Suna's Ninja (Gaara Love Story)

17: Gaara's return

Author's POV

"Everyone! Get out of here!" Ling screamed, charging into the meditation room. "We're going to wait for Lord Kazekage!"

"Huh?" Nearly enraged and blinded by excitement, Ling stomped to Akimi and hoisted her up, half dragging and half choking her.

"Don't 'huh' me! Get your body into gear!" He shouted. Luckily, Kui was there to save her precious kouhai before Ling did anymore damage.

Ten minutes later, the Khaotic Party members were running from their watch tower, and joining the massive crowd of civilians, ninjas, and villagers, all waiting and watching for Lord Kazekage's return. Baki Sensei had gathered everyone (who were restless without their leader) to wait a few miles away from the village, watching the endless sea of sand and that glimmer of hope burning in their hearts. Like many things, all they had to do was wait.

Meanwhile, however, Yamu slipped away and returned to the Suna with only a handful of ninjas and people who were ordered to guard the village. He headed to the KP towers and searched for Akimi's bag containing the newly made potion.

There it is, he thought, snatching it, switching it out with a deadlier version of the potion. Whoever took that potion would die soon, especially if they had open wounds. She said so herself, it's both poison and medicine. What good use is that? He scowled at the thought, glaring at the Akimi's potion.

We'll see if she has want to takes to be a permanent KP member. We don't need any half-baked people on the team.

Yamu drained the real potion into the toilet, watching the light yellow liquid flush down the hole. He then crushed the beaker into pieces over the toilet and flushed all signs of evidence away as well.

Knowing Akimi, she probably has more stored away, but not if I get rid of them all! Yamu searched the towers, looking for more secret potions Akimi had made, despite the low resources. He found two more, one taped under the sink cabinet and the second under a vase lamp. Similarly, he destroyed the last two and proceeded to burn the ingredients Akimi had saved to make the potion.

Akimi, you can leave us anytime now, he thought satisfied with his work.

Yamu returned to the team, who said nothing of his obvious disappearance. Even if he was often silent, it wasn't hard to tell if he was with the team or not. He kept an eye on Akimi, watching her chattering excitedly with Pearl, explaining about her new medicine.

"I see him!"

"Lord Kazekage!" The villagers spotted the a line of people walking at a far distance.

"He's back! I see him!" A man announces, waving his binoculars.

"Lord Gaara!" Led by Temari and Kankuro, the villagers ran to meet their Kazekage.

"Go get your medicine," Kui ordered Akimi excitedly. "Maybe some of them can use it!"

"Right!" Yamu watched the girl run back towards the village. He followed her, keeping track of her movements. Akimi returned to the towers and grabs the beaker, rushing out the door with Yamu at her heels.

"She's here!" Pearl yelled, spotting Akimi jogging towards her with a bottle in hand. "Let's go!" The girls laughed and ran towards the enormous crowd of people all gathered around Lord Gaara, sitting up in a daze. (Actually, when the villagers saw him, he was standing and Naruto was helping him. I switched it.)

"Lord Gaara!" The girls reached their Kazekage, all smiles as Temari fussed around him.

"We're so glad to see you're back!" Akimi said breathlessly.

"Akimi....." Gaara responded slowly. When he was about to continue speaking, a cry from a group of girls stopped him.

"Gaara-sama, are you alright?! Is there anything we can do to help?" Gaara's ever-growing fan club circled around him, effectively separating the two lovers.

"Maybe we'll wait a little until the crowd calms down," Akimi whispered to Pearl who looked ready to kick a few people out of their way.

"Akimi has medicine for anyone who needs it desperately," Yamu spoke up, grabbing Akimi's wrist.

"Oh, here!" Guy Sensei bellowed, pointing to Kakashi Sensei leaning onto him for support. "This one needs it!"

"Okay, hang on," Akimi said, uncorking the bottle. Yamu's eyes narrowed as Kakashi drank the "medicine."

Actually, just a whiff of that poison is enough to kill him in seconds, Yamu thought.

Seconds later, he starting coughing up blood, his mask drenching in blood.