Lady Tsunade took a moment to compose herself and addressed the three of us again.
"Team Kakashi, I'm amending your mission. You will leave for the Sand Village immediately. Assess the situation and report back ASAP. Afterwards, you will take orders from the Sand and assist them in whatever they require!"
We all nodded in assent and responded at once.
"Yes, Ma'am!"
...
Naruto and I headed back to my apartment. I needed to get my ninja tools and medical gear. I loaded them into my belt pouches. My belt, pouches and headband were the only 'real' clothes I wore. One reason for that was convenience, and if I was being honest, I found it hot. The other reason was I was working on a visual-based genjutsu that required the opponent to see a lot of my skin. It had to be my actual skin so I couldn't just transform into a naked version of myself like Naruto's Sexy jutsu.
While I was gearing up with my back to Naruto, he started to speak while loading some spare kunai I gave him.
"I found out Gaara became the Kazekage when I was training with Pervy Sage... He said, 'A ninja must always keep up to date with current affairs—especially the politics of other villages.' "
I turned around to look at him. He didn't turn my way and kept sharpening and loading kunai.
"When I first heard he became a Kage, I was a little jealous. But then I thought about how hard it must have been for him to achieve that. I'm not sure if you know, but he and I had similar childhoods. And knowing he made it gave me motivation and made me proud of him. The Akatsuki tried to kidnap me too. And now they have done it to Gaara just as he's achieving his dream... our dream. I'm going to save him, Sakura."
He turned around and slotted his final kunai into his belt when he finished speaking. His face was of stone. I wasn't sure if he was telling me he would save Gaara or himself.
"We all will," I responded.
...
We met up with Kakashi-sensei at the village's main gate. Lady Tsunade and Iruka-sensei were there too. When he saw Naruto, Iruka-sensei waved at him with a smile, but there was some anxiety.
"Hey, Naruto! You've only been back in the village a few days, and you're already off again. And you didn't even visit me while you were here."
"S-Sorry, Iruka-sensei. I, er, got a little busy. But we'll go for ramen after I've saved Gaara."
He walked up to him, and they started speaking. I stood with Lady Tsunade and Kakashi-sensei as they spoke. I felt a little guilty that I had monopolised Naruto since he returned, so I let them have some time alone.
"Remember, Sakura, you three represent the Leaf village while you are there. I don't want any scandals, especially if this ends badly for the Sand. I don't want you to give them any excuse to pin the blame on our involvement."
"She's not that bad; she takes her missions seriously. Besides, I'll keep them in line. Both of them."
Kakashi-sensei defended me, or at least, I thought he did. After a bit, Naruto pointed at me. Iruka-sensei then looked over, gasped and looked back to Naruto. I saw Naruto had a very smug expression when he started talking to Iruka-sensei again. I had a suspicion as to what they were talking about.
After a few minutes, Master Jiraiya arrived at the village gate. He walked over to Naruto and Iruka-sensei.
"Hey! Heading out on a mission, Naruto?"
"Yep!"
Jiraiya smiled before turning to Lady Tsunade, Kakashi-sensei and me.
"Oh, before that... Bad news, Tsunade. The Kazekage's been-"
"I know. I'm sending these three to the Sand to assist."
Master Jiraiya leaned in and whispered to Lady Tsunade. "Is that a good idea? You know the Akatsuki is after Naruto."
I could barely hear them, and that was all I could make out; I wasn't sure how much Kakashi-sensei could hear, but I knew Naruto was still too far away to hear anything. By the time he got close to us, Master Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade had finished their secret conversation.
"Naruto, over here." Master Jiraiya gestured Naruto over to him.
"Eh, what is it?"
"Don't lose it if you end up fighting the Akatsuki. You hear me?"
"Hey! They're the ones that got business with me. So I'm gonna meet them on my terms!"
"That's what I'm talking about! You are stronger than before, but if you lose your cool, you'll just dig your own grave. That temper of yours is your biggest weakness."
Naruto went silent. But Master Jiraiya continued.
"Look, Naruto... I think you already know this, but... don't let it out."
Naruto looked sad and a bit guilty before responding with;
"I know..."
I thought I knew what they were talking about, but since I heard it from Kakashi-sensei, I didn't want to just casually let Naruto know I knew his secret. So I kept my mouth shut. Master Jiraiya looked seriously at Kakashi-sensei.
"Keep an eye on him, don't let him go crazy. I'm counting on you, Kakashi."
"Don't worry about it."
Kakashi-sensei said with a smile big enough to come through his mask. I was sure I only person alive that I knew what he looked like under that. He even kept it on during sex with me the first few times. I didn't want to kill the mood, so I never asked him to take it off. But he took it off himself once, the night he told me how Rin died. Master Jiraiya looked at me next.
"Sakura, it has been a pleasure seeing you again. Keep my boy safe," said Master Jiraiya with a sincere look on his face."
"You can count on me, sir!"
His face then went lecherous, and he put his arm around me and started whispering.
"I hope we can spend some time alone to get ...reacquainted when you get back from your mission."
I rubbed my leg against his groin and was about to make a flirtatious comment when Naruto shouted back while walking out the gate.
"Sakura, Kakashi-sensei, let's go already!"
I pulled away from Master Jiraiya, gave him an apologetic look and ran after Naruto.
"H-Hey! Wait up!"
Kakashi-sensei said something to Master Jiraiya with a wave and then ran after us. The three of us jumped into the forest and made our way through it, jumping from branch to branch.
....
We stayed silent as we made our way through the forest. Naruto was always in the lead and kept getting faster. I wanted to tell him to slow down, but I felt bad about wasting time flirting with Master Jiraiya. I knew the little exchange I had with him didn't last long enough to affect our arrival, and Naruto spent time catching up with Iruka-sensei. But I guess their innocent reunion seemed more appropriate than my sex life.
I got closer to Kakashi-sensei so we could whisper while keeping pace with Naruto, who was still a reasonable distance ahead of us. He was in sight, but he wouldn't be able to overhear us.
"Sensei, what did you and Master Jiraiya talk about?"
He stayed silent for a few seconds, then started whispering back.
"Well... I suppose since you're the team medic, it's important for you to know. Remember when I told you that Naruto had the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside him?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, Master Jiraiya told me yesterday that the seal is weakening. And that when he was training Naruto, it got too loose, and Naruto partially transformed into the Nine-Tails and almost killed him."
I held in a gasp. I knew Naruto had a spirit sealed in him, that he was a jinchuriki, but I had no idea he could lose control and try to kill his friends.
"Master Jiraiya managed to tighten the seal and gave me a sealing tag to do the same, but it's just a temporary measure. Eventually, we won't be able to close the seal back up. Plus, we know the Akatsuki is after Naruto, which means they must be after the Nine-Tails, but we don't know why."
"Want me to hold the tag? It's my job to tend to our team's injured and incapacitated members."
"Sorry, Sakura. I know you have gotten stronger, but I don't think you could get close enough to him safely. If we need to tighten the seal, I'll do it. My Sharingan will let me dodge his attacks. Master Jiraiya said Naruto is extremely fast when the Nine-Tails chakra is unleashed."
"I'm extremely fast when I open the Gates."
"You can only open the first three. Plus, I need you to tend to my wounds after I seal the Nine-Tail's chakra. I doubt I can do it unscathed. Who'd heal you if you got hurt?"
"Sigh... Understood."
"But what's important is not letting Naruto get that far. We've got to keep him calm. The seal opens up more easily if he is enraged or badly hurt. And Master Jiraiya told me not to let him get past the 'first tail.' He said not even the tag will work after that."
As we talked, I noticed a figure walking on the forest floor below me, to my left.
"Temari!"
We all stopped on branches above her, and she looked up at us with a confused look.
...
"What?! Gaara's been kidnapped?"
We went down to the forest floor and tried to break the news to Temari gently, but you can't break THAT kind of news gently, so she still freaked out.
"I knew something was wrong! I should have headed back home immediately after my work was done... not spend my time drinking and romancing!"
Kakashi-sensei spoke up first.
"You can't blame yourself, you were in our village, and we just found out a few hours ago. But let's hurry now; it will take three days to get to the Sand."
Temari seemed to steel herself and calmed down.
"Right! Let's go!"
The four of us jumped back into the canopy and headed towards the Sand village. Luckily, the pace we were going wouldn't affect my injuries, and they would be fully healed when we arrived. But Naruto started to speed up and pull away from the three of us. Kakashi-sensei called out to him.
"Naruto! No matter how much of a rush we're in, we can't break formation! Calm down! Remember what Master Jiraiya said about your temper."
Naruto stopped accelerating but stayed ahead of us as he spoke.
"...I hate this!"
We all stayed silent as he spoke. I could feel the venom in his voice even though he never turned round to face us.
"I know why these guys want Gaara and me! Sakura, you know too, don't you?"
Kakashi-sensei and I knew where he was going with this, but Temari seemed confused.
"I don't like it! The Nine-Tailed Fox spirit that's sealed inside me!"
Temari was the only one shocked; Kakashi-sensei and I had an idea of what Naruto would say next.
"Both Gaara and me, we're carrying monsters inside our bodies... It's awful! They only see us as monsters! And I don't fucking like the way they look at us!"
I wanted to say something to calm him down. Both to stop the Fox's chakra from seeping out and because he was my friend. But I couldn't think of what to say.
"Gaara and I... We had the same kind of lonely life. But it was even worse for him. He had to suffer and fight alone for a lot longer! And now the Akatsuki has targeted him, just like they targeted me. And right when his life was turning around! It's not fair! Why should his life be so full of misery all the time? Why does all this shit have to happen to him?"
Fuck... I had to hold back tears. I used to cry all the time, but I told myself I was done with all that. But it was hard hearing Naruto be in so much pain.
"That's why I can't calm down! Whatever happens at the Sand, I can't just stand back and do nothing! I have to be there for him. And I have to save him!"
Naruto still didn't turn back to us, but a warm tear drop fell on my cheek. And if Naruto was crying over his and Gaara's shared pain, then I couldn't cry. I whipped my eyes and sped up after Naruto. It hurt to push my body too hard before I fully healed, but the physical pain helped me keep my mind focused on the mission.