AN~ Enjoy, and please REVIEW!
In Konoha
"Shizune, I'm getting too old for this mess."
The Blonde hokage took a long pull off a half empty bottle of sake foregoing her cup as she moved papers around with a free hand.
"My Lady, you are not that old."
"You and I both know I'm way past retirement age. I just refuse to put the other foot in the grave."
The dark haired woman sat in a comfortable chair off to the side petting her pet pig who was now frail and also weak with age.
"You and I have seen many things here in this village. We have watched it burn to the ground and rise from the ashes. The will of our people has surprised even me. I wish all our people could be here to see it."
Shizune knew better than to comment on this. It was a sore subject to meany in the village. Several cuts for many that had yet to fully heal. Naruto was still adamant about requestiong missions that took him to the furthest reaches of the different lands. He would search for his missing teammates refusing to let them go. But always returning empty handed and forlorn despite the primary mission being accomplished.
"Shizune I'm going to announce at the meeting tomorrow Naruto as my successor, finally. I know I've been talking about it, but I'm making it official."
"Of course my La.."
Shizune was cut off when a person sized slug appeared in the middle of the Hokage's office. This made Tsunade choke on her sake and shizune to jump almost dropping tonton.
"Lady Katsuyu?! What are you doing here? How did you get here?!"
And just as the words left Tsunades mouth she knew the answer.
"Where is she? What's wrong?!"
"Sakura has been kidnapped by Sasuke, she sent me here to seek help."
"Shizune! Get everyone available in my office immediately and send word to Suna asking for help as well."
"Yes my Lady!"
"Lady Katsuyu tell me what you know."
~An hour later~
"What's up Granny? Why did you call us all here in the middle of the night?"
Naruto yawned as he gave a tired expectant look at the hokage. Next to him stood the rest of the rookie 9, Tenten, Rock lee, Gai, Sai ,and Kakashi.
"First thing is first. Shikamaru and Hinata, Lady Katsuyu is going to teleport you both to a undisclosed location she will fill you in once there. You are to assess the area and then return here for a report."
The two shinobi stepped forward next to the Giant slug that Naruto had just noticed and was staring at bewildered before the three disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Lady Katsuyu appeared before Shizune and I about an hour ago. She came with both relieving news and deeply troubling.
"You mean you summoned her?"
Naruto asked.
"No, she showed up without me summoning her."
Kakashi's deep voice filled the room next.
"But if you didn't summon her than that could only mean…"
"You mean SAKURA DID IT?"
Naruto exclaimed loudly finally fully alert and staring with wide hopeful eyes.
Tsunade sighed and nodded.
"Yes, but she only did it because she was in trouble, and needed help."
"Whats wrong? Where is she? How are we going to help her? We are going to help her right?!"
"Shut up Naruto and let me talk or I swear I will kick your ass seven different ways from Sunday!"
Naruto crosses his arms sulking. Even after many years there were somethings about the boy that had never changed as he grew into a man.
"Now, what I have gathered is that she has been taken by a group of shinobi, led by Sasuke."
This made the group gasp and Naruto frown deeply once more.
"It seems he wants her to bare him children. Ones that are stronger that the ones he has already had with Karin. He had plans to take Sakura and then retrieve her daughter and use her as leverage to make Sakura comply more readily."
"What? Sakura has a daughter? Since when?"
"I don't know you idiot she's been gone for over a decade she could have tattoos all over her body and declared herself a lesbian and we wouldn't have been the wiser."
Rock lee's eyes widened and began to wipe a little trickle of blood that seeped from his nose. Tenten sideglanced at him and scowled,
"You're such a pig Lee."
"I am still a youthful man Tenten. And the Hokage has evoked images into my imagination!"
Tenten rolled her eyes at him.
"Kiba, I want you Ino and Choji to go to the land of Mountains and find Sakura's cabin. Lady Katsuyu says its near a valley that has a rapids that flows through it. If you reach the lake then you have gone too far. Now go."
The three member nodded and left promptly.
"Shino you will be going with Shikamaru and Hinata. Once they get back you will all be heading out to intercept Kankuro and Sakura's daughter. That's how they were discovered in the first place. It seems Sasuke has spies tailing several shinobi. And got lucky while Kankuro was on a mission in the area. Sakura sent her daughter to Sand. And her daughter stopped and joined Kankuro asking him to take her there. You are to guard her on her way to make sure she is safe, then afterwards join the others and track your way to her."
She looked at Naruto then. The rest of you are to try and find Sasuke's base of operations. Naruto, I know you can sense chakra better in sage mode, but becareful Sasuke knows about your abilities, and Karin can read chakra from miles away. So use your best judgement. When Lady Katsuyu returns im going to ask her to send a clone with each of you. Also I forgot to ask the Kiba's team to wait for one so get an extra and when you meet up give them one. Lady Katsuyu has a connection to Sakura right now, but soon her chakra will wane and the connection will be lost. We are running on a short window here a few days at max so work quickly."
As soon as Shikamaru and Hinata returned and relayed their findings all three were promptly teleported out. The other teams headed out as well, and Tsunade sat at her desk with a troubled frown while she rested her chin on her folded hands propped up by her elbows. And a small slug on her shoulder reassuring her that everything was going to be alright.
0o0o0o0o0
"We are going to be joined by a team of leaf ninja shortly."
The slug stated suddenly.
"Well, that's good to know. We're being followed. They are stil quite a ways back, but I don't know how long the kid can keep this pace."
"The kid is doing just find thank you."
Sayuri shot him a glare as they ran.
"It's okay Kankuro, I've been doing what I can to heal her fatigue so she shoud he alright for a while longer. But you are right sooner or later even my healing will not be enough."
He grunted quietly sideglancing at the girl who was giving her all to keep the rigorous pace. Sakura must have been training her well to be able to do what she could.
"So, has your mom been training you or something?"
"Yes."
"What is your favorite weapons?"
"My mom bought me a pair of fans that were crafted in Suna, they are made of overlapping chakra blades."
He smirked lightly.
"Well, I guess you'll get along with your aunt pretty well then. She uses fans too."
"I also like to use puppets but I don't have one as cool as yours. Mine is just a practice tool to work on my manipuling skills with the chakra strings."
Kankuro's eyes lit up then with a little pride.
"When we get to Suna maybe I can get you one and teach you how to weaponize it."
She turned her face fully towards him as they ran and smiled so big at him he couldn't help but feel that pride swell just a little bit more. Being an uncle might not be so bad.
There were a few poofs of smoke as Shino, Shikamaru, and Hinata appeared just behind them, making the duo stop so the group could catch up.
"Tsunade sends her condolences and has sent us to help guard you on your way to Suna. She has a couple other teams on the retrieval mission as well."
Sayuri stared at the group while Kankuro got the details, she heard menton of the hokage and how there were others now here to help save her mother. She was happy and relieved.
"Miss?"
A woman with a quiet voice asked her.
"You can call me Sayuri."
"Sayuri, that's a lovely name. My name is Hinata, and this is Shino and Shikamaru. We grew up in Konoha with your mother."
Sayuri's eyes widened as she glanced at the other two.
Hinata looked up suddenly in the direstion where they had come from.
"They are about ten miles out. We should hurry."
They all nodded and started running again. Shino sending his bugs to determine their strength and also to set a few traps.
It was several days before they finally reached the sandy borders of wind country. Sayuri had given in to fatigue and the slug clones were at half their strength. The group had taken turns carrying the little girl when she became exhausted so that they wouldn't have to stop but by the time they reached the walls of Suna all of them were drained almost completely. Doing their best to stay ahead of the rogues who were following them. Said rogues had dropped back once they realized that they would never catch them by the time they reached the walls.
"Come on lets go report into the Kazekage."
Kankuro said as he carried his still sleeping niece on his back as they made their way through the gates at to the tower.
The puppet master knocked on the door before he heard a gruff voice telling him to enter.
Gaara sat at his desk with his hands folded under his chin while the group walked in. He gave his brother a cursory glance noting the sleeping child on his back then glanced at the others.
"I wasn't aware the leaf were comeing to Suna."
"Our apologizies Kazekage, We were under the impression that Lady Tsunade was sending word ahead of us."
"Hn, perhaps she had ment to."
He sighed and stood turning to face out the large bay window as he crossed his arms in front of himself.
"A patrol along the border noticed a dead messanger hawk, it was not carrying a scroll. We assumed the missive was intercepted. Now it seems that is true. I had sent a runner to find out first hand but that was only yesterday."
Kankuro stepped forward then and placed the sleeping child on the couch that lined the wall. Years he had always been straight with his brother, and never once had he ever not wanted to be the one to bring a message to the man more than now, but the leaf were looking to him to lead this report. And he knew it should be him anyway.
"I saw Sakura."
He stated bluntly and frowned when he brother turned around to stare at him with wide eyes.
"I was hurt and was brought to her to be healed, she was running again, but was intercepted by the Uchiha. He has her captive now. Tsunade has sent several teams to retieve her and would probably like Suna's help as well."
"Get Temari and any ANBU and trusted Jounin you want, send them out accordingly. I suspect you three have an idea of where to start?"
Shikamaru stepped forward.
"Yes Several of us have a clone of Lady Katsuyo who was summoned by Sakura, there is a connection to her. We don't all want to teleport to her direct location because we don't know what kind of forces Sasuke has but she can help us get close."
"Fine brief those that Kankuro gathers and set out. I will join you as soon as I can."
"Actually Gaara….."
Kankuro spoke a little hesitant this time.
"What?"
The red head almost growled at him. The harsh tones make the young child stir and slowly sit up she rubbed her eyes and slowly looked around the room.
"Did we make it okay?"
She directed her question to the puppet master then slowly stood taking in the rest of the room and then stoppd when she saw the red headed man. Her eyes grew wide and she unconsciously took the puppet masters hand as she suddenly became shy.
Gaara was struck suddenly by the familiar color in her eyes, and was further shocked when his brother slowly pulled off the covering from the girls head. He was met with jade colored eyes much like his own, and startling vibrant long crimson strands that fell well past her waist.
"Gaara, this is Sakura's daughter."
Gaara's lungs suddenly constricted as he slowly moved to sit rather clumsily into his chair.
"Daughter?"
Sayuri had a sudden urge to introduce herself properly to this man, As she pulled away from her uncle and made her way to stand infront of the red headed man. Her jade eyes were glistening as they stared at him with a hopeful sadness.
"My name is Karura Sayuri Haruno, but I think I'd like to claim my true name…..If that is alright with you, father?"
Gaara just sat there staring at the girl. Suddenly he was hit with hurt and then a glimmer of understanding why his kunoichi had left him. His lack of response caused the little girls lip to tremble slightly and he realized he had to do something. Though as to what to do he was unsure, Yet he wanted to comfort this child. He could see her in the girls face as well as his own features. Aside from the obvious hair and eyes. He slowly reached out and wiped a tear that had leaked our from her eye, and then suddenly he moved to his knees and pulled the girl to him and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder.
"I will stay with her then. But I expect reports via Lady Katsuyu as long as it is permitted. Kankuro, bring her back to me."
With that his brother nodded and was heading out just before he heard.
"Send Temari here first though."
And then the group was gone leaving the man and his tearful daughter to their awkward but heart felt meeting.