#stripper! suna where its at

[amitds]

Sirocco: Hidden beneath The Sand

Summary: Months have passed since Sasuke and Sakura escaped Pein and the other vampires sent by the Uchiha and now the two are enjoying their time together in Suna, ‘The Desert City’, while on the run. Unbeknownst to the couple, though, new enemies lurk, hidden in the sand. 

Notes: I decided to follow up my ‘Cloaks’ fic from ss month 2018 (day 21) with a sequel. Suna is supposed to be like Las Vegas but with more desert sand lying around and less strippers lol. Um it’s supposed to be SS but I feel like half way through it reads like a full on story and not only ‘shippy’. I guess it’s because I actually thought of continuing Cloaks and even continuing this with a part 3 (fingers crossed).

“Morning,” Sakura mumbled as she awoke, her head resting gently on Sasuke’s bare chest. 

Months have passed since Sakura and Sasuke ran off escaping Madara and his Akatsuki and now, as residents of Suna, the couple usually started off every day like this. Lying and holding Sasuke in her arms while in their new home; this extravagant, beautifully, embellished apartment, Sakura could sense a tear moistening her eye ready to spill out. Such was the sensation of peace and contentment that resided within her now. As Suna’s vivid sunlight filtered through her fine wine- coloured silken curtains, its rays dyed the red of blood, Sakura could only think of Sasuke and this life he was building for them both. Sakura was his princess. This Sasuke ensured. 

“Aa Sakura” he returned, still shaking the sleep from himself with his fingers gently brushing the creamy skin of her bare back as his other hand reached for her forehead.

 “Tap.” 

“Anata..” Sakura gushed, her cheeks kissed red like rose bloom. Sakura felt a special, ethereal bliss every time Sasuke tapped her forehead. Even now, months after eloping and after a night of sweet passion, Sasuke’s little gesture warmed her heart. It was their gesture and it was sacred to them. This man loved her and would do anything for her. She could feel it. This is what she knew and such was the euphoria of their life, their new life as husband and wife.  

“We really should wake up now, Sakura.” 

As much as he dreaded ending this moment Sasuke remembered that he promised her some semblance of a honeymoon and some fun while here. Sasuke had to deliver on his promise. The temptation of spending the rest of the day held up in this russet, mahogany poster bed hidden behind drapes of silk while he held, touched, kissed and made love to his wife was almost too much for the young man to bear. Sasuke, however, knew better. 

 Sakura was now his wife and for the first time in his centuries- long life Sasuke Uchiha felt the intensity and delicious furor of love. The loneliness and yearning for love and companionship that controlled him for countless years as a noble of the Uchiha Clan was extinguished and now replaced by a blaze of pure ecstasy; Sakura Haruno’s love and friendship. Sasuke was resolute in his vow to protect her and ensure that their eternal life together would be worth every minute.  

“Hmm not yet..” Sakura giggled as she turned, her light green eyes meeting his own of pure obsidian. The young witch then lavished her husband with sweet kisses as she pulled over the crimson silk sheets, ready for part two of what transpired the night before. Sasuke, despite his views, was all too happy to oblige. 

Hours later, due to in no small part Sasuke’s stamina as a vampire prince and Sakura’s craving for him, the couple finally pulled themselves out of bed to start their day. After a quick shower together Sasuke and Sakura, the former vampire prince and all powerful Shikkotsu witch, were ready to take on Suna. 

“Where do you want to visit first, Sakura?” Sasuke inquired, as usual wanting Sakura to decide as he himself found solace in just being with her. He had just finished getting dressed when his wife shouted from her closet.

“I’m feeling lucky, how about some slot machines. This is our honeymoon after all... well sort of.” 

Sasuke smirked. His characteristic smile, the one he only shared with Sakura was now painted across his face. It was only to be brushed aside as Sakura arrived.

“So how do I look?” Sakura asked, her voice dripping with innocence. “What do you think about this?”

Sasuke was trapped in brief awe as his smirk died away, instead being replaced with an expression of utter amazement. Naturally, Sasuke thought of Sakura as the most dazzling and enticing woman in the world but something about today and the way she looked right now in their apartment threw him, the usually stoic  prince, completely off. 

Before him stood Sakura, her sleek, lengthy, fuchsia hair cascading down her back while neat bangs framed the delicate features of her face. At the center of her forehead, of course, was her bindi stippling the porcelain of her skin. Her eyes were lined with deep kohl and lipstick, the crimson of blood, glistened against her soft lips. Her dainty frame was hugged by a tight, short sleeved salmon top paired with a black leather mini skirt that, Sasuke thought, showed off her exquisite, milky legs perfectly. Pointed earrings of jade-coloured aventurine now dangled from each ear, for luck, replacing her rose quartz crystals she wore before (she needed no luck in love now, she had her true love after all).

The young witch also wore a choker embedded with smooth round crystals of black tourmaline for protection while her athame and shrunken besom broom were camouflaged within the straps of her knee-high, onyx, gladiator heels. Perhaps her most valuable accessory, though, was her intricately designed white gold and white diamond wedding ring that adorned her left hand, a symbol of her husband’s eternal love.

Needless to say, even without magic Sakura could enchant Sasuke. Still, he couldn’t totally believe that someone this beautiful, this gentle, this perfect could be his wife. Seeing Sakura, as she stood, bathed in the pristine light shining through the silk curtains of their apartment, Sasuke was overwhelmed by feelings of contentment and appreciation. Finally they were together. Finally they were at peace. 

“Hmm.” Sasuke smirked, moments later, composing himself. “You look great Sakura.”

Sakura, her cheeks reddening once more, chuckled after examining her husband a bit. Sasuke had worn his favourite royal blue shirt, a gift from Sakura, with its sleeves rolled back, coupled with his reliable blue jeans and preferred black and white cushioned sneakers. An obsidian gold bracelet, with specks of black tourmaline for protection, given by his wife, encircled his right arm with his matching black gold and diamond studded wedding ring adorning his left hand. As usual for his trips during the day his ruby necklace; his protection from the sun, hung from his neck under his shirt.

 Yet, Sakura found herself entranced by Sasuke himself. The way his shirt hugged his muscled frame, how his spiky raven hair caught the light filtered through the curtains, his clean cut, chiseled face that now wore a mischievous smirk that made her knees weak and especially the starless night of his intense eyes all trapped the witch in Sasuke’s own spell. Indeed, Sakura was the luckiest woman alive, she thought, to have such a man as her life partner. Only his heart could spell her more. 

Despite months of dating and their recent marriage Sasuke and Sakura still felt enraptured with one another,especially when they were on display like this for each other to consume. It as if the were meeting for the first time, over and over again. Truly, Sakura was the Venus to Sasuke’s Adonis. 

 “You’re looking quite handsome yourself. I might have to hold on to your extra tight today.” Sakura smiled, now out of her wonder as she interwove her arms with his.

“Aa.” Sasuke blushed faintly. “Well then.. let’s go.”

 In the moments that followed Sakura placed enchantments of armament upon the apartment while Sasuke, invoking his vampiric compulsion, set up wards to deter intruders. Ironically though, they themselves were intruding as Sasuke compelled the landlord for this space. Nevertheless Sasuke, the vampire noble, claimed this apartment and thought nothing in doing so. This was their first home, his family’s first home and to him that was all that mattered. With that the couple set off into the clamor that was downtown Suna City. 

Suna was the grandest city Sakura, and even Sasuke, had ever seen. Amidst the surrounding desert the city lay nestled like a jewel at the center. Soaring buildings towered within the city: five star hotels, first class restaurants and, perhaps Sakura’s favourite, luxurious casinos. Suna, despite its presence among an arid desert, West of Leaf City, had established itself as a booming metropolis and a ‘tourism city’; one of sophistication and allure. Humans from all over the world flocked here year round. 

Despite it’s complexity, Sakura most notably admired the tinge on nature intertwined among the urban setting. During her few days in Suna Sakura saw towering and verdant palms dotted between streetlights and throughout the city, abundant thriving greenhouses and markets as well as lush gardens and parks scattered throughout the city. Nonetheless, the most memorable and appealing to the white witch were the countless, unique and well fashioned sand gardens present within Suna. Sakura and Sasuke both had never seen such gardens which were slightly reminiscent of those of their ancestral homes in the East. Their ability to incorporate the grandeur of Suna into the refinement of a sand and rock garden only heightened their charm.

Sasuke, though, was appreciative most of all for the city’s fast pace and dense population which served as the ideal shelter for a runaway witch and vampire. Naturally, among the luminosity and dazzle of the casinos and restaurants that lined the main roads, Sasuke felt safe and hidden from their enemies. 

“When did Katsuyu say she was coming back, Sakura?” Sasuke posed as they strolled along the main strip of Suna.

“Hmm. I’m not really sure...” Sakura replied, pondering with her index finger bent against her chin. “She’s at the Caves in Shikkotsu meeting with other familiars and crystal gathering so it may be a while. Those slugs are really thorough with their council meetings compared to the other types of familiars.”

“Other types?” Sasuke asked, curious to learn more about Sakura and the witches.

“Yeah Shikkotsu witches have slug familiars but then there’re the toads used by those carefree witches at Mount Myōboku...” Sakura lectured, now in her zone, as Sasuke called it. 

“Oh...And then there’s those snakes the black witches of Ryūchi Cave have as familiars. They’re bad news though.” 

“Aa... I see.” 

Sasuke was now smiling, admiring his ‘teacher’.

“Well now that you’re married to a witch I guess that makes you part witch, a-na-ta.” Sakura teased, as she emphasised every syllable and grinned in Sasuke’s direction. “You’re going to have to study up now.”

“Hmm.” 

“Sasuke oh look there’s... Ow!” 

Sakura fell back, rubbing her forehead after smashing into something. While walking, losing herself in her moment with Sasuke, something or someone had crashed into the young witch. Sasuke, now alert and steeled for battle, looked ahead with his hand gripping Sakura. How could we not see or sense this? Was I that distracted?!  He now saw what stood in their wake.

“Oh my God. I am so sorry guys,” a strange voice apologized. There, ahead of the couple stood a breathtakingly beautiful young woman seemingly in her early twenties. “I’m Ino.” 

“Um.. It’s okay, Ino,” Sakura assured, her hand still caressing the soon to be formed bump on her forehead. “I wasn’t looking where I was going...My name’s Sakura and this is my husband, Sasuke.” 

Despite her pain Sakura couldn’t avoid noticing the woman. She’s perfect, Sakura thought to herself. Ino���s long, sunny-blond hair descended her back and was held in a high pony tail. She possessed a dainty frame just like Sakura and her deep violet turtle neck and charcoal pants both held her tightly, accentuating every curve of her body. Strange clothing for a desert city, Sakura noticed but flawless all the same. With her open toed black stilettos she towered over Sakura, the witch noticed, as she held Sakura’s emerald green eyes in her own, the hue of malachite. As she took in the woman Sakura heard her voice continue.

“Nice to meet you, Sakura, Sasuke...” Ino gushed, looking especially in Sasuke’s direction as she closed in, holding both of their hands in her own. Sakura could feel the warmth of her hands pressing against her skin. Was she holding Sasuke like this too?

“Hmm, yes.” was the vampire’s only reply.

“He’s not much of a talker is he, Sakura?”

“Uh... um nice to meet you too, Ino” Sakura hurried, trying to divert the path of the conversation. 

“Well I have to go now, see you both around then.” Ino grinned, winking at Sasuke in particular. With that the tall blond released her grip, her smile never fading and marched off, the length of her hair dancing behind her as she strode. 

Something was awry Sakura thought while eerie thoughts sprouted in her mind. 

Am I jealous? God why? No. It’s not that. I’m not a jealous person. But why am I feeling this way? Is it because she winked at Sasuke? This isn’t the first time someone checked him out in front of me and guys do it to me all the time... What’s different now?

“Sakura... Sakura are you alright?”

“Oh yeah. Uh let’s go.” Sakura was snapped out of her stupor. Whatever she felt was inconsequential now. She was with Sasuke in Suna and it was time to relax. They only had a few more days before the had to depart and Sakura promised herself to treasure every minute.

“Before that woman came along I was saying that we should try that Eastern themed casino.” Sakura was now pointing at her anterior towards the colossal complex before them. 

“Aa. Well yeah. This looks interesting.” At his core Sasuke could sense that something was off. An odd air of foreboding chilled him now. Is she really alright?... Am I?

Suppressing their thoughts Sasuke and Sakura headed to the Sansukumi Casino and crossed the threshold. 

“Shannaro!” Sakura bellowed, hours later, as the couple once more strolled along Suna’s strip, her excitement spicing the air around her. “Twenty thousand dollars! Thanks to those three slugs in the slots! Can you believe it, anata?”

 “Impressive, Sakura,” Sasuke noted, his eyes closed as he formed his signature smirk. 

“Didn’t have anything to do with this, did it?” Sasuke then teased, his finger playfully flicking his wife’s hanging aventurine crystal earring. “Hmm?” 

“Aa, well, um you see... those slots were rigged anyway... and...” Sakura’s words stuck in her throat as a red blush once more graced her features. Finally, she conceded. 

“How did you know, Sasuke?”

“Aha. Well as you said...” Sasuke now had her where he wanted her. 

“My wife’s a witch...”

“And?” 

“And I had to study up.”

“I see.”

“And I was getting tired of spoiling her by compelling people so maybe now she can support us with her winnings.” Sasuke was now winking as he smirked at Sakura.

“Oh really? What a terrible husband I have.” Sakura surmised, now weaving her arms into her husband’s.

“Horrendous.” Sasuke teased.

“Oh Sasuke.” Sakura burst out giggling. 

She’s laughing. Good. 

To Sasuke, Sakura’s laughter felt like hundreds of cherry blossoms blooming in profusion around him, wrapping sweet fragrance around him. The pure delight and hearth he found in her happiness felt as though a lively spring sunshine was melting the glaciers that held him for so long.

 Vampires of the Uchiha were not supposed to love, they couldn’t. Yet here he was finally feeling, finally enjoying as he floated in the high of Sakura’s light. Maybe he was still paranoid after what happened with the Akatsuki. Maybe everything was okay. Sakura seemed fine. Maybe it was just me?

“Want a late lunch, Sasuke?” Sakura asked interrupting him. She was ready to sponsor with her winnings. “Anything you want!” 

“I had two blood bags before we left but if you want anything?” Sasuke snapped back, giving her all of his attention.

“Nope. I have everything I need right here” Sakura’s caress tightened as she said it while looking into Sasuke’s eyes.

Sakura still holding him, moments later continued. “I would like to see The Shukaku Sand Sanctuary though. It’s supposed to be the greatest sand garden on the planet!” The witch was now holding out a flyer she unfolded from her purse towards Sasuke. “I saw this flyer for the garden. I think Ino dropped this.”

“Ah...Okay then let’s go.”

Following a few unsuccessful taxi hails and Sasuke nearly resorting to compulsion, the duo finally found a driver in the form of a burly, almond-haired man, seemingly in his twenties as well. Sasuke’s only qualm, the driver ate as he drove and couldn’t shut up. How is Sakura so perky with these people all the damn time?!

Following half an hour of Choji- of course Sakura found out his name- yapping incessantly and having Sasuke seriously considering eating him, the couple arrived at The Shukaku Sand Sanctuary. 

The Shukaku sand garden was more awe inspiring than Sakura had ever imagined. Upon their arrival Sakura, and even the usually stoic Sasuke, paused to fully appreciate the image that took shape before them. 

Framing the acre wide estate were textured, beige bricks approximately seven feet high crowned with abstruse, ink-black wrought iron, further bolstering the height of the barricade. At the center, directly in front of the couple, lay the entrance: a wide double entrance gateway bent into the shape of a semi circle as if bursting, soaring beyond the surrounding iron fencing. Unique to this gateway, Sasuke noticed, were depictions in black iron of three orbs- moons he surmised- placed vertically from the top to the bottom of each of the two iron gates. Accompanying the moons were also intricate designs of wild vines, bloomed blossoms of cherry and plum along with an elegantly bent cursive ‘S’ split between the top of each of the two gates. ‘S’ no doubt for Shukaku, Sakura concluded, the guardian of ‘The Sand’ according to legend. 

The complexity of the exterior was only surpassed by the tranquility and simple beauty of the interior. As they crossed the threshold Sasuke and Sakura were met by a vast open space permeated by a smooth, resplendent lake of sand. The splendor of the sand was further enhanced by Suna’s fevered desert sun causing the sand to shimmer stars of silver, gold and yellow. Countless carefully carved ash-gray rocks stippled the landscape along with small shrubs and alabaster concrete benches. 

Perhaps most prominent among the lake of sand, were silvery rock carvings of figures too far to identify, even with Sasuke’s enhanced vision, which he assumed matched the two massive statues of noblemen at the sides of the entrance where the were. The boundary, leaning against the interior of the brick wall and hugging the garden took the form of a thin waterway snaking around the parameter. Sasuke could have sworn that he saw a quaint Japanese styled temple at the edge of the garden directly at their anterior, at the edge of the compound. 

“Since when are rock and sand gardens this large though?” Sakura inquired, still examining the compound. “Aren’t they supposed to be tiny and simple?”

“Just like everything else in Suna it seems it’s flashier than the gardens of the East.” Sasuke added on, though he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was askew. That piercing chill he’d come to trust was gnawing at him. 

“It really seems off. Not the design, which seems to incorporate standard Western park features but something else.” Sakura’s sharp mind was already engaged. “It almost feels like we’re intruding in someone’s personal space, there’s no spiritual power her but this is a sand garden!... and where are the other visitors?”

“There are none, Sakura...”

“What? Sasuke...”

Before Sakura could finish, her words were drowned out. The mystery was solved.

“What the...?!” Sakura exclaimed as she turned and crossed her arms before her face, meeting the strength of the gale with her own body.  As Sakura spoke a raging storm of wind exploded into the couple from behind them, attempting to hurl them across the compound. 

Not this time! 

As the wind met their frames Sakura, prepared unlike her time with the Akatsuki, met the force head on with magic steeling her body and fixing her in place. Shannaro!  When she fought the Akatsuki the past Sakura had been tossed around like a rag doll and one thing was for certain. She was never allowing herself to be treated like that again. 

Sasuke, his aura cloaking him in an aurora of black tinged with ice blue spirals, weathered the assault. Sasuke could feel the power and precision behind the gust of wind. As a fellow user of this power and a vampire with enhanced senses Sasuke knew exactly where this came from, or rather who was eyeing them right now. Instead of being hurled meters away, both Sasuke and Sakura were merely nudged as they turned meeting the windstorm.

 “Sakura, you’re not hurt are you?” He finally said as the winds died. 

“No I’m fine.” 

“Fine? I guess I didn’t do my job properly then,” a woman’s voice hissed as two figures materialized in front of the iron gates. “I’ll be sure to remedy this soon though.”  In front of Sasuke and Sakura new enemies emerged from a whirlwind of golden sand. 

“Gaara! Temari!” Sasuke shouted, anger and hazard simultaneously lacing each word as he clenched his fists. Birthed from a cocoon of sand were two figures, vampires, Sakura concluded from Sasuke’s outburst. A man and a woman.

 The woman, Temari, Sakura guessed gazed at them with intense, teal eyes as she spoke. Her sandy blond hair was styled into four consecutive pig tails and she wore a jet black short sleeved kimono that reached her legs with slits at the sides showing off her toned legs. Her kimono was held by a lengthy scarlet sash tied tightly while she played with a Japanese war fan through her black finger less gloves. Regardless, what disturbed Sakura most of all was the calculative and icy expression she wore. This woman would kill them both without question and judging from the level of miasma she exuded, she was powerful enough to do it

“Gaara... you...” Sasuke started as he stared at the man before him. 

Gaara, a vampire noble like Sasuke now radiated more darkness, more hate than Sasuke had remembered. Sasuke had always sensed his ferocity even as a child but now, as the auburn haired vampire prince stood before him, even Sasuke Uchiha felt the sting of unease, a frosty wind against him.

 As all nobles, Gaara exuded an air of kingship and authority which pierced forth from his teal eyes, eyes held by deep rings of black that contrasted the pallor of his stoic features. Despite his unruly, spiked hair, as Suna’s clan head he wore his clan’s traditional long-sleeved crimson coat paired with full-length charcoal trousers. Two belts covered his coat along with a single strap fixing the clan’s traditional grey vest in place. Temari was cunning and ruthless however for Sasuke, Gaara, her brother was the real threat to him and to Sakura. Before Sasuke could complete his utterance, the man began.

“I was not supposed to be here?” His voice was calm, lacking any emotion. From his tone neither anger nor excitement could be felt. “The vampires you probed thought I wasn’t.... Next time you should compel people higher up on the chain of command, Sasuke.”

A bitter chill ran up Sasuke’s spine as Gaara spoke. 

A trap?! No! We were careful! 

But I should have known. 

The three moons, Temari’s fan! 

S... Sand Siblings! 

Sakura... 

Yes, Sakura. Despite his shock Sasuke had to compose himself. Sakura needed him. He would not lose anyone precious to him. As her husband, as her love Sasuke had to be resolute, he had to steel himself and eliminate whatever, whoever threatened his family. As Sasuke drew closer to her, Sakura heard his voice.

“Sakura. Let’s fight!” 

“Uh-hum!”

“Temari attack!”

“Yes Gaara!”

No sooner had the words had parted with Sakura’s lips than the vampires’ assault began. In the face of her prey, with her psionic power bursting in the form of a deep teal aura and her war fan branching out as it waved, Temari summoned forth a violent gale that kicked up sand in its wake, easily outclassing her prior storm. It was as if the wind was her puppet, dancing to her will.

Adding to the chaos, while Temari’s storm raged, Gaara too began to move. With his right arm extended Gaara, now outlined in an aura of gold tainted with stygian strands of power, let lose a storm of his own. Springing from beneath him, as if forced out by his matching aura, was the very sand at his feet. Tendrils of gleaming sand and dust wrapped around the vampire before amassing into a massive drill- like cyclone and hurling into Sasuke and Sakura. Mid-way on their path Sasuke could see just how Temari’s whirlwind met with Gaara’s sandstorm, bolstering it and thus birthing a sandstorm of even greater power and speed. Convergence?!

“Sakura!”

“On it!”

Moments before the cyclone would crash into them, Sakura made her move, her bindi now alight with violet energy. With her right arm outstretched and her left caressing the black tourmaline crystals on her choker, Sakura invoked the armament of her white magic. Similar to her battle against Pein, Sakura resorted to turning to the black tourmaline crystal, a crystal of protection, for power. Contrasting against the onyx of her choker and the deep scarlet of her nails, wisps of pristine, white mist bloomed from her choker and simultaneously from her outstretched palm.

“Protect!”

As if heeding her command the bone- white smoke covering her palm shot forward and took the form of a massive screen of solid mist and smoke, seconds before the vampires’ sandstorm crashed. Instead of skewering Sakura and her husband, the dust storm exploded onto the solid white barrier causing thunderous booming and blinding light to be spilled throughout the garden. When the eruption died only Sakura’s shield remained, weakening but still holding. Oddly enough this was much to the amusement of her attackers. 

“Sasuke I got your back! Go!”

“Hmm.”

Still sheltered behind the barrier it was Sasuke’s turn to act. Before giving his enemies a chance to strike once more the vampire prince summoned forth his own vampiric power as his eyes blazed scarlet and his fangs extended, ready for prey. Revolutions of inky black power, tinged with glacial blue locks of energy now engulfed Sasuke, surrounding him. Instantly, as summoned, his aura then extended, sending whips of black power directly at Gaara and Temari. 

“Pathetic,” Temari sighed, readying one more swing of her war fan. 

“Indeed.” Gaara agreed as his arm was once more at his front.

“What?!” 

Before Sasuke’s power smashed, the duo was caught off guard. Stars of blazing fuchsia energy in the form of spheres instantly bullet-ed out from behind the barrier and exploded into the siblings, outpacing Sasuke’s tendrils and their attacks. 

Did he slow down his attack on purpose?! Even Gaara was alarmed.

Gaara and Temari were sent flying. Yet they were still in jeopardy as mid air Sasuke’s attack weaved through the air as if waiting for the explosion and finally caught up to them. Once more the stillness of the desert air was ripped apart by the thunderous crashing of their powers when Sasuke’s psionic attack connected, forming a brilliant explosion of murky, flame-like energy where the siblings landed near the gate. The siblings were beaten. Or were they.

Sakura and Sasuke looked on and what they saw alarmed them. Sasuke’s black flame-like power was parting along with the clouds of smoke and sand that hid the siblings. From the center a new image took form; a sphere of air tight aureate sand, no doubt enclosing the vampires and shielding them from Sasuke’s psychic onslaught. 

“How can they do that?” Sakura failed to grasp how these vampires’ powers functioned and as she readied herself for another attack she continued. “That’s not how your powers work. That’s not how Pein’s worked.”

“The Sand Siblings have totally mastered the telekinesis aspect of our power, Sakura.” Sasuke related, uncharacteristic worry now bursting from his words.

   “Even I can’t replicate it. Gaara controls each grain of sand with his power, compelling it and Temari... she pushes and pulls the wind itself with her mind. That ridiculous fan is really for concentration. They don’t use raw psionic energy as much... and Sakura...each of them is stronger than Pein.”

“ Sasuke...” Sakura once more was at his side, a reassuring smile now displayed on her face. “So are we.” 

“Yeah...” How could Sasuke be so blind? Sakura was right. They were stronger than Pein and together, Sakura and him could beat anybody. Such was their strength and the power of their feelings for one another. But despite his profound faith in their power together, an innermost fear still clung to Sasuke’s heart. What if they weren’t? What if Sakura died today? 

“Sasuke. I told you. We are stronger and we will win!” Sasuke never could conceal anything from Sakura and now that she was his wife he was ardently sure that this was just the beginning of it.   

Certainly, Sakura was right. In the months since Pein and the Akatsuki’s assault and the couple barely snatching their victory, both Sasuke and Sakura had no choice but to train. Sakura, hating how helpless she was at one point in the fight, studied arduously to master new spells and perfect her old ones. The young witch even created a new style of magic: imbuing magic into her limbs and body for strength and aegis, a power she used to weather Temari’s initial windstorm moments before. 

 Sasuke, the proud vampire prince, despised the fact that he couldn’t protect Sakura properly. He was weak and he knew it. Never again, he resolved and from this regret a passion was born. In the months since their escape Sasuke honed his vampiric power daily. Telekinesis, telepathy, psionic power manipulation, he pushed them all, beyond their limits. Sasuke was leagues beyond his former self, the pathetic vampire prince who nearly lost to Pein, and despite Gaara and Temari’s new power, he was not going to lose. 

“Hmm. You’re right....thank you for reminding me.” Sasuke agreed moments later, once more recollecting the path taken since leaving Leaf City. “...and you’re also the strongest one here right now since just as myself, those two are without moonlight and darkness....But Sakura...”

“Yes?”

“We have to beat them before the third sibling arrives.”

Upon hearing Sasuke’s words, Sakura’s confidence temporarily dimmed a bit. A third?! We need to end this quick! “Sasuke. The link!” the white witch exclaimed as she gathered her energy while Gaara and Temari were freed from their cocoon. “Ah.” Was Sasuke’s only response. He had to control his aura for what came next. 

Once freed from their cocoon of sand the siblings wasted no time in their retaliation. As the orb of sand broke open Gaara, his eyes now lit with power; an unstable golden aura cloaking him let out his attack. With both arms outstretched he ordered tonnes of sand before him to take shape. 

“Sand Serpents!”

Bending, snaking as it erupted, several massive tentacles of sparkling sand burst forth from the ground and launched straight at the couple. 

Temari was no different. With her aura of bright teal crackling around her, her eyes lit and fangs outstretched she violently waved her fan, constantly and without rest. Birthed from her motion, Sasuke could sense, were countless slashes; blades of wind like pure white crescent moons launching towards the couple in a wild bombardment. 

“Lunar beheading dance!” she hollered as her attack was sent. 

In the past the white witch would have been overwhelmed but not now. Sakura, though impressed by her attackers’ skill, would not be outdone. Such was her courage, her determination. Simultaneously, as the siblings launched their attacks, Sakura too readied her counter knowing fully well that Sasuke needed no consultation. 

In the face of their powers Sakura once more called upon her white magic: weaving her signature hand seal, her left thumb on top and her hands clasped together vertically. With this her bindi shone a star of dazzling amethyst while a pristine wind twisted around her. A new spell, a potent enchantment had now been invoked. 

“Shikkotsu Deep Forest Emergence!” Sakura cried causing a rippled of white light to leave her body and imbue itself into the sand before her. Gaara’s tendrils could not reach her, for seconds later his sand was met with the tremendous force of her own weapon. As commanded by the Shikkotsu witch dozens of thick cherry blossom trees bloomed into existence to meet Gaara’s sand head on. The gold of Gaara’s sand was punctuated by the earthen brown and roseate of Sakura’s cherry blossom trees as tendrils of sand were smashed by the lashing of sakura trees and vice versa in a battle for dominance for the field. 

Shannaro! If only I could stab him in the heart with a branch! 

Sasuke, without paying heed to Sakura’s fight, invoked his power against Temari’s scythe-like wind attack. By the time the vampiress whipped the wind Sasuke, his aura manifesting its characteristic twister of pitch black with streaks of blue, ascended his vampiric power to its zenith. Springing from his whirlpool of psychic power, while his eyes flared scarlet, were veins of onyx, no different from Gaara’s sand tendrils and Sakura’s winding trees. Alas, Sasuke’s ability contrasted those powers significantly. Sasuke’s lines of black energy arrowed towards Temari but as opposed to meeting her blades of wind head on they twisted about the field haphazardly, totally evading her assault leading to Temari’s blades all cutting into Sasuke’s cloak of energy.

The fool missed me! He’s mine! Temari’s victory was ensured. Or so she was led to believe.

While Sasuke’s shield of energy was being whittled away the young Uchiha kept his focus, his focus on Temari.  By the time the vampire realized what took place it was too late. Sasuke, his aura now weakened significantly, willed the whips of black power, redirecting them to return to Temari’s side with each tendril drilling into her temples as she flew back, crashing into the wrought iron fencing at the front. The vampiress had no time to react as Sasuke’s attack took place in the blink of an eye. Such was his skill.

“Gaaah!” Temari was now shrieking while she wretched on the ground clasping her temples. Sasuke had cornered her and with Gaara kept at bay by Sakura’s attacks, Sasuke was sure of his victory. 

Go to sleep Temari. I command you!

Sasuke’s message was burning through her mind, dimming her aura in the process. Sasuke knew that it was only a matter of seconds before he would have her out cold. Even a vampire of Temari’s power, power that currently could rival Sasuke himself, would be out long enough for Sasuke to end it. 

Go to sleep!

Seconds passed by before it happened. Temari fell to the ground, limp and unconscious. As this happened a mischievous smirk appeared across Sasuke face, a stark contrast to his smirks with his wife. Such was his nature as a warrior, as a hunter and as an Uchiha. 

“Shit Temari!” Gaara, still in his conflict with Sakura, finally showed some emotion. He was irritated. In the seconds he focused on Sakura Temari had lost against Sasuke. He had to end this quickly. He knew it. But how? 

“You’re not going anywhere!” Sakura shouted. “Shannaro!” With that Gaara’s fate was all but sealed. Gradually, Gaara had noticed that Sakura’s trees were overpowering his tendrils of sand and now he was sure of it. Sakura was stronger. As he struggled to keep Sakura’s wild forest at bay, Gaara was dealt another shock. While ribbon-ing through the air Sakura’s branches had not only kept him back but had picked up a passenger. Sasuke. 

“How are they doing this? Ridiculous! I sense no telepathic communication.” Even Gaara, the all powerful vampire prince, was dismayed upon witnessing the couple’s combined efforts. “How does he know where the branches are? Can he see such fast moving objects? No! Impossible!”

In her final move, Gaara realised, Sakura let loose all of her rage and inhibitions as she commanded her forest to branch out, where Sasuke his frame cloaked in vampiric power and his claws outstretched, jumped on. From Sakura’s flailing trees Sasuke kicked off, he was launched off by Sakura and was now speeding, soaring through the sky like an eagle waiting for prey. His awesome vampire speed was bolstered by the force of Sakura’s throw.

 It was beyond Gaara’s reaction time, especially now. While launching Sasuke, Sakura with her bindi’s light growing let loose a Hydra of fully bloomed Sakura trees with new trees springing from the ground simultaneously. In the face of such an onslaught Gaara’s sand pillars were smashed and before they could be reformed, so was he.

 While failing to keep Sakura’s trees at bay Gaara could not properly avoid Sasuke’s plunge. Sasuke, his arms black as night, wrapped in vampiric power as his claws branched out, had finally succeeded in his attack. When Sakura’s trees removed all pillars of sand from the vicinity Sasuke pierced Gaara’s chest, barely missing his heart. 

Several branches crashed into Gaara’s gut and sent him hurling into the entrance gate before Sasuke jumped back meeting Sakura. “Shannaro!” Sakura yelled once more as she ended the fight with the remainder of her sacred forest flourishing and ramming into Gaara and even Temari. Sakura trees were now pinning the duo to the wrought iron at the front. 

We did it, Sasuke! The link worked!

Sakura, yeah we won.

They didn’t think we could communicate without words or psychic messaging but ... Oh Sasuke! We won! You’re safe!

Hmm. Sakura so are you.

Even in the midst of battle or rather due to the risk of said battle, Sakura and Sasuke couldn’t resist the yearning and appreciation that characterised their relationship. Knowing that they could have lost one another, knowing that they were safe and this fear would not be realized Sakura felt as if a stinging fire was doused and cooled within her. Sasuke, grateful that his bride was safe could only bask in their victory and joy. 

Their plan was successful. Gaara was right. There was no telepathic communication during the battle...or at least any that he could detect. Months since their battle with Pein and Sasuke drinking from Sakura, the pair realized that something had changed with them; between them. The bond that was forged as they shared their minds, their very souls on that night had lingered and now the couple could tap into this link whenever and wherever with no exertion of magic or compulsion. Naturally, this livened their already passionate episodes at home, though, there was another use for this bond. 

The couple could now phase into one another’s mind if need be and communicate without fear of detection. Sasuke likened it to speaking on a different frequency that was moot to the ears of others, even other psychic users. This was their trump card and it worked brilliantly. 

Sakura now looked on as Sasuke rushed Temari and Gaara both pinned to the barricade, while gripping a wooden stake no doubt supplied by Sakura. It was time to stake them or forever be on the run from these two as well.  

“I couldn’t stake you during the fight but now that you’re trapped...” Sasuke was inches away, racing towards his victory. 

“I can’t believe Leaf vampires and witches are putting Suna to shame like this.... Dance of One Hundred Puppets!” 

Following this command echoes of what seemed like gunshots thundered leaving Sasuke lying injured on the ground. He was mere feet away from Gaara. He was bleeding, Sakura could see it from where she stood. Not only that but his attacker, the voice they had heard in the last minute could now be seen as well, crossing the threshold of the gates. 

“Ino?!”

What is going on? Ino? Is she a vampire too? No. As Sakura looked on in horror at her husband bleeding on the ground it all became clear to the witch. Who?

Sasuke, wretched on the ground, gripping his gut while he extracted the bullets that pierced him. He was shot by the young girl. That girl? “Kankuro!” Sasuke was coughing now, glaring at Ino and her companion. “You will pay for that.”

In the background standing behind the young girl, his right arm wrapped over Ino’s shoulder was a young man. Kankuro of The Sand Siblings. Beyond him several people, humans, could be seen at the entrance of the gates as if awaiting their signal to move. Each person, Sasuke saw, held weapons of their own: pistols.

Kankuro was the strangest of the siblings, Sakura thought. He wore a long top and trousers, black, inky- black in colour slashed by the deep crimson of the sash that held his waist. Perhaps what seemed the strangest was his face. Kankuro wore a hood that matched his ensemble with protruding cat-like ears atop while lines of rich mauve raced across his exposed features in a pattern unknown to the witch.  Sakura likened his appearance to that of traditional bunraku puppeteers from their ancestral land as she examined him, the vampire who just like his siblings radiated nothing by power and blood lust. 

 “Good job, Ino. Hmm... now how about you just stand there and look pretty? I’ll take it from here,” Kankuro gently instructed as he gripped Ino’s left arm, gently caressing it as she held her sterling silver pistol.

 Kankuro was in control of the situation and this was a fact Sasuke had to accept. Sakura, repulsed by what she was seeing- this man controlling this girl- was already thinking of her next move. As Kankuro strolled towards his siblings, Sakura pounced. 

Imbuing her legs with magic, the same technique she had used to endure Temari’s storm before, Sakura raced off with augmented speed the likes of Sasuke’s. Swiftly and expertly the white witch met her husband, swinging her heel at Kankuro as she did so.

While reaching for Sasuke, Sakura’s high heeled gladiator on her right leg shot out, revealing itself to be a elongated, spear- like stake, and bulleted forcefully at the vampire. For a split second Kakuro seemed taken by surprise before regaining his composure. “Pathetic.” 

Sakura and Sasuke both looked on in horror as Kankuro avoided her stake. Naturally as a pure blooded vampire he could have managed a psychic shield or stealthy evasion, Sakura thought, but what Kankuro chose to do was both abhorrent and unnecessary. At the twitch of his fingers Kankuro created a shield for himself, a human shield. 

Dashing in front of the vampire before Sakura’s attacked fired, as if Kankuro foresaw her retaliation, were Kankuro’s puppets and before Sakura’s attack could meet its target, her stake buried itself into the chest of a young man. He looked no older than fifteen, Sakura concluded. He died on the spot. 

“Monster!” Sakura’s emotions were out of control. “What is human life to you anyway? Does it mean nothing?!”

 Kankuro simply laughed while he continued his stroll towards his siblings. “Nope.” Before Sakura, Sasuke now in her arms could pull of her retreat, bullets rained down upon them.

“Aaaah!”

Sakura’s screams lit the sand garden ablaze as countless silver bullets met her back while she shielded Sasuke.. Tightly, strongly she gripped his back, her husband’s face buried in her chest as she sought to endure it all. “Sasuke...” In the face of the assault Sakura’s love and protection covered Sasuke. After all this was the love of her life. He was her husband. Sakura was willing to take on any pain and sacrifice her very life for him. 

 Ice ran down Sasuke’s spine as he, still recovering from the bullets embedded within him, looked on in terror while Sakura shielded him with her very body.  “Sakura no! Sakura stop it!”

 Alas, his words held no power. Sakura was sacrificing herself for him. Sakura! No! Immeasurable fear washed over Sasuke, completely shaking him. Sakura will die if she keeps this up. His wife was in danger and he couldn’t do anything to save her. Panic seized his heart as he struggled, Sasuke couldn’t communicate with Sakura mentally anymore. The link was weakening. Sakura was too weak, too shaken to respond to him. 

Sasuke didn’t care about dying. Sakura had to be saved. As he looked up at Sakura, her expression marred with pain and her body flailing against the tremor of the bullets, Sasuke gritted his teeth while trying to shake free of the effects of his injuries. 

These bullets must be coated with Jichinsai, Holy Sake! Shit!

Desperately he forced, as if attempting to will his vampire regeneration into overdrive, to pull the noxious bullets out. Gradually he gathered the scraps of power he could manifest in this state as Sakura still clung to him.  Then with all his attention needled into his move, Sasuke called upon his compulsion one last time. 

Kankuro paid no attention to the couple when it happened. While attempting to free his siblings in the midst of Ino and the others’ assault the vampire was blind to the glint of power Sasuke summoned. 

“Sakura!” Sasuke’s voice boomed as he grabbed his wife and spun her around, his arms now sheltering her. Sasuke and Sakura were now cloaked in a thin veil of onyx and azure streaks of psychic power, remnants of Sasuke’s last ditch invocation. Guarding them from each bullet that pinged against it,the curtain of power doubled as a weapon. 

When each bullet met the veil, Sasuke claimed them just as he had, Sakura surmised, extracted the bullets from within his body and held them with his compulsion mid-air. Now with the forceful wave of his free, left arm Sasuke sent the bullets dancing across the field and into his opponents. 

Of the dozen people that faced them, Sasuke was able to take out nine, of course aiming for their legs to avoid fatality. The holy sake would nullify Kankuro’s hold on them, Sasuke deduced, as he studied the scene before him. Ino and two others, probably at Kankuro’s willing, were however able to avoid injury. 

“Sa...Sasuke... I’m fine,” Sakura coughed, still shaky from her episode. “I managed an armament enchantment with the little magic I mustered at that time.” Despite her assurance, Sakura could feel her husband’s tight grip remain. He wouldn’t let go. 

“Sasuke I’m fine, really. But I couldn’t stop him. I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay Sakura,” Sasuke gently whispered as his wounds still regenerated. “But maybe we still can stop him.” 

“Yes!” 

“No.” Kankuro announced, now in front of his siblings still pinned. Kankuro now revealed his power. As Sasuke and Sakura stood now facing their enemy Kankuro invoking his psionic power was now wrapped in his own aura of deep purple. “Dance of One Hundred Puppets!” 

As the vampire called out his power Sakura couldn’t fathom what was happening. Silvery grey statues, the height of the wrought iron barricades, were enlivened; moving towards Kankuro only to stand at his sides thereafter. 

“Shit!” Sakura could hear the panic that dripped from her husband’s voice. 

“Kankuro ‘The Puppet Master’. This is his power. He can control any person with his compulsion and any ‘puppet’ with his telekinesis.” Sasuke was now peering at the two giants before him, statues of former clan leaders no doubt that were now protecting Kankuro. 

“What are these siblings?!” 

“He’s just as strong as Temari, Sakura... Be careful.” 

Moments later, a new conflict ensued. While one statue freed Temari and Gaara from the branches that held them, despite Kankuro’s attempts with vampiric strength, the other charged at Sasuke and Sakura with astonishingly great speed and force. There was no time to cast any spells or invoke substantial power, the couple each concluded. This was a close ranged brawl. 

As the statue swept it’s massive arms across the field Sakura and Sasuke with their vampiric reflexes and bolstered strength, respectively, leaped and evaded the behemoth. “Shannaro!” Sakura screamed as she jumped and transitioned gracefully from evasion to her attack. Gathering, weaving and controlling her magical energy the witch, who had been training with her husband for months in the art of hand to hand combat, went in. As Sakura descended her heal swung downward as if a meteor of white magical energy was impacting the garden, crashing into the statue’s head and felling it. 

“Hmm!” Sakura’s work was done and now Sasuke took control of the battle. Their blood bond was once more activated and Sasuke knew exactly what to do. As the statue fell Sasuke, all of his body’s monstrous vampiric strength concentrated into his right fist, sunk his fist into the statue hurling it forcefully into the wrought iron where it crashed onto the road beyond the garden. With the bullets gone and Kankuro focused on his siblings Sasuke was able to finally regain his strength before facing the statue. 

Alas, their victory was short lived as Kankuro was unaffected by this development. While the statue lay ruined outside Sasuke and Sakura struggled to comprehend what they were witnessing. There, Gaara and Temari sat as Kankuro looked on. They were feeding. 

“Kankuro!” Raged exploded from Sasuke’s holler at this point. Once more they were tricked, distracted and outmatched. Already exhausted from their fight the couple engaged that statue and now this? 

“No....” The pain of seeing the lifeless corpses in the vampires’ arms was too much for the young witch to bear. Sakura now gritted her teeth through her disdain and anguish. “That bastard. Did... did he bring those brainwashed people here with Ino as food?”

“Indeed he did.” Kankuro chuckled as he waved his arms, showing off his handy work. “I am the puppet master and these are my puppets...” he was now pointing at the two limp bodies that were lying next to Gaara and Temari, the siblings still savoring the elixir that was fresh blood warm from the vein.

 “Don’t worry. This cutie is mine.” The vampire shifted his attention to Ino who stood mesmerized before him. “I had to use a lot of power to gather these guys and save your asses, Temari, Gaara. I want to feed too.”

“Let her go you bastard!” Sakura was enraged and now her voice boomed with passion and panic intertwined. “Ino!” Sakura had only just met the girl and had barely spoken two words to her but she could let her die here, not like this. Sakura felt it was her duty to protect this girl especially since she couldn’t save those people on the ground from these vampires. 

“Sakura...” There was nothing Sasuke could say. Sasuke knew how his wife felt even without their bond. Compassion and love, appreciation for life and its fragility, this was who Sakura was. No one treasured life like Sakura, that’s the kind and sweet girl she was. Nevertheless, Sasuke also knew what had to be done.

“Tch. Do whatever you want, fool.” Gaara had risen and so had Temari. Brushing off their robes the duo joined their brother as the three siblings readied themselves to finally do away with the pests that stood before them. 

Sakura!

Yes! 

Once more Gaara and Temari flared their auras of vampiric power setting the sand beneath them on fire with sparkles of white and gold. There powers were restored and it was as if they had never fought Sasuke and Sakura. Bathed in their signature auras of teal and bright amber, with Temari’s fan swung and Gaara’s arm outstretched,the siblings called forth another sandstorm in their convergence. 

“Power of nature

Purity of the Shikkotsu

I beseech thee

Protect!”

As was the case in their struggle against the Akatsuki, Sasuke and Sakura were forced to resort to their ace. Snatching her choker and sinking it into the soft sand beneath her, Sakura recited her enchantment and invoked her ultimate defensive spell. Through combining her white magic with the power of her black tourmaline crystals, Sakura Uchiha, once more summoned her maelstrom of ivory mist which set itself in the form of a protective dome. 

Sasuke had to feed on her to multiply his vampiric power beyond that of his three enemies and he had to do so immediately. The proud Uchiha hated himself for having to resort to such a method, relying on his wife’s blood as opposed to his own skill and power but Sakura’s and his life depended on it. Resolved to finish this quickly, Sasuke gently held Sakura in his arms as she bore her neck out for him like she had done on that night. Carefully he rested his lips upon her smooth neck, kissing her rich blue veins as his outstretched fangs penetrated her. 

Sakura quivered, her arms now wrapped around her husband as the same sweet bliss she had experienced that night, and several nights later on when the shared blood, burst within her. 

“S...Sasukeeeh...”

Despite the circumstances and Sakura’s wounded pride for needing such a trick for their victory regardless all of their training, the potency of their bond and the sharing that was beginning, completely engulfed her. Sakura hated to admit it but part of her relished that it had come to this and her veins ached for Sasuke to breach them and drink from them as he was now doing. Sakura could sense Sasuke smiling as he realised this through their bond.

Sasuke...

Sakura...

This was it. There was no power Gaara, Temari and Kankuro could summon to combat Sasuke’s own when doped with Sakura’s blood as a white witch of the Shikkotsu. Sasuke, in that form, radiated a beacon of vampiric energy fueled by Sakura’s blood, her warmth, her love that could fell an enemy. He would be as strong as ten Sand Siblings or greater and this was the key to certain victory. Only a few moments and Sasuke and Sakura’s bond would guarantee their victory over the vampires that meant to kill them. 

Victory was so close and as the vibrant feelings of love, excitement and hearth that were aspects of their blood sharing thrummed within their minds. Sasuke and Sakura both could feel a flood of cool, relief and security immersing them.  

Sasuke! Yes! 

Sakura! Almost! 

“Aaaaah!”

“Ugh!”

Sheltered within their dome of pure mist Sasuke and Sakura had nonetheless failed.  

The last thing Sasuke could recall was him starting to drink from Sakura and the deluge of emotions and light that overcame him as their bond was activated before being attacked. Now, with him and his wife scattered haphazardly across the field torn apart from one another, details of what occurred rushed to him. As Sasuke began drinking pulled tightly by Sakura who was wrapping her arms around him, an explosion power erupted beneath them, an explosion of sand. 

Shit! Realization dawned on the vampire prince. Gaara managed to attack them from underground, within Sakura’s barrier. They didn’t think about that possibility. Sasuke didn’t think of it. How could he be so careless. How could he fail so terribly. He couldn’t protect Sakura. Sakura?! 

Sasuke was now frantically searching for Sakura and after a few seconds was calmed. A few meters to his right lay Sakura. Her eyes closed as she groaned, caressing her forehead while propping herself up. “Sakura you’re okay aren’t you? I’m not feeling any serious pain from you so...”

“Yes Sasuke. I am fine,” Her palm still placed upon her forehead, the witch responded. 

“ Those bastards! He set his power into the sand before my barrier was activated so, like you, it remained despite the barrier barring vampiric energy from the... aaaah!”

“Ugh!”

Fiercely as Sakura and Sasuke composed themselves, another attack struck. Tentacles of resplendent sand as thick and oaks wove around the couple and raised them both several feet in the air. Kicking and flailing, husband and wife could do nothing. 

“You two aren’t bright very bright are you?” Temari was gloating, her smile hidden behind her fan. “We know how you beat Pein. We’re not stupid... well two of use aren’t...” Her eyes now shot at Kankuro. 

“Temari...” Kankuro irritably responded as he prepared to feed on Ino, the young woman wrapped in his arms.

“Silence!” Gaara boomed, letting everyone, Sasuke and Sakura included, know who was in charge here. His right arm was once more outstretched, willing his tendrils to seal his victims’ movements. On his proclamation, his siblings quieted. 

While Sasuke and Sakura were squeezed, Gaara with a clenching fist began his tirade. “You Uchiha can never leave other clans alone. After I kill you I will take great pleasure in handing you over to that tyrannical geezer, Madara!” 

Sasuke, pressured by his grip, could sense a tinge of resentment in the stoic clan head’s voice. Of course the Uchiha were the strongest vampire clan and as such and with Madara in charge, they would coax and sometimes intimidate even other powerful noble clans. The Sand was one such clan. 

“Hmm” Sasuke smirked with closed eyes. “Careful Gaara, wouldn’t want that statement to go back to Madara, now would you?”

“You dare, Sasuke?!” Even Gaara’s usual expressionless face slightly reddened with outrage and his fist clenched further. 

“Gaah!” Sasuke’s cries were peppering the still desert air while the pillar of sand compressed against his rib cage. 

“Bastards! Leave him alone!” Sakura’s fury at this point knew no limit. Radiant stars of fuchsia now blossomed around her, surely birthed from her rage. “Aaaaaaah!”

“I said silence!” Gaara’s voice again drowned everyone and everything out, sand tightening around Sakura’s chest and stomach. Her stars of power now dissipated. If not for her channeling magic into her frame, she’d have been killed for sure. 

“Sakura Petal Storm was it?” Temari commented, ignoring her younger brother’s order. “You actually managed to force it out for a moment... sort of... I told you, we know all about your fight with Pein.”

“Sakura!” Sasuke coughed out still trapped and helpless. 

“Time to die.” Gaara’s stoic voice interrupted once more. 

“No Kankuro!”

Temari was screaming and Gaara halted his final strike as a result. What they witnessed left the siblings stunned. In that moment Sasuke and Sakura, dangling, were of no importance. Only Kankuro caught their attention and the attention of Sasuke and Sakura as well. Only Kankuro and Ino.

Standing before Kankuro was Ino, or at least Sakura thought it was Ino. The blonde woman, seemingly before Kankuro could sink his fangs into her neck, held Kankuro’s own neck in her arm. Kankuro, a pure blooded vampire prince, was trapped, gagging and coughing in her grip. Sakura could see the vampire’s legs swinging as he dangled off the ground. Ino was lifting him. How? 

What the hell is that? Even Sasuke was at a loss. That blonde girl, Ino was handling a vampire prince as if he were a rag doll. Also her aura. What is that aura? Sasuke could not identify the spectacle before him. Ino was cloaked in a dense fog of translucent, crimson aura. Springing from the shroud were red-bubbles forming all around and dissipating into the air. Nine tail like extensions of the aura danced in the wind behind her. Ino’s eyes were slit, her nails and canines branching out like a beast’s. Was she a vampire, Sasuke pondered this but that aura was neither vampiric or witch-like. She was a totally different creature altogether. 

“You bastards have some nerve hurting Sakura chan!” Ino was reprimanding Kankuro at this point, her voice changing and taking on a masculine, grating tone.

  Did this person know Sakura? Who is she? Numerous questions pooled within Sasuke. Was Sakura hiding something? 

As she finished her speech, with Gaara and Temari speeding towards her, Sakura, bewildered, looked on. Ino had flung Kankuro into the wrought iron behind them while her ghost-like tails met Gaara and Temari’s frames, matching their vampiric speeds adeptly. The two of them joined Kankuro, sinking into the pitch black iron. 

With arms outstretched Ino, it seemed, channeled the red energy from her cloak of aura and short forth a solid orb of crimson charged with black bolts at the trio. Upon contact, against the black of the iron, translucent flames of red burst forth upon them vampires, no doubt trapping them. “Tailed beast bomb!”

Sasuke and Sakura were now freed and as the columns of sand tore apart Sasuke, gripping his wife bridal style on the ground, looked on in utter disbelief as Ino’s transformed. Ino was transforming, into a man.

Wrapped in wisps of ruby coloured mist Ino’s arms thickened, her cascading blonde hair receded into concise spikes, her rich green eyes were dyed azure and her features completely altered. From a stunning young woman Ino had transformed into a man of Sasuke’s physical age. Perhaps most astonishing were his cheeks, etched with whisker-like markings. In the revolution of her aura, Ino’s clothing also changed and the young woman, if she was indeed still a woman, now wore a deep fiery- orange hoodie with cobalt laces ,plain blue jeans and blue sneakers striped white. Across his forehead rested a matching cobalt headband with a symbol, the pattern of a leaf, emblazoned upon it in black outlines.  Wary, Sasuke still resting his arm around Sakura who was now standing, held eyes of burning crimson as he readied himself for a possible attack from this stranger. 

“Sakura do you know this person?” Sasuke’s inquiry was swift, his eyes never straying from the approaching man. 

“No. Not that I can remember.” Sakura struggled to identify this man. Honestly she could not remember this person but he said her name so he had to at least know of her. 

“He’s a werewolf, probably, Sakura. That would explain his power.”

“Hmm, not quite. Judging from his aura and his appearance I’d say he’s a kitsune, a fox spirit. They use pure, wild natural energy unlike the witches.” 

“They’re real?” Even Sasuke was shocked. There were no fox spirits in the West. He was sure of it. “Hmm I never met a kitsune.”

“It’s because they don’t live in the West at all. Even in the Eastern lands they are a recluse and rare species. Mistress Tsunade knows them though I’ve met them on occasion... Maybe he...”

“Hey!” The young man was waving at them as he jogged over. “Will you guys stop talking about me like I’m not coming over?” Sakura was slightly amused by his sunny disposition and child-like personality. It was a stark contrast from Sasuke’s which was calm, focused and mature. Sasuke, however, seemed distrusting with his eyes still fixed on the man. 

“To answer your questions guys. Yes I am a kitsune and Sakura chan, Granny Tsunade sent me to check up on you. She figured you’d run to Suna.” The man was now directly in front of the couple, smiling an radiating nothing but warmth and energy. “My name is Naruto!”

“Naruto?”

 “Sakura chan we played together three centuries ago when my tribe visited the Shikkotsu Woods for the Forest Festival, remember?” 

“Oh my God! I do know you. You were that short, goofy kid who played with us that night!” Sakura couldn’t believe she forgot about him. However in her defense, annually there are tonnes of festivals and this was hundreds of years ago.

“Enough of this.” Sasuke was angry and now grabbed Naruto’s collar. “We still have to deal with them...” his scarlet eyes pointed in Sakura’s direction. “And if you are on our side then why did you shoot at us, at Sakura?! Answer me you idiot!” 

“You bastard!” Naruto fiercely exclaimed, returning Sasuke’s anger with his own while grabbing Sasuke’s shirt. The two men glared into one another’s eyes. “As if I’d ever hurt Sakura chan on purpose! That bastard compelled me! I just broke free in the last minute! And Sakura chan was protected! ”

“Hmm. As if I’d believe that!”

“I don’t care what the hell you think!”

“Guys! Stop it!” Sakura’s voice was booming at this point, quelling the conflict as the words parted with her lips. The witch was now grabbing the men, ripping their arms off of one another. 

“Please, Sasuke. Leave him alone....” Sakura pleaded and caressed her husband’s face with her hands. Sasuke’s own expression softened as his scarlet eyes met Sakura’s resonant eyes lit with worry. “You said it yourself, we have to deal with Gaara and his siblings, didn’t you?” 

“Sakura....”

“It’s okay. Let’s deal with all this later.”

“Hey guys...” Naruto interrupted. “My fox fire’s dying. Let’s stake them before it does!” 

“Tch.” Sasuke still peeved responded. “Fine.” 

“You guys...” Sakura sighed “ whatever let’s do it.”

As flickers of ruby ‘tailed beast ball power’, as Naruto called it, danced in the desert wind, the newly formed trio prepared their final attacks. Moving in close was to risky so Sasuke decided that they go for a long ranged assault. 

Sasuke, his aura of black and icy blue once more alight across his body, compressed the aura of psychic power into his palms. Sasuke had been inspired from his fight with Pein months ago and now developed a new technique. Expertly and instantly compressing the power, Sasuke Uchiha now held the full concentration of his compulsion in his arms ready to fire. “Chidori!”

In tune with her husband Sakura simultaneously called upon reserves of her remaining white magic. In the past the young white witch recalled that she would have been done for at this point but now after months of training Sakura’s stamina was such that she still had reserves of magic to spare. If only my bindi were ready though..Okay not the time.. Halting her thoughts Sakura performed her enchantment. With her left thumb on top and her hands clasped together vertically as was the usual for the witch Sakura summoned her signature roseate stars of white magical power from the pure wind of light that now twisted in revolutions around her. “Sakura Petal Storm!” 

Naruto, now joining the couple, let loose his attack as well. Quite similarly to Sasuke, his new found rival, Naruto gathered the power of his now flaring aura. Pulling from the bubbling energy of scarlet, the young kitsune was able to compress his power into a spinning sphere of energy now dyed light-blue in its revolution. With his power spinning like a top Naruto’s arm reached back and he readied his throw. “Rasengan!”

The once calm sand garden was now blazing with sparks and the thundering of the trio’s powers. Sakura’s stars of fuchsia energy exploded in the direction of the siblings paralleled with Sasuke’s lightning bolt; his laser of onyx and azure psionic power and Naruto’s comet of blueish- white which shot across the garden, leaving behind streaks white energy.

What happened following this bombardment was beyond what Naruto, Sasuke or Sakura could ever anticipate. In a flash, in the wake of their three streaks of power, the witch, the vampire and the kitsune’s attacks were blocked. 

In the last minute, as each attack neared the siblings, a savage tornado was born. Adding on to this a soaring wall of golden sand erupted behind the windstorm which was itself reinforced by the frame of Kankuro’s cracked giant, now outlined in an aurora of deep violet. The siblings were still conscious and, worst of all, still able to fight. 

Against each defense the three powers weakened before bursting through only to die against the crumbling giant that was Kankuro’s statue. In the wake of all the smoke and rubble a rotating sphere of clean golden sand could be seen hovering. Gaara further protected himself and his siblings. 

“Sasuke! What...” Sakura was overcome with fear so much so that her thoughts jammed in her mind and struggled to escape her lips. For the umpteenth time these siblings had outmaneuvered them. This was vampire royalty just like Sasuke. Three nobles. Was she in over her head? Did all the training Sasuke and her endured been for naught? So many negative thoughts washed over the witch upon witnessing the vampire’s resurrection. Sasuke... There was a very real possibility that this time Sasuke would die. They would both die here and so would Naruto. 

“Shit.” Panic entered Sasuke’s bones and a bitter cold chilled him from the inside out. He really was weak, pathetic, unworthy. Sakura is in danger and after all this he still couldn’t pull off a victory. He failed to save her. They were both low on energy and power and from the looks of the three vampires escaping Gaara’s sand they still had power left. He couldn’t let his wife feel this though and thus calmly hid his feelings from their bond, instead replacing them solely with thoughts of the plan he was currently weaving in his mind. 

“Those bastards!” Naruto blurted out, breaking the couple’s thoughts. “I thought we had them there.” Gaara, Temari and Kankuro now stood on the sand beyond them their auras blazing teal, gold and violet against the sand. “Sakura chan, Sasuke, what do we do next? We have to kick their asses!”  

Naruto, despite their predicament, still held hope and a fire within him, Sakura noticed. This kitsune was not giving up. Upon his words Sakura could feel a faint smile bloom on her face as she held Sasuke’s shoulder. Sasuke, conversely, was even more irritated by the kitsune. That idiot. 

He was right though, Sasuke thought. He also couldn’t stand to see the kitsune so determined while he himself was wallowing. Hmm. A smirk naturally streaked across his stoic face. At least the idiot helped him snap out of it. Still, Sasuke felt a bit envious that Naruto’s bright personality brightened Sakura so and even affected him too. He was not going to be outdone by some idiotic mutt. This he promised himself as he intertwined his fingers into his wife’s and readied himself for their final stand. 

“So a kitsune joined in?” Gaara broke his silence as his siblings and himself invoked their psionic powers. “If two can’t work then try three? How simple.... Temari, Kankuro go!” 

On his command the siblings let loose their attacks. Twitching his fingers meticulously Kankuro summoned a statue once more, his second, untouched statue, while his violet aura outlined the puppet now readying its punch. Temari sprayed crescents of scythe like wind once more in the trio’s direction. Finally Gaara, the strongest of the three, let loose two sharp tendrils of sand, weaved into a nebula thus completing the vampire’s team up. 

Despite Sasuke’s chidori, Naruto’s rasengan and Sakura’s petal storm once more shooting out in response, the trio failed against the siblings’ might. Meeting each attack with their own, Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke could only repel them for seconds before the siblings, brimming with power and vitality from their feedings, splintered their powers away before sinking their own into the trio. 

In the wake of the great explosion birthed from the vampires’ flare of power Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto were sent flying about the garden of sand. As the chaotic clouds of sand and dark power died, Gaara and his siblings stood triumphantly while Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto lay defeated, spread out helplessly in the cushion of the sand. 

Sakura are you okay?! Sasuke’s thought wave was blaring at his wife as he steadied himself, struggling to wake himself from his defeat. A few meters off Sakura, herself clenching fistfuls of golden sand as she rose, replied. Damn! Yeah I’m fine, Sasuke. We lost. 

“Naruto! What about you?!” Sakura was now vocal once more as she peered to her far right at the kitsune spread flat on his stomach. “Okay Sakura chan! I’m hurt all over though... those idiots sure got us.”  

Ease and relief warmed Sakura’s heart as she realized her husband and even Naruto were okay, for now. However what could she do? Of all the fighters here she was now the weakest. Naruto didn’t exhaust himself as much as they had, the siblings fed already and even Sasuke got at least a mouthful of her energizing Shikkotsu blood in his system. Making matters worse, their best abilities were now being outclassed by the enemies. Guilt soon replaced the spark of relief as an ice cold frost blew against her, glaciating her once passionate spirit. We’re going to die because of me. Because I can’t help them any more. Naruto... Sasuke I’m sorry. 

Sakura enough. Sakura your magic is what made us reach this far in the first place. Sakura you saved me!

Unbeknownst to Sakura, her bond was still active and Sasuke felt her emotions as she herself experienced them. He never changes, Sakura thought to herself. Always the protector. Always supporting. As much as Sasuke treated her as an equal Sakura still appreciated how serious Sasuke took his role as her lover and friend. Sasuke always ensured that she was at her best, even when she may not feel it herself. Sasuke had always seen the value in her, even when she herself failed to do so. 

Sasuke....thank you. Sakura’s confidence was reignited and Sasuke could see and feel the zeal flicker in her smirk on her face and the ‘smirk’ warming her mind.

Hmm... Sasuke closed his eyes and flashed his signature smirk for his bride. 

You come up with a plan while that idiot and I distract them. Your analytical ability is the best in this group after all!  We can’t make it the way we’re going, Sakura. 

Sasuke... yeah let’s do it!

As his thought reached Sakura, Sasuke needled his plan into Naruto’s mind. “Fine, for Sakura chan, I will work with you but I’m not going to like it!”

Moments later, covered in the remnants of The Sand Siblings’ attack, Naruto and Sasuke, the vampire and the fox, began their hunt. They sped off, claws extended to meet the trio head on. 

Hidden behind clouds of sand while Gaara and his group readied their second firing, a charcoal ribbon of power waved through, cutting through clouds of dust towards the group. Simultaneously Naruto’s tails, nine tendrils of energy branched out above the wave and shot towards the siblings. Gaara could see Sasuke and Naruto in blurs of scarlet and onyx speeding towards them. 

Whilst Gaara’s wall of sand easily fended off the attacks, Sasuke and Naruto now airborne, landed behind the trio and like lightning met their frames with their fists, claws and ‘tails’. 

“Arrgh!” Temari groaned while blocking Sasuke’s black fist of power with her war fan, now alight in flickers of teal and light green. Sasuke was nudging her back as his other fist met Gaara’s core at his side. Against Gaara’s golden aura, Sasuke’s dark fist sizzled on impact. “Sasuke you...” 

 Alas, Gaara couldn’t finish his curse nor could he summon any sand. Naruto too was there. While Sasuke attacked from Gaara’s front, Naruto using several of his tails of energy, swept across Gaara’s leg from behind, his scarlet aura meeting Gaara’s as well. They were trying to throw him down. Naruto’s claws though were sinking into Kankuro’s chest, almost through his violet armament of psionic energy as far as Naruto could see. 

This skirmish went on for moments as the siblings defended against the desperate strikes of Naruto and Sasuke. Close ranged combat seemed to work alright, Sakura concluded as she noticed Temari and Gaara, especially, struggle against Naruto’s rabid taijutsu while barely countering Sasuke’s which was polished and expert. However, Sakura could see the boys tiring and Gaara and his siblings gaining the upper hand, soon managing to block and stab the boys as their moves slowed.  This would end soon. Of this Sakura was certain.

Close combat? Can I jump in and help them? No! Those three are still stronger and if I join in they could get my witch’s blood! We can’t chance it! Come on! Think Sakura! Shannaro! 

Clenching at the sand beneath her, Sakura struggled. On paper Sasuke’s proposition sounded logical but what could they do? What could she do? If only Katsuyu were here! Doubt once again held her as Sakura stared, her attention split between the boys struggling to claw at Temari and Gaara while Naruto’s tails and Sasuke’s power now snared Kankuro, and her current, barren surroundings. Three against two... Sakura knew the end was soon approaching. Guys! 

Frantically Sakura scanned the sand garden for any crystal she could utilize, any plant she could enchant. There was no Holy Sake around either, Sakura surmised, her mind still storming through plans. She could do nothing.

 Sadly Sakura tightened her grip on the sand between her fingers and gave up with tears trickling down her face. As her fists blazed with roseate energy, the precursor to her Sakura bolts, Naruto and Sasuke were beaten. Forcefully, the men were blown back by the aurora of Gaara, Temari and Kankuro’s convergence of power. The siblings had won. 

“I’ll finish you three myself.” Gaara’s voice was booming, spiced with rage and utter annoyance at the trio. The vampire prince was now covered in a veil of power; an aurora of bright teal, whirling mauve and his natural aura of splendid aureate. Sakura, now near her husband and Naruto, could see his acute curved fangs bare against his lips as his aura crackled. His arms were outstretched as he then proclaimed his attack. “Sand Binding Coffin!”

Borrowing some of his sibling’s power, Gaara then unleashed his ultimate attack. As Sasuke, now leaning against Sakura, looked on he witnessed sand, not only from the ground but from the very desert sky itself, being pulled into whirls around Gaara. Streams of brilliant sand with sparkling flecks of crystal and rocks embedded, danced chaotically around the sand garden. Sakura, gripping her husband, thought that it would have been gorgeous if this was not the weapon that would kill her. Gaara now showed them what the Sand’s vampires were capable of. Vampire royalty that was one with the desert: wind, sky, sand and sun. As the prince’s maelstrom stabilized, the form of a tsunami of golden sand appeared before the trio totally blocking out the siblings and soaring beyond the framing of the sand garden. Suddenly it was crashing into the vampire, the witch and the kitsune. 

Sasuke!

Sakura!

“Bhoosh!”

“Sakura chan!” Naruto awoke now looking around for Sakura and even Sasuke. As he did so he was dumbfounded by what lay before him. Mounds of sand littered at his anterior and flecks of faint, white stars dusted the atmosphere. Beyond, near the gates, the Sand Siblings were lying on their backs.

 “What the hell?!”

“Tch. Must you be so loud, idiot?” Naruto was shaken upon hearing that voice. 

“Sasuke?!” As he looked behind him after sourcing the voice, Naruto was met with Sasuke smirking mischievously. 

“Who else, idiot?” 

The young kitsune soon ignored Sasuke altogether as his mind registered something far more important. “Sakura?!” 

There, held firming in Sasuke’s arms was Sakura. Her arms were wrapped around his neck as her husband carried her towards Naruto. Apart from beads of sweat stamping her now blushed complexion and the wary look in her resonant  eyes, Naruto could tell that Sakura was okay. 

“Naruto! Thank God!” Sakura managed as Sasuke put her down finally. They were reunited with Naruto. She hugged him tightly when they met.

“Sakura chan” Naruto was blushing and returning her hug hesitantly. 

“Whatever, let’s get those siblings before they wake up.” Sasuke interrupted, obviously irritated by the sappy reunion. “Don’t get distracted, Naruto!”

“You!”

“Guys!” Once more Sakura was the voice of reason among them. 

“So when are you going to tell me what happened?” Naruto desperately nagged as they jogged towards their fallen enemies. “Come on Sakura chan!” 

“It’s on a need to know basis...” Sasuke interrupted. “And you don’t need to know”

“Sasuke stop it.” Sakura sighed as the three of them now stood looking over the siblings. “Naruto stay still,” Sakura carefully instructed him while laying her palm gently against his forehead, as if checking for a fever. “Now feel!”

Sakura’s words echoed in his mind. Naruto’s mind now blackened from her touch. Naruto couldn’t think for a moment before suddenly, a lone star of intense white light blossomed in his mind. From this one star a pure and intense white light soon flooded his mind. Naruto could feel it, he could see it. A clear view and vibrant feelings entered him. 

Materializing before Naruto was the answer to his questions. Naruto saw what he failed to witness himself while semi conscious. Gaara’s tsunami of sand descending upon them and Sasuke. Sasuke in his arms. 

What the...?! Why am I holding Sasuke? Where is... me?! Before he could complete his thoughts Naruto was surprised to see himself on the ground. It was as if he was looking at himself; as if he were someone else. It was as if he was Sakura. 

That’s it! This is a vision. Sakura’s vision from that time! The realization had finally dawned on him. Ooooh! I see. Upon his realization, Sakura’s experience continued. Naruto saw and felt it all. 

Sakura panicked. A ripping pain tore through her body. It was the taint of defeat and hopelessness. Naruto felt it. No, that’s not all. It was heartbreak. Sasuke could die and so would he. Sakura couldn’t bear it. Gaara was readying his final attack and Sasuke and Naruto were defeated. They were doomed. I failed! They’re going to die because of me!

There was nothing but sand in this God forsaken place. Nothing but sand. Sakura gripped the sand in anguish as she cursed their fate. Sand. Sand that gave Gaara power and gave nothing to them, nothing to a witch like Sakura. There was no spell, no herb, no crystal. Only sand. 

Sand...

Sand....

Sand!

Sakura’s discovery dawned upon her like the rising spring sunshine after the dead of winter, melting, scorching away the glaciers of hopelessness and fear that held her spirit. In its wake, buds of hope and promise sprung forth like blooming cherry blossoms. Sand was also crystal. Sand was also power.

Shannaro! Sand! Clear quartz! That’s it! Sakura’s grip loosened into a gentle caress as she readied herself. In the face of Gaara’s newly formed tsunami, with her comrades near her, Sakura fanned out her hair while feint jade sparkles of her lucky aventurine crystals twinkled. The witch would cast one last spell. 

Invoking her power, the pure magical art of Shikkotsu, Sakura linked her mind, her spirit and her power with the clear quartz crystals in the sand. Alone a speck of clear quartz was insignificant and could barely sting a vampire with it’s power, the power to cast away negative energy. However Sakura thanked God that she wasn’t dealing with one speck. As she ran her fingers through the sand, now enlivened with her finger’s motions, Sakura appreciated flecks of diamond-like sparkles dancing before her eyes. Indeed, Sakura didn’t have a single speck. She had trillions. 

Sakura do it! Sasuke cheered, his mind linked with hers; his mind helping her as if performing the spell with her as one mind and soul. 

“Flares of the Sun,

Glow of the Moon,

Radiance of the stars,

In this darkness I invoke thee...

Dispel!”

Sakura, channeling all of her white power into the crystals in her hands, formed a link. Each speck shimmered brilliant jewels of pristine white light as Sakura’s magic resonated and awakened their natural power. Sakura felt a warmth like a flare of pure solar power coursing through her, warming instead of burning, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Like wildfire this phenomenon spread. Each crystal pierced by white magic then awakened another and in seconds, while Gaara’s tsunami was crashing down on the trio, the entire sand garden was alight with enchantment. 

In the wake of Sakura’s spell, pearls of luminous white, an entire cosmos of star- like crystal burned, lighting the entire garden and exploding upon the tsunami of sand, nullifying it and collapsing it in the process. It was as if the Sun was rising on the garden itself when the light burst forth and blossomed white magical power that blinded all who were present.

 The last sound Naruto heard as Sakura was the wailing of the siblings as the light of the enchantment pierced even his vision, thrusting him back to the present and his own mind. 

“Sakura chan! You’re amazing!” Naruto excitedly exclaimed, still on a high from his experience. “What amazing control of your magic!” 

“Oh he’s back.” Sasuke sighed, feigning disappointment as he stood over Gaara. 

“Naruto. Thank you. But I really only pulled it off because you both helped me and supported me.” Sakura was humble and Naruto chuckled as he saw her eyes meet Sasuke’s as she went on. 

“Yeah.. you weren’t totally useless.” Was that Sasuke’s version of thank you, Naruto asked himself.

“Sasuke...” Naruto couldn’t find the words to reply. 

Sakura now broke their awkward silence, “Naruto. I mean it. Thank you for everything. I owe you my life. We both do. Tell Mistress Tsunade I am okay and will send a letter with Katsuyu soon. But before that...”

As she finished her praise, Naruto was shocked before he could respond. Sakura kissed him gently on his cheek, setting it ablaze in rose like blush as she did so. 

“Sakura-chan...” Naruto stumbled for words as his eyes glazed over. “No problem...” 

“Tch”

Ignoring Sasuke’s mocking he continued. “Um Sakura, what are those? Are they... those guys’ protection?” Naruto asked while pointing to three palm sized crystal orbs of teal, violet and amber. 

“Yes Naruto, these are their protection from the sun.” Sakura smiled, as she played with the precious crystal orbs she had recovered while the kitsune was spelled. “Without these, even when they recharge, they’re helplessly paralyzed by the sun.” 

“Oho. Vampires are so disadvantaged.” Naruto smiled, looking at Sasuke.

“Idiot...” Sasuke retorted sharply. 

“Hey!”

“Guys!”

“Sorry Sakura chan”

“Hmm..” Sasuke was speaking now, blocking out Naruto it seemed. His attention was focused entirely on Gaara now as he intertwined his fingers with Sakura’s. The couple now stood resolute, side by side in the face of the siblings.

“Gaara, how about we make a deal with my wife and I?”

“Wow. I can’t believe Sakura chan knew where the one ramen shop is Suna was!” Naruto exclaimed cheerfully as he strolled down a minor street in the city. With his eyes shut and his signature sunny smile adorning his face, the kitsune seemed perfectly content despite his recent ordeal.

  “I cannot wait!”

“Ugh who is that?!” Naruto complained as he halted to answer his phone. After a brief scan of his surroundings he stepped into a nearby alley. Only the rats present would hear what the kitsune said following this as his expression died down to one that matched Sasuke’s.

“Hello?...”

“Yes I found them...”

“No the witch protected them from my tracking wards with that tourmaline crystal thing....”

“No they didn’t suspect a thing. They think Granny Tsunade sent me.”

 “Yeah at most they got some weird emotional shock when I tried...”

 “No no I didn’t fail! Listen they’re still here. They’re not on the move. This is what I am saying, they are staying here... and...”

“Listen, I really... I  really think you should come here now, Master.”