A Growing Affection

Chapter 80: Second Encounters

"This isn't over," Shukaku roared impotently, as his core was  compressed into the kettle, "I will break out of there, and then I will  slaughter you all."

"No, you will not," Gaara said  matter-of-factly, as the lid slammed onto the pot. Once the demon was  out of sight, Matsuri and Tsutomu dropped the barriers that had  deflected the One-Tails.

"Natsuki, Baki, if you please," the Kazekage set down the container, and stepped away.

The  two Sand Jonin hurried over, and Shikamaru meandered over to Temari.  Now that everything done, the young woman looked to be on the verge of  tears. Part of the normally apathetic young man wanted to embrace her,  but he knew she would not react well to that with so many people around.  Instead, he settled for simply putting his hand on her shoulder. She  placed her hand over his, forcing a weak, grateful smile.

The two  shinobi Gaara had called for both took out blank paper talismans, and  crafted new seals while adhering the tags to the top of the pot.

"Will that hold?" Shikamaru asked curiously.

"It  will last until we return to the Sunagakure," the Kazekage answered,  "Once we are home, we will take more permanent measures."

The lazy genius nodded, satisfied.

"Natsuki, Tsutomu," Gaara addressed his soldiers again, "Take Kankuro and the One-Tails back to the village."

The masked Jonin nodded silently, but the Kunoichi shook her head in protest.

"With  all due respect, Lord Kazekage," Natsuki started firmly, "I am your  bodyguard. When I let you out of my sight during the Sound Liberation,  you were seriously injured. The Akatsuki are at least as dangerous as  Kabuto was, so my place is at your side."

Gaara's eyes narrowed slightly, but Baki interjected before their leader could speak.

"Kankuro was my student," the one-eyed shinobi said softly, "I should be the one to take him home."

"Very  well," there was a small catch in Gaara's voice, "Baki and Tsutomu will  return to the village. The rest of us will proceed."

They moved  to comply, Tsutomu taking the container, while Baki recalled the  puppets, and then gently lifted Kankuro's body. They disappeared into  the night, and the former Jinchuriki turned his attention back to Ino.

"How  is Choji?" he asked again. The Akimichi heir looked painfully small in  his damaged armor, as if he had lost almost a third of his body mass.

"He'll  live," she said, "I dealt with the worst of his injuries, and gave him  the antidote. But he needs a hospital and some real food, not more food  pills. He won't be in any shape to fight for a while."

"Then you should stay here with him," the Wind Shadow instructed, "Shikamaru..."

His second order trailed off as he noticed his sister's face.

"Matsuri," he changed his mind, "Stay here with them as well. In case there is another attack."

"Seems  like there's a pretty good chance of that," Shikamaru noted as the  tapping of unmasked footsteps emerged from the far end of the valley.

Hinata was surprised there no guards before the large double doors  blocking the entrance to the Akatsuki facility. She noticed all of the  tracks leading into the northern gully, and concluded the sentinels had  all left to confront Shikamaru's group. She paused briefly and looked  back in concern.

'If we had to fight Ni-ne,' she wondered, 'does  that mean the others were forced to fight a Bijuu as well, or did the  Akatsuki have some other sort of defense prepared?'