Chapter 7: Back to Hamunaptra
The brainwashed mob was closing in tighter and tighter, brandishing their scabbard and torches while chanting Gaara's name. Taking a quick look at their surroundings, Sasuke spotted the means of their escape and survival-a manhole.
He threw his torch at Gaara's followers before taking the cover off the manhole and gesturing at Naruto to get inside.
"What about my sister?" the blonde cried worry and sadness in his blue eyes.
The soldier froze for a millisecond. He had seen the expression on Sakura's face as she was being dragged away by the creature, fighting to return to her friends. With more determination than ever, Sasuke looked directly into his companions face and replied, "We're gonna get her back! Now go!"
After Naruto jumped in, Sasuke ordered Neji to join him. Lastly, he reached out to Danzo, who was fighting off the mob, and shouted, "Come on! Give me your hand!"
"You go!" the curator called back.
The soldier shook his head, "Come on!"
"GO!"
Seeing that Danzo was not to be swayed, Sasuke gave up and joined the others…while Danzo fought to the death so they could escape.
The trio rode all night to the Cairo airfield, searching for the one man who would be willing to risk his life for a flight-Tazuna. They found him sitting near his plane, listening to a record player and drinking tea while an Arabic man held an umbrella over his head as a means of shade.
"Morning Tazuna!" Sasuke greeted. "Uh…a word?"
After explaining their present predicament, the old pilot asked the obvious question, "And what's your little problem got to do with his majesty's royal air corps?"
"Not a damn thing," the soldier truthfully replied.
Tazuna thought for a moment. "…Is it dangerous…?"
"You probably won't live through it."
"YOU REALLY THINK SO?"
Naruto shrugged. "Everyone else we've bumped into has died. Why not you?"
The pilot stood up, an excited gleam entering his black eyes. "What's the challenge then?"
Sasuke grinned and replied, "Rescue the damsel in distress, kill the bad guy and save the world."
Tazuna laughed heartily and announced, "Tazuna Yuroku at your service, sir!" (A/N: I don't know Tazuna's last name so I made one up.)
A few moments later, they were in the air with Tazuna flying the plane, Sasuke in the passenger seat, and the remaining men strapped to each wing.
Sasuke whistled to Naruto and shouted over the roaring wind, "Are you alright?"
"DO I FUCKING LOOK ALRIGHT YOU TEME!" the blonde shot back, fear evident in his wind-blown face.
The soldier then turned to Neji. "How you doing?"
The Maji leader's face was lit up with a grin of pure, childish delight, having never experienced the modern feat of flying.
Suddenly, Tazuna pointed out a large sandstorm brewing in the distance. "See that? I've never seen one so big."
"Never?"
"No…"
Little did they know that the sandstorm wasn't JUST a sandstorm…it was Gaara's transportation to Hamunaptra.
Upon arriving at the necropolis, Sakura and Kabuto were flung unceremoniously onto the sand.
"GET OFF ME!" Sakura hissed, smacking and punching the spectacled man lying on top of her legs. "GET…OFF…ME!"
Kabuto groaned and as Gaara materialized from the sand, muttered, "I need a new job…"
Glimpsing the ancient ruins, the pinkette's heart nearly stopped. "Oh God…we're back…" her chances of being rescued in time had just become slimmer.
In the distance, the trio heard a faint buzzing noise. Looking up at the sky, Sakura's worried frown became a triumphant grin when she saw a small airplane.
"…Uchiha…"
Gaara, however, let out an inhumane roar and held his hands out to the desert. The earth cracked and crumbled before rising up into an even larger sandstorm then the previous one.
From the airplane, Sasuke was watching this miraculous feat with shock and muttered, "OH MY GOD…hey Tazuna, pedal faster!"
"Hang on men!" the old man replied and pushed the plane into a steep dive.
Sasuke, Neji, and Naruto all screamed, due to both Tazuna's reckless flying and the fact that the sand storm had formed into the likeness of Gaara's face…but mostly because of Tazuna's flying.
Manning the built-in machine gun, Sasuke yelled while firing a barrage of bullets at the face, which only grinned in response.
The gigantic mouth then opened, swallowing the aircraft in a flurry of sand and wind.
"Stop it!" Sakura cried frantically. "You'll kill them!"
Kabuto smirked and replied, "That's the idea."
The pinkette pushed the lackey roughly aside and ran to Gaara. His eyes were closed in peaceful meditation, while a much more different atmosphere surrounded the plane in his clutches.
All three passengers screamed as the craft spiraled uncontrollably…while Tazuna cried out in joy that he was finally going to join his friends.
Seeing no other alternative, Sakura tangled her hands into the high priests shaggy red hair…and forced her mouth against his. Gaara's eyes flew open in shock…and with his concentration broken, the storm immediately diminished.
The girl pulled away and whooped for joy as the aircraft, though still a little wobbly, stopped its violent spin…only for the engine to catch fire and send it crashing behind a sand dune.
Satisfied, Gaara strode purposefully by his lackey.
I, uh…" Kabuto began lamely, "I love the whole sand wall trick. It was beautiful…freak."
Although the airplane was in pieces, its inhabitants seemed physically unharmed…though mentally they were a bit shaken.
Neji shakily stood up and tore his flight goggles off while Sasuke literally fell out of his seat.
"Excuse me…" muttered Naruto, who was suspended upside down from the wing. "A little help would be useful…IF IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE!"
"Yeah, yeah, all right," Sasuke replied in a hassled tone.
The soldier cut Naruto loose, not caring when he thudded painfully to the ground, then went to check on the pilot while Neji detached the craft's machine gun.
"Tazuna! Hey, Tazuna!"
No answer. Sasuke went to the man…and gasped when he felt no pulse. Sure enough, the pilot hadn't survived the mission…yet his lifeless mouth was curled into a smile of genuine happiness-for he had gotten his wish of going down in a blaze of glory.
The soldier hung his head for a moment…then gasped when the entire demolished aircraft creaked.
"Get back!" Neji warned. "It's quicksand!"
All three men stood a safe distance away, watching solemnly as the desert buried the body of Tazuna Yuroku and his airplane.
Sasuke gave a melancholy but respectful salute…then set off on foot with his party, headed for Hamunaptra.
Within the City of the Dead, Gaara led his prisoner and cohort through the ancient temple. Holding a pistol, Kabuto roughly shoved Sakura and hissed,
"Move it!"
The girl glared daggers at him. "You know…nasty little fellows such as yourself always get their comeuppance."
"Heh…they do…?"
"Oh, yes," Sakura's lips curled into a crafty smile. "ALWAYS."
She proceeded onward while Kabuto jumped at every little noise that could possible signal his "comeuppance".
In another part of the temple, Sasuke and Neji were attempting to clear the caved-in opening to a chamber while Naruto stood back, idiotically barking orders.
"I'd move those bigger stones first," the blonde exclaimed. "Take them from the top otherwise the whole thing will cave in on us. Come on, put your backs into it!"
Sasuke and Neji turned around and gave the man looks that screamed, 'we are both armed and we will shoot you.'
Naruto's face paled. "Yes, well…you get the idea. Let's go."
He looked around the room sheepishly, and then gasped upon seeing strange blue, shiny objects on the wall. The blonde detached one and held it in his palm, saying, "Wow…hey, guys, you really should have a look at this…"
Naruto's awe…immediately turned to horror when the blue-shelled scarab burrowed into his skin.
"What?" Sasuke demanded.
"It's in my arm! It's in my arm!"
The soldier pulled back his companion's sleeve and gasped when he saw the creature crawling about beneath his skin.
"DO SOMETHING!"
"Hold him," Sasuke ordered pulling out a knife, and Neji obliged.
Naruto yelped. "Not that! Not that!"
Unfortunately, "that" was the only way. The man's onyx-eyes narrowed in concentration and he flipped over his friend's arm, using the blade to dig the insect from the skin. Once the scarab was out, Sasuke pulled out his gun and expertly shot it…which unfortunately announced to Gaara that they had arrived.
The high priest poured some sand from a jar into his hand, then blew it onto an Egyptian carving of men on the wall, chanting, "Shatay Wapay Ku Ra Eck!"
A high-pitched groaning filled the room and the men carved into the stone…came to life.
"Bembridge scholars never wrote about this," Sakura breathed, snarling at Kabuto to "get off" as he fearfully clung to her.
The creatures bowed their heads respectfully and Gaara smiled and returned the gesture.
"Kill them," he ordered, "and wake the others." The mummies let to fulfill their master's orders.
With the way finally cleared, Sasuke threw his torch into the previously blocked room and squeezed inside. Although it was pitch black he caught sight of one of the ancient mirrors Sakura had taught him how to use. Silently thanking the brilliant young woman, the soldier fired off a shot turning the mirror so that its light reflected the others and illuminating the chamber.
All three men drew a breath…when they beheld the treasure room. Levels upon levels of golden statues and piles of jewels and gold trinkets lay in every available area of space, sparkling brightly so that one had to practically squint.
"Wha…" Naruto drooled. "Can you see…?"
Sasuke nodded. "Yeah."
"Can you believe…?"
"Yeah."
"Can we just…?"
"NO."
Their awe was rudely interrupted when snarling mummies began digging their way out of the earth.
"Who in heavens name are these guys?" Sasuke groaned.
"Priests," Neji replied. "Gaara's priests."
"All right then." The soldier fired his rifle while the Maji leader manned the machine gun, relentlessly blowing holes in the walking corpse's decayed bodies. Naruto grabbed Sasuke's twin pistols and joined in the fight, but the enemies were too great and they were forced to retreat.
Once they were gone, Kabuto ran into the room, looking around with a confused expression. His confusion immediately turned to greed…when he beheld the treasure.
Sakura awoke groggily to find that she couldn't move her arms. She looked up and saw that her wrists were shackled to an altar…then slowly looked down when she heard a peculiar squeaking noise. The pinkette yelped when she beheld a rat sitting on her chest and turned over to knock it off…only to be met by the mummified corpse of Karin. She screamed.
Running through a narrow chamber lit only by his torch, Naruto grinned when he finally glimpsed what they were looking for.
"Hello, Horus, Old boy!" he greeted the statue.
Meanwhile, Sasuke and Neji were doing their best to keep the mummy priests from catching up. The soldier lit a piece of dynamite using the stubble on Neji's cheek as his rough surface, and announced, "Time to close the door."
He threw the explosive among the marauding creatures, then grabbed Neji and leaped behind the statue of Horus right as the explosion blew their enemies to bits.
Outside the ruins, Kabuto dragged a bag laden with treasure, grinning as he neared his grand escape. He hooked the bag onto the saddle of a camel, groaning and pulling on the creature while it stubbornly refused to move. Reaching into the bag, the worm grinned and examined a box made of solid gold…then frowned. His covetous nature pried at his black heart as his gaze wandered back to the ruins, desiring…more.
Sakura struggled futiley on the altar while the priests chanted and bowed. Holding the black book, Gaara stood over Karin's body, gently stroking her cloth-wrapped forehead and murmuring her name. He unlocked the Book of the Dead and slowly turned its ebony pages.
"Uchiha!" Sakura called frantically. "Naruto!"
Sasuke and Naruto grunted with effort, straining to open Horus's secret compartment while Neji reloaded his gun.
Glancing at the tunnel, Sasuke swore when he saw the shadows of more priests moving down the corridor. "These guys just don't quit, do they?"
"Keep digging!" Neji replied, clicking his gun and advancing towards the tunnel.
Finally, the other two men pulled out a drawer-within it laid a book made of pure gold.
"Oh," Naruto gasped. "The Book of Amun-Ra."
The Maji leader turned to gaze at Sasuke and Naruto.
"Save the girl," he ordered. "Kill the creature."
He then let out a battle cry and rushed into the throng of mummies, fighting with every last ounce of his strength.
Sasuke lit another explosive…and hesitated when he saw his friend struggling among the plethora of enemies.
"What are you waiting for!" Neji cried as the creatures dragged him backwards. "Get out! Get out!"
The soldier threw Naruto aside and threw the dynamite, jumping out of the way as it blew a hole in the wall. The two jumped to their feet and raced through the new opening, bound for the ritual room.
Sakura's eyes widened when a humanoid spirit shape rose from the black tar, slowly flowing over to the corpse next to her. As soon as it made contact, the female mummy began shrieking shrilly and slowly turned to look at the girl next to her.
The pinkette screamed and turned her gaze to the high priest. He stood over her and yelled, "With your death, Karin shall live! And I shall be invincible!"
Sakura's screams increased in volume…as Gaara slowly raised a golden dagger above his head.
A/N: Well there is Chapter 7! This is the longest story I have ever written. I am going to write the Second one but I need some help:
Who should be Sasuke and Sakura's kid? Konohomaru or Inari?
I also need some ideas for the other characters? Any ideas would be concidered thank you!
Let me know
