Phew, almost didn't get one out. Well I apologize for lack of updating... I suffer from an extreme case of procratination. Yes, I did just make that up. Well I've also been working on my (ours... ELA... lol that's like english class) Epic Naruto Fan Flash. It will indeed be epic... quite delightful.
With a bright flash, Sakura was free. She blinked back the dark spots in her vision and shook her hair from her face. It was still dark outside, she not have been out for long, ten minutes at the most. Any longer and she wouldn't still be there.
Her inner self was right, someone was coming, she could sense their chakra pulsing down the hall. 'Kunai... where are they?' Sakura dashed around the room, checking her packs for the weapons. They were nowhere to be found.
"How is this possible?" she hissed under her breath. The intruder was right outside her door now, she'd have to resort to using taijutsu.
The doorknob turned slowly, making Sakura freeze and focus on her opponent. She analyzed the chakra once more... she knew it. Such a huge mass of energy, it was Kisame. 'Something's not right. What would he be doing here at such a time?'
Sakura backed up to the far wall as he entered. "Kisame-san... what's the meaning of this?" Sakura inquired, voice quivering.
"You're awake? You mean, you let Itachi waltz off to his death voluntarily?" Kisame smirked.
"Death? What do you mean?" she whispered, eyes growing wide.
"Didn't you hear the screams? No, I suppose not... those cells are pretty sound-proof..."
"SHUT-UP!" Sakura screeched, then quieted, "what is going on?"
"Poor, pathetic kunoichi... can't you figure it out? No? Well then I suppose I'll just have to fill you in." Kisame pushed the door closed, and leaned against the wall leisurely, "I have fulfilled my purpose for being here. I have taken my revenge against Akatsuki, by defeating your beloved Itachi."
"Th-thats impossible... you could never beat him, ever!"
"Really, do you really think that? Wouldn't Itachi be here then, instead of me?" Kisame stated, crossing his arms smugly.
Sakura glanced towards the window, forcing herself not to believe the traitor. "Get away from me. I will decide whether your words are true or false."
"I'm afraid that's not quite possible. You see, I have a job to complete."
"And that would be?" Sakura said through clenched teeth.
"Your death, Sakura-san."
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Naruto felt the power of the Kyuubi rush through him. It basically made the cell he was in obsolete. The seals placed on the rock around him attempted frantically to suck away his chakra, but to no avail, he was unstoppable. There was only one drawback to this immense power, he couldn't tell friend from foe.
He crouched down on all fours, obtaining a dog-like stance. His vision altered allowing him to view the chakra patterns surrounding the cell. With one calculated blow, he broke through the rock, sending the shards rocketing against his skin. He felt no pain, only the burning energy flowing through him.
This was the first time Naruto had ever unleashed the Kyuubi without feeling an intense emotion. Having a relatively clear head allowed for a more precise use of the chakra. He focused on the other beings in the headquarters. It would be odd for them to still be asleep, so Naruto checked on them.
With his advancement in chakra, Naruto was able to accurately pick out the other chakra signatures, only to find them all securely fastened in a genjutsu, all but three. There was one figure anxiously pacing their room, as if expecting some kind of attack. The figure finally threw open their door and exited the room. The other two were facing each other, unmoving. One of them must be Sakura.
Naruto sprinted out of the cell into the dismal hall. The torches extinguished hours earlier, leaving charred, blackened stumps of wood hanging on the wall.
"Ah, screw it..." Naruto whispered, then promptly executed his rasengan jutsu. The sphere of chakra revolved quickly in his palm. Naruto grinned at the low roof. "This place does need a little retouching." He leapt up and crashed through the roof with a loud crash.
When the dust cleared, Naruto was in another similar-styled room. There were no windows, only stone. This room did not suppress chakra, so it must be a bedroom of sorts. The cot was in total disarray, with the small blanket ripped to shreds and the beams shaved away to next-to-nothing. Someone had been in a state of great confusion, or great insanity.
Naruto checked once more for Sakura, she was in the room over, with her attacker blocking the door. The door was made of wood, he could easily rasengan right through it and the attacker. He'd be out with Sakura before the night was over.
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"My death? You just told me your revenge against Akatsuki was completed, you bastard."
"My revenge against Akatsuki may be complete, but not my revenge against you."
Sakura pursed her lips together, "what have I done to offend you? I didn't just murder your love, did I?" She glared at the criminal with growing intensity.
"Not quite, I did once love someone, but Akatsuki took them from me. If I'm not allowed to be in this organization and have love, no one should. In fact, I believe there should be a punishment for that, death."
"You're insane!" Sakura exclaimed, backing against the cold wall. She once again searched frantically for a weapon, but was futile. It was her against a psychopath, a psychopath with a five foot long sword.
Just as she sensed Kisame's intent to attack, she also sensed something else. A semi-familiar chakra, and a powerful one at that. In mere seconds she realized it was Naruto, with the 'red' chakra he spoke of. She grinned inwardly, knowing Kisame's life was at an end. There was no ninja on earth that could defeat Nine-tails Naruto.
She waited for the strike. She waited, and waited, but nothing happened. She made sure Naruto was still there, but noticed another presence beyond the door. She gasped.
'Deidara?' She thought, scanning the chakra. It was definitely Deidara. She hadn't spoken to him since... then. But she wasn't about to let him die because of her.
"What is it, kunoichi? Something catch your interest?" Kisame inquired, unsheathing the Samehada.
"No, I'm just planning out all the ways I can kill you in under five minutes," Sakura replied icily.
"Tsk, such a temper... I like it."
"Well take a good look, because it's the last thing you'll see," and with that Sakura rushed forward, palming the short nail she found wedged between the rocks in the wall. For an experienced ninja like her, a nail was all she needed.
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Deidara exited his room. For the last ten minutes he had heard quite the commotion. He had expected it to be solved quickly, but it didn't. He heard crash after crash, then realized something was direly wrong.
Running to the room next to his, he found Sasori out cold, trapped in a genjutsu... Itachi's. Deidara had been lucky, due to his scope the genjutsu didn't affect him. Was Itachi planning to betray them? If so, what would happen to Sakura? Deidara knew that he wouldn't be able to be with her, but he still loved her... and would protect her with his life.
Deidara left his room and travelled out to Sakura's room. He would just make sure she was okay, then go back. She wouldn't even know he was there.
He stepped quietly, not wanting to alert anyone of his presence, although it seemed everyone was under the genjutsu. As he reached Sakura's door he sensed someone from behind. Turning slowly he saw the jinchuuriki that was supposedly 'dead.'
"What kind of jutsu is this? To bring back the dead... what are you?" Deidara whispered at the glowing form.
Naruto bared his teeth, angered at the disturbance. "You... you're Akatsuki too?"
Deidara suddenly became very frightened. This wasn't just some jutsu, this was the Kyuubi in human form who had apparently cheated death. It didn't take a genius to know that the Kyuubi was the worst of the demons, the most deadly. To this kid, a leaf ninja, Akatsuki were meant to be destroyed.
Naruto glanced past Deidara to the door. He growled softly, urging Deidara to turn around. Deidara realized what the kid wanted. He pressed his ear against the wood, learning of the situation.
As soon as he heard Kisame speak, he knew what was happening. Itachi hadn't betrayed them, Kisame did. Now he was after Sakura. It took Deidara all of three seconds to run back to his room and find his clay pouches and return to provide backup for the kid.
"After we save her, you are still my enemy. If I meet you again later on, I will kill you, Akatsuki. For now, we are allies. This fight shouldn't be too difficult, seeing as there's three against one, but I will not underestimate him. If I get into trouble, you help out the best you can without blowing Sakura or myself up, got that?" The Kyuubi spoke through Naruto at this point, creating an echoing, ominous voice that was wise beyond the child's years.
Deidara nodded, knowing full well that his jutsus were next to useless in this close-range battle, but if it came down to it, he could use taijutsu. Deidara gauged the Kyuubi's chakra. It was off the charts, there was no way he'd lose to Kisame.
Now for me to think up an epic battle scene where everything becomes drastically overdramatized and angsty. Please review and stay tuned for the next chapter: Title unknown