Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ Ｔｈｉｒｔｙ－Ｎｉｎｅ
"Y/n! Get up! I've got news-HOLY SHI-!!!"
Tatsuya recoiled when y/n looked at him, dark circles around her eyes from a long few days of building up a resistance to that Sasori mofo's bum 🍑 poison.
She didn't want to end up like Kankuro after she stormed the Akatsuki's little base. Just to be safe, she booted herself to death's doorstep multiple times.
It was a miracle she was only sleep deprived and not on the floor dead. If she were a human... whew!
"What's up?" she asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes and uttering a thank you when Tatsuya threw a container of f/f at her which she caught easily.
"Kankuro's condition has improved, and your little friends from Konoha are here. Sakura, and Naruto. Oh yeah, your weird 🍑 teacher too." Tatsuya informed her and flinched when she sat up abruptly.
"Naruto? Naruto's here!?" y/n demanded.
'Oh no...'
Y/n snatched up her kanabou and tucking her cactus in her jacket before crashing through the wall of the inn, shouting an apology at the startled bystanders as she high tailed her way towards the spot where she sensed those familiar little chakra signatures.
Windows in Sunagakure were small...
Y/n could still dive through one.
The shrieking wasn't a surprise to y/n when she sudden dove through the window, startling the three other Konoha shinobi in the room.
Kankuro and Temari could only stare in horror as y/n slid across the ground and struck a fierce pose in the middle of the room with a, "Arataki y/n has arrived!"
Kankuro deadpanned, "Holy 💩..."
Naruto's eyes lit up at the sight of his friend, recognizing her immediately despite the changes in her appearance, "Y/n!"
"Naruto!" y/n exclaimed, hopping to her feet and snatching up her bestie into a snug and comfy hug.
'He feels the same, even though he's taller, he's still got that odd feeling about him. Oh, oh, that smile of his is still there!' she though, tuning out Naruto's muffled shrieking as she suffocated him on accident, 'This is Naruto, right? This is my Naruto.'
Y/n peeked down at her friend and her smile fell when she saw the heavy blush on Naruto's face. Can any of you guess why his shouts for mercy were muffled?
Anyways-
Y/n abruptly let go of her best friend, causing him to fall to the ground with a THUD as she stepped back.
Her eyes were dull as she raised a hand, "Sorry."
"Woah, y/n...? Is that you?" the pink haired girl in the room breathed, her eyes wide with amazement, "You're so..."
"Tall? I know, haha." y/n chuckled as she glanced back at Sakura with a sheepish smile on her face.
Sakura stared blankly at the oni as the taller girl stared back at her with a dot eyed look, a flowery aura radiating off of her as she stared at her teammate.
'Oh no, she's hot.' Sakura through, blood dripping from one of her nostrils as she stared at the Oni.
"Sakura? You're bleeding a little bit-"
Sakura tipped backwards and collapsed.
"WHAT THE-?! SAKURA? SAKURA???" y/n cried, lunging forwards to catch the pink haired girl as she fainted, "SAKURA! SAKURA, WAKE UP!!!"
She wasn't gonna be waking up anytime soon.
"Man..." y/n murmured before smiling awkwardly at Naruto, "Haha, guess I'm still pretty scary to look at."
'No, you're just-' Naruto cut off his own thoughts, "Not at all! We're just both shocked to see how much you've grown! Now...
The blond's expression grew serious, "I'm 5'5 now."
Y/n smirked, "Pathetic... I'm 5'11! Pay up!"
"Damn it!"
As Naruto sadly handed over some snacks to the gleeful oni, her e/c gaze landed on a familiar person.
"Oh, Bozokashi-sensei." she murmured before grinning, "You're looking more and more like an old man!"
Kakashi could only sigh, "Good to see you too, y/n."
"Anyways, I'll have to postpone the greetings and catching up till later." y/n explained as she turned her attention back to her bestie, "I'm off to rescue Gaara!"
"Really? I can come with you!" Naruto said eagerly but y/n shook her head, giving him a sad smile.
"Sorry, Naruto, but I've gotta go ahead on my own. My plan would have to be rethought if I brought along anyone else." y/n said with a shake of her head before digging in her jacket, "But... I've got something for you!"
She pulled out a map and offered it to her friend, "You remember Nimble Ninja, right? He located the Akatsuki's base and I'm headed there now. I don't want to wait any longer since I promise I wouldn't take long!"
Naruto appeared to become disheartened, "But..."
Oh. Y/n's hand was moving. And she couldn't stop it.
She placed it atop her bestie's head, smiling down at him when he looked up at her with wide eyes.
"I'll be fine. Trust me on this one." she assured him before winning with a, "Don't you worry your handsome little face, foxy~!"
Kakashi snorted while Naruto hecking choked, beginning to speak but failing to get the words out.
Y/n chuckled, "I'll see you soon. After all, you're leaving tomorrow morning. It won't be long before we see each other again."
"You won't disappear again, right?" Naruto asked quietly and y/n paused, surprised by the question.
Ahh, he was referring to when she left the village so suddenly. Y/n couldn't help but smile warmly.
"Never again. You have my word." she confirmed with a small nod before she went poof, transporting herself to Nimble Ninja's location.
What did she find?
Well, a bunch of barren land. She was in the middle of nowhere, no plant life nor life in general in sight, and Nimble Ninja was settled upon a rock in front of her.
"Eh? Nimble Ninja? What's going on? Where's that ugly 🍑 puppet?" she questioned with a small frown.
She planned on using the Flying Raijin technique from one of the scrolls she borrowed from Granny during their first visit back to Konoha.
It would've allowed her to get one shot at crippling, or possibly even killing, the Sasori dude when she transported herself to his location. But he wasn't there!
Nimble Ninja seemed ashamed, sheepishly shifting a little as y/n picked him up and cupped him between her hands.
He'd been discovered, huh?
"Ah, it's alright." she murmured, "I still know how to track that puppet user's chakra, so we'll be fine."
"So the little beetle belonged to you, shrimp! Ah, well, I guess that nickname doesn't apply anymore because of how much you've grown."
Y/n flinched at the sound of that voice, going as still as a statue. Maybe she just imagining things. Maybe...
She turned her head, eyes wide as they fell upon that damned shark man. It was Kisame. How the hell did he still look tall??? Y/n could've sworn she'd gotten taller!
The oni slowly turned to face him, carefully placing Nimble Ninja down on a rock as she did so.
"I think pup still fits..." Kisame decided before giving y/n a sharp-toothed grin which seemed more menacing than it did friendly, "Long time no see, pup."
'Oh god, why me...' y/n thought warily before grinning as she walked forwards, "Never thought I'd see you again. Better you than that creepy cultist or the stingy dude with the booger colored eyes. What a shark-ing surprise."
She stopped right in front of Kisame, staring up at him despite the overwhelming need to turn and run away.
Kisame replied with a, "Your jokes are krill bad!"
Silence.
The Akatsuki member and the Oni proceeded to burst into hysterical laughter right there, the two of them slapping each other on the backs like old friends.
"Your jokes are actual dog water, Kisame!"
"I could say the same about yours, pup!"
More boisterous laughter from the two of them before y/n suddenly docked him the face. The shark man went flying, crashing into a rock though he was surpassingly unharmed.
Y/n was looking like she was about to burst a blood vessel, her once smiling face now filled with fury, "TALK TIME'S OVER. GIVE ME MY GAARA BACK!"
"So you want to fight then? Alright, get into position!" Kisame exclaimed, reaching for his stupid sharkskin blade.
"Get into position, huh? That's what I told your mom last night!" y/n shot back with a maniacal grin.
(Someone please understand this)
"Haha! You're still a little 💩!"
"AND YOU'RE STILL A VIRGIN! GIVE MY GAARA BACK OR FACE MY FURYYYYYY!!!"
(Short chapter, I know)