Chapter 4: What the Hell is Going On?

The two looked down on the entire town of bounty hunters… one of them being a former bounty knew the tricks and was expecting it, the other is edgy during the night of the full moon and didn't trust them from the start.

"There's looks to be 100 of them." said Gaara taking out the cork of his gourd, "So… 50/50?"

Zoro just smirked… then he revealed something to them, that they thought no one knew… they were a part of Baroque Works, a secret organization, in fact during his bounty hunting days Zoro was asked to join… but turned it down.

"He knows about our organization…" said Igrapoi in fear.

"Zoro…" said Gaara who's was twitching, "When were you going to tell me you knew who they were?"

"Sorry…" said Zoro with a laugh.

Then the two seemingly disappeared from the site of the bounty hunters.

"Where did they go!" yelled one of the bounty hunters.

Zoro appeared in the middle of the group.

"So wanna fight?" he said.

Most of the bounty hunters began to shoot at him… however all bullets were stopped by floating walls of sand. Behind that wall of sand Zoro was no longer there but Gaara was.

"When the moon is full it's blood lust leaks though…" said Gaara, "Of all nights… we could have came… it was perfect it was this night…"

The sand that protected him fell to the ground and went to the shooter and began to squeeze their legs, causing them to scream in pain, until there were loud cracks and the retreated leaving them with mangled legs.

"The more you do… the more you get… even death…" said Gaara.

Gaara then disappeared in a cloud of sand.

Meanwhile Zoro had almost tricked most of the town to almost shoot the mayor… however he shot the town before he could get to them… not too far away the two hid form the town.

"So…" said Zoro, "You can teleport?"

"No it's a high speed Jutsu that makes it looks like we're teleporting." said Gaara.

Zoro nodded, "You know this is the perfect chance to test my new swords." said Zoro with a smirk.

"Good for you…" said Gaara giving the thumbs up.

"You seem in a better mood than earlier…" said Zoro wit ha sweat drop.

"It's best you don't ask…" said Gaara.

"They are!" yelled a voice the rooftop who had a gun.

Both dodged in different directions, for this fight, Zoro went inside the nearest building While Gaara "teleported" to the rooftop.

Elsewhere on the island, the members of the Akatsuki, managed to climb themselves to shore.

"Really Pein? The ocean?" said Konan.

"I had no idea we would land in the ocean…" said Pein, "Kisame, I need you to see what the two can do…"

"Why me?" asked Kisame.

"We're all cold and wet." said Deidara.

"Can't someone else help like Hidan or Tobi?" said Kisame.

"If I am not going to kill anyone it would be pointless..." said Hidan.

"So cold… so very, very cold…" said Tobi shivering.

"Fine…" said Kisame no knowing why he was the only one who was able to go… he wasn't only one effected by landing in the freezing cold ocean (and wasn't in a weird religion)… but that didn't make him any less pissed.

On the rooftop with Gaara… the bounty hunters aimed their guns at him.

"Are you sure that's a wise idea… remember what happened last time." said Gaara.

All of them froze… "Did you eat some sort of Devil Fruit?" asked one of the bounty hunters.

"I wish I did…" said Gaara, "No… the price I pay for this power is so much greater then never being able to swim again… No the price for the power is never being able to sleep without putting everyone I care about, everyone near me in gave danger."

All the bounty hunters seemed as the sand engulfed all of them.

"What you're doing is just making it worse… the more you hurt us more we're going to your crewmates…" said one of the men.

Gaara glared at the man then used his sand to crush the man to death.

"Do any of you think the same thing?" asked Gaara glaring at them.

There was a silence followed by several cracks sounds and screams, the sand retreated leaving several mangled limbs…

"You're lucky it's not your lives…." said Gaara calmly walking away, that's when a someone jumped from behind him with a sword trying to strike him… however the sand stopped the sword.

"What!" yelled the bounty hunter.

"The sand moves on it's own accord to protect me... it's an ultimate defense…" said Gaara, "You have to come up with more ways to get passed it…"

A wave of sand threw the man into the wall… The other Bounty Hunters that came to the aid of the recently disabled heard what Gaara had said.

"How can… can the sand move on it's own accord?" said woman.

"You don't want to know…" said Gaara, who sent out yet another wave of sand to slammed the other bounty hunters into walls and off the building, "None of you are strong enough to face me…"

That's when there was a loud crack sound.

"Looks like Zoro might need my help." He said with a smirk.

At the hill of one of the Cactus like mountains Jiraiya finally woke up, "What happened?" he said.

Then he remembered what happened.

(Flashback)

Jiraiya in a boat landed surprisingly on a cactus like mountain.

"What the!" yelled Jiraiya.

That's when the boat when down the hill very quickly crashing to various cross shaped tomb stones and casing a huge crash… and leaving him barely concouis.

(End of Flashback)

"If memory serves… if the user is thinking of a particular person then the user will be sent to a near by place…" thought Jiraiya, "That means that they must be somewhere on the island."

Here heard several crashes, "I don't sense any Chakra so I don't think that's the Akatsuki." He said, "But I should check it out anyways."

Jiraiya headed towards where the crashes were coming from.

Meanwhile Gaara appeared next to Zoro who had some sort of head injury but was other side fine.

"So your fine…" said Gaara raising one of his none existent eyebrows.

"Yeah… and you don't have a mark on you." said Zoro.

"I've never been injured in my life." said Gaara.

"That's hard to believe…" said Zoro, "So…"

"There's only a few left… I have and idea… you handle them, I'll guard the others incase they decided to hold some hostage and maybe explain what's going on if they wake up." said Gaara.

"That's fine with me." said Zoro with a smirk.

Gaara decided to walk over to the house where others were asleep/ unconscious from being drunk, it would help clear his head… it had spilled enough blood tonight and was he was able to control it's urges… he had killed a couple people and probably permanently crippled more than that… it was good until the next full moon.

"Judging by the rings around your eyes and the gourd made out of sand on your back I have to say your Gaara." said a voice.

Gaara saw a figure on the nearby building… it was wearing a black cloak with red clouds and on it back was rather large sword that was extremely strange and look spiky rather flat like a normal sword... what's more it appeared to be a fishman.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" asked Gaara.

"My name is Hoshigaki Kisame… and my group has been searching for you for a very long time… holder of the Ichibi no Shukaku…"

Gaara froze, "How does he know about Shukaku?" thought Gaara.

"So your wondering how I know about Shukaku… I bet I know more about you than you do…" said Kisame.

"How do you know about these things?" asked Gaara with he sand leaving his gourd and began to float around him wildly.

"You really want to know." said Kisame with a smirk.

Kisame jumped down from the roof and slice the air around Gaara… the sand fell limply around him.

"What did you just do!" yelled Gaara.

"My sword Shark Skin, absorbs Chakra then devours it!" said Kisame, "Right now you can't control your sand on your own…"

"You use Ninjutsu?" asked Gaara.

"You have no idea…" said Kisame with a smirk he was about to slice Gaara with his sword but the sand protected him.

"So Shukaku's Chakra is still protecting you." said Kisame, "But that won't matter when I get though with you…"

Gaara had no idea what to do… he disappeared in a cloud of sand, and reappeared near the port.

"I hope everyone's okay…" thought Gaara, "I'm sure no one will get captured…"

At that very moment, Luffy who was more of a rubber ball than man and still asleep was being held hostage by Ms. Wednesday placing a sword near him… Zoro's arm was currently tied by Mr. 9.

"I'm going to figure out a way to kill Gaara…" thought Zoro.

Meanwhile Naruto felt some sort of weird pulse that woke up him up… immediately he knew what did it, "Damn fox…" he muttered.

He woke up to find Nami up and going though some things.

"Hey what are you doing?" asked Naruto.

"Didn't you think it was suspicious that the town welcomed pirates?" asked Nami.

"Not really…" said Naruto.

"No wonder your Luffy's best friend… your just as dense as he is…" thought Nami with a sweat drop, "The town welcomed pirates it's clearly a Bounty Hunter Den."

"That makes sense…" said Naruto, "It's a good thing it's the full moon… those poor bounty hunters… Gaara's going to kill some of them…"

"What makes him like this during the full moon?" asked Nami.

Naruto seemed to freeze up, "We decided to wait a few more weeks before telling you guys about that… or if something causes Gaara to sleep… which ever comes first…" said Naruto.

"I see…" said Nami with a sweat drop, "Luffy knows, right?"

"Yeah… Luffy knows…" said Naruto.

"Say Naruto…" said Nami, "I'm planning to looking though most of the houses… would you please be my body guard…"

"I have nothing better else to do…" said Naruto with a shrug.

Back with Gaara, he began to see if he could control his sand again.

"Good I recovered…" he said.

"So you can control your sand again." said a voice.

Gaara looked up and saw Kisame on top of the building.

"I can!" said Gaara.

"Not for long." said Kisame who began to perform hand sign… a wave came from the pier and splashed Gaara… to such and extent that his gourd began to melt.

"How is that possible…." Said Gaara, "Even with normal water, my gourd is stronger than that!"

"I used my Chakra to enhance it…" said Kisame.

Gaara stood in fear… nothing like this has ever happened…

Elsewhere Jiraiya was walking around town.

"Great… just where am I supposed to find them…" said Jiraiya.

He saw some people looked to be fighting then used his ninja skills to hide… he watched as one of the fighters picked his nose… and threw the booger which exploded.

"This world is missed up…" mumbled Jiraiya.

Not too far away Zoro had managed to defeat the Baroque Works Agents and now was watching a fight between the agents… something about Igrapoi's real named being Igaram and Ms. Wednesday being a Princess named Vivi… he then notice Luffy's still asleep and dragged him out it, he was grabbed… well… the Mayor (what ever is name was) who begging him to escort Ms. Wednesday really named Princess Vivi.

Not far away from that Nami and Naruto were talking while going though buildings.

"So… how come you're not drunk anymore?" asked Nami, "Or were you pretending like I was?"

"You know my healing, the booze already left my system." said Naruto.

"I see…" said Nami.

"Please… protect the princess…" said a voice, "You shall be rewarded handsomely."

"Stop it!" they heard Zoro say.

An unseen cash register was heard.

"This way Naruto!" said Nami.

"Why do I have a bad feeling…" sighed Naruto.

They left the building they were in and Nami said "How handsomely?"

Both Zoro and Igaram looked up and saw Nami who had a look on her face saying "Jackpot!" and Naruto who had a look on his face saying "I shouldn't have come."

"We'll do it for a Billion Berries." said Nami.

"Nami!" yelled Zoro.

"Oh god…" muttered Naruto.

Nami jumped down followed by Naruto climbing the stairs… Nami began to negotiate… Naruto and Zoro tuned her out.

"Hey Naruto do you know where Gaara is?" asked Zoro.

"No why?" said Naruto.

"He was supposed to keep guard to make sure no one was kidnapped while you slept... but he isn't doing his job." said Zoro pointing to the sleeping Luffy.

"That's strange…" said Naruto, "Gaara's pretty much my brother… if he said he was going to protect us, he would… I wonder if something happened to him… Probably not… I mean… Gaara can't be hurt…"

Naruto felt another strange pulse…

"Hey you alright?" asked Zoro.

"I'm fine… I guess… I still haven't recovered fully…" said Naruto lying a bit.

He went ot sit down and meditate… but Naruto didn't do a normal meditation… no it was something different… he was going to into his mind… that resembled a strange sewer, he went though a chamber where a great cage stood… in side was a strange beast… a giant fox with 9 tails.

"Yo fox! What are you doing?" yelled Naruto.

"Your friend Gaara is in danger tonight while you slept I felt strange Chakra pulses I have never felt before…" said the giant fox.

"Sure you did…" said Naruto.

"Kit! Find your friend as soon as you can… if you don't, your next!" said the beat.

"Yeah, yeah…" said Naruto who disappeared from the cage.

"Whether it's tonight or tomorrow… he learn the truth…" said the giant fox, "I hope he accidentally lets me out… it will be so much fun…"

Outside his body Naruto finally woke up, he noticed Zoro was gone.

"Where's Zoro?" asked Naruto.

"He's going to help the Princess… I just reminded him of his debt…" said Nami.

"What debt?" asked Naruto.

"Remember in Rouge Town…" said Nami who began to tell story on how Zoro paid her back the same day but now owed 300 percent interest.

"Nami… that's evil…" said Naruto, "And I've some pretty evil things in my life…"

"Thank you, we owe you a great debt…" said Igaram, "If only I was stronger then I could p0rtect the Princess."

"Don't worry, Zoro's as strong an ox…" said Nami.

"Your evil…" mumbled Naruto.

"She as to live… if she dies… our Kingdom will fall." said Igaram.

Not too far away Jiraiya from his hiding place saw Naruto.

"So it's him… and he's all right for now." thought Jiraiya who chuckled, "He looks so much like Minato… You'd swear they were twins if it weren't for the whisker marks."

He then saw Nami… and there was a very different reaction , "Oh man who's that? She's hot! She's perfect! And she seems to be on good terms with Naruto… I have to talk to her later!" he said aloud.

Back with Nami, Naruto and Igaram they were talking about Baroque Works.

"So wait… you saying that you don't know what they don't know what the leader looks like that's insane!" yelled Naruto.

"Their goal is to create a utopia… and those that help will get high positions in that utopia…" said Igaram.

"I see…" said Nami.

"Makes sense to me." said Naruto.

"The leader is named Mr. 0 while the lower the number is the higher their position and the more powerful they are." said Igaram, "The ones blow 5… their power is immense…"

"In that case… I'm going to look for Zoro, Luffy and Gaara." said Naruto.

"What why?" asked Nami

"You heard him… their power is immense…" said Naruto.

"Wait isn't Luffy…" said Nami who saw Luffy was gone.

"I think we walked off." said Naruto, "Oh and by the way, you're helping me…"

"What… there's no way…" said Nami.

"Sexy Jutsu: Nami Style!" said Naruto transforming into a naked version of Nami, "If you don't I'm going to use this jutsu, have someone take a picture and then give it to Sanji."

"What? How dare you?" said Nami.

Naruto changed, back… "So it's your choice…" said Naruto.

Nami growled, "Fine…" she said.

Not too far away Jiraiya was speechless… "I have to talk to Naruto about that!" he yelled.

Back with Gaara he continued to run away from Kisame, until his sand dried he was defenseless… for the first time in his life he was defense less… unless he came across a small amount of sand he was defenseless.

"This is actually kind of fun…" thought Kisame, "Soon…"

Meanwhile Nami and Naruto scratched for anyone who wasn't knocked out or asleep… that's when they came across Luffy and Zoro fighting for some reason.

"Oh man…" sighed Nami, "Who wants to bet this is caused by a misunderstanding caused by Luffy?"

"I'm not willing to bet on that…" sighed Naruto.

Nami walked over to the two and punched them in the face… "Enough!" she yelled.

Naruto sighed and saw that Vivi was okay (and also riding a giant duck she apparently owned named Carue).

"At least your okay!" said Naruto, "Don't mind them… we're here to save you…"

"You're helping me?" asked Vivi.

"Hey that's a cool duck…" said Naruto who noticed her duck.

"Thanks?" said Vivi.

"That's right… let's negotiate." said Nami picking Luffy and Zoro up, who were now acting like children.

Naruto sighed… "You're evil… I hope I'll never have to barrow money from you… ever…" he said.

"Negotiate?" asked Vivi.

"Stop fighting!" yelled Nami as she slammed the two into the ground.

That's when there was a scream… a man's scream… one that Naruto recognized.

"That was Gaara…" said Naruto who appeared to be shaking for some reason, "He's in pain…"

Luffy got up and knew it was true, "That's impossible!" yelled Luffy.

Both ran off to where the scream came from.

"What the!" yelled Zoro getting up, "Let's go see what's going on! You're coming too Princess…"

"Wait why?" said Vivi.

"Don't worry… we're on your side…" said Nami.

And the three of them as well as Carue the duck followed the two.

Naruto and Luffy arrived with Gaara holding his arm in pain, the skin on his arm appeared to be cut up badly.

"Gaara are you okay…" said Naruto.

"What did this to you?" asked Luffy.

"Him." said Gaara pointing to Kisame, "He can use jutsus… that why I can't use my sand… he gotten it all wet."

"No way…" said Luffy.

Kisame got a good look at Naruto.

"So you're Namikaze Naruto…" said Kisame.

"How do you know my name?" asked Naruto.

"I know a lot about you… and just like your friend's demon, and I'm also after the Kyubi no Yoko." said Kisame.

"What!" yelled Luffy.

"How do you know about the Kyubi? Only my family and Luffy knows about the Kyubi!" yelled Naruto.

"I have my ways…" said Kisame.

"Luffy… get Gaara out of here!" said Naruto.

"Okay!" said Luffy, "Can you get up?"

Gaara nodded and got up.

"Okay…" said Naruto, "Let's fight!"

Kisame smirked and used Shark Skin to swipe the air… Naruto seemed to be paralyzed.

"I can't move…" said Naruto.

"You two are so weak… I only came to test your abilities… if everyone else knew you two were so weak then they would have gladly helped me…" said Kisame.

"Okay! I'm fighting him!" yelled Luffy.

"You don't make me laugh! You can't even use Jutsus. But it might be fun taking you out…" said Kisame.

He ran in front of Luffy want was about to swipe him with his sword… however a Toad wearing armor proofed into existence right in front of Luffy blocking the sword.

"Naruto…" said Luffy with a sweat drop.

"Wasn't me…" said Naruto.

"Well, well… what do we have here?" said a voice.

Jiraiya walked in from the shadows of some buildings.

"Jiraiya… so you knew…" said Kisame.

"Of course I knew… you know how long I've been watching The Akatsuki… you shouldn't really be surprised…" said Jiraiya.

"Okay… I'm lost…" said Luffy.

"Me too…" said Naruto and Gaara at the same time.

Kisame jumped away from the toad.

"We will get the two… you can't protect them forever…" said Kisame who then disappeared.

"I made it just in time…" said Jiraiya.

Naruto found he could move again… "I can move again."

"That's good… normally it takes a few hours for some regain the Chakra they lost from that sword." said Jiraiya.

"Hey you okay!" said Nami.

They turned to find Nami, Zoro and Vivi who dismounted Carue.

"Who's the old guy?" asked Zoro.

"Who am I?" asked Jiraiya who began some sort of weird dance, "From the north, to the south, to the east and to the west everyone knows of the Great Toad Mountain Sage! Jiraiya!"

There was a silence as everyone stared at him.

"Okay…" said Nami.

"That was weird…" said Gaara.

Then Naruto remembered something, "Hey! Aren't you my pen pal?"

"Sure am… UI told we were going to meet soon!" said Jiraiya.

"Oh yeah must have forgot…" said Naruto.

"Oh I just remembered!" yelled Luffy.

He ran over to Zoro and the two began to fight like children…

"Honestly!" yelled Nami who stopped them and picked them up again, "We have a job to do…"

Meanwhile with the other Akatsuki members, Kisame showed up.

"Well I have good news and bad news…" said Kisame.

"What?" asked Pein.

"The good news is that appears that both Naruto and Gaara appear to be weak in jutsu." said Kisame.

"And what's the bad news?" asked Itachi.

"Jiraiya is here…" said Kisame.

"It's possible that one of them signed the Toad Summoning contract and became his pen pal…" said Pein, "Even it's not true… with him here… things are bit more complicated."

With the arrival of The Akatsuki, Jiraiya, a Princess and Baroque works… things are about to get very complicated for the Straw Hats.

Next Time: Vivi tells about the plight of her country... but that's nothing compared to the story of the Lost 4... the tale of 4 infants kidnapped from their homes and sent to another world... What are their connection to the Straw Hats? Find out next time!