Chapter 27: Sayuri of the Moon

A/N: Hey guy, huh my exams are on this week and I can't believe I still found time to type this up. Well may be because this chapter's screaming to be written so I had no choice. Hehehe please R n R.

"What do you mean she's gone!" Gaara was hysterical. She just lost her parents and now she went away. He felt so helpless at the moment. "Relax Gaara, I already sent out the best search parties for her since the day she left," the hokage replied. It's been four days already since Sakura's parents died. Sasuke and Naruto traveled to the Sand village in one and a half days and it took another 1 and a half days for them to return with Gaara.

He clenched his fists in frustration. Sand rose around him threateningly as he exited the hokage's office. Sakura, where are you? His mind screamed. As he was heading towards the building's exit, he saw three figures dashing straight for him. His eyes widened in astonishment, "Gaara, come with us to the hokage's office." The Xenolith ninja requested. Gaara followed him together with Naruto and Sasuke.

"Tsunade-sama," Syaoran acknowledged as he bowed. "What's the matter?" Tsunade let down the paper she was reading. "We found this in the forest…" Syaoran placed the broken forehead protector on her desk as Gaara and the two examined it. Gaara saw his poor embroidery on the tattered cloth. "Where is she?" he demanded as he tugged Syaoran's collar. "We found that… right after she left our village," Syaoran answered ignoring Gaara's impatience.

"She went to your village?" Tsunade inquired. "Yes… but only for a few moments… after that she left immediately. After she did, the messenger arrived bearing your message so Kagura ordered us to follow her but… all we found was this…" he looked at the broken forehead protector hopelessly.

Tsunade took it and sat sadly on her arm chair. "Kazekage-sama, if she's not found within a month… it's a lost cause," she informed him. "WHY!" not only the Kazekage but also Naruto and Sasuke shouted. "This blood… is hers. Further more, there are huge amounts of cerebrospinal fluid that mixed with the blood… this fluid is … for the brain to properly function… if Sakura's still alive… she can't treat herself right now with an injury like that." She said sadly. Gaara stared at her incredulously.

"Are you saying there's a huge possibility she's already dead!" Naruto was the only one to voice out everyone's question. Tsunade's reply was the painful silence. "There is nothing left to do but hope… but sometimes hoping… is the most painful task there is," Tsunade finished. "The village of the Xenolith's will aid to this mission as well," Syaoran informed. As Tsunade only nodded, watching the three figures walk out of her office.

For days, Gaara traveled with the search parties trying to find the only person he needed. Not soon after, Kankuro and Temari came to the village to fetch him. "I'm sorry Gaara but you're going to be the Kazekage in three days…" his sister said with pity. "I understand," Gaara went with them unwillingly.

While he was in duty as Kazekage, the first thing he did was instruct search parties to help the hidden leaf in search for her missing kunoichi. In days and nights he would think of her... of how they spend their last moments in each others' arms before they separate…

Flashback…

After their previous "activity", "You'll be Kazekage in a few weeks… do your best," she cheered for him as she leaned on her elbows and kissed him again. He stared into her mesmerizing emeralds, "When can I see you again?" he asked as he played with her hair. "You're asking that already? We haven't left yet…" she giggled with a slight pink on her cheeks.

"I'll visit you before you even before you miss me. Don't you remember my promise?" she taunted him as she looked at his forehead protector lying on the table together with hers. "I'll be there when your world falls apart," she continued as she looked tenderly into his eyes. "Then… I'll be your shield against the world," he said as he drew her into his arms and kissed her with all the passion he could give.

End of Flashback…

Gaara clenched the broken forehead protector. "Sakura… come back to me," he bent his head forward to kiss the broken metal plate as a tear silently trickled down his cheek.

Days turned into weeks and finally into months, no word came. "Haruno, Sakura is declared to be killed in action," Gaara read the hokage's message again and again. They've given up hope. If… If she's already dead… just let me see her body… that is my only request… don't keep me hoping for something that is already gone… he silently cursed the heavens.

In a gathering…

"Where is the templar now?"

"We have lost sight of her,"

"It seems… she has died in battle…"

"WHAT!"

In a nearby hidden village…

"Ayame-sama, the scroll has been stolen," the scout reported. "What! By whom?" the old lady with a staff struck the floor roughly. "The guards caught a glimpse of their forehead protectors… they're from the Sand Village," he replied as sweat trickled down his forehead.

"Call for Himiko, Kyo and… Sayuri," she ordered. "Sayuri? Are you sure she's fit?" he questioned. "Subaro…just do what I tell you… NOW!" she roared impatiently.

The three came into Ayame's office. "Himiko…" the woman with a short blond hair looked up. "Kyo," a man with orange hair and almost orange eyes did the same. "And… Sayuri," A woman with long black hair and black eyes, did too. "You're mission is to retrieve the scroll of our secret techniques from the village of the hidden sand. You are in no condition… I repeat you are in no condition to harm any of the villagers as this might cause war. Retrieve the scroll and get out." Ayame finished.

"Sayuri… are you fit to accomplish this mission?" Himiko inquired as they exited Ayame's office. "It had been three months since your injury… are you functional?" she questioned further. "Hai," this was the stern answer of the girl. "After all, she has me with her," the man named Kyo held Sayuri's hand. Sayuri smiled "That's right. If I have Kyo-chan with me everything will be fine," she replied as she looked at her hand intertwined with her fiancé.

Back in the Sand Village

"Shizuka-san has found the lost techniques of the mythical village of moon," the scout reported to the Kazekage. "Alright, send message to the hidden leaf village about this," he ordered. "She deserves a recognition… doesn't she?" Temari asked as soon as the scout left. Gaara was in no position to disagree on this. Though he despises Shizuka with what she did to him and Sakura, the fact still remains… she did something… worthy of recognition. "Yeah," he replied lamely.

The hokage together with a few bodyguards specifically Naruto, Sasuke, Ino and Shikamaru, visited the sand village in order to witness what kind of techniques the mythical village of the hidden moon has.

There in a huge meeting room gathered all the noble leaders of the allied nations. All to witness the unraveling of the scroll. Shizuka brought it forward.

At that moment, "Time binding technique," the voices proclaimed. They all froze. What is this technique! They all wondered as they couldn't even lift a finger. Their hearing almost disabled. Three masked ninjas stepped into the hall. "We don't have much time left hurry," Himiko ordered as she looked at all the frozen people. Sayuri grabbed the scroll from Shizuka's hands and was about to dash away when… "What are you doing!" Sayuri shouted as the effects of their technique started to wear off. "This was the man who killed my brother," Himiko poised her kunai under the throat of one of the sand's military advisers.

"NO!" Himiko's slash was blocked by Sayuri's kick. The time bind was weakening. Sand rose from the ground and started to block their path. "Kyo!" Sayuri shouted as she threw the scroll to him. "Sayuri!" he called as the sand enclosed around her. "No time for her now… leave her!" Himiko ordered as she and Kyo dashed away.

This masked ninja was not even defending herself as the sand envelope her. In an instant, Sayuri was immobile by the sand. "Take him for interrogation!" the Kazekage ordered.

"I'll do the interrogation," Shizuka suggested. "Since you're the one that found the scroll… I guess you have the right," one of the advisers agreed. Gaara had no problem about who will do the interrogation but something about him held his attention like someone did a long time ago.

"That technique… it was unlike any I've seen before," Tsunade broke the silence.

They dragged her out. The ninja didn't even bother to refuse. Chains held her hand and legs as well as neck and torso. "So let's see what you are hiding behind that mask," a ninja removed her mask. "Y…You are…" the ninja was stunned. Shizuka was shocked as well but she did not dare to show it. "Relax the resemblance is the same but…" Shizuka stared into the ninja's black eyes. "She lacks something… "She" had," she murmured. "Take her thumb mark for reassurance," she ordered.

Only moments after, the results were up. "She's not "her"," Shizuka said as she read through the results. "Only a striking resemblance I see," she handed the paper to the ninja. "Now… start talking. Who sent you?" she inquired as she got hold of a whip.

"I request an audience with the Kages to answer your question," Sayuri answered truthfully. "Hmmm," Shizuka lashed out the whip. It tore her clothes and broke her skin. With each question her answer was the same and each time she cracked her whip on her. Cries of pain resounded throughout the interrogation room. Shizuka felt renewed with what she was doing. Every lash was a joy. She felt she was having the revenge she never had.

Sayuri passed out after countless beatings. I'm still having doubts… you might still be a danger to me…Shizuka took a sample of her blood.

"What happened to the prisoner?" Gaara asked. "She's still in interrogation," the ninja reported. "She?" "Yes Kazekage-sama, it seems the ninja was a girl. She requests an audience with the Kages to answer our questions," "Then send her in then," This time Tsunade was the one who ordered the ninja.

Sayuri entered the hall. Gaara lamely looked at the battered ninja starting from the feet to the face. His heart raced, his mind focused and his eyes widened. He dashed forward and embraced the prisoner.

Sayuri at once saw the man with red hair staring at her. At an instant his arms were around her, he tightly embraced her. "Urgh," she wanted it to last longer though she didn't understand why but when he tightened the embrace the whip wounds started to bleed yet again.

"The resemblance is the same but she not her…" Shizuka broke the sweet scene. She almost threw the results of the identification tests at Gaara and Tsunade. "Sorry to break your hopes Kazekage-sama but… she's not Sakura," she mocked him.

Gaara drew back and stared into her eyes. Nothing of her was seen in her dead black orbs, only confusion.

This time Tsunade approached the kunoichi and took her bruised hand. She looked at her hands closely. "She's right… her fingerprints are different," she said with disappointment.

"You… What's you're name?" Gaara asked as he walked away.

"I am Sayuri of the Moon," she answered her eyes never left the Kazekage's green familiar orbs.

A/N: Okay, I know, I know another cliffhanger but I'll update soon I promise so remember the more the reviews the faster the updates.