Roses In The Sand

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters (duh).

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Tsubaki sat on a weathered swing, pushing her toes through the hot sands and frowning over to her sandals, which had flown off while she was swinging. The sun burned bright directly overhead and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, typical weather in Wind Country.

Her silky hair was white, reflecting the rays and keeping her somewhat cooler, though the top of her head was still feeling the burn (especially where her hair was split.) Her skin was deeply tanned, fingernails carefully trimmed by her father, who trusted no one else to take care of his baby girl...which made sense, considering that she was only six years old. She wore a beige shift and had a cream colored scarf around her neck. It was supposed to go around her head, face, neck, and over her shoulders, and she was supposed to be keeping it damp, but it had unraveled itself while she was running and she didn't remember how to fix it. Deep purple eyes peered about, and she tried to decide whether or not to go ahead and run to her sandals instead of sitting there, only touching the sands that had cooled in her shadow.

Her father was in the Kazekage's office, making sure all their papers were current and his licenses were up to date before he moved on to drawing up a contract with Sand's governing offices, then a few local businesses. It usually took him hours to finish hammering down final details to what he was satisfied with. Tsubaki could very well be waiting outside until sunrise tomorrow if she didn't find somewhere to go.

Her gaze fixated on the sandals again, just far enough away on the sizzling sands to taunt her, and she sighed. She slipped down from the swing, started to take a step, then yelped when the heat of the sands bit at the sole of her bare foot from three inches away. Tsubaki whimpered and glanced around pleadingly, but the area was conspicuously deserted...except for someone crouching behind the slanted remains of an old fence, she realized.

Almost as though the figure realized it was spotted, it shrunk away. A minute later, it rose back up again, as though it were peeking out at her. The sands then began to skitter and shift, then roil like waves, crashing together and spraying superheated grains everywhere. Tsubaki's sandals were swept away, and then she was too. The sands formed angry, scary faces and lurched forward, snapping at her, and swallowing her. She was drug along through tunnels of flowing sand for what felt like forever, encountering parts that scorched her and parts that were ungodly cold. Finally it spewed her out on what appeared to be a monster's tongue and was a lot like a playground slide. At the bottom, a little boy with bright red hair, a cutely rounded face, no eyebrows, and a set of foam green eyes lined thickly in black waited, cheeks stained with tears. He jumped at her, hands raised, and...roared? Tsubaki laughed through her own tears, moment of fear forgotten.

"That was fun!" She jumped up, sandals forgotten, and hugged onto him before spotting a teddy bear and ball behind him. "How did you do it?"

"That's not fun, it's scary!!! I'm a monster!" The little boy balled up his face and roared again, waving his arms. Tsubaki just giggled and grabbed the ball behind him.

"You're funny. Wanna play?" She didn't wait for a response, just threw the ball at the confused and startled looking boy, who didn't catch it. Instead, sand raised up and formed a wall, which the ball bounced off of, then fell. Tsubaki grinned. "You're supposed to catch it with your hands, silly!"

"Why do you wanna play with me?" The sand barrier fell, and he stood sniffling, fresh tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Why not?" Tsu grinned, even as she ran over for another hug, which she'd decided he was now very clearly in need of. Then she blinked. "I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Tsubaki, but you can call me Tsu."

He looked down. "Gaara of the Dessert."

"That's a cool name!" She spouted cheerfully, taking his hand and turning to lead him off. Then she realized she still didn't have shoes. "What'll I do, Gaara-kun? My sandals are gone!"

"Use your shirt?" He still sounded sulky.

"I can't do that, I'm a girl!!!" Tsubaki burst out laughing.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-Two Weeks Later-_-_-_-_-_-

Kankuro and Temari heard another bout of laughter from down the hall and shuddered. They slowly crept to the doorway and listened.

"I got you now, Gaa-kun!"

Shuffling, a thud, running footsteps.

"You're it."

"Don't use your sand, that's cheating!"

Kankuro looked at Temari, who looked confused. They both began to inch down the hall. Then a little girl with bright silver hair came barreling out of the end room towards them, face red, laughing. Sand spilled out after her, Gaara riding it like a surfer. They jumped into the nearest room and waited for the pair to pass by.

"God that's just creepy..." Kankuro muttered. "Playing with his food."

Temari was silent, and led him back down the hall in the direction the two kids had gone.

"Tsubaki!" A male voice called. "Time to go."

"Aww, can't we stay a little longer daddy?"

"Where are you going?" A sniffle.

"Daddy has an appointment with the Hee-ten Leeves or something like that. It's veeeery important."

"Can I come?"

"I don't think so, boy-o. Your daddy wouldn't like that."

"Who cares about him?" They heard Gaara huff at Mr. Tanuki.

"I do. Keeping a good relationship with your father is very good for business."

They stepped out into the hall, seeing their brother once again in tears and hugging the little girl. Behind them, a bearded, wiry man stood waiting. After a few minutes, he cleared his throat, and she pulled away from Gaara, who continued to cling to her arm. She took her father's hand, squeezed Gaara's and smiled sadly at him, then turned to follow her dad out the door. "I'll be back one day, okay?"

"M-make it soon."

She said nothing to that; her father simply shook his head and tugged her out of the room, door swinging shut with a click as they walked out into the dying light of the evening.