I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters. I couldn't remember exactly how long they were at Suna so I made it three days.
Trouble in the Sand
Naruto sat on the post watching Kakashi intently. Kakashi was staring at the book Naruto had just given him as a gift. It was the latest in Jiraiya's series and Kakashi was looking at it like it was the Holy Grail, much the same way he expected Kakashi would be looking at the tickets to Jiraiya's first movie when Jiraiya eventually gave them to him.
"Are we going to do the Bell test or not?" Naruto questioned.
"Oh, uh, right," Kakashi nodded putting the book away. "Alright. One...two...three."
As he said three, Naruto teleported to the seal he placed on the book and grabbed at the bells but Kakashi caught his hands then kicked him back and vanished. Naruto teleported to the seal again but simply appeared where Kakashi had been. He looked down and saw the seal on the ground and grinned.
"Mobil Seal jutsu," Naruto grinned. "Well well Kakashi, I'm impressed."
"Not around us or above us," Sakura stated thoughtfully. "One direction left."
She then smashed her fist into the ground and sent cracks tearing through it. When the shaking stopped, Naruto swung his Double-Edged Sword and cleared the dust revealing Kakashi, staring at Sakura in terror.
"Busted," Naruto smirked as Kakashi leapt out of the ground and ran into the trees. "I have an idea. Follow my lead and we won't need any chakra."
Sakura grinned and nodded and Naruto spread clones into the trees, funneling Kakashi to a tree where he was surrounded and had nowhere to run and could see Sakura and Naruto approaching.
"Hey Kakashi!" Naruto shouted as he came into view. "I didn't read the book but I skipped to the end! I know what happens!"
Oh no! Kakashi thought. I don't want to know!
Kakashi covered his ears but his Sharingan could read Naruto's lips.
"It was the-" Naruto said before Kakashi closed his eyes and a moment later, he opened them and saw Naruto lounging on a tree with Sakura standing below him, both holding a bell where Kakashi could see it.
"You...you tricked me!" Kakashi said dumbfounded.
"Yes," Naruto nodded. "Of course, we could have taken it by force but why waste the energy?"
Kakashi smirked and nodded and they returned to the clearing which Kakashi repaired.
"Congratulations," Kakashi smiled. "You both pass. Now, Next we're going to-"
"Kakashi," Kushina interrupted appearing beside Naruto. "Tsunade has a mission for you all. She's received a report about an attack on the Fifth Kazekage, Gaara. She's sending you to rescue him."
"Rescue?" Naruto questioned. "He lost? To who?"
"The Akatsuki," Kushina stated.
"Time to go then," Naruto stated. "See you when we get back."
"Wait," Kushina said holding a hand out. "You know the specific danger of this mission Naruto. Take a third member of your team. And Temari will be returning with you."
Naruto nodded and sent out a clone via the teleportation seals. Then, he and the others went to the main gate to find Temari and Hinata waiting.
"You're bringing Hinata?" Sakura demanded. "Lee would be more use."
"Don't be so sure," Naruto grinned. "Trust me. Hinata will help."
Sakura sighed and shrugged and the five of them left the village heading toward the Sand Village, Naruto setting the pace but allowing the others to keep up. He, being a Jinchuriki was the only person on the team with a target on his back, and likely painted just about anywhere he went. The target, of course, would extend to his friends and family if the Akatsuki ever learned of them. To their knowledge, he hoped, all Jinchuriki were alone and hated, treated as monsters, and often banished from their own village for being what they were. Naruto couldn't speak for the others but he and Gaara proved that wrong. And if he had anything to say about it, the knowledge would never spread to the other members.
After a few hours, Kakashi finally ordered Naruto to stop so that they could rest. He sat on a branch above them and they all made camp. When Hinata served dinner, Naruto took his up to the branch to eat alone. After a bit, Temari climbed the tree and sat beside him while the others got ready for bed.
"What's got you so moody?" Temari questioned.
"The Akatsuki are finally hunting Jinchuriki," Naruto stated. "There's a chance they know that I'm the Nine-tails Jinchuriki and I can't have my seal spread to them. If we're being watched, I want them to see me as being hated, not as them being important to me."
"What about me?" Temari questioned.
"Your brother is a Jinchuriki who you publicly care for and support," Naruto stated. "You're a Jinchuriki sympathizer. You've got a target of your own. Please make sure that they don't come near me for the trip without telling them who...what, I am. When we get close enough, I can teleport to a seal I placed on Gaara's shoulder. I'll attack first and you guys catch up."
"We're heading to Suna to figure out which way they went first," Temari reminded him.
"I know," Naruto stated. "You'd better get some rest. I'll keep watch. I can't sleep anyway."
Temari nodded and stood then hesitated.
"Since you're like Gaara, I suppose I owe you thanks," Temari stated.
"For what?" Naruto questioned.
"Understanding him," Temari stated. "Changing him. You showed him the way onto the right path. So thank you. I owe you a lot."
Naruto smiled and nodded and Temari returned to her tent.
Naruto sat on the roof of the building where Kankuro was being treated for the Akatsuki's poison. It wasn't exactly a hospital but it was the best Suna had to offer at the moment as the actual hospital had been one of the few buildings destroyed during Gaara's fight against the Akatsuki. They had been there for two days already and Sakura said they'd be ready to leave by the next day. Temari wouldn't be joining them but that didn't matter much to Naruto. It would still be too late. They had lost three days. God only knew if Gaara was even alive as he sat there.
"Everything will be fine," Kakashi assured him appearing behind him. "We'll find Gaara. Don't worry."
Naruto didn't answer so Kakashi sighed and knelt behind him.
"Look," Kakashi sighed. "I understand how you're feeling. Gaara is a friend of yours and you're worried he's dead. Believe me, I can relate."
"No," Naruto stated. "You know what I am. You know that everyone I care about has my target painted on their backs just for knowing me. The Akatsuki won't hesitate to kill me if they get the chance. If given the chance, they will take everyone I care about and torture, murder, and do God knows what to them to get to me. You can't relate. You have no idea how I feel."
"You're wrong," Kakashi sighed. "But I understand that you don't want to talk to me right now. So I'll leave you alone."
Kakashi stood and dropped off of the building. Naruto glanced at the mark on the back of his right hand and wondered what he could do besides nothing. As of yet, it had done absolutely nothing that he knew of, including heal him.
"N-Naruto?" Hinata spoke up walking up behind him. "I...I know you want to be alone...but...will you train me again?"
"Train you?" Naruto grinned. "We'd destroy the entire village if we fought. Come on. We'll fight outside the village."
Hinata smiled and nodded and Naruto stood as they made their way out of the village. When they were outside the village, Hinata reached for her sword then snapped her hand up and caught Naruto's Double-Edged Sword. Naruto smiled drawing Temujin's sword and Hinata grinned separating the two blades. Naruto extended the blade of his newest sword to four feet and grinned as Hinata took the same fighting stance Naruto took for two-handed sword fighting. Naruto extended his left arm's Garian blade as Hinata charged forward. When she reached him, Naruto swung his Garian blade at her and she blocked it then slashed at him with her other sword. Naruto blocked that blade as well and channeled his chakra into the Garian blade. It instantly morphed into an off white dragon dragon head on an extending neck. It shot out and wrapped up Hinata and he grinned.
"Didn't know they did that did you?" Naruto questioned.
"No," Hinata grinned. "But I could send my own chakra through it to your heart. That makes it my win."
"You sure?" Naruto questioned as the dragon scraped its teeth against the side of her neck making her shudder and tense. "Jiraiya and I made a couple of improvements. One bite and you're dead. That makes it my win."
"Tie then," Hinata grinned, eyes flicking downward.
Naruto looked down and his eyes widened. Hinata had her swords a centimeter away from his stomach.
"One pulse of chakra and you're gone," Hinata grinned.
"Alright," Naruto smirked retracting his Garian blade and turning it back into a sword. "Let's try it again."
Hinata lowered her swords then swung again and Naruto moved to block it but just as he did, green-tinted chakra began to roll off of Temujin's sword as the mark on his hand began to glow.
"Dodge it!" Naruto ordered and Hinata instantly leapt away, barely avoiding the blade.
Naruto sighed as the chakra faded. He experimented channeling chakra into it again and again the mark began to glow as the chakra formed similar to Temujin's Gelel ability. Naruto stuck his sword in the ground and formed a Rasengan, realizing that it was also green-tinted.
"Weird," Naruto muttered picking up the sword and swinging it a couple of times without the chakra appearing again.
"What happened?" Hinata questioned.
"That would be a new ability I haven't had time to train with yet," Naruto stated. "Raging Thunder. I'll have to try that sometime."
"You want one of these?" Hinata offered.
"No thanks," Naruto smiled. "Shall we?"
"No," Kakashi stated appearing beside them. "Sakura said she finished sooner than she expected. It's getting late. Rest. We'll leave at first light."
Naruto sighed and nodded and Kakashi left. Naruto and Hinata walked back into the village, Hinata returning his swords and they went to the hotel Temari had gotten them rooms at. The next day, they left, one of Kakashi's ninja hounds tracking one of the two Akatsuki members, Sasori, using a piece of cloth Kankuro had managed to tear off of Sasori's robe during their fight. Once again Naruto set the pace but this time much faster, his feet smashing the tree limbs each time he pushed off of the branches.
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