I don't know how much longer I will be able to keep up with this pace I began, but for now enjoy and Merry what ever your holiday of choice is :O) Mine is Kanishmas. CHOWDER!

Disclaimer: I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 8: The Akatsuki Hide Out: Knock, Knock Guess Who?

Team Kakashi and Gai finally arrived at the suspected Akatsuki headquarters and discovered a five point barrier, confirming their suspicions. Kakashi explained the uniqueness of the five point barrier, and Team Gai volunteered for the duty of locating and removing the other four seals. Through the use of his Byakugan Neji found the seals spread throughout various locals the closest one was eight kilometers (4.96 miles) away so they had to move swiftly if they were going to break the barrier in time to save Gaara. Once they reached their respective seals they would synchronize the removal of the seals through the use of miniature transmitters which fit inside the ear.

Twenty minutes passed before each member of team Gai had reached their respective destinations and radioed in. Kakashi started a count down from three and on one they simultaneously removed their seals. Successfully dispelling the five point barrier seal Sakura stepped forward and using the monstrous strength she had gained while under the tutelage of the fifth Hokage she destroyed the huge boulder blocking the entrance to the Akatsuki layer in one punch. Dust and debris flew everywhere which team Kakashi used to cover their entrance each one taking positions spread out on opposite sides of the cave wall. As the dust settled team Kakashi scanned the cave interior and only found Sasori standing next to Deidara who sat on the lifeless body of Suna's Kazekage, Gaara.

Naruto's eyes fell upon the lifeless body of Gaara and it felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. He stood there assaulted by unbidden memories from his past. Two boys locked in a heated battle. One lied lifeless on the floor before him. The other was a young and very naïve Naruto, Uzumaki. They fought out of anger; as they pummeled each other that anger transformed to fear which then became enlightened resolve. They fought until they could fight no more neither one backing down because both had something to prove. In the end the blood they spilt would water the seed of understanding growing a tree of friendship whose roots would form an unbreakable bond between the two, and now one of the few persons he considered to be dear to him laid before him, dead or alive he could not tell, but if he was alive he wouldn't be for long unless they wrestled him from the grasp of his tormentors.

To Naruto it felt like Sai had read his mind because he quickly whipped out a scroll and drew beast upon it.

"Choju Giga" (Super Beast Imitations Picture) Sai cried

The beast leapt from the page attacking the two Akatsuki members. Naruto seeing his chance put his make shift plan into action.

"Now" Naruto shouted while Sasori was preoccupied with dispelling the ink beast; random debris surrounding the two Akatsuki members transformed into Naruto's Kage Bunshin and leapt into the fray. After defeating the ink beast, Sasori was able to dispatch all but two of the clones forcing Deidara to defend himself. He drew his kunai deflecting the shuriken of one and blocked the kunai of the other. Sasori cut the clone who threw the shuriken in half with Hiruko's scorpion tail while Deidara defeated the other with a side kick to its gut and sat back down.

"And here I thought we would at least have time for some small talk." Deidara said in a casual tone. "Which one of you is the Jinchuuriki from Konoha?"

"If this is the best you can do, then I think perhaps you should just hand over the Jinchuuriki and destroy yourselves to save us some time. I would hate to lose that time seeing as I could put it to use in better endeavors." Sasori said smugly.

"Who said we were done?" Naruto said confidently forming hand signs. "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no jutsu." hundreds of Naruto's burst into reality.

"If we can't engage in small talk at least we can have some fun. Eh, Sasori-sama?"

"My time is much too precious for me to squander, but perhaps once I have my new puppet I will think differently. What do you say obaasan?" Sasori voiced venomously.

Sasori attacked the army of shadow clones with his puppet's tale destroying many of them, but not before they complete the task Naruto summoned them for, numerous paper tags could be seen floating in the air some explosive some not. Naruto knew that if all the tags had been explosive the concussive force of the explosion would collapse the cave burying them all. The share numbers of paper tags where meant only to distract, and it worked. Naruto formed hand signs and whispered Senbon Ryoushi as the eyes of his captive audience watched the papers twist themselves into needles which floated suspended in the air. Finished watching the performance all eyes shifted from the suspended senbon needles to Naruto who was now pointing at the Akatsuki members.

"Ike." Naruto's simple command sent the suspended ceiling of senbon needles rushing forward; both Akatsuki members reacting instinctually leapt backwards forgetting the body of Gaara, focused on the needles seeking to bury themselves within their flesh. As they flipped, rolled, and jumped to avoid the needles hunting them Naruto's few remaining clones sprung into action quickly retrieving the lifeless body of Gaara and retreated searching for a secure place to hide Gaara until team Kakashi could finish dealing with their current predicament.

Sasori recklessly used his tail to swat the hunter needles chasing him setting off enough of the explosive tags to create a blast that partially collapsed the cave burying him in a mountain of debris of various sizes. Deidara noticing what had befallen his partner seized his moment and escaped to the outside conjuring a huge clay bird to propel him air born all the while avoiding contact with the senbon needles. Deidara fed his right hand explosive clay creating miniature birds and slowed down allowing the needles to close the distance he had gained before releasing them destroying all the needles which were chasing him. Freed from his distraction he set his clay bird to hover as he devised a plan to draw Naruto to him. Surveying the land below, Deidara found his answer in two clones carrying a lifeless body. Swooping down upon the clones he dispatched them with kunai and snatched Gaara climbing back into the air and gaining some distance before calling to Naruto.

"Oy, Boy! Nice technique, but amateurish when compared to me. Would you like the body of your friend? Come and get it if you can." Deidara taunted.

Naruto rushed outside with team Kakashi following and saw Gaara's body dangling in the mouth of a huge clay bird.

"Damn!" Naruto muttered.

Kakashi stood beside Naruto glancing over to take stock of his demeanor not wanting a repeat of their battle with Itachi. Gazing upon Naruto he could not help but think of how much Naruto had changed. The strategy and jutsu's he performed along with the restraint he displayed at the site of his friend dangling in the mouth of a huge clay pigeon were proof to Kakashi that the child he once new had undergone much growth in the two and a half years since last they met.

The momentary distraction provided by Deidara was all Sasori needed to free himself from the mountainous debris covering him. His puppet Hiruko destroyed from the blast and being buried angered Sasori, who shot out a poison cable from his belly aimed at Naruto for the destruction of his puppet Hiruko, but as the cable neared his head Naruto spun away and Sakura caught the cable. Deidara took the action as his cue to exit. Chiyo-Baa-sama urged them to leave Sasori to her and Sakura and to chase Deidara down. Naruto glanced at Sakura his face revealing appreciation as he leapt into action with Kakashi and Sai close behind.

"Naruto wait." Naruto halted at Kakashi's request.

Reaching Naruto, Kakashi explained the difficulty of fighting a distance fighter like Deidara, outlining a plan to subdue their foe and rescue Gaara. Naruto threw explosive tags into the air. "Senbon Ryoushi," he said forming hand signs transforming the explosive tags into hunter needles that darted after Deidara setting Kakashi's plan into motion. Deidara's bird went into evasive maneuvers, diving to gain speed as he fed his hand explosive clay, forming more bird bombs to destroy the explosive hunter needles chasing him. Not being one to stay on the defensive, he also took proactive measures creating small clay cricket explosives but before he could release them he was attacked by ink black birds courtesy of Sai. Shooting skyward Deidara sent shuriken flying after the birds destroying them all. The distraction created by Sai's ink birds allowed Naruto to form more Senbon Ryoushi once again forcing Deidara to take the defensive. Kakashi, finally ready to unleash his plan, lifted his head band and displaying his sharingan eye opened a dimensional rift and attempted to suck Deidara in but was only successful in trapping part of his cloak.

"I am still unable to properly direct it or control the size." Kakashi thought as he attempted once more to end Deidara's life and failed, but claiming Deidara's left arm he was able to gain a partial victory.

The loss of his arm sent Deidara crashing to the ground in a momentary blur of pain. Reaching the crash sight, Kakashi and Sai concealed themselves within a tree searching for Deidara. Naruto forming Kage Bunshin ran to the clay pigeon leaving Kakashi and Sai to worry about Deidara while he worked to free Gaara who was buried under a pile of clay. Freeing Gaara from the clay, Naruto could discern no pulse. He was to late, Gaara was dead. The loss of his friend sent the world spinning as grief overwhelmed him, and then everything turned black.

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The sound of dripping water could be heard as Naruto stood before a huge cage with a large seal.

"It's about time you remember me boy!" growled the Kyuubi.

A devilish grin and huge eyes shown through the cage, "This is just a dream, just some crazy dream." Naruto tells himself slowly backing away.

"I am no dream boy! Obviously your feeble mind is still addled allow me to help you remember!" the Kyuubi growled. His voice reverberated through Naruto's mindscape sending chills down his spine.

Red Chakra leaked through the gates racing toward Naruto, who sought to escape but failed and he was enveloped by the Kyuubi's malevolent chakra. A demonic rage took hold of Naruto's mind demanding the destruction of all and the blood of any who got in his way.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kakashi and Sai looked on in astonishment as red chakra leaked from Naruto's body wrapping itself around him like a second skin.

"This must be what Jiraiya was talking about when he gave me the seal." Kakashi thought as he retrieved a seal from under his vest.

XXXXXXXXXXXX Flashback XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What happened?" Kakashi asked Jiraiya.

"There are only a few times when I have been close to death. One of them was thanks to Tsunade and her inhuman strength when she caught me peeking into the woman's side of the hotsprings while she was soaking. The other was my battle with Naruto just before he disappeared. I know you are an active participant in the search for Naruto Kakashi; so I am giving you this to use just in case you find Naruto and he is not himself."

"What does that mean?"

"Should Naruto's emotions overwhelm him more specifically anger he forms what I call the fox's cloak. The Kyuubi's chakra covers his body entirely. As long as he is calm he is able to maintain some control until the fourth tail appears. Once that happens he is more beast than man and will attack anyone regardless of the bonds they might have with him. I created that seal to dispel the Kyuubi's hold over Naruto. All you need to do is place it on his forehead the seal will do the rest."

XXXXXXXXXXXX End Flashback XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto roared ferociously as the chakra finished enveloping him. He lashed out at nearby forest with a hand made purely from the Kyuubi's demonic chakra felling a slew of trees in one blow. Deidara used the moment of chaos created from Naruto's rage to release his explosive cricket army. He sent six after Sai and Kakashi who were too preoccupied with the demonic chakra covered Naruto and the effortless destruction he had just unleashed to notice the small clay bugs. The bugs split into two groups of three one group targeted Sai the other targeted Kakashi; the crickets exploded and sent them hurling through the air. Covering up and jumping backwards at the last second, Kakashi and Sai were able to escape virtually unscathed from the explosion only suffering from minor cuts, scrapes, and a slight ringing in their ear. Naruto whirled around at the sound of the explosion and was greeted by a multitude of miniature exploding crickets numbering somewhere in the twenties or thirties. The crickets though small in stature created a grand explosion when united which pleased Deidara immensely.

"Now I will just claim my prize and be on my way. For someone who doesn't like the wasting of time Sasori-sama sure is squandering it away with the old hag and her baby." Deidara thought.

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Sasori stood in front of Sakura and Chiyo-Baa-sama impaled by two of his own puppets; before death claimed him he rewarded Sakura for defeating him. He told her of the spy he had planted within Orochimaru's organization and where they were to meet within two weeks time Finished with his tale Sasori fell into eternal slumber and Sakura and Chiyo-Baa-sama left him in search of Naruto and the others. Hearing what sounded like thunder and spotting a mushroom cloud they rush forward as fast as they could after suffering great injury at the hand of Sasori and his puppet army.

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Team Gai finally managing to overcome evil versions of them selves created when they released the five point barrier seals rush toward a mushroom cloud deducing that that was where their comrades would be.

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Deidara went to claim his prize when a chakra hand shot out clawing at him. He jumped up avoiding the chakra claw and was greeted by the image of one very angry and uninjured Jinchuuriki covered in a fox shaped chakra with two tails. Naruto screamed as he shot forward with blinding speed tearing off Deidara's final arm; turning, he rushed Deidara again who had no way to defend himself against the enraged Jinchuuriki. Naruto batted Deidara into the air and reappeared above him releasing a barrage of staggering punches that would have crippled any man.

Before Kyuubi Naruto could do any more damage to him, Deidara formed a Kawarimi (substitution) in his stead. Kyuubi Naruto came crashing down on top of the Kawarimi thrusting a rasengen into the substitution creating a small crater as a third tail formed. Kakashi and Sai dusted themselves off and rushed to the clearing where Naruto was battling Deidara. Kakashi coming to stand beside one of Naruto's Kage Bunshin noticed it bent over in agony. Spotting Naruto Kakashi saw a third tail had begun to form and quickly maneuvered behind him as he continued to pummel the clay substitution relentlessly slapping the seal on his forehead. When the Kyuubi's control broke, Naruto fainted and Kakashi caught him before he fell to the ground. Sakura and Chiyo- Baa-sama finally arrived surveying the destruction all around them.

"Naruto!" screamed Sakura.

"He is fine just a little worn down." Kakashi assured Sakura.

"What happened to the other member of Akatsuki?" inquired Chiyo-Baa-sama

"Escaped" was Sai's reply.

"I see. And where is Gaara?"

"He is lying over there by the mound of clay. He…..." Naruto could not finish. Chiyo–Baa-sama saw the sorrow within his eyes and nodded her understanding. Deidara spying on the events decided that it was time to take his leave.

"I can't believe the old hag and the baby defeated Sasori-sama. It will be impossible for me to subdue the Jinchuuriki now that I have lost both my limbs and am outnumbered. I think I saw the arm Kakashi cost me fall somewhere halfway between here and the caves. I guess I will take my leave and retrieve my arm if I can." thought Deidara as he backed away; turning to leave he was met by team Gai.

"It would seem luck has deserted me this day."

"Surrender there is nowhere for you to run." Lee said excitedly.

Deidara realizing that he was surrounded went into evasive action. Jumping from tree to tree and dodging attacks. Knowing he would eventually be caught he ran toward the downed clay pigeon and ate a mouthful of explosive clay.

"Allow me to introduce you to my most beautiful work of art and my greatest master piece." Deidara said as his body began to expand.

Activating his Byakugan Neji analyzed Deidara's chakra coils and noticed that it was all being gathered to one focal point. "Everyone take cover he is going to explode!"

Kakashi knew there wasn't enough time to escape and channeled his last reserves of chakra into his Sharingan in a last ditch effort to suck the bomb into another dimension.

"What was that?" Sakura asked astounded.

"I sent the explosion into another dimension." Kakashi explained exhaustedly.

"I would expect nothing less from my number one rival." Gai thought proudly.

Naruto knelt beside Gaara crying uncontrollably at the site of his dead friend whom he had just remembered.

"Why? He was the Kazekage the most powerful ninja of his village. What good was all my training if I can't even protect those precious to me? After all my training I am still too weak to protect anyone. Why does it always end this way? I couldn't protect Sasuke. I couldn't save Gaara. I couldn't keep any of my promises no matter how hard I tried. Why?"

"Calm yourself Naruto." Chiyo-Baa-sama said.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!! It's your fault this happened! I remember…. I remember the loneliness. I remember wanting to be accepted, to be loved. I remember the hatred. Do you even know the burden you forced him to carry? WHAT RIGHT DID YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU DID!! Did you even consider what it would be like for us or what we would want? NO, YOU DIDN'T, DID YOU!! As long as you got your weapon, you really didn't care to think about anything. You call us monsters, but the monsters are you!" Naruto yelled.

Turning his back to everyone Naruto closes his eyes and focuses on his breathe as he slowly regained control of his emotions, Chiyo-Baasama walked over and knelt down beside Gaara. Placing her hands on his chest she performed a jutsu that few knew and only she could perform. The cost of the jutsu was great, but she gladly paid it to atone for all the mistakes she made during her life. Naruto confused by her action looked on silently as Elder Chiyo continued to pump her life's chakra into Gaara.

"Chiyo-Baasama that technique…!" yelled Sakura, but she grew silent when Chiyo-Baa-sama threw a quick smile over her shoulder.

Naruto seeing Chiyo-Baa-sama beginning to struggle walked over and placed his hands out in front of her.

"Please use my chakra. I don't care how much you take even if it costs me my life."

Chiyo-Baa-sama's eyes widen in surprise at Naruto's nonchalant offer of his life for someone who was not even from his clan; remembering what Kakashi told her a small smile replaced the stern face of concentration as she accepted his offer.

"Place your hands atop of mine. You know Naruto, I am happy that a soul like you has come to exist in this world, for a long time I have fought and done things for the sake of my clan. All of them wrong; in the end I might be able to do something right. Sakura next time save those precious to you instead of wasting your efforts on an old hag. You will definitely become an even greater Konoichi then your master. You are a lot like me when I was young Sakura. Live free and be happy. This special power you wield will change this world of ours dramatically Naruto, far more than anything us petty old folks have done. My wish is that you become a Hokage the likes of which have never been seen. Suna, Konoha may their future be something different from our time. I have a favor to ask of you Naruto. Save Gaara; he is the only one who understands your pain and you understand his." Those were the last words Suna's legendary Konoichi breathed as she exchanged her life for the life of Gaara her jutsu complete.

Naruto deeply moved by Chiyo-Baa-sama's sentiment silently promised to accomplish her wish. Naruto gently shook Gaara calling his name as what appeared to be the whole sand village arrived to aid their Kazekage.

"Naruto, What is all this?"

"You had us worried so we all came running to your rescue."

"You sure did cause us a lot of grief little brother." Said a relieved and happy Kankurou

(that is ninja happy which is stoic not to be confused with Barbie happy which is giddy and over the top.)

"Show some respect, Gaara is the Kazekage you brats." shouted Tamari in motherly outrage.

"Thank you Naruto." Kankurou said turning to Naruto.

"It's not me you want to thank. It's Granny she is the one that performed that awesome medical jutsu that saved Gaara's life, but I think you are going to have to wait because she passed out from all the exertion."

"Did she use that jutsu?!" Kankurou whispered softly to himself.

Naruto startled by Kankurou's reaction questioned him. Kankurou explained the history behind the jutsu Chiyo had performed and its inherent cost. Hearing this Naruto grew quite as the memory of another who sacrificed his life so that others could live surfaced in his mind. Kakashi tells him that it was a death well befitting of a shinobi. Naruto nodded his understanding and then caught Gaara by the arm helping him to stand. Gaara called for a moment of reverent prayer for the late Chiyo-Baa-sama and all who were there bowed their heads in silent prayer before escorting one of the world's greatest konoichi back to Suna for her burial.