A Little More Than This (Discontinued)

Chapter 44

Kakashi stopped his students as he sensed an unfamiliar chakra closing in on them. He spun around to see Chiyo, cursing lightly at being caught. "Why are you here?" Sakura asked, tilting her head.

"Sasori, the man that attacked Konkuro, he's my grandson. I feel as though it isn't right for you to face him alone" Chiyo replied sheepishly. Kakashi cooked his head to one side but nodded nonetheless, gesturing for the group to continue. They travelled on near silence for a bit longer before they stopped again. This time for Naruto's sake.

"I guess I should probably say it" he sighed, looking more at Sakura then the others. "Say what?" Sakura asked. Kakashi gave Naruto a look but allowed him to continue. "The reason they went after Gaara is the same reason they came after me when I was 12. We have monsters sealed in us. The Akatsuki want to collect them, I dunno why, they just are" Naruto sighed, crossing his arms and tapping his foot.

"Monsters?" Sakura asked, tilting her head in confusion. "I, for example, have the Nine-tailed Fox sealed inside me. I don't know about Gaara though, you'll have to ask him when we rescue him" Naruto replied as Sakura gasped. "You remember when we were kids? And most of the adults hated me and shunned me? It was because of this thing I have sealed inside me. I guess I'll have to tell Mei when we meet up again" Naruto continued, sighed and shoving his hands inside his pockets.

Kakashi waited a bit for Sakura to react violently but was surprised when she smiled softly. "Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me that Naruto" she thanked, before gesturing for Kakashi to continue with the journey.

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Kisame had become increasingly annoyed. The little girl, who couldn't be much older than his daughter would've been, just wouldn't back down. And she kept taunting him with her eyes, locking them onto his like she knew they caused him pain.

She was just a little brat that was strong enough to hold her ground, that was all, nothing else, but then why did she have her eyes? Surely someone was just playing a cruel prank in him, right? He prayed so. He swung his sword around multiple times but soon realised that it wasn't going to hit her

"Goddamnit stay still!" Kisame hissed as a boy in green spandex and thick eyebrows kept cheering her on. "And get sliced in half? No thanks!" Mei cried, giggling lightly and causing an irk mark to appear on his temple. She jumped around on one foot and it clicked in Kisame's head.

'She's fucking teasing me!' he thought, an animalistic growl ripping through his throat. In a single fluid movement Kisame's reach around and wrapped his hand tightly around her neck, lifting her up in the air and waving her about. "Fuck you! I will not allow you to fucking tease me! I am Kisame Hoshigaki and you will know that!" He screeched, squeezing her neck harshly.

Mei clawed at his hand, gasping for air as she did so. She hadn't expected him to rage so suddenly, and was caught by surprise when he grabbed her. She sent a look at the team behind her and nodded her head slightly before falling limp.

Kisame smirked and threw her limp body away, watching in satisfaction as she sunk into the water that surrounded them. He turned to the group as they watched her body slowly sink in horror and smirked.

"How dare you?! You will pay!" The boy that was egging on the brat screeched, running at him, a fire in his eyes. Kisame only scoffed and swung his sword at him, sending the boy flying. Soon the others followed suit and Kisame swatted them away like flies, actually missing the first brat. 'At least she had some fight in her' he thought, making clones and facing the group.

The group of four looked fairly beaten up, definitely soggy, but not too hurt. He smirked and dropped his three clones and created three more, which stood behind the three younger members. Instantly they were trapped in a sphere of water and the eldest member was left on his own.

"First you drown Hatake-Chan, and now your trying to drown my students?!" The man cried furiously, stamping his feet in anger. "Well, yes. Water is my thing you know" Kisame responded coolly, shifting his sword slightly.

Gai was about to attack when Mei appeared behind Kisame, a large sword on her shoulder and making a 'shush'ing motion towards him. Gai nodded a little then began to laugh, causing Kisame to become irritated. "What's the damn joke then?" Kisame demanded, growling lightly. "That you think you can defeat us so easily!" Gai continued, chuckling lightly as Mei crept up silently.

Kisame was about to swing when Mei jumped overhead and stole Samehada from him and landed gracefully in front of Gai. "Gai-sensei, go free your students" Mei instructed, purring lightly at the sword she had stolen. Kisame glared at the girl before noticing the other sword and becoming furious yet again.

"That's Kubikiribōchō! You lot killed Zabuza?" Kisame roared, glaring at her with a wish of death. "No, he died Honourably, saving my team's lives" Mei replied, slightly testing Samehada in her hand. "Bullshit! Like he would die for scum like you!" Kisame roared, stamping his feet and hissing at her. "You'd never believe it. I'll give you a deal! Let this lot go, they have somewhere else to be, and you and me go all out yeah?" Mei bargained, noticing that three were beginning to lose conciousness.

"Interesting, but no. Not one of you is getting away from me! End of discussion!" Kisame spat, glaring at her with so much hatred that Mei took a step back. Oh how she wanted to cry at his stare. He knees suddenly became weak as Kisame launched himself at her, kunai in his hand.

Mei stood still, eyes wide and glued to her Father, watching as he aimed at her jugular. She flinched and hid her head just as she heard a splash and the sound of someone running. She waited for pain but instead heard a low grunt and looked up. Gai had managed to stand between her and Kisame and taken the blow, but thankfully redirected it to his forearm.

"Hatake-Chan, go help my students" Gai demanded, "I think you've done enough,". Mei nodded and dropped Samehada and raced over to the three clones and dispersed them all, freeing the three in the spheres.

She looked over just as a burst of chakra nearly knocked her off her feet. Gai had activated three of his inner gates, and was facing Kisame with the intention to kill. Mei let her mouth hang open as she stared at the man facing her father. She swirled around to look at the three others only to find them smirking slightly at their Sensei.

"Are you OK?" Mei asked Neji, who was closest to her. "We're fine, how are you doing?" Lee asked, cutting Neji off. "A bit shaken, but unscratched" Mei replied, smiling happily. She turned around to watch Gai and her father and was shocked when she found Gai beating Kisame mercilessly.

She gasped slightly when Gai sent him flying with a finale kick and watched as Kisame hit the water way too fast and a horrible angle. She felt the blood drain from her face and gulped as Gai collapsed, falling face-first into the water.

Tenten was by his side first, helping him get to hid feet, as Mei slowly wondered over, scraping her feet as she walked. She checked Gai vitals before nodding slightly. "He only needs a good rest to replenish his Chakra" she concluded, smiling a little and walking over to Kisame. She peered down at him and went to check his vitals when a cloud of dust engulfed him.

She pulled back and stared at the body left behind. She barely hid her smile. She had heard them talking about the jutsu before, using a subordinate's body and taking over the body, similar to the Mind Transfer Jutsu, and transferring their chakra, jutsu and thought patterns into the host. It was a good way to learn about the enemy without actually getting hurt.

Mei stood up and explain the Jutsu to the team briefly before insisting that they get to a safer place for Gai to rest properly. The team murmered in agreement before taking off to the tree line, which was barely visible under the horizon.