Chapter Three Tanigakure Arc: The Journey Begins
Sakura stared at the back of her new friend whom she had shook hands with only yesterday. As soon as they had set out for Tanigakure he had reverted back to his aloof and detached attitude showing absolutely no sign of the events that took place in the medical ward and in her room. This feigned ignorance annoyed Sakura slightly but she gathered he didn't want the fact to come to light yet. Having worked with Tsunade on psychology she knew that many introverts like Gaara felt embarrassed and uncomfortable in admitting they had a friend or if they liked sometime and things like that. She had secretly observed all the introverts she knew, namely, Shino, Neji, Shikamaru, Sai "Although in his case it had ended in complete disaster when Sai told me he knew she had been following him all along and had thought she was stalking him and wished to sleep with him" she thought sheepishly, "He even asked me if I thought he was sexually attractive. What does that even mean?" She had also observed Hinata and Kakashi whom she viewed as 'semi-introverts'.
And now as she followed the Kazekage leaping through the trees (while he traveled on his sand) she couldn't help wondering what was going on in his head.
Said Kazekage was at the moment debating on whether he'd made the correct desicion in agreeing to be a 'friend' to the pink haired woman. "Would I be able to be a good friend?" was a thought that had often crossed his mind ever since they'd set out yesterday. His thoughts were suddenly broken when Kakashi's sharp voice broke his train of thoughts.
"Kazekage-Sama, we are approaching Takigakure. They've received the message from Tsunade-Sama requesting them not to hinder us so we shouldn't be facing any problems here, but..."
"Remain cautious all the same" said Gaara as Kakashi nodded.
"I think it goes without saying that we have to be cautious. Friendly or not Takigakure is not a trustable ally yet. Letting our guard down here would be foolishness." said Temari.
"Shi-San, perhaps it would be better for us if you scout out the area first" said Gaara quietly as the Kumogakure shinobi nodded and they all stopped.
Shi sat down on the ground and pressed the palm of one hand to the earth and raised the other hand in a hand seal. After that he seemed to go into a deep trance. Sakura glanced around at their surroundings. The climate here was almost the same as in Konoha. Warm with slight humidity. The foliage was very thick and luxuriant. The area probably received more than 300 cm rainfall every year. There was no sign of any living creature except a couple of birds flying above them now and then. The sound of a water body flowing somewhere could be heard.
After five minutes Shi got up and turned to the Kazekage, "There are five guards at the gate we are approaching. They all look Jounin level. Nothing seems amiss in Takigakure, no exceptionally high chakra levels, no fluctuations or any sort of irregularities, I did not sense any traps but nevertheless it would be good to proceed with caution" said Shi as Gaara nodded to him.
"Impressive, we're not very close to Takigakure yet, still Shi-San was able to tell the number of guards, their level and the village status as well" thought Sakura casting an admiring glance at the quiet Kumogakure shinobi.
They resumed their but with a new formation where Gaara was placed right next to Sakura. An awkward silence formed between the two as they leaped neared Takigakure.
"So, are you feeling tired or anything?" asked Sakura as Gaara gave her a sideways glance that did not look very happy.
"I'm fine" he said curtly as Sakura gave him a puzzled look. "Have I said something to offend him again?" she thought as Gaara gave her another look.
"Are you...feeling tired?" he asked with what seemed like great effort. Sakura sighed in relief and gave him a small smile, "A little, but it's nothing I can't handle"
A little behind them Kakashi observed the conversation with great interest despite not managing to hear what they were saying. "It isn't like the Kazekage to be so chatty with anybody, and he doesn't know Sakura that well. I wonder what's going on"
Behind Kakashi Shikamaru was praying to the God's above to get them to stop the chatter of the woman beside him. "Oi, are you even listening to me?" asked Temari. "If I say no am I in trouble?" he asked in a bored tone as Temari rattled of on angry yells.
"Tch, troublesome mission" he muttered as Temari beneath her angry ravings.
After traveling for another hour or so they reached the gates of Takigakure where-true to Shi's predictions- there were five guards wearing a Jounin outfit. Gaara stepped forward as the guards bowed. "Welcome to Takigakure, Kazekage-Sama, our leader has received the message from Hokage-Sama and he's pleased to help in anyway he can. Would you like to rest up before proceeding further?" asked the tallest guards with a poker face.
Gaara glanced once at his group. It was evident that Sakura and Shi were both exhausted. Temari did not seem particularly tired. If the Nara was tired he did not show it and he knew that Kakashi could still go all the way to Kusagakure.
"Perhaps a short break for my team while I meet with the Leader of Takigakure?" asked Gaara as the Jounin bowed. "Shibuki-Sama will be most pleased to see you" said the only woman amongst them.
Gaara turned around, "You all can get a forty minute break here. Try to relax as much as you can because we will not stop till we've crossed Takigakure and neared the Kusa border." he said before turning away.
"Ano" said Sakura taking a step after him. Gaara halted and looked back questioningly at her. "The leader of Takigakure, Shibuki-Kun is an old friend of Naruto and mine, I was wondering if I could come with you? I'd like to see how he's doing" she asked tentatively as Gaara thought over it before giving her a brief nod.
The maids in the Terada household stared in shock as Morita Terada, the snobbish Lord of the Manor, who fired people if his bath water was not set at the perfect temperature, walked out of the house in the middle of the snowstorm that Tanigakure currently suffered. Everybody knew Morita loathed going outside during bad weather and yet outside he went, with nothing more than a thick shawl and no attendants. Some suspected it was a meeting with a lover. Morita's wife, Terada Yoshimi was a fat and ungainly woman whom he had married only for her father's influence (as the Daimyo of the River country). Yoshimi was the terror of the household attendants and usually did not set foot outside her exquisite room except for meals or during festivals. Despite being married it was common knowledge that Morita carried on affairs with the more seductive and higher classed maidservants.
Well aware of the controversial consequences of his actions Morita Terada wrapped the woolen shawl more tightly around himself. He hated snow and rain more than anything. The snow reminded him of the person he was going to see, And the rain...it reminded him of the time his beautiful Reika had left him and run away.
Despite being married he had affairs with several maids. But none of them had made him fall for them as much as Reika. He loved her with every fiber of his being. He loved touching her soft creamy skin, and her beautiful pink hair that reminded him of cherries. Her laughing blue eyes that challenged the world before them. But alas they had proved no match for his father's might. What his father and mother had done he did not know but after a private meeting with them Reika had suddenly packed her bags and left the next day, without notifying anybody. The only person who might have the least idea where she was...would not help him. But today he was going to ensure that she told him everything he wanted to know.
He arrived at the central shinobi headquarters as every shinobi of Tanigakure bowed before him. "I wish to be taken to the Level Six vault" he announced in his thin voice as two of the shinobi who usually escorted visitors to the prison cells held their hands in a gesture for him to descend the steps.
He walked down six floors with his two bodyguards following at close pace behind him. As he reached the corridor of the sixth floor he turned and asked the two of them to stand guard there and not to let anybody enter till he was finished. After they had bowed he turned and flung open the door of the sixth vault. It was a long passage with cells on either side. The bars on the cells were specially made in Iron Country and was not breakable by any means. A constant chakra absorption device was at work to seep away the chakra of any prisoners within the cell. Currently only one of the cells was occupied and that too at the very end of the passage. Walking to the very last cell he peered in curiously. The steady breathing of a person could be heard.
"Still alive, Shiki?" he asked contemptuously as the moon came out from behind the clouds and cast it's silver light onto the cell through the barred window to reveal a woman with long white hair, wearing rags, lying down on her side with her back to Terada and her head resting on her arms. There was no reply so he slowly slid out a walking stick from his kimono sleeve and started banging the cell bars. This was a known maneuver for the metal that the bars were made of resonated painful sound waves into the cell that caused pain for the prisoner. The woman's body shifted a little but there was still no reply.
"I asked you a question, you..."
"What do you want?" her voice was soft but had a dangerously sharp edge to it. It was a voice that had once made Morita shiver with fear. But no longer, he was in charge now while she was merely a lowly prisoner.
"Turn around and look at me when you speak to me, you disrespectful..."
"I'd rather not. Say what you want to and then leave"
Morita sighed, he knew there was nothing he could do about her attitude. Living for years in the prison she had grown accustomed to the bar's sound waves and he did not have the key to her cell since the prisons were his father's jurisdiction. He slid the stick back into his sleeve.
"I demand to know where Reika is" he said sternly as the woman inside chuckled lightly, "Still not giving up on her? I'm not surprised she left you if that's how dogged and desperate you are"
"Shut up and tell me where she is. I know you know. The servants saw her coming to the prisons to speak with you. Why she came here I don't know but she was never seen in Tanigakure after she entered here. They didn't even see her leave. What did you do to her? Where is she now? TELL ME!" cried Terada loosing his temper.
There was silence in the passage for five minutes before Shiki spoke, "There are five hundred people holed up in this prison in five floors above me. Why would you come to me?"
"I know it has to be you. Reika-Chan, Reika-Chan was always enraptured by you. I hated it, that she admired you so much but she truly wanted to see you. When I heard she was seen entering the prison I just knew that she was coming to see you" said Morita angrily.
Shiki did not reply. Morita grabbed the bars and began shaking them, "Shiki, I warn you. Tell me what happened to her or you'll be sorry. I have the best interrogators in Tanigakure under my command, you'll regret it if you don't tell me what I want to know. Did you forget what I had done to you when you spat upon me three years ago?"
Silence then the woman slowly got up with her back to Terada "I don't have anything to say to you. If you feel that is an act of insubordination then so be it. I am prepared for the consequences. But to provide a blatant traitor like you and your father with any information would be to spit upon the name of my clan. So for all I care you can go die in some hell hole" said Shiki still facing away from him. Just then the moon ducked behind a cloud again and cast the cell into darkness. Terada glared at her through the bars before releasing them and walking away.
"You'll pay for this" he said before slamming the door shut. He marched out ignoring the two guards who approached him. He was angry. Very angry and he had to vent his rage on someone.
Inside the cell, the woman named Shiki's lips curled into a smile.
"It is so good to meet you again Sakura-Chan" said Shibuki, the Leader of Takigakure beaming at the pinkette as she sat beside Gaara in the lounge of Shibuki's mansion. Gaara was surprised that Sakura had not been joking when she had said Shibuki was a close friend. The tall, inky haired leader of Takigakure was a shy and friendly soul that anybody would find making friends with easy. Gaara was almost envious of his personality.
"How are Naruto and Kakashi-San doing? Does Naruto still obsess over ramen? And does Kakashi-San still read that book, what was it's name now, Itchy Itchy?" he asked as Sakura smiled, "Kakashi-Sensei's never going to give up Icha Icha, in fact here with us now, he said he'd drop by to visit you before we left. Naruto's fine, he's training in Konoha, the ramen stand was destroyed during an Akatsuki invasion so it's no ramen for Naruto for a little while" she said.
From the way Shibuki had left out Sasuke in his reminisces, Gaara noted he was well aware of the Uchiha's international criminal status.
"Yes I heard about that invasion. I'm so glad I could help out. " he said as Sakura bowed, "It was really nice of you to send some of your people to assist us".
" Oh no, in fact I was so pleased when I got the letter from Hokage-Sama. Any way to help Konoha is an honor to me. Not only am I here today because of Konoha shinobi but thanks to Tsunade-Sama we've found a very useful cure for the harmful effects of the Hero Water and our medics are working hard on perfecting it. We are indebted to her" said Shibuki as Sakura smiled again.
"We are also very grateful for your help" said Gaara feeling he ought to get a word in. Just then there was a puff of smoke and Kakashi appeared in the room. Holding up a hand he called out his usual greeting, "Yo Shibuki, it seems you're doing well. But you really need to improve the quality of your bookstores, I didn't find a single Icha Icha amongst them" he said teasingly.
Shibuki laughed, "We were just talking about that" he said as Sakura and Kakashi launched into old reminisces with Shibuki. Gaara stared, feeling puzzled. Shibuki was the leader of a nation, did he not feel embarrassed being to casual with some people he had not seen for over five years? The three were acting more friendly than he had ever been to anyone in his life, including his siblings. It baffled Gaara how they could act like best friends. Then suddenly there was a knock on the door and a Jounin came and bowed.
"Pardon me Shibuki-Sama, but the Kakekage-Sama's sister, Lady Temari insists that it is time for them to set off again" he said in a low voice as Shibuki's face showed disappointment.
"Oh well, that's a pity. I really lost track of the time I was having so much fun" he said wistfully. Kakashi, Sakura and Gaara got up slowly. Shibuki grasped Kakashi's hands and shook them warmly and gave Sakura a hug before offering to walk with them to the gates.
Seeing the Takigakure leader hug Sakura so casually awoke a strange feeling in Gaara's stomach. He did not know what it was but it's message was clear – it disliked Shibuki's action.
They chatted unbearably till they reached the gate where Temari was -unsurprisingly- yelling at Shikamaru who looked ready to pass out any moment while Shi sat on a rock beside them looking slightly uneasy and very relieved to see the rest of them.
"Ah there you are, where the hell have you been. It's been an hour and you said forty minutes. Do you know what sort of trouble we'll be in if we don't cross the border before it gets dark? Well? Do you? I told you we should have taken the other route but no, you just had to take this one!" screamed Temari as Gaara prepared himself for a stern comeback. But before he could speak Shibuki stepped forward and bowed.
"I am Shibuki, leader of Takigakure. I'm extremely sorry that you've been inconvenienced. It's completely my fault. I was enjoying catching up with Sakura-Chan and Kakashi-San that I completely lost track of time. I do hope you'll forgive me" he said bowing as Temari seemed taken aback.
"Well..I suppose...that's all right" she said before gaining her composure and slipping into 'ambassador' mode with pleasantries and by the time Gaara managed to get rid of Shibuki, Temari was practically signing his praises.
"Such a charming gentleman!" she gushed to Sakura, evidently ignoring the men of the group. Claiming to be tired with the men she forced Gaara into the new formation which stuck him with Shikamaru and her with Sakura so that they could have some 'girl talk'.
"But he wasn't always like that you know" said Sakura thinking about the time Shibuki had hid behind her in fear.
"Oh? Well he sure is charming now. If only SOME inconsiderate brothers and others would learn something from him, maybe the world would be a better place" she said, the last part obviously meant for Gaara and Shikamaru who could hear here clearly from the front.
Gaara was greatly regretting his decision to reach Tanigakure through this route, not because he was wrong in thinking it was shorter but because it was not what Temari wanted. And when Temari did not get what she wanted she had a tendency to nag everybody around her to death.
After five more hours of traveling they reached Kusa-Taki border. Thanking his stars it was not completely dark yet (or Temari's complaints would have increased despite Shibuki's apology) Gaara turned to the other five ninja, "Kusagakure's borders are just up ahead. We'll camp out here till dawn and then proceed."
"Wouldn't it be better to go through Kusagakure at night when it's harder to see us?" asked Shikamaru.
"Normally yes but Kusagakure's scouts are expecting attack from some criminal organization therefore their night security has increased by double. We will proceed at dawn. Shi-San, we will need your help again. Not only in sensing how many we might have to face but also in casting a complex genjutsu around us" said Gaara as Shi saluted, "You all may rest up, I shall keep watch"
"Ano, you need not do that for the whole night Kazekage-Sama" said Sakura as Gaara turned his gaze onto her, "We can take shifts"
"Do we have to?" asked Shikamaru groaning as Temari smacked him on the back of the head, "Sakura's absolutely right. We'll take it in shifts of three. Shikamaru and I'll so first, Kakashi-San and Shi-San can go second, then Gaara and Sakura can finish up whatever is left" suggested Temari.
Shikamaru gave Kakashi a pleading look but the older man just pulled his hands into an apologetic gesture and disappeared onto his favorite reading spot, the tree branches. Shi began gathering twigs and fallen branches for a fire as Temari and Shikamaru took a seat on two thick roots of trees. Left alone Sakura stared awkwardly at Gaara.
"You need not keep watch with me, I can manage on my own" he said quietly retreating to a place where he imagined the inquisitive Kakashi or the interfering Temari would not hear them.
"That's all right, I like keeping watch at night. When I'm out on missions with Kakashi-Sensei, Naruto and Sai it's usually me and Sai who do all the watching. Naruto finds it hard to stay awake and Kakashi sensei concentrates too much on that book of his" said Sakura giggling slightly with remembrance.
Gaara did not seem interested so Sakura stopped her reminisces. Just as she was about to get up, "Are you very well acquainted with the Leader of Takigakure?" asked Gaara.
"Shibuki-Kun? No, not very well acquainted. The last time I saw him was five years ago when we helped him..."
"If you are not well acquainted then how can you stand for his advances" said Gaara severely as Sakura gaped at him. "His...advances?" she spluttered as Gaara nodded. "He was clearly and blatantly flirting with you, if I had left I'm sure he would have tried to touch you as well" he said firmly as Sakura held up her hand.
"Whoa, I seriously doubt that. Shibuki's about the most timid guy I've ever met. It'd be as easy for him to touch a woman as it would be for Naruto to be lethargic" she said feeling confused.
"That is your analysis and you are a woman" he said with disdain as Sakura frowned. "That's a rather sexist kind of remark" she said disapprovingly. Gaara gave her a strange look, obviously nobody had ever accused him of being a sexist in the past.
"I apologize if that is how it sounded to you, but I was merely trying to point out that a woman's impression of men they are not familiar with is usually wrong. Why do you think a man feels nervous when meeting his lover's father or brother? It's because he knows his suave nature or lying skills will not work on the male population. He is disturbed in case the father or brother find out that he has at some point lied to his lover." said Gaara.
"That's not always true. Many a times guys are nervous just because the father's opinion matters a lot to his daughter and also perhaps, because the father or brother may be a famous personality. Now if I was a man, and in love with Temari-San, I would feel nervous approaching you because you are a great personality" she said as Gaara looked away feeling slightly mollified, "Why are we having this conversation anyways? I didn't notice any advances that Shibuki apparently made towards me"
"You have not seen him for a long time, and yet he embraced you as if embracing a lover" said Gaara as Sakura gave him a coy grin. "Were you jealous?" she asked teasingly.
"Do not misunderstand me wom- Haruno-San" said Gaara, "I am merely confused as to how you could allow him to do that. I have always been told that an embrace is a sign of deep affection for person and..."
"And of course there is affection between me and Shibuki" finished Sakura plainly as Gaara's eyes widened, "Then I was correct? You reciprocate his feelings?" he asked as Sakura laughed a little, "Now you're misunderstanding. Shibuki is a close friend of mine, Naruto's and Kakashi-sensei's, we helped him out at the most crucial juncture of his life and he will be forever grateful to us for that. And thus we are friends. And true friendship does not diminish over five years or fifty for that matter. Even if I were to meet him fifty years from now I would still have the same fondness of a friend I met just yesterday. That it what it means to be a true friend, when you never forget the person and can go to any lengths to help them" said Sakura as Gaara pondered over what she had just told him.
"And as for the hug, it was just a friendly gesture" she said conversationally, "Everybody enjoys hugs"
"Is that so?" asked the Kazekage with a rising interest, nobody had ever hugged him before this except Naruto, and Temari once after he became Kazekage. He remembered feeling very happy when they had done, he had felt as if somebody cared for him for the first time in his life.
The two spent the next ten minutes in silence. "You should get some sleep" said Gaara, "If you insist on watching then I'll wake you up when it is our turn"
Sakura settled down between the wedge between two roots and comfortably burrowed a little depression for her, "You're probably right, pity we couldn't carry sleeping bags. But I guess this is a Jounin's lifestyle" she said before putting her hand over her mouth while yawning. Within five minutes she was peacefully sleeping against the tree. Gaara had always been jealous of others for their ability to sleep. But seeing Sakura's peaceful sleeping face he did not in the least mind. Looking up into the starry sky he noticed the moon was not visible from where he sat, he always stared at the moon at night. Not finding anything to do he turned his attention back to the sleeping kunoichi next to him. Time passed as he gazed upon her face. Perhaps she would have found it a bit creepy had she been awake but looking at her calmed Gaara somehow. A light breeze blew across her face and blew a strand of her pink hair onto her face. Initially trying to ignore it he found it obstructing her face in an annoying way and hesitantly held began inching his hand towards her face. Gently pulling it aside he tucked it in behind her year and froze as she shifting slightly between the roots and muttered something incomprehensible. Blushing furiously Gaara quickly withdrew his hand and took three steps away from her. "What am I doing? This is very much unlike me" he mentally scolded himself as time ticked away more. After hours of alternately staring at the ground and at Sakura, Kakashi hopped down from a tree and walked towards Gaara.
"It'll be dawn in about two hours, you two can take watch till then" he said quietly as Gaara nodded and advised the older man to get some rest as well.
He walked over to the sleeping kunoichi and placed a hand on her shoulder and gently shook her. Although he didn't manage to wake her she groaned irritably and frowned in her sleep. Gaara sighed before shaking her a little harder to which she slowly opened her eyes.
"It is time for our watch" explained Gaara quietly as Sakura stared indifferently at him for sometime before coming to senses and jumping up, "Yes of course, I'm so sorry" she said bowing.
"I fail to see why you're apologizing" said Gaara as Sakura rubbed her sleepy eyes.
"I...well...you shouldn't have had to wake me. As a shinobi of the Allied Forces I should have been alert" said Sakura.
"Think nothing of it. It was my duty as your friend was it not?" asked Gaara as Sakura's eyes widened.
"You did not think I was serious in your room when I said I would be your friend?" he asked as they approached the two roots upon which Temari and Shikamaru had previously been sitting.
"Well, no, it's not that I doubted you. But I rather thought you'd take some time getting used to it. But I suppose you've proved me wrong" she said giving him a bright smile.
"You do smile a lot" he muttered.
"My mother told me a smile is the easiest way out of a tough situation. Whenever I'm in trouble or in a slump I try to remember all the good things in life, my family, my friends, my mentors, anything that makes me happy. Eventually it lessens the pain and well, soothes the mind" she said wisely.
"But surely that does not work all the time. There many times when the pain is overwhelming or the suffering is unbearable. Thinking about paltry good things would not help in such situations" noted Gaara.
"Well, perhaps you're right. I wouldn't know. There's only twice in my life I've ever felt close to what you're describing." said Sakura, the expression on her face changing slowly. Suddenly she fell into what seemed like a little upset. This was not what Gaara had intended. Seeing the usually cheery girl upset seemed wrong to him. An idea came to his head as a cold wind blew through the forest. "Should I?" he thought before deciding he would for a change take up the initiative in their 'friendship' He strode over to her looking more confident than he felt and sat down beside her before pulling her into a tight one armed hug. Sakura gasped in surprise as his arm snaked around her waist and pulled her close to him.
"W-What...what are you doing?" she asked trying to pull herself away, but the Kazkeage's grip was tight on her waist.
"You seemed upset" was the only thing he said.
"No, I wasn't...well...maybe a little" she said morosely before shaking her head, "But you don't need to..."
"Does it make you feel uncomfortable?" asked Gaara in a dull voice and Sakura suspected she had hurt his sentiments. She stopped struggling and nearly giggled out loud as she saw a fine blush creep across Gaara's face. "With someone else it would just be creepy, but I guess...this is his way of showing...what?" thought Sakura, "That he's my friend? That he cares?"
"On the contrary, Gaara-Kun, it's very sweet of you" she said beaming at him as the red-head nodded and looked away. He loosened his arm to pull it away, "Hey, I'm not done being comforted yet" said Sakura in a mock 'annoyed' tone as Gaara's might green eyes stared at her bright ones for a moment before the corner's of Gaara's lips curled up a little.
When Temari got up in the morning to fetch water from the river, the sight she saw made her pinch herself hard on the arm to check if she was dreaming. Gaara was sitting with his arm around Sakura's shoulder as she slept with her head on his shoulder. Sensing her chakra he turned one eye to her silently asking her to keep shut. Temari merely gaped in silence for a little while before turning away. Unfortunately for Gaara whom she had her back to he did not see the devious smile growing on her lips and her brain mechanisms working at the speed of light.
There were many things Sasuke hated in life. Madara. Kabuto. Konoha. Danzou. Screaming fan girls. But the worst he had suffered so far was Suigetsu's and Karin's incessant bickering. In some mild way it reminded him of Sakura and Naruto back from his genin days. But it was still a hundred times worse.
"All I'm saying is that if ya don't want me around then don't interrupt me while I'm trying to get lucky" said Suigetsu swinging a large sword around. Now that the Kubikiribucho had been broken by the Raikage the Swordsman didn't have a powerful enough sword.
"Oh please, I saw the expression on that girl's face. She was just about to slap you. I thought I'd save her the torture of having to touch you" retorted Karin as Suigetsu growled angrily.
"Stay outta my business you Sasuke-obsessed hag" he yelled as Karin swung around, "What did you call me you smelly, sneaky, good-for-nothing creature"
"I called ya 'a Sasuke-obsessed hag', what, you deaf now along with being dumb?" said Suigetsu pleased at the reaction he was getting. He neatly dodged a rock that Karin threw at him with all her might.
"Suigetsu! Karin! That's enough!" shouted Sasuke turning around, "If the two of you have to argue all day long then get the hell away from me and do it"
Karin gazed desperately at Jugo for help as Sasuke glowered at Suigetsu who held up his hand in defense.
"We're all tired and cranky. Maybe we should find a good spot to rest and..." Jugo's peace attempt was broken off as Sasuke turned around, "You guys rest up. I want to scout the area"
"Wait Sasuke, I'll come with you" said Karin as Sasuke gave her the deadliest glare he could muster, "You will stay here with Jugo and Suigetsu until I return, get that into your head Karin" he said before jumping into the trees and disappearing.
The three of them trooped to a cave they found nearby and sat down.
"What's with him? Ever since we've left he's acting like he's got a huge stick up his ass" complained Suigetsu as Karin glared at him, "Maybe it's because the stick is your existence"
"Now, no, no need to get bitchy. I'm sure he's got a great ass but really, I don't swing that way." said Suigetsu as Karin picked up a branch to throw at him.
"His eyes are probably hurting" muttered Jugo as Suigetsu stopped teasing Karin and Karin put down the branch.
"That's probably it" she said, "I heard they're his brother's eyes. It seems almost cruel...to put the person he hates the most, a part of them into him"
"It's damned fucked up, that's what it is" said Suigetsu digging his sword into the ground and leaning himself on it.
"If you two realize that then maybe you should stop being so selfish and think about him for a change" scolded Jugo as Karin looked upset.
"No offense buddy, but we've done a lot for him. I didn't stand in the way of the damned Hachibi and get blown down to almost molecular level for him to yell and bitch at us. You didn't get yourself nearly beaten to death by the hulking gorilla of a Raikage for him to yell and bitch at us. I didn't get my Kubikiribucho destroyed for him to..."
"Aha! I knew it! You're cranky because you've lost that sword" said Karin as Suigetsu glared at her this time, "It's none of your beeswax and didn't your mother ever teach you it's rude to interrupt when two people are talking"
"Please you two" said Jugo as Suigetsu sent him an apologetic look and turned back to him, "As I was saying the three of us, even Ms. Prissy here, have done a lot for him, the least he can do for us is actually seem or at least pretend to be grateful"
"He freed us from captivity" said Karin quietly as Suigetsu sent her a sharp glance, "Well, yeah...he did. But look at what we've done for him. Joined the most infamous criminal organization ever, fought with a damned tailed beast, that too the second strongest one, infiltrated an international Five Kage Summit, fought the Raikage and the Samurai and we're now working with the guy who's over hundreds years old and another guy whose got that bastard Orochimaru's cells in him. I think we've paid him back well with interest" said Suigetsu as Jugo nodded.
"What you say is right Suigetsu, but what Karin says is also right. We have given a lot back to him but I shall always remain indebted to Sasuke for freeing me and I'll follow him forever even if he doesn't care about me"
Karin nodded as well as Suigetsu sighed, "Sheesh, you guys get me depressed with all this 'eternal debt of utmost gratitude' crap. Fine, fine, I'll stop making trouble, I'll stop complaining and I'll stop arguing. That okay with you?" he asked Karin who gave him a prim nod and pushed her glasses up her nose.
"We're Taka and we shall remain so till our life comes to an end" said Jugo.
"Do we have to?"
"Suigetsu!"
Well that's it for this chapter. Hope you guys liked it. School's starting from tomorrow so I don't think I'll be able to update quite as fast as now. Maybe Once a week? Please lemme know how you felt about the chapter. See you guys next time! I daresay I've made some changes. In this story Sasuke did not try to kill Karin to get to Danzou an Taka still functions. For all those who might not know Shibuki is not an OC, he's a character from the original Naruto OVAs.
