Chapter 16 (Trouble brewing)
It had been another week since Kurama and the Leaf Ninja appeared in the Sand Village. The village itself was still on edge since Cross' attack and Zael was becoming irritated for having to constantly hide in her disguise. Naruto and Sasuke were having act as parental figures and Gaara wasn't sure if he could handle all the stress.
The one thing that soothed him was what he heard when he walked in on a conversation between Temari and Zael.
(Yesterday, Late Night, Kazekage mansion)
"So, any ideas for a name yet?" He heard Temari asked, which caused him to stop walking at once.
"No, but I haven't really thought about it much." Zael answered. "Plus, I want Gaara's thoughts first. And I don't know if I'm having a boy or a girl.."
"Well then, I just have to buy unisex clothes for right now." Temari said happily. "You're only, what, two and a half months away now?"
"Yeah."
Gaara didn't stay much longer, but walked with a small smile. It was true when he said he was still nervous, but at the same time he was excited.
'A name huh?' He thought. 'It's true, we hadn't thought of any names yet.'
He walked while in deep thought, not realizing that Sakura and Lee were walking towards him until one called out his name.
"Lord Kazekage!" Sakura said rather loudly. "We have some information for you."
That snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Not here, in my office."
(Present, Late Night, Gaara's room.)
Zael was curled up on his bed, buried under the covers. She had been getting cold much more easily now and hated it. Gaara had just entered the room to see such a funny sight. He couldn't help but chuckle at her. She growled.
"Zael," He said softly and walked up to her. "I have some news."
She sat up and held her arms out towards him. He smiled and sat beside her.
"Sakura and Lee found a few dead bodies that looked like an animal tore them apart" Gaara said quietly.
"Cross.." Zael responded in a whisper. "He's still here."
"And there's more.." Gaara inhaled deeply. "They found a note, written in blood that read, Down with the mutt and the evil desert spawn.."
Zael didn't respond as her eyes grew wide. Slowly, her eyes started to turn dark violet and her fangs grew. She started snarling and growling.
"He. Will. Not. TOUCH my baby." She snarled. She sat up even more and hugged Gaara from behind. "And I won't let him harm you either."
"I am not going to let you fight him." He stated and moved her to his lap. She whined and looked at him. "I can see it, in your eyes, you are prepared to actually fight him this time, but I will not put you," He placed a hand on her stomach. "Or my child in danger."
"Gaara…" She nuzzled into his chest and started purring lightly.
"Promise me, you'll stay out of harm's way and you won't confront him." He asked.
Zael didn't respond right away, instead she let her two tails and ears appear. Gently wrapping them around Gaara's stomach, she sat up and kissed him.
"I promise Gaara."
(NaruSasu's house)
Zael had informed them of what Gaara had told her. Even telling them that he wasn't going to allow her in this fight. They both agreed rather quickly.
"I mean no offense, but there's still a chance you'll hesitate." Naruto had said. "I know I won't. I don't like him one tiny bit and I've been wanting to kill him for a while now."
Sasuke agreed and said basically the same thing, just added that fact that killing someone doesn't really faze him. Zael only sighed, realizing there was no way her friends were going to let her fight.
"By the way, have you guys decided what you're going to do with the kid?" Zael asked before leaving, looking up towards the stairs.
"Yeah, we're gonna…gonna.." Sasuke started, but looked away.
"We're gonna adopt him." Naruto finished with a smile. "I mean, he has nowhere to go and he's already taken a liking to the both of us."
"I think that's a good idea Naruto." Zael said with a smile and walked out.
(Another week past, NaruSasu's house)
Everybody was on the edge since Sakura and Lee had found the note. Even young Kurama didn't seem as playful as usual. All of the demons kept their guard up high, just in case Cross decided to attack at any given time. Shikamaru was getting as protective over Temari as Gaara had been getting over Zael.
And it wasn't helping that a few more bodies were found. Zael had explained to Gaara, and Gaara alone, that Cross was healing himself by eating more and more people. As the Kazekage, he wasn't getting very much peace as he was still running wild. And Zael was barely starting to show that she was pregnant so she started staying in his room and barely coming out.
Naruto and Sasuke started taking Kurama back out to the oasis but to train him. Neither one wanted him getting hurt. The kid was a fast learner in most areas and showed quite a strong sense of intellect. What really surprised them was his version of the tailed beast bomb. It was smaller, more compact and, of course, weaker, but it was still rather strong and look more designed to hit small vital spots.
A month and a half had past and still Cross had not attacked. The body count was even getting lower. Zael was getting nervous, as was Gaara, Naruto and Sasuke. None of them knew what to do and even tracking him seemed rather impossible.
Zael was showing, but only just. Temari seemed upset at the fact that Zael was probably not going to get any bigger. And Zael had more news for Gaara.
"Twins?" He asked, fear starting to come into his voice. "T…two babies.."
Zael had started massaging his shoulders as he sat on the bed with his head in his hands. She knew it was big news, but the sooner the better. After a few minutes, Gaara looked at her and moved her to his lap.
"Well then, I guess I'll just have a good sized family." He said. Zael smiled and licked his cheek affectionately. "Have you thought of any names?"
"Not really. I can't really think of any I like." She answered. "What about you?"
"I have one idea." Gaara said before kissing her softly. "If we have at least one boy, we should name him after your father."
Zael stayed quiet, but hugged him tightly with small tears in her eyes. They laid down after a while and stayed in each other's arms for the rest of the night.
But the night itself didn't last long. They were woken up by screaming. Zael sat up quickly her nose sniffing the air. Gaara didn't need her to tell him that Cross was in the village. They ran outside as fast as possible, Zael didn't even bother to change into 'Tsuki' as Naruto and Sasuke met up with them.
Cross was in the middle of the village, with a blood red smirk on his face, and facing Kankuro, Temari, Shikamaru and Kiba. Lee was on the ground a good ways from them with Sakura leaning over trying to heal a wound on his shoulder.
"Cross!" Zael yelled out to get his attention away from the humans.
"Well, there she is." He laughed sadistically. "My baby sister has finally come out to play."
Gaara, Naruto and Sasuke stood in front of her quickly, all growling low and threateningly. Zael was growling too, but she knew she wasn't to fight. Instead she took to going towards Lee and helping Sakura. The pink haired girl looked at her in disbelief, but shrugged it off as Lee's wound started to heal much faster.
"Don't tell me I have to fight you guys in order to get to my sister?" Cross snarled.
Naruto growled, almost roared, and allowed fangs and claws to grow. Sasuke smirked, feeling his skin harden and wings, actual black feather wings, grow from his back. Gaara just stared down Cross with killing intent back in his eyes. Kankuro and Temari talked the others to move out of the way, they stood beside Zael.
"You're not fighting?" Kankuro asked and knelt beside her.
"Gaara won't let me." She stated and finished healing Lee's wounds. "He doesn't want to lose me, or the babies."
Kankuro didn't have time to respond as Cross began to charge at the boys. Naruto charged towards him in return as Sasuke began building up power for a blackened Chidori and Gaara began turning parts of the sand around him into glass.
Zael watched as the fight quickly became more elaborate. Naruto had already taken a good deal of damage, which would've been a lot worse if it wasn't for his rapid healing. Sasuke was able to move much quick and dodge faster than he ever had been able to before.
Gaara hadn't yet suffered a blow, but every time Cross would get close, Zael felt her heart stop. The battle was getting fiercer as Cross seemed to be getting more and more angry. Before a good counter could've been started. Naruto and Sasuke were flung hard, both landing in the building right above were the others were. Now Cross was trying to corner Gaara. Zael was finding it harder and harder to keep out of the fight. Kiba and Kankuro brought down Naruto and Sasuke after scraping the building parts off of them.
The blonde first noticed Zael's struggle to stay out of the fight, only because he saw her eyes flashing from green and violet while her pupils remained the same. Naruto moved to hold her back when Cross actually cornered Gaara and looked right at Zael.
"I wonder how scarred a child can be to grow up without a father?" He said. "Or better yet, maybe I should just make it to where he'll die slowly and in front of it."
Naruto and Sasuke took one look at her and decided she should join the fight. Because the look in her eyes said she was going to whether they liked it or not. Her eyes were so dark violet, they could have been black, with grey colored, pupils in the shape of crosses.
There wasn't even time to blink in her transformation as she went from scared and human looking to pissed and demonic looking. The markings of the desert demon appeared all over her skin and tanuki rings over her eyes. Her fur and hair were more sandy red than silver now, but her tails kept the fox like shape as did her ears.
Cross didn't even have time to think as she moved fast and threw him a good distance from Gaara. The red head quickly got up and looked directly at her, which Zael calmed down almost immediately.
"I know, I know." She said before Gaara could say anything. "I just couldn't stand the thought of losing you."
Gaara looked down at her feet to see moon white sand circling them both. He looked up at her, then took a quick glance at the ninja behind them. A faint smile came into play as he started to whisper in her ear. Zael smiled in return and nodded her head strongly. She retreated back to the others and looked at Naruto. Him and Sasuke only nodded and went to stand beside Gaara.
Cross growled loudly and started advancing back towards them, blood trickling down his left arm. His fangs were protruding out of his lips now and his hair looked more wild.
Gaara started turning sand into glass as fast as he could while Naruto charged up a Rasenshuriken. Sasuke glanced at them both and, once Cross was within a good distance, used a Fire Style move. The flame was pure black now and more like a stream.
Naruto threw the Rasenshuriken into the flames, causing them to expand and become stronger. Cross didn't have much time to dodge the attack and his whole left arm was burned rather badly. Gaara used the glass surrounding them to stop the flames.
Cross was still midair and didn't sense the other bodies approaching. He had no time to move as Sakura and Lee hit him dead on together. As he fell, Kiba and Akamaru hit him again He tried to quickly rebound as he hit the ground, standing up fast and snarling fiercely.
Shikamaru had just caught him in his Shadow Possession Jutsu and the others began approaching him. This just angered the fox demon even more.
"Shikamaru, if you can, get him out of the village." Gaara stated quickly.
Shikamaru nodded and started to lead him out, but he was having difficulty as Cross kept fighting against his hold. Gaara told the others to stay back and protect the village and he would Shikamaru back as soon as he could. Zael tried to follow them, but Gaara stopped her in her tracks.
"Zael, you promised you would stay out." He said.
"But, if you get hurt," She whine quietly.
"I'll come back, that's my promise."
And then Gaara, Naruto and Sasuke headed outside the village to face Cross once again. Hopefully for the last time. Zael dropped to her knees after a while, cursing at herself for not being able to fight with him.
"Father, if you can hear me," She whispered. "Please, just please protect Gaara and my friends. I can't stand the thought of losing any of them."