Disclaimer: This is a fan written work based on the works of J.K. Rowling. Also features Naruto which is owned by Kishimoto. It might possibly also have some elements of a number of other works. There is no money being made from this, it is merely a work meant for the entertainment of myself and the masses. This is merely for fun, and no profit. I repeat: I am not making any money out of writing this.

Warning: OCs OOCs Sues, and some crack. You have been warned.

Note 1: AU.

POWER

chapter forty-nine

Tenma was not a happy part of the whole that was Naruto, he was not happy due to the fact that three of his clansmen had yet to be back from their mission requesting missions. It had been more than a year since they left, and well...he didn't know whether or not to call for a search for them since the logistics division of the clan had informed him that none of the three clansmen had asked for directions.

He needed those requests fulfilled due to the fact that they needed to penetrate the barrier made out of stronger than gale force winds that protected the crater they were surveying and trying to get into. The winds grew stronger with each and every time skeleton scouts were sent in to test the wind speed, and see if there was a change in the randomness of it all.

But during all their attempts to map the place from on high, they were able to map out the perimeter, what they had found out was that the crater they had found was where the Ichibi must have been sealed after the Rikudou Sennin split the Juubi into nine. While there was no way any chakra residue remained, the way the crater looked after mapping it out, revealed that at one point in time the Ichibi must have escaped from its kind of prison. There was evidence that led the clan into believing that the bijuu had pushed itself out using its single tail, this evidence was that the crater was in the shape of the bijuu itself.

Tenma spent every waking moment by the crater's edge, trying to find out how to enter, as well as what they would find within it. For it seemed as if the crater held more than just the Bijuu, as there was evidence that it had at one point in time been some sort of temple.

"Tenma-sama," a clansmen broke Tenma out of his inner musings.

"What is it?" the man sounded like the news was urgent.

"We've spotted the requested teams, they're headed this way, fast," the clansman reported.

"As soon as they arrive, send them over to my tent," Tenma said as he walked in the direction of where his tent lay, "And make sure you bring enough water for them, the Konoha team are sure to have remembered to bring water, while the Suna team may not have."

"Hai, Tenma-sama," the clansmen went on his own way to wait for the guests and prepare the water.

Thirty minutes later the two teams of shinobi of allied villages were ushered into the tent of the Saganiki clan head. Water was brought in a moment later.

"Report," Tenma said once the three that had been sent out stood before his bone chair.

"We got lost," Kotone said, speaking for the three of them.

"Head for the map makers, and pick up new maps," Tenma said, "Dismissed."

"Hai," the three said, then left the tent to get themselves familiar with some maps.

"Now that you are here, we can begin your mission," Tenma said, "Suna-nin kindly follow me, Sakujo-nin, rest up I'll need your abilities once the Suna-nin are done. You may stay in my tent Sabaku no Gaara."

"Hn," the sand user said, and remained standing in one of the corners of the tent.

"Hai, Tenma-sama," the Sakujo team said.

After leaving the tent, Tenma lead the Suna-nins away from the makeshift village of tents, and explained that he needed them to form a tornado of wind natured chakra until they ran out of chakra even with the use of chakra replenishing pills. Since they were being paid, they did as they were told, and the Saganiki-nins brought them the pills when they looked like they needed it.

It took the Suna-nin three whole days of nonstop chakra usage before the pills no longer had an effect on them, but right before tornado they formed could dissipate, the Saganiki clansmen let loose some chakra saturated winds into the tornado making it a whole level of stronger. When it looked to be getting way out of control, due to the lack of wind natured chakra users being conscious, Tenma finally stepped in.

"Reverto phasmatic aquilo!" Tenma shouted, his necromantic powers activating, through them he pulled back the Spirit of the North Winds, and moments later, an explosion could be felt coming from the eye of the storm which the tornado had become. It was akin to a sonic boom, which could be felt from miles around.

A little while later the tornado itself was torn asunder, sending cutting winds in all directions, the Saganiki were only saved due to their quick thinking, and in Tenma's case temporarily dislodging himself from time. When the winds finally died down, in the center of what once was a tornado, stood a naked man, or what looked to be a naked man.

"Qua est meus vinco?" the man asked slightly confused.

"I am he," Tenma said, stepping forward, and continued to move closer to the resurrected spirit, whom he had given physical form as the spirit's original form would not last without a stronger environment of magic.

"Magister, quis est meus nomen?" the man asked.

"I shall name you Kitakaze," Tenma said, then placed a hand on the man's chest, and flowed some magic through the hand into the man, "Learn what I have to teach you, for this is no longer your time, but mine."

Through the connection of the flesh and the temporary transference of magic, the Wind Spirit linked itself to he whom it called master, Tenma had called him back, and Tenma had named him, now he would serve Tenma til the day he had no more use.

"What would you have me do, my master?" Kitakaze asked, kneeling before his master, not a shred of clothing covering his form, not that he cared much for anything such as dignity.

"First I would require that you put on something to wear, now that you look human," Tenma said, and waited for the clansman assigned to procuring some clothes for their latest addition arrived, which he did a few minutes later. The man helped Tenma get Kitakaze into the clothes.

"Follow, me we have some air currents to disrupt," Tenma said, as he led Kitakaze to where his people were preparing to rappel down into the crater, "Fetch the Sakujo-nin and Gaara," he instructed the man that brought the clothes.

A few minutes later Tenma stood at the edge of the crater with Kitakaze right beside him, a number of the members of the Saganiki clan waiting for further instruction, the Suna-nin had already been told that their services were no longer needed, save for Gaara, and since they really didn't care about him, they left him in their company.

"Have the winds die down in front of us, that we may begin our descent," Tenma instructed his new servant, "The rest of you, prepare the tools for excavation, we'll proceed down as soon as the winds are parted."

"Hai!" the Saganiki clansmen and women began double checking their supplies and tools, half of the clan would be investigating the crater, while the rest remained up top.

"Gaara," Tenma said.

"Hn," the red head replied.

"Come here," the clan head intructed, which the red head followed, he could feel his bijuus need to get closer to the man called Tenma, why the jinchuuriki did not know, but he knew that his bijuu held a great hatred for the old man.

"Shukaku wants to end your very existence," Gaara said, "Why is that?"

"Hmm," Tenma said, as he watched Kitakaze jumped into the winds, and caused them to form a funnel spiraling downwards into the crater, "It is partly because I helped in sealing him into the teapot he used to reside in, the other reason is that my great great grandfather was the man that trained the one that defeated its old form."

"Why are you telling me this?" Gaara asked.

"Because you asked, and I thought you needed to know," Tenma said, then grabbed onto the boy's arm, the sands failing to encircle his wrist, "Follow my lead!"

Tenma, with Gaara in hand, jumped off the edge and into the vortex of winds which carried him and the child down to the crater floor, through a crack in it and further into the darkness, farther than he had originally anticipated to be brought. Luckily he had some matches with him, and a flashlight that ran on chakra. His clansmen arriving minutes after he did, in intervals of three minutes each. When the last batch was done free falling, Kitakaze joined his master in the underground cave.

"Map out the area," Tenma instructed, "Light the way, do not enter any larger chambers without my express permission."

"Hai," the clansmen whispered, as to not cause a cave in, just in case, then left to map out the cavern they were in.

"Kitakaze," Tenma said, "Watch over Gaara, until I return, there is much I feel I will discover."

"Hai, Tenma-sama," Kitakaze said, then stood guard over Gaara.

"You may explore a little if you wish, but do not harm any of my clansmen, lest I seal you along with the insane bijuu you hold within," Tenma said as an after thought before vanishing into the darkness, leaving the spirit and the jinchuuriki alone in the almost darkness.

He made his way through a tunnel which his clansmen had failed to see, it was probably due to his magic that he was able to see the hidden tunnel, and walking down it, he couldn't help but feel some ancient magics singing in his senses. There was something at the end of the tunnel, and he was curious to find out exactly what it was.

There were no glyphs on the walls, or clues as to what else could be found in the underground, but he was sure that by the time he reached the end of the tunnel he would know what exactly it was that had drawn him to this place.

"-"

"Shall we explore some?" Kitakaze asked Gaara.

"Hn," Gaara replied, and began to walk away, followed by Kitakaze in some random direction within the underground.

They made their way to the center of the underground of the crater, unknowingly walking through the same tunnel that Tenma had done so earlier. They had no sense of time, but they knew that the old man had been gone a long time.

Gaara felt a little anxious, he didn't know why, but Shukaku couldn't wait to get out, and kept screaming in his head to let him out to play. But there was nothing to kill around, he couldn't really sense Kitakaze, but something told him that the demon in him would not be able to kill the man.

"Tell that abomination to shut up, or I will yank it out and seal it for another eternity," Kitakaze suddenly said irritated, "I can feel its bloodlust from way over here."

"Who are you to tell Shukaku what to do?" Gaara said.

"I am Kitakaze," he said, "I died sealing a similar demon in the part, in a time before chakra. I have all my memories intact, but back then I served no master, but now I serve Tenma-sama. Tell it to shut up, lest I seal the both of you in something smaller than a teapot."

A few minutes of walking in silence, Gaara spoke once again, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"There is silence," Gaara said.

"I guess it knew me from somewhere," Kitakaze said.
"This demon...that you died to seal away," Gaara said, "What was it?"

"A wind demon, similar to Shukaku," Kitakaze replied, "Why?"

"There is something in the air, it makes my skin crawl," Gaara said.

"Could you repeat that?" Kitakaze asked, as he too began to feel the eery sensation.

"Something in the air is making my skin crawl," Gaara said unsure of himself, "It is a feeling I have not encountered so far."

A few moments of contemplation later, Kitakaze felt a chill in his bones.

"I know this feeling..." he said, "I've felt it before...a long long time ago..."

"What is it?" Gaara asked.

"This place...it also feels familiar..." he said, "Like I've been here before..."

"Maybe you lived here before," Gaara suggested.

"No...this feeling...its..." he was unable to continue as an explosion rocked the tunnel, and the rest of the underground, the source of it was surely at the end of the tunnel. The two ran in the direction of the source, only to find light streaming down from above, as if something had smashed through the ceiling.

"Tenma-sama!" Kitakaze shouted as he spotted his master bleeding on the ground, "What happened?"

"This...this was the Shukaku's burial ground," Tenma said, after healing his own wounds, "It had given the Ichibi some of its sealed power...that thing...gave the Bijuu the power over the winds, same as you...but viler."

"Tenma-san?" Gaara said unsure of the situation, this was one situation that the demon in him refused to offer any form of help.

"This place...I sealed a wind demon in this place...during a time before chakra," Kitakaze said, "Tenma-sama, what did you do?"

"I did battle with it," Tenma said, standing up, and straightening his clothes, "A few minutes after I arrived the floor began to splinter and crack, a few moment later smoke rose out of the cracks, followed shortly by a monstrous creature, one which told me its story, thinking that I had brought its key to salvation, that I was the Ichibi no Jinchuuriki."

"It must have drained the Ichibi of its borrowed power," Kitakaze said, "Gaara, how is the Shukaku doing?"

"There is still silence," Gaara said after a moment, "It is still in me, but it seems to be sleeping, as if having lost most of its energy."

"Well, it looks like the thing is heading for Suna, by the look on its face," Tenma said, the nshifted his attention to his servant, "This monster, it would despise you for its sealing, wouldn't it."

"It would," Kitakaze said, "It should...it was at one point the air pollution of the world, a suffocating mass of air hovering over the world, soon gaining consciousness until it clashed with the four winds themselves. I was the last remaining, battling against its might, and sealed it using up all of myself, into this tomb...I would guess that whoever sealed the Shukaku in here thought that its oppressive would have made an impressive additional locking mechanism."

"Its probably heading towards Suna, due to the fact that the wind users that produced the necessary elements for your resurrection are there," Tenma theorized, "It must have sensed your return, and believed that the elements that brought you back was your new form, else it would have stayed to do battle with you here."

"What do we do now, master?" Kitakaze said.

"We follow it, and stop it," Tenma said, "The world need not deal with something as ancient as you," then turned to face Gaara, "Will you help us? In exchange, I shall help you remove the demon sealed within you."

"Then I will be like anyone else?" Gaara asked.

"In a way," Tenma said, "There is a way to be rid of the Bijuu, but at the same time, while the work of the Rikudou Sennin is finally fulfilled, you will be the equivalent of it, but not a monster as you have begun to think of yourself as."

"How do you know so much about me?" Gaara asked.

"Kitakaze," Tenma said, "Stall your ancient foe, but before than, inform my clansmen of these developments, we will follow shortly."

"Hai," Kitakaze said and half of his body turned into a tornado, one that lifted himself out of the hole in the ceiling and off in the direction of his foe.

"I was once, like you are now," Tenma said, "The reason why you feel so relaxed around me is due to that fact, that and I possess a fraction of the power of the Kyuubi."

"The Kyuubi was sealed in you?" Gaara asked, "You are like me..."

"You have yet to truly decide what defines your existence, which is a good thing," Tenma said, cutting off the youth's sentence and train of thought, "Many view you as the monster that lies within, many before you have also suffered this curse. But none as like you in the sense that your heart has not yet turned to stone."

"What are you talking about?" Gaara asked, suddenly desperate for answers.

"This form you see before you, is one of many that I have," Tenma said, "The Bijuu are beings of darkness, the darkness in man's hearts, laying in wait for a time to rise up and attempt to destroy the world. I almost let my demon out, but thanks to my precious people, I not only held it at bay, but ultimately sent it off to the next great adventure."

"Why are you telling me this?" Gaara asked.

"Because I believe that you too can perform such a miracle," Tenma said, "Finish the work that the Rikudou Sennin started."

"My village hates me, no one loves me there, why should't I accept Shukaku's power," Gaara asked, "I have no one precious to me."

"I am sure that there are people in your village that do not hate you," Tenma said, "But merely fear you, and what you might become."

"What would that be?" Gaara asked.

"A mindless and merciless killing machine," Tenma said, "It is the fate of many that have walked down the paths that we have."

"Then how can I overcome that, I don't have any people I see as precious," Gaara said.

"Have you no brother or sister? I know for a fact that you do," Tenma said, "I also know for a fact that your mother isn't as dead as the world believes. My family is able to cheat death to a degree, your mother was saved from such a fate, but is very weak at the moment, just as mine parents are."

"But your parents should be dead," Gaara said, "You look very old to me."

"As I said," Tenma said, "This is one of many forms, my bloodline is partially to blame for it. My true self, the core of my very being is around your age actually, that is how my parents are still alive."

"Then they are your precious people," Gaara said.

"They and many more," Tenma said, "My clan are precious to me, just as my other selves are, and their families, you too are precious to me, as you have decided to listen to my words, and not that of the demon dwelling within you."

"How can I get precious people?" Gaara asked, he believed that only through experience would be truly understand the words of the man before him.

"That is easy, there are many ways," Tenma said, "I will share one way with you."

"What is it?" Gaara asked, he had no concept of killing to prove his existence yet that would have come later, but not any longer.

"Will you be my friend?" Tenma asked him.

"What is a friend?" Gaara asked.

"A person that you can talk to, enjoy some time with, go to when you have problems, an ear to listen to your woes, and many other things," Tenma explained as best as he could, "I am willing to be your friend, if you would let me."

"Ok," Gaara said, innocently.

"Then come with me," Tenma said, reaching out with a hand for Gaara to grasp, he did, "Let's go."

He then lifted the boy up into his arms and carried him as he jumped out of the hole, and scaled the crater wall, which no longer had that barrier of wind around it. When he landed a number of his clansmen were waiting for his return and for some orders as to what to do.

"We have done the world a great disservice with our actions," Tenma spoke as he let Gaara down, "By resurrecting the Spirit of the North Wind, we have unleashed the reason he had died in the first place. It is now heading for Sunagakure no Sato, to lay waste to it before moving on to another settlement, reaping more death and destruction. I have sent off Kitakaze to buy us some time, it is a demon just as great as the Juubi, the whole which the Bijuu were born out of."

"What must we do Tenma-sama?"

"This being, whose name I know not, it made out of noxious fumes, and sludge from the earth that it had been imprisoned in," Tenma spoke, "Slow its progress until I arrive, but make sure that Suna does not catch wind of it, as it is a problem which the world needs not deal with."

"Hai," they said, and the warriors of the clan, made to use the sand sharks to move faster than they ever could on foot.

"Come with me Gaara," Tenma said to his young friend, "I shall need to make sure that you are kept safe, as this demon might try and use the Shukaku to cause more destruction."

"But won't you get hurt if you fight it?" Gaara asked on their way to Tenma's tent.

"I might, if I am not careful," Tenma said, "But I have to do this, it is one of my responsibilities, I also don't want you to get into trouble."

"Why would I get into trouble?" Gaara asked.

"Because the other Suna-nin left you with me," Tenma said, "They might think that I unsealed Shukaku to destroy them."

"So you are being my friend, for your own selfish reasons," Gaara stated accusingly.

"Yes and no," Tenma replied as they entered his tent, "I am selfish in that I want to be your friend, since I was like you, and do not want you to be alone anymore. I am not selfish, because I am willing to stake my life in defending my precious people, two of whom are in Suna right now."

"So you would die for your friends?" Gaara asked, "Why?"

"Because...it is hard to explain," Tenma said, "You will know when the time comes," he then made to leave the tent, "Now, stay here and be safe, I will come back for you, I promise."

"Wait," Gaara said before Tenma could leave.

"Yes? What is it?"

"How did you beat your demon?" Gaara asked.

"I took its power for myself," Tenma said, "I believed in myself, and in the love that my precious people had for me. Now I really need to go, so stay safe, my young friend, I believe that when the time comes, you will make the right decision."

He left Gaara alone with his thoughts, while he teleported his way to where his clansmen and servant were busy stalling for is arrival, much like how the shinobi of Konoha stalled for the arrival of the Yondaime Hokage.

He had no intention of dying, but as he joined the battle he couldn't help but wonder, how in the world was he supposed to rid the world of this demon, sure the Kyuubi was more powerful, but this one was in the real world, out of someone's mindscape. How was he to either kill it or seal it away. He had next to no experience with such a thing.

'Tenma-kun,' he suddenly heard his great great grandfather's voice in his head, it almost cost him his head, 'I apologize for almost getting you killed, but I was surprised when I felt a disturbance in the world...it is still rather early for you to be saving the world, but I guess it is never really too early. Now as for why I have contacted you, as you are now you will be unable to destroy this creature, I am unable to directly aid you, but I can still give you some advice. It had at one time been able give the Ichibi some of its power, some of its darkness, which led the beast into escaping Takeshi's prison for it. It was also able to retrieve the power it had granted the demon, as well as some of the demon's own. The way I see it, this demon can only be destroyed in a similar fashion as that of a Bijuu. Good luck.'

While Ryoku was speaking to his descendant, Tenma was busily disecting parts of the beast, using his bloodline over such a spirit, he and his clan were able to slow it down, and forcing it to actually try and kill them in the slowest ways possible. Already Tenma was mourning the loss of five of his members, five souls that would no longer be with him and the clan on their future adventures.

"Separate and seal its powers piece by piece!" Tenma shoutd his order, he needed to find a way to suck out the thing's power, but he also needed to weaken it like the Kyuubi had been weakened and distracted when he took its power.

"*"

Back at the clan's camp, or village of many tents, the Saganiki clansmen that were not permitted to join the battle waited for any news from the battlefield. When a messenger returned, his body bloody and battered, on his back were two more of his fellows, those that remained in the camp gathered around them to patch them up, and hear some hopefully good news.

They were greatly disappointed in the fact that while the monster was being stalled, they had already lost ten of their number, some wives would never see their husbands alive again. But they were strengthened in their belief of winning, as they heard of their clan head's attempts at sealing away the monster, and hopefully killing it. As well as the rage that he displayed when he saw each loss. They felt his pain.

When Gaara heard the news, he didn't know what to think, but his mind kept returning to the words of Tenma about how he overcame his own demon. So he sat in the tent of his firsrt friend, and tried to communicate with the demon he held within.

After closing his eyes, he found himself within his mindscape, instead of some sort of sewer system with pipes and water all around, he found himself staring at a badly formed seal, one which had a hole big enough for the demon to stick half an arm out of. He looked at the tanuki, and noticed that it looked slightly weaker, its overbearing presence could not be felt in his mind.

So he did the only thing that came to mind, he walked up to the part of it that was exposed and gave it a tug, and that tug became a pull, and so on and so forth, up until the only thing remaining was a hollow husk of the Ichibi no Tanuki.

"I didn't think another would try that tactic," Gaara heard something whisper in his ear, and echoing voice all over his mind, "Your friend, Tenma, his real name is Naruto, his core lives in Konoha, and truly was a jinchuuriki like yourself. I think it may be time for you to pay him back for helping you."

"Who are you? What are you? Show yourself," Gaara demanded, he had had enough with beings messing with his mind.

"Who am I? Who am I you ask, hah, when you die you will know that answer, or you could ask Naruto himself, or Tenma as he is known, called, and lives, in the form you know him as," the voice said, "I am here to tell you that your friend may need your assistance, while he may be able to stall and partially seal the creature, I would like it added to my belly, and only one seems to have the ability to end its existence now."

"Who? What?" Gaara asked.

"You!" the voice replied, "This wind demon granted the Ichibi the ability to share power, energy, and thus with your taking up the mantle of such a great and powerful demonic piece, you now have acquired this ability. Use it well, and I hope not to have to eat you soon!"

Once the voice and its eery presence vanished from Gaara's mindscape, the young sand-user blinked his way into the real world, and decided on his next course of action. He left the safety of his tent and made his way over to a group of kunoichi that looked to be arming themselves for battle.

"Excuse me," Gaara said.

"Yes?" one of the kunoichi said, it was Kotone," What's up? And don't say the sky."

"Are you going to help Tenma?" he asked her.

"We're gonna try, why you wanna come with?" she asked him in jest, knowing that her boss left him to keep him safe.

"Yes," Gaara said, "I know how to help him."

"Oh, well if you tell me, I'll make sure to tell him," Kotone said.

"No," Gaara insisted, "I have to go with you."

"Kid, he wanted you to stay safe," she said, "Bringing you over there will not keep you safe."

"I don't care," Gaara said, "If you won't help me, I'll find my own way there," and the desert sands began to rise up around him and the camp.

"Well, I guess when you put it that way," she said, noticing the sands forming a platform for him to stand on, and possibly ride on, "Fine, we'll lead the way, but you better not slow us down, our family's out there."

"Hai," he said, with something that he had never before held in his eyes, determination.

They sped off across the dunes for something that seemed like an hour or more, when they finally arrived, Gaara's reflexes caused him to catch Tenma who had just been flung away by the beast.

"What're you doing here," Tenma said, "Its not safe here.."

"I'm here to help, some creepy voice in my head told me what to do," Gaara explained.

"You too huh," Tenma said, "Well then give it a go," then shouted out for all of his clansmen and Kitakaze to hear him, "Fall back! Reinforcements have arrived, and keep those seals away from the thing! Lead it back to base Kitakaze!"

"Good luck gaki," Kotone said, ruffling his hair as it they were not in a life or death situation, then began to run back to camp, while Gaara called upon the desert sands and the winds that were at his disposal.

"Sabaku Rou!" Gaara called out his technique, following his hand, the sands around the temporarily distracted beast rise up from the desert and surround the beast in a cocoon of sand.

"Eh, Shukaku! You dare defy me!" the demon roared as the sands tried to cover the beast's mouth, "You are a thousand years too early to be defying me!"

"Sabaku Taisou!" Gaara called out closing his fists, while at the same time grabbing hold of the roaring maw of the beast with his Bijuu chakra and pulling the beast's energies into himself, something which enraged the beast further.

It roared loud enough to cause the sands keeping it in place and trying to squeeze the life out of it to be blasted off in some place. It lashed out with a released arm and attempted to crush the not yet exactly genin, but its attempt was blocked by arms made out of sand rushing up to meet its attack. It was a duel on two fronts the physical and the mental. Unlike Naruto who had literal army backing him, Gaara only had Tenma and Kotone's words, but it seemed like they were enough. For a child shrouded in loneliness just that one person was enough, and Gaara had two.

Sure he had already been betrayed once before, but this time he felt something in him telling him that there was no way Tenma would betray his trust, there was also that unmistakeable voice that told him of Tenma's core's name.

There was also the clue of the voice mentioning the word eat. He was sure of it, he had met death, and he believed that he had been spared due to eliminating the Ichibi he held within himself.

He kept a firm hold on the beast with the sands, while the beast continued its one armed assult, keeping track of the swift thing was getting to be a pain in the ass, and it didn't seem like he would be finishing his tug-of-war match with the monster anytime soon. There was no restart in this game of life, and Gaara really didn't intend to lose.

The beast roared out a mighty roar second time, this time the other arm was freed to pursue the insect it was battling. Due to having to track two things at a time, Gaara was beginning to lose focus, his automatic defense was no longer that automatic, it relied on his reflexes and his thoughts both conscious and subconscious.

His sand arms were unable to react in time, and one of the arms was able to get through, as it closed in on him he couldn't help but send out a silent plea for aid. He doubted that anyone heard him, but just before he would have been crushed to death by the clawed hand, he was physically shoved aside by none other than Tenma.

"Damn gaki! I leave for a few minutes and already you're about to die! Focus!" Tenma shouted as he physically pushed the beast away a dark reddish orange chakra forming around his hands, making them look like claws, which he used to hold back the massive black appendage, "Finish it! While I hold this one off!"

"We've been briefed on the change in plans," Kotone called out near the other arm.

"Thanks for the break gaki!" someone shouted, "We needed a breather! So suck that sucker dry while we distract it!"

"You insects have returned! Where is that bastard North Wind!" the monster roared out, finally freeing itself from its sandy prison, an action which sent Gaara reeling backwards only to be caught by Kitakaze himself.

"Tenma-sama said to guard you, and he has yet to tell me to do otherwise," Kitakaze said, as he put Gaara down, "So do your thing, and I'll make sure that the brute doesn't get to you."

"Hai!" Gaara said, as he sat down and concentrated on sucking the bastard dry of all its energies, which once empty would be easy pickings for the Saganiki clan.

Once darkness replaced light, once afternoon had gave away to night, the members of the Saganiki clan had finally been able to rest, their battle was finally over, Gaara had won. It was a victory for all involved, but Gaara was the greatest victor of all.

"Hahm," Gaara said, laying on his back due to exhaustion, "I did it."

"Yes you did," Tenma said, "In the morning we will have to return you to your village."

"Huh? Why can't I stay with you?" he asked.

"Because, while you have gained many friends this day, we are a nomadic clan, we move from place to place, and your place is in Suna," Tenma said, "But worry not, we will see each other some other day in the future, because we are friends."

"But," Gaara tried to argue.

"It is not likely that we will be joining a village anytime soon," Tenma said, "But should we ever chose to, it would be nice if the one protecting all of us would be a friend."

"What do you mean?" Gaara asked.

"Your father is a selfish and greedy fool," Tenma told his friends, "He has a lust for power that should not be found in the protector of a people. It will bring him to ruin one day."

"What does that have to do with me?" Gaara asked.

"Undoubtedly, Shinigami-san has told you of my name," Tenma said.

"He did," Gaara confirmed.

"One day, I hope to become Hokage," Tenma said, "It is the highest honor in any hidden village to be given such a rank. It is also a symbol of what I wish to one day achieve."

"What?" Gaara asked.

"To be able to protect my precious people, and for the world to know that I can do it," Tenma said.

"But..." Gaara said.

"It is a little bit confusing I know," Tenma said, "Explaining it is also a little bit difficult on my end, but when you meet my other selves, I hope you will gain a better understanding."

"I guess."

"At present, I have three other forms, and one core form," Tenma explained, "I am the Saganiki form, then here is Haru the Hyuuga form, Seigan the Sakujo form, and lastly the core or my original form Naruto."

"So..."

"As Tenma I serve as the leader and protector of the Saganiki, Haru and Seigen have the same duty, and we each share similar lives," Tenma continued, "I have lived a total of four lives so far, a kind of forced partial reincarnation if you will. The three parts of the whole, myself, Haru, and Seigen, are the smaller scale versions of the dream. We are the protectors of our friends and family. But my dream, as Naruto, is to be able to protect as many as possible, to have the strength needed to protect the world. A grand dream, but one that is not entirely impossible."

"Becoming Hokage is a goal," Gaara noted, "A tool to achieve your real dream."

"You could say that my young friend," Tenma acknowledged.

"I want to help you with that dream," Gaara said, "I will become Kazekage, and help make the world more peaceful, one precious person at a time."

"I'm glad you understand," Tenma said, "We of similar backgrounds are forced to grow up so fast."

"Uhm, before we continue our talk," Gaara said, "I'm too tired to do anything aside from talk...could you..?"

"Yes, wait a moment," he said, then pointed at the ground, "Rise my skeletal servants, we are in need of transportational assistance."

From out of the ground four skeletons with skeletal stretchers rose up, placed the two of them on a stretcher each, then followed Tenma's directions back to camp.

#

"Now remember," Tenma told Gaara before letting him walk back to Suna, "Incapacitate, but do not kill. Send your victims to the hospital, knock them out if you have to. All you need do is show your capacity and ability to not be harmed and that you are ready anytime for battle."

"Hai," Gaara said, then asked, "Can you request me for a mission again?"

"If I have a valid reason to, sure, why not," Tenma said.

"Gaara-kun," Kotone said jumping down from her ride, "There is a civilian clan in Suna who are our allies, they are the Oashisu clan, go to any member of that clan when you feel like the world is simply too much for you and you need a break. They will help you," she then gave him a little kiss on the cheek, "That was for you to remember me by."

"Get back on the shark Kotone!" Kirara called out from the top of the carriage type tent that was set up on the sand shark, the ones they used as transport were rather large.

"Well, Gaara, until next time," Tenma said, then ordered his clansmen, "Move out! Kitakaze! I'll summon you when I need you, but for now, keep watching over the boy!"