(I really kinda found this arc boring, so I don't want to write about it. I'll show a small encounter with someone though.)
Not much was different this time, except Deidara was killed. Maki made sure to check, but it wasn't like she was hoping he actually did die.
There were a few different things that happened.
One, Deidara used his strongest attack he'd saved for Itachi, once again on Sasuke.
Two, Deidara actually died.
Three, another figure was there.
"Ah... I see we meet again." They rolled their eyes at Makis words but brought their sword out.
"I thought you were with Orochimaru?"
"I am with no one." They responded coldly. "My name is Yakuza, and my sole mission is to eliminate you."
"Oh..." Maki frowned a little. "You should find a new purpose, I don't really want to die."
"I'm afraid I can't do that." They flinched as Makis chakra hand formed over her arm wound as she prepared herself to attack Yakuza, but the one who had cut her arm, suddenly stopped and started to walk away.
"Nevermind. They're calling me back."
"Huh." Maki stared dumbfounded for three minutes straight, before finally running towards the sudden explosion with the figure lingering in her mind
This would mark the second time they'd met.
◦•●◉✿✿◉●•◦
"Hey, Gaara." Maki casually greeted the kazekage after he woke up. They had allowed him to rest and waited for the man to greet them at the village gates.
A hand cuffs the back of her head as Temari glared at Maki.
"The first time you see him after he dies and you say 'Hi'?!"
"What was I supposed to say?" Maki tilted her head in confusion. "Why aren't you dead?"
"No!"
"Than what do I say?"
"Ugh- Nevermind!" Maki rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly while the others snickered at her.
"It's alright," Gaaras lips quirked up slightly, and he couldn't help but miss how they all would joke around like this. Maki had always been a friend of his, and though he never had the intention of getting close to her before, she definitely did.
When they were younger and he was still a genin, she greeted him casually just like this, as if he hadn't almost killed her best friend.
No hint of malice or any sort of anger was shown when she spoke. In fact, he could sense a little love, if the him back then knew what that was.
Over the years though, he got to spend some personal time with her when she accompanied the kazekage in meetings along with the mans brother, and no doubt everything Naruto had told him was true.
Naruto also explained how there was this little fluttering in his belly, and though Gaara felt the same, he still felt concerned in case it was the seal on the boys belly, but Naruto only rolled his eyes at him and grinned.
"It's good to see you are alright, Maki."
"Oh yeah," She grinned and shook the hand he extended out. "I know you're kazekage and all, but when Naruto becomes hokage, why don't we all go out for a little ramen, yo?" He smiled while the Uzumaki blushed and grinned.
"Yes. I would like that... Yo?" She laughed at his attempt to copy her tick before waving as they walked towards their village.
"Hey, Gaara," Kankuros lips tugged into a slight smirk. "You're blushing."
"O-Oh..." Gaaras blush increased but he only turned around and walked back towards the village, ignoring his brothers words that seemed to only make him more flustered. The last straw was when Temari joined in, so he turned around with an embarrassed frown and sent his sand towards them, making them yell in shock and run away.
"Stop it!"
◦•●◉✿✿◉●•◦
"Hey, Tenzo."
Tenzo sighed. "It's Yamato, now."
Kakashi ignored him but kept his gaze stern. "Make sure to check up on your kid, she's not in the right mind right now."
Tenzo tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I mean somethings bothering her. Try to get her to talk or do whatever dad's do. I don't know."
"Right..." He furrowed his eyebrows at his senpais weird wording but only nodded. "I'll do just that."
And though he was confused at first, when he returned home and sat on the couch to read the new bingo book and heard loud shifting around from her room, he'd soon find his senpais words more understanding.
"Maki," He shook the girl softly but she didn't budge. "Maki," He tried again but ended up with the same result.
"Maki!"
"Ah!" She shot up with wide eyes, waking from the same dream she'd been having for the past week. Without even looking at the concerned man in front of her, she placed her head in her hands and attempted to stabilize her breathing.
"What's wrong?" He bent down next to her bed and took her hands off her face, making her eyes look back at his own dark brown ones.
She didn't answer him, and instead took one of her hands from his grip, running her fingers over the scar on her left cheek as if remembering a painful memory. He pursed his lips and removed his night slippers, lightly dropping onto the spot of her bed next to her.
He turned her towards him and held her hands. It was about time Tenzo asked about this scar, because the only answer she gave him as a kid, was that her father had hit her while under the influence of alcohol.
"Sweetheart," She furrowed her brows and clenched his hand tighter as his right hand lightly traced her scar. "Whats the story behind this scar?"
"..."
Instead of her responding, her lips curled up as she closed her eyes into a smile and looked at him. Now that he could see her smile with the moon shining on them, pain was written all over her face, yet she only let out a bitter chuckle.
"The story?" She smiled. "This is the story of how Maki went from a jerk to the Maki she is now."
Next Chapter will include depressing subjects such as Suicide, rape, and that kind of stuff.
~LamaUzumaki