By: AnimeGirl35
"Hmm? Mama, why is he sitting all alone?" I asked, pointing to a little boy with red hair and sea green eyes. He sat on a swing, holding a brown teddy bear, and staring at the ground.
My mama took only a glance at the boy my age before quickly pulling me along. "He doesn't matter. Just stay away from him, Hotaru. He's a monster."
After that day, I stayed away from the redheaded boy, like mama said. But that didn't mean I didn't watch him. He was always alone, always on the sidelines. Usually, I found him at the park watching other children play as if he was longing to join them. I wanted to get to know the strange boy with the red hair, but I heard what the parents say. "He's a monster, a freak, a mistake, don't go near him." Just like mama said, but that just made me very curious.
"Should I go up to him?" I asked Mr.B as I built a sand castle. Most people would see just a stuffed, fluffy, white bunny, with a blue scarf wrapped around his neck. But Mr.B's different, he can talk! Though other people can't hear him and they scold me for making up such foolish lies. So I don't mention him anymore.
"I think you should. He doesn't seem like a monster," said Mr.B.
"I know, but mama said I can't go near him," I state to my bunny.
"Yes, but he looks lonely. Plus, not letting her know won't hurt anyone."
I nodded. "Right. She doesn't have to know. Thanks Mr.B!" I grabbed the stuffed animal and hugged him, knocking over my sand castle. "Awww! My sandcastle!"
Suddenly, Mr.B was grabbed out of my hands. I looked up and see two older boys. One was holding Mr.B by the neck.
"Pft, why do you carry this stupid old thing around? What are you; two?!"
I stood up trying to get him back the boy laughed and swiped it out of my reach.
"H-hey! Give him back!" I cried.
The other boy was laughing too. "Why? Whacha ya gonna do?!"
They started running, throwing Mr.B back and forth, laughing. I went quickly after them, but they were much faster.
"Give him back! Please!" I begged. I suddenly tripped over and landed face first into the sand. They laughed and taunted me before they too fell flat on their faces. I giggled softly to myself.
Mr.B then fell out of their hands and rolled with wind before stopping at someone else's feet. A small hand picked my bunny up, but a lot more gently than the two boys did.
We all looked up to see the boy with red hair.
"G-Gaara," stuttered out one boy. Gaara looked at my bunny in his hands before looking back at the boys. They gasped before jumping up and running away, screaming.
Gaara watched them run with sadness in his eyes. His shoulders were drooped as he slowly looked down at me. I felt like I should run too since those boys were scared, but I didn't. My curiosity got the better of me when I stood up and walked cautiously over to the redheaded boy.
He looked down and held out Mr.B to me. "Um.... here."
I took the rabbit. "Thank you."
Gaara looked taken back. "You.... you aren't scared of me?"
I shook my head. "Why should I be?"
"Well... everyone else is."
I smiled at the redhead. "Well I'm not! My names Hotaru! And this is Mr.B."
Gaara stared at me for a while before smiling shyly. "N-nice to meet you, Hotaru. I'm Gaara."
Gaara and I got to be very good friends after that. We would play and build sandcastles. He was always so good at building with sand. It just like moved at his accordance! Almost as if he controlled it. I thought it was really cool how that could happen.
He would also bring his teddy bear when we would play together. Once, I asked him what he named him and we had a whole conversation on how names are important.
"Here he is." Gaara handed me the stuffed bear.
"Aww, he's cute!" I said taking the fuzzy animal. "Isn't he Mr.B?"
"Yes. Very cute. It's a good thing he's not a real bear because then he would eat me!"
I nodded before looking at Gaara. "What's his name?"
"He doesn't have a name."
I frowned. "Why not? Everyone has a name."
"Really?"
"Of course! It's important to have a name."
Gaara tilted his head. "How come? What's so great about a name?" he asked.
I thought about this. I don't think I thought so hard about something before in my life. "Well.... For starters, a name identifies a person. If a person doesn't have a name, how do they know when they are wanted? Also, a name can be very special because they all mean something different! Like my name means firefly! And I really like fireflies. Mr.B is named that because B stands for bunny!"
"Oh. What does my name mean?"
"Um... Ga.. that means I and A means love. I'm not really sure what Ra means so you name means love in my book! I think that suits you!"
The redhead's eyes sparked with happiness. "Really?"
"Yep! Love!"
Soon after that, I met Yashamaru, Gaara's uncle. He was very kind to me and he was kind to Gaara. Which I was glad for. Nobody really did treat Gaara nicely even his older brother and sister, Temari and Kankuro. Everyone seems afraid of him and they treat him like a monster.
I don't understand. Gaara's nothing like a monster. He's really fun to play with and I love being around him. He's like my only friend now. All my other friends from academy don't like me anymore because I play with him. The same thing with the adults. They despise me now, even mama doesn't like me.
What surprises me is that Gaara doesn't hate the villagers. I know I would if I was treated like him. I stand up for him when the villagers shout at him. Since my father is a strong, loyal, respected sand shinobi they don't touch me. But they do say I'm a disgrace to my father. I'm not fully sure what that means, but I don't think they're saying I'm the best child a great shinobi like him could have.
"Why do you think everyone hates me?" Gaara asked one day. We sat on the edge of a building looking up at the full moon.
"I'm not sure, but they're wrong for hating you."
"Hmmm."
I stared at the redhead, with sad eyes. I felt so bad. "You're not a monster, Gaara. You're my best friend! The villagers are wrong for hating you because you are one of the best people I have ever met."
Gaara smiled lightly and I returned the gesture.
"Thank you, Hotaru."
"Hehe! It's true!" I looked up at the moon. "I think it's time for me to get home. I'll see you tomorrow, Gaara!"
He waved as I to the door and started down the stairs. I was maybe two flights down when I pasted a man going up. I didn't know who he was because he did have a mask covering his face. I frowned, but ignored him and headed home.
The next morning, I was worried about Gaara. I didn't like that man I pasted and I wanted to go back, but I was in enough trouble with mama for I stayed out too late. I took Mr.B and went to Yashamaru's house to see Gaara. Gaara wasn't there and neither was Yashamaru. The whole house was dark and empty.
"Maybe they went out," I said to Mr.B. The bunny said nothing.
I wondered the village searching for the two.
"Did you hear? Yashamaru is dead!" I stopped in my tracks listening to the two villagers talk.
"I know! That monster, it killed him! Why is he still let to wonder the village, that freak."
That's not true! Gaara would never do that! He would never kill his own uncle! I started running through the village desperately trying to find Gaara.
I turned a corner when there was suddenly a blood curdling scream. I stopped dead in my tracks and slowly walked towards the alleyway where the scream came from.
I gasped, dropping Mr.B and slapped a hand over my mouth. Sand attacked three shinobi as they screamed. Gaara was just standing there with a sick smile on his face.
"Die!"
The sand suddenly squeezed the life out of the men and red liquid splattered everywhere. Blood coated the white fur on Mr.B and the blue scarf turned into red thread.
I backed away before running away and screaming. I should of listened to the villagers. I should of listened to mama.
He's a monster.