SAVIOUR
By whiskerpuff
Summary: Naruto heard news that the Sand Village's Hokage has been captured by the bandits known as The Contractors who want tailed demons. Sasuke is worried about the dangers and so gets ordered to go with
him. Who knew not only are the Contractors after Gaara, but also the 9 tails. Sasuke wants to protect Naruto, but is he willing to put everything on the line?
(I never see fics where Naruto uses the Kyuubi's chakra, or cloak. So I have added it in mine! Hehe~ Also. I just like it that way! (w) )
Disclaimer: Naruto series and characters are not mine at all! All belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just my idea and story.
Enjoy! I'd love it if you gave a quick review, (*¬*)
Character Ages: 16-17 btw
"You can't expect me to just stand here!" Naruto argued, his sharp canines growing more obvious as his determination grew.
"You'd be a fool to go alone Naruto" Sasuke muttered with eye lids shut, the slightly hysterical tone disguised under his words only cut into Naruto more.
"It's my choice, I'm surprised you're even bothered about me" the raged blond growled and rushed to the door of the Hokage's office, "Gaara needs me, my friend needs me, am I supposed to just stay back and watch?"
Sasuke sighed and looked up to the ceiling, not wanting to see a hurt Naruto. It was annoying enough to have him notice how worried he was for him, after all the whiskered-boy had spend 4 years just trying to bring him back to the Leaf; you'd be stupid to think he wouldn't do the same for Gaara who shares a special bond with the blond for being a Jinchūriki also, a bond Sasuke admitted to be a tad jealous of.
"Listen Naruto, what makes you think you can even defeat all 7 of the Contractors anyway?" Sasuke grimaced, 'this should persuade him.'
"I'm not going alone, I have Kyuubi" Naruto locked his fingers and pressed them on the back of his head, the way he said it made him sound like a little kid,
"Since when?" this time it wasn't Sasuke calling out, but the Hokage herself, "Master Juriya never managed to finish your training!"
"I know. Mr. Creepy, Captain Yamato did" Naruto somehow had clicked into a lighter mood, he'd most likely figured out he would be going anyway; with or without permission.
"Sasuke" the Hokage muttered with a regretful bite to her tone, "you're going with Naruto; you have a limit of 7 nights. If the Sand's Kasakage is not found by then, the mission will be called off"
Naruto flung his right fist into the air whilst howling a 'YES!' however Sasuke had his mouth agape.
The young Uchiha was unsure on how to react. Naruto would have gone anyway, maybe it was for the best, and at least he could make sure the blond wouldn't be killed within the first 5 seconds of leaving the village; but is it really worth it? Maybe Sakura should come to, or… maybe not. Spending a week with Naruto would be a headache, or perhaps interesting? He still wasn't an equal with him, but maybe the whiskered-boy could prove him wrong. After all, things were getting boring around the Leaf.
"Fine. Let's get this over with" Sasuke sighed.
"You have permission to leave our village, just don't get yourselves killed. I'm looking at you Naruto" Tsunade sternly put. She cared for the two of them like sons, losing them to an acquaintance would be heartbreak.
0o0o0o0o0
"Fool about once in this mission Naruto, I swear I will kick you" Sasuke muttered as he walked alongside his teammate with hands shoved in pockets. Naruto was in his automatic precision of: Hands behind head, back leant, eyes closed and wearing a keen smirk. "Yeah, yeah Sasuke, listen would you cheer up? If you're gonna' act like that I'll just ditch you" the blond snickered and slightly opened one of his eyes to study the Uchiha's get-me-away-from-this-idiot expression. Naruto didn't mind though, it was reassuring enough that he was finally getting somewhere with the rescue of Gaara.
The night's air was cold, silence rinsed their ears as they leapt from roof top to roof top with chakra painted feet. The heat of the village created that common scent Naruto would always smell which everyone else seemed unaware of, like salt water but with lemon. Maybe it was just his more extreme sense of smell getting to him.
"Before leaving, I just need to go back home and change" Naruto said as his small apartment came into view, he never really thought of it as home, just a large closet to keep unnecessary equipment in and to sleep; although he'd been getting into the habit of sleeping on the roof over the course of the past month for unknown reasons. Maybe at 17 he wanted more freedom, or seeing the same environment when he woke up was boring him.
Sasuke didn't respond in words, he just gave a small nod; he was too busy studying at how much Naruto had changed since they were kids. Seeing everyone in the village act so differently made him almost regret being away those 4 years, just thinking of all the things he'd missed out on, and all the things he made Naruto miss out on caused his to head spin. He was secretly pleased to see his whiskered companion had matured into the thin stealth-like ninja he was today. If he hadn't had grown up a few years, it would have been hell venturing out of the village with him.
Sasuke's thoughts were put to an end when they reached the cold smooth walls of the apartment; he followed in Naruto's steps of entering through the open window. The blond must have found this an easier door than the real one.
"Give me five seconds" the fox grinned and he proceeded into his bedroom. Sasuke leant on the green painted wall; he obviously doesn't stay here much.
The Raven could tell Naruto wasn't interested in decorating, he could understand seeming he's never here. The only personal item in view was a small photo secured in a frame stood on a wooden bed stand. He approached it with a growing smile; the photo must have been over four years old since it had their younger selves and sensei standing together. I must be getting soft Sasuke thought as deep down he missed those times.
The times where him and Naruto would compete leaving Sakura to get stressed out, scolding them both like the mother they both never had in their lives. Kakashi and his pathetic addiction to porn novels, how he would wear a mask underneath the one above just to irritate them all. He'd never felt so desperate to go back in time.
"It was a lot more fun back then" Naruto chuckled from behind, Sasuke hadn't realised how long he'd been staring at it, but went back to look after realising Naruto still didn't have a shirt on but long black trousers.
"Hurry up dope, you take too long to get dressed" he muttered and placed the picture frame back on the stand.
"Never mind that, I just thought we should leave since Sakura's approaching the door" Naruto growled with an odd purr in his voice.
Dammit not Sakura. The least he wanted was Sakura to come, he trusted Naruto to always fight back, to always be occupied and getting involved in battle, however his bitter tongue got the better of him and Sasuke admitted aloud "she's too useless to take."
Naruto snickered and hit Sasuke on the back, "come on then let's get out of here. The old lady Hokage must have told her about our mission, them two are practically the same mind!" The whiskered-boy reached out for the long-sleeved dark shirt hanging on the end of the chair. "Maybe we could do with a medical ninja" Sasuke questioned before climbing upon the windowsill; Naruto pulled an unsure frown as he slid on the black and orange top, a large clank soon followed after he placed his head band on the glass table along with a note.
-Note-
Just going out to save Gaara from some idiot bad guys, we'll be back in a week.
Also if you're reading this, then you must have kicked down my door so do you mind having it replaced by the time I get back?
No snooping in my room.
-Naruto
-End of Note-
"The note will explain all, don't you worry" Naruto grinned, showing off his wolf canines and he beat Sasuke out of the window.
"Naruto, Sasuke, are you in there? I heard about the mission, I'm going too!" Sakura's voice suddenly burled out through the wooden door. Oh crap the Uchiha thought and he rushed through the window.
The boys where pleased with their quick escape from the pink haired girl who was now banging her fists against the door screeching "I will beat the life out of you two if you don't let me in right now!"
It felt like they had run a mile until Sakura's demanding shouts were out of earshot. "That was fun!" Naruto said amongst his child-like chuckles, something that will never change about the kid.
"Yeah, I guess it was" Sasuke sighed for once with a small smile one his face. "Maybe I will enjoy this" the raven thought to himself and sat on the roof next to the still snickering fox.
"Hey Naruto, have you even planned on where to start?" Sasuke asked in a dull tone after Naruto had calmed down.
"Oh yeah, of course I have! You see I've already been snooping out of the village on nights like these"
"What's the plan?"
"Don't laugh but I've sniffed out a route to where one of the contractor's camps are"
Sasuke pulled a puzzled frown, "you 'sniffed' one out?"
"I guess you could say me and the nine tails have become one, I can feel and use not only his chakra but also his basic features"
"What do you mean?"
Naruto looked at Sasuke, the night somehow doing the opposite to his sapphires and making them brighter than usual, almost glowing. "Do you want me to show you?" he asked, his lips curving into an eager smile. The Raven felt an odd nervousness filling his stomach, "how can you do that?"
Naruto's white strands of hair began to spike and stick together in separate areas; his mouth suddenly shot open as his canines became overgrown fangs "Naruto, what are you playing at?" Sasuke asked in concern, just then he was hit with the memory of his and Naruto's last fight. The one they shared many years ago, where Naruto had changed into something inhuman, something with tails, fangs, claws and red coal eyes especially picked from hell's deepest caves.
Before he could think, Sasuke had his hand already placed on Naruto's shoulder as the whiskered-boy's eyes had just finished burning into that same blood-painted-red.
"You see this time, I'm aware I've changed, not to mention I can control it" Naruto smirked, he still hadn't gotten used to having fangs too big for his mouth. The blond suddenly stopped smiling though when he noticed a warm palm on his sleeve, "Sasuke, are you alright? I'm only trying to prove a point" he purred.
"Sorry Naruto, it seems revenge took over me, a bit like what your fox used to do to you" Sasuke suddenly said, his black eyes glimmering and aimed down towards the red tiles underneath them.
"It doesn't matter anymore-"
"Yes it does, of course it does. I've caused you to go through too much, sometimes I wonder if I would have done the same, if it were possible to live through it all" Sasuke was barely whispering now, his hand clenching onto the material being loosely worn by Naruto's thin frame.
"I chose to do it, and so did Sakura, you're like my brother Sasuke, you're my only remaining family" Naruto blushed after having said that, he avoided talking to Sasuke about friendship, and relationships, the raven never seemed to have time for it. He'd either walk off or return a cold stare screaming this-is-a-pointless-conversation.
But this time, Sasuke did neither of those things. In fact he was the one to bring it up in the first place. Why?
"It's only because seeing how you're so determined to go after Gaara, even though the freak has his entire village and siblings going to help him-"
"Unfortunately he doesn't" Naruto's eyes were a dark blue now, his appearance human again.
"What?" Sasuke looked at his him bluntly
"The contractors are mutants. Even the Sand's best ninjas couldn't defeat just one"
Sasuke's pupils shrunk, he then suddenly slammed his foot upwards into Naruto's chin causing the Jinchūriki to flip into the air and crash back down causing a few tiles to shatter. The blond landed with arms sprawled out and legs over his head, his shirt falling down and hair muffled into clumps hanging over his half lidded eyes.
"W-what was that for? …" Naruto moaned, body quivering from the after shock.
"I told you before Naruto, if you were to fool around I would kick you"
Sasuke grabbed the back of the fox's white mane and sat him up. "If their best ninjas couldn't defeat one, what makes you believe we have any chance of defeating all seven?"
"T-together I know, with my nine tails and your curse mark we're two times more powerful than those morons"
Sasuke went to slam his foot for the second time into Naruto's face but was stopped by the blond's hand, he'd learnt from the last time. "How was I being a fool that time?" Naruto asked, his face looked fed up of the Uchiha's interruptions.
"Gaara was a Jinchūriki also, and his tailed demon had no chance against stopping those contractors, meaning your demon is useless" Sasuke argued, his fist pressed into Naruto's chest, he couldn't believe how stupid the blond was acting. "You haven't researched the history of us tailed demons teme, they're ranked in strength order. The strongest of the tailed demons which we know as the Kyuubi was sent to destroy the Leaf is now apart of me. Gaara's Shukaku was the one tail; therefore the weakest and I must admit one heck of a party animal."
Sasuke pulled away from Naruto and decided he had had enough of listening. It was time to take action. "Let's just get out of here."
0o0o0o0
The sunrise made the forest appear as if it were on fire, the trees black with a red fog sweeping through. Luckily the air was still cool, but without a doubt the temperature is sure to rise especially because of the area they were headed, the Sand village.
Naruto was eager to follow the route he had smelt out, but Sasuke insisted it would be best to get an idea of who they were dealing with. After all, these contractors were extremely dangerous; having at least a vague image of one would help. The whiskered boy was also questioning whether they should ask Tamari and Konkoro to join them, Sasuke didn't reject the idea but neither did he agree. For some reason the Uchiha didn't want to break the bond the two of them were sharing whilst on the mission, he rather enjoyed being alone with Naruto, not as if he'd ever admit it aloud; he only felt more comfortable being reassured he was like a brother to the fox, that they always had each others backs. He was getting more used to the idea of having him on the same level, to be partners in action and risk everything for each other.
"Can't you smell that? The sand hills" Naruto cheered , his black top blowing up as he purposely dropped in height to get closer to the dry earth underneath them, "the trees will soon become scarce, we won't be able to jump anymore, it would be best to get down now and run."
Sasuke nodded and followed in Naruto's tracks, he wasn't too keen on following someone; but he wasn't the leader of this mission, and so he had to let it go just this once. The two boys both disliked the feeling of hot sand scratching their feet, there was no point in shaking it out though, the brown grains would only be blown back inside; this only made the two more desperate to get on the sandless pavements inside the village.
"Get on my back Naruto" Sasuke ordered the blond who was chasing beside him.
"Why, how's that gonna help us?
"They're not going to allow us entry through the gates; we'll have to get over the walls" Sasuke grabbed tight of Naruto's tanned wrist and forcefully pulled him close. Naruto hadn't realised how strong Sasuke can be casually; maybe they should duel together more often.
Sasuke was glad Naruto had the thinner frame, still he was surprised after the amount of ramen he shoves down his throat the fox is the skinniest, and when he had finally pounced onto his back he realised Naruto was incredible light weight. "It's the Kyuubi if you're wondering, he can't allow my body to have flaws" Naruto sounded almost sad when he said it.
"I sure haven't met someone like you Naruto, you're a freak" Sasuke snickered but knew Naruto would only brush off any insult which came his way.
"Careful who's on your back" Naruto teased then pressed his arms closer around Sasuke's neck as if threatening to strangle.
"You'll never do it; you spent four years getting me back"
"I'm glad I did"
Sasuke's pace picked up from there, I should be more grateful he thought.
Without having to give orders for once, Naruto had already pulled himself up so that his light feet were placed on Sasuke's shoulders and hands under his chin, this way the fox could leap first over the wall with the other boy's boost. "When you're ready" the blond growled, the two were approaching the red walls of the Sand fast.
Sasuke jumped two steps forward and the third was a large pounce surprisingly only getting him to half the height of the wall. Naruto then made the next move and leapt from Sasuke's shoulders; he landed right on the wall's edge and looked down to see if Sasuke was alright. The raven had landed in the sand but was indeed perfectly fine.
Throughout their entire journey just to reach this point, the sun had risen to mid sky meaning there would be a scarce amount of people walking around the village paths. Even the large cement wall underneath Naruto's palms was burning his skin just from being in the sun's ray. "Stand still Sasuke" Naruto called back down, his voice somehow echoing.
The fox lit up his hands with a brilliant red; it was the Kyuubi's chakra. His original blue one wouldn't be a match against reaching the bottom to get a hold of Sasuke.
The orange flames leapt from all directions as if it were overflowing, then his chakra filed hands were placed and pressed against the wall. Naruto shut his eyes and gave a sigh, concentrating wasn't his style but he has had to do it a lot recently. The red chakra left a glowing lava line behind it as it flowed in a perfectly straight line down the wall and then through the sand. Once it reached Sasuke, the chakra coated his feet, He grimaced at the amount of energy it held just in that small amount being painted over his heels.
"Jump now" Naruto howled, "and hurry!"
Sasuke didn't have to pre-step, one press against the ground and the new chakra points in his feet had him soaring high at an amazing speed towards his awaiting teammate.
"If ever in a tight situation, spill me some of that chakra alright?" Sasuke purred when he landed beside the other boy. Naruto smiled and pulled a face saying maybe-if-you're-nice-to-me.
0o0o0o0
"It's been a while hasn't it?" Kankurō gave a devilish smirk at Sasuke who was leant back against the white wall of their home with eyes shut; he just wanted to get out of this heat, even indoors he felt as though his skin was on fire. Of course all could be trusted to Naruto on getting out information; the kid had a large mouth and was talented at making friends with just one sentence.
The fox had ran off with Tamari to talk about the kidnapping and Contractors, whilst Sasuke, refusing to go outside at midday, chose to stay behind with Kankurō at their home. The oldest sand sibling enjoyed having a non-talker around again, Sasuke would do as much as open his eyes. He enjoyed seeing how irritated the raven was from the high temperature of the Sand, clearly with his pale skin the ninja has hardly visited before, in fact Kankurō couldn't remember a time that he ever had.
"Great news, seems one of the Sand ninjas has managed to stick a tracker on one of the Contractors; we can follow it if you're up to it" Naruto's cheerful voice suddenly came into the kitchen room. Sasuke was relieved to hear it, finally they can get moving again.
"Fantastic, now let's get the heck out of this heat" Sasuke moaned, his eyes looked drained.
"Yeah sure Mr. Complainer, now look after this" Naruto had walked through the door Sasuke was leaning beside and had passed the raven a small device which he identified as a tracker.
"I'll be looking after it, knowing you Naruto you'll only lose it"
"Whatever you say Sasuke" Naruto had his arms back and hands locked behind his head.
"It's nice to have seen you again Naruto, I hope the next time you will have Gaara with you" Tamari said with a soft smile, she was deeply out of character. Naruto recalled in their previous discussion outside that she felt frustrated that she couldn't go after her little brother; which reminded him, he was going to offer the sand siblings to come help.
"Oh yeah, do you guys want to-"
"No Naruto, they don't want to see your new move, let's just go" Sasuke suddenly had his hand pressed against the whiskered boy's lips. Just by staring into his black eyes, Naruto could see something was wrong and so decided to scrap the idea of inviting the two siblings. The fox stuck his tongue out and licked the pressing palm on his face causing Sasuke to yet again give the blond an annoyed kick in the jaw line.
"Gaah!" Naruto barked, falling back and smacking his head into a picture frame, a large smash came soon after and spilled glass over the beige tiles. The blond decided it was his turn at playing Sasuke's stupid game and dived onto the raven haired boy.
"Oh jeez, what to do with these two…" Tamari mumbled, she leaned against her brother who was doing the opposite and enjoying watching the two Leaf ninja squabble.
"Yeah, yeah, you have him now Naruto!" Kankurō encouraged the fox that was now going to punch Sasuke in the exact same spot he was kicked in previously.
The Uchiha grabbed Naruto by the cuff and flipped him over before taking in the final blow in the neck. "N-naruto, y-you loser" Sasuke muttered when he finally managed to push the blond off his chest and go in reverse order so that he was now the one sat on the other. "Get off me!" Naruto's fists flailed wildly in the air and went to claw at Sasuke's face, but both hands were stopped when paler ones were wrapped round and slamming them down into the floor causing Naruto to submit.
"Fair play, now do you two mind getting out before you damage more of our kitchen?" Kankurō said with a grin, he walked over and nudged Sasuke off Naruto.
"Yeah sorry about that, just a personal joke" Sasuke rubbed his fingers over his bleeding lip.
"A joke? I swear Sasuke you can such a jerk!" Naruto stood up with crossed arms, by the look of his bruised chin Tamari could tell he'd been kicked there before.
"We better leave, thanks for your time" the Uchiha dragged Naruto from the house by his shirt's neck and into the scorching vision of the sun, "now we can leave through the gates."
The Sand, with their Hokage gone, was very cautious and refused to allow entry of other village's ninja inside, and so that is why the two Leaf ninja couldn't enter. However they were allowed to exit, and so together they chased into the forests, the sundown turning everything an opposing blue to the red which had welcomed them before.
0o0o0o0
Note: Hehe I kind of like this. I'm going to keep going with it. (*¬*)