Blood is Full of Empty Promises

The sun was shining and birds were chirping. She looked around at the village looking for food. She had been traveling for a few days in the desert before stumbling upon Sunagakure, the village hidden by sand. Ayaka was tired and hungry; the only thing on her mind was food.

Ayaka followed the smell of beef and ended up in front of a ramen shop. Ramen wasn't her favorite food but she sure wasn't picky. She stopped in and took a seat.

"How can I help you?" a man asked with his back turned to her. He was busy making noodles for other customers.

"Four bowls of beef ramen please," she said cheerfully and took a seat right at the counter. "Bring 'em one at a time."

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Yeah, I've been traveling for a few days through the desert. Boy, was that exhausting," she exclaimed. The man turned around to see a eighteen year old woman with big blue eyes and long, blue-green hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She was wearing a plain white shirt and scuffed up blue pants, a bow slung on her back with a sling full of arrows. Neither of those things bothered him. What bothered him most was her headband. It had no markings on it. It was just blank. She knew that's what he was looking at.

"It's a long story," she said with a long face as if she was reading his mind.

"I bet it is," he replied and returned to making ramen.

Ayaka wore a blank headband because of that day four years ago, when her village, Yugakure, was attacked by her best friend. She didn't want to be reminded of the horrible act he committed, but she also didn't know the full story of why he did it. Maybe they had attacked him...but she didn't know for sure. Hidan had asked her to accompany him, but she only acted like a child and called him a monster. After that she woke up in the care of leaf shinobi. Her village was only an empty shell. No one left in it alive.

"One beef ramen, hot and ready," the man said placing a white, steaming bowl in front of her. She put her hands together for a second to say grace and then she dug in as if she hadn't eaten in weeks. It had only been a few days, but to her it felt like so much longer.

Ayaka ate two more bowls after that. "Wow, I'm amazed someone as small as yourself can eat all of that," the man said. She laughed a little.

"Hida-...I mean my friend used to say my stomach was a black hole," she said with her smile slowly fading away into the darkness of her past. The man set the last bowl of ramen in front of her.

Before digging into the last bowl she pulled out her wallet and paid the man. That way she wouldn't have to stick around if he got busy. Ayaka slurped up a few noodles. She closed her eyes and savored the flavor. They really were good noodles.

Someone grabbed her hair and she fell backwards onto the ground. They took her by surprise and the wind was knocked right out of her. Ayaka gasped for breath. "Bastards," she barely was able to whisper.

Someone kicked her in the ribs and she gritted her teeth. She refused to show anyone that they caused her pain. She wouldn't give them that satisfaction...ever. "What do you want?" she asked grabbing the sand shinobi's foot before he could kick her in the ribs again.

"We ask the questions here," the other shinobi said and pulled her long hair. He pulled it upwards and she held onto his hands in pain. They both dragged her out into the street by her hair. One shinobi tied her hands behind her back.

"Where are you from and what are you doing here?" one shinobi asked standing in front of her. Ayaka was on her knees bent over almost completely with her hands tied behind her back and another shinobi holding her head up with her hair.

"Go to hell," she said through gritted teeth and spit on his shoes.

"You little bitch," he said and pulled his arm back. Ayaka closed her eyes and gritted her teeth preparing herself for the blow, but it never came. She slowly opened her eyes to see sand on the side of her face.

"What the hell?" she said under her breath.

"Is this how we treat guests?" a calm and solemn voice said. She looked over to her right to see a man in a white robe and white hat. He had blood red hair with dark circles around his eyes.

"Lord Gaara!" the shinobi asked and all backed away from Ayaka.

"I asked you a question," he said calmly. His voice sent chills down her spine. She could tell that he was extremely pissed.

Two more shinobi walked up. One was blonde and female. The other was male and had paint on his face. "L-Lord Gaara, we would never treat a regular guest this way," one answered and bowed as if talking to a king.

"Is this guest not regular?" he asked actually sounding angry this time.

"No, we got a call that she was disturbing the area."

"Liar!" Ayaka screamed at him. The shinobi ignored her as if she didn't say anything.

"Are you certain?" he asked. The owner of the noodle shop stepped outside.

"Yes, Lord Kazekage, I called them in because she's a shinobi but there's not a mark of where she's from. I thought it was suspicious and it was safer to take precautions especially after what the Akatsuki just did to you and our village."

Ayaka looked angrily at the shop owner. "Damn him," she thought.

Gaara stepped closer til he was right in front of Ayaka. "Where are you from?" he asked her while cutting the band on her wrists.

"None of your damn business," Ayaka answered coldly.

"What the hell did you just say to Lord Gaara?!" the blonde said taking a threatening step closer. Gaara held up his hand and she stopped in her tracks.

"Forgive my village for their rudeness. I was just killed by the Akatsuki only a few days ago. They were only concerned for our village and myself."

"Pft. You're forgiven under one condition."

"Why you rude bitch!" the blonde yelled and the painted face man held her back.

"What do you want?" Gaara asked curiously.

"Tell me where the Akatsuki is."

"Why do you want to know where they are?" one of the shinobi asked.

"That's none of your business," Ayaka replied.

"Lord Gaara, we can't just trust her. She's too suspicious. You should let us take her to the intelligence team. We'll get whatever she's hiding out of her."

Gaara looked at him. "Leave. Temari and Kankoro can stay with me. The rest of you leave."

"B-but Lord Gaara-"

"I said leave," Gaara interrupted and they all ran away.

"You should train your pets better," Ayaka said angrily and placed a hand on her aching rib cage.

"Did they hurt you?" he asked concerned.

"I'm fine," Ayaka replied and winced as she bent to pick up her bow and sling of arrows. She slung them on her back as she stood up and groaned in pain.

Gaara rushed to her side. "You can stay with us for the night. I will treat your wounds. It's the least I can do for the trouble my people have caused you," he said and placed his arm around her waist. Temari and Kankuro looked shocked.

"I don't need your charity," she said through gritted teeth. She was sweating from the heat and before she knew it everything turned black.