Chapter 17: To Rescue a Warrior Princess
Earth Kingdom, 40 miles south of Ba Sing Se
After flying for nearly three days, Kakashi ordered Sokka to land near a gently flowing river so they could rest. The flight from Ba Sing Se had taken a lot out of the entire group. Naruto was busy having his right arm healed from the injury it received from Sasuke's Chidori. Katara was dealing with the emotional distress of seeing Aang being shot down like that by Azula. To increase the speed of his healing, Sakura had to put the young Avatar under many sedatives to keep him asleep.
Sokka, Toph, Sakura, Kakashi, and Kurenai all were uninjured after the Fall of Ba Sing Se, and were helping the others tend to the wounded. The pink haired medical kunoichi held her hands over Hinata's chest again, and healed the minor internal damage there. They were in the makeshift medical tent that Sakura had made to keep the injured away from the elements.
"Thank you, Sakura-chan," Hinata said as her medic friend finished healing her. Sakura gave a tired, wry smile. "How are Naruto-kun, Aang-kun, and Sasuke-san?"
"Naruto's arm will take a few more days to completely heal, even with his amazing healing powers," Sakura started, remembering the extensive damage to the bicep muscle on Naruto's right arm wouldn't be fully healed for a while. "Aang-kun's recovering slowly, but by my estimates, he should be conscious and walking about again in about three to four weeks…" she then pursed her lips on their prisoner. "Sasuke…his left arm has been extremely damaged, but it's healable, and he seems to be in some sort of a mental shock after his defeat by Naruto."
Hinata nodded, and sat up. "Should I keep blocking his tenkatsus to keep his chakra under control?"
"Yes…that might be a good idea, for now," Sakura agreed, and her friend nodded.
Outside Katara was sitting on the ground, her legs pulled up underneath her. 'I…couldn't do anything to help him…I couldn't stop Azula from shooting…I was useless…I wasn't strong enough to do anything…'
Kurenai had finished getting wood for the fire-pit that Kakashi had made, and looked over to see the young Waterbending Master staring at the ground, her eyes barely holding back tears. The genjutsu mistress recognized that look well, Hinata looked like that before her very first Chuunin Exams whenever she failed. Placing the logs on the ground gently, she walked over to the young Waterbender.
"Katara-san…are you feeling alright?" Kurenai asked as she walked over to the young Waterbender.
"…yes…what made you think that?" Katara replied, feigning a smile and wiping her eye. "I'm…just worthy about Aang…"
Kurenai nodded, sitting down next to her. "Want to talk about what's bothering you? And don't give me a fake smile, I can tell if you're going to lie or not."
The young Waterbender sniffled, and wiped her eye. "I…just…I just felt…so useless…I couldn't do anything to stop Aang from being hurt. I couldn't stop Azula from shooting at him…" Kurenai nodded, putting her hand on the young girl's shoulder. "…I wasn't strong enough to do anything! I could only watch…!"
Kurenai nodded. "So what are you going to do?"
"…what do you mean?" Katara asked, looking up at the genjutsu mistress.
"Do you have a plan of getting stronger?"
"I…think I could train…but Master Pakku isn't here…" Katara said in a mumble.
"…I could teach you," Kurenai offered, and the Waterbending Master looked up. "I know a few powerful Water Jutsus that I could teach you, and I could expand your repertoire with a few of my genjutsus…"
Katara looked up at the Genjutsu Mistress, wide-eyed. "Thanks…I accept Sifu Kurenai."
"Call me Kurenai-sensei, and follow me to the river. I have to see how far you are with your chakra control," Kurenai said as they started walking. "Then I have two exercises for you to master before we can move onto learning the jutsus."
"Exercises?" Katara asked as they reached the river.
"They'll increase your chakra capacity and your chakra control. First is the Tree Climbing, which we'll do later, and the water walking," Kurenai explained as she stepped onto the water. "Lets see how good your chakra control is."
Katara nodded, not sure where to begin with that. Kurenai put her hands together in the hijitsu seal, and began gathering her own chakra. The Waterbending Master did the same, but she really didn't know how to control her power that way. Sure, she has gotten some basic ninja training done, learned the basic jutsus, yet summoning chakra like what Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Kakashi, Yamato, or Kurenai could do was completely new to her. She tried anyway, trying to do what Kurenai was doing.
Back in the Tent, Naruto groaned as Sakura gently unwrapped the bandage on his shoulder to check how it was healing. Her hand glowed green as she ran a diagnostic on the scar tissue that was building around the wound. Due to the jinchuuriki's regenerative abilities, the chunk of muscle and flesh that was lost in the battle with Sasuke was gradually regenerating.
"So Sakura-chan, how am I healing?"
"At the rate you're coming along, Naruto, you'll be fully healed by the end of the week," Sakura replied as she powered down her medical ninjutsu and began wrapping her friend's shoulder up again.
"So…since we got Sasuke back…what are we going to do with him?" Naruto asked, making Sakura pause in her wrappings. "I tried to talk to Kakashi-sensei about it, but he's avoided the subject."
"…what do you think should happen, Naruto?" Sakura asked, momentarily glancing at their still unconscious, bound, former teammate.
"…part of me wants to send him back to Konoha…yet another part…wants him to stay here, so he can have a chance to really change back to the guy we know," Naruto replied thoughtfully. "I think…when I beat his most powerful attack, I shook him up quite a bit."
Sakura nodded as she finished wrapping the fresh bandage on Naruto's wound. "So what do you think happens now? Ba Sing Se is lost."
The blond jinchuuriki game his trademark grin. "How about we just kick some Fire Nation ass until we get to Fire Lord?"
Sakura couldn't help but grin at her teammates proclamation. "First off, we have to wait for Aang to wake up."
"Yeah…right…he's going to be okay though, right?" Naruto asked and the pink haired kunoichi nodded. "Great…hm…I think I might have a new project to start before he wakes up."
"Project?" Sakura asked before Naruto stood up, and walked to get out of the tent, where Aang's glider was resting. "What are you talking about?"
"You'll learn soon, Sakura-chan, I just got to take a look at Aang-otouto's glider," Naruto replied, picking the glider up. "I'll see you a little later, Sakura-chan."
Sakura nodded as he left. She then looked over to check on Sasuke, and was a little apprehensive. She sighed when she remembered her oath as a medic, and she walked closer to him. Gently, she took out the blindfold that Kakashi had given her, just in case the captive Uchiha reawakened. She tied it over his eyes, to prevent any contact with the Sharingan.
'Sasuke-kun…why did you have to leave us…?' Sakura thought sadly, powering her diagnostic medical ninjutsu, and she glided it over Sasuke's right hand and arm. 'Whatever Naruto's attack did, it sure a number on him…it's almost like a poison started taking effect in his arm, almost causing necrosis…'
After switching to healing mode, and ran it up the length of the Uchiha's bound arm, slowly healing the wounds and stopping the decay around the veins and chakra network. She glanced up at Sasuke's face, and she couldn't help but blush.
'Even after all this time, he's still handsome…' Sakura thought as she finished doing all that she could to speed he healing on Sasuke's arm.
After she was done, she went over to check in on Aang by examining the burn wounds on his back. She then waved her hand over the scar tissue with her medical ninjutsu, healing him a little more. After she was done, she wrapped the bandages around his back again, and walked out the tent, hoping to find Toph for some Earthbending training.
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Fire Nation Prison Camp, 20 miles Southwest
In one of the makeshift prison tents, a girl with long, dirty brown hair sat against a cage wall with her arms suspended by chains. She was wearing dirty rags that barely covered her below the waist, and looked like her beautiful face had been beaten many times. She opened her bloodshot eyes to see her guards were out of the room.
'Appa…did you get back to Aang…?' she wondered as she tried moving her bound arms, and she heard condescending laughter coming from the tent flap.
"That Kiyoshi Bitch is being sent with her friends to the Prisons at the capital in two days! Suits her right for rejecting me, eh?" one of the guards asked his friends with another bout of laughter.
"Yeah! But you'd be lucky to get any girl at all!" another guard joked, and then the mood turned triumphantly serious. "Since Ba Sing Se fell, New Ozai's entire Garrison I hear is moving out to occupy it."
'Ba Sing Se fell?' she thought in fear. 'What happened to Aang? Katara? Toph? Naruto? Hinata? Sakura? Kakashi? Yamato?...and Sokka? D-Don't let them be dead…don't let him be dead…'
"Princess Azula shot down the Avatar I hear, hit him in the back with her lightning!" One of the guards laughed, and her eyes widened more. "Though that traitor Iroh covered the Avatar's escape, but there is no way in hell that he survived."
'No…' she thought hearing that, her head dropping down to look at the floor. 'Why? Why did hope have to die like that…?'
"So want to go have fun with our prisoner?" one of the guards asked, and a laugh was heard, as well as the cracking of knuckles. "She's kind of fun to punch."
"Yeah, surely the Fire Lord and the Princess won't mind if we have a little bit of fun with her," a guard said as they walked into the room.
Suki looked down in despair. With the knowledge of the Avatar dying, Ba Sing Se falling, and her love's survival uncertain, she lost almost all hope. Her head dropped down, preparing to resign to her fate.
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Location Unknown
In a grassy field, two men wearing strange black coats with red clouds on them stood as if they were waiting for something. One was tall, and his eyes were small and fish-like, his skin was blue and there seemed to be 'gills' on his cheeks, and on his back he was carrying a large sword that was wrapped in a bandage, and on the end of it's hilt was a small skull. The other was shorter, had black hair and lines on his face under his black eyes.
"So Itachi, want to bet what this jinchuuriki can do?" the tall man with the shark-like look asked, showing his serrated teeth and clutching his strange looking sword. "Samehada here is pretty hungry, after all."
"The powers of this Jinchuuriki are pretty much unknown, however, given the extent of his life…do not drop your guard, and do not get cocky, Kisame," Itachi replied as he looked up, and his eyes changed from dark brown to red…with the same three commas swirling around the pupil as Sasuke…it was the legendary Sharingan. "We do not wish to stir up trouble with the locals."
"That hermit, even though he's a traitor, is well liked by that village? I'll be damned," Kisame said as he pulled out his giant blade, Samehada, and the ground started rumbling. "Ooh…looks like he's finally sensed us…"
The wind started blowing, and then it began howling angrily at the two Akatsuki members. From the forest, an immense, ghostly beast lumbered in, making trees that had stood for decades, sometimes even centuries, fall in it's wake. When it finally came into view…it resembled a massive, 50 meter tall grizzly bear…with four strange tails waving. Inside, where the 'heart' would be, was floating an old man, completely immersed in the demonic chakra.
"What are you doing here?" the beast commanded, and Kisame grinned.
"We're here to take you back to our hideout and extract your bijuu, and leave you for dead," Kisame said cockily, and the demonic bear roared, it's tails swishing in the air.
"If you wish to fight you pathetic human, I'll gladly accommodate you!"
With that, the giant demonic bear roared, and a blast of energy composed in it's mouth. Itachi watched as wind and fire were combined into one attack, and a fire twister was launched from the Yonbi's mouth. The two Akatsuki leapt into the air as one tail swished at them, launching a wave of water at them.
"Thanks for providing me with ammunition!" Kisame cackled as he did several hand seals. "Suiton: Suikoudan no Jutsu (Water Shark Projectile Technique)!"
The water that was launched at them suddenly bent back and formed into a massive shark with razor sharp teeth. It slammed into the Jinchuuriki in Bijuu form, making it cry in main. The shark-man laughed some more as he brought his sword down. Samehada slashed through the wall of chakra that formed the bear's body, gorging itself on the demonic charka.
After landing, Kisame chuckled as the scales on his sword seemed to quiver in anticipation in getting another taste of the demon's chakra. The giant bear groaned in pain as it's power began diminishing quickly. Itachi then leapt up and looked straight into the jinchuuriki's eyes, his Sharingan morphing.
"Tsukuyomi," Itachi whispered, looking right into the Jinchuuriki's eyes. The man inside the bijuu outer form cried in pain as his ghostly form quivered…and suddenly disintegrated. He caught the bearded old man who had a large black mark under his eyes, and landed.
"That was fun, my Samehada never had that much chakra to feed on before," Kisame said as he patted his massive sword.
Suddenly, Itachi looked back to see a form rising out of the ground. "Zetsu…"
"The Kyuubi has been found," the black side of Zetsu informed them. "Our leader has ordered me to take your captured jinchuuriki back to the city and send you off to the new rendezvous point in Star Country, where a portal has been set up to send you two, Deidara, and Tobi, into this new world to track the Kyuubi Vessel down," the more human white side finished.
"Very well," Itachi said as he looked up into the air as the wind began blowing.
"That was fun, I hope the Kyuubi brat makes it more interesting," Kisame grinned as he placed his sword onto his back, and it fastened itself into place.
"However, why are Deidara and Tobi accompanying us? The Kyuubi is our target," Itachi interjected as the strange looking plant-man looked at him.
"The leader is increasing the probability of finding the Kyuubi will increase by sending four Akatsuki…into this new world," Zetsu's white side replied as he sank back into the ground. "So don't mess up! Get the Kyubi this time or else the leader will be very displeased!" The black side finished.
Itachi nodded as the strange man who looked like he had been swallowed by a Venus Flytrap sank back to the ground. Kisame was already chuckling, hoping he'd get to fight a really strong opponent now. The Uchiha killer however, was wondering what this new world entailed, and how their Leader found it…
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Avatar Campsite
Katara gritted her teeth as she put her hands in the tora seal again, and still nothing came. None of the water seemed to swirl around her like it did Kurenai-sensei, nor did it splash. Instead, it just seemed to ripple, and that was all the effect she got. In frustration, she broke the hand seal, and waved her hand, making a wave that splashed over the river.
"…that's about what I expected, Katara-chan," Kurenai said after the young Waterbender stopped panting. "We know now your capacity, despite your bending abilities, your Chakra Capacity needs to be increased before we get to the water ninjutsu."
"…and…how…can I…do that…Kurenai-sensei?"
"I'm going to start you off on a Academy Level chakra exercise," Kurenai replied as she walked off the water and up a tree. She then cut a leaf down, and landed on her feet, charging it up with her own chakra, she tossed it onto Katara's forehead. "Focus your chakra on that leaf; make it stick to your forehead for the entire day. If you can do that, your current chakra capacity will double."
Katara nodded, her eyes widening in amazement. Immediately, she began focusing her chakra onto her forehead, trying to keep the leaf on it. She could feel it start sticking, but when the wind blew, she had a hard time keeping it on her forehead. Kurenai watched, noticing that the young Waterbender had excellent potential for great chakra control.
At another part of the camp, Hinata found Naruto looking for some wood while carrying Aang's staff. She saw him checking the staff as he picked up logs that were scattered around the campsite. After shaking his head, he put it down.
"What are you doing, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked as her boyfriend looked over and gave her his trademark grin.
"I'm trying to find the right wood to make something like Aang's glider," Naruto replied as he patted the staff. "Got to do something while my arm recovers, after all."
Hinata nodded with a giggle. "I'll help you out, okay, Naruto-kun?"
Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Thanks Hinata-chan! We'll get what I planned to make done in no time!"
The Hyuuga blushed and walked over to him. She gave him a small kiss on the cheek, which made him turn a little red, and then he grinned. He realized they really hadn't had any time alone since the flight from Ba Sing Se…and he shook his head when perverted thoughts entered his head. Naruto then turned to his girlfriend, smiling.
"Alright, let's start searching for this type of wood, okay?"
Hinata nodded once, and the two started to enter the forest so they could start to find what they needed. They walked threw the forest, checking the trees and fallen branches for the type of wood that would be needed for something similar to Aang's glider.
The Earth King followed Kakashi and Sokka through the forest, Bosco roaring behind them. The jounin and warrior had been determined to be the King's guards for however long he'd stay with them. Right now, they were hunting for something large enough for the group to eat that night.
"There's…some deerelopes twenty degrees north of us," Kakashi whispered to Sokka, who nodded, taking out his boomerang.
"Lets try to get some before the group goes hungry," Sokka said quietly as they snuck through the bush. The Water Tribe Warrior wanted anything to keep his mind off the thought that Suki might be dead or worse, since the logical conclusion was made that Azula and her allies had gotten their disguises by fighting the Kiyoshi Warriors. "And keep that bear quiet, Kuei."
"I'll try Sokka…" The Earth King said quietly, putting his hand on Bosco's head, trying to calm the bear down.
They crouched threw the brush, and Kakashi brought out three shuriken. There were three deerelopes-a hybrid between a deer and an antelope, standing in a clearing grazing on grass. Sokka rose his boomerang up, and the two were preparing to attack when they heard a loud roaring sound.
"No, Bosco, no!" The Earth King cried as he tried pulling back on his bear's neck, but the big creature just shrugged the King off and charged through the brush at the deerelopes looked up in shock, gave a weird yelp call, and began running way.
"Damn it!" Sokka yelled as he tried to hit one of the deerelopes with his boomerang, but they were already out of sight by the time he threw it. "No meat tonight…"
Sokka nearly started crying at that, not noticing the blur of movement. A half-second later, Kakashi came walking out of the brush where the deerelopes had fled, carrying two of them, dead, on his shoulder. His visible eye seemed to be 'smiling'.
"You won't have to go hungry now, Sokka," Kakashi said as he grinned under his mask.
"You are a god, Kakashi!" Sokka exclaimed, picturing himself eating the meat.
The bushes started ruffling, and Sokka nearly jumped. On instinct, he threw his boomerang at them, but a large, thick root burst from the ground and blocked the boomerang, making the Water Tribe Warrior's jaw drop.
"Geese Sokka, is that how you greet anyone?" the voice of Yamato asked as he walked into the area.
"Tenzou-san," Kakashi said smiling under his mask. "Had a little trouble escaping the city?"
Yamato nodded. "Actually…I'm still there. This is just a Moku Bushin."
Kakashi nodded. "Have a plan I see?"
"Yes, I am posing as a Dai Li Agent in Ba Sing Se," Yamato's Bushin replied as he sat down. "Thanks to Kurenai-san, I was able to track you down, her transmitter was still active and I was able to track down her signal."
"Why did you stay behind?" Sokka asked as the Bushin sat down.
"Two reasons, one it is an excellent Intelligence opportunity. I am privy to all of Azula's plans, and I have listened to most of her conversations with her allies," Yamato explained as Kakashi set the dead deerelopes down, and Kuei tried restraining Bosco again. "The second reason is for Iroh-san. I am going to help him break out if he requests it."
"Iroh?" Sokka asked. "Couldn't he break out on his own?"
"Yes…but apparently he's waiting for his nephew to have some sort of revelation," Yamato replied, before taking out some papers. "And I've learned some pretty good intelligence now. Specifically what happened to the young woman, Suki-san, who helped us on the Serpent's Pass."
Sokka nearly jumped on the clone. "You know where Suki is!?!?!?!?!?"
Yamato nodded. "Yes. We'll discuss it further when we return to your camp."
Kakashi nodded. "Very well, follow us."
Yamato's Bushin nodded and he began following the three and bear back to the camp. Sokka's mind was racing, Suki was alive, and that she was prisoner. He'd be able to save her…he'd be able to protect the woman he loved! He wouldn't be a failure! He wouldn't lose another person close to him!
Back with Naruto and Hinata, the Hyuuga had found a tree that looked like it had the right type of wood to make the jinchuuriki's project. Naruto leapt back from the tree, and using his airbending he created a blade of wind, and tossed it at the trunk of the tree. With a whine and crack, the tree fell, crashing into the ground with a flurry of leaves. He and Hinata then began working on cutting the tree so it'd be easier to carry. The work was hard, and the Hyuuga and himself both took off their coats to cool themselves down.
"So what are you planning on making, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked as she carried half of the wood from the tree.
"You'll see Hina-chan," Naruto replied with his trademark grin. Hinata blushed at her new nickname.
They continued to walk back to camp; Naruto couldn't help but stare at his girlfriend. Hinata, without her bulky coat on, showed off her curves and body, any boy in Konoha would have been lucky to get a date with her. The jinchuuriki found himself blushing, and he cursed his teacher on instilling the perverted nature onto him. Hinata looked back at him, and he shook his head.
"Something wrong, Naruto-kun?"
Naruto gulped. "Its just…I think you look really, really great without your jacket on, Hina-chan."
Hinata blushed. "Really?" at Naruto's nod, she looked down at what she was wearing, a simple black tee-shirt that was low-cut with her metal mesh armor underneath it. "Then…I think I'll wear it less then. I…really don't need it in weather like this…"
Naruto nodded slowly, and they began to walk back to camp again. A little while later, they were back in the camp, and they set the materials down near the tents. They walked over to the now burnt out fire pit, and watched Katara continue to try to keep the leaf on her forehead with her chakra. Kurenai gave nods of encouragement when the young Waterbending Master continued to keep the leaf there.
"So what have you two lovebirds been doing?" Toph asked as she walked over to the fire pit. "You walked into the woods, were you two making out?"
Naruto and Hinata blushed. "No…we weren't…" Naruto said and the Blind Earthbender grinned.
"Oh really huh?" Toph asked as she stomped up a rock, and sat on it. "Then what were you doing then?"
"We were looking for some materials for a project Naruto-kun has started to work on," Hinata replied calmly, and Toph sighed.
"You two are no fun…" the blind girl complained, stomping again to make another rock platform rise up, and she laid down, crossing her hands behind her back. She began to feel the vibrations in the ground. "Looks like Kakashi, Sokka, Kuei, and Bosco…and…wait a second, it feels like a wooden man is coming with them."
"A wooden man?" Naruto and Hinata asked at the same time.
Kurenai seemed to hear the exclamation, and she clapped her hands together. "Katara-chan, that's enough for now!"
"But Kurenai-sensei, I can do it longer now!" Katara yelled back from the water.
"Save it for later, the others are returning and it seems that Yamato-san is returning," Kurenai said and the waterbending master sighed and nodded, taking the leaf off her forehead and coming out of the river.
Kakashi, Sokka, Kuei, Bosco, and what appeared to be Yamato came out of the brush a while later. The silver haired jounin was carrying two deerelopes on his shoulders for dinner, and the Earth King was still trying to keep his bear from taking the meat. The Water warrior was talking with the ANBU Captain, who kept raising his hand telling the teenager that he'd tell the entire group soon. At the same time, Sakura was coming out of the rock tent after finishing her healing time with Aang to see the group returning
"Yamato-taichou?" Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata asked as the ANBU captain sat down, after making his own bench, in the middle of the group. "What happened?" Naruto asked. "Where did you go when we retreated?" Sakura added.
Yamato took a deep breath. "I stayed behind in Ba Sing Se to collect crucial intelligence from Azula and her allies, as well as the Fire Nation as a whole. I am posing as a Dai Li agent, using a henge and a uniform I retrieved off a agent I had killed," he started. "And I'm not the real Yamato; he is still in Ba Sing Se, I am just a Moku Bushin. My other objective in the former Earth Kingdom Capital was to monitor the former General Iroh, and assist him if he ever wants to escape."
"'Ever wants to escape?' What does that mean?" Toph asked.
"He's…demoralized right now. Ever since Zuko, his nephew who he has taken care of for three years betrayed him, he hasn't been doing too well," Yamato replied and the blind Earthbender nodded. "Now, as I was saying, the real Yamato will be there just in case he needs assistance breaking out. I have also learned crucial intelligence about Fire Nation troop movements, and of one of our allies," he said as he waited for Sokka to bring out a map of the Earth Kingdom, and the Bushin pointed at the map, at Omashu specifically. "Almost Omashu's entire entire garrison has left the city. That's over 60,000 soldiers and benders. They are going to occupy Ba Sing Se now."
"That many…" Katara breathed out. "How many are still left to defend Omashu?"
"There are about 2000 soldiers left in the city," Yamato's clone replied. "Now for the other crucial intelligence-I learned where the Kiyoshi Warriors, specifically Suki-san, are being kept."
"About time! Tell us where she is!" Sokka exclaimed, surprising everyone.
Yamato cleared his throat. "The Kiyoshi Warriors are being kept in this prison camp, twenty miles south west of our position here."
The ANBU clone pointed at the map, a location twenty miles south west of where they were. The camp was near a small, Fire Nation owned port, which held a garrison of about 200 soldiers and firebenders.
"The camp itself has hundred guards, from what Azula told us," Yamato said as he used his wood jutsu to create a small recreation of the camp. "Suki-san, and her other warriors, are kept in this series of tents." He told them, pointing in the recreated camp. "And…there is now a time limit. If Suki-san and her warriors, if they are still there, aren't liberated soon, they will be taken to the Fire Nation for further interrogation, out of our reach, for now."
"So we have to bust into the camp, rescue Suki-chan, and get out before they notice?" Naruto asked and Yamato nodded. "Great, when do we leave?"
"Not so fast, Naruto," Kakashi said sternly, putting his book away. "All of us leaving the camp would be too dangerous for Aang and the Earth King. We need to divide our forces for this strike."
Kurenai nodded. "And with your injury, Naruto, you won't be at full strength."
Naruto crossed his arms and grumbled. "Fine…how do we split our forces?"
"I think I should stay here, as well as you and Sakura," Kakashi replied as he looked to Kurenai, Hinata, Sokka, Katara, and Toph. "Sokka, I would recommend you stay here…but I doubt you'd want to hear that."
"That's right…I need to be there…I need to rescue Suki."
"I'll take command of the mission then. Hinata-chan, Katara-chan, and Toph-chan can join me in the rescue mission, with Sokka-san after all," Kurenai offered, and the silver haired jounin nodded.
"Take Appa," Kakashi said and they nodded. "You'll need him to get all the Warriors and Suki-san out safely."
Kurenai nodded, and she looked at the group. "Alright, everyone get onto Appa, and we'll set off immediately."
Sokka ran off to the flying bison before anyone could get there. Toph stretched, and rotated her shoulders. Kurenai looked at Hinata, who was saying good bye to Naruto.
"We'll be back soon, Naruto-kun," Hinata told the young jinchuuriki as she hugged him, resting her head on his chest. "I wish you could come."
"I wish I could come too. Damn arm though," Naruto said as he lifted her face to his, and the two kissed lightly on the lips. "Be safe."
Hinata nodded, smiling at her boyfriend. She slowly pulled away and walked calmly over to Appa, and climbed onto the bison's back. Sokka was sitting in Aang's place, holding the reigns. He had almost forgotten his weapons, and on his back was his bladed boomerang, and on his waist was his whale-tooth machete, and in his bag was his bladed, ball club. He looked back at the group going with him, and he knew he'd be able to rescue Suki.
"Yip, yip!" Sokka called out to Appa, who groaned, flapped his massive tail, and they flew off.
"We'll have to land about a quarter mile away from the base, so we can get into the camp stealth fully," Kurenai ordered as they flew over the tree line.
Sokka nodded as he pulled the reigns so they were flying southwest. The Water Tribe Warrior gritted his teeth in anger, slowly tightening his grip on the reigns as he thought what the Fire Nation did to prisoners…to Suki. Kurenai seemed to notice his body movements, and breathed out. She hoped he wouldn't let his rage jeopardize the mission.
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Fire Nation Camp
An hour after departing from their own camp, Sokka had guided Appa down to the ground behind the tree line a quarter of a mile away from the Prison Camp. The group got off the flying bison, and crept through the woods around the camp. Kurenai and Hinata climbed up a tree to get a better vantage point to survey the base.
It was large compared to their camp, with thirty tents, varying in size scattered in a circle. A makeshift palisade wall was arranged in a circular pattern around the base, and there were guards stationed on the wall. The gate was closed at the moment, and Kurenai could see at least thirty armed guards patrolling the perimeter on the wall. The base had at least sixty more soldiers, either doing internal patrols, eating, or resting at various places in the camp.
"This will be a little more difficult than we thought," Hinata told her sensei, activating her Byakugan. She scanned the camp, checking each tent for Suki or members of her warriors. Most of the tents were used for keeping supplies; the larger ones were for the barracks and…the prison tents. "I found them…"
The x-ray vision of the Byakugan, Hinata had found where Suki was being kept. Curiously, the other prisoners that were being kept in the camp were men, apparently Earthbenders or Earth Kingdom soldiers. Either that meant that the other warriors had already been shipped off to the Fire Nation, or they were in another camp.
"All I found was Suki-chan, the other warriors aren't there," Hinata informed her sensei, who nodded.
"I'll perform a genjutsu to take most of the camp out quietly. Tell Katara-chan, Toph-chan, and Sokka to wait for my all clear signal," Kurenai ordered, and Hinata nodded after hopping off the tree branch.
"So what can we expect? Is Suki there?" Sokka asked her.
"There are about 90 guards at scattered places around the base, thirty on the palisade and sixty in the camp itself. And yes, Sokka-kun, Suki-chan is there, but strangely her other warriors aren't."
"That's not good," Katara said, pursing her lips. "Well…at least Suki is there. We can get her out."
"So what are we waiting for? I'm already to bust their wall down!" Toph said impatiently.
"Kurenai-sensei is going to do a genjutsu to thin the numbers to make the rescue easier, Toph-chan," Hinata replied calmly, as the genjutsu mistress closed her eyes to focus her chakra.
Kurenai then began to do a set of hand seals, focusing on the soldiers that she could see in the camp. Finishing the chain, she opened her eyes.
"Nehan Shouja no Jutsu (Temple of Nirvana Technique)," Kurenai whispered, activating the technique.
The guards on the palisade began looking around as a flurry of feathers appeared in front of their faces. Suddenly, they fell to the ground as if they were falling asleep. The effect spread to those who were in the camp, outside the tents. Soldiers and guards fell unconscious either walking or eating, and in just a few seconds, almost the entire camp had been taken out.
Hinata activated her Byakugan. "Mostly everyone in the camp is now under your spell, Kurenai-sensei. There are still a few soldiers in the tents, but the numbers have been greatly thinned. It's safe to go in now."
Kurenai nodded. "Alright. Toph-chan, make a hole in the palisade wall."
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Toph exclaimed with a grin. She stomped her feet, lifted her hands, and a large boulder was discharged from the ground. Stomping again and pushing, she launched it through the wall.
The palisade's logs shattered from the force that Toph launched her boulder at it. The unfortunate Fire Nation guards that were put to sleep in the area that the boulder crashed into were sent flying high into the air, crashing on the ground hard. The sound of their bones breaking made Toph wince.
'Okay…that was creepy…' Toph thought, processing the sound of the breaking or shattering bones. 'And that must hurt…'
"Lets move," Kurenai said and the five ran in. "There will be at least nine or ten of the soldiers still conscious, I couldn't affect them with my jutsu if they were in the tents."
"We'll deal with that when the time comes," Sokka said as he took out his machete and boomerang.
Three Fire Nation guards pulled themselves out of a tent. "What the hell happened here?"
"We're under attack! Sound the alarm!"
"Why is everyone unconscious?"
"There's the intruders!" one of the guards said, pointing at the group as they made their way to Suki's tent, being lead by Hinata.
The Fire Nation soldiers grabbed their polearms and charged towards them. Hinata warned Katara and Toph, who held back to fight the soldiers. The Waterbending Master used her water whip, snapping the polearms like twigs before launching the soldiers away. Toph then stomped the ground, making quicksand under the soldiers, making them sink under the ground up to their necks, and then she solidified the ground.
More soldiers came out of the tents, charging Hinata, Kurenai, and Sokka. Hinata sidestepped a slash from one of the soldier's blades, and then she slammed her palm right into his chest. He coughed out blood, dropped to his knees, and fell unconscious wheezing. The genjutsu mistress blocked a dao with her kunai, and then tossed one of her knives straight into a soldier's neck, severing his jugular. He screamed in pain as blood squirted out of his neck, and he fell to the ground. The last tried to attack Sokka, bringing both his swords at the Water Tribe warrior in a double horizontal slash.
Sokka gritted his teeth, blocked the swords with his machete, and bashed the soldier in the face with his club. The soldier crashed into the ground, missing a few teeth and blood leaked out. He pulled himself back up and charged Sokka again. The Water Tribe warrior blocked the attack with his club, and then slashed out in a horizontal fashion with his machete. The whale-toothed blade cut deeply into the soldier's stomach, his mouth opening in shock as it was yanked out. Sokka panted and blinked, realizing what he did when blood trickled down the soldier's mouth and wound as he doubled over. He shook it off to follow Hinata and Kurenai towards the tent.
The guards there, surprised at the sudden attack, barely were able to get to their weapons as Hinata, Kurenai, Sokka, Toph, and Katara entered the tent. Suki looked up weakly, and her eyes widened in shock seeing the young Water Tribe warrior.
"Sokka?" Suki asked in a hoarse, tired voice. "You're…alive…thank…goodness…"
Sokka's eyes narrowed at the Fire Nation guards, and he gritted his teeth. "What the hell did you bastards do to her?"
One of the guards chuckled. "What's it matter to you boy? We just did the standard prisoner treatment for female prisoners."
Sokka snarled, tightening his grip on his machete. "You're going to pay for that…"
"Sokka…calm down, they're just trying to get a rise out of you," Kurenai ordered, tightening her own grip on her kunai. "Hinata-chan, did we take out the rest that were still conscious outside?"
"No, Kurenai-sensei, there are two left, trying to get us from behind. From their armor, I think they're firebenders," Hinata replied as Sokka lifted his machete up.
"Let Suki go and…I won't have to hurt you," Sokka ordered, gritting his teeth.
The guards laughed condescendingly. "You have no idea who you're ordering boy…I don't know how you five got into the camp…but you're outnumbered."
"Actually, almost everyone in the camp is incapacitated. Just you two, and the other two coming at us are conscious," Kurenai said, and the guards sneered.
"You're bluffing…now do us all a favor and surrender…"
"No…let. Suki. Go," Sokka commanded, baring his teeth in rage. He was starting to see red, the sight of Suki in the state she was in.
"Katara-chan, Toph-chan, Hinata-chan, go rescue the other prisoners. Sokka and I will handle these two," Kurenai ordered, and they nodded. "Sokka and I will be with you shortly."
The other three nodded, before exiting the tent. However the two guards in front of Kurenai and Sokka laughed confidently. One of them charged the jounin kunoichi, who jumped back to avoid his weapon, and the other set his sights on the Water Tribe Warrior. Sokka raised his machete, bracing himself for whatever attack would be sent out. The Guard stomped his feet while taking a deep breath, and threw out his fist in a punch. A tongue of orange-yellow flame shot out, and he yipped before sidestepping it.
The other guard had managed to push Kurenai out of the tent, but the genjutsu mistress was hoping that would happen. She began doing a set of hand seals while dodging his attacks. Finishing the sequence, she started doing her signature genjutsu on the guard, the Jubatsu Satsu (Tree Binding Death). Her body seemed to disappear into the winds starting from her waist right in front of the guard's eyes. His eyes widened when she completely vanished. Suddenly, he felt his body bound by strong tree branches, and looked around in shock as she appeared atop the magical tree, kunai drawn, and she stabbed the knife right into his neck. He screamed as the knife severed an artery, and the illusion vanished.
Kurenai looked around to see that the other prisoners were running out of the tents that they were being kept. The sound of roaring flames caught her attention and she saw a tongue of flame come out of the tent where Suki was being kept, burning through the fabric like it was nothing. She saw Sokka jump and roll to evade the next fireball before standing up right near the guard.
Sokka roared, mostly out of fear, but also there was a twinge of rage in his voice. He was angry, angry that these Fire Nation scum had abused Suki…and this one was going to pay, with his life. Out of reflex and anger, the warrior threw out his sword arm. It was blur of motion as the firebender turned to try to outpace the attack, but it was too late. Just as he breathed in to do a point-blank fire blast, Sokka's machete sliced clean through his neck. Blood squirted out onto Sokka's now horrified face as the head of his fallen enemy rolled on the ground. He breathed in and out, realizing what he did. His blood soaked blade dropped to the ground and clanged twice. His stomach felt bad, and nausea gripped him.
He fell to his knees, and vomited up the contents of his lunch. Breathing in and out at a hyper speed, Kurenai walked over and put her hand on his back.
"Sokka…just breath," Kurenai said softly, and Sokka nodded. The jounin bent down and picked up the guards keys, and walked over the Suki's cage. She unlocked the door, walked in, and undid the Kiyoshi Warrior's chains. "You're free."
Suki nodded, and even though she was weak, she ran over to Sokka, enveloping him in a hug. He breathed out and gently returned the hug, hoping not to get the fresh blood on her body. Katara, Hinata, and Toph then arrived, panting slightly.
"All the prisoners are released, Kurenai-sensei," Katara started, and then she saw the blood on Sokka's face. "Sokka…what happened?"
Sokka looked down, but before he could speak, Kurenai sighed. "Let's get out of here. We can talk more at the camp and Suki-san seems to need medical attention."
They nodded, looking at the silent Sokka, who was shaking when he saw the body of the dead guard. The others pulled him away and they walked to Appa. Hinata and Katara helped the weakened Suki aboard, and the Waterbending Master gently washed the blood off her brother's face and hands. Kurenai was the last to board, she had gotten Sokka's machete, and put it next to him.
She watched Hinata and Katara start tending to Suki's bruises, and crawled onto Appa's head. Tentatively, she grasped the reigns. "Yip-yip, Appa-kun."
The flying bison gave it's guttural roar, flapped it's tail, and lifted off the ground. They flew over the landscape towards the camp, and Sokka, instead of his usual, boastful self was quiet, and kept to one side of the saddle.
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Avatar Camp
The rest of the group ran up to see Appa landing on the ground near the camp. Seeing Suki alive was a great burden off their shoulders. Sakura helped her down and into the medical tent for some proper healing. Sokka had temporarily left the group to go to the river, looking down as he contemplated what he did.
'I…killed two people…today…' Sokka thought as he pursed his lips. He sank down to his knees.
He saw the blood still on his hands and face, even though Katara had washed it off of him. He dunked his hands into the water, and began scrubbing them furiously. He had to get the blood off…both scent and sight. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to rid both.
He began to scrub faster and faster, trying to get the smell off. It was another fruitless attempt. Sokka took his hands out of the water, and they shook and trembled as he looked at them. He dunked them back in the water frantically, breathing in and out as fast as he could. The more he washed, a strange pain seemed to cross his chest as he kept thinking about the two Fire Nation soldiers he killed.
"Why won't it go away…why won't it go away?" Sokka asked out loud, scrubbing furiously. "Why? Why? Why?!?"
"Its…never easy is it?" a female voice asked him, and he turned his head to see Suki walking over to him.
She was out of the rags that the prison guards 'graciously' made her wear. Instead, she was wearing some of Katara's extra clothing, the blue cloth of the kimono-like dress and pants felt good on her skin. Thanks to Sakura, the bruises on her face had faded, and her internal damage was healed.
"W-What are you talking about?" Sokka asked, pulling his hands out of the water.
"…being a warrior, that is," Suki continued, sitting next to him. "In war, we are…expected to kill our enemies…" She looked at her own hands for a second, and then looked at Sokka. "It's never enjoyable…"
Sokka nodded, but he pursed his lips. "For some reason…a small part of me…enjoyed killing those Fire Nation soldiers…especially the last one…but whenever I think about that…I feel sick to my stomach…"
Suki nodded, putting her hand on his shoulder. "…thank you for rescuing me."
Sokka nodded. "I…couldn't lose you…couldn't lose another woman I loved…" he looked at his still shaking hands. "When I saw the…condition you were in…I got angry…angrier than I had ever been before…even angrier than I was after my mom died…" he squeezed his fist. "I wanted to make those who did that to you pay…and…I guess they did…" Suki put her hand over his to try to calm him down. "…after…it was done…nothing felt right…I avenged you…but what did it accomplish? I…killed someone…even though it was in combat…it felt like cold blood…"
"…its…the plight about being a warrior, Sokka," Suki told him gently, leaning her head onto his shoulder. "…knowing that…will you continue to be one?"
Sokka closed his eyes and breathed out. "…yes. I will." He smiled gently. "…guess I know even more what Naruto is ranting about, protecting people…"
Suki smiled lightly, and she leaned up and gave him a peck on his cheek. He blushed, looked at his hands again, and closed his eyes. The pain started ebbing away slightly, and he leaned his head onto the Kiyoshi Warriors. They sat there for a while, letting each other calm down from the ordeal. The mood was suddenly ruined when Sokka's stomach started growling.
"heh…I think my appetite is returning…"
"Lets get back to camp then before Naruto and Bosco eats all the deerelope," Suki said, and he chuckled. The two stood up, and walked back to the camp.
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Ba Sing Se, Royal Palace
Azula gave an exasperated sigh as she sat on the throne of the former Earth King. She was remembering what the Dai Li had said, that Sasuke had lost fighting to that demon child known as Naruto. She could hardly believe an elite, powerful shinobi like the Uchiha could lose to such a person. She was still contemplating her own loss against the blond Shinobi, and growled.
"The Uchiha must be lacking to lose to someone like him!" Azula roared, shooting a blast of blue flame out at nothing from her fingers. '…but I must be too…damn it!'
They would be returning to the Fire Nation in three days, after the Fire Nation garrison arrives to formerly occupy the city. Even though her father would probably praise her and her brother, the nagging feeling that the Uchiha lost bugged her. She had heard from the few Fire Nation soldiers that had arrived, through help from the Dai Li, she had learned more of Sasuke's…master. Along with the few Fire Nation soldiers were shinobi, wearing the symbol of the Sound Village on their headbands.
"The Princess of the Fire Nation shouldn't fret about failures, should she?" a smooth voice asked from the shadows.
Azula's eyes snapped around. "Who is there? Show yourself!"
A figure wearing a brown cloak and hood dropped from the rafters of the palace. He raised his hand up to his face to seemingly push something back in front of his eyes. He straightened out his body, and pulled his hood back. It revealed a young man in his early twenties with medium length silver hair, glasses over his eyes, and a Sound Headband on his forehead.
"The security in this city is really lacking. I was able to bypass the walls so easily," the man said in a calm, yet arrogant sounding voice. "Wouldn't the Fire Lord be a little…perturbed…that under your watch a single man could bypass your greatest conquered city?"
Azula's gaze hardened. "Who are you? I can tell by your headband that you are from the Sound Village, the Fire Nation's new ally in the war, but I do not know your face."
"Oh, where are my manners…I am Yakushi Kabuto, Orochimaru-sama's right hand man…" the man replied, his face morphing into a sick smile. "Ozai-sama and Orochimaru-sama they have tasked me the job…of instructing you in the Shinobi Arts…if you do well…Orochimaru-sama has a gift for you when we return to the Fire Nation…"
Azula's eyebrows rose. "Really…Kabuto, was it? Tell me more…"
Kabuto's face contorted to another sick smile. He began telling her his training schedule for her, and the more she heard, the more she liked. Especially knowing that the knowledge she would gain from this training would increase her power enough to equal the Demon Brat.
To be continued…
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Authors Notes
Well the first filler chapter is in. I couldn't let Suki rot in prison, so I decided to bust her out. I also wanted to show Sokka that war isn't a game, which he barely seemed to get in the series, including the Siege of the North. The only way to snap him out of it was…to have him kill someone in battle.
And we have also information that the Akatsuki will be playing more of a part in my season 3. What is the project I am planning for Naruto by the way…? You'll find out.
Please read and review.