A tryst with destiny (Tales of a Gutsy Ninja - 2)

Chapter 5 : The requiem of Ryuugamine Aira

"Gaara?"

A soft, soft voice...as if it was unsure that I could hear it. The voice sounded so very familiar but the usual bubbly voice was now so solemn...

"Gaara...can you...hear me?"

Gaara: Aira?

I turned around to see her but...she was no where to be found. Was I hallucinating? Her happy face flashed in my memory. Looks like I've been relying too much on her subconsciously. She was always there...for the past four years...though out it all. She saved me from getting shipped off by the council. She made me the Kazekage and...reigned the beast in me.

Aira...

If she was always around to help me then...where was she now?

Gaara: Have I...become an existence someone needs?

Aira's hurt face came to my mind. I shook my head. Was I...regretting what I did to Aira? It wasn't my fault...I hurt her unintentionally.

'She might be in love with you'

Chiyo obaa-sama's words came to my mind.

No...I knew what she felt...I knew what she wanted...I pushed her away.

On my own.

Out of my free will.

And yet, like an idiot, here I was, remembering her during the last lap of my life.

Gaara: Am I...useful to someone?

Aira: What do you think?

There it was! I don't think this is a hallucination! I could hear her voice! There was no mistaking it!

But I couldn't see her and...her sorrowful solemn voice tugged at my heart.

But then...all of a sudden, my began to get hazy. My thoughts...my memory...all began to blur out. It felt odd. I felt empty...

Gaara: What am I?

Aira: Hm...You are a human. A jinchuriki. A kazekage. A shinobi. A...person people hope and believe in.

Gaara: I see...I am...me...

Aira: Yes. You are unique. You are special. You are...irreplaceable.

Gaara: I am...irreplaceable?

"Aira! Hurry up! The link is snapping!"

Aira: I see...hold on for as long as you can, Isobu!

There she was...she was finally here...I'll see Aira soon...

Aira: Gaara! Can you listen to me! I've been shaking at you for a while now!

She was shaking me? I looked down to find a pair of pale show white hands. Then I finally saw her. Her silver hair cascaded behind her. She was shaking my body desperately.

Aira...

My memories cleared up. I reeled in the shock when I remembered what happened. I'd been defeated by a member of the Akatsuki!

Aira: Gaara...calm down...

Gaara: Aira?

Aira: I'm here...see? I'll protect you again. Can you...trust me?

Her eyes looked more hurt than ever. But I simply hugged her...relieved to feel human warmth. She wasn't an illusion. She really was here.

Gaara: I do...I really do trust you. You never tell me how you get your results. You call me family but you never trusted me with anything...it might just be that you couldn't bring yourself to tell me but...I figured it out. I still trust you...I always did and I always will...

Aira: Ahahahaa...what's up with that? You are acting weird Gaara. But thank you for trusting me. I won't betray you...or maybe I can't betray you anyway even if I wanted to.

Gaara: Aira?

Aira: Please listen...this my requiem. My...gift to you...

Gaara: No! What are you saying? Are you going somewhere?

Aira : Sorry...but...I can't...I cannot stay by your side anymore...it's...too late...I loved you...I really really really really really loved you. I always did and I will continue to do so. That is why...please realize that your true has already come true. You are loved. You have a village to protect...a village that cherishes you and a family that cares for you.

Gaara: You love me?

Aira: Yeah...I loved you...and I'll do so from far away...

Gaara: No! Don't go! Y-You're the reason I came so far!

Aira: Gaara...I only shaped what you already had. It was all destined for you. You deserved it all and you worked hard for it. Now reap the benefits of it...

Gaara: B-But why can't you be by my side?

Aira: Dearest Gaara...this world works on the principle of equivalent exchange. Where there is death...

I panicked and held onto her more strongly. I could see the faint outline of Isobu. Aira was fading away...there was a painful smile on her face. Painful but...kind...

Aira: There will always be death. Sayonara...Itoshii Sabaaku no Gaara...

(A/N : translation - Goodbye Gaara, my love)

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Naruto: Kakashi-sensei! H-He's breathing!

Kakashi: W-What? But he definitely had his tailed beast extracted from him...no one coud have survived it!"

Naruto: But Gaara did survive, believe it!

Gaara: A-Aira...

Naruto: Gaara...wait...your body is still...

I looked at my body. It was good as new. Numb perhaps...but it was at it's best physical condition. My mind however...

Gaara: She's gone...Aira...she's actually gone and...I didn't even convey it to her...

The people around me panicked and tried to calm me down but my tears wouldn't stop pouring. I had never felt this empty before...I finally realized it too late.

Aira had opened up the world for me...

Frustration and self loathing consumed me. It was a feeling that I knew as...regret. A regret I would have till the end of my life for...

For now...it was too late to tell her that...

I loved her...