Naruto # JOURNEY BEYOND LOVE

Chapter 2. The Desert

The desert was hot and humid as ever.
The sound of the sand was dizzy and the climate caused the Sunakagure to melt in the heat. The kazekage stood in his chamber facing the heat through the window. Looking exhausted Gaara let out a sigh discussing an important mission with his advisor. He was in the memory of his lost friend and was looking for ways to reach out to him.

"I hope this works out lord kazekage, I assure you we'll try our best to rescue your friend at all costs". Said the advisor and left the chamber.

Gaara sat down at the corner of the bed lost in deep thoughts, it was then that Fu arrived with her evercharming giggle into his room and noticed him unwavered by her arrival which was very unusual. Fu felt a little dejected by her boyfriend's unmoved approach and tried to pull him into a friendly chatter.

"So lord kazekage (sarcastically) u seem a lot buiser these days ..huh .. can't even spare time for the love of your life".

She flipped her 7 tails wings and tried to cheer him up. She flew behind him and hugged him tightly placing her head on his back.But all in vain , Gaara was too deeply moved by Naruto's change in heart that he didn't react to this lovely gesture of Fu. Instead he pulled her ahead of him and held her hand.
He couldn't bring himself to terms with his friend's altered state of being and unknown were the reasons for such alterations. He was trying so hard to come at a solid solution.

"Fu, I want to spend some lone time with myself, I'm sorry but will you please allow me that for a while?"
Fu was really offended this time. Her guy won't even share his worries with her. And on top of that is bothered by her presence.
She was agitated at the thought and asked him firmly about his instability of mind.

"Will you speak your heart out to me? I'm your friend too and that's what friends and partners are for right?.. to share their best happiness and divide the deepest worries too".

"Somethings are best left unsaid Fu, it's just a phase it'll pass.. Trust me."

Fu was really tired to hear these same unconvincingly convincing remarks which made her sick. She bolted out of the door and let Gaara sink in his own tribulations.

Fu was very fun-loving and charming girl. A jinjuriki of the 7 tails, she was strong and beautiful. Gaara truly loved her and they shared a lovely bond but with this mission he just couldn't bring himself to make Fu understand his feelings towards his lost friend. The intensity of the situation was beyond her cheerful nature and innocent personality. For her, Naruto going rouge was just as much of another cake walk mission for someone like Kazekage's stature.

The only person whom Gaara could share his deepest thoughts with was his long time favourite student, Matsuri. His emotions were channelized and solutions sorted by exchange of words with her. She was in love with her teacher and that created a feeling of understanding between them. Inspite of her immense feelings for him, she wished the best for Gaara and Fu. Even at the very young tender age she was very much a matured woman and deeply admired Gaara and Fu.

Matsuri witnessed her sensei lingering in the backyard at the evening time when sun was down and heat had taken a little chill.
The restlessness in his walk was visible and Matsuri couldn't stop attending to him at more needed hour than this one

"Lord kazekage, I do not mean to interrupt your personal space but it's quite a time and there's a possibility of a sandstorm approaching. It's safe to walk inside the chamber, Sensei". Matsuri earnestly desired for her master to be secure.

"I can deal with the sandstorm Matsuri, but this inner unease is too strong for me to fit it inside a chamber, at least these winds are putting my mind at ease".

The kazekage sat down on the edge of the stairs in the backyard. His eyes hurt at the thought of being helpless for his friend.

Matsuri was starting to get to the solution for her sensei's problem. She sat besides Gaara and placed her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

" Sensei why don't you try to bring him back rather than helplessly mourning his departure every second. I know it's hard to change the mind of someone who has gone rogue but sir it's no help sending the backup units behind him. They both are too strong to be taken back by some random ninjas".

"What will I tell him Matsuri, what do I have to make him convince to come back?.. to come home... I'm just too tired.. my mind wanders in different ways when I try to convince myself to get on a search and rescue mission for Naruto".

Matsuri clearly had caught the glimpses of Naruto's place in Gaara's life from many moments they had shared together before Naruto lost his faith.

She asserted " you'll never know unless you try sir.. friendship is one thing that grows the dimension of love into something beautiful altogether. Try to get to your friend's heart with every bone in your body.
I'm sure he will understand the value of your bond and give up his ways"
.
Gaara looked very much at ease after his conversation with Matsuri. It was like an eye opener to set him move towards what was really important and what really mattered. They shared a happy face with a smile at his new conviction. Matsuri was happy to help her teacher whom she couldn't bear to see distressed.

Fu saw her boyfriend and his student on the stairs of the backyard. She saw him smile. She felt heartbroken at the thought of being unfit for him. What Matsuri did differently to make Gaara smile she didn't know. It took her so much to even make him talk to her about 'whatsoever was bothering him '. But with Matsuri he was at ease. It was almost like looking at other self of Gaara. Fu was jealous of this sight she saw. She ran towards her chamber and choose to cry her heart out.