Sakura was working on a new sample. Trying everything she can to find a cure for this poison. Looking over everything again it clicked. Running down to the botanist she asked for a particular plant.
Quickly picking the leaves she returned. Adding them to the mixture she ran down to Kankuro. Temari and Shikamaru were sitting with him as she practically knocked the Nara over.
Injecting the cure the effects were almost instantaneous. Kankuro's fever went down immediately. Temari jumped up and looked at her brother with hope in her eyes. After a half hour his eyes finally opened.
"Te-Temari." Realization kicked in, "Gaara!" Trying to sit Sakura pushed him down, "Damn it Teme! Stay down you're just starting to get better."
"You really are Tsunade's apprentice. Amazing." Looking at the older woman, "What do you mean?"
"In the Third Great Shinobi war she single handedly cured every poison I created. She is a genius and earned my respect." Sakura smiled at the comparison.
"Hey Kankuro." Naruto and Mito both walked in, "Naruto? What are you all doing here?"
Shaking his head, "It doesn't matter, Temari it was Sasori. He is part of the attack."
"Damn. This makes things difficult." Naruto ran his hands through his hair. "You already predicted it was him though." Shikamaru remarked.
"Yes but he is skilled. Plus with it being Deidra as his partner they are both ranged combatants. They use overwhelming force to take down enemies."
"I think we have enough information. We should go and get him back." Looking at Mito who showed pure determination.
"I am coming with you." Granny Chiyo stepped forward, "No way Granny! You can't fight him." Kankuro yelled but fell back in pain.
"Hush. I trained the boy. I can help more than anybody." Naruto smiled at the old Lady, "Sakura you coming?"
Grinning the pinkette cracked his knuckles, "Oh I'm going. I got some pent up anger from someone who thought making poison like that was such a good idea."
"We better start moving. We may be out of time." Naruto grinned, "Grab on Granny Chiyo." Looking confused she did as she was told. Before she knew it they separated the duo.
Naruto created thirty clones and surrounded them as he grabbed Gaara's weakened body. 'He's still alive.'
"Brat they tried stealing Shukaku from him." Naruto stood up and glared at the enemy Shinobi. "You bastards."
Just Before Arrival
"This is taking to long!" Deidra called out in frustration. Sasori just rolled his eyes, "Calm down Deidra. Nobody cares how long it takes."
"Pain. Where is Kisame and Danzo?" Pain looked back at the puppet user. "I have sent them to get details on the Nine-tails Jinchuriki. He has been missing for the last few years popping up here and there. Including in the Land of Mist aiding the pesky rebels."
"Well we will be done in the next few hours. Then this vessel will be dead." Deidra watched the energy get pulled out of the red headed sand user.
This had been easy. Threaten the safety of his precious village and he'd sacrifice everything to protect them. Destroy his own defenses to protect his people. A satisfying grin placed on the bomber.
That was until five enemy Shinobi appeared between them and their prize. Jumping back the two Akatsuki members prepared. While pain looked on in confusion as the connection was severed before they could capture the boys tailed beast.
"Zetsu. Find out what happened." Zetsu didn't respond and.justndusapoearwd from view.
Present
"Get him out we will hold them off till you return." Naruto nodded picking up Gaara's body and disappearing.
"Mito, Shikamaru handle the bomber. We got Sasori." Both nodded as they vanished from view. Mito landed a kick sending Deidra hurling backwards through the wall.
Shikamaru drew his trench knives and engaged as well. Dropping clay Deidra sent off an explosion giving him time to create a bird to shoot into the air. Several kunai flew up at him barely missing his face.
The sharingan user had her tanto in hand shooting up at him. Smiling he sent two hundreds of small explosives at the girl. The explosions sent her flying back into the tree line. Damn you Sharingan user's'
Jumling around and weaving Sakura dodged incoming attacks and needles. Drawing closer and closer to Sasori. Forming hand signs a she disappeared from his view. Being completely replaced by rose pedals. Only for a powerful punch to smash armored suit completely.
Jumping back Sakura barely dodged the counter attack. Hundreds of puppets flew into the air. Stepping out Sasori looked around in his youthful body, "Sasori. You made yourself a puppet?"
Grinning he responded, "You never understood art is eternal. My puppets were eternal. Now I can be here forever."
Chiyo shed sad tears as she pulled out her puppet squad he had, "What? You think that these relics stand a chance against me."
"No. I see now I created a monster. But with her help we will win." Sakura got into a battle stance as the puppets bore down on their position. The healer seamlessly broke through them and out maneuvered her way around as she smashed them to pieces.
Chiyo was also highly successful blades and needles shooting out shattering any and all puppets beat her. Sasori grinned as the two fought such a massive force. 'Pathetic.'
Landing in the Sand village Naruto deposited Gaara to a bed. Temari ran to her brothers side, "He is weak but alive."
"Those bastards." Naruto put his hand on her shoulder, "We will make them pay Temari." His smile filled her chest with warmth and gratitude.
"Wish me luck!" Naruto said with a smile as he disappeared again. Temari looked down at her baby brother and rested her hand on his cheek.
Gaara's Mindscape
"Hehehe. Little Sand boy got his ass beat." Gaara walked until he saw a cage set like a teapot. "You are the One-Taiked Racoon Shukaku."
"All these years and your pathetic brain never figured out you could talk to me." The red head looked.uo emotionless to the fox, "Well you pretended to be my mother most of my life and convinced me to murder anyone who stood in my way."
"That was just a little fun. Anyway, why I brought you here. That thing they tried to pull me into was familiar. I don't know why but I don't want to be stuck in it. So! We are gonna talk to my annoying foxed brother and that blond brat that saved us!"
"Saved us? Naruto?" Gaara asked in shock. Shukaku nodded, "Yes he is strong but they work well together so they will help us!"
"Naruto. This is the second time you've saved me." Gaara spoke softly to himself.
Shikamaru threw Kunai destroying some of the bombs coming his way. Deidra himself wasn't much of a threat to the two of them. Their problems was a matter of range. they just couldn't reach.
"Let's see you survive this!" Henleat out a massive laugh as several massive birds and animal claymations dropped from the sky. Mito and Shikamaru both looked up in awe at their situation.
Before they could hit though arrows appeared smashing into the clay bombs, "What?! You fucking brat you're ruining my art!"
Naruto chuckled, "Oh sorry about that. But I'm more of a music and paintings guy." Jumping he landed next to Shikamaru with his yumi in hand.
"I thought archery wasn't your go two any more?" A grin on his face as he looked at his beautiful Jinchuriki, "Shut it Shika."
"I never get to fight ranged opponents." Mito appeared next to them, "We need to get him on the ground so Shikamaru can get his shadow."
"I got that. You two get ready." Naruto created dozens of clones sending them into the trees. The two watched as different elemental arrows launched into the sky not giving the bomber anywhere to go.
Back in the cave Sakura and Granny Chiyo were being pushed back. Granny's puppets were nearly out of weapons and Sakura had already used only of her serums do to the poison.
"You are doomed in this cave." Strings pulled his puppets to the girls only for dozens of Naruto's to appear. Smashing into the puppets. One of the clones dropped by Sakura, "Hey Sakura! Thought you two could use some back up!" Drawing his wazikashi chakra infused into it as he slashed one of the puppets.
"We will give you guys an opening!" Turning he charged in with the rest. Sakura looked at Granny Chiyo with a grin, "You heard him deary!"
Moving in they engaged. Smashing through puppet after puppet until them and the remaining clones had Sasori surrounded, "What an odd turn of events."
"I'm so sorry Sasori. If I had been there for you then you never would have become this." He looked at his grandma. Tears poured down the side of her face, "It was never your fault."
"You were never suppose to see me like this. So I'll end this quickly." A finally puppet appeared. It was the third Kazekage. "What?! How?"
"I learned a long time ago I can turn people's bodies into puppets. This gives me the ability to use their ability." The clones stepped between them and Sasori, "Like Magnet Release."
Suddenly black sand poured from its mouth and smashed into the clones. Sakura started moving avoiding any and all attacks. Chiyo jumped back as her two remaining puppets were hit off to the side.
Chiyo watched as Sakura got hit but managed to avoid a fatal blow. For a few seconds she looked fine until collapsing. Standing up at the last second she smashed the approaching puppet.
"What?" Sasori looked down at her in utter shock. Walking over she started healing Chiyo, "Are you okay?"
"Yes. We need to finish this." Standing Chiyo summoned two more puppets. This time his parents stood in front of him, "Where did you find those?"
"They may have died Sasori but they never left you. You would have made them proud with how strong you've become."
Sasori charged the puppets. Looking over at his grandma he smiled to himself. Sakura got ready to engage when he retracted his weapons. Letting the blades stab into his soul compartment. Dropping to his knees leaving both konouchi in shock.
"Thank you Granny. Sakura." She looked down at him still reeling from what had just happened, "Tell your Jinchuriki that the Akatsuki will save him for last. His power is unknown to us. Though I have a feeling he has held back this day."
"Granny I'm sorry for all I have done to you." Standing she had her puppets wrap around him as like left his puppet for the last time.
Deidra did his best bobbing and weaving away from arrows, "Is this the best you got for me?!" He yelled. Just then an arrow flew right past his face. The real Naruto appeared directly behind him. Arrow aimed down, wind chakra surrounded the tip as he fired.
Smashing through his left arm and into the bomb below him. The resulting explosion sent him flying into the forest below. Stepping out of the crater he held his hand against the open wound where his arm used to be.
"I need to retreat and regroup with Sasori." Before he could leave the ninja was suddenly froze in place, "Shadow Possession complete."
Mito suddenly appeared next to him, "Nice one Shika." She said with a smile, "Damn this guy was troublesome."
"You think I'd just let you win this fight!" Laughing like mad man he suddenly started filling with chakra. Both shinobi started to back away, "Damn it we won't make it away in time."
Deidra was massive now as he was about to explode. At the apex of his power Naruto appeared. Grabbing their shoulders and teleporting them away. Sakura and Chiyo froze as they saw the output of a massive explosion in the distance, "Team 7."
Running as fast as they could, both Konouchi made their way to the destruction zone. Looking at the massive crater, "This explosion destroyed things at an atomic level." Sakura stated looking for any signs of life.
Team 7 suddenly appeared again, "That was close." Shikamaru said as he looked around, "You guys are okay!" Sakura yelled as she ran to the them. Hugging her friend Mito, "I thought you all died."
Mito laughed, "Please these guys stood no chance at killing us." Chiyo looked at the Leaf Jonin, "You're all truly powerful."
"Please Naruto didn't even pull out half his power." Shikamaru said causing Naruto to blush, "Well we are a team. It would have been a set back for me to kill them both."
"Well we should report back to the Sand village. I'm sure Gaara has woken up by now." Everyone agreed and moved out. Naruto couldn't help but smile knowing they saved his friend.
Kisame and Danzo returned to the rain village, "We returned. It turns out not much info exists on Uzumaki."
"He is currently out biggest threat." Pain spoke as he walked from the shadows. Danzo looked at him annoyed, "Zetsu returned after watching him and his team eliminate Deidra and Sasori. In fact he stayed and observed. Apparently he'd been holding back. We know nothing about his power."
"Then I'll send some of my root to find out more information." Danzo spoke before bowing and walking away. 'Soon I'll have both the Leaf and Rain'