Chapter 1: Making it Back!!
"Ah, great! We're almost at the border!" Naruto shouted out in relief. The mission had been long and boring, coming home was like being born a second time for him. He could see the dark outlining of trees ahead, dripping with water from the passed over storm.
" I'm glad too," Sakura sighed. " That mission took longer than usual."
She looked back over her shoulder. There Kakashi and Sai we're lost in conversation, but the wind was against her and she couldn't make out anything they were saying.
Turning her attention back to the front, she watched the branches of thick tree's speed past her. It was kind of lonely, since no one was talking, the conversation between Kakashi and Sai had been short. But then again, everyone was exhausted, she did expect much social interaction between the group.
Sakura noticed Naruto tense.
They had entered a grassy field.
Naruto strained his eyes, there was something in the field, and he was trying to bring the redish-black splotch into focus. No good, he needed to get closer.
By this time, the whole team had noticed the dark spot near the edge of the forest.
"What is it..." Naruto asked slowly.
No one could really tell. The four sped over the field quickly. They increased their speed to try and get there , to see what lay in their path. The dark figure came into view. Sakura's eyes widened.
" It's a person!" she called out.
She came closer, but slowly, cautious. Then person that lay before the team was young, almost their age, maybe even a few years older. She could tell by his outfit that he was a ninja, but she couldn't see any forehead protector. He had a pale face, it looked as if he hadn't seen the sun in a while. Shaggy, wet black hair hung down over his eyes, some of the strands sticking to his face. The stranger was un-conscience, and soaked to the bone. She saw signs of life.
"He's alive, barely," Sakura said examining the scene.
Naruto stood, dazed, at the scene, he couldn't pull his eyes away from in, no matter how he tried. Small speck of red seemed to be everywhere.
" Sakura..." Naruto said warily after a few moments of silence, " Can't you help him?"
Naruto was shaking, his eyes tipped down to the boy's chest, where the gaping wound spread across his chest. Blood soaked the soft earth beneath him. Naruto couldn't just leave someone like that, everyone knew, he wasn't that kind of person.
Sakura knelt down beside the young man and examined his injuries.
" He's in pretty bad shape..." Sakura said softly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Naruto turn his head away.
" I don't have a lot of energy left." Sakura looked over the wounds again. ' I can't do much for him right now..."
Naruto looked down at the bloody scene, a part of him wanted to do something, anything for this person, even though he had no idea who he was. He didn't look like a bad person. He felt it...
" I'll carry him..." Naruto interrupted, " If I can get him back to the hospital..."
He turned to Kakashi for approval, " Kakashi-sensei..."
The silver-haired, masked man looked down, he too felt pity for the stranger before him. But he was unsure, he could be an enemy. It took a moment for him to reply to Naruto.
" I think it's a poor judgement, we don't know anything about this guy, we can take him back, but I'll have to put him under the watch of the ANBU until we know more about him."
Sai stood back, watching, learning about human compassion for each other. After a few moments of arguing amoung each other, they had decided they would help to poor young man. He stepped forward and helped Naruto to get the injured young man onto his back.
" We'll have to hurry if you want to get him back in time," Kakashi warned he group, " be careful with him, Sai and I will stay behind here and try and figure out what happened."
" Yosh," Naruto said, " then let's get moving!"
Naruto and Sakura broke off from Kakashi and Sai, heading into the forest. They were moving at a fast pace while still trying to be as gentle as possible. The branches sped by on blurred clumps of green as they progressed through the dense mass of wood and leaves.
Naruto didn't know exactly why he wanted to help this person so much, but he did know that he would live in guilt if he didn't help any person, who posed no threat, that still had life in them. He couldn't just leave him to die alone in a desolated place like that. Maybe it was his own feelings that led him to the vague conclusion.
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The tree's started to thin now, they where reaching the end of the forest. Naruto could hear the young man's shaky breath thinning, and his own legs and hands going numb.
"Almost there," Sakura called back to him.
Just hang in there Naruto thought, willing that somehow the message could be transmitted to his passenger. " Don't you dare die," he said aloud this time, but in a hushed voice.
The young boy gave a small grunt, it was feeble, like he wanted to say something back but couldn't.
The urge to help the stranger rose. Gathering his Chakra to his feet he burst forward, catching up to Sakura.
She looked at the young man, his condition was worsening, and a small feeling of doubt sparked inside her, but Naruto was still determined, maybe it was enough to pull both of them through.
She focused on the road at hand. The two were about five minutes away from Konoha, maybe, just maybe they would make it...
Suddenly, three black flashes crossed their path.
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Deidara yawned, stretching his limbs and shaking of the fatigue that made his body feel heavy. He had needed that rest. For a moment he had forgot about everything.
The pot-belied clay bird moaned and grunted. Deiara had not yet figured out a way to make his clay creations have a prettier sound. The one beside him made and ugly low churring sound, like a door with squeaky hinges, an irrelevant, irritating sound indeed.
How long had he been sleeping, the question that battered Deidara's brain, and where's To...
Something clicked.
"TOBI!! GAH I FORGOT!"
The large clay bird stepped back and fluttered its large wings, spooked by Deidara's outburst.
" Shit, shit, shit!" he cried out, startling the bird even more, " where the hell did that G.P.S go, hmm!?"
The sun was now shining through the white clouds now, the storm had passed about an hour ago, and here he was, totally lost and confused, trying to find the G.P.S., while the fuming bird squawked and grunted, creating a maelstrom of air around him.
" Found it!," Deidara called out in triumph after a few minutes of frantic searching. Switching the power on, he immediately descried that the red blinking dot representing Tobi was gone, Perfect! He thought now only one thing...
"We gotta find him now, yeah..."
Jumping onto the back of the bird, he flew back to where he had originally left Tobi. flying higher to get out of view, he quickly decended on the scene. His bird suddenly panicked. Pushing its tail outward and fanning its wings with great power, the clay manakin pulled off a difficult hover.
" What the hell, hmm" Deidara was getting fed up with this bird, thoughts of blowing up soon crossed his mind, looking over it's head, he saw why it was trying to retreat.
Using the scope on his left eye, he zoomed on on the situation. Kakashi and a dark haired brat were on the scene.
"Damn.." Deidara cursed, " do I risk it and try and fly above them, unnoticed, or take the long way."
He watched for a moment.
Three more figures joined Kakashi. Two in black cloaks, one in white, all wearing red and white masks. Two ANBU and a squad leader.
" Tch," he sighed, "looks like it's the long way now."
Turning the bird, he headed west, and rode higher to avoid anymore watchful eyes. He would catch up with Tobi by the next day if all went well.
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Kakashi looked up as the three ANBU approached him and Sai. They were the reinforcements they had called for.
" What's the situation," the white cowled ANBU spoke up. He was wearing a mask that resembled a rodent, though his deeper voice didn't match.
" We found a young man in this area, he was severely wounded, the other two members of our team took him back to Konoha for medical attention, but we are unsure of the scenario. We are going to investigate a little further into how, what and who caused the injuries. It may still be here."
" Understood," the same ANBU spoke up again, " three other members of out team met the person described along the way, we would like to investigate this person, and see if he poses any threat. If proven trust worthy, the three are to give an escort to the hospital."
"Very well," Kakashi ended
With that, the three ANBU split up and searched the field for some sort of clue.
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" Tch,"
Naruto stepped back.
Three tall ANBU stood in his and Sakura's way, all dressed in black cowls. He couldn't see their face, covered with white animal porcelain masks. They didn't move.
An eerie silence befell them all, like a staring contest where the opponents refused to give up.
Finally Naruto spoke,
" Please... let us through,"
The ANBU did not react nor reply, but stood their ground against him. Naruto was geting frustrated,
" Please! He'll die if we don't through in time!"
Still no reaction, the ANBU studied the stranger, for long moments, deeming whether this person looked trustworthy enough to let through.
" Dammit!" he said quietly, he was no match for the ANBU, he had to get through though... he was about to speak again when Sakura interrupted
" I need to get this patient to the Konoha hospital to receive medical treatment, at least let us take him there, then you can do whatever you want to him. I don't think Tsunade-sama would like it if I was late."
Naruto looked at Sakura with surprise. It was minor, but she had just threatened the ANBU black Ops.
Finally the center ANBU spoke it firm words,
" you may pass, but we will personally escort you there."
Naruto felt relieved, but did not show it. One ANBU stationed himself at the back, the other infront, and the last one a few feet above them. They moved with much greater speed, regaining the time they had lost.
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Reaching Konoha's hospital in record time, they left the stranger in the care of the medical nins. Sakura after about an hour left to get some rest, since she might be needed later. Naruto however, stayed close, sometimes going out, then coming back, waiting for the results. He could see that there were two ANBU stationed outside the door. The new patient was still untrusted. After about five hours, three walks around the village, one bowl of Ichiraku ramen and countless pacing, a nurse finally approached him.
" So what's going to happen, is he alright?" Naruto asked eagerly.
" Good news and bad, as usual, it seems." the Nurse started, "which first?"
"Good news, I guess," Naruto said quickly, he didn't want to hear the bad first.
" Well, he's going to be alright, he's awake right now, though his wounds were pretty bad. He'll need to in the hospital for about a week. After that we'll figure out what to do with him."
"And the bad?" Naruto asked, heart thumping.
" Well," the nurse hesitated, " I'm afraid he's lost his memory, at first the ANBU thought he was just being difficult, but after doing a brain scan we found that..."
"I understand." he replied.
Sshe stood quietly, looking down at her clipboard, the young nurse always hated delivering bad nw like this.
" There is a hope, though, sometimes, when people like him see familiar things, they can regain bits of memories."
He looked up. A slight smile stretched across his lips. Maybe he could help him.. Just a little.
Seeing that the news had brightened his mood the nurse continued.
" Since he's awake right now, I suppose you could go and see him."
" I'll do that." Naruto said quietly. He wanted to meet this person. He wanted to help him now, more than ever.
The nurse let him to room number 34. The two ANBU parted to let Naruto through. The nurse closed the door behind him.
The room had a clean, but sterol smell to it, like all hospital rooms. Near a closed window, the young man lay in a bed his eyes closed, dressed in a white gown.. Naruto watched his chest rise and fall, and listened to the heart monitor beep, taking a moment to sit down. As he sat on a chair beside the bed, it squeaked slightly.
Instantly the boys eyes fluttered opening, sitting up and rubbing away the fatigue, he turned toward his visitor. They stared at each other for a moment, not knowing what to say or do. He had deep brown eyes, whick in a way mirrored his own. The awkward moment pasted and Naruto chuckled nervously,
" Heheheh, well, you probably don't remember much ..."
" Thanks," the young man said quietly looking down, " I would have died without your help."
Naruto put on a small smile, " s'ok, uh, so what's your name? or, do you remember?"
He looked up and smiled.
" Tobi."
Authors Note: Hey everyone! My name is Viximon ( well, not really...) And I am new at writing fanfics, actually this is the first one, so I'm hoping I'm giving a good impression! Anyway, a little about me. My birthday was on July 7th so I have just recently turned 14... The prologue was written when I was 13! I'm advanced for my age, yet I rot my brain with manga..o well!
About the story: this story reflects on how Tobi has become friends with Naruto the person he is supposed to track down and turn over to the Akatsuki, but due to his recent memory loss, he doesn't know that's what has to do. I am going by the manga as well, In the manga at the moment I am writing this chapter, team Kakashi doesn't know about Tobi. To answer a question that may later come up...no I do not believe Tobi is Obito. Nor Yondi is AL. So I'm kinda leaving out the whole, Tobi and his left eye thing...its normal, K?
Next time! Scratching the surface.
This chapter was brought to you by Sean Connery, kicking ninja ass everywhere.
