It had been two days since hearing the news of the Kazekages kidnapping team 26 raced back to the land of wind. The letters informed then that "the kazekage has been kidnaped. The men in red cloud robs are behind this they were last seen heading northeast away from the village. Your new mission is to return and peruse the kidnapers and bring back the Kazekage." How could anyone capture lord Gaara? He is so powerful.
The lord Kazekage, known as Gaara of the sand, was the youngest child of the Fourth Kazekage, and the youngest brother of Kankuro and Temari. Gaara was the youngest Kazekage to ever rule the sand village and the most unlikely as well. Before Gaara's birth, his father had Lady Chiyo seal the Shukaku within him, in hopes that Gaara would one day become the ultimate weapon for Sunagakure as he was the only one of the Kazekage's three children to be compatible with the beast. Because of the power of Shukaku, the villagers of Sunagakure hated and feared Gaara. Seeing only the monster sealed within him. Gaara became emotionally withdrawn and silent, as he was consumed with a loathing towards everyone but himself and "Mother", the voice of Shukaku in his head. He learned to derive pleasure and a reason to live in the annihilation of the numerous assassins sent to kill him and by extension, anyone who posed a threat to his own existence. This was worsened by Shukaku's occasional demand for blood to satisfy its bloodlust, resulting in Gaara's remorseless nature, demonstrated when he murdered Baiu and Midare, despite their pleas for mercy. After his defeat at Naruto's hands, Gaara was shocked to discover that Naruto understood very well the pain he had endured throughout his life. He was even more surprised to learn that Naruto never lost his ambition to be recognized as an individual, and ultimately found companions who truly cared for him. Witnessing the resolution Naruto possessed to protect his friends made Gaara finally question the path he had determined for himself. Realising that he gave up too easily, Gaara decided to follow Naruto's chosen path instead in order to finally have people acknowledge him as an individual, and not the tailed-beast within him. With the changes he had made the respect and admiration for Gaara had risen amongst the people of the sand and the fear they had for him was dispelled elevating him to the Position of Kazekage.
But now Gaara was taken by the men in the red cloud robes, and it was the duty of all the Shinobi in the sand village to get him back. Genji along with the rest of the team raced to the coordinates they were given hoping to catch up to the lord Kazekage and free him. Their mission to the land of field had taken its toll on them more than they had thought. Exhausted they spent little time resting and replenished their strength with soldier pills to keep them going pushing on ignoring the pain in their muscles from constantly being on the move along with the battle they had just recently fought. After making the adjustments to their course they met up team 28, team 32, team 36, and team 41 who had received the same massage they had, calling them back to rescue the Kazekage if they could. They had also ran in to a group from the village who explained to everyone how Gaara had fought with one of the men atop the manor house and protected the village form a giant explosion using his Sky Sand Protective Wall. A savage rage grew in everyone who heard what had happened. In that rage they ignored the pain which now screamed at them as their pace quickened to catch the men responsible for harming not only their lord but the protector of the village. It took another day before everyone had reached their destination. Team 26 along with all their other companions arrived first only to find that they were too late. In front of them stood several leaf ninja one in an orange jumpsuit and yellow hair who Genji assumed from the stories was Naruto Uzumaki, a girl with pink hair and a red shirt as well as a ninja, close to his own age, had his head band covering one eye and a mask covering the rest of his face from the nose down. Lady Chiyo was standing next to them kneeling by Gaara's lifeless body. As more and more ninjas appeared some could not help but start to cry at the realization that they were too late and their kazekage was dead. Genji had only met Gaara once, up to this day he never forgot how he felt. It was the day team 26 was created, Genji along with Shinn and Hayato had been selected to preform critical missions under Gaara's orders, so the Kazekage felt he should meet with them to inform the team that what they would be doing was of great importance to the village. Genji remembered the look on Gaara's face when he told them; it was a stern look with a hint of pride. Genji could tell that this was one of the first speeches he had ever given to a group of people. He did it well and inspired Genji with a feeling of confidence knowing that the Kazekage had picked him and the other members of team 26. But now he was gone and Genji could only feel sadden by the loss.
It was not till Shinn motioned to Hayato and then to Genji that he saw it. Lady Chiyo had her hands on Gaara's chest to be what looked like giving her Chakra to the dead Kazekage. Genji new only of one justu that could bring back the dead and this was not it. For a few seconds it looked as if what she was doing had no effect till Lady Chyios power began to wane. That is when Naruto knelt across from her to help. That is when he saw it Gaara's finger twitched. Genji strained his eyes to see if what he saw were true when lady Chiyo fell back looking as if he had exhausted herself. After a few seconds Gaara moved his head then sat up.
Everyone present including Genji cheered and shouted at the top of their lungs to see the Lord Gaara alive but in the back of his mind and the corner of is eye he saw lady Chyio lying on the ground now realizing that she did not transfer her chakra but her life force. Lady Chyio had been one of the few last great puppet masters left in the world. The others masters where her brother and her Grandson who had gone missing after leaving the village. Chyio was the holder of the Ten Puppet Collection of Chikamatsu who were Created by the inventor of the Puppet Technique, Monzaemon Chikamatsu. The puppets were the masterpiece collection prized and revered by most Puppeteers, Chyio would accept challenges from who ever thought they could win with the puppets as the prize if they could beat her. When Genji made the rank of Jonin and created his three puppets, he had tried fighting but lost fairing no better than the others. Genji could remember a few conversations he had with her on the subjects of Poisons, fights they had won, and an unusual topic of how much he reminded her of her Grandson. Genji was fond of the old women and offered to help carry her back to the village.
The village had a mixed air about it with feelings of joy for lord Gaara's return and sadness for the death of Lady Chyio. After listening to the account of what had transpired both in the village and at what is known as the Akatsuki hideout Genji offered to help with the research and excavation to find out what had happened. His team was put on leave till the higher up could figure out what the next move was. He also wanted to see if they had really fought Sasori, lady Chyio's missing Grandson. Just before he was to meet up with Kankuro, who was leading this mission, there was a knock at his door.
Are you Genji Monogatari? The courier asked. I am, replied Genji. Sign here please. Genji signed the release form for the package the courier was carrying. The courier handed Genji a scroll with a purple backing and a green string to hold it shut and a letter. Disregarding the letter he opened the scroll part way he could not believe his eyes. He thanked the courier and closed the door walking to the kitchen table in his small apartment unravelling the scroll the rest of the way. Staring he could not believe it then he remembered the letter and opened it.
Dear Genji, it only seemed right that you be the one to get these. It seems that no one was able to beat me. You how ever where one of the few to last the longest and one of fewer to use multiple puppets at a time, take good care of them. Inside are the instructions and some strong poison recipes including the one my grandson used on Kankuro. Good luck, Chyio
P.S. don't think for a second that you can say you beat me. I kicked your butt in our battle.
She always was a strange one thought Genji to himself. Genji stared at the scroll with the ten puppets on it for a second then rolled it up placed it in his back pocket and walked out the door. The investigation team was assembled and waiting. Hayato also volunteered to help for his ability to focus his chakra would allow him to move the larger boulders. The team reached the destroyed hide out in a few hours not wanting to waste any time. After moving a majority of the collapse roof they found hundreds of puppets which matched the details of the battle. Genji helped Kankuro Take down Sasori body form from the wall where it had been pinned it was a remarkable puppet but nothing like the ones he just got form Chyio. It took two days to remove most of the large rocks and a few more hours to remove most of the smaller ones. They had discovered the remains of 100 puppets broken and shattered as well as the remains of the third Kazekage who had been turned into a puppet by Sasori. They collected all the pieces they could, placed them in a bag for burial now they at least had something to but in his coffin. They did not discover much during their search it was a dead end.
Mean wile back in the Village Shinn was helping where he could. The attack on the Village left the Causeway damaged and many trap were still active, he helped remove as many as he could. By the time the path was clear Genji, Hayato, and the other shinobi had returned to the village. They met later that night at the Sands for tomorrow it would be work as usual.
Team 26 met the next day outside the KazeKage's manor. They proceeded in to receive their new orders. Genji, I read the report on the last mission. You were right to take out the Bandits I have a letter here from the land of fields saying thanks, though I do not approve of your bullheadedness for charging in like that Shinn. My apologies councilmen replied Shinn. Well it seems that with the support of the leaf village we were able to kill one of the Akatsuki but that is about it. Both villages have pooled our resources and we have come up with next to nothing, only that the members of this group are missing ninjas form all the five villages and they are after the jinchuuriki. We have the names of most of the members but not much else. It is not much so we have decided that you all will continue on missions that will be of some use to the village and not sending you on some wild chase looking for people that don't want to be found. Yes, councilmen replied the team in unison. So with that being said your new mission is to go to the hidden leaf village. There you will complete whatever tasks they assign you, Is that clear? Yes, councilmen answered the team. Good, now I don't know what exactly they will be having you do but you will be there for some time so all we can ask is that you do your best and make us proud. Yes, councilmen with that the team turned and left.
Team 26 packed their bags and set out at once wanting to reach the hidden leaf village as soon as possible. What do you think they will have us do while we are there. Genji asked. I don't know responded Hayato. They probably need our skills to help with some mission that they can't do on their own, these leaf ninja are push overs, Laughed Shinn. Well whatever it is we need to be respectful this is their village and we are guests, Genji remarked. The other two nodded their head in agreement and the three shinobi continued on to their destination.