Kintsukuroi

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Chapter 3: Breathe

Hokage Office

Naruto sighed after painstakingly signing another document.

Once he was done writing his signature, he lifted his head to stare at a huge stack of documents, awaiting his signature, his face laced in boredom.

His ears twitched and his mood perked up at the incoming chakra signature that was nearing his door. Naruto sighed in relief, thanking Kami for the much needed break.

" Come in!"

The door opened and in walked Nara, Shikamaru , assistant to the Hokage.

A faint smile gracing his features.

" I don't think I'll ever get used to you calmly reading and signing documents.."

Naruto smiled while slumping his shoulders, shrugging tiredly whilst rubbing his tired blue eyes gingerly.

" I didn't think I would be doing this for the majority of the time. Makes me wonder how Gaara did it.." Shikamaru, frowned slightly at the mention of his brother in law. Which didn't go unnoticed by Naruto.

" ..Still no word from him or Shinki?" Shikamaru shook his head hopelessly.

" ..I would think you know more about the situation..since Kankuro has been running Suna .." Naruto shook his head.

" Seems like Kankuro's fine.. he sends me news on Suna. I know Gaara, would be very proud of him. It's hard to believe he's been gone for over two years now. "

Naruto frowned reminiscing of the atrocities that befell one of his closest friends.

" Does Temari know anything?" Shikamaru responded by shaking his head.

" Temari and Shikadai miss Gaara and Shinki. I do know, that there isn't a day that goes by that they don't worry about them."

Naruto frowned at the statement only to then be startled by a crack of thunder.

" It seems a nasty storm is making its way here.. want me to announce any warnings to Konoha?" Naruto shook his head.

"There's no need.. we can-OTOSAN! OTO-SAN!"

Boruto and Mitsuki skid into the Hokage office, breathless and in a panic. Naruto stood and rushed to the boys. Laughing wholeheartedly as he kneeled before both boys.

" What.. were you guys racing?" Boruto panted hard, trying to regain his breath.

" NO...SOMEONE.. TOOK SARADA!" Naruto's smile immediately fell, and his eyes hardened.

" SHOW ME WHERE!" He immediately stood and headed out of the office, following the two boys. Shikamaru hollered out his plan of action as the blonde rushed out.

" I'll assemble a team!.. and.. " Shikamaru ran a hand down his face, sighing.

"..I guess.. I'll be the one to tell Sakura.." Shikamaru sighed again and summoned several Anbu, gave out orders and proceeded to poof to the entrance of the Hospital.

'She's going to go ballistic...'


Naruto, Mitsuki and Boruto made it to the outside of the village gates when it started to downpour.

" NOO!" Boruto yelled as the rain began to really drop from the sky. Naruto cussed under his breath, and asked Mitsuki for Sarada's mic.

"NARUTO!" a familiar voice called out.

He turned to see Sakura rushing towards him, a look of pure terror and rage evident on her face.

" Who took her!?.. Where's my daughter!?" Naruto looked at Sakura, regrettably through the pouring rain.

Sakura looked at him with an incredulous look on her face, her eyes hardened as she pushed past him, heading toward the village gates.

Naruto quickly grabbed her left wrist, stopping her from going any further.

"...Let..Me..Go.." She said threateningly, Naruto stood his ground, unfazed.

"Sakura.. the rain has no doubt..washed away the trail. We have to wait for the storm to pass. It's freezing!" She yanked her wrist out of his grasp.

" I'm going out there!.. She's my daughter!.." Naruto clenched his eyes painfully as she began to walk away again.

"..Sakura please! I know this is hard but, running out there isn't going to help us! You ARE endangering yourself!"

That stopped the now soaking wet medic in her tracks.

" THIS WILL NOT BRING HER BACK!" She turned towards him, eyes full of determination and rage.

".. She's all I have left.. to remember him by..."

Her shoulders were shaking, he couldn't tell if she was was cold or crying.

" Let's go inside and wait.." The blonde added, placing an arm around his pink haired friend's shoulders.

"Shikamaru dispatched our best Anbu squad to find her.. I promise you.. We will find her.. safe and-" Sakura pushed passed him not allowing herself to hear his last words.

Naruto sighed and looked at his son, only to see Boruto's eyes hold the same disappointment Sakura's had.

" Let's go home... We'll handle it from here.." Boruto looked at his father, and walked ahead of his father, making it home to inform his mother of what has happened to his team mate.

Naruto stayed behind and looked up to the sky, praying to Kami.

Then clenched his fists at the following thought.

' Sasuke.. this might have been prevented ...if you were here..'

Naruto closed his eyes as the icy thick rain drops, drenched his skin, hair, and clothes, causing them to stick on him. He opened his eyes, once more, asking..no.. begging for a miracle.


Gaara and Shinki POV

Gaara used his sand to block the door. Whoever was on the other side, was beginning to bang wildly on the door.

" Let us in! "

"W-We can't breathe!"

Gaara eyed Shinki, whom manipulated his Iron sand above the bunker door in the shape of spikes.

He then looked at Gaara to confirm that he was in position.

Gaara proceeded to unlock the door and in walked three men, two dragged in an oddly sized box, the third man got on his knees, kissing the floor of the shelter relieved and thankful.

" Arigato! We were almost goners!.. We didn't think we were going to make it.."

Gaara scanned their appearances and motioned to Shinki to disperse the iron sand, just as one of the three men turn to look at their surroundings.

" Nice place you two have here.. Just you two here?"

Gaara looked at Shinki and nodded for him to speak to them.

" Hai.. why?"

One of the men waved their arms around, in a pacifying motion.

" Oi, I meant nothing by it. I was just wondering.." the smallest of the trio said.

"Hey can we stay here till the storm blows over. We'll be as good as gone"

Gaara nodded, and tended to the meat, still on guard.

The three men easily made themselves a home and sat about in the shelter.

One of the heftier men lifted and dropped the box in the middle of the room, the thump shook the table where scraps of the gazelle remained. One of the other men yelled at his stupidity.

" Hey! Be careful.. that's precious cargo!" The heftier man rubbed the back of his head and apologized.

Shinki glanced at Gaara who was already examining the box.

One of the men, that looked to be the leader of the other two men, was eyeing Gaara, his eyes squinted as he studied his features.

Gaara turned his attention to the meat that was nearly done cooking when the leader of the three sat up.

Gaara sensed that something was off with these men and the package they carried.

His suspicion lead him to believe it contained something either in danger or something, dangerous.

Gaara tried to sense for any trace of chakra from the cargo they had, feeling none.

The engravings on the box seemed to seal any and all information of what the container, held inside.

" You look familiar. I feel like I've seen you before... Have we met?" Gaara remained calm as he removed the now cooked gazelle meat from the wired rack and onto another rack to cool off.

" You must have me mistaken. I am curious about you three as well.. Are you merchants?" The two out of the three men in the trio stiffened, only to then break out in laughter.

The supposed leader and his two other accomplices moved closer to Gaara.

Shinki took the opportunity to place his hand on the box, trying to pry it open to no avail, it seemed his sand and his chakra lost connection once inside the box.

" Well.. Are you interested in rare women?" Gaara's shoulders stiffened at the question.

The leader of the trio moved closer to Gaara, whispering to stay out of earshot of the only boy in the room.

" Rare women are good for one thing.. breeding. Now, you might be thinking ..' Aren't all women rare?'"

The man shook his head and grinned.

"This one ..is the beginning of a dying has these.. special eyes" Gaara's eyes shifted toward Shinki, in a split second then returned to the man in front of him.

" Do you want to see her?" Gaara looked at the man, noting his devious features and agreed.

The leader got up, fixed his pants, and shoved past Shinki, causing him to immediately tense.

The three men, each did their own unique hands signs, unlocking part of the crate.

The leader reached in and reached into the box, catching a hold of something.

" Now.. She ain't cheap. I'm asking a lot for her. She is the rarest thing I have." He continued, sounding proud of himself.

"If you're thinking of buying. My asking price is.. 100,000 Ryo.. No negotiations" The man pulled at what seemed to be slick black hair.

" Come here boy.. you can see her too" Shinki stood side by side to his father, silently waiting for the reveal.

It was like cold water was spilled over the both of them.

Shinki's eyes immediately turned dark once he realized whose slightly bruised face he was looking at, he leaned forward and touched the face of the one and only, Sarada Uchiha.

The three men were then suddenly slammed against one of the many the clay walls of the shelter. A sickening crack coming from their direction.

Shinki acted fast , he first grabbed the fox with his sand, followed by the unconscious Sarada before a sudden burst of sand, flooded into the room.

The sound of his rampage was louder than the storm outside, but as quickly as it started.

It ended.

It wasn't until it grew silent did Shinki lower his guard.

Upon releasing the fox, which was currently running around the room, and settled for growling at the door. Shinki got up after releasing Sarada from her bindings and visual checked for anymore injuries. He cussed under his breath in anger when he felt her forehead.

' ..She's burning up... Use your head Shinki.. What do we have that can help..'

He quickly searched in his satchel for the Yarrow herb and his canteen, then placed them near her sleeping form.

Shinki then quickly searched for a metal kettle to boil the Yarrow which was now soaking in water. He made quick work of filling it and placing it onto the fire to boil.

Shinki was pulled out of his reverie when he heard the door open then close, followed by whimpering from the fox.

Shinki turned to look at his father, only to see his face contorted in rage as he read the scroll in his hands.

One would have to have been looking closely to see Gaara that the situation was making him unhinged. He cussed under his breath and rolled up the scroll, shoving it into his satchel as he began to pack.

" We're heading into Konoha.. "

Shinki covered his hand in a protective layer of the black sand made of iron, and pulled the kettle from the raging tongue of flames in the small pit.

He placed the Yarrow herb in a cup of clay and filled it to the brim with hot water, all the while Gaara remained silent, as he packed.

" .. She is lucky to be alive in this condition.." Shinki responded while blowing at the tea, making sure Sarada wasn't going to burn herself.

Gaara shook the thoughts from his mind as he knelt beside the unconscious Chunin, gently tapping her cheek to awaken her.

The pair heard a whimper come from the girl before her eyes began to flutter.

She blinked several times, her vision getting adjusted to the soft light, her eyes widened once she realized she wasn't in the forest.

She sat up quickly, only to be held down by her shoulders.

" You must not get up. Sarada.. you are in no condition.." She squirmed and struggled weakly against the slightly larger hands holding her down.

She couldn't help the tears that began to well up in her eyes, as she pleaded for her life.

" P-please! Don't do this.. I-I'm only 14! " She was hushed by Gaara who now moved into her line of sight.

" We are not here to harm you. We are taking you back to Konoha.. Where you belong.." Sarada's eyes were still focusing on who was the last to speak.

'He looks..familiar..' she thought as she examined him further, her vision clearer.

'Red hair?..Black rimmed eyes?... Is that.. 'Love' on his forehead...!'

"...M-mr...Kazekage..? I-is it r-really you?" she asked, her lower lip quivering.

Gaara's eyes softened once she recognized him. ".. I'm here, Sarada...you are safe now."

The young chunin whimpered and began to cry as relief and gratefulness washed over her.

'..T-thank..Kami..'

Shinki slowly released his grip on her shoulder as she calmed down, her sobbing left the two shinobi in the room deeply concerned.