To Be Rokudaime Chapter 10, a naruto fanfic

To Be Rokudaime

Chapter 10

Action!Prologue: What if Danzo or Kakashi weren't chosen as Rokudaime? What if Naruto was? With that decision, time itself twists and shapes into a new path, a path that can be forged. For better or worst.Disclaimer: Nothing in this fic is mine. And yeah, there's graphic violence in this story.

Ino hummed, brushing a strand of long, platinum blonde hair out of her face with a slender hand. Her cornflower blue eyes picked up the goings on outside of Yamanaka's flower shop without missing even a single detail, while at the same time her bored gaze didn't seem to hold much of any interest. She had already flipped through all of her brightly colored magazines, and that was after she had swept the floors, plucked out dead flowers, watered the plants, reorganized the shelves, and replaced some of the plants' soil. She hadn't seen nor heard from Shikamaru or Chouji all day, and she was quite clueless on where Sakura was.

At the thought of her pink haired friend the blonde beauty snorted in a way that proved her namesake suited her. That forehead. I haven't talked to her in forever, her being so god damn busy all the time now. She even had the gall to abandon me for an entire two weeks after our village was completely destroyed! Huffing, Ino crossed her arms beneath her breasts and sulked. Everyone has been ignoring me lately…. or at least I feel that way. This is so lame.

She looked up in time to catch notice of someone completely unexpected, at least at this very moment. The pristine, unwrinkled clan robes and well-maintained brown hair gave away who it was, and that was if you didn't glance straight at the silver tinted eyes, as most would. ''Neji? What are you doing here?''

Neji actually looked slightly embarrassed, if the nearly unnoticeable blush on the naturally pale skin of his cheeks was of any indication. ''Ino-san.'' He acknowledged with a nod as he looked at the assortment of flowers near the door, leaving his back open to a very annoyed and frustrated blonde.

At least someone shows up, visiting or not. Ino grumbled before standing and moving over to where her prodigious comrade stood, looking at the large assortments of flowers in clear frustration. Ino leaned over his shoulder to see what he was looking at. ''So,'' She began, holding back a giggle as Neji jumped and shot her a Byakugan-enhanced glare. ''whatcha looking for Neji?''

His nearly unnoticeable blush returned, and although when he spoke his voice held a tinge of awkwardness, the Yamanaka heiress could have applauded that he had still retained his polite and serious demeanor. ''I was curious… ''

Ino rose a trimmed blonde eyebrow. ''Curious? About what?''

Neji winced inwardly, fighting an internal debate on whether or not he should tell Yamanaka-san that he was looking for flowers. Everyone knew that the beautiful blonde was the gossip queen of the entirety of Konohagakure. Finally he sighed. ''I was…. curious as to if you could help me find flowers.'' He grimaced.

Ino visibly perked up, her eyes brightening as she began plucking out various flowers. She shoved them at Neji, chatting about what each of them meant and how they could show a person how you felt if interpreted correctly. ''Okay, so this one shows that you hate someone, this one that you lust after them, this one that you're jealous of them-''

Neji dropped the flowers and his jaw in unison. losing every trace of Hyuuga dignity in the presence of the incessantly talking female. ''Jealous? I'm not jealous of anyone!''

The Yamanaka heiress blinked innocently, a grin on her face, eyes twinkling, and hands on her hips. The picture of devious gossip girl. ''Oh really now? Then you must tell me who exactly you came here to get flowers for, Neji-kun.''

Neji crossed his arms in defiance and turned his head to the side. "I refuse to tell you of all people."

Ino blinked in astonishment, her brows creasing as her lips turned downward in a frown. "Really, now. I thought that the Hyuuga Prodigy was above pouting like a child." She mocked.

Neji glared at her, silver eyes hardening to steel. "Fine, I will tell you," Ino's cheer was held back by the steel in his voice. "But, only because you know about flowers and the favorites of Tenten."

Ino's eyes widened and sparkled as she fangirled. "OHMYKAMI! Neji and Tenten sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Tenten with a ba-"

"SHUT UP!" Neji shouted in embarrassment, face red. How can this girl get under my skin so easily? Ugh, I hate this. She's made me lose all sense of composure! "Stop being such a child!"

The blonde stuck her bottom lip out in a pout but relented. "Alright. Okay, I know what flower Tenten absolutely loves."

Neji glanced up with his curiosity sparking an interest. "Hmm?"

Ino grinned. "She loves orchids." The blonde explained as she began plucking ones of different colors from their vases and holding them up to Neji. "The orchid symbolizes love, luxury, beauty, and strength. You choose what color."

Neji squinted in thought. "I'll take the dark pink."

"Alright!" Ino bounced back to the register, getting Neji's money, and handing him one. The Hyuuga eyed it.

"Why did you only give me one?"

The blonde shook her head and sighed. "Neji, Neji, Neji. You can't be too pushy with a girl, take it slow. One flower at a time. Each time you two go on a date together add one more orchid to the bouquet."

Neji nodded. That sounds… nice. "Arigato, Ino-san."

Ino smiled as he left. "Sayonara, Neji!"

Hinata couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her byakugan saw her boyfriend and teammate's life spilling out of him at an unbelievably fast rate, although his heart remained strong. The heiress allowed her doujutsu to deactivate as she dropped to her knees, her head lowering and hair shadowing her eyes as tears dripped softly down her delicate cheeks. In a way it symbolized all of her hopes and dreams slipping away.

Blood, there's so much blood. She thought numbly as she grabbed Kiba's still warm hand in her own shaking one.

Why is there blood? At least, so much of it. She bit her bottom lip as it quivered. Even… even for that kind of wound there shouldn't be so much blood.

Blank, damp lavender eyes took in the shallow breaths, the cooling of the skin, the too-still body. Kiba-kun shouldn't be like this. He's never still. Never quiet. This doesn't feel right.

Akamaru nuzzled her side, whimpering, while Shino whipped around to glare at Kabuto. Behind his trademark shades the bug ninja's dark eyes smoldered with fury. The Aburame's breath came out in ragged gasps as his rage built. "Yakushi Kabuto. I am now past the point of being logical. You will pay for hurting my friend!"

Kabuto only smirked, twirling a kunai on his finger with great dexterity as his snake tail's head hissed, its tongue flicking in and out of its venomous mouth. "Not so fast, Shino-kun." The white haired man purred, very much like the former master he respected so much. His grin widened and he flicked his wrist with frightening speed towards the grieving figure of Hinata, once again targeting her as he knew that her teammates would inevitably lose their rational side and use themselves as human shields rather than deflecting the weapon. He would have done the same for Orochimaru-sama, after all.

Shino's eyes widened as he saw Hinata, lost in her grief, not react to the imminent threat. Without thinking rationally he lunged forward, ready to protect, throwing his arms out, back turned towards the enemy-

The brunette tumbled as he was pushed to the side, mind blanking as he looks up and sees Hyuuga Itsuki get impaled by the weapon meant for Hinata. Risako screams, tears rolling down her face as she leaps at Kabuto with ethereal fury in her pretty eyes. Kabuto's smirk remains as he effortlessly dodges and blocks her slashes, Risako's anger causing her to lose focus. Her tears are flying through the air and blurring in her eyes but all she can think about is Itsuki Itsuki Itsuki-

He's not dead, he'll survive. Risako and Hinata think numbly, minds united in their grief. He's mine, the one I care deeply for, my strength… and my weakness. Risako stumbles back as she's punched in the stomach and Hinata stands, Byakugan carving veins into her gorgeous face, mouth in a grim line and hands in a battle stance. The jyuuken. Without mercy they lunge as one, and Kabuto's smug look drops as he's pressed to battle the two furious kunoichi seeking revenge… An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Regaining his bearings, Shino jumps into action, swarming Kikaichu wordlessly around Kabuto and forcing them to latch onto the silver haired missing-nin's skin and suck out his chakra like an annoying leach out for blood. Hinata weaves around a flurry of hissing, venomous snakes while avoiding the silver haired medic nin's chakra scalpels.

Meanwhile, Risako catapults herself over Kabuto, pushing off of his shoulders with her hands as she gets directly above him, only for her eyes to widen as Kabuto's snake limb wraps around her waist and sinks its poisonous fangs into her delicate skin. The reptile slowly pulled away and left two tiny holes and two small, deep red drops of blood before releasing her limp body harshly to the ground, its small pink tongue flicking in and out and in and out. Somewhere to the side Itsuki groaned, pulling the kunai slowly out of his stomach, ignoring the pain and the squelching sounds. His silver, pupil less eyes are frenzied, his movements weak and sluggish from the blood loss, the pain, and the rage-

Itsuki knows he won't survive this fight, and that Risako would not either. But they sure as hell weren't going to go down without a fight to this bastard.

Risako slowly stood, crawling from her stomach, to her hands and knees, to her knees, then to her feet. Her vision is blurring, her movements delayed, her brain fogging up, and the pain, and numbness is overwhelming, and then she felt a cool sensation running through her bloodstream, turning her blood to the very thing that was killing her. The venom was highly lethal, and it was quite clear as to how deadly. Kabuto smirked and the others watched in abject horror as her veins now stood out in a prominent black, the sight quite sickly. Kabuto chuckled. "A shame," he t'sked. "and you were quite the looker too."

Kabuto ducked under Hinata's furious strikes as his smirk slowly grows once more, blowing Shino's kikaichu off of his skin with a sharp release of chakra from his body while at the same time incinerating the chakra-eating bugs. That move required precise and direct chakra control, and as a medic, something Kabuto happened to have a lot of. Shino grit his teeth, knowing that to get out of this alive, they would need a backup plan. Tch. Either we'll have to somehow get him to retreat, but if possible we have to kill him and neutralize a threat to Konoha, or somehow get word to Konoha. His frustration rose as Kabuto spun in the air and kicked Hinata right into Shino, who slid back several feet with her in his arms.

Feeling Shino cushion her fall, Hinata stood and prepared to leap back into the fight, only to have her eyes widen as Shino's arms locked around her waist, holding her back. Hinata began to struggle frantically. "No! Shino-kun! Let me go let me go! I have to- have to help Kiba-kun a-and Ri-Risako-chan and Itsu-Itsuki-kun! NO!"

Shino tightened his grip on the grieving heiress in his arms, a lone tear trailing down the normally stoic Aburame's pale cheek even as he tried to convince both Hinata and himself that everything would be all right, that their boyfriend, teammate, and best friend -respectively- would be okay. That he wasn't dead. That Kiba would get up. That Hinata's relative would come back with them. That the pretty Risako would be able to see her family again. But he couldn't lie to himself -logic told him not to. And Aburame always made the logical choice.

So instead Shino threw down a newly designed, special grade smoke bomb that was created specifically to disrupt Kabuto's and/or Sasuke's snake's odd ability of smelling. Specifically, tasting the air through their tongues and scent glands. With a well-timed shunshin and a mass of vengeful kikaichu, Kabuto was subdued long enough that the two remaining members of what was supposed to be a simple search and destroy mission fled the sight of their comrades' final battle.

Shino stumbled in exhaustion, glancing back at Hinata as she leaned against Akamaru, completely halting their escape from the maniac who had killed their friends and teammates. The Hyuuga heiress' lavender tinted eyes were blank, empty and devoid of any grief. That worried the Aburame. Tears welled in his dark eyes, hidden beneath his sunglasses, although he blinked them away to be remained unnoticed by his remaining teammate. Even Akamaru seemed to be grieving, his pants coming out harsh and his puppy eyes too wide.

Shino slowly approached the Hyuuga, gently placing his hand on her shoulder and covering up a wince when she jumped, blinking at him. "Hinata. Look at me.'' She shook her head, silky violet hair with no senbon to hold it in their confines falling around her face, shadowing her emotions from Shino. Shino's grip on her tightened the slightest bit on her shoulder. "Look at me."

Hearing Shino raise her voice at her was so disconcerting that Hinata complied, looking him in the eyes. Their gazes held for several long moments, transferring their grief and emotions to each other through the bond only teammates could hold. Shino was ready when Hinata threw herself into his arms, tears like delicate pearls as they trailed down her flawless cheeks, silent sobs wracking her body as she seeked comfort in the Aburame. He wasn't surprised to feel wetness soaking his own cheeks, or to feel Akamaru nuzzle in between them, deep whines that almost sounded like he was crying filling their ears. They stayed like that until the sun went down and they knew that they would have to get away before they were found. Then they left.

Naruto paced around his office, an odd feeling in his stomach. He felt anxious, almost like he needed to move. He had done no paper work at all today, the feeling getting worse and worse as time passed. He'd snapped at Shizune each time she entered, worriedly trying to tell him everything was alright, and he tried to push back his guilt when he saw the hurt in her eyes. She just wanted to help the person she saw as her little brother. He bit his lip so hard it drew blood, and he licked the coppery liquid when the wound automatically healed. He needed to keep moving-

"Yo."

Naruto looked up at the person who spoke, eyes narrowed. The other's were also narrowed, in concern and confusion. "Go away, Kaka-sensei. I'm busy."

Kakashi frowned beneath his mask, obviously knowing something was wrong. "No, you're not busy. If you paced any more you'd make a permanent track in the floor." Kakashi cleared his throat. "Exactly how long has he been like this, Neko?"

"All day sempai. Something is obviously wrong. Instinct saying something, I presume, Naruto-sama?" Neko asked dutifully, appearing in a sitting position on her Hokage's desk from her spot in the darkness.

Naruto frowned, he just felt so useless, and he didn't understand why. "Maybe…." He murmured distractedly as he faced his windows.

"You can always tell us what is troubling you." Kakashi suggested. Neko nodded in agreement.

Naruto's blue eyes were far away, his voice sounding distant. "I'm not sure what it is either. So I can't say."

The ANBU and her sempai shared a wary glance. Neko stood. "We trust you, Hokage-sama. Tell us what we should do to put your worries at ease."

Naruto snapped back to reality at her words, but his frown remained. "Of course." He pondered possibilities, reasons that his instincts may be kicking in. Hinata, Shino, Kiba and Akamaru were on an easy search and destroy mission with two others, they should be alright. I hope. All of his friends were currently in Konoha besides them. Was it someone in another village? Possibly. Was Akatsuki going to make a move? Most likely. Should he rest? He needed sleep, but decided against it. He shrugged. "Tighten security within and without Konoha, check any weak points, reinforce them, and check our stock of emergency food and supplies. That's all I can think of."

Kakashi and Neko gave a salute, disappearing in twin puffs of smoke.

Naruto sighed, creating a clone and exiting and sealing off his office before telling Shizune he was going to clear his head. Maybe he just needed some action, or ramen. While on the streets he gave a fake smile to the children and civilians who greeted him, Shinobi being too busy with their tasks to manage much more than a subtle nod of respect. So lost in thought was he that Naruto bumped into someone before he realized it.

Karin's red eyes lit up. "Oh! There you are! Say, are Hina-chan and her team back yet?" She noticed something about her twin's demeanor that immediately put her off. His eyes were cloudy and his chakra was fluctuating in distress and anxiety. "What's wrong?"

Naruto shook his head, continuing to walk. Karin followed. "It just… doesn't feel right."

The redhead put her hands on her hips. "Feel right? What do you mean?"

"Everything just feels… off." Naruto murmured, tucking his hands in his pockets. "It's like… " She watched as he closed his eyes, and when he opened them, they were golden. Karin gaped. "It's like nature itself is telling me that something is wrong, but I can't figure it out."

"That's… weird." Karin stated after a long moment, watching orange and gold fade. "So where are you going."

"Ichiraku's." Naruto mumbled, eyes half-lidded. Karin frowned, something was seriously wrong with Naruto. She squinted, adjusting her glasses at a brief flare of pain in her temples. She ignored the stares and distrust some of the villagers gave her as they sat down at the stools in the ramen bar, greeted by Teuchi and Ayame's smiling faces. "Hokage-sama and Karin-chan, what can I do for you today?" Teuchi chuckled.

Ayame, seeing Naruto not looking too well, pushed down her curiosity and looked at Karin. "Vegetarian for you, a miso for Naruto-kun?"

Karin nodded distractedly, too busy trying to ignore her growing headache. Her hands were in the Hitsuji sign as she probed deeper into Naruto's chakra, trying to calm it without realizing that it was just getting more violent and aggravating her own. Ayame frowned, giving her father the order as she headed to the back of the store.

Naruto flinched at a sudden phantom pain, eyes widening. Kurama, what the in the nine levels of Hell is happening to me?!

Karin's eyes opened the moment Naruto flinched. "Naruto?"

Naruto's eyes were closed, a scowl on her lips. His hands were fisted into knuckles. Kurama, answer me! I swear to Kami that if you're sleeping or ignoring me I'll-

Karin bit her bottom lip, crossing her arms in mounting annoyance. "Na-ru-to."

Naruto winced again, holding his head. Kurama, this is pissing me off! Answer me!

Ayame walked in with a towel, taking in Naruto's pain-scrunched face and Karin's annoyed yet confused one. She blinked. "Karin-chan? What's wrong with Naruto-otouto?"

Karin scowled. "I don't know but it's kinda freaking me out."

The pain increased and Naruto almost ripped his hair out. KURAMA! YOU DON'T EVEN NEED TO ANSWER ME ANYMORE JUST MAKE THE PAIN STOP! KURAMA!

Karin and Ayama began to panic. "Naruto, listen to us! Open your eyes, look over here!" Karin ordered, fear lacing her voice. Ayame wasn't going to help, standing behind the counter with wide eyes. "Naruto, I'm not messing around right now! Open your eyes! Look at us!" Her voice wavered. "Please…."

At that moment, the curtain to the stall was thrown open and in walked The Sand Siblings with Shikamaru as an escort. Taking in the scene, all their eyes narrowed. Gaara's face were carefully blank, but Temari noticed the slight widening of his eyes. "Could someone explain to me what is happening?"

"We're almost to Konoha, come on Hinata." Shino murmured, slightly supporting Hinata's weight. She was still in too much shock to be able to move in a straight line, let alone pay attention to direction. This was number one reason it was taking them so long to get to their home village, the second being Akamaru stumbling from his injuries and third being their reluctance to leave Kiba's body in the hands of a murderer who could be using it as a research subject.

Hinata blinked, face blank. "Alright."

Shino frowned, steadying Akamaru with a foot so he didn't trip. The large dog whined in pain and exhaustion, heavily panting, his flanks heaving. One eye was closed, swelled shut. The humans with him weren't much better, Shino was unable to use one arm by now, and cuts littered his skin. He was low on chakra and weak from half-carrying Hinata and balancing Akamaru. Hinata had a gash on her forehead where the blood had dripped into her eyes and dried, and she was still in shock. Shino's eyes narrowed, visible as he'd lost his sunglasses in a brief fight with some White Zetsu that had caught up to them. That's where Hinata and Akamaru also obtained most of their injuries.

Hinata had taken out anger on the Zetsu, with Akamaru tearing into them viciously by her side. Shino had sent out swarms of kikaichu that devoured the clones. All three had hesitated when one looking like Kiba had shown up, a smirk on his face, so like their Kiba. But it wasn't, and they had taken a few hits as reward for their hesitation. They hadn't even had the guts to kill the fake, only losing it, leaving it behind. It would hurt too much.

Shino looked up, hope flickering in his eyes.

Almost there.

The moment he heard Gaara's voice, the pain disappeared altogether. Smiling, Naruto looked up at his friend, and caught his gaze. They had a silent conversation, and Gaara nodded at the end. Shaking his head as if to clear it and forget all that just happened, and with him and Gaara ignoring the other's confusion, Naruto stood and snapped his fingers. Neko appeared in front of him, head down in a bow and one knee on the ground with the other bent.

"Hai, Hokage-sama?"

Naruto gave a small smile. "Neko, arrange an ANBU rescue team."

Neko nodded, glancing up with relief when she noticed her leader's voice was no longer tight with whatever emotions he'd been experiencing prior. "Of course, I'll get Tora, Saru, and Ushi to come. Who or what is it that we are searching for?"

Naruto's eyes hardened, Karin and Ayame's widened, Gaara's remained blank, and Kankuro and Temari's dilated, and Shikamaru's narrowed. "Find Team 8 consisting of Akamaru, Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and their added teammates Hyuuga Itsuki and Akechi Risako. Bring them back to Konoha, and make sure no one is tailing them. This will be an A-rank mission with proper funding. Understood?"

Yugao nodded. "Of course, Hokage-sama." She disappeared.

Shikamaru, Kankuro. Temari, and Karin turned to Naruto. "What's going on?!"

Naruto shook his head in response, and he and Gaara disappeared in a flash.

Neko brushed the hair out of her face, disliking the strands that hindered her already strained line of vision due to the porcelain mask placed upon her face. She looked up, eyes narrowed, giving a brief twitch of a finger on her raised hand, signalling for her group to pause. Ushi, Saru, and Tora -also known as both Yamato and Tenzo- paused. Ushi readied her tanto, reading her mentor's signals. They're up ahead.

Saru fingered his kunai pouch, eyes analyzing the movements of Neko's fingers. There's one tailing a group of three. Two shinobi and a ninken.

Tora moved his fingers into position to use his mokuton. Unidentified person tailing. His eyes narrowed It doesn't feel like a person. It feels like… my mokuton. He gave a signal to Neko.

I'll take care of the shinobi tailing them. Neko nodded and silently she, Ushi, and Saru leaped down in front of Shino and Hinata. Akamaru gave a soft bark as Saru began to heal his more major injuries, Shino relinquished his hold on Hinata to Ushi to allow her to heal Hinata, and Neko tossed Shino a soldier pill before healing his arm.

Neko scanned him. "Aburame Shino?" He nodded. "That's Hyuuga Hinata and ninken Akamaru?" Another nod. "We were sent by Hokage-sama to return you to Konoha. Where are your other teammates, chuunin Akechi Risako, jounin Hyuuga Itsuki, and chuunin Inuzuka Kiba?"

Shino's eyes blanked. "Dead."

Frowning, Neko let it rest. He would have to write up the report and give the verbal himself, judging by the appearance of Hinata. She nodded to Ushi and Saru as Tora appeared, looking no different. He had had no trouble taking care of the Zetsu. "Let's go."

Naruto and Gaara sat in silence on top of the West Gate of Konoha, out of sight of the three chuunin and one jounin guarding down below. Security had been stepped up.

After a long while, Gaara spoke. "Tell me what happened."

Naruto shook his head. "My instincts are crazy. Something is wrong. I know it."

"War is going on, and we're the youngest Kage. What has gotten us this far?" Gaara said.

Naruto ran a hand through his hair. "Instinct."

Gaara gave a small smile. "Correct. Still, we can be the best despite our age. We have to trust our instincts."

Naruto frowned. "Kurama isn't speaking to me. My chakra's wild."

"It hurts." Gaara added, seeing the look on his friend's face. "Why do you hide your pain?"

"It did hurt." Naruto corrected. "When you showed up it just… stopped. Why did you show up? Shouldn't you be guarding your village?"

Gaara looked off in the distance. "They'll be fine."

Naruto looked at him from the corner of his eye. "How do you know?"

The redhead smirked. "Instinct."

"Asshole." Naruto muttered, punching him in the arm. Gaara brushed it off. They remained in comfortable silence until Naruto felt something and looked up. "It's them."

"Who?" Gaara questioned.

Naruto stood. "The ANBU team." He frowned, stretching out his senses. "There's only three with them."

Gaara read the words. "That means the other three are dead, or captured."

Naruto grit his teeth, chakra glowing around his body in his anger. "Damn it!" He jumped down from the wall, landing in front of the ANBU team just as they signed in. He scanned the faces, and knew. His stomach dropped and he didn't notice Gaara land beside him. Didn't notice Shino, Tora, Neko, Ushi, and Saru look at him. Didn't notice Akamaru howling. Didn't feel Hinata scream out his name in panic. Didn't notice her catch him as he collapsed.

All that he could feel was pain.

Sasuke glanced up at the Madara-impersonator. "What next."

Not-Madara smirked beneath his mask. "I'll tell you in three days time."

Sasuke frowned. "What do I do until then?"

"Until then," Not-Madara glowered, "you will do what I tell you to do."

"I'm not your puppet." Sasuke glared. "I can do whatever the fuck I want."

"That is true." Not-Madara said balefully. "But you are my underling. You want power, do you not? You want to destroy Konoha, and Uzumaki Naruto, do you not?"

Reluctantly, Sasuke nodded, eyes narrowed.

Not-Madara smirked. "I see we're on the same page." His visible eye flashed. "Time to leave."

They vanished without a trace, leaving the corpses around them to rot. A sliver of sunlight broke through the canopy to reveal a familiar face, as the person's hand twitched.

But it was only a squirrel, crawling out from beneath the body, small eyes wide and body quivering uncontrollably. Seconds later it fell to the ground, dead.

"Didn't think I'd see you here."

"I didn't think I was still alive."

A laugh. "Great. Same thing I thought."

A snort. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I've been here for a long time."

Sarcasm and curiosity. "Whoopdeedoo. Good news for me."

Kiba looked up, gaping, ignoring his sore and bruised jaw and not even registering that the lethal kunai wound to his gut had been healed as compared to his shock when he noticed just who was talking to him.

"But you're- you're dead!"

The sound of chains scraping along the dirty, musky cement floor irritated Kiba's sensitive ears to no end and he was quite positive that the person was doing it just so that they could aggravate him. Out of the shadows someone he didn't expect to see ever again give him that oh-so-cocky smirk, albeit a weaker, more worn out version. "Yeah, yeah. Don't rub it in."

Kiba blinked in miscomprehension. "So you actually are de-"

The person gave a dry laugh. "No! Of course I'm not dead! I'm too awesome to die!"

Kiba frowned. "Yeah, whatever." He pulled at his cuffs. "So how are we gonna get out of here?"

"You can't." The person sounded defeated as compared to their arrogant bravado just moments before. "It's impossible."

Kiba's slitted eyes flashed, a feral grin working on his lips. "If there's one thing Naruto's managed to get through my thick skull," The other person shifted, awaiting the next words.

"It's that nothing is impossible."

What happened to Naruto? Kiba isn't dead! What are Sasuke and Obito up to? Who is the strange person? Will they escape? Find out soon!

Yeeeeeeeeeeah done! Sorry for the really really long wait, I've been so effing busy it ain't even funny. First me and my dad got sick on my birthday, a day before that my laptop broke, I got a new one, then school decided to get hard, the semester is ending, all my friends wanted to hang out, and then family comes into the picture with more birthdays and illnesses. So yeah, and my muse hasn't been too high for this story. Gomen! I have more muse now, and I wasn't expecting this outcome. Oh well. Hope you enjoyed!