"Pathetic," I muttered to myself. We had slowed down considerably, given the speed at which we had been traveling earlier. Kakashi seemed to have heard my grumbling as he picked out the most advantageous opening in the forest and made a clear path for it.

We followed his lead, pausing in our run on the grounds he landed on. "We're stopping here and resting for the night," he announced.

"A wise choice," Granny Chiyo agreed. Naruto, on the other hand, was more difficult.

A fit of rage leaked from his body as he argued, "But Gaara will die! You said so yourself; we have no time to waste!"

"Idiot." I rolled my eyes.

Naruto angrily stalked towards me and grabbed the neck of my shirt. "Every time you seem even a little human you have to go and ruin it. Gaara will die," he appealed.

I glanced emotionlessly at his hand, which held my shirt. Kakashi seemed to sense my intense murderous intent in the air because he tried to warn Naruto. "Naruto—"

Too late.

I kicked his chest with my heel and had him in a headlock within two seconds. I found the pressure point surrounding his temple that I was looking for, and pressed down with two even fingers.

Naruto was knocked out in all but an instant. I made eye contact with everyone else in the group, daring them to call me out on what I'd done. My eyes landed on Kakashi, who's mouth was still open in warning.

"Learn to control your subordinates," I snarled slightly. When no one spoke up to chide me, I shrugged it off. "He needed rest anyways," I murmured, "We could very well be facing our opponents tomorrow. And this idiot," I gestured towards Naruto, "would most likely run his energy out, and fight exhausted, putting himself and all of us at risk."

I listened to the exasperated sigh from Kakashi, who seemed weary but expectant of my actions. "Cashile is right, however her methods may seem. We may be facing our opponents tomorrow. And we all need rest. I'll take first watch, everyone else, rest." Kakashi said.

I raised an eyebrow looking at my former sensei. "I can take first watch," I stated. I wasn't being difficult, it was simply a fact; I could do just as well, if not better, without sleep than Kakashi.

"Not necessary, you need to rest just like everyone else," Kakashi replied tiredly.

"Please," I scoffed. "If only you knew how much my body has dealt with and done without sleep for days. I'll rest," I assured. After all, no matter how skilled I was, just as everyone else, I was still human. My body would perform better when adequate rest was received. "But let me take first watch," I finished.

Kakashi analyzed me for an instant. He didn't seem to know whether to insist I get my rest or acknowledge my strength. In the end he conceded. "Fine," he said, walking to Sakura, who was building a fire. I'm shocked for half a moment to see the fire, before reminding myself that it was normal. It was normal for ninja to build fires to ward off the chill, no matter how it put them at a disadvantage, how it made them easier to spot.

I shook away the strange sense of being at once both superior and inferior to the ninja surrounding me before jumping up into the tree with the best view of all the open angles, and settled down on a cold, dark branch in the shadows. I fell still, eyes slivered, keenly alert for even slight movements that may be the enemy.

My comrades below slept peacefully around the warmth of the flames.

***

"Rise and shine," Kakashi spoke, waking the entire camp. I opened my eyes and stared at the sunlight gleaming through the thick forest trees.

Night shift had been split evenly with Kakashi and myself, and now that everyone was well rested it was time to pick up where we left off yesterday.

After all, a challenge did await us at the end of the tunnel today.

"Five more minutes," Naruto grumbled. I rolled my eyes.

"Weren't you the one going on about how we had no time to waste in order to save Gaara?" Kakashi reminded.

With that, Naruto was on his feet, rambling motivational phrases. I sighed quietly. Everyone was so loud and so slow. As the Claw I would have been on the move before dawn. I would have been at my destination by now.

As the Claw I wouldn't  have even stopped, I reminded myself. This was normal.

When we started moving we were on the fast track. Within a few hours, I sensed powerful chakra signatures ahead. It wasn't long after that that we stepped on solid ground before a watery front and a solid boulder, clearly covering the entrance to the Akatsuki's current location.  They weren't being deceptive about their location in the slightest, which meant that they had confidence in their strength.

Four people stood in front of us, having arrived just a few moments earlier. The only reason I didn't  jump to defend or attack was my observation of Kakashi's relaxed stance.

They must have been allies.

I studied each of them. If memory served (which it did), these three were genin during the year that team Kakashi took the chunin exams. Before Sasuke left to be with Orochimaru, and before I was taken.

They weren't powerful enough to be targeted individuals on the Rising Phoenix's hit list, but none the less they were strong. At least, Rock Lee and Neji Hyuga were. Rock Lee could put up a good fight against me. The only reason I would definitely win is his lack of chakra.

Personally, I thought Ten Ten's skill was useless. So she could summon weapons. What else did she have to offer? Nothing, from what I'd heard of the chunin exam. But, then again, a lot of time had passed since then.

People change. I was a prime example of that.

And then there was their sensei, Gai, who rivaled Kakashi in terms of strength and skill. And slightly terrified me. He and Lee were just a little too unpredictable for me to be comfortable with.

"Naruto!" Lee gasped. Right, he and Naruto were the two idiots during the chunin exams who couldn't wait for their round three fights; if I recall, the rushed fight of Lee's against Gaara was the one that almost ended his career as a ninja for good.

Then there was Neji. The "cursed" one whose fate he could not decide of his own. For a genius, he really was an idiot. But he was strong, a powerful ally. Definitely not someone I would want as an enemy.

After a quick and less than tearful reunion, it was back to business. "Right," Gai said. "First, we need to decide what sort of seal is on that Boulder."

"Standard five seal," I replied, wasting no time. I had thoroughly analyzed the seal on the boulder as soon as we had hit the ground. Gai sent me a strange look, clearly wondering how I recognized and identified the seal.

Kakashi spoke up, giving orders. "So, all five need to be removed at the same time. We need to locate the other four," he said, "Neji?"

"Right," Neji replied, then activated his byakugan. I stared, watching the power before me as his eyes transformed and he rattled off the locations of each seal.

"Alright, team Gai is the fastest! We will handle this," Gai exclaimed enthusiastically, unzipping his bag. "I have headsets!"

"Smart thinking, Gai," Kakashi praised. "Alright, it's settled then. Report when you are at your assigned locations," Kakashi ordered before jumping onto the rock, ready to rip off the seal.

Everyone jumped out of sight. "Sakura, once we rip off the seal you need to break the rock," Kakashi informed.

"Got it," Sakura smirked, preparing to wind back her fist for when the time came. I shuddered at the thought of one of her punches landing on me. It could certainly break bones and rupture organs. Much like Naruto's rasengan, and I'd had the honors of feeling that one already.

What seemed like hours passed before the headset radio frequency sound resounded.

"Okay, on the count of three," Kakashi said, confirming to the rest of us that everyone had found their seal.

"One," Kakashi said.

"Two," Sakura winded her fist back once more to draw on extra power.

"Three!" Sakura surged forward and plunged her chakra covered fist into the Boulder. Large chunks of rock along with the small bits and pieces flew everywhere as the five of us moved instantly.

We jumped into the opening Sakura created. Everyone was to the right of me, making me  the furthest into the cave. Kakashi was on my immediate right, stance prepared as he took in the scene. One blade was in my right hand, held loosely at my side. Ready to bite into the enemy.

There were two people were in front of us. Akatsuki. One stood. One sat upon a body.

Gaara was on the ground.

Naruto's eyes widened, disbelief shining in them. Sakura winced. Chiyo's frown deepened. Kakashi eye narrowed.

I just stared, eyes emotionless.

I hadn't wanted Gaara to die.

Kakashi's gaze shot towards me, and I realized that  I had allowed the words to slip out of my mouth and into the air to fall against Kakashi ears. I had shown weakness.

I ignored him and his haunted, pathetically concerned gaze. We had a mission. And the mission took precedence over all else.

"So then..." The blonde drawled. Deidara. I knew of him. The other was a hunched over puppet- man. Sasori.

"I wonder which is the jinchuuriki."

Naruto growled, eyes shifting to an angry red. I observed the Akatsuki members. Deidara lounged upon Gaara's body, using his chest as a seat. His body language was relaxed, but I knew that they would be ready to fight in an instant. Launching an attack now wouldn't work; we needed to observe more. Learn more about our opponents.

"You bastards!" Naruto shouted in a sickening display of emotion. "I'm gonna fucking kill you!"

"The one who screams and charges first," Sasori murmured in reply. I shifted my gaze towards him. So they knew that Naruto was the jinchuuriki, now. A disadvantage on our side.

"You son of a bitch!" Naruto snarled. "Where the hell do you think you're sitting?!"

He leaped towards them, aiming a kunai in their direction.

A sharp flick of the puppeteer's metal made tail deflected the kunai, and the two Akatsuki members continued on with their conversation.

Idiot, I thought. He so blindly leapt into a fight without thought, driven by rage. He was going to get himself killed and then we would be a man down.

I stayed in my place though, continuing to observe the two Akatsuki. I trusted Kakashi to control Naruto's actions.

As I thought, Kakashi moved quickly, becoming a barrier between Naruto and our two opponents. "Don't be stupid Naruto, we have to think and plan before entering this fight, or we will lose and die," Kakashi lectured.

Naruto growled, "Return Gaara to us," he spoke to the enemy, who, interestingly enough, were arguing about the true definition of art.

From what I gathered, they were both smart. Deadly. And a standard five seal was too simple for them. There was a 92% chance, by my calculations, that Team Gai had more to deal with than just ripping off the seals. I also predicted that we wouldn't be receiving help from them anytime soon.

"I'm taking the jinchuriki," the blonde smirked.

The other one narrowed his slits for eyes at the blonde, remarking "Don't be selfish. We each get our own."

"But the Kyuubi is supposed to be powerful," the blonde complained before smiling deviously. "Besides, my art needs a challenge." And to make some sort of point to his comrade, he threw a white ball into the air.

"And true art is an explosion!"

__________________________

Hey guys!

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gaara119

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