Disclaimer: I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 6: Reunion: Do I Know You? Oh Yeah, I Forgot!
Team Kakashi arrived at Suna to discover Kankurou near death in the infirmary. Fortunately for the Suna medical ninja Sakura was able to prolong Kankurou's life through the use of a very difficult and taxing medical jutsu she had recently mastered buying her and the Suna medical ninja some time to find a cure for the poison killing him.
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Naruto was at the door of the hospital inquiring about the fallen ninja he helped earlier, but the guards refused to answer any of his questions. Thanks to the kidnapping of the Kazekage all areas were in a heightened state of security. Naruto decided not to press the matter and left before giving the guards a reason to detain him. Locating a spot out of sight from the guards Naruto surveyed the surroundings for an alternate route inside, but was unable to find an easy access point accept through the front door. Formulating a plan to breach hospital security Naruto studied the local clothing and found a secluded back alley in order to create a Kage Bunshin to help pull off his plan. Using a hengen, the clone took the form of an injured old Suna man leaning heavily on Naruto who had transformed himself into a teenaged Suna girl they made their way to the hospital where Naruto cried for help.
"Can someone help me please; my grandfather has injured his hip and I can barely support him." Naruto squeaked."
One of the guards rushed to Naruto's aid helping him to escort his clone inside where a junior medical ninja acting as a nurse ushered them into a room until he could retrieve one of his seniors. Behind the closed doors of the small patient room Naruto created as many Kage Bunshin as he could before checking to see if the halls were clear. Spotting no one, Naruto and his clones filed out of the room quietly in search of Kankurou. Fifteen minutes passed before anyone discovered the old man and his granddaughter missing. Noticing the rise in the level of security Naruto hurried from room to room in search of Kankurou when a flicker of comprehension befell him; one of his clones had found Kankurou and dispelled himself in order to relay the location. Naruto found a fire exit and quickly dashed up the stairs to the third floor. He opened the door just enough to peak through and found no one. Naruto walked into the corridor when one of the guards searching for him turned the corner spotting him. Naruto ran down the hall to where his clone had dispelled with the guard nipping at his heals as he burst into the room. The guard attempted to tackle Naruto but he side stepped and the guard fell to the ground where he laid pinned down by Naruto with a foot pressed to his back. Naruto attempted to explain the situation when two more guards burst into the room ready to tackle him; Naruto stood on top of the pinned guard and spun to face his new would be attackers assuming a fighting stance.
"Long time no see Naruto." Kakashi said restraining the two guards before they could attack.
"Who are you, and why did you call me Naruto?"
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Sakura with the help of the Suna medical ninja had uncovered the type of poison used on Kankurou and developed an antidote. She made her way to Kankurou's room to administer the counter agent but was barred from entering by the figure of Kakashi holding two Suna guards at bay.
"I need to administer this antidote to Kankurou before all my work is in vain. Please move." Sakura barked.
Startled by the unspoken threat of Sakura's polite request the guards and Kakashi moved aside allowing her to enter. Sakura stood stunned as her gaze rested upon Naruto. Unmoving she stared from Naruto to Kakashi. Kakashi nodded his head silently reassuring her that this was no dream. An unconscious and coughing Kankurou brought Sakura back from her trance and she hurried to his side administering the antidote. Finished, she rushed Naruto, tears rolled down her cheeks as she hugged him ferociously. To Naruto the embrace felt like touching a live wire. He grabbed Sakura firmly by the shoulders and held her at arm's length as memories poured into his mind unyieldingly. The memories of him tied to a pole as he was fed by a boy and this girl, of the masked man fighting to protect them against a fearsome opponent, memories upon memories came unbidden to the forefront of his consciousness. Memories of people, places, and the names that went with them flooded his mind with no end until the image of a ferocious beast roared angrily as he was caged with no hope of escape. The image was so vivid, so frightening, and felt so real that Naruto involuntarily took a step back causing him to stumble over the guard he had subdued. Sakura caught him before he fell.
"Naruto, are you okay? "
"Never better Sakura–chan." Naruto quivered
It was an hour before Kankurou regained consciousness and relayed the direction the two Akatsuki members had fled. Team seven using a map plotted the most likely location in which they were headed and were about to leave with Naruto in tow.
"Naruto please bring my brother home." Kankurou said pleadingly "You are the only one who can."
Kankurou's words caught the curiosity of Suna's legendary Konoichi Chiyo- baas-sama, aged but still as spritely as ever she wanted to find out what type of person could inspire such hope, and volunteered to accompany them under the guise that she wished to see her grandson at least once more before departing from this world. All the lingering questions about Naruto's disappearance would have to wait as the rescue mission commenced.
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Outside the gates of Suna Kakashi summoned one of his ninja hounds and sent him with news of Naruto's return and the direction in which they pursued the two Akatsuki members back to Konoha.
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Team seven had traveled a considerable distance before Kakashi halted them for a short rest. The idea of rest bothered Naruto, Kankurou's pleading look was etched into his mind and even though some memories from his past were still a little fuzzy every time Naruto thought of Gaara Naruto could see a sense of loneliness and a yearning to belong held within his eyes. It was a feeling he knew all too well forming a connection between the two young men which he could not explain or express.
"Why are we resting when we are already so far behind?" Naruto voiced anxiously, fidgeting.
"Naruto not everyone has your stamina, and facing our enemies while fatigued knowing the caliber of ninja they are and not knowing what they have lying in wait for us would be a foolish thing to do." Kakashi explained patiently.
"Forgive me not knowing makes me a little sensitive from time to time." Naruto explained apologetically.
"What is Naruto's story? Why is he so anxious to save Gaara when they are not even from the same village?" inquired Chiyo.
"Like Gaara Naruto to is a Jinchuuriki. They may have been born into different villages, but Jinchuuriki are pretty much treated the same no matter where they are raised. Naruto has a mysterious power to make friends and inspire others no matter which village they come from." Kakashi explained. "And Gaara is one of the few people that Naruto can truly relate to. You know Naruto's dream is to become Hokage, but because he left to travel the world and trained away from the village he is still only a genin. When he returned to the village he found out that all his friends had surpassed him and Gaara had become Kazekage. Though it hurt to see everyone surpassing him he was genuinely happy for his friends, Gaara especially." Although Kakashi did not know if all of Naruto's memories had returned and though Naruto had been missing for six months he surmised that somewhere deep in his subconscious Naruto still felt the same. Finished speaking he left Chiyo to find a spot to rest.
Chiyo–Baassama looked at Naruto as if seeing him for the first time and then joined her team mates in choosing a spot to retire for a short rest.
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Day would turn to night when Kakashi's message reached the hands of the Hokage. Tsunade receiving Kakashi's message sent Team Gai as backup after briefing them on the particulars. Pakun the ninja hound Kakashi sent to relay the message would guide them to Team seven's location.
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Revitalized after their rest team Kakashi renewed their pursuit; the two Akatsuki members had reached the layer two days earlier and had begun the extraction of the bijuu sealed within Gaara with their fellow members.
Almost upon their enemies, team Kakashi met resistance in the form of one Uchiha, Itachi. Naruto stared at the visage of Itachi and was bombarded by vivid images. (Flash)He was trying to return to the side of a white haired man, but found Itachi coughing and gagging instead.
(Flash) He was forming multiple hand signs while summoning three different types of Kage Bunshin sending them in waves at a shark like man with pale blue skin to no avail. (Flash) He was forming hand signs and whispered Senbon Ryoushi; exploding tags transformed into needles shooting after the shark like man as he fell into water, there was an explosion.
(Flash) He was losing blood and fighting to stay conscious as the shark like man towered over him mocking him, angering him.
(Flash) He was in a cold, dark place; he heard his name and then those eyes appeared ones he hasn't seen since that night long ago in his mountain home.
(Flash) Reality returned the images gone just as fast as they appeared. All eyes were on Naruto as he yelled in a guttural tone "ITACHI!" and charged.