It had been a week or so out of their last adventure for Tsukiko. Tsunade had kept her promise and moved to help her out with Medical Ninjutsu. Sakura had also joined their sessions but Tsukiko had been relentless in her training. She didn't care about going slowly like Sakura, she wanted to be stronger so she could bring Sasuke back. Naruto couldn't be the only one to do that anymore. How could she leave Naruto to deal with that burden on his own?
Tsunade had refused Tsukiko from going out of the village until she was able to hold her own. Apparently, Tsunade had been scolded by the elders for letting Tsukiko go after Uchiha Sasuke in the first place, since her status was now almost of a 'princess's'. She was no longer allowed to be gone from the village for long. Especially after the Stone of Gelel thing.
Tsukiko was rather disgusted at the thought of the elders thinking this of her. Now that they know she is a descendant of the Senju Clan, they suddenly care? But Tsukiko also suspected that Tsunade was keen on keeping this going. Not because her status in the village had dramatically changed, but because Tsunade feared Tsukiko being captured by Orochimaru's lackeys next.
So, when Shikamaru told her that Tsunade had allowed her to go with him and some of the Genins on a special mission, Tsukiko had been rather surprised. But once she got to know that they were going to assist the Sunagakure in retrieving back one of their students, Tsukiko hurriedly agreed. They had done the same for them, after all.
"It's almost time!" Choji said as he, Tsukiko, Shikamaru, Ino, Lee, Kiba and Akamaru gathered at the village gates. "Is this everyone, Shikamaru?" Tsukiko glanced over her shoulder as she looked around at the place.
"One person still hasn't come," Shikamaru replied. They looked back into the village and saw Naruto rushing hurriedly toward them. Tsukiko moved aside as he came to a skidding stop next to them.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Naruto shouted. "I can't do a mission hungry so I stopped by Ichiraku Ramen for a bit,"
"What?!" Choji said. "That's not fair just you getting to eat! I'll also..."
"All right!" Shikamaru cut into their conversation. "Now that we've got all our members together, we're off!" Tsukiko nodded.
"Huh?" Naruto remarked as he looked around at everyone who had gathered for their mission. "What? This is it?! I'd heard this was an operation with a mobilisation of the Genin remaining in the village!"
"This is everyone, I'm telling you," Shikamaru replied.
"That's messed up!" Naruto complained. "Setting aside Sakura-Chan, who's training, there should still be Shino, Neji and Hinata!"
"No mistake, it's weird Akamaru and I being the only Ninja with search ability," Kiba commented from the back.
"So, is this team a go for it super attack type?" Lee asked. Tsukiko didn't know what that meant really but she wasn't sure she wanted to know either.
"Yeah," Shikamaru replied. "I name us 'Team Return-the-Favour'," Everyone around him sweat-dropped but Tsukiko nodded wholeheartedly.
"What lame naming!" Naruto said.
"The Sungakure Ninjas came out and helped us during the Sasuke Recovery Mission," Tsukiko reminded them. "In a similar manner, this operation is returning the favour from that time,"
"All right!" Naruto shouted. "Guys, let's make sure to return the favour from that one time!" Tsukiko and Shikamaru sweat-dropped.
"You're not the leader!" Kiba told him. Akamaru barked in agreement with his partner.
"Shikamaru the Chunin is the leader of this platoon, right?" Choji added. "Even after Shikamaru, we have Tsukiko the Chunin as well!"
"That's fair..." Naruto trailed off before turning around and shouting, "Jeez, then let's settle on a strategy and get going as soon as possible! Are we going in one line as we did for the Sasuke incident?"
"There's no doubting the conditions are similar to the Sasuke incident," Shikamaru said. "However, the strategies for pursuit and ambush are completely different. We can't follow them with Byakugan or by using Akamaru's nose,"
"No mistake about that," Ino said.
"It's unconventional, but since these are all the people we've got, we'll act in grounds of two basis as Two-Man Cells," Shikamaru continued. "Solo action is prohibited no matter what the case! We owe a debt to the Ninja in Sunagakure. However, although this is to repay a debt, no way will we produce casualties,"
As the eight of them headed out of the village, Shikamaru distributed them into cells. He kept Ino with himself and brought Choji, Kiba and Akamaru together before telling Tsukiko team up with Lee and Naruto, wanting her to deal with the idiots the way she knew best.
"Also, the four people Naruto mentioned earlier have left before us," Shikamaru informed them. Tsukiko watched as the news halted all of the others as they turned to look at their platoon leader in surprise.
"By those four people, do you mean Shino, Neji, Hinata and Sakura-Chan?" Naruto asked. Shikamaru nodded as he stopped, too.
"Yeah," Shikamaru replied. "The four will be going their separate ways and won't take part in future battles," Tsukiko nodded in understanding.
"Isn't that an incredible waste of battle strength?" Kiba inquired.
"In place of that, we get a wider range of search action," Shikamaru answered. "And we'll have them focus on medical action in the case of battle starting. As for us, we have Tsukiko with her Byakugan and Medical Ninjutsu. I have been entrusted with your lives again and this is my strategy,"
"We understand, Shikamaru, let's go," Tsukiko said as she moved ahead of them. "Byakugan!" She activated her Kekkei Genkai and led the group through the forest. She bit her lower lip and smiled a bit.
She was glad to be able to repay Gaara's favour...
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"We've arrived," Tsukiko said quietly to Shikamaru as they came to the edge of the forest in the Eastern border. Shikamaru nodded at her as she continued to look ahead with her Byakugan and he observed the location as well.
"Hey, Tsukiko-Chan, Shikamaru," Naruto called out to the two in the front. "What's the matter?" He and the rest of the group had come to a stop as well.
"We'll stand by here for a while," Shikamaru informed the rest of the team. That didn't really help Naruto's eagerness.
"Stand-by?" Naruto demanded. "We don't have time to be fooling around in a place like this!" Tsukiko glanced at him with her Byakugan.
"Be quiet for a second, Naruto," Kiba cut in. Akamaru barked in agreement and Ino added, "That's right, Shikamaru's got a proper plan,"
"Right, right!" Choji agreed. "Naruto, you have to be sure to obey the leader," Naruto finally agreed and Tsukiko turned back to look ahead of them, waiting for Shino's signal.
"Hey, Shikamaru, Tsukiko-Chan..." Naruto started up again within a few minutes. "How long are we going to stay like this?" Tsukiko sighed at him but didn't move her eyes off of their surroundings as she kept watch.
"Shut up," Shikamaru replied. "There are many difficulties with ambushes. Right now, Shino, Neji and Hinata are taking on those difficulties for us,"
"What?" Naruto asked. "They are?" Tsukiko nodded as she caught sight of no enemy around them, but then she saw the approaching bugs in their direction. She glanced at Shikamaru and gave him a nod.
"Our information has arrived," Tsukiko said as she held up a little bag of female insect scent that Shino had provided her before leaving. The insects immediately flocked to it.
"I was getting sick of waiting!" Naruto said spiritedly as he got back onto his feet, and so did the rest of them. Tsukiko turned to look at Shikamaru.
"All right, I'm counting on you guys," Shikamaru said. Tsukiko watched the insects create words in the air by separating. "This is bad. It's already begun. All right, Kiba and Choji, you take the western forest. Ino and I will the north-eastern hills. Tsukiko, Naruto and Lee, you take the north-western forest. We'll take on back up in cells. Now, then, let's begin the favour-returning operation,"
"I was waiting for this time!" Naruto said as everyone nodded in agreement with Shikamaru's plan. And from there onward, all eight of them scattered off in different directions. Tsukiko kept her Byakugan out.
Tsukiko led Naruto and Lee through the forest and in the direction where she could see movement up ahead. She hoped that Gaara, Temari and Kankuro were all right, along with the girl who was stolen from her village. She felt the sweep of wind and glanced at the direction Shikamaru and Ino had went off in. Of course, Temari...
"Just wait, Gaara," Naruto spoke up. "We'll return the favour, no matter what!" Tsukiko glanced at him in surprise but then looked ahead with a smile. She looked up and saw Gaara ahead of them, standing atop a tall sand tower.
"That's Gaara..." Tsukiko said. She stared at his condition as he swung the someone around and around. "It seems like he is at the very edge," She sped up slightly as the two boys followed right after her.
"Do we have a chance to return the favour?" Lee asked.
Tsukiko bit her lower lip as Gaara allowed his sand to release his opponent, making the man fly off into the distance and crash in the forest. But Tsukiko's eyes caught sight of a strange beam of light.
"What is this going on?" Tsukiko muttered as she looked around with her Byakugan, feeling the sudden surge in Chakra. Her eyes widened when she realised what was going on. "The enemy is using the Reverse Fish Scales Formation!"
Tsukiko watched as a water dragon rose from the ground, curling around Gaara's sand tower and enveloped him completely. She cursed when she realised that they were trying to make his sand heavier so that he would not be able to control it properly anymore. She had devised such a plan months ago against Gaara as well.
"Gaara!" Tsukiko shouted as she watched him fall off and the sand tower to crumble. Even his Sand Armour had become darker due to the absorption of water. "Lee, you know what to do next!" Lee nodded. "And Naruto, you come with me..."
"To think you'd choose a sandy area to fall on... Just what I'd expect of Gaara of the Desert," the enemy from before swung his giant mace around. "However, ... That's as far as your useless resistance goes!" He threw it at Gaara.
"Leaf Hurriance!" Lee shouted, kicking the mace away before it could hit Gaara. "A hero's turn always comes late!" Tsukiko chuckled.
"That's right, dattebayo!" Naruto shouted as he jumped out of the tree and swung Tsukiko at the man. The white-haired girl kicked the man in the face, causing him to fly off and crash into the ground.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Gaara!" Tsukiko said, grinning. Gaara stared at all three of them in shocked silence.
"It seems you rushed to everyone during the Sasuke incident..." Naruto said. "This time, we've come to return the favour from that time,"
"We'll take care of this guy here, Usa," Tsukiko said as she motioned at the man she had knocked out with her kick. "You should hurry and save your student, Gaara,"
"To think he'd corner you this far..." Lee said as he grabbed Gaara before he could fall over. Tsukiko hurriedly rushed over to him and dropped to her knees next to him.
"I'll heal Gaara and absorb the water out of the sand," Tsukiko said to Lee. "You go ahead and get started at the man," Lee nodded at her and turned to face the man who had pulled himself out of the subconscious.
"Be careful," Gaara warned Lee and Naruto as Tsukiko began to absorb all of the water out of his Sand Armour. "His armour sucks up Chakra,"
Once she was done absorbing the water, Tsukiko focused her Chakra on her hands and began to use the Mystical Palm Jutsu on his body. She carefully hovered her hands all over him, detecting the sheer amount of Chakra that had been taken out of his body.
"What's wrong, Tsukiko?" Gaara asked. He seemed to have caught the frown on her face. Tsukiko looked at him, slightly surprised to hear him say her name so calmly after screaming it at her during the Konoha Invasion.
"Lay back, Gaara, I'm still healing you," Tsukiko replied as she helped him lay back on the ground and went back to hurriedly fix him up. Gaara continued to stare at Tsukiko, who was concentrating solely on him.
"Tell me, Tsukiko," Gaara said quietly. "Am I able to fight?" Tsukiko looked at the man who Naruto and Lee were trying to fight and frowned deeper before turning to look at Gaara.
"I've completed the basic healing," Tsukiko replied. "But you've lost a lot of Chakra... I don't think that is a good thing, especially when done in such a short time. You'll exhaust yourself if you fight more,"
"I see," Gaara said. He opened his mouth to continue but he and Tsukiko and caught sight of insects in the air, creating words again. "Contact from your friends...?" Tsukiko nodded.
"Ino seems to have gotten herself hurt," Tsukiko said, frowning. She saw the look on Gaara's face and knew what was coming. "We have another medic on the time. Sakura can handle it," She moved to go back to healing Gaara –
"It is enough," Gaara said. Tsukiko stared at him and frowned as he pushed himself back onto his feet and began to walk to where the others were.
"What are you doing?" Naruto asked. "Hurry up and go after your comrade!" Gaara crossed his arms as he reached him and Lee. Tsukiko hurried over, inching to provide Gaara with the Chakra.
"I'll help my comrade," Gaara replied. "Tsukiko, you can stop, I'm fine," Tsukiko blushed when she realised that he had seen her twitching fingers. "I'll settle this in a moment,"
"But..." Tsukiko started but was cut off when she saw the man kick Lee away from himself. "Lee!" She rushed to pull him away from the man before he could throw his mace at them.
"You don't have any sand left that you can use," the man taunted Gaara as the younger boy walked over to him.
"What's this?" Naruto muttered when Gaara suddenly held up his hand and began to tear off his own Sand Armour that Tsukiko had absorbed the water from.
"This is my weapon," Gaara said as he created a spear out of his sand and directed it at the man, who got struck right through the heart. Tsukiko averted her gaze, something that caught attention of all of them.
"Gaara," Tsukiko said, jumping forward and catching him before he could collapse. His armour had dulled again and he was breathing heavily. "Gaara, you've lost a lot of Chakra..."
"This is just the last blow..." Gaara said as he raised his hand up. Tsukiko opened her mouth to bring him off of it but she was cut off by a loud scream.
"Hurry!" Naruto said to Gaara. "Leave the rest to us!" Tsukiko frowned in worry as Gaara moved out of her arms and went hurrying off in the direction of the scream.
"We shouldn't have made him go," Tsukiko muttered. "It's obvious that the girl has been kidnapped to lure him out..." She pulled at her twin tails in worry and looked at Lee. "Lee, I'm sorry, I'm going after Gaara, please wait for Sakura to come by and heal you,"
"It's all right," Lee said. Tsukiko handed him the female insect scent and Lee realised what she meant by that. "Thank you," Tsukiko nodded at him.
"I'll come along," Naruto said and both Tsukiko and rushed off from there and after Gaara. "Tsukiko, where is he and is he and what's he doing?"
"Byakugan," Tsukiko said. She quickly caught sight of Gaara. "He's in the dead-end valley, and there seems to be the last enemy there with him... and so is the girl, Matsuri. I don't have a good feeling about this..."
Tsukiko and Naruto arrived into the sandy valley, finding Gaara and the last enemy fighting against each other. It seemed like the enemy had took his fallen comrades' weapons and was using them against Gaara, who held onto two Kunai, clearly out of Chakra. Tsukiko frowned.
"The girl, Tsukiko-Chan," Naruto said. Tsukiko nodded at them and the two of them rushed over to her and broke Matsuri free from her binds. She looked at them.
"Gaara Sensei is..." Matsuri started.
"We know," Tsukiko replied gently. "Listen to me, hide in a safe location nearby. I'm sure help is coming our way..." Matsuri nodded and rushed off.
"Although Gaara received your treatment, Tsukiko-Chan, he's still..." Naruto trailed off as they turned to look at Gaara, who was dodging the man's attacks. Tsukiko frowned as she stared at his injuries.
"That's as far as you go, ultimate weapon of Sunagakure!" the enemy shouted. Tsukiko's eyes narrowed as she glared at the man. "Use the power of Shukaku already!"
"Hey, hold it!" Naruto shouted as he and Tsukiko jumped closer to where the two were fighting. Tsukiko kept glancing at the injured Gaara.
"Who are you two?" the man demanded.
"We'll be your opponents from here on," Tsukiko told him.
"You're in the way, girl," the man said, readying his swords. "Kujaku Hurricane!" Tsukiko barely managed to protect herself and Naruto with a shield of crystal. "Konoha Shinobi, you just watch! The era of control by the Five Great Nations will end.
"No, it won't just be that. If the ultimate Ninja tool created by the Takumi Village is completed, the existence of the Ninja will no longer be necessary," He finished and Tsukiko furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
"What the heck are you talking about?" Tsukiko demanded.
"We are people from the Takumi Village who, for many years, have equally shared exceptional Ninja tools with you in the Five Great Shinobi Nations," the man said. "However, each time relations worsened between fellow villages; the Takumi Village would be attacked over fear of Ninja tools crossing over to the other village.
"You Ninjas of the Five Great Shinobi Nations have forgotten that you are kept alive by our power, and have returned the favour with vengeance time and time again. Although we, the people of Takumi Village, have advanced skills, we have had to survive by currying favour from the Five Great Shinobi Nations! However, that ear will now end!
"First, I will take out Konoha," He looked at them. "Fang Style: Dark Sword!" Tsukiko grabbed Naruto and they jumped back from the attack. "How long can you run away for?" He kept on attacking them until they hit the wall. "I'll stake you both up like shrike!"
Tsukiko jumped in front of Naruto as the three-headed sword extended toward them and went through her hand seals to protect them but before she could construct the defensive wall, sand rose around her and Naruto, sealing them away from the attack.
"Gaara... that fool!" Tsukiko cursed as she looked around, pulling at her twin tails. "Why does he keep using his Chakra? He's going to get hurt!" Naruto stared at his frantic friend as she listened in to the attacking sword outside.
"That dome created with hard minerals in the ground mixed with sand cannot be smashed by such junk," Gaara said. "I'll protect them until the end... with my power,"
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