Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ I'll Cover You ❯ Over The Moon ( Chapter 18 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

tsukiraven: Sail away where no ball and chain can keep us from the roarin' waves!

Naruto: Together undivided but forever we'll be free.

Sasuke: So sail away aboard our rig;

Sakura: The moon is full,

Tsunade: And so are we.

Kakashi: Seven drunken pirates-

Jiraiya: We're the seven deadly sins!

tsukiraven: Yah!

Iruka: I don't understand any of them. At all.

Raven-san doesn't own it. Thank goodness. Not RENT, not Naruto, and not “Seven Deadly Sins” by Flogging Molly.

I'll Cover You; Chappie 18

You really think that I'd lie to you, Iruka-kun?

If you're reading this Iruka, your father and I are—

“Tell me everything,” Kakashi demanded.

Tsunade glared at the man. “If I tell you,” she said, “you cannot go in rashly. You have to wait for the opportune moment—“

Kakashi pounded on the wall beside him. “Damn the opportune moment!” He shouted. “And damn waiting! I'm going to rescue Iruka- no matter what!” Kakashi's hand slid off of the wall and his head drooped forward, bellying the pure sadness the man seemed to hold.

“Please, Tsunade-san... He means everything to me, please... Tell me where he is.”

Tsunade sighed. She leaned back against a wall opposite from Kakashi and stared at the younger man.

He was utterly woebegone, his hair dirty and eye (although, unseen at the moment) was clouded and red rimmed. His shoulders were shaking with a force that Tsunade knew could only be tears.

When a shinobi like Kakashi, a proud, strong warrior, was crafted from the heart of Konoha their training sometimes left them so emotionally desolate that they weren't even human anymore.

Tsunade was happy that Kakashi wasn't one of those Shinobi, as she watched him attempt to hold back the tears streaming from his eyes.

“Alright,” she whispered, surprised to hear her own voice catching. “I'll tell you what I know. Just... one thing; Promise you'll both be back alive.”

“I-I'll do everything in my power, but,” Kakashi stated, quickly wiping the tears from his visible eye. He briefly lifted his forehead protector to rub his Sharingan free of tears. Then he looked straight at Tsunade, “he'll make it back, even if I don't.”

“I believe you,” Tsunade said softly. “An apartment on the south border of Konoha, just barely in the village. Small, one story, a white house with gray shutters. Kakashi...

“We don't know what Mizuki's planning. Speed is of the essence.”

---

“Goodbye, Gaara-sama!” Sakura said cheerfully. “Thank you for everything.”

Gaara nodded, and smiled faintly at the three waiting shinobi. “You've received the antidote?”

Sasuke patted his pocket. “I have it.”

“Well, we should get going!” Naruto said happily. “We don't have a day to spare. A month is really all we have left, but we should try to get back before that! After all, we ran into some pretty nasty sandstorms on the way here. You shoulda seen `em, Gaara! They were as wide as—“

“A month?” Gaara questioned softly. “Didn't it take you a little over two months to arrive here?”

“Yes,” Sakura said. “But Tsunade-sama said that we had about three months before the poison took a fatal effect.”

“She's made a grave error.” Gaara said. “Henshitsu poison is excellent for torture, it often puts the victim in so much pain that they're willing to tell any and all information that they know.

“But, the name itself does mean deterioration, so- obviously- a captive would be no use past the point when their memories begin to falter, unless they're simply hostages.

“That's why the poison on lasts two and a half months.”

Team seven gaped at Gaara, surprise and horror written on their faces.

“Two... two and a half months?” Sakura gasped. “But that means we only have about eight days to get back to Iruka-sensei!”

“No one can cross that desert in eight days,” Sasuke said lowly. “It's impossible.”

“We can't just let Iruka-sensei die!” Naruto screamed. He rounded on Gaara, grasping the front of his Kazekage robes. “Please, Gaara! We have to do something!”

Gaara gently eased Naruto's hands off of him. “Naruto-kun, calm yourself. All of you,” Gaara met each member of team seven's eyes, “There is a way to get you to Konoha in five days.”

Naruto straightened immediately. “Can we--?”

Gaara nodded. “Of course. It's a small bead; it increases your speed ten-fold. It draws on a rather large sum of chakra, but I think the three of you will be able to handle it. I can have three of them sent down instantly. Their power is not endless, however and if you should break one, I cannot give you a replacement.”

“It doesn't matter!” Naruto cried. “Thank you Gaara! Thank you so much!”

Gaara smiled wryly. “Of course, Naruto-kun. Sakura-san, Sasuke-san.”

In less than five minutes, a messenger appeared, holding out three steal cords; each with a small glass bead attached.

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke each took the necklaces wordlessly and tied them on. Naruto slipped his underneath his coat and patted it affectionately; twisting it so that it intertwined with the necklace that Tsunade had given him.

They nodded their thanks to Gaara, and in seconds they were gone.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

tsukiraven: Oh yeah! Another speedy update, dattebayo!

Sakura: Miss Raven, if you continue to update so quickly, your readers may become dependant on it...

Iruka: (sulking) I wasn't in this chapter.

tsukiraven: Yes, but you play such a big part in the next one!

Kakashi: My Ruka's a star.

tsukiraven: Show me your love and drop me a line!

Naruto: Let's hope that the next chapter comes this fast.

Peace Out, guys!