Sobbing softly for the pain in her hand, and the pain in her heart, Rinsu lies across the floor, her hand leaking it's precious red once more, but now, onto the floor of her room as the sutra before them both shows takai and ai-'fatal love'.
Frowning gently as he stares at the paper in silence for a moment, Gaara then slowly looks away before murmuring. "So this means… that I'll be nothing but bad for you, right? …If I'm just going to be another person who ends up hurting you….." He closes his eyes and slowly shakes his head.
"..n-no… we might be…wonderful for each other…! …But…we'll be nothing but bad for the world around us… We'll hurt other people we care about or…take over the world or something… I don't know… It'll just not be good… …The heaven's decided that we…shouldn't...be together…" She cries out the last hurtfully, gripping her injured hand tightly for the pain.
Frowning still as a hint of old arrogance hits him, Gaara then sighs before he offers with some difficulty. "Then… as much as it hurts… for me to even think of this, perhaps… what we're doing is.. Th-the best …course of… action…."
"What do you mean!" She calls worriedly, turning to him quickly with a tear-stained face. "Wh-what are you saying..?"
His eyes squinting, Gaara allows his transformation down as he grits his teeth and then snaps. "Don't think this is easy for me! Giving up my mantle would be easier… but in the scheme of things, that just proves it, doesn't it?" Falling silent and looking down and frowning painfully, Gaara sags. "As much as I try… to be kind, giving, selfless… this world finds new and crueler ways of punishing me… I hate it…"
"..Gaara… I can't…be without you now… I don't care about heaven… I love you..!" Jumping up quickly, she wraps her arms around him, kissing him saltily as she trembles, gripping him tightly.
Flinching but then relaxing into her kiss, the kazekage wraps his arms around her in turn before shifting and moving to stand. The sand around him reaches up to open the window and spirit them out of it onto the roof above. I can't handle this… I won't let the world tell me… the heavens tell me who I am allowed to be happy with! That decision is mine!
"Dai? Did Rinsu ever come back down?" Kiyoko asks openly. The time is hours later, the sun has since gone down and the silence emanating from Rinsu's room has been obvious. Shikamaru has left to plan how he'll go about making things up to Senka, whereas Ino has left to prepare for her next day.
"No. She hasn't… Why?" The brunette shinobi answers making Kiyoko frown in worry.
"Well there hasn't been a peep out of them at all and I'm starting to get worried…."
Sighing, Daisuke rubs his forehead before standing. "Alright… I'll check on them…" I always gotta do the difficult stuff around here. Thank god Ino was here to handle Senka earlier or I woulda been right in the middle of that… Walking up the stairs, Daisuke knocks quickly on Rinsu's door. "Guys?" After no answer he frowns before knocking a bit louder. "Rinsu? ….Rinsu's cousin that has a name that's impossible for me to remember?" Still, again, no answer. Carefully cracking the door, Daisuke enters into the room and looks around for a minute before calling out. "Kiyoko! Senka! Come in here!"
Walking into the room a bit before Kiyoko, Senka frowns softly as Daisuke already looks around, making his way to the window. "…Where are they..?"
Scraping away a few sand grains from the windowsill, Daisuke points out. "They left out the window… but that's not really what bugs me…" He points out, not turning from his search, his eyes blood red. "Those sutras… You know what ritual that is! And look at what it says!"
Frowning deeply, Senka then looks out the window worriedly. "You think Gaara did something drastic?"
"..I did hear Rinsu crying earlier.." Kiyoko points out. "But I figured he just calmed her down…" Shaking her head with a worried look as he looks over the sutras shaking his head.
"Well, you're the sociopath, Senka… but yeah." turning to the two he sighs before suggesting. "We should tell somebody… Kiyoko, you tell Tsunade, and Senka… could you get Kiba? …I'll try to use my sharingan to follow the sand trail as best I can, but it's Rinsu who's the tracker-nin…" Which means she knows ways to conceal her trail… if she's actually left under her own power…
Moving through the trees around Konoha, Gaara continues to carry Rinsu close. Frowning, he stops atop one taller branch and turns, motioning one hand to curl around and lift two figures from the ground, and pull them within eye-shot. One of them, is Akamaru and the other is Daisuke. Narrowing his eyes, the kazekage just frowns. "Leave us! This is greater than both of you…"
"Gaara, wait… just listen….!" Daisuke urges before the sand whips him one way, and then flings him in the other, similarly to Akamaru. Now spiraling through the trees, Daisuke reaches into his back vest pocket and opens the scroll within, summoning a chained kunai he whips it out into a tree and pulls himself to a stop while Akamaru skids along the forest floor and growls before leaping up near the male chunin. "Guess it's too bad we couldn't find them with Kiba and Senka, huh…? …Any… ideas, Akamaru?"
Looking up at Daisuke, the dog then narrows his eyes and begins to growl in the direction of Gaara before the human ninja cautions him.
"Wait. You wanna fight him? We'll need serious back-up for something like that…"
Grumbling slightly, Akamaru just jumps off, forcing Daisuke to follow after the still fleeing ninja ahead of them.
A ways off, Kiba crouches; his face close to the ground while searching out. That smell of blood and sand, I'll never forget it as long as I live, and neither will Akamaru…
"You look like you've found something." Senka states blandly, frowning gently as she pushes her own thoughts and worries away.
"Yeah… Gaara's sand has a distinct smell…" Kiba points out before rushing ahead, expectant of the brown eyed kunoichi to follow.
Still elsewhere in the forest, Kakashi converses with Pakkun while Kiyoko looks into the trees worriedly.
"Is there anything yet, Sensei?"
"There's no one my dogs can't find… And Pakkun says their team has a lead. Let's go this way…" The three teams, unbeknownst to themselves, head in a pyramid formation toward a single point; the two in question.
"I'll keep my word…" Gaara assures Rinsu as he continues to run. "I won't kill anyone who tries to follow us… but once we get to Suna, it will be out of Tsunade's jurisdiction…"
"…What about Konoha and that Danzo guy…?" Rinsu reminds, blinking once before seeming thoughtful as she clutches him tightly.
"Don't worry… we just need time, and Danzo will still need to be elected. Before that happens, we'll have to take control of Konoha as well… I just need time, and the people, to do it…" Gaara explains, keeping his senses about him.
Meanwhile, back in Konoha, there's a strong knock at Naruto's door, making Mitsuki whimper slightly and sit up, rubbing her eyes, while Naruto continues to sleep.
Looking to her side as the knocking becomes more frantic, Mitsuki shakes the shinobi, calling worriedly. "Hey, Naruto..! I think something's wrong..!"
Blinking his eyes open tiredly, he sits up and grumbles before moving out of bed and to the door. Dressed only in his boxers, he opens the portal and asks. "What's.. going on?"
A male from his academy class blinks, raising a brow before shaking his head. "Hey, Naruto! Something really bad's going down!"
"What is it?" He urges, now seeming more awake and coherent.
"I don't know the details, but it seems like some guy came and kidnapped that Rinsu girl! He's gonna kill her soon, and Tsunade sent Kakashi, Kiba, and her team to go save her!" The black haired genin explains to his knowledge quickly.
"WHAT!" Naruto calls out worriedly before rushing back into the apartment to dress quickly as he explains to the kunoichi in his bed. "Mitsuki, I gotta go, or Rinsu's gonna die!"
Blinking in confusion, the raven haired girl rubs her eyes tiredly. "Wait…what do you mean..?"
"Somebody kidnapped Rinsu! He's gonna kill her! I promised I'd be there if she needed me, so I gotta go!" He calls back worriedly as he pulls on his coat and turns to run for the door.
"Oh..Naruto, do you-!" She starts before pouting when he disappears out the door. "…want me to come..? ..Oh well…"
Glancing behind himself, Kakashi sighs. She's slowing me down… but I was already told not to leave her behind… Stopping for a moment, Kakashi nods when Kiyoko appears from the trees. Stepping up to her he explains. "Pardon me, but I think it'll just be easier if I do this…"
Calling out in surprise, Kiyoko blinks her eyes wide as Kakashi scoops her up into his arms and begins running again. "H-hey!" But then she just blushes somewhat uncomfortably and holds onto his shoulders while they follow Kakashi's team of seven dogs into the trees.
Feeling several presences closing in on them, Gaara then frowns before suggesting. "Rinsu… I need your help…"
"…What should I do..?" She asks, looking up to him a bit hesitantly.
"They're following us in the trees… use your abilities to block our path." He instructs vaguely.
Moments later, as Kakashi jumps from tree to tree, one limb suddenly raises slightly before he moves to land upon it, causing it to slam into his ankle. His eye widening, the jonin trips end over end but holds the brunette close in an attempt to cover the fall with his own body. He strikes several more branches on the way down before hitting the ground. His arms shield Kiyoko from the impact.
Looking up to the grey haired man, Kiyoko shakes him softly. "Are… are you alright?"
It feels like… I made a horrible miscalculation, but that never happens…. Kakashi thinks to himself as he eases off of the younger ninja and onto the ground in a sitting position. "I'll… be alright…"
Sighing softly, Kiyoko then offers gently. "I'll… check you out just the same… okay?"
Looking to her, Kakashi then shrugs before sitting silently. There's no use arguing a point like that with a girl like her. It's just what Rin would do. He ponders this while she goes about checking his injuries and Pakkun lands nearby.
"You took quite a spill, there, Kakashi."
"Don't worry. Tell the rest of the team to keep going." Looking up to Kiyoko as he adds with a typical smile. "I'm in good hands here."
Raising a brow, the hazel eyed Kunoichi then chuckles nervously. "…Yeah…" Ha ha. He sounds nice, but I know his type…
"I smell other dogs." Kiba comments as they get closer and closer to Gaara. "They're Kakashi's… Akamaru and Daisuke aren't too far away either. I'm kinda surprised he can keep up."
"I just hope we get to them soon… But isn't Gaara like…wildly powerful? Even more than Rinsu? …How are we supposed to fight him? And isn't this going to cause a war or something?" Senka points out worriedly.
Seeming thoughtful, Kiba then shakes his head. "Man, hell if I know. I figured we'd figure it out once we caught up to 'em." Ducking suddenly to avoid a branch that seems to come from out of nowhere, Kiba stops and turns as it slams into Senka instead. His eyes widening as she starts to drop, he halts his advance and turns, dropping from the tree after her, and wrapping his arms around her tightly. Then spinning feet first, he lands on the forest floor. "Senka… Senka!"
"..mmmph…" She grumbles, suddenly sounding weak as she slowly opens her eyes. "…oh…jeez…my head… …K-Kiba…" Blinking up at him, a soft flush comes over her face before she quickly turns away. "…Thank you… You probably just saved its life. Heh…"
Grinning and then sighing deeply in relief, Kiba then just chuckles. "No problem." Still holding her close, he looks back up into the trees. "Do you think… Rinsu's helping him?"
"…I don't know… Sometimes, she's easily intimidated…or convinced of things… She might not even realize what's going on…" Lowering her eyes, Senka frowns with a sigh.
"Damn… This isn't good…" Then turning thoughtful for a moment, he asks. "How's yer head? …Maybe you should sit back for a minute and let me go on ahead…"
"No way, Kiba. I'm going to get my sister back myself; one way or another." The fluffy haired brunette then moves to stand, swooning a bit before grabbing her head. "We've…gotta hurry…"
Nodding a bit, but seeming hesitant, Kiba then offers. "Well, then hang on to me. Don't wantcha fallin' again…"
Meanwhile, Daisuke and Akamaru remain on Gaara's trail. Using the sharingan, the brunette shinobi is able to avoid several of Rinsu's 'slow down' maneuvers until Akamaru finally leaps, his maws flashing open as he approaches the kage.
At the same moment, Kakashi's team bounds into view as well leaving eight canines and the Uchiha standing between Gaara, Rinsu, and their 'freedom'.
Throwing up an orb of sand around them, Gaara then flings the hounds off causing the summoned canines to vanish into puffs of smoke and Akamaru to land harshly. Narrowing his eyes as he peels back the sand slightly, Gaara warns. "Leave! Rinsu is more important to me than anything in this world or the next…"
"This isn't the way to do this!" Daisuke urges, putting out his hands. "All you're gonna do is make things harder for everyone."
Glancing to Rinsu, seeing her flinch, Gaara looks up to Daisuke again and narrows his eyes. "Just stay out of this… that is your final warning…"
Gritting his teeth behind his lips and swallowing a bit, Daisuke then frowns worriedly. Gods, that look…. "I… can't just let you take Rinsu like this, Gaara… this isn't good for anyone; including her baby…"
"She'll be fine in Sunagakure with me!" The red haired kage protests before sand shoots up to loop over Daisuke's body, who twists his form quickly and stumbles out away from it, flipping back several times to avoid the reaching grains.
Oh shit… dodging him is even straining my sharingan…!
He's fast… to avoid my sand coffin that way… Gaara comments in his mind. But he's not fast enough to keep it up. Throwing out his hand in a punch, a ball of sand flies through the air toward Daisuke's back, knocking him forward into the tendrils of dirt that grab for him still.
"Gaara, stop..!" Rinsu suddenly all but demands, gripping his robes tightly. "You have to stop it..!"
"But… this is what we wanted…!" Gaara protests as he turns back to her, still holding Daisuke in the sand as he stabs and pries at it with a kunai.
"..I know… But don't you see..? …This is exactly what my sutra meant..! …I've turned you into…something that might slowly push you back to whatever it is you once were…! And…we're talking about going to war with Konohagakure to protect them..? What does that really accomplish!" She shakes her head, shivering slightly. …I wish Naruto…or Lee were here, too…
As if on cue, a blonde form descends from the trees, striking Gaara's sand that holds Daisuke harshly with a glowing swirling ball of chakra. "RASENGAN!" Then as Daisuke skids to a stop several yards away, Naruto jabs an incredulous finger at the sand ninja still holed up in the protective casing around them. "Gaara! What are you thinking! I won't let your hurt Rinsu!"
Frowning gently at Naruto, Gaara seems at a loss as he glances down to Rinsu and grits his teeth. "…I don't want to lose you either."
"…I don't want to lose you, either… We'll figure something out…" She utters, nuzzling against him as she closes her eyes. "…but not this way…"
Flinching deeply, Gaara trembles before he suddenly seems to lose his grip on her, and drops down. The sand around him begins to fall away and peel down to reveal them while Naruto stares a bit in confusion. His eyes closed as he hovers over the shorter brunette, Gaara trembles uncharacteristically as his tears drop freely from his face as though it were an open wound.
Blinking up at the red head before sitting up from her lying down position, Rinsu frowns gently before kneeling in front of him, brushing some of his hair away from his face. "…oh Gaara… …this is all my fault.." She utters, bowing her head and closing her eyes. "…I'm so sorry… …I guess…I was wrong… I thought…we would make each other happy, but…you're so sad…"
"…I am happy with you…" He protests, his voice unbroken by the tears that continue to drain from his eyes. "…but I feel so… trapped… and the only way I know how to deal with that feeling is either… to fight my way out… or give up…"
Watching his, Naruto frowns worriedly and slowly walks up while Daisuke watches from a distance, still decently sore from the small fight with Gaara, and the leftover rasengan to the back that wasn't absorbed by the sand. "Hey…" The blonde speaks up, rubbing the back of his head uneasily. "Uh… are you guys alright…?"
"…not really…but there's nothing else anyone can do…" Rinsu utters, kissing the red head lovingly before wiping away his tears.
Looking up to Rinsu, and then to Naruto, Gaara then sighs and lowers his head. "…I've caused several people some grief tonight…" Closing his eyes slowly he sighs. "…I'm sorry…"
Looking back and forth between them again, Naruto crosses his arms thoughtfully. "So… you didn't kidnap Rinsu to try and kill her…?"
Raising his eyes to the blonde with an incredulous gleem, Gaara then frowns. "No… of course not…"
"There!" Kiba calls as he looks around quickly and finds Akamaru just starting to struggle to his feet. Growling as he snaps his gaze to Gaara. "What'd you do to Akamaru!"
"Whoa… Okay, what's going on here? Crying Gaara, Rinsu coddling him, and Akamaru looks half way between scared and in pain." Senka frowns deeply, moving to the dog's side to pat his head. "Are you okay…?"
Grumbling a bit, Akamaru just barks back before looking to Kiba.
"Well, are you sure you're alright…?" The Inuzuka asks, scratching his head, to which the large white dog barks a few times and Kiba explains the situation from Akamaru's point of view. "Oh, I see. Gaara got alittle too overprotective. Well, then I understand that a lot better…So everyone's basically okay?"
"More or less…" Kakashi offers as he and Kiyoko finally catch up.