Soon everyone was in position and Masumi watched Kakashi grab the corner of the Forbidden tag. "We're ready when you are," Kakashi said. "We'll break in using the Button Hook Entry.

"Right," Chiyo nodded.

"I know," Naruto said.

"Yeah!" Sakura said ready to punch the boulder.

Masumi barked in agreement as she stood behind Sakura. Once the boulder was out of the way, Masumi would be the first to enter.

"Alright, everyone!" Guy said over the radio. "Remove the tags on the count of three! Here we go! One. Two. Three!"

Masumi watched Kakashi rip the tag off, "Sakura!"

"Right!" she said as she ran forward with Masumi running behind her.

Once the boulder broke into pieces, Masumi jumped through an opening. When the pieces finished falling, the others came in after Masumi.

There they saw Masumi growling and foaming at the mouth while looking at one Akatsuki member sitting on Gaara's body and the other standing nearby. "Now, which one's the Jinchuuriki?" The blonde one asked. Naruto became furious! His teeth grew sharper and his eyes turned red while the pupils turned to slits.

"You creeps! I'll kill the both of you!" He yelled. "You jerk! Where do you think you're sitting?!"

"No doubt about it. He's the Jinchuuriki. "The first one to yell and scream at you," huh?" The blonde one said. "Itachi's pretty good at describing people."

"GAARA!" Naruto yelled. "What're you doing sleeping leisurely in a place like that?! Stand up! Gaara! Hey, Gaara! Are you listening?! Knock it off!"

"That's enough Naruto!" Kakashi said. "You should know."

"That's right. You know, don't you? That he's already long dead," Deidara said. To prove his point, he tapped Gaara's face with the back of his hand a few times.

"Give him back," Naruto growled. "Give Gaara back, you jerks!" Naruto yelled as he began to run forward.

Masumi dashed back and blocked Naruto's way with her massive body. "Calm down, Naruto," she said. "I don't like this as much as you do."

"If you charge ahead without thinking, we'll be annihilated," Kakashi explained.

Team Kakashi watched the Akatsuki members closely.

"What is it, Sasori?" Deidara asked.

"I'll take him," Sasori said. "It seems that the Jinchuuriki wants to take him back, so…."

"It seems so," Deidara agreed. "Sasori, you'll probably get mad if I say this, but I'll take care of that Jinchuuriki." A malevolent smile grew across his features.

"Our mission is one Jinchuuriki each. Don't be getting all full of yourself, Deidara."

"An artist's passion starts to dull unless they seek greater stimulation, Sasori. The rumor is the Nine-Tailed Jinchuuriki is quite powerful. He's an opponent suitable for my art."

"What? You're calling those explosions of your's art? Art is something that beautifully remains extensively into the distant future. Eternal beauty is art!" Sasori of the Red Sand argued.

"Eternal beauty… is art?" Deidara said. "I do respect you as a fellow craftsman, Sasori. But art is a fleeting moment of beauty that vanishes gloriously."

"They are… fighting about art?" Masumi asked herself, looking back at Kakashi for a moment.

"What did you say…?" Sasori said to Deidara. "Deidara, it seems you don't understand what true art is."

"You're the one who doesn't understand."

"You jerks," Naruto growled lightly.

"No! Eternal beauty is true art."

"Don't be a fool. Art is an instant of beauty."

"Knock it off!" Naruto yelled as he pulled out a scroll and summoned a large shuriken, and jumped up over Masumi's body to threw it at Sasori. The shuriken flew towards Sasori, but a metal tail came out of nowhere and blocked it.

"Do you want to make me angry?"

"I just told you, it would probably make you angry, didn't I?" And they kept going.

"You know what happens when I get angry, don't you?" Sasori growled. "Don't you, Deidara?"

Deidara then slowly stood up and off of Gaara. "Art to me is a…" he paused for a moment to look down at his hand, "explosiveness itself!" He threw something white into the air and then a cloud of smoke filled the cave for a moment. A strange large white bird then appeared in front of everyone and landed next to the blonde ninja. "It's a far cry from your silly puppet shows!" The bird picked up Gaara's body. Sasori's metal tail shot towards Deidara, but he jumped up as his bird flew up higher. Deidara landed on top of the bird, "See you around, Sasori." The bird then seemed to half swallow Gaara's body only leaving part of his legs out of it's mouth. Deidara then flew out of the cave with Naruto running after him.

"Naruto!" Masumi and Kakashi yelled out as they ran out after him. Masumi kept running when Kakashi gave Sakura orders to stay and fight Sasori with Lady Chiyo. The three of them watched Deidara fly above them from on top of the gate in front of the dark cave while Kakashi radioed Guy for back up, only to find out that they were all caught up in a trap.

"GIVE GAARA BACK!" Naruto yelled up at Deidara.

"Looks like, I can't be wasting my time." Kakashi pulled up his headband and opened his Sharingan eye.

"Is it okay for you to be taking me on?" Deidara asked as he stood open the strange white bird. "Kakashi sensei of the Sharingan, I hate to say this, but… Sasori is stronger than I am probably. Our ideas of art are quite different, though."

"We noticed," Masumi grumbled as she stood along the round thin gate top. She had to stand with her body parallel to the gate's shape while her head faced Deidara. Her long fluffy tail swayed back and forth in the wind as she watched Deidara her lip curled back in a silent growl.

"It looks like they've started," Deidara said as he looked past them towards the cave. Kakashi and Naruto also looked back. "Is just that little girl and that old bag really up to the task of taking on Sasori?"

Masumi and Kakashi were both thinking the relatively same thoughts, Deidara wants a one-on-one fight with Naruto, but he defeated the Kazekage. It would be dangerous. "Go to Sakura, sensei, Masumi." Both Kakashi and Masumi looked at him surprised. "I'll save Gaara!" He yelled as he jumped into the air towards Deidara. Masumi's ears perked up and were alert as her eyes widened and she watched for a moment. Deidara guided his bird to move and Naruto ran into the cliff.

Deidara then threw another one of his birds towards Naruto, but Kakashi leapt forward and landed on the cliff before throwing a kunai at the bird sending it backwards a little bit. Deidara then made the bird explode. From within the smoke a kunai flew out and Kakashi easily deflected it. "It wouldn't be worthwhile if you were beaten that easily," Deidara said before Naruto popped back out of the cliff.

Masumi took her chance when he wasn't paying attention and jumped. Her front paws barely even scratched the side of the bird as Deidara dodged. She growled as she started to fall, but then she jumped in midair as if she had landed on something invisible that was floating in the air. She then slide and landed on the cliff side.

"I won't let you have Gaara no matter what!" Naruto growled. "I'm taking Gaara back!"

"You're sure a weird Jinchuuriki. I'd heard that Jinchuuriki were gloomy misanthropes. Not counting this guy, my comrades have defeated two Jinchuuriki. It seems not even one comrade or villager attempted to him them. In fact, it seems there were actually some people who were glad. Haha," Deidara laughed. "So you couldn't forsake someone pitiful and hated like you? Gaara died after the One-Tail was extracted. That will soon happen to you too!"

"I won't let that happen!" Masumi growled. Masumi jumped at him with such force the rocks under her paws broke. Her speed was incredible and she landed on the bird. She balanced herself as Deidara tried to throw her off. She dodged her kunai as she backed up towards the bird's head. She couldn't find an opening to move forward. Soon she was able step a few steps forward and claw at his chest before he backed her up even more steps until the bird threw her off and into the cliff.

She hit the cliff with a thud and a whine of pure pain. She clawed onto the wall, but was unable to hold on as she slipped downwards unable to concentrate after hitting her head. She fell backwards in a weird position as she fell towards the water.

"Masumi!" Kakashi yelled snapping her out of it as he watched her with horror. Her eyes snapped open as they turned a glowing red. She once again landed on nothing but air and jumped straight up slamming into the bird from below. After being hit, Deidara had the bird fly up higher. Masumi then dropped down and landed on the water watching him from above. Naruto and Kakashi jumped down as well to stand with her.

"Damn it," Naruto mumbled to himself. "You! Return Gaara to us!" Naruto once again yelled.

"It's only a matter of time before Sasori does away with the group inside," Deidara said as the bird finished swallowing Gaara. Deidara then began to fly off.

"You jerk! I won't let you get away," he began to run after him. "Hold it right there!"

"Naruto, wait a minute!" Kakashi yelled holding out his hand in front of him.

"Kakashi sensei, Masumi, go look after Sakura and Granny Chiyo!"

"Good grief," Kakashi growled.

"You don't order me around!" Masumi growled as she ran after him. Kakashi glanced back once at the cave before reluctantly running after the two.

As they ran, Kakashi radioed Guy again, "Guy, how are conditions over there?"

Yelling and the sound of heavy breathing filled the mic, "Sorry Kakashi, it looks like things will still take a while over here."

In front of them, trees lined the river's cliffs from one side to the other just like steps. Naruto was the first to jump up onto them, followed by a much faster Masumi who reached the top first with Kakashi behind them.

"There's no way I'm going to let you get away!" Naruto yelled.

"They're coming, aren't they?" Masumi heard Deidara say from above them as she ran and leapt after him. "Better keep up! And then I will settle matters properly."

"Hold it right there!" Naruto yelled. Deidara turned around a threw three small birds before giving them chakra and making the bigger. One flew at Naruto and is exploded close enough to him to send him fly off a bit.

"Naruto!" Masumi and Kakashi yelled. Masumi turned around as she watched Kakashi throw a kunai and hit one causing it to explode. Meanwhile, the last bird flew towards Masumi who dodged it. It then flew towards Kakashi and exploded creating a big puff of smoke.

"Kakashi sensei!" Naruto yelled. Masumi sniffed the air and calmed her nerves as Kakashi jumped out of the grey cloud.

"You jerk… wait!" Naruto yelled running off again.

"Naruto, wait!" Kakashi yelled. Masumi stopped somewhat scratching the tree she jumped onto as her paws slipped. Naruto ran past her and she only began running again when Kakashi caught up to her.

As they ran, Deidara sent two more tiny bombs to try and separate Masumi and Kakashi from Naruto.

"Masumi, you're faster than me, stay next to Naruto's side as best you can," Kakashi ordered. Masumi nodded her head and in a burst of speed she quickly caught up to Naruto's side.

"Naruto, stay close to me, even if you decide to run faster. Understand?" she growled.

"Yes, Masumi-sama," he said glancing at her, their red eyes meeting for a moment before the looked forward once again and continued leaping from one tree to the next.

Masumi's ears pointed behind her as she heard extremely loud crashes from where Sakura and Lady Chiyo were. "Kakashi, I don't know exactly what's going on, but the cave Sakura and Lady Chiyo are fighting at just collapsed. I think Sakura made it collapse," Masumi informed Kakashi.

"Kakashi sensei! You're too slow!" Naruto yelled. "We'll lose sight of him if we don't get a move on."

"It'll be okay," Kakashi insisted. "His next target is you, Naruto. He won't run off so far that he shakes us off completely."

"Then hurry up and tell me how to stop him!"

"Don't worry. I've got several strategies in mind. I'll need a little bit of time to prepare for that!"

"I can't wait around for that. I want to save Gaara right away!" The three continued to run when Deidara sped up even faster. "Damn it! Hold it!" Naruto yelled once again as he sped up. Masumi hurried her pace even faster.

"Naruto! Slow down!" Kakashi yelled.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi," Masumi mumbled. "I can't lose track of Naruto to stay with you," she whispered as she glanced back at his disappearing figure. Masumi looked up at Deidara's figure and glared. She couldn't allow him to separate them in the least.

Masumi's ears perked up as her eyes caught notice of small creatures fall from Deidara's bird. From behind her, she felt and heard the explosion. "Kakashi!" Masumi yelled stopping and turning around. He tried to run and jump past them, but the creatures were built for speed.

"Naruto! Hold on!" Kakashi yelled.

"You're too slow, Kakashi sensei. I'm going on ahead!" Masumi stopped for a moment unsure of what to do. Should she stay with Kakashi or should she stay with Naruto?

"Don't do anything reckless on your own!" Kakashi scolded.

"Yeah, I know!" Naruto yelled running off.

"Masumi, go with Naruto!"

"What?! I can't leave you! You aren't fast enough to outrun those things!" Masumi growled allowing Naruto to run even farther ahead.

"Masumi! Go after Naruto!" He yelled. Her ears pinned back to her head as she whimpered before turning and chasing after Naruto. Not but a minute after heard an in sync explosion and she stopped.

"Kakashi!" She yelled out. She stood there for a moment scanning the area. Kakashi flashed next to her and she smiled before taking off with him as fast as they could.

"Give Gaara back!" Naruto yelled and prepared to jump at Deidara.

Kakashi and Masumi flashed next to Naruto. Kakashi grabbed his shoulder. "Hold it."

"Kakashi sensei. Masumi-sama."

"Oh man, and I was totally convinced that you'd died," Deidara said floating above them.

"Sorry, it wasn't the real me that blew up. Next time, you'd better figure out how to get them to tell the difference between a real body and a shadow clone. If there's a next time, that is." Deidara once again flew up into the air.

"Hold it!" Naruto yelled.

"That goes for you too," Kakashi said gripping Naruto's shoulder. "It's okay. We'll definitely get Gaara back. So calm down. Listen up Naruto, you're not accustomed to that kind of enemy. Not only that, but he's a long-range type, the worst match for someone like you; who specializes in close-range battle. There are only two ways to defeat a long-distance user. One is to draw the enemy into a close-range fight and defeat them. The other is to outdo the enemy with a long-distance attack and defeat them."

"But how do we do that?" Naruto asked.

"No matter which method you use, your unit needs either a comrade who specializes in long-range attacks or one who can use support ninjutsu for long-range battles. In the event of having neither, it's impossible to defeat the enemy. Well, it'd be different if you were as smart as Shikamaru, though."

"Stop beating around the bush! If that's the case, then what about you Kakashi sensei? Or Masumi-sama?"

"Oh… me, huh? A Jonin who's as smart as Shikamaru and possesses support ninjutsu for long-range battles."

"Then we've got what we need!"

"That's why I told you to calm down," Kakashi told Naruto.

"Then we should get right to it!"

"It won't work out that easily. He won't leave himself open if we just chase him around. He infiltrated the Hidden Sand by himself and defeated Gaara, and most important… he's a member of the Akatsuki. Then what do we do? All we can do is create an opening from our end. Together," Kakashi said as they all looked up to see deidara start to fly off again. "If you were able to catch on to what I said, then lend me your ear. I'll tell you the plan."

Once Kakashi explained the plan, they set off again. Once Naruto confirmed he understood, Kakashi and Masumi concentrated their chakra. They continued to run for a while before Naruto asked if they were ready.

"Hold your horses, I don't have as much chakra as you, after all," Kakashi said still concentrating. "It's going to take time."

"Masumi-sama?" Naruto asked.

"Almost, Naruto. I still need a few more minutes," Masumi said as she inhaled deeply a few times. As she concentrated she heard another huge explosion, her ears pointed backwards to listen more before she inhaled and gasped at the same time. "Kakashi, I can smell Sakura's blood, and a good amount of it," she informed.

"What?" Kakashi said opening his eyes and looking at her. "Masumi, go back to them immediately!"

"Understood," Masumi leaped forward and landed on another branch before shooting off of it and heading back with amazing speed. Her body flashed from one branch to the next, her body invisible as she flew through the air.

"I hit a vital region. She'll soon be dead even without poison. She's lost too much blood. Since you're also a medical ninja, I aimed for a spot you can't easily heal." Sasori said as Masumi appeared in front of the collapsed cave. She flash stepped next to Lady Chiyo and Sakura.

"Sakura," Masumi said laying down next to her.

"I've already finished first-air treatment with medical ninjutsu. What I'm doing right now isn't medical ninjutsu," Lady Chiyo informed. "I'm giving her my own life energy."

"Lady Chiyo!"

"Don't tell me…" Sasori began.

"It's a reanimation ninjutsu!"

"A reanimation ninjutsu," Sasori mumbled. Masumi sat up and placed her head against Sakura's back. Masumi closed her eyes for a moment before reopening them. Her eyes were now glowing an earth green as she herself sent Sakura healing chakra to help take some of the burden off of Granny Chiyo.

"It's a jutsu I spent years creating originally for you, one only I can use," Chiyo said as Sakura's eyes began to flutter open. "With this jutsu, life can even be breathed into puppets. For the life of the caster that is. But in hindsight, it's a dream that won't be realized."

Sakura watched Lady chiyo as Sasori stood thinking. "How stupid," he said. "When did you grow senile, Grandma?"

Masumi felt sakura begin to get up and pulled her head back. "Sakura, are you okay?" Lady Chiyo asked.

"Yes," Sakura answered. "What about you, Granny Chiyo?"

"That's strange. I thought the caster of that reanimation ninjutsu, or whatever, was supposed to die in exchange for breathing life into someone dead," Sasori said.

"Sakura's wound was severe, but she wasn't dead. So I got off without serious injury."

"That's unfortunate," Sasori smirked. Sakura quickly stood up and punched him in the face. "I'd stop that. This body doesn't even feel pain," he said, but Sakura just glared at him with all she had as she breathed heavily. "The more you hit me, the greater the pain in your fist. "Women sure like to do stuff that's pointless. I won't feel anything even if my blood-related grandmother should die. My heart is just like this body. Up until now I've killed hundreds, thousands of people." Sakura and Masumi shook with anger as they listened to him. Masumi stood up and arched her back as her lip drew back in a silent growl. "She'd be the same as one of them. Things are simpler that way."

"Just what do you think a person's life is to you?!" Sakura yelled. "What do you think a relative is to you?!"

"Come on… is that what a shinobi should be saying?"

Sakura gasped, "Why? Why can you only think like that?

"Sakura… that's enough," Lady Chiyo said in a weak voice.

"But…!"

"It was the evil customs and teachings of the Hidden Sand Village that made him what he is."

"Granny Chiyo."

"Do you want to have a body like this?" Sasori asked. "If you did, you'd probably somewhat understand what I'm talking about. This body won't decay and it's not bound to a span of life. A puppet can be recreated over and over again. I can create as many people as I want with puppets. If you want, that is.… It's not just about increasing the amount. A collection is all about quality."

"What the hell are you?!" Sakura growled.

"I'd venture to say I'm a human who couldn't completely become a puppet. I'm a puppet but an incomplete puppet possessing a living core. I'm not a person, nor am I a puppet. I'll soon stop moving. Before that, I think I'll do something pointless…. It's your reward for defeating me. you wanted to know about Orochimaru, right?" Masumi's eyes looked at Sakura as she gasped. "At midday in ten days, go to the tenchi Bridge located in the Village Hidden in the Grass."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

"I've got a spy working as one of orochimaru's subordinates. I was supposed to rendezvous... with him… there…." He said his puppet body clicking a few times before his weak voice faded away. Masumi allowed her muscles to relax.

"It's over, Granny Chiyo," Sakura said as she turned to the old woman. "Excellent work." Masumi watched as the broken woman looked at the three puppets now lying "dead" on the ground.

"No. I was the one who should've been defeated."

"What?" Sakura asked.

"Sasori read my final attack. but for some reason, he didn't dodge it. A slight opening was revealed."

"Could it be that he…?" Sakura started. The three women watched over Sasori's puppet body for a few minutes.

"So, Masumi, why are you here?" Sakura asked.

"I scented your blood Sakura, and Kakashi sent me back to help you. Sakura come here," Masumi said as she sat down. Sakura stood in front of Masumi's body that, even when she was sitting, reached above her. Masumi tilted her head down and rested her forehead against Sakura's. "Hold still," she commanded. Sakura watched as Masumi closed her eyes for a moment before opening them to reveal her glowing green eyes. Sakura was a little startled, having not seen it earlier, but held still. Sakura could feel her energy returning as Masumi looked to freeze completely, even her breathing seemed to pause.

Once Masumi was done, she pulled away and her eyes dimmed back to their original color. Sakura then made her way to the entrance of the collapsed cave. Behind them Lady Chiyo fell to her knees. Masumi looked back, "Lady Chiyo!" She jumped over to her side with Sakura right behind her.

"Granny Chiyo!" Sakura pulled off her glove and held Lady Chiyo's arm. "I'll heal you now." Masumi figured out that the antidotes Sakura made were probably both used. "Let's head back to the village," Sakura said. "I'll make another antidote immediately."

"No," Granny Chiyo mumbled in a weak and pained voice.

"Why? We've finished what we were supposed to do. We need to return to the village and neutralize the poison immediately."

Lady Chiyo breathed heavily, "More importantly, I've still got something I must do."

Masumi looked to the sky and leaped to the top of the collapsed cave's cliff. She tilted her head back and released a howl that lasted ten seconds long. In the far distance, Kakashi looked back, hearing her howl and counting how long it lasted.

"Masumi, Sakura, and Lady Chiyo should be alright for the time being, Naruto."

"How do you know, Kakashi sensei?" Naruto asked.

"I've spent many years with Masumi, and I know what her different howls mean. By the length of the howl, the different pitches in her howls, and so forth. That's just how's it's been after she taught me how to read her howls," Kakashi explained.

Masumi then listened for a moment before she heard a five second long whistle. She smiled a toothy grin and her tails swished back and forth a little lazily. Masumi then jumped down and landed next to Sakura and Lady Chiyo.

"What was that Masumi-sama?" Sakura asked.

"It's how Kakashi and I communicate," Masumi explained. "I'm glad he remembered even after all these years," she said wagging her tail a bit and smiling in her wolf form. "Alright, let's go after Kakashi and Naruto."

"Right!" Sakura said.

The three women set off. Masumi was running in the front with Sakura behind her and Lady Chiyo in the back. Once they reached the branches, Lady Chiyo jumped up but began to fall back. Sakura quickly ran over to her and caught her hand before she could fall. "Granny Chiyo!" Sakura said as she pulled her up on the thick branch. She breathed heavily as Sakura rested her hand on her back.

"Maybe it would be easier if you both rode on my back," Masumi suggested.

"I'm sorry," Lady Chiyo said as Sakura helped her stand and Masumi laid down allowing Lady Chiyo to get on her back first before Sakura jumped on.

"Hold on tight and rest for now," Masumi said as she stood up, bent down, and jumped forward with incredible speed and strength. "We need to catch up as quickly as we can, this will be faster," Masumi said as she increased her speed to flash stepping from one branch to another twenty ahead of them. 'Don't worry, Kakashi. I'm on my way,' Masumi thought to herself willing her body to go faster.