The Brutal Riposte (Part 2)
"Just like that, Hinata-chan. Use your chakra to draw the venom from his veins."
"Can't you work faster, Kaname-san? Gaara is still held captive or is most likely dying as we speak."
"I'm sorry, Baki-san. We need a track to start ourselves off with. Looking through an entire desert for a specific cave is nigh impossible. Maybe Kankurō-kun knows or heard something."
"Maybe. Those two were talking alone with that white-faced bastard."
"Good. How is it, Hina-chan?"
"Almost... and I'm done, Nee-san!" the last traces of colorless liquid mixed with blood were caught in Hinata's hand.
"My hime rocks ~ttebayo!"
Sasuke nodded his head, "Good to know we have someone that can save us if that white turd attacks us."
"Good job, Hina-chan."
Hinata blushed cutely at the praise, "It's thanks to you, Nee-san. Tsunade-sama showed us how to do it, but I never tried it in practice with Byakugan."
"It won't work on normal venoms, Hina-chan. Orochimaru thinks he is smart by enhancing them with his chakra. But, as you can see, his method has an obvious disadvantage." Kaname lectured.
"Kankuro-kun is still out of it - what is the big plan now?"
"My favorite part, Baki-san!" Electric sparks danced around Kaname's fingers.
"Just move out of the way, girl!" The old woman, almost two-thirds her height, pushed the Uchiha to the side and walked towards the unconscious young man. Uncorking a vial, Chiyo put it next to Kankurō's nose.
Gaara's older brother woke up, instantly emptying his stomach to the side of the bed.
"Hmm, a stink bomb of some kind? Mind giving me the recipe? I believe I can find a use for it."
"Bwahaha! Why would I give something to one of Konoha's lapdogs, girl?" Chiyo hissed at Kaname, ignoring the boy retching next to her.
"I was just asking." Kaname shrugged, "Don't really care - I can make one myself."
"You, girl, your knowledge resembles that of Slug Lass, but your face is almost a copy of that damned Uchiha. Who are you?"
"Me and that Granny? Gods no! Don't even attempt to compare me with that scared cat."
"I believe you're talking about Tsunade? She is your Hokage, girl."
"So? At least you aren't scared of your own body. Granny Tsunade uses a permanent Henge to hide it. What's more, despite your age, you're still a badass kunoichi Chiyo-baasan. I know of an old prune from my village that should follow your example."
"Gaara?" Kankurō groaned out in pain, "Where is he?"
"Hey, Kankurō! Remember us ~dattebayo?"
"Ugh, dattebayo? You look different, but you sound like that stupid loudmouth from Konoha... I see, so Temari did succeed. And, where is Gaara?"
"I hoped you could tell us, Kankurō-san."
"H-Hinata-chan?!" The young man flushed.
"Hey! Don't even think about it! She is mine! You can go play with your dolls!" Naruto stood between Hinata and Kankurō.
"I think I know what Jiji would say, but you can talk about it later." Kaname interrupted the trio, "So, kiddo, do you have any idea on where to look for your younger brother?"
"You are Kaname-san, right?" She nodded her head, hurrying him up, "Good that... you came..."
Kaname heard the man's mind slowly drift back into slumber - to counteract it, she put her hand on Kankurō's ankle and let the current flow through his body.
"Aaaah!" He screamed as the electricity almost blew his socks off, "W-what?"
"Orochimaru, where is he?!"
"Ugh... I don't-"
Kankurō drew his feet closer to his body when blue sparks flew along Kaname's fingers.
"H-he talked like he knew you were looking for him."
Her eyebrow rose in interest, "Continue."
"They were talking about a canyon not far from here?"
She put her finger on the young man's forehead, "Good job, you can sleep now."
"The Serpent Canyon, thirty clicks south." Baki informed when Kankurō's head hit the bed.
"Serpent? Are you kidding me?"
"Not my fault. It was labeled long before the Sannins' names were uplifted, Kaname."
"Haah... Let me guess, you also have a place called after a scorpion and-or camel?" Kaname groaned when Baki nodded his head, "Someone lacked the imagination, huh?"
"Bwahaha, like you are one to talk, Leaf Kunoichi, Bwahaha!"
"Heh, okay, point taken, Chiyo-baasan."
"So what's the plan, Kana-chan?"
"We go there and kick some ass, Doofus-kun."
"Yeah, but what about Orochimaru's trap?"
"I'll deal with him." Kaname replied shortly.
"Kana-chan, you need help! I have expected you to try fighting alone - our enemies will also anticipate it. We have to help you." Pakura disagreed.
"No. Naruto is Akatsuki's primary target. Knowing that he is protected by you two is enough of a reason not to worry about his safety."
"You're talking like I'm not here, Sis! I can protect myself. You need Pakura-nee and Scarecrow-sensei's help ~ttebayo."
"Naru-chan, if you three were going to fight just a jōnin, I would most likely take you on this offer. But these guys are as freaky and strong as me. I promise nothing bad will happen to me."
"Promise? You sure?"
"Did I ever go back on my word, Naru-chan?"
Naruto's eyelid twitched, "I hate when you pull out that card..."
"Naru-kun, while Nee-san is protecting Konoha, we have to find Gaara-kun and save him."
"Hinata is right, Dobe. I hate it as much as you do, but we need to find that sand psycho to avoid the war."
"*Ehem*!" Baki coughed, pulling Sasuke's eyes to him for barely a second, '... This kid, his disdain and contempt, he is an Uchiha, no doubt about that!'
"Paku-chan, can you guide us?"
"Sure. I know the place!"
"Pakura-san, please wait!" Sunagakure jonin called out after the green-haired woman. "I heard of what happened between Rasa-san and you. I would like to apologize for the shortcomings of our late Kazekage. I wanted to stand on your side in that conflict, but protecting the village was always my utmost priority. Our young Kazekage is different, we... I would be happy if you come back to Sunagakure and reclaim your position as our best kunoichi."
"Hmm..." The busty woman hummed, assessing the proposal, "I'll have to take a look at Your new Kage to make a choice. I don't feel like repeating the same circle of reciprocal hate forming all around the village leader."
"That's more than I could ask for. Thank you, Pakura-san." Kakashi noticed a barely hidden smirk on the Baki's face. It took the silver-haired jōnin a conscious effort to hold back his anger and not lashing out at Sunagakure's Shinobi Commander.
"And where the heck do you think you are going, huh, Chiyo-baasan?"
"Oh, zip it, girl. You are looking for Akatsuki, my grandson was a member of it. There is a chance he may show up."
"Haaa... For your information, the last time I checked, Sasori-kun was missing. I hope he died somewhere along the way in a ditch. But do what you want. We won't wait for you - do you believe you can keep up?" Kaname asked.
"Who do you take my family for? Sasori-chan wouldn't just die in an unknown grave, and I was an accomplished shinobi before you were even born, girl! Let's go." The old woman instantly took charge, leading the group out of Sunagakure.
----
"And you? Your name?" Chiyo requested, looking at the green-haired woman, "You're way too skilled at running over the desert to be one of Konoha's shinobis."
"Pakura, Chiyo-obaasama. I once was a Sunagakure kunoichi." She bowed respectfully.
"Pakura-... Pakura." The poison mistress repeated her name like she tried to taste it, "I think I heard about you a couple of years back."
"Yeah... I might have gone full-postal at our late Kage in front of the entire village..."
"Bwahaha! I like women with balls bigger than most men. I never liked Rasa-chan - he may have been a good leader in times of war, but a man that did not care about his family should never become a Kage."
"I thought you approved him, Chiyo-obaasama." Pakura answered, bewildered, "Weren't you the one that sealed Shukaku in Gaara?"
"You weren't the first to deride that boy. He may have been a bad Kage, but his strength was to be respected. Rasa-chan left me no choice but to use that ancient faulty seal to put a Biju into his newborn son."
"So it way you that put Ichibi into Gaara ~ttebayo?!"
"And? What's your problem with that, kid?" Chiyo shot back, hearing the question, not even turning towards Naruto.
"You're all the same! Akatsuki and shinobi villages!" Naruto's voice became much more guttural, "You all think of Bijū as stupid rabid animals and us, at best, as disposable weapons!"
'So Jiraiya-san was right - the seal is weakening.' Kaname put her hand on the blonde's shoulder, "Naru-chan, calm down."
"Us? Is that blonde a jinchūriki?!" Chiyo jumped back, pulling out her kunai.
"See what I mean, Sis?"
"You have people that will always believe in you, Naru-chan. Never forget that." She replied, "Now, you, put the blade down, or I will confiscate it."
"Sneaking a jinchūriki into a village is equivalent to declaring a war! Are you insane?!"
"... Times have changed. You must have been hiding in a cave if you don't understand what's happening all around us." Kaname replied, already spinning the old woman's kunai on her finger.
"Eh? How?" Chiyo looked at her empty hand.
"You're not getting it back until you calm down. Now, let's go. I have more urgent things to worry about."
-----
"You are late!" The shadow of Akatsuki's leader growled out.
"This kid is only a bait. We have lots of time." The white-faced man pointed at the unconscious Kazekage held like a sack of potatoes under Kisame's shoulder.
"Is everything ready?"
"Fufufu, I'm just waiting for Kana-chan to show up."
"Good. Zetsu!" Pain summoned one of Akatsuki's members.
"Yes?" a black man-plant quickly rose out of the ground.
"Are your white clones on position?"
"As you and the Sannin requested."
"Kisame." The Rinnegan user called out to the shark-man.
"Hai-hai. I know, I'm going!" The prone body fell next to Kisame's feet with a loud thud. One of the few left Kirigakure's Swordsmen walked towards Black Zetsu, and they both disappeared.
"I have got one more little personal matter to fulfill - it's a perfect occasion. Tobi-chan, are you here?" Orochimaru's request was met with silence. "Oh~ Tobi-chan, where are you?"
Three seconds later, next to the projection of their leader, the reality warped like in a vortex. Soon, an orange masked man glared at the Sannin, "What do you want of me, Snake?! I have enough on my head dealing with the jinchūriki!"
"When we're finished here, I would like you to take me somewhere."
"... Where?"
Orochimaru's sadistic smile sent shivers down Obito's spine.
-----
"Nee-san, someone is waiting for us down the road."
"Thanks, Hina-chan." Kaname nodded, "Everyone, get ready."
"Hoo~ a far sight? A very versatile tool!"
"Hina-chan is a Hyuga's princess." Kaname replied, throwing previously confiscated kunai back to the old woman.
"Always wanted to have the Byakugan in my eyes. Those pipe dreams of being special ended with me being old and blind as a bat, Bwahaha!"
"I'm sorry, Chiyo-obaasama, when I was a Sunagakure kunoichi, all of my friends took you as an example. Can't say how the village's kunoichi view you now, but I'm pretty sure that you still have lots of young admirers. The stories of your adventures were being passed in the kindergarten."
"Bwahaha! Those were only stories, Pakura-chan."
Kaname clapped her hands, pulling their attention back on her, "Okay, enough small talk. Kakashi, Paku-chan, you know what you need to do." Both bobbed their heads, "Kakashi, you take the lead. Kids, Chiyo-baasan, just try to stay alive."
"Why am I viewed on the same level as those kids?!" Chico exclaimed.
"Why are we viewed on the same level as this old baachan?!" Naruto's voice joined in on the outcry. The two glared at each other.
*Clang* Kaname lazily deflected a massive two-handed blade flying towards her. "That's not a nice way to greet a woman, fish-bastard."
"Hehe," Kisame flickered to Samehada and put the great sword on his arm, "You owe me a sword duel, Kaname."
"Yeah, I do. I'm still waiting, you know where to find me."
"Huh? What are you talking about, girl?"
"Chiyo-baasan, what you're looking at is only a very elaborate cloning technique. Kisame exudes much thicker bloodlust. Isn't that right?"
The giant of a man's eyebrows rose in appreciation for the woman's perception, "Heh-hahaha. I knew you wouldn't be so easy to-"
"Cut the chatter. Where is that white turd?" Kaname interrupted him.
"Hahaha! I thought you would try to find the Kazekage."
"Gaara is a bait. But I wouldn't mind if you want to tell me where can I find him. It would make my job much easier."
"Hmm, nope. Make me." Kisame gave her a toothy smirk.
"So you're buying time, I see. Doofus-kun, Paku-chan he is yours. See you later."
"Tsk... That was what? Fifteen seconds? Should be good enough." The shark-man shrugged, "Now that she is away, who wants to die first?"
Sasuke drew two short swords and readied himself to attack, standing side by side with Naruto. But to everyone's shock, it was Hinata that jumped into action first.
"I won't allow you to hurt him anymore!" the black-haired young woman shouted, charging at the blue-faced swordsman, "Ah-?"
Kakashi quickly flickered to his student and pulled her away just a moment before Kisame's sword brutally swiped in front of Hinata's face.
"Tsk..." The legendary sword wielder clicked his tongue, "Kakashi the Copycat ninja, mind giving me a good fight?"
"You four stand down."
The Uchiha squinted his eyes at the team's commander, disgruntled at his words.
"That's an order, Sasuke. Pakura, protect them. I'll deal with him." Kakashi ordered, pulling out a tanto blade from a sheath on his back.
The blade released a trace of silvery-white chakra as Kakashi held it in a reverse grip in front of his face.
"Hooh~ That looks like a nice toothpick you got there! Where did you get it from?" Kisame grinned.
"It's a restored memento of my failures. I promised to protect those kids, and this time, I won't fail."
----
"Hahaha! That fox really allowed that?"
"Yeah, Father was the only person that Kurama did trust, partner." The ginormous slug inside Utakata's head replied, "Well, it must have been weird for him to once again play catch with Kaname-san after a couple of centuries."
"Pfft... Yeah, from what she said, he threatened to kill her." Utakata chuckled, putting out his campfire.
"That's just how Kurama is, partner. You wouldn't believe how many times he threatened to kill my siblings and me... I won't say that's how that furball expresses his love - because he has long forgotten what it is, but I'm very sure that Naruto is slowly chipping away at his shell."
"What can I say? At least I got myself a friendly slug-friend. Squabbling with the fox my entire life is not for me."
"Heh, do you even remember when you did not trust me? It feels like ages ago."
"Yeah, I'm sorr-"
"Nothing to apologize about, partner." Saiken stopped him, "From my point of view, it was understandable - you thought you were betrayed by your teacher, half of the country treated you as a vagabond and had an unknown being of immense power sealed inside of you."
"Someone likes to boost his own self-esteem, eh?"
"Well, I'm just that good!" Six tails swished behind Saiken's back.
"Haha, so many things have changed..."
"Not that many, partner. You just met a hot raven-haired mate that rocked your world." Utakata tried to deny it, but the Bijū continued, "Don't even try. Remember that I do have full access to your thoughts. You can't stop thinking about Kaname and your little mollusks. Like now... and again, and-"
"Okay-okay! You win, happy?" Utakata groaned.
"I always do, partner." Saiken replied, "Now let's go, the faster we get to the port, the faster we can come back hom- DODG-!"
Utakata felt something pulling at his navel. The world in front of him warped as if he traveled through a small black hole. He looked upon a dark endless void. The location was composed of an innumerable amount of randomly arranged and differently sized rectangular prisms.
"-e... Well, too late now." the Six-tail finished.
"Where are we, Saiken?"
"In my dimension, Jinchūriki-san!" A happy-go-lucky voice spoke from behind him.
Standing on different pillars, ten people dressed in black coats with white-red clouds looked down upon him. Six of them had Rinnegan in their eyes.
"Welp... fuck..."
"Don't bother, Kaname Uchiha can not teleport in here. It's a completely different dimension, Host of Rokubi." the orange-haired man said the moment Utakata put his chakra into Kaname's seal.
'So he sees chakra?' Utakata prepared for combat.
"Fufufu, I said it would work nicely, Nagato-kun." Orochimaru chuckled, speaking the leader's name rewarded him with an intense purple-eyed glare.
'They're not a uniform group! Let's pull a Kaname out here...' He concluded.
'That's a stupid idea, partner.' His tenant replied.
'Got a better one, Saiken?'
'Not dying would be a start.' The slug replied.
'How would you do that?'
'Still working on it, partner.'
'I will try. If worst comes to worst, we will just go full ham on them and hope for the best.' Utakata decided, "Don't worry about that, Nagato. I know most of your names."
The orange-masked man's hand twitched.
"Yeah, you too, Obito Uchiha-kun." a widely opened Sharingan flashing through the eyehole was all the answer Utakata needed.
"Uchiha, huh? Your eye would net me lots of money, Tobi." Kakuzu turned to the Akatsuki's clown.
"Sorry, I know you only by a nickname, but I would advise against it, Tentacle Lover. Obito-kun thinks himself a leader of your little ragtag group. From what he can do, I believe you can even imagine why." Utakata pointed his hand at their surroundings.
"I'm the leader and the creator of Akatsuki! You will speak to me only when asked to, Host of Rokubi!"
"Nah, I believe I got your subordinates' attention, Nagato. Kana-chan may not act like it, but each one of you respects her smarts."
"Fufufu, yes, Kana-chan's deduction skills are top-notch, now, even I'm getting interested."
"Orochimaru-san, you're almost as smart as Kana-chan is."
"... I will let that insult pass..."
"Is that really an insult?" Utakata shrugged, "Both Nagato and Obito are only scapegoats. This means that Akatsuki has a grey eminence, pulling all the strings from the shadows for years, even decades. I'm very sure you investigated it as well, Orochimaru-san. Is Kana-chan wrong?"
The Snake Sannin released a low guttural hum, almost a purr of appreciation from his throat. "Once again, I underestimated her."
"ENOUGH!" Akatsuki's leader put a stop to their conversation. "Your words do not matter in the face of limitless power! Your sacrifice is necessary for the completion of Akatsuki's goal!"
"Your Akatsuki? Obito's? Or Ma-" Obito teleported behind Utakata, trying to kill him on the spot. Fortunately for Utakata, Saiken was ready - a massive slimy body grew from beneath jinchūriki's legs, lifting him away from harm.
'I know what you're thinking, and you're not ready for that, partner.'
'At least I will take several of them with me, Saiken.' he replied, letting the upper part of his azure kimono fall down.
'I- I'm sorry. If I could, I would just sacrifice myself so you could watch Haru and Kushina grow.'
'Not your fault, Saiken. It's those assholes that want to imprison you and kill me. Now, let's kick some ass! Buy me some time.'
'... Let's do this, partner!'
Orochimaru watched as the jinchūriki sat upon the head of his tailed beast and froze. The Six-Tailed slug defended his prone host by deflecting all the incoming attacks. Kaname's soon-to-be husband tensed all of his muscles and concentrated in a lotus position.
"Oh..." the Snake Sannin took a step back, being pretty that following minutes will become rather unpleasant.