Title: A Demon's Tale
Author: swiftstar85
Genre: Drama/Friendship/Romance
Rating: T for some strong language, violence, suggestive material, and crude humor.

~Chapter Three~

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, though I wouldn't mind if I did.

The group of five walked in silence for a very long time, no one talking to one another as they traveled down the main road. Gaara caught sight of Naruto glancing over at Sai with a bitter look on his face but he really didn't pay much attention to him. He just kept his eyes on the road before him. He was thinking pretty hard about the mission that laid out before them. He knew very well that they were going to the Tenchikyou Bridge just to meet with Sasori's spy, and maybe even find Sasuke. But what about Orochimaru? Why exactly did Tsunade want him to go with Team Kakashi? He knew very well that there was something else that she wanted him for.

The question in his mind eventually was asked by Sai as they walked. The ninja in black had been very curious to know what the Kazekage's business was to go on this mission that was meant for the Leaf Ninja. He had been watching Gaara, not even seeming to be aware that Naruto was looking at him. "Do you mind if I ask why you are coming, Kazekage-san?" He spoke up.

Everyone eventually looked at the pale ninja with frowns on their faces. Gaara, however, gave him a very lazy look, as if asking what business it was of his. He didn't even want to answer to Danzo's little spy. But then Yamato decided to answer for him. "The Young Kazekage is here for a very good reason, Sai." He didn't even bother to turn around to look at the other four behind him. He just kept on walking down the path with them following him. "Gaara-san happens to be a very powerful ninja. He has complete control over the sand he carries in that large gourd and he can do some massive damage with it, if he wishes. He also has a connection with Sasuke Uchiha. As I said before, he was once apart of Team Kakashi before he left the Leaf Village for his birth Village, the Hidden Village in the Sand. He became Kazekage and fought off the Akatsuki who were ruling his village with a tight fist." He explained.

"......." Sai hummed as he took the information. "I mean no disrespect for the Kazekage, but why do we need him? Even if he was apart of Team Kakashi before, what business does he have on this mission?"

Naruto growled angrily at him while Sakura just gave Sai a look of dislike. Gaara didn't care either way. He felt like he didn't need to explain himself to this ninja brat. Yamato finally turned his head to look at Sai directly but there was a hint of a smile on his face. "The Lady Hokage wants the Lord Kazekage on this team because he happens to have the One Tailed Beast, Shukaku sealed in his body, Sai." That only made Naruto and Sakura give him a look as if he was crazy to be telling the ninja in black that. The pale ninja merely frowned while glancing over at Gaara, who was keeping a pretty straight face. "Shukaku is a Tanuki. And it's a known fact that Tanuki eats snakes." Yamato went on explaining.

'Oh, yes we do.' Shukaku chuckled almost evilly within Gaara's head. 'They are so delicious.'

"So?" Naruto asked now a little interested. "What does Shukaku have to do with Orochimaru?"

Sakura's eyes lit up as the answer just popped up right within her own head. She realized exactly where Yamato was going with this. Her face just brightened as she looked right at Gaara before she grinned. "Oh! That's why Tsunade-shishou really wants Gaara on the team! Tanuki eats snakes and Orochimaru is a snake! So that means he's afraid of Tanuki, isn't he?" She asked brightly.

Now, Naruto's face brightened to hear that. He looked as if it was the funniest thing he had ever heard. "You mean....?!" He started to laugh.

Yamato chuckled while Gaara smirked. It finally caught on to the red head too. Now that he thought about it, during the Chuunin Exams he distinctively remembered how afraid Orochimaru looked when he saw him. He remembered how he had drawn back away from him and tried to keep his distance. He also remembered how Shukaku's blood lust was demanding him to kill the snake like man. Yamato just nodded. "If I remember right, Orochimaru had tried to have Gaara killed not too long after he met him. He tried very well to keep away from him. It's all because of the Tanuki spirit living within Gaara. So, because Orochimaru is somewhat like a snake, he's terrified of Gaara. That's why he's here. Just in case Orochimaru shows up, Gaara can keep him distracted while we capture Sasori's spy." He told them.

Naruto started laughing as if he had heard the funniest joke and even Sakura spared a few giggles herself as she looked fondly at Gaara. "Ha, ha, ha! I can't believe that old snake bastard is afraid of Gaara! I mean, I know Gaara can be a little scary when he wants to be! But the all powerful Sanin is afraid of a Tanuki?! Come on! I've taken on Shukaku before! He's not that hard!"

Gaara raised a thin eyebrow at him though there was a smirk on his face. He could hear Shukaku growling within his head, almost demanding him let the sand demon spirit out to show Naruto who should be afraid. "Careful, Naruto." He spoke with dark amusement. "You're provoking Shukaku." He warned him.

Naruto stopped laughing and was now looking at his best friend nervously.

Sai didn't say anything else after that but kept walking with the rest of the team. They didn't speak for a long time until they broke out of the trees and finally came to a small field. Naruto had stopped laughing about Orochimaru and went back to staring at Sai with a bitter look. Eventually, the ninja in black finally noticed, glancing at him with a frown. "Is there a problem?" He asked quietly.

That got everyone's attention again.

Naruto continued to glower at Sai as he studied his face before he shook his head. "I guess you could say they look somewhat similar in a way.....and their voices are kind a bit alike." He remarked.

That even made Gaara frown in confusion as he listened to his best friend. He didn't have a clue what Naruto was talking about. But seeing Sakura's face light up a little, he figured that she must have known what the blonde was talking about. Sai just frowned and tilted his head away from Naruto. "Would you please stop staring at me like that? I won't hesitate to smacking you." He remarked in a somewhat dry tone. Now, Gaara was glaring at him, as if daring him to try it.

Naruto, of course, glared at him and faced him as if he was going to fight him. "Why don't you try not pissing people off with every damn thing you say!! Asshole!!" He yelled at him, waving a fist at him.

Sai didn't look phased by his threat at all. He just kept walking while looking dully at Sai. "What are you talking about? I'm not pissing off anyone." He told him, though he wasn't aware that he was pissing Naruto even more. Especially when the blonde called him a liar right then and there. On with the fake smile, Sai just shook his head. "I'm sorry. It's just that, I'm trying to position myself as being this kind of character." He remarked.

Gaara stopped glaring at him and frowned in confusion. He didn't understand what he had just meant.

"That's it! I've had it with you!" Naruto yelled, not even seeming to realize what Sai just said. "You are such an asshole!"

Now Yamato's attention was on them. He stopped walking and turned around to frown at them. He looked very irritated that Naruto was trying to pick a fight with Sai again. "Hey! Enough! That's hardly something to just go and say in front of your squad leader, Naruto." He warned him. "Trust and teamwork are the absolute most important things to a team. Surely Kakashi-san taught you that. It's hard to believe that you was actually on the same team as the Great Kakashi Hatake. What is the deal with you?" He asked calmly.

Naruto glared at Yamato next but pointed right at Sai. "The problem is that HE is not a part of Team Kakashi! The only members on Team Kakashi is Me, Sakura, Gaara, Kakashi and the last member is Sasuke! We don't need a guy like him!" He bellowed in anger. "He's just here to take up space while Sasuke is gone! I refuse to accept someone like him as a team member!!"

"Naruto." Gaara said calmly. He knew very well he needed to shut Naruto up. In a way, he was insulting Yamato just like he was Sai. And Yamato wasn't too bad.

However, Sai just smiled his fake smile and placed his hand onto his waist. He didn't even look bothered by Naruto's words at all. He seemed to accept them pleasantly. "Actually....I'd prefer it if things stayed that way." He spoke softly still smiling. "Sasuke Uchiha betrayed Konoha, and despite being the weakling he is, he ran off to serve Orochimaru just to gain power. He's worthless trash, just like Orochimaru. So I hardly want to be associated with him. He deserves to die."

That not only angered Naruto but Gaara too. He couldn't believe that Sai would say stuff like that about Sasuke. It was true that Sasuke betrayed the village but in a way, Sai had no right to say that about him. He did not know Sasuke. Not like he did and Naruto and Sakura.

Speaking of which......

Naruto was about to rush forward to attack Sai but Sakura thrust out a hand in front of him, stopping him right in his tracks. She didn't look severely pissed off like Naruto was but she didn't look happy either. She was actually taking it very calmly. More than Gaara realized she would. But he knew very well that there was something hidden within her. He could see a little flame of fury within her eyes. So he kept his arms folded over his chest and watched the little spat calmly. "The Captain is right. Teamwork is what's important." She lowered her hand when Naruto gave her a confused look. "As for Naruto.....Sai, since he doesn't know you at all, he probably did say a bit much. So I apologize for him."

"Sakura....." Naruto muttered with confusion.

Yamato just sighed and lowered his head with a little relief. He was just glad that a fight wasn't about to break out. Yet, anyway. "I'm glad at least one of you is somewhat tolerable." He muttered.

Sai just nodded with his fake smile on his face. "That's all right. I'm not really offended at all." He told Sakura in a very calm way.

Sakura just smiled right back, even though Gaara knew it was her own fake smile. He had a feeling that she was a lot more angry than she was letting everyone on about. He had a feeling he knew very well what was about to happen and it made the Kazekage's lips curve upward a little. "Really? Good." Sakura said pleasantly. And then she struck.

WHAM!

Sakura's fist slammed into the side of Sai's face, which sent the ninja in black flying away from them. He went crashing and rolling across the field until he came to a stop nearly fifteen feet away from them. Gaara could only smirk while Naruto was bewildered and Yamato was stunned by how hard she had just hit Danzo's little spy. 'She's so beautiful when she's angry.' Gaara couldn't help think as he admired his pink haired girlfriend, who was giving Sai a savage look.

'Geez! I think I'm now falling in love with her!' Shukaku said as he roared with laughter within Gaara's head. 'She is perfect for us!'

Gaara ignored him though. "As for me....." Sakura spoke in a low, dangerous voice. "I don't want your forgiveness."

There was a long silence as Sai just laid there on the ground, covered in dirt. He didn't move for a moment and it made Gaara wonder if Sakura had knocked him out. But after a moment, the ninja in black pushed himself up until he stood in a crouch. There was a trickle of blood now running down his chin from where Sakura punched him. He ignored it for a second before he decided to wipe the blood off his chin. He looked directly at Sakura, not smiling but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You sure tricked me.....with that fake smile of yours." He spoke calmly, which just made Naruto frown in confusion.

Sakura stood up straighter still giving him a very dry look. She glanced side wards at Gaara as he moved a step closer, probably to calm her down before she did some massive damage to the ANBU spy. "You don't know a damned thing about Sasuke! So don't you dare go trying to act like you do." The pink haired Kunoichi remarked savagely. "The next time you say something bad about him, I won't hold back and Gaara won't stop me."

Sai chuckled and for a strange reason, it made Gaara's skin crawl. He didn't like the way he was laughing. He just watched as the ninja in black climbed to his feet. "Fine. I won't say anything in front of you then." he stood up and began dusting off himself off. "Still......to think a fake smile can be used in the way you just used it. I'll have to remember that." He said while smiling again.

"You just got yourself hit. So what's with the grin, you moron?!" Naruto demanded, his arms folded over his chest and giving Sai a very dry look.

Sai blinked lazily before looking right at him. There was something about that look on his face. It was something that had Gaara bothered about the new teammate. He didn't like it at all. Still, Sai didn't look angry about getting punched. No, he actually looked like he was taking it well. He didn't even look like he was in pain at all. "A smile is the best way to get oneself out of a tight spot. Even if it is a fake one. Surprisingly enough, everyone has their own way of smiling. Just like the one that Ug....." He stopped himself from calling Sakura Ugly again when Gaara growled loud enough for him to hear it. "That she wore just now. I read that in a book once. Although it doesn't seem to have much of an effect in my case."

Suddenly there was the sound of creaking wood and a rumble as if there was a landslide somewhere. It only took a few seconds for all four young ninja to realize that a huge wooden cage had just burst out of the ground all around them, trapping them inside. Gaara stiffened and looked around with the others but then his teal eyes fell onto Yamato who was standing outside the cage, looking very moody. Glaring at the ANBU, he felt like this was a threat of some sort. "Yamato-taichou," He growled. "What is the meaning of this?"

"All of you......" Yamato spoke dryly but then turned around to look at all of them. "Forgive me, Kazekage-sama. It was not my intentions for you to be in there with those three. Not at all. I would let you out, knowing that it would cause problems between our villages, but I really believe that we need to vent a few things out between us. But Naruto, Sakura, Sai, you three have caused enough trouble already. I told you we didn't have time for me to throw you into a cage so that you can get to know each other but you really haven't given me a choice. We have at least five more days before we need to reach the Tenchikyou Bridge." He paused, giving Naruto, Sakura and Sai a stern look. "I will let Gaara-sama out, but you three need to stay in there. As your mediator, I'm going to give the three of you two options to choose from. In order to get better acquainted with one another you can either choose to spend a whole day in this cage here, or we can stay the night at an inn somewhere that has an onsen. It's your choice." He told them.

There was a long pause as all four stared at the unusual ANBU. Gaara had to admit it but he was surprised by this man. He had not guessed that he had a power like this. To control wood like he controlled sand? That was most unusual. He could only wonder how he had managed to gain a power like this. He knew very well that this was technique was one that had not been used for many years. Not since the First Hokage.

"Now, the three of you probably don't know me very well either, while I do prefer to interact with people in a gentle manner, I'm also not at all opposed to establishing my dominance in a reign of terror." Yamato continued, his eyes now very creepy. They had gotten a little wide and had a look of evil about them, even though Gaara didn't sense evil within him. Still, it creeped him out just like it did Naruto and Sakura. Both stepped back, looking alarmed and uneasy. "Now, what do you say? The cage or an onsen?"

"Whoa! Whoa! Ti-Time out! Don't need to get so creepy!" Naruto yelped now waving his hands in front of him. "We can be good now! Just stop looking at us like that!"

Gaara sighed before lifting his head higher. He knew what Yamato was trying to do and he couldn't help but agree with him. They really didn't have time to be fighting each other like this. Not if they were going to complete this mission. So with a swift nod, he folded his arms as he walked towards the wooden bars of the cage. "Very well, Yamato. We'll go to an onsen. I'm sensing that you know where one is." He was very aware that Naruto and Sakura looked at him with surprise but he didn't return the look. He just kept his eyes on Yamato, who nodded as he rose a hand and made a sign. The wooden cage slowly creaked as it sunk back into the ground. "We will go to this onsen where we can get a better acquainted with our new teammate."

"Gaara!" Naruto protested.

The young red head turned around and looked at his best friend, knowing that he didn't want to get to know the ninja in black but he really didn't blame Yamato for reacting like he did. "Naruto, like it or not, we're stuck with Sai until this mission is over. This is exactly how it was when we first met Kakashi. You and I did not like Sasuke and we didn't want to work as a team." He spoke quietly. "But sooner or later, we have to accept this. If we want to complete this mission, we must do things that we do not want to do. You know that as well as I do. So we will do as Yamato-taichou asks." he told him.

There was a pause as Naruto and Sakura made faces. They really didn't want to do this but they knew that if Gaara was agreeing with Yamato into getting to know Sai, he knew what he was saying. So with grumpy looks on their faces, they sighed and nodded. "All right. We'll go to the Onsen." Sakura said, though she was giving Sai a bitter look just like Naruto was.

"Very well. The Onsen I know about is only an hour away from here." Yamato explained, his arms folded over his chest. "We'll stop there for the night and enjoy the hot springs there. I think we need to relax anyway."

Gaara nodded as he looked directly at the wood manipulator with his own arms folded over his chest. "Then lead the way, Yamato-taichou." he told him.

However, as all five of them turned and started walking, the young Kazekage halted in mid step, his eyes flashing with alert. He had the sudden feeling that someone was watching them. He could feel the eyes on him and could even feel a trickle of Chakra nearby. Frowning, he stopped and turned to look around the field to see if he could spot the source of Chakra. He frowned even more when he just saw a group of farmers plowing the field. They could have been the source, of course. But there was something familiar about the Chakra. His eyes narrowing a little, Gaara continued to look around to see if he could see any familiar faces.

"Gaara, you coming?" Naruto called to him when he realized the red head wasn't with them.

Still frowning, Gaara turned slowly and walked after the other four. He knew that Chakra from somewhere, maybe even recently. But still, he hadn't seen anyone he knew. And even the Chakra was gone now. If someone really was following them they sure masked their Chakra quickly. Gaara just frowned as he looked over his shoulder while walking between Naruto and Sakura. He would have to keep his eyes out for anything suspicious. Or anyone. In the mean time, he would pretend that nothing happened.

It was late afternoon by the time Team Kakashi reached the Onsen and mostly Naruto and Sakura were exhausted. They had to cover a little rough terrain just to get there. But like Yamato said, it was only an hour away from where Sakura had punched Sai, which he was still a little dirty from crashing and rolling across the field. Gaara was still on high guard, glancing back now and then to see if someone was following them. He knew someone was. He just didn't know who. It made him rather suspicious and when he asked Shukaku about it, the demon just chuckled darkly. So obviously the demon knew who was following them but he didn't want to share the information.

'Don't worry, brat. You'll figure it out soon enough.' Shukaku chuckled which only annoyed Gaara a little more than he already was.

The people running the Onsen were very happy to receive the Leaf Ninja though, as well as the Lord Kazekage of the Hidden Sand Village. They started treating him like he was royalty, which only added onto his annoyance. He didn't like special treatments and eventually told the people to treat his teammates the same way. They were only too happy to.

Eventually, the five team members were giving rooms, which Gaara and Sakura possessed their own rooms while Naruto, Sai and Yamato shared one. It wasn't really like Gaara was going to use the room though. It wasn't the full moon so he couldn't sleep. Not without giving Shukaku control. Even though the Sand demon and he were on better terms, he still didn't trust him enough to give him control while he slept. Either way, it would give him some time to think in silence. He didn't want to hear Naruto snoring while he sat awake. No matter how much Naruto wanted to deny it, he snored and he talked loudly in his sleep. It was funny to Gaara either way, but he felt like he needed peace and quiet so he could get his thoughts in order.

However, one thing that Gaara had definitely not planned was to go sit in one of the Hot Springs. He had just been planning to wash up in the bathroom and then sit down to meditate for the evening. But somehow, Naruto talked to him into going with him, Yamato and Sai. He had not even wanted to go to the Hot Springs knowing that on the other side of the large wall that separated the men's Hot Springs from the women's, Sakura was going to be there.

It was the thought of Sakura sitting in a hot spring, wearing nothing but a towel that made Gaara very uneasy.

Still, Gaara had found himself black mailed by Naruto to go with him to sit in the Hot Springs with Sai and Yamato. The blonde really did not want to be left alone with those two and even told Gaara that. Of course, the young Kazekage had refused and told him that he was going to pass. But the blonde had his own way of getting Gaara to join him.

"I swear, Gaara, if you leave me alone with Sai and Yamato-taichou, I will peek on Sakura while she's bathing in the Hot Springs!" Naruto had said.

The young Kazekage swore that if Naruto had not been his best friend and they had grown up with one another, going through a lot of hell just to get to where they were now, he would have crushed him right then and there with his Sand Burial technique. He would have just killed Naruto in the most painful way possible. But fortunately for the blonde, he was his best friend and the red head cared a lot about his best friend.

So, now Gaara was sitting in the Hot Springs with a towel wrapped around his lower half and blushing slightly pink from head to toe. He was cursing violently at Naruto within his own head, wishing that he didn't care so much for the blonde. He couldn't believe that Naruto managed to talk him into this. And he felt very vulnerable without his Sand. The Onsen keepers had somehow managed to talk him into not taking his sand gourd into the Hot Springs area. They wouldn't let him take it near the water. So he felt somewhat powerless as he sat in the hot water.

To make matters worst, the women's hot springs were just right on the other side of the large wall of the men's and Shukaku kept on suggesting to Gaara that he should go take a look to see if Sakura was over there. The red head not only cursed Naruto but Shukaku as well.

Sitting in silence, Gaara was leaning against a hot rock a little ways from where Naruto was sitting, who somehow found himself sitting in between Sai and Yamato. It made the young red head smirk a little to see how miserable the blonde was. It helped lighten his mood just a little for the blackmail Naruto put him through. Still, it didn't sit too well with the Sand demon within that he was in the same Hot Springs as a few other men.

"Aaahhh. I must say, it's being together, sitting in a Hot Springs like this that lets us guys really get to know each other. Good male bonding." Yamato said, his head leaning back. He actually looked like he was enjoying the hot water. The wood manipulator even glanced over at Naruto, looking for his agreement. "Don't you think?"

Naruto didn't answer but kept his head half way under water.

"I said," Yamato repeated, looking creepy again. "Don't you think?"

There was a light splash as Naruto leapt up to his feet and looked very uneasily at the ANBU sitting next to him. He had a look of horror and unease on his face as he drew away from him. Gaara made a face before closing his eyes and tried to relax. He felt somewhat uneasy by looking at Yamato too but it was the sight of Naruto in his birthday suit that made him really uneasy. He wished that the blonde hadn't talked him into this. So he closed his eyes to avoid any more sights he didn't want to see. "Yeah! Ye-yeah! Go-good male bonding! Now stop looking at me with those creepy eyes of yours!"

'Geez, what is with these guys?! And I thought we were a freak!' Shukaku grumbled in Gaara's head.

Gaara reopened his eyes and looked off to the side as if looking at the demon once again. 'Shukaku, knock it off.' He thought.

"Oh! I'll be damned. So you do have a dick after all." Sai suddenly said.

Even Gaara's eyes snapped wide when he heard that. He couldn't believe Sai at all. What in the world was he talking about? He felt his face fall to see that he was looking directly at Naruto's waistline. Rolling his eyes, he tore them away again, grumbling within his head. 'God, I want out of here.' he thought bitterly. He felt very flustered that Naruto wasn't wearing his towel like he was. It was his own fault for not doing it.

'Gaaaawwwwwddddd! This is so nasty, brat!! Get us out of here! Bathing with other males is not my idea of fun!' Shukaku grumbled. Then there was a hint of mischievousness within his head and Gaara knew that the sand demon was up to no good. 'I'd rather bath with Sakura, wouldn't you?'

Now, Gaara's face felt hotter than the water he was sitting in. He was pretty sure he went as red as his hair. He couldn't believe that the demon even said that. More or less was even putting images in his head, which he forced out. 'Shukaku!!' He yelled at the sand demon.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!? WHAT IS WITH YOU AND TALKING ABOUT DICKS?!" Naruto's voice bellowed out. "WHAT ARE YOU, GAY OR SOMETHING?!"

Though Gaara wasn't really paying too much attention to Naruto's outrage. He was too preoccupied with Shukaku's perverted-ness and it wasn't helping at all when the sand demon just kept on coaxing him into going over to the women's side. He was had to clench his hands into fists while trying very hard to think of a few ways of shutting the demon up.

'Oh, come on, Gaara. You cannot tell me you don't want to see her naked too. She's got such a hot.....'

'SHUKAKU!!' Gaara now yelled at his inner demon through their connection.

"What is gay?" came Sai's calm voice, though he sounded very confused by the word.

"Can we please not yell anymore? This isn't really helping our goal of getting to know each other." Yamato sighed as he rubbed his temples. He was very aware that many eyes were now looking towards them and he could hear laughter coming from on the other side of the wall, from the women's side. So obviously they could hear the fight that was breaking out on the men's side. "This is embarrassing."

"ARRRHHH! YOU ARE GAY, AREN'T YOU?!! I'M BATHING WITH A GAY GUY!!" Naruto yelled as he pointed at Sai, who was still rather calm about getting yelled at.

'Come on, Gaara! I wanna see Sakura too! Let's go check on her! I bet she's not wearing anything right now. Don't you want to see that?' Shukaku teased Gaara. 'Then later, we can claim her. It'll get rid of that tension you're feeling. We can mate her tonight if you want!' He sounded very excited.

It really couldn't be helped now. Hearing that just made Gaara's face grow redder from embarrassment and rage at the demon. He swore he was going to make the demon pay for this. "Shukaku! Shut up!" Gaara found himself yell out loud by accident. "I am not mating with Sakura tonight!! Stop trying to talk me into it!!"

Dead silence.

It only took a few seconds for Gaara to realize how quiet it had just gotten. He became aware that Naruto was no longer yelling at Sai and Sai wasn't making any more confused remarks to him. Even Yamato was quiet. His face flushing hotter, the young Kazekage turned his head slowly and saw that all eyes were on him. Most of the men in the Hot Springs looked like they were going to laugh at him while Naruto's eyes were wide with shock and bewilderment. Yamato only had a look of surprise and Sai, of course, didn't look fazed. He was only frowning at the red head, wondering what made him blow up next.

And to make his nerves even worst, Gaara heard giggles and laughter from the other side of the wall. He knew very well that almost all of the bathers must have heard his little outburst. And he was pretty sure that Sakura heard him too. Who wouldn't have? A few heads belonging to some of the Onsen workers popped into view to see what was going on. They looked just as surprised as everyone else did.

Groaning in embarrassment, Gaara closed his eyes before he sank deeper into the water until he was completely submerged under water. He heard Naruto call his name uneasily a few times but he completely ignored him. He was too embarrassed to respond. 'I hate you, Shukaku. I wish you would just die.' The red head thought, even though he knew it was a little childish to say it.

The sand demon only laughed at him. 'You can thank me later, kiddo.' He told him. The young Kazekage's only answer to that was a nasty swear word and a promise that he was going to cause the sand demon a lot of pain.