Good day readers! Splendid writing weather today (though I feel like passing out in my garage. SO HOT!). Good thing my mom bought a fan!
Did anybody else cry when the read chapter 279 of Naruto? I balled like a little baby. Those pictures throughout the rescue Gaara chapters, you know the ones where they show the difference in Gaara and Naruto, how Naruto has all those people coming in while Gaara remains lonely and all by himself? Those really made me weep. Practically bleeding tears. One of my favorite parts of those chapters is where they're doing that picture thing again, only its just Naruto and his friends, and all of a sudden Naruto hears Gaara crying all alone! He pushes past everyone, runs over to him, and puts a hand on his shoulder! hick So beautiful!
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Chapter Three: The Real Challenge
The stadium blazed with all kinds of energy; nervous, excited, angry. Standing in the field were Gaara, Naruto, and Sasuke. Gaara stood to the right of Naruto in his usual pose, the one that made him look super cool, with his hands crossed over his chest and wearing the expressionless face he opted while fighting. Sasuke was crouched on the ground on Naruto's left, also looking very cool, his wrists resting on his knees, wearing his stern fighting face. Naruto stood between them, like the others making the girls swoon in their seats, hands in his pockets, his face putting on the look of intent that everyone had come to recognize.
"Where is he?" Naruto growled, eyes glaring at the door on the opposite end.
"Easy Naruto," Sasuke responded. "He's probably arrogant and wants to make a grand entrance." Naruto ground his teeth.
Up in the stands Sakura bit her lower lip. She was getting edgy. Beside her Hinata wasn't doing much better. The girl fidgeted in her seat and wrung her hands.
"He's going to be fine Hinata," a husky voice whispered in her ear. Hinata turned her head slightly. Kiba smiled encouragingly at her. "You know how strong he is. I don't think anything can put him down."
"You're right. Thanks Kiba," she whispered back, smiling at him gratefully. Kiba heaved a silent sigh as he leaned back into his seat.
"Where is this guy anyway?" Ino asked. "Talk about audacity." Behind her Shikamaru looked at Temari.
"What to you think?"
"I don't know," she replied with a shake of her head. "He could be planning anything."
The silence and waiting dragged on. Naruto felt like he was reaching his breaking point when a loud voice boomed over the arena.
"Oh, I'm glad you could make it!" The audience jumped in their seats. Gaara's eyes narrowed dangerously, Naruto growled low in his throat, and Sasuke tensed. "So wonderful to see you three so well!"
"He's toying with us," Gaara hissed. Sasuke flicked a glance at him.
"Can you guys tell where his voice is coming from?" Both Gaara and Naruto shook their heads. Sasuke snarled mentally.
"I'm sorry you had to waste your precious time and energy coming here...but this will not be the challenge!"
The reaction from the audience was a mingle of surprise and anger, depending on the person.
"What the heck!" Ino and Sakura shouted at the top of their lungs as they stood up. "You made us come all the way down here just to tell us that!"
"Kiba," Hinata whispered as she hunched down in her seat. "Something doesn't feel right."
"You're right. I feel it too." The older boy tensed in his seat. There was something very off about this.
Down on the stadium floor the three fighters held their calm. Naruto gritted his teeth, keeping back from shouting out in anger. Sasuke flicked a kunai in his hands, eyes narrowing.
"I think you were right Sasuke," Gaara said. The other two looked at the Sand Ninja, who always seemed to keep his cool. "This is all just a big game to him."
Laughter sounded from the loudspeaker voice. "Oh yes, surprise, surprise! I do love surprises! The real challenge is this: I want you three to travel to the Land of the Zodiac Stars. Travel along the Ridge of Draco and at the very center you will find the Castle of the Superiors. It is there that your little girlfriends will be held. I call this game Search and Rescue! I'll give you all the time in the world! Just make sure you find them!" The voice faded with mocking laughter.
"What does he mean?" Naruto said. "The girls are–," he was cut off as a loud scream rent the air. He, Sasuke, and Gaara turned. Out of the ground black, whip-like shadows twisted around Ino, Sakura, Hinata, and Temari. Before anyone could react they were pulled right through the cement.
"Wha-where did they go!" Naruto twisted around again. "You scum! I'll tear you to pieces!" There was no response from the loudspeaker voice. The stadium was a racket with noise. People were starting panic.
"Get everyone out of here," Tsunade told the Black Aps beside her. "And make sure those three get to my office!"
...
Moments later found the ones challenged in Lady Hokage's office. Silence was the key sound in the room before Naruto broke it.
"Well Grandma. Are we going or not?" Tsunade looked at him briefly before turning away. She didn't respond. "To heck with you! I'm going and I don't give a rat's ear what you say! I'm not going to let him take them and get away with it!" The boy turned on his heel and stomped away.
"Naruto wait! We don't know anything about this man! He could have set traps for you, and we don't know where this Land of the Zodiac Stars is!" Tsunade rose quickly from her seat.
"You heard what he said. He'll give us all the time we need. He won't kill them because he needs you three to come to him. He probably knows you would still go if he did kill them, but alive they're better bait. Relax."
"RELAX!" Naruto whirled on the spot to face the Hokage again. "I will not relax! So what if we don't know everything about him! Every second we spend here is another second where they spend in a place they don't know! A place they were taken to by force! A place where God knows what is happening to them!"
Tsunade stood in stunned silence. Tears built up in Naruto's eyes. He turned away and made for the door again. Sasuke stood up from the place where he had been sitting and Gaara straightened from leaning on the wall. Sasuke glanced at Tsunade before going after his friend.
"Don't worry Naruto," he said as he placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "We'll get them back."
Naruto nodded and they took off. Gaara remained behind to say to the Hokage, "You should have known better than to tell him that. He's not the type to wait for information while somebody needs him." And then the Kazekage of the Sand vanished from the room to help with the rescue.
...
They packed in heated silence. Gaara took his gourd on his back, but packed small essentials around his waist, while Sasuke and Naruto filled their packs to the brim. As Naruto pulled on his pack and opened the door, he started in surprise to see Kakashi, Shikamaru, and Kiba waiting outside.
"What are you three doing here?" Sasuke and Gaara halted behind him.
"Well, I'm coming to keep an eye on you. Don't want you getting killed before you get to that castle," Kakashi responded with a smile.
"And we don't care if that lunatic only challenged you three," Kiba put in with a growl.
"They're our friends too, and I'll be hanged before I let him hurt Hinata!"
"I'm with him," Shikamaru put him. "You're going to need strategy, and that's where I come in, along with Kakashi."
There was a moment of silence. "It's alright by me. The more the merrier."
...
Ta dah! Chapter Three! Hope you enjoyed reading it. I know, I changed the whole thing. But it wasn't going how I planned, and I had to find a way to work in the OCs.
When I thought of the evil guy talking, I got the voice of Mao from Code Geass in my head. It just fits. They're both a little psychopathic.
In the next chapter Naruto and his band of Merry Men start the journey for the Land of the Zodiac Stars, a land of legend that was supposed to be home for the twelve Zodiac Superiors! Who were these awesome and powerful beings that died thousands of years ago, lost to the winds and known only in the Lands of the Sphinx, the Dragon, and the Sea Snake? These questions can only be answered by one who lives in those lands. But is anyone willing to tell? More to come in Chapter Four: Enter Titan, the Boy of the Snake.