Hey! I was really happy with how many people reviewed and favorited the last story. Thanks guys! Anyways, here's Chapter 3. I want to double the number of reviews by the time I post chapter 4, which would be really easy to do, but I'll post it sometime in the next two days or so either way.
Disclaimer : I don't own Naruto, and it's probably for the best. Otherwise Gaara would be with Sakura, Shikamaru would be with Temari, Tenten with Neji, Hinata with Naruto, Sasuke would be dead by now cause he's a crazy who needs to be killed already (Don't hurt me, Sasuke lovers! D:) Sakura would be way more of a badass than she is in the manga/anime, and Kabuto would be skinned and turned into a sofa. (They do that, you know. They'll take real snake skin and make all sorts of stuff out of it. You name it, and they've probably done it.) ... Oh, and Anko would be brought in more often doing totally epic and badass things while shouting 'Arriving!' everytime she comes in.
I was standing on a mesa just outside of Suna, leaning against the railing and watching the sunset. My arms were folded against the warm railing, and my green eyes were focused on the beautiful pink and orange lights that filtered down around me. "Sakura." Gaara's voice spoke from behind me, and I smiled softly at his voice.
"You wanted me to meet you here?" I asked without turning around.
"Yes, I did… I was in my office today when I came across something of interest." Gaara said, and I realized how cold his voice was. I narrowed my eyes worriedly, his heartless tone chilling my spine. "I never knew that you only got close to me so you could kill me." Gaara said, and I felt his stare burning my suddenly tensed back. I froze, not even trying to open my mouth to explain. "My father died and I became Kazekage… But throughout all this, you continued to get closer to me. You continued to follow his orders." He said icily, his tone demanding an explanation. It hit me that it had it all wrong, that he didn't realize that wasn't the case at all… but I made no move to convince him otherwise.
"That means that you were plotting the death of a Kage." He concluded angrily, and I was briefly relieved. He was angry instead of that heartless way he spoke moments ago. It made me hope this wouldn't set him back on his path of chaos. "You should be put to death." He stated, his voice colder again. I heard him take a step closer. "However, I won't have an execution be the first thing I do as Kazekage."
"You are hereby exiled from Sunagakure, and the Land of Wind. You have twenty-four hours to leave this country. If you try to enter Sunagakure anytime during or after those twenty-four hours, you will be killed on sight." He concluded coldly, and I made no move. Exiled?, I thought. Where would I go? Being a shinobi had been my whole life. I'd never left the Land of Wind except for a few missions and the Chuunin exam. I didn't know anyone anywhere else. How would I make a living? Where would I make a living?
"Go!" Gaara spat, obviously angry that I wasn't following his order. Still in shock, I didn't move, so he used force. I felt something slam into my back, and suddenly I was flying through the air, swiftly approaching the sandy ground many yards below. I didn't even try to save myself. I didn't want to. Even though I knew the fall wouldn't kill me because of the softness of the sand below, I still wanted it to. How could I survive knowing the only person I ever loved wanted me dead? And that it was the same way with the only family I ever had, his brother and sister?
So I let the ground meet my falling body without any resistance, and relished in the pain that coursed through my head, shoulder, and ribs at the impact. I had hit the ground on my right side, and was fairly sure that my elbow impacting with the ground, forcing it against my ribs, caused me to fracture if not break a few. I knew my shoulder was dislocated, and judging by the blood that spattered the ground as I slowly stood, I knew my head was bleeding as well.
And so, forever expelled from my home and new family, I numbly walked through the rapidly cooling and darkening desert. After an hour of slow, dizzied walking in the icy coldness of the desert night, my foot hazily tripped over the other, and I fell to the ground. Giving up, I laid there, frozen and weak, and prayed for the cold to take me. Long before sunrise, and long after I lost consciousness, I was found by a man who rescued me, taking me into his home, where I would stay for a year and many months.
I had been running nonstop for a day and a half, but I wasn't getting any closer to Gaara. In fact, it was the opposite. Whoever had him was moving just enough faster than me to slowly be getting ahead. Apparently they never slept, judging by the fact that they never slowed down or stopped moving, so I didn't sleep either. Unfortunately, I had slowed down a bit due to me losing chakra, and due to my exhaustion.
I wouldn't let myself stop moving for even a moment, though. At least, not until now. I had noticed about four hours ago that I was being followed, and that whoever was following me was gaining on me. Kankurou must have done what I asked. I thought as I ran, frowning. At least, I hoped that was the case, and that they weren't actually more enemies. I didn't know how many enemies there were to begin with, only that it was probably more than one. Despite Gaara's small size, being only a few inches taller than myself and I stood at 5 foot two, I was sure that no normal human, shinobi or not, would be able to carry him alone.
Then again… What human can run for almost two days straight without getting exhausted? My chakra is almost nothing… The only reason I'm still on my feet is sheer willpower. I thought with a heavy sigh. I had several cuts along my face and legs from branches that I simply didn't have the chakra to heal, despite them being so minor. I was wearing a knee-length long sleeved red yukata with white bordering, a white obi, and a red tie holding the obi shut. For shoes, I wore simple geta. (The traditional wooden shoes with two platforms on the bottom)
My pink hair reached mid-back in length, and was tied up in a ponytail to keep it out of my face, but shorter locks of hair framed my face. I was mid air when I suddenly felt some serious killing intent. Unable to get away due to my being in the middle of the air, I twisted my back, rolling through to air. Because of the sudden movement, I collided with a tree trunk, which knocked the wind out of me. I landed unsteadily on my weak legs, finally getting a look at my attacker.
Seeing the enraged face before me drained me of my last fraction of physical strength, and I fell to the ground on my side. "You bitch!" Temari screeched, and I was roughly yanked from the ground by the collar of my yukata and slammed into the tree trunk.
"Temari!" A vaguely familiar voice growled. Unable to meet my old friends stare, and followed the voice to find Shikamaru standing several feet away, beside an alarmed Kakashi and Naruto.
"Temari, calm down." Kakashi said calmly, but she glared so furiously I thought I would burst into flames.
"I won't calm down!" Temari fumed, and I knew from her voice that she was only barely resisting the urge to kill me right then and there.
"What the hell is going on? Why are you attacking Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, confused.
"Because she tried to assassinate Gaara!" Temari snarled. "And I'd bet money that you're helping the Akatsuki finish the job." She hissed, and I snapped my eyes to her furious ones.
"Akatsuki?" I questioned and she slammed me into the tree again, causing me to bite my cheek to hold back a cry of pain.
"Don't you play dumb! How dare you do this! Tell me where he is!" Temari screeched, and I narrowed my eyes. Using a fraction of the small amount of chakra left, I sent a bolt of lightning through my clothes, shocking her hand bad enough for her to release me. Acting quickly, I leapt several trees away from them, but staying near.
"I had nothing to do with this, Temari. I have a hundred people that will tell you I was in a town on the border of the Land of Rivers." I hissed, leaving out the part that it happened to be on the side of the border just inside the Land of Wind.
"How did you know to come here?" Kakashi asked before Temari could speak.
"I…" I hesitated for a moment, lowering my gaze to the ground. "I dosed Gaara's tea with an herb that stays in his body and allows me to feel his chakra." I explained after a moment.
"You what!" Temari snarled furiously. "Why! So you knew when he was dead and could clean up the evidence of murder?" She accused and I glared at her.
"Does it matter why?" I snapped and she glared at me. "What matters is that I know exactly where he is and can take you to him!"
"Temari, she's right." I froze at yet another familiar voice.
"Chiyo-baasama?" Temari questioned in surprise.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Shikamaru demanded immediately, but it was still in a respectful tone.
"I'm the grandmother of one of your enemies, and I am here to help you all." Chiyo said calmly.
"She's… one of the greatest puppeteers and medic-nins of time, and the greatest Sunagakure has seen." Temari explained and Chiyo sighed.
"At least, until someone surpassed me." She said and I felt her gaze boring into me.
"I knew I sensed one of Sai's creations nearby… I just assumed Suna was sending an army." I said before scowling and raising my eyes to meet the gaze of everyone in the clearing.
"Oh, they will be. They aren't far behind, in fact. Just as soon as Kankurou recovers, he will lead them here with Baki." Chiyo explained.
"Wait, what? What happened to my brother?" Temari demanded, glaring at me before focusing on Chiyo.
"He pursued the attackers and was struck down." Chiyo said and Temari stared at her worriedly. "He is recovering… Temari, I ask that you calm yourself down, focus on the task at hand, and forget your personal resentments, or return to Suna and help your brother with his task." Chiyo said in a no-nonsense-or-I-will-knock-you-out-before-you-can-blink tone of voice.
"Fine." Temari hissed, glaring at me again. Chiyo stared at me knowingly while Naruto looked around, confused as hell, and Kakashi and Shikamaru wore expressions similar to Temari's. Suspicious and untrusting, as well as underlying anger.
"Sakura… You know where he is?" Kakashi asked carefully and I grunted affirmation, too tired to nod.
"Exactly at 68,90. He's in this country… They've been heading towards the Land of Fire for some time now, though. Either they are taking him there, or somewhere between here and there." I explained in a vague vand quiet oice because I was tired.
"Wait, we're going to let her tell us where to go? How can we trust her?" Naruto burst out angrily, and I blinked in surprise at his anger. He had always seemed so carefree… I suppose I deserve his anger, though. I would be furious if someone tried to hurt my friend too… Hell, I am furious, and it looks like he is too. I thought, eyeing the thick whisker marks on his cheeks and his odd eyes. What's wrong with him? Is he like Gaara? I wondered in confusion, then gave myself a mental shake of the head to clear my mind.
"We don't have to, Naruto. If she leads us into a trap, we have an army of shinobi close behind us. Besides, we don't have anything to lead us to Gaara. She's all we have." Kakashi said with a sigh.
"Fine. But if she tries anything…" Naruto growled, and I just turned my back to them.
"Well come on, then." I muttered before leaping away, once more forcing my neglected body to move forward.
Finally, after almost another eight hours, I lost my footing while trying to leap into the air again, and fell to the ground. If I wasn't so emotionally numb, I would have been hurt by the fact that no one even tried to catch me. In fact, they completely ignored the fact that I had even fallen, and continued on. They only doubled back once they realized I wasn't getting back up, and even then, only Chiyo came anywhere near me. The others just sat down and started to eat and drink.
Practically drained of Chakra, I wasn't able to move, so I was just laying in the position I had landed in. "When was the last time you slept? For that matter, when was the last time you ate?" Chiyo asked, looking pointedly at my trembling hands. I didn't answer her, simply staring up at the tree branches above us. "…You're being foolish." She murmured in a scolding tone, knowing that the others were far enough away not to hear us. "I know you removed the poison from Kankurou's system."
"The only thing that's got me is how you did it. I was the only one who caught on to the fact that someone had, in fact, poisoned him. When I questioned him, he explained that it had been you. I told him to lie and say that poison was never used, and that his puppet had caught the tie you left behind and tore it from the enemy. Unfortunately, that also means they think you're the enemy, and are following your scent." Chiyo said with an icy calmness as she touched each and every cut I had, healing them one at a time.
"How did you know where to find me without it?" I asked coldly, my tone nearly emotionless.
"Oh, I have my ways, Sakura. Did you forget who taught you to make that herb?" She pointed out coldly, and I probably would have flinched if I could. I narrowed my eyes dangerously.
"I'll keep that in mind, Sensei." I growled.
"A little hypocritical for you to be upset over me using that herb on you, no?" Chiyo said before dropping a soldier pill into my mouth and standing up. I swallowed it just as Chiyo tossed a chunk of bread over her shoulder at me and walked towards the rest of the group, who had finished resting and were getting ready to leave. Silently, I stood up and continued to lead them towards the faint chakra in my mind.
Here's chapter 3 guys ^^ Hope you liked it! I think Chapter 4 will up in the next two days, but I can't be sure. We're getting the entire downstairs of my house refloored and repainted, so I've been staying up all night cleaning and then only sleeping a little during the day cause of the noise Q.Q. Anyways, please review ^^