The way up the mountain path was fraught with perils.

Any number of times, Naruto had to throw himself to the side to avoid being hit by a rolling log or a huge boulder.

Funny thing was, there was often some tell tale sound that gave the attack away. Just why were these idiots trying to kill him? He had fought off a number of attacks, but had been able to drive back his adversaries each time, finding a convenient gully to run down into, or a ridge to scale and slide down.

IF YOU EVER BREED, YOU WILL DO WHAT I WISH I COULD

"What?" Naruto stepped sharply to the side and leaped high, somersaulting over a large rolling column of stone.

Landing, he slid to a stop, and then dashed towards a sharp incline with numerous footholds He snarled for a moment, catching the drift of Kyuubi's implied thought. The damn fox wished that he could destroy the human race. If Naruto had children, then mankind would grow weaker and more stupid, eventually destroying itself.

THEY ARE HERDING YOU. EVEN A MIND AS FEEBLE AS YOURS MUST SEE THAT.

"Of course. I'm not an imbecile!"

Naruto bit the inside of his cheek. Baka! They were herding him. Sneaky sons of bitches. But why? Were they trying to keep him off guard? Was this some way to drive him into some trap? Did they want him to feel rushed, so that his thinking would suffer?

YOUR THINKING CAN GET WORSE?

Kyuubi's spectral laughter threatened to give Naruto a stomach ache. OK, so what would happen if he didn't play the enemy's game, and simply walked in, hands held out and a big sappy grin on his face? They would probably drug him… net him… or do something else that would serve their purpose better than the current approach. Well, no problem, he would act as if he was following their script, but keep his mind sharp and focused. Everything and anything could be a trap.

A huge tremor shook the ground beneath his feet. Soon, the sound of sliding rocks and bouncing boulders filled his ears. Looking up, Naruto gasped. Someone had brought down one entire face of the mountain, forming a huge barrier to one side of him. He had to change direction yet again.

Naruto swallowed hard, and then cursed. He remembered what he had told Gaara. If the sand trio saw that rock slide…and Gaara's damn eye probably didn't miss a thing… they might think it was his signal. He hadn't gotten anywhere near Hinata yet! He decided to use some of his chakra, without being too wasteful. He sent dozens of clones running in different directions. Now it was the enemy's turn to think fast.

The ascent followed the same pattern, until Naruto reached a small plateau. From that vantage point, he could see a large cave mouth in front of him, half way up the next crag.

Not trusting the young ninja to see the obvious, his pursuers sent large flights of arrows clattering off the rocks behind him, their broken shafts bouncing past his feet. One hit him in the foot.

"Shit!" Naruto turned and gave the massed troops below him the finger.

THAT WILL SHOW THEM.

So, those bastards want me to go to the cave, huh? I wonder why? Just what do they have waiting for me there?

Naruto flashed from one rock outcrop to the next, moving at tremendous speed. He wasn't worried about small or subtle traps any more. They wanted him here. He had come. Sooner or later, he would have to meet with them, if he hoped to have them release Hinata. Just the same, he preferred to keep as many things in his favor as possible, as long as he was able. He would find someway to explore the cave before heading underground.

GO BACK

There was no humor in Nine Tail's voice this time. If anything, Naruto thought he detected an undercurrent of fear. Ignoring the demon's outcry, he headed for a series of huge rock spars that would give him temporary cover.

YOU MUST GO BACK

This time, Naruto's bowels threatened to empty. He felt the terrible spinning nausea associated with vertigo. His breathing came in short rapid gasps. Suddenly, he was in more danger from that bastard fox than anything else.

YOU MUST GO BACK NOW

"Enough!" Naruto fought hard to keep down his gorge. "I'm going. That's why we came. Now shut up and leave the decisions to me!"

Kyuubi's fear was a palpable thing, buffeting Naruto like a strong wind. It was like nothing he had felt from the demon before. For a moment, he almost felt drunk on Kyuubi chakra. He clenched his teeth and placed his hands at his temples. The demon was making an effort to take control. It failed.

I WILL BEG YOU. I WILL ABASE MYSELF. LEAVE WHILE WE STILL CAN. I BESEECH YOU

"What is it!" Naruto felt as if his head was about to explode. "Enough of your stupid tricks. I know you didn't want to come. I know that you don't want to die. It's too bad. We're going in."

Naruto didn't think that there was any way for the bastard fox to get free. He also couldn't control his thoughts or physical actions. Somehow, he realized that the pain he was feeling was nothing compared to the agony that Kyuubi's efforts were causing the youma itself. Why would the demon do that?

I WILL NOT NAME IT. IT CANNOT BE DEFEATED. I WILL WITHOLD ALL CHAKRA.

Naruto ignored the fresh rain of arrows behind him. Shaking his head, he resisted the urge to drop his trousers and moon the archers. One would probably shoot him in the ass. How would he explain that to Hinata?

His smile didn't last long. Kyuubi's words and reactions had him worried. What was in that cave? If Akatsuki had something that powerful at their command, what would they need the fox demon for? Turning, he saw a long line of soldiers running down the hill on either side of him. Some held katana, while others had short spears or pole arms. A number of ninjas were mixed in with them. A small troop of horses soon joined their advance.

"We're going in one way or another, on our own power or carried in by that bunch of guys coming. I need your chakra. We should look before we leap." Naruto intended on using his Kyuubi powers to transform. What kind of animal should he chose? The saying 'I wish I could have been a fly on the wall' captured his imagination, but he soon wrote off that possibility. First of all, a fly's vision was too damn distracting, with all those odd hexagonal plates to interpret. He knew that from experience, trying to develop a new method of people one day. Second, insects do not see terribly well in the dark.

Third, he would take on the vulnerability of any form he chose. He didn't relish getting chomped on by some bat or pounced on by some spider.

Ahh! That was just the ticket. A bat. Who would look twice at a bat in a cave? And, echolocation might be difficult to interpret, but it ought to serve quite well in the darkness.

Naruto accessed Kyubi's talents and transformed, his body shrinking and wings extending where his arms once were. The bright light bothered his eyes. Having a bat's instincts, he took to the wing, darted to and fro, and then zipped inside of the cave. His high-pitched signals reflected off of the simple widely set walls of the entry passage way. There were a few narrow opening here and there, possibly representing tunnels, rock niches, or fissures. With incredible agility, the Naruto bat turned on a wing and snatched a large moth out of the air. Soon, he was zeroed in on another. It took a great act of will to assert he human aspects of his new brain.

Approaching a much greater opening, the bat's ears picked up huge roar. Unbeknownst to Naruto, the Demiurge had somehow become aware of Kyuubi's presence, even though it was sealed within the small flying mammal. The great being was not the only one who had detected an intruder. Somehow or another, Akatsuki or their hirelings had realized that the one bat was not a denizen of their hideaway.

Someone worked a jutsu. A gust of powerful wind gathered the Naruto up like an autumn's leaf, throwing him hard against a side wall. Clinging precipitously with one tiny foot, Naruto tried to gather his senses as the wind threatened to carry him away. A group of men were running his way. If they had a net, he'd be sunk. Disoriented, he let go and fought against the wind, flying as quickly as he could, back the way he had come. He didn't get very far. Landing awkwardly, he tumbled a short distance, resuming his natural form in the process. Blood welled from a nasty abrasion on one arm. His left foot was exceedingly sore.

FLY MUCH?

"Well, at least you seem to have your balls back. I'd like to see you do any better, dust mop."

Naruto felt a cold current of air moving up the huge sloping shaft he stood in. The sound of pursuit was growing louder outside of the cave. There was no more time for planning and deliberation. It was time to move. Impromptu was his middle name.

"Kage Bunshin No Jutsu, many many clones!"

He sent a small number of clones of the clones back out onto the mountainside, to delay the closing soldiers and to lead anyone astray who was foolish enough to follow. The remainder ran back down the dark corridor, forming a wedge in front of him.

In bat form, Naruto had seen a blurry source of light. It had been faint, but definitely needed exploration. It was also in the direction that the main passageway led. Ahead of him, in that very same direction, he heard the sounds of a struggle. Some of the sounds were characteristic, the small noises made by disappearing or destroyed clones.

"I'm stuck! Shit!"

One of the clones had made it far past the initial line of unseen skirmishers, and had run into some kind of trap. That was all the more reason to proceed cautiously. They knew he was there, so disguise or transformation might not help. What he needed to know was who he was up against, and how many of them there were.

"This trick will finally come in useful," Naruto remarked. "Let's try some foxfire." He tapped into Nine Tail's abilities. Small dancing balls of light zoomed about the darkened passageway, dipping, diving, soaring, and rising. Some hovered temporarily, and then shot off like small comets. The trick wouldn't last long, but had already helped. A number of ninja were discovered, each holding large blunt maces and nets. A new set of clones was created and sent to delay those men.

Naruto tried to take possession of one mind, and was successful. He didn't discover anything useful, as the higher ups were tight with their secrets. However, his moment of concentration almost cost him. A large spear draped with explosive seals landed close to his feet.

REALM!

Not stopping to think, Naruto followed Kyuubi's immediately. The slight glow of the incipient explosion was the last thing the young shinobi saw before phasing into the temporary realm. He left almost as soon as he had entered. Creating numerous more clones, he smiled. Maybe it wasn't the best strategy, but it fit his current mood. Multiple voices cried out "1000 years of pain!" That was followed by a large number of explosions and the sound of moaning men.

"The way is clear!" One clone reported, just as an arrow took it low in the leg. It disappeared.

Naruto cursed. The enemy obviously did not need him whole and in one piece. It looked as if they wanted him alive, but didn't care in what state. He also realized that clearing the passage of foot soldiers and shinobi didn't mean he would be safe from ranged weapons and long distance jutsu. He doused the foxfire, making himself a more difficult target.

Moving quickly along one wall, he found himself entering what must be some vast space. In the dim light available, he could not make out the extent of the cavern. He stopped and stared. There was a raised platform, bordered by lit torches and lamps. There was a girl chained there.

Hinata!

His heart jumpstarted his legs. He was about to rush out to save his girlfriend. His mind stopped him just in time. Think! It's obviously some kind of trap.

R-R-REALLY? G-G-GENIUS!

A stammering Kyuubi was not something Naruto ever thought to hear. Not only that, there was a near hysterical edge to the mental voice. That was bad. If The youma went catatonic on him, he might not be able to access its power. He also realized that the attacks on him and his clones had ceased. Now that he was within the cavern, the enemy would no doubt would block his retreat. They had him where they wanted him. They may be content to watch and wait for a while.

"Hah! They just now better than to mess with Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage." Naruto's quipodidn't make him feel any better. Getting here had been the easy part. What should he do now? He felt like he was up on stage, countless eyes watching him.

A hideous roar filled the cavern. It was so loud and so intense, that Naruto covered his ears and grimaced in pain. He felt chills run up and down his spine. He almost voided his bladder where he stood. That sound was like nothing he had ever heard before, or ever wanted to hear again.

NO… N-O… N-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O…

'Hey, what is this. A human standing strong, and a fox demon crapping its pants?' Naruto winced, realizing the obvious fact that Kyuubi was unclothed. But, it was the spirit that counted. Naruto grit his teeth, willing himself to focus.

"Did you think I would simply rush into your trap?" Naruto's true nature took over. He put both hands around his mouth and shouted at the top of his lungs. "You must think I'm some kind of an idiot!" His voice echoed about the cavern beyond. "Idiot…… idiot…… idiot…… idiot……" He definitely did not like that effect.

"Yes." A deep voice was projected from points unknown. "We thought just that. After all, you did come…."

Naruto frowned. It was time to do more than create small will o' the whisps. Not wanting to deplete too much Kyuubi chakra just yet, he accessed his own energy. Cringing as that horrible bellow rang out again, he worked a series of hand seals, hearing the sound of multiple people headed in his direction.

"Katon Karyuu Endan." Naruto inhaled deeply, drawing in a full chest of air. Exhaling, he produced a very wide stream of flames that shot out into the blackness as a huge wall. The fire landed a good distance from him, illuminating the great design on the cave floor. "Oh crap. What the hell does that f-cking thing do?" Akatsuki had wanted him to step out there. That was knowledge enough.

Maybe he could trick someone into giving away the purpose. "Great work, assholes. All that work for nothing! Pathetic!"He laughed as loud as he could. His eyes were drawn to Hinata. It looked like she was struggling. Was she trying to send him some message with her movements? ' At least it looked as if she were alive. If that was really her! The final image of his nightmare came into his thoughts, causing him to bite his tongue by accident.

"Actually, it is quite a master work." That was another strong voice, no easier to pinpoint than the last one. "You will end up out there, one way or another. Trust me."

"It would be much simpler if you just walk on, of your own accord." The third voice was much nearer. "Torches!" Following that shouted order,numerous unseen people began lighting great torches and bonfires. Soon, the great cavern began to take on more form.

Naruto's eyes were immediately drawn to a great wavering curtain of blurred light. He couldn't tell if the immense amorphous expanse of wall was giving off light or sucking it in. Every fiber in his body vibrated in alarm. He could hear Kyuubi whimpering. The great demon's chakra pulsed strong and then weak… strong and then weak… strong and then weak… like the light of some great firefly. This was not good. This was not good at all.

A tall man in a fanciful robe strode towards the young shinobi. He raised his hand, stopping the advance of the troops fanning out across the entranceway. The robes were marked with cloud-like patterns. Akatsuki. "So you are the young man we have all heard so much about. Obviously you are, as the presence of the Nine Tailed youma has spurred our great benefactor to singing." The tall and urbane looking man laughed at his own joke, moments before the tremendous noise repeated itself.

A number of soldiers fell to the ground, unconscious or gibbering. The noise had overwhelmed their senses. Naruto didn't answer. He was too busy taking stock of the man speaking to him. He was very thin, but he radiated a sense of strength. His eyes were dark, almost black. The teeth in his crooked mouth looked perfect, whiter then any teeth should be. His one ear twitched now and again. A pair of slender swords were strapped across his back.

"Let's get down to business, why don't we. We have what you want. You have what we want. The best trades are always born form that happy coincidence, are they not?" The man licked his lips, and then flexed his neck. "All you need to do is step onto the great seal. After that, we will release the girl. You have my word of honor."

Naruto sneered. With the luxury of time, he looked around the great area, trying to see whatever he could. There were too many stone pillars and outcrops in his way to see everything. That, and the distance to the far end was considerable. He wished some things about his dream would carry over into reality. If only he could create successive realms next to one another, burrowing through space! But, he couldn't. He had tried that during his journey. Even if he had the knack for just such a trick, it would no doubt use up tremendous amounts of Kyuubi energy. Likewise, he remembered some past daydreams. He would give anything to be able to transform into something large and mythical like a dragon. On the wing, he could cross over to Hinata... free her... and then fly off to safety. But, that was far beyond his talents, even if such beasts existed. Besides, he would be vulnerable to jutsus and melee weapons. Even if thick scales protected him, Hinata would be exposed to all manner of attacks.

There were no easy tricks. He couldn't think of any way to sneak his way out of this one. If only he knew the true nature of that great seal! Would it affect him through touch? Did it radiate its power in the air above it? How about into the earth beneath it? Did it do more than one thing? Jiraiya had given him instructions on seals, but he had never given his master the attention he deserved. He swore to rectify that situation if he returned alive. One thing seemed certain. The huge and complex design was one than one seal arranged in a concentric pattern. What the hell was Akatsuki up to? And what was that awful noise that seemed to come from beyond the wall of shifting air and light?

Naruto's closed his eyes and cringed when the horrible roar returned, right on cue. He looked over at the shimmering curtain. It had begun to bulge out ever so slightly, here and there. He thought that he could begin to make out distorted images. He glanced away and swallowed. He brought his thoughts back to the Akatsuki member's offer. The man may well be speaking the truth. But, he could just as likely be lying. They had him where they wanted. Why should they give away anything they didn't need to?

"It's really not that hard of a decision to make, is it?" The tall man asked. "You know that we have you. There is no way for you to escape. So, we will get what we want eventually." He waved his arm towards Hinata's chained form. "If you do as you are told, you win the girl's freedom. She does mean something to you, does she not?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes. The man's tone of voice bordered on insulting. He didn't like the idea of being told what he should do, especially not by some evil conniving bastard. Sure, he could make things easy for them. Yeh, they might even let Hinata go. But what would happen after that? Whatever did take place, he would bear responsibility for it. No way! He would use one of the three aces up his sleeve before he let them take him. He would die that way, and Hinata with him, but they would go out as heroes. Scratching the back of his head, he grinned. He wanted to be defiant, but he need not say anything to get his point across. Something else tickled his fancy.

The young fox-bearer pulled down the zipper on his trousers. Whistling, he urinated at the feet of the Akatsuki member. He wished that Kiba and Akamaru had been here to watch. They would have gotten a kick out of it. "Of course you'll let her go," he said in a sarcastic tone of voice. "You'll let her go on the Seal. Or maybe you'll let her go outside and get killed by all those troops. Hey, maybe you'll let her go into the grasp of the thing making that damn noise. But, she's a shinobi of the Leaf. Like me, she'd die before giving you assholes what you want. It's our Ninja Way."

The tall Akatsuki member looked like he was ready to attack. He composed himself, a smile coming to his face. There was no reason to get upset. If the easy approach didn't work, he would move on to the next step. In the interim, he had a way to repay the boy's impudence. He shouted across the great expanse, giving orders.

"Kill the girl!"