Naruto Whirlwind

By

L. A. King

Chapter 10: Captive Truth

"I can't move," Naruto thought. He could feel his arms tightly tied behind his back. He looked at his surroundings trying to figure out where he was. It was a wasted effort. He couldn't see anything at all. The dark silhouette of bars made it known that he was in a cage. As he strained his eye further the out line of the room made it known that they were also in a tent. As he strained his eye further the out line of the room made it known that they were also in a tent. Naruto finally gave up on seeing anything. Instead he began to work his hand vigorously trying to free himself, but to no avail. He tried to stand to get better leverage. Only to find his feet were bound as well. Naruto began to panic. His recent memories were a complete fuzz. The last thing he remembered was battling The Tsuki and Yosuke Shinobi that were chasing them. To make matters worse Naruto realized his weapon pack was gone. . He tried to calm himself, so he could figure a way out of this mess. However a noise from the other side of the cage sent him into over drive.

"What was that?" h e thought to himself. His head snapped into the direction of movement.

"There is something in here with me," he realized. Naruto braced himself for action, not knowing what to expect. He got his legs under him as quickly as he could to get ready to head-butt whatever was coming his way.

"Come on!" said Naruto, prepared to fight.

"Naruto…," Hinata's voice came out from the darkness.

When Naruto recognized her voice, a flood of memories came rushing in. He relived the moment he saw that blade run into Hinata's back. Everything else was fuzzy after that, but he got the gist of it.

"Hinata," whispered Naruto in earnest. "You're alive. I thought you were dead. I thought-" Naruto's voice got caught in his throat as he was choked up with relief. She was alright. He didn't know how, but he was glad his teammate and friend was alright.

Hinata couldn't understand what Naruto was talking about. The word "dead" rang through her mind over and over, playing like broken record. She tried to get her bearings as well. She could feel Naruto inching towards her. The thought of closeness with him brought back the memory of their kiss. It made her flush in embarrassment. It had been their first. She had no idea how to act around him and grew more nervous the closer Naruto got. Hinata realized that her feet were tied. She put two and two together and realized that they must have been captured. She remembered the man who had attacked them. Shortly after Hinata was feeling groggy, she remembered keeping her eyes open as she fell to the ground. Hinata found herself thinking about why she had kissed Naruto. He had gone on a rampage and killed every enemy that had come their way. She had never seen this side of him. It scared and excited her at the same time because she knew why he did it.

'That Genjutsu he was hit with,' Hinata Pondered. "It must have made him think I was dead. Yes, that must have been it."

"Naruto-Kun," She thought in earnest. "He was so angry. Does he care about me that much?"

Hinata found a weird sense of comfort in this realization. "He cares about me," she thought as she felt him reach her side.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata said, not looking in his direction even though it was dark. "What you saw wasn't real. It was a Genjutsu. I didn't get hurt."

"Genjutsu," Naruto answered, even though it was more of a question. As what had happened dawned on him, Naruto let out a big grin that even Hinata could see in the dark. "Oh ok, that makes sense. When I was crawling over I suddenly remembered, umm, that we. That we- that we kissed, and you said you loved me." Naruto said, cheeks reddening. "I guess that was some powerful Genjutsu."

Hinata didn't know what to say. So many scenarios ran through her mind. "What if I tell him and he rejects me,"was her most dominant thought. Hinata remembered how Naruto reacted, when he thought she had died, and decided she had to tell him the truth.

"Naruto-kun," she began but never got to finish. Light was coming in from the entrance of the tent. Four figures stepped into the light illuminating the tent. Hinata and Naruto saw the faces of their captors as their eyes adjusted to the light.

X-x-x

Asuma, Shikamaru, Inoichi, Shikaku, and Choza stood over their captured enemies. Shikamaru had reported Naruto and Hinata's capture as soon as he was able to defeat his opponent. In retrospect, Shikamaru looked out into the battlefield. It was filled with bodies of fallen adversaries. He knew just how lucky they were by suffering no casualties. His father and the rest of the Jounin had been incredible, taking out a majority of their pursuers. They now had to figure out what they should do with their captives as well as how they would go about saving Naruto and Hinata.

"We have to report what has happened to Hokage-Sama," said Asuma.

"Agreed," said Inoichi. "It seems your pupils lack the ability to avoid being captured by such a weak opponent."

Asuma ignored this as Inoichi summoned a messenger owl. Asuma attached his report to be sent to the Hokage, and then set the owl on its way. He watched briefly as it disappeared over the trees.

"Shikamaru," Asuma called as he formulated a plan. "Come with me and we will infiltrate the camp. Shikaku, you and the others will have to guard the prisoners and wait for the ANBU to arrive.

No one questioned or commented on this. The four Jonin gave each other acknowledging looks. They fully understood how critical it was for Naruto to be retrieved. Not to mention the heir to the Hyuuga clan was among the captives.

Shikamaru and Asuma set out into the night. They headed in the direction in which they just rapidly came from.

X-x-x

"Naruto-kun," Miku said as she rushed to the cage.

"Miku-chan," Naruto's surprise was clearly illustrated on his face.

"Miku move away. You know how dangerous they are," said Ken as he walked up behind her.

"We didn't do anything," protested Naruto. "I don't know who killed your clan members, but we didn't."

Miu walked up to the cage after ken. She looked Naruto in the eyes and smiled, "We know Naruto. You are too nice to do anything like that," she continued. "If only it didn't have to be this way. Since you are probably going to die tomorrow I guess I can tell you. We three blew up the meeting and made it look like you."

Naruto and Hinata looked at each other in surprise Naruto gritted his teeth. He did not want to believe that the twins would do a thing like that to them

"Stop joking," He said desperately hoping they were. "Why would you do that?"

"It's simple really," said the fourth man who had entered the room. "I told them too. I needed a reason to take hostages. We couldn't take a hostage with out provocation. Now could we? If we did the leaf would destroy us destroy."

Naruto had seen this man before. He was at the meeting earlier that day. He was the one who had opposed the merger.

"Who the hell are you?" said Naruto as his teeth gritted in anger.

"I'm Yuu Yosuke, and you two are my hostages, but don't worry. I won't kill you for now. I need you alive. The third Hokage will give me anything I want for your safe return my boy. At least he will if he doesn't want me to take your power."

Naruto looked at Hinata. She looked completely confused. Naruto looked away then. This was not the way he wanted her to find out his secret. Naruto's gaze found Miku still very close to the cage. She looked away, avoiding his eyes. The guilt of her betrayal was written all over her face.

"You know demon, it was very easy to trick you," boasted Yuu as he walked around the tent. "Teenage love is so easy to twist. Too think you fell for Miku's little love act. Even you Hyuuga, My nephew had you swept off your feet. That is until you broke up with him. I wonder why," Said Yuu his smirk showing just how cocky he was.

"Care to share Hinata. I'm sure Naruto will be the most surprised person in the room," Yuu continued.

Hinata had gone beat red. Her heart was racing from what she was hearing. Not only that, everyone was staring at her even Naruto. Hinata felt shyness over come her that she had not felt in a long time.

"Don't answer him Hinata," stated Naruto his hands working furiously behind him to free. "If only I had paid attention in class and learned Rope Escape No-jutsu," thought Naruto.

"Miu get word to the leaf about our demands. This land we are on now is as good as our. We will never join one of these so called great nations. We will rebuild our nation. Here On this land beneath us. "

"You're crazy if you think the Old man is going to give you anything," yelled Naruto." Once you trade me I'll just tell them the truth."

Yuu let out a deep laugh. The sound of his voice filled the tent. "Only one of you is going back. The other is being put to death for killing our clan members. The one that goes back will simply have their memories wiped." Yuu paused for a moment to let his words sink. He walked up to the cage and eyed them both in mock curiosity. "So, which one of you will be the one to die?" he asked as he pointed to Naruto.

"Let's play a game to decide," he continued. "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe. Catch the ninja before he goes. When you catch him kill him slow. Make him bleed and watch it flow

As Yuu finished his little rhyme his finger pointed at Hinata. Her face was mixed with fear and confusion. It only made it more fun for the madman in front of them.

"I guess you're going to die tomorrow," said Yuu in disappointment. He wanted to land on the loud-mouthed brat, but the girl would die just the same. "Well enjoy your last night together," he stated, with his grin already back. Yuu made his way to the entrance of the tent, motioning for the others to follow. Before he stepped out into the night, he turned to Hinata once more.

Miku and Ken followed closely behind him. Miku was the last one to leave. She looked at the two Genin one last time before slipping out as well.

Naruto and Hinata were again plunged into darkness. Now all they had to do was to figure out how to get out of there before Hinata was killed.

X-x-x

Shikamaru and Asuma were getting close to the camp again. Not much time had passed since they had left the rest of the team to wait for back up. Asuma had warned Shikamaru about the traps. They were no longer invited so it may be a little trickier to get in. With all that had happened today, Asuma doubted that anyone was asleep. The night was still young and it looked like it was going to be a long one.

"Hold here," Asuma commanded as they came within range of the refugee camp. "From now on, be wary of traps. I don't think they will have a lot up, but it's better to be safe than sorry."

Shikamaru merely nodded in response. Talking was a luxury they couldn't afford at the moment. He didn't like that Asuma had even said that much, but he was a Genin. It was not his call to make.

Asuma and Shika made their way through the forest surrounding the camp. It was a lot easier than they expected. It only made the two more wary.

"You notice that yet Shikamaru?" asked Asuma with a slightly irritated smile.

"Yeah, I noticed right before you said it," answered Shikamaru as they both stopped their advance.

"Do you know how to release?" asked Asuma.

"Yeah," answered Shikamaru as he and Asuma built up their chakra.

Two figures appeared before them. Asuma barely had time to react as the Tsuki Shinobi attacked them. They had walked right into a Genjutsu trap.

"That was close," said Asuma as his trench knives went slicing through his attacker's kunai and into his shoulder in a single strike. Asuma looked over to check on Shikamaru. He had already caught the other Shinobi. Shikamaru had his own mouth covered, forcing the Shinobi to do the same.

Asuma was impressed, "For a support type he sure knows how to handle himself."

Asuma turned his attention back to his downed opponent to find him trying to get away.

"Not so fast. Why don't you take a load of, and stay a while," threatened Asuma as he put his knives to the man's throat.

Asuma looked back at Shikamaru who still had the other Shinobi in check. Asuma forced the two Shinobi together. Then tied and gagged them.

"What do we do now?" asked Shikamaru as he looked into the distance. It seemed that while under the Genjutsu, they had turned and made their way back to where they came from.

"We'll leave these two where no one can find them and then go get Naruto and Hinata," Asuma stated.

"Why don't we just ask these two?" Shikamaru asked as he looked at the two Shinobi.

"I can't make them talk without screaming a little first," Asuma alleged in a nonchalant tone. "By the time they talk, our position will be given away. It'll be easier to find them by heading to the camp. They should be under guard, so we just have to look for a guarded tent."

Shikamaru nodded in agreement as they took off toward the camp. Faster this time knowing they had taken out the perimeter guards to their side.

They made it deep into the camp moving as ghosts. They scoured the entire place looking for a tent that was guarded. They had split up in order to cover more ground. When they met back at the designated spot, they both had found a guarded tent.

"Do you think they split them up?" asked Shikamaru.

"No. If they did, they wouldn't be on opposite sides of the camp like that," affirmed Asuma. Instead they would be in tents next to each other. My guess is that someone important lives in one tent and the other is where your teammates are being held."

"Figuring out which one will be a drag, but I think I got it figured out," said Shikamaru. "The whole time we were here there were no guarded tents. In one of those tents is a member of the council. It has to be. It is the only thing that makes sense. My tent had two guards, and yours had four. So the question is which one they would guard more? The one alleged responsible for that explosion or a victim of it?"

Asuma and Shikamaru made there way towards the tent with four guards. They doubted that the two clans would want there captives to get away so easily. Plus they had perimeter guards to make sure no one got through. It would be easier for there captives to escape and make another attempt on the council members life from inside the camp, so they would probably have more guards around them. Shikamaru hoped he was right about the Tsuki and Yosuke's thought process, or this whole situation would get a whole lot worse.

X-x-x

"Yuu-Sama, we must bandage you back so that we can make it look like you were injured in that blast," said Ken. "We had the guards go away but they are back now. If one of them were to see you recovered it could cause problems for us."

Yuu stood in his tent as Ken and Miku bandaged him. For him, everything was going according to plan. He got a high from the notion of being discovered by the four guards outside his tent, but he came to the decision that Ken was right. That was the only reason he made his way back to the bed to play his part that night.

X-x-x

Naruto and Hinata had wasted no time in trying to figure out a way out of there. They had crawled together in the darkness and untied each other's bounds. Hinata used her Byakugan to see what their situation was. It wasn't that hard after that. Naruto left two clones disguised as them in the cage and left. They went through the back of the tent not risking a fight with the guards. Hinata had timed it just right. The guards had been circling the tent in opposite directions. She and Naruto took advantage of there blind spots and took off into the night not looking back as they left the camp behind. The two Shinobi escaped. They unknowingly used the same path that Asuma and Shikamaru had used to enter. They took flight into leaving their captors and teammates behind.

Next chapter: Mishaps

Authors Notes:

Hey guys. I hope you liked the chapter. It was a little difficult to write. Just to clear a few things up. Yuu was mentioned in the last chapter by Bis (The guy who led the Chase Team). So now you know that all the pairings were just a way to manipulate Naruto and company. I know Shikamaru's pairing wasn't all that exciting, but I didn't think he was the type to like someone so quickly. So I left that part up to the passionate Naruto and the Romantic Hinata. Did I have you fooled is my question, and was it pulled off in a way that didn't seem forced. So, as always, reviews are welcome and encouraged. I would also like to give thanks to my Beta Millos Assailant. Come back next time to see what happens….