Shattered Mask...

Summary: Nightmares had been plaguing him for years... Lost in the endless hatred, Naruto finally snaps and decides he doesn't want to hide behind his mask anymore. What will happen? Takes place just before the Chunin exams. Team Seven is sent on one last mission to prove they are worthy of going to the Chunin exams...

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! If I did Sasuke wouldn't have left and Sakura would have died!


Warning: Dark Naruto. He isn't taking crap from anyone anymore. He isn't evil nor will he betray his village.
-Naruto's thoughts to Kyuubi-

-Kyuubi's thoughts to Naruto-

-Kyuubi's thoughts that Naruto can't hear-


Last Time:

Ninja's started to fill the small clearing and before we knew it we were surrounded on all sides by at least fifty ninja. Actually to be more precise, they are missing nin. Each had a hitai-ate that had a scratch covering the symbol.


Chapter Two: Fight to the Death

I took out a scroll that I was in my pocket. I don't have the Chakra I need in order to fight this many but I can still fight. I guess I could ask Kyuubi for some Chakra but I don't want to rely on him unless it's a choice between life and death. Though this situation could be considered life or death... I have enough Chakra to at least charge my weapon and pump Chakra into my muscles for at least two hours. That is, if I don't have to use any jutsu.

I quickly summon my sword and pump some chakra in my muscles and before the enemy can even blink I attack them. The battle lasted about two hours which seemed more like days rather then minutes. I slashed and hacked at the enemy for a long time. Before I knew it I was forced to make shadow clones in order to protect myself. I was moderately slowing down ever so slightly with each attack. Soon I find myself asking Kyuubi for some chakra.

Somehow I got separated from my team. At some point I lose track of my surroundings as the enemy seems to herd me away. I don't know what they're planning but it won't be good for me. If only I was given enough time to heal then maybe I wouldn't be in suck bad shape right now. Though now its hard to tell which injuries came from before and which came from now. All I know is that my body is starting to feel heavy and I am getting very weary.

I figured I was losing too much blood. The only thing keeping me alive at the moment is probably the Kyuubi. Between pumping chakra through my body to keep me moving and to heal some of the wounds, I figure I only have about an hour left before I am completely drained of everything and the Kyuubi won't be able to help at all.

I've lost track of how many I have killed, injured or knocked out. All I know is that there were more the fifty in that clearing. Most were Genin like myself. Though at least half were Jonin and Chunin. I was having a hard time with those last two but lucky for me it seems most of them went after Kakashi-sensei.

I briefly wonder how the others are doing. I also wonder if this many were attacking them or if they were even still alive. I shove those thoughts aside because I am already having a hard time concentrating I don't need the distraction right now. Then with one last swipe the last of them fall.

Bodies litter the ground and I can't tell where I am anymore. All I can smell is blood and I am far enough away that I can't even feel Kakashi's chakra or it could be that he is dead or is unconscious. I've lost too much blood. My vison is starting to tunnel. I jump into the nearest tree and pick a direction and run away from the battle field. My clothes have been ripped to shreds. They are just barely clinging to my skin.

Coldness sets in next. I find I am leaning for a second on every tree. Each one has a hand print on it from when I tried to catch my balance. I knew I wouldn't stand a chance if more came after me. Why did they come after us anyway? It didn't make sense.

A half hour later I begin to struggle to keep moving but my will is strong. Before I know it I'm falling through the air toward the cruel and unforgiving ground. Then I catch it. The scent of one of my friends nearby. I land unsteadily and waver ever so slightly as I continue to try and find my friends. Once I get my bearings I limp toward where the scent is coming from. I can still smell the coppery scent of blood but it is not as bad as before. I lean on the each tree as I pass one leaving more hand prints of blood and a trail of blood from my various cuts. I can feel the pain but a numbness has settled in.

My left hand is holding my right side and I'm favoring my left leg. My vison tunnels again and I find myself kneeling on the ground trying to catch my breath. Will I die here? In this forest? So far from home? Will I die before reaching them? After we had been through so much? After I had finally found acceptance? I struggle to move on but I'm finding that to be a very difficult job.

Life keeps throwing me curve balls. Fate must be laughing at me right now... Seems I'm the butt of every joke it makes. I swear it likes to see me suffer. First the Kyuubi and now this? It just isn't fair!

I cough up some blood before falling to my knees again. I really struggle to get up this time. If I don't find them soon I'll just have to lay down and die right here. There is no way I'm getting out of this one without medical help. I wonder where that town is...

The scent is growing stronger. I look up to see I've found my way back to the clearing where the battle had first started. Only to find it vacant. So that's why I could smell them. Eyes wide I look to the side to see my pack is still sitting where I had left it. Limping toward it ever so slowly I can feel my strength disappearing with each step I take.

I reach the pack just in time. I fall to my knees a final time. I rip it open and dig around for some medical tape to wrap my wounds. The serious wounds that the Kyuubi couldn't heal. I carefully begin to wind it around my body. I stop every so often because the pain is now getting to me. Once I've taken care of the more serious wounds I dig around for a soldier pill. I had a special kind made for me. It had taken a pretty penny but I managed to get it.

I eat it and then sit back to wait for its affects. My eye lids feel so heavy. Surely I can close them for a minute? I hear something move not far away which causes me to snap my eyes open. Now struggling to stay awake I turn my head slightly to see Kakashi-sensei emerge from the foliage. On his back is an unconscious Sakura. Kakashi-sensei stops when he sees me lying against a tree looking half dead. Sasuke appears at his elbow to see what's wrong. With wide eyes he hurries forward. I give a half smile before I finally let the darkness claim me.

All sound turns off but there is still some feeling there. A hand checks my pulse and then carefully picks me up with... not exactly tenderness but with a carefulness that showed that the person didn't want to hurt me more. I can only assume that Sasuke is the one carrying me. Then the sound turns on for a moment and then I just fade away.

"Kakashi will he be alright?" That's what the voice had said before I faded away.

I felt a bit smug because I was right about Sasuke carrying me but I also feel embarrassed. Apparently he didn't have much trouble with his opponents but then again I had been injured at the time the second battle had started... No one will blame me for looking like the living dead... Right?

I open my eyes to find myself standing in ankle deep water. Seems the fox wants to speak to me. I make my way toward his cage quickly.

-Kit... Are you alright?- He asks as soon as he sees me.

-I think so. Nearly bite the dust that time.- I sigh deeply as I sit down and cross my legs.

-What were you thinking?- He boomed.

I looked up startled. He sounded... concerned? Worried? Something like that. His big furry head loomed over me on the other side of the cage.

-What do you mean? I was trying to survive! That's what I was thinking.- I snapped.

-Why didn't you accept my chakra earlier? Why were you being a stubborn fool!- He snapped right back.

-Well excuse me for trying to get stronger! I can't always rely on you Fox!- I yelled as I jumped up.

-You call that strong? When you needed help the most you refused help! That is weakness. We nearly died because of your stupidity.- He yelled right back.

-WELL WHAT DID YOU EXPECT? THEY CAME OUT OF NO WHERE! I HAD TO THINK ON MY FEET YOU STUPID FOX! I DON'T NEED YOU TO LECTURE ME ABOUT HOW TO SURVIVE. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SURVIVE IN THIS WORLD MY WHOLE LIFE. SO SHUT THE HECK UP!- I screamed into his face before walking away angrily.

-Kit I'm sorry! Please come back! KIT!- He yelled after me but I've already reached my limit. I can't stand to be around him at this moment.

I enter my dream world where nightmare after nightmare consume my world. What seemed like years later, after a particularly bad nightmare I begin to wake up. I open my eyes to find I am in a bright white room. Sweat and tears cover most of my body and face. I look around the room to find flowers on the table next to my bed. No one is in the room with me. I look out the only window in the room to try and figure out where I am.

I can't tell where I am because all I can see is the blue sky from where I lay. I look down at my body to find that I look like a mummy. I lift my right hand up to see how bad the damage is. It didn't hurt to move it around. Taking that as a good sign I begin to move other body parts. It would seem most of my body is healed. My stomach hurts as does my right leg but that is the only thing that hurts.

Using my arms to support myself I sit up. I waver only once and grimace the whole time. I wrapped my left arm around my torso before I look out the window again. I still can't tell where I am because all I can see is trees. I sigh tiredly before I lay back down on the comfortable bed. I close my eyes for a moment and they snap open when the door slides open.

Standing there is a kind looking nurse. So I must be at that village. No nurse from Konoha would smile at me like she was. Her dark brown hair is tied back into a low ponytail and her emerald eyes are sparkling with mischief. She steps into the room and when she sees me awake she hurries over to me with that warm smile.

"How are you feeling Uzumaki-san?" She asked.

"Much better thank you. You can call me Naruto you know." I can't help but smile back at her.

"You've been out for a week." Here she paused to look at the chart in her hands.

"A WEEK?" I practically scream. What about the others? Weren't we supposed to be back at the village five days ago? What about the Chunin exams! I can feel myself begin to panic.

"Its alright Naruto. Your teammates are all fine. Your friend,' She paused again to look at something she had written down, 'Sasuke was severely injured and is still in the hospital. Your sensei was released two days ago and Sakura was fine after one day. Had a bit of a bump to the head if I heard right." I nod my head while fighting back a heavy sigh.

"Can I see any of them?" I ask warily.

"Sure. Your friend with the pink hair just walked in a few minutes ago. She was heading towards Sasuke's room to see how he is. He's awake and talking, well as much as he does any ways. Your sensei was sending a message back to your village or at least that is what he told me he was doing." She answered happily.

I nod my head again but I stay silent this time. I went over the battle in my head again trying to figure out why we were attacked. If I didn't know any better I would say they wanted to kill me. I was swarmed with missing ninja for most of the battle. I had to use clones a lot during the battle just so I could have a semi fair fight.

I hadn't noticed the nurse leave but I did notice when a certain pink hair kuniochi came in. When she saw I was awake she came running to me and actually gave me a hug. I felt stunned for a minute. Even after she had released me. I look up into her tear filled eyes and sighed.

"Is something wrong Sakura-chan?" I ask at last.

"You almost died Naruto!" She cried.

"I know that." I murmur. "What happened after I fell unconscious?" I ask.

"Well I don't really know. I was unconscious too but Kakashi-sensei did tell me parts of it.' She paused here as though to collect her thoughts. 'They were driving us away from you but we somehow managed to stay together." She began.

I had asked her what had happened after I fell unconscious. Well it seems I'll be getting the whole story instead. Maybe she heard me wrong?

"Sasuke-kun was taking on at least five Genin and two Chunin. I got lucky. I was only fighting three little Genin and Kakashi-sensei was fighting five Chunin and three Jonin. After I had knocked the three Genin out I tried to help Sasuke-kun. Well one of the Chunin saw me coming and instead of killing me like he could have... he just knocked me out.

"Sasuke-kun told me that shortly after that Kakashi-sensei had finished his fight and had helped Sasuke-kun with the remaining Chunin. After that I guess they realized they couldn't sense you anywhere nearby so they started back to where it began. Sasuke-kun told me that when they got back to the clearing they found you leaning against a tree with most of your serious wounds bound with medical tape. Your bag was next to you and open.

"Sasuke-kun said you looked like you were near deaths door. Sasuke-kun was sporting some really bad injures but he still ran to make sure you were okay. He felt your pulse and carried you back to the village. They said you had a very bad fever. So bad in fact that if they couldn't lower it then you would have died. Well your fever would go down to a safe level and then spike right back up. Finally sometime this morning it finally broke and they declared you fine. In fact almost all your injures are gone already.

"I guess that would be because of you know what. Any ways when Kakashi-sensei was released he sent a message back to Konoha letting them know what happened. Now that your up we should be able to leave in a day or two! The doctor said that something happened to your stomach and that there really not sure what happened. Your leg had been broken in several placed but they said that was mostly healed and that you can walk on it now.

"They were very surprised you had walked on that broken leg and that its almost completely healed. Sasuke-kun is going to be released tomorrow! He only had some cuts and bruises and a couple cracked ribs. They said he lost a lot of blood and that he had almost died from how much chakra he had used." She looked thoughtful for a minute to see if she had forgotten anything.

I just stare at her with my mouth open slightly. That was a lot to take in all at once. I blink twice before I open my mouth to ask a question but it never comes out. Kakashi-sensei comes strolling into the room with that perverted book of his and says yo. I felt my blood begin to boil just at the sight of him. I force myself to calm down and look away from him.

He just comes in here and says yo and reading that stupid book! Here I am in the hospital after nearly dying and that's all he can say to me? I'm very tempted to ask to be put on a different squad or even just getting a new teacher. I am sick of Kakashi-sensei and his laziness.

I guess one of them was trying to talk to me, as I rant in my head, because suddenly I find a hand in my face. I jumped backwards in surprise to find Sakura looking to me worriedly. I glance it the moron named Kakashi to find that even he is looking at me.

"I'm sorry... What did you say?" I ask.

"You sort of spaced on us. Kakashi-sensei just said that there going to release you and Sasuke-kun tonight." I blink at her in confusion.

I just woke up after being unconscious for a week and there already kicking me out the door? Sounds like something the idiots back in Konoha would do. Not only was I unconscious but I also had a fever the whole time and it only broke this morning. Are they trying to kick us out?

"Whatever..." I muttered before looking outside.

I guess the others took that as a dismissal because they both left in a hurry. Sakura was probably going to go tell Sasuke that I'm awake and then stay and bug him until we're released. I close my eyes to get a little more sleep before they kicked me off of the nice comfy bed.

I fight another sigh as the nightmares come back for a visit. I wake up a hour later to find the nice nurse standing over me with that stupid smile on her face. These people are just like Konoha... They don't really care about me. The nurse hands me some clothes and then walks right back out of the room. I carefully get dress and then walk out of the room. I use the wall a bit because I'm a bit unsteady at the moment.

I limp down the hall where I see Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke standing there trying to look so cool. Sakura hands me my pack. I don't thank her. In fact I give her a mild glare before I march past them. I can tell there confused about how I'm acting but at the moment I don't care. Someone is after my life and these people are being dorks. I grumble quietly as we walk toward an inn to stay for the night. Tomorrow morning we're heading for home. Will we be attacked again? Will I ever find out the truth about why they attacked us? Only time will tell...


A/N Well I hope you liked the chapter. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this story yet. heh. If any of you has any good ideas I would be very happy to hear them! Yes I know this chapter was shorter then the last one. I really wanted to put this up. Heh. Please review! I loooove reviews. Lol. Ciao for now.

Karone

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