Chapter 25

The group took off immediately, their bodies leaping tree to tree with quick, fluid movements. Naruto led the charge, his determination burning brighter than ever after hearing about Gaara's kidnapping. His anger pushed him forward, every leap more furious than the last.

As they moved at incredible speed, Travis turned to Sakura, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Hey, Sakura, whatever happened to your other member?" he asked, his voice casual, though he already knew the answer. He simply wanted to strike up a conversation.

"Well, Sasuke... he left the village," Sakura began, her eyes distant for a moment as she spoke. "You see, Sasuke is one of the last members of the Uchiha clan, which was completely eradicated by his older brother. He’s been chasing after him ever since, seeking revenge for his clan by killing his brother."

"Ah... I see," Travis said, his mind processing her words. "Oh, you must have liked the guy. Am I right?"

Sakura’s face flushed a deep shade of red. "Well, I kinda had a little crush on him before. So you’re not wrong. But I’m over that now," she admitted, her voice faltering slightly as she glanced away, trying to mask the lingering feelings.

"Hmm, if you say so," Travis said with a smirk, but before he could say more, he noticed something below them. "Wait... isn’t that the girl we met yesterday?" He pointed down at the figure walking along the path beneath them.

Sakura’s eyes followed his gesture, and she smiled. "Oh, you’re right. Hey, Temari!!" she called, waving down at her.

Temari, who had been walking along the path, turned at the sound of her name and raised a hand in greeting. "Sakura, where are y’all going?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

After a brief explanation of the situation, Temari’s expression darkened as she processed the news. She stared into the distance for a moment, as if the gravity of the situation was settling in.

"Let’s move, guys, we don’t have much time!" Naruto suddenly called out, his voice sharp with urgency. Without waiting for anyone, he leaped into a nearby tree and began to move.

The rest of the group quickly followed, each person picking up speed as they merged into the canopy, disappearing into the forest once more.



While on the road, Travis continued to spit some game on Temari. Which made her laugh and giggle, temporarily forgetting about her brother mishaps.


Throughout their journey, Naruto went on one of his usual yapping sessions, his voice filled with frustration and determination. He ranted about how the Akatsuki and so many others only saw people like him and Gaara as monsters—nothing more than weapons or ticking time bombs. His fists clenched as he spoke, his emotions laid bare for everyone to hear.

"But I don't care what they think! Gaara worked so hard to prove he's more than that, and I'll be damned if I let those bastards take everything from him!" Naruto declared, his voice unwavering. "I'll save him, even if it's the last thing I do!"

Travis listened, slightly amused at Naruto's passion. He had to admit, despite his loudmouth nature, Naruto had a way of making people believe in him.

After some time, they finally arrived at the Sand Village. The atmosphere was tense, the weight of Gaara’s absence hanging over everyone. Almost immediately, Sakura rushed in to assist Kankurou, who was struggling after his battle—an all-too-familiar sight since Kankurou was easily one of the most useless characters in this whole anime.

Naruto, on the other hand, almost threw hands with an old lady the moment he saw her, his instincts on high alert. The misunderstanding escalated quickly before Kakashi and the others managed to defuse the situation. In the end, they all laughed it off like nothing had happened, as if Naruto nearly decking a grandma was just another regular day.

Meanwhile, Travis stood beside Temari, who had barely said a word since they arrived. Her arms were crossed, her fingers gripping her sleeves tightly, and her eyes carried a mix of worry and frustration. It was clear that the uncertainty of her brother’s fate was weighing heavily on her.

"Hey, don’t worry," Travis said, his tone softer than usual. "We’ll find your brother, if it’s the last thing we do."

Temari turned to him, her lips parting slightly in surprise before she smiled, albeit faintly. "Thanks," she replied, appreciating the reassurance.

Travis returned the smile. "Come on, let’s get some fresh air. It’ll help you calm down."

She hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. The two stepped out of the emergency room and into the open, stopping under the shade of a nearby building. The desert heat wasn’t as unbearable in this spot, and the slight breeze offered some relief.


Travis leaned casually against the sun-warmed stone wall, arms crossed as he cast a glance at her. The soft desert breeze tugged at the hem of his cloak, and sand drifted lazily across the path in front of them.

"So," he said, a small grin tugging at the corner of his lips, "what’s it like being the sister of the Kazekage?"

Temari let out a short chuckle, brushing a few loose strands of blonde hair from her face. "It comes with its pros and cons," she replied, her tone light but thoughtful. "I always kind of knew he’d get there one day. Gaara was… different. Me and Kankurou? We were fine with staying in the background. No ambition for the spotlight. But it’s still surreal sometimes."

Her gaze drifted skyward, eyes tracing the shape of the clouds floating lazily over the Sand Village. “More than anything, I’m proud of him. He used to be so alone. So angry. But he faced all of that… and now he’s the leader our people trust with their lives. That’s not something you see every day.”

Travis nodded slowly, watching her carefully. "That’s nice. You two must be really proud of him."

Temari smiled—an honest one, warm and unguarded. “We are. And we’ll keep supporting him. Being Kazekage doesn’t mean doing everything on your own. He needs people at his side, people who believe in him, and that’ll always be us.”

A quiet moment passed between them, filled only by the low hum of wind weaving through the village walls. Travis glanced toward the nearby hospital wing where Gaara and Kankurou were being monitored.

"So… looks like they’ll be in there for a while," he said, his voice softer. "How about you show me around? Give me the Sand Village tour."

Temari raised an eyebrow, an amused smile playing on her lips. “Oh? Trying to sneak in some sightseeing while everyone else is dealing with serious business?”

Travis grinned, playful. “What can I say? I’m good at multitasking.”

She shook her head, chuckling under her breath. “I would, but we’ll have to make it quick. I need to be beside Kankurou when he wakes up."

Travis gave a respectful nod. “Fair enough. Let’s plan it for another time then. For now, we should probably head back inside.”

Temari hesitated a moment, then smiled again, softer this time. ' He really is considerate… I think I’m starting to like him. As a friend, ' of course, she thought, clearing her throat.

"Yeah… let’s go."

As they turned to walk back into the building, the wind picked up behind them, trailing dust in their footsteps. Neither of them said much, but the silence between them was no longer awkward—it was easy.

Comfortable.

TO BE CONTINUED