Kasek: This is a short chapter, so I decided to do a double update. Here you go, part one of the double update!

Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor One Piece. OCs belong to their respective owners.

Naruto had asked for special permission from the Hokage to visit Temari and Kankuro in prison to talk with them about Gaara- he got it. Currently, he was walking (along with Jiraiya, who insisted on being his bodyguard, and Ibiki, who was in charge of the place) down the long line of cells in the underground war prison. At the very end of the long hallway was an iron door- it was meant for high-priority prisoners. It turned out Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara were the children of the Kazekage. Ibiki inserted a key into the lock under the door handle and twisted, and then pushed down on the handle and pulled the door open. Naruto and Jiraiya walked inside, Ibiki closing the or behind them. Temari and Kankuro- both chained to the far wall- didn't even look up. Naruto sighed. "I need to talk to you... about Gaara."

Both of them visibly stiffened. Temari spoke first. "What have you done with my little brother?"

Naruto looked to the side- it was okay for him to visibly react if they weren't looking at him. "......we didn't do anything to him. If anything, I wanted to save him, but... some super powerful- and by super powerful I mean godlike- ninja named Yuumei Akira came by, stopped him in his tracks, and kidnapped him. Right in the middle of the invasion."

Temari looked up and glared at him. "You're lying. Nobody could beat Gaara."

Naruto looked into her eyes. "I wish I was. Gaara had used this technique to create a giant monster out of sand, and Yuumei... froze it in a block ice in an instant. He then shattered the ice- destroying the monster- and then he took Gaara and left."

Temari glared at the wall to the side. "...and why do you care? He tried to kill you all."

Naruto gulped. They would understand... probably. "Gaara and I... have a common bond. If I had even one less person in my life, I very well could have turned out like him. I... when I had heard about... what his life must've been like... I had the sudden urge to reach out to him, become that one person he needed... but by then it was too late."

By now both Kankuro and Temari were looking at this strange boy who claimed to be like Gaara. Temari spoke up again. "...and what do you want from us?"

Naruto gulped again. "Please... I want to know... what his life was like. Who he was, and why he is. I know you don't have to tell me anything, but..."

Kankuro sighed. "....darn it, you're a smooth talker. I hate smooth talkers. ...I'll talk."

Temari's eyes widened, before softening again. "...I'll talk too."

Ibiki smiled at the display. This kid... he knows exactly what to say. I haven't been able to get them to talk at all. Then again, I'm not allowed to touch them, but still... he has a bright future ahead of him.

--

Gaara growled as he looked over the side of the small boat. His hands and feet were bound, and his sand gourd had been left behind somewhere before he had regained consciousness. It was a miracle in and of itself the Shukaku hadn't taken over when he had been knocked out by... whatever it was. This... person who was rowing the boat. He called himself Yuumei Akira. He claimed to be the one who had defeated him. Gaara didn't know how he had been able to do it- in an instant, no less- but Gaara didn't doubt it, as the moment he attacked him was his last conscious moment before awakening on this boat. Another boy his age- Gourisei Shijou- sat idly, leaning on the edge of the boat, gazing into the waters, possibly staring at his own reflection. Gaara noted that they were on the open ocean, and that far behind them was land. Too far for him to summon any sand to himself from the ocean floor, even with Shukaku's help. Not that he could get it right now, his hands were bound and he couldn't perform the necessary handseal to do it.

Akira stopped rowing, and stood up. "Ah... this ought to be a good enough spot."

Gaara's eyes widened. "You... you're going to dump me in the water, aren't you?"

Akira smiled. "Why would I do that? That's what I have Shijou for."

Shijou grumbled something, and then turned into some kind of giant bear. Gaara didn't recognize the black-and-white fur patterns. He then picked up Gaara, and held him over the edge of the boat. Gaara glared at Akira as Akira waved at him. "Bye~bye!" Shijou let go, and Gaara fell into the water, and quickly sank. Gaara could hear Shukaku screaming in the back of his mind as darkness overtook his vision.

--

Naruto stood at the entrance to the village, waiting for Jiraiya. Jiraiya wanted to take Naruto on his wanderings and teach the boy how to become a much better ninja. Hinata, Shikamaru, Chouji, Shino, and Kiba had come to see him off. Kiba was the first to talk. "You take care of yourself out there, alright? I don't want to hear that you lost to some weakling because you were careless."

Naruto smirked back. "I'm better than that, Kiba."

Shikamaru sighed. "You're so troublesome, Naruto. However, even I admit that you'd be an asset against that Akira guy. Get done with your training as fast as possible, alright?"

Naruto gave him a thumbs-up. "You can count on me! I'll wipe the floor with that Yuumei guy, and get back Gaara!"

Hinata held out her hands, and Naruto could see that it was the same container that she had tried to offer to him after his match with Kiba. "Huh? Medicinal cream?"

Hinata gulped. "I-In case you hurt yourself during training..."

Naruto smiled. "Thanks, Hinata! You're the best!" Hinata blushed as he accepted the small container and put it in a pocket of his jacket.

Jiraiya appeared out of nowhere, and smirked when he saw Hinata blushing. "So, kid, ready to go?"

Naruto nodded, but before he could say something he was interrupted. "Naruto!"

Naruto looked, and was surprised to see Sakura approaching. "Sakura? What are you doing here?"

Sakura panted for a second before straightening her posture and her composure. "Just... wanted to wish you good luck with your training. With you gone, we're going off missions for a while and are going to do just training, so expect me to be stronger when you come back!"

Naruto grinned. "Well, it'd be weird if you weren't!"

Jiraiya gave a soft smile. "Alright, kid, time to get going. Don't expect me to go easy on you like I did in the month before the exam finals."

Naruto's grin didn't fade a bit. "Wouldn't want it any other way!"

--

Akira smiled as he looked up at the clouds. "So... how do you like it... Gaara?"

Gaara was sitting on the far end of the boat, eyes closed. He opened them, and you could see that the whites of his eyes had turned black, leaving the green in his eyes all alone in a sea of darkness. "......it's nice not having to listen to Shukaku."

Akira's smile widened. "Really, now?"

Gaara nodded. "It's... odd. I have access to his chakra, yet he does not command it." He held out his palm, and a miniature sand tornado appeared. When the tornado cleared, a small sand statue of Gaara's gigantic beast form stood in his hand. "And... this new power... Now I don't have to carry around that gourd anymore."

Akira nodded. "Kehehe... And just wait until you find out all of the stuff you couldn't do with jutsu!"

Gaara glared at him. "As long as I get to kill people, I don't care. Especially Uzumaki."

Akira chuckled again. "Don't worry, you'll get your chance again, if fate has anything to say about it..."

--

Two figures- dressed in black robes with red clouds, with straw hats with paper strips hanging down the sides- stood in a tree, looking down at the streets of Konoha. The shorter one stiffened when the wind blew, rustling his robes and chiming the small bell he wore on his hat. "...A black wind blows..."

His taller partner, who had a large bandaged package on his back, turned to the shorter one. "...Itachi? Are you alright?"

'Itachi' shook his head. "...it's nothing, Kisame. ...why don't we hit the sweets shop down there? I could use a snack and a drink."

'Kisame' chuckled. "You and your sweets... alright, then. Guess it couldn't hurt to stop before searching for the Kyuubi."

--

Kasek: Real short one to make up for the lengthiness of the last one. Kidding! I just don't have much to say this time around, that's all.

Another piece of the puzzle that is Akira and co. is added. What does dumping someone into the sea have to do with getting Akuma no Mi powers? Kehehe, wouldn't you like to know. Also, you can really tell I identify Akira with Ichimaru Gin, can't you? Kehehe.