Ugghhh, living in a place where they make you get up before you're ready sucks…
I do now own squat
Konoha/Suna border
It was only just this morning Naruto had been trying to help figure out finishing the Rasengan. Both he and his old man were stuck, when Kakashi had come upon them. Paling considerably he had looked to the older blonde male with desperation. In response the man said…
Go Naruto, go save your friend
Running faster than he ever had, went back inside and got his stuff. The copy nin hollering to meet him and Sakura by the gate. Yelling back his compliance. He was startled as the older blonde halted him before he ran out the door.
Take this with you.
So he did without realizing what it was. Leaping into the air as he approaches the first signs of the main village. He lands on a roof and starts running. Faster than going by street, the teenager kept on moving. Doing what he needed to do to get to the gate. Running and landing next to Kakashi it had been him who realized what it was.
Heh, so he gave you one. Tsunade is going to kill him, I wonder where I put mine though.
Confused to say the least. They double-timed it on their way to Suna. The trees go by fast and steady, but eventually they meet up with Baki and other sand ninja.
"Good you guys are here, Kankuro and Temari are already going after them with some of our best."
"Do you recognize either of them?"
"Yes." Baki replied. "We believe them to be two members of Akatsuki. Both were wearing black coats with red clothes."
"Hmm means they're on the move. How far?"
"At least a day behind them."
"We need to move fast. I believe that it may take them one, maybe two days to remove the one tail. But we don't have long if they are that far ahead." The copy nin stated as he remembered the information Minato-sensei had told him.
Kushina and him having talked at length about her status with the Fox, he learned that it takes time to remove a Biju. The older blonde male had told him that Mito with the nine-tail had taken almost a week according to her. A week of many of her clan gathering around Mito and her to focus on containing it.
Then with Gaara being the one tail…would take only a day, maybe 2 if they were lucky.
Nodding in agreement, chakra pills passed around to all. They have renewed vigor as they move into the desert to chase. None of them noticed the old woman following them with a determined gaze.
Some hours later…
Having caught up to two of the Sand siblings, Kankuro and Temari. Baki had stayed behind with his group to get Kankuro home. The older brother of the three had been poisoned. Saying he would be fine for them to move on and get Gaara back. Concern and worry in both his and his sister's face. They nodded their heads as they immediately took off. Startled by the sight of a familiar old woman going after them, they look at one another in confusion.
Why was Chiyo there?
Baki and Temari take the injured home with help from the other Sand nins. About 2 hours from the village, the small group met up with Gai and his team. Apparently having just got back mere hours after Kakashi and them left, Tsunade sent them to back up the others. Pointing in the direction they went, the group of four left as soon as Baki got Gai up to speed.
The bowl headed man nodding grimly, as this time involves the Akatsuki, he instructs the one Hyuuga to keep a lookout all around him. Nodding his head as they run, Neji's Byakugan comes to life and searches for their friends. And their enemies….
Doubling their speed, it was luck that they caught up to them within 5-6 hours at a range of cliffs looming high above them. Fairly close to Rock territory they had to be careful about crossing the boundary.
"Neji, do you see anything different?" Gai asked as their quarry seemed to have vanished. Joined by the old woman who looked at them with indifference, they saw as Sakura and Naruto seemed to glare at her. Kakashi just shrugged and promised to tell Gai later, nodding at the instruction the bowl haired man gave him.
The Hyuuga studies his surroundings, he points to a direction as he speaks. "There seems to be a boulder up there. I detect a lot of chakra around it."
"Must be where they are kidding out, let's go Kakashi-sensei." Naruto exclaimed, "Gaara needs us."
Taking off before they can make any plan of sorts the others just follow him. Arriving at the boulder, Kakshi is the one who approaches this time. "Yeah this has gotta be the place. But we have a problem. Gai come here and take a look."
Said man came by, the two talked for a few minutes and nodded their heads in acceptance. "Neji, we need you to search for four points in the surrounding area. Looking at this symbol, you. TenTen, Lee and I must hit them at the same time. Make sure your earpieces are on for the countdown."
Nodding their heads as they put them in, it took maybe 20 minutes later before the Hyuuga told them directions and approximately how long to run. That said, the four disappeared as Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi waited. The old woman was waiting with them, everything was quiet, Naruto praying that they get there soon.
It was only about 35 minutes later for as the seal went down, so did the rock explode from inside. Two men approach them, the old woman steps forward as does the shinobi from Konoha. Recognition in their eyes as they recognize the symbols scratched out on each of their heads. One from Sand and the other was Rock.
"Hmm well check this out Sasori, think we can get another." Grinned the blonde with the ponytail. "He's on the list." Gesturing to Naruto who growled. All three Konoha Shinobi are bracing for a fight. That is when they notice the wrapped body. Pale for a moment before an even renewed determination takes over, "Give Gaara back!"
"Why? I believe he would be a nice addition to my puppets." Sasori responded with a calm steel. The body clacks as he moves to attack. It is then the old woman moves to intercept. Puppets of her own coming forth of various designs.
"I see. You decided to come meet me, Grandmother."
The old woman looked sad for a split second. It was replaced by an immediate steel gaze. The other red and black cloaked figure moving himself. He throws an explosion of smoke, before disappearing on what appears to be a clay bird.
"BOOM!" He cackles. Diving to take the body, the one from Rock grabs it as he flies off on the weirdest looking bird that Naruto had ever seen.
"Hatake!"
Startled by the old woman who talks directly to him, the copy nin listens as she speaks. Earlier the woman wouldn't say one thing but now?
"I know you hear me, take blondie and go after that one. I need pinky here with me. It's time my grandson and I had a family reunion."
The tone in her voice, Kakashi nods his head. Naruto following him they vanish leaving Sakura and Chiyo alone with the puppeteer. Both heading off after the Rock ninja, Kakashi speaks as they run. Knowing the man is flying, the blonde listens as apparently explosions start hitting them left and right.
"Do you still have what your father gave you?"
Having to think for a minute as he dodges a growl escaping his lips as he avoids an ever bigger explosion. His eyes take on a red color as his pupils turn to slits. "Yeah it's in my pocket."
"Just in case things go south, throw it."
"Huh?"
"Just trust me."
Both dodging the explosion, the chase after the blonde shinobi in the air. His words taunting them of their inability to catch up to him.
"Life is a BLAST!"
This time several little clay birds surrounding them, they narrowly escape by the skin of their teeth. Blown to the side for a few minutes, Kakashi summons Pakkun. The dog is already smelling for the trail; the two Shinobi chase after the former Rock ninja with the summons in the lead.
Back with Sakura and Chiyo
With the puppets being managed by the old woman, Sakura worked on breaking that outer shell. Chiyo as they fought explained that they needed to break that outer shell. Considering that wasn't going to be easy, the old woman had to keep Sasori busy while she waited for an opening.
"Come on, I do not have all day." Said woman stated as one of her puppets avoided the tail. The pinkette giving her a dark look, she grimaces as said tail slams her into a wall. Trying to hold her temper in as she needs to focus, the famed second coming of Tsunade was getting psst.
Leaping up the girl, avoids it this time allowing her to use it as a stepping stool. Allowing her time to launch one chakra enhanced punch.
A sickening crack heard it was neither her or Chiyo as both backed up.
"Now girl the real fight begins."
Confusion to say the least as the puppet thing begins to burst open. Seeing what appears to be a red headed humanoid puppet, it turns around. Chiyo's eyes are in shock as she stares at the figure.
"What have you done to yourself?"
"Do you not like it?" Sasori replied. "I made myself into a puppet. With this body I can not feel pain or be hurt ever again."
With those words said, he moves faster than the previous one did. Sakura gets smacked around for a bit as Chiyo does her best to support her. Getting hit repeatedly as she tries to block was hurting her more. "Perhaps I will replace that puppet with you. One with your strength shall be useful."
About to retort as the puppet forms a dagger from releasing a hand. Sakura finds herself yanked away like a marionette. Having just now realized that the puppets Chiyo had were out of commission, she is confused.
"Let me handle moving against him. You attack when in range, girl."
Nodding her head in understanding, Sakura finds herself moving faster than ever. She focuses now on openings to attack. Allowing her body to be handled by Chiyo, the pinkette finds herself getting more and more hits in as the S-rank nin works hard to dodge her hits. Eventually busting up more of this body, the puppet that was Sasori crashes to the floor.
Released from the strings to collapse in exhaustion. The girl takes out a chakra pill as Chiyo takes out two more puppets.
Puppets that the now destroyed puppet master recognizes.
"Really Grandmother. With all your preaching to me about turning the dead into puppets." The missing nin commented. "My parents?"
Chiyo looked at him with a mixture of determination and pain. "They are here to do something I should have done a long time ago, Sasori. I am sorry."
The puppets are active now, they move towards the nin with ease. Both sitting on either side, as the nin was dying, he protested as their arms came around him. His eyes start to regain the zest for life as he feels the happy memories he had goes forward. He decides with his dying breath to speak.
"Konoha girl, listen to me." Sasori commands as he looks up at Sakura. The pinkette sharply turned her head towards him. "There is more than one spy I have. They will do things on my death…."
Saying that the sand nin dies. Taking a chakra pill out of her supply belt, the med-nin nods to Chiyo who shows her acceptance. "Go, I will wait here for the others."
Nodding her head Sakura takes off in the direction Kakashi and Naruto went, determination and worry in her green eyes. Following what comes to be a trail of ruined rocks and craters. Hearing the faint sounds of battle, she doubletimes it.
Back with Kakashi and Naruto
Continuing to dodge explosions, Kakashi looks at Naruto with an idea, coming closer to a waterfall drop. He gestures to Naruto to distract the Rock nin, who they now know is Diedara. Nodding his head Naruto makes his move, hundreds of clones coming into existence the man himself grins as he prepares a large explosion.
But the grin turns to anger as the copy nin knocks into the bird hard enough to cause the wrapped body to fall. The real Naruto catching it. Diedara growls in anger as not only was his big boom interrupted. He lost the body of the one-tailed holder/ Taking in the rest of his clay as he does not have much left, he starts to work in the biggest blast ever.
He always did like to get out with a bang,
Grinning maniacally as he dodges the blonde's attacks, he sets off a minor explosion as his hand works. The man cackles with glee as they reach a point where the Shinobi can not catch him.
"Well this was just an absolute blast. But I am afraid I have to go and I always did like going out with a BANG!" His hand done, he releases what could be the biggest explosive yet. The two grabbing the body of the now dead Kazekage, they take off running. He himself flies away fast and smiles as it explodes. Riding the waves of pressure on his bird of clay.
The shockwaves are enormous, it takes a lot out of the two Konoha Shinobi who fled. Naruto using his clones to cushion himself and what he holds as Kakashi ends up thrown into some trees. Dizzy and not to mention a couple of ribs broken, the copy nin was lucky as only minutes later both Gai and Sakura came along. Neji and the others finding Naruto, the trio was bringing him back along with what he held.
Working to stabilize Kakashi long enough for him to get back to Konoha, they all watch as many Sand nins appear. Most led by Baki, Temari, and Kankuro, the two siblings were stricken as they looked at the body of their younger brother. Gai helped Kakasi up, much to the latter's annoyance. They allow Sakura to look in on Gaara, who shakes her head with regret.
"He's gone and so is the one-tail." She replied sadly. Mournful cries coming from the sand shinobi and villagers who rushed to help. It convinced one old woman to step forward.
"I'm getting old blondie, come over here I'm going to need some of your chakra." Confused to say the least, it takes Baki to look sharply at the old woman as she grasps onto the blonde boy's hand as she makes signs with the other.
"Chiyo do-"
"I'm old Baki, I've done my time." The old woman responded. "I didn't think you and the village did right and not kill Gaara. But over the years I admit he has changed. And the fact that Konoha had deemed him worthy enough and our people over there mourning him." She sighed. "It's now my time. Blondie you will know, you pull him back ok."
Nodding his head, not fully understanding what she is doing. The blonde blacks out for a spilt second as he finds himself in a different place.
With Gaara
Confused and disoriented, the red headed teenager looks around. Everything peaceful, he looks down at himself to once again find himself a child. This time filled with loneliness once more. He is startled as he sees a blonde figure running towards him
"Gaara! Gaara, wait up! Don't go that way, we need to go back."
"Why?" He asks. "I feel peaceful here."
"Because your people need you!"
That is when he hears it.
Come back to us.
We love you Gaara.
Gaara please don't go.
Hearing many voices he looks to where the blond figure offers a hand. Now his older self once more he realizes it is Naruto who talks to him.
"Hey it's time to go home." His friend started happily. "Your people are waiting for you."
That done and said, the redhead opens his eyes. Seeing his brother and sister crying alongside others, he becomes even further aware of the people crying in joy as he starts to get up. Admittedly feeling weak without the demon in him, he stumbles only to be caught by his siblings. Turning around he sees Naruto grinning as he turns to see his friend and the teams from Konoha although tired and a little worse for wear.
They too were smiling. "Glad to have you back Gaara." Naruto chirped. Although sad a moment later as they look down. Seeing the body of Chiyo being wrapped up, he looks to Baki in surprise and pain.
The older man explaining everything, he nodded his head in acceptance. Giving orders to have her a grand funeral for her sacrifices. The Sand ninja surrounded him to see for themselves that their leader and Kazekage were alive.
Gaara realized that he was much loved by those around him.
Naruto, Kakashi and the others watch as Gaara is celebrated. Despite his confusion, for the first time since they have known him. He had a smile.
It was nice.
Resolving to make apologies for leaving, they picked up their injured and proceeded to head home. Leaving the Kazekage to experience and now fully understand true love and respect.
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Folks I think I did this good to get my point across. Yes I did not summon Minato I wanted Naruto to just hold onto it and understand it was for emergencies. Not knowing what it was until he needs it. Which will be soon so don't worry. Anyhow please review if you see any screw ups I do not have a beta and I would appreciate the help