Principle of Nature

Chapter 7

None For the Better

xXx

Hey Gaara,

They got here safe and sound, and seem to be getting along well with the nin I assigned to escort them (though, that was just pure genius on my part, clearly). More on that in the official letter.

This is about us, not business. Speaking of- for your information, yes, I did make good use of your thoughtful present. It's provided quite the deterrent for my PA, much to his chagrin. Unfortunately, Sakura-chan did not approve, and so I was forced to dispose of it. (It was starting to stink anyway.)

Also- got a question. What would you do if you had this very close friend in another village that clearly has a huge crush on one of your nin? Would you let things happen as they will, or withdraw the nin to avoid complications?

-Naruto

P.S: Sakura-chan says hello, Temari-san wants me to inform you that her excitable teammate may or may not turn up dead from her hand, and the eldest of your team gets along scarily well with our resident - free - Uchiha.

Gaara blinked a few times. Meza and Uchiha Itachi he could see. Temari threatening Takeo's life was also plausible. However... Who has a crush on one of his nin?

Perhaps it was Kankuro? The puppeteer had been sparing a lot of his attention for Ino, after all.

And with that thought came a deep sense of irritation. Perhaps he should separate the two. Ino couldn't very well do her job if Kankuro was lurking in her wake all the time. And he didn't want his brother wandering off with her. That would be bad, as well.

This would necessitate further research, however. But first...

Gaara reached out and snagged a piece of paper. Reply to Naruto.

xXx

"I heard Sakura's pregnant."

To his credit, Itachi gave no sign that he'd so much as heard the comment, even as he shifted a shogi tile on the board between he and his brother. His lack of response did not seem to deter Sasuke though. No, in fact, it only encouraged the man.

"I was surprised you hadn't mentioned it, at first." Sasuke peered down at the board and sighed as he made a move. It was clear he was going to lose. "But then, after thinking about it, I realized it only makes sense. Considering what I've done..." He almost looked like he would apologize, for a moment, but swallowed it.

They both knew that apologies would mean little at this point. Neither of them could ever hope to be forgiven for their pasts, though Itachi hoped that they could make good of the future. "Your move," the elder male said as he sat back again.

Sasuke frowned at him, but then peered down at the board and took the only move available. "I just... wanted to offer my congratulations," he mumbled. "You've made her happier than I could have ever hoped to. Than I even considered..." He trailed off and let out a frustrated sigh.

There was a lapse of silence between them, and Itachi finished the game as the winner. "Thank you. I will tell her you said so," he said finally, and met his brother's gaze.

The younger man looked away, in shame. "Actually, you probably shouldn't. She wouldn't like it."

Fair enough. Sasuke was right; it would only start another fight between them.

"Hm. Another game?"

But the door behind him was opening, and Sasuke gave him a flat smile. "No time," he responded, looking resigned.

"Next time." Itachi stood, leaving the game's clean up to his brother, and left.

xXx

She was alone. Of that, more than anything else, she was certain. Even so, she couldn't help calling out, for someone, anyone. Please… "Hello?" Her voice echoed in the stillness.

"Someone! Hello? Is anyone there?!" she continued, her desperation getting stronger with every moment that passed in this empty darkness. "Someone! Please! I don't want to be alone!"

Just like that, she wasn't. Suddenly, she stood in a field, surrounded by bodies. Awful, stinking bodies in varied states of decay. She wanted to scream, wanted to puke, but she only looked around, until she spotted someone in the distance. Someone standing.

"Hey! Hey, you, please! I'm here, I'm right…" She reached out as the figure turned, and her words trailed to a halt. "... here."

Ino sat up straight in bed, gasping for breath as terror shook her limbs, sweat trailing down despite the chill of the desert night. Something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong, and yet she couldn't determine what that something was.

A dream? But no, that wasn't it. She was almost certain her fear hadn't resulted from a nightmare. (But in the back of her head, she kept trying to conjure up a face. Someone she knew, someone…)

Except there was a slight, uneasy tinge to the air. A feeling like something was going to happen, something terrible.

The problem was, she didn't know what, and that terrified her more than anything else.

xXx

Naruto frowned at the man before him. To his left, the late evening sunlight was slanting in, waning, but it didn't have any ability to relax him as usual. Not after this troubling news. "Dead?" he echoed, voice flat.

Grimacing, Lee nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama. Unfortunately so. The whole garrison was attacked in the night. Mizukage-sama believes it to have been Akatsuki."

Beside the green-clad male, his female teammate looked annoyed. "It was over long before we arrived with the treaty update proposition. Er, which he turned down, by the way. He said he had too much on his hands at the moment to be... uh, 'worrying about some upstart brat's idealistic view of the world'. Direct quote, sorry."

The blond shook his head and sat back in his seat, equal parts irritated and exasperated. This was exactly what he hadn't needed. It would figure we'd only get a few years of peace. Akatsuki wouldn't just give up their activities.

Gai cleared his throat, dragging Naruto's attention out of space again. "Hokage-sama... That is..." He drew a deep breath, and straightened. "I request permission to be allowed to join the border guard. Not just myself, my team as well."

Surprised, Naruto straightened in his seat and shook his head. "Why?" he asked.

"I would feel better knowing I'm there giving them all the support I can," the Mighty Green Beast of Konoha admitted, and sighed. In a rare display of solemnity, he met Naruto's gaze, and continued quietly, "Neji's there."

The Hokage let out a slow sigh. That was right; Neji, as part of ANBU, took on at least two months of Border Guard duty every year. Naruto knew this, as he was the one that signed the permission scroll sent to him at the beginning of each ANBU operative's cycle.

"I'll take your request into consideration," he replied neutrally. "Is there anything else to the verbal report?"

The trio shook their heads, and so Naruto nodded toward the door. "Go, I want all of you to check in with the iryonin at the hospital, and then take the rest of the day off."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," they chorused, and departed.

Naruto sat back with a sigh. "Yamato." He waited until his favorite ANBU nin had materialized from the floor before continuing. "I'd like you to do me a favor."

Yamato blinked, and tilted his head. "Favor?" he parroted.

"Mm. On your way to Lightning, I want you to take a detour..."

xXx

The man dropped to the ground, blood spreading across the dark concrete. His attacker smiled as he walked right over him, stepping past the blood, and used his key to open the bars of the door.

He wandered through the halls, and up a set of stairs, unchallenged, just as he had promised. Soon enough he came through another door. A sole guard stood before a third, more heavily barred barrier right in sight. The man reached up to tug a thin needle out of the hem of his shirt as the guard met his gaze. The needle flew, and the man dropped, dead instantly.

Stepping over him, his attacker unlocked the door, and applied the appropriate chakra signature to get past that lock, before catching sight of his master. The young man before him was just stepping through the now-open cage door. "You've done well, Meza," he murmured, deep voice a purr of pleasure. "Good job."

The white-haired Suna nin knelt, hand over his chest. "Thank you." He looked up into crimson eyes that stared down at him. "Uchiha-sama."

xXx

She found the body outside the wall around the village, a single hole in its stomach, but when she prodded, the chest caved in. The inside was all burned out, horribly, and her heart ached more than her stomach. She drew herself to her full height, and took off.

She knew where to run to, knew instinctively where this was going. Her heart hammered in her chest as she ran through the village, and she thought back to everything Itachi had told her about him. How easily he'd given in. How much he'd seemed to be improving. How Itachi was hoping that soon, soon, his little brother would be able to be let into the village without the cage. Maybe they could build a relationship again, no finally.

Her eyes were hot, and vision blurring, but she dashed away the tears and made herself simply not think about it. The least she could do was stop Sasuke before Itachi had to do it himself.

Even if it ripped her heart out.

Just as she'd suspected, when she skidded to a stop before the ANBU prison, Sasuke was just dropping the corpse of another of her comrades. A familiar face stood with him, arms crossed and eyes narrowed as he glared out at her. "Uchiha-sama," Meza barked.

The Uchiha glanced over at her, unsurprised, and smiled widely. "Sakura. I thought it would be you," he commented, turning to face her. "Of all of them, I couldn't convince you. You wouldn't even see me."

She swallowed, and she knew he was a lost cause. Even so, she had to try, for Itachi's sake. "Sasuke, please. Think about this. You've been doing well! You've been reforming-"

"Reforming?" he hissed out venomously. "Reforming?! You stupid little bitch! How dare you speak of reforming. You've lied to me, lied to me for every moment, all of you! You think I betrayed you? I?! I know what happened! I KNOW EVERYTHING!" he screamed at her.

Sakura clenched her fists. "I didn't think you would," she replied quietly, and darted forward, fists glowing green.

Sasuke's face twisted into a terrible, malicious grin as he lunged for her. She saw stars, after he'd ducked under her punch. Stars dancing across her vision, sparkling, and horrible pain all through her body. Horrible, like he was tearing her to pieces, starting with her stomach.

Sasuke cried out suddenly, and Meza was battling someone to the left. No, something. Some horrible creature, with a long, barbed tail and poison dripping from grotesque fangs. Sasuke was combating a giant spider of some kind.

She dropped to her knees, staring blankly at the creatures battling, feeling a strange, horrible sense of loss. An awful emptiness, like something had been ripped apart inside her, and she was crying, and screaming, and it was horrible, horrible, she couldn't think that enough. Oh god, no!

The words screamed right through her very bones, no, no, no! Nausea hit her like a wave, and she doubled over. She heaved out blood, and little bits, and sobbed hard in between.

No, no, no, no, NO!

Careful fingers scooped her hair back as she did; she knew what had happened. She knew what he'd done. What Sasuke had done to her!

"What did he do?" a quiet voice asked, the hand in her hair shifting to force her face up, her gaze to meet another's.

Abruptly, she realized it was dead silent, and people were surrounding her. A blue-haired boy, a familiar white-haired old Sannin, her Hokage, and… Her lip trembled as she stared up at Itachi, standing stock still before her, eyes locked on her face. "The baby… Itachi, he killed our baby," she said, and let out a heart-wrenching sob.

xXx

They got the message by about mid-morning, and as soon as she heard it, Ino's stomach clenched with horror. Kakashi stood before them, explaining, and all she could think was, I should have been there.

"About one AM this morning, Uchiha Sasuke escaped prison, with the help of Sunagakure's own Meza," Kakashi said, face grim and strangely aged. Or what they could see of his face, anyway. "Haruno Sakura attempted to stop him, as did his teammates Kumo, and Matsumoto. Nara Shikamaru and Akamichi Choji attempted to give chase, after Uchiha disabled Sakura, pulverized Kumo's puppet and took off." He stopped, and drew a slow breath. "Sakura's unborn child, three nin guarding the wall, and seven guards were all killed in this escape. The two that went after him caught up with Meza, who detained them long enough for Uchiha to get away, and then committed suicide."

Ino felt like throwing up. She could feel the gazes of her teammates on her, watching, assessing, so she bit it down. But she felt horrible. Sakura had just been starting to accept her baby. To love the thought of being knocked up. Gods, I really should have been there, she thought again. She should have been there to help Sakura, to keep her safe, to back her up…

"Ino?" Sai murmured, tilting his head beside her.

She looked up and nodded to him. "Are we being recalled, Taicho?" she asked the Copy Nin.

He inclined his head and sighed. "Yes. Immediately. You have half an hour to pack your belongings and we're going to go. Kami-san and Baki-san will be escorting us to the border, where they will await their own team. The exchange is over until this matter is settled. Dismissed."

They all chorused their agreement, and she found a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. "Sakura-san will be okay," Kotetsu promised quietly, with a faint smile. "She's strong. They'll get through this."

"I hope you're right," Ino murmured sadly. "I really, really hope you're right." But something made her feel like he wasn't.

Over the next half hour, Ino hurriedly packed her belongings, and took a quick shower because it'd be over two days until she got the chance to again. If they rushed.

When she got out of it, Kami was sitting against the window-sill in her room, staring at the opposite wall. He looked up at her entrance. "I'd like to offer my condolences, for the losses."

Her heart squeezed slightly, and she managed a smile for the awkward boy. He reminded her of Sai, in a lot of ways, but his heart was in the right place. "Thanks," she murmured, finishing her braid. "I think I'm actually gonna miss you, a little bit."

He blinked, and tilted his head. "I did not find your company too awful," he answered, and tried to smile.

He kind of failed at it though, and she chuckled despite the gloom that had hovered over her chest since the news was delivered. "I have to head out now. You're coming with, right?"

"Yes," he said, pushing himself off the sill.

He was wearing a backpack, and the bandages he usually had around his arms were gone for once. She suddenly saw why he wore them- tattoo'd onto every inch of flesh from the wrists to the balls of his shoulders were seals. Hundreds of them, dark markings along his skin betraying his level of… of something.

Power? Skill? Lethal...ness?

She must have been staring, because he tilted his head at her. "Is something the matter, Ino-san?"

Blinking, she looked up at his face. "That's… that is a suicidal number of seals, Kami-san."

He smiled. "Thank you," he replied, like she'd been complimenting him.

Which, no. Ino winced. "Erm. I meant that literally. What are they for? How would you ever have enough chakra to release them all?" He carried a pack, for fuck's sake. Couldn't he keep all his supplies in that?

Kami beamed at her, and the smile reminded her again of Sai. It was so fake. "Ah, those are my Puppets."

"Your Puppets."

"Yes. I am a Puppeteer- I thought you knew?"

Ino realized she'd stopped in the middle of the door to the outside, and started walking again, feeling slightly guilty for getting distracted. "Uhm, yeah, I knew that," she said, because they'd talked about it. Duh. "I just… you're… You're so young! I mean, I didn't expect you to be able to have that many seals with any hope of using them all."

Kami kept pace beside her. "Thank you," he said again, slightly smug. "I have been able to release and control almost fifty puppets, but I've made many more."

Oh guy was so bragging now. "Tch. For what, two seconds?"

"Three," he corrected, blankly.

Ino smiled a little, then sobered when she caught sight of Kakashi, Sai and Kotetsu, ahead at the gates of Suna with Baki, Kankuro and Gaara. She looked down, falling silent for the rest of the walk to the others.

"Baki-san, Gaara-sama, Kankuro-sama," Kami greeted, bowing deeply as he reached them.

Kankuro looked annoyed. "You don't have to go, Kami. You can say no."

"I disagree," Kami replied, expression flat. "I need to escort them there."

The other Puppeteer stayed silent for a few seconds, before he sighed and nodded. "Alright. Good luck, then," he said.

Ino felt like there was more under the surface there, more between Kankuro and Kami than either were letting on. For a moment, she allowed her inner fangirl to imagine it was a secret tryst. Then she shook it off and frowned at the two. "Well, if you're done, we need to go." Sakura needed her.

Kankuro glanced at her, his expression cool, but considering. He nodded. "Alright," he repeated, and stepped back. He bowed and murmured something to Gaara, squeezed Baki's shoulder in passing, and left.

Gaara, arms crossed, looked them over. "I sincerely regret that this has to happen. I believe the exchange was going very well up until now," he said, and Ino was inclined to agree, at least on their end. They'd shared much, and learned much. Gaara went on. "However, go with my good wishes, and guarantee of protection until you leave Kaze no Kuni. You're in good hands with Baki, and Kami."

Kakashi bowed to him. "Thank you, Kazekage-sama. I'll be sure to add that in my report," he said wryly, tugging an amused look (for Gaara) out of the redhead. "I'm disappointed too. But there's no saying there can't be a way around this. Hopefully we'll be back."

Gaara nodded, and then Kakashi and Kotetsu were walking through the gates, Baki right behind them. However, as she passed him, Gaara caught her hand, and pressed a scroll into it. "For the Hokage," he said, face unreadable.

Feeling daring, she smiled at him. "I hope we come back too," she whispered, too low for anyone else.

Kami stepped up behind her, and she took the hint. Gaara's fingers slid from hers as she pulled away, and she felt a pang in her chest at the loss of connection. They'd only gone on the one date, if she could even really call it that, and despite his hot-and-cold attitude (great one minute, broody and cold the next), she felt… drawn to him. It was really stupid, like the kind of thing you'd read out of a tacky novel, but it was still true.

Every time they looked at each other, when their eyes met, she sat a little straighter. When they touched (which admittedly wasn't often), it was like static electricity dancing from skin to skin. Her hand felt colder, even now, as she tucked the scroll away.

She glanced up, catching Kami's gaze on her, and looked guiltily away as the sand shifted with every step. He didn't ask, but the question was obvious.

What are you doing, Ino?

xXx

They passed the border, and left Kami and Baki behind halfway through the first day. It wasn't until late that night that they were ambushed in the dark. There was fire, and electricity, and bird song.

There was Sasuke, standing over Kotetsu's writhing body, looking over his shoulder at her. Her dream leapt to her mind again, and she stared in horror as he turned from her teammate toward her. "Yamanaka," he breathed. "It's been a while. You used to chase me around on the playground."

Her eyes shifted toward Kakashi, crumpled in the dirt. Sai was dangling from a tree by one ankle, blood dripping up his skull. She needed to see to him, but right now… Her gaze darted back to Sasuke, to his chest.

His chest was mostly bare, black haori hanging open. And it was… much less nice than the last she remembered. He was moving closer, and she took a step back. "Smart little Ino. You're the one that gave up first, right?"

"What, are you kidding?" she demanded, barely managing not to look up to glare. "Dude, you left Sakura out on a bench to catch a cold. You knocked her out, when she would have gone with you. You left us all behind, betrayed us when we only ever wanted to-"

He was suddenly on her, hand around her throat, slamming her back into a tree. She cried out in pain at the feeling, eyes clenching closed. "Shut up, shut UP!" he was shrieking in her face, and oh gods, she hadn't realized just how very far gone he really was. How had he fooled anyone?

She clawed at his hand, keeping her eyes stubbornly closed. His wrist was so thin, if she could get her fingers around it, and manage the handsign- But his fingers tightened, and it hurt so much, she was gasping just to breathe.

She opened her eyes and looked up, just in time to watch something huge and scaley slam down on the Uchiha from behind. Sasuke shifted just in time, though, and it clipped his leg, so he was forced to release her in order to escape.

Ino dropped to her knees, staring up in startled bewilderment at Hoshigaki frickin' Kisame. "You…" She choked, unable to draw enough breath to continue.

"Long story. We'll compare notes later. Get your friends off the battlefield, I'll distract Uchiha," Kisame ordered, heaving his sword up again as he turned in the direction Sasuke had gone.

She gulped, but knew he was right. So, with a little bit of stubbornness, and some chakra application to her arms, Ino dragged the boys one by one out of the now-a-clearing at least twenty feet. She could see the battle going on as she dragged the heavily injured Kotetsu last, towards where she'd put Sai (whose head had received an immediate patch job) and Kakashi. The Copy-Nin had been stabbed, but somehow had managed to make it miss his important innards. She shouldn't have been surprised by his ingenuity, but it gave her enough time to leave him alone and go get Kotetsu.

So here she was, dragging the man back, and dropping to her knees beside Kakashi. The battle somewhere beyond the trees was loud, and explosive. She was pretty sure there was fire, too, since the area was heating up. She kept glancing over at it, her hands over Kakashi's chest, mending the internal damage as much as possible. She shouldn't let herself be this distracted, but… Kisame didn't look to be doing so hot.

In fact, she was pretty sure he was losing. He kept stumbling, and had stabbed himself a lot, and was swaying… Swallowing, Ino got to her feet. She couldn't leave him to die. He was her only hope of getting these guys out of here safely. Especially since he was losing.

She grabbed a kunai, and charged back into it.

She had to help him.

xXx

Don't hate me? It's been ages since I updated, and then I have to come back and bring you this. I know how you feel. Shit's getting real, so keep reading. Little bit of action here to come before things calm down again.

Comment/Review?