Not you, too!

30: Go Forth and Succeed – It is the Time for Action


Temari stood at the door and waited as the ANBU team talked with her brother. They had been home now for three days and she had barely gotten a chance to brief him on the success of the mission.
Now as she waited she fought the urge to interrupt, for her business with Gaara was of a personal sort.
It took an hour to arrange for the rooms that the guests would occupy until the storms were over and then Kankurou returned to escort them there. Gaara explained that due to the secrecy they needed to maintain, he would only allow his most trusted assistants to see to them, hence the reason that Kankurou had greeted them at the gates.
The three assassins seemed to accept these words and followed the puppet man to their rooms. When the office was clear Gaara called out to her.
“Are you done with lurking, Temari-san? Or would you like to stay there longer?” and she stepped into view smiling at him the whole time.
“Are there any secrets that you can’t discover my little Otouto?” she said walking up to his desk as he shuffled the papers before him.
“Yes, one actually. Why is it my sister is smiling so often these days? I have not been able to decipher that one yet.” And he looked up to find that oddly comforting smile still plastered on her face. “Yes, it is still there. And I still have no answers. Perhaps she could enlighten her Kazekage?”
“Enlighten? My pleasure Godaime-sama. The Special Jounin, Temari is smiling because she has recently been invited to become the wife of one Special Jounin Nejiri. She has been trying for three days to tell her family about this, but they have had other pressing business. And some family problems of their own, too. How are you doing, Gaara?” she asked.
“Me? You tell me you are engaged and ask about me? Temari you will never stop mothering me now, will you?” he said rising and pulling her into his arms.
“Woah, Gaara. I know you are pumped full of hormones, but a hug? Wow. Really, though. How are you feeling, Kankurou told me about your collapse.”
“That was low blood sugar and I am fine. Everything is proceeding wonderfully. The medic that I have arranged for this is confident in my ability to pull it off completely though for some reason he thinks that I should spend my final weeks in Konoha. He isn’t very confident in his own abilities and thinks that Tsunade would be more adept.”
“Well, we do have an alliance. It would be an interesting way to affirm it. Have the Godaime of the Leaf deliver the baby of the Godaime of the Sand. It would go down in the history books and solidify our bonds. I like it.”
“You are a brat. And your other brother concurs. Not that I don’t think it would be a good idea. And Choji would be able to spend time with his village. I will go at the end of my seventh month.”
“Good. And that will be plenty of time for my wedding. Now, it is late and with a sandstorm coming, you should go home. I’ll walk you.” And they headed out the door.


The little farming village was nearly deserted and as they walked down the street an eerie silence followed them.
Sasuke shook his head as he caught the blond’s eye and noticed the question there. He recognized the fact that they were near a strong center of chakra but didn’t recognize it. But, they both knew that Sasuke hadn’t been with the others when they had encountered Raiga in the first place so would not know the Missing Mist Nin’s chakra signature anyway.
Naruto jerked his head toward an old barn on the end of any alleyway that had to have been someone’s hiding place for the amount of feeling it gave off.
They approached cautiously hoping to reduce the damage to the town that a meeting of this sort could mean, and slowly opened the doors.
Voices rose from the interior and the words were confusing to the two Shinobi.
“You need to trust me. I wouldn’t tell you anything that would hurt you. Come with me and we will all work to heal you. I want you to be whole and this would be the only safe way. Do you trust me?”
“I trust you, Ranmaru. I have always trusted you. What should we do?”
“Come to us, Naruto-chan. We are ready for the healing you have brought. I am stronger now, so I can help you take him home.” And they came to a dark corner where a single candle lit a small area. Seated there were Raiga and a boy of about fourteen with short blue tinted hair and a small build. The boy looked up and smiled at them. “I have not met you yet. Are you Naruto’s special person?” and Sasuke nodded to them.
“Ranmaru! Are you all right?” Naruto asked. The young boy nodded and smiled up at them.
“Raiga is going to let you help him. Aren’t you? He wants to be better and then we can live with Sanshou-baasan and help with the curry shop. I told him you could help him.”
The long haired man turned and Sasuke saw wide eyes of pale lavender that glared at him and sent him messages of hidden malice and deep longing. He smiled mildly and suggested they should leave the village so no innocent people were damaged in the confrontation that would ensue. Raiga glared and nodded as Naruto and Ranmaru led them away.
Once in the forest they faced each other and Sasuke activated his Sharingan and opened the Seidan’s view. He waited as Raiga pulled out two matched swords with eccentric claws jutting out of their end and near the hilt, raised them and looked back in determination.
Naruto stood poised to attack in defense of his love as Ranmaru called out in fear.
“Raiga, no. He will help you. Don’t fight him.” But Sasuke and the man did not turn to their voices.
“Ranmaru, wait. Sasuke will help him. He has to find the evil that is driving him, to purge his mind. It will mean seeing his power. Listen, even now he asks for it.” And sure enough Sasuke’s voice was a whispered petition to the older man.
“Come on, bring it on. Show me what has driven you here. Tell me how to help you.” And Raiga raised his arms and his body was consumed in silver lightning.
Sasuke watched in fascination as the waves of electricity rode his opponent and circled him. He saw the static charge course across the other’s brain and tingle his neocortex.
Raiga’s thoughts became erratic as the surge of power confused the signals of his mind.
Sasuke stepped closer daring the man to attack and Naruto tensed.
Raiga began to laugh and Sasuke stepped even closer.
“You think you can save me! Will you be greatly missed when they bury you? Will there be many to cry for you?”
“I am not ready to die, old man. I still have a family to raise.” And with the next step his Dainichi flared to life and Raiga stiffened.
Charges of electricity shot into the ground as his arms fell and he dropped forward, to be caught in the arms of the ready blond before he landed on the ground. Sasuke gasped as a stray surge lanced his leg and he canted to the side. Ranmaru caught his arm and supported him and they all dropped to the ground.
“Raiga?” the boy asked and Naruto smiled up at him.
“He will sleep for a few days, then he will be fine. What did you take from him, Sasuke?” Naruto asked as Sasuke regained his breath and his usual demeanor.
“The very jutsu that made him powerful was killing him. He couldn’t truly block himself off from all of the power. It was burning his mind and making him crazy. I would be surprised if there wasn’t lasting damage. But he will remember you, Ranmaru. You are his treasured memory and he kept it safe. You are what kept him alive.”
“Are you all right Sasuke-san?” the boy asked.
“Yes. It just stung my foot. I can walk back to the curry shop. Come on, we should get going so he can be made more comfortable. He really does need to see Tsunade, you know, Naruto?” the brunet said.
“Yes. We can borrow the cart from Sanshou-baasan. Maybe Karashi can come with for a visit while he is in the village.”
“We’ll see. Come on let’s go. Do you need help with him, Naruto?”
“Nah. He’s just a big baby. I can handle him. I carried your brother, didn’t I?”
And the blond rose to drape the unconscious man over his shoulder as Ranmaru aided Sasuke to his unstable feet. Sasuke wobbled a bit and on his first step winced in pain.
“You took more than a sting. Let’s see that first.” Naruto said, lowering the body to the ground.
The sandal on Sasuke’s left foot was scorched across the arch and there was a deep burn on the skin it was supposed to protect. There was no way he was walking on it as it was. Naruto pulled off his light jacket and removed the t-shirt he wore under it. He tore the bottom of it off and wet it with his canteen. Then, he wrapped it gently around the foot and removed his left sandal. Naruto’s feet had also grown in proportion and his shoes were a size large and wider than Sasuke’s. He slid his sandal over the bandages and took off the remaining one, strapping both his unused sandal and the burned one together and draping them over Ranmaru’s shoulder. Then he pulled Sasuke to his feet and watched him test the foot. He was limping and by the time they made the shop would be increasingly uncomfortable, but he could walk.
“Now, put your clothes back on, Dobe. Are you trying to show off or something?” Sasuke asked.
“Just thought a visual show would give you something to look forward to in finishing this trip,” Naruto said, pulling the remains of the shirt over his head. It hung just above the seal on his belly and Sasuke drew a breath at the sight. He turned away quickly and pretended to take a step. “Like what you see, Sasuke?” Naruto said, teasingly.
“Shut up, and hurry.” He was answered.
Naruto pulled his jacket over the shirt and once more lifted the unconscious man. They turned toward the curry shop and began their trek.
With one injured and one bare-foot ninja carrying a load the trip took twice as long and it was well past dinnertime when the reached the shop.
Karashi rushed out to help Naruto and was sent to Sasuke instead.
“He has a burned foot. He needs to get off of it, quickly. I can get Him there.” The blond said as the curry chef hurried to the brunet’s aid.
He and Ranmaru lifted Sasuke off the ground and up the porch to the renovated shop.
Sanshou-baasan scurried around moving cushions and laying out a futon as they all made themselves as comfortable as possible, then she and her two ‘sons’ went to get food.
The curry was mild and Sasuke ate most of his, as Naruto finished his second plate.
They carefully fed the stronger version to the sleeping ninja and waited for results. He swallowed but did not regain consciousness.
“Oh, my. Oh, my.” The old woman chanted. But Ranmaru patted her shoulder and smiled gently.
“It’s okay, Okaasan. They will take him to Tsunade of the Leaf. She will make him well then I will bring him home. It will be okay.”
“Oh, my.” The woman continued.
“Yes, Okaasan. Ranmaru and Naruto will take care of it, and then he can come and stay with us. It will be okay.” Repeated Karashi.
“Do you have a cart we can take him there in?” Naruto asked and the old woman turned and nodded.
“Yes, it is around the back. We use it to pick up the supplies when we shop. You can send it back full when Ranmaru returns. He can buy supplies on this trip. I like the quality of the leaf goods.” And she rose to see to her kitchen.
Ranmaru and Karashi prepared the cart and they all settled for sleep. The boy watching over the sleeping man, as Naruto and Sasuke returned to the guest room.
In the morning, the blond loaded the cart with the missing Nin, and glared at the Uchiha.
“Get in, Sasuke. I am not watching you make a cripple of yourself to prove you are a man. Besides you need to be in top form when we get home. So, you will ride with Raiga.” He insisted, as Ranmaru stood back wide-eyed.
“Whatever, Dobe.” Sasuke said, climbing in and not looking their way. Naruto lifted the front and began to haul it down the road as the family said their goodbyes.
“I packed some curry in here, and enough clean clothes for a week. I want you to be careful. I would send Karashi, but I am an old woman, and I need someone here. He is a good boy if only he would settle down and marry. Then, he could have a family and they could take over the shop.”
“Okaasan! Don’t bring that up now! Go on Ranmaru. We will be fine until you return. Make your friend well, and come home. Then, he will be happy as we have been.” And they embraced one last time before the boy hurried to catch up to the leaf Shinobi.



Marielle – Even when you were 15, Koibito was too young for you. Give him time to grow up. But just think he’ll look exactly like the pictures of Orochimaru in his teens, yum.
The Curry of Life has a lot of possibilities, and it is one of my favorite episodes, besides the whole “Hero of the Fall’s” thing.
As for Gaara, he has a big scene coming up. Just wait.
Hope that Turkey was cooked properly can’t have the president of my fan club getting salmonella.

Next chapter is The Green Beast Of Konoha – The Uchiha Prepare a Comeback