Tristan76: Danzo and his Anbu move pretty swiftly. It didn't take more than a full 20 hours at top speed just to get into Suna and set up shop, and it's been another few days since that just to scout things out and recover in the process.
He really isn't worried about Sarutobi at present. His concern is Itachi's betrayal down the line and what he learned of Orochimaru's return likewise. Getting a hold of Gaara and subduing his will is only the beginning of Danzo's operations to prevent certain events from coming to play in the years ahead as well as setting himself up to take over Sarutobi's role as Hokage once they do return to Konoha.
On the note of a ruckus: Sunagakure's people don't even try to stop someone from killing Gaara, and his father actually hire's the people who keep on going at it. Why would they bother trying to stop him from being stolen? The people of the village would be thrilled to be rid of him. Now any ANBU or Jounin of Suna might have a thing or two to say if they happened to catch sight of the kidnapping, but in all probability they would likely expect the Shukaku to finish off anyone stupid enough to try it before the situation got too far out of hand.
Lord of Murder: Heh. We'll just have to see how that plays out.
thechickenlittle: We'll see indeed, especially with his tailed beast active :)
Cueil: I wasn't expecting Kushina to crop up at all so that kind of put a wrench into my original point of time, which was supposed to be not long after defeating the Kyuubi but preparing to try and stop Madara and his Moons Eye plan- so anywhere from three to six months more or less.
But now we know she shows up so I have to either change that time-frame or alter the sequence of events that would have led to her showing up in the mind-scape. Either could create problems with chapters already in place. For the moment until we know more of how the conclusion to the battle will turn out I'm going to try and keep any reference to Kushina under wraps.
It should also be noted however that the Past Kyuubi at this point did not enter into the same battle of wills with Future Naruto when he showed up. It sensed his strength and they came to a loose agreement after much talk- but it can and still wants to take over and break free. It already threatened him with that back against Danzo for taking so long.
Yumetaka Kourui: Thank you. I didn't mean for the update to take this long to be posted but I haven't had the same amount of time lately as I did when I first started writing the story.
Thank you all.
Rage is an emotion rarely given into on more than simply an impulse, and yet Gaara had never before felt it flow through his blood more clearly or painfully hot then at that moment, not even through all the attempts against his life or the resultant reactions from his father following them.
It was always a small burning flame of anger hardly kindled and usually angled more toward guilty confusion and misunderstanding of his situation. Now, with the Shukaku awoken to his conscious thought and dwelling just beneath the surface that tiny flame erupted into a blaze of fury directed at a man hoping to kill him yet again- and it was not fully his own.
The rocky outcropping housing the small Root base shuddered violently as several pieces broke and fell to the ground in a rapid decay toward sand. Danzo's good eye widened as he glanced around and drew out a single kunai in a blur of motion so that between one instant and another it was slammed harshly against the jinchuriki's throat.
"One move, beast, and I kill him." Danzo threatened in a decidingly quiet and hard tone of voice. Pale blue faded to black and yellow as Gaara's mouth moved independently of his will and a malicious laugh escaped from his throat despite the action pressing the blade tighter against it with each motion. A thin slash was left in the surface of his skin.
A moment later and the momentarily silent and still sands swirled back to life and soared at Danzo's head. The shinobi slashed across the childs throat and grimaced as sand burst from the boy's very skin- a thin layer held together by chakra just over the real surface of flesh even in the water around him- and tore the blade from his grip.
Both releasing the childs hair and ducking to the side and rolling away Danzo drew in a deep lungful of air and brought his hands together before himself in mid-motion. A moment later and the rocky floor before the small pool of water cracked with another violent shudder as further rock was now driven upward and dissolved, mixing in with the previous amount in the air.
At the same time Gaara sank beneath the surface of the pool as Danzo released his head and the anger for a moment was displaced by panic again when nothing responded to his command. I've already unbound his pathetic Dojutsu and taken control of your body in it's place, just as you agreed upon earlier. the Shukaku's voice informed him in an undeniably satisfied tone beneath the malice it contained.
Water drained quickly into the fissure. Danzo growled to himself at how quickly things were falling out of his control in the cramped space around him and exhaled in several directions with the Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves.
Rents tore through the blockade of sand as it rushed thickly toward him again and the elder shinobi forced his way through it with a modification to Wind Release: Stream, spinning his body around sharply. Emerging closer to the exit again as grains embedded in his clothing were thrown free, Danzo turned back toward the jinchuriki with frustration displayed on his face.
This is falling far short of my expectations. he thought. He was forced to repel another assault with another of his Wind Release techniques, Vacuum Wave, and then to his disbelief a small hand reached up and pulled the soaked body free of the hole where the water used to reside. Fury blazed from black and yellow deformed irises as the mouth split into a wide if demented grin.
"What exactly do you think you are doing here, Guy?" Kakashi asked him in an annoyed tone at the end of the hallway. The other Jounin shrugged and slipped free of his grip and looked back toward where his new disciple was hesitating at the doorway.
"Well. Looks like the little guy's still not ready. No matter! I shall help him grow out of his shell... or do another two hundred laps around Konoha!" Guy swore almost to himself more so than Kakashi. Said one-eyed Jounin rolled that eye toward the ceiling in dismay and turned to face Guy again.
"Don't tell me that you've-" he began to say. Grinning fiercely his eternal rival rotated and pointed down the hall sharply toward where the small boy had just strode inside and bowed.
"Indeed I have, Sharingan Hatake! Lee-san too bares my Flames of Youth- if only embers at this point in time! I will kindle that flame and stroke the embers until a veritable firestorm reigns down upon him from within!" the smile was so bright Kakashi could almost swear Guy was using a genjutsu on him.
"Alright, alright! Calm down." he stated. A moment later and the new boy came running down the hall toward them and screeched to a stop slightly beside and behind his new master. He looked terribly embarrassed. "... May I inquire as to what you just said to my apprentice?" Kakashi asked.
The other boy looked up at him and gave a start of panic. Why's it always this way whenever I'm around kids? Seriously? One look at me and they go nuts! the Jounin thought in dismay as he looked back to the other shinobi.
Placing a hand to Rock Lee's shoulder in a calming motion Guy explained their point in coming here. "A healthy eternal rivalry-" and here Kakashi groaned slowly as if in true physical pain at hearing those words, "begins at a youthful age! As I am to you, so shall Lee-kun be to Sasuke-san." both Jounin finished on different notes, one in pride and the other dismay.
"... We'll discuss this 'genius' idea of yours later, Guy." with a partially disturbed expression on what was revealed of his face he stepped around the duo. "Goodbye, Lee-san." he added to the small academy student as he passed.
"Well! That could have fared better, but nevertheless my student! You did well in your opening speech to your eternal rival, but I sense much could still be done to refine your next greeting! Let us go, Lee-kun, and start your next preparations!" with startling excitement flowing from every word he said, the shinobi smiled brightly at his apprentice and waited for a slightly weaker smile in return before striding toward the exit.
Lee followed after a brief glance back to see the other two seemingly in argument over something. A moment later and he hurried after his new master in a swirl of confusion.
Making their way inward wasn't a problem. It actually felt kind of refreshing at his bodies current age to not be oppressed so sharply by everyone they passed on the sandy streets. What wasn't pleasant was the trail of blood and the disturbance leading right toward the very entrance that he and Yamato-taicho emerged out of.
As far as he could tell someone had either made one hell of a stir trying to escape from Gaara and the boy had completely annihilated all traces of the victim, or something just as ominous may have occurred to him instead.
No, nothing went that badly to Gaara... did it? He never mentioned anyone ever kidnapping him from the village before. Then again... maybe old man Hokage was onto something after all. Maybe something has happened to him now? he thought with a hint of concern forming.
A low rumble from within his mind and a moment later he found himself sniffing at the air, at the scent of the blood. Yamato stopped and stared at him and that clued the boy in over what he was doing. With an embarrassed look he stated with a flat surety "It's not Gaara's. Stupid fox must have decided to lend me a bit of it's senses."
You going to start behaving again? he sent toward where it dwelt. His sense of smell suddenly amplified so sharply that even half a dozen feet away it smelt like he was literally standing in a blood bath. That, however, was not all.
A moment later an image floated back to the surface of Naruto in Sage Mode and hogtied on a silver platter baring an apple stuffed into his mouth and the Kyuubi holding a knife and fork over his squirming, slightly roasted-yet-clearly-conscious form.
Naruto gagged violently at the double-teaming. BLEH! Stop that! he shot back at it as he turned from the trail and backpedaled back toward Yamato. A long and low snicker answered him.
Yamato placed a hand to his shoulder in question at Naruto's slightly widened-eyed, nauseated look. After another few seconds the scent died away and he was able to purge the image from his mind. "Urgh... I'm fine, Yamato-taicho. Remind me not to tempt the fox again." he responded.
'Are you sure?' a wooden sheet read a few seconds later.
"Yeah... thank you." looking at the way the others were now staring at them he realized he must have made some kind of embarrassing noise as he reeled back from the fox's retaliation to his attitude.
Shaking his head Naruto decided to just ignore them and instead said what he thought may have happened before they arrived concerning Gaara. Yamato did not answer him for several seconds in consideration.
'I'll scout ahead and report back in ten minutes. You stay here and don't make any more trouble.' his answer read out after a few more moments. Naruto nodded his head reluctantly after a reminder of Yamato's death-look crushed any notion of disagreeing.
Before much longer had passed a low rumble shook the area. What the hell was that? Naruto thought as he pushed up off the wall he had been leaning on and looked around. Based on the confused staring of the villagers no one else had a clue either.
The next two were a little less violent and came shortly after the original. Yamato trotted back fairly sooner than expected with his hands already performing hand-seals. 'Somethings happening to the wall... I don't know what and I don't know if I can do anything to find out without some crack to take advantage of.' his sheet read out.
Neither yet noticed how many people were gathered around the same location they were with looks of mingled interest and mild irritation. Root was stuck outside in the sands as their leader was left to deal with the jinchuriki within, and all because of the very same problem that had made them abandon Kohoha's base.
A blade of wind chakra cut through the pillar of sand attempting to wrap around his body and Danzo reached out and wrapped a hand into the jinchuriki's shirt, drawing the boy forward. Sand exploded into motion all around him as wood spread from the right palm and sank into the boys flesh tightly.
"Kill me, and you will die as well, Shukaku. Shodai Hokage's blood flows in my veins; and so too does his Wood Release with it." blood rained down Danzo's forehead in several small locations where grains had cut into his flesh, and his lower body was slightly worse for wear from similar wounds.
But the greatest of difference was the destruction of the metal binding around his right arm. He had not yet had the chance to fully integrate the maximum ten Sharingan within it, baring only three at present, but Orochimaru had held true to their deal of instilling within him Hashirama's cells just as he had to Yamato so long ago.
It was unfortunate that out of all of the Uchiha murdered the night of the massacre that Itachi had destroyed every one of their eyes in the process. A payback, in all likelihood if not insurance against the very thing Danzo had planned to do later on.
Regardless it left him unable to harvest any more Sharingan until far later, and he was much loath to use any of the too few he currently had except for under dire straits. In his grasp with the pain of wood flowing outward tightly Gaara's eyes faded from the supernatural hatred of the Shukaku to the pale blue, frightened and angry look of a small child.
The sand in the air collapsed to the ground. Keeping his guard up Danzo backed toward the entrance and lightly aimed his blade between the childs eyes. "A wise move, beast." he stated flatly. "Now swear your loyalty to myself. You can not escape from this so easily as you would from water." he added.
Gaara pursed his lips in defiance. "Now." Danzo ordered as chest to ankle was wrapped within a tight wooden coffin. "... I..." the Shukaku's voice forced it's way passed Gaara's lips. Danzo narrowed his visible eye at him and increased the pressure of the binding. A dark grin again appeared in place on the boy's face.
"... will..." it continued just as slowly. "NOW!" Danzo roared. "... never." finishing in a low snarl the wall to Danzo's right imploded at arm level. The deafening boom and rush of rock and sand knocked the man sideways and his grip of the extended kunai faltered. The weapon clattered to the ground as thick stone crashed down around the two of them.
"... You have to be joking." Sasuke stated with as much disdain as he could muster. Kakashi shook his head grimly. "You'll never be free of him now. Guy won't stop until you two are sparring every day of the week and running laps around Kohoha together." the Jounin shuddered sharply at old memories of his youth rising to the surface.
Going silent at that Sasuke considered what it would be like to have someone his age and possibly skilled, unlike the other academy students he had to deal with before, to train against. I might just be able to grow stronger. he thought. Even still... eternal rival? That's more like something that orange idiot would have come up with!
With a sigh Kakashi looked at him. "Try not to think about it. It should be months before you have to even consider seeing either of them again on a regular basis." he told the last Uchiha. But one Guy realizes what kind of training I have in store for you, that previous assumption is going to come true.
The rock before them imploded inward in several places with a terrible grating. "!" Several of the villagers around them rushed forward at speed belying their simplistic clothing. Yamato stared and gave a start as he recognized the features of one of them from their time in Root.
A moment later and he thrust Naruto back into the valley they had emerged from and threw a hastily summoned sheet of wood after the boy before concentrating as he threw himself into the mix.
"Ow!" rubbing the back of his head from where it had hit the wall Naruto snatched up the sheet and read quickly. 'ROOT! Danzo!' the small block of wood said. 'STAY!' was underlined severely beneath that. Aw, hell. he thought. Closing his eyes to concentrate Naruto gathered as much natural energy as he could. This isn't going to end well.
Pillars of wood exploded from the ground around the cavern as two different Root members engaged the traitor Yamato in combat, while the rest shot forward to assist their leader against the out of control jinchuriki.
Yamato destroyed several of the incoming shuriken with precisely aimed narrow staffs of wood and raised his left arm and the thickly knotted shield he had formed there to halt another two kunai from killing him.
Flame descended on him and Yamato braced himself before forging through it shield-first, his fingers never ceasing their motions as a blockade formed several feet ahead and blocked them from advancing any further into the cavern- as well as keeping anyone on the other side from slipping past him.
In a moment of distraction as sweat dripped off his hair and into his face one of them managed to slam an exploding-note kunai to his vest. ! tearing his face away from that position he was knocked off his feet by the power of the move and left dazed on the ground.
The same flame attack from before descended on his body and engulfed it just before two wet splats filtered through the air and a loud bang followed. Panting from the Kawarimi no Jutsu or Body Replacement Technique performed at the last second, followed by calling up and slamming two slabs of thick wood against the Root members trying to kill him, Yamato wiped his brow and leaned against his blockade for a few moments to rest.
Screams filled the air as sand swirled and formed more than just shapeless blobs, becoming assorted weaponry and striking at any exposed vital point on the weaklings flooding into the area around them.
Gaara had no choice in the matter. His deal with the Shukaku left the One-tailed Beast in control. It's gathering mass had filtered through the wood and cracked it wide open in order to free his body. Now he was dancing back and forth with Sand Body Flicker to avoid Danzo's Wind Release attacks and striking back as oft as naught.
"Not nearly as powerful within my domain, are you maggot?" Shukaku's voice growled at him. Danzo grunted and put a fair distance between them as he performed a different set of hand-seals entirely. It sickened him to have to call forth his summons but there was simply too much available sand for his enemy to work with here.
Utilizing the blood already flowing around his form he called it forth and stepped back even further. The large Baku appeared and loomed over the jinchuriki before it. "!" startled by the appearance of the creature the Shukaku hesitated a fraction of a moment.
The Baku trumpeted at him and thrust open it's jaws to begin sucking up every trace of sand in the area. "You think you can stop the One-tailed Beast so easily? Foolish chimera, your-" exactly what it was going to say was cut off with a wide-eyed look at a sudden realization.
The tornado-like effect swirling around the Baku's throat and stomach-lining kept the gathered sand trapped in place. In moments there was none of it left around them within the cavern save that wrapped about Gaara's body and even that was torn free before the Shukaku could try and stop it.
Grasping the stone table emerging from the wall and floor to avoid being drawn into it's mouth as well it snarled at him. Danzo slowly stepped around it's side while keeping away from the suction-point. "... We remain at stalemate. No weapon I devise can slip free of the Baku's mouth. No sand of yours can be gathered while it breaths. Oh... there is this." pausing in thought for a moment Danzo turned to his summons and ordered it forward.
Once again he was taken by surprise as the wood filling in the entrance created by the Shukaku earlier dissolved and a small sphere of energy flew from it directly into the Baku's line of suction.
That can't be... recognizing the orb and the chaotic swirl of energy within he shouted too late to do anything about it. The Rasengan exploded within the Baku's stomach and tore it apart, spraying the area with sand. Gaara's body turned toward the unexpected opening as a yellow haired, yellow-eyed orange suited boy stepped through with pupils nearly as distracting as the Shukaku's own.
"You don't have to keep fighting by yourself anymore, Gaara. I can help you. What do you want?" the strange boy called over to him without taking his eyes from the stilled Danzo. The Shukaku laughed at his arrogance. "I'll just kill you both." it stated as the sands swirled to life again.
End Chapter Nine.