The legacy of the yellow flash

Part-21

They found everyone in a long stretch of grassland. Neji's and Tsuki's face was blank, and Tenten's was showing sadness. Naruto met Sakura's eye, and he closed his eyes for a moment to centre himself when she looked away from him- she had obviously failed to bring Gaara back. Being the pragmatist, he had expected as such and never raised his hopes.

Which was why he wondered whether it was a good thing to feel almost little to no remorse for the death of the person he thought of as a brother.

This might be the only time you get to mourn. Don't waste it.

As always, Kurama's advice was correct.

Naruto walked ahead of Kakashi and the group, right beside Gaara. His bodily motions were slow as he sat down, Indian style, and took Gaara's hand in his own. It was stone cold, as one would expect of a dead body, but it only drove the point home that Gaara was gone. Forever.

A single tear slipped out of his eye, his pained expression not changing in the slightest. Suddenly, a terrible thought struck him.

Oh god.....what will I tell Temari?

He had promised his friend that he would bring her brother back, by any means necessary. He hated himself for breaking that promise, and he hated his own mind for bringing it up, that technically, he had never specified whether Gaara would be dead or alive. He already had a strong suspicion that Gaara won't return alive from this mission, and he didn't have the courage to tell it to Temari, for she would have fallen into depression if she knew that it was the most realistic scenario. The one that had 9/10 chances of happening.

And now she will. His traitorous mind whispered.

Chiyo stared at them silently mourning Kitsune. Even with his mask, Chiyo could tell the boy was crying if it hadn't been for her experience there was no doubt in her mind that she would not be able to notice that he was crying.

Seeing what her grandson had become and then seeing him die was difficult, but not as much she had expected. What was harder to believe was that he had taken another Kazekage from Suna for selfish purposes.

Gaara had been a good Kazekage, despite his difficult upbringing. Not powerful as his predecessors just yet, but he had potential. He had won the admiration of Suna despite everything he had suffered due to being Suna's jinchuriki.

She had expected that one day, things would reach a breaking point and Gaara would just snap, giving his father the reason to kill him. Instead, Konoha's own jinchuriki defeated him, fixed his seal and made Gaara see the reason that killing everyone in his path did not prove his existence.

She took a few steps forward, kneeling by Naruto. She nudged him, gruffly whispering, "Step aside boy."

She may not have been able to give Sasori at least one of his parents back, but she would try her hardest to do something right for once and give Suna its Kazekage back.

The voice broke him out of his trance, and his anger bubbled to the surface when he realized just how much suffering Gaara had to take because of this woman. His facial muscles creased into a glare, which was made even more expressive by his red eyes and flowing tears.

"Wasn't making him suffer in life enough for you, that you want him to suffer in death as well?" He hissed.

He was pleased to see her flinch at his remark, but she only steeled herself and repeated her order. "Move aside."

"Kitsune-san." Tsuki softly spoke, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Naruto took a deep breath and stood up, giving Chiyo some room. He saw her place her hands on Gaara's chest, and after a pause, Chiyo's chakra became visible in a ripple of power.