After running for a while we finally find the Akatsuki hideout. Guy's team is shortly behind us, I can sense their chakras. "Heads up, team Guy is in pursuit of us" I say as we are standing infront of a giant boulder.
"Alright, thanks Katsumi. Now how do we open this. We know their hideout is somewhere in here" Kakashi says looking over at the boulder. As we brainstorm ideas, me trying to break it, and Naruto trying as well. We have no luck. The wind is picking up, and its a cold wind. We are running out of time here and we need to think fast.
"Guy sensei, can you try to break this rock?" I say turning around to where they were now standing.
"Hahaha! Of course young Katsumi! I will break this with the power of youth!" Guy says.
"Be ware you might not fully break it, its infused with chakra" I say to them. At this Kakashi sensei and Naruto deadpan.
"Why didnt you tell us that beforehand Katsumi chan" Naruto asks.
"Oh sorry, im not really used to working in groups yet" I say sheepishly. Anyways, we find out you cant open the door without knowing how for specifically this door. Its a boulder infused with chakra in a way that you can infuse your own as almost a key.
Example, maybe a door needs to be infused with chakra really quickly for a few seconds then slow for a few seconds then fast. That would be the only way to open the door. After further inspection, we cant figure out how to open it. Slowly, the boulder starts to slide open. A fish man and an old hunchback walk out.
"Kisame, take care of those, I will take care of these three idiots. I will take deidara with me." The hunchback says.
"If you say so" The fish replies. Him and Guy's team go away to fight. (Ik this is different from the original story but you will see)
"Where is Gaara!" Naruto shouts ready to fight at a moments notice. You can see the anger and worry in his eyes. He is probably swirling with a mix of emotions right now. However, I am more focused on getting one of my closest friends back home. Soon enough, a blonde we know is named deidara flys out on a bird. I see a flash of red in his mouth.
"Naruto! He has Gaara! Id recognize that red hair anywhere!" I yell pointing to the now big flying white bird.
The hunchback is on top of the bird now, and the two are looking down at us. I feel very degraded right now. Looking up at the enemy, while they hold something so important to not only me, but a whole village.
"We peruse the target, stay in formation you two" Kakashi sensei says. Granny Chio is speechless at the display above us. We start chasing them to a small ravine. The hunchback jumps down.
"Deidara, go ahead. Ill kill these rats" The hunchback growls out.
"Hn! Alright, now dont go dying on me!" Deidara says.
"NARUTO! FOLLOW HIM! Ill stay behind! Be safe!" I yell out to not only Naruto but also to my sensei.
"Yosh! I will Katsumi-chan!" Naruto says running off and pursuing the giant bird. Kakashi follows right on his tail.
Granny Chio is next to me, ready to fight. "Sassori...What have you become." She says with a small scowl.
"Well Grandma, I became something magnificent. Something that will live forever!" Sasori exclaims with a sickening smile. With that I get ready to take action. But before I do I hand Granny Chio something.
"Granny Chio, thats a spare antidote. If he gets you, use that and do not hesitate alright? You will be coming back alive alright?" I say to her almost as if reassuring myself.
"Thank you my child. You are a talented shinobi. You will be very strong one day" She say putting the antidote away. "Now, lets get to fighting my grandson" She says returning our attention to the puppet master.
(Im gonna skip the normal fighting bc im lazy)
"Granny Chio! I yell running over to her. While im distracted by her being stabbed. The now younger Sassori gets me with poison.
"Here granny chio! I have my own dont worry, you'll be ok" I say using the antidote quickly. I quickly form hand signs. "Wood style! Strangling roots technique!" I yell slamming my hands into the ground. Roots come out from underground and wrap around his limbs. He still uses his fingers to command the puppets, but hes now a lot more vulnerable.
"Chio!" I yell to get her attention.
"Im already ahead of you child" She says attaching her strings to a detached puppet.
"You taught me everything you know old woman! Im stronger than you!" He almost yells. Hes getting desperate I can tell.
"Water style! Water bullet jutsu!" I yell. I try to aim for his weird heart thing. It doesnt work out the way I wanted. Granny Chio then engages in the battle as well. She creates an opening.
I rush behind him and infuse my chakra with my nails. The same way I would in a surgery. I peirce my hand right through him.
He coughs, "You...*more coughing*... You are a strong one." He says with a sadistic smile.
"It was all to Granny Chio." I say slightly angry with how he acts towards such a nice old lady.
Cue coughing. "I have a spy for Orochimaru. I will be meeting him on the bridge in 3 weeks. Meet him there in my place. You seem to be worthy" He says now with a sad smile. In a way I sympathise with him. At one point he was just a lonely child. "Take my puppet body and pass him onto a young puppeteer. Please, its my dying wish" He chokes out.
"Ill give your puppet to a good friend of mine. I trust him with my life. Your body will be in safe hands" I say reassuring him. Granny Chio walks up to him and I let them have their own time.
~~~POV Sassori~~~
"Granny, that young lady has talent. She made an antidote for my poison" I say with a laugh. Its crazy, this new generation is increadible. To do something like that especially at her age.
"She is a fine young shinobi. And you were too. Now please rest easy. I only wish I could have been more there for you" She says with a sad smile.
"You always were" I reply, then all I can see is darkness. Its as if i'm in a peaceful sleep.
~~~POV Katsumi~~~
"Child, we should meet up with Naruto and Kakashi Hatake now. We must make haste" She says walking up to me.
"Alright, let me gather his puppets. I did promise him I would" I say walking over to him. I put his body in a scroll and we head off to meet up with Naruto and Kakashi sensei.
I use my sensory skills to lead us towards where they are. We find them in a feild surrounded by Sand Ninja. "Naruto, where is Gaara?" I ask walking up to him. "I cant sense his chakra, is something wrong?" I say looking around to try to read people.
"Katsumi chan...Hes over here." He says leading me to the middle of the group. I look to see something I never want to see. Hes laying there on the ground. I let out a ghasp and run over to his side with Granny Chio. I start to try to heal him, holding back tears.
I can feel the wind is picking up and blowing away some grass. "Garra you cant do this! You have so much ahead of you! You you just became Kazekage. Come on please!" I say infusing my chakra with his non existant chakra.
"Child, let me try." She says. Reluctantly I back away, letting her work. "This is a teqnique I made to bring objects to life. I created it for Sassori, to make his puppets come alive." She says most likely remembering her past. "You take your own life force and put it into something or someone. Its a forbidden jutsu only I know" She says again with a sad smile.
"Granny Chio..." I say looking up to her. To see shes struggling.
"I-I dont have enough Chakra" She says struggling to give him life. Naruto and I spring into action. I activate my newly made 100 healings technique. Naruto using his 9 tailed fox chakra.
After a moment of complete silence Granny Chio falls, I feel a new Chakra awaken. One I recognize clearly.
"Hn, Where, where am I?" Gaara says lifting his head up.
"Gaara! Your ok!" Naruto yells. We engulf him in a hug. He seems startled but hugs us back none the less.
"What happened?" He asks looking to everyone who has smiling faces.
"Ill explain later. The gist is Granny Chio gave her life, giving you your own" I say with a sad smile. Quickly a group of girls jumps up and hugs him.
"Kazekage sama! Your ok! I was so worried!" They yell.
"Alriht girls Gaara is still hurt. Lets help him up." I say shooing them off him. Naruto gets under one shoulder and I get under the other.
"Lets have a moment of silence for Granny Chio and her sacrifice" Gaara says, we all hang our heads in respect for her sacrifice. She was a wonderful person from what I have seen.
We walk back the the Hidden Sand. Gaara, Temari and Kankuro have a very touching reunion. Then Kankuro and Temari give me and Naruto a group hug as thanks.
"Hehehe its no problem! Right Katsumi chan?" Naruto says looking over to me.
"It was really no big deal. Gaara is our friend too" I say with a smil pulling out of their grasp. "OH! Kankuro, I have something for you." I say pulling out a scroll.
"Really? What is it?" He asks now intregued.
"When sasori died, it turns out his body was a puppet. While he was dying, he asked me to give his puppet to the best pupeteer I know. And I told him I would give it to you" I say handing him the scroll.
"Katsumi, thank you. This means a lot. Sassori was one of the strongest pupeteers in the Sands history. This means a lot" He says with an accomplished smile.
"Its no problem really. Im just glad your all ok" I say. We get Kakashi sensei into a hospital to get him checked out. While looking him over Temari comes in.
"Hey Katsumi" She says walking in.
"Oh hey Temari! Everything ok?" I ask putting my stuff down giving her my full attention.
"No I was just wondering if you wanted to come over to the sand some time to, you know, hang out?" She says looking down. This takes me by surprise. (possible love interest Temari????)
"O-oh! Y-yea! I would love to! I will ask Tsunade about visiting when I get back" I say with a smile and a light blush.
"Great! Send me a scroll to let me know your coming" She says with a smile.
"I will let you know" I return the smile
"Alright, thanks again for everything. Bye Katsumi" She waves walking out.
~~~~~~Time skip~~~~~~~
"Thank you, for saving my life, both of you" Gaara says holding out his hand. Naruto takes it and I hold my hands behind my back.
"Its no problem, your my friend after all" Naruto responds.
And with that, we are on our way home. While Guy carries Kakashi, he almost throws up multiple times. The rest of us struggle to keep up.
We eventually get home unscathed. Well, except for maybe Kakashi sensei. Anyways, now onto a new day of missions and training. I will be going to the home of the slugs soon. I need to make use of the time I have until then.