Chapter 2: Poisonous Rescue
Darkness surrounded her as she made her way down a dark tunnel she had never been in before. Masao glanced around blindly, as no light reflected off anything to help her see. The floor was hard and stone; and she felt along the similarly crafted wall. Something was up ahead, and although she couldn't observe it with her eyes she could feel it deep in her heart. It was something valuable to her, something she loved very much. Suddenly a bright light erupted from behind her, causing her to wince from the sudden change in lighting. Rubbing her eyes, she could barely make out amongst the spots deterring her vision a bright red mop of hair. But she was unable to discern who it was. The room went dark again, and a loud scream sounded.
She awoke to a strange sensation that she had never experienced before. Darkness surrounded her and she couldn't feel anything. She had no idea how long she'd been out, and her mind was so muddled she couldn't even remember what happened that made her unconscious. Something with Gaara. That was all she could evoke. Abruptly, an image flitted across her mind, and it brought on a whole new round of thoughts and emotions. Pain above all else, physical and emotional, as well as shame, sorrow, and an aching form of devotion she couldn't bear.
The reddish purple haired girl weakly opened her eyes, very slightly, and glanced, fevered, to the side. Someone she didn't know was laid on the bed next to her, looking as terrible as she felt. His profile became more focused to her blurred eyes, and she realized she did know him; he was just unrecognizable without his face paint. Kankurou-san… He was sweating and shaking as much as she was, and she become conscious of something awful. Oh no…He's poisoned too. She clenched her fist, aching all over, and let out a pained stream of breath. Dammit! How's she supposed to go save Gaara like this? Struggling, she tried to sit up, but was unable to even move at all and just lay there, feeling depressed. Another wave of pain washed over her and she moaned, clutching the bed cover.
God dammit! She had been such an idiot to let herself get hurt like that. Wasn't she better than that? She was supposed to be the Sorakage for God's sake! Shouldn't she be able to keep her whole village safe? Shit, she couldn't even keep herself safe. Failure ate at her insides, making her feel worse had only the poison been affecting her. "Kankurou!" a voice cried as the door slammed open. Then a surprised, "Masao-kun?" She recognized that voice, but her mind moved too slowly to put it with the correct face. She couldn't hear much after that. She could hardly breathe anymore, and a small feeling in the back of her mind told her she didn't have much time left. Silent tears dripped down her pale cheeks as the prospect of it reached her slowly dying brain. Suddenly, a sympathetic sigh reached her ears and she felt someone's hand press against her rib cage. The maroon haired girl sensed chakra flowing through, removing the intruder flowing inside her body. Who…?
"There!" the person to whom the hand belonged said with relief. It was a soft, almost musical girl's voice. "There's no need to worry about either of their lives any more. I've removed the poison directly from both of them." She could feel the effects of the medical treatment working almost instantly on her. The gears in her brain began to turn once more and her arms began to regain some of their old strength. She caught a few words of the conversation, her own name jogging her rejuvenating brain.
"Kankurou and this young girl, Masao, went after them alone. There were no others…" Baki explained to the silver haired jounin.
Sighing, the man asked, "…Then have we completely lost them?" The Sand sensei sadly replied the affirmative, and the always thoughtful Kakashi questioned, "Hmmm, well could you guide me to where Kankurou-kun and Masao-kun were fighting? Though I might not seem it, I am an expert at pursuit. Even if a small amount of their scent was left behind—"
"That is… not necessary." Kankurou's voice suddenly cut him off and Masao looked over at him, sitting up slightly. She carefully pulled herself up and looked around the room in confusion. Lots of people she didn't recognize met her eyes. Temari stood near her brother and in front of the beds stood two men. A cute boy with blond hair and blue eyes, and whisker-like lines on his cheeks, and a tall silver haired man with most of his face covered with accessories. By Kankurou's were two elderly sand shinobi. "There are two enemies. One abducted Gaara… You should follow Gaara's scent. Even assuming they split up, the other caught a bit of their clothing on Karasu's hand."
The silver haired man replied, "Making a success from a failure. You are indeed a shinobi from the Sand."
Temari stood next to him and cried placing her hand on his shoulder, "Kankurou are you OK?"
He nodded and replied, "Yeah… I'm feeling a bit better now…" His eyes rested on the blond boy from Konoha, and he looked moderately surprised. Uzumaki… Naruto…?
The blonde looked back at the Sorakage with a worried expression. "Masao-kun, are you all right?" She nodded and smiled weakly, but it vanished and she sighed. "This is a surprise visit."
"Hiya," he greeted the two interns with a small smirk. Masao tilted her head in confusion. Who is this kid? She wondered.
The old woman asked, "Kankurou, are you absolutely sure that one of the two you followed was Sasori?" Masao shook her head and stared with slightly blurred vision at the door. She didn't want to hear any more about it. The memory just made her feel worse about her failure. A young pink haired girl walked in with two small bottles in her hands and smiled at the two of them. Is this the one… who saved Kankurou and me?
She handed one to Temari to give to the shuddering Kankurou and she walked over to the Sorakage. "Drink it all up…" she told her helping her gulp it down. Masao sighed as the girl said, "I believe you'll be fine now." She took on the air of a strict doctor and added to the two of them, "Now, until the paralysis ends don't move. Please get some sleep." Masao stared at the bed and clutched at the spread. Great. I'm out for the count now. How in the world am I going to go after Gaara now? She looked up at the three Konoha ninja. They looked capable enough, but that's not what she was worried about. She wanted to make sure Gaara was okay. She wanted to be the one to save him, to prove to him that he had made a bad choice leaving her behind. That she still loved him.
"Right!" Naruto said, pulling his discarded bag onto his back. "Let's hurry."
Kankurou looked down at his trembling hand and his face scrunched up. To work hard and make your own path. Gaara's words rang through his mind suddenly, as he watched Naruto with slight admiration. Without running away to a lonely isolation. If I do that, then sometime, just like him….
Connections with other people, up till now, for me that had nothing but hatred and the intent to kill. And now, even I understand something.
The blond shinobi handed his cherry haired friend her backpack. Suffering and sadness… and joy. They can all be shared with someone else. Uzumaki Naruto, from fighting and interacting with him, this is what I feel he taught me. He knew the same suffering as I do, and so he taught me that I could change the way I live.
A bitter, but minute, smile had adorned his brother's face at that point. When I felt I had someone to share them with, I was ignorant, without the knowledge I have now. Maybe if I had, in the end, things would have been different… for me… and for her.
Kankurou sighed, and his eyes half closed. "Uzumaki Naruto," he suddenly said. The blond glanced over at him and tilted his head. "Please save my brother." The boy grinned, and Masao instantly felt ten times better. Something about this boy… just made her feel brilliant inside. Naruto…? So that's this boy's name. She smiled. It seemed to suit him quite well in her opinion
"Leave it all to me," he assured him with a smirk on his face. "Because I will be Hokage someday too! So I'll secure an advance favor from the Kazekage." Masao laughed slightly and Naruto glanced at her with a confused expression on his face. "I've been meaning to ask, lady, who are you?"
"My name's Ai Masao, I'm the Sorakage from Hikarigakure. Nice to meet you Uzumaki Naruto. If I can guess right, we're around the same age." She stuck out her hand and he shook it for a moment before what she said sunk in. A shocked expression replaced his pleased one and he pointed at her.
"No way! You're a Kage too!" Masao nodded slowly and he looked aggravated. "Argh! Why're all these guys becoming Kage before me? Now I have to try even harder to catch up to you, too!" She shook her head and rubbed at her temples to try to suppress a painful migraine. Sometimes she thinks that everyone is crazy, but at least these people are nutty in a good way.
"Well, I think you'll be Hokage one day Naruto-san. You have the character for it." She chuckled and he looked thrilled. Suddenly up in front of her, he seemed a tad overly excited.
He asked her excitedly, "Do you really think so Masao-chan? Do you really! Huh? Huh!" She knit her brow in slight astonishment and laughed nervously. Wow, he's really energetic! But then again, we need more Kages like him I suppose. Sakura pulled him back and chastised him for trying to stress her patient.
Just before they exited the hospital room Masao called, "Hey, Naruto-san!" He looked back at her with an expectant face. She smiled at him brightly and closed her eyes. "Yeah, I really think so." The jinchūriki laughed and waved goodbye to her. Well, at least I know that Gaara will be in capable hands. Masao glanced down at her own and clenched them in frustration. Just not the right ones.
