Naruto grabs the bars of Cathy's cell and is thrown back by an electrical discharge. I'm running out of time. If Cappy doesn't get those things off, she'll die! But she's in a total shock state…that's it! He reaches through the bars, grabs Cathy's shoulder, and drags her towards him. Cathy's chains touch the bars. The electrical charge passes through Cathy and Naruto, leaving them both unconscious. It also fries the slugs to how Cathy likes them: burnt, crispy, and DEAD.

The guards smell smoke and rush over to the incapacitated prisoners. One fetches a broom while the other unlocks the cell door to check on the "Princess". He leans over Cathy and receives a knuckle sandwich for his troubles. Cathy snatches the keys out of his hands. She manages to unlock her chains before his partner returns. Cathy shakes Naruto gently.

"Are you okay?"

He sits upright and nods. "Yep. Let's go!"

Meanwhile…

Four shadowy figures scuttle from bush to bush. A guard patrol passes by their cover. A quick shuto strike to the back of their necks and they crumple quietly to the ground. The bushes rustle with movement. The patrol gets back up and retraces their steps to the castle door.

Inside the castle...

Naruto and Cathy slide across the icy catwalk. The guards pursuing them crash into the wall. A gleam of chrome catches Cathy's eye.

"Stairs!"

"DUCK!"

"Duck?"

Cathy screams as Naruto tackles her. An explosive kunai streaks overhead, decimating the guards. Only one survives the bomb. A swift round kick form Cathy sends him into la-la land. The ninjas hop to their feet and whirl around to face four patrol guards.

"Wait!" One of them holds up a hand and pulls off his hood.

"Kakashi sensei?!"

"Don't forget the rest of us." Sasuke drawls while the others remove their masks.

"I hate this outfit. It makes me look fat and my hair's all weird now." Jenna's hair explodes when she yanks off her hood.

"No, it doesn't." Gaara mumbles

"Pardon?"

"Nothing."

Sasuke critically examines Cathy for blood, bruises, and scraped knees while Naruto glares at him. "Are you hurt?"

"Nope. Let's get outta here before any more patrols show up."

"Um, where do we go?"

The shinobi glance puzzled at the myriad choice of corridors before them.

"Why don't we split up and meet back here in ten minutes?" Jenna suggests. The others nod and each races down a different corridor.

Cathy takes the one just left of the middle. Two minutes later the brushed steel walls warp and twist, merging with ice. Thirty seconds later the walls are solid bluish ice. Cathy can see her reflection in them. She comes to a dead end. There sitting on a pedestal is a dull purple rock. Cathy steps closer and the floor falls from under her.

"What are you doing here?" Jenna asks Sasuke.

"The corridors must reconnect here." He answers as one by one the others show up.

"Okay then. Where's Cathy?"

Cathy wakes up and thinks, Am I blind? No, I'm just in a dark room. She waits for her eyes to adjust to the dark. They don't. This must be genjutsu! I bet it triggered when I tried to touch the rock. Cathy makes a flurry of handsigns.

"Kaitsu!"

Nothing happens. If this isn't genjutsu, then where am I?!

Nine and a half minutes gone. Naruto spots a purplish light in the shadows of the last hallway. "There she is! Hey, Cappy, over here!"

Sasuke cracks a crooked grin. Naruto runs up to hug her. A thunder clap of violet energy tosses him backwards like a rag doll. Cappy floats above him, engulfed in an aura of the purple light Naruto spotted in the tunnel. Her blank, malicious gaze turns on the orange and black ninja who raises a hand as a feeble shield against her crackling lightening.

"Cappy?"