Rabbit Princess [Gaara] [2]

☾ 25 ☽

By the next morning, the five of them had reached the Tenchi Bridge that was laid over a thick crevice over a ravine and characteristic to Kusagakure, had strong wind flow that deafened all sorts of noise around them except within feet of them. It was clear why this location was picked for such a secretive meeting.

Tsukiko watched as Sai's Super Beast Imitating Drawing Jutsu mice came rushing back to Team Kakashi in the forest, having just scouted out the Tenchi Bridge to see whether there was an ambush waiting for them or not.

"I don't sense the presence of anyone around the Tenchi Bridge," Sai informed them once all of his mice had relayed their information.

"That rules out an Akatsuki ambush, then," Yamato said. "Alright, we'll continue as planned," They all nodded and he pulled out a picture from his jacket. "Naruto, sorry to bother you, but can you hold this up and face it towards me?"

Naruto took the picture and Tsukiko realised that it was a picture of Sasori as she and Sakura peered over at it. They all shared a look with each other.

"That's good," Yamato said. "Just turn it towards me," Naruto held the picture up toward him. Wood Style: Transformation!" Sasori's puppet surrounded him. "Well? Did it turn out okay?"

"Yes, it did, Usa," Tsukiko replied as she ran her eyes all over the puppet. "You look like Sasori's Hiruko puppet..." She remembered him vividly, after all, with her new eyes.

"Now, I need to match my voice to his, so say stop when I've got it," Yamato said to them before he began to make his voice deeper and deeper.

"That's it!" Sakura said suddenly, and Tsukiko nodded in agreement. "That's the voice!" Yamato stopped and looked at them.

"Good," Yamato replied. "Okay, everyone, time to put our plan into action,"

"You're being too polite, Usa," Tsukiko said. "You need to be a bit rougher, surly and just plain mean; you know? It's not that easy being an Akatsuki member," Sakura and Naruto sweat-dropped.

"Ah, that's right," Yamato said. "I'm irritable, and hate waiting and making people wait," Tsukiko nodded with a grin. "We start the plan now, got it?!"

"There you go!" Naruto agreed. "That was what he was like!"

"Our enemy will also be on his guard," Yamato told them. "We'll be acting separately, but teamwork is the key. And Naruto! Don't act before I give the signal. Tsukiko is your leader when I'm away, listen to her. Also, Tsukiko, absolutely no Dojutsu. Let's go!"

And they all dispersed to their assigned locations. Tsukiko, Naruto, Sakura and Sai all made their way to a large rock that was on a nearby hill overlooking the bridge. The white-haired girl motioned them to settle down and wait for the signal.

They sat until noon in waiting.

"The spy still isn't here yet?" Naruto asked. Tsukiko stopped the movement her hands were making with origami birds and moved her eyes from the bridge to him.

"Let me see," Tsukiko muttered as she pressed her fingers onto the ground in front of them and focused hard through her Earth Style. "There's someone approaching... I can see some Chakra, and it's pretty familiar...?"

"Is that him?" Sai spoke up suddenly and Tsukiko's eyes snapped in the direction he was looking at without being pointed out.

It was true – there was someone approaching the Tenchi bridge, dressed in navy blue cloak that was a few sizes large – enough to hide the person's structure. Tsukiko narrowed her eyes and almost activated her Byakugan to have a look before she remembered Yamato's warning.