Jerking her head up, but keeping focus on the jutsu, Juuri flinched when she heard the explosions coming from inside the cave. "Do you think that they will be alright in there?"

"They will be fine. They are fighting for Gaara." Narrowing her eyes, Sakura was actually for the first time glad that Juuri came along with Naruto and didn't stay in the village. They have gone through three of his clones so far. She wouldn't have had enough chakra to do anything for Gaara on her own.

Turning her head some to see Juuri drop her head and close her eyes again, Sakura sighed as she turned back to Gaara with a smile. "Juuri I do want to apologize for how I acted when I met you and what I did to Naruto."

Turning wide eyes to Sakura, Juuri blinked. "Sakura I…."

Shaking her head, Sakura smiled as her eyes half closed. "Before he left to train with Master Jiraiya, he was childish and acted before he thought about everything. And would get upset over the smallest thing. Back then, a little rough handling and a few words was all it needed to make him get his focus back. That was the first time that I had seen him in three years."

"I see." Smiling now herself, Juuri sighed. "Naruto and my father were the first people to show me kindness since I was five years old and my mother locked me in a cell deep inside a cave because of what I can do. Even though being able to do this came from her, it was just Papa's chakra that woke them up in me so to speak."

"I see." Closing her eyes, Sakura laughed. "Just know that no matter what I say or do with Naruto, you don't have to worry about anything from me where he is concerned. I know he would have told you about Sasuke Uchiha?"

"He did." Her eyes going sad, Juuri took a deep breath. "That is very painful for me too."

"I can see that it would be. Sasuke was very special to him. And he is to me as well. I fell in love with him, truly in love with him before I was ever put on his team to train with him and Naruto. I am still in love with him and want just as badly as Naruto to get him to come back to the Leaf and be one of us again." But then she let out a long sigh as she half opened her eyes. "Whether or not I would have him in my life like you have Naruto I don't know. But Naruto is forever going to be like the goofy brother to me. I promise."

Nodding, Juuri sighed. "Thank you Sakura. That means a lot."

"No problem." Just a few moments later, Sakura sighed as she sat back on her feet. "Well I was able to find and neutralize the poison in his body that was keeping him out cold. Now it is just waiting for him to wake up."

Nodding one of the clones smiled. "I will let Naruto know about it." Then was gone in a puff of smoke.

Flinching again when there was another booming noise from inside the cave and then a strong gust of wind came flying out, Juuri closed her eyes. "I really hate all this fighting!"

Reaching down from where he sat behind them, Gamakichi sighed as he lifted Gaara's body in one hand and Juuri in another. "Sakura you go help them. One of you clones let Naruto what is going on and where Juuri and Gaara are going to be at."

Flinching as she turned to the frog, Juuri's eyes were wide and full of fear. "I can't go anywhere! Naruto is….."

Pulling her eyes down to him, one of the clones laughed. "It's alright. Soon as the Akatsuki guys are dealt with, Naruto will summon Gamakichi back and you and Gaara with him. He will be alright. Go on now."

Before Juuri could say anything else, there was a puff of smoke and then she was gone. Shaking now, Juuri looked around her. "So where are we then?"

Laying Gaara down on the ground, and then sitting Juuri next to him, Gamakichi laughed. "This is Mt. Myoboku. This is where I live and all the other frogs that your dad and Naruto can summon."

Looking around now, Juuri had wide eyes. "Really? I always thought that he called you guys from like another world or something."

Laughing, Gamakichi shook his head no. "Nope. All ninja summoning animals have a home somewhere. Just depends on where it is. Like Lady Tsunade, her summoning animal is a slug named Katsuyu that lives not far from here."

"I see." But then Juuri dropped her head as she hugged herself. She knew why she was there but that didn't mean that she felt all that safe there. Not without Naruto or her father. But she knew why she had to be there without them for the moment.

"You do look just like Jiraiya boy."

Jerking around, Juuri came face to face with two small toads. "Um who are you?"

With a smile Fukusaku closed his eyes. "Don't worry girl. We are friends of your father Jiraiya boy. You are safe here." He then handed out two pieces of paper. "Put this on your chest and the other on his chest. That way when Naruto summons Gamakichi, the two of you will go with him without him having to touch you."

"Okay." Taking the paper, Juuri did as he told her and sat there by Gaara. "Do you really think that Naruto will be alright?"

Nodding Fukusaku smiled. "He will be fine. Let's keep your mind off of things. Would you like to hear some embarrassing stories about your father when he trained here with us?"

Blinking as she looked up at him, Juuri smiled. "I would actually. I have only known him for a year. It would be nice to know more about him than what I have seen for a year."

X

"What the hell!?" Temari froze when a huge mass of black sand flew at her. 'I can't dodge that!'

"Temari!"

Looking up in time to see Sakura there with her fist slamming into the sand scattering it, Temari blinked. "Sakura…." Then she flinched as Sakura landed and the sand went back to Sasori. "What about Gaara!?"

Smiling as she looked over at her, Juuri sighed. "It's alright. With the help of Naruto and Juuri I was able to find and neutralize all the poison that was in his body. Gamakichi, one of Naruto's summoning animals took him with him. He will bring him back either when he wakes up or Naruto summons him once he is done with his fight."

Putting her hand on her chest, Temari sighed as she smiled. "At least he is going to be alright."

"Girls look out!"

Before they knew what was going on they were being flung through the air. Looking back, Temari gasped. Several sand daggers slammed into the ground where they were at. Landing on their feet behind Chiyo, Temari sighed. "My thanks Lady Chiyo. But how can we beat him? Every puppet you could have he either created or studied. He would know how to get around them all."

"Don't use puppets….damnit!"

Her eyes going wide, Sakura gasped. "Shikamaru are you alright?"

"I am fine. Just having a hell of a time getting around this damn clone. But hearing you and Temari that told me the answer I needed. It will work for you also. Tell her not to use puppets. Use you and Temari. He knows nothing about that, with Temari and her wind, and you and your Tsunade strength. That would give you the edge!"

Smiling Sakura stood tall as she sighed. "That's right. Thank you Shikamaru."

Giving Sakura an odd look, Temari blinked. "What did he say?"

Turning to the two of them, Sakura winked. "Lady Chiyo. Let Temari and I be your puppets. He knows nothing about what we can really do and what we can't. You can keep us away from his attacks."

"I see we can do that." Stepping behind them, Chiyo held her hands out and connected to them on their most basic movement points. "I will move everything but your head and your arms. The two of you will have to think on your feet and do the rest."

Nodding Sakura and Temari smiled at each other then turned to Sasori. Sakura lifted her hand as she tightened her glove. "That we can handle."

X

"Well Shikamaru are you going to share with us what the answer is?" Dodging another volley of tools, Tenten was starting to get a little tired. "I am dragging here!"

Leaping out of the way of his clone, Shikamaru glared. "It's actually really simple. We are fighting ourselves not only in looks but in ability also. Who knows our weaknesses better than we do?"

Sliding on the ground after a hard kick from his clone, Lee smiled. "You are right Shikamaru. We can and will beat them because we know what could beat us. It is brilliant!"

"I can see that. Good work Shikamaru." Neji then smiled as he took up a stance. "Let's give it a try."

"Right! Let's do this with….." But then Gai flinched when he heard three of the four other voices tell him to just shut up and fight. "Fine."

X

"Naruto since you don't have a mic. Sakura was able to…"

Nodding as he kept his eye on his prize, Naruto narrowed his eyes. "I know. Gamakichi took Juuri and the still out cold Gaara to Mt. Myoboku until this is done. Gaara is fine just needs to wake up."

Blinking, Kakashi nodded. "Yes." He then sighed as he dropped his head. "I forget sometimes that you now know what the Shadow Clones are really for. You learn information through them. But thanks to Sakura going in to help Temari and Lady Chiyo fight, Shikamaru figured out how to win against their clones. And how to help them."

"That's good." But then Naruto's eyes went wide when the bird that Deidara flew on started to stop. "Kakashi sensei stop!" Landing on a tree, he glared. Bombs. "Damnit."