8: Ninja mode (Part Two)

The man from the palace-like building walked up to our table and take his stand beside us, "Gaara could I please have a quick word with you?" He nodded. "Excuse me, Miss Rose, I'll be right back," he said with a small adequate smile as he excused himself from the table. After a while he returned as promised. "Kakashi, the Hokage of this land had informed me about your current situation. I will help you, I know the path that you are seeking," Gaara assured me. "Seeing how this isn't my land, he needs to send one or more ninja's along on this quest to assure your safety. We'll be departing first thing tomorrow morning," he concluded. "Thank you," I thanked him, with a slight blush. "How about one last dance before I escort you back home?" Gaara questioned. His hand stretched out towards me. I placed my hand in his and accepted eagerly. It was truly a magical night. He treated me with so much charm, affection and care. I would have liked it if he could have sealed it with a kiss, but no such luck, he was the most perfect example of a gentlemen. Sakura helped me out of the dress and I freed my hair out of the tight bun. After a nice shower I re-joined her in the room. "You seem to really like him," she told me out of the blue. "Huh?" I couldn't seem to fathom exactly what she's saying. "Gaara, silly! Who else?" She said with a slight giggle. "Oh yeah, (I gave a deep sigh) I do like him a lot," I said barely audible. "So what seems to be the problem? Why don't you just stay and be my maid of honour?" She asked me twin questions. My eyes grew in size. "No way! Sasuke popped the question?" I asked rhetorically as I stared at the ring in awe. It's a beautiful golden band with seven diamonds in total. An average size diamond; with three smaller diamonds flanking it on either side. "Congratulations," I said as I gave her a hug. "As much as I would want to stay, I just can't. I've been trying to get back to my own time and confess to the man of my dreams. Being shifted from one world to another really isn't an easy task," I told her in little detail. I informed her about Gray Fullbuster. What kind of a person he is? What type of magic user he is? How he looks, his manner of speech and all the little things that I love about him! Sakura stared at me dreamily. I told her about my love rival. "May I ask you something Luna?" I nodded and she continued: "If so much time had already passed, how do you know that he hadn't already moved on with his life or started a family of his own with Miss Love Rival?" I will be lying to myself if I say that her words don't hurt. Subconsciously the thought made nest, but not at such level of degree that I would break myself over it. All I ever wanted to do was getting back to my family and friends, but since I've met Gaara it all ran out of the front door. I don't want to tell Sakura this just yet, there's always the possibility that he wouldn't want me like that, he need to ask me before I could even consider the risk. I'm not quit sure what I'm feeling for Gaara, but I can say in absolute clarity that I haven't felt this way before. A tear dripped down my cheek as the thought of leaving Gaara behind is outlined more abstractly. "I have to continue on my journey ahead, I need to see what awaits me at the end of this long adventure," I told her. "Then why are you crying? Shouldn't you be happy?" Sakura asked me twin questions. It's hard not to defy in her, she's been so nice to me, and I should repay her with honesty and kindness. "The truth is that I don't want to return. If Gaara should ask me to stay I would do it in a heartbeat. He needs to ask me otherwise it'll feel like I'm chasing ghosts," I answered. Another tear slipped from my line of sight, followed by another and another. She pulled me into a hug. I allowed the tears to fall freely. Sakura told me that she fully understands. I'm standing at a crossroads and I would much like to choose a path without the need to weight my options out.

The next day, after a well rested slumber, I greeted the few friends that I had the pleasure of making and left the village along with three other ninjas. Lord Hokage decided that it's wise to sent: Naruto Uzamaki and Shikamaru Nara, along for the quest. Gaara informed me that I need not to dirty my hands by using my own abilities, and how it was their duty to protect me. I nodded in understanding. The road was long and winding. We climbed mountains, crossed rivers and travelled through thick woods. Every once in a while I had to take a breather, now is one of those times I thought as I sat down on the trunk of a cut-off tree. "Can we rest for a moment, please?" I asked hopeful. "Sure, absolutely," Naruto said with a broad smile. "Fine, what a drag!" Shikamaru stated indifferently in a half-exclaimed manner. "Take all the time you need my dear," Gaara said. From underneath my lashes I can see how both ninjas shared a stare between the two of us. Naruto burst out in bubbles of laughter, "Gosh Gaara, you're being so obvious!" I looked up at the golden haired man in utter confusion. "Yeah man, why don't you just ask her to stay?" Shikamaru questioned bluntly. Suddenly my conversation the night prior flashed into my mind space. Am I really ready to leave everything behind and accept such an offer in a heartbeat? I looked up at him, he looks at me. My heart gave a wild tug against my chest. Absolutely! "We should get going," he said. Who could have ever thought that, that four word sentence could break my heart all over again? Again Naruto started laughing at his friend. "Jeez, I never pictured you as a coward," he said matter of factly. Shikamaru snorted at Naruto's remark. I stood up and continued on the journey ahead. At steep or dangerous places, Gaara would always give me a hand. Every time our hands touched a wave of electrical energy would wash over me. The first time that it happened was so unexpected that I nearly lost my footing. I grew fond of the feeling. I'm sure that he must feel it too, so why aren't he saying anything? Why don't he ask me the one question that I want him to ask me? The one question that could change our course of life forever. I sighed deeply which didn't go unnoticed. "Cheer up, he wants you to stay just as badly," Naruto stated from my left side in a low tone. I looked down at my feet, cheeks aglow. "Come on man, why don't you just ask her to stay, so that I can go back home to your sister?" Shikamaru asked him loud enough for me to hear. As always no answer from Gaara's side. He looks at me from over his shoulder: "We've reached the land of Wind," he said. My heart sunk into the soles of my feet. The further we go the less time I have with him. A tear rolled down my cheek, yet again Naruto were quick to notice. He seems very observant. "Are you okay, you're crying?" Naruto and his big mouth always drawing to much attention. Gaara's back stiffened at this leaked information. Another joined out gathering party, a stranger to me. He walked right up to us and joined my side. "Hey, I'm Kankuro. This idiot is my youngest brother," I smile sadly at him as I dry my tears away.

Kankuro informed me that there's a cave on the outskirts of Northeast corner of the land where I could find my escape, after the others informed him about their quest. Another icicle pierced my heart as the thought of never seeing him again made itself visible. I don't want to go, I want to stay, but it seems like he doesn't seem to think of me in that light or else he would have asked I presume. Since his brother joined the group he's been keeping his distance.

Small threads along the way were quickly taken care of. After a long tiring travel, we reached our destination. Nothing said, nothing done! Apparently I was wrong, when I thought that he would want me to stay. Me and his brother enjoyed each other's company and ever so often I can swear that I'm getting glimpses of the green-eyed monster, or perhaps I'm just imagining it. Still I'm hoping that he'll come forward and proof to me that this thing that I'm feeling for him isn't just one-sided. Inside the cave we crossed paths with gigantic creepy crawlies, such as: Spiders, scorpions and centipedes. Even enormous creatures such as those were no match for my protectors. After blindly traveling through the grey darkness of the cave, we reached an odd looking tunnel. A purple radiance with an all too familiar aura lightens the way. I greeted the men, but Gaara offered to assist me until he could no longer. The tunnel is wide and much longer then I originally thought. The further we walked the stronger the aura seems to be getting. I stopped right outside a peculiar door, and opened it up. "Guess this is it," I said sadly while a lone tear rolls downwards. He took hold of my wrist. I turn my attention towards him. "Won't you consider staying?" Gaara asked me the one question that I wanted him to ask. The one question that I needed him to ask earlier. He wiped the tear away with the back of his thumb. "Unfortunately, I have to go." I said emotionally. He let my hand fall from his grip, clearly heartbroken. "If you had only asked me earlier, I would have said yes in a heartbeat, but I fear that I'm currently at a point of no return," I confirmed. "Promise me that you won't forget me?" I asked as I leaned in closer and placed a kiss warmly on his cheek. "I promise. I will wait for you even if that means I'd have to wait forever," he said reassuringly. Pain struck my core as I turn towards the door. Ache ripping through flesh and bone. Tears staining my cheeks as I walk through the open arch, towards the realm beyond. This has by far been the hardest goodbye yet!