Pieces Placed

It had been nearly two and a half years. He was taller than before. Taller than me, now. He'd still not stopped wearing a hideous orange jumpsuit, though it looked like he'd been forced to find a new one as he got older. He was... different, though it was hard to pin down why. I guess he was more confident. As if he were slowly growing into the man he'd always told everyone he would be.

As Shikamaru asked Naruto about the upcoming chuunin exam, the blond's reaction to being the only genin still left from all those years ago was amusing. He almost looked like a lost puppy as realization struck him like a fist, then he exploded as it crashed down on him. Of course, he wasn't necessarily at a genin level... but that didn't matter in the eyes of those who didn't know him. On paper, he was still a genin.

Then he heard that Gaara was Kazekage, a fact we'd neglected to bring up when we'd helped save Shikamaru's five-man team from the Sound elite. It wouldn't have helped, and Gaara had still been sensitive about it at the time.

It was strange to see Naruto smile at hearing the news. Knowing what little I knew about him, I would have thought he'd be angry about Gaara becoming a village Kage before him. Instead, he was smiling and saying how great it'd be to see Gaara again. He was honestly glad to hear that my brother was doing well

It baffled me, even knowing what I know about the Hidden Leaf's ideology. This went past that. It was almost like Naruto looked for the good in everyone he met, regardless of the damage they were trying to inflict on him.

Before the conversation could continue much, an older man with a scar across his face noticed Naruto, who immediately waved goodbye to us... Which actually struck me as a little rude, even for him.

"You'll have to excuse him, Temari," Shikamaru said, gesturing to the departing duo. I noticed that Sakura, rather than being spurned by Naruto's sudden departure, was looking after him with a sort of fondness, seeing him laugh and talk with the older man.

"Who was that?" I asked, idle curiosity picking at my mind. The changes that Naruto had instilled in my brother were amazing, and I wondered what could shape a man like that. While I didn't really find him all that attractive, he presented a puzzle for which several pieces were still missing. I hated unsolved puzzles.

"That man... He's the reason Naruto didn't turn out like your brother was at the chuunin exams," Sakura said, still smiling as she watched the pair round the corner. "That man and the Third Hokage were the only ones who acknowledged Naruto for most of his life... In fact, it only really got better when he joined Team 7 with Kakashi-sensei, me, and..."

I knew the tale, and didn't need her to fill in the gap. Still, I was beginning to understand. I idly wondered if my brother would have been more like Naruto if Yashamaru hadn't tried to kill him.

Then again... I wondered if he would have been more like Naruto if Kankuro and I hadn't treated him like a monster.

Disquieted, I followed Shikamaru to the Konoha main gate and bid him farewell.

Walking down the road, I heard Sakura call my name and turned to see Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi racing through the trees. They quickly outlined what had happened, and I felt my stomach drop down to my toes. We quickly resumed the pace set by the Konoha-nin, and I was left alone with my thoughts as the trees and road blurred beneath us.

Akatsuki. Akatsuki had abducted my little brother. The organization was spoken of only in whispers at the council meetings. I only knew of it through being related to both the previous and current Kazekages. An elite ninja team with no equals... each two-man team capable of fighting the military might of smaller hidden villages on an even footing.

"Naruto, slow down!" Kakashi called, and though it clearly agitated him he slowed enough to allow us to catch up... Though he'd still put on enough speed that I was now struggling a bit to keep up.

"I can't stand it!" Naruto snarled, still ahead of us, still moving faster. "Even I know why they're after me and Gaara! You still don't know, do you, Sakura-chan? Inside me... Sealed in me is the nine-tailed demon fox."

The forest still blurred as I pondered the admission. I'd known, of course. My meeting nearly three years ago with the Fifth Hokage had informed me of that... but by the sad look on Sakura's face, I knew this was the first she'd heard of it.

"They're after us for the monsters we contain!" Naruto snarled, still forcing our pace ever faster, ever gradually. The way he was speaking... He must have encountered Akatsuki before. "That's what I can't stand! We're more than monsters, the both of us!"

A thick branch cracked sharply under Naruto's foot as he lashed out to continue his speed.

"We're both the same, but he was lonelier than I ever was!" It was the truth, spoken from a man who hadn't seen it, hadn't been there. He knew without knowing that Gaara had never had any support. "Always him, always alone! Akatsuki or not, I'm going to save him!"

A chill went down my spine, settling in the pit of my stomach. Naruto was willing to go up against the most feared ninja organization for a man who'd tried to destroy all the things in the world he loved, simply for knowing how much that man had endured, as Naruto had nearly endured the same.

I couldn't help but feel gratitude.

Arriving at Sunagakure, my gratitude disappeared as I learned of Kankuro's poisoning at the hands of Sasori. Though I was grateful that Sakura offered to examine him, I knew I'd lost two brothers that day already. One at the hands of Akatsuki, the other at the hands of a poison our best healers apparently couldn't cure.

As we arrived in the room, I ran to my brother's side, scarcely noticing as Chiyo's eyes narrowed. In a lightning quick attack, Elder Chiyo launched herself at Kakashi as he stood in the doorway. In an equally fast defense, Naruto conjured a Kage Bunshin and effortlessly repelled the attack. I turned my attention away as Ebizo calmed down his sister.

Sakura seemed to ignore the entire exchange, her chakra flaring around her hands as she examined my dying brother. It was a noble gesture, but I held on to only a brief, fleeting hope. If Chiyo had been unable to do anything...

"Got it!" Sakura exclaimed, a sickly green glob of liquid floating within her chakra. She accepted Chiyo's praise with a small smile, but I don't think she quite understood the magnitude of what she'd just done. In fact, I was surprised by how quickly the Konoha ninja were preparing. I stood by my brother's side, watching as Kakashi and Naruto planned their next move while Sakura went to the greenhouse to gather the ingredients for the antidote.

After administering the antidote to my brother, the trio were already eager to depart. Having accomplished one miracle, they were preparing to perform another. I wanted to go with them, but Chiyo took the fourth spot on their team for herself. I knew she was their best bet... and I respected her wishes.

Watching them go, I hoped Gaara would be returned to us.

Death changed my brother in many ways, the least of which was the loss of Shukaku's power. While many on the council have lamented this loss, I was grateful to see him finally looking more rested. I truly believe he is a stronger man for the loss. Already his control over the sand is approaching the level he had before he lost the Shukaku, though this time his frightening jutsu is controlled solely by his own will.

I can't help but remember the haggard look on Naruto's face. Four ninja had faced down two members of Akatsuki and returned not only alive, but victorious. The only death had been a willing sacrifice of an old medic-nin, giving up her twilight years so that our Kazekage's glorious dawn could continue.

Naruto had, at the time, deflected the praise onto his teammates, saying that it was their hard work and experience which had allowed the team to prevail.

I know better. Without Naruto, without his indomitable will, his team could not have pushed themselves as far as they did. Without Naruto, they would not have had the courage or the strength to go against the most feared members of our world.

Without Naruto, my brother would be dead. I know this for fact, and know I can never repay him for the debt he refuses to acknowledge.

Author's Notes

Just something which I'd been writing before I took my break. Since I had the time and inclination, it's now finished. Enjoy!

-Gaming Ikari