Hashiramas Heir

Chapter 21: Akatsuki

Two figures trekked across the vast desert known as the Land of Wind as they approached the border. The two figures were donning cloaks with the trademark red clouds of the Akatsuki. These two were Deidara and Sasori. Above the two figures was an owl carrying a male with red hair. The male captured inside the owl was Suna's Kazekage, Gaara.

"That boy would have killed you if not for my intervention." said Sasori as he and Deidara continued to walk.

(Flashback: Earlier that day)

Deidara crashed into the ground roughly with several burn marks and a few broken bones as Gaara came to land several feet away in the clearing with him. Sand began to swirl around Deidara as Gaara looked upon him with a stoic expression.

"This is the end for you." said Gaara as the sand continued swirling around Deidara. Gaara was the first to notice Deidara flying over his village on his clay bird. Gaara spotted it easily due to the fact that that type of bird Deidara created did not inhabit Suna. After a long aerial fight against the dangerous bomber, Gaara managed to finally capture him with his sand. Before Gaara could crush him though, Deidara detonated a bomb to escape the prison and was sent careening out of the village walls. Gaara followed him to finish him off.

"Shit." said Deidara as the sand was beginning to cover his upper body. Deidara was running low on chakra and not to mention the fact that Gaara was incredibly strong and left him no ability to fend off the sand by covering parts of his body he'd need to even attempt an escape. Before the sand could reach his entire upper body, it was sent away by a shroud of..Iron Sand?

"I told you not to make me wait." came the voice of Sasori standing next to what appeared to be a Puppet version of Sunagakure's Sandaime Kazekage (Third Wind Shadow). "Then you almost die. Forget going solo, we'll take him together."

Deidara dug his hands into his pouch as the puppet of the Sandaime floated beside Sasori ominously. Despite Gaara's calm outward expression, on the inside he knew that this was an unfavorable match up. His hands were already full against Deidara. And now added to the mix was a puppet master utilizing a puppet of Suna's strongest kage that wielded the strongest Kekkai Genkai of Suna, it just didn't bode well for the young kage.

Despite the circumstances, Gaara still prepared to face off against the two S-rank shinobis.

(Flashback End)

Deidara merely chuckled as they continued to walk across the desert with the Kazekage in tow above them. "Well he is the Kage of his village. Even though Suna is considered the weakest, a Kage is a Kage. Don't forget that he houses the Ichibi while fighting in the sand. Mmmm. I think me and my art did pretty well despite the circumstances." said Deidara. "How long til we get to the sealing area? We're finally out of the sand."

"It shouldn't be too long, by sunrise we should be there. Remember though, it'll take us at least 3 days to finish the sealing. Let's hurry. I don't like making people wait." said Sasori.

(In Konoha, the next morning)

Tsunade sat at her desk with Sakura behind her as they looked over paperwork. Just as Tsunade prepared to sign the final document, Shizune burst through the doors with a note in her hand.

"Tsunade-sama!" shouted Shizune frantically as she handed Tsunade the note. "Suna was invaded by the Akatsuki and Gaara was taken hostage."

"Gaara was defeated first then was seen being abducted by Sasori of the Red Sands and Deidara from Iwagakure, based off Kankuro's viewpoint. He went after the two but was defeated by Sasori and left poisoned." said Tsunade. "They must have struck after Naruto left as there is no way he'd let something like that happen while he was still there. We have to get a hold of him somehow."