Disclaimer: Nope. Lets keep it at that.
Rating: R
Mage: Well, now that they are in the land of Mystics, it ain't all peaches and cream...
Chapter 11: Vendetta
Right after Naruto's little speech, three ninja on horseback came and greeted Kagayoku and the family. Naruto looked at the abnormally large white horses in awe. Just like the three ninja, the horses also had the pentagram tatooed on their foreheads. They were at least twice the size as regular horses. The ninja who rode them all wore the same black uniform, much like Kakashi's and Iruka's, but without the vest. "Who are they?" Naruto asked Amadare.
"Those are guard ninja. Like body guards for us. They aren't as powerful as elite ninja of our land, but they are stronger than Chunin."
"What's really good with those horses?"
She chuckled, "That's just the size they grow to on this land." For a few moments the three ninja conversed with Kagayoku. She nodded to them, and one of them whistled loudly. Suddenly a group of the same white horses galloped from some unknown place through the crowd.
"Two people to a horse," Kagayoku said. "Naruto, you an Sasuke can continue riding Ame. Besides, I think she's taken a liking to you."
Ame nuzzled Naruto's face to prove the point, and he patted her nose foundly, "I like her too."
"Kakashi, you and Iruka will also continue riding Alecto."
Alecto licked Iruka's cheek and the Chunin chuckled, "Thank you for the momentary face wash."
Naruto looked around him. The crowd off people had all moved to diffrent parts of the harbour, but they all had their eyes glued to Naruto and the others. 'Creepy,' He thought, with a slight shiver.
"We'll take the path throught the forest," Amadare announced. She looked at Naruto, "You guys will love it! It's peaceful and calm and full of the most amazing plants and animals."
Daiya and Sakura shared a horse, though Daiya scrunched her face up when the young woman wasn't looking. Amadare and Kagayoku shared one as well, as did Hane and Hato, and the servants. Far off into the distance, to the west, a trail lead into a large endless - looking forest, filled with the largest trees anyone of the foreigners had ever seen. They raced down the trail and once inside the forest, they all slowed to a steady trot. Naruto and the others starred around them. The sunlight shone throughout it all, and their were flowers so beautiful, Naruto was sure they could have come from a dream. They listened as birds, high in the trees, chirped their songs happyly to one another.
Naruto held the hand that was sercurely around his waist, "Isn't it wondeful?" He said to Sasuke.
The brunette nodded, "Yes, it is."
One of the many brightly colored butterflies that hovered around, landed onto the blonds nose, and fluttered it's wings gently, as if resting. He smiled, and laughed when it finally flew away. Sasuke held down his laugh, not wanting to worry the others. It seemed like whenever he slipped up and acted insanely happy, Kakashi and the others would swear to the gods the world was coming to an end.
A small bird flew down from one of the trees and landed onto Ame's head. Naruto attempted to pick up the pink and red bird, but before he could, it flew away again. He made the adorable face of a dissapointed child and Sasuke couldn't help but laugh. His friends tensed and looked at him.
"...Did you hear that?" Iruka said.
"Hear what?" Sasuke asked.
"The sound of my world coming to a complete stop...I swear I heard it...It came in the form of...a laugh from you!" The others couldn't help but laugh as Iruka made the face of a lost puppy.
Sasuke snorted, "So what, I laughed. Sue me."
Soon all that they could hear were the sounds of nature, and the soft clapping of the horse's steady trot. The ligers moved in silence, their feet making no sound. Kagayoku and the guard ninja's talked about the current events of the village and Amadare quietly listened. Sometimes the fact that Kagayoku was the supreme Hokage got in the way of Amadare spending time with her. She hated it when people began talking to her wife about politics and such, because that was Kagayoku's favorite subject to debate about. Like she was doing know with the guard ninja. And if that wasn't bad enough, the people never seemed to want Amadare to enter the coversation, thinking she was to young and naieve to understand such important matters.
Just because she was young didn't make her intelligent. And the only one's who seemed to understand that was Kagayoku, Daiya, and Naruto. It annoyed her to no end. Each time she tried to make a point of her own or disagree with one of them, one of the ninja guards would smile at her and say something like, 'How nice Hounured wife. But you shouldn't worry about such trivial matters. I'm quite sure we are just boring you.' But it didn't bore her, and she wanted them to understand that, and respect her as an adult and not only as the Hokage's wife. For once she wanted them to realize that she was just as wise and smart as Kagayoku and Daiya.
She sighed and settled once again, for just listening. Senseing Amadare's sadness, Kagayoku plucked one of the large blue and white flowers from an over hanging tree branch, and placed it into Amadare's hair, before kissing her cheek, "Don't let it get you down." She whispered to the younger woman. "I know full well how intelligent you are, even if others ignore it.." She kissed her again and went back to her debate with the guards.
Amadare smiled and sighed once again. 'Sometimes,' She thought. 'Just sometimes, hearing the things you want to hear from the one you love, isn't always enough.'
By late afternoon, they were still traveling and Naruto had fallen asleep, resting back on Sasuke. The brunett kept his uninjured arm safely around the kitsune's waist, and rested his own head in the crook of Naruto's neck. Sakura looked at them every now and then, her eyes gleaming with hate and jealously towards Naruto, lust and want towards Sasuke. What she wouldn't give to just stick a kunai blade right into the blond shinobi's heart. She was jolted out of her evil thoughts when Kagayoku stopped suddenly.
"Whats wrong?" Amadare asked her.
She stayed silent, as if listening out for something, "I have a feeling...we're being followed." She whispered. Everyone immediatly began listening, and watching. No sooner had she said that A dart like needle flew out of the bushes and headed straight for Sakura. Before anyone could react, Naruto quickly broke out of Sasuke's grasped and jumped off of Ame, to block Sakura. The needle hit Naruto directly in his neck, and he fell to the ground.
"NARUTO!" Sasuke and the others rushed to his side. Ame and Alecto, now knowing the location of the attacker, rushed into the woods, followed by Kagayoku and the three guards.
Naruto stood up and pulled the deeply embedded needle out of his neck.
"Are you okay!" Iruka asked.
He smiled, "I'm just fi - " He stopped in mid - sentence and placed his hand over his mouth and coughed a few times. He pulled back his hand and gasped.
His entire palm was covered in coughed up blood.
"My god," Kakashi whispered. "Naruto you - " The blond's eye's rolled to the back of his head and Iruka caught him before he collasped to the ground.
"What's happening!" Sasuke asked Amadare as the kitsune began shaking violently, as if having a seizure, and coughing. With each cough, he vomited a fresh wave of blood.
"Hold his head!" She ordered. "Don't let him hit his head!" She picked up the needle from off the ground and before she put it to close to her nose, she could smell the strong and rancid scent coming from the point. She knew automatically what it was. "They've...they've poisned him." She said. "I'm not sure what poison they used...but that's what it is." She grabbed her medical kit and opened it.
"What the hell is that?" Sasuke asked, as she injected a dark liquid into Naruto's arm. His voice was tight with fear and worry.
"It's Atropine. It'll control his spasms." Moments after she injected him, his shaking subsided and he stopped coughing. She took out a soft cloth and wipped the blood away from his mouth. "He needs medical attention, and I don't have all my supplies with me. The palace is only about a half mile away from here." She jumped onto the white horse with Naruto in her arms.
"Is he going to be okay!" Sasuke asked. She gave him an uncertain look and rode off.
Ame, Alecto, Kagayoku and the guards returned moments later. She held three headbands in her hand, all with the symbol of her land on them. Ame's and Alecto's jaws were bloodied and so were there claws.
"Where is - " Kagayoku began. Daiya franticly filled her in on what happened, and Hato did her best to comfort a broken Hane. "Does she know what poison exactly!"
"No," Daiya answered.
"Lets go! We don't have a moment to spare!"
'How could this have happened?' Amadare thought as she rushed into the palace with Naruto in her arms. 'No one is supposed to know about that damn shortcut except the family and guards!' Attendants rushed to her aid. "We have to get him in a bed!" She ordered, trying to seem hopeful, but that wasn't how she felt. She was terrified. They lead her to a room on the first floor, already equipped with a thick futon, and blankets. They hepled her get him undressed, and in the futon. "Bring me some water, and cloths! Hurry!" The attendants didn't need to told twice.
She took out the poisoned needle and sniffed it once again, and thats when realization hit her. 'This is poison from the bloodroot plant!...but...no! No!' Now she showed her panic through angry tears. The attendents returned and called forth one of them. "Listen closely," She told the woman. "I want you to go into the drawing room and tell our guests we have a problem and to stay in that room until given further instructions. Then I need you to go someplace very important..."
Once the palace was in sight, Sasuke leaped off of Ame and ran to find an entrance.
"You're going the wrong way!" Kagayoku yelled at him. He stopped running and turned around to follow her and the others to the back entrance. None of them paid much anttention to the shear beauty and size of the palace.
"My Lord!" An attendent called out, as he stood waiting for them. "I have a message for you from the Lady."
"Speak," Kagayoku said.
"She wants you all to wait in the drawing room with the other guests. She will be there shortly to give you news of the boy's health."
Daiya took Hane and Hato, to take them to their rooms, thought they refrianed from it, wanting to know if Naruto would be okay. When Daiya said they would have to wait for the news, they followed her. Kagayoku ordered another attendant to take Ame and Alecto to the grassland where other royal animals were kept.
"Do you have any knowledge at all about his health?"
"The news is grave my Lord." Knowing that it was best not to talk about it in front of Naruto's 'Family', she nodded, and the attendent lead them inside. The palace seemed to be the size of a small island, with over five hundred rooms, and thirty diffrent staircases, it was candy to the eye, but they were to worried to worry about it. It had numerous floors, and they walked up the spiral, crystal banistered staircase. The attendent lead them down the hall of the fourth floor, until they came to a large set of double wooden doors.
He grabbed the set of golden handles and, with Kagayoku's help, pushed the heavy doors open, and walked into the large spacious room. The room held a few chairs, fireplace, table and the floor was covered with a black oriental rug. They walked to another set of doors, inside the room, and opened that as well. The room they opened this time, was twice as large as the first, with big white couches and the floor was covered with a fuzzy white rug, and silk sitting cushions. The six people that were in the room turned their heads and looked at the new arrivals.
"Hello Kagayoku!" A young woman said to her. She sat on one of the cushions next to a very muscular man. Her voice was a bit deeper than average for a female, but she was very pretty. Some of her platnum blond hair was pulled into a bun, on top of her head, while the rest flowed out down to her waist. Her kimono was of purple silk, as was the ribbon that held her bun together.
She wore a light purple lipstick and eyeshadow, and her eyes were a nice bluish - gray.
"Nara, Has Amadare told you anything?" Kagayoku asked worridly.
The woman they now knew as Nara shook her head, "No, has something gone amiss? What's wrong?"
Kagayoku ordered each of them to take a seat. Sasuke threw a fit, saying he wanted to see Naruto, but she cooled him off by saying, "As soon as we know what is going on, you will see him."
He took a seat next to a set of twin brothers. Both about Kagayoku's age, both with matching blue hair and green eyes. They were handsome and looked at Sasuke with a matching expression on their face.
The Uchiha glared at them both, and then cast his eyes downward, hoping that Amadare would show up soon. And with good news.
"Since we are waiting, I might as well introduce you to our other comrades. Though I wish it were on happier terms." She pointed to the young woman first. "That's Nara."
Nara smiled at them, "Hello. Pleased to meet you all."
"He will be coming along with us."
"He?" They asked in disbelief.
"Yes, 'He'. Nara is a man.
The others blinked stupidly for a moment and looked at him. He smiled.
She pointed to the set of twins, "This is Makai and Malikai. They're both elite ninja's."
They smiled and said as one, "Hello."
'Dear god,' Sasuke thought. 'Two more reasons to be anti - social.' For some reason he hated them from minute one.
She moved on to a young woman who sat next to the muscled guy. She was very muscular herself, and resembled an amazon. Her deep black hair was braided down her back, while her bangs were long and spiky. "This is Zyra. She is also an elite ninja, and so is Leo." She said, pointing to the brown haired, blue - eyed muscle man. The two nodded at them, but said no words. "They aren't the talkative type", She explained.
"Even though she looks like Xena on steroids, she's really nice," Makai laughed.
"What is taking her so long?" Iruka said, bitting his nail. His anxiety over was 'Son' was killing him. He was sure that if he didn't get some news about his health, he'd go insane. Finally, Amadare walked into the room. Her eye's were red, and puffed from crying, and she trembled so badly, they were sure she would collasped. Kagayoku ran to her side and held her, "What's the matter? What is it?"
"It's Naruto," She cried. "It's worse than I thought. Much worse."
Sasuke ran over to them, "What is it! Damn it, tell us! Is he going to be alright!"
"The poison they used on him...it's the strongest, most efficent poison in the world. There is only one treament, but it may not work. The main ingredient used for the treatment are the petals of the Fire Rose but that plant only grows in your land, and there is only one person who has those here and I've already sent an attendant to his house, but still..."
Sasuke swalloed hard, "But what!" His voice cracked slightly.
She cried into Kagayoku's shoulders, "That poison is so deadly...no one has ever survived from it..."
Sasuke shook his head in disbelief, "This isn't happening." He whispered. "This just can't be happening. I thought he would be safe! Didn't you take any safety measures at all!"
"We did," Kagayoku said. "No one was supposed to know about the secret path, no one. Only a few choosen people knew, but they wouldn't have told."
"And could you have known that! Obviously someone did! How could you jeprodize his life like that! How!"
"Sasuke, I swear to you, no one who is on our side told. Someone who works for Theseus must have found out somehow, but I can assure you, no one told!"
Sasuke sat down, feeling ready to faint at any moment, "So..you're saying he's going to die?...just like that, he'll die?"
"No! He won't!" Iruka yelled. "Naruto's has always pulled through! Always!...he...he will live...he will...he has to."
Miles away, a man had just finished putting his three children to bed, when is wife walked in, "Koi, there is someone at the door for you. She's an attendant from the Kage, and says it is important."
He looked at her and smiled slightly, before exiting the room and following his wife down the three flights of stairs, and arranged his pentalpha decorated headband. The chataue they lived in, was huge, but not as big as the Hokage's palace. And the equally impressive homes of the other clans - members surronded it. They both hurried to the front door, and the woman standing there bowed slightly, "Good evening." Her short blue hair was covered by the hood of her cloak.
They smiled at her. "What brings you all the way here?" He asked.
"I have been sent here by the Hokage. She is in dire need of some of your Angel Feather flowers."
He face became grave, "Is she ill?"
"No, no, not her," She handed him a letter. "The hounured wife wrote this. It explains."
He took the letter and carelessly tore it open and read the it:
We have good news and bad. As I told you before, we have found the vessel of Kyuubi, but we had problems on our way here, and now the boy is near death ! He has been poisoned with the juice of the bloodroot and you have the main remedy. He has to live ! Your dear brother is here a well, and he is emotionally broken over the fate of his love. You will meet them both soon, but we first must heal the vessel. I do not trust my attendant with such important plants so I ask you to bring them, and please hurry !
Amadare
Grabbing a small pouch that layed next to a small flower pot, he slipped on his sandals.
"Where are you going?" His wife asked.
"To the Kage. She needs my help. And he's here."
She gasped, and reached for the letter to read it "Is he really?" She smiled. "Then hurry. And get those plants there, for whatever reason, as fast as you possibly can. Take Titan with you. It's do dangerous to long a distance to run." She said. thinking it best if he rode a horse instead.
He kissed her cheek lightly, "I will be fine without Titan, and I'll be back soon."
The attendant sighed in relief, "Thank you very much, Lord Itachi."
Mage: Haaah! I did it! I got that bastard Itachi in there! Yeah! I really wanted to get him in there, but I don't know why. And I'm sure he'll play a major part in this story, but I don't know when. Oh well, everything happens for a reason I guess. The real question is...Do I want to kill off Naruto now or not?...Hmm...Questions.