The Seventh Seal

Chapter 7: Wasn't one encounter enough...

Yugito waited until the Konoha teams had crested one of the far dunes before she began to crack. She began to laugh nearly uncontrollably. Gaara looked at the woman, while a smirk crossed his face. "We did get Sakura-san rather well didn't we?" he asked. He then smirked and said, "Naruto would be proud."

Yugito finally got herself under control after a few minutes and said, "Yeah, while we shared a bed naked, she even believes that we had sex. The kissing was fun, but I'm not ready for a relationship especially with a Kage, just yet. Now back to negotiations and yes I know that I might be in the contract as a possible political marriage, but for now let's discuss the other points."

With a nod Gaara led the assembled mass back into Suna and then spent a long day with Yugito in negotiations.

Naruto and Fuu were smiling at each other, until Naruto's face went pale. "What is it Naruto-kun?" Fuu asked.

"I feel a couple of chakra sources heading this way," Naruto said.

Kakashi let his senses extend out and he then said, "I agree. Let's check it out."

The eight nodded agreement and headed in that direction.

Neji spoke up and said, "I see two people in cloaks with... clouds... Akatsuki."

"Great we get one group finished off and now we have another," Naruto said sarcastically, while Fuu was putting on her Aburame disguise. This caused several eyebrows to rise, and Naruto to ask, "What, her abilities are like theirs, but it also keeps her identity secret. They all know me so why hide?"

Neji had just deactivated his Byakugan and said, "I concur."

"Well there is no cave to drop on them and we really don't have any back up. What do you think Gai?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto interrupted when he said, "I've already sent a clone to let Gaara and Yugito-san, so that they will know about this."

"Uzumaki-dono, why have you returned?" the guard asked.

"I'm a clone and tell Gaara more Akatsuki are on the way, we might need backup to deal with them," the Naruto clone explained.

"Very well," he replied and then turned to another guard. He then said, "Let Kazekage-sama know we have more trouble." The clone disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"But I'm not ready for marriage, and the reason we have political marriages are to insure that the agreements won't be broken within a generation," Gaara explained.

"I understand that Kazekage-sama, but..." Yugito said in her attempt to counter his point, but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"I'm in an important meeting. What is it?" Gaara asked sternly.

The door opened and chuunin entered, bowed and said, "Uzumaki-sama sent a clone to tell us that some more Akatsuki have arrived. They are asking for backup," the man explained.

Gaara shared a look with Yugito, as both got out of their seats and headed to the door.

Fuu gasped at the sight of one of the members of Akatsuki. Naruto noticed her turning pale, while she stuttered out, "That... that can't be... that is... Kakuzu... he can't still be alive... he fought your first Hokage..."

Everyone looked at her like she was crazy. "How could he be that person and how could he be alive?" Sakura asked.

The teams looked to Fuu for an answer, but she began to back away and stumble back down the dune. Naruto quickly caught up with her and held her close. "What's wrong Fuu-chan?"

He saw the fear in her eyes and could feel her shaking. "He is experimented with forbidden techniques to live longer. One was to take the heart of another to live, but he left after killing several of our shinobi. He hasn't been seen since," she explained.