Naruto Shippuden Fan Fiction ❯ Beginning of the End ❯ Encountering Old Classmates ( Chapter 3 )

Gaara stood on the balcony outside his office, and looked down at the soldiers and citizens that had gathered to listen to him speak. On his left was his sister, Temari, and on his right Shizune, apprentice of Lady Hokage, Tsunade. Behind him were three other leaf shinobi, Kiba with his dog Akamaru, Leia, and Ino.

"I have gathered you all, because a great threat has come to the attention of Suna and Konoha." Gaara began. Instantly the crowd went silent. "The Akatsuki, who have been hunting jinchuriki, have almost succeed in their goal. As you know, I was kidnapped by the Akatsuki, and killed as the Shukaku was removed. We can only assume the other jinchuriki are dead, as well. Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha is the only jinchuriki left. We are greatly in debt to the leaf, for all they have done for us. I have gathered you so we may fight alongside Konoha, against the Akatsuki. Already both of our village have lost many lives to the Akatsuki. While we're not sure what their goals are, we are sure that they will stop at nothing to obtained Naruto. We must prevent this! In order to do so we will be going to war. Lady Hokage and myself are very sure that the Akatsuki have their base located in Amegakure. Within the month we will be attacking from our side. Lady Hokage has stated that they will attack from their side at the same time. We will defeat the Akatsuki! We will protect our comrade Naruto Uzumaki! We will defend our shinobi world!"

At the end of his speech everyone below burst into applause. Gaara turned as re-entered the Kazekage office. Shizune and the others following closely.

"You know you're not in debt to the leaf any more." Shizune said quietly. "You've done just as much for us as we have for you."

"It's not just the leaf." Gaara said quietly. "Before I met Naruto Uzumaki I was nothing more than a monster. I killed everyone and anyone who got in my way. Thanks to Naruto I learned what bonds were, what friendship was. I consider Naruto a very close friend of mine, and if the Akatsuki are after him, I will stop them."

"Gaara.." Temari said softly. She gazed at her brother with concern. It was true. Gaara had been fears when they were kids, but that was in the past, right? Surely her brother didn't feel the need to prove himself anymore than he had. He was a great Kazekage, and the people adored him. Then again, when she thought about it, that's just how Gaara was. So much like Naruto. Always thinking they had something to prove. Which is why they fought as hard as they did.

"Naruto should be okay, though." Ino stated comfortingly. "He's still training on Mount Myoboku, and the Akatsuki have no idea where he is."

"That's true." Gaara spoke slowly. "Yet, they always seem to manage finding out information. Kiba and Leia. Please report to your Hokage that we will be attacking Amegakure one month from today."

"Of course, Lord Kazekage." Kiba and Leia bowed.

"Please, don't bow, and just call me Gaara."

The two grinned at him, and then took off to make the report to Tsunade. It would take three days to reach Konoha, so they had to travel as quickly as possible.

-Time skip!-

Sasuke and Shoto were on their round to observe the perimeter of the base. Suddenly, Shoto touched Sasuke's arm and nodded in the direction of two shinobi that passed by.

"I think those were two of your old classmates." Shoto said in her smooth voice. "They're headed in the direction of the leaf, and one had a dog with him. The other looked like the twin of the kyuubi-container."

"Kiba and Leia." Sasuke muttered. The two looked at each other and nodded. They took off in the direction of Sasuke's old classmates. Better to get rid of them now, anyways.

"We're being followed." Leia whispered to Kiba after sensing two chakra signatures following them for the past two hours.

"Right." Kiba nodded. The two split up, Kiba to the right and Leia to the left, and hid in the branches of the trees to ambush their attackers.

Shoto and Leia stopped in the middle of the wooded area.

"They hid their chakra signatures." Shoto observed calmly.

"Must have sensed us." Sasuke muttered. "Prepare for an ambush."

Almost as if on cue kunai shot out at them from either side of the trail they were on. Shoto jumped forward, while Sasuke jumped back. Narrowly avoiding the weapons aimed at them. Shoto shot three kunai to the right. A minute later Leia jumped out, and swung a kunai aimed at Shoto's throat. Shoto ducked under the blonde girls arm, and kicked Leia in the stomach. Leia got thrown back, but was quickly back on her feet and in a defensive stance.

"Fang over fang!" Kiba and Akamaru whirled out from where they were hiding and aimed at Sasuke. The Uchiha jumped out of the way, and onto a tree branch above Shoto. Kiba and Akamaru landed next to Leia.

"Sasuke." Kiba growled.

"Your classmates are so lovely." Shoto remarked calmly but sarcastically.

"Hn."

"What are you doing with the Akatsuki, Sasuke?" Leia asked glaring at the Uchiha. "I thought you wanted revenge on Itachi, but now you're in the same organization as him?!"

"Family." Shoto corrected.

"What the hell ever!" Leia snapped.

"Itachi told me the real reason he killed the clan, and why he left. It turns out the Uchiha were going to attack Konoha and take over it. He couldn't bring himself to kill me, so he let me live with the thought I should get revenge on him. The reason Itachi and I still haven't returned to the village is because you have nothing to offer us. Itachi has no interest in being part of a village that 'let his brother join Orochimaru and nearly get killed.' When he had been promised I would always be safe, and I have no interest in a village that would put such a burden on my older brother." Sasuke explained.

"Some people are just born to be traitors, Leia. There's no use arguing with him." Kiba said glaring at Sasuke.

"I've had enough talking. Die." Shoto said calmly, and shot her axe and chain in Leia and Kiba's direction.

Sasuke leaped at Kiba, sword drawn, and swung. Kiba managed to jump back just in time, and he and Akamaru performed 'fang over fang' again. Shoto twitched her finger, her axe head shot to the right, and Leia leaped up into a tree to avoid it. Only this time she got a deep gash on her ankle.

"Damn!" Leia snapped. Shoto aimed six senbon at the blonde, who narrowly avoided them.

Kiba and Sasuke were in the middle of close combat. Sasuke was trying to strike Kiba down with his sword, to make it easier to use chidori on him. Akamaru was waiting on orders from Kiba, who was blocking Sasuke's sword with a kunai.

"Akamaru, go to the village, now!" Kiba barked. Akamaru looked at his master with concern for a second, but followed his orders and took off.

"I didn't even know you could fight without that mutt." Sasuke smirked maliciously.

"I'll show you exactly what I can do." Kiba growled as he ducked under Sasuke's sword. Kiba swiped at Sasuke's abdomen with a clawed hand (apparently he had taken a soldier pill. At what time in the fight, Sasuke did not know), and left a few slash marks across Sasuke's stomach. Sasuke jumped back, and stabbed his sword into Kiba's arm.

"Hold still." Sasuke said emotionlessly, and started to create his chidori.

Shoto jumped into the air, and shot a rain of fire bullets down on Leia. Leia jumped out of the way just in time as the bullets exploded on the ground where she had been standing. The blonde jumped at Shoto, aiming a kunai at her heart. Shoto yanked her axe and chain towards her, that had previously been embedded in a tree, and smirked as it slashed open Leia's side. You could hear the sickening slice of flesh, and the squirting of the blood as Leia fell to the ground.

"Dammit!" Leia snarled as she looked up.

"Die." Was all Shoto said as she shot six more senbon at Leia. The needles pierced the girls jugular, arm arteries, and forehead. Leia froze on her knees, and slowly fell forward onto the ground. Shoto stared with a bored expression at the blood that seeped from beneath the girl, and then turned to see how Sasuke was doing.

"Chidori!" Sasuke yelled as his fist embedded itself into Kiba's heart. You could hear the 'crack' as the chest bone was broken through, and Sasuke felt the last beat of his old classmates heart. Kiba was wide-eyed, blood dripping from his mouth as Sasuke pulled his hand out of his chest. Shoto stepped up beside Sasuke with one hand on her hip as Kiba fell to the ground.

"We should probably go report this to Leader." Shoto stated calmly.

"Hn." Was her only reply.