A/N: I know this is a long time coming, but here is the next mostly unpolished snippet for The Konoha Ghostbusters, appropriately referred to as "The Suna Arc, part 1".
The Concept was created by AJT and others, myself included have contributed greatly to this potentially epic Naruto adventure. The Suna Arc, has thus far, been the sole work of both myself and AJT, though we have not worked on it actively in quite some time. Sections belonging to each author will be appropriately marked.
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This story arc was started off by M2J.
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Temari wasn't sure what she was expecting from the shinobi coming from Konohagakure who were coming to deal with her brother, but this most certainly wasn't it.
For one, they entered through the Merchant Quarter in a strange white contraption rather than the typical Shinobi entrance. Once the vehicle had stopped, and it was moving quite fast, it had been surprising to see three of the passengers tumble out of it and each of them kiss the ground as if they were happy to arrive with their lives intact.
The fact that one of them was the infamous Sharingan Kakashi made the situation even stranger. Then, of course, the blonde haired, whiskered driver wearing some of the strangest goggles she had ever seen stepped out of the vehicle, followed by a strange green blob, and greeted her.
Well, not so much as greeted her as began to hit on her.
Which was a first.
Most men she met were intimidated by the fact that she was a ninja, the Kazekage's daughter, or Gaara's sister. Few went out of their way to see her as a young, eligible female and even fewer treated her that way. So while she had shown a rather annoyed front with the goggled blonde, secretly she was actually pleased with his show of attention.
"Slimer..." he turned his head towards the blob, "I must have done something right in a past life because it seems wherever I go I am rewarded with treasures of great beauty."
He turned towards Temari and approached her. He then grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Hello, my name is Uzumaki Naruto, Genin Shinobi and future Hokage of Konoha and expert Ghostbuster. Will you bless this lowly commoner with the name of such an amazing goddess of beauty?"
Temari couldn't hope to contain the blush that colored her face- much to the astonishment of many in the surrounding area. However, it only lasted a few moments when she managed to school her features into a stern reproachful look.
"I believe you are here about my brother," she snapped at Naruto. Sakura filed that information away for later.
"Yes, perhaps we can discuss him over dinner?" Naruto asked hopefully. Before Temari could retort, Sakura punched Naruto in the head.
"Baka! We're here for a reason, you shameless womanizer!" she scolded him before turning to Temari apologetically. "I'm really sorry about this; he's just too much sometimes."
"I'm sure..."
"Well, I guess I'll be seeing you later," Naruto said with a smirk and a wink as the pink haired girl, followed by Kakashi and a black haired boy, dragged him to the Kazekage Tower.
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Continued by AJT.
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"If you could just focus on your job for one moment, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess!" Sakura admonished Naruto. The blonde continued to smile dreamily, enjoying how annoyed it made his partner.
"Did you see her legs? Mmm... And her skin, so tanned but it looked so smooth..."
WHACK!
"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" Naruto yelped. He turned a grin on Sakura, and winked. "Well, if you're going to be that jealous, Sakura-chan, I'll just have to restrain myself for you," he said, taking her hand and kissing it. Furiously blushing, Sakura yanked her hand back and scowled.
"W-Would you just quit it! God! We have work to do!" She gritted out, stomping off angrily. Naruto watched her go with a fond smile, before glancing back at Sasuke and Kakashi, who were watching the whole thing.
"Women, eh?" He asked with a shrug.
Kakashi nodded sagely.
Sasuke looked a little... Confused?
"Something wrong, Sasuke?"
"I thought you had a sibling-like relationship," Sasuke said dryly.
"And you'd be throwing stones about something like that because...?" Naruto prompted. Sasuke rolled his eyes and walked off after Sakura.
Naruto's grin widened. "Oh yeah... Still got it..."
"Just keep your mind on the mission, Naruto," Kakashi said, walking past. "Though no harm in combining a little business with pleasure..."
"That's my entire approach to life!"
"I noticed..."
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The Kazekage's tower was a tall and imposing structure, made of sandstone and mortar. Sakura had her PKE meter out the whole time, eyebrow raising at the readings she received all the way up to the Kazekage's office.
"So, what are we looking at, Sakura?" Naruto asked. Sakura turned and adjusted her glasses.
"Look at the PKE readings for yourself," she said. Naruto did, and his eyebrows went up too.
"Uh oh..."
"Uh oh? What's uh oh?" Sasuke asked.
"Well..." Naruto thought about it. "Let's say that a bowl of ramen represents all of the psychokinetic energy within a given ninja village."
"A bowl of ramen?" Sakura asked flatly. Naruto shrugged, then continued.
"Konoha's bowl would be about the size of a small apartment, on average," Naruto said.
"That's a big bowl of ramen," Kakashi observed dryly. "And Sunagakure?"
"The size of a few city blocks," Sakura said. Naruto scowled.
"I wanted to say it!" He whined. Sakura shrugged.
"Not my fault I can do math faster," she said.
The huge double doors of the Kazekage's office flew open, and two men and a gorilla in a hat flew out.
"Get out! Get out! GET OUT!" Roared the Kazekage. "You fools! I would skin you and hang your corpses from the battlements if I did not want your filth polluting my village any longer! GET OUT!"
"Do an independent job, you said. We have the skills, you said," mocked the younger of the two men. The older, a poofy-haired blonde, whacked him over the head.
"Shut up," he muttered. He looked up at the Ghostbusters and groaned. "Oh no... Not again!"
"Face it Jake... We just suck," the younger man sighed. "C'mon Tracy, let's get some banana splits..."
The two men and one gorilla departed, leaving the Ghostbusters to stare after them.
"Well... That was weird," Naruto commented.
"Who were those guys anyway?" Sasuke asked.
"Don't know, but they struck me as being... Incredibly lame," Kakashi opined. Naruto adjusted his proton pack and grinned.
"Oh well... We're most definitely not," he said. "Shall we?" He led the rest of the Ghostbusters into the office, Slimer staring after the two men and gorilla, before blowing a raspberry and following just before the doors closed with a loud bang.
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Continued by M2J.
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"Team 7 reporting for duty, Kazekage-sama," said Kakashi respectfully as he and two of four of the other members of his team bowed to the man behind the curtain.
Seeing that they weren't going to show the slightest bit of respect towards a leader not of their own village, Sakura grabbed Naruto and Slimer by the arms (ignoring the slimy, sticky feeling of the ghost's appendage- mind out of the gutters pervs.), and dragged them down with the rest of them.
"Yes, the famed Sharingan Kakashi and his team. Hokage-dono tells me that your team specifically deals with situations of paranormal nature," he said. "And that you could help us with our little problem."
Naruto looked up at the Kazekage with narrowed eyes. Sakura elbowed him and shook her head, but he ignored her.
"Hai, Kazekage-sama," said Kakashi, "Sakura and Naruto are our specialists in the field of 'Ghostbusting' as Naruto calls it."
"It's 'Paranormal Investigation and Elimination', Kakashi-sensei..." Sakura gritted out.
"Why can't people use the proper nomenclature!" complained Inner Sakura, and for once Sakura was in full agreement with her inner self.
"Yes, that is precisely why I have need of you," said the Kazekage, "My son has become more and more volatile and unstable, and so I need to have him eliminated."
"Eliminated... More like assassinated..." spat Naruto as he stood up. The Kazekage's eyes widened in surprise as his gaze met Naruto's slitted blue eyes. "And you have the balls to wonder why he's so screwed up in the first place!"
With that, Naruto stormed out of the office, Slimer not far behind. When Naruto slammed the door, Slimer turned around and raspberried the Kazekage before exiting through the closed door, leaving ectoplasmic residue on the door.
"He-he's... Sarutobi never said he was sending his pet Jinchuuriki..." exclaimed the Yondaime Kazekage.
This time it was Sakura who threw all decorum into the air. "How... How dare you!"
"Sakura..." Kakashi tried to warn Sakura.
"No Kakashi-sensei! It's deplorable how he treats his own son like a monster... A monster HE created! He doesn't even know Naruto and already he assumes that Naruto is some mindless demon because of something that Naruto had no control of!" Sakura ranted at Kakashi before turning back to the Kazekage. "You're lucky we need this mission as much as you do, or else we would be leaving Sunagakure right now and leave you to clean up your own mess!"
Sakura then stormed out of the room, Sasuke and Kakashi right behind her. Before he too exited the room, Kakashi turned to the Kazekage, "My apologies, Kazekage-sama... It's just that Naruto's being a Jinchuuriki is a sensitive subject for them. Can we meet up later to discuss a few things?"
"Of course, Hatake-san," replied the Kazekage.
"Arigatou," Kakashi replied with an eye smile as he turned to follow his students out.
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After the departure of Kakashi and his team, the Kazekage sat in silence contemplating many things. The least of which were the strange devices they had with them, like the handheld device the girl had used and the white horseless carriage operated by the blonde Jinchuuriki, not to mention the strange devices strapped to their backs.
"Scorpion," the Kazekage signalled to one of his ANBU. "Find Kankuro. Tell him to see me at once, it is a matter of great importance."
"Hai, Kazekage-sama!" the ANBU answered with a bow before disappearing in a swirl of sand.
'I must unlock the secrets of those 'Ghostbusters'...'
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Kakashi was quite surprised to find many people, civilian and shinobi alike giving his students a wide berth when he caught up to them…
Or rather, giving Sakura a wide berth as the rosette kunoichi was pacing and swearing up a storm, venting her frustrations on anything and everything that would listen. Even Sasuke looked hesitant to approach her.
Unfortunately, Naruto and Slimer were nowhere to be seen.
After a few minutes, Sakura's ranting quieted down and her pacing slowed.
"Finished, Sakura?" asked Kakashi giving her one of his patented 'eye smiles'. Sakura had the decency to blush in embarrassment.
"Sorry, Kakashi-sensei... I guess I got a bit carried away, huh?"
Kakashi waved off her apology. "Don't worry about it. It's good that Naruto has someone like you to stand by him."
"About that," interjected Sasuke. "I think there are some things I should know."
Sakura cursed as she replayed the conversation in her head and realized that Sasuke had only just barely learned of the existence of Jinchuuriki in general- let alone the fact that he had practically grown up right next to one his entire life.
She hope she would be able to explain things sufficiently enough so that Sasuke wouldn't see her oldest and dearest friend as a blood thirsty demon. There was no way Sakura would even contemplate a happily ever after with someone who couldn't accept her best friend for what he truly was. She wasn't willing to give up what she and Naruto had, not even for Sasuke-kun.
"Let's see if we can't find some rooms at one of the local inns first," suggested Kakashi. "What we have to discuss cannot be discussed out in the open like this."
Sasuke nodded in acceptance.
Sakura took a quick glance around Sunagakure wondering where Naruto had gone off to. Once they got their rooms and Sasuke was briefed, they would have to go searching Naruto and Slimer- and fast.
Who knew what sort of trouble those two would get into?
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Naruto was fuming.
It had been a long time since he had been this angry. The last time he had, was when Sakura had ended up getting kicked out of her parents' place and the Hokage had unearthed and helped renovate the firehouse for them.
That day would forever be burned into his memory.
For all of the cruelty Konoha heaped upon him, he could honestly say that he had it much better than Gaara. Sure, Gaara had a family where he did not, but they had also tried to have him killed. Is own father was willing to send assassins from other villages after the boy.
The villagers of Konoha had not so much has laid a finger on him, for much fear of what the Sandaime Hokage would have done to them if they had. Only a single merchant had attempted to overcharge him, but he was immediately stopped and put into his place by a passing by shinobi.
All in all, life in Konoha wasn't bad, aside from the fact that villagers in Konoha had opted to try and forget he existed. Some had even gone as far as to keep their children from associating themselves with him.
Sakura's parents had been once such couple, and while Naruto had been more than willing to comply, Sakura had adamantly refused. The resulting fight that took place saw Sakura packing her bags and coming to live with Naruto. Unfortunately, his apartment was too small for two people and thus they had to talk to the Hokage for assistance for digging up the old abandoned firehouse.
In the years since, the firehouse had become everything to Sakura and Naruto. It was the site of their business and offices, their lab, their sanctuary, their home. The firehouse, Sakura-chan and Slimer were so ingrained into his life, he couldn't imagine things any other way.
Without them, he shuddered to think about how much worse his life would be now.
His thoughts were broken by the floating green blob of ectoplasmic energy behind him.
"Nawuto, what ah we goin' ta do now?" Slimer asked in curiosity.
Naruto thought for a moment before giving Slimer a patented half-smile that said they were going to do something stupid that could potentially cause a significant amount of collateral damage.
"Let's go find that Gaara-guy to see what we're up against."
Slimer thought for a moment before bobbing his face up and down in a agreement. "Yeah, yeah, yeah!"
"Who knows, maybe we'll run into that hot blonde chick along the way," Naruto added as his sour mood quickly evaporated.
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Continued by AJT.
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The inn was well kept and clean, with screen doors leading out to a balcony that overlooked the village, the giant statues of former Kazekages standing prominently. It seemed altogether fitting-In everything done, Sunagakure tried to impress it's feats and strength upon you. Not too different from Konoha, or really, any ninja village. There were whole schools of jutsu designed to impress potential clients as well as destroy enemies. The age of ninja as stealthy assassins was still going, but the age of ninja as advertising for their own village was most definitely in full swing as well.
It was a unique dichotomy, one which Kakashi wondered if even he would ever understand.
"Well?"
His thoughts were interrupted by Sasuke's expectant and indignant expression. Calmly, the jounin looked over at Sakura. It was clear she was going to handle things (whenever it came to Naruto, she insisted), and thus with a nod, he gave his permission.
"Sasuke-kun, the Kyuubi wasn't killed by the Yondaime," Sakura stated plainly. "Naruto-"
"Is the container for it," Sasuke finished. Sakura nodded.
"Biiju are at least Class VIII, even Class IX paranormal entities. If they'd had our technology at the time, maybe they could have done something but it's highly unlikely, we're getting close to deity level here. So the answer for that is sealing. Very high-end sealing..."
"And the Yondaime Hokage was a genius at that," Sasuke said. "Let me guess... He bound the Kyuubi's soul to Naruto's in a seal, to heavily favor Naruto's soul over the demon's?"
Sakura nodded. "That's... That's exactly right!"
Sasuke snorted. "I did study some sealing at the academy... Don't act so surprised..."
"It's a pleasant surprise, Sasuke, I assure you," Sakura said with a wry smile. She then turned serious again. "Sasuke, he's not a monster. Really. The Kyuubi doesn't even have any contact with his mind, we didn't even know he had it inside him until I ran a scan with the PKE meter over him and-"
"Save it," Sasuke said. "He's still an idiot even with the most powerful demon of all time inside him."
Sakura smiled wryly. It was Sasuke's acceptance, in his own way, of Naruto.
"Thank you..."
"Hn," Sasuke stated.
Kakashi shook his head. His students were so adorably fun as they grew up...
"Ah, excuse me?"
All three Ghostbusters looked over at the window. A slightly older boy in black ninja clothing with brown hair stood there. His eyes were instantly recognizable as the Kazekage's, but not as cruel.
"Sorry for butting in like this. I'm Kankuro, the Kazekage's oldest son." He offered an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry about him. He's not good with people."
"We noticed," Sakura said coldly. "What do you want?"
"I'm trying to mend the bridges he burned," Kankuro said pointedly. He scowled. "I'm sorry if it's too much for you high and mighty Ghostbusters to take, but we're not all assholes like him."
"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," Sakura said, looking apologetic.
Kakashi scrutinized the boy. He seemed as reluctant to be here as one might suppose, and his embarassment and resentment at his father certainly wasn't feigned. All the same, he knew better than to trust first impressions.
"Nah... He makes everyone angry. I regard him as a model of behavior to not follow when I become Kazekage," Kankuro said with a wry smile.
"Well, that's certainly a good model to follow," Sakura said with a smile.
"So, well... How can I help you out?" He grinned. "And what would I have to do to get a look at that horseless carriage of yours?"
"Why would you ask?" Sasuke asked.
"Well, I'm a puppeteer, which means I had to learn a lot about mechanics and engineering. I'm always interested in anything new regarding machines." He grinned. "I was really hoping to meet you, Haruno-san. Your genius is pretty well known..."
"Oh?" Sakura asked with a slight blush on her cheeks.
"Yeah, though definitely not your beauty," Kankuro continued, moving closer to Sakura. He took her hand and smiled warmly.
"Maybe we can talk about some things? I can take you on a tour of the village."
"Ah, w-well, um," Sakura tried, flushing prettily. Kakashi cleared his throat.
"Sasuke, Sakura, go with Kankuro. I'm sure he has much to talk about," he said. Sasuke looked annoyed, which was interesting, and Sakura looked a bit concerned.
"Ah, well... Sensei, what about-?"
"I can find Naruto, don't worry," Kakashi said, giving her an eye-smile. "It's not often you get to visit another ninja village this early in your career. Take the time to learn." He shot a glance at Sasuke that the Uchiha survivor instantly understood-Keep an eye on Sakura.
It was his determined expression that got Kakashi's attention. 'Hmm... Maybe he is not so immune to women as he thought?'
"Understood," Sasuke said. He looked at Kankuro with a glare. "Lead the way."
"Gladly," Kankuro returned, smirking back. He wrapped an arm around Sakura's shoulders and led the blushing scientist to the window. "Now, I think you'll find the steam generators the most interesting place to start, they're not too far from here..."
Sasuke followed them out, glaring at Kankuro's back the whole time. Kakashi checked the perimeter-Everything seemed all right. He had no doubt they were being watched, but the people doing it were sloppy-Their chakra signatures were obvious.
All the same... Something didn't feel right, and Kakashi decided finding Naruto quickly was a good idea.
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Continued by M2J.
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"There's somethin' strange, in the neighborhood..." Naruto sang to himself as he strolled around the village, before humming the rest of the lyrics.
If people truly knew of the extent of the things they had inside the firehouse...
He and Sakura had found much inside the dusty and partially ruined walls of the ancient building. Most of it was beyond them at the current point in time, others it was just a matter of figuring out how they worked.
Some of the devices they were able to patent as their own. Like phones. The Hokage Tower, the firehouse, the academy and the different Clan compounds were all set up on the phone network, as well as having a network all on their own. It wouldn't be ready for mass production for the rest of the civilian and shinobi populace for another year or so.
Others, they still hadn't managed to reproduce- namely the stereo with the tape deck and CD player which is where Naruto had heard the rather catchy tune. In all honesty, it was probably his favorite song and the chosen jingle for the new business once he and Sakura FINALLY got it off the ground and securely out of the black.
The ghost logo and the song was how Naruto had coined the phrase 'Ghostbusters' and decided that it was going to be the name of the company. Sakura had wanted to veto the name, opting for something more formal, despite Slimer's support of the name.
Unfortunately for her, they had found some old newspaper clippings that only reaffirmed Naruto's stance on the matter. And as if it were destiny or fate (which despite his heavy belief and studies in the paranormal, Naruto did not believe in), the Ghostbusters were reborn.
Humming the tune, he temporarily put his search for Gaara on hold as he spotted the gift of the Gods. A ramen stand.
Naruto sat down as he waited for the waitress to take his order, Slimer floating over the chair next to him. Other patrons at the stand eyed Slimer warily, but said nothing. The Konoha Genin sat lost in thought when he heard a shrill scream.
"What the heck is that!" she shrieked pointing at Slimer.
"He's Slimer, and he's my friend," Naruto answered her. "Listen, we've had a long day and we just got into town, could you get us both three bowls of Miso Ramen?"
Had Sakura been there, she'd have been impressed at the display of manners, no matter how small, despite the shortness of his reply.
"H-hai..." she answered hesitantly.
Three minutes later she returned with the ramen.
As they began to dig in, Naruto decided to get some information. "I was wondering if you could help me find someone."
Still eyeing Slimer with suspicion, the young waitress replied, "Sure..."
"I'm looking for the son of the Kazekage. Sabaku no Gaara." said Naruto. The entire stand fell deathly silent. The waitress immediately dropped the bowl in her hand, which promptly shattered sending broth and ramen all over the floor.
"Wh-what do you want w-with G-Gaara..." she asked nervously.
"You must have a death wish," said one of the patrons. "No one who goes looking for Gaara lives for very long."
"I'm not known as Konoha's Number One Unpredictable Shinobi for nothing you know," responded Naruto with a smile.
"Yeah!" Slimer back Naruto up, before digging into Naruto's ramen, his own ramen was all over the stool underneath him covered in Ectoplasm.
"And a glory seeker," said a shinobi customer, "Your type dies the quickest."
"Hn," Naruto grunted, "How about you take me to Gaara and we'll see from there."
"We already have enough problems with your village with the ambassador he killed two weeks ago," said the shinobi disapprovingly, "We don't need to compound our troubles because you were too cocky for your own good."
"Why don't you let me worry about that," replied Naruto, "I was hired to... deal... with Gaara anyway."
"And what could a stupid looking kid like you do?" asked another patron mockingly.
"Uh-oh..." said Slimer as he saw the smirk on Naruto's face. He flew around to the other side of the counter and hid behind it. Naruto, meanwhile, pulled the proton accelerator wand from his pack. Hitting the blue button on the wand, everyone heard the ringing sound emitted from it as it warmed up and the red button right next to it lit up.
"Who wants to see a demonstration?" asked Naruto cockily. Many at the stand grew unsettled at the look on Naruto's face.
The patron who had mocked Naruto was looking nervous, but never-the-less, boldly asked to see Naruto's "great and unpredictable" power.
Pointing the wand at the man's stool, he hit the red button. The wild proton beam shot from the wand as the man jumped off his stool only a split second before it exploded.
"Anyone else doubt me?" Naruto asked looking around to the astonished faces.
"What is the meaning of this!" demanded a rather angry female voice.
Deactivating his proton pack and holstering the proton accelerator wand, Naruto grinned at Slimer, "Looks like it's my lucky day."
Sure enough, he was greeted by the sight of a rather angry blonde who wore her hair in four pony tails.
"I truly am blessed that a goddess like yourself would grace this lowly commoner with her with her invigorating presence that could rally armies with her gorgeous looks alone," Naruto announced as she stepped into the ramen stand. He then bowed deeply towards her, taking her hand once more and kissing it.
His act was a bit over the top, but he enjoyed her reaction none the less.
Despite her blush, she pulled her hand away from the blonde Konoha Shinobi. "Shameless flirt..." she mumbled, unknowingly mumbling a phrase he had only heard from Sakura thousands upon thousands of times before. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Looking for your brother, Oh Beautiful Goddess of the Sand, when some of your lowly servants decided to doubt my mad Shinobi-Ghostbusting Skills," Naruto responded.
The Suna kunoichi rolled her eyes, and then looked around at the chaotic destruction around her, "I see... My name is Temari, Sabaku no Temari, Uzumaki Naruto."
Naruto only grinned wider. "You remembered my name… That must have been some impression I left on you, Temari-chan."
"Don't flatter yourself," Temari scolded him, "If I were interested in you, it wouldn't matter as you seem rather focused on getting yourself killed. Approaching Gaara alone is suicide."
"But I'm not alone, Slimer is here with me," he replied pointing at the green specter who was currently STILL hiding behind the counter.
"Yes... I'm sure he would be of great help in dealing with my brother..."
"Well if you are so sure I'm going to die, why don't you fulfill a dying man's last wish and join him for his last meal?" Naruto asked.
"Persistent, aren't you?" Temari asked with a slight smile of her own. "If I say 'yes', will you leave me alone?"
"Only until after I talk to your brother," replied Naruto honestly, "Then I'll be back to harassing you for dates in no time."
"Confident, aren't you?" she asked. "What makes you so sure you can deal with him alone, without your team?"
"Because I can't do my job very well working under the opposite assumption," Naruto said with a smile before turning serious, "Besides, I think it's best I speak with Gaara alone before the rest of my team meets him."
"Fine, since you're so dead set on going to see Gaara, I'll go to dinner with you," Temari said with a sigh, "And if you manage to survive I'll CONSIDER going on a second date with you."
"That's all I can ask for," said Naruto grinning once more. "I'll even pay for this date and the next one."
"What makes you think there's going to be a second one?" asked Temari, "Even if you survive meeting Gaara."
Naruto pulled her close and whispered softly into her ear, "Can you keep a secret?"
Temari, her heart beating wildly as she felt his hot breath on her ear and neck, only nodded in response.
"So can I," he whispered, before pulling away from her. He then left the Ramen Stand, Slimer reluctantly trailing behind him. Meanwhile Temari stood rooted in place unable to bring herself to move. Seeing this Naruto smirked as he turned back to her, "Coming Temari-chan?"
"O-of course..." she said absently before walking out of the stand with Naruto and Slimer.
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Continued by AJT. There is a slight continuity error here. Naruto and Temari were supposed to originally go on a short dinner date before Naruto confronted Gaara. That scene was not only skipped all together, but it appears to have not have happened from the next snippet on. Small changes to either the next or previous snippets would have to be made to fix the mistake.
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Finding Gaara was actually fairly easy to do. Temari knew the feel of his killing intent anywhere, through long periods of experiencing it. Never directed right at her (if that had occurred, she wouldn't be here right now), but certainly felt.
The moment they felt it, Slimer whimpered, the little class five flying behind his friend, while Naruto turned to seek out the source of the chakra spike.
"Subaku no Gaara, I presume?" Naruto asked. The red headed boy wore dark clothing and a large, hourglass-shaped gourd on his back-More than likely containing sand. He was in Shukaku's natural habitat, its home field, and caution was demanded.
Temari stared at the whiskered blonde-Other than her father and Baki, she'd never seen anyone able to stay calm in the face of Gaara's killing intent. Especially when he had found them.
That meant he found something interesting about them.
Gaara was silent, staring at Naruto. The Ghostbuster offered him a smile.
"Hey. I'm Uzumaki Naruto... Doctor Uzumaki Naruto. I was looking for you."
"Are you here to fight me?" Gaara asked.
"No... Actually, I'm here to help you," Naruto said.
"You came from my father..." Gaara said. "Mother so loves it when he sends people after me... People to kill..."
"Really? Would you mind telling me more about that? Before the killing part," Naruto asked.
Gaara stared at him. Naruto gave him a smile.
"I'm just curious. You see, that's kind of an interest of mine, psychology, understanding people."
"Understanding?" Gaara asked.
"Yeah... See, I grew up alone and hated because people hated the thing sealed inside me. They couldn't see past the Kyuubi, and so their pain left them with a need to take it out in some way. Hence, they hated on me for it."
Temari gaped at him. He's the container for the Kyuubi no Youko? It had been rumored Konoha had a Jinchuuriki for years, but for him to be like... Like this?
"You are like me," Gaara said.
"Yeah," Naruto said. Gaara smiled. Temari felt a sick chill fall over her.
"I will fight you then... I will kill you..."
"Why?" Asked Naruto.
Gaara's answer was a blast of sand, shot out like a cannon. Temari and Naruto poofed into pots and pans, shattered to pieces by the blast, as Slimer wailed and flew through the roof of the building below.
"Well, that could have gone better," Naruto observed. Temari gaped at him.
"You're-You're a-?"
"Yeah," Naruto said, grimly activating his proton pack. "Looks like it's time for some vigorous therapy."
"Why are you using that thing? Why don't you call on your demon?" Temari demanded. Naruto smirked.
"Because I'm not out to kill the guy... Wish me luck, Desert Goddess!" He stole a kiss to her cheek before he leaped up from the lower rooftop. "HEY! Sandman! I got a dream for you right here!"
Gaara's sand shot for him, which he responded to with a quick blast from his neutrona wand. The particle stream blasted the sand apart, but Naruto cut the shot short to avoid hitting Gaara.
Rather than dissuading Gaara from attacking, the Shukaku vessel sent more sand to strike Naruto from multiple sides.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" One blonde became many, all rushing about the surrounding rooftops. One group launched themselves at Gaara from multiple angles, throwing kunai due to the fact the duplicate proton packs didn't work. Sakura was working on why, but for the moment it restricted Naruto to physical weapons.
While Gaara chased the clones, the real Naruto had pulled out his PKE meter and was scanning Gaara carefully.
"Naruto," Kakashi spoke.
"Hey Kakashi-sensei! How's it going?" Naruto asked, pulling down his ecto-goggles to scan his foe.
"Not bad... You seem to have gotten into some trouble," Kakashi said.
"Just an uncooperative patient... Uh oh!" He leaped to the side as Gaara located the real deal. Meanwhile, Kakashi was replaced with a log.
"Need any help?" Kakashi asked wryly appearing seemingly out of nowhere, as Naruto scrambled up to his feet and took off running around Gaara.
"I'm good!" Naruto shouted back. "Slimer! Buddy!"
"Uwaaaahhhhh!" The little green ghost shouted, zooming away from Gaara's sand.
"Slime him! Quick!" Naruto shouted.
"Mwe?" Slimer cried.
"YES YOU! What can he do to you, you're already dead!" Naruto shouted, using a replacement jutsu to evade another slash from Gaara's tendrils.
Kakashi hung back, deciding to wait and see what his more rambunctious student had in mind. He was confident he could handle Gaara himself, but unless Naruto really needed some help, he was content to watch.
Besides... He could see Temari watching the exchange with wide eyes. If Naruto's efforts to impress Ino were anything to go by, this should be particularly entertaining.
"Go already!" Naruto shouted, firing another particle blast to hold off another wave of sand. Slimer babbled and wailed, but at Naruto's glare he flew off for Gaara. The Sand nin grinned.
"You… Yes, I will add your blood to-!"
Slimer slowed down, hesitant. A stray particle blast in the back changed that.
"GYAAAAHHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!"
SPLUD.
Gaara twitched. He reached up and touched the slime all over his body.
"Wh… What is this…?"
POOF!
"If you like that, you'll love this," Naruto called from behind. Slimer was on the rooftop Naruto had been standing on. Quickly, the blonde switch from his neutrona wand to the slime blower attachment on his pack, and with a grin he fired a powerful stream of slime, bowling Gaara over. It was gunky. It was smelly.
It made him feel… Happy. Carefree. Innocent.
"STOP IT! STOP IT! AAAUUUUGGGHHHHH!" Gaara bellowed, his sand raging around him but the confusion induced by the slime's power made it hard to focus.
"GET HIM!" Naruto called out, and six clones poofed into existence, quickly charging Gaara and attacking him furiously, punching and kicking him to the roof. Naruto himself cut the slime and ran at Gaara, producing a ring-shaped device that he slammed down over Gaara's head. The redhead twitched a few times, before falling over, unconscious.
Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, and turned to give Kakashi a thumbs up.
"See? Nothing to it! Sakura's invention… Really…"
The killing intent was rising fast, and Naruto turned to see Gaara getting back up. However, if his yellow eyes were anything to go by, it wasn't Gaara in the driver's seat anymore.
"… Uh oh…"
-KGB-KGB-KGB-
Continued by M2J. Back to the others.
-KGB-KGB-KGB-
Sasuke was irritated.
No, Sasuke was annoyed and growing more and more so by the minute.
This Sasuke understood, as Sasuke was genuinely annoyed and/or irritated all the time.
What he did not understand was exactly why he was annoyed. Something about this Kankuro person didn't sit right with Sasuke. He wasn't sure if it was the make-up, the way Kankuro tried to ignore his presence, or the way he had his arm slung around Sakura's shoulders as she hung on his every word.
Wait.
Where did that come from?
If there was anything Sasuke was sure of, it was the fact that he didn't like Sakura. Okay, so that wasn't completely true. Sure she was a little weird and had that obnoxious crush on him, but she was a dependable teammate and much more level headed than his other fangirls. There were even times where he wouldn't even classify her as a fangirl, but merely as a female admirer.
Either way, she most definitely wasn't useless. So, generally, Sasuke didn't really mind Sakura. However, of one thing he was certain; he didn't like-like Sakura. That didn't mean he couldn't look out for her and make sure this Kankuro character didn't take advantage of her.
There was something suspicious about him. Kakashi had obviously sensed it too, because he had signaled to him to watch Sakura- to keep an eye on Kankuro, so Sasuke was just following the orders of a superior Shinobi.
Yes, that's right, just following orders. He most definitely wasn't jealous.
Not a chance in hell.
-M2J-M2J-M2J-
Kankuro could barely contain his smirk.
So far his mission was going smoothly. The girl had been easier to charm than anyone could have expected. Not that she wasn't pretty and she most certainly wasn't unintelligent- hell, she even took a genuine interest in his art, asking him a few inquisitive questions now and again.
The fact that he got to annoy some stuck-up Konoha Genin in the process was icing on the cake.
As he predicted, the steam generators had caught her interest. Much like himself, she too found engineering to be more than a passing interest, though it surprised even him the depth of her knowledge. It was obvious the dark haired boy didn't share their common interest because he was constantly either looking completely bored and/or confused by the conversation or he was glaring at the prospective puppet master.
After leaving the immediate vicinity, Kankuro had taken them back towards the Kazekage Tower and had shown them Sungakure's monument to their own Kages. While they weren't as grandiose as Konoha's Hokage Mountain, the Statues of the Kazekages were still quite imposing. Kankuro took some time to briefly tell the Konoha Genin about some of their major accomplishments and brag about the village's major achievements.
Sakura seemed to be engrossed in his tales. Apparently, she loved learning for the sake of learning and was taking the time to play the part of a tourist in a new place. Something he could easily identify with as he had wanted to do that on several missions that took him outside of Suna's protective walls- especially ones outside of the deserts of Wind Country, but never could bring himself to do.
Once more the Uchiha heir looked like he'd rather be elsewhere, however the glint in his eyes easily told Kankuro that he wasn't going anywhere without his pinkette teammate.
Inwardly, this only made Kankuro smirk as he then, after putting his arm around Sakura, lead them through some of the mainstream areas of Suna, moving away from the Shinobi districts and into the civilian sectors- more specifically the more romantic parts of the hidden village.
"Over there is Moritake's. It's a high end restaurant that isn't too expensive," said Kankuro as they passed a charming, dimly lit restaurant. "It has the best view of the village at night as you can see almost all of Sunagakure when it's lit up before everything begins to close down for the evening."
"Oh, wow..." said Sakura as she looked down from the tall hill they were on. It was just before sundown and the different colors of the sunset were painting them across the sky. "I can imagine it's breathtaking. You know, you never get to see a sunset like this in Konoha."
"Just beautiful, huh?" said Kankuro squeezing Sakura's shoulders a bit.
"Yeah..." she said breathlessly, before looking towards Kankuro, and realizing he was looking at her and not the sunset. Sakura couldn't contain her blush or the giggle that shortly followed.
Sasuke merely grunted in annoyance. "We're wasting time here."
And the moment was effectively killed, and much to Sasuke's surprise Sakura threw him an annoyed look she usually reserved for Naruto after he and Slimer came back from one of their more destructive rampages of either a prank gone wrong or far too well.
All in all, this was an enjoyable mission and he hadn't even gotten to the part where he could learn of secrets so advanced that they could potentially take down demons like his brother.
Perhaps he could even finish his special project, the one he had been working on for some time to subdue his brother, but was still too flawed to utilize.
In any case, the tour had gone smoothly as they made their way towards the Merchant Quarter, namely the Sunagakure Bazaar where all the mainstream local and traveling merchants sold their wares and exchanged their trade goods.
It was also where the machine, "Ecto-1" as Sakura called it, was currently resting at.
Mission aside, it truly did interest Kankuro. He watched as Sakura opened the back of it and pulled out a rack with four slots, two were already filled with strange looking packs- both similar, but not the same from the one Sakura herself was wearing.
For one, hers was slightly smaller and more compact. Another thing he noticed was the fact that her pack had more attachments and doors on it. He wondered what those were for, since the device was on her back, they would be impossible to use. He also noticed the extra buttons on the wand part of the proton pack. Possibly different mode of operation was his guess, but he wasn't sure. Her pack seemed to be a completely different model than the ones already in the white horseless carriage.
He helped her take off the pack on her back and was quite surprised to find that it was quite heavy- much heavier than what he would expect a girl of her size and build to be able to carry.
His surprise must have shown on his face because she responded with a grin, "You shouldn't underestimate someone because they're a girl, some of us might be stronger than you think."
-M2J-M2J-M2J-
Sasuke was pretty shocked, though he hid it well. He had spent the entire afternoon and evening trailing after those two, listening to a bunch of technical stuff he couldn't begin to comprehend, and to this Kankuro guy bragging about his village, not to mention the way he kept flirting with Sakura. The guy was completely transparent, and now Sakura was flirting back!
Sasuke decided to nip this in the bud then and there.
"Team 7 is one of the elite Genin squads in Konoha," he said emotionlessly; however Kankuro could detect a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Sakura wouldn't have been assigned to our team if she wasn't anything less than one of the most capable kunoichi of our class."
Sakura was looking at Sasuke with wide-eyes; every now and then he'd paid her and Naruto a compliment while on a mission- however that was rare. Whenever he talked about the skill level of anyone- be it someone on the team or an opponent, it was always said with some disdain, as if he was superior and their abilities didn't matter.
It was this reason why Naruto and Slimer would sometimes go out of their way to antagonize Sasuke.
To hear Sasuke talk so complimentary about her skills (well anyone's skills) was practically unheard of.
"I... Thanks... Sasuke-kun," said Sakura with a small wistful smile.
She was so focused on Sasuke, she didn't notice Kankuro's frown.
Sasuke, however, didn't react, though inwardly he was giving Kankuro a patented Uchiha victory smirk, the one he practiced in the mirror every day and usually reserved for Naruto if only to piss the blonde Genin off.
"It's the simple truth," he replied, downplaying the compliment he gave her. It wouldn't do for her to think he was interested in her; he was just trying to protect her from Kankuro. "No more, no less."
-M2J-M2J-M2J-
Sakura didn't believe him, but she accepted the reply all the same. She wasn't all too sure what was going on, but she was sure it involved her somehow.
Sasuke-kun seemed to be more irritated than usual, which was strange because neither Naruto nor Slimer were there to antagonize him and she'd barely even said a word to him since they left the inn. In fact, she was pretty sure she hadn't asked him for even a single date since they'd left through the west gate of Konoha in Ecto-1.
Maybe he was just tired.
On the other hand, Kankuro-kun was nearly the complete opposite of his father. He was a complete gentleman and took the time to answer her questions. It was surprising how much of the same things interested them both.
There was also the fact that despite the "war paint", he was quite handsome. Then there were his eyes, so identical to the Kazekage's own, yet they lacked the cruelty and cold indifference that his father's contained. Within them she sensed a spark of something else... Curiosity? Mischievousness? Passion?
The way he looked at her made her shiver... In a good way.
She wasn't sure what she saw when she looked into his eyes, but she looked forward to getting to know him to find out. She looked forward to figuring out his little nuances that made him, him, much like she had by hanging out with Naruto all these and years and just by observing Sasuke for just as long.
After all, he was the first boy, other than Naruto, to show any sort of interest in her. Not only that, but he was genuinely interested in her questions and what she had to say!
Not even Naruto could hold a conversation about mechanical engineering, quantum physics or most anything else Sakura enjoyed talking about without becoming bored and feigning interest. Kankuro-kun, on the other hand, seemed to be every bit as interested in engineering as she was- if their conversation at the Sunagakure Steam Generators was anything to go by.
She just knew he would just love Ecto-1! It was, what she considered, her greatest achievement to date.
After all, not much had to be done to the proton packs at all- though she was working on reverse engineering them, just a little fine tuning here and there and presto! They were operational again.
The traps, she had to reluctantly admit, had been more Naruto than herself. She might have done most of the theoretical leg work and the calculations, but the large majority of the seal work to get those to do what they were supposed to were all Naruto. He was just that much more talented in that area than she was.
The PKE meters and the Spectro-visors (or as Naruto referred to them, "ecto-goggles", honestly!) were very much the same. They were already operational, but also required some tweaking and seal work to both keep them powered up and operational and sturdier for ninja life.
Ecto-1 was something she had been working on alone, figuring out how to get it to fire up, keeping it running and pretty much overhauling it until it was actually functioning much better than Stantz had ever managed to get it. Of course it was still simply an automobile, albeit the ONLY automobile in the entire Elemental Countries, but still JUST an automobile.
She hadn't managed to get any of the special features like the Super Slammer or the mounted Meson Collider up and running just yet, but you have to take what life gives you.
Ecto-1 was Sakura's crown jewel and she had been waiting to be able to show it off to someone OTHER than Naruto. After all, while Naruto was genuinely interested in the archaic machine, he was more concerned with the actual operation of the vehicle than the inner workings of it.
"So... You were going to show me how this thing works..." said Kankuro, pulling Sakura from her musings.
Sakura's eyes lit up. "Oh, of course!"
She then practically skipped to the front driver side door and opened it up. She then reached underneath somewhere, where neither Sasuke nor Kankuro could see, and seemed to pull on something.
Suddenly a popping sound could be heard and the front cracked open. Sakura then climbed out of the car and walked around to the front, opening the hatch like door.
Just as she was about to tell Kankuro all about Ecto-1, a loud roar could be heard echoing throughout Suna.
"Wh-what was that!" asked Sakura.
-M2J-M2J-M2J-
Kankuro paled.
He knew that roar, having been around it enough. It was Shukaku, Gaara's demon, the scourge of the sand.
But why was it out?
No matter how crazed Gaara had become, no matter how deranged and murderous he was feeling, he NEVER let out Shukaku while in Suna's protective walls.
What the hell was going on?
"Sh-shukaku..." he stuttered.
"Shukaku?" asked Sasuke.
"It's the proper name for the Ichibi no Tanuki," explained Sakura thinking fast. "It's the bijuu contained... Within... Gaar... Ah... NARUTO!"
The prospective puppet master looked at Sakura strangely.
"Kuso!" she cursed, "Kakashi-sensei said he'd find him! Kankuro-kun, where is your brother?"
"Are you nuts! Gaara is dangerous enough when he's normal!" Kankuro exclaimed, "Going after him while Shukaku is in control is not only crazy, but down right suicidal!"
"Please!" Sakura pleaded, "We need to help Naruto!"
Kankuro cursed himself mentally, just knowing he was going to regret this. "Okay... I'll help you..."
"Thank you!" shouted Sakura as she lunged at Kankuro, glomping him in a tight hug. "Everyone hop in!" she shouted as she got into the driver side of the car.
"No."
The silence a single word caused was astonishing.
-M2J-M2J-M2J-
"You fool! Look what you've done!" shouted Temari.
While she had been rather impressed that he had fought Gaara with only a strange weapon, his green blob and no demon, AND was winning, she was now infuriated with him at wits end because he managed to make things worse by putting Gaara to sleep, releasing Gaara's demon.
"How the hell was I supposed to know that would happen!" Naruto shouted back, pointing at Gaara who was rapidly becoming a building sized Tanuki made of sand.
"Didn't you pay attention at all to the brief my father gave you!" exclaimed Temari, "Gaara's seal is so weak he doesn't sleep at all because the demon will take control of his body and try to devour his soul!"
"Sorry, princess, but I didn't wait around for him to insult me more after he asked us to kill his own son for being what HE made him!" Naruto snapped.
"Urgh!" Temari growled in frustration.
"Incoming!" Naruto shouted as he grabbed Temari, throwing her to the ground and holding her as if to shield her. She looked over his shoulder and saw a massive clawed hand of sand coming towards them.
'We'll be crushed!' thought Temari as she slammed her eyes shut.
"You two really need to focus," said a voice. Temari opened her eyes and saw that while she was still in Naruto's arms, they were on the next roof. Standing over them with a hand on Naruto's shoulder was Sharingan Kakashi, with his hitai-ite pulled up revealing the legendary doujutsu that had been implanted into him several years prior. "Any ideas, Naruto?"
"Not really, that's more Sakura's thing," replied Naruto releasing Temari, and standing up. "I'm just gonna wing it for now. This thing's too big for a typical proton stream, I'm gonna have to use the Meson Collider..."
Naruto pulled the neutrino wand from the proton pack and flipped a switch on it causing the wand and pack to begin to shift and change. He then turned his head towards Temari, "Wish me luck!" Naruto then winked and jumped off the side of the building.
"Wait!" shouted Temari as she lunged forward as if to stop Naruto. She then angrily turned to Kakashi, "Is he insane!"
"No... He's Uzumaki Naruto," explained Kakashi, "Konohagakure's most surprising, hyperactive, unpredictable, knuckleheaded ninja... Which pretty much amounts to the same thing."
Temari sweat dropped in response.
-M2J-M2J-M2J-
There was just no way in hell he was getting in THAT thing again. He'd rather watch his family being slaughtered all over again.
"What?" demanded Sakura.
"I am not getting in that... That... Thing!" shouted Sasuke.
"B-but Naruto..." stuttered Sakura.
"Can take care of himself until we arrive, the normal way," Sasuke said sternly, crossing his arms.
What happened next shocked Sasuke as it was another first for the second time in two days. Sakura glared, and not just glared, glared at him!
"Just get in the damn car, Sasuke!"
Okay, so that was a third and fourth first in a day, as it was the first time he could remember in a long time where she didn't use an honorific suffix with his name and the fact that she practically demanded he get in that demon machine.
"We don't need a scared weakling like him anyway," challenged Kankuro.
Before Sakura could respond in anyway, Sasuke grit out a response that sounded like it pained him to say it.
"Fine." Sasuke then smirked at Kankuro, "But you ride in the front."
-KGB-KGB-KGB-
Continued by AJT. Things are beginning to heat up now…
-KGB-KGB-KGB-
The Meson Collider was the most recent upgrade to the proton packs that Sakura and Naruto had managed to get functioning again, perfect for penetrating through solid matter. It had been devised in order to combat zombies and other non-ghost creatures.
Right now though... All it seemed to be doing to Shukaku was making him angry.
"GYYYAAARRGGGHHHH! YOU! YOUUU! STINGING BEE! I WANT TO KILL THE BEE! KILL HIMMMM!" The giant demon brought a massive claw down upon a rooftop, Naruto barely managing to leap out of the way. Slimer yelped and clung to the back of Naruto's proton pack, whimpering and trying to hide behind his friend.
"GYAH!" Naruto landed in a roll, snapping back up to his feet and forming a hand seal. Slimer whimpered, and popped back into shape.
"TAJU KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"
A massive cloud of smoke followed the large number of poofs, and the surrounding rooftops were covered in blondes.
"GET THE CIVILIANS OUT OF HERE!" The real Naruto bellowed, firing repeatedly at Shukaku's nose. The tanuki howled in pain, before slashing at Naruto again.
"WATCH OUT!"
BOOM... The building beneath Naruto collapsed into debris. Dozens of confused and frightened people appeared in place of several Naruto clones. Other clones picked them up and ran for it, the rest of the massive crowd leaping around and trying to attract Shukaku's attention.
Naturally, it was the real Naruto that earned his exclusive focus. He took a deep breath, and Naruto gulped.
"Uh oh... This doesn't look good..."
"Waaahhh! Waaahhh!" Slimer cried.
"BOOOF!" Shukaku bellowed, blasting another building to rubble. More clones sacrificed themselves to replace civilians.
"I was right," Naruto muttered. He held up the thrower and fired another blast of projectiles into Shukaku's face, and leaped to another firing point as he bellowed in rage.
He saw Temari nearby and shouted at her. "TEMARI! HEY! ANY SUGGESTIONS?"
She ducked behind a wall as Shukaku roared again. Naruto sighed and sent another volley of Meson blasts at the monster's eyes, before running over and ducking behind the same cover.
"Hey! Suggestions please? How do you calm him down usually?"
"You don't understand! That's not Gaara right now, that's Shukaku! The demon himself! He can't be reasoned with, he can't be bargained with, he's an insane monster out for blood and death and destruction!" Temari screeched.
"... Oh," Naruto said. "Well, that makes things a little more difficult." He set the Meson Collider to full power and jumped back up to his feet. "So, what kind of restaurant would you like to go to?"
"Wh-What?" Temari stared in total and complete disbelief at the blonde Ghostbuster. Naruto grinned back.
"Well, I've gotta know what you like... Suna cuisine, maybe Nami? I'm partial to Tsuchi cooking myself..."
"You... You are totally insane!" Temari shouted. Naruto looked back at Shukaku, grinned, and looked at Temari with a wink.
"Nah, I just like to know my date's tastes beforehand. It's only polite. So, what'll it be?"
As Shukaku loomed, Temari just shook her head and slapped a palm to her face in exasperation and disbelief.
"If we manage to survive, I don't care what we eat! There, happy?"
"Very. If you'll excuse me!" He leaped back into battle, attacking Shukaku with renewed enthusiasm. Temari looked up, somehow expecting Kakashi to be standing there. He merely shrugged.
"The rest of our team is on the way. It'll be the safest place to be... Comparatively speaking."
Temari managed a nod, and followed the Jounin as he leaped off the roof edge. She looked over her shoulder, eyes firmly on the crazy Genin, combatting the massive form of the sand demon with a broad grin.
It figures only an insane man would show that much interest in me, she thought ruefully.
-AJT-AJT-AJT-
Kankuro had definitely been looking forward to seeing the "Ecto-1" in action. A horseless carriage that, to his chakra senses, apparently had an enormous amount of seal work and energy running through it? Ninjutsu combined with technology was the center of ninja puppetry. Learning how it worked would be a joy, especially given its lovely engineer.
However... Actually riding with Sakura as she drove the "car" was definitely not what he anticipated.
"GYYYAAAAHHHH!"
UWEAAH! UWEAAH! UWEAAH! The siren of the Ecto-1 wailed as the car barreled through the streets of Sunagakure towards the growing form of Shukaku. Civilians and ninjas alike were barely able to get out of the way of the vehicle, even with the warning the sirens gave them.
"C-Can we slow down a little?" He managed, tightly gripping the dashboard in front of him. His eyes widened as they smashed through a fruit cart. "GAH!"
"No time! We need to find Naruto, fast, before he screws up any more than he already has!" Sakura called back, throwing the vehicle into a zigzag to shake off the fruit and employing the wipers to clear the windshield.
Sasuke sat in the back of the car, seatbelt securely fastened and a slight smirk on his face. How interesting that this irritating ninja's suffering made the ride far more tolerable.
"I thought you were eager to see what this thing could do?" The last Uchiha asked mockingly. Kankuro managed to throw a glare back at Sasuke, which lost most of its effect when he yelped at a sharp turn.
"Oh, this is bad," Sakura muttered, pulling her ecto-goggles down over her eyes and looking down at her PKE meter. "Very bad..."
"I could've told you that! H-hey, watch where you're going!" Kankuro shouted.
"How bad?" Sasuke asked, now having to work at staying calm. Just enjoy that little weasel's suffering, just enjoy it...
"Remember how I said that a Bijuu runs the range from a Class VIII to a Class IX?" Sakura asked, narrowly avoiding running through a building.
"Yes?" Sasuke managed.
"Well, this is far too strong for what the One Tail should be," Sakura explained. "A low Class VIII is what it should be, but it's pushing into the upper ranges of it's class, maybe all the way up to Class IX."
Sasuke blinked. He'd been trying to understand the mechanics of Ghostbusting (given it seemed likely Team 7 was going to get a lot of missions like that), but much of what Sakura and even Naruto said escaped him. Everything Slimer said escaped him, of course, but for different reasons.
"Uh... Why?"
"Don't know," Sakura said. "I'm sure we'll find out soon enough-"
"LOOK OUT!" Kankuro screamed. Sakura turned the wheel to the left, barely evading a water fountain.
"It'll probably take everything we've got, and then some," she idly commented. She squeezed between two carts, Ecto-1 powering through. "Fortunately... I have a plan."
Sasuke sighed. This won't end well...
It was at this moment Kakashi and Temari landed in the road ahead, and Kankuro grabbed Sakura's shoulder in response.
"Stop! STOP!"
Sakura slammed on the brakes, and Ecto-1 came to a screeching halt. Shakily, Kankuro let go of Sakura and gripped the dashboard, as though unsure if they had actually come to a halt.
"Naruto's fighting Shukaku," Kakashi said as Sakura rolled down the window.
"I figured," Sakura sighed. "Okay, hop in and gear up. We're going to get in close, and hit Shukaku as close as we dare."
"And then?" Kakashi asked, slipping into the expansive back seat of the car with Temari. Sakura shrugged.
"I'm still working on it..."
"Ah, good! Everything is as it should be," Kakashi said cheerfully, leading Kankuro and Temari to stare at him. Sasuke shook his head.
"Drive," he said, and Sakura set off once more towards the growing form of Shukaku.
- - - - - - - - - -
Uweah... UWEAAHH... UWEAAAHH...
Naruto turned and grinned at that familiar sound. He fired another volley of Meson blasts at Shukaku's eyes, making the demon howl in rage, before he leaped down to land on the hood of Ecto-1, which had just pulled up behind the building he was currently fighting from.
"Hey Sakura! Sasuke! Temari! Kakashi! ... Whoever you are!" Naruto greeted them cheerfully. "How's it going?"
Sakura got out of the car and immediately whacked her partner over the head. "IDIOT! What the hell did you do?"
"Um, you know that ring you made to put people to sleep? Apparently it's not good to put it on the heads of Shukaku containers..."
"Don't you listen to anything I say?" Sakura screeched.
"Ahem," Sasuke said. He pointed up at Shukaku, who was bearing down on them. Sakura coughed.
"Oh yes... Quickly! Boson Darts, target it's head!"
"Boson Darts?" Kakashi asked, as he and Sasuke got out with their proton packs on. Temari and Kankuro shakily got out, looking... Well, very much like anyone who drove with Sakura looked like afterwards.
"The red button next to your trigger! Press it when the stream is engaged!" Sakura commanded. Naruto switched over to the standard particle stream, and stood in a line with the rest of Team 7. Sakura charged up her own proton pack with it's powerful, reassuring ring, and took aim.
"Ready, aim, FIRE!"
Four particle beams lashed out, whipping wildly in the air until they impacted the head of the sand construct. Then, four large orbs of energy travelled up the beams, like eggs travelling the length of a snake. They impacted Shukaku's head as one, blasting the sand tanuki's face apart, exposing a solid-looking black orb. Sakura held up her PKE meter, scanning it.
"Yep... He's in there all right," Sakura said. "The demon formed a shell out of flocculated ectoplasm. It's life-force is still bound to Gaara-If he dies, it dies."
Shukaku's great bulk stumbled, but the sand began to reform.
"So, what do we do?" Kakashi asked. Sakura frowned, and rummaged through her pockets. She produced a small scroll, which she unsealed with a drop of her blood. A strange device the size of a dinner plate with complex seals all over it emerged.
"This is an anti-bijuu sealing mechanism I've been working on," Sakura explained. "It can disrupt the connection between a Jinchuuriki and the bijuu that resides within him or her, sealing the demon deeper and suppressing it further than the seal already does."
"So, we just slap that thing on Gaara, save the day and Temari and I can go on our date," Naruto enthused. "I love it, let's do it!"
"Ah, a few slight details," Sakura said dryly. "The sleeping band has to be off Gaara for the sealing mechanism to work. And the mechanism has to be on Gaara himself in order for it to work. Someone has to get close enough to do both these things."
All eyes turned to Naruto. The blonde stared back.
"Hey, wait a minute... I didn't know it was going to do that!"
"Nevertheless, you did bring about the current situation, Naruto," Kakashi reminded him.
"Yeah, but still... It's Sakura's plan," Naruto said.
"Well, if you think you can't do it," Sasuke said. Naruto scowled at him.
"Oh, you just had to say it! Don't think I can't figure it out, I'm a psychologist after all! You're going to wound my pride in order to motivate me into doing it! Well..." He crossed his arms.
"I was going to do it anyway! I was just acting hesitant to downplay my own obvious heroism! So ha! I saw through your little ploy!" He grabbed the sealing mechanism and turned to face Shukaku. Sasuke shook his head.
"Clearly, you are too smart for my manipulations," the last Uchiha said dryly. Naruto looked back at Slimer, still huddled against his proton pack and whimpering, and then back at Sasuke.
"Why Sasuke! What is that in your boot? Why, if I didn't know any better, I would swear it was a candy-"
"Withdrawn, withdrawn," Sasuke said quickly, as Slimer perked up. Naruto grinned and looked at Temari.
"Five minutes, tops."
"But how will you get up to Gaara?" Kankuro asked with a scoff. A loud POOF and cloud of smoke filled the street, and when it cleared, Sakura was standing over a peculiar contraption. It had two seats, three wheels, and a steering mechanism, which suggested it was a vehicle, but the only means of propulsion Kankuro could see was on top of it-Two wide blades attached to a rotator assembly, and two wings on either side of it below the seats..
He looked at Sakura, eyes widening.
"You... It... It can't be..." He gaped. "A-A flying machine?"
Sakura blushed, and smiled as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Ah, um, yes..."
"Awesome! Our first test flight, and I get to fly it!" Naruto grinned, hopping into the pilot's seat and pulling on a helmet.
"First test flight?" Temari asked.
"They don't even know if it will work," Sasuke said dryly. Sakura shot an indignant look at Sasuke.
"Of course it will work! I've done all the calculations myself!"
"But it's never actually flown before, has it?" Sasuke pressed.
"That's the best part, Sasuke!" Naruto said with a thumbs up.
"So what do we do while you two go off in your flying machine?" Kakashi asked.
There was silence for a few moments, before Sakura cleared her throat and stepped away from Ecto-2.
"Sasuke, please go with Naruto."
"What?" Sasuke demanded.
"Somebody's going to have to keep flying her when I jump off," Naruto said.
"Jump off?" Sasuke asked, voice strangled by disbelief and anger. Kakashi merely smiled.
"I would be happy to accompany you, Naruto. I can scan your movements with the Sharingan, and take over once you jump."
"All right, sounds good, let's move! Shukaku's nearly fully reformed!" Sakura pointed out. "Sasuke, get up top! Temari, Kankuro, in the car!"
"What are we doing?" Sasuke asked as he nevertheless complied. Naruto started up Ecto-2, the little helicopter's engine sounding loud in the confined street. Sakura started up Ecto-1, and ran the siren at full volume.
"Acting as the distraction! NOW FIRE!" Sakura shouted, as she hit the accelerator and Ecto-1 took off.
UWEAAHHH! UWEAAHHH! UWEAAHHH!
'Strange, I'm somewhat calm in the face of all this,' Sasuke mused as he stuck himself to the roof of the car, and pointed his neutrona wand up at Shukaku. Maybe he was finally connecting with his teammates, feeling trust in them.
"Oh! And if you feel like screaming in fear, Sasuke-kun, it's all right-It'll attract more attention!" Sakura shouted up to him over the siren, rushing wind and roar of the reformed sand tanuki. Sasuke stared up at Shukaku, and shuddered.
'Or I'm just becoming as insane as they are,' he thought as he fired his proton gun right at Shukaku's face.
-AJT-AJT-AJT-
The Kazekage watched the battle from atop his tower, arms crossed over his chest. He scowled out over the village as Shukaku bellowed and caused wanton destruction.
Granted, the demon had not destroyed anything important, and he supposed sacrifices had to be made, but Konoha was going to owe him big for this.
All the same, the power demonstrated by the Ghostbusters so far was impressive. None of his jutsus could even hope to scratch the fully awakened Shukaku, and these Ghostbusters' weapons were causing great destruction on the demon. More than that, they were keeping it occupied, meaning he would not have to waste any of his own ninja to engage the demon.
"Kazekage-sama, the ANBU units are scrambling to evacuate the battle area. What are your orders?" Scorpion asked. The Kazekage turned and smirked.
"To watch the show, of course," he said with a dry chuckle. "I believe our demon problems will be over soon... Oh, and summon the civil planning board. I believe the clearance afforded by Shukaku should be put to better use in the future."
He turned and resumed watching, a smirk on his face.
"One other thing... The Priests of the Shukaku Shrine insist on being allowed to observe the battle."
The Kazekage's smirk grew. Despite the destruction, this day was just getting better and better.
"If they wish to throw their lives away, by all means... Don't stop them."
-KGB-KGB-KGB-
The plot thickens… Continued by M2J.
-KGB-KGB-KGB-
"All right!" shouted Naruto excitedly. "This should be exactly as I've read about it!"
"Read about it..." said Kakashi, "As in you've NEVER done this before...?"
Naruto slapped his forehead. "What part of 'first test flight' did you not understand?"
"Hmm..." Kakashi hummed in contemplation. "Just checking."
Naruto stared at Kakashi through narrowed eyes. "You know... You're awfully calm about this..."
"When you've been a ninja as long as I have, Naruto, things tend to not affect you as much as they probably should," replied Kakashi. "Besides... I've outlived those I've called my comrades. If I die, I can't imagine there being any other way than fighting alongside and defending my students."
"Sounds like a story," stated Naruto.
"Perhaps one day..." Kakashi promised.
Naruto nodded as he started up Ecto-2, the sound of the rotor completely drowning out the sounds of Ecto-1's blaring siren. As Naruto did this, Kakashi copied Naruto, donning a helmet himself. Immediately he noticed a big difference, being that the sound of the rotor blades were significantly muted.
'Ingenious... Designed not only to protect from possible head injury, but for hearing conservation as well...' noted Kakashi, 'They are more brilliant than I gave them credit for.' Thinking about the team he got, with all their strengths, weaknesses, and personalities only one thought crossed his mind. 'Sarutobi-sama definitely knew what he was doing when he gave me this team...'
He was jerked out of his thoughts when he heard Naruto's voice unimpeded by either the helmet or the sound of the rotor.
"Ready Kakashi-sensei?"
It took him by surprise for just a moment, but he was able to answer Naruto with a quick nod.
"All right, hold onto something!" Naruto shouted as he jerked on the controls after flipping a few switched and immediately Ecto-2 jerked up into the air.
The aircraft's jerky movements, along with Naruto's constant cursing, told Kakashi that the operation of the vehicle was obviously much differently described in the books.
After quite a few near misses with the nearby buildings, Naruto, much to Kakashi's relief, finally managed to gain control of the flying machine.
"All right... I think I got it..." Naruto assured Kakashi, though he didn't sound very sure of himself.
"Somehow... I doubt it..."
"Come on! Trust me!" exclaimed Naruto.
Kakashi looked down at the village below. "Not much of a choice now." Kakashi pulled up his hitai-ite as Naruto began to steer the aircraft towards Shuukaku. Below, he noticed Ecto-1 bobbing and weaving underneath the sand beast.
As he watched Sasuke blast yet another food cart out of the way instead of sending any proton streams towards Shuukaku, Kakashi couldn't help but wonder if Sasuke was seriously rethinking his decision to not fly with Naruto. After all, even though Naruto drove fast and recklessly, other than the Yamanaka Flower Shop, he had yet to hit a single thing, unlike Sakura who seemed to hit every object within range.
-M2J-M2J-M2J-
UWEAAHHH! UWEAAHHH! UWEAAHHH!
'I should have went with the dobe...' was Sasuke's only thought as Sakura nearly bashed into yet ANOTHER street lamp. It was only the quick action of Uchiha Sasuke firing a Boson Dart and blasting it out of existence that saved them from not only a head on collision, but also from being smashed by Shuukaku's massive claw.
Looking up at the sky for as briefly as he could safely manage, he could only imagine Kakashi's smug smirk beneath that damnable mask of his.
'Bastard... He knew... He KNEW what I was getting into...' thought Sasuke as he pointed the neutrona wand straight up, firing yet another Boson Dart. The kick back forced Sasuke into a kneeling position and he was certain he bent the roof a little with that last blast, however, he did manage to obliterate one of Shuukaku's clawed appendages before it could grind them into pieces.
"Damn Kakashi..." Sasuke mumbled as he blasted a good chunk of wall out of a building to keep Sakura from wrecking "her baby".
-M2J-M2J-M2J-
"I don't know about you, Kakashi-sensei, but I feel the need for speed!" Naruto shouted. By now he had pretty much mastered the controls and was pushing forward on the throttle.
Kakashi, who was mostly enjoying the ride, was shocked by the increase in speed and the angle of attack. They were headed straight for the sand demon- right between its eyes to be exact.
"Naruto..." Kakashi began to interject, but was cut off by Naruto's assurance.
"Trust me!"
Kakashi was even more surprised when Naruto reached back and drew his neutrona wand and seemed to be mimicking a jousting knight from a play Kakashi had seen a long time ago while protecting a client on a mission.
Kakashi began to worry a bit when he noticed they had attracted Shuukaku's attention. The sand beast, rather than focus on the white annoyance on the ground, decided to redivert its efforts on the flying machine above.
"COME AND PLAY LITTLE FLY!" shouted the insane bijuu.
"With pleasure!" Naruto shouted back, not caring whether or not the creature could hear him or not.
Kakashi noticed a clawed arm moving towards them. He cursed himself for not remaining on guard, as he pulled his own neutrona wand too late.
BOOM!
Kakashi was surprised to see the arm explode, but looked down to see a smirking Uchiha Sasuke atop of Ecto-1.
Kakashi sighed. 'Touché...'
Shuukaku seemed equally surprised as its' mouth dropped open in surprise.
"WHAT!"
Naruto's proton back then began to transform, retaking the mode for the Meson Collider. Examining the neutrona wand on Naruto's proton pack, Kakashi quickly realized that Naruto's pack was far more complex and advanced than his own and seemed to have two more modes of fire.
He was brought back into the present by Naruto's shout of, "Choke on this!"
Naruto's shot was right on the money as Shuukaku's head exploded.
Naruto let out a confident whoop of victory. "Owned, bitch!"
"Naruto, look out!" Kakashi shouted as he grabbed Naruto's should and pointed above them.
Apparently, Shuukaku had learned from the last encounter and had already been reforming a brand new head before his current one was destroyed. His gaping sandy maw was bearing down on them.
"HANG ONTO SOMETHING!" shouted Naruto as he flipped open a box on his console. The only thing there was a red button which Naruto slammed his fist down on. Kakashi could only look in wonder as two compartments on either side of them opened up and revealed two cylindrical objects. He was about to ask Naruto what he meant when he was forcefully jerked back into his seat.
They had narrowly missed being chomped on by Shuukaku when he noticed Naruto fighting the controls as the craft slowed down to normal speed. Several red lights seemed to be blinking and sirens were going off.
'This can't be good...' noted Kakashi.
As they came nearer to one of the surrounding buildings, he was surprised by Naruto's shout of, "Jump, Kakashi-sensei!"
"Wha-?"
"Just do it!"
Before he could even think, he was jumping out of the flying machine as Naruto was pulling away. He immediately jumped into the air again as Shuukaku's clawed hand came down on the building he was standing on, and landed on the offending appendage.
Kakashi began to run up the demon's arm when it suddenly dissolved beneath him.
"Shit!" said Kakashi in surprise as he plummeted to his death only to be snatched out of midair. He noticed he was in the arms of a puppet that was being controlled by the Kazekage's elder son. "I thought you were with Sakura and Sasuke."
"It's less scary out here," replied Kankuro shuddering.
UWEAAHHH! UWEAAHHH! UWEAAHHH!
Looking below them, Kakashi and Kankuro saw Ecto-1 pull up below them, Sasuke was still on top, looking much worse than any of them. Temari carefully peered outside the vehicle, her face was ghostly pale.
"Kakashi-sensei, what's going on!" shouted Sakura, "Why aren't you still up there with Naruto!"
"I don't know, he was having trouble controlling the flying machine-"
"Helicopter!" Sakura automatically corrected, which Kakashi ignored.
"And all these lights and sirens started going off-"
"THAT IDIOT!" shouted Sakura. "I told him the booster rockets would overload the system! He NEVER listens!"
Above they heard Shuukaku laugh in triumph as they heard a loud impact.
-M2J-M2J-M2J-
"Just do it!" Naruto shouted, ordering Kakashi out of the helicopter. Suddenly, as Kakashi was jumping out, the whole console started sparking and popping.
"Shit, shit, shit!" Naruto cursed, jerking the controls to avoid Shuukaku's arm.
Not only were the controls barely responding, but they were smoking too.
"Damn it!"
Sensing Naruto's troubles, Shuukaku swung its' mighty tail at Naruto, which only narrowly missed as the craft's power seemed to cut out, dropping Naruto several feet.
Yanking back on the throttle, Naruto began to ascend. Once more he noticed Shuukaku's claw coming at him, and responded accordingly, only the craft was slow to reaction.
Though not a direct hit, Shuukaku's claw did significant damage to the aircraft, taking out the whole left side of the aircraft.
'If I'm gonna crash, I'm going to make it count!' Naruto mentally exclaimed as he charged at Shuukaku again. Shuukaku swiped at Naruto once more, only to barely miss. The impact made Ecto-2 divert its' course slightly, but Naruto maintained a small modicum of control of the damaged aircraft.
Shuukaku's and Naruto's eyes met briefly, the former's eyes widening in disbelief as the other's turned triumphant.
-M2J-M2J-M2J-
A shout of "NARUTO!" echoed through the air as Ecto-2 exploded on the side of Shuukaku's face...
-KGB-KGB-KGB-
A/N: That's it for Part One. Did Naruto really die? Will Sakura fall into a pit of despair as the person she cares for most is completely and utterly destroyed, sacrificing himself for the greater good? Will Sasuke or Kankuro win her affections?
You'll see the answers to all these and more in the next exciting episode of the Konoha Ghostbusters!