"That is a possibility but he wont be alone. Sasuke has likely already created a team in order to track down and deal with his brother. That means we need to be weary of both the akatsuki and who ever these team members are." sugimoto voiced as kakashi nodded. "Precisely, so this building will be our centerpoint. We will search a 5 kilometer radius from here. If we find nothing then we will move the centerpoint else where. We keep this up till it works."
Sakura's brow twitched. "Thats far too dangerous. Our wireless coms wont work and we also could be in danger that way-" she was interrupted by Yamato. "Try not to be so worried." was all he said as kakashi did a sign and then touch his hand to the wooden roof of the building. With a puff of smoke, a group of ninja dogs appeared out of the ground.
"Let me start over then. I will be assigning two ninja hounds for each team." sugimoto watched as everyone got a hound but her and naruto. "What about me?" naruto asked. "You are a jinchuriki, meaning you are a target. So you will be with yamato, one hound and hinata." kakashi and Yamato both looked to (y/n). "We really had to think of what to do with you and truthfully speaking, we have faith you wont die. So you are a floating pair with sakura and kiba. I want you to go back and forth between the two." Yamato instructed as the woman's face dropped.
The undertone of what they were saying was a bit cruel. 'Sakura is weak and will need your help and we need someone to keep kiba from chasing a fight.' she had to babysit and that wasn't ideal in this type of mission. But she loved her friends and if they needed a little bit of help then she would give it to them. "We are solely to identify and once you have their locations, you will come back to the center point and report to the rest of the team. Are we clear? No fighting unless absolutely needed. Even then I would rather you run than die." Yamato finished as the team nodded.
"Alright team, we start.... Now!" upon kakashi giving the go-ahead, everyone jumped away and began their search.
"Sakura, you look too obvious my dear." she mumbled to the nervous pinkette as she browsed the stands. "Huh? What do you mean?" she looked quizzically at (y/n) who was exchanging money for two sticks of dango. "(Y/n), really?" sakura sighed as the woman smiled and handed her one, to which she politely declined. "Youre too stiff and you keep looking around like youre searching. Act like a part of the crowd. Shop, pick things up, hell just look and talk to me. Then we wont stand out much." she took a bite of the mochi as she look at a stand with bracelets.
"I think youre way too relaxed. You look like a tourist which leave us open for attacks. We must be vigilant or we might miss sasuke!" this response caused the ninja hounds to speak up. "Shes right sakura, its good to stick to the mission but you stand out with the way you look people in the face like that." sakura pouted as sugimoto chuckled.
"These are only pointers, you can do as you please as long as it gets the mission done." sugimoto stopped walking and looked off. Sakura noticed and stopped as well. "Whats wrong (y/n)?" she already knew but wanted the frozen woman to answer verbally. That was before she looked in the direction sugimoto was looking. Fire and explosions could be seen. "Sakura, imma go ahead, you go ahead and stay on the original path." sakura parted her lips to protest but (y/n) gave her a look, shutting her up.
"Im only scouting, if it isnt sasuke then ill come back and report it." sakura shook her head in protest. "But what if it is him, what if he is fighting itachi right now? What if you get attacked by both of them?" sakura rambled as she looked at the woman in disbelief. "Ill be fine, I mean come on. Ive been through worse than a scouting mission." she laughed dryly as sakura grabbed her hand with a look of worry. "But you always come back hurt. Everytime wont be lucky! We lost one member, I dont know what we would do if we lost you as well." sakura's hands trembled as she tried to persuade the woman not to go.
"But this could be important, hell sasuke could be dying right now. Instead, stay to the mission and allow me to do my part. Do not forget I out rank you, there is a reason for this." she pulled her hand away and steeled her gaze. Sakura's voice choked her as she looked down. Sugimoto put a hand on the pinkettes head. "Ill be back, how could I leave your pretty face behind?" she smiled as sakura rolled her eyes before smiling. "Damn right, me and naruto need you. So no dying." she demanded as the woman nodded and looked at the ninja hounds. "Bear in mind to report this if im not back before you regroup." the two hounds nodded as the woman jumped and ran along the buildings.
She knew this chakra all too well, sasuke was here of course. The other set of chakra was familiar but she couldn't remember who. She weaved through the trees as she felt the chakra surge. "Faster damnit!" she cursed as she pushed her legs to the location of the onyx male. She wondered who he was fighting and why did it feel like he was having a hard time. She felt the weakened chakra and asked if she would make it.
Seeing two figures in the distance, she saw one of the begin to glow white as a white spherical mass surrounded them. She raised her right hand as she began to absorb the dispelled chakra. She pounced onto the figure, absorbing the rest of the jutsu's chakra. "W-why?" the male below breathlessly questioned before his eyes rolled back. It was Deidara.
She put two fingers on his neck, it was faint but he was still alive. She panted as she looked around the destroyed environment. That was before she looked behind her, she could have sworn he was there, sasuke was standing there before she jumped down onto the unconscious blonde. And yet upon searching, he was gone. "Damn!" she cursed as she looked at the dying blonde. She should let him die here. He killed gaara and nearly killed sasuke.
But he was an Akatsuki member, he would know where Itachi was. She heaved the male onto her back as she slowly made her way back to Sakura.
"You want me to do WHAT?" sakura shrilled as sugimoto looked away. "I allow you to run off so you could scout but instead you run off and bring back a half dead akatsuki member. I mean seriously, I don't know who is worse! You or naruto!" sakura was baffled and didn't know whether she was more impressed or pissed.
"This still retains to the mission! We still get information and on top of that, one less member to be concerned about." she tried as the pinkette pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. "You can't be serious right?" sakura pointed to the blonde man. "He killed gaara!" she shouted as sugimoto flinched. "I know and I was going to just kill him but he can tell us where the other members are, why they are killing jinchuriki, and the abilities the members have. We keep him weak but alive and get our answers."
"This could be a good idea but how do you plan to keep him contained?" one of the hounds spoke up as (y/n) looked at the blonde male. "My chakra chains can continuously absorb chakra and also grow tighter if he tries anything. This should work but we could always knock him back out if he gets too irate. From what I seen, I get the gist of his jutsu, and should be simple to contain him." she held the male's pouch of remaining clay up as sakura contemplated.
She wanted to trust the woman's judgment but felt that she was being too soft once again. She didn't want her to relapse and allow a murderer some redemption that he didn't deserve. "Ok, ill give him emergency first aid, but we tell the rest of the team about this. Ok?" she bargained as the woman smiled and nodded. "Of course, I would have anyways." sakura sighed as she knelt to the man and began to heal him.
Sugimoto kept watch of the alley exit and made sure no civilians would tumble back there and put themselves in danger. "Ah!" sakura fell back as (y/n) turned and approached her. "What? What happened?" the beautiful woman looked the startled pinkette over as she pointed to Deidara. She looked in confusion before her face twisted in slight disgust.
A mouth hung open on the male's chest. The tongue slightly hung through the parted lips. She approached it and tapped it with her foot. It had no noticeable reaction. "Um well." she was at a loss for what to say. "Why does he-" sakura couldn't finish as she shivered and stared. "Im not sure but lets cover it up." sugimoto pulled out some gauze and knelt. She cringed as she pushed the tongue back into the mouth and closed the lips.
"Sakura hun, I need you to hold him up and continue the aid as I wrap him." she called as sakura hesitantly stood. She approached the pair and held deidara's opposite shoulder before a green hue emerged from her palm. (Y/n) began to wrap the mouth while sakura healed. "So gross." sakura mumbled as sugimoto tied the bandages and put the remainder in her pouch. "It is strange but I think it retains to his jutsu." she held his left hand and showed the closed mouth upon it.
"Ive never heard of such a jutsu." sakura pulled away and stretched. "Not to mention, its time to go. Our team probably regrouped and went to investigate the explosion." sugimoto pressed two fingers on deiedara's wrist and felt a much stronger pulse. Though he wasn't out of the woods yet he would survive. "I need my cloak, he's too naked for my liking." sakura nodded and pulled out the mostly dried cloak and helped put it on the unconscious male. Sliding him back on (y/n) back, the two women and the ninja hounds went to find the rest of the groups.
They weren't at the building everyone was to regroup at so they opted to return to the place where Deidara and sasuke were fighting. Upon jumping down into a barren wasteland, she noticed many small crates and the rest of her team talking. "Sakura! (Y/n)!" naruto smiled and ran up before his brow furrowed. "Who is that?" he asked as the ninja hounds and sakura looked at (y/n). She sighed and reached up, pulling the hood off the blonde. "What the!?" naruto jumped back as kakashi looked between (y/n) and sakura. "Report." is all he uttered as sakura began to explain.
"Amazing, you were one step ahead of us all." sai complimented as the woman smiled and put Deidara down. "Not so much, you all made it here on your own." she looked to kakashi. "Sasuke escaped when I made it to the scene but he is still alive. We can kill him now but I thought it would be better to use him." kakashi nodded. "Alright, but that leaves a dilemma. Do we tail sasuke or go back to the village with him?" he questioned aloud. "Why not send a small team back with him while the rest of us go after sasuke?" kiba advised as Yamato hushedly spoke to kakashi. The two men nodded before speaking.
"Ill have a small team come with me while the other follows kakashi. (Y/n), sakura, and sai. Youre with me to escort him back to the village." Yamato finished as naruto looked at him in disbelief. "What about me?" he asked a kakashi put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Youre with me to go after sasuke." naruto cringed. "Why make it weird sensei?" he asked as kakashi flinched "Weird?" he asked as the return team began to follow Yamato back to the village.
"I thought he died when he blew himself up?" sai voiced, looking at the blonde male. "It was a tool to get away, I told Lady Tsunade in my mission report when I returned." sugimoto readjusted her arms which were beginning to ache. Upon her movements, Deidara stirred. He shifted before his eyes fluttered open. Seeing Yamato and sakura's backs, he groaned. "I must be in hell hm." he mumbled, gaining (y/n) attention. "Just about, but dont worry. We can be merciful if you abide by our terms." she looked over her shoulder at the blonde who smirked.
"Well if it isnt sunshine, this couldnt possibly be hell hm?" she cringed at his nickname before noticing him looking around. "Sasuke is still alive if thats what you are looking for." sai spoke which made the blonde face fall. "Of course I failed. He and his kid brother are the same." Deidara grumbled. "Make him walk (y/n). If he's awake then he can use his legs." Yamato stopped as the woman also paused and urged the blonde to get off. He slid off but stumbled as his legs felt weak.
"Use your chains, don't need him thinking he can get away." sakura commented as the woman nodded and raised her hand, the chains wrapping around him loosely. "Don't struggle too much unless you want them to be worse." she smiled as Deidara returned the smirk. "What a dirty woman, take me on a date first before bringing out the chains hm." she shook her head and began walking with her team, pushing him to follow after them.
She pulled out her canteen and put it up to the man's lips, deidara gulped the cool water. She put the canteen in her bag after he was done and fed him a rice ball. "Who knew id be treated this well after being captured by the twisted leaf hm." he ignored the look of warning from Yamato. "Twisted? The leaf village is not twisted like you people." sakura put a hand on her hip as Deidara snorted. "How naive you are pancake." the nickname caused sakura to fume as sai wrote that down.
"Now now, dont listen to his rambling. He is trying to throw your concentration." (y/n) held the half-eaten riceball up to his mouth as he ate it. "Youre too lenient (y/n)! He speaks ill of our village. Our origins. Our families. You cant let that go." sakura put a hand on her hip. "Sakura, no one here, but you, have a family to save face for. If you allow the enemy to get in your head, then they will be able to manipulate you." she ate the remaining rice off her finger. "Besides, he's like a yapping pup." she ruffled his hair as Deidara glared. "Yeah yeah sunshine, once I get out of these we will see who is a yapping pup." he gave her a knowing look. "Of course, and ill teach pigs to fly." Yamato stood and approached (y/n).
"In the next two days, we should make it back to the village and right behind Kakashi's team. But what we need to do is think of a plan. Will we move on the mark of the information he gives us, or stay to our own plans?" sugimoto looked at the listening blonde. "The best we could do is, move with our own plans till we test the legitimacy of his words. But that all depends on your treatment right lover boy?" she looked down at him as he smirked. "How about I make the deal smoother." he readjusted his sitting position and leaned in.
"I tell you the names of our remaining members, the ability I know and the goals were after hm. But you let me live in the leaf village." the deal was absurd. She had expected he would ask for his freedom. "Seeing as we arent of high enough authority to make that happen, we will have to see." an amused grin crossed her face. "You make good deals I must say. They just might think about about." Yamato shook his head, knowing that the deal was absurd. The Hokage would never agree to him living with the people, potentially putting everyone at risk. "I say we beat the answers out of him, he thinks all of this is a joke! Everything you've done and you believe we would let you live a peaceful life?"
The words gave a sour taste to (y/n) mouth. She felt sick to know how her friends would react if they knew everything she had done. "Here." sai held his canteen out. "Youre getting better sai, was I that obvious?" she took the water and gulped it down. The feeling was washed away as sai took the water back. "I have started looking at body language as you told me. It seems to have paid off." sai smiled, no not that fake smile he always gave, a genuinely proud smile. But the sincere interaction was thwarted by a barfing sound. The sugimoto's face fell as she looked at an annoyed Deidara. "Flirting with my fiance right infront of me? How shallow hm." the word made sai stagger.
"Fiance?" she sat across from him and crossed her legs and arms. "Where is this coming from?" she questioned as the blonde sighed. "Playing coy as if youre not the brazen one still wearing the ring." she looked at her hand and saw the ring displayed on her thumb. "Not my ring finger hun, and I simply thought the ring was neat and chose to wear it, nothing more." she pulled the ring off and looked it over. "Seems you got a replacement so there would be no need to return it right?" she asked as he smirked. "Oh of course not. My beautiful betrothed." his words dripped with honey that seemed to rile sai up.
He gave a taunting smirk to the onyx-haired male before (y/n) stood. "Well thats enough for me, sai your first for watch." she walked away leaving the two males alone. The tension rose as time passed. "I see, this was a tactic to get me to attack you, then as the commotion had us distracted, you would slip away. Had I been naruto, it might have worked." he crossed his arms. "I have been trained on these kinds of things and you aren't as clever as you think. Prodding and prodding to try and crack us." sai then looked to the woman, she lay on a futon in the corner of the room in the large Japanese-styled house yamato loved to build.
The rhythmic breathing showed she was sleeping along with the other two. But sai knew Yamato and (y/n) would jump to alert if there was an emergency. "You think most of that was just to annoy you? How naive, just like pancake. Look at her hm. Do you think I wouldn't want someone like her as my wife? If I can live in the village, then ill court her when I get settled." sai was thrown, was he still trying to get under his skin, or was he serious? Deidara loved the turmoil. Who knew which was possible? He glanced at the assassin. She was beautiful and strong, she kept her wits and always has a counter to different situations. He looked down at the cloak, the smell was very much her. She was the one who convinced her team to save him, no matter how stupid he thought that was, she seemed capable.
He was either presumed dead or known to be kidnapped. The Akatsuki would leave him to be tortured or kill him before he squealed. If he could get the desired results, then he would squeal but other than that, he was getting out of there. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, he supposed he could rest for a moment. As the night progressed, it was finally (y/n)'s turn to keep watch.