Gone [Naruto fanfic]

#28

I caught up to the rest of the team within minutes, and then creeped up on them silently.

"BOO!"

Kakashi's foot slipped, but he regained himself.

"What was that for?" he asked, a hurt tone in his voice.

"I don't know actually. For some reason I'm in a particularly good mood. Which is pretty strange considering the circumstances."

The realization that I had just bested one of the STRONGEST ninja in the Land of Fire on my first try made me completely giddy.

I resumed my position in the lead with Naruto.

"What about Itach-"

"Knocked out. Will probably wake up with more than just a sore jaw." I flashed a wicked grin in Kakashi's direction.

Everyone looked stunned, and Naruto nearly tripped and fell.

"You-You beat him?"

"Yep. With this..."

Using my kekkei genkai earlier drained a good bit of my chakra, but I had a little left for a demonstration.

Sakura, Lady Chiyo, Naruto, and Kakashi's eyes widened.

"I created it myself. You should have seen Itachi's face when he found out that his sharingan wouldn't work on me! It was priceless!" I laughed at the still fresh memory. I wouldn't be forgetting that anytime soon!

"Now on a more serious note: when we get to the Akatsuki hideout where they've taken Gaara, there will only be two of them physically there. Sasori," I nodded my head at Lady Chiyo, "Who I am sure you're familiar with, and Deidara.  Sasori and Deidara don't exactly make the best team sometimes. They both consider themselves to be 'artists', though in my opinion a two year old could put them both to shame, and they often argue about whose idea of 'art' is more accurate.  Sakura, Lady Chiyo," I called over my shoulder, "You two will have to take on Sasori. Since Lady Chiyo is familiar with him and his thinking, and Sakura is carrying the antidote to his poison, you two will be the ideal team in a fight against him. Naruto," I turned my head sharply toward him, "Itachi will have probably told them about you by now, and maybe me as well, but there's the possibility that he doesn't know that I'm a Jinchuriki yet. Both of them will try and rile you up as much as they can to increase the likelihood that you'll make rash decisions, which will make you predictable and easier to fight, especially Deidara. I will be able to deal with him in the beginning, which might give you and Kakashi-sensei an opening. In this battle I won't be able to be much help, so I am telling you all this now so you can have a better chance." 

"How do you know all of this child?" Lady Chiyo asked suspiciously.

"At this point it doesn't matter, since I don't know much more beyond what I've already told you."

I had left out the part where I enact my own plan. Hopefully, if I succeed, there won't need to be much fighting, but if I didn't, then I would feel better knowing that I told the rest of the team about the situation.

Eventually Kakashi called us to stop and rest since we were all exhausted.

But I wouldn't be staying for long.

After a some time had passed, and while Kakashi stood watch, I used the shadow clone jutsu and invisibility jutsu to slip away. It had worked on Kakashi once, and I prayed that it would work just once more. I headed in the opposite direction we had been traveling, doing my best to stay silent. After I was satisfied with the distance, I began to turn back in a wide arc. When the firelight was completely out of view, I picked up speed.