you were fearless, but I forgot somewhere along the way that fearless is just another word for stupidity! You didn't think twice about this, did you? Not for a second getting into trouble like this did you think about how much trouble you'd be causing yourself and everyone else! This is why..." She had never seen him like this before, let alone heard him speak so much. "This is why you can't stand by my side. You only realize something's a problem when you're in too deep. You never stop to think. Even when I was trying to kill you, you rushed in headfirst!" 

Rena tried to process what he was saying, the shock of the encounter wearing off. "But all I wanted to do was help..." 

"Stop helping. Your help is worthless. The only thing you'll do is get yourself, and others, killed." Her bewilderment and shellshock turned into hurt. She struggled to get up but managed to stand on her own two feet.

 "You... you're a real jerk, you know that, right?!" Gaara was taken aback by her response. Why couldn't she just understand that people cared about her? "All this time, I've been chasing after you. Since I got back, I've been chasing you! What do I get for it, huh?!" She advanced, limping. Gaara took a step back, startled that she could stand as she was. "I almost get murdered by you, multiple times. Then, you act like you don't even know me- and now, you just sound like a clone of Sansa! It's like you don't even have your own mind anymore. Why can't you just..." Understand is what she wanted to say. She shook her head. "You're just a jerk! I never want to see you again!" 

"Rena-" Temari reached for her, but she body flickered away, leaving speckles of blood. Temari glanced at Gaara. His face was ashen, much more pale than usual as he shook. "Gaara...?"

"I need to be alone for a little bit." 

Temari knew it would be a while until they could live normally as siblings. He didn't know how to rely on them yet. She also knew that if she pushed him, it could hurt their relationship even more. 

"Alright, Gaara. We'll be at home if you need us." Temari nodded to Kankuro, who was silent. The look on his face was only what Temari could describe as lonely. He followed her without a word but inside his head, he was replaying Gaara and Rena's argument over and over again.

It made him uncomfortable. Kankuro and Rena had never argued the way she and Gaara did. It was like she wasn't afraid to just completely say what she's thinking. Around him, however, she sounded... quieter. To the point where he was afraid he would drown her out if he spoke.

What was the difference between him and Gaara...?