“I wonder what Temari is doing,” Gaara mused, “she should have arrived in Konoha by now.” “Temari will be fine as long as she doesn’t open that big mouth of hers,” Taryn grinned.

Gaara gave her an amused smile. “She gets that from you, you know.”

“Oh!” Taryn gasped. She had been throwing pebbles down to the street and now flung one at Gaara.

As usual the sand blocked it before it could hit, “Hn,” Taryn said annoyed.

Gaara chuckled. “You should know better,” he said.

“One day I’ll get you. Just wait,” Taryn said.

“Not likely,” Gaara grinned.

It was late afternoon and the two of them had retreated on the roof. From here they had a beautiful view of the village.

“I was surprised when you didn’t sign up your team for the Chuunin Exams,” Gaara suddenly said, “do you not think they are ready?”

Taryn sighed and her eyes saddened for a moment. “I don’t want to rush things,” she said, “father pushed me into the Chuunin Exams. I’m not going to do the same.”

“You were younger,” Gaara told her, “but I had their age when father sent me.”

“You know he only sent you because of Shokaku.” ‘Besides, it was Orochimaru who was behind it.’ She looked at him. “You put them under me. Are you questioning the way I lead my team?” “No,” Gaara said in a calm voice, “I know you don’t want to push them, but you shouldn’t hold them back either.”

“I’m not,” Taryn said, “I plan to sign them up for the next Exams.”

Gaara nodded.

Suddenly Taryn straightened up. She was staring down the road below. “Kankuro is back,” she said.

“About time,” Gaara said, “we could use him at the border.”

“Lord Kazekage,” a new voice said behind them. A Jounin kneeled on the rooftop and addressed Gaara, “it is time for the meeting.”

Gaara nodded. “Very well.” He looked at Taryn. “I have to leave.”

“Sure,” Taryn said, “I’ll be at the training grounds later.” She watched him leave with the Jounin and almost regretted moving him up for Kazekage. But he had wanted this and he was doing a good job.

She turned her head towards the sky. If she went to the training grounds now, she still had a few hours before dark.

The council stood up to greet the Kazekage and waited for him to sit down and start the meeting. “Over the past few years, the village’s power has stabilized,” Zhao said, “and our relationships with other nations have flourished. We have seen great success in recruit development since we incorporated Konoha’s training programs into our curriculum. And now the Chuunin exams are near. I look forward to the results.”

“However,” Yura countered, “we need to be careful. There are rumors going around.”

“What rumors?” Baki asked.

Yura’s eyes narrowed. “Akatsuki is on the move.”

“Are you sure one bag is enough?” Two figures clad in black and red made their way towards Suna. “our opponent is a Jinchuuriki after all.”

His companion ginned. “Don’t worry. My jutsu are all works of art, but just in case, I brought my specialty. Since our opponent is the One Tail.”

Gaara was staring out of his window. It had been a long meeting and no decisions had been reached yet. They needed more info. He knew who could help them. He should go find her. She said she’d be in the training grounds.

Suddenly he narrowed his eyes as something in the sky caught his attention. Cautiously he took his gourd and walked outside.

Deidara was having the time of his life throwing explosive clay around. He laughed as he blew up two of the guards, and landed on a rooftop. “And now I’m in.” he looked up.

Gaara stood in front of him with his arms crossed and a cold glare in his eyes.

“Whoa,” Deidara smirked. A movement behind him made him look up. Sand was flying his direction and he jumped up, landing on a huge clay bird.

Gaara moved his hand and stepped onto the sand that lifted him in the air. He floated after Deidara.

“Quite useful,” Deidara said, “but how did you know, hm?”

Gaara glared at him. “There are no such birds in the desert,” he said.

“I see,” Deidara commented, “so the operation failed hm? But at least I don’t have to search for you anymore.”

Gaara spread his arms and raised them. All of the sand around the village rose with it.

Deidara stared at it while kneading his next explosions. “Ah,” he said appreciating, “at last, an audience worthy of my art.”

Taryn looked up at the sky confused. There were no birds like that in Suna. Something was not right.

She looked around suspiciously and left the training grounds.

On her way home she encountered several Jounin, among them her brother Kankuro. When he noticed her he ran up to her.

“What’s going on?” Taryn asked.

“An attack,” Kankuro said, “Akatsuki most likely. Gaara is fighting him.”

Taryn ran towards the fighting scene with Kankuro on her heels.

“Up there,” Baki pointed.

Up in the sky, Gaara was standing on a cloud of sand with his opponent across from him on a large bird.

Taryn activated her Byakugan. The clad the enemy wore was unmistakably of Akatsuki, but she didn’t know the person. ‘What do they want?’  Taryn thought

Gaara stared at Deidara thoughtfully. ‘Strange explosives,’  he thought, ‘precision guided.’ He shifted his sand towards Deidara who sent little explosive birds of clay in Gaara’s direction. After the explosion there was a huge sphere of sand in the air where Gaara had been. A small eye of sand floated outside it.

“I see,” Deidara muttered, “he protected himself.” Suddenly sand locked around him from all sides.

“Sand prison!” he heard Gaara yell.

Deidara barely had enough time to escape and the sand crushed one of his arms. He fell down, but was caught by one of his clay birds. “That was close,” he gasped.

Down in the village, the people were watching the battle closely. When Taryn saw the sphere she made ready to run up to the roof to help her brother, but she was stopped by Baki who stood next to her. “Let go of me!” she growled.

“Don’t go up there,” he warned her, “it’s not safe.”

“What are you talking about? He’s my brother!”

Baki didn’t let go of her and turned to Kankuro. “Kankuro,” he said, “we must consider the possibility of Gaara going feral… and have a contingency plan in case Shokaku emerges.” Kankuro looked at him uncertain. “Come on, no way,” he said, “Gaara wouldn’t hurt any villagers.” He remembered a talk he’d had with his brother not long ago.

“I know what I must do, Kankuro.I must clear my path. Then perhaps some day I will be like him. I have accepted the title of Kazekage as a shinobi of the Sand. I will connect to people of this village and survive.”

“Gaara…” Kankuro said.

His brother continued. “I want to work hard and become someone others acknowledge and respect. That’s what I decided after watching Uzumaki Naruto. Until I met him, ties to others only ever brought me pain. And sorrow. But he kept asking me, pushing me, to redefine those ties. And now finally I think I’m beginning to understand why. To share one’s feelings with others isn’t weakness. It’s strength. He has shown me that I can change my life. I want to become like him. One day I’d like to become something precious to others. And not as a weapon of terror, but as Kazekage.”

“He wouldn’t do that,” Kankuro said.

“Of course he wouldn’t!” Taryn snarled. She was still trying to get out of Baki’s grip.

Up in the sky the fight continued.

“He’s good,” Deidara said to himself, “but I’m almost out of clay. I only have enough or one more attack…hmm.. that sand that crushed my arm and protects him… is different from the ordinary sand he lifted from the desert. He always carries an amount of sand in his gourd… into which he then pours an enormous amount of chakra, making a special kind of sand. If that’s the sand he uses for his lightning fast attacks as well as his absolute defense… then the portion missing from that sphere is what crushed my arm. My attack can exploit it.” He molded a huge ball of clay.

Gaara narrowed his eyes suspiciously. 

“I should destroy this village hmmm,” Deidara said, “it’s just as Sasori said. Perhaps I underestimated Gaara. I wasn’t fully prepared… But I’m tired of your expressionless face.”

A huge doll of detonating clay appeared in front of him and he threw it down on the village. Gaara watched in shock.

On the ground, the villagers stared at the fast approaching object. Even Taryn forgot to struggle for a moment.

“What is that?” someone gasped.

“Not good,” Baki said, “get out of here!”

“Too late,” Deidara said victoriously.

Before anyone could react, a huge sandshield was spread out over the village, catching the explosion.

“That’s… Lord Kazekage’s sand,” someone said.

“Woah!” someone else called, “look at the size of that shield.”

“Gaara…” Kankuro said softly.

Next to him, Taryn let her breath escape.

Gaara panted.

Deidara smirked. “You’re in range.” A small clay bird flew towards the sphere’s opening and exploded. When the smoke cleared there was a new sphere. “Hn… swift and resilient,” Deidara said, “and somewhat predictable.”

Inside the sphere, Gaara panted and narrowed his eyes. This opponent was irritating. He had to find a way to eliminate him. And fast. Casting that sand shield over the village had taken a lot of energy.

Suddenly his eyes widened in shock. Tiny clay spiders had infiltrated his sand sphere. He knew what was going to happen and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Taryn broke free from Baki’s grip the moment of the explosion.

Slowly sand started falling from the sky. With his last strength, Gaara directed it back to the desert so it wouldn’t fall on the village.

Deidara chuckled. “Heh… leave it to you Kazekage, using the last of your strength to return the sand outside the village, when it’d be so much easier to dump it on them.”

“Gaara!” Kankuro gasped.

Taryn was already running.

“Taryn!” Baki called, but she ignored him.

Gaara was unconscious and fell down rapidly. Long before Taryn could reach him, he was caught by Deidara. They flew away, but Taryn didn’t stop running.

Baki gasped. ‘He’s taking him alive?’

Kankuro was the next to start running. He ran after his siblings.

“Kankuro!” Baki yelled, “wait! He’s powerful enough to take down Gaara! What do you think you’ll accomplish?!”

“I can’t just stand around and do nothing!” Kankuro yelled back.

“That’s not what I’m saying!” Baki called, “be smart about this! Track him and don’t attack! If we can find their hide-out, we can gather the troops and attack!”

“Alright,” Kankuro nodded, “I’ll try.” He hurried after Taryn.

Baki ran the other way to gather a team. “I want a tracking team!” he yelled, “and send word to Konoha! Tell them it’s an emergency!”

“You’re late,” Sasori commented when Deidara landed next to him. “I told you not to keep me waiting.”

“You were right,” Deidara said, “he was rather strong.”

Kankuro caught up with Taryn close to the border of Suna. When they reached the canyon that lead to the village’s entrance they stopped dead in their tracks.

Taryn gasped and put her hands over her mouth.

Kankuro could only stare in shock.

Ten dead shinobi lay spread out in the canyon. All guards of Suna.

“No way,” Kankuro whispered. He turned to his sister who stood there petrified. “Taryn,” he said. When she didn’t respond, he grabbed her arms and shook her. “Taryn. Tell me all you know about these… Akatsuki. Who could have done this?” Taryn stared at him blankly. “Taryn!” he pressed.

“I… I don’t know,” Taryn said, “it was long ago and the members change. And I never knew all of them.” She looked at Kankuro. “I don’t know.”

“Okay,” Kankuro said, “okay. Let’s focus on finding them. The most important thing now is Gaara.”

“Come on,” Naruto said, “this will be our first mission as a team in two years. Aren’t you excited at all? Kakashi-sensei, you haven’t changed at all.”

“Like you’re one to talk,” Sakura said.

Kakashi sighed as the two of them bickered. It seemed to him that nothing had changed since the first day they were assigned to him. Well… almost nothing.

He looked up at the sky when he saw a large bird flying overhead. ‘A messenger bird?’  He frowned. Was there trouble coming? “Hey you two,” he said, “we should get to Tsunade-sama’s office. There’s a mission waiting for us after all.”

Tsunade sat behind her desk when they entered. “Finally,” she said, “I have a C-rank mission for you in which…”

“No way!” Naruto protested, “we’re not going on a C-rank mission!”

Tsunade gave him an annoyed look. “Young man, you do realize who you’re talking to right?” Naruto glared. “Old man the Third Hokage… he really knew his stuff,” he muttered.

Sakura glared at him. “Will you shut up?” She wacked him on the head. Their argument was interrupted when a Jounin ran into the office.

“Lady Hokage! Terrible news!”

Tsunade sighed. “Now what?”

“We’ve just received word that Sand’s Kazekage has been kidnapped by a member of Akatsuki!”

Everyone gasped.

‘Gaara,’ Naruto thought.

Tsunade closed her eyes and sighed. “Team Kakashi… I hereby amend your mission. You will leave for Suna now. Assess the situation and report back immediately. Afterward you will follow Suna’s orders and provide them with whatever assistance is required.”

“Stop!” Kankuro yelled at the two Akatsuki members. He and Taryn had caught up with them in the desert, about three miles from the village. Gaara was still unconscious and he was tied up. Deidara and Sasori both turned around.

“We’re taking Gaara back,” Kankuro said and took out three scrolls. As he unfolded them, his puppets came out.

Taryn had her fan ready.

Sasori smirked. “Puppet arts huh.” He turned his head toward Taryn a mocking grin in his eyes. “Deidara,” he said, “go on ahead.”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Taryn said through her teeth. She lifted her fan.

Deidara chuckled. “Careful with that girl,” he said, “you’ll hit the One Tail.”

“Damn,” Taryn muttered. She knew he was right.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got him,” Kankuro said and directed his puppet at Deidara.

“I don’t think so,” Sasori said. His long tail wrapped around the puppet and crushed it. Then his tail flew towards Kankuro and stung him.

Kankuro groaned and fell to his knees.

“Kankuro!” Taryn yelled and jumped towards Sasori. He easily flung her aside and she was slammed into the ground.

Kankuro tried to get up, but found himself unable to. ’My body is starting to tingle… don’t tell me he uses poison to.’  

Sasori chuckled. “Nice try, but you chose the wrong opponent. I know all about your poisons and weapon rigged puppets. Heh… By the look on your face I can see what you’re thinking…. How did he know… You see, the puppet master who created your puppets… is no other than I.” “Sasori of the Red Sand,” Kankuro whispered.

“What an honor,” Sasori said, “that my name is known even to those your age.”

Kankuro narrowed his eyes. “You deserted Suna twenty years ago… why return now?”

“What’s the point in asking when you’re about to die?”

“The only one that will die is you!” Taryn yelled. She charged at him with Chidori.

“Taryn no!” Kankuro shouted when he saw Sasori’s tail moving. He slightly lifted his finger to steer his puppet, but this one too was destroyed by Sasori.

Quickly Sasori moved and stung Taryn twice.

Kankuro used his distraction to steer his third puppet. The second before it hit Sasori, Sasori turned and evaded it. “Almost,’ he gasped. Kankuro turned to see his sister who lay unconscious on the ground. Then he had no strength left and let his head fall.

“The poison is spreading,” Sasori commented, “it’s pointless to struggle. You have two, maybe three days. I don’t have time to finish you now. We both know how this is going to end…” His last words never reached Kankuro. His eyes slowly closed as he passed out. And his last thoughts concerned his brother and sister.

Temari looked up when someone called her name. She had just left Konoha. She had been there as Suna’s ambassador for the next Chuunin Exams and was now headed home. She waited for the three Konoha ninja to reach her and then recognized them. Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura landed beside her. “What is it?” Temari asked, “where are you headed off too?”

“Ah of course,” Sakura said, “you haven’t heard yet.”

“Heard what?”

“We’ve received word from Suna,” Kakashi told her, “it seems your brother Gaara has been kidnapped by Akatsuki.”

Temari gasped. “What?! Gaara?!”

“I’m afraid so,” Kakashi said.

Temari shook her head. “I knew something felt wrong.”

“It’s going to take three days to get to Suna,” Kakashi commented, “we’d better hurry.”

“Right,” Temari agreed, “let’s go.”

They hurried thorough te forest.

Naruto was in deep thought. Akatsuki had come for him once, for the Nine Tailed Fox. And now they had caught Gaara. “I hate this!” he said, “I know why they are after Gaara, why they were after me. Both Gaara and me carry monsters inside our body. That’s what they want. Gaara and I… We had the same kind of lonely life. But it was even worse for him, because he suffered and fought alone a lot longer…”

Temari’s eyes saddened for a moment.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. “It’s not fair! Why should his life be so full of misery?! Why is it always him?! Whatever happens when we get to Suna, I can’t just stand back and do nothing! I have to be there for him! I have to save him!”

Temari looked at him surprised. He would do that for her brother? ‘Uzumaki Naruto…,’  she thought, ‘thank you.’

“Well, that took longer than expected,” Deidara commented when Sasori caught up with him. Sasori snorted. “Temporary setback, I assure you. We’ve secured the One Tail after all.”

“I suppose so,” Deidara said, “so who is that?” He nodded at Taryn who was still unconscious and was being dragged by Sasori.

“This is Taryn Desertstorm,” Sasori said, “she’s coming with us.”

“That girl that attacked us back at the village? Why didn’t you just kill her off like the other one?”

Sasori grinned. “Ah Deidara, you haven’t been with us for long, so you wouldn’t know. Taryn is actually an old friend of ours and I’m sure there are a few people who’d like to see her again. In any case, I’m not willing to kill her just yet. Instead, I think I’ll give her a front row seat. That way she can watch as we extract the Ichibi from her precious brother…”