Chapter 25: Gaara: Jinchuriki, Kazekage, Naruto's Brother
I don't need any sort of guide to know where the extraction sight is. However, what I come in to see is that of a dead bodied Sasori and the place a mess. That is after I find that the place wasn't forced in to. Meaning that they met up with the other team in time to take of the spread out seal tags. Someone fought the puppet master- no...Two someones- and managed to win after quite the struggle. My guess is Sakura and...The old woman, Chiyo. Deidara isn't here, nor is Gaara's body. Deidara's the kind of guy who likes to taunt and tease. So he probably lured a rather angry Naruto out of the cave, and in turn Sasuke and Kakashi went too. I look back in the direction I came from once out of the cave, and then I look in the other direction. There's a canyon in that direction...I wouldn't be surprised if Deidara lead them that way. I take off with a push of my legs, heading in that direction I figure everyone else went. It takes a decent amount of flying at top speed to find them, but after following the explosions and the enraged screams, I can only figure that Naruto's fighting Deidara. Why aren't Kakashi and Sasuke trying anything? God, Sasuke's got the Sharingan for pete's sake! All he has to do is look the boy in the eyes and bam!...Did Itachi not teach him that yet? I dive bomb into the trees, landing not far from the explosions where I figure the actual fighting to be going on. If Kakashi and Sasuke are doing nothing, then they should be in this vicinity.
"So, Jiraiya didn't give you anything to calm the idiot down?" I hear Sasuke's voice not too far away after my ears are done toning in on the most recent explosion. With my wings furled to my back, and my claws sheathed, I make my way to that voice, using it to figure out where the hell they are.
"No," Kakashi responds with, "He figured if Cross was near by, things would be fine".
"Idiot! You'd think a Sanin would have thought ahead and of the situation we're currently in!" Someone's a bit pissed, "Cross is no where near by, and neither of us know how to use our Sharingan to calm him the hell down. Let alone get close to him. He's already got two tails, what about the third?"
"Who's no where near by?" I question from a tree separate from both of theirs, and a branch above them.
"Cross isn't. She's off fighting that fish freak. I should of stayed behind to help her," Sasuke answers. "God I'm such an idiot!"
"Why?"
"Because that fish freak could be taking her down! I know she's strong, but he's an S-ranked criminal!" Sasuke throws his hands in the air.
"But...I'm perfectly fine," I tell him.
Kakashi looks up to me and eye smiles, "Glad to see you could join us. You wouldn't of happened to see Sakura and Elder Chiyo, would you of?"
It's then that Sasuke looks up himself, dark eyes widening at the sight of my person, I smile at him, and wiggle my fingers at him in a casually and a bit playful wave. My eyes return to Kakashi and I shake my head, "I didn't see either of them; the cave was collapsed and all I saw was Sasori's dead body. But I did see tracks of someone leaving. It might have been them; I didn't really study the tracks".
Kakashi is silent for a moment before nodding, "Alright. Now...What do you wanna do about Naruto?"
I sigh and look towards the explosions, "The Akatsuki can't know about the effect my chakra has on the Kyuubi. If they find me out, I'll be their weapon against him and I'll have no choice but to give myself up as a double agent and therefore put myself and the village in jeopardy. I need you two to take Deidara down. He's a long range fighter as I'm sure you both know by now, so he's got exceptionally good eyes. Plus he's got that scope on his left one. You need to come in as one. Then when you catch him, hold him down and get him into a genjutsu- he's particularly weak against the Sharingan in that he can't help but look at your eyes. Once you have him down, I'll take Naruto out. But until then, I'll just keep his attention on me. He can't fly so I'll use that to my advantage". I pause, "Ready? Scatter!" We do just that, taking off in different directions, they for the defending blond, and I for the offending one. Upon seeing Naruto my eyes widen. This is my first time actually seeing the Kyuubi's chakra at work. It's actually rather frightening. His nails are that of claws- little sharp knives compared to my swords for claws but no matter- and his lips are lined in black. His eyes are lined with black as well and completely red, the whisker marks on his cheeks thickened making him look feral to go with those fangs that rival the length of my own. His hair is a lot more wild too, but other than that nothing has changed. I watch him as he attacks Deidara over and over again like the savage beast he currently is. "Oi! Jinchuriki brat!" I shout out. The call doesn't do anything. Let's try something more insulting, "Fucking Monster!" His head snaps in my direction, a low growl rumbling from his throat.
"What are you doing Cross-chan, un?!" Deidara questions from his current position on the ground. "Get the hell out of there!"
"I can take this bastard on!" I confidently point at my chest, head high and proud. "I beat Kisame remember? What's the difference between a three tailed beast and a no tailed beast that could beat a four tailed one? Nothin'! Get out of here! And leave the Kazekage's body here; we don't need it any more!"
My eyes flash down to the tailed Naruto, who stands there and glares at me before rushing me, I jump off of the poor tree that he takes down in an attempt to get to me. Deidara says where he is, "What about Hatake and Itachi's brother?!"
"I don't know where the hell they are!" Really, I don't. I do know they're near by though, "So I'd keep my eyes wide open for any attacks they may try to throw at ya while yer retreatin'!" I jump again, this time onto a higher branch. Now get outta 'ere!" He wastes no more time. I in the mean time continue to jump from tree to tree as Naruto chases me, taunting him with names and phrases that I'd never say if it weren't for the fact that I need to make sure that his attention is only for me. As he takes down the tenth tree, I decide that it's time to fly. "Come on Naruto!" I stop with the name calling, "Come and get me all the way up here!" What I don't expect is for him to be able to climb so well. "Oohhhhh shit!" I take off at full speed, breaking through the canopy just as he makes it to the top of the trees. "Up here kiddo!" I tell him. His tails...Can extend?! I dodge around the three tails that try to catch me like a frog's tongue does a fly until I figure that I'm a good distance away from Deidara. "Okay buddy," I tell him, "Time to calm down". It's as I say this, that I let a coat of chakra cover my skin, making it glow practically a golden color- my chakra is gold, yes. When it's fully over my body, I force it outwards in a burst of energy. Which collides with Naruto as He launches himself into the air in an attempt to catch me with his hands. As soon as my chakra makes contact with the Kyuubi's, it settles down, sinking back into his person. It seems that being in a tailed form makes Naruto very sleepy, because next thing I know, I'm catching him with an arm around his waist and one of his arms over my shoulders before he can hit the ground. "Atta boy, Naruto. Nice and calm. Why don't we find Gaara's body, hmm? I think that would be good". And that's exactly what we do. Upon finding Gaara's cold and pale- paler rather- frame, I can't help but frown deeply.
"So...You got him to settle down did you?" Kakashi looks to me with a tired dark eye, arm slung over Sasuke's shoulders.
"Yes...You over did it again," I tell him blandly. It's not a question.
"Just a bit," he tells me.
It is then that Naruto decides to wake up, a groan escaping his lips and his frame becoming lighter due to the muscles no longer being dead to the world. "Wh...What?" Is all he sleepily manages.
I smile and shuffle his body in my hold, "Morning sleepy head," I greet him lightly, "How do you feel?"
A blue eye looks at me, dazed with sleep, "Like three trees fell on me and stayed there for an entire night".
I chuckle, "That's not exactly what happened, but no matter. Think you can walk on your own?" I get a nod, and release him, and only hold onto his shoulder when he wobbles a bit. When his eyes land on Gaara, it's as though cold water was poured on his frame as he's wide awake then.
"...We have to take him home," Naruto tells us, picking the red head up and putting him onto his back with a bit of my help.
"Alright. Let's go back to Suna then," I nod out, leading the way with Naruto next to me and Sasuke and Kakashi behind us. The walk is silent and mournful, none of us willing to say a single word. Well, Kakashi's too tired to really say anything let alone lift his head. But that's a completely different story.
To tell you the truth, I thought that only Konoha had as much heart in it as it does. Thought, being the key word. Why? Because I hadn't really ever spent a whole lot of time in other villages- obviously. A normal stupid throught but one that I had all the same. So to find practically every single member of Suna, shinobi and villager alike, waiting for us about half way back to the village, was an astounding thought. And to see their sorrow so deep as though someone killed their son, brother, father, cousin, whatever, wasn't any better. Team Guy turned out to be the team that Lyst saw and never met up with. They along with Sakura and Elder Chiyo were waiting for us to come along as they seemed so sure we would.
Naruto holds in tears that I know want to fall as he places Gaara gently in front of his people, "We couldn't save him...I'm sorry". I bite my lip, placing a hand on one of his shoulders as he bows his head and continues to remain strong. And when his shoulders begin to shake from holding himself back, I place both hands on his shoulders, and rest my forehead on his back, wings unfurled just enough to block off his sides. I don't want to envelope him from the world completely. "I'm so sorry...Sorry...I just...Wasn't fast enough".
"Wait! Maybe he's not gone!" Sakura rushes forward, kneeling at Gaara's side. "I-I'll heal him! Naruto!" She tries to assure, placing her hands on the red head's chest and green healing chakra spreading from her hands to his person. However, it's no use. I know the look of a dead person rather well. Gaara, Sabuku no Gaara, former Ichibi Jinchuriki is dead.
Naruto's shoulders shake harder, and I squeeze them in my support. However, he jerks from my hold, tears now freely dripping from his eyes as Chiyo kneels next to Sakura to look down at the red haired boy. "This is all your fault! Gaara didn't even ask to be a Jinchuriki! It was forced upon him! And then the entire village acted as though he was the host of some incurable plague! Even his own brother and sister were afraid of him! There is no one in the world who wants to be a Jinchuriki! It's a horrible life that you have to deal with untilt he day you die! For people like him and me, who don't even understand why we're treated like we are, life is the most painful thing we have to go through. Day in and day out! And just when things started to get good for him, when people started accepting him and stopped being afraid of him...Some group of power hungry monsters take his life as a reward to him for protecting the very village that scorned him! It's not fair! Why? He didn't ask to be a Jinchuriki! And none of you understand! You think you do but you don't!" Oh...Naruto.
Chiyo and the rest of us are silent as he openly cries, unable to look away from the first person to understand him through and through, just as he understood Gaara from day one. They're brothers, nothing more and nothing less. I was scorned too, but not because I housed a tailed beast, just simply because I was different. The humans don't know I'm not human. And yet they think Naruto is a demon when he's the most human human creature I've ever seen in my life. Where was I when we learned that she sealed Gaara away? Was it after we separated? I can only suspect so. Sweat begins to drip down her face, and pants leave her mouth.
Sakura's eyes widen as she seems to realize just what the hell Elder Chiyo seems to have in mind. "No! You can't! If you do...You'll die!"
"What?" I question with furrowed brows, "Sakura, explain".
She looks to me and does so quickly, "Elder Chiyo knows a forbidden jutsu called Kisho Tensei. It's like the opposite of Orochimaru's Edo Tensei, but different. It transfers a person's entire life force into that of a dead body, switching their life for the person who died's. It can only be done within a short time of the death, and it requires a lot of chakra as it is. Elder...Let me help you".
"No! Your life force is still too weak from that near death encounter you had earlier. I need someone who is strong". The old woman gasps out.
It is then that Naruto kneels on Gaara's other side, and offers his hands, "I'm plenty strong," damn right you are, "Let me help you. Gaara would do the same if it were me laying there".
The old woman looks at him before smiling, "Put your hands over top of mine, and channel your chakra". The boy does so, and the blue glow that had been dulling by the moment, bursts to life. However, even as the jutsu begins to come to a close, the woman is growing weaker and weaker. I can see it in her eyes, even without my original eyes. It's clear as the sky is blue on this day. "You're right," Chiyo answers shortly. She joins Sakura at Gaara's side, and takes the young woman's hands' place with her own. Chakra begins to flow from her. I'm happy that someone like you has appeared in the world of shinobi that we foolish old people created. Everything I've ever done was a mistake. But now, at the end, it looks like I'll finally be able to do the right thing. The Sand Village and Konoha. Their future will be much different than the way things were back in my day. That strange power of yours that Kakashi mentioned… That power will have a strong influence on the future. Become a Hokage like none before you". Her tired eyes trail to my pink haired team mate, eyes tired. "And Sakura… Next time, save the people who are dear to you, not some old hag. You and I are very similar. There aren't many girls as chivalrous as you around. You might become a kunoichi who surpasses her master." It's by now that we see the color- even though it's not a whole lot- return to Gaara's skin and face. Curious, I place a hand to Gaara's throat, where I can feel his pulse. After a moment's waiting, I can feel it there. Faint, but growing stronger by the moment. When Gaara's breathing becomes slow and steady, as though he were sleeping, Chiyo realizes that it's her time to go. She looks to Naruto one more time, "Naruto… a request from an old woman. You are the only one who knows Gaara's pain… Gaara also knows your pain. Help Gaara out…". It is then that she closes her eyes, and with a slow, smiling breath, life leaves the old woman.
When Gaara wakes up, Naruto is the first to be there, a hand on his shoulder as he leans down and smiles at him. The sight is that of two brothers, one relieved to see the other, and the other surprised to see the one. When Gaara stands and it's explained all that went on, of how we came for him and of how Chiyo brought him back with Naruto's help, and of how an entire rescue party came, the red head again was surprised. The look on his face said, 'you all came for me?'. The idiot. Temari and Kankuro- the latter doing so despite Sakura's say so- support Gaara as he's still rather stiff from being dead. We stay a day in Suna, being given a free stay at a nice hotel for the night. Sakura and I share a roo, while the gentlemen get their own. The next day we leave with Gaara and his family seeing us off, and the Kazekage going so far as to insist on shaking Naruto's hand- something that had never happened before.
"I'm very proud of you five," Tsunade tells we of Team Seven as we stand before her in her office. About twenty minutes ago, we arrived back in the village after four days out of it. As we're supposed to after a mission, we came straight to Hokage Tower for a debriefing, where each of us recalled everything we experienced while on the mission. "Not only because you took down an Akatsuki member, but also because you managed to save Gaara whom is not only the Kazekage but also a good man. This also makes our bonds with Suna stronger than ever, basically assuring both sides that the treaty that's been between the two of us for two and a half years is absolutely solidified. Go take a break; you deserve it". We nod and then bow- well not Naruto, he's as casual with her as ever- before turning to leave. "Except...Sasuke and Cross. I have another mission for the both of you. I'm afraid you won't be staying in the village long. Kakashi...You stay as well".
I stop in my tracks to look a the blond woman. What? Another mission? It's not common that an Anbu Captain leaves her team for so long. Not unless the mission she goes on is top priority. "Tsunade-sama...What is it you need us for?"
"Primarily it's you and Sasuke that I need. Kakashi is here so that he can say goodbye to you. You two have been a couple for almost three years now. I don't know when your anniversery is, but I don't want you to miss it without Kakashi knowing the reason". Thanks Tsunade. Seriously. She smiles to me almost playfully, tawny eyes settled on my frame before traveling to Sasuke's as well. "Your mission...Is to assassinate Orochimaru".
My jaw drops, "Assassinate? Do you know how much work that'd take? Even if we took down every one of his guards, he'd be gone by the time we started looking for him". What's she getting at?
"That's why you will be infiltrating his base of operations much like you have done with the Akatsuki. I understand that this will mean that you'll have to report to the leader- Pein as you say his name is- along with Itachi. That's why while you and Itachi are reporting to him, Kakashi and Sasuke will be studying the workings of Orochimaru's current hide out; the location being provided by Jiraiya's spy network".
"I thought I was staying behind?" Kakashi questions.
"I changed my mind," Tsunade answers. "Now. I give you three days to report to Pein, back to me, and then get to Sasuke. Is that enough time?"
I blink lightly and sigh. "No, not even if Itachi and I leave now".
"She's right," Itachi speaks up, appearing in Tsunade's window, crouching on the ledge. "It takes at least two days to get there from here. If you want us to report back here from that's four days. Where is Orochimaru's current hideout?"
"Yukigakure," Tsunade answers.
"You wanted us to get there in a week? Were you depending on me carrying Itachi with me and flying us there through the night?"
"No, I was hoping you'd be fast enough. Are you saying you can't do it in a week?"
I sigh and run a hand through my hair. "It's not that we can't do it," because we can, "We'd just be very time pressed to get to Yukigakure in a week's time. Not only that...But Itachi. Are you cured?"
Itachi shakes his head, "No. I had to report to extract the Ichibi before Tsunade-sama and I got the chance to go through with it. However I'm willing to wait until I return from the Akatsuki to be administered the cure. If it is for the good of the village, that is".
Tsunade nods once, "It is. I would leave now, if I were you".
I pause, and look to my honorary clan head, "One moment please," I request, quickly looking to Kakashi with my eyes as I speak to Itachi.
The twenty one year old man nods once, "Very well".
I smile before turning and walking passed Kakashi, grabbing and pulling him along with me along the way. We leave the room, and close the door gently behind us before walking down the hallway. When we're sure no one is near...I find myself against the wall with Kakashi's frame flush against my own. A thrill runs down my spine, and I move my head up and to the side to give his no longer cloth covered lips access to the skin. As his lips explore the small expanse of my neck, my hands travel over and round his back, running over every muscle they can get to by going under both his shirt and the flack jacket. A low moan escapes my lips as he gently bites the juncture of my neck and shoulder, pressing against a bundle of nerves in that spot. In response to the sound, he bits a bit harder, and sucks at the skin for a good twenty seconds. I wiggle against him from the sensation. His hands bury themselves in my long hair, and lips find my own. I greedily kiss him back, putting his taste and scent even further to memory than it already is. We separate to breathe, and I decide that it's my turn to pin him- something that I know for a fact Kakashi enjoys. Just as he had gotten at my own, my lips travel across the skin on his neck, a hand pulling further down the mask that had only been lowered enough to show his entire face. Unlike me, he doesn't like teeth on his skin. Therefore I'm careful with not even trailing my fangs along his skin as much as I'd love to. I feel his pulse under my lips, and I can't help but think that if he liked it, I'd trail my fangs right there like a vampire would. That'd be an interesting experience. However I behave. Also unlike myself, a bundle of nerves that is sensitive for him isn't any where near the nape of his neck, Instead, it's closer to the back of his neck and his hairline. When I find this particular spot, I return the favor he gave to me in bringing broken blood vessels to the surface. After that, my lips find his one more time and we kiss for a bit longer.
When we separate, I'm panting, "We should go back; I need to get going".
Kakashi sighs, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer, "I don't want to," he tells me, dark eye live with energy and want.
Unfortunately, I can't give him what he wants, and pull out of his hold, "I know," I rest a hand on his bare cheek, "But I have to".
He sighs before stealing one more kiss and then pulling up his mask. We hold hands as we make our way back into the office. "Done?" Tsunade questions with a risen brow.
I blush and nod lightly before turning to hug the silver haired man. He in turn curls his form around my own, and as a result my wings wrap around him as well, "I'll see you in a week at the meet up point". We release one another, and my attention turns to the younger Uchiha, "See you in a week, Sasuke".
"Yea, see you," he blandly states, obviously not happy with what he knows to have occurred moments earlier. He grunts lightly as Itachi passes him by and pokes him with his index and middle finger- a thing he's done to the younger of the two ever since he was little. We take off at top speed, pushing hard against the ledge of the window and going on from there. The travel to the Akatsuki mansion is a silent one. Even when we wanted food, we'd just simply take something from a shop in a town we passed through. Illegal? Yes. Wrong? Yes? Necessary? Well hell yes! Upon reaching the mansion, the first and only think I say to Itachi in two days is, "Since it's my mission, I'll go alone. You rest and get at least a little bit of sleep. I know you're tired".
His reaction? "What about you?"
And my answer to that is, "I'm not human. I don't get tired as quickly as humans do; I've got more stamina". I leave at that, letting him sit down on one of the couches in the living room before heading upstairs. This will be my second time seeing Pein face to face. The first time was not long after my recovery was completed. Passed the first hallway, passed the hallway that holds my and Itachi's rooms, and into the third one where I know Pein's office to be. I knock on the double wooden doors nice and loud.
"Enter," is the low toned answer.
I open and close the door swiftly before bowing to the orange haired man before me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he looks like he could be Naruto's relative. Their body and bone structure are so much alike that it's uncanny. However I know for a fact that Naruto has no blood related family. "Leader-sama," I greet as I bow, "I have news".
"Speak," the man demands.
"Tsunade wants me and Itachi's little brother, Sasuke, to infiltrate Orochimaru's current hide out and assassinate him. This will take a decent amount of time; I won't be available for any extractions that may occur during this mission".
His face as is per usual is blank. "Just yourself and the young Uchiha?"
"Yes sir," I answer with a nod.
"...Very well. We can spare one person. However keep in mind that I only say this because we have Kisame. Like him, your chakra helps with the load on the others in the extraction. Finish the job efficiently; Orochimaru is an enemy of the Akatsuki as well".
"As you wish, sir," I nod firmly, meeting his gaze to show that I understand and don't object or have any questions.
"Good. Leave. Proceed with the mission you were given".
I bow one more time before leaving the room and swiftly head through the hallways again, down the stairs and into the living room to see a sleeping Itachi. I tilt my head. If we had the choice, I'd move him to his room where he'd be more comfortable. However that's not an available choice right now. I move forward to shake him awake, only to find that his forehead is covered in a thin layer of sweat. My brows furrow, and I place the back of my hand to his forehead. Black eyes widen. A fever. He pushed himself too hard. And not just in the passed two days; in general as well. My hands weave through the needed handsigns before I slam my left hand with blood onto the floor, "Kushiyose no Jutsu". The tiger that appears is blue in fur color for the base of his fur, with green stripes and a light blue under belly. Orange eyes like fire look to me from the height of seven foot eight inches.
"Cross-sama," the baritone voice greets, "What service may I offer to you?"
I smile and place a hand under the large tiger's chin, scratching it momentarily, "Razboi," I greet lightly, "You see this man here? This is Itachi, the man who gave me the gift of my new eyes. He's sick; I need to take him home very quickly- much faster than I expected to be traveling. Will you be able to make it to Konoha with me in a single day? Normally it takes two".
Razboi looks at me and then to the man again, "If it is what you wish of me, then yes I can do it, Cross-sama".
I smile in thanks, "Thank you. Unfortunately, you'll need to hold onto him with your chakra since he can't do it on his own". I tell him, shouldering the tall Uchiha and sliding him over the large blue tiger's back. Once Itachi is comfortably and securely on the tiger's back, I nod to myself. "Take off before me; head south west once out of the cave". I get a nod and watch he large tiger take off at an impecible speed for someone his size. I wait a few seconds before rushing forward on my feet through the cave until I'm not too far above Razboi and Itachi. Normally I'd take to the canopy like I did on the way to the base. But I have to keep an eye on Itachi; I can't afford to be out of hearing range.