Elemental (Gaara Love Story) (Naruto Fanfiction)

Chapter 3: The Mission

It's been two days since we left for Suna and I've felt as if we were being followed since our departure. 'It would make sense' I thought because if I were trying to steal the package (which I assume to be a letter after examining the contents of my pouch) I would wait until the carriers felt safe to attack. I snap out of my thoughts knowing I was most likely overthinking the situation (like I usually do) but still remained aware of any attackers.

"Can we take a break?" Kenji whines as we hop tree to tree, Ren's facial expression changed to one full of annoyance. I laugh a little as Ren starts to argue with Kenji claiming that we have only been traveling for three hours. Regardless, Kenji's request for a break was fulfilled and we stopped at a semi-open field within the trees. "Hurry and rest up, I want to reach Suna as soon as possible," says Ren sternly to Kenji. Although I was appointed the leader of the mission, Ren is usually the one who bosses us around (okay, maybe just Kenji). However, if we were to encounter an enemy he would allow me to take the lead. Luckily we haven't had to fight-- yet.

It was then we heard rustling of leaves on our right. Ren, being as paranoid as I am, instantly throws a kunai in that direction. "Ow!" we here a small female voice yell out. Ren suddenly makes his way behind a bush where he threw his kunai and came out with a little girl no older than six years old in his arms with a bloody shoulder. The girl had pale skin with glossy white hair cascading down her back. She was wearing a white gown that was torn in several areas with no shoes. In one word I could describe this girl as defenseless. I ran over to the girl in my teammate's hands suddenly worried about her wellbeing. She had obviously been hit by Ren's kunai in the shoulder. Ren helped set her down on the floor next to me with a guilty look on his face. "What happened?" Kenji asks frantically awoken from his nap. He runs over behind me and looks at the girl. "Shh. Whats your name darling?" I ask the girl and try to soothe her while Ren attempts to heal her wound. "M-my name is Ameko," she replies clearly frightened.

"My friend feels awful for accidentally hurting you Ameko. But he will make it better so don't be scared. How old are you Ameko?"I ask very calmly trying to seem as unthreatening as possible.

"I'm six years old. What is your name?"

"My name is Mariko. Where are your mother and father?"

"I don't have a mother or father, Mariko-san," she replies to me with a distraught expression written across her features. A slight ping of guilt came across me for asking something so insensitive. Ren had finished healing her shoulder and wrapped it in bandages. "Well where are the people who look after you Ameko-chan?" Kenji suddenly asks the girl as Ren helps her sit up. We all look at her expectantly as she looks deep in thought. She then answers us as her expression falters once again, "They all died. Thats why I was running because the bad people wanted me to die too! And then they got me! And now I'm here!" She exclaims terrified and looks at us. "Your going to get me too aren't you!" She gets up quickly trying to run away but fails miserably due to her wound. "No we are here to help you Ameko-chan! We'll protect you from those bad people!" Kenji exclaims with a determined look in his eyes. Tears began to pour from her now dull grey eyes. "Y-you promise?" she asks us.

"We all do," Ren answers for us. She runs up to me and hugs me wetting my shirt with her tears (not that I mind) and I wrap my arms around her tiny body while looking at the boys. Kenji gave Ren a facial expression that read 'can we keep her?' and Ren just sighed and nodded.

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It's been a day since we met Ameko and we were still traveling to Suna at a slightly slower pace than Ren would have liked. Ameko walked alongside me with her small hand in mine and the other in her mouth while she looked thoughtlessly at the sky. We had finally reached the desert which meant it was extremely hot. Being so used to the cool weather in Kirigakure, I had adjust my shirt to show my stomach. "Mariko-San?" Ameko tries to grab my attention. I turn my head indicating that I acknowledged her. "Why did you become a ninja?" She finally asks. I think about this answer carefully so to make it as simple as possible for her to understand. "Well, my entire life I've looked up to ninjas and their way of protecting things precious to them," I answer with a small smile plastered on my face. I see out of the corner of my eyes both Ren and Kenji listening to our conversation. "What's precious to you Mariko-San?" She asks me again.

"Well, all the people in my village: Ren, Kenji, my sensei-" Ameko interrupts me by asking, "You have a sensei?"
"Yes I do. So do many other ninja," I answer her. A short montage of silence fell upon us while Ameko looked up at the sky once again. "I want to be a ninja too Mariko-San! Will you be my sensei?" She interrupts the silence and looks at me with pleading eyes.

"Of course I will," I reply enthusiastically with a closed eyed smile on my face. She smiles brightly and walks with a skip in her step as we make our way to Suna.

Once we finally reached the gates of Suna we were stopped by some of the guards. "What is your business in Suna?" Asks one of the ninja with a mask to cover his face.

"We were sent personally by the mizukage to fulfill a mission. We request that we meet with your Kazekage," Ren answers the man. The sand ninja clearly was expecting us and led us straight to the Kazekage building. Ameko was trailing behind me as we made our way to the door that separated us from the sand's kage. Just as Kenji was about to knock, a deep scratchy voice said, "Come in." As we entered the room all four of us (including Ameko who followed our lead) bowed respectfully at the Kazekage. It was after my bow I got a good look of the kage. He had red hair and sea foam green eyes with a red love kaji on his forehead. He was undeniably attractive and looked to be surprisingly our age. "Kazekage-sama we were sent by our sensei, the mizukage to personally deliver this package," Ren says as he pulls out the fake box given to him by Mei-sensei. "Actually, I have it Ren," I begin as I pull out the letter. "It must have been very important to have a decoy," I finish and hand the letter to the Kazekage. Our hands slightly brush against each other and I feel a slight spark but ignore it. Although, as I look up at him his face gives away that he felt it too. As I'm about to step back with a faint blush on my face I hear Ameko start to laugh; not a genuine happy laugh, but an evil menacing laugh. I look over at her to see her once bright blue eyes turn black and a devilish grin plaster her face. I see what I assume to be sand float around the Kazekage, while Ren, Kenji, and I in our defensive stances. "Ameko-chan?" Kenji asks in confusion.

"You foolish ninja," Ameko begins, her voice turning into a dark and cruel tone, "You were foolish to trust anyone while holding such important documents." She then started to change. Her body began to expand until she finally transformed into a big man with dark black eyes and menacing features.

"How could I not sense the transformation jutsu!" Ren exclaims with a kunai ready in hand. I was surprised too, Ren was very good when it came to sensing any type of genjutsu. "It's because, I am not human. I possess the bodies of others and take their skills. That little girl was not a transformation jutsu," says the possessed man to us. I then see him pull out a letter from his pouch. It was the same letter I was suppose to deliver to the Kazekage! Ren immediately threw his kunai at the man and as soon as it made contact, it was almost like it was consumed into his body.

"Ignorant fools. Your weapons will not work on me. This body is incapable of being punctured," says the man. The kazekage's sand began to pour from his gourd he held on his back and swirled the room. "I will give you one chance to surrender the note before I take... assertive action," he says with an emotionless expression.

"I am not afraid of you, Lord Kazekage, your sand will not be enough to defeat me," responds the grotesque form. At this point Kenji had retrieved his sword which was slung over his back and Ren had his hands up prepared to use his unique ninjutsu. I had finally regained my composure and looked at the enemy prepared to fight as well.