My Kazekage

The sound of my feet sliding across the sandy training area was a welcome sound. Peace entered my body in waves, this was something I was meant to do. I could practically feel the kinks working their way out of my shoulders. A broad smile filled my face as I watched him standing near me. A coy look of enjoyment surround him.

My fingers dug into the senbon, the cool metal spikes slipped easily between my fingers reminding me of the needles brought to Sunagakure by various traders up north. If I thought about it I could almost smell the sharp aroma of pine that always seemed to accompany the long leaves. Every time I would visit the market my mind would wonder upon the amazing adventures the traders who acquired such items had. One day after things settled down I would love to go on such an adventure, but for now I had priories, right now I had responsibilities. Adventures would have to wait until after I'd played my part in the war ahead, Sunagakure would need my help defending our people, and Gaara would need my support in a time when many would question if doing the right thing was worth the risk. As much as I'd love to pick up and leave to explore new lands and have a bit of fun- that was not in the cards, my parents died for this village and it was my responsibility to honor their deaths by playing my part in the grand scheme of things. I would never be of any use though if I did not pass Gaara's test and in turn the exams so I kept my eyes pealed as I looked at my target.

The doll was as lifelike as allowed, although senbon were not dangerous per se the poison that laced the ones I was holding was lethal.

Gaara had told me that the new poison I would be testing today was something of Sasori's they had recovered. Although a cure was at ready and available, many of the Elders had felt that Sasori's poison was not ready for commercial use by Sunagakure ninja. One of the benefits to being the Kazekage's student was that I got to try out a lot of new items. Or at least that's what Gaara was always telling me, somethings though I was unsure of wanting to try out, most of all poison.

"Matsuri you're not paying attention, you won't kill in one blow aiming like that!" Gaara exclaimed as one of my senbon sliced the dummy's arm barely nicking it at all. I would by lying if I said I'd done that on purpose, my aim was rather rusty.

Rolling my shoulders slightly I nodded back to him, trying my best to concentrate on the task before me. I was use to fighting with my jōhyō, senbon were not used for defense they were used to attack. I was not the kind of girl who enjoyed attacking others, but seeing as I had no ability as a medical ninja here I was on the battlefield however fake it was.

"Killing shouldn't be easy!" I retorted adding my age old statement to the debate.

Gaara took life easily, and I'd yet to take a life. There'd been opportunities where it was an option, instead I would dance around the actual killing part. I'd come up to the point many times but when it came down to it I couldn't do it, why kill someone I'd already defeated?

Gaara found my apprehension silly, death was part of the ninja way of life, after all. I found it uplifting that I could keep my moral code intact. Although I loved Gaara we did not agree on everything, this just being a large argument between the two of us.

"Matsuri, if you can't do this I don't think you should join the exams. I want you to be the most prepared Genin competing." Gaara added annoyed at my reluctance to go for the throat, so to speak.

Holding back a growl of frustration I let my arm swing back, watching with my eyes as the senbon sliced through the air the gleam of the metal flashing before it sunk into its mark: the dummy's heart.

"Better-we should try a moving target next..." Gaara stated placing his hands together.

"I hope you are not implying that I try to hit: you?" I asked looking around for any other possible moving target.

Killing My Kazekage, was not part of the agenda!

"I don't think you are ready to try and hit me yet, I was talking about my sand clone, Matsuri." I watched as Gaara laughed at my nervousness.

Frowning slightly I adjusted as a familiar person took shape in Gaara's sand: himself.

I should've expected to be fighting him, well his sand clone form at least, but holding that easily lethal weapon with the expectation to go for the kill was a little hard to deal with. It took me a moment to force my feet to move across the sandy ground following after his running form, my eyes glued to his sandy shape. I watched as his clone ducked in between the rare tree, large rock formation, and other deserty obstacles.

The senbon felt red hot in my touch as I aimed for his vital spots, moments ticked by as I forced my arm back and threw with all my might, I watched slightly annoyed as the first senbon missed completely hitting a nearby tree, the second one hit the clone in the leg, not stopping it in its tracks but causing it to stumble enough for the third senbon to make its mark in the back of the clone's head. I watched with steady eyes as the clone became a shapeless mound of sand. My throat went an uncomfortable dry as I thought about what that clone really represented- a living person.

I had done my job.

"Remind me not to piss you off, at least after you get all of the senbon to land properly- Try it again!" Gaara laughed running his fingers through his bright red hair carelessly, as he summoned another clone.

I could tell this was only the beginning.

We would be here for hours, until I mastered this weapon.