Part 3: Monster In The Dark

"The Academy?" Yami whispered, currently sitting on the floor with Gaara in his room. They were playing with dolls that Yashamaru bought them.

Yashamaru nodded. "Yes, you two are now the age to attend the Hidden Sand's Academy."

Gaara looked away, uncertain. "Yashamaru, what is this academy?"

The older shinobi blinked. "Well, it's a school for shinobi. There you're raised to become ninja—people who protect this village with their power. It's difficult to understand, but you'll be put in a class with other children your age and learn all of the fundamentals to becoming a true shinobi."

Gaara and Yami shared a long look, and Yashamaru took the hint.

"Well, I'll leave you two to think over it. In the meantime, I'll go and get us some snacks." And with that, Yashamaru left the room.

"Gaara, what do you want to do?" Yami asked him, and he looked down in thought.

"I don't know, all of the children would be afraid of us . . ."

"But maybe this is a way that we can prove ourselves to them. That we're not monsters like they say we are." So they can see something else in us other than darkness.

Gaara still seemed a little uncertain but knew Yami wanted to do this. So he would do it too, for her.

He nodded. "Okay, we'll do it . . . together." Gaara let out a small smile, and Yami shared that smile.

So, the two were enunciated into the academy, to begin their path to becoming shinobi.

Yami and Gaara didn't bother going to the opening ceremony, instead they met at Yami's house and had breakfast. They would journey to the academy alone since Yashamaru was away on a mission. They had gone the day before to see where their classes would be held.

They sat at the table, eating cereal in respective silence. But both children were nervous about today. Gaara and Yami both agreed last night that if things got too out of hand that they would get out of there. Fast.

As they walked the quiet alley that led to the academy, Gaara's heart started beating furiousily, he started shaking but kept going. Yami, who was walking behind him, noticed this and could sense his terrible fright even without having to look into his teal eyes. She gently took his pale hand into hers.

Gaara suddenly felt warmth radiate from his hand and could feel Yami's soft and comforting hand wrapped around her own. He stopped and looked into her gray eyes that were thick in mysteries like mist.

Suddenly, he didn't feel so frightened anymore. Because whatever they had to face ahead, he knew they would be together in it. He wasn't alone. Not ever with Yami.

His frantic heart slowed, seemingly to match the rhythm of Yami's, and they journeyed forth as their school came into view.

Just as the rest of the students began to file in, Yami and Gaara slipped into the back unnoticed. As they made their way into the classroom, however, the other students who were already seated noticed them and shrieked in fear. They all gaped and pointed at the two dark children who were thinking more and more that this was a bad idea.

"Now, now, settle down children!" Their instructor shouted, banging her hand on the table and bringing the class to order. "You will welcome your fellow classmates in with open arms! Now—Gaara, Yami, you may take your seats."

They both nodded, and walked up the aisle to take two empty seats in the back. Their instructor was a young chunin, it was actually her first year teaching. She was a spunky blond with brown eyes and a kind heart. She's always adored children, and decided to become a teacher. She gazed at the two who came in last. Gaara and Yami . . . commonly known in the village as the Shukaku Demon and the Angel of Death. Now they're both together, making everyone distraught.

"I will be your instructor, Naomi Sumi. Refer to me as Naomi-sensei." She told them, her eyes sweeping over them. "Now, one-by-one, I want you to come up here and introduce yourself."

The children did as they were told, each one walking up to the front of the classroom and giving the class their name. Gaara seemed to remember most of their names, while Yami counted how many there were in the class. Counting her and Gaara, there were only a total of twenty-five children. Yami hoped that they would be able to blend in and wouldn't be bothered by anyone. Of course, that was wishful thinking.

Gaara began feeling uncomfortable and nervous as his and Yami's turn came. He visibly gulped as Yami went up first.

The once noisy classroom went dead quiet as the dark-haired girl stood in the front, facing them. Most of them were too scared to do anything while others glared.

"My name is Yami Misa . . . pleased to meet you all." She spoke indifferently, trying to hide her nerves behind a mask. Her gray eyes remained impassive.

Suddenly, a sharp pencil cut through the air straight for Yami. Seeing it, and also anticipating an attack of some kind, she stepped away quickly—hardly noticeable to others.

The room gasped, and Gaara could feel his sand stir. How dare anyone threaten her!

"Who did that?" Naomi hissed, and all eyes went to the boy who still stood after throwing the harmful object at Yami. Naomi was secretly impressed with the speed Yami had used to dodge though, and knew there was great potential in the girl.

The boy pointed an accusing finger at Yami, his eyes filled with hate and fear. "You shouldn't let that monster and her friend in here! They'll kill us all! It's best to get rid of them now."

Yami looked down, fighting back tears as Gaara was both remorsed and could feel anger building deep within him.

"Sit down right now! How dare you speak like that in my classroom!" Naomi barked, and the boy sat down, but kept his eyes trailed on the downcast girl.

Wordlessly, Yami walked back to her seat beside Gaara.

Naomi stared at the two. Truthfully, she didn't see what the problem was. They were two ordinary children, plagued with inhuman power, but they were still only children.
Still innocent, yet the people of this village corrupted their minds into making them believe that they were bad. She shook her head, she'd like to give a good wake-up slap to everyone . . .

Because of the disturbance, Naomi decided to not let Gaara introduce himself, only to be proceeded by more death threats . . . She went on with the first lesson, explaining the rules of shinobi.

Gaara and Yami listened with interest as their teacher explained the world of the ninja. It fascinated them, and knew that they would become ninja no matter what.

Then came the time for lunch, or what Naomi-sensei liked to call it, "Time to get to know your classmates better." Gaara and Yami walked into the courtyard, which consisted of sand and rock with a few shrubs and trees and swings. They took their lunch and decided to go somewhere to themselves, it's not like they would make friends with the other children anyway . . .

"Look, it's the monsters!" One kid shouted as Yami and Gaara came into view.

"Watch out! The dark girl will steal your soul!"

"And the demon boy will crush your bones!"

Yami tried guiding Gaara away from the mean kids but he wouldn't budge. He began getting this . . . dark, insane glint in his eyes . . . And she knew that it wasn't Gaara anymore.

"Gaara!" Yami shouted, shaking his shoulders. What was happening to him?

"Hey! Why won't you leave those two alone?" A boy suddenly shouted, jumping in between Yami and Gaara and the other kids.

Yami's eyes grew wide, the boy had to be the same age as them, but he was taller than any of the kids in the class. His bigger frame made him look intimidating. He had messy black hair and tanned skin, but she couldn't see his eyes because his back was to her.

"You all are pathetic. The only monsters I see here are you guys." He spoke, his voice tough and unwavering.

"Whatever Rei, you must be in league with them!" One boy accused, and Rei snickered.

"Just go mind your own business." He dismissed them, and it seemed none of the kids really wanted to take on Rei, so they all left.

Yami had been holding Gaara, but they both looked up at the boy as he turned around, a smile on his face.

And that's when Yami saw his eyes. Those eyes that held emotions she had never seen before directed at her and Gaara. Pity, Kindness, Pain. They were confusing to her, after all, these emotions had never been in the eyes of others. She didn't know what to make of them. His eye color were a strange soft yellow, yet it made him unique. And she suddenly didn't feel so different anymore, and she knew Gaara felt the same.

"Hi there. You're Yami and Gaara, right? I'm Rei Yasuo."

Yami nodded, giving him a small smile. "Thank you for standing up for us." She spoke gratefully, and she noticed Gaara had recovered and stood up on his own. She then got an idea, and decided it wouldn't hurt to ask. "Rei, would you like to have lunch with us?"

He seemed shocked by her offer, and responded with a smile. "I'd love to, thanks."

Gaara was wary of Rei, but wouldn't admit it to Yami, so he kept a close watch on him. After all, who is to say he won't hurt them later?

The three found a spot beside a rock wall that was shaded from the harsh sun and away from any other kids.

They started eating, and Rei decided to make small talk with the two silent children.

"If you two are as strong and scary as everyone says, why do you take crap from them?" Rei bluntly asked, jerking his thumb back in the direction they had gone.

Yami blinked, but knew the answer. "Because they would be even more frightened of us."

"But standing by and doing nothing is like giving up!" he said.

"I know." Yami spoke, carefully unwrapping her bread. "But in time, I hope that they will overcome their fear of us. If we do nothing to make it worse, than they'll see that were harmless. And we'll finally be at peace."

Both boys gazed at the girl. Rei in disbelief, and Gaara in admiration. Gaara was hopeful, while Rei was astonished at how dead Yami seemed. He knew he had to do something to uplift their spirits. To give them real hope.

"That sounds nice and all, but wouldn't you want to be free now?" Rei said, and they gazed at him. "Instead of waiting down the road for a half-hope that may or may not come true. Who is to say that they'll ever change? Maybe you have to take matters into your own hands."

Gaara and Yami pondered over his brave words.

"But how?" Yami questioned, at a loss on how to make things better for her and Gaara. It wasn't about making one or two people believe in them, it was the whole village.

"That's easy—first you have to believe in yourselves." He grinned at them.

After that day, academy life didn't seem so bleak to the two children anymore. Along with learning, there was their new friend, Rei. He made sure no one messed with the two, which puzzled Yami. By staying by her and Gaara's side, he became isolated from the rest of the kids. Didn't he care at all?

Gaara seemed to share the same thoughts as Yami, because one day during their lunch period he decided to strike up a conversation with the boy whom he very rarely talked to.

"Why do you hang out with us, Rei? Don't you care about your own safety?" Gaara spoke, catching Rei by surprise.

"What do you mean?" he asked, oblivious.

"We're freaks. Monsters. Haven't you heard the stories?" Gaara asked darkly, and Yami knew what he was doing. He was testing Rei, to figure out his true intentions, to see if he really did  accept them.

"Yeah, I've heard'em. Not like I listen to them though." Rei said, scratching his head.

Yami and Gaara gasped. Both deeply confused about him, who didn't listen to the stories of the horrible demon children that's been in the village for as long as Yami and Gaara have been alive?

"What are you saying?" Gaara asked him, his eyes wide.

Rei smiled at the two. "I'm saying that I'm not like other people. Prove to me that you're monsters, because all I see is a couple of mistreated kids who haven't even been offered a chance to live yet. That's why I hang out with you guys. Most of the kids here are too afraid of me to really get to know me but for as long as I've been with you, none of you have shown fear toward me. And that's why I count you as my friends."

It had been the first time that the word "friend" was mentioned between the three. Now it was official, the three of them are friends. Whether they told each other or not, the bond was already formed with Rei . . . perhaps when he first stood up for them.

Yami smiled genuinely for the first time at Rei and he was momentarily dazzled by the serenity and pureness it shown. Oh yeah, they may not be monsters but there was definitely something different about them, it set them apart from the rest.

She rested her hand on Rei's, grasping it. "Thank you, Rei. For being so understanding of us." She spoke earnestly, and he shook himself from his daze to grin.

"Hey no problem, thanks for accepting me too."

Gaara gave him a smile, knowing he could be trusted. They were soon called in for more lessons, the only thing different was Rei decided to move to the back with his friends. He took the empty seat beside Yami, who gave him a warming smile. Rei held up a balled fist toward Gaara, who was on the other side of Yami, as a silent invitation. Gaara had wide eyes before he finally caught on and smiled, hitting his balled fist with his, knuckle-to-knuckle.

Naomi had watched the scene and started smiling, happy for the three that they all made friends. And maybe this was just the beginning for more to come.

* * * * * * *

One week later, they had a day off from the academy and Yami was heading to Gaara's. They were going to meet Rei at the park to play a sport that he had been showing them.

She smiled in the shadows, suddenly aware at how her life didn't seem so dark anymore, with first Gaara, then Yashamaru, and now Rei. She wasn't alone anymore . . .

Yami went into the mansion where Gaara lived. There was usually no one on the first floor when she came in, so she always goes straight to Gaara's room.

But this time, there was someone there, in a room making a lot of noise. Thinking it might be Gaara or Yashamaru, she went to investigate.

The room was down the hall, and when she got there she noticed that the door was about half-way open. She peeked inisde, her gray eyes studying the darkened room. She'd never taken time to look through the big mansion that served as Gaara's home, all she knew was her friend's room.

She cautiously stepped in, moving the door open . . . Only to be met in the face with a strange, humanoid object dangling in front of her.

She screamed in fright, backing away while someone laughed inside the room.

Gaara was waiting in his room for Yami while Yashamaru helped him with homework. Suddenly though, he heard a scream pierce through the air. He might have not of picked up on it so well if he didn't recognize the voice. A darkness started coiling in the pit of his stomach, Yami never screamed.

"Gaara!" Yashamaru called as the boy suddenly shot up, running out of the room.

The lights came on in the darkened room Yami was standing in, revealing a boy probably two years older than her with spiky brown hair that reminded her of Gaara's. He had dark eyes and creamy skin, and he wore a plain black shirt and pants.

"Man, I can't believe that actually worked! Your face was priceless!" The boy said in between his chuckling.

Yami looked annoyed at him, wondering who he could possibly be.

It was then that he finally stopped and looked at who he scared. He expected someone else, not a little girl who he'd never seen before!

"Wait, who are you?" he asked, stopping and really looking at her. She seemed familiar, but where had he seen her?

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Yami said, still annoyed. She was very rarely caught off guard and scared like that, but when she was she tended to get in a bad mood.

The boy was taken aback by the darkness emanating from her, it was even in her eyes! "I'm Kankaro, sorry to scare you like that—I was expecting someone else."

Yami seemed to calm down a bit after hearing the sincerity in his voice. "Who were you expecting?"

"My sister, Temari. You see, I was actually going to scare her with the puppet I've been making." Kankaro explained, picking up the brown contraption that had scared Yami.

"Puppet?" she questioned, curious since she had never seen one before.

Kankaro's eyes lit up. "Yeah, when I get older I'm going to become a puppet master! That's why I wanted to scare Temari with it, so she'd see that they aren't a waste of time!"

Never before had she seen such a fire in someone's eyes. That spark of determination, and she admired that.

She bent down and helped him pick it up. "Well, Kankaro, would you like my help? I don't know that much about puppets, but I'd be willing to learn."

Kankaro smiled at her, appreciating her kindness. "I'd be happy to teach you, by the way, what's your name?"

Yami was just about to tell him when Gaara ran into the room, wide eyes instantly locking on Yami.

"Yami! I heard you scream, are you all right?" he asked her, anxious.

Yami was shocked at Gaara's open concern. "Yes, I'm just fine. Kankaro's puppet scared me when I walked in."

Gaara then took notice of the older boy, who was shaking slightly in fear as he stared at the red-head.

"G-Gaara . . ." Kankaro whispered.

Gaara instantly sobered, staring at him. "Big brother . . ."

Huh? They're related? Yami thought, completely shocked. She didn't know Gaara had any siblings.

Gaara caught Yami's questioning looks as she gazed from him to Kankaro.

"Kankaro is my older brother," Gaara told her and she nodded, looking back at Kankaro.

Kankaro gazed from Yami to Gaara. "You two know each other?" he asked incredulously.

Gaara spoke up, "She's my friend."

Kankaro then stared at Yami like she was crazy. "Have you lost your mind? Why would you be friends with that monster?!"

Yami didn't think, she reacted. Before Kankaro could utter another word, he felt the painful sting across his cheek as Yami slapped him. He was haunted by her dark look as she glared, standing in front of him.

Both Kankaro and Gaara were shocked. Yami had never done anything else like this to defend Gaara!

"I will not sit here and let you talk about my best friend like that. Gaara hasn't done anything wrong, he's not a monster, you are!" she yelled in a powerful voice laced with venom, feeling like she was on fire. Her blood was boiling, something twisted around deep within her . . .

And she couldn't control it. She was starting to get sick and tired of being bullied.

There was a brief moment of silence, in which Kankaro was stuck in Yami's steely gaze, it being unwavering. Gaara rushed forth, feeling like any sadness or anger that had built up within him was suddenly drained at seeing Yami act like this. She was the kindest person he knew, and this was certainly not her.

He grabbed her hand, trying to pull her away from his brother. "Yami, it's okay. He didn't mean it . . ."

She turned her head so sharply that he thought she would have whiplash. But what scared him was her eyes. They were so dark, no longer gray, and he could have sworn they were getting red around the edges . . .

"Yami . . ." he whispered, trying to get her to come back.

Yami could see them, feel them, his emotions. And he was scared, of her. At what she was becoming. But more than that, she felt his concern, and how he didn't want to let her go.

"Gaara . . ." she whispered, feeling the darkness let her go as she came to terms with what she did.

She couldn't help it, a single tear fell from her now gray eye. Yami crying was something Gaara had never seen, nor did he wish to see. She looked so vulnerable, the inner turmoil deep down revealing themselves in her misty eyes. He pulled her into his arms where he held her tightly, he didn't know what else to do.

He stared at Kankaro who was still sitting on the floor, stunned. He met Gaara's eyes and they shared a look, a look between two brothers that wasn't filled with hate or fear. But with a knowledge that they know that there was something else deep down in Yami.

Yami was starting to calm down herself, feeling extremely safe and secure in Gaara's arms, his heart beating against hers. Her tears dried up, she couldn't believe that she had cried. It was something so new, so foreign.

Kankaro slowly stood up, gazing at the two kids who let go of each other and shared a smile.

"Look, I'm really sorry . . . I shouldn't have said what I said, it's just . . . That's how I was brought up, to believe my brother is a monster, but I know now that if he was, then I'd probably be dead right now." He said, lightly chuckling though it was void of humor.

Yami gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry for slapping you, I shouldn't have done that."

Kankaro rubbed his sore cheek. "What are you talking about? I needed that!"

They laughed, and it seemed that the children put it all behind them.

"So your the girl Yashamaru keeps telling us about?" Kankaro asked as they walked out of the room.

"Yashamaru does?" Yami asked, and they proceeded down the hallway.

"Yeah, he says you've been keeping Gaara really happy." Kankaro said, and Gaara instantly blushed, and Yami looked back at him curiousily.

"Really?"

He ducked down slightly into his raised collar. "Yeah . . ." he muttered shyly.

Yami gazed at him before smiling and then letting out a giggle, running down the hall completely carefree. It was something Gaara had yet to see, and it made him smile at how happy she seemed. Whatever happened back there, letting it all go, must have really helped her.

Gaara ran after his friend while Kankaro watched the two.

They're suppose to be the monsters of the village . . . Pfft, what a load of crap. Kankaro thought to himself before smiling, and running after the two.