Chapter 12
Naruto glanced up and down the hall, flashing a reassuring smile to the guards before closing the door of the Kazekage's office. He paused with his hand still on the handle, studying the wood grain of the door. The creaking of springs indicated that Gaara had made his way over to his chair. Naruto turned, studying his old friend through narrowed eyes.
"The atmosphere around here is terrible." He said in a low voice, so that the shinobi outside the door wouldn't hear. "What the fuck is going on, Gaara?"
Gaara didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned so that his chair was angled towards the windows, the bright desert sunlight gleaming in his blood-red hair. The sandy streets of Sunagakure stretched out beyond the windows, the outlines of the buildings hazy in the heat.
"When we first met as mere children," Gaara said, his whisper-like voice barely carrying across the room, "I would have never guessed that our fates would be so intricately entwined."
Naruto sighed, smiling sadly. He crossed the room, coming to stand before the windows. He slowly rerolled the sleeves of his undershirt before crossing his tanned forearms over his chest. The blond remained silent, his eyes mapping out the streets of the Sand Village while he waited for Gaara to continue.
"I don't think either of us would have believed how complicated the future would become, if we had been informed at that time."
The Kazekage's eyelids drifted low over his ghostly-pale eyes, feeling nostalgic as he recalled the dangerous battle against his fellow Jinchuuriki. It was a day he would never forget: it had changed his life completely. Back then, when they had shared their hopes for the future as a pair of mere children, life was considerably easier than it was now.
Gaara sighed inwardly, his chest aching as he opened his eyes. He took in Naruto's proud profile, his hair shining like gold in the sunlight. Almost in the blink of an eye, it seemed, Naruto had become not only a fine shinobi, but a fine young man as well.
"You're different." The Kazekage said suddenly.
The comment was random enough to make Naruto turn, his eyes wide with confusion as he returned Gaara's unyielding gaze. Finally he blushed, averting his eyes. "Kakashi-sensei says that my dad's personality is coming through as I get older." He said.
The red-head smiled, shaking his head. "That's not what I meant. Even since the last time I saw you, it seems as if you have changed. Perhaps I am only feeling sentimental. Or perhaps it is because Sasuke-kun has finally returned to you?"
Gaara glanced up when his comment was met with heavy silence. Naruto's eyes were distant, unreadable. After an awkward pause, the Jinchuuriki reached into one of the pockets of his vest, procuring a tightly sealed scroll.
"You're pretty talkative today, Gaara." Naruto said with a small smile, passing the scroll over.
The Kazekage accepted the offered document with a nod, recognizing the unspoken request to drop the subject. Having relieved himself of the scroll, Naruto stretched grandly, walking over to deposit himself onto one of the green couches. He tucked his hands behind his head, putting his feet up on the table and crossing them. Naruto gestured towards the scroll in Gaara's slender hands with his chin.
"That's the reason I was sent here in the first place," He said gruffly, his eyes drifting shut as his head settled back. "I don't suppose the name 'Kou' rings a bell?"
Frowning, Gaara undid the seal on the scroll. His aqua-tinged eyes scanned across the information quickly. He glanced up at the blond when the writing changed from Sai's artistic scrawl to Sasuke's clear, flowing handwriting.
"Sasuke reviewed this information?" The Kazekage clarified, rereading the section that Sasuke had written. He glanced up as Naruto inclined his head.
"That's good." Gaara said, rerolling the scroll and tucking it into one of his desk drawers. "I value his input in situations such as these. He is not only an experienced shinobi, but he also has the insight of an Uchiha on all things involving illusion."
Naruto's eyelids slid open, one bright eye casting itself upon the Kazekage. For some reason, Gaara felt nervous under that look, though he couldn't place the reason for his discomfort. Instead, he laced his fingers together, placing his chin on them.
"However, this news is indeed troubling." He said, allowing his eyes to drift shut as he focused on his thoughts. "I am quite young, so I have never heard of the Kou Clan. But, based on this information, it is reasonable to assume that they are behind the disappearances in this area. If they have an important role in the rising rebel factions as well, then it seems quite clear what the course of action must be."
Naruto sighed heavily, finally tearing his gaze away from the Kazekage. "Yeah, it seems pretty black and white at this point." He grumbled. "I really wish I could talk to one of them to find out what the hell they're trying to do. The one guy I spoke to who claimed to be one of the Kou was a total nut. He even made Kurama uncomfortable."
Gaara nodded slowly, his unfathomably deep eyes marking Naruto's body language. "Yes, I read the report you sent to me thoroughly. I agree with your suspicions that Miyagi Kou was nothing more than a pawn used by a clever strategist. My assumption is that the true leader behind these rebel groups is using the erratic behaviours and beliefs of those they command to their advantage, encouraging them to act on their impulses. I am willing to bet that every 'leader' you capture would claim that they are fighting for a different cause."
Naruto hummed thoughtfully as he straightened up, angling his body towards Gaara. He frowned, his eyes heavy with the weight of the situation. "Well, I've passed on the information. You can do whatever you want with it, but Tsunade's sending out a team to inspect the area where most of the disappearances have occurred. Now, Gaara, tell me what's going on here."
The ache in Gaara's chest doubled. He frowned deeply, turning away from his friend. It took him a while to find his voice, but when he did it came out choked and pained. "As soon as those rebelling factions started appearing, I knew it would only be a matter of time before one appeared in my country. But now that it's actually happened, I find myself shocked beyond belief. The Elders and my high-ranking officers are all pushing for action to be taken, but on this matter I find myself unable to reach a decision. I need your help, Naruto."
"Woah, Gaara, take it easy buddy." Naruto said, rising to his feet as concern flashed in his eyes. "Just tell me the details."
The Kazekage clenched his fists, nodding. "The group has taken over our north-eastern outpost, killing all the personnel who were stationed there at the time. They are using it as a base to carry out raids on the Bird and River countries. I have attempted to contact them several times, to establish some form of communication, but there has been no response to any of the messages."
He turned his eyes towards Naruto, his gaze determined and unyielding as he continued. "I can no longer sit and do nothing, as that outpost is a critical point in the supply route to my village. The people will suffer if I am idle for much longer. And yet, I cannot ask my shinobi to kill their fellow countrymen. Not after they have lived through a war that was supposed to bring them peace."
Naruto rubbed his head. "Alright, I hear you, you know." He said. "Man, I knew something was up, but I didn't realize it was this bad."
Gaara nodded, his mouth turned sharply downwards. "I am sorry to ask this of you. You are meant to be a symbol of peace, and yet I am boldly requesting your assistance in what can only be called an extermination."
"Geez, calm down for a second Gaara." Naruto muttered, falling back onto the couch heavily. "If I let this sort of thing happen, I wouldn't really be maintaining peace anyways, so don't worry about it. This is my job, you know?"
He tightened his headband habitually. "So you know their location, that's good. Do you have any idea how many of them there are?"
"We have no idea of the exact numbers." Gaara responded, his shoulders tense. "Most of the scouts I have sent out have not returned. The estimated numbers are anywhere from one hundred to two hundred. It is difficult to say for sure, because it seems that they come and go frequently."
Naruto smiled grimly, resting his hand over his stomach. Gaara followed the motion, noting that Naruto's fingers tightened over the spiralling seal on his abdomen. "A few hundred is nothing." He said, his rough voice echoing in the room. "Between the two of us, we should be able to take care of them in one night."
After a moment of silence, Gaara stood up. "Naruto, thank y-"
"I know exactly how you feel." Naruto said, cutting him off as he too rose to his feet. "But now that I'm here, we shouldn't waste any more time."
Gaara's cold eyes warmed as he smiled. "I suppose not." He said, making his way over to the large gourd that held his protective sand. "I had wondered if you would want to rest before heading out, but in hindsight it seems obvious that you would want to go immediately."
He hoisted the familiar weight of the gourd onto his back before crossing the room, standing beside Naruto. Gaara glanced up at the tall blond, feeling reassured by the confidence in his eyes. "I'll leave my siblings in charge while we're gone." Gaara said as he led the way to the door. "I'm not as fast as you, so it will take us at least a full day to get there. I have a few things to take care of before we set out, but we should be gone within the hour."
The guards jumped to attention as the door was pulled open suddenly. They bowed low as the two legendary shinobi passed them, their flapping red cloaks adding unnecessary drama to their already overwhelming presence. The guards straightened up sharply when Naruto laughed, his honey-rich voice echoing in the silent hallway.
"In that case," He said as he flashed thumbs-up at the Kazekage. "While I wait, I think I'll go and get some ramen!"
Sasuke glanced up at the sudden knock on the door. He frowned at both the unexpected intrusion and interruption from the book he was reading. Sasuke glanced over at Naruto's clone. He was exactly where he had been since yesterday: meditating quietly on the back porch. The dark haired ninja sighed as he placed the book on the table, marking the page carefully. Naruto had assured him that the only two people other than themselves who could enter the grounds were Kakashi-sensei and Shikamaru.
Sasuke hoped it was the latter of the two as he padded quietly down the hallway, calling for the visitor to come in as he went. The door opened silently as he arrived at the entryway, a dark and spiky ponytail entering before the rest of the body.
"Sorry for the intrusion." Shikamaru muttered as he kicked the snow off his sandals.
Leaning against the wall, Sasuke crossed his arms. "Welcome." He said, raking his eyes over the strategist. "Looks like you've managed to sleep since the last time we saw you."
"Yeah," Shikamaru said, slipping beneath an expressionless mask. "Thanks for your help with that Kou stuff."
Sasuke nodded once, and then silence fell between them. After it had stretched out for an awkward period of time, Sasuke cocked an eyebrow questioningly. "If you've come to talk to Naruto, he's not here. You'll have to make do with a clone."
Shikamaru glanced past Sasuke, seeing the still figure of the Sage on the back porch. He sighed loudly, rubbing the back of his neck in irritation. "Okay, firstly, tell him not to meditate in the house. The floorboards will start sprouting. It'll be like a national forest in here before long. And secondly, I know that Naruto left. That's why I came here now."
A pair of charcoal-black eyes flashed as Sasuke's stance shifted slightly. "Want to come in?"
"No." Shikamaru said firmly. "Here is fine."
Sasuke watched quietly as Shikamaru collected his thoughts, his nervousness almost palpable in the silence. Finally, Shikamaru looked up, his sharply intelligent eyes unwavering. "Since I came here to be completely honest, I'll start by saying that the only reason I'm saying this to you now is because you have no chakra. I'm still a coward, but I'm a smart coward. That's why I chose to come when Naruto was away as well, because I know he wouldn't want me talking to you like this."
Smirking, Sasuke squared his shoulders defensively. "Alright, Nara," He said, his voice coming out more confidently than he expected. "Since this is your only chance, speak your mind."
Shikamaru accepted the invitation with a nod. "I don't consider myself best friends with Naruto or anything, but he's definitely an important comrade to me. My role in this village is to protect the future generations, and that's why I'll fully support Naruto as the future of Konoha. I admire him so much; it's actually a little embarrassing. I trust in his strength and in his determination. And that is why I vowed, way back when you first left Konoha, that I would never forgive you for what you did to him."
His head jerking back, Sasuke's eyes widened at the unexpected ferocity in Shikamaru's voice. He felt his chest aching as he fought to keep his face expressionless.
"You have no idea what it's been like," Shikamaru continued, his emotionless mask cracking as the pain of memory crept into his eyes. "To stand by him as a friend and watch him trying so damn hard to act like he's okay. But ever since you waltzed out of here, he's been in pain. He and Sakura both - I don't think there's been a day where they haven't thought of you and been in pain because of it. And yet, they were hell-bent on dragging your proud Uchiha ass back here. The burden they placed on themselves was sick and unfair."
Sasuke realized that he was holding his breath as he fought to keep his fingers from shaking. He had known, or rather, suspected all this already, but hearing the truth out loud was more painful than Sasuke could have imagined. Naruto's tired eyes flashed in his memory, chasing a frown onto his face.
"Even when you finally came back, even during the trial, I still clung to the childish belief that you didn't deserve forgiveness. Not from the members of your old team, and especially not from Naruto." Shikamaru muttered. He glanced over at Sasuke, shocking him when his pained frown suddenly softened. "And yet, now that you're here, Naruto is the calmest I've ever seen him. Before, when you watched him, you could always tell that he was a little lost. Even when he became the village hero, his mind was always somewhere else and he didn't seem to connect to where he was. We were actually getting worried about him after the war ended. He kept disappearing and wouldn't even talk to Sakura about what was going on with him."
Shikamaru shoved his hands into his pockets. "I think that, now that you're here, Naruto finally feels like he has a place to return to. He's never known what it's like to have a home, or someone waiting for him there. Even if he loves Konoha, it's not the same. Now that he finally has somewhere to call home, it seems that a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders."
He glanced up when Sasuke's arms fell to his side limply, his mouth slack as he stared. Shikamaru laughed nervously. "So, I guess what I'm saying is, thanks for making my job easier and for making Naruto happy. And, I'm also willing to forgive you, as long as you promise me something."
Not trusting his voice, Sasuke nodded slowly. Shikamaru smiled. "Promise that you won't hurt Naruto like that again. Don't ever leave his side again. If you do, I swear, I will do everything in my power to take you out."
After a long pause, Sasuke swallowed loudly. Much to Shikamaru's surprise, Sasuke smiled. It wasn't his usual cold smirk, but a soft and sad quirk of his lips.
"You don't have to worry about that." Sasuke said gently, the thick fan of his lashes hiding whatever emotion passed over his eyes. "I don't have the strength or the will to leave him again."
Shikamaru laughed with relief. "That's good. Things could have gotten really troublesome of you'd said anything else in this situation."
Sasuke nodded, glancing over his shoulder at the blond clone. A blue jay had landed on his shoulder, grooming its bright wings. Sasuke smiled, turning back to the lazy genius. "If you're still feeling brave, why don't you come in for a while? I suspect that we have a shogi board in here somewhere."
After blinking in shock several times, Shikamaru smirked. "Ah, I wish I could accept the offer, but even when Naruto isn't here I still have a ton of troublesome work to do. It's a drag, but if I slack off I won't be of much use to that knuckle head. But if I ever have any free time, I'll keep your offer in mind."
"Sure." Sasuke agreed with a nod.
"Well then, I'll be off." Shikamaru said, sliding back out the door as silently and suddenly as he had entered.
Sasuke's smile faded. His knee's buckled as he slid down the wall, his breath rushing out in a heavy sigh. He glanced back at the motionless clone, his chest tightening as the weight of his guilt threatened to crush his ribcage.
After what seemed like hours, Sasuke managed to regain his composure. He pushed himself back to his feet, making his way back down the hallway. Crossing his arms against the cold air, he stepped out onto the porch. The blond clone didn't stir as Sasuke sat down beside him. He gave off the same ominously watchful vibe as the carvings of deities that lined the mountain paths leading to temples. Sasuke leaned towards him, seeking his warmth against the chill of the winter winds.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Sasuke asked, his voice lacking any real accusation.
Naruto finally slipped his eyes open for the first time since yesterday, the yellow irises bright under orange eyelids. He pondered the question for a moment, not sure whether Sasuke was talking about Shikamaru, or the things Shikamaru had said about him.
His eyes wandered over the snow covered, sleeping garden. "Sometimes you just don't need to say anything, you know?" He eventually replied, a smile in his voice. "I think you knew well enough what I was feeling, even without me telling you."
"Yeah." Sasuke agreed in a low voice. "I knew you could hear everything Shikamaru was saying. I'm surprised you didn't speak up. It was a little uncharacteristic of you."
The blond laughed softly. "I can't protect you from the opinions of your comrades." He said, looking over at Sasuke. "Everyone is going to say something different to you, and you'll just have to patiently listen and deal with it however you think is best. Don't expect them to forgive you, but be happy when they do. It's hard for the people who were left behind to move on, you know. So let them get their anger off their chest."
After processing this for a minute, Sasuke returned Naruto's yellow gaze. "What about you?" He asked. "Don't you have anything you need to get off your chest?"
His only response was a sad smile. Naruto slipped his eyes shut as he turned away, resuming his meditation. Sasuke frowned, not liking being ignored. But he dropped the issue, knowing that in his current state he couldn't handle anything that Naruto might have said to him. Eventually, he changed his position, so that he was leaning against Naruto's strong back with his toes pointed towards the warm interior of the house.
Sasuke allowed his head to drop back onto Naruto's shoulder, his eyes closing as he drifted into his thoughts.
"Never again." He vowed silently. "I swear, Naruto. Never, ever again."
"This is ridiculous." Gaara said, his arms folded over his chest.
He stood with a group of his commanding officers, sharing in their expressions of shocked disbelief as they watched Naruto attempting to detach himself from what could only be described as a hoard of excitable females. His blond head bobbed above them, his usually booming voice not carrying over the din of female voices. He glanced over at the Kazekage, the plea for help obvious in his eyes. Gaara blinked slowly in response, too amused with the situation to do anything else.
"It's like he's a celebrity." One of the Jounin said as he rubbed his head. "I'm actually a little jealous."
"Well, he kind of is a celebrity." His friend responded, laughing. "He's famous, at any rate. Man, he's gotta be one of the most eligible bachelors in the ninja world!"
Gaara sighed, turning away from the scene as he said, "Let's go, Naruto."
The Jounin officers jumped in surprise as Naruto appeared beside him, grumbling as he straightened his clothing. As the confused voices of Naruto's fans rose in a crescendo of disappointment, Gaara glanced over to his shinobi.
"Well then, we're off."
The pair vanished in a rush of sand, taking to the rooftops. Within minutes they were jumping over the northern wall, hitting the desert hard. Naruto allowed the Kazekage to lead, letting him set the pace.
"You concentrate on where we're going." Naruto said as his eyes yellowed, bright orange marking appearing on his eyelids. "I'll take care of the surveillance."
Gaara glanced over his shoulder with a nod before refocusing on the horizon, trusting Naruto's chakra-tracing ability to protect them from surprise attacks. After a while, he smiled, slowing until he was running directly beside the blond. Naruto looked at him questioningly.
"So, it seems that those groups of fans still cluster wherever you go." Gaara said teasingly.
"Ah man, don't even start." Naruto responded, blushing. "Everyone back in Konoha gives me a hard enough time about it. Especially Sakura – she hates it."
Gaara smiled as he pictured Sakura's face, completely sympathising with her irritation.
Naruto continued, his voice a low grumble. "I mean, it's nice to know I'm appreciated or whatever, but do they really have to scream?"
Much to Naruto's surprise, the Kazekage laughed. "When we return to Sunagakure, be sure to ask Temari her opinion on what she has dubbed my 'fan club'."
Yellow eyes popped wide in disbelief. "Woah, no way Gaara! You're still that popular with the kunoichi, huh?"
"Naturally." Gaara replied, settling into the rhythm of their banter.
Naruto's booming laugh echoed over the endless sand. "Maybe I should consider shaving off my eyebrows too!"
They continued on in this way as the day wore on into evening, the only landmarks in the vast desert the sign posts that were meant to direct the supply trains. As the sun began to set they abruptly turned east, heading towards the edge of the desert. Eventually, hardy grasses and bushes began to poke up from the warm sand. By the time the sun had gone down, the two had made their way to the border of the desert. With Naruto's reassurance that there was no one around, they made a fire to chase away the dark and the biting chill of the evening air.
Gaara settled beside the dancing flames as he glanced over at the blond. "Shall we go over the plan now?" He asked.
Naruto nodded, sitting on the other side of the fire.
"Alright then," Gaara said, taking a deep breath. "We will continue north along the border from here, sweeping through any groups that have been sent from the base to spy on the bordering countries. Assuming that takes us most of tomorrow, we will attack the outpost in the evening. With any luck, we will be able to take care of all of them in one day."
"Sounds good to me." Naruto said as he leaned back, staring up at the stars. "The faster we can finish this, the better. I don't think either of us can afford to be away from home for long."
They settled into discussing attack patterns and strategy, the night wearing on and the fire slowly dying as they spoke. When they had come to a comfortable silence, Naruto glanced over at the Kazekage shyly.
"Hey, Gaara," He began in a low voice. "Thanks for being so supportive of Sasuke during his trial and whatnot. It was a big help."
Gaara smiled softly. "Of course. I know how important he is to you, and you in turn are extremely important to me. It's only natural. I'm still happy that you two were able to save your relationship, without it turning into something violent."
Naruto simply nodded, not sure what he should say. Gaara saved him the effort of figuring it out, as he inquired politely, "How is Sasuke-kun doing, now that he is out of prison?"
"He's doing alright." Naruto replied. "Well, better, at least. But…"
Naruto smiled shyly, staring into the dying embers of the fire. "Part of me really just wants to hide him away, you know? Not only to protect him, but to make sure that he doesn't disappear again. Every time Sasuke walks into the room, I'm scared that he's going to be someone different than he was when he walked out. It's driving me crazy. And yet, he's so much better now, and it makes me really happy. That's why there's this other side of me that wants to bring him with me everywhere, to show him off and make everyone else see how amazing he is. Either way, I'm probably just being selfish."
Gaara shook his head slowly, looking at his friend with serious eyes. "I don't think that the desire to be close to someone important to you is ever selfish."
"Honestly, I don't think my intentions are as pure as that." Naruto admitted, laughing awkwardly. "The more I think about it, the more I think that as soon as his parole is over, I should just let him go."
Gaara leaned back on the palms of his hands, feeling the familiar sensation of soft sand shifting between his fingers. The night sky above them was completely devoid of clouds; the stars burning brightly in the infinite darkness.
"I am glad that Sasuke has found his way back from the dark." The Kazekage said softly. "I suspect that just like me, he was saved by the light within you. That's why I think that, no matter what your wish for the future may be; Sasuke will surely want to stay by your side. Allow him to make his own choices, Naruto. From what I have seen, it appears that Sasuke has spent his entire life being controlled. You will set yourself apart from everyone else if you allow him to live his life as he pleases."
Naruto was silent. He would not voice his fear that, if he was given the choice, Sasuke would leave him behind. Although he wouldn't admit it, Naruto feared the day when Sasuke was well enough to live without his help.
He glanced up when Gaara continued speaking. "Perhaps I am biased, since I'm your friend, but it's my firm belief that you deserve every happiness in life. Pursue your dreams, Naruto, no matter what they may be."
The stillness of early evening was suddenly disrupted by a flock of birds on the horizon, startled from their roosts and rising quickly in a noisy and confused hoard. Up on the aging stone wall which surrounded the outpost, the sensory-ninja of the team on guard duty straightened up suddenly. The rest of his team glanced over at him curiously before following his gaze towards the south.
"What's the matter, Tetsu-chan?" One of them called. "Can you sense something?"
Tetsuya shook his head, his icy green eyes drifting shut as he focused his attention. "There's definitely some sort of disturbance, but I can't pick up any enemy chakras."
"Isn't that the direction that Arrow's group went?" Their team captain asked, walking over to stand beside the sensory-ninja. "He's famous for his deadly long-range attacks. Even if someone did attack them, there's nothing for us to worry about."
Tetsuya Kou's eyes flashed open suddenly, the colour draining from his cheeks. "Go and inform the leader immediately!" He exclaimed, beads of sweat appearing on his brow. "Two chakras that are easily Kage level just appeared, and they're heading this way quickly!"
"Shit!" The captain cursed, rushing off in the direction of the main building. Another member of the team disappeared into one of the watch towers. Within minutes, the alarm which signified an enemy attack was blaring across the desert, and the base came alive with activity as the members of the faction rushed to their posts.
As soon as everyone had reached their position, an eerie stillness fell over the base, disrupted only by the shrill chiming of the alarm. The rebels waited breathlessly, their eyes scouring the horizon as the sun continued to rapidly set.
Tetsuya glanced over his shoulder as his captain returned, landing on the ancient stones with shaking limbs. "Where's the leader?" The sensory-ninja asked.
The captain shook his head, his face completely drained of colour. "He wasn't there." He responded, his voice quivering. "The commander vanished."
"They're here!" Someone suddenly yelled from down the wall.
The breathless silence which followed was disrupted by a deep and distant rumbling, powerful enough to make the stones beneath their feet vibrate. Before their eyes, a tsunami of sand rose up out the desert like an enormous snake, bearing down on them at a terrifying pace. Without slowing, the wall of sand crashed against the fortress, crushing the ancient stone and the bodies of the ninja on the walls. The sand didn't slow down as it wove its way through the base, the twisting fingers chasing down the fleeing ninja and crushing them ruthlessly.
A pair of sandaled feet landed on the crumbling stone wall, stepping over the strewn bodies. Gaara and Naruto looked down at the scene grimly, their cloaks flapping wildly in the sand-filled currents of air.
"Okay," Naruto said in a tired, hushed voice. "I'm going in."
After weaving a familiar hand sign, two clones burst into life beside him. The three identical, yellow-eyed Sages jumped into the fray, clearing a deadly path through the teams of ninja that banded together to stop him.
Gaara watched the blonds progress from his heightened vantage point, his eyes pinched against the sorrow in his chest. The sound of pained and dying screams reached him as he directed the sand, crushing everything in his path.
Naruto released his clones as he smashed down the heavy wooden doors which lead into the main building of the old fortress. He easily avoided the expected surprise attack that awaited him in the other side of the door, ignoring the explosion of the rigged kunai as they landed behind him. In a flash of movement too fast for the two guards to follow, Naruto appeared between them. He grabbed them each by the throat, slamming them down onto the stone steps with ruthless strength.
As he carved a crimson path up the stairs, Naruto's own voice echoed in his memory. As they had discussed strategy by the fire, a sudden thought had struck the blond.
"What about the Kou?" He had inquired seriously. "Do I kill them as well?"
"It's necessary." Gaara had responded, tilting his head to express his confusion.
Naruto rubbed at the nape of his neck. "No, it's – the thing is that not all of them are real Kou. Some of them are just innocent people that they're possessing."
The Kazekage sighed. "I'm aware of that, but my answer remains the same. According to Sasuke-kun, if the body they are controlling dies while they are still inside of it, than the Kou will also die. I dislike the idea of sacrificing innocents as much as you do, but in this situation we don't have much choice. If we allow the Kou to escape, then they will simply find a new victim."
"I don't like this." Naruto thought as his kunai flashed, blurs of steel cutting off a plea for mercy and causing crimson to bloom on the cold stone floor. "I don't like any of this. None of these guys are strong enough to pose any sort of threat to either Gaara or myself. And yet, here I am massacring them because of those goddamn, mother-fucking Kou."
"Fuck!" Naruto yelled, his frustration tearing out of him in an animalistic growl.
With one final slash of his blades, the fortress fell utterly silent. However, Naruto's pace didn't slow as he stormed through the hallways on silent feet, the fabric of his clothes rustling in the rush of air. He marched towards the doorway that the fallen shinobi had been guarding, bracing himself for the coming confrontation with the leader.
However, when he had smashed down the door and burst into the room beyond, he was met with only silence. His eyes transitioned from yellow to blue as they raked over the empty room, lingering on the desk, where a cup of tea was still steaming.
His job long since completed, Gaara stood with his arms crossed, looking out over the darkening sand. He was just considering going to look for his partner when the sound of light footsteps caught his attention. Naruto was storming towards him, bloodstained and dirty. But it was the expression on his face that captured Gaara's attention.
He looked like an angel, both beautiful and terrifying, furiously dragging himself out of the depths of hell.
Naruto's voice boomed in the silence, seething with barely suppressed rage. "He wasn't even there." He said as he stopped beside the Kazekage. "Their leader ran for it. He left them all here to die."
Gaara didn't say a word. He knew that sort of cowardly abandonment went against every single one of Naruto's moral codes. You never left a comrade behind. It was that simple.
And yet, as the chill of the silent battlefield crept up their backs, the weight of the rebel leader's betrayal slammed down on them. Gaara wondered if the dead felt as much disgust towards their leader as he did. The stars blinked above them as the temperature plummeted.
Naruto inhaled deeply.
"Let's go." He muttered. "I want to go home."