Puppet Master
Chapter Nine: Puppet Master
Gaara wasn't the only one who had experiments done to him. Dad started with me. He only stopped because I didn't seem to be reacting correctly to them. He never took me to the lab. Didn't chain me up like he did to Gaara. I suppose that's the point in which he broke.
For years I felt like something was off about me but I couldn't tell dad, he would do something crazy. Dad wasn't okay at this point. He was nuts. I don't know what the hell was wrong with him but I didn't want to talk to him.
When I thought Gaara died, that's when things got really bad for me.
My migraines got worse, it was harder to do things that I should've had no problem doing, I was tired and sluggish.
My dad and sister chalked it up to teenage laziness and over exaggeration. I really wish they were right.
I first noticed I could do strange things in school when I was really pissed off. Don't get me wrong, it happened before, but before this specific incidence, I assumed it was just really good luck. I would see something I wanted that someone had and they would give it to me! It was weird.
I didn't realize it was a bad thing until I was 15. This was a year after Gaara "died".
Gaara was a weird kid, I know. The creepy staring. The demeanor he had. He unnerved a lot of people. So when Gaara died, there weren't a lot of people who were exactly upset. That was upsetting in its own right. How are you going to be happy about someone dying because they were creepy? Especially around the grieving siblings!
It was exactly a year after Gaara's death date and I was pretty emotional. The kid was weird but I love him more than anything. That was my little bro! And this bully was just talking loudly about what a weird little shit Gaara was and that... that hurt ME. I remember just looking at him and with all my might hoping he would jump out of a friggen window.
He did.
He didn't die. He was badly hurt. That day I knew I could... control people. It was really strange to look at someone and just know that you could control them if you tried hard enough. And I did.
Until the time we found Gaara (or, Gaara found us) I would practice it. I would try to see what I could do to people who spoke ill of him. I didn't do anything heinous. Just really embarrassing. Like I made this one guy stand up and bark like a dog every 15 minutes. The teacher sent him out of the classroom but somehow I still had a hold on him and 15 minutes later I heard him barking and laughed my ass off.
Another person I made them literally piss themselves mid conversation. They didn't even realize what they did.
I'm not saying I'm a good guy, I'm saying that I am an asshole and I don't mind too much.
As the years went by I practiced controlling more than one person at once. It's going by slowly but I think I can crack it.
Strange though, no matter how hard I try, there are a few people I can't seem to control. Gaara is one of them.
***
Gaara sat next to Kankuro on the couch after school and just stared at his little brother. No matter what he did, Gaara just sat there in mild confusion at Kankuro's intense gaze.
"Can I help you?" Gaara asked, frowning and Kankuro laughed
"Nah, just a theory. Anyway, you training today with that pervert?" Gaara scowled.
"I hope not. You should join us one day. You need to hone your own thing." Gaara said flatly and Kankuro stiffened in his seat.
"What are you talking about?" He asked, he never told Gaara what he could do. Gaara turned to him slowly and raised a brow.
"I literally create the very power that runs through your body. You think I can't smell it?" Gaara tilted his head to the side with a frown. "I know dad used it on you too. I don't know what you can do, but I know it's something. You should get help with that if you're going to criticize me about it. Besides, it's only a matter of time before Kakashi finds you too." Gaara leaned back on the couch and Kankuro looked at his brother.
"Hey... Is that why we can be close to each other?" Gaara glanced at Kankuro.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, if you aren't being careful when Temari is near you, she gets knocked out. So why am I fine?" Gaara shrugged.
"I feel myself gaining power from sitting by you. Like a very slow charge. Perhaps it's the CHAKRA keeping you awake. I wouldn't know. I've never met anyone else affected by it." Kankuro nodded slowly. He was glad he could spend time with his brother though.
"We should be a cool brother crime fighting duo." Kankuro said with a grin.
"What the hell would we accomplish by knocking people out and whatever it is you do."
"I can control people." Gaara blinked and frowned.
"That sounds better than knocking them out..."
"Depends on who you ask. But you're right. We sound like a supervillain duo..." With a smirk, Gaara could only agree.