Chapter 6 – Suna

"Temari! Go patrol the outer walls with Kankoru!" Baki shouted from one of the nearby villages.

Temari was currently just walking through the village with a stern grimace on her face. Her father made her clean up after one of Gaara's… outburst. Kankoru, that lucky bastard, managed to weasel his way out of the work. Oh, Temari wasn't going to make peace with that.

She stopped with a grunt and turned on her heel to nod at her sensei who was glaring down at her, half his face covered by a cloth. He wasn't a very attractive man, but he had respect in this village, despite being the sensei for the monster that was her brother.

"Yes, Sensei!" She called back and then took off running towards her brother's puppet workshop. "Oh, Kankoru, you will pay." She whispered with venom under her breath as her eyes narrowed in anger.

It only took her a few minutes to arrive at the rundown workshop. The shack wasn't much, but it held the puppets that once belonged to Suna's greatest puppet masters. Kankoru's dream was to be as great as the Puppet master known as Red Sand.

Temari nearly wanted to burn the shack to the ground because of what he made her do alone, but decided against it. She was mad, but she wasn't that mad.

Temari viciously tore the curtains that served as a door aside and glared at her brother who was lazily lying on his make-shift bed twirling a ball in his hands. She barged in and stopped by his bedside, breathing heavily.

"Kankoru…" She growled.

Kankoru looked up at his sister with a half lidded gaze only to soon regret it when a hand came within inches from his face how to react to a sister who barges in without much of a warning as to what you did; beg for forgiveness for whatever it was you did.

"I'm sorry I left your undergarments on the table while the Jounin instructors came over for a meeting!" Kankoru pleaded

"I'm here because you left me to clean up that whole mess alone you-" She paused "You WHAT!"

Kankoru wouldn't be leaving his room for what seemed to be hours his room would take longer to rebuild than it would take for his bones to heal

Before she had the opportunity to deal the final blow, which Kankoru was more than happy to dodge, a chunnin whose task was to inform the kunoichi of possible tasks and possible threats on the village knocked on the door with information regarding a boy heading for the city walls


Alright, Kit, we're nearly there. Kyuubi said, sensing the presence of hundreds of souls in rough estimate that can only be described as a village.

"How. Much. Further?" Naruto panted out.

He looked worse for wear as he was dragging his feet through the sea of sand. He was sure that every part of his body was sticky with sweat and itchy with sand. His breathing was ragged due to the mask covering his mouth and nose. PawPaw had made sure air could enter and exit through the fabric, but she forgot to make sure it didn't include sand! The extra weights didn't help all that much either!

Not much now, Kit. Lift you head and look for yourself.

Naruto groaned and slowly lifted his head and saw nothing but swirls and mountains of sand. He had to rub his eyes and look closer and say the outline of the village. He could've cried with joy once he saw it.

His adrenaline kicked in and he bolted faster then a kunai being thrown in battle towards the village.

Naruto was nearing the village at an incredible rate. Images of ramen stands, beds and food flooded his thought as he ran, making him increase his speed all the more. He couldn't wait to sink his teeth into a good meaty meal and slip into a nice warm bed. Sleeping on the ground and eating what's around you was common for a ninja, but that didn't mean they didn't appreciate the luxury of beds and restaurants.

He could see it clearly now. Only a few more minutes…

Kit, Stop! Kyuubi roared, making Naruto halt instantly. He glided over the sand trying to break, sending a big cloud to surround him.

"What is it, now?" Naruto coughed and waved his hand in front of his face to clear away the dust and sand.

There's a bad presence inside that village… I could sense that it is a Jinchuuriki.

"A Jinchuuriki? Do you mean he's like… me?" Naruto stared at the village with wide eyes and wondered if this person was being treated just like he was.

No, he has it worse. I can tell that his beast is the weakest of us, the one-tailed, otherwise known as Shukaku. His seal isn't strong and the beast has easy access to the boy.

Isn't that good? I mean you have easy access to me and I'm just fine.

Shukaku is… for lack of better words, insane. She doesn't like the fact that she is the weakest one of all tailed-beast and seeks to destroy everything to prove her strength. It's pathetic.

So, the boy is being controlled by this beast?

I can only tell you the gender and the beast. I can't sense more than that in my current state.

Naruto grunted and then started to walk towards the village. "Then I will have to help him."

Kit, do you think that's wise?

"If he has it worse than what I did then it's my job to help him. I'm not going to turn my back on someone like me. Naruto Uzumaki will never turn his back on someone who needed his help and neither would Fokkusu Tandoku." Naruto walked with determination towards the village, his eyes glared at the walls as his mind played back memories of his lonesome childhood. "Never."

Very well, Kit, very well.


"Do you see him?" Temari asked her brother as she looked out over the sea of sand. She's grown use to seeing the swirls and whirlwinds of sand that surrounded her village, but she still found comfort and beauty within it.

Kankoru groaned as he cradled his bandaged head. Temari really did a number on his body and had to get most of him bandaged. "No."

Temari rolled her eyes and glared at her brother. "You're no help."

"I wonder why. I mean, I only got pumbled by my very pissed off sister." Kankoru pouted.

Temari narrowed her eyes and made sure to show her vicious flames through the slits that were her eyes. "Do you want a rematch?" She laced her voice with venom and a sickly sweetness.

Kankoru shuddered and shrunk back. "N-no thank you… You're very pretty today!" He took a few hasty steps to the side and turned his head towards the desert.

Temari humphed and turned towards the desert as well, her face twisted into a nasty smirk. "Coward."

Silence fell over the pair as they studied the grounds. Kankoru winced every now and then whenever a rough wind blew sand into a few open wounds that had yet to be bandaged; this gave Temari a sick pleasure of seeing and would snicker after every wince or flinch. Kankoru merely glared in return.

Suddenly a figure's outline was seen within the swirls of sand. Temari was the one who spotted it first.

"Target located." She said as she yanked her fan off of her back and used it to fly down to greet the incomer. Their orders were to see if it was a threat or a lost wanderer. He was seen from one of their spies coming from the fire country.

Kankoru, on the other hand, didn't have a wind affinity or a giant fan to ride. So with a heavy sigh he turned and took the stairs down.

Temari made it down in no time at all and landed in front of new comer in a swirl of wind and sand. When the wind and sand clear up she stood straight backed and closed up her fan. She stuck it in the ground and leaned on it casually. She looked at the guy and smirked.

What a cutie… I wonder what he looks like without that mask.

"Who are you and what is your purpose here?" She spoke confidently and eyes the sun-kissed blonde with eyes that held the most beautiful color of blue Temari had ever seen. If she were a normal girl she would be swooning at his feet, but she was a kunoichi of the sand. She had to be strong.

The boy stared at her.

"Are you deaf? Answer me." Temari demanded and nearly stomped her foot in impatience.

The boy's eyes suddenly lit up, but as fast as it lit up it turned dark. "My name is Fokkusu Tandoku. I'm a wanderer." He answered and turned his head to the side. "Would it be too bold to ask for your name, miss?"

A charmer, huh? Let's see just how charming this guy is. "I am Temari no Sabaku."

"Temari; a lovely name for a lovely girl." He winked… He winked! For the first time in Temari's life; she blushed.

Temari opened her mouth to speak when a loud cry came from behind her. She turned around to see her moron of a brother running towards them. At the moment she saw her brother she wanted to kill him. For once, couldn't he have just been a little slower! For once!

When Kankoru finally caught up to them he was panting and holding onto his sides. "Whoa, Temari! You really messed up my lungs!" He wheezed out as he laid a hand on her shoulder to steady himself, bad idea.

Temari shoved off his hand and smacked the back of his head causing him to fall forward and get a mouth full of sand.

"You Idiot! You and your freaking timing!" She was fuming and Fokkusu was staring at them with wide eyes. She could feel her face heating up when she realized she had just made a fool out of herself.

Kankoru was seeing stars when he got up. He stumbled and had to steady himself by putting a hand on Fokkusu. "Oi, What was that for?" He shouted at his sister and leaned heavily on poor Fokkusu who was so confused.

Temari's eyes grew wide as she turned away from the boys, pulling her fan in place on her back. "Umm… C-consider that as the final blow." She said as she began to walk back towards the village. "Bring Fokkusu to the Kazekage. I see no threat in him." She then used her winds as leverage for speed, leaving the boys behind looking like a pair of question marks.


Well, that went well.

You call that well? I thought it was awkward…

You did very well, Kit. I barely recognized you! You were charming and calm, not at all hyperactive.

Yeah… Not me at all.

Remember, Kit. You're on the run. You can not blow your cover this early in the game.

Naruto sighed heavily. I know, I know.

"Hey, kid! You alright back there." The strange boy with a cat eared hat called over his shoulder. He had said his name was Kankoru and that he was a shinobi of the sand. Naruto had been dying to comment on the make-up the older boy had on his face, but was silenced by Kyuubi.

"Oh, yeah." Naruto shook his head and continued to follow the older, and weird, boy. He jogged to catch up and then walked in step with him.

The village itself was made of sand. All the civilians wore different clothing then what they wore back in Konoha, which was quite a relief to Naruto. He didn't want to be reminded of that blasted village.

"So, rumor says that there's a boy here with… special powers." Naruto said as he looked up at the taller boy and his left eyebrow twitched from shooting up so fast.

Kankoru stiffened and glared down at the Jinchuuriki in disguise. "That's none of your business, kid." He snarled.

Naruto wanted to say sorry, but kept his charade in place. "Hmm, if you wanted it to be a secret you should've thought about keeping on the down low. Word gets out pretty fast ya know." Naruto smirked, though it went unseen through the mask.

Kankoru only continued to glare. "People should keep their mouths shut. Mind their own good for nothing business. They don't know the story."

"And what story is that?"

Kankoru snorted and turned away from the nosey boy. "Like I'd tell you." He then continued to walk towards the Kazekage tower.

Naruto resisted to groan in frustrated and had to beat back the desire to jump onto the guy and demand for an explanation. That's Naruto's way of getting knowledge, Fokkusu's way is to wait patiently and sweet talk his way in.

Taking a moment to collect himself Naruto jogged up and walked in sync with Kankoru. The pair saw it best to stay silent the rest of the way towards the tower.


"Good morning, Sasuke!" A very perky Sakura nearly shouted as she ran up to said boy who was training his aim by throwing kunais at targets that hung on various trees.

"Hn." He grunted in reply as he threw a kunai and got a bulls-eye.

"Where's Naruto?" Sakura said in a monotone voice, her perky mood instantly gone by saying the hyperactive blonde's name.

"Don't know." Sasuke shrugged as he took out three kunai's and threw them all. Two hit their mark but one wheezed past the tree and landed in the bushes instead. He sighed and went to retrieve them.

"He's not here?" Sakura scanned the area and a big smile instantly graced her face as she saw that there was no blonde head or orange anywhere. She clapped her hands in joy. Naruto's not here, yet! Just me and my Sasuke! Cha! "Great! So, Sasuke…" She blushed and then started to twiddle her fingers. "I was wondering if-"

A swirl of leaves cut her off and she felt like screaming. Cha! Kakashi-sensei is so dead!

"Hello, students." He said his usual lazy drawl was replaced by exhaustion and sorrow. That didn't go unnoticed by Sakura and Sasuke, who had come back from getting his kunai's and stood next to Sakura.

Her anger forgotten, she asked. "What's wrong, Sensei?"

Sasuke merely stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked up at his sensei in boredom.

Kakashi sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. "It's Naruto… we have reason to believe that he's become a missing ninja."

Sakura's jaw dropped as Sasuke's eyes widened. "W-what? Does he really think he could survive out there on his own?" She shrieked.

"Why did that loser runaway? Did he finally realize he'd never beat me?" Sasuke smirked at the thought.

Kakashi glared at his students. He knew it wasn't they're fault that they didn't know of Naruto's secret, but the least they could do is show some sort of sorrow of their missing teammate.

"Naruto's reason is an SS-ranked secret; the penalty of exposing it is death." Kakashi watched his student's reaction carefully. Sakura became pale as she gaped at her teacher, but Sasuke remained unfazed. "That's why I can't tell you, but I will say that if he isn't found by the end of this week he will be written up as a C-ranked missing ninja and would therefore become a target for other shinobi's. You will also be assigned a new teammate and continue on with your lives."

Sakura gasped and covered her mouth, but Sasuke showed no reaction at all. Jeez does nothing faze him?

"I'll be away looking for him in other villages this leaves you training by yourselves. See you in a few days, I hope." He then disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Sasuke shrugged and turned his attention back towards his targets while Sakura stood still, staring at the spot Kakashi stood only moments before.

"Naruto…" She whispered.


AN/ Hey, I know I've been away for a while… but as some of you may know I've been having some… problems lately. I just want you all to know that I'll try to write as much as I possibly can and as an apology I've written a longer chapter (5 pages! Can I get a; Woot! Woot!).

And I couldn't have done this without the help of Azure Ending. He's an amazing friend and beta! You are awesome, my friend! ^^ He helped me get back on my feet and I hope someday I could repay the favor. Oh, and if there's any Kingdom Hearts fans out there, take a look at his stories. ^^

Thank you for reading ^^