Gaara was in a white space. He was stupefied.

"Where... Where am I?" he asked himself, and couldn't find answer.

Suddenly a white light flashed into his eyes so he screwed them, and when he opened them again, he bewildered - he was in a green field full of green trees, clean lakes and waterfalls! The sky was blue, and the sun was shining brightly.

He got confused.

"What... is this place?" he murmured again.

"Gaara..." suddenly he heard a loving, soft, soothing voice...

He looked aside and got even more confused - it was a short brown-haired, blue-eyed woman with a kind smile.

But this smile... And this strange feeling... Was it...

Gaara widened eyes and gasped in shock.

"Mother?!"

The woman kindly beamed.

Yes, definitely - it was his mother, Karura!

Tears filled his eyes.

"Mother... Is that really you?" he murmured.

"I'm so glad to finally meet you, Gaara..." Karura smiled, caressing him on red hair, "You've grown so much..."

"But... I don't understand..." Gaara was stupefied, "You... You died! You died because of me..." he sighed in extreme sadness and the feeling of guilty.

Karura slightly smiled.

"Don't blame yourself, Gaara, dear..." she beamed. "It was our destiny, it seems..." she sighed, and then smiled again: "But I will always be there for you, and protect you... I love you, Gaara..."

"Mother..." tears fell off Gaara's cheeks as he hugged her, "Thank you for everything... It is because of you, your image in my mind, that I could understand how love felt..."

"Oh, Gaara, please, don't cry..." mother softly kissed him on forehead, "Know that I'm always there, watching you..." she beamed.

Gaara was on seventh heaven with happiness as he could finally see his mother.

When the wave of happiness finally passed, Gaara curiously asked, looking around:

"Anyway, mother... What is this place?"

Karura beamed.

"It is the world of spirits. It is reachable only to kind and pure souls which already passed away in your world, the physical world, or to the souls which are still alive, but are bonded with the Sacred Spirit - its guardians".

"Oh..." Gaara widened eyes in stupefaction, and then sighed: "That means... I'm dead?"

Karura slightly giggled.

"Don't be so pessimistic... It's quite the opposite - you're the one who's alive and could still connect with this world..."

Hearing this, Gaara was astonished.

"But... But how?" he blinked in confusion.

"Gaara... You are the chosen one of the Sacred Spirit... You are the guardian of its current earthly incarnation..." Karura beamed to him.

Gaara first was stupefied, but then he widened eyes in shock.

"You mean... Lao is the Sacred Spirit?!" he was astonished.

Karura nodded.

"The soul inside her that other people call 'demon', is in fact the Sacred Spirit of light energy that protects earth, its spiritual beings, and the world of spirits as well. It is the life force that keeps order on the earth and opposes material energy if this latter loses control... However, in these last times the powerful ninja clan of the east stole some of its power, but was unable to control it due to their evil hearts and dark purposes, so the energy turned black... In order to stop this blackened energy from consuming the pure world, Sacred Spirit lent a part of its power to another clan of the east, the one which had good relationship with the nature and the spirits - the Lin clan, which opposed the blackened clan, the Hei. Because of the Sacred Spirit's extraordinary and dangerous powers, and difficult control, it was perceived as a demon by other people, only the Lin clan knew it was a deity.

Lao Shin, whom you've met and bonded with by love, is the descendant of the main branch of Lin clan, later called Shin-Lin clan, and she is the one who possesses the soul of Sacred Spirit now. And she chose you as her guardian, Gaara... And when you saved her from the hit of black energy in time when she was vulnerable, the Sacred Spirit filled with trust towards you... Now you are the one who can save the earth from rampaging blackness... You already know how, don't you, Gaara?" she kindly beamed.

Gaara was blankly staring at her mother, being stupefied and dumbfounded - he? A hero? He had never expected to be one... He always perceived Naruto as the true hero... Himself just being a partner of his, who could just help and lend a hand... But be the main figure? He still couldn't imagine himself in this role, as just some years ago he was called a dreadful monster hated by everyone, and unnecessary for everyone, whom everyone wished to see dead and non-existent...

"I... I don't get it..." he murmured.

"Gaara, whatever obstacle you may face, please remember: The answer is always love..." Karura beamed.

And suddenly, Gaara saw that he started fading!

He widened eyes.

"Huh? What's going on? Mother?"

Karura was smiling.

"You are being summoned back, Gaara... It is time... Remember... to love..."

His vision got blurred.

"What?! Wait, mother!" he stretched out hands, as his mother's vision started blurring, and soon faded, her kind, motherly smile staying in his mind...

Tears fell off his cheeks...

He then appeared in white light again, screwing up his eyes, and then he could hear a quiet, womanly voice calling for him:

"Gaara... Gaara..."

"Who... Who is this?" Gaara murmured, opening eyes, and got astonished - he was in a white hall, where there was a small waterfall of clean water flowing in a tiny round pool, and there was Lao sitting near the pool, dressed in white robes!

"Lao?!" Gaara gasped.

Lao had closed eyes, as if meditating. She seemed unconscious.

She gave him no reply.

"Lao! Is that you?" Gaara ran up to her and touched her.

And he noticed a yellow strand of energy attached to the back of her head, which connected her to a huge yellow energy ball, floating above the water pool! The ball was shining brightly!

But this brightness didn't affect Gaara's eyes!

"Lao?!" he got worried seeing such strange thing attached to Lao, and shook her, "Lao! Wake up!"

Lao didn't open her eyes, but her lips moved, and Gaara heard a deep, calm, extra-terrestrial voice mixed with the one of Lao's:

"Gaara, you came..."

The voice was soft.

He widened eyes, being freaked out.

"Is that you, Lao?" he asked.

"You can call me so... But I'm not only Lao..." she answered in the same bizarre voice.

"Only Lao?!" Gaara got even more confused and worried.

Slight smile appeared on Lao's face.

"This is our inner mind, where we meet each other every time..." she replied, "This is where Sacred Spirit energy, known to physical world by the name of 'Diyuma', and its incarnation, in this case Lao Shin, meet each other, and become completely one... We are not separate beings, we are one soul, with two consciences, and one beating heart..."

Gaara was dumbfounded.

"So then... You are Diyuma, and you are Lao, both of them?" he asked, finally grasping it.

"Yes".

"So, anyway," Gaara looked around, "Why am I here, in your inner mind? And I just met my mother a little while ago, in a strange place she called 'the world of spirits'... And she told me I was the chosen one... I don't quietly understand..."

"Gaara..." the divine voice was heard again as meditating Lao spoke, "Once Lao and you connected with the bond you humans call 'love', which in fact is the divine bond, two of your hearts formed a strong connection... Lao's and Diyuma's hearts are one, as I told you, so receiving Lao's heart, you linked with Diyuma as well... That is why you can get in the world of spirits when blacking out, and why you can connect to this place when touching Lao's and Diyuma's chakra..."

"So... you mean... In physical world I'm blacked out and touching Diyuma's chakra? It means Diyuma's unleashed?" Gaara guessed.

"Yes," the light deity answered, "Now you are already bonded with Diyuma's earthly form of a hell horse. Your friends are in peril, and Lao's heart was grieved before connecting with you, she was scared and saddened because of you getting badly hurt, so she couldn't anymore control her immense power... Now, as we all are already connected, you can take over Diyuma's mind and control it to help your friends. But be aware, Gaara, one negative purpose or emotion, and you will be consumed by Diyuma's power... Lao chose you, because she perceived you as a reserved, calm, and strong person, so prove it to us... Prove that you are worthy..."

Gaara was uncertain.

"But I don't even know if I can hold such immense power..." he looked at his hands, "Once I had One-Tailed Beast inside me, Shukaku, and I could barely hold it... I often caused damage to my loved ones unintentionally..." he had a worried gaze.

"Gaara..." divine voice spoke with Lao's mouth again, "Your mother didn't meet you in the world of spirits in vain... Remember her words - love is the answer to all questions... You of all people should know it..."

Gaara looked down, falling in his thoughts, putting his hand on the 'love' hieroglyph on his forehead.

"But... what exactly is love?" he murmured more to himself, "I lived my whole life searching for the answer on that question... Yet I still don't seem to find the proper answer..."

Slight smile appeared on meditating Lao's face.

"Love is the divine bond you form with another person, or people... When this connection is formed, your hearts are linked... From then on, you can share each other's pain, joy, happiness, worry - even when you're far apart... You can feel what they feel, and no matter you don't always think like they think, you still understand each other, because you have love that unites you... From then on, you always strive to protect each other, and help each other at any cost, putting your lives on the line, only to aid each other achieve the dreams you have..."

Gaara widened eyes.

"So I already share that kind of bond with my friends and siblings?" he asked, "Because I always feel like... I want to protect them... without any reason... That is how my heart feels..." he put hand on his chest.

Lao smiled again.

"Yes, Gaara. You already have a loving heart... Lao chose you as her guardian because she saw that quality in you... Keep in mind - you are wielding this power to protect your loved ones... You have strong will, you have already suppressed raged Shukaku many times in your childhood, in order not to hurt your comrades... Now you're much older and more experienced, and what's more, we are with you as well, Lao and Diyuma... We together can win... In order to achieve victory, people must unite..."

Suddenly Gaara saw images in his mind, of how Naruto and Kokujin were trying to stop growling Kurokami, no matter they were losing their chakra slowly, how Itachi and Sasuke were drained, but still protecting Hinata, Sakura and Shikamaru with the little power they had left, and how hell horse Diyuma was standing still, with him attached on its back.

"Your friends strive to protect each other even now, no matter they're facing really strong enemy... They struggle no matter what, only to help each other... That is love, Gaara..."

He widened eyes. He then heard divine voice again:

"Now we will help you regain consciousness and transfer back to the physical world, where you are already attached to Hell Horse chakra body, thus able to control its moves. You must help your friends too, Gaara. Fight alongside them. Do not back down. Our voice will always speak to you in your mind, so do not fear, we will be there".

Gaara was in his thoughts.

Here... It happened... In his childhood, he felt pain in his heart, because he felt unnecessary, rejected, harmful, hated...

But now, the light energy entrusted him with its power... In past years, all he did was chase Naruto, and aid him in his battles, and now... It was his time to save the world... It was his time to walk on front lines... It was his time to lead everyone towards peace...

He sighed, and then smiled.

"I always walked behind Naruto, watching him, trying to be like him... Trying to become his friend... Trying to become useful to people, so that I would be looked upon for help... Trying to feel loved, and give love out...

I achieved it. I befriended Naruto. I became Kazekage. I became needed to people. I formed bonds with people...

But, I still didn't know what exactly love was... I didn't know complete answer...

And now, after meeting Lao, and... after meeting you, and listening to your words, I finally realise..." he looked up, watching the yellow energy ball, beaming, slow breeze playing with his hair, "I already feel love... I share love with many people... With my siblings, my friends, my village, and... with her..." he closed eyes, "Earlier, I couldn't truly understand how much emotions she put in the words she called me... But now I know what being a desert rose means..." he looked at meditating Lao again, "I'm glad you chose me, Lao... Thank you..."

Tiny tears dropped off meditating Lao's eyes.

"These bonds and ties between human hearts can change the world... There is no place here for blackness..." Gaara frowned, "Let's fight for peace together, Lao. I'm ready".

Meditating Lao beamed.

"Let's go," he heard the divine voice.

And he felt strange - as if he was traveling between dimensions and spaces...

He slowly raised his eyelids, and noticed he was back in the cave-hall, which was pretty much destroyed, and smoke and dust was around. He could hear growling demons, and cries and shouts of his frustrated and yet courageous friends, fighting against the dark monster...

He was back.

He could feel his own heartbeat... And inner voice that repeated:

"You can do it, Gaara... You are ready..."

He smiled, being filled with self-confidence. He stood up.

He was ready.