Memories Chapter 11: Taka, a naruto fanfic

"Another failure Hokage-sama." Yamato reported, as the soaked, ripped, scratched, and bloodied remainder of Team Nana stood to the best of their abilities. It looked like they had gone through the fourth Shinobi war, and from their faces you'd think they had lost.

Memories: Chapter Eleven: Taka

"I already know. Konohamaru and his team already brought in Tora. I have ALSO gotten fourteen complaints from villagers of damaged property and public disturbances." Tsunade was NOT a happy woman as she stared at the bedraggled team. "This is unacceptable, and I expected better of you ALL. This continued streak of failures have been tolerable for a fresh green team just out of the academy but for you. A Sennin," Naruto's head dropped. "An heiress," Ino looked worried. ", and my pupil" Sakura looked ready to cry. "Is beyond me. You are the strongest of all of my junior shinobi. Therefore it is in my opinion Team Seven's abilities are slipping. As Godaime Hokage, I hereby disband team seven until such time it is ready for reinstatement and or the Genin Exam, for the purpose of personal training." The whole of team seven stood in shock from the bomb their leader had just dropped.

"Naruto, Ino." The two shakily looked to her. "I am sending you to Suna, to train under Baki. This is also a time for you Naruto to let Ino meet them." Naruto's eyes widened after a moment when he realized who she was talking about. "Yes, Suna has sent word that Kira Bee and his team are in Suna, discussing Akatsuki movements with their Kazekage." Naruto was so happy he didn't catch the hurt look of Sakura as she realized he was leaving her behind again, and unshead tears formed in her eyes.

"Yatta, It's been a while since we last saw them!"

"Calm down Naruto… However due to enemy movements in and around Hi no Kuni you two will be doing this in the company of Anbu." That seemed to snap Naruto out of his happy daze as he put two and two together.

"WAIT!! What? Baa-chan, why isn't Yamato-taishou and Sakura-chan coming? Why are you breaking up team seven!?!" The look on Naruto's face was not one of anger, but betrayal, and hurt. Team Seven, Ino knew, was Naruto's family, Every man who lead them had earned a special place in his heart, and the people who battled beside him could be trusted explicitly, except for one. Ino went silent. This was akin to his grandmother telling him his family was gone, and Tsunade seemed to realize this as well for she looked away quickly, her face pale.

"As I said Team Seven is henceforth disbanded until the Chunin Exams. Yamato's special skills are needed for a mission I cannot talk about with you and Sakura, given her last outburst." Sakura physically flinched at the remark. "Shall be remaining with me, she and I will be having a… remedial." The grin that accompanied the last word definitely showed the them that near torture poundings would be involved. The two blondes felt bad for their friend (though Ino thought that forehead deserved it), but were glad for the chance leave the confines of Konoha. Naruto would want to see Kira and Gaara again, they had talked about the other containers, and from what she understood Naruto had felt an affinity to the others, even those who he hadn't even met and had died before he knew they existed. It was a solemn Uzumaki who had mentioned 'These people, even if I never met them, were my brothers and sisters. They felt the same as I did. I could only hope that they had people like you. That their deaths had been worth it so their loved ones could live, and remember them. That is the hope of a Jinchūriki. To be known as not the beast, and to be treated as an equal.'

He went on to talk about the others he knew about. Diligent Yugito, Cold Yagura, Wise Roushi, inventive Han, gentle Utakata, and energetic Fuu. Their tales sadly were lost, due to the hatred of their villages, but Naruto talked as if he knew them personally. And through him, Ino learned of them as well. Soon after a few more minutes of being briefed they were excused.

"Naruto, Ino… a moment." Sakura and Yamato nodded to them and their leader before leaving the blonde trio alone. "Let me make this perfectly clear, if I had it my way you would be under guard of every able shinobi we have, but as we are still working our way back from Pein's attack. I can barely spare Tori and Cho. The council is even adamant at their use of escort. They seem to believe their two… weapons--." Tsunade paused as if the word weapon was as foul a taste in her mouth as it was in Ino's. She was a Kunoichi, a woman warrior at the farthest thought of her mind. To be classified as a weapon dehumanized her and Naruto. "--could hold their own." She sighed and "I will say this. If attacked make all due haste towards the nearest ally village. You are not to engage unless no other alternative is available. Understood?" The two younger ninja nodded. "Good. Tori and Cho are waiting at the west gate. Be safe you two. I will see you in a month." She gathered Naruto up in a hug, then allowed the two to leave.

* * *

What had begun as a simple walk towards an ally village had changed as soon as they hit the half way mark. Chakra signatures unknown to Tori had begun to follow them and after many course changes and failed attempts to hide they had changed tactics to fleeing with all haste to the now closer Suna. Nothing had worked and the enemy had doggedly chased them just inside Tori's sensor range.

"We are still being followed." The bird mask remarked as she began to pick up speed once more. The others chased after her and soon caught up. "They must have a chakra reader among them. No matter what we do we cannot loose them, best use all we have to out run them." Ino cursed, she couldn't lower her chakra levels down, that was partly what she would be learning from Gaara, whose levels were similar to her own. The pursuers were able to follow them because of her and it irritated the younger female to no end. Cho took the lead and changed direction again, heading the most direct path towards Suna. The final obstacle before they hit the Suna's sandy border was a perpetually wet and deep crack in the earth that had sprung up right after the Kyuubi attack. Believed to be caused by one of it's tails the gentle arching furrow was the shortest and easiest path to the border, oft used by traders. It was also the perfect ambush point, and they all knew it.

"We can't go into the valley, it's too slick to climb up, we'd be trapped." Naruto remarked as they paused on a limb before rocketing off towards the next one. All sense of subtly and stealth had been abandoned for out right speed.

"The canyon is the fastest way, Naruto." The pig Anbu remarked, ignoring the protests of the nine tailed carrier and sped up his hopping forcing Ino and Naruto to use more chakra to catch up to the blur. The large cliff sides rose up from the forest as they descended into the darkening valley. Birds, small animals even the occasional deer or boar ran, startled from their path, as they pushed themselves to get out of the confines of the damp granite walls.

All of a sudden Boar stopped. Forced to smash his feet in the dirt to stop, Naruto stumbled as he landed beside the tusked mask Anbu when he rose they all listened to the silence. The forest around them had gone quiet now, the birds and wildlife having already fled before their little team had arrived, a sure sign they had been flanked. Running was no long an option. With a barely heard hiss the two Anbu released their swords and readied themselves. Ino listened for any sound giving the enemy away. The wind blew, she heard a whisper of cloth against leather as an Anbu shifted position. THERE! Two repeating shifts in the wind, Shuriken. They all dodged and prepared to retaliate when Ino was blindsided by flash bombs stuck into the holes of the shuriken. Robbed of both sight and hearing from the distraction she tried to dash back to recover.

"Watch out, Ino!" Naruto slide in front of her partially blocking kunai that speared out from the darkness.

It was then a snap was heard followed by a storm of fire and cooked flesh from the exploding form of Cho to their right. The detonation had unintended consequences, as it triggered a cascade when it set off explosive seals the now dead nin had held. The two Jinchūriki were flung by the force of these blasts to the ground. Ino tried to remain calm as the world shook, dirt and trees being lifted from their resting place and flung into the firestorm, becoming more and more shrapnel. The sound alone was so great that it filled the canyon with man made thunder and the two fought to stay conscious against it. A cry of pain before a muffling of sound reached her but Ino refused to open or lift her eyes and risk loosing them to the heat and spray of debris. The earth calmed after what seemed like a minute, and with a stumble, Ino rose shakily to her feet, covering her bleeding and ruined ears with a soothing, healing jutsu. A bloody stake of tree was flung to the ground beside her as Naruto pulled the object from his back. Thankfully his seal was still working and the container was already healing. Smoke was everywhere, making their eyes water, further disorienting the two leaving them alone and uncertain of direction. A crackle of burning trees and the fading report of the explosion echoing off the cliffsides greeted Ino's repaired ears. Then a laugh, so cold and sadistic a chill rose up Ino's spine broke over the deathly silence.

A trio of ninja landed before them, blocking the now un-obscured path to Konoha. Their faces were shrouded in shadow from the sun's glare but even then Naruto bristled, his body shaking with rage.

"Teme…" Ino's eyes grew wide and she squinted at the glare of the afternoon sun. She had just about made them out when the taller of the tree borne group covered the sun's rays allowing them all to be seen in perfect clarity. In the lead, holding the other now dead Anbu by his broken neck, was a short man with frenzied black eyes and an insane smile. Naruto and Sakura's former teammate, Uchiha Sasuke. Beside him was a waif of a woman, whose heavy clothes didn't quite hide the bite marks that rose form her turtleneck collar and long sleeves. Finally the largest member was a man carrying a large broken sword. All three wore black cloaks, each one sporting red clouds, the symbol filled Ino with uncontrollable anger and barely restrained fear. The trio were still were with the same people who killed Asuma, who threatened Naruto's life. Akatsuki.

"Looks like you were right Karin. Well done." The redhead smiled flirtingly with Sasuke as the sword carrying man rolled his eyes. Sasuke's Sharingan flared to life as he bored into Ino and Naruto. "I'm surprised Yamanaka, I expected Sakura. Haruno usually follows this fool around like a puppy now, I never expected it from you." Naruto had held back to long and now exploded into action both in words and movement reaching to land a blow to the smug faced Uchiha.

"I'm going to keep my promise Sasuke! I will make you return to Sakura-chan, even if I have to break your legs to do it!" The mad smile merely grew at these words as he dodged the attack, as if they were exactly what the traitor wanted to hear.

"If you want to try Dobe, you'll need to follow me." With that remark, Sasuke bounded away towards the darkness created by the dense tree canopy.

"Come back here, Teme!" Naruto roared and raced after Sasuke's retreating form.

"NARUTO!" Ino cried out and jumped to follow but was blind sided by the flat of a massive blade. She held her sore ribs as she crouched ready for another attack.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Now that's not fair, we were asked by Sasuke to keep you company. A pretty little thing like you should have some nice blood to cover Kubikiri Houchou." Light hair, dark eyes, jagged teeth. A member of the more blood thirsty Kiri ninjas, possibly one of the Shinobigatana Nananin Shū.

"Why did Sasuke want Naruto, if I am to die then let me know." Ino demanded, there was no fear for herself in her heart, these two were underestimating her. No the fear was for Naruto, Sasuke seemed way too eager to get Naruto alone.

"Sasuke needs his death, that is all you need know. You will not get in the way, little girl." Suigetsu growled out, his jagged tear grinding against one another as he tightened his grip on the broken zanabato. The lithe blonde that stood before the remaining members of Taka trembled with anger.

"Get out of my way, scum." Ino ordered, her fury growing with a whisper of something just beyond the cusp of her reach. Karin laughed knowing Suigetsu and her own power levels were easily twice over the other girl's.

"You will have to kill us first little bitch before you step a foot closer to Sasuke-kun." The red head remarked. Her smile faded as a sharp crack filled the air and the Taka duo was blasted back. Ino could suddenly could feel the fury and rage pull to her and condense.

The air grew heavy around the blonde as her hair began to whip around her in a unholy wind. Clear cornflower blue eyes darkened into a hazy purple then into a demonic ruby. Nails cracked with power as they lengthened and sharpened, her canines had grown the Akatsuki noticed as she snarled, giving the girl the look of a preying beast.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Ino raged, shattering the trees around her.

_*_*_*_

Next Chapter: Chapter 12: Promise

It's on now. Though don't expect grand fighting or action. I'm not that kind of writer. I'll do my best but for the next two chapters is all about fighting then we will get back into more familiar territory for me.

Amazing! I never thought one of my stories would be this popular, and this is all your doing people! Thank you so much. To everyone who finds the story plus to those who have been with me since the beginning. Your words of encouragement, your interest has kept me interested in continuing this story. I've gotten a lot of comments that have sparked new thoughts and different views on the matter which have allowed me new angles to work from. Even those who are unsure of this story and it's direction help, and to you all who have reviewed, and will review thank you. Alright enough gushing about you all.

I feel the urge to complain about He-Should-Just-Make-Sense.

[spoiler]

Gorram Kishimoto. Every time I look to see what will inspire me to add to this story he throws another Sasuke saga where the ebon haired moron goes DBZ on some person's ass. So far I have seen nothing redeeming about Sasuke at all, from ditching Konoha, nearly killing Naruto three times, all the shit he did under Orochimaru, the crap he did against Kumo then joining Akatsuki and then letting Karin die for the hell of it, though she has recovered because of Sakura, still. At least now Sennin Naruto is there and MAYBE we'll have a reasonable … ah who am I kidding. All that's gonna happen is a DBZ styled fight between Naruto and Sasuke. At least I got Sakura in Naruto's arms for payment for having to sit through it.

I will say this to my loyal readers. I'll truly stop reading the comic and writing Naruto stories if Kishi makes Sasuke repent and all:

'Hey I'm good now' Sasuke yelled out landing beside his former teammates. 'Oh Sasuke I was wrong about you let's have babies!' cried Sakura, hugging Sasuke. 'Wow! You've nearly ripped out my heart X amount of times but that's okay because I am so stupid I missed you!' Naruto cried happily. Kakashi merely eye smiled and pulled out his porn.

Not Hell no but FUCK HELL NO! Sasuke lover I am not. No way no how. Lemme just let you all know that now before you continue reading that if you really like Sasuke then you might wanna stop reading now.

(feb 23: and thank god Sakura was going to go for Sasuke's blood, if she really had just relapsed back to her fan girl mode I would have screamed. I can almost accept she didn't stab the fucker.)

[/spoiler]

Chapter 12-16 are plotted with minor pieces written, I have found this works for me. If I get an idea about a scene rather than hold it in I should put it into writing. That way I don't confuse myself with more lame ideas while trying to remember and rehash the good stuff in a bad way. That way I can keep flowing out with the literary gold my brain feeds me every now and then.. Besides if it doesn't fit I can always rewrite it again. Hopefully the next chapter despite being an even one will be easier to write. Chapter ten was a bitch. (in fact I am mostly finished with this one while I still have major holes in ten as I write this out. Go figure.)