Romancing the Kazekage- A Gaara Love Story

The Girl Unknown

"Forgive my rather dramatic entrance," Madara spoke gently to a stunned audience, "she thought it would be justified under poetic license: a courtesan's dance, swallowing whole the peace between men of power," he chuckled lightly to himself, his mask catching the light from the crystal chandeliers and gleaming menacingly. "I agree, it was" he searched for the right word "...fitting, wouldn't you say?" The group stared on in silence for a moment, each group of three and Mifune holding their breath. Eventually, the Mizukage came back to her senses and took a courageous step forward, her woody-red hair shimmering.

"What are you talking about?" She shouted, "Are you insane!?"

"I demand to know your identity!" The Tsuchikage piped up.

"Of course, Tsuchikage, formality is always so important to those who wish to sit and twiddle their thumbs." An eerie chill spread throughout the room; the gathered could feel the menacing and powerful nature of the man in front of them a chill which was all to justifiable when he said; "I am Uchiha Madara-"

"Uchiha Madara!?" A whisper of fear echoed through the hall.

"The very same."

"Why are you here?!" The Mizukage urged him.

"To ask for that which you can give freely or that which I will take at the cost of war."

"And what is that?" The eldest Kage jutted out his chin in defiance and asked coldly.

"The last Jinchuriki to add to my collection; I want the Gyuki and the Kyuubi-" Before anyone had time to react, electricity snapped sound their ankles, a strange buzz flooded the room as the Raikage puffed out his chest and bellowed:

"YOU BASTARDS TOOK MY BROTHER! NOW I SHALL OBLITERATE EVERY CELL IN YOUR BODY-"

"Pity," Madara silenced the man who, a moment before, had grown like a storm cloud to tower above them all and now seemed to shrink back into himself. "I had hoped we could avoid such unpleasantness." Gaara was growing tired of the game the enemy was playing; he was trying to scare them, but the young Kazekage was having none of it. Gaara had to get to the bottom of Ai's involvement in the performance; did she know Madara? Did she know the Akatsuki? It was too bizarre, to impossible...but that was precisely why it suited her.

"What is your goal, Uchiha?" Gaara spoke clearly. His voice was so clear and so soothing, in fact, that the buzz of electricity was stripped from the room in an instant and the creepy flow of energy that emanated from Madara vanished. Gaara stood his ground, planting his feet firmly on the ground, as Madara turned to face him.

"It seems the sharpest of all of you is the youngest- you all grow rust and turn matte with your senility," he turned his head and bowed it slightly to the oldest Kage sharply, "utmost respect, Tsuchikage. I want what you all want," he announced to the group: "peace. I am just not fearful of using force to achieve it." Gaara took a step forwards.

"War for peace is an unsustainable paradox; you have a better chance of separating the sun from the sky." There was a moment of silence in which Madara seemed to consider Gaara in earnest.

"My, my, my," he muttered just loud enough for all to hear, "she taught you to speak well, Gaara." At this sentence, something fell from Gaara's throat and into the pit of his stomach. No. It couldn't be. "But you and I both know, Love always was recklessly ambitious in her endeavours. She would tear up the sun and scorch her hands just to spite you." Blood erupted in Gaara's head, deafening him, it coursed with fierce aggression through him until his fingertips were numb and he felt himself swaying unsteadily on his feet.

The vision of that beautiful girl he had abandoned appeared in his mind as a watery and glistening image. Her soft eyes looked softer in his memory, her skin more perfect, her smile more heart-melting than he ever remembered.