Struggle [On Hold]

Chapter 5: Plan! Failed.

"Uzumaki Naruto's grand entrance!" Naruto kicked Kumori hard in the side so he could get a chance to turn around and talk to Temari. He was grinning ear from ear, "The hero always comes to save the damsel in distress." His face then turned serious, "He didn't hurt you did he?"

Temari shook her head lightly, blinking slightly at Naruto's sudden entrance, "…how did you find me…?"

"It's easy to navigate the forest once you get above the smoke." Naruto responded with another grin, "The Kuchiyose, of course." (Kuchiyose Summoning Jutsu). His boyish face was still upwards in a large grin, one that only resulted in Temari smiling. He turned to fight Kumori, but Temari's temper flared.

'The only reason the had come was because he doesn't think I can take care of myself!' Temari thought angrily. She placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, "This is my fight, Naruto. Back off." Her voice was hard, deadpan as she spoke the words to make him back off her fight. This was her fight, and she wasn't going to let anybody get in the way—not even Uzumaki Naruto.

"But Temari—"

"I said back off." She growled out, anger evident this time. Naruto looked a little shocked at Temari's sudden anger spurt, but said no more. Every other girl he had come to save usually liked it. But not this one, she actually acted like Naruto had offended her. He wanted to speak, but nothing sounded good enough; Temari was now stepping out, in front of Naruto, ready to continue fighting.

Someday, Temari swore she'd die from being so goddamn stubborn. Whether she liked to admit it or not, Naruto had really helped by coming, but her pride wouldn't allow room for help as long as she could still fight back, and she still had plenty of fight left in her.

Sakura waited patiently with Kakashi as they hid in the northern forests, waiting for the arrival of the bandits. Kakashi had set up a genjutsu, and if his assumption were correct, they'd walk right into it. This was their best chance at taking on any large number of thieves—and by what they had encountered, some pretty strong thieves.

Ah, here they come now… Sakura craned her neck to see the group better. They were walking right into the genjutsu; she didn't have to do anything. She sighed in relief and leaned against the tree trunk. That was, at least, until she felt a strong gust of wind. She turned quickly; a large amount of smoke had accumulated. Sakura watched, almost in awe, as the smoke cleared revealing the bandits had escaped.

Sakura's eyes shifted to Kakashi, who was nearby, also watching the scene. Kakashi was suddenly on the branch above Sakura, a look in his eye that told Sakura that even Kakashi was starting to get annoyed with these thieves. They were definitely a little more cunning than they gave them credit for.

"Sorry, Sakura. It seems that my plan has failed. Let's go find Naruto and Temari now." Sakura merely nodded dumbly, and followed her sensei.

Temari took another blow directly in the face, hitting the ground and rolling a few feet, her body sending dust into the air. Blood trickled down a gash above her eye, and from her nose and mouth. She really was a mess; she had been too goddamn stubborn. She'd have to let Naruto step in now… there was no more time for her to fight. Now she was just getting herself hurt…

That's when she heard the footsteps. Slow, leisurely strides they were. Not the footsteps of a worried Naruto; like she had hoped. No, this was more like a predator stalking up on its prey, getting ready to pounce. Temari merely rolled over onto her stomach and tried to use her hands to sit herself up, but her muscles gave in.

Kumori lifted his foot to slam down on the back of Temari's head, but Naruto blocked it. But something was different about this Naruto. Something very, very different… almost demonic. The effect was Kumori stumbling backward at the change in Naruto's chakra. This wasn't the pipsqueak who had come in earlier claiming to be a hero.

"Don't touch her," Naruto growled out through clenched teeth. Kumori noticed with a bit of horror that the kid's power level rose dramatically as he delivered punch and kicks, all of which Kumori was hardly able to dodge. But there was one he couldn't have possibly seen until the fist had already done its damage with a sickening crack.

Kumori noted dully that his nose was bleeding rather excessively, and the crack was probably the sound of his nose breaking. But he had no longer to dwell, two more were approaching. The two from before. He had to leave now, as things stood he didn't stand a chance. Retreat was the only option. He disappeared so suddenly it left Naruto a little stunned, even in his demonic-like state.

Slowly the Kyuubi's chakra shrunk back. That's when he realized something. Something terribly important. Temari.

He turned around so fast he was surprised he didn't get whiplash. He traveled quickly to Temari's side and rolled her over so she was laying on her back. Her eyes were closed, her chest hardly rising and falling, as if she was asleep. He checked her pulse, it wasn't far from normal, he noted with some relief. He had truly been worried about the Suna girl. She had put up quite a fight for a long time; he had to admit she had some stamina, and some good willpower.

He smiled down at her, she must be exhausted… He was just about ready to lift her up when he saw two familiar faces.

"Sakura-chan! Kakashi-sensei!"

"So they got away?" Naruto questioned, as if trying to get things right. Sakura and Kakashi were talking in hushed voices as Temari slept soundly nearby. The nighttime noises seemed muted, the dark sky looking over the land.

"Yes," Sakura confirmed with a nod. This mission was becoming far too much trouble for its own good. They were just about out of good ideas; the bandits were extremely tricky. They had to have some ninja help; that thought was encouraged by Kumori's strength and the bandits' disappearing acts.

Naruto had been oddly quiet about the whole thing; he hadn't even explained what he was doing, or even how Temari got injured. Which Sakura took as odd, Naruto was the type to brag about his amazing exploits, but lately he hadn't been the same Uzumaki Naruto that she knew. She was starting to get worried about the blonde-haired loudmouth… all he had said was that they had gotten in a fight with a guy named Kumori, but nothing more.

They were all interrupted by a groan and a sleepy voice asking, "…what happened…?"

Tsunade was working on one of the many pieces of paperwork she was expected to do. Fuck, if she knew it involved this much paperwork she would have told that perverted old man to go to hell and find someone else. Oh how she hated the paperwork. She wouldn't have done any of it if Shizune hadn't been glaring holes in her back for half the day—it was hard to avoid it when someone was constantly nagging.

That's when she found a letter from Kakashi, delivered by one of his faithful summon dogs. She sighed and took the letter and opened it with a flourish, mentally thinking the silver-haired Jounin for this interruption of her paperwork.

She raised an eyebrow at the contents of the letter. Kumori, with obvious shinobi training… was he serious? No last name at all? She sighed, and wrote a quick reply, giving it to the dog. Kakashi owed her big time.

"Shizune!"

-End of Chapter 5-