Sky and Sand

The Way of the Shinobi

"No."

Battle vs War: A Free Study

"Nope."

Guide to Sand Ethics and Codes of Conduct

"Interesting, but no."

Rin shuffled through volume after volume; every book, text, manuscript, anything she could get her hands on.

The Sand's library left much to be desired.

She found a wealth of knowledge on martial arts, trading and desert climates, but nothing close to what she was looking for.

Another trip up the rickety ladder, to the top shelf, and she'd start considering having her books shipped over from the Sound.

"How can they not have it?" She muttered to herself, fingers skimming over another round of titles, that had nothing to do with her subject.

"Is there something you're looking for, young lady?" A voice made her jump, nearly sprawling off the ladder.

Rin righted herself and looked down at the librarian. "Yes, actually. Where is your children's section?"

The older woman put a hand to her chin. "Hm, now there's a question I don't hear too often."

"Do the children in this village not read?"

The librarian placed her hands on her hips. "Of course, they do! Sand children are just as educated as other villages. They just have different priorities."

Rin slid down the ladder and crossed her hand over her heart. "Forgive me, if my question seemed rude. I'm looking for one book in particular. It's called 'the Little Ninja and the Great Tree.' Have you heard of it?"

"Hm... nope. Doesn't sound familiar."

Her face fell. "Oh, that's too bad."

The rows of militant books glared at her, each one another dead-end.

Rin let out a sigh and turned back to her search, when the librarian coughed. "If you want a children's section, the closest we have are fairy-tales. But I promise the selection won't be as grand as you seem to be used to."

Rin stretched her arms above her head, wincing at the ache in the right. "I'll be grateful for whatever you have. Would you point me in the right direction?"

"This way." The older woman meandered along.

Her hunched back and squinty eyes reminded Rin of a turtle and her near rage-inducing shuffle speed, wasn't helping the visual at all.

"It's fine if you want to just tell me where it is. I can probably find it on my own."

"Nope."

Rin's hands balled into fists at her sides, fighting to keep her voice pleasant. "Really, I don't want you trouble yourself. I'm sure you're very busy."

"Not busy."

"Clearly..." She muttered under her breath.

After what seemed like an eternity, they FINALLY crossed to the other side of the library and the tortoise-woman lifted her curved finger. "Back here, third row on the right."

"Great! Thank you."

"Mm hm."

She ambled off to her desk, but not before quipping. "Make sure you don't take too long. I don't have all day, you know?"

Rin took a deep, cleansing breath. "You can't kill old ladies. You can't kill old ladies. You can't kill old ladies."

Shaking off her thoughts of senicide, Rin set to work on the children's section, which could hardly be called that.

Her tongue clicked against her teeth. "Are they serious? There's only four books here!"

She picked up one of the books and the edges of the pages crumbled beneath her fingertips. "Oh, come on!"

The sun peeked through the back window, illuminating the cloud of dust circling her, as she blew off one of the fairy-tale books.

"The Sand Queen." She weighted that one in her hand and then set it aside for later.

Images of a warrior queen came to her mind, much different than the stories she collected for her younger clients.

Rin's home was a treasure trove of relaxation items; nearly everything she owned, pertained to her job in some way.

Sitting in the lonely library, with the scent of dusty books, warm sunlight and the quiet, she suddenly felt a pang of home-sickness.

If she were there, she'd have access to everything in her arsenal; all her herbs, lotions, garden, books, music, everything she'd ever need to induce, right at her fingertips.

Her head leaned back against the shelves. "I'd be able to help him so much easier in the right environment. What peace can I bring in a dark cell, with armed guards surrounding it?"

She sighed, turning her gaze upwards. "If anyone is listening, could you give me a sign please? Is this even worth trying?"

Silence.

"Worth a shot."

Rin put away the books she'd displaced, trying to arrange them as she found them. The last one wouldn't go settle properly. "Come on, I know you're desperate for attention, but you aren't what I'm looking for."

She tried again to push the novel back in, to no avail.

Sliding her fingers behind it, she gasped when they felt something hidden in the back. "No... it can't be."

She took hold of the book and pulled it out, the smile on her face lighting up the dark room.

Rin held it to her chest and glanced back up. "That'll do."

~

Ikki and Kazue were waiting to greet her outside the library. They'd switched shifts with another pair, who weren't as apt to be friendly with her.

If she were honest with herself, she preferred her first two anyway, they were growing on her as much as she was on them.

"How can the Sand give me armed escorts round the clock AND guard Haru at the same time? Seems like a waste of resources."

Ikki walked with his hands behind his head, clearly more relaxed in her presence than Kazue, who was as stiff as always. "Times have been peaceful since the Great War. We're all itching for something to do and it's either this or wall duty."

Her eyes flicked up to him. "Which would you prefer?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but Kazue cut him off. "All missions are important to the Guard. They're equal."

Rin glanced back and then turned her attention to Ikki, her voice a thinly veiled whisper. "You prefer me, right?"

"Yep."

"So does Kazue?"

Ikki smirked. "Kazue is proper soldier. He'd never place emotional attachment to an assignment."

She could feel Kazue's pride flare at that comment, but he stayed quiet.

Ikki winked at her and gave a quick nod, which made her smile.

On days like this, it almost felt like her life wasn't in the turmoil she'd found for herself.

She walked through the Sand easily, listening to the bustling market and the buzz of chatter. If it were any other time, she would have stopped to explore a bit.

A stand of jewelry caught her eye. The desert had many things she didn't favor, but their collection of unique gems and stones was unparalleled.

For being such combative people, they'd mastered an exotic sense of beauty, as well.

One necklace in particular caught her attention.

She stepped closer and marveled at the craftsmanship. "Oh my, this is lovely."

"You like that?" The shop-keep inquired.

"Yes, what is it? The color is so unique and yet I feel like I've seen it before."

He took the necklace off the rack and held it up to the light. "That would be turquoise. Hard to find in the desert, so it fetches a bigger price. We have a legend, if you'd like to hear it?"

Her eyes turned to the prison door and what waited down there for her.

She took a breath. "Yes, please. It sounds like I'll be needing some good stories to tell."

The man weighted the blue stone in his hand. "It's the story of the Sky Prince and the Sand Maiden."

Rin settled into the lone chair in the shop and listened, her heart smiling at the name.

"Long ago, before there were trees or rivers or streams, there was only the kingdom of the sky and the land of sand. The Sky King's youngest son, Sora, went hunting, riding through the clouds on his mighty steed.

It was a special night that would change the Prince's life forever, for he wasn't hunting game or goods. He was hunting a comet, said to grace the sky once every five hundred years."

Rin felt her imagination start to weave the pictures and almost missed when a young body came to stand next to her.

She glanced to the side and saw a crowd of around five children, who drifted in from the heat, to hear the story.

One small hand rose. "Mr. Hiro, why would he try to catch a comet? You can't eat a comet."

There were nods of agreement.

The shop-keeper, Mr. Hiro, became more animated with his new audience. "He wasn't hunting it for a meal, he was hunting it for a ride."

"Ooh."

"If Prince Sora could catch the comet and ride it, he'd be able to tell his father that he was worthy of ruling the Sky Kingdom."

Rin listened intently, but was surprised when one of those small bodies climbed his way onto her lap, still transfixed on the story.

She froze, uncertain of the protocol for the Sand's youth, but by the way that little face filled with wonder at the words and how he wrapped his arms behind her neck, absently playing with her pony tail, while he listened to the story, Rin just smiled and pulled him closer.

"So, the Prince set off to catch the comet. He searched and tracked and planned for it, but when the comet arrived and he pounced off his steed, he found the force to be far greater than he expected. The comet wasn't going to be tamed and it sent him on the ride of his life.

He shot across the sky, the cold trail of fire plummeting him to the ground, a place no one from his kingdom dared to venture."

There was a small gasp from the crowd of children. "Was he okay?"

Mr. Hiro smiled. "Yes, because waiting at the bottom, walking through the waves of earth, was the lovely Sayo, the Sand Maiden. Thinking the fallen prince was a shooting star, she went to investigate and have her wishes granted.

Legend says, when she set eyes on the Sky Prince and he on her, their love shook the earth, forcing the ground to move and shape the caverns you see around the village."

There was a chorus of "ooo" and "ahh" from the crowd and Rin felt herself swept up in the story, just like the rest of them.

Mr. Hiro missed his calling.

"Did they get married, Mr. Hiro?"

The shop-keeper shook his head sadly. "No. The Sky and the Sand cannot live as one and when his wounds were healed, Sora was called back to his kingdom."

"Awww. Poor Sayo."

"Yes, it's said that her tears flowed so fast and so strong, that she filled up the caverns their love created and from her sorrow, the ocean was born.

Before Sora left, he broke off a piece of his armor and placed it in her hand. That way, she'd always have a part of him, even after he returned. And to show that he wouldn't forget her, he'd continue to drop small pieces of sky into her sand, so she could find them and she'd know his love was still true.

That's why we collect the turquoise; to honor the love of the Sky and the Sand."

There was a deep sigh from all the little girls and a few rolled eyes from the boys, but Rin didn't notice, over the one who had fallen asleep in her arms.

She brushed his hair out of his face, smiling at how he sucked his thumb.

She stood up, cradling the boy in her arms and searched for his mother.

What she found instead, was exactly why she'd seen the blue color before and his eyes were directly in front of her.

"Gaara!"

"Rin."

The children scattered, each running back to tell their parents the story and Rin stood still, holding a child who wasn't hers, and trying not to show how incredibly awkward she felt.

"What brings you out to the market?" She asked, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"My usual walk through the village. I like to keep an eye on things. Let my people approach me, if they wish."

"Oh, that's wise."

Rin hitched the boy up slightly and blushed when Gaara's attention turned to him.

She cleared her throat. "I know this looks odd."

To her surprise, he didn't agree with her or ask any further questions.

He just reached out a hand and patted the boy's head, his voice soft. "He looks so peaceful. I'm jealous. Your arms are a wonderful place to rest."

"Gaara, I... I want to apologize."

He shook his head. "There's no need."

"I shouldn't have said what I did, I was just worried about Haru."

"I know."

Gaara motioned for a woman, Rin could only assume was the toddler's mother. She bowed before the Kazekage and took her boy from Rin, with a sheepish smile.

Not knowing what to do with her hands, Rin laced them behind her back. "So..."

"You should get to your friend. The sun is about to set."

She looked up at the sky and knew for a fact, it would be at least another few hours until then.

The message was loud and clear.

"Yes, I suppose I should."

"Well, good day, then."

He started to walk away and Rin felt her heart begging to follow. "Gaara?"

The Kazekage turned and waited.

She smiled awkwardly and held up the turquoise necklace. "It's the same color as your eyes."

"I suppose, it is." He bowed his head to her and continued on his path, but Rin didn't miss the way his face reddened at her observation.

Ikki and Kazue came to either side of her. "Shall we proceed, then?"

"Yes." She said absently.

Rin paid the shop-keep the price listed and a little more for the story.

When they opened the prison door and she started climbing down the long staircase, her fingers came to the piece of sky around her neck and squeezed.