Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters. Also, the new ones who show up are absolutely of my creation, so I hope there's no one complaining about that.

Chapter 12: The Search Team.

In the Hidden Sand Village, the next day, Gaara, Temari, Kankurou and Shikamaru debated about who should join the search team that would go after the Renegade Twelve of the Leaf. Kankurou's voice sounded quite worried:

- But, once we brought them here, what shall we do? We're going to lose our alliance with the Hidden Leaf!

Gaara, checking on his paper stack, rather short, found something that made him start frowning:

- Guess that's not an issue anymore, brother… - Gaara showed a letter, signed with the seal of the Leaf: - The Hidden leaf has broken every kind of relationship with the other Hidden Villages. Someone who wishes to live for war, and who can do it, as this Sixth Hokage is, - the words "Sixth Hokage" were pronounced with certain killing intent from Gaara: - he can't have allies that he can't use as he desires. That's why I've sent letters to the Great Hidden Villages: the Rock, the Mist and the Cloud. I'm proposing a major alliance against this situation. Only the Hidden Mist has answered properly, and we shall count on their assistance.

- And, what will this help consist of, Gaara? – Shikamaru's question was quite blunt, but they all recognized it as completely necessary. Gaara replied:

- Well, it will consist of shelter possibilities, alliance in combat, fair trade commerce, information and responsibilities exchange. The Twelve of the Leaf shall be well received by both us and them as allies.

- Hmm, I understand. – Shikamaru nodded then, taking his hand to his chin, in a thinking gesture: - Well, even so, knowing Naruto as he is, we shall have to go and tell him about this… just like the rest of them.

Gaara replied right there:

- To start, we shall bring them here, and, as the rest of the group shows up, we shall keep bringing them. Once we have them all reunited, we shall head to the hidden Mist Village with them, so we can establish the defensive features.

Temari intervened:

- I see… - Shikamaru caught her line of thought and let her talk: - You don't want to attack until Danzou's intentions are completely figured out.

- His intentions are quite clear, after what we checked on his personal folder. – Shikamaru completed the idea: - I think that the prudential time is to wait for the response of the Hidden Rock and the Hidden Cloud, before throwing a full-scale attack on the Leaf.

Kankurou argued:

- And, even so, we have to count on Akatsuki and the Minor Hidden Villages.

Gaara frowned, at his answer:

- We already know that the Hidden Sound is somehow interesting for the Sixth Hokage and the Council Advisors of the Leaf. On the other hand, we also know about the Hidden Rain: they are Naruto's personal allies. So we have to watch over the Hidden Grass and the Hidden Waterfall. These villages are just interested to become military powers at the Great Villages' stake. Akatsuki will still be a great issue, but I think that an alliance between the Hidden Villages should be strong enough, even for them. Actually, this possibility was tried before, but, due to the fact of Akatsuki being unable to be found, this alliance turned into a simple truce of expectancy. Now that the threats appear in several flanks at the same time, and we don't know yet if they're linked somehow or not, then there's nothing better to do than remembering the Alliance and getting ready for whatever might come. The death of Lady Tsunade won't help us at all, and Danzou as Hokage is a constant and pressuring threat.

Temari said:

- Our search team must contain expert scout ninjas, defensive strategists and tacticians who have experience in ambushes, and trace-hiding skilled shinobi.

Shikamaru completed the idea:

- Also, a group that's strong enough to defend the protégés from any possible threat. We already know that the Leaf might be on their way to get them.

Gaara checked on the group and said:

- Shikamaru, Temari, prepare the team that will go on this mission. I shall be quite occupied with some stuff in here. Kankurou and I cannot leave the village, so you two shall command this search mission. We've already gathered some info on your friends, take this. – Gaara handed Shikamaru a scroll, and continued: - You may retreat, you'll leave at dusk.

Shikamaru and Temari abandoned the office quickly. Gaara, staying alone, as Kankurou went to check on his students, decided to double-check on the folders' content:

- ANBU Root's full dossier… and the codified messaged received by Danzou from the Hidden Sound's leader: Kabuto Yakushi… I must check all of this over and over again.

He sat calmly, as he checked on the documents and took notes.

In the streets of the Sand, Temari held Shikamaru's hand and said:

- We shall search for the group in these hours. We shall take Kakashi, Guy and Shizune. Go tell them, as I prepare the group that shall complete the squadron.

- Very well, Temari-chan, we shall meet in my apartment to arrange everything.

Both split up after a short kiss, as no one was watching them exactly.

Shikamaru returned to the building where he was living, and called the Jounin of the Leaf for a meeting in his apartment. They all nodded, following him. Once inside, Kakashi asked:

- What's wrong, Shikamaru?

- We're going after our friends, and we shall need you three. – As Shikamaru pointed at Kakashi, Guy and Shizune, Kurenai, who was taking to her baby, asked:

- You're going after Naruto?

- Sure, master Kurenai. I shall Need Kakashi for his tracking skill, his tracking summons and his Sharingan. Shizune, right now you are the most talented Medic Ninja in the world, so I shall need you as a support unit. Guy, your Taijutsu and Ninjutsu skills are just necessary to defend the search team and the protégés. - Kurenai glanced at Shikamaru, surprised of the quick thinking of Shikamaru, who continued with his statement: - I'd rather have you stay here, Kurenai. Other than that you won't have anyone who can take care of your child, your Genjutsu skills shall be more necessary inside the village. Of course, if you can adapt them to the environment where we are now, it should be great.

Kurenai said, grinning:

- I know what you mean. No one will believe an entangling forest in the middle of the desert. I'll put hands to work as soon as you leave. Thanks for also considering me in this.

Guy replied then:

- Great! Let's go then! Our youthful spirits cannot wither now!

In that moment, the door was knocked, and Temari showed up, with her team behind her. Temari introduced the new party members, pointing at a guy who was as tall as Kakashi, and who wore a gas mask:

- This is Kirimaru. He is a scent-deleting master; this way we can avoid hound-using trackers from reaching us.

She then pointed to a cream-colored hair guy whose left half of the face was covered with half of a cat ANBU mask. His right eye was gray-colored. She called:

- This one is Dorou. He's an Earth Style user, so he can delete our tracks as we keep moving.

Then, Temari pointed at the third member. The girl was wearing a long jacket that had multiple pockets stitched around it. Her head was covered by a hood, and her eyes were black:

- And this is Hagane. She is the Third Kazekage's granddaughter, and as such, she inherited his Iron Style techniques.

Shikamaru, checking on the gathered members, he sat apart from them all and made his usual hand position for thinking while playing Shougi. Temari recognized it, and, even when she still didn't understand at all why he did it, she intuitively knew he was making a plan. Kakashi also recognized the hand position: thumbs together and fingertips of the other fingers together, forming some sort of sphere, with the thumbs on top. After twenty seconds, he stood up and said:

- I've got the tracking formation.

In that moment, the door was knocked again. At Temari's voice the door was opened, and both Kakashi and Shikamaru got happy when they checked out on the visitor:

- Good to see you, Yamato.

Yamato spoke, quite relaxed:

- Kakashi-sempai, Shikamaru, lord Kazekage had received me, and he was rather convincing when he advised me to come give you a hand.

- Actually, this completes my formation quite smoothly, Captain Yamato. – Shikamaru spoke rather decisively: - Listen carefully now.

Temari, knowing what Shikamaru would need, gave him a scroll and a pencil. The rest watched him drawing nine figures, grouped in trios in a vertical line. Shikamaru said:

- We shall travel in line formation, but also in groups of three ninjas. In the first group there shall be Kakashi, Guy and me. Kakashi is our tracker. He can summon the Ninja Hounds, and also use his own scent-tracking skills. Also, with his Sharingan, he can double-check in the blink of an eye for traps, Genjutsu or ambush parties. Guy and I will protect Kakashi's sides. Guy is the most skilled Taijutsu fighter in the Leaf, and, on the other way, he and Kakashi fight quite well together. On the other side, I shall cover them both, and stop whoever can attack over my side, so the ones behind me can attack them. Else, being close from the tracker, I can actually trace action lines in less time, in case of any situation that might force us to change the plan.

Aiming at the middle group, he said:

- In the middle, there will be Shizune, Hagane and Temari. Shizune will be in the middle, so from that place she can attend any injured ninja from the front, the middle or the back quickly. Temari and Hagane have quite powerful attacks, and can protect Shizune, so as they can help to the front and to the back also quickly. You are the main support group, so you must also be very perceptive, as the other groups will be quite busy on our labors.

Aiming to the three last ones, he said:

- Yamato, Kirimaru and Dorou will be in the back group. You three shall work in deleting every single track, scent or lead we might leave. Also, even when you're strong, you can receive support from Temari and Hagane, as you will surely be quite busy for detecting any enemies.

As he opened the scroll further, he talked to everyone:

- Remember that we cannot allow ourselves to be discovered, so we shall have to be extremely careful not to leave any kind of tracks.

Then, Shikamaru drew a combat formation in another section of the scroll:

- We eight shall surround Shizune in case we have to fight, and we must fight to avoid her from getting harmed. In case of need, she can provide backup, but she will have to be our backup, not only for healing, but also for observing and watching our backs. She will be the one seeing underneath the underneath as we fight.

Shizune nodded, and the rest of the group agreed, quite silently. Temari completed the idea:

- Remember that, on the way, we shall have to change the combat formations, and study them. As long as we keep finding resistance, we shall have to change our defensive strategies. We shall leave at dust, so we shall see you there with the route to follow.

The group nodded and retired. Temari took Shikamaru's hand, and he, quite tired, let himself fall on the couch, saying:

- This mission will be quite tough, and will take us some good time. Else, I don't want to risk their lives.

- I get it, Shika-kun. Which route shall we take?

- I shall recommend running through the neutral lands to the south, for meeting the least curious people possible, and for having not only plenty of space to defend ourselves, but also for having the forests as a hiding place to make ambushes and attend the wounded while hiding, instead of doing it backwards.

Temari watched him sigh, tired, and sat beside him, caressing his cheek:

- Once we get the southeast of the continent we shall start searching for Naruto, and whoever is with him. You've done a hell of a job, Shika-kun.

Shikamaru lied on the couch, laying his head on Temari's lap, and she caressed his face gently. Both were tense, but it if wasn't done now, it will never be done. They rested there, together, until the time to meet up with the rest of their squadron came.

End of Chapter 12.

P.D.: The names of the new characters are: Hagane (鋼 = steel), Kirimaru (霧丸 = something like "the mist man"), and Dorou (土郎: something like "the son of Earth"). It's quite hard to find the proper combinations for the new names in Japanese, so I guess I'm actually doing some good effort. =)