Inner Demons

by livezinshadowz

AU. When Utakata discovers that Yagura's being manipulated by Akatsuki, he flees the Hidden Mist with the goal to save himself and his only friend. His solution? Find the other Jinchūriki and convince them to join his fight. But the Jinchūriki have more baggage than just the Bijū they contain, and if they can't create a cohesive unit from broken recluses, they may all be dead.

7. The Tanuki's Protection

"Fūton: Kazekiri no Jutsu!"

Sand solidified around him, shielding him from the zephyrs. For a brief, quiet moment, he was surrounded by darkness. Alone.

Then spikes of sand lanced out from his defense, impaling, suffocating, crushing every ounce of human flesh within reach. He could feel blood soaking the silica, slaking a week-long thirst.

When the sand returned to the gourd on his back, he was surrounded by the mangled corpses of four Sand ANBU, bones peeking through skin that was wrinkled from exsanguination. The street was a graveyard, his own soul dead amidst the remains of others laying around him.

Moonlight illuminated the street, yet he still felt completely enshrined in darkness.

-l-l-l-

Bleary blue eyes opened to clean white walls and a framed picture of purple flowers in a vase. Naruto blinked several times to try to orient himself, turning his head from right to left and spying various machines surrounding his bedside. His focus stopped on one corner of the room, where a tall man wearing a red vest over olive-colored shirt and pants was slumped against the wall, eyes closed and arms crossed over his broad chest. A forehead protector with the kanji for 'oil' held back his wild mane of waist-length, spiky white hair.

There was something vaguely familiar about him, though he was sure he would have remembered seeing someone like him before, and his mind felt too fuzzy to focus. "Oi, ojii-san," he called, voice a rusty croak, "who're you? And where am I?"

The older man's eyes opened and settled on the Jinchūriki. "Well, look who finally decided to wake up. You're in the hospital. Brought you here myself after your fight with the Ichibi. As for who I am…" He leaned off the wall and came to stand before the bed, settling into a sort of theatrical crouch with limbs splayed wide. "I'm Mount Myōboku's holy Toad Sage, the Gallant Jiraiya of the Sannin! And I'm insulted that you think I'm old."

Naruto cocked his head to one side. "Eh? Never heard of you."

"What?! What are they teaching you kids these days?"

"Boring stuff," Naruto told him, attention roaming around the room to better get his bearings. "When can I leave?"

"Look kid, I appreciate your gumption, but you're not goin' anywhere. Your arm's broken, not to mention all the other scrapes you got. The Suna kid sure did a number on you."

Suna kid… And this guy, Jiraiya, he'd said something about bringing him here after his fight with the Ichibi. His head still felt a little fuzzy, making it hard to focus on everything he was being told. Can't think straight… "Where is he?"

"Who?"

"That kid you mentioned. From Suna."

Jiraiya arched an eyebrow. "Jail, obviously. He's a prisoner of war."

Naruto sat fully upright, angry blue eyes focused on his fists, which were clenched around the bed sheets. "Damn it!"

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold up there, kid." Jiraiya's hand pressed down on his shoulder, forcing the agitated blond back into his bed. "You're pretty energetic for someone who nearly died. You got somewhere better to be?"

"I've gotta…get back to training." The reason came out thin, grasping for words that would make more sense than the actual reason. "I'm not…I wasn't strong enough…" He trailed off, the weight of his loss and helplessness in the face of the sand demon a tangible thing. That, at least, was true. A sudden wave of disorientation hit him, forcing him to close his eyes.

"Hmm…" Jiraiya glanced between the downcast blond and the closed window. "Tell you what, kid. I've got a mission that'll take me out of the village for a bit. You agree to come with me, I'll spring you from this place and give you some personal training. I've got some pretty cool jutsu I can teach you. How 'bout it?"

Blue eyes opened to slits and scrutinized Jiraiya. Naruto took a moment to gather his thoughts, fighting the pull of the drugs being pumped into his system, and then twitched the shoulder of his broken arm as if to bring the white-haired man's attention to it. "How can I learn jutsu if I can't use my arm?"

"A truly magnificent shinobi won't let himself be handicapped by something so mundane," Jiraiya admonished boisterously. Soberly, he continued, "But I've got a cool jutsu for you that only needs one hand to learn, if you're up for it."

"Really? That'd be awesome!" Then he frowned. "But only if the Suna kid can come, too."

Jiraiya's brow furrowed. "Kid, do you have any idea what you're asking? Not only is Gaara the Ichibi Jinchūriki, but he's the youngest son of the late Kazekage, and the lynchpin of the biggest attack Konoha's weathered since the Kyūbi. He's also been diagnosed as a narcissist with severe sociopathic tendencies. You're talking about a textbook political POW, and an unstable one at that. Even if I could get him released, why would I ever bring him with us?"

"You wouldn't get it."

The older man leaned forward, hands gripping the bed rails. Dark eyes bored into blue, the red lines trailing from beneath them framing a mouth set in a flat line. "Try me. I'm a pretty smart guy."

Naruto hesitated, unsure how to respond. Jiraiya was a complete stranger, and even though he seemed kind, especially compared to the experiences he'd had with people growing up, Utakata and Rōshi had told him not to say anything about them, and he wanted to keep that promise. Besides, even if he wanted to, he wasn't sure what he'd say. Utakata and Rōshi had never really made him privy to their plan; all he knew was that they needed the Jinchūriki to help the Mizukage, and that meant they needed the Suna-nin. Gaara, he reminded himself. "I can help him," he asserted with more confidence than he felt.

Trepidation rocked his body, the lull of his medications temporarily overridden as Jiraiya continued to stare at him. There was something in the Sannin's gaze, like he was looking into the blond's soul, reading every miniscule twitch of his face for a hint to his secrets. Naruto gulped. He knows I'm lying!

Then Jiraiya threw back his head and let out a loud belly laugh. "You've got guts, kid! I like that." He opened his eyes and gave the boy a wide grin. "Lemme see what I can do. Not only am I smart, but I'm pretty resourceful when I want to be."

"Uh…okay."

"Oh ho, you doubt my greatness? I'll just have to prove myself then." He walked over to the window, opened it, stuck one leg out, and made sure to turn around – body crouched over the frame – to toss the blond a devil-may-care grin. "See you soon!"

Naruto found he could only blink as the older man disappeared from view. Then, with nothing better to do, he relaxed back against the hospital pillows and closed his eyes. What a weirdo.

-l-l-l-

Grey stone walls and dank, stale air surrounded him. It was ironic, a prison in human form contained in an actual prison.

Or it would have been if he actually understood irony.

I am…bored.

It was strange that he suddenly found himself with time – or more accurately, with clarity – to consider that thought. For so long, he'd been plagued with seeking out the next victim to validate his existence, the voice in his head helping to guide him along, but now, that voice was undeniably silent.

I am…alone. He cocked his head to the side, considering that thought. No. Lonely.

For someone who was used to being isolated, it was a strange feeling.

The creak of metal made its way to his ears, the click-clack of wood on stone echoing within the prison's walls. A shadow fell over his cell, but he ignored it; he was used to the guards' routine of dropping off food, checking to make sure he was still alive, and then leaving.

"Well aren't you a sad sight."

He raised his head at the voice, finding a large man with long white hair and a red vest standing in front of his cell, arms crossed over his chest. "You are not a guard."

"Got it in one, kid. We weren't formally introduced at our last encounter; probably something to do with the giant sand tanuki taking over your body and hijacking your conscious. Name's Jiraiya. Normally got a whole routine I do to wow the kids, but this place is kinda gloomy, and you don't seem like you're all that easy to impress, are you, Sabaku no Gaara?"

Gaara continued to stare at his visitor, expression flat and unmoving. "Tough crowd," Jiraiya muttered. He took a step closer to the cell, letting his arms fall to his side. "Good news, kid. I'm gonna get you outta this place." At the boy's lack of reaction, the Sannin arched an eyebrow. "You don't appear too enthused."

"You curry no good will by freeing me. The Kazekage does not look favorably upon useless weapons."

"Well first off, the Kazekage's dead, so his opinion means squat." He paused, as if to give Gaara time to react to the news of his father's death, but if the Sand Genin was surprised, he didn't show it. "Second, it's not my job to try to please Suna. If you think Konoha would let me negotiate your release for that, you're…well, I was gonna say crazy, but that seems kind of insensitive. Apt though." Gaara's stoicism remained impregnable, and Jiraiya scratched the side of his head. "Oooor you don't care. Whatever. Naruto won't go with me unless you come along, so along you're coming."

Gaara blinked. "Who is Naruto?"

"The blond brat you fought against in the forest." A flicker of emotion finally crossed the Suna-nin's face, his pupil-less teal eyes narrowing in irritation. Ah ha, so you are capable of emotion. Interesting. "Strange that he'd ask you to come along when you don't seem to know each other, hm?"

"…You would trust me to accompany you and…Naruto?" The name was foreign on his lips, but now that he knew it, it echoed throughout every quiet corner of his mind, a mantra that ignited a new fire in his veins. The way his mother had shrieked about killing the resilient blond…Gaara hadn't felt that much rage and bloodlust in ages. Even his obsession with Uchiha Sasuke didn't compare. Naruto…I will kill you.

"Hah! Hardly. I'm assuming you've figured out by now that there's something wrong with your chakra. You should know that I'm the reason for that." Chakra lit up along his fingertips, which he waved at the imprisoned boy. "Nasty little sealing technique. Even works on Jinchūriki.

"Yeah," he continued at the slight widening of Gaara's eyes, "I know all about you. So don't think you'll be able to do anything you're used to while we're together. Trust me, kid, however good you think you are, you're not as good as me. Got it?" He didn't receive an answer – not that he expected one – and continued by clapping his hands once, rubbing them together as if scheming something. "So, now that we're on the same page—" he grinned slightly when the Suna-nin finally acknowledged their arrangement with the barest of head nods, "—let's get you outta here."

-l-l-l-

"Alright—"

Naruto jolted awake, looking around the room in a mild panic.

"—let's go!"

"Uh—wha?" Blue eyes finally found Jiraiya crouched outside the open window on… What's he standing on? "What's going on?"

"I've got your friend right here." Something long, pinkish-red, and wet – Is that a tongue?! – appeared in his view, wrapped around a figure wearing an unamused expression and possessing hair the color of dried blood. It disappeared from view, and Jiraiya hopped into the hospital room. "Told you I'm resourceful. So, since I did you that favor, you're comin' with now, yeah? 'Cause we got…not a whole lotta time."

"Uh, I guess?"

Jiraiya beamed. "Great!" He strode over to the bedridden boy and grabbed the central line in the crook of Naruto's arm. With careful fingers, he pulled it out, then began unhooking the pulse oximeter and any other lines connected to the blond. Beeps and whines from the surrounding hospital equipment filled the room, and the Sannin quickly scooped Naruto over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. The door to the room opened, and a nurse entered. She seemed frozen at the sight before her, and Jiraiya shot her a quick glance before announcing, "That's our cue."

He jumped out the window amidst the nurse's yelling, and from his downward-facing position, Naruto got a view of a giant toad's warty head rising up to meet him. The blond grunted upon landing, though it was drowned out by Jiraiya's yelled, "Let's go!"

The toad they were on leaped away from the hospital, landing hundreds of feet away in an empty training field. Jiraiya set Naruto on his feet in the moment of stillness, but he fell over when the amphibian again jumped, bringing them into the Land of Fire's vast forest. The toad's tongue came up and deposited a slimy Gaara – lips turned down in annoyance – beside the blond. "Hold on tight, kiddos," Jiraiya advised. He stood with feet splayed wide, arms crossed over his chest, waist-length white hair whipping in the wind. Naruto stared at him with a slack jaw, awed by the older man's powerful presence, a ship's captain staring out at the vast sea. "This'll be a bumpy ride."

Naruto leaned back on his hands, not trusting himself to find steady footing, and winced when too much pressure was put on his broken arm. "Where're we goin'?"

"To find the next Hokage."

"Eh? Why? Did something happen to Hokage-jii-san?"

Jiraiya angled his head so he was facing the blond. His expression was the most somber Naruto had seen in their short interactions so far. "The Sandaime was killed during the Suna-Oto invasion." Shock pulsed through Naruto's body, his mind suddenly blank at the revelation. It must have been visible on his face, for the Sannin turned to face forward again to avoid looking at him. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this. The hospital's been short-staffed and overworked since the invasion, and some of the higher-ups thought it prudent to keep you under sedation because of the Kyūbi."

Unable to process all the information, Naruto latched on to the last thing Jiraiya had said, asking in a strained voice, "The Kyūbi?"

"People fear what they don't understand, kid. Fear leads to stupid, often irrational, decisions. And the Kyūbi…well, I'm sure you already know all about that. You and your friend there."

Naruto looked at the redhead, as if suddenly remembering he was there. Gaara stared back, expression intense yet unreadable. There seemed to be no soul in his gaze, and he forced himself to turn back to the Sannin. "What, uh…" There were too many questions in his mind – questions about the Sandaime, about the invasion, their mission, Gaara – that he couldn't focus on getting out any of them.

"New Hokage's name is Tsunade," Jiraiya announced. He seemed to have realized Naruto's state and was trying to answer as many of the boy's unspoken questions as possible. "We used to be teammates, but she's retired now."

The singular line of thought broke through his haze, and Naruto asked, "Retired? Then how's she gonna be Hokage?"

Jiraiya tossed him a grin. "I've got a plan. Don't worry, she'll come back. Mark my words."

They fell silent as the toad continued to leap through the Land of Fire, both consumed with their thoughts. Emotionless teal eyes flickered between the blond boy and the white-haired man's back, studying them. Gaara flexed his hand, trying to summon a trace amount of sand from his gourd. No particulates responded, and the corners of his lips turned down in an unnoticed frown. Hmm…

-l-l-l-

"You said you had a cool jutsu I could learn with one hand."

"So I did," Jiraiya agreed. The trio – their toad escort had been released back to wherever it came from – were settled in a clearing deep within the Land of Fire, the late afternoon sun filtering through the treetops. Naruto fidgeted while watching Jiraiya, enjoying the combination of warmth tempered by a slight breeze even as he waited for the older man's instruction. "Watch this."

He held out his hand, and after a moment, a sphere of swirling chakra the size of a large orange formed in his palm. The blue of Jiraiya's chakra matched the blue of Naruto's wide eyes as he stared in amazement at the technique. "The Rasengan," announced the Sannin. "Recognize it?" Naruto shook his head. "Honestly, what are they teaching you kids these days? This is one of the Yondaime's signature jutsu."

"Coool! What's it do?"

Instead of responding, Jiraiya walked over to a nearby tree and thrust the Rasengan into it. The crunch of splintering bark filled the area, followed by the creak of the falling foliage. Once the tree was grounded, the Sannin turned to the blond and said, "That's as good as you'll get, unless you want to volunteer to experience it firsthand." Naruto shook his head in rigorous denial, though his eyes remained enthusiastically bright. Jiraiya tossed the boy a water balloon. "Start with this."

"What do I do with it?"

"Pop it, obviously. Use your chakra. Don't get discouraged if you don't get it right away; it took the Yondaime three years to create the Rasengan, and it took me months to learn it using this method." He waved a lazy hand through the air as he walked in the direction of the village they'd seen before settling down. "I'll check in on your progress later. Gonna go do some reconnaissance in the meantime. Have fun!"

He disappeared in a swirl of leaves, and the Jinchūriki was left shouting to no one, "Months?!"

Naruto grumbled into the open air when it became apparent that Jiraiya could no longer hear him, nonsensical mutterings that only served to vent his annoyance. It was a habit he'd picked up from Rōshi, who'd often taken to grousing to himself (especially when Utakata tried a gentler approach) during the earlier days of their training, and mimicking it eased the sudden resurgence of abandonment he felt.

Breathing deeply to soothe his irritation, just as Utakata had taught him, he focused on the task at hand. Thinking of the older Jinchūriki reminded him that he'd undergone months of training to get to where he was currently, and neither demon container had yet officially begun training him in their respective Bijū powers. If he could hold out for that, then he could do the same for learning the Rasengan.

In. Out. "There's water inside," he murmured, his chakra probing the balloon. Using the lessons Utakata had taught him, he manipulated the water's shape, swirling it around within the confines of the balloon. It's easier like this. Water was normally so untamable, especially since he was used to practicing with the unyielding flow of the river, that concentrating enough to perform fine manipulations like the Kiri-nin could was a struggle. Here, with only a small amount of water stuck in an unmoving, unchanging package, focusing was easy.

Water swirled within the balloon, an unseen vortex that caused the whole thing to shake in his palm. His tongue poked out between his lips, brow furrowing in concentration. "C'mon, c'mon…" He worked his chakra in the water, forcing it into a tumultuous maelstrom. Seconds later, the balloon exploded from the internal pressure, soaking Naruto's face with water. "HA, yes!"

"You accomplished that quickly."

Naruto jumped, head whipping around to find Gaara standing not 10 feet away. The redhead was so quiet that the blond kept forgetting he was on the mission, especially since Jiraiya almost effortlessly pulled all attention to himself. "Yeah, uh, thanks." Awkwardness filled the silence, and the Leaf native suddenly became aware of how strange it was to be in such close proximity to someone who, upon last recollection, had been seconds away from killing him. "So, uh, how're you doin'?"

Teal eyes continued to stare at him. Naruto repressed a shiver, finding nothing in the other boy's expression except the cold, uncaring promise of death. "Why do you care?" he finally asked, tone as dry as the desert he hailed from.

"Because…we're the same, y'know?" Naruto turned his gaze away from the redhead, unable to maintain eye contact any longer, and instead focused on fiddling with the broken pieces of rubber remaining in his hand. "You're a Jinchūriki, I'm a Jinchūriki…" he trailed off, suddenly aware that he knew nothing else about the redhead. With a tinge of hope in his voice, he asked, "Isn't that enough?"

"No." His tone left no room for argument. "I am alone, a product of darkness. Just me…and Mother." His brow furrowed, and he stared at his hands, turning them over to examine both sides, flexing fingers keeping his attention. "And now it is just me." Tiny particulates of sand hovered around his fingers. "There is nothing in caring for others, and in killing you, I will prove my existence."

"You're wrong!" Naruto clenched his trembling fists and held them rigidly at his side. "Everything I've learned, I learned from people I care about! They're Jinchūriki just like us, and they're the reason I was able to beat you! Why I can do this!" He held out his hand, gesturing to the broken balloon. "They care about me; they're the most important people in my life!"

Gaara was clutching his head with both hands. He shook it back and forth, seemingly caught in the throes of some personal nightmare. "Shut up," he growled. "Caring causes weakness. I will be strong. I will kill you!"

Naruto thought of his life, how alone he'd felt before Utakata and Rōshi had discovered him and taken him under their wings. The crippling loneliness, the lack of anyone to push him towards his dream…it was easy to see how Gaara had turned out the way he had. Rōshi hadn't been all that different at the beginning. Did Rōshi-oji and Utakata-nii feel like that? "You're wrong," he told Gaara, conviction strong in his voice, "and I'll prove it to you."

He held out his hand for Gaara to shake, hoping the other boy would bridge the gap and take it, a show of camaraderie. The redhead stared at the proffered appendage for a long moment, scrutinizing it, and then turned and walked away from the blond. Naruto watched him go, a forlorn expression crossing his features. Maybe next time.

-l-l-l-

Gaara watched from his seated position on the ground as Naruto struggled with the task he'd been given. Jiraiya had been visibly shocked to discover the blond's success with the water balloon when he'd returned after his reconnaissance, though he'd quickly schooled his features and tossed his pupil a rubber ball with instructions to pop it and a warning that it would be much harder than the balloon.

That had been a week ago, and Naruto's frustration was apparent.

I understand your pain.

His hands paused in their movements as he considered the thought, his practice interrupted. The cloud of sand particles floating in the air around him fell to the ground, free of his influence, and he frowned at his lapse. While Naruto was dealing with trying to break the rubber ball, the Suna-nin's free time was spent trying to regain the control of his sand that Jiraiya's seal had apparently shut down.

The process was arduous, painfully so, but over the hours and days of travel and training, his power had slowly but surely returned. It was fractional, nowhere near what he was used to, but it was coming back. For once in his life, Gaara was struggling, and in watching – observing, studying – Naruto's plight, he felt…kinship.

…Strange. The last time he'd felt anything close to this was in his meetings with Uchiha Sasuke, but there the connection had been emotionless. In Sasuke, he'd seen only the same desire to prove himself, to be the best by destroying the opposition. But now Gaara was as powerless as he'd ever been, neutered by the meddlesome Jiraiya, and watching someone he'd marked for death struggle against the odds was…invigorating.

He waited for the call in his mind, the voice of Mother, excitedly urging him to relish in the thrill of his victim's futility, but it never came, and the redhead was once again reminded of how alone he was. For years, he'd listened to Mother's voice, ranging from whispers to shrieks, and because of that, he'd never noticed the solitude. And before her, he'd had—

Yashamaru…

Gaara gripped his head with both hands, teal eyes closing to shut out the images that flashed before them. His uncle's kind, violet eyes and sad smile invaded the darkness behind his eyelids, the memory of the man's voice echoing in his head. "There is only one thing that can stop such heartache. As inconvenient as it may seem, this cure can only be given by people other than yourself…"

"…What is it?"

"It's love!"

"Shut up," he whispered.

A hand landed on his shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?"

Teal eyes snapped open, and Gaara threw out a hand that smacked a tan arm away, rasping in a panicked voice, "Go away!"

A small ball of sand formed between them and then burst, specks of grit striking Naruto's chest. The force was just enough to push the blond away but not injure him. Gaara stared at the spot where the other Jinchūriki's hand had been, unable to appreciate the small display of control over his abilities. "You…touched me."

"Well…yeah. You looked like you were in pain."

"Pain?"

He held a hand to his heart. "Although it doesn't bleed, this part hurts so much…"

"Bodies bleed upon physical injuries, and they may look quite painful…but eventually, the pain will wear off as time passes, and they can heal faster with medical aids. What are more serious are emotional scars…they are the hardest to heal."

"Emotional scars?"

"Physical and emotional scars are a bit different…unlike physical ones, there's no ointment available for emotional ones…and pain may never go away…"

No one had touched him since that day…since Yashamaru had taught him about pain and love and then ripped that all away in a single instance of vengeful fire. The Sand Armor that protected him, and his thirst for death, made it so that no one tried. That someone had – some strange boy he'd sworn to kill – was…anomalous. Inexplicable. "I do not feel pain," he said, voice robotic, gaze cast into the distance. "I feel nothing but love only for myself, and hatred for others."

"That sounds sad."

Gaara turned his head away, unable to continue keeping the blond with the empathetic blue eyes in his field of vision. …It is.

"You know…you don't have to be alone." Naruto's voice was quiet. Somber. "I know people like you, like us…we were sad, too. But now that we have each other, we're happy. Uh, well, happier, anyway. Caring about other people and having people that care about you is a good thing."

Gaara closed his eyes again in an attempt to block out the understanding in the other boy's voice. "Shut up and leave me alone."

"If you're sure… I'm here if you want to talk, though." Naruto turned and began to walk away, but then he snapped his fingers and rushed back to the redhead. "Hey, how'd you do that sand ball thing? Can you show me?!"

The redhead turned a confused expression to the blond. "Sand…ball?"

"Yeah! The, uh, you know—" he moved his good hand so it was close to the broken one held in place by a sling at chest level, then quickly pulled them apart and imitated an explosion, "—poh! That thing you just did."

Stunned by the request, by the idea that he'd somehow made more progress with regaining his sand manipulation while in a fit of madness than during a week of focused practice, the Suna-nin lifted his hand and summoned sand to his palm. A ball of silica slowly formed until it was roughly the size of an apple. He stared at it for a long moment, brow furrowed, and in his mind's eye, he pictured the sphere exploding.

The sand ball obeyed, bursting outwards in every direction. Naruto's gaze flickered from the redhead's now-empty palm to the particulates falling to the ground. "Huh…you can make it go in all directions at once," he muttered. "Like how Utakata-nii does, but he uses water. And you use sand. Here it's just air. I can't do anything with air. Can I just use chakra? Jiraiya used chakra, so it's gotta be possible…"

Gaara watched as the Kyūbi Jinchūriki walked away, mumbling to himself all the while. He also talks to himself…

And for the second time that day, he felt kinship with the blond.

-l-l-l-

"Rrrr, damn it!"

"Your persistence is impressive."

"Like you're one to talk," Jiraiya interjected, "practicing your sand jutsu day in and day out. Where's it gotten you?"

Gaara scowled at the older man, reaching out towards him with one hand. A small stream of sand flowed out of the gourd of his back and reached for the Sannin. Jiraiya swatted away the attempted assault and laughed. "Well, aren't we cheeky today?" Then he grew serious. "But see what continued practice gets you?"

The redhead turned away from the older man and instead focused on the hustle and bustle of Tanzaku Gai in an effort to ignore him. People were everywhere, hawking street food and wares, talking to one another, flowing in and out of different establishments, and Gaara found it all to be too much. While not the size of the Hidden Sand, it certainly felt more crowded, doubly so from the street itself as opposed to an open rooftop where his reputation guaranteed him solitude and, more importantly, space.

With only limited control over his sand and Mother's whisperings absent in his mind, the Sand Genin felt more on edge than usual, uncomfortable in a confined space with no way to escape or create his own path out.

"Hey—"

Gaara twitched, startled by the voice, and swiveled to find Naruto walking beside him.

"—are you doin' okay? You don't look so good."

He stared at the blond, teal meeting blue, neither breaking eye contact. Discomfort roiled in the Suna-nin's gut at Naruto's concerned gaze; he hadn't seen someone look at him with such care since Yashamaru. Most other people would have backed down or averted their eyes when confronted by his intense stare, but this boy…his strength of will was beyond what Gaara was used to.

He turned away from the blond, fixing his sight straight ahead and muttering, "People…there are too many people…" As he spoke, he realized his hands were shaking, the quivering feeling in his gut spreading throughout the rest of his body. "I cannot…no control…"

"Uh, Jiraiya—"

But the Sannin had already turned and grabbed the red-haired Jinchūriki, throwing him over his shoulder and leaping to the nearest rooftop. When the Sannin's actions registered, Naruto followed him, finding the older man setting Gaara down and then stepping away. He threw out a hand when Naruto landed. "Stay back, kid, give him some room."

"What—"

"He's having a panic attack," Jiraiya explained, voice quiet but hurried. "He's grown up in isolation most of his life, this place might be too much for him. And let me tell you, kid, the last thing we need is him losing control in the middle of the town."

"We need to help him!"

"Even sealed, it's dangerous to get near an unstable Jinchūriki—Naruto!"

The blond was creeping closer to the Suna-nin, every step wary of the sand that was rising around the redhead in protective strips. It did nothing but float in the air as Gaara trembled in place, muttering to himself. Naruto rushed the last several steps towards the other boy and placed both hands upon his shoulders, wincing as his injured arm protested the motion. Gaara's wild eyes rooted him in place, and Naruto swallowed hard, realizing that he'd once again stepped into a situation with the Ichibi Jinchūriki that he was sorely prepared for. "Gaara…you need to calm down.

"I know…" he licked dry lips, pushing through the fear and forcing himself to continue, "I know what it's like to be beaten down by people. They don't get people like us, and that sucks, but you can get through this. 'Cause there are people who we can be around…other Jinchūriki, people like you and me, people who make life worth it. You don't always have to be scared of people, trust me. But you gotta calm down. Please."

Slowly, Gaara's breathing evened out, his eyes returned to their normal, flat gaze, and the sand floating in the air around him lost cohesion and dropped to the ground. Naruto let his arms fall to his sides, sliding his wounded arm back into its sling as the redhead rose to his feet. Gaara shot him a brief glance and exhaled a quiet, unsure, "…Thank you…"

Naruto smiled at him, suddenly hopeful. "You're welcome."

"Damn, kid," Jiraiya exclaimed, "you've got balls of steel. Maybe not a lot of brains, but balls for sure."

"Eh, thanks?"

"Why don't you two stay here for a bit, hm?" the Sannin suggested. "So long as you promise to play nice, anyway. You haven't killed each other so far, so I think it'll be okay." He glanced between the pair. "Right?"

"Yeah, we'll be okay."

Jiraiya nodded. "Then I leave you to it. I'll be back soon." And then he was gone.

Naruto glanced around as the smoke from Jiraiya's Shunshin dissipated, finding Gaara standing at the roof's ledge and looking down at the city below. He approached the redhead and stood beside him at a respectable distance, shooting the other boy a quick side-eye. "You're, uh, not gonna jump or anything, right?"

"No," came the flat reply. He turned to grace the blond with the full brunt of his dead-eyed stare. "What do you want from me?"

"What?"

"You are…present. Constantly. You remind me of someone who…cared." He frowned, the concept of caring utterly foreign. "Caring is for people who love each other, but I tried to kill you. Your death would prove my existence, yet…" He turned back to the street below, unwilling to finish the thought. "You do not make sense to me."

"You can care about anyone!" Naruto protested. "Family, friends—"

"I have no friends."

"I'm your friend!" He fought the urge to wither under Gaara's unblinking stoicism, instead meeting the redhead's teal eyes with his jaw set at a stubborn angle. "Listen to me, damn it! Maybe all that crap is true – maybe you do suck at caring and, yeah, you tried to kill me – but that doesn't matter! That's all in the past. We've gotta look out for each other now. And in the future! Because I care about you, and you're my friend, and that's what friends do, believe it!"

Gaara didn't respond in the face of the blond's tirade, staring at the other boy unblinkingly. Finally, he said, "You know nothing about me."

"You're a Jinchūriki, like me," Naruto asserted. "That's all I need to know."

Gaara let out a snort and returned his gaze to the hustle of Tanzaku Gai below, finding he had nothing to say in response to the blond's optimistic authority.

-l-l-l-

"C'mon, c'mon…"

Naruto focused intently on the rubber ball in his hand as it swelled and bulged under the influence of his chakra. He poured more energy into the sphere, willing it to move in every direction imaginable, until it finally exploded with a violent burst of air. "Hell yeah!"

Taking deep breaths to calm himself from his victory, the blond glanced over at Gaara to see if the redhead had any reaction to his success. The Suna-nin seemed content to remain where he was, staring out over the town from their rooftop vantage point.

He sighed at the lack of response, wishing not for the first time that Utakata was around to offer his usual dose of measured praise. The day after Gaara's panic attack, Jiraiya had deemed it best for them to remain behind while he continued to work on persuading Tsunade – whom he'd apparently found – to take up the mantle of Hokage. In turn, Gaara had opted to spend most of his time outside the claustrophobic hotel room, taking up station on the roof where he could watch the city in stoic silence.

It wasn't all that different from how the past several weeks had gone, except now Naruto kept catching the redhead staring at him. The looks were…odd. Naruto didn't feel like Gaara was seeing him as a piece of meat anymore, but what he did see, the blond couldn't say. The Suna-nin was harder to read than Rōshi, albeit trading the Iwa-nin's grumpiness for sheer apathy.

"Jiraiya has returned."

"Really?" Naruto bounded over to his fellow Jinchūriki, peering down over the roof's ledge to spy the older man's white hair on the street below. "He's back early." He jumped down to greet his mentor, yelling, "Jiraiya, I did it! I—hey, you don't look so good."

"Tsunade," Jiraiya grunted. "Damn stubborn woman drugged me. She's gonna do something stupid. Come on, I know where she's staying."

Naruto nodded feverishly, Jiraiya's tone conveying the urgency of the situation. "Gotcha. Hey Gaara, let's go!"

He looked up to see if the Suna-nin would acknowledge him, receiving a curt head bob in reply. Naruto grinned, following behind Jiraiya with a skip in his step that appeared contrary to the older man's doddering trudge. As the Sannin led him through the city, Naruto shot periodic glances at the rooftops, making sure that Gaara was still following along. Each flash of short blood-red hair caused his grin to grow. I think he's comin' around!

Jiraiya halted in front of a five-story hotel that appeared unremarkable compared to the others around it. "Third floor, second window." They leaped up to the balcony, and the Sannin let out a curse as he looked through the glass. "Damn it, Tsunade." He pounded one fist against the glass and yelled, "Shizune!"

A woman with short, dark hair began to stir from her prone position on the carpeted floor. Naruto watched her rise slowly, bringing a hand up to cradle her head. When she finally looked in their direction, she blinked twice, then asked, "Jiraiya-sama?"

"Let us in, Shizune." The woman hurried to obey, unlocking the door and letting the pair inside the room. "Where's Tsunade?"

Shizune shook her head. "I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen! She—"

"Went to see Orochimaru," Jiraiya finished. At Shizune's surprised expression, the Sannin waved away her shock. "Yeah, I know about that. Former teammates, I kinda know how he thinks. And how Tsunade thinks. What I don't know is the specifics, or where. She. Is."

"I can take you to her."

"Great. But first, can you heal me? Tsunade drugged me, and it's affecting my chakra and motor skills. And since I might be fighting both Orochimaru and Tsunade, I need to be in peak condition."

"I…I'm sorry, Jiraiya-sama, but I can't. Tsunade-sama's the only one with the skills to reverse the effects of her poisons."

"Damn it!" He glanced down at Naruto, who was scrutinizing Shizune with a critical eye, trying to follow a conversation he didn't understand. "Can you fix the kid's arm then? I have a feeling I'm gonna need all the help I can get."

Shizune hesitated, dark eyes flashing towards the surprised blond. "Yes, but…is it wise to bring someone so young into this fight?"

"No, but I don't seem to have any better options. And it's gonna get worse," he muttered while Shizune knelt down and applied healing chakra to the blond's arm, the pair introducing themselves to each other. "Gaara!" he shouted. "Get in here!" The Suna-nin alighted soundlessly on the balcony, staring at the older man with arms crossed over his chest. "I don't trust you, and you don't trust me. But right now, I need your strength.

"I can't unseal you, but I've been watching you. Your chakra is still there, and so is your power. You can control it if you put your mind to it. In spite of everything, I'm hoping that you're willing to use that power to help me. So…please help me."

Naruto's gaze was fixated on the redhead as he digested Jiraiya's plea. This was the ultimate test of whether the Suna-nin had really absorbed any of the words he'd tried to impart over the last month. That he'd listened to the Sannin at all was a drastic improvement.

After a long period of silence, Gaara finally asked, "Can I kill them?"

Jiraiya smirked. "You're welcome to try."

"Then I accept."

"Great. Shizune, is the kid ready?"

"Yes, Jiraiya-sama."

"Then let's go."

Jiraiya jumped out the window and was followed by Shizune, Naruto, and then Gaara. The two Jinchūriki stayed together behind the older pair as they leaped from one rooftop to the next, Shizune overtaking the Sannin in order to lead the quartet. Naruto ignored the pair's conversation, choosing instead to shoot curious glances at the Suna-nin while flexing his hand and rotating his now-healed arm. Feels good as new… Blue eyes flickered to Shizune's back. Medical shinobi are awesome. He shot another look at Gaara before asking, "How come you decided to help?"

"Killing strong people verifies my existence," intoned the redhead. "If Jiraiya feels he needs help to combat this threat, then the enemy must be worthwhile."

"Oh…"

"Did you expect a different response?"

"I dunno, I thought maybe you thought about what I've been sayin'."

Gaara's teal eyes locked with his in a dull stare. "Your words are meaningless."

"Your words are meaningless!" Naruto shouted in frustration. "Life's hard, but it won't get better unless you try! Try, damn it!"

"Naruto!" Jiraiya snapped. His head was turned to face the pair of Jinchūriki, attracted by the blond's raised voice. "Now's not the time. I need both of you at the top of your game right now, which means no distractions." Naruto lapsed into silence at the reprimand, a flush of shame and anger coloring his face. With his words apparently taking effect, the Sannin added in a sober voice, "And you should realize that…some people just can't change."

The quartet was silent after that, each member consumed by his or her own thoughts, until they reached an older section of town partitioned by stone walls. Naruto gaped at the destruction that greeted them, pieces of rubble from broken wall segments strewn about the area. Scattered craters and fissures scarred the ground. "What—"

Jiraiya whistled. "Damn, something pissed Tsunade-hime off, that's for sure."

"Do you think she refused Orochimaru then?" Shizune asked, voice hopeful.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Either way, it's even more imperative that we find her, and fast. Where would they have gone?"

"I don't—oh, Tonton!"

The small pig Shizune had been carrying around jumped out of her arms with a squeal and sniffed at a green haori with the kanji for 'gamble' imprinted in a red circle that was on the ground. She – Naruto guessed by the pearl necklace (Why does a pig need a necklace? he wondered) – made another sound and gestured to the north. "Seems like we have a heading," Jiraiya said. "Lead the way!"

They took off again, Shizune grabbing Tonton and leading them by the gestures and squeals the pig made. Tonton's nose led them to a field of grass on the outskirts of town, sparse rocks decorating the landscape. Moving around the area trading and evading blows were an ample-bosomed woman with blonde hair and a grey-haired male clad in dark purple; observing them from a distance was a tall, lithe figure with straight, waist-length dark hair. "This is better than I expected," Jiraiya commented.

"We need to help her." Shizune's voice held a lilt of panic, a register Naruto vaguely recognized from when Utakata started to freak out about something Yagura-related.

"Agreed. And we need to go now," Jiraiya added, disappearing from view as the grey-haired shinobi was preparing to impale an immobile Tsunade with a kunai. Shizune and the two Jinchūriki performed their own Body Flickers, appearing in the midst of a cloud of smoke created by Jiraiya. When the haze cleared, the point of the kunai was embedded in a small shield of sand that had formed in front of Tsunade.

The grey-haired male let out a noise of detached curiosity. "Hm? Well this is a new development." Sand slithered up the kunai and attempted to engulf his arm, but he jumped backwards before it could get a grip. "Oh Gaara-kun, you're so eager."

Three heads turned to look at the Suna-nin. "Gaara, you know this guy?" Naruto asked.

"No."

"Ah, Gaara-kun, your memory is so short," lamented the older shinobi. "We were just in the Chūnin Exams together."

Gaara's expression remained unchanged. "I am only interested in killing the strong to prove my existence. You must therefore be weak."

The grey-haired shinobi tilted his head down so that the sunlight flashed against his glasses, momentarily hiding his eyes. "Is that what you think?"

"Move!" Jiraiya shouted, grabbing Tsunade and backpedaling with Shizune. Naruto was so startled by the command that he wasn't able to react in time, and he stood transfixed as the older male closed the distance between himself and Gaara in the blink of an eye, slamming a palm coated in blue chakra into the redhead's shoulder.

Right where Uchiha Sasuke's hand had pierced his skin a month ago.

Gaara screamed as his muscles, ligaments, and nerves were shredded by medical chakra. Sand exploded from the gourd on his back and forced his assailant away. "Pain!" he shrieked. "Mother, why is there pain?!"

"Oh, Gaara-kun," sibilated the pale man, watching from afar. His voice was smooth and silky, a touch of venomous sadism tinging every word. "You've never known what it's like to be hurt until now. First Sasuke-kun, now Kabuto…how the mighty have fallen."

"Orochimaru, you son of a bitch!" Jiraiya shouted. "Is this all a game to you? Trying to manipulate an insane Jinchūriki to enact your machinations?"

"Jiraiya, you always think so small. Do you even know what my plans are?"

"I imagine it has something to do with destroying Konoha. You're not exactly original. In any case, I'm not giving you a chance to pull off whatever you're scheming. Shizune, see if you can get Tsunade functional. Naruto, deal with Gaara, then focus on protecting Tsunade." The Sannin's voice carried an authority that the blond couldn't ignore, so he merely nodded his understanding.

"Jiraiya, you'll fail to protect everyone just as you've failed at everything else," Orochimaru hissed. "Kabuto, remove the bandages."

Jiraiya rushed forward to engage his old teammate, but the grey-haired shinobi swiped a streak of blood along Orochimaru's arm and summoned two huge snakes that barred his path. One of them dove for the Sannin with jaws open wide while the second targeted the remaining quartet, Kabuto atop its head.

Naruto's head swiveled between the pair of women and the screaming Gaara. I can't protect all of them! What do I do?

His hands flipped through seals before his mind could truly process his train of thought. Roiling chakra built in his chest and shot from his lips in a burst of flames. Kabuto jumped off his perch and landed near where Shizune and Tsunade were before the Great Fireball struck the massive serpent's head. The snake let out a long hiss of pain and thrashed wildly, blinded by the conflagration.

Naruto took the moment of distraction to run over to Gaara. Hesitation caused him pause at the sand floating around the redhead in sporadic patterns, but just as he'd done during the other boy's panic attack, he pushed it down and warily stepped through the silica. It didn't react to his presence. Maybe that's a good sign? "Gaara!" he yelled over the boy's screams. "You need to calm down! I need your help!"

"Pain!" he shrieked. "Mother, why—why do I feel this pain again?!"

It was almost instinctive at this point for him to place his hands upon the Suna-nin's shoulders, taking care to be gentle with the one Kabuto had injured. Gaara twitched violently, wild teal eyes focusing on the blond. "Injuries can be healed," Naruto told him, making sure the other Jinchūriki heard him. "Shizune healed me, she can heal you, too! You don't have to be in pain anymore, but you need to let me help you. I want to help you!"

Gaara continued to stare at him, but he'd finally stopped screaming and now seemed to be absorbing the blond's words with a rapt attention that had been absent in their previous interactions. Naruto could hear the seconds tick by in his head, each one as loud as a drumbeat, and when enough time had passed that he felt he couldn't wait any longer, he positioned himself beside the Suna-nin and threw the boy's good arm over his shoulder. To his surprise, the redhead resisted neither his aid nor his touch. "C'mon, let's get you help."

Yashamaru's words from long ago came back to him. "Help…this pain can be healed, but you cannot help me."

The blond grinned. "Watch me. But let's do this one step at a time."

With some effort, Naruto managed to get the Ichibi Jinchūriki to the prostrate blonde woman Jiraiya had instructed him to protect, dropping the Suna-nin beside her. Her honey eyes were locked in a vacant stare, and she didn't react to the presence of the two demon containers. "Hey, uh, Tsunade, right? I need you to heal Gaara." She remained unresponsive, and Naruto opened his mouth to try again, but lost his train of thought when Shizune suddenly landed in a heap beside them with a groan.

"Well, well, only one line of defense left."

He looked up to find Kabuto bearing down on them, a wicked grin on his face. "Tsunade, you've gotta help Gaara and Shizune! Please. They need you!"

Kabuto's chakra-coated hand speared towards him. For a second, Naruto saw Rōshi's purple-sleeved arm extending towards him in a strike, and his body reacted by ducking beneath the limb. Now within the older shinobi's guard, Naruto punched his stomach and then slid around his back and shoved a kunai into his side. The blond paused for a moment to catch his breath, the exhilaration of successfully applying Rōshi's training in a real fight overwhelming him.

Then Kabuto spun around and kicked him in the side, sending him skidding across the ground. Damn it, Naruto cursed. Stupid! He could hear Rōshi berating him for his lack of awareness, especially in the middle of a fight.

Doubly so since he was in over his head. Again.

"You've got some talent," Kabuto said. His voice was nonchalant, carrying an undertone of detached curiosity. "It's strange that I haven't seen you before. You see, I've infiltrated every Chūnin Exam for the last eight years, which is how I know about Gaara-kun. And Konoha has a habit of showing off its prominent Genin, which the skills you've shown so far suggest you to be." He plucked the kunai from his side and spun it around in his hand. Naruto's attention was drawn to the wound he'd created, blue eyes widening as it closed before his eyes. "And yet you weren't in the Chūnin Exams, and you wear no hitae-ate. It's quite the mystery." The sunlight glinted off his glasses, and combined with the smirk, Naruto was reminded of a mad scientist he'd seen in a movie once. "I quite enjoy a good mystery."

He disappeared, and Naruto only had a moment to blink before pain lanced through his left arm.

"AHH!"

"I've severed the muscles and ligaments in your arm." Kabuto's tone was clinical, as if he hadn't just caused a spike of agony with nothing more than a simple swipe of his hand. Naruto's right hand clutched the opposite bicep in a vain effort to stem the pain, trying to hold on to an injury that had no external evidence. "Now…what will you do next?"

Naruto grit his teeth against the pain, shooting a glance backwards at the people he'd been assigned to protect. Tsunade still appeared catatonic, and Shizune and Gaara remained unmoved from where he'd left them, although the redhead appeared to be flexing one hand experimentally. Damn it… He released his hold on his arm and forced his body into the best approximation of a defensive stance he could manage.

Kabuto seemed to take the blond's form as an invitation, and he blazed forward with hands aglow. Naruto couldn't even track the enemy's movements, choosing instead to blindly leverage his shorter stature by bending low to avoid the strike. He tried to sweep the older male's feet, but Kabuto jumped to avoid it and landed on his hands behind the blond, grabbing for the Jinchūriki's ankle with one hand. Naruto planted the palm of his good hand and leveraged his lower body into the air, performing an awkward one-handed handstand.

He stayed there for a moment, motionless and focused, and his chakra flowed into the earth and erected a four-foot wall between them. Then he righted himself and rushed over to Tsunade. "Hey, what's the matter with you? We need your help! Why aren't you doin' anything? Aren't you a Sannin?!"

"Tsunade has a crippling fear of blood." Kabuto's voice lilted over with a casual superiority that made Naruto feel like ice had been poured down his spine. The grey-haired male tutted. "How any self-respecting iryo-nin could be incapacitated so easily…it's just disgraceful."

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled. "You don't know anything about what she's been through!" He turned back to Tsunade, blue eyes wide and beseeching. "I don't know what's wrong, but you've gotta help us so we can help you! Jiraiya said you're gonna be the next Hokage, and the Hokage protects his people!" Nearby, Gaara's brow furrowed at the blond's passionate plea, teal eyes flickering between Jinchūriki and Sannin. "That's why I'm gonna fight to protect you, because I'm gonna be Hokage someday, believe it!"

Tsunade's hollow honey eyes rose to see the blond for the first time, a vaguely familiar expression in her gaze. Naruto wondered why he recognized it, but was pulled from his musing by a slow, repeated clap before he could place it. "Such a moving speech," Kabuto offered sarcastically. "But really, did you expect that to accomplish anything? It takes more than cheerleading to move past the traumas Tsunade has been through."

"I know that!" Naruto shot back. He couldn't tell if the reason his body was shaking was anger, fear, or indignation. "People have hated me my whole life! I've always been alone and…sad." It was the first time he'd ever voiced aloud (to an audience no less) that his life had been depressing, and it felt liberating in a way, the burden of carrying that undisclosed misery around for so many years finally given wings to fly free. "But I never gave up on trying to be better. To feel better.

"And eventually I found people who wanted to be around me. They helped me feel like I was important, and now it's like what life was like before doesn't matter, because they're here now! When you find people that give you purpose, that's when you become strong!"

Tsunade's haunted look suddenly made sense – it was the same way Utakata would look at him and see Yagura. The brunet had described it once as seeing the specter of the Mizukage looming where Naruto stood, and that the image was chilling, a stark reminder of what he'd lost.

But also what he was fighting for.

Knowing what he did now about the pair's friendship and the imminent threat that had driven the Kiri-nin to leave his home, he now understood Utakata's emotional state, and by association, he understood Tsunade's, just a little bit. He steeled himself back in a defensive position in front of the Sannin. "I'm strong enough to beat you. Bring it on!"

Kabuto smirked. "If you insist." He darted forward with another burst of speed, and Naruto used his (righteous) anger to produce a slew of Great Fireballs to impede the other male's progress. The purple-clad shinobi swerved through each burst of flames, and Naruto found he couldn't change tactics fast enough to avoid the hand aimed at his chest. Shit!

The medic's hand slammed into a small shield of sand that coalesced in front of the blond's heart. Kabuto straightened from his attack, a questioning hum on his lips. "Gaara-kun, how very unusual of you to defend someone else. Such vivacity…I can't say I expected you to interfere any further."

Naruto shot a surprised look at the redhead, whose hand was extended toward him. His face was void of expression, and the blond didn't think he looked any different than usual, but his actions felt…strange, even taking into account that Jiraiya had asked for his help. "Gaara…"

"I desire to face strong opponents," Gaara said, "to prove my own strength." His brow furrowed. "Until recently, I was undefeated. Uchiha Sasuke…Naruto…I wish to understand where their strength comes from, what allows them to have achieved what others could not. My own mine came from solitude, but that was insufficient. If finding someone who gives you purpose truly gives you strength, then I will protect these people to grow strong."

Sand poured out of the gourd on his back and reached for the older shinobi. Kabuto was forced to retreat as Naruto went over to the Ichibi Jinchūriki. "You saved me."

Gaara grunted, apparently done with any more long-winded proclamations. "We have a mission."

"Yeah, right."

"Well," came Kabuto's smooth voice, "it seems you have me outnumbered. I suppose I should even the odds. Shikon no Jutsu!"

From within a scroll in his hand emerged a pale human body, its limbs and neck hanging awkwardly, like a puppet with slack strings. It shambled towards the pair with surprising speed, fingers twisting through seals. Sand spread out to catch the person, but the earth between their feet rumbled and then split, and Gaara's broken concentration was evident in the way the silica collapsed.

Naruto quickly stabilized himself, used to how Rōshi had started to alter the terrain in their training, and caught the blade-wielding arm that was poised to stab Gaara through the eye. He pulled the arm down and brought his knee up into the man's face, crushing his nose with a sickening crunch of cartilage.

The man's head snapped backwards and he fell with the motion, and the blond breathed a sigh of relief. But then the head straightened with a sort of forced jerk, and where blood should have been spewing from his broken nose, his face was clean. "Wha—?" Globules of mud spewed from the man's mouth, and Naruto was too stunned by the development to react.

Sand rose around him to absorb the incoming balls of earth, then shot forward, wrapped around the man's head, and compacted. Naruto turned wide blue eyes to Gaara, whose arm was again outstretched in his direction, hand in a fist. "That was—"

"Look."

Kabuto was within feet of Tsunade, arm extended in a killing blow. Naruto's mouth opened – to yell for her to move, to cast a jutsu, to do something as he saw his mission come to an unfortunate end – and moved towards the Sannin even while he knew it was fruitless.

Then Tsunade stood and punched Kabuto so hard in the stomach that the man's body seemed to fold around her fist. Naruto gasped in awe, and in that breath, the power of the blonde woman's punch sent the silver-haired shinobi rocketing backwards. She appeared to crack her knuckles before announcing in a strong voice, "A medic helps the weak. Protects them. And so does the Hokage. With me in charge, there'll be no more senseless deaths. And as my first official act, I'm gonna kick your ass."

The Sannin brought her hand to her mouth before flipping through seals and slamming her palms on the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

A massive white slug, easily as large as the Ichibi had been, appeared beneath the woman. The gastropod spewed a greenish liquid out of its mouth that ate into the skin of the fire-blinded snake Kabuto had summoned. It thrashed around as its body dissolved, letting out a loud, sibilant shriek as the purple-clad shinobi retreated back to where Jiraiya and Orochimaru were exchanging blows atop the second summoned serpent.

An oblong, white object roughly the size of an adult formed next to where Tsunade was standing atop the giant slug's head. It appeared to glide down the creature's back until it dropped to the earth behind the gastropod's body. "Hey, you two!" Tsunade shouted. "Watch over Shizune until I get back! That's an order! Katsuyu, let's do this!"

Naruto watched the Sannin charge into battle on her summons, awe nakedly displayed on his face. Where before Tsunade had seemed small and…pathetic, in a way…nothing like what he would have expected from the next Hokage, she was now strong, decisive, and commanding, the epitome of leadership. He felt…inspired. Despite his wish to be Hokage, he'd never seen one in action before, and now that he was finally able to witness one's true potential, it only made him covet the position more. She's awesome!

"Should we not be moving?"

Gaara's monotone question drew him from his reverie. "Uh, yeah, right!"

The redhead followed him as he rushed over to where Tsunade had directed them, finding a smaller version of the giant slug the Sannin had called Katsuyu on top of the unconscious Shizune. Short eye stalks turned to spy the two Jinchūriki as they approached. "If you place your hand on me, I can use Tsunade-sama's chakra to heal your injuries," she said in a musical voice.

Naruto turned to Gaara to see what the redhead thought and was greeted by the other boy's usual stoicism. Shrugging – because the likelihood that Tsunade had summoned a creature that would hurt them seemed unlikely – he placed his mobile hand against the gastropod and heaved an immediate sigh of relief as soothing chakra flowed through his body. In short order, the pain that had crippled his lame arm was gone, and he windmilled the limb experimentally. "That feels great, thanks!" He noticed Gaara lingering just out of his periphery, and finding the redhead's arm to still be hanging limply by his side, gestured for him to approach. "C'mere Gaara, she'll heal you up good as new."

A flash of hesitation crossed the redhead's features and then disappeared. "I…have not been healed before."

"All you gotta do is ask! C'mon, she already offered and everything."

With noticeable reticence, the Suna-nin stepped forward and slowly lifted a hand to the creature's slimy skin. The confused furrow of his eyebrows spoke volumes to his lack of understanding of the situation. After several seconds had passed, he opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again to admit, "People do not help me."

"They didn't help me, either, but that's all changed since I met Utakata-nii and Rōshi-oji. They'll help you, I'm sure of it. And I'm here to help you whenever you need it, believe it!"

Gaara stared at him for a long while, and for once, Naruto didn't feel like fidgeting beneath his intensity. Where before there had been a sort of hunger to the redhead's gaze, now it just seemed…placid. Maybe not at peace, but studious, as if the blond were a strange curio the Suna-nin was finally starting to figure out.

"So you're the brat Jiraiya won't shut up about."

Naruto whirled on the spot to find the pair of Sannin approaching them, Jiraiya cradling his ribs with one hand. Tsunade's face looked haggard, lined with slight wrinkles that hadn't been there earlier, but her honey-colored eyes were stern, and her arms were crossed over her ample bosom. Now that he was up close to her – and not in the midst of battle – her presence was…imposing. Where Jiraiya was easygoing, borderline irresponsible, Tsunade was all business, her tone brusque and unamused, and the blond felt an immediate respect for her. She's like Rōshi-oji… "Uhh…"

"Yeah, Jiraiya trained you for sure," she commented dryly. "You're as eloquent as he is."

"It's only been a month!" the pair shouted simultaneously. Grumpily, the blond muttered, "And he's barely done anything."

Tsunade waved a dismissive hand in the air. "Whatever." Her features softened, just a little, and with a touch of genuine gratitude, she said, "Thank you for protecting Shizune and me from Orochimaru's lackey. It takes guts to stand up to someone that far above your skill level and keep fighting."

"Oh, well, no problem! Uzumaki Naruto keeps his promises! But, uh, where'd they go?"

"Crawled back to whatever hole they came out of," Jiraiya answered. "That's not the last we'll see of them, I guarantee it."

"We'll deal with them in due time," Tsunade asserted. "Meanwhile, I'm more curious about you." She took a step towards Naruto, stern expression back in place, and the same sliver of fear that had gripped the blond during the early months of training with Rōshi rolled down his spine. "See, I've known Jiraiya for a very, very long time. He's got a lot of skills, including Katon and Doton, but he's never specialized in defensive jutsu. Flashy, that's his style.

"And as loathe as I am to admit it, Kabuto has a point. All active shinobi wear their hitae-ate in some fashion. That kid's got his," she continued, thumbing at Gaara, where the hourglass insignia of the Hidden Sand was inscribed on a metal plate sewn to the strap of his gourd. "Hell, even Jiraiya's got his stupid thing." The white-haired Sannin blustered at her choice of words, but she spoke over him. "And for someone who wants to be Hokage, that sort of pride is tantamount."

She grabbed the green jacket that they'd dropped on the ground upon arriving, reached into the pocket, withdrew a Leaf forehead protector, and tied it in place around her head. Then she leaned down so her face was in the blond's, and Naruto gulped at the proximity, the Sannin's authority a near and weighty presence. "If Jiraiya's barely taught you anything in a month, someone else has been teaching a kid who isn't even a Genin some pretty interesting skills. So, as your new Hokage, I'm ordering you to tell me who's been training you. Who are 'Utakata-nii' and 'Rōshi-oji'?"

Sweat beaded the blond's forehead. Rōshi-oji's gonna kill me.

-l-l-l-

Author's Note: The seal Jiraiya uses to contain the Ichibi is the same as the one Orochimaru uses in canon during the Forest of Death (Five Elements Seal). If you're wondering, yes, I do have an explanation for how Gaara can use his abilities while sealed. It will be explained in a later chapter. Also, Jiraiya's use of Tsunade-hime vs. Tsunade is not a continuity error, it's merely based on circumstances/mood.