II Those That Escaped From Orochimaru

"Hey Shikamaru!" shouted Naruto. "Hurry up!" Shikamaru ran to join the others outside the city and they began making their way up north.

"Hinata," said Shikamaru. "There's no telling how skilled these snake shinobi are… please use your scouting abilities to keep us from being caught off guard…" Hinata nodded and looked forward.

"Byakugen!" shouted Hinata. Her bright eyes focused and she became aware of everything around her.

"Do you think they expect a rescue Shikamaru-kun?" asked Hinata.

"It's impossible to know…" replied Shikamaru. "Especially when dealing with a shinobi like Orochimaru…"

"Orochimaru?!" shouted Naruto. "But Sasuke defeated him… He's definitely dead…"

"Hokage-sama told me that you and Captain Yamato met up with Orochimaru's right hand man…" said Shikamaru. Naruto scratched his head as he thought back.

"Oh… Kabuto…" said Naruto softly. "Yeah, he said injected himself with a part of Orochimaru. It was like Orochimaru was a part of his body…" Shikamaru scratched his head.

"Troublesome…" muttered Shikamaru. "Erin-san… it would help us if you could explain a little more about Imiri's power…" Erin had lowered her head as they walked.

"It's a cruel thing…" said Erin. "A ninja uses their power to create an illusion in Imiri's mind. I have never seen the illusion, but she has told me of it… They show her the person they want her to kill. Then they create the illusion of a snake bursting out of her stomach and striking the person. It apparently only works if she has seen the person outside the illusion, but what an awful thing to force someone so young and pure to become a tool to murder…"

"And the target of her ability has their chakra fight against them?" asked Shikamaru.

"Yes," said Erin. "I have only seen it a few times, but the chakra violently explodes in the shinobi, and left with mortal wounds and no chakra… it's awful… Orochimaru would force her to kill shinobi that displeased him in the hidden village of sound."

"That Orochimaru…" whispered Naruto angrily.

"Did they have to be close to her?" asked Shikamaru.

"Orochimaru tested that too…" said Erin as tears welled up in her eyes. "Imiri had just been born… and he would carry her around with those snakes in his arms, and if she cried he would muffle the sound with the scaly creatures… And when he had shown his victim to my baby girl he would take her back to me and capture her in his illusion. After some time, that medical ninja who was always with him would come in and report the horrific details. If there is a limit, I don't know what it is."

"If Orochimaru had captured such a powerful skill, why wouldn't he keep it?" asked Shikamaru.

"My daughter needs several hours to recharge the ability," explained Erin as she wiped her eyes. "In the meantime, word had reached Orochimaru that one of his former partners had found him. I think it was someone named Itachi… Anyway, when he left, I think he meant for us to remain prisoners until he could return, but a clever man named Tujek helped us escape to his village. Those that escaped from Orochimaru have been hiding there quietly ever since. How ironic that only after we hear that Orochimaru was defeated that Imiri is taken from me…" Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Erin-san…" whispered Hinata sympathetically.

"We will definitely get her back!" said Lee enthusiastically. Hinata looked over at Naruto. He seemed to be lost in thought. Hinata drew close to him.

"Naruto-kun…" she whispered. "Are you ok?" Naruto turned, surprised to see Hinata close to him.

"Hinata-chan!" he said with a smile. "Of course I am ok! You don't have to worry about a great ninja like me!" Hinata smiled widely. She loved his display of confidence, even though she knew that he had been involved in many dangerous confrontations with Orochimaru.

"Fuzzy-brows is right…" said Naruto. "We definitely have to get Erin's daughter back from Orochimaru!" Naruto's definitive statement raised her spirits after hearing the awful story of Imiri. She looked around with her bright eyes. In the distance, she suddenly became aware of chakra moving toward them.

"Shikamaru-kun!" shouted Hinata. Shikamaru nodded.

"Get around Erin!" said Shikamaru calmly. He leapt up into some nearby trees. After several moments, a group of four darkly clothed ninjas appeared in the road. The light of the moon reflected off of the silver forehead protectors of their opponents. The two groups stood still for a few moments.

"Who are you!?" shouted Naruto. The ninjas made no movements or sounds. Naruto clenched his teeth in anger and rushed towards them.

"Where is Imiri?!" shouted Naruto as he tried to punch one of them. To his surprise the ninja he had attacked vanished in a puff of smoke. The other three leapt away from Naruto.

"Oh… a kage bunshin no jutsu…" said Naruto. "You're my kind of ninja!" he laughed.

"Naruto-kun!" shouted Hinata. Naruto leapt up narrowly avoiding a trio of kunai that had been hurled at him.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu!" shouted Naruto. Dozens of orange-clad clones appeared all around.

"Get them!" shouted Naruto as he pointed at the snake ninjas. His clones leapt into the air and drew kunai.

"Konoha senpu!" shouted Lee as he spun around in midair and defeated another clone. Naruto's clones quickly dispatched the other two. There was a bright flash as they vanished. One of Naruto's clones turned to Hinata.

"Anyone else?" asked the clone. Hinata shook her head. Shikamaru leapt down and joined them.

"That was easy!" said Lee enthusiastically.

"Too easy…" whispered Shikamaru cautiously. "There is something not right…"

"Let's get back to her village," said Naruto impatiently. The group moved quickly for about an hour without incident. Erin coughed and slowed down.

"Are you all right?" asked Hinata.

"I just have not slept in some time…" she said wearily. "Exhaustion is catching up to me…"

"It's still a substantial distance to the village," said Shikamaru. "Maybe we should rest…"

"And waste the springtime of our youth?!" asked Lee. "We can still continue!"

"Lee-san…" said Hinata softly. "Erin-san needs some rest…" Reluctantly, Lee agreed to stop for the night.

"Good morning Naruto-kun!" whispered Hinata.

"Eh?" said Naruto as he slowly opened his eyes. "Hinata-chan… are we moving out?" Hinata shook her head.

"Lee is running around to warm up, but both Erin-san and Shikamaru-san are still asleep," she replied.

"Oh…" said Naruto as he sat up and stretched. "Then why did you wake me up?"

"I am sorry Naruto-kun…" she said. "I thought you might enjoy some breakfast…" Hinata handed him some food.

"Oh! Thank you Hinata!" said Naruto as he ate.

"This is really good Hinata!" said Naruto as small bits of food flew out of his mouth. Hinata blushed and smiled.

"Naruto-kun…" whispered Hinata softly.

"Eh?" said Naruto as he continued eating.

"Do you think that Orochimaru is trying to attack Konoha again?" she asked.

"Probably…" said Naruto. "I don't know."

"Naruto-kun… you fought Orochimaru… didn't you?" she asked.

"I remember Captain Yamato dressing up like Sasori and then Orochimaru surprised us…" said Naruto slowly. "I don't remember much more than that…"

"You must be an amazing ninja to go up against one of the legendary Sanin…" said Hinata with a smile. "After all, both Hokage-sama and Jiraiya-sama are really strong…"

"But I still wasn't strong enough to bring Sasuke back…" whispered Naruto sadly.

"Naruto-kun… I am sure that you will bring him back…" said Hinata. "You are not the type of ninja that gives up or stops fighting for those that are important to you…" Naruto looked into Hinata's white eyes and smiled. She opened her mouth to say something more, but Naruto's blue eyes distracted her. She smiled back at him.

"Thank you again for breakfast Hinata-chan!" said Naruto. "You're amazing!" Hinata's face turned bright red.

"Eh..? Hinata…?" said Naruto. "Are you ok?" Lee came running up.

"Naruto-kun… Hinata-san!" said Lee enthusiastically. Hinata was relieved to have a distraction. "Come run a marathon with me to get warmed up!"

"Lee, we can't run a marathon…" said Shikamaru as he rubbed his eyes. "We're going to Erin-san's village." Shikamaru roused Erin. She gasped as she woke up. Her forehead was covered in sweat, and her eyes were filled with horror. After realizing where she was, she calmed down. Hinata came up to her and offered her some food. She slowly smiled and ate. After several minutes, the group got up and headed north.

The sun shined brightly through the trees. The sound of birds filled the air, and the memory of their encounter with the snake ninjas faded away as they enjoyed the beauty of the country of fire. Hinata looked at Naruto. He smiled widely. Lee was clearly frustrated with their slow pace, but he said nothing. Shikamaru looked at the ground as he walked. Hinata could tell that he was deep in thought. She turned forward to resume scouting with her bloodline limit ability the Byakugen. She began to think about their last attack as well. What was the purpose of sending a few weak clones? Why had they not been attacked after? If they already had Imiri, why would attacking Erin be important?

"It's not far," said Erin. "We're coming close." Hinata noticed a group of individuals with chakra. They were identical to the shadow clones that had attacked them the previous day.

"More snake ninjas are approaching the village…" said Hinata. "My ability can't tell if they're shadow clones though…"

"Let's get them!" said Naruto enthusiastically.

"We don't know if it's a trap," said Shikamaru quietly. Naruto grumbled in disappointment. Shikamaru turned to him.

"That's where your ability will be useful Naruto…" said Shikamaru. Naruto smiled.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu!!" shouted Naruto.

"Leave him alone!" shouted a village woman. Tujek, the village elder, was on the ground with a kunai in his arm. He struggled to get up.

"Stay back!" shouted Tujek to the other women.

"How noble of you!" said a snake ninja. "I actually don't care if you get hurt or not, but I am anxious to obtain more funding for our experiment."

"We have seen the results of your experiments…" said Tujek. "We will not help you!"

"It does not matter how determined you are…" said the ninja. "The fact remains that you do not have the strength to stop us. We will take your valuables, and you cannot stop us." He motioned to his comrades. Three other snake ninjas ran into a nearby cottage. As the village women heard the sound of crashing furniture in the house, tears came to their eyes. They knew they were powerless against these shinobi. To their surprise one of the snake ninjas flew out the cottage and slid across the ground. A moment later the others flew out and landed next to the first. Out of the cottage, in his black and orange tunic came Naruto. The villagers gasped in shock as the young blonde ninja stepped out and raised his head.

"Tell me where Orochimaru is!" shouted Naruto angrily.

"So passionate…" said the first ninja. "Master Orochimaru was right about you… Naruto!"

"Orochimaru…." said Naruto angrily. "Why are you helping him?! What does he want with these people!?"

"Unfortunately, Naruto-kun…" replied the ninja. "We don't have time to deal with you right now…"

"I won't let you escape!" shouted Naruto. He rushed toward the ninja. There was a puff of smoke as one of the ninja used a lightning jutsu to reveal that Naruto was only a shadow clone.

"And now Tujek," said the Ninja. "You will offer your valuables to us…"

"Like I would fall for that!!" shouted a pair of Naruto shadow clones that lunged at the snake ninja leader from behind. The snake ninja turned as the pair of clones kicked him and hurled kunai at him. The ninja found himself pinned to the ground.

"You've planned ahead," said the ninja on the ground. "But so have I!" The ninja vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Eh?" said Naruto. "A shadow clone?" Both of his clones turned to see the ninjas running away carrying satchels of money. Both clones leapt after the ninjas.

"We need to move faster Ukimo!" shouted one of the snake ninjas.

"Wait a little longer Roger!" replied the leader.

"Ukimo!" he repeated as Naruto's clones came closer.

"Now!" shouted Ukimo.

There was a large explosion in north of the village. Naruto stood up straight.

"Naruto-kun!" whispered Hinata.

"They defeated my clones," said Naruto. "They are leaving the village.

"Explosive tags…" said Shikamaru. "It is unwise to rush after them, but it should be safe to go to the village."

The leaf ninjas accompanied Erin into the village. Several people were helping Tujek with his injuries. The villagers gasped to see Erin coming accompanied by these shinobi.

"So their Hokage decided to help you Erin…" said Tujek. "What a kind person she must be."

"Indeed," replied Erin. "All of Konoha's shinobi have been most kind to me."

"I apologize that our ability to extend hospitality to you has been lessened," said Tujek as he looked at the Konoha shinobi.

"While we would welcome your hospitality, we have need of your information," said Shikamaru.

"I will of course help as much as I can," said Tujek. The women helped him to his feet. "Come with me." The ninjas followed him into a building near the center of town. Tujek jerked on the stiff wooden door and it finally gave way and opened.

"Come in," said Tujek cheerfully. "Ask me any question, and I will hold nothing back. I assume that you have questions about Orochimaru?"

"Yeah, where is he?!" exclaimed Naruto. Tujek smiled.

"I'm afraid I don't know where he currently is Naruto," replied Tujek. "Even when I was his prisoner, he changed his location regularly. It was only chance that I escaped."

"How have you remained hidden from him for so long?" asked Shikamaru.

"At this point, I wonder if we were ever truly hidden from him…" said Tujek. "It is possible that we were simply less valuable than Uchiha Sasuke, and he didn't bother to come after us until now." Hearing Sasuke's name caused Naruto to clench his fists in anger.

"We understand about Imiri's abilities," said Shikamaru. "But do you know what his goal is? How does he plan to use her?"

"For as long as I knew Orochimaru, he never had any goals," said Tujek. "… except to acquire all ninja techniques. He has certainly done a lot of work to develop new techniques with his experiments."

"And with all the people that Orochimaru has seen," said Hinata softly. "Having such an ability would make him extremely powerful…"

"I suppose there is one other thing that he has said," replied Tujek. "I would not be surprised if it was the real reason why your Hokage sent you on this mission."

"What is it?" asked Lee.

"He spoke of his ambition to destroy the most powerful hidden village," said Tujek. "I believe it is also his ambition to crush Konoha…"

"Then it is our ambition to stop him!" said Naruto. Hinata looked nervously at her favorite blonde ninja. She recognized the tone in his voice. She knew he would never take back his words, and if Naruto was to survive the conflict, then they would have to find some way to stop an immortal.