To let you guys know, I will be following the manga storyline for the most part while adding things from the anime when needed. Because of that I will probably be skipping most of the filler episodes.

Still don't own Naruto.

Chapter 12: Rescue Mission, Begin!

Tenten:

"How did you stab yourself this time, Tibi?"

I looked away in shame. "I grabbed it from the wrong side on accident…."

Tenten sighed. "You're hopeless."

"Hey! It's been only three days since I last hurt myself!"

Neji:

"Please let me see it!"

"I said no."

"Please, please, please!"

"No!"

I sulked. I really wanted to see the cursed seal on his forehead. "I've already seen it from my world…."

"…."

"…."

"Maybe some other time."

"Yay!"

Lee:

"Your stamina is getting better and better every day!"

I looked up from where I was sweating and panting on the ground. "Really?"

"Yes! To celebrate, let's run some laps around the village!"

"Oh Kami….."

Sakura:

"Come on Tibi, all you have to do is create a Chakra shield as hard as you can and let me hit it."

"Yeah, yeah." I held my hands up and willed a physical chakra shield to appear in front of me. It was easier to do so since my training after coming back from the Demon Desert.

Sakura ran up to me and punched the shield. The punch cracked it and sent me flying, my back hitting a tree. "Ow, ow, owie!"

"Your chakra is getting stronger. That shield didn't shatter into a million pieces this time."

I stood up and rubbed my back. "True but it's still weak."

"Well it's not going to get super strong overnight. It'll get stronger with more time and more training."

Tsunade nodded from where she was seated on a rock. "Sakura is right. With more chakra control you will be able to create Chakra weapons and armor quicker and without wasting any access chakra. Plus, you will be able to send the chakra you used back into your chakra stream instead of letting it go out in the open, gone forever."

I looked at her. "Do you actually know that or is that a theory you've come up with?"

"It's a true theory."

Hinata:

"Meditation has really been helping, Hinata."

She looked at me with a smile. "That's good. How's your training been going?"

I stretched from my position on my living room couch. "It's been great. Tsunade told me that I'm on genin level now."

"That's great!"

I smiled. "Yeah. Thanks for all your help Hinata. You've been such a big help to me since I came here."

She put her hands up. "No, no. I'm not that great of a help."

"Yeah you are." I looked at my journal that was sitting on the coffee table. "You know, Naruto should be coming home soon."

Hinata blushed a deep red.

I was walking around the village after training when I noticed a man that I knew but had never seen around the village. After a closer inspection I realized that it was Jiraiya. THE Jiraiya. I started to internally fangirl and ran up to him.

"Jiraiya sir! I can't believe it's actually you!"

He looked me over. "Why hello young one. I've never seen you around before. Are you a fan?"

I nodded. "Yeah in a way. You've been one of my favorite characters since I first saw you in the anime. Then I went back and read about you in the manga…but yeah I'm a fan."

He looked like he was confused, which he probably was, so I decided to tell him who I was. How I got here, my world, my training, everything.

"Hmmm….so you know everything about the Akatsuki but you can't remember anything?"

I nodded. "Yep."

"Well thank you for telling me this, Tibi. I will be traveling again soon to try and gather more information. If you remember anything I will have Tsunade tell me." He took a book out of his bag. "Here is a free book of Icha Icha Paradise for the information!"

I took it happily. I had always wondered what the book was actually about. "Wait, if you are here then that means Naruto is also here right?!"

Jiraiya nodded. "He had a bell test with Sakura and Kakashi last night. They should be finished by now."

"Thank you so much! I hope I can see you around sometime." I said and bowed.

"Of course!" he said with a thumbs up. "Now I have to go meet up with Kakashi."

I nodded then turned and left, wanting to find Naruto quickly.

I eventually found him on a street talking with Sakura, Shikamaru, and Temari. 'When did she get here?'

Sakura was the first to see me. "Hey Tibi!" she waved, "Look who's back!"

"I know. I saw Jiraiya earlier." I said. "It's nice to finally meet you Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto looked at me confused, "Do I know you?"

I shook my head. "No. But I know you."

"Uh…"

"She's Tibi. She has an interesting story." Sakura said. She went on to explain who I was, where I came from, and my memory situation in her own words.

"That is so cool, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Thank you." I smiled. This guy was so awesome in person. "I even got an honorary kunoichi status." I pointed at the leaf protector on my forehead.

"Awesome!" he then looked at Shikamaru and Temari. "So, are you two on a date?"

"Not even close." Shikamaru said.

Temari smirked, "Oh please, like I would ever…It's almost chunin selection exam time again. And while I've been acting as liaison between the Sand and Konoha…"

"…I'm being forced to act as exam proctor so I was ordered to escort the sand ambassador, that's all." Shikamaru ended.

Naruto looked up, "The chunin exam, huh… Brings back memories."

Shikamaru looked at him, "So what are you going to do, Naruto?"

He looked confused.

"About the exams, of course. You're the only one in our year who isn't a chunin."

"….WHAT!" Naruto shrieked. "You mean you're a chunin too, Sakura?!"

"Yup!"

"And just so you know….Neji, Kankuro, and this lady here are already Jonin." Shikamaru added.

"NO WAY!...Oh! Gaara. What about Gaara?!"

"He's the Kazekage of Sunagakure." I told him.

"I see….So Gaara is the Kazekage…." I saw him clench his fists, "That's great! I'm not about to be outdone by him!" He pointed to the Hokage Monument. "I'm still going to be Hokage, just you wait Gaara!"

Everyone smiled. After that I said goodbye, telling Naruto that I would meet up with him at a later time, and took my leave. I went about the rest of my day like usual. That night I got this weird sensation that something bad was going to happen. I didn't have any memories, just a feeling.

Sure enough, the next morning while I was meditating in my back training room, I heard a loud knock on my front door. I went and opened it revealing an Anbu Black Ops agent.

"Tibi, a scroll entered the village this morning saying that the Kazekage of Sunagakure had been kidnapped by the Akatsuki. Lady Tsunade has ordered you to go on a mission to Suna with Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto. You will assess the situation and report back immediately. Afterward, you will follow Sand's orders and give them whatever assistance they need. You will meet them at the gates immediately."

I stood there shocked and unable to move. 'Gaara's been….Kidnapped….by the Akatsuki….' The Anbu left. I slammed the door shut and ran upstairs. I packed my light-blue backpack with essentials. I got ready in two minutes flat and headed out, locking my door behind me. I bolted toward the main gate. All I could think about was Gaara. 'I hope he's okay.'

When I got to the gate everyone, including Tsunade and Iruka, were already there. "I hope I didn't take too long."

Tsunade shook her head. "You made good timing."

"Thank you for letting me come on this mission. I will do my very best." I said.

Tsunade smiled and nodded. "I figured you would want to be on this mission."

"Well then, we're off!" Naruto said. Iruka told Naruto good luck and he said thanks.

All of a sudden, Jiraiya appeared. "Hey! Naruto, ya heading out on a mission?" Naruto said yup. "Oh, before that…Bad news Tsunade. The Kazekage's been…."

Tsunade interrupted. "I know. I'm about to send these four to the sand."

Jiraiya walked up to Tsunade and whispered something in her ear. After that, he told Naruto to step aside to talk with him. All I heard was something about the Akatsuki and that Naruto shouldn't use a certain jutsu.

"Kakashi…keep an eye on him. Don't let him go too crazy. I'm counting on you." Jiraiya then said.

"Don't worry." Kakashi smiled.

After that, we jumped up and headed out. It was going to be a long journey ahead. A while later Sakura noticed Temari walking below us and yelled out her name. We stopped beside her and told her the news about Gaara.

"What! Gaara!...I knew something felt wrong…" She said.

Kakashi spoke, "It's going to take three days to get to the Sand. We'd better hurry." We all agreed and headed out again through the treetops.

Naruto took the lead, going really fast.

"Naruto, no matter how much of a rush we're in we can't break formation. Calm down. Didn't Lord Jiraiya just lecture you about your temper?" Kakashi said.

Naruto clenched his teeth. "I hate this! I know why those guys want Gaara and me! Sakura, now you know too, don't you? I don't like it…the nine tailed fox spirit sealed inside of me… Both Gaara and me…we're carrying monsters inside our bodies and that's what they want! It's awful! They only see us as monsters! I don't like the way they look at us! Gaara and I had the same kind of lonely life. But it was even worse for him cuz he suffered and fought alone a lot longer! So the Akatsuki has targeted him just like they targeted me. It's not fair! Why should his life be so full of misery all the time?! You wanna know why I can't calm down? That's why! Whatever happens when we get to the sand I can't just stand back and do nothing! I have to be there for him! I have to save him!" At the end of his speech he had tears in his eyes. I did as well because as he spoke I could just feel his emotions come out.

Everyone was silent for a while before Sakura spoke, "Naruto, you met him once, didn't you? Uchiha Itachi? And he's after you. You know, I haven't been just training these past two and a half years. I secretly read Lady Tsunade's reports and snuck outside the village to snoop around as much as I could. The person Sasuke keeps saying he wants to kill is his older brother Itachi, right? The one that's a member of the Akatsuki? That's why Sasuke is with Orochimaru right now, trying to gain more power. But he wants Sasuke's body, right? And we only have about half a year until he can transfer again. And Orochimaru himself was once a member of the Akatsuki as well. What I'm trying to say is this, the closer we get to the Akatsuki, the closer we can get to the information about Orochimaru. And from there, closer to Sasuke. Time is running out. We've only got half a year left to find Sasuke…"

Naruto nodded, "Yep."

Three days later we finally arrived at Sunagakure. A guard met us at the front, "Lady Temari, you're here too! We've been waiting for you. Please, right this way!"

As we entered the village, the guard told us the basics of what happened. "…..then Lord Kankuro chased after them but was gravely wounded."

"What?! Kankuro too?!" Temari shrieked.

"Yes, and furthermore, he was poisoned but we can't identify it for an antidote. They say he only has half a day left."

Everyone was shocked. "Hurry, Temari." Sakura said, "I'll examine him!"

Once we got to the hospital we all filed into the room that Kankuro was in. Temari went in first followed by Sakura who tossed her backpack away. An old woman turned around looked shocked, "The White Fang of Konoha!"

The woman ran forward towards a confused Kakashi but Naruto blocked her, surprising everyone. The woman jumped back.

"Why are you attacking Kakashi-sensei?! You shriveled up prune!" Naruto exclaimed.

The woman looked pissed, "That day, how dare you! Despicable White Fang of Konoha! Finally, today I shall collect vengeance for my son!"

The woman began to charge again. Kakashi held his hands up, "Oh! No, wait! I'm not…!"

"Silence!" the woman shouted. Then, an older man blocked her with his arm.

"Look closely, sis. He looks just like him, but that's not the White Fang."

The woman looked closely then chuckled, "Oh well…Never mind! Tee hee hee!" Kakashi looked relieved.

"Now, can we all just focus on Kankuro?" said Sakura.

"Please!" Temari added.

Everybody got out of Sakura's way as she began to order the nurse's around. She was able to get the poison out of Kankuro by putting the medicine around her hands like a bubble and using it to pull the poison out. After a while she stopped. "Good! I've removed most of the poison. So there's no more immediate danger…." Temari looked relieved as she slid down the wall, onto the floor.

"But we're not completely out of the woods just yet. I still need to neutralize the minute quantities of toxins remaining in his system. So someone's got to run and fetch me some medical supplies…"

The old woman, whom I learned was an elder named Chiyo, looked at Sakura. "You remind me of that slug lass. I never imagined a girl like you would come."

Sakura smiled, "Yes well…Lady Tsunade was the one who ordered me here, she is my mentor you know!"

The man, named Ebizo, looked at Chiyo. "…sis…"

Chiyo smiled. "…time flows by…"

After Kankuro was patched up, Sakura went to the greenhouse to create an antidote. Everyone else stayed in Kankuro's room. I was standing by the wall when I heard that familiar click of a memory unlocking. I saw the attack on Sunagakure and Gaara's fight. I saw how he saved the entire village from a bomb which ultimately used up his chakra and made him lose.

When I came to, I was on the ground sweating and had tears in my eyes.

"Are you okay?!" Naruto asked.

"Y-yeah." I said. "I just remembered Gaara's fight…..he fought so well…."

Naruto nodded and helped me up off the ground. He took that rather well even though it was his first time seeing me have a memory.

"What do you mean you saw Gaara's fight?" Chiyo asked. I looked at Kakashi and Temari who seemed to say that it was okay to say my secret.

"I'm from a different world where I have memories of certain people. Although when my memories will appear is uncertain." That's all I said since I didn't want to give out to much information.

"You've got to be kidding me…." Was all Chiyo said.

"As soon as Sakura gets back, we move out!" Naruto said, stretching.

"Rein it in a bit, Naruto." Kakashi spoke. "What's happening with the pursuit of the Akatsuki? Kankuro went solo and ended up like this. That's it. So they're long gone?" he turned and looked at Baki.

Baki looked down. "Well…yeah."

"Take me to where Kankuro fought. I must track them, if even a trace of their scent remains…"

"No need for that….." said a rough voice. We looked over to the bed where Kankuro was trying to sit up. "There were two of them…one has Gaara. All you have to do is follow Gaara's scent. Even if they split up…The Crow tore a piece of the other one's clothes off."

"Turning things to his advantage. Like a true Sand ninja." Kakashi told him.

Temari ran to the bed. "Kankuro, are you alright?!"

"Yeah…I feel a little better."

"Kankuro, are you sure one of them was Sasori?" Chiyo asked.

Kankuro looked surprised. "Granny Chiyo and Grampa Ebizo?!"

"Is it true, Kankuro?" said Ebizo.

Kankuro looked down. "Yeah…he called himself…Sasori of the Red Sand."

"Sasori of the Red Sand? You know more about the Akatsuki. Tell me." Kakashi said. We were told more of the Akatsuki and, later, a letter came in from Konoha saying that Team Guy was dispatched to come and help us.

"That's good." I said.

"It is." Kakashi replied.

After a while, Sakura came back and told Kankuro to drink the antidote she created which he did.

"That should do it. All he needs now is to keep still until the numbness goes away. Lie down and take it easy." Sakura told him.

"C'mon! Let's get out of here!" Naruto voiced. He gave Sakura her backpack and smiled.

"Uzumaki Naruto…" Kankuro spoke. "Please save my brother."

Naruto smirked. "Of course. I'm going to be Hokage! For now, the Kazekage can just owe me one!"

After that, everyone got ready to leave. Kakashi summoned Pakkun and the rest of his ninken to go out and trace the scent. They left and we soon started to head out.

'I'm gonna help save you, Gaara. I promise! I know I'm not that strong yet but I will do my best!' I thought to myself with a smile. 'I will help bring you home.'

We headed towards the front entrance to the village. "Wait for us. We'll be your backup." Baki said.

"You will?" Kakashi asked.

"We'll go!" Temari voiced.

Then we heard a voice from above. "Temari, you stay to aid border security. I'll represent the Sand Village myself."

"…But Granny Chiyo?!" Temari began.

"It seems inappropriate for…" Baki tried to say but Chiyo interrupted.

"Don't treat me like a fossil!" Chiyo jumped off the room and down between us. Everyone was shocked that she could jump.

"It's been a while since I've taken care of my adorable grandchild."

After she stood back up, I spoke. "Come on, it's to save a Kazekage!"

The main storyline has begun! Review and whatnot!