Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ A Time to Love ❯ Riddles ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter Eight: Riddles

 

Yueri awoke to find herself warmed in a strong, warm embrace. She meowed softly and turned to face Gaara bathed in the morning sunlight.

 

“When did it become morning?” she asked sleepily.

 

“A few hours ago,” Gaara answered, sitting up a little.

 

“Chamomile home yet?”

 

“She's been home for a while. She locked herself and Neji in her room,” Gaara said, tucking a black curl behind Yueri's ear tenderly.

 

Yueri wrinkled her brow, thinking. “I wonder about Shikamaru.”

 

“He went home a few hours ago.”

 

Yueri sighed and her forehead smoothed into porcelain. She snuggled against Gaara and nuzzled his neck.

 

“Tired?” Gaara whispered.

 

“Just a little. What about you?” Yueri asked looking up at Gaara, her eyes full of question.

 

“I'm not really allowed to be tired,” Gaara reminded her.

 

Yueri's brow wrinkled again deep in through. She sat up, Gaara's arms still wrapped around as he sat up with her.

 

“I should probably get up. I'm worried about Naruto-kun,” Yueri explained as she looked down at her hands, folded in her lap. “He's still my friend. I still care for him. I spent weeks taking care of him after this village did exactly what they did to me to him. I'm afraid that the village will once again turn on him. That's why I was so crazy and in such a rage when I came back to find Naruto-kun.”

 

Gaara let go of his grip around her waist and looked at her with sad eyes. He looked down at his hands as well and felt the unease.

 

Yueri sighed and placed her hands over Gaara's. “I'm confused, yes, but I'll return to you, I swear this to you. Besides, Naruto has Sakura and Sasuke. And when I do get back, we're going to go see the Hokage. There has to be a better seal for you. You need to sleep. And I mean sleep, not the forced sleep jutsu you pull sometimes.” Yueri tenderly pressed her lips against Gaara's and pulled away.

 

Gaara gripped Yueri's hands in his and smiled weakly. “Alright. I trust you.”

 

Yueri smiled and hugged Gaara tightly. “Now if you don't mind, leave the room so I can get dressed.”

 

Gaara nodded and got up off the bed. He trailed his fingertips along Yueri's cheek, leaving a burning path where he touched before he opened the door, walked out, and shut the door quietly behind him.

 

Yueri hopped off the bed and ran over to the closet and threw open the door. She pulled out a black tank top and a pair of camouflage pants. She pulled on the clothes and laced her sandals around her ankles. She grinned to herself as she rushed over to the mirror and brushed her hair quickly, pulling it back into a messy bun before tying her head protector around her forehead. She frowned for a moment before rushing back to the closet. She pulled a large box out of the bottom of her closet and threw to the middle of the floor where it clambered as it feel.

 

“Just in case,” she muttered to herself before leaving it there and rushing out the door. She rushed into the living room, threw an arm around Gaara's neck and placed a quick kiss on his lips before rushing out the door. “I'll be back in a few hours at the most!” she called as she ran down the hallway of the apartment building.

 

Gaara smirked and shook his head as he watched Yueri rush though the apartment complex. “Who knew?”

 

 

~*~

 

Yueri walked through Konoha with a dazed look on her face. Some of the villagers looked at her. One Anbu disappeared from the crowd of villagers, taking news with her.

She looked around her, noticing the stares. She looked down at the ground and quickened her pace.

 

Tsunade followed the female Anbu that had given her the news of the return of a Missing Nin. She had just finished going through all the files of the Missing Nins. There hadn't been many, but one had left its mark on her. The file of Atiska Yueri.

 

“This better not be a wild goose chase,” Tsunade told the woman in front of her.

 

“I saw her with my own eyes,” the Anbu told the Hokage.

 

A Medical Nin like that, would save thousands of lives probably, Tsunade thought to herself.

 

Yueri jogged through the village, searching for Naruto. “Maybe he's training with his team.”

 

“Hey you!”

 

Yueri jumped a foot in the air when she heard the voice. She turned to face the Hokage herself.

 

“Um, Hokage-sama! It's a pleasure to meet you!” Yueri bowed respectfully. She felt her cheeks grow warm.

 

“You're Atiska Yueri, aren't you?” Tsunade asked as she began to circle the girl.

 

“Hai!”

 

“And you have the demon Shishi sealed away within you?”

 

“Hai!”

 

“And your sister is Atiska Chamomile?”

 

“Hai!”

 

“And are you an Anbu and a Medical Nin?”

 

“Hai.”

 

Tsunade smiled. “Well, maybe I can make a deal with you.”

 

“What kind of deal?” Yueri asked, suddenly wary.

 

“Help these people. In exchange for the memories you've lost.”

 

Yueri blinked. “How do you know that I've lost memories?”

 

“It's all in your file. It's over an inch thick,” Tsunade replied crossing her arms over her chest. “Do you accept?”

 

“I was going to bring Gaara to you later. So you could create a seal that would seal away the demon within him. So he could sleep. Can I tell you whether I accept or not then?”

 

“Of course.” Tsunade smiled and walked away, the Anbu following her into the crowd.

 

Yueri grumbled under her breath and turned sharply on her heel. She shoved her hands in her pockets and walked through the village, heading back to the apartment. She rubbed her left eye sleepily. “I knew I should've gone back to sleep.”

 

She jogged back to the apartment building as feelings began to overwhelm her. The want for her lost memories and the fear of them rushed through her spirit as she jogged up the stairs. She fiddled with the key for a moment before unlocking the door and stepping into the living room.

 

Yueri walked into her bedroom and leaned against the doorframe. She noticed how Gaara had opened the box that lay in the middle of her floor. She took note of how his shoulders were rigid with confusion and shock.

 

“It's one of my lost memories,” Yueri called to him. She watched Gaara jump and she smiled. “For some reason, some things I just can't remember. Like where that came from and what I used it for.”

 

“It's a sword,” Gaara said plainly.

 

“Correction: it's a broad sword.” Yueri smiled and knelt down next to Gaara. “Told ya I would be back.”

 

Gaara wrapped his arm around her waist possessively. “So you did.”

 

Yueri squirmed out of Gaara's embrace and touched the broadsword encased in silver silk. “I wish I hadn't lost those memories. For better or for worse. But I know this, Kaze has returned. I caught his scent while searching Naruto, who has concealed his chakra from me.” Yueri shook her head before pulling the broadsword from its wrapping.

 

“You're going looking for him, aren't you?” Gaara asked.

 

“Who?”

 

“Naruto.”

 

Yueri rolled her eyes. “Gaara - kun, I told you. I'm confused about my feelings, I love you, but I have feelings for Naruto-kun as well. I need time to figure this all out and no I am not going looking for Naruto-kun, I'm going to look for Kaze Omamori.”

 

Yueri fastened the sword to her back and stood up. She rubbed her eyes and turned on her heel. She stopped at the door. “I'm doing this not only out of revenge you know. Kaze tried to kill you when you were a child. I won't let him kill another innocent as long as I stand. Even if that means killing him.”

 

Gaara watched Yueri disappear from the doorframe. He didn't even hear the front door open and shut.

 

~*~

 

Yueri walked through Konoha. She closed her eyes for a moment, allowing her to focus her chakra on the presence of Naruto. She had a desire to find the Uzumaki before Kaze did.

 

Kaze will go after the local demon vessel, Yueri reported to Shishi.

 

Be alert for anything from the Kyuubi, Shishi warned.

 

I'm more concerned about Kaze. That man must die!

 

Don't let fury consume you. Or it will overtake you and cloud your decisions. It could cost you more then just a fight.

 

Of course, Shishi-san.

 

That's a good girl.

 

Yueri's eyes snapped open. She had found Naruto. She took a step forward before she felt an arm wrap around her waist and press a cloth covered in chemicals against her nose and mouth. Her eyelids drooped as she slumped against a chiseled body.

 

“We meet again, Atiska Yueri,” purred a low, gravely voice. “Time for the riddles to begin my pet. But will you solve them in time to save your precise Naruto? Or will you save your loving Gaara?”

 

 

~*~

 

A time of war and peace relents,

Touching on the glory

Of what was once passion's brilliance,

Letting go of mercy.

 

The riddle of passion and love.

Drawing a spot on life.

Riddling the trees' above the light,

Relying on the knife.

 

Darkness riddles the light's purpose,

Hissing within secrets,

Angels hold onto faithfulness,

Piercing souls with bullets.

 

Soul's vulnerable flesh bleeding white

Living eternally

Stormy skies becoming ignite

Ending dances of gypsy.

 

Hell's ice melting in dark sunlight

Trickery of the fox.

Hiding in the ending starlight,

Lost in wings of peacocks.