Kazekage...Kidnapped?! The Start

Gaara hummed, standing on top of the Kazekage building as a brilliantly blue bird made it's way towards him landing on his Kazekage cloak. Chirping a few times at Gaara

"A message from lady hokage?" an advisor said and Gaara hummed,

"Hello Star, where's the message?" Gaara said, the bird, now identified as star hopped on his arm turning around where the message box could be seen. Star was a Stellars Jay, one of the smallest of Natsuko's messenger birds, but also the quickest. If she sent star it meant the message was incredibly urgent and couldn't wait.

'Gaara&Kankuro,

According to our intel, Deidara and Sasori were headed to the hidden sand as of one week ago. We predict they will reach the sand in one day. Or even tonight. I have plans to dispatch team 7 to the hidden sand as backup as soon as Naruto reaches the village this afternoon. Just a reminder, Deidara uses explosive clay he forms into shapes, usually animals with the mouths in his palms. He can also infuse the clay into other objects, such as, sand. So please. Use at least some caution when facing them. Remember, Sasori usually places a light type of Genjutsu on people close to his target, so if your his

target… that's outside of his puppetry and posion, Just be extra careful.

Oh, If you need help, or find yourself in a bit of a… well, anyway, I sent Star with a bracelet for you and Kankuro, press the button in the middle and I'll know your exact location and will be able to teleport there instintainously.

Best of Luck,

5th Hokage Hidden Leaf, The Red Flash

Natsuko Uzumaki' The letter read, Gaara humming grabbing the two aforementioned bracelets out of the pouch, they both looked to be of good quality, one was black with a dark gray button in the middle of it on both sides, a jutsu formula inscribed on the metal of the button. The other was dark red, a slightly light red button on the middle of either side, also with a jutsu formula, Gaara hummed putting the red one on his wrist, pulling a small prepared letter he carried with him when he went outside just in case, he placed it gently in the pouch, sending star on her way back to the leaf.

"Trouble?" Kankuro asked, Gaara nodded, looking over,

"It seems so. Here. Natsuko sent it for you." He said and Kankuro hummed, pulling the strap over his wrist,

"Son of a bitch. She was right." Kankuro said, jumping over to the balcony, before tapping the square in the middle of his bracelet, the jutsu formula lighting up purple

"What are you doing Lord Kankuro?" A ninja asked and Kankuro turned, his face hardened showing he meant business

"I called for one of our Allies. We can't get up there to help, but she can." He replied, as Natsuko appeared next to him. Her long light red hair in high ponytail, a pale blue ribbon tied around the band, a long braid down her back, her forehead held her headband the two long straps going down her back, sitting ontop of the hokage cloak. She wore her light blue skirt paired with black biker shorts and chain armor, paired with her white cropped top, chain armor covering her stomach and upper arms, a shurikan holster on both legs, paired with a katana holster on her right hip. she looked up at the fight between Gaara and Deidara, Gaara seeming to be at a disadvantage as he expended most of his chakra

"You called the Hokage?!" Another sand nin said shocked, Natsuko ignored the comment as she gripped her sword tighter,

"Right…" She said looking as Gaara stopped an explosion with his sand

"Team seven will be here in three days. I've already dispatched them, right before I came." She said

turning to Kankuro

"Sakuras become quite the poisons expert." She said before using flying raijin blocking explosive clay before it could reach Gaara.

"Quite bold. Taking on the Kazekage, jinchuriki of the one tail. Alone. Deidara." She said as she landed in the air, standing

in front of the sand, before moving to the side. Sitting on a platform of air

"You took your time, Natsuko." Gaara said Natsuko grinned

"Sorry, you know. You wouldn't believe the traffic" She said

"Who are you supposed to be." Deidara said and Natsuko smirked Before becoming a blur of red around Deidara stabbing him with lightning style in different places.

"The red flash of the leaf. Fifth hokage. Natsuko Uzumaki." She said Deidara grunting as he lay immobilized on his bird.

"I see why you called her. Lord Kankuro." One of the sand ninja said Kankuro huffed

"In all the hidden villages, I can't think of a single ninja who's faster. And she knows all five changes in chakra nature." He said looking at the fight, Natsuko standing on a windstyle platform, before quickly wrapping chakra chains around deidara sending lightning through the entire thing holding Deidara, she performed a shadowclone jutsu after talking to Gaara, one the clone transformed into Gaara, as the two jumped onto the balcony, Natsuko releasing the chakra chains as Deidara yelled in victory grabbed the gaara clone before the sand collapsed.

"What did you guys do?" Kankuro asked and Natsuko smirked

"I know a little genjutsu thanks to… *paling* uh… actually… that's not important. Deidara thinks he's beaten Gaara so he and his teammate should be leaving the sand. We have three days more than likely to figure out a plan to go after them. They think they've taken Gaara, so it's unlikely they'll return unless they figure it out before they reach the base. But they need to think they've taken him… I'll send a shadow clone after them, track them back to their base, hopefully." She said, before looking up as Star landed on her shoulder,

"Hello star, message please." Natsuko said, the bird squawking, flapping it's wings, Natsuko raised an eyebrow. Before the bird turned around,

'Lady Hokage,

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke should be at the sand in two days. Temari is also with them, please inform Lord Kazekage. Fugaku said he had an urgent matter to discuss with you regarding the village. So please, return as soon as possible. Don't forget to debrief the elders as well. They're…Less than pleased with your decision.

Legendary Sanin

Tsunade'

"Seriously. Those two again" Natsuko said her eyes flashing red as she shook her hand for a moment before sighing, pinching her nose, taking in a deep breath

"What is it?" Kankuro said Natsuko hummed before bowing

"Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi Sensei, and Temari should be here in two days. I've been…*glaring at the letter like itd offended her* …summoned by the elders. Granny Tsunade's been dealing with them until I return. So I must take my leave, I apologize." She said Gaara waving her off,

"Go, If you've been summoned it's probably urgent. We'll handle the rest. You've been a huge help." He said and Natsuko nodded,

"Good luck with the elders." Kankuro said, Natsuko huffed out a laugh,

"Wanna go in my place?" She said jokingly before turning to the bird on her shoulder who was now squawking angrily at her, Natsuko chuckling

"No thanks, I'd hate to spoil your fun." Kankuro said, while Natsuko calmed the now irate bird who

was pulling on her ear

"Oi, let go of my ear. I was joking, Relax star, I'm going, I'm going..." She said, moving the bird that had started to bite her ear lightly, petting the top of the birds head. Putting a finger to her mouth, she disappeared just as she'd appeared.

"What's happened?" Natsuko asked as she made it back to the hokage office, star sitting on her shoulder,

"What is your report on the sand?" the two elders stated sitting on the sofa, Natsuko looked over,

"Elders. What brings you here?" Natsuko asked bowing her head in respect as Tsunade stood from the chair, glaring at the elders,

"We need the report on your trip to the sand village, you made the decision to go there alone, we want to see if that was a mistake or not." they said and Natsuko huffed, biting her tongue.

"I successfully thwarted the kazekage's kidnapping attempt, however, in an effort to ensure it stays that way, team 7 will stay on mission. If we are to stop the Akatsuki we must work together with our allies. Has Pervy sage returned from his search yet?" Natsuko asked looking at Tsunade who shook her head,

"That makes sense, thank you for your report lady hokage." They said before taking their leave.

"Though, next time. Think about whether or not you need to be fighting the Akatsuki. After all you're their target as well." The male said and Natsuko grit her teeth once more

"I understand that, but even so, I will not sit by and allow my friends to be injured. I am the red flash of the leaf, the fifth Hokage. And if it's in my power to help my friends regardless of village, that's exactly what I'll do. You know." Natsuko said in the three years that've passed, Natsuko's grown to be have a sharper tongue, able to respectfully, talk back to the elders, let

them know she wasn't a doormat.

"Before you say it. The leaf is, and always will be my number one priority. I thought I proved that with the attacks I've thwarted, and the peace I've helped maintain within the village." She said as the female elder closed her mouth, the two of them continuing out the door. Closing the door

"I don't think in the 3 years I've known you, you've ever spoken up for yourself like that. Well done." Tsunade said and Natsuko huffed out a laugh,

"Bout time, don't you think. Do you know what Fugaku wanted to speak on?" She asked and Tsunade shrugged, Natsuko sighing before a

knock was heard on the hokage door.

"Open." Natsuko said, sitting behind the desk, reading over some more paperwork,

"Lady Hokage, this is urgent." Fugaku said and Natsuko nodded, looking up

"So I hear. What's happened? Have you been able to locate the identity of the masked man." She asked and Fugaku nodded his brown hair falling into his black eyes for a moment, before he passed some information over.

"It's why I came to you myself. I owe you a great debt hokage, truthfully." He said and Natsuko shook her head

"Wait is this the identity? Are we sure on this?" Natsuko asked, looking at the papers, Tsunade having left when Fugaku came in. heading back to the hospital.

"Actually I'm only about fifty-fifty on that. At least one of those names is the man in the mask." He said and Natsuko looked back down at the paper

"Obito Uchiha, or Madara Uchiha, huh? That would explain his abilities, his mannuverability, and his ability to take on my dad. Especially if it does turn out to be Obito, since he would've already had a current map of the leaf, and know where to go. And an understanding of his

abilities" She said, before looking up,

"Thank you lord Fugaku." She said

"Of course. Thank you for everything you've done and continue to do for my clan." He said, Natsuko

Nodded

Team 7 made their way into the sand village, one of the jonin had been discovered, poisoned after the Akatsuki left the village. He currently lay in agony on the medical bed, Sakura walking forwards, as Lady Chiyo, and all the medical professionals in the sand were stumped. Taking in the mans condition, she quickly made an assessment, calling for the nurses to grab her medicinal water, to bleed the poision out of the jonin's body, the man having to be held down by Kankuro, Temari, Gaara, and two other sand shinobi

"This is going to be hard on his body, but he needs to remain still." Sakura said the Shinobi around her nodded, as Sakura moved the water with her medical ninjutsu, the man yelled out as the water entered his body, gathering the poison as it went, Sakura dropping it into the tin next to the bed, the medical jonin bringing in more of the medicinal water, this continued twice more,

"That's the last of it, I'll get to work analyzing the poison, and coming up with an antidote right away." Sakura said and Gaara nodded,

"I'll grant you access to the greenhouses." Gaara said and Sakura nodded, being led by one of the medical jonin towards the greenhouse, looking around at the plants.

"So I'm confused. If Suko stopped them from taking you then what exactly are we doing, you know?" Naruto said as they stood in Gaara's office, Sakura still working on the antidote. Naruto wearing a black-orange jumpsuit with a chunin vest overtop with his black ninja headband tied tightly to his forehead. Nest to him Sasuke and Sai stood, and Sasuke hit the back of his head, Sasuke's black hair still spiking behind his head as he wore a dark blue Uchiha ninja outfit with the Uchiha symbol on his back, the bangs of his hair falling partially over his leaf headband as he wore black pants, a sword sheathed to his back with his shuriken holster on his right thigh

"You idiot. She explained it twice to you. If you had more than air in your head you'd remember." Sasuke said Naruto looking over at him, grabbing his collar

"Hey what's that supposed to mean, you know!" Naruto said glaring at him, the occupants in the room sighing as Sasuke and Naruto continued to glare at eachother,

"You both are quite stupid." Sai said smiling,

"What?!"

"What?!" They both said turning to Sai, who put his hands up,

"Uh… whoops. That's not.." Sai started

"Sai." Kakashi said and Sai hummed

"Not helpful." Kakashi said and Sai hummed embarrassed.

"Yes, I see that now." Sai said, Gaara clearing his throat as he stood,

"To answer your question, Naruto. We want to use this as an opportunity to take down the team that came here. Deidara Kamiruzu, and, Sasori of the red sand." Gaara said, Naruto turning to him, his blue eyes looking towards his teal, before he and Sasuke let eachother go, tsking,

"Is it wise for Naruto to participate, Lady Hokage?" Shisui asked and Natsuko hummed as she stood

"The Akatsuki is after us as well, however, it's because they're after us that I sent Naruto. Who better to understand exactly what we're facing. The feelings of Gaara, than a fellow Jinchuriki. In order to convince the Akatsuki that Gaara was taken, I sent Naruto, who is known for being hotheaded, and quick tempered when it comes to his friends, especially when it comes to Gaara and Sasuke. As such, he will be imperative in the fight ahead, you know." Natsuko said looking out of the window,

"If I didn't send Naruto, it'd be like a betrayal, not just to myself, but to Gaara as well." Natsuko

concluded.

"Well, we just need to hope the mission is a success, right?" Shisui said and Natsuko hummed,

Nodding

"Naruto gave his word, once he does, he doesn't take it back. So, I'm sure this mission will succeed." Natsuko said, she wore her hair in two pigtails on either side of her head just behind her ears, with her ninja headband tied to her forehead, the strands of hair falling down to her waist, her hokage cloak sitting overtop her lightblue ninja outfit with a matching skirt, her jonin vest secured overtop the jacket. Her ninja sandals on her feet with fishnet covering her legs. With her shuriken holsters on both thighs, as she held a white kunai pouch on her back waist, her hands held fingerless black gloves. Shisui hummed, amused,

"You sound assured of victory." Shisui said as he looked at her, his black hair falling over his leaf headband as his onyx eyes looked towards Natsuko who grinned, he wore a short sleeve Uchiha top paired with black ninja pants, the uchiha symbol on the back, paired with black ninja sandals with a brown clasp on his front holding a sword on his back. Natsuko's office overlooked the entirety of the leaf village with the large floor to ceiling windows at the back of the room. On the right side of the room the photos of the previous hokage stood, with Natsuko's photo on the end, taken last week, she wore the same outfit as she did now, with her hair in twin french braids down her back, her wooden desk sat in the middle of the windows, facing the door on the other side, as bookshelves lined the left side of the room, different books on intell gathering, ninjutsu, genjutsu, history, etc, the scroll of sealing kept in one of the secured drawers in her desk, on top of the desk, she held three photographs, The leaf genin, her friends, alongside her and Naruto, the photo having been taken shortly after she made Hokage, which sat in a green frame. The next one was of her and Naruto the two having their arms slung around their shoulders, tightly, as they smiled at the frame, the big grins that they'd do from time to time. The background was of the leaf forests, that photo sat in a blue frame. The third, was of Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, Naruto, and herself, taken that day when the inn had been broken, and they'd been 'forced' to room together. Gaara sat on the couch quietly smirked, Natsuko having an arm around his shoulders, grinning, as she sat next to Temari (Who'd shoved onto the couch between her and Kankuro a moment earlier, squishing Kankuro into the arm) and Gaara on the couch, her other arm on Temari, who just rolled her eyes looking at her, Naruto giving a peace sign to the camera,

"Of course I am. Don't tell me your doubting pervy sage's training methods. Or the kazekage, Shisui" She said jokingly, and Shisui put his hands up,

"You make good points." He said