"Master, please don't leave me. You're all I have now..."
The young girl curled up on the thin blanket, tear tracks on her cheeks, muttering in her sleep.
"No!"
As if hearing some terrible news, she startled awake, cold sweat dampening her hair. Her already frail body trembled slightly, appearing exceptionally vulnerable.
Perhaps recognizing her surroundings, the fear in her eyes dimmed. In the end, she was still alone.
*Swish...*
The girl opened the window, letting in a ray of light. She squinted slightly. The weather was exceptionally good today...
Soon, dressed and ready, she stepped out of the empty hut.
"Hi! Maki, off to train again today?"
"Maki is so diligent."
Maki offered a smile and a gentle nod to the greetings of the friendly commoners.
Orphaned from a young age, she had been determined to become a ninja and seek revenge on the Mist ninja who had killed her parents. It wasn't until she met her mentor, Yakura, that she experienced a sense of family she had never known, and her desire for revenge began to fade.
Years had passed; the murderers of her parents might already be dead.
But everything began to crumble when she heard the news. Yakura was dead. Her mentor, Yakura, was dead, killed by the Mist Village.
Maki had, for a time, rekindled her desire for revenge. However, the villagers and ninja around her treated her with kindness and warmth, knowing she was the disciple of the "Sand Village Hero," Yakura. This left Maki in inner turmoil.
Before long, Maki arrived at the department where she was interning: the Sealing Division.
She looked at the door before her, and a flood of memories surged.
"Maki, I didn't realize you had a talent for learning sealing jutsu."
"Maki, you're doing very well. I believe you'll become an excellent ninja in the future!"
"Master..." Maki drifted off in thought.
"Get out of the way, get out of the way! Don't block the path!"
A rough Sand ninja shoved Maki aside, his eyes filled with disgust, as if she were some "demon fox."
"Tch! Running into a rogue ninja's disciple this early in the morning. What bad luck!"
"Exactly! The Kazekage is truly benevolent not to have locked her up!"
Several other Sand ninja, also heading for internships, revealed their disdain for Maki in their words. But Maki only heard two words: "Rogue ninja!"
"You're spouting nonsense! My master is Yakura, the Sand Village Hero, not some rogue ninja!"
Maki blocked their path, biting her lip, her expression defiant.
"Tsk!"
The Sand ninja chuckled and said, "Only those who sacrifice are heroes. Your master Yakura was a coward!"
"A rogue ninja is a rogue ninja. The Kazekage has already issued a notice. I advise you to open your eyes and take a good look."
"Congratulations, Maki. Your master isn't dead, but congratulations to you for becoming the disciple of a rogue ninja! Hahaha!"
Laughing, they shoved Maki aside, not bothering to lay hands on a little girl.
Maki was knocked to the side, tears welling in her eyes. She refused to believe it. Clutching the small bag behind her, she ran towards the notice board at the Kazekage's building.
Master wasn't dead!
Even though she had heard the Kazekage utter her master's name that day, she refused to believe it!
She couldn't believe her master would become a rogue ninja. Yakura master had loved their village so much, someone who could give her everything for the village!
*Pant, pant...*
She ran without stopping, arriving before the Kazekage's building. She saw the familiar building, the familiar notice board, the familiar wanted poster... Maki cried!
On one hand, tears of joy because her master was alive. On the other hand, disbelief that the master she respected most had become a rogue ninja.
"Impossible. Master wouldn't become a rogue ninja. There must be a reason!"
Maki wiped away her tears, looking at her master's portrait, her gaze gradually firming.
She had to go find her master and ask for an explanation!
...
"Without the Kazekage's order, no one is allowed to leave the Sand Village these few days!"
The Sand ninja guarding the gate didn't make things too difficult for Maki. They wouldn't stoop to taking their frustrations out on a little girl.
Maki, distraught, came to a dilapidated park. She had no desire to go to the Sealing Division; all she wanted was to find her master and get answers.
Just as Maki was contemplating how to escape the Sand Village, a young boy's voice reached her ears.
"Um... are you crying?"
Gaara, clutching a worn-out teddy bear, his voice trembling with fear, worried this would be another person he scared away.
"No!"
Maki wiped her red-rimmed eyes. Her face, which had been washed clean earlier, was now streaked with dirt.
"Uh..."
Gaara didn't know how to respond. She had clearly been crying, so why did she say she hadn't?
After much deliberation, Gaara asked very cautiously, "Do you want to play with me?"
"No way!"
Gaara wore an expression of disdain. Although this person hadn't been scared away by him, nor had she shown fear in her eyes, she was likely a girl.
Girls were so troublesome!
Gaara picked up the worn-out teddy bear and sat on a nearby swing, fantasizing about how wonderful it would be if there was a boy to play with him!
Suddenly, sounds of commotion echoed from around, like the final screams of the dying.
Maki noticed nothing, but Gaara seemed to have sensed something. The Sand ninja monitoring him... were dead?
"You're Gaara, aren't you? The vessel of the One-Tailed Beast!"
Two figures emerged from the shadows. Gaara's eyes lit up. His wish had come true! And with a bonus surprise!
Two boys!
Suigetsu Hōzuki couldn't stand Gaara's gaze. He sneered, "Hey, what's with that look?"
"I'm sorry."
Gaara realized he had been too excited and immediately lowered his head, looking like he had done something wrong.
"Uh..."
Seeing this, Suigetsu Hōzuki couldn't say anything more. The boy had been so sincere; it would be ungraceful of him, Suigetsu, to press the issue further!
"Enough with the nonsense. Come with us. I've already dealt with the Sand ninja protecting you."
Kimimaro, his face grim, kept his hands hidden in his sleeves, ready to strike at any moment.
"Um..." Gaara saw Kimimaro staring intently at him and said sheepishly, "They were actually here to kill me."
"Kill you? What are you talking about!"
Suigetsu Hōzuki was incredulous. "Your father is the Fourth Kazekage. How dare they kill you?"
Mentioning his father, Gaara's previously calm face contorted. He glared hatefully towards the Kazekage's building and said, "They were sent by my so-called father to kill me, but they've never succeeded."
"What kind of drama is this?" Suigetsu Hōzuki was bewildered.
Kimimaro said, "Don't worry about it. We're taking you with us. Whether you refuse or agree, it won't change the outcome."
Gaara secretly glanced at Kimimaro and whispered, "Will you play with me?"
"......"