Chapter three dun dun dun!
Deidara turned to Hidan, looking at him intensely. Snorting he walked out of the cavern to join Sasori. This plan was ridiculous.
Hidan smirked, grinning he looked at Itachi, who rolled his eyes. Hidan went down a corridor, and opened a cell.
"Wakey-wakey!" he called.
Senji blinked up at him. Growling he threw himself forward, only to have Hidan move out the way. Senji hit the wall with a painful thud.
"Oh did I hurt you monster? I'm so terribly sorry," Hidan smiled. "I would sacrifice you to Lord Jashin, but Kakuzu has forbidden it. He's such a spoil-sport."
Senji glared. "You sir, are the monster, and I am sorry, for your lack of humanity," he said.
Hidan laughed. "Lack of humanity? You're one to talk jinchuriki," his laughter echoed down the hall menacingly.
Senji looked down in shame.
"But anyway, Hidan says you can come out to play." Hidan left, leaving Senji to blink in confusion after him.
Come out…to play?
What did that mean?
Senji sat up and hugged his legs to his body, feeling very lonely and scared.
Senji was fourteen years old, with light blonde hair that spiked down to his shoulders, and dark blue eyes. He was very pale and very thin.
He missed his little sister, he missed the Hidden Stone Village, he missed his big brother, and he wanted to go home.
He closed his eyes and searched deep into his mind.
Don't listen to that human, he knows nothing of humanity, the two-tails said.
What do I do, how do I get out of here?
Let's try going down this hall, maybe there's a way out.
Okay.
Senji got up and stumbled down the corridor in the direction Hidan had gone in.
Hechu sneezed loudly, making a noise in her cell. She wiper her nose with the back of her sleeve.
"Hechu-chan, are you okay?" Taki asked.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Hechu replied.
Taki ran her hand through her short brown hair, it ended at her ears and made her brown eyes appear larger than they were. Taki had tanned skin and dark spots on her face.
Hechu and long green hair tied in two pigtails, and large purple-blue eyes. She had chipped fingernails painted acid green, and freckles across her nose.
Taki sighed, wondering if they'd ever get out.
Obviously not foolish girl, they put you in here for a reason, the six-tails snapped.
Put us in here you mean.
Does it look like we're in this together? Foolish human
Oh just stop talking to me, you're giving me a headache
Good.
Taki slammed down her mental shield and focused on forming a plan of escape.
Suddenly the door was opened and Hidan grinned at them.
"Time to come out and get dirty! Have fun little monsters," he laughed and left as quickly as he had come.
Cautiously Hechu and Taki stepped out of the cell and walked down the corridor, where they met Senji.
"Are you jinchuriki too?" Senji asked.
"Yes. Are you?" Hechu said.
"I am. The Akatsuki must be gathering us, let's see if we can find any others," Senji replied.
The girls nodded and they followed Senji down the corridor, they hid behind a rock when they saw Hidan unlock yet another door.
The only difference with this door is that the occupants fought back.
As soon as the door was open a flying blur of orange ran out, punching Hidan in the stomach.
Taken off guard Hidan fell to the floor, knocking himself unconscious.
"Is this all the Akatsuki have to offer? We are most disappointed," same a dark voice.
A red head stepped out of the cell, glaring dangerously at Hidan.
"Naruto," he said to the blonde boy.
"I got it. Let's get the hell out of here," the boy said.
"Um, excuse me, hello?" Taki called.
The two boys turned, eyes widening at their audience.
"Huh. Looks like we ain't the only jinchuriki they picked up eh Gaara?" the blonde boy, Naruto said grinning.
"So it would seem." Gaara agreed.
"So you're jinchuriki too?" Senji asked.
"You think we're here on invitation?" Gaara asked raising a non-existent eyebrow.
"Oh Gaara quit being your always-glaring-emo-self, it'll scare them off," Naruto said.
Gaara scowled and hit Naruto over the head. "If I had my sand that would have been must more painful," he said.
Naruto stuck out his tongue and grinned. "Well you don't do ya? Where do you think they took your gourd?"
Gaara looked down the corridor, unfolding his arms and letting them drop by his sides.
"I don't know. We'll have to search this entire place, and who knows how big it is,"
"Or how many Akatsuki are in here," Naruto added.
"We saw two on the way in here, three including him," Hechu said pointing to Hidan.
"Three huh? I don't like those odds, and there could be more somewhere," Naruto said.
Gaara sighed. "The odds in battle are always against us, but we'll have to deal with it. It would be much easier if I had my sand,"
"Can you even fight without it?" Naruto asked.
Gaara, not wanting to answer in front of strangers, looked at Naruto sadly, showing Naruto the answer.
He could fight, but he wasn't very affective without his sand.
"The sand and I are one, you cannot have one without the other, it's part of me, and I need it back." Was all he said.
Naruto nodded. "And we'll get it back. You guys wanna get out of here? Find an exit and leave the Akatsuki to us,"
"But – but how will you stop them?" Taki asked.
Naruto grinned. "Oh don't worry about us, we've been through worse scrapes in the past. Danger is a way of life for a ninja," he said.
"Ninja…you two are ninjas?" Senji asked stepping forward.
"That's us. I'm from the Leaf Village, and Gaara's from the Sand." Naruto said.
Senji looked intensely at Gaara.
"We of the Stone Village have heard of Gaara of the Desert, many tales have been told about you," he said.
Naruto glared. "If you're here to judge then I'll take you down right here," he growled.
"Oh no, I'm not judging, we are all jinchuriki here after all, there are no judgements among demons," Senji said.
Naruto looked at him acutely. "I'm Naruto," he said.
"Senji." Senji replied.
"I'm Taki, and this is Hechu," Taki said pointing to Hechu.
"Hi." Naruto waved.
Gaara was fighting impatience. "Naruto, let's go." He said.
Naruto shook his head. "Oh no, I'm getting you outta here with them," he said.
Gaara's eyes widened. "What?" he exclaimed. "And when did you come to this decision exactly?"
"Look, your sand is your only defence, and your only weapon," Naruto began.
"I'm still a ninja! Fighting is second nature to me, I can take it sand or no sand." Gaara argued.
"They don't call you Sabaku no Gaara for nothing. You get these guys out, that way I can protect all of you at once," Naruto insisted.
"Okay one – what makes you think I even need protection? And two – for what insane reason would you think I'd let you go alone?" Gaara said.
Naruto sighed. "Gaara…please don't fight me, I'm trying to help."
"And I'm trying to tell you I don't need it. I refuse to leave without you, and besides, we're ninja, like you said danger is part of our lives, why does it matter?"
"Because you're too important to me to let you die!" Naruto shouted.
Gaara stopped arguing, stunned at the outburst.
"I don't let anyone hurt my precious people, and these people hurt you, so I'm takin' them down once and for all!"
Gaara looked at him for a long time. "…You're not budging on this are you?" he sighed.
"Not a bit." Naruto said stubbornly.
Gaara glared. "Fine. But if you die it is not my fault and I will not be held responsible," he snapped.
Naruto grinned in triumph.
"Okay then. You guys follow Gaara, he'll keep you safe. Meanwhile, I'm gonna go kick these guy's butts." Naruto said.
The others nodded in understanding.
"Oh, and just in case…I don't come back," Naruto hugged Gaara tightly.
Gaara, shocked by the action, slowly wound his frozen arms around the blonde, relaxing into the embrace.
"Be careful," he said quietly.
Naruto grinned and ran off down the corridor. "Naruto don't you dare die on me!" Gaara called after him.
The blonde turned back and smiled widely. "Relax Gaara, I'm the no. 1 knuckle-headed ninja remember? They can't catch me," he said, and disappeared.
"That's why I worry." Gaara murmured.
Taki looked at Gaara, recognising the power in his stance and acknowledging him as the leader. "What do we do now?" she asked.
"Find a way out. You three better stay close to each other, long-range combat is not to my advantage right now, and I'd rather if no one was separated." Gaara replied.
The others nodded and followed him in the opposite direction Naruto had gone in.
So his demon is the Shukaku huh? That unstable chakra…it's amazing he's able to supress it. Still, he's one to watch out for, he seems dangerous, if he slips even a little…I'd better keep an eye on him and protect the girls. That other one seems like a complete idiot, so he's no one to worry about. I think I'll trust this guy for now, Senji thought to himself.
Meanwhile Gaara was lost in his own thoughts. That idiot better not get himself killed, I'll bring him back only to kill him myself. Not that I know why I care so much.
Simple kid, you're in love. Shukaku said in a bored tone.
?
Love…? Gaara looked down in thought. Love…could he really be…but no it couldn't be true, he was Gaara! There was just no way…
Love…how am I supposed to tell?
Ah geez why did I open my big mouth? Okay kid, listen up 'coz I'm only gonna say this once – when people are in love they feel something – happiness right? Warmth, light, tingly, however the hell you wanna describe it. They do anything for that person and wanna share their lives with them, which if you ask me is the most stupidest thing I've ever heard of. Love. Pointless in my opinion.
Well I'm not asking for your opinion am I? Now go back inside my mind and shut up.
Geez, so much for gratitude. Couldn't a little 'thank you Shukaku' kill him? Stupid kid, youth today have no manners… Shukaku's ramblings turned into an unintelligible mumble, then finally silence.
Gaara sighed softly in relief. One headache down. Two to go. The first being getting the other jinchuriki out. He would worry about Naruto later when he came back.
…If he came back.
Gaara shook his head firmly. Don't think like that of course he'll come back! He berated himself.
That's when he heard a growl. An inhuman growl. And screaming.
Gaara and the others turned.
"Was that a…demon's roar?" Hechu asked.
Gaara groaned in annoyance.
"That idiot! Can't get through one battle without letting that damn demon out, why can't he learn a little restraint like the rest of us?" he raged.
"Should we…do something?" Taki asked Gaara.
Gaara shook his head. "He'd kill me if any of you got hurt, he'll fight this one on his own, my job is to keep you safe. Add to that I really don't want to argue with an enraged Kyuubi-Naruto and this particular point."
As they moved on, the growling subsided, replaced by a scream of pain. Gaara visibly flinched. What should he do?
Gaara suddenly stopped. "No one move an inch. We're going to see some action," he said quietly.
Taki and Hechu looked around fearfully, clutching at each other and standing closer to Senji. Senji observed the subtle shift in Gaara's body from standing to a defensive stance.
Gaara's aqua eyes moved left, then right slowly. Quick as a flash he had wiped out two kunai and flung them, catching an unseen assailant in the eye.
"Looks like you can't hide from me," Gaara said. "You're just an agent, not a member of the Akatsuki, which would mean they're with Naruto."
The man, clutching his bleeding eye struggled to his feet.
"You're useless without your sand, and I brought along a few friends." He cackled.
Gaara's eyes narrowed. "Try me." He threatened.
"Oh I intend to," the man said gleefully.
"Senji, can you protect Taki and Hechu?" Gaara asked.
Senji nodded. "I'll defend them with my life," he said.
"Good. Keep your heads down, I'm about to smash a lot of skulls, and I don't wish yours to be one of them," Gaara said, grinning to himself.
He'd learnt that phrase from Naruto.
"Very well than Sabaku no Gaara, let the battle begin." The man said.
Gaara positioned himself in front of the others and placed a hand to his ninja tools.
Let the fight begin.
End of chapter!
A/N Hahaha I'm so evil, I'll make you wait for my next chapter to find out what's gonna happen. Will Gaara be indeed useless without his sand? Were those screams of pain from Naruto, or his opponents? What will happen next? Find out next chapter! And do not forget to review!