The Dragon of the Sand

Kurenai

"Come on. I'll show you to the inn." Kurenai said as she waited for me to walk with her. I stepped towards her and she began to walk in the direction of the hotel. 

"So you've managed to get lost, yet you don't have the tracking skills to find your team?" She asked, raising an eyebrow as she glanced down at me. 

"Ah.. Well.. I guess I panicked.." I said, really thinking about why I didn't try to track them down like a good ninja would. I mentally face-palmed, adding that to the list of things to nag myself about. 

"Mm. You'll have to get over that if you want to become a Chuunin. If you even want to survive the exam." Kurenai honestly stated. "Panicking will get you or your teammates killed."

"I know.." I mumbled, looking down in embarrassment. We fell into a silence. I was thinking about how I was acting. All because of my friends. I rolled my eyes. Then I started to wonder about my friends. 

Why were they trying to start crap with those kids? Whose that Uchiha guy anyways? What was his name.. Sak.. Saw.. Sawke? No, that doesn't sound right.. Saski? Mm.. Oh! Sasuke.. Who is he? Why would Gaara be so interested in him? He must be strong.. I don't know.. If he's the strongest leaf ninja, then Konoha might just be out of luck.. Really, who am I to talk though.. 

And on a different note, I still don't know why Gaara and his siblings have been acting weird lately. Maybe I should try to talk to them before the exam starts.. But what if they don't want to talk to me? Ah, I just really need to focus on my team and our goal to be the best Chuunin of Suna. We have to make Ena proud.. But still.. My best friend..

"Uh, hello? Earth to Madi?" Kurenai snapped her fingers. 

"Hm? Oh! Sorry, I was just thinking.." I sheepishly replied. 

"Ooh? About what?" She curiously asked, smiling kindly at me. It was like talking with a close friend, maybe a sister or a mother. Someone who was genuinely interested in my thoughts. That's what it felt like, at least.

"Ah.. Um.." I hesitated. My mind told me to follow my training and be wary of everyone. To not trust anyone unless they truly earned it. However, I couldn't help but feel like Kurenai was trustworthy. Surely there was no reason for her to harbor any ill feelings towards me or any sand ninja. I gave in to my feelings and opened up a bit.

"Well, ya see. My friends, the ones from behind the fence, they're the only friends I really have. Actually, it's mostly just Gaara. He's my best friend. But lately, he's not been a very good best friend. If you count his siblings as my friends, they haven't been so great either. They're always disappearing. They won't tell me what's going on. Every time we talk it's like the conversation ends with tension or an argument. Temari told me that she thought I'd be better off if I stayed away from Gaara. I mean, I've lived almost my whole life with the guy and she suddenly thinks I'm safer away from him? I have nothing without him! Not only that, but I'm the only one who sees him as more than just a monster and a tool. So how fair would it be to take away the only person who was ever kind to him? But then the dude just keeps acting like a jerk. I mean, he's kind of been like that for a while, but now its even worse! He even threatened to fight me! And I don't know if you know this, but whoever he fights ends up dead! So essentially, he was threatening to kill me!!" I heaved as I tried to catch my breath from ranting all of my thoughts. 

"I'm sure he didn't have any intentions of killing you." Kurenai assured me. "I don't know your friends, so I can't tell you what their reasoning may be. However, I can tell you a few different things. First of all, I'm sure they aren't trying to hurt you. It's possible that they might be going through something and they're trying to protect you or keep you out of whatever it is. 

Secondly, you can't let all these feelings get in the way right now. I think that's a good part of why you panicked and stopped thinking clearly back in the alley. Everything's changing right now and your mind isn't clear. Just relax and focus on the exam. You can devote yourself to your friends when this is over, but right now is about you and your team surviving and becoming Chuunin. 

Lastly, I don't think you can clear your mind until you start admitting some things to yourself."

"What do you mean?" I asked, completely puzzled about her last statement. 

"Madi, it's really not hard to tell!" Kurenai laughed. 

I felt my face going red as she laughed. "Wha- what's not?"

"Obviously you hold feelings for your best friend. So, once you admit that, you'll understand why his actions have hurt you so much and you'll be able to clear your head." She stated. Kurenai held a very confident look as she smiled at me. 

I stopped walking, really thinking about what she just said. "Well, I mean sure.. I guess I've always really had a small crush on Gaara." I said, rubbing my neck. 

"Ah-ah, that's not a good enough confession!" Kurenai teased as she wagged her finger at me. "You don't have a crush on him and you don't like him."

"Wah!? But you just said I had feelings for him! Are you trying to say that I actually hate him? Becau-" She cut me off before I could get too worked up.

"You love him." Kurenai said bluntly. "You're in love with him and you're hurt because he's hiding things from you, he isn't treating you the way he used to, and he threatened you."

"We-well yeah! Anyone would be hurt if their friend did that!" I tried to deny her statement. "That doesn't mean I love him."

"You're right, it doesn't. But you do."

"I- I.. I mean.." My words spluttered as I tried to think of something to say. There was nothing I could say and for some reason, what Kurenai said actually seemed to make sense. It actually felt right. "I guess I do.."

"Hah! See, there we go! We're making progress!" Kurenai announced as she happily clapped her hands. "Nowww, say it!"

"Oh, um.. Okay.. I love Gaara?" I said with an awkward shrug.

"Oh my." She face-palmed in response. "What is this mess..? Say it with passion!"

"I can't! It's embarrassing!"

"You'll never be able to focus if you don't strongly and passionately admit it. Right here. Right now."

"Ah! Fine! I'm in love with my best friend, Gaara!"

"See, that's better!" Kurenai happily said, she clapped again as she smiled at me. "Don't you feel so much better?"

"Actually, I do! Thank you!" I hugged Kurenai, taking her by surprise. She hesitated, then returned the hug. "Without your help, I would still be upset and lost."

"You're welcome. I'm glad I could help." She laughed. "Now, let's get you to your team. I hope to see you guys go far. I'll also secretly be rooting for you. I like you, Madi, so consider myself as your new friend. You can add me to the top of the list."

I laughed at the lady as she winked at me, a grin gracing her features as she led me to the inn. 

"Well, here we are! Good luck to you, with the exam and your friends." Kurenai said as she watched me walk towards the door. I turned around to look at her before she left. 

"I'll do my best!"