Elemental (Gaara Love Story) (Naruto Fanfiction)

Chapter 4: Welcome to Suna

"Fools," laughed the man as he watched us prepare to strike. By this point, my patience had been fed up and by the looks of it, so was Kenji's. "You'll regret saying that!" Kenji yelled as he took a mighty swing with his sword. With no attempt to dodge the blade, the man's head was sliced clean off. Kenji smirked with triumph for but a moment, for the man had regenerated his head like nothing had ever happened. "Like I said, fools, weapons are useless. Although it appears in this case the weapon user is more inefficient," he laughed once again without any fear. Kenji was close to striking again, but the Kazekage's cloud of sand beat him to it. Without a change of expression, his sand enclosed the man and compressed him. "Sand coffin," his scratchy voice said, and a black liquid flew around the room showing he had been destroyed.

"Ew, nasty," grunted Kenji who was trying to pick off the goo in his hair. Within a moment the black liquid reformed into the same man who let out yet another menacing laugh. "Is that all you ninja can do?" asks the man proudly.

"Not even close," says Ren as he lights up his palms using his chakra. This is a special ability Ren had been able to teach himself that allows the user to use their chakra as their weapon and to manipulate their opponents chakra. "Ninja art, time stopper jutsu!" yells Ren as he releases small orbs of blue chakra not allowing the man to move or dodge his attack. The man tries to move but fails and Ren hits him with a powerful fist full of his chakra. The man flies backwards but stands back up and transforms yet again into a women dressed in red and teleports away.

"Don't let it get away!" yells Kenji.

"Ren! Hurry and track his chakra so we can find him!" I yell at Ren as the Kazekage teleports away.

"Found him!" he yells and we all teleport to the spot where the Kazekage and the women were in battle in an open field of sand behind the building.

"Mariko-chan! We need you now!" yells Kenji and I roll up my one long sleeve and prepare to fight. Underneath are a series of marks that represent mastery in each section of the Erementaru kekkai genkai. "Lord Kazekage! Allow me to handle it from here. This was due to my carelessness and I plan to resolve it," I say to the young man. The Kazekage looked at me as though to say 'go ahead'. I then stir up the air around the lady, causing my violet eyes to change to a clear white color and my air mastery mark to glow. I create a tornado to trap the lady without using any hand signs, for my ability was not a jutsu. At the same time I gather some of the water in the air and throw it in the tornado. Lastly, I create a lightning bolt and electrocute the women in the tornado, using my fire, water and air techniques all at once. I stop the tornado and the burnt lady lays on the floor unable to move. "Whoo! Go Mariko-chan you rock!" yells Kenji as I sweat drop. However, the women transforms into yet another man who was dressed as a Hidden Leaf Ninja. "So you defeated one of me, there are hundreds of different forms arrogant ninja!" yells the ninja.

"What the-" says the shocked Kenji as he looks at me again for help. At this point, I know the only effective element to use is spirit. My plan was to free the spirits trapped by the monster. With that, my eyes change back to a violet color and begin to glow along with my spirit mastery mark. "You trapped those pour souls, but I can free them and I won't hesitate to stop you!" I exclaim to the man. At that point a purple glow begins to circle me and I use my skill to unbind the souls from their master. With a last glow of light, the man separates and you see the souls leaving his mouth until there is nothing left of him but the clothes he wore. I panted, for using a skill like that was very straining and I tried to prevent it at all costs. Ren ran over to the left clothes and retrieved the letter and handed it to me. I nod at him and walk over to the Kazekage. "Forgive me Lord Kazekage-sama, I was foolish. I hope I did not cause you any harm or hurt the name of my village," I bow to him and hand him the letter.

"You have not done any harm Mist kunoichi, I thank you for your bravery to help protect the sand village. May I ask your name?" he inquires without changing a facial expression.

"My name is Mariko Erementaru, Lord Kazekage-sama," I say as I bow yet again.

"Oh, you must be the kunoichi Mei speaks so highly of, it is an honor to meet the daughter of the fourth Mizukage. And please, call me Gaara, you are as skilled a ninja as myself and a friend to Suna," he says to me with a gentle look on his face. I give him a small smile and nod. "Thank you Gaara," I say as we all walk back to his office.

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Gaara sits in his desk chair as he reads the letter we delivered to him. "Very well, it will be about a week until I have your delivery ready for the Mizukage, you will be welcome to stay here in the Kazekage's quarters until it is ready," he says and looks at me in particular. It was then I looked into his eyes and noticed its odd but beautiful green color. 'No not green but teal,' I thought to myself. "Hey Gaara-sama, can we explore for a while? I've never been to Suna and Kami knows how long it'll be until I come back," Kenji asks with a wide grin plastered on his face. Kenji is very open and can sometimes come off as disrespectful. "Kenji-Kun, you idiot! Don't speak to the Kazekage like that!" Ren exclaims as he wacks Kenji on the head.

"It is quite alright, you may go around the village. I will have one of my shinobi show you around if you'd like," Gaara says calmly and unaffected. If Mei-sensei were here she would beat the life out of pour Kenji. "Yes! Come on Ren-kun lets go!" Kenji exclaims and drags Ren out the office with him. I sweat drop and begin to apologize to Gaara, but he interrupts me by saying something, "It's alright no need to apologize. He reminds me of a good friend in Konoha," he tells me and I smile. "Will you not be going with them?" he inquires.

I blush furiously realizing I had stood there staring at him, "Oh no, Gaara-sama, I will rest for now. I am much too tired to be chasing my crazy teammate in this heat," I say with a kind smile.

"Please, there is no need to use such formality in my name. I will show you to your room if you'd like?" he asks getting up from his desk.

"Oh its okay sir, I can have someone else show me around," I say feeling bad to burden him.

"Please, it's Gaara, Mariko-San and I would be delighted to get away from my paperwork for a moment. A small break is always needed," he says with a small smirk but not necessarily a smile.

"Well then thank you Gaara," I say with a small laugh and follow him to the guest bedroom.

"So what compelled you to become a ninja Mariko?" he asks me as we walk.

"Well aside from my family being them, I always admired the way ninja would protect those precious to them I guess," I say with a gazed off look on my face, remembering the hard training days.

"Really? That's wonderful."

"What about you Gaara? Why did you become Kazekage?"

"Similar to your answer I suppose, I want to protect those precious to me in this village."

"That's admirable Gaara, as a small child I looked up to kage like you."

"Thank you Mariko, I wouldn't be surprised if we worked together as two kage one day, after seeing your abilities."

"Thank you Gaara," I end the conversation as we enter a large bedroom with red silk sheets on the bed and a connected bathroom. "Wow..." I mumble at the size and blush realizing I spoke aloud.

"We only have one guest room and I assumed you wouldn't want to stay with your male teammates so you can use my room I don't use it anyways," Gaara explains to me and leaves me to settle down and relax.

"Thank you!" I call out after him and lie in the comfy bed after a long travel.