Cyrro, thank you dear. Please be kind to her people.
Note: This chapter is dedicated to one of my reader with a 11 month old son. You are the coolest mom ever.
10. Team.
Sai groaned in pain as he regained consciousness. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times to clear his vision. His eyes met with a dark ceiling, and by the looks of it, he was inside a cave. The cave was dark, and he could only barely make out the shape of a person seated in the front of the cave.
The last thing he remembered before
losing consciousness was Sasuke's concerned face and a blinding pain in his upper right arm. He then tried sitting up from his lying position to no avail.
The person in front must have heard him moving as he hurriedly came to help Sai.
"Are you all right?" Sasuke asked and helped him to a sitting position.
"Duck butt, where are we?" Sai asked, instead of answering Sasuke's question.
"We are in a cave. I set traps so don't worry. Now tell me, how are you? Does your arm still hurt?" Sasuke asked.
Sai frowned at his answer. Normal Sasuke would have given him hell for calling him Duck Butt. There were only two conclusions from Sasuke's reaction; this one either was an imposter or they were in danger and Sasuke couldn't care less about his not-so-liked nick name right now. The cave was too dark for him to see Sasuke's expression, so he went for the next best option.
"I am fine. Tell me Duck Butt: when does Naruto smile most?" Sai carefully asked.
"When she is with Itachi," Sasuke easily answered without any hesitation. "But wait, why are asking me this?" he asked sounding a bit confused.
"To confirm whether you are the real deal or a fake Sasuke," Sai answered with a sigh of relief.
"Well I suppose it was a clever way. But this-" Sasuke muttered and activated his Sharingan, "- is way better," he finished, two black tomoes spinning in blood red eye balls.
Sai nodded and winced at the sudden moment. He was sore all over his body.
Sasuke deactivated his eyes and said, "Can't move, can you?"
"Yha!" Sai muttered. "Has Naru came back yet?" he asked after a pause.
"No, not yet," Sasuke answered, looking back at the cave entrance.
It had been half a day since the creep's attack, Gaara's appearance and Naruto's disappearance. Sasuke gritted his teeth to remember the events that lead them to hide like cowards.
Sasuke saw how fast both Naruto and Gaara were. He knew Naruto was faster and stronger than him. But he never imagined how much she actually held back. She couldn't be a genin with that skill level. She should be at least on the level of a special Jonin, if not higher. He promised that he would be stronger and protect the people precious to him. But look at him now, he couldn't even compare himself to Naruto's strength.
Sai mus t have sensed his foul mood as he said, "Don't sell yourself short Duck Butt. Naruto may be out of our ledge right now, but we will catch up to her in no time. We after all have best big brothers in the world to help us. Soon we will be the ones who protects our Naru."
Hearing his words lead Sasuke to crack a small smile. "Yes Sai. We will catch up to her and soon we will be the once to protect her. She is like a sister to us isn't she, we will be doomed if we can't protect her," he said, determined.
Naruto might still be a mystery to him, but she also was very close to both him and Sai in her own silent way. She was a sister, a protector and most of all she was a friend, and you don't ditch your friends no matter what. They learnt that much from Kakashi-sensei and they were going to follow his oath.
Line break...
"You all right?" Gaara asked as they kept jumping and speeding towards Sai's and Sasuke's chakra signatures.
Naruto nodded and increased her speed. Her eyes were sharp and alert, her posture confident and calculated. No one could ever tell what was going on inside her head. From the outside she looked calm, but from the inside she was screaming and was everything but calm. Her team was in danger, that snake bastard was injured and gone. But he was still alive. What if he decided to chase Sasuke again? Sai was injured and wouldn't be able to help him. She was still at least three miles away from their approximate location, anything could happen before she reached them.
Suddenly she felt Gaara's sand lifting her from her feet, and then she was flying upon his sand platform. She looked back at him, surprised by his sudden gesture and found him on his own sand platform.
"I know you are worried about your friends. My siblings are safe in the tower already, so I am not worried about them, so let's travel like this and we will reach them faster," he answered her unasked question.
Naruto looked surprised for a moment, but it soon changed that into a frown. She lifted her hands to sign her next question but Gaara again beat her to it.
"No, I have enough chakra to last like this for another 23 hours without facing any combat. So don't worry about it," he said with a gentle touch on his voice.
Naruto looked genuinely taken aback. How on earth did he know what she was going to ask? She never thought she could be surprised anymore, but his next sentence threw her.
"I can read you face well Naruto, or rather your eyes. Your eyes are an open book to me," he said with a small smile.
She couldn't form any word after his declaration and looked away. She had no idea why, but this guy had a very familiar feeling, almost like she knew him from somewhere. but she could pounder that thought later, right then her team was more important.
Line break...
'I sense them nearby.' she signed and followed the chakra signature. Gaara was right on her heel s, easily keeping up with her speed and the unpredictable turns she took.
Soon they were in front of the cave
opening where Sai and Sasuke were hiding.
Naruto quickly switched off all the traps she knew Sasuke put up and both her and Gaara rushed inside. They were greeted with the sight of Sasuke standing protectively in front of Sai with Kunai ready in his hands.
As soon as it was clear that no enemy was attacking them – in fact it was
Naruto. Sasuke relaxed his posture and sank down to his knees. When all his traps were undone that easily, he was worried about how to protect himself and Sai. Now that he thought about it, he was more worried about Sai than his own life!
Not that he was going to tell that to
anyone, but this team was becoming
closer to him than he initially thought. He thought couldn't tell if that was a good or bad thing.
He looked up when Naruto put a hand on his shoulder, her blue eyes were filled with concern for him, and for a moment it reminded him of his beloved older brother.
"I am okay Naruto," he said tiredly, though the girl looked unconvinced.
"Sasuke, was Sai bitten by that Grass ninja? " Sasuke heard another voice ask from behind Naruto. Not surprisingly it was that red head Gaara.
"Yes he was, in his right arm. He was injured very badly as well," he answered.
Gaara frowned. "That is troubling," he muttered under his breath. Naruto glanced towards him with a frown of her own. The situation indeed was troubling.
"Sasuke, can you light up this place a bit? " the red head said again after a moment of silence. Naruto didn't protest to that, and moved in front of a sleeping Sai.
"Okay," Sasuke muttered standing up.
Soon he lit up a torch, and the darkness
became somewhat thinner.
'Did you give him first aid?' Naruto signed as she examined Sai's wound.
Sasuke nodded to that. When Itachi gave him that medical kit, he never knew it would come in this handy.
'This is well done. The wound isn't deep, all he has is a little poison on his system which should be washed out using this,' she showed them a little pill and put it into Sai's mouth. 'Only thing I am not sure about this moment is the mark on his left arm formed after that half bite.'
"We can't do anything about this right now. So, now let us take some rest.
Seeing as Naruto has the highest chakra she should be in first watch. Do you agree?" Gaara asked after laying out new traps.
Naruto stared at him for a momen t, but finally nodded in agreement.
Line break...
Naruto went out and sat in a comfortable position. Her mind drifted to the incidents that happened that day. Orochimaru, for some unknown reason, was after her team mate and she had a sickening feeling that he was after Sasuke's eyes. If that was true, then neither Itachi nor Sasuke was safe from his clutches which was a troubling thought on its own.
She was deep in her thoughts and didn't know how much time had passed. She was pulled away from her thoughts when she felt a chakra signature coming her way. It was warm and vibrant, much like her own. Gaara. Now he was another person Naruto had no idea what to make of. He suddenly appeared in her life and was able to see through her like he knew her from years. Moreover, she was unable to detect any negative emotions from him, which was another troubling fact of its own. If he was this sincere on what he did to help them, then what did he gain by doing so?
"I see you are worried about the Uchihas." She heard Gaara say as he came and sat beside her.
Naruto narrowed her eyes at him and signed, ' How can you tell what I am thinking about without me telling you anything? Do you know some sort of mind reading Jutsu?'
Gaara looked at her eyes and let out a sad laugh. "Your eyes Naruto, they speak for you. One just has to know what to look for."
'You are different Gaara from the Sand. I don't know if I can trust you,' Naruto signed with a knitted brow.
Gaara looked away from her at her comment and looked up at the full moon visible in the sky. A slow wind was blowing pass the forest, breaking the silence of the night. Naruto looked at Gaara and felt a familiarity she couldn't place. His red hair had moved away from his face revealing an expression which was not for a child of 13 years, rather he had a look of person who knew and faced death, a matured face. Just like hers, she realised.
"I know you don't trust me yet. But I will tell you one thing Naruto, we are much more alike than you think," he then put a hand on his stomach and looked back at the blond girl. "I too carry a burden just like you. I too have faced everything you did. My father tried to send an assassin after me four times because he was unable to control that burden inside me. Does this information change anything Naruto?"
The blond girl had a shocked look in her face. She looked down at her own stomach and looked up at the soft spoken red head in front of her. 'You too carry one?' she signed with trembling fingers.
"Yes I do. I carry Shukaku, the sand spirit inside me. I talk with him on a regular basis. I tell you; he is grumpy," Gaara answered with a small laugh.
'You talk with it?' Naruto signed with genuine shock all over her face.
"Yes, and it's 'he' and he has got a name. I bet your one does too. Ask him
sometime. It becomes easier if we could be at peace with them."
'Oh,' Naruto answered looking down.
"You know Naruto," Gaara suddenly said. "I once had a very special friend who was just like you. Her eyes always used to speak for her and she was the reason I changed into a better person."
Naruto knitted her brows again. 'No Gaara, I believe you were a good person to begin with. She must have just pushed you towards your actual self. But why the past tense?'
Gaara looked taken aback by her answer. She might not talk any longer, but the heart he knew once was still there. Only if she knew how ironic the question was for him. "You are very kind Naruto," he said slowly. "She is still in my life, but she is just a little...lost right now. A long time ago she had changed my life and now it is my turn to do the same for her. I am going to protect her no matter what."
His words were filled with determination when he spoke, and it made Naruto's heart skip a beat. Maybe, just maybe he can really be trusted.
If only she knew how much she was going to need this trust in coming days.
Line break...The next day Sasuke woke up when the first ray of sun hit his eyes. He abruptly stood up and went to check on Sai. He found Sai still asleep and Naruto curled up beside him. Her lips were lightly parted and one if her hands was clutching Sai's left arm. She looked so young and vulnerable, times like this proved how fragile this girl could be no matter how strong she seemed. The sight made Sasuke feel a deep care for both of his team mates which he had only felt for his brother. Somehow through all the hardships Naruto, Sai and their sensei had
become his family. There was no doubt that Naruto was hiding something from
them, which perhaps Itachi knew about. Sasuke was no fool, he had seen his clans man do higher ranked jutsu, and Naruto knew quite a few of them. She couldn't be a genin with that much strength. She had to be a Jonin, but still here she was saving their lives and doing what not. Sasuke let out a sigh and decided not to nag Naruto for answers. For now. Whatever she was doing, he trusted her and that's all mattered right then.
Sasuke decided not to disturb his sleeping team, last night Naruto never woke him up for watch, so she must have gone to seep really late. Rather, he went outside to search for the red-haired guy from the Sand. He found Gaara standing in front of their cave, deep in his thoughts.
"Is Naruto awake Sasuke?" Gaara asked completely shocking Sasuke. That red head was not even looking in his direction!!
He quickly concealed his shock and said, "No. Both Sai and Naruto are asleep."
Gaara nodded his head and finally turned towards him. "Let's give them a few hours more sleep, seeing as it is still early. We can start for the tower this afternoon."
Sasuke nodded. "Yes, that would be
best."
They both went silent for moment. Sasuke wondered how to ask the question which had been bothering him for quite a while. Why Gaara was helping them was still a mystery to him. Why would anyone from a different village, a completely different individual who was not their comrade, help them so much? And why did he to know so much about their whole situation. This was all a mess.
Sasuke was about to open his mouth but Gaara beat him to it.
"Could I ask you something personal?" Gaara asked.
"It depends. If the answer could cause any sort of problem to my precious
people, then I will not answer you. But if there is no harm then I will," Sasuke answered carefully.
"I see."
After a moment of silence Sasuke again spoke up. "Why are you helping us?"
Gaara blinked up at him with confusion written over his face, by soon it turned to his usual blank expression. "I don't think I understood your question, Sasuke."
Sasuke matched his gaze and said, "Well, then let me rephrase it, what is your motive behind helping us?"
A rush of emotions past by Gaara's eyes. But before Sasuke could tell which emotions they were his face went blank again. " The Leaf village and Sand Village are allies, and allies help each other. The reason am helping is just this."
Sasuke knew he was lying. He knew the red head in front of him knew something he didn't. Allies they might be, but nobody put their life on line just because they were allies. He had seen how Gaara operated, it was like watching a seasoned shinobi work, not a mere child of their age. He was also sure Gaara wasn't going to answer him, and for now he would just wait and watch. If Gaara turned out to be a spy or only interested in saving them just to gain their trust, he would kill Gaara himself.
Line break...
Itachi was worried, very, very worried. He was given the task to greet Team Seven after they completed their second test and they hadn't arrived yet. It had been three days. What the hell was keeping them that lon g? He was quite certain that Team Seven would reach the tower the first day, with Naruto, Sasuke and Sai as
a team, other teams wouldn't even stand a chance. But his assumption was wrong; the first day went by. Even after the second day was gone and there was still no sign of Team Seven. The task to greet teams generally fell to chunin and not ANBU, but he requested this of the
Hokage. He wanted to see if all of them were all right. He knew they would be, but after this long Itachi had a gut feeling which was not good.
He was pacing outside the tower when suddenly his senses were alerted by very familiar chakra signatures, and relief washed over him. It was Team Seven!
And finally they were there. He quickly concealed himself and waited for the team to appear. He was eager to see them and was slightly worried about what took them so long.
Soon they showed up, but not in a way he wanted to see them, or rather her. He felt his heart stop when he looked at Naruto being carried by a red headed boy. She looked limp and lifeless, and Sasuke was carrying Sai , who was also unconscious. His instinct was screaming at him to go and help them, but he held back, If he
moved now they would get disqualified and that wouldn't do any good to anyone. Team Seven plus one, who shouldn't be holding Naruto bridle style, soon reached the tower, and Itachi couldn't wait until they opened the scroll, but eventually they did. He felt the tug of reverse summoning, way too eager to be summoned.
"Brother!" cried out Sasuke as soon as he saw Itachi and almost ran into him. "Brother, Naruto collapsed due to over use of her chakra. She defeated three different teams today to get us here. Sai's been unconscious for half a day now due to the bite mark from the snake creep. Gaara here helped us but Naruto wouldn't let him fight..."
Itachi held Sasuke by his shoulder and gave him a little shake. "Sasuke calm down everything will be all right, you can stop rambling. "
Sasuke took a deep breath and nodded. Itachi looked at Sai for a moment and let out a small sigh, he needed a lot of medical attention and right now. Itachi couldn't tell which snake creep his brother was talking about, but if it was the same snake creep he knew, it was troubling. He gently took Sai from Sasuke and laid him down on the ground. He sent a chakra pulse for medics to come in . Itachi then looked at Naruto still in
Gaara's arms, and felt a little anger forming up inside him. "I will take her for now," he said going an d, without much effor t, taking her from Gaara. Gaara, for some reason, sent a glare towards Itachi,
but let him take Naruto.
"It seems my help will no longer be
needed. I will go now," Gaara muttered and disappeared with a puff of smoke. As soon as he was gone a very worried Kakashi came in with Anko in tow.
"Itachi it was the Snake, " was all Kakashi said, and everything was clear to Itachi.
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