**AUTHOR's Note: HALLU! *waves super a lot* You all probably hate me for being away for practically three years. I'm truly sorry and this chapter probably won't make up for it, because of it being a SUPER short chapter. The reason it is short is that well I have to get back into the groove of things for this fanfiction, it was my second fanfiction, but the longest I have written, so I've had to do a lot of searching thru the chapters to refresh my memory - talking about refresh my memory I just read at the bottom of one of the chapters after I fangirled over the chapter I had actually put where I fangirled over it like three years ago and I just wanted to cry and laugh. I have changed from first person writing to third person writing, because I tried to go back to first person, but I cringed too many times and so that will be a major difference coming into the chapter as well as the other chapters you are NOTIFIED of that now. I will try to post on my profile the estimated time when I will update the chapters. I have already figured out the ending *sobbing* so this fanfiction will end this year, or January at the latest. I am sorry that it has taken me so long to come back. I could get into it but I won't on here. If you want to know, you can send me a message. ANYWAY, I am so happy to be back working on this fanfiction! I love you all so much and I have missed you! I'm sorry this is a super short chapter and it will be different than the previous chapters! My terrible grammar and stuff are back, did you all miss it?! xD I hope you all enjoy! Please review if you want to!**
The deafening howls of the wind echo across the surface of the sea. The night sky is black, without moon or stars to light it. The only light comes from the statuesque figure of the golden-tailed mermaid. Around her, men stood gazing at her ghastly beauty. A creature that was once known as a legend now stood before them as fact.
Gaara stood among them and far closer to the mermaid than any others dared. The uneasiness of his unknown origin no longer tormented him. Even if she is a lifeless statue, he felt more peace having seen her and taken her from Orochimaru.
At the sound of gentle whispers, Gaara turned to face the sea. In the water, four mermaids had emerged and were now silent, their eyes having caught sight of their sister. Gaara motioned for the men to push her closer to the sea. As they did, more mermaids appeared in the waters.
Gaara started to speak, but the wind stopped around them. The mermaids swiftly moved to form a large circle. The water began to ripple inside the circle. The father of the mermaids rose from the waters stopping at his waist. Even so, his muscular body dwarfed the men standing around Gaara. He appeared like a giant among men. The locks of his long mane were deep shades of grey with shimmers of silver peering through. For one who existed before the time of many of Gaara's council members, his stoic, handsome face did not show any sign of aging.
The father set eyes upon all the men present until finally resting his gaze on the golden-tailed mermaid. Before Gaara could speak, a large wave began taking form behind the father and the mermaids. The men quickly began rushing further into the island. Gaara stayed despite their warnings to him.
If Sasuke were there he would surely have snatched Gaara up. Gaara watched at the wave bellowed towards the island with an engulfing fury. He carefully put his arms around the statue of his mother and watched the wave crest and engulf them He held tightly onto his mother and opened his eyes to see the mermaids surround him and his mother. He let go of her and watched as her sisters all began caressing the dried scales of the golden tail. They trembled and sobbed as they saw what had become of their sister. Gaara could only watch them as they would gently touch her and then swim into another's arms for solace and comfort.
Their father waved them away from their sister and assured them they would be able to see her more closely in time. He set his eyes on Gaara.
"I did not believe my daughter, when she spoke of you saving my Sunlayia. In fact it made me furious at the thought that you sought to destroy the trust I had established with Orochimaru." The father's strong voice spoke into Gaara's mind.
"He would have never given her back to you…you and I both know that to be the truth." Gaara replied.
The father lowered his gaze, hatred overcoming his face. "Can you save her?" Gaara asked in hopes to not let him grow to angry. The water of the wave slowly began to recede. The father raised his gaze back to Gaara and swam closer to Gaara. He reached down to his silver tail and prick one of his scales from his tail. Gaara winced at his action, but his eyes were set on his hand. The father took Gaara's arm and pressed the scale's edge into Gaara's flesh.
Peering up at the father, Gaara felt no pain from his action and sought to ask why. "I can save her…she is my daughter. I will not the hands of a monstrous human to take her life." He spoke bitterly. Gaara looked back down to his arm and saw the scale had expanded into a small bubble of deep maroon liquid. Gaara's eyes widened at the sight. The father pulled it from his skin and smoothed his other hand over the wound.
"Thank you for what you have done for me...my child." He whispered. Gaara met his eyes and felt his hand on his cheek.
Gaara grabbed touched his hand gently, "I wish to know if there is any way we can defeat Orochimaru?"
"There are none in which his life will be forfeit. I cannot see a definite path for you to take in your endeavors, but you have my gratitude and alliance when the decision has been made."
*Neji's POV*
Neji lifted himself up groggily from the hot, damp stone floor. In a daze, he looked around the room and recognized it as a prison cell in Orochimaru's castle. He winced at the sudden pain in his side.
Everything had been a muddled memory after he realized he was left with Kakashi. They fought together, that he was certain of, for how long he was not sure. He could only recall Kakashi valiantly striking and looked to have killed Kabuto.
"How are you feeling?" A familiar voice echoed into his prison cell. Neji looked up to the entrance and watched as Orochimaru emerged from the shadows quietly. He opened the cell door and stepped in, his demeanor utterly and frightening calm. Neji could feel the air in the room evaporating under his presence in such an inhuman manner.
Neji tried to get up from the floor and move away from him, but Orochimaru came at him quickly seizing just below his jaw and digging his nails into his flesh. His breath hitched as he clung to Orochimaru's arm.
"Treason against me is quite a hefty deed, one that I do not take lightly," He spat and slammed Neji against the brick wall of the cell. He held him in place as Neji's body went limp from the sudden attack.
His vision blurred, but Neji remained conscious. The heavy throbbing at the back of his head was as if his heart was beating in his skull. A small warm trail of liquid moved down to his neck and slowed to a stop just before his back.
"But I am not without pity for you. You see it would be quite unjust of me to punish you with a swift death. Rather I think it is only fair that you suffer for your betrayal and maybe if your will is strong as this other traitor's then perhaps you will be able to live, but we shall only see." Orochimaru dropped Neji to the ground and turned walking from the prison cell.
Neji coughed gasping desperately for air, his head throbbing with pain and throat sore from the grip on it. Several men came into the cell and pulled him up to his feet. Two men took a tight hold of his arm and waited calmly.
He looked just ahead of him and his vision allowed him to make out a fluff of grey hair lying on the ground. The body sudden shook violently then settled, and that repeated several times before Orochimaru returned.
He walked to Neji and showed him a bloodied sac in his hand. Orochimaru smiled bitterly, "My pet, Manda left me these parting gifts after your new friends killed him," He then took out a long fang. He took the fang over Neji's arm, "This will only hurt for a moment."
Orochimaru pressed the fang into Neji's arm causing his entire body and convulse in pain. He shouted trying to pull his arm from the two men holding it.
"Ha, do not worry too long, soon you won't even remember it." Orochimaru chuckled and tossed the fang to the ground. He held the sac over the puncture wound and squeezed it.
Slowly venom dropped from the sac and into the puncture wound filling it and then being absorbed into the muscle tissue. Orochimaru scowled and pressed the venom sac against the wound squeezing until there was nothing left in the sac.
He exhaled softly and looked to Neji, who eyes were wide with horror and his body twitching. Orochimaru grinned and waved his hand for his men to release Neji. They did and he fell to the ground convulsing and gasping loudly.
*Gaara's POV*
Gaara sighed looking out at the quiet sea, his hair gently wafting in the strong salty breeze. What can I do? He thought wishing the small waves would give him some insight.
I know soon we will be back in Suna and surely Kankuro and Temari have composed several plans to fight against Orochimaru. Gaara dropped down to his knees resting his head against the bannister. Kakashi and Neji were left in Orochimaru's castle. He knew nothing of their capabilities of being able to escape from Orochimaru and it took all he had to not go back to get them. Sasuke's assuring words of both Neji and more of Kakashi's abilities brought some solace.
I had been so bold and after a few days passing, I can barely stand with the great pressure weighing on my heart.
Shikamaru came and sat beside Gaara closely in a sudden motion that nearly startled him to his feet. He exhaled and shook his head slowly, "This is the worst of it all, having to sit here like disciplined children…waiting to see if the fruits of their good deeds have earned them the opportunity to be free."
Gaara stared up at the stars wishing he could acknowledge Shikamaru's insightful comment. Instead, they sat in silence until Kiba trekked up to where they sat. Everyone must be unable to sleep.
"Some god of the sea, to be unable to help us after we go through all of that and lose two people to that monster," Kiba spat angrily and kicked the wood of the bannister.
Gaara straightened up and looked down at the floorboards, "He said we have an alliance, I am certain that will serve us quite well."
Kiba scoffed, "Yes an alliance with a god who is frightened of some immortal man. It would certainly be fitting that he gives us his alliance rather than offer to rid us of Orochimaru." Kiba griped loudly.
"The gods cannot interact so freely with us, he offered an alliance and that is far better than giving us his wrath if we had come back empty handed." Shikamaru retorted sternly.
Gaara looked at him and saw his somber gaze up at the night sky. Shikamaru exhaled quietly, "After all of this I am going to live simply in the countryside of Kiriga." He mumbled softly.
Kiba leaned back looking at him with a grimace, "Aren't you too young to already be thinking such lofty thoughts? You have a debt to be paid to Sasuke as well as to me!" Kiba growled with a feisty demeanor.
"This journey was my debt repayment to Sasuke. I don't have to repay a debt to you, when I wasn't the one who got us in that situation in the first place, idiot." He replied and closed his eyes resting against the bannister.
Kiba slammed his fist on the bannister loudly, "I did not get us into the situation it was you who said you knew how to navigate and you who said that I should trust your skills!" Kiba bantered.
Gaara got up from between them and walked down the steps. He turned on his heel and bumped into someone. He felt arms come around him intimately and looked up to see Sasuke smiling down at him. He leaned in wrapping his arms around his beloved tightly. Sasuke.
"I hear Kiba and Shikamaru are arguing again," He said kissing Gaara's forehead. Slowly, he pulled Gaara with him back into the captain's quarters. Gaara closed the door behind them.