Chapter 8:The Meeting of Destined Friends
Thanks for the nice reviews. This chapter is an in between chapter so I'm not sure how you'll like it.
Chapter 8:
Naruto fell weakly into the sandy dune's sliding ground. Hinata who had been on his back fell on top of him and then rolled off into the sand.
Naruto knew they had little chance in the desert heat. The only thing that kept him going was the thought of returning to his father. He had now been without water for over twenty hours and had had no food, besides the four apples the evening before, for over a day.
Naruto tried to stand but the dry desert air weighed heavily on him and he fell.
'I'm going to die if I can't at least get to the top of this dune. If I can't the sand will cover me and no one will ever no what happened to us.' Naruto thoughts scared him and he stood fear overpowering weariness he felt.
He grabbed Hinata and half carried half dragged her to the top of the sand hill. When he reached the top he smiled triumphantly. He stood at the top of the hill without a shirt, his black one having proved to hot, and his black baggy pants ripped off below the knees turning them into shorts.
Naruto's hands shielded his eyes from the sun and, he looked out in every direction having no idea which way to go.
"Hinata," he choked out. "I think we're lost." Feeling guilty for bringing Hinata to die he sat next to her and brushed the sand off her face.
He looked out to the desert again his vision hazy. Then he saw it. A giant wall of sand and rock some miles out in the distance and Naruto knew right away it was the village hidden in the sand.
"Hinata if we can make it there we can live." Naruto rasped out his energy coming back to him as his adrenaline began to kick in.
'If I can make…'
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Minato trembled pacing back and forth. Near him stood Jiraiya, and three captains of ANBU squads including Itachi and Kakashi.
"I... I don't know what to do it's been a day no one knows where the kids are the council of the village hidden in the Rock demand for the release of the Tsuchikage what do I do?!"
Kakashi grimaced the Hokage was known to get emotional, but not like this. Minato was not holding up well.
"Lord Hokage you are faced with one of the most important decisions in the history of Konoha and there is possibly no right answer to the situation." Kakashi spoke words not that he believed but ones which he hoped would calm his leader down.
"B-But…"
"Lord Hokage," Itachi said, interrupting. "Your decision is not as hard as you are making it out to be. Anbu teams are scanning the country looking for Naruto some have gone so far as to check in the Waterfall and Grass countries, be patient. The Rock council have no power now unless they are willing to lose their Tsuchikage."
Jiraiya nodded, his eyes were close and he was leaning against a tree, thinking. "Itachi is right. If worse comes to worse you can demand that the Rock countries pays for the damage it caused to Konoha in exchange for their leader."
Minato hesitated unsure. "What if Naruto and Hinata are dead… What if…"
He stopped. I'm going to take a walk I will have an answer when I get back."
Minato walked past Jiraiya and into the denser forest.
"Naruto where are you?" His hands covered his face, and then moved up to pushing back his hair. "I know I need to stop worrying and focused but I can't. He slammed his fist into a rock smashing it to pieces. "DAMN IT ALL!"
He let himself fall back onto the hard ground. "Sometimes I wish I had never been chosen to be Hokage and I know for thinking that I'm a bad Hokage but."
He smiled a little bit. "And now I'm lying on the dirt in a foreign country having lost my son talking to myself."
"I need to settle things like Mazama." He remembered the quote, "When in doubt knock it out." Then he stood up I'll try forcing the Rock council to the trade then I'll leave rock country and focus all my efforts on finding Naruto and protecting Konoha." He got up, wiped the back of his shirt clean and headed back to camp more confident.
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Naruto did not make it to the village hidden in the sand in fact he barely made it half way when a boy with red hair came up to him.
Naruto lay panting, his face burnt badly in the desert sun. He did not want to guess how long he had left to live. Hinata was not fairing any better and she would not wake no matter how much Naruto coaxed her.
"Who are you?" The boy with red hair asked.
Naruto did not have the strength to speak but he tried, "Naaugh."
The boy who was the same age as Naruto looked puzzled. 'He's not scared it seems in fact he looks… Happy?"
"I am going to take you with me."
Naruto's eyes opened wider for a moment in awe as he began to lift into the air. "Augh." He groaned again. The boy with red hair turned back to him.
"What is it?"
Naruto pointed at Hinata who he saw was not being lifted.
"Do you want her to come too?"
Naruto nodded, weakly.
"Alright, but after your better you have to play with me." His voice was gruff and demonic, but Naruto did not care. They were saved.
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Minato stood before the council Jiraiya next to him. Two Anbu squadrons stood waiting one to the right and one to the left of Minato and Jiraiya.
The ANBU stood flanking the two legendary ninjas their masks covering their stoic faces.
The rock council clearly intimidated waited nervously to hear the Hokage's demands.
Minato stepped forward. "I have decided to make a compromise and it is the only one I'm willing to accept."
Misou gulped, softly. 'This can't be good.'
"The Village Hidden in the Rock will pay for the damages done to the Village Hidden in the Leaves in exchange for the return of the Tsuchikage." Minato's commanding voice filled his troop's ears and gave them the sense of justice they had been looking for.
Misou's face paled. 'We caused millions of ryo worth of damage. What will we do.'
He turned to the rest of the council members, "We can't pay that. Will have to sacrifice the Tsuchikage."
The other members of the council shook their heads. The second oldest council member spoke, her old voice crackling "We must pay it. It was our foolishness which approved the decision to attack."
Misou face grew red. "Are you for paying the debt?!?"
The old woman nodded. "It is what must be done."
She turned to the Yondaime. "We will pay the cost of the damages. We will have the money for you tomorrow and you can give us the Tsuchikage then as well."
The Yondaime grinned, "Very well I'll have someone give you the list of the damage costs."
"Let's go." He called already walking back. 'Success!'
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Naruto awoke reasonably rested and refreshed. "Where am I?" He asked himself trying to recall the events of the previous day.
He felt a little tired but curiosity proved too much for the eight year old and he pushed back the covers.
Rubbing his eyes he looked around at the room he was in. Hinata lay in the bad next to him still asleep.
Naruto looked down, he had on a nightgown, and he was fairly comfortable but something was bothering him.
Then it came back to the confused blonde, 'That's right we were in the desert and then that boy saved us.'
Naruto walked over to the window and looked outside. "It sure looks hot." Naruto mumbled looking at the people who bustled through the streets seemingly not noticing the sun which caused everything to haze.
He stretched and walked back to his bed where he noticed a note. He picked it up and began to read.
To the Stranger
-When you wake up meet me in the Kazekage's tower. If you remember you were in the desert when I found you. Please do not bring the girl.
Naruto crumpled the paper into a ball and through it into the trashcan. "Hinata I'll be back for you in a bit, but since I believe we're in a hospital you should be okay."
Naruto walked out of the room quietly being sure to dodge the nurses which his father claimed to be 'terrifying'.
Naruto found the laundry after half an hour of searching and rustled through the clean clothes until he found something that fit him. After dressing in what he guessed to be typical sand village attire he left the hospital, no one knowing he had gone.
He walked out into the blazing sun and almost walked back inside. The air conditioning of the hospital had not prepared him for the spring heat. 'I better find the Kazekage tower quickly or I'll roast in this heat.'
Naruto was about to begin the search when his stomach growled. He rubbed his stomach thoughtfully, "Well I'll eat first then search."
He found a restaurant quickly and sat down. 'I don't have any money. Crap!'
He sighed and looked at the menu. After ordering he ate quickly and left without paying.
Feeling much better he turned to the streets asking for directions.
"Hey mister do you know the way to the Kazekage's tower from her?" Naruto asked at a suna ninja.
"Of course boy, follow this road for three blocks then make a right and…" His voice droned off as he noticed something in the crowd.
"Excuse me." He said vanishing into the crowd.
Naruto sighed and kept walking. He followed the ninja's advice and realized that there was a lot more too it than that. After asking a few more people who just shook him off he sighed and rested in the shade of a store.
He began to nod off when all of a sudden something nailed him in the side of the head.
"Ow!" Naruto said rubbing his ear. He looked up to see an older boy standing above him offering his hand.
Naruto took it and was pulled up forcefully.
"Sorry about that. I'm sort of in a hurry." The boy started to run off again.
"Wait!" Naruto yelled. "Can't you at least tell me how to get to the Kazekage's tower?"
The boy stopped, "Well actually I'm going there now, just follow me."
Naruto grinned and began to run after the boy who was dressed all in black.
The two reached the tower a few minutes later both breathing hard.
"You're pretty fast kid, what's your name?"
"Namikaze, Naruto. What's yours?"
"Kankuro, my father the Kazekage which explains why I'm going to the Kazekage's tower, but why are you here?" He asked Naruto suspiciously.
"I promised a kid I'd meet him here."
"Yeah what kid?"
"I don't know his name but he's my age and has red hair."
"Well the kid you're talking about but that sounds like my brother Gaara."
Kankuro opened the door to the main hallway with Naruto following close behind him.
Kankuro waved for Naruto to stop. "Just stay here I'll check and see if anyone is waiting for you.
Naruto left alone, looked around for somewhere to sit. Seeing nowhere he resigned himself to the floor and waited patiently.
He tried to remember everything about the previous day when he had been saved but it was all a blur.
Naruto shook his head to get focused hearing someone coming down the stairs which Kankuro had just run up.
"You… You came." The boy said almost relieved.
"Of course, it's the least I can do after you saved me yesterday." Naruto paused. "My name is Naruto, what's yours?"
"Gaara. Are you sure you want to be here? Most people run when they see me."
Naruto looked at Gaara curiously. "Why is that."
Gaara flinched. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Are you Kankuro brother?" Naruto asked thoughtfully thinking of Kankuro's statement from before.
"Yes I have a sister as well, but she is not here at the moment."
Naruto waited and when he got not no answer began asking again. "So why did you want to see me?"
Gaara did not answer right away. Instead he began to think of something to say. "Well most people are afraid of me and run away, but you… Even when you couldn't run away from me you didn't look scared."
Naruto nodded, not really understanding.
"Well Gaara I have to get back to my village as soon as Hinata can manage but in the meantime I don't have any money so would it be alright if I stayed with you?"
Gaara stared at Naruto astonished. "You would stay with me?"
"Sure, if that's alright."
"Y-Yes, I would like you to."
Naruto smiled. "Thanks a lot, I'll try not to be too much trouble."
Gaara tried to smile back, but the facial expression was not natural and awkward and ended only half successfully.
"Come on I'll show you where you can sleep."
Gaara led Naruto out of the Kazekage's tower and began the walk to his home answering all of Naruto's questions and sometimes informing him on things the blonde wouldn't have thought of two ask.
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Minato surveyed the place where his special army had camped out in for the past three days. The jonin in charge or the clean up had done an excellent job of leaving no trace they had been in the camped area.
Everything that could be taken was gone and the rest was burned along with various other objects and plants that hinted that the Hokages army had been there.
Minato looked at the few men who had remained to clean up and gave the signal. The men nodded and vanished in a variety of ways heading back to Konoha.
Minato smiled at the work. "Naruto I'll be sure to find you quickly." He formed the seal and was instantly back in Konoha in his office.
He put on his Hokage hat and walked over to the councils headquarters to brief them.
Knocking on the door he was let in by a guard and led to room where the council met. He saw Danzou sitting in a chair his cane resting on the chairs arm.
Danzou frowned at Minato. "I take it you carried out the mission successfully."
Minato nodded and then told him the whole story. At the end Danzou smirked, "The Uchilla prodigy is quite remarkable a fourteen year old boy fighting with the best."
Minato nodded, "Now if you'll excuse me I have to prepare a new team to look for my son."
"Hopefully you can find him before the Village Hidden in the Rock does."
"I will."
Minato teleported back to his office and began to pick who to send on the new mission.
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Naruto looked out the window from the mat he was sleeping on. Gaara was in the bed next to him and both knew the other was awake.
"Hey Gaara?"
"Yes Naruto."
"Thanks for letting me come."
Gaara smiled something that had been gradually coming easier the more time he spent with Naruto.
"Thanks for coming." Gaara whispered beginning to fall asleep.
Naruto smiled and hugged his pillow tighter knowing that Gaara was not saying those words because he was trying to be polite but because he was truly and honestly happy that Naruto had come.