Chapter 2: Shattered Glass

"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness but power. They are messengers of overwhelming grief and of unspeakable love."

-Washington Irving


'How could this happen?' Was one of many thoughts that raced through his head as he ran through the streets. He had been sitting at a coffee house with a cup of peppermint tea and an english muffin with honey and jelly as he typed up an article about a hotel he had recently visited over in Paris. He had only gotten in a couple hours ago and had planned on visiting Naruto and Gaara later on today to surprise them and see how they liked their new game system.


~Jiraiya~


My cell rings, I check the caller ID and something tells me this isn't good even though I know this person. They had been my teammate during gym, my best friend all through high school and our childhood years. Though he still insists I haven't grown up? I answer the phone on the second ring.

"Jiraiya." There is a hint of relief in his voice.

"Orochimaru… what's going on?"

"I'll skip the formalities, Jiraiya. Kayaba has been acting strange for the past few days and there's a disturbance in the atmosphere around here."

"What do you mean?" I ask, brows furrowing.

"Something isn't right." Orochimaru hisses. "That fool seems much more smug than he ought to be, considering how calm the labs have been. And there are reports coming in… about… complications."

"Alright, don't pussyfoot Orochimaru what's going on?" I ask, lips pursing.

"I think Kayaba has done something. I think he added another element into the NerveGear…"

I feel my heart stutter in my chest as my eyes widen, and I stand up just a little straighter as my muscles stiffen.

"What?" I snarl. "I gave one of those things to Naruto and Gaara, what kind of element are we talking here?"

"The reports I mentioned… about the complications… and the strange air I feel at work nowadays," Orochimaru paused, and I could almost see the little furrow that would crease between his brows as he frowned on the other end. "I think Kayaba did something to make the NerveGear cause complications to users."

"What the fuck are you saying?" I finally spit, losing my temper as panic writhes in my gut. "What are you telling me right now, Orochimaru?"

"The reports," My friend continues. "People that use the NerveGear are falling into comas while still in the game. I think it's happened on purpose, do you understand? Right now the media is keeping it under wraps, but soon this will blow up once an investigation starts. There's something amiss. This is no simple coincidence… This isn't just faulty gear. Because as I said…"

"Kayaba seems smug." I finish, scowling. "Sonofabitch!"

I hang up because I don't want to hear the placating words Orochimaru no doubt has for me. I don't care about anything because my heart is pounding out of my chest, and I'm rushing out the door, bowling over people as I rush towards my goddaughter and her surrogate brother's apartment. I run so fast everyone and everything is one giant blur.

'Don't let anything happen to them. Please let them be okay. And pleasepleasepleasefortheloveoffuckinggoddontletthembeusingthenervegearrightnow.' Everything melds together in blobs of color as I sprint the several blocks to their house. My throat constricts and it hurts to breathe, hurts to blink, to heave a heartbeat at the mere thought of Naruto or Gaara being stuck inside the NerveGear with no way out.

'Please.' I beg, but to no avail.

I reach the apartment complex and rush up the steps, taking them three and four at a time. I knock on the door after seeing the reporters in the driveway I'm not reassured when she doesn't answer. I start pounding on the door.

"Naruto! Naruto if you're home open up!"

I know where the key is usually… but right now I don't have the patience to find it and simply lean back and throw my foot against the door, breaking it open. The door flies off its hinges and I run into the bedroom. I spotted her shoes and bag near the door, so I know she's here.

'Please just let my kid be listening to really loud music…'

My hand lands on her doorknob after I reach the back of her apartment, I twist the cold metal, pushing the door open with more force than I know myself capable of.

I step into the room, my blood chilling in my veins as all the color drains from my face. I choke on my own breath as I fall to my knees in the doorway.

She's just laying there… in her pajamas, with the wretched thing on her head and she's breathing so subtly I almost can't see it. I don't know how long I remain there, deflated like some indecisive idiot, but… my knees finally regain strength and I stand up, dragging myself over to the kid I wish to god that I had done right by from the very beginning.

"Oh Naruto…" I choke, lips trembling as I reach a hand out, placing it on her shoulder because I'm too afraid to touch the helmet-like device encasing her head.

"Oh no." I say, as it hits me again, and instead of losing strength I'm filling up with it.

Filling up with rage so hot I absently wonder if I'll set the world on fire with it. I can't breathe it's so hot. I walk outside thinking stupidly that maybe being outside will make it easier to breathe, it doesn't, instead it only fills me with more rage. I turn and punch the side of the wall.

"AHHH!" Hot tears run down my cheeks as I punch the wall. The liquid pain isn't caused by the agony in my knuckles, but rather… my mind drifts back to my little girl. I feel the need to be right by her side at this moment.

I drop to my knees again, but this time by her side, like I always should have been. I grab her hand, my own trembling with grief.

"Please wake up baby. Please wake up. I'm so sorry baby girl. I'm so sorry. Please wake up. Jiraiya-ji will do anything you want. I'll quit being a reporter. You'll move in with me. I'll quit peeking at women. I'll run a marathon, do a billion cartwheels, wear green spandex or neon orange jackets and sweatpants like you used to if you just wake up baby."

I plead with her to wake up and she doesn't so much as twitch and I feel the urge to vomit.

'No. Not puke. I wanna fucking kill someone.'

But I don't dare lose it in here lest I accidently hurt her or worse…. bile actually does rise up at the thought of worse but I swallow it in favor of walking into the living room. My hand rests on the back of a chair for all of one second before it makes a pleasing crash as I send it flying out the window. I punch the wall, leaving a sizeable hole in it and I throw a couple more chairs before I note the camera crew that's standing in the doorway. How did they get in here? Who told them anything? Why are they just standing there watching me? Don't they know that there's a kid, my kid in a freaking coma while they're standing out here being utterly useless? I just... I can't take this shit. And so, I scream.

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" I grab the last chair and throw it.

They still haven't left.

"YOU BASTARDS! WHO SAID YOU COULD BE IN HERE?!" I grab the table and throw that but still they don't leave, if anything they seem to inch closer, excited at the idea of getting a new juicy scoop. I can see the overly pretentious headlines now, and it makes me equally as sick as I am enraged. But there's nothing large that's left for me to throw.

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE! NO ONE GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO BE HERE! GO! GET THE FUCK OUT!"

I grab a knife from the counter and, recalling all the lessons Orochimaru gave me about throwing, I quickly throw the knife with accuracy. I feel pleased as it lands just a hair's breadth from the camera woman's face. I throw a couple more knives and they all scramble out of the door like the flames of hell are biting at them. I breathe for a minute, trying to slow my aching heart that feels like it's beating fast enough to go mach ten.

'It'll be okay.' I tell myself. 'I'll call Orochimaru and investigate. Naruto and Gaara will…' I freeze.

'Gaara!'

I only noticed one pair of shoes in the hall. I run outside and swing on the door frame so I don't overshoot and go off the balcony. I lean back and kick down the door to Gaara's apartment. Normally I would never in a million years do this lest I be met with several knives barely a hair from my head but this is different. I may tease Gaara but I truly do care for him, he's the one who watches out for Naruto while I'm working, they're siblings as far as anyone is concerned and I would have been proud to call him my son. I rush into his bedroom and I'm met with the same sight as Naruto. I grasp his shoulder. I feel the rush of dread and bile rising back up once more. I pray...

'Please tell me this isn't really a NerveGear device, please let this just be a helmet that he wears to sleep as one of his quirks.'

I gently shake his shoulder but I know it's futile, he's in a coma too. I walk into the living room and throw another chair out a window, this one Gaara's window, I grab a bat Gaara kept by his bedroom door and start swinging. I break the tv and throw it out the window. I put holes in the walls and I feel a couple firm hands on my shoulders as I head back into Naruto's apartment. I try to shake it off only for another couple hands to clamp onto my shoulder and try to pull me back. My ears are ringing with rage and I can't make out anything they are saying. I vaguely make out the red and blue flashing lights. More hands help in pulling me back and prying the bat away from my hands. I note silver hair and a grim look.

"Calm down Jiraiya. Destroying the place isn't going to help them at all." Kakashi says as he holds me firmly to the wall next to the door.

"Kakashi is right." The other one says, looking at him, I recognize that he's Shikaku Nara. "You are known for writing reviews of places meaning you have a lot of contacts. That means you can get those friends of yours to help you find a way to fix this. Instead of wasting time destroying the place."

I nod and they both loosen their holds on me. I note Shikaku whistle at the damage I've done before walking inside, and I follow him. I hear the soft movement of several feet, turning to look I see they're all from dogs, as two of them move to guard the stairwell from the vultures. I know should anyone who should not be here try to come up...well Kakashi's dogs are not known for their mercy. Only one heads up to our position, Kakashi enters the doorway an glances at the knife sticking out, this time he's the one that whistles and I see a faint nod of approval. Shikaku just raises an eyebrow and shakes his head but doesn't say anything.

"Alright first we have to get a medic here to care for them. Do you have anyone in mind?" I nod at Shikaku's question.

"I have one or two people in mind." An image of a woman with twin blonde pigtails flashes in my mind.

I pull out my phone and hit one on speed dial. It rings three times before I hear a familiar feminine huff.

"Jiraiya?" Tsunade answers on the first ring, sounding oddly sharp. "Where the fuck are you? I'm on my way asshole."

My eyes are still raw from my previous tears, and my voice is gruff with exhaustion as I respond.

"Hime, I need a favor."


~Naruto~


We know we can't stop. To stay is to not grow. To not grow is to not move forwards. To not move forwards is to not fight back, to not fight back is to remain trapped. Remaining trapped is to remain a victim, and here to wait to die by someone else's hands. So we must grow. We won't be the victims, we won't accept being chained in any one place. We will grow and fight. We will stick together and show what happens when you mess with us.

I've never been one for really flowery words when it's not a super dire situation, 'cause, y'know, I've got a rep to obtain. But I know that sometimes I don't even need to say anything in order for Gaara to understand me.

He feels the determination that I do when I squeeze his hand in mine, and I smile at him because when life really sucks, that's what you gotta do. Smile and pull yourself through. Smile alongside the one that you have beside you. Not that I'd say that crap out loud, pfft.

'Well, maybe I would.'

But not at the moment, it's too calm.

Gaara and I are running through spring green grasses, heading for the next town. We had spent a while in the Town of Beginnings, stocking up on supplies we would probably need for our trip, and now we were off. My weapon of choice, a super badass katana with a wicked edge and black hilt was firmly grasped in my hand, and Gaara, as usual wielded his "enchanted sand", which he carried on his back in a large beige gourd. My eyes are wide open and there's a grin threatening to split across my face because my blood is roaring in my ears and we're moving so fast the world is a blur at my peripherals, causing a few tears to leak from the burn of the wind rushing past us.

Just when I take a chance to blink, a boar tears out of the grasses ahead, eyes glowing red, tusks yellow and chipped, steam jetting from its flared nostrils as it starts barreling at us.

And this is why my blood is rushing. We've been stumbling across boars for a while now, so we've got to be on guard, and fighting in or out of a game always gets my blood boiling. It's a rush that I'm slightly guilty about admitting to liking. But Gaara is just the same if not slightly worse so I don't feel too bad about it.

We dodge out of the way, cartwheeling away from each other. I use the momentum gained as I turn into a landing to propel myself back towards the boar, Gaara doing the same. We strike at the same time, cutting the animal to pieces and gaining extra cash and XP.

"Not bad nii-san. I think we have killing wild boars down pat."

"Is it just me or is hunting boars getting boring?" He ask as I backflip over, Nii-chan is looking off into the distance again, looking up the clouds have gotten darker. 'It's only a matter of time before rain.'

"What are you thinking about nii-chan?" I let my gaze follow his. The sun is almost completely set, checking the current time it's around seven fifteen so no surprise there. The scenery is beautiful but I would prefer the view of my apartment window, 'funny, normally I would love this view but now that I'm stuck with it I would give almost anything to have my apartment view back.'

Normally around this time Gaara and I would be playing this one game with each other. A word game. I smile at the thought, because secretly we're both complete dorks like that, and as soon as we get out of this shitshow we're gonna go right back to the way things should be. Living how we choose.

"Let's go Naruto." He speaks up, eyes leaving the sunset and finding my own.

I grab his hand and run with him in the direction of the nearest town. "It's not wise for us to stay out trying to hunt in the dark, especially if it starts raining. If we can't make it to the nearest town then we can camp in a tree, but we should try to find someplace so animals can't get to us."

I nod, "Yeah, the animals in the forests here are pretty aggressive, remember in the beta where that one guy…" I trail off and start laughing at the memory.

Gaara chuckles too. One guy had angered some kind of weird tiger thing and ended up getting killed after it bit him in the… for messing with its cubs. It was amusing to see and good to know that even virtual animals are protective about their children.

'Too bad our foster parents couldn't be like that.' I think grimly, only to receive a hand tightening firmly on mine in reassurance of 'I'm here, we're together.' and a sea foam green eye looking at me from its corner. I know Gaara knows what I'm thinking about and I smile and nod to tell him I'm okay.

"So we're checking into a hotel if possible right?" Nii-chan nods. "Then let's go." I run just slightly ahead and pull him with me. The green grass and trees blurring as we sprint. The clouds seem to stop and the sky is blazing orange at the horizon with the setting sun. I can see the lights of the town in the distance.

"Gaara I see the town!" I beam.

"Hm." He nods as he tries to keep up with my quick feet.

"Think we have enough for a hotel room?"

"We should. We caught several boars."

"It felt like several dozen." I snort, recalling that somehow, we ended up surrounded by boars. I know we were hunting, but somehow being surrounded is a bit ridiculous. I mentally sigh, trouble really is practically married to us and it's not our fault.

"Either way, it should be more than enough for a couple rooms. We'll be fine, worst comes to worst we just have to go get a few birds to gain a few extra coins."

"I hope they have food. I'm getting hungry." I mutter.

"That is a concern of mine. Food. Rest we can simply sleep in game and it should, in theory, keep us rested. Still… food isn't something we could eat here and have it fill us up in the real world." Gaara intones while holding his chin with his thumb and pointer finger as he thinks. I see where he's going, so I answer him.

"Yeah, but by now people know we're stuck in game so wouldn't they like, I dunno... take us to the hospital or something? That way they can keep us alive until we beat the game." I shrug, giving him an uncertain look.

"Naruto…" He trails off, face grim.

I sigh, thinking 'damnit' as I pull my eyes away from him, because I know where this is going… I know that we can only be fed in the real world by tube for so long… but still… I want to have hope. For now at least. I spy a bird in the distance- what I assume to be beautiful wings helping it to soar into the now almost completely darkened sky, it may only be an outline but it's still beautiful…

"Gaara look! That bird! Can you see it?" Looking at the bird it reminds me of this song I used to listen to while sitting on the school roof for lunch. The fact that it just started raining moreso. We let go of each others hands as we walk into the town.

'How did it go?' I ask myself as I try recalling words I haven't listened to since before middle school.

'It doesn't matter what's up ahead, anything's fine with you and me. I won't lose to endless rain. Smile through endless pain. As long as I can still stand up and fight again.'

We finally make it into town, though a little worse for wear as we're both thoroughly soaked.

"Hey Ichi?" I whisper, switching back to our users as we agreed earlier that it might be wiser to use our users when in towns and true names when alone, thinking about tonight and where we are. I can't help my shaking.

"What is it Kyu?" He looks at me and his gaze turns worried but then I see realization and understanding. He grabs my hand once more and I notice the slight shaking in his hands.

"Can we share a room? Please? I don't want to be alone."

"I don't want to be alone either. I was going to ask the same thing." I smile at my brother's confession. We head to the woman at the counter who greets us.

"Hello! Welcome to the Inn." The NPC grins. "Will you two be needing rooms?"

"Yup." I chirp. "Can we have one room please?"

The woman blushes, reaching a hand up to cover her smiling mouth bashfully.

"Oh my," She giggles. "You two are..? But you're so young!"

"Oh ew lady, seriously?" I complain, face twisting at her hideous assumption. "He's my bro. We gotta watch each other's back. So, one room please?"

Gaara just shakes his head, staring at the inn keeper with a flat unimpressed look as she begins to sputter out apologies.

I pull up my menu and scroll through the prompts that pop up before my eyes, getting enough money to pay for our stay and a bit of grub.

"P-please excuse me." The woman says, still cherry red in the face.

I wave away her embarrassment, already way over it.

"It's chill, can we head up?" I ask, handing her the brown pouch of gold coins in my hand.

She cups her own and I place the sack of coins in them. After she slides it under her counter, she turns around to the board hung up behind her, peppered with push pins that have key rings dangling on them. After wavering for a bit she chooses one and turns back around, smiling slightly she reached back over to me. I see that the room key is a tarnished copper color with a brown leather tag on it, reading 10 in chipping white paint.

"Second floor on the right." The innkeeper offers.

"Thanks." I wink at her and accept the key, casting a look at Gaara who stands stoically at my side. "Let's roll bud."

I hold back a grin when I notice him stopping himself from rolling his eyes and he follows me as I leave the lobby, making my way towards the rickety staircase off to the right.

I find the room and unlock the door. The curtains are sky blue and the floor is a dark earthen color, kinda like a cherry color wood, and there's two beds in two corners of the room. There's a dresser and a closet for our small amount of stuff. I take a couple steps towards the bed...


~Gaara~


I watch Naruto make her way towards the first bed, smiling fondly because she's grumbling about her tired feet.

I move to follow, but there's this odd noise that gives me pause. It's chilling and loud, like a cable suddenly being removed from a speaker, and the resulting feedback is a strange aborted cry. To my horror, my best friend freezes in her tracks, her form shimmers, her body reflecting the candlelight in the room, like a glass 2D cutout.

Naruto's body webs with cracks, and I watch, petrified as they travel across the surface of her person, branching off like a network of nerves before she begins glittering. She glitters with iridescent crystals, and then she shatters.

I can not describe the absolute terror that strangles me in that moment, watching Naruto's pieces scatter, flying in all directions and winking out of existence with pitiful little plinks.

I stand there for the longest moment, and my chest is tight because I've forgotten how to breathe.

"N-Na-"

I think my world ended before I could even comprehend that it had been obliterated. An eternity passes in the time that I stand, too shocked to do anything else but gape.

I can't speak another syllable, because I too, have become glass. I don't care when I feel my face crack in half. All I care about is Naruto, and her name is the last thing I think before I shatter in the night.


~Jiraiya~


"Jiraiya?" Tsunade greets, sounding oddly sharp. "Where the fuck are you? I'm on my way asshole."

My eyes are still raw from my previous tears, and my voice is gruff with exhaustion as I respond.

"Hime, I need a favor."

"I know. Naruto and Gaara. Orochimaru called me after you hung up on him. Did you honestly not consider calling me sooner? Did you think I wouldn't immediately head over to help?"

"I'm at Naruto and Gaara's apartment." I tell her, because I don't know how to answer her other questions. I don't want to, I just want to make things right for my little girl and Gaara. "It's 1014, Nanadaime Street."

"Okay I'm on Nidaime right now, I'll be there in five."

"What?" My eyes bulge, the sluggishness that's overtaken me lifting in an instant. "That's five blocks away. It's a fifteen minute drive because the streets are so long!"

"I said I'll be there!" My Hime snarls.

I pause, hearing the screech of swerving tires on the other end, and Tsunade barking out several horrendous curses and bodily threats.

"Get the fuck outta my way grandma!" She roars, the blare of a horn soon following.

I can't help it. I grin, laughing quietly as more tears well in my eyes, threatening to slowly trickle down my still bloodless face.

"Thanks Hime." I whisper, blinking away the liquid.

I knew I could count on her.

"No problem." She says, and then there's a click. She's hung up. I stare at my phone's screen after a moment, and I notice that I have an email.

"Hm?" I hum, quickly checking it, wondering if it's reports Orochimaru found.

Knowing him, he's at the office trying to find all he can for me so we can get everyone out of this alive…But I'm surprised to see it's from SAO administration…

My eyes are wide, stinging as they follow the bland font across my phone's screen.

~Do not under any circumstances try to remove the Nerve Gear from the player. It will only send an electric shock to the players brain killing them if you do.~

I feel my blood freeze. Trying to remove the head gear will cause them to die? What the hell are we going to do? How can we help them? If… if trying to take it off will kill them… how can we make sure they get out?

"Dammit." I growl, setting my watch by Tsunade's previous declaration. And sure enough, I can hear the aggressive clicking of her heels coming up the stairs five minutes after the call as she arrives along with her assistant.

"Hey Hime." I wave a little awkwardly, watching her near me as she reaches the hall. "Thanks for coming so fast."

"Of course you idiot, I said I'd be here. Did you think I wouldn't?" Tsunade huffs, affronted. But she sobers quickly and says, "We're friends aren't we? Lead the way."

I lead her into Naruto's room first, Shizune following closely behind her.

"I got an email from the administration of that damned game. We can't remove the nerve gear or it'll kill them."

"How?" Tsunade is quick to ask before sighing, "There must be some kind of chip in the helmet somewhere."

I make a noise in agreement. "I remember him saying something about the technology being needed to be near the back of the neck. It would emit a signal that would tap into the frequency of the signals the brain sends and receives to allow the players to interact with everything in game as if it was the real world."

They take time to study the cables connecting to the headset. Tsunade takes Naruto's vitals.

"Alright, I need a car parked closer to the steps outside so I can get them to the hospital." She turns, asking with a sweet tone of voice "Kakashi, think you can arrange something?"

Kakashi nods, his single visible dark eye sharp.

"I drive a Sedan." He informs her. "We can take that. It should be big enough to fit both Naruto and Gaara inside." He starts barking orders to a grunt outside with a call of:

"Tenzo! Get my damn car over to the bottom of the steps."

"Aye Aye senpai!" Comes a sputtered reply.

Kakashi throws the keys over the balcony and the kid goes to get the car.

Tenzo is a good kid who is always quick on his feet and has great respect for Kakashi. I know he won't do anything unless Kakashi orders it so I know he can be counted on. He's always eager to live up to Kakashi's expectations. I recall once Kakashi ordered the kid to go after this one imbecile who tried making off with his porn. The little bastard took off after the guy so fast my head spun, and I swear I didn't know a chokehold could make someone turn that shade of purple. But hey, there's a lesson in every day of life.

Don't fuck with Kakashi when he has an awesome Kohai.

Kakashi actually bought the kid dinner after that. Suddenly I'm pulled from my thoughts, because sure enough it's only two minutes, (well a minute thirty seconds later), that Kakashi's car is pulling up and backing up so the doors are facing the stairwell.

Shizune and Tsunade have me lead the way to Gaara's room where they do the same vital check and inspect the helmet wires and connectors.

"Alright. I believe we've found a way to get the kids out of the apartment and to the hospital without frying their brains. It's going to be tricky and I'm going to need all hands available. There isn't any room for error. I don't want those vultures getting too close either. Kami only knows that they would use the opportunity to get their story."

Kakashi gives a vicious grin. Shikaku sees the malicious look and smirks before speaking up for the first time in a while.

"Well, I don't think you have to worry too much about the vultures. If that smirk on Kakashi's face is anything to go by... Can't even see his full face, hell can't see anything but his hair and one eye but we all know the possessive sadistic bastard is smirking. We'll all help you transport the kids. Kakashi…"

Shikaku waits for Kakashi to turn to him with an eye smile and a pleasant hum… a familiar pleasant hum… one that spells trouble for whoever decides to press their luck.

Shikaku sighs.

"I already have a very good idea of what you're planning. You need my approval right?" Kakashi nods and Shikaku sighs again.

"Troublesome, this is going to cause me so much paperwork."

"You're really worried about paperwork?" I ask.

"The more paperwork I have, the less I can help follow leads to find Kayaba or help the investigation to get these kids back." He responds, picking up on the undertones of offense I'm feeling.

I nod, satisfied with that answer. Shikaku turns to Kakashi, giving his own nod to his subordinate.

"Go for it." The Nara drawls. "You got the green light."

Kakashi's eye turns absolutely feral at that, and he goes into his pocket, pulling out a smartphone and sliding it open with his thumb, turning to stroll down the hall after typing for a bit. He puts the device to his ear, his cool voice trailing off as he strides further and further down the hallway.

"Yeah, Gai?" He speaks. "Not now Gai I don't want to hear about your burning passion. I need you to drive over the rest of my dogs. What? No, I'm not trying to have them scare Tenzo again. Yes. Yes, it's a serious situation. Are you drunk again? No. Stop, can you just be quiet and… Jesus Christ Gai…"

After about two minutes he turned around, all the way at the end of the hall, and made his way back, his eyelid drooping in an exasperated manner that only Gai could be responsible for.

"Everything will be set up by the time we get them to the hospital." Kakashi says. "Let's move."

We all head back in, Tsunade has a large leather bag at her feet, and she's pulling out beeping black devices with black cables coming from both ends.

"Hime?" I ask.

"A portable battery." She explains. "Orochimaru told me about his suspicions. I don't want any hiccups in this operation, and if we really want to help these kids we need to be as careful as possible."

Shizune is kneeling by an outlet beside Naruto's bed, and I can see that the Nerve Gear is connected to the outlet.

"Shizune," Tsunade barks.

"Y-yes Tsunade-sama!" The younger woman stutters.

"I need you to unplug Naruto's game and plug it into this battery as soon as possible. I'm going to be making sure she won't need anything like CPR."

"Of course." Shizune nods, lips pursing as her expression becomes determined.

But I don't take the orders as gracefully.

"What!?" I blurt, heart stuttering in my chest. "You're gonna unplug her? Are you crazy!?"

"Jiraiya," Tsunade growls, honey eyes fierce. "We do not have time for this. How long do you think she can survive in her room without proper nutrition and monitoring? It'll just be for a second. Unplug, replug. How else would we get her to the hospital? The Nerve Gear needs a powersource."

I swallow hard, because I know she's right, but I'm scared. I've never been so scared in my life.

If this got messed up, Naruto could die. I would have to put my little girl in the ground. That's not something I ever want to have to do. I know that it only takes a second. Just a split second for someone to die. Sometimes one wrong move in a moment is all it takes.

My knees feel weak. And finally, I blink.

I'm surprised, because Tsunade is no longer glaring at me. Naruto, my little Naruto, is in my Hime's arms, carried gently in the master surgeon's deceptively strong arms.

Shizune is close behind them, carrying the battery with a trailing chord that's connected to the monstrosity encasing Naruto's head, keeping her alive.

'When… when the hell did they…?'

I slap my cheeks. What had happened? The sting of my hands on my face wakes me up even more. I shake my head, following Tsunade and Shizune as Naruto is carried out of the apartment.

Had I really blanked out? God I was pathetic. I need to get my head in the game. Naruto needs me to be strong. So, with that in mind I take a deep breath, steeling myself.

This would be the last time. I wouldn't let such weakness overtake me again.

I wait at the top of the stairs, watching Tsunade and Shizune leave the building to gently put Naruto in Kakashi's Sedan.

I turn and make my way back to Gaara's apartment, and I'm waiting in the slumbering boy's room when Tsunade and Shizune return. Shizune has another battery in her hands, and Tsunade maneuvers her way around me to check on Gaara.

She does another vital check, nodding to Shizune to go ahead with the wires connected to the Nerve Gear. A hand is clamped on my shoulder.

"Shikaku?"

"Breathe Jiraiya. Don't think I didn't notice you freeze up with Naruto. Breathe. Tsunade is the best for a reason. She won't let anything happen to either your daughter or your son."

"They're not.."

"Not by blood but does that even matter? I know Naruto would talk about her reporter father who sends her presents whenever she would stop by the station with Gaara. When they talked about you they smiled. They never smile like that when talking about any other male. Tsunade won't let anything happen to them. She's a professional and she's the best. On top of that you've got Kakashi and half my freaking precinct who will help guard her and Gaara from anyone trying to get a scoop."

His hand tightens just the tiniest amount. It's an anchor that I wordlessly appreciate.

"Kakashi cares about Naruto and Gaara too. You know the respect my men have for Kakashi. If he wants something done, even without my orders I have no doubt they'll make sure it happens. I can't tell you how many times I've told them to not have pizza parties during their lunch break. Only for the next week for them to have a pizza party because Kakashi arranged it and everyone went along with it."

I snort at that thought.

"Exactly. My men respect Kakashi, and Kakashi cares for Naruto. With how often Naruto and Gaara stop by to deliver food or help out, do you think anyone is going to let them be hurt? You've got Orochimaru looking into every possible crevice of the office trying to find exactly what was done and how to reverse it. You have us. Don't worry."

"Thanks Shikaku." I croak, clearing my throat after a moment to give him a slightly strained smile.

"Now, let's go help out with pushing everyone back so they can get the car out." Shikaku says. "You can ride with them providing Tsunade allows it. Tenzo and I will give you the five alarm escort."

I follow along and shove back a few of the reporters, Tenzo helps to set up barricades so the car can get out because tape isn't enough to hold these guys back. I try not to grit my teeth at some of the questions these people are blurting with no regard for how disrespectful they're being.

"Jiraiya!" Tsunade calls out to me. "Let's go, we're heading out."

"Tenzo!" Kakashi's voice comes over the crowd. "I'm trusting you to help make sure all cars are out of the way."

"You can count on me Kakashi." Tenzo hops on his motorcycle as I enter the car. Kakashi in the driver's seat, Shizune next to him. The back seats are down and Naruto and Gaara are both lying slightly elevated on the seats. I hop into the farthest point in the back by their heads in the open trunk, Hime sitting in the middle seat by their waists. She's carefully holding each of their batteries still in her hands.

The car drives off and I can hear the sirens. Tenzo speeding on his motorcycle to stop several cars from entering the intersection and getting in our way. Crazy kid at one point skids just to stop a delivery truck. The whole way I wish I could card my hands through their hair, rub circles on their forehead, but I cant because the damn helmets cover their faces too. So I settle on just holding their hands as we make the way to the hospital.

The way there is literally a blur, because Kakashi is driving like the maniac everyone speculates he is behind his back, and I couldn't be more glad for it. Finally, Kakashi smoothly lulls his driving to a stop, and we're parked in front of Konoha Hospital, the place of Tsunade's work.

"Shizune." Tsunade calls. "Get out and go get some specialist from the emergency room to help up with these kids. We're going to need stretcher's and strong arms."

"Hai Tsunade-sama!" Shizune answers, opening her side of the car's door and hopping out, sprinting through the glass double doors of the hospital.

"Alright, Jiraiya, I need you to get out too." Tsunade says. "I'll stay in here with them until the doctors arrive."

I nod and do as she says, not wanting anything to go wrong.

To my relief it doesn't take long for Shizune to come back, she holds one of the hospital doors open, and four people in pastel blue scrubs rush out with stretchers.

Shizune points to the car where their soon to be patients reside and I wave them over, wanting to cry again because it looked like things would be okay. The doctors come over and I get out of the way, watching Tsunade take control and inform them of the situation. They help putting Naruto and Gaara on their respective stretchers and quickly wheel them into the hospital.

We're all hot on their trail. Save for Kakashi, he stays behind with the squad cars and vans out front to help set up a barricade.

I'm allowed to follow all the way until Naruto and Gaara are wheeled through the ominous steel double doors separating the ICU from the rest of the hospital.

Tsunade looks back at me.

"Wait here." She says. "Don't worry, I won't leave their side for a second."

I nod at her, swallowing as she disappears behind the swinging double doors. Shizune stands at my side, giving her silent support.

I stand in the sterile, soulless white halls of Konoha Hospital, and I wait.

Sadly, that's all I can do for now.


Next time on Outcasts:

"Look at the stupid fucking doughnut getting mauled by Pakkun."

Kamui: So stayed tuned, because we're gonna be revealing the stupid fucking doughnut next chapter. Oh! And thanks for reading Outcasts. *blows a kiss*

Nin: Kamui is the genius who came up with that line and what follows after, I am lucky to be working on this with her and lucky that she puts up with my insanity. I am grateful to those of you who read this and review. I am also the little asshole who got her to take out the rest of that sentence for this preview. Till next time Ja ne~