Chapter 11: The Disappearance Of Uchiha

"Yuna!" I heard before loud knocking at my door made me quickly run to it seeing Reno out of breath saying, "The Hokage wants to speak to us."

Blinking I replied, "She does?"

I stood uncomfortably in front of the new Hokage with Hayner to my left and Reno to my right as she remained quiet looking us over. Last night we heard a rumor that Sasuke had left the village for reasons I wasn't sure, but I guessed they couldn't be good.

"Thank you for all getting here so quickly." she began as we all straightened up more while she said, "As you are all aware Sasuke Uchiha left here last night and a rescue team was sent to retrieve him early this morning."

"Hey how didn't we know about this." Reno whispered to Hayner hearing him mumble back, "Maybe because you were asleep."

Suddenly Tsunade's face zeroed in on Reno making him freeze up staying quiet as she said, "I have already sent a message to the Hidden Sand Village to help out, but I'd like you three to follow and keep an eye on each member."

"If I may ask who are the three?" I said seeing her turn towards me replying, "The late Kazekage's children, Kankuro, Temari and Gaa-"

"I choose Temari to watch!" Reno blurted out making me smack my forehead while Hayner sighed shaking his head disappointed.

"I thought they were our enemies?" Hayner asked ignoring Reno's whining as she replied, "It seems they were tricked by Orochimaru and acting under their father's orders, but they wish to redeem themselves and make it known they are allies."

"And you want to make sure that's true?" I said while she nodded saying, "I don't care who tags along with who just be ready when you meet up with them and get the rescue team back."

She pushed a paper towards us saying, "This is the direction they were going, follow that path and meet at that point."

We all nodded bowing lightly leaving her office to quickly pack our things and head out starting our journey. It was decided that I would stay with Gaara, Hayner with Kankuro and Reno happily with Temari. I was apprehensive at first for Hayner to go with Kankuro but felt this would be a good way for them to bury the hatchet. Once at the meeting point, we were met with the siblings seeing them look towards us surprised.

"They brought you guys?" Kankuro said instantly looking towards Hayner seeing a spark form between them making me groan stepping forward, "Yes, is that a problem?"

He stopped staring at him seeing Gaara step forward replying, "It's not a problem, now we should leave before they get too far away."

Nodding quickly, we all jumped together at a fast speed as I heard Reno say, "So what made you guys want to help us?"

The siblings were quiet until Temari said, "It was Gaara's idea, honestly didn't think they'd say yes."

"What happened… when you guys disappeared?" I asked in a softer tone seeing the hesitation between them before Kankuro said, "It's a long story."

Looking ahead of me I said, "We have plenty of time."

The rest of the trip was hearing about Gaara who is carrier of the One-Tailed Beast and how Naruto battled him changing his view points. Though they lost their father he wasn't the best towards any of them especially Gaara who he used as a weapon. I felt for his story knowing what it was like to be used for war instead of peace which made me even more determined to help them gain back the respect of our village.

"I sense someone ahead in that cave." Hayner said stopping as we did the same looking towards Kankuro replying, "Let's go."

"Jeeze who made you team captain?" Kankuro mumbled but followed him begrudgingly as the rest of us kept going.

Not long after we heard fighting ahead as Gaara said, "Temari you stay here we will go further."

Temari nodded knowingly as Reno gave me a thumb up before jumping off to help with the fighting as Gaara and I kept going. Gaara and I jumped in a comfortable silence seeing the determination in his eyes to help. It was much different a few months ago but then again it was a good thing.

We made it to a clearing with a flash of green moving but suddenly stop seeing it was Rock Lee and an older boy he was fighting. Gaara quickly used his sand to block an attack from killing Lee as we stood in front of him seeing him look up.

"Gaara… and you're the girl from the Chunin exams." he said slightly dizzily while I flashed him a smile saying, "We are the rescue team."

Gaara turned towards Lee saying, "You are much slower than I remember."

Frowning Lee said, "Well after our battle my injuries I sustained almost cost me my shinobi path, but I've recently gotten surgery."

I saw the guilt flash before Gaara's eyes not knowing what happened or at the time caring what happened to him standing in front of both of us.

"This fight is mine to make amends not only to you Lee but your village, Yuna protect Lee if anything happens to me." he said while I nodded taking a kunai out ready if needed.

Quickly we saw our opponent could manipulate his bones and use them as weapons which intrigued me, but this wasn't the time to ask about it. Clashing together Gaara's sand did him justice keeping up with the attacks and even blocking when necessary. I watched Gaara use the technique he tried to use on Lee but with the boy's whole body being engulfed by sand as he went to crush him. His opponent though was able to get out of it causing us all to gasp in surprise. His appearance had changed now gray in color as if he was mutating seeing a large tail sprout from his body too.

Whatever transformation he had taken made him twice as strong seeing Gaara's sand wasn't cutting it anymore knowing I may have to step in. I watched the enemy form a large bone spear head while Gaara caused the ground to shift under us turning the field into sand. Slamming his hands into the ground a large sand animal appeared to attempt to block the oncoming attack. To our horror he was able to break through but the sand under our feet grabbed him pulling him under as I looked around the ground. I saw Gaara's eyes shift quickly to us feeling the ground move lifting Lee and I up as well just in time to see bones sticking out of the ground.

My eyes scanned around for any sign of movement as I heard Lee say, "Is it over?"

I went to speak but heard the bones move in a flash our enemy was upon us about to deliver the final blow on Gaara but stopped right in front of him. To our shock he had died still frozen in place as Gaara told us he sensed his death was close but fought on for Orochimaru until the bitter end.

Gaara brought us to the edge of the field looking at Lee and I, "Let's report back, there is nothing more we can do."

I know it is lame for Yuna not to help the fight but I felt Gaara deserved to be the main aspect of this fight for Lee's sake.