A/N: This is probably one of my favorite chapters so far. Yes, I know Naruto seems rather overpowered, however, he is 16 and has been training with his father and other powerful shinobi in the belly of the shinigami for three years now, not to mention he's friends with Kurama, so it's to be expected, at least I think so. Anyways, this chapter was fun to write. I enjoyed it. Sorry if the present tense writing style bothers you, it's how I've started both my stories and I'm not switching to past tense in the middle of them. If you don't like it, don't read. But for those who are reading, thanks! And thank you to all who have read, favorited, and followed this story, it means a lot!
Now, I've never posted this before because I figured it went without saying, but I don't own Naruto. Also, this work is unbeta'd so any mistakes are my own.
~Naruto~
The air of disbelief that surrounds him when he makes it back to Suna with the help of his clones holding onto the sand siblings and kidnappers is rather hilarious, if a little annoying.
"Can I get some help here?" Naruto asks as he approaches the gate guards, who all scramble to their feet to surround him.
"Kazekage-sama!" one of them shouts.
"Um, I'm not," Naruto looks confused, wondering why they are acting so strange. He's returning Gaara and Gaara's brother, nothing more. He's unsure what all the fuss is about.
"He's talking to me."
Naruto blinks. He recognizes that voice, vaguely, from a very distant memory of another lifetime ago, but he can't remember whose it is. One of his clones popping fixes that and Naruto spins to see Gaara stumbling slightly at the loss of his support.
"Gaara!" Naruto exclaims. "You're awake. Although you look like you're ready to fall over. Chakra exhaustion isn't something to scoff at, believe me."
'Brat, you've never been fully chakra exhausted.'
'And I've you to thank for that. Thank you.'
"And did you say Kazekage? Really? Aw man, you got the hat before me? How is that fair? I mean, you totally deserve it; no doubt you've done amazing things, but come on! It's still totally unfair!"
"Who," Gaara finally gets in word wise as he stares incredulously at the blonde boy chattering in front of him. It couldn't be. There was no way this could be him. He died, three years ago. But there was no denying that hair or those whisker marks. "Naruto?"
"Yep!" Naruto says, finally breaking off from his rant about Gaara becoming a Kage before him. "Been awhile, hasn't it?"
"You're supposed to be dead," Gaara says.
"So I've been told," Naruto nods. "But really, I never actually died. Just…went to where dead people go?"
"Most people would call that dead," Gaara points out, still wondering how Naruto is standing before him now. If, indeed, it is Naruto. But there's no reason for it not to be, so for now, Gaara will accept that it is.
Naruto shrugs. "It's complicated. The Shinigami didn't like me much. Said I messed up his plans or ruined his meal or something. Anyways," Naruto waves his hand in the air in a dismissive gesture. "We should probably move this inside, your brother needs help and creepy puppet man here is due to wake up shortly. Maybe. Probably."
Gaara's eyes snap to the man slung over Naruto's shoulder before turning to the clones behind him and settling on the form of his brother.
"What's wrong with Kankuro?" Gaara demands.
"Kankuro, that's his name!" Naruto exclaims. "Puppet dude poisoned him. Pretty nasty stuff too. He's lucky he's not dead yet."
Gaara nods, signaling to the shinobi around them before they all begin to head into the city surrounded by Sand ANBU.
"Kazekage-sama!"
Gaara turns his head to catch sight of Baki, inclining his head at him.
"What happened?" Baki asks. "How did you-"
Gaara inclines his head towards the still chattering Naruto.
"Who's this?" Baki asks, breaking Naruto from his rants about the evils of puppets.
"Huh?" Naruto asks. He fidgets under Baki's scrutiny as the man looks him up and down, eyes lingering on his shredded and bloodied pants leg and bare feet.
"I asked who you are," Baki says.
"Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto replies, voice implying that the information should be obvious.
Baki blinks at him, frowning as his eyes study the blonde's face once more.
"You should be dead."
Naruto shrugs. "So I've been told, but I'm not. It's a long story."
"Kankuro needs medical attention," Gaara states. "He has been poisoned."
"By this guy," Naruto says, shaking the puppet man on his shoulder. "But he doesn't have any antidote on him. I checked. Kind of stupid, if you ask me. I mean, why use poison and not carry an antidote, but well, I suppose it makes sense in his case in a way. He wouldn't need it, at least I don't think he would, considering he turned himself into a puppet and is a cree-"
"Is that Sasori?" Baki asks, cutting Naruto's rambling off and sounding alarmed.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. That's what he called himself at least."
"But, how did you?" Baki trails off, glancing at Naruto with an unreadable expression.
"Well, he was beating up on Kankuro and I didn't want him chasing after me because I beat up his friend and took Gaara back…so…yeah," Naruto shrugs, feeling rather awkward as Baki's gaze travels to his other clone, the one holding the second dude in a flowery cloak. It was strange being around a bunch of new people again. The toads had helped him adjust some, but even they were a small group of the same individuals. Now Naruto was surrounded by new people on all sides and quite of few of them were leaking negative emotions such as fear, distrust, and dislike. It was distracting and not altogether very pleasant.
Plus, Sasori was heavy. He was ready to get to where ever they were heading and get away from all the villagers, no matter that they were Gaara's people, and dump the heavy puppet master on the ground.
"Right, well," Baki looks completely out of his element, but leads the way into the tower all the same. Gaara follows quietly, still looking rather tired, but his frequent glances at his downed brother inform Naruto that he is worried as well.
They had just reached the medical wing when Sasori begins to stir, lifting his head from where it was flopping against Naruto's back.
"What?"
"Oh, hey," Naruto says, stopping where he was and dropping Sasori on the ground. "You're awake. About time. Like, seriously, you weigh a ton, I mean, why would you weigh that much, honestly? Plus, I really didn't think it was possible to knock a puppet out. That's weird."
Naruto watches as his clone deposits Kankuro onto the indicated pallet before dispelling. He blinks as the memories of sore muscles and a long run wash over him, but shakes it off. It was nowhere near as bad as what he'd dealt with before. The dispelling of his second clone as he drops his burden makes Naruto's head ache, but still was no where near what he'd experienced before.
"How did you?" Sasori begins again, looking around to find himself surrounded by Sand ANBU, his partner unconscious next to him.
"You really should learn to finish your sentences," Naruto says. "Otherwise you'll just confuse people."
A lot of fuss is made around the bed with Kankuro lying in it before a runner is sent to fetch someone named Chiyo-sama and Gaara and Baki make their way back towards Naruto.
"Do you know the antidote to your poison?" Baki demands.
Sasori offers a sly smile. "There is no antidote."
"Nonsense," Baki says. "Every poison has an antidote. You will tell us how to treat this poison."
"No," Sasori replies. "I will not."
"You will," Baki says.
"Not."
"You will," Gaara says this time, stepping forward threateningly.
"I would listen to him," Naruto says. "Gaara's pretty scary when he's mad. Plus, he's Kazekage now. Probably the only hope you have of not being executed."
Three pairs of eyes turn to look at Naruto in surprise.
"What?"
"What are you talking about?" Baki asks.
"Well, I figured you could work out some kind of deal and Sasori could come to Suna on probation or something. Like, quit the evil flowery cloaks organization and everything."
"Why would I do that?" Sasori demands.
"I think they're clouds," Baki mutters.
Naruto shrugs. "It was just a thought."
"I'm not going to betray the Akatsuki."
"It doesn't bode well for you if you don't," Naruto says, tucking his hands in his pockets and rocking back on his feet.
"We're not reforming him," Baki says. Naruto half expects him to stomp his foot like a three year old. He's actually kind of disappointed he doesn't.
"Why not?"
"He's evil!"
"He's also pretty powerful," Naruto points out. "I think. Right?" His brow furrows as he glances at Sasori. "Yeah. Pretty powerful. Mostly. Except all his puppets are still out in the desert. Unless he has more, which is possible. He still has some storage scrolls on him, among other things."
"Yet another reason we can't have him running around," Baki argues.
Naruto shrugs. "He can't do anything right now. His chakra's sealed."
Sasori scowls at him and Gaara raises an eyebrow.
"Anyways," Naruto says, waving his hand dismissively once more. "That doesn't matter. We were asking you for the antidote."
"There isn't one," Sasori says. "And even if there was, I wouldn't tell you."
"Now you just sound like some two year old not getting his way," Naruto replies.
"What? I do not!"
"What is going on here?"
The group turns towards the advancing old woman as she makes her way towards the infirmary.
"Lady Chiyo," Baki says, inclining his head towards the old woman. "Thank you for coming."
"I hear there's been a poisoning," Chiyo says. "So of course I-is that Sasori?"
"Hello, grandmother," Sasori sneers.
"Hey!" Naruto protests. "You shouldn't talk to your family that way. It's rude."
Chiyo blinks at her grandson, noting how he doesn't look a day older than the day he left, before glancing at the loud blonde boy, eyes noting the rather battered Konoha hitai-ate keeping his chin length hair from his eyes.
"Who are you?" Chiyo demands.
"Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto says.
Chiyo narrows her eyes at him. "And why are you here?"
"Good question," Sasori mutters, crossing his arms with a frown on his face. He is largely ignored.
"I came to help a fellow jinchuriki out when Kurama told me he was in trouble."
'Brat, don't go spouting my name off to everyone.'
'Oh, oops. Sorry.'
"You're a jinchuriki too?" Sasori asks. "Of which tailed beast?"
Naruto grins, showing off his canines. "The nine tails."
Sasori's eyes narrow. "The nine tails jinchuriki was killed three years ago."
Naruto sighs. "Yeah, so I've been told. Let's just say I got better."
"You got better." It was not a question, merely a dumbfounded statement from the Akatsuki member.
"Yes," Naruto answers anyways. "Now, are you going to help us or be completely useless?"
"I'm not helping any of you," Sasori says.
"Sasori," Chiyo says, stepping closer to her grandson.
"I don't want to hear it," Sasori snaps.
Chiyo sighs, but shakes her head. "Where is the patient?"
"This way, Lady Chiyo," Baki says, shooting a glare at Sasori as he leads the old woman away.
Sasori glances between Naruto and Gaara, realizing he was left with the jinchuriki. With a grin he lunges at the two boys, intent on capturing them, but he stumbles on his cloak, falling flat on his face.
"Really?" Naruto asks as Gaara stares down at the man apathetically. "What were you trying to accomplish?"
Gaara shakes his head, signaling to two ANBU nearby before gesturing to Sasori and his partner. "Take them away," Gaara says. "I'll decide what to do with them later."
"Ooh, hang on," Naruto says, reaching out and, completely ignoring Gaara's personal space, he grabs the Kazekage's wrist and slashes a kunai across both their fingers before reaching the hand still gripping Gaara's forward to smear their blood on Sasori's chest. There's a flare of brilliant gold chakra before it disperses, leaving the occupants in the hallway blinking spots from their eyes.
Immediately Naruto finds several weapons pointing his way by the ANBU not in charge of holding Sasori or the other Akatsuki member.
"What have you done?" one ANBU demands, the tip of his tanto poking at Naruto's jugular.
'You know, kit, you really should state your intentions before acting on them.'
'Uh, yeah. That wasn't quite my best idea.'
Gaara stares down at the tip of his finger, which has already healed over, before looking up at Naruto, a question in his eyes even as his expression doesn't change.
"I transferred control of his chakra sealing seal to you," Naruto explains. "Wow, say that five times fast. Chakra sealing seal, chakra sealing seal-"
"Why would you do that?"
Naruto turns, ignoring the weapons still pointed at him, to catch sight of Chiyo and Baki standing in the doorway to the room Kankuro is in.
"Uh, because?" Naruto says, not quite understanding why they are so shocked over it.
"Why would you give that up?" Chiyo insists. "You could have used that fact against us to get anything you wanted."
Naruto furrows his brow at this, glancing at Gaara in complete confusion. "Why would I do that?"
Gaara's lips twitch in the barest hint of a smile, gesturing for the ANBU to lower their weapons as Chiyo gaps at Naruto.
Looking back at Chiyo, Naruto shrugs. "Besides, aren't Konoha and Suna allies? Uh, you guys are allies, right? I mean, I have been gone for a while and there was kind of that attack and stuff, so I'm not sure, but I'm kinda hoping you are cause that would be really kinda awkward if you weren't and I-"
"We're allies," Gaara interrupts, lips twitching once more.
"Oh, see, good," Naruto says with a nod. "Allies. And as allies, we help each other out, right? It's the right thing to do."
Chiyo snorts. "This so called alliance is nothing more than a cease fire until one of us becomes stronger than the other."
"Well that's stupid," Naruto says. "Everyone knows you're stronger with allies. Anyways, Gaara. The hand seals are Rat, Dog, Tiger, a slice of your finger, then place your palm on his chest to release the seal."
Gaara inclines his head. "Thank you."
"Rat, Dog, Tiger," Sasori chants, slamming his own palm against his chest.
"Uh," Naruto glances down at him. "Gaara's the one with the ability to release the seal, not you."
"How do you even know how to create such a seal," Sasori demands, kicking a leg out like a pouting two year old. Naruto stifles a snicker at that. "Fuuinjutsu is a lost art."
Naruto shrugs, grinning. "I found a couple of good teachers."
"What about that one?" Baki asks, glancing down at the still unconscious form of the other Akatsuki member.
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about him," Naruto says, toeing at the unconscious man. "His chakra network's been destroyed. Shouldn't be causing anyone any trouble when he wakes up. Well, he should wake up. I think. Maybe."
Gaara raises an eyebrow at that and Naruto shrugs once more. "One of the side effects of a jutsu of mine, I think. Never used it on a person before, so not a hundred percent positive. Don't know who he is, but you can do whatever you want with him, as he was the one actively attempting to flee with you."