Recap:
Batto explains his reasons and Tenshi finally meets the other dragons.
"Shit."
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"Where are those idiots?!" To say I was irritated was an understatement. It was the day of the third exams and Naruto and Duckass still weren't here!? Turning to Shikamaru I grip his collar shaking him rapidly. "WHAT IS WITH YOU MEN AND TARDINESS!?"
"This whole days a drag."
"Shika- do you hear that?" Letting him go, I listen to what sounds like a stampede coming toward the stadium. Giving Shikamaru a side glance I smirk. "Bet ya 5 bucks it's Naruto." Returning my smirk, he nods lazily. A few moments later, a Naruto comes tumbling through the arena in a frenzy, claiming a herd of bulls was chasing him. Shaking my head, I hold my hand out feeling cash being placed in it accompanied with annoyed grumbles.
"Ten-chan I swear they were right behind m-"
Pinching his lips shut, I give him a pointed look at his volume. Letting his lips go, I sigh inwardly glancing at the other contestants lazily. Naruto and Neji are the first match and I was more eager than ever to see Neji get knocked down a few notches. Granted me and Neji were aquatinted but I got this feeling this match is going to change him for the better; hes going against Naruto, Someone who practically holds the deadliest jutsu known to man...
The Talk no Jutsu.
I swear Naruto could probably turn izanami herself good.
"Huh? Where's Sasuke?" Naruto looks around in confusion.
"I was hoping you'd know?"
I mentally curse the Uchiha, knowing Kakashi they probably wont make it here till after the exams. Ugh, men.
"Welcome all and our deepest thanks for coming here to the village hidden in the leaves for this years chunin selection!" The old mans voice echoes across the arena.
"We ask that no one leave till the matches are completed. Now, everyone enjoy!" The crowd erupts in cheers. I tune the old man out as he tells us their had been a change in matches as one of the sound contestants, Dosu couldn't participate unfortunately. I frown at the old mans attempt to glaze over Dosus inactivity.
Gaara killed him, that's what happened.
Glancing at the red haired sand nin, I furrow my brows in thought.
Flashback:
"Fuck, when I get back I'm taking a long bath." I had spent the whole month in Doragon training with Batto and the others and I was completely exhausted. Since time in Doragon went by twice as fast as here, I only had 15 days to train. Not only was I exhausted but tomorrow was the day of the chuunin exams and it was a quarter to midnight already.
Crossing my arms above my head lazily, I gaze up at the full moon. "Ne the moon is rather beautiful at night." I mutter with a peaceful tone.
As I reach my house I tense at the flaring chakra not to far away. Glancing in the direction of the chakra, I make my way to it concealing my own. I now stood on top of a roof top staring at the source the flaring chakra was coming from.
"Gaara?"
Tensing at my presence, I feel sand start to surround my ankle tightly till nothing but my head showed. "I see you can't sleep?" I say calmly. He turns toward me with a murderous glare. "Why.. why do you not fear me..?" I stay silent staring at him. Getting angry at my lack of response I feel the sand tighten more making me wince in pain. Meeting his eyes I glare back. "I can not fear what I understand." Surprised by my words, I feel the sand loosen before falling off me. His face reverts back to Its usual cold one and he turns away, continuing to gaze at the sky. Not sure whether to leave or keep an eye on him,
I stare dumbfounded at his back.
"You know nothing." He grunts causing me to narrow my eyes.
Glancing in the direction of my house, I sigh inwardly and take a seat a few ft away from him. "Trust me, you and I are more alike than you think. "
Giving me another look of disbelief, he eyes me wearily trying to figure out my motive.
"Naruto had told me what happened in the hospital.." I add.
"Do you expect me to apologize." He
says with an indifferent look.
"No, just a reason?"
"Why Ask a question you already know the answer to."
He glares at me once more whilst his sand threateningly levitates behind him.
Feeling his chakra stir, I meet his eyes lazily, "If I knew your motives I wouldn't be here now would I?" I snort.
"Go away, before I kill you." He threatens not sparing me a glance.
I merely sighed as I began to push myself up to leave. I wasn't going to break my neck to ty and understand the guy, especially if he didn't want my company. The exams were tomorrow and the last thing I needed was to sacrifice my sleep trying to not be killed again.
"Ya know there are monsters who act like people and people who act like monsters..." I trail off, " I wonder which one are you?"
The Jinchuriki stiffens in shock at the girls words before he abruptly grips his head in pain.
His sand shoots toward me but before I could evade it, the sand hits something else. 'He wasn't aiming for me...!?' Turning around swiftly I curse my carelessness. There stood Dosu a few feet away. "I was planning on attacking the both of you while you slept as a favor for orochimaru and to be able to face off against Sasuke."
"Why is everyone so obsessed with Uchihas?" I grumble with a scowl summoning my new katana. I tense as I hear Gaara groan more in pain, glancing back in shock at the state he was in. Half of his face was concealed in sand forming that of a demon like face. "Shukaku..." I mumbled and I inhaled sharply as his sand immediately sprung to life and shot toward us. However, the sand seemed to avoid me like to plague and attacked Dosu.
"W-What the...?" I stammered as Gaara form was no where to be seen and I could hear Dosus terror from behind.
"W-What are you!?" Dosu cries out as I swivel around to see them ways off on the roofs.
"GAARA DONT-" But it fell on deaf ears as he
launched downward crashing into the roof where Dosu was, killing him...After a few moments, Gaara transformed back into his original form, falling to his knees in exhaustion. I stare in shock at the scene that I just witnessed. My brows suddenly furrowed on internal conflict as the boy was hunched over. 'I-I can't just leave him here... what if the ichibi tries to take over again...'
Biting my lips, I hesitantly I jump down and approach him slowly, cursing my compassion. "Stay away." Gaara says hoarsely trying to regain his energy. Ignoring his threats, I flash in front of him as he collapses. Lifting him so that his arm was around my shoulder, I feel his tired gaze on me. Seeing as he wasn't in the state to be giving me directions to his hotel, I make my way to my home mentally crying at the loss of my relaxation plan. Once I reached, home, I sat him down on the couch and fetched him an old yarn blanket from my room. 'Kakashi s probably doing some late night training with Sasuke anyway.'
Tossing the blanket on him, I sit on the other side of the small couch side ways, resting my head on the cushion. "You saw what I was so...why did,,,you bring me here..." Opening one eye lazily, I examine him. He seemed tense as if I was going to snatch the blanket away and kick him out any second. "You remind me of...a friend."
He responded with silence, teal eyes piercing the side of my face.
"Telling from the huge bags under your eyes and the fact your using your chakra to keep yourself awake, you have insomnia right?"
Staying silent for a few seconds he says,
"Mother does not let me sleep, she's even more restless on these nights..."
"Mother..?"
Raising a brow quizzically, I deduct that he had taken to calling the one tails mother.
Thinking back to the scrolls I had read in the old mans office once, I think there was something on the one tails. Unlike the other tailed beasts, Shukaku was the least, what's the word? Confined. Becoming the host of shukaku meant little to no sleep to the point of insomnia since the ichibi will find any means to take over. Looking at the state he was in now, I pitied the boy. Anyone could tell at first glance he needed some shut eye and it sucked that if he did get it; he'd cost the lives of millions of other people. The fact that the exams were today since it's now midnight made it no better. Sighing inwardly, i cringe at what I'm about to do.
Gaara gazed at the girl, his mouth stretched in a thin line. 'Why, why does my sand not stop her? What makes her so different.'
Unaware of the movement happening next to him on the small couch, the red heads eye widen at contact. Tugging harshly on sleeve his, the boy inhale sharply as his head crashes onto something warm. She had pulled my head onto her lap. To say he was dumbfounded to say the least.
"You don't even know me." He murmured with lidded orbs, gazing up at her caramel face.
"I don't have to know you to understand you."
Giving her a weak glare, "I can not tell if you're dumb or insane.."
She lets out a sheepish laugh causing his chest to tighten at the small action. She acted as if he were some normal guy and he hadn't kill someone not to long ago.
"Would you believe me if I said I wasn't both?"
Narrowing my eyes, he took the time to examine her features. She wasn't painful to look at. His eyes suddenly widen a bit at his traitorous thoughts. He wasn't supposed to be thinking these things, if anything he should wanna kill her. He casted a glare up at the amused girl for inflicting such emotions on him. "I want to kill you."
"So what's stopping you?" Taken aback by her carefeee question, the boy scowled. 'My gourds right beside us, I could crush her body within an instant if I wanted to.' From her relaxed composure, Gaara had every opportunity to end her life.
To see her blood stain the grains of sand at his my disposal. As if sensing my conflict, she smirks. "Ne you're kinda cute when you're threatening to kill me." She teases causing the boys cheeks to tint slightly at her oddness. Before he could respond with another threat, the girl rested her gloved hand on his forehead, chakra glowing.
"Sleep."
And he was out like a light.
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Long story short, I think the pandas mad I got him to sleep. I sweatdrop as I feel him glaring daggers into my head. Ne, is that the thanks I get for giving you some shut eye?
I had used my chakra to lull him into sleep and kept the Ichibi at bay whilst he slept. Of course, that meant sacrificing my own shut eye unfortunately.
"I swear I'll make those 2 see Kami when they get here." I grumble with an irritated huff. Naruto had won his match against Neji. As I predicted, his talk no jutsu changed Neji for the better. Not only did he get Neji to re-evaluate his life but I can see jiraiya had taught him how to control his 9 tails chakra. I could tell Naruto was growing stronger by the second and felt nothing but pride for him. Glancing at said boy, I give him a fond look. He really was going to become Hokage one day and I didn't need my abilities to see that. "Congrats dweeb." I chirp bringing the boy into a head lock and ruffling his head.
"I-itai Ten-chan that hurts! Dattebayo!"
"Oh shut up wimp." I grin, letting the boy go as he straightens up and gives me his own grin.
However, my mood deflated as Sasuke still wasn't fucking here yet so the proctor once again bumped his match back; which was supposed to be the 2nd match. Shikamaru gripped his head in panick complaining how Kankuro had quit before his match started, giving the win to Shino. Since Kankuro had forfeited, it was now Shikamarus turn. I could tell he was thinking about quitting as well to save himself the 'drag'.
Naruto being the dunce he is,slapped Shikamaru on the back a little to hard for his liking making the lazy boy plummet into the arena. Long story short, Shikamaru in my opinion won but him being the lazy ass he was gave up stating how he was low on chakra. He had completely outsmarted Temari, the blond haired girl on gaaras team whom I now know to be his sister.
Sighing once again, I furrow my brows in thought, the sand had been acting sketchy ever since they got here and I really hoped It didn't involve Gaara. Glancing at the balcony where the Hokage and Kazekage stood, my eyes catch the Kazekages.
His chakra rubbed me the wrong way and before the exam had begun, I had warned the old man of Orochimarus appearance in the 2nd portion of the exa-
"TEN-CHAN ITS YOUR TURN!"
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~Author-Sama
God I'm changing so much within the chapters. 🚧🤪