Disclaimer: Naturally, I didn't create Naruto, cause if I did, I wouldn't be writing fics here, but rather I'd publish them for huge amounts of money. :)
My thoughts: Kinda unsure as to when and if the next chapter will be released.Any reviews and thoughts are appreciated.You can even gimme some ideas about whom I should get involved from the other Naruto-chars, too. Enjooooy XD
---Chapter 2---
A dark mist arised slowly as Sasuke continued walking down the stone stairway.
"..Ts..This place smells bad..", Sasuke said as he covered his nose with his hand.
He continued walking down the stairs, until he found himself in front of a metal door with a snake crest.
"Ok...Time for training.", Sasuke said as he opened the door and entered a big square-shaped arena.
The arena had three doorways.The one Sasuke got in from, and two more with huge metal-bars.
On the far end of the arena, there was a wall with spikes and on top a throne.Sasuke could recognise the familiar shadows.
"Orochimaru..You like watching, huh?", Sasuke felt annoyed by the Sannin's desire to watch him every time he trained.
"Fu fu fu...Sasuke-kun..It is my pleasure to watch my precious subordinate become better..", said the snake-eyed nin.
"Subordinate..hn..I never was and never will be your pawn Orochimaru..I just want power..", Sasuke replied annoyed.
"But...Sasuke-kun..in order to gain power you have to abide by my orders..", Orochimaru smirked as he noticed Sasuke's frown.
"Anyway..just let's get it over with..", Sasuke said raising his left kunai-holding hand.
The two side-doors opened with a loud noise and several figures rushed in the arena.They looked determined.All of them were
chuunin-lvl shinobi, imprisoned and brainwashed by Orochimaru for the simple reason of using them as 'training material'.
"So..Let's start!", Sasuke yelled as he disappeared and reappeared behind one of the seven shinobi, throwing him up into the air
and successfully landing a Shishi-Rendan(Lion combo).The shinobi died the moment his head touched the ground with force.
Two of the nin threw some daggers to Sasuke, who caught them and threw them back, stabbing one of the two in the chest.
The other one stopped and started doing handseals. Sasuke then threw three wired windmill shuriken, binding the opponent and then did some seals, stopping at Tiger Seal.
"Katon!Ryuuka no jutsu!", he shouted as a dragon shaped fire followed the wires and struck the binded shinobi with force.
"(ok..now five more..)", Sasuke thought and raised his right hand while blocking a kick with his left hand.
"Hidden Snakes!", several snakes jumped out of Sasuke's shirt and choked the man who had tried to kick Sasuke.
The remaining four ninja seemed to be cautious after seeing what happened to their comrades.Sasuke saw them doing some signs and talking to each other and knew something big was coming.Then the four nin split up and each went to a different point in the arena.
"Hmm..These ones are smarter..I'll just have to make things easier..", Sasuke said and instantly appeared behind one of the four nins.
"Hey..", Sasuke said and the nin turned to look."Sharingan!", Sasuke spoke the last word and the red eyes hypnotised the nin, thus leaving three opponents for him.
Meanwhile, the three nins seemed to be preparing for a grand attack.The two had been gathering chakra in their hands and the third went in the middle and raised his hand.Slowly chakra was gathering from the other two, creating a visible chakra line between the three ninja.
"You shouldn't have focused on that one, kid..", said the man in the middle."Now we had the time to prepare our attack.Meet your doom.."
He took out four kunai with tags and then he threw them to all four directions of the arena.
"From the Hidden Cloud..Sealing of the Cloud!", and as the man finished his sentence, the arena went dark.
"So..you think this is enough?", Sasuke said and then started laughing.
In the dark, two screams were heard and then a third one by the man who had completed the jutsu, simultaneously revealing the arena once again.
"H...How?..:cough:...", the man had blood coming out of his mouth and abdomen, as Sasuke had stabbed him with a kunai.
"It was easy..your stupid technique has no effect on my bloodline..With these eyes I could see your chakra, so I could just attack even though it was dark..I'm an Uchiha, didn't you know?", Sasuke smirked.
"Uchiha?...:cough:..Uchiha..Itachi?..."
The man fell dead on the ground, with a kunai stabbed in his neck.Orochimaru smiled.
"Sasuke-kun..there's no need to get angry...he didn't know.", the Sannin said and left the room.
"Of course he didn't...My clan...I will avenge them...and I will make Uchiha glorious once again...", Sasuke said and lowered his head while he left the room.He didn't have any wounds, but the words of the last nin, had reminded him a painful memory..
---
"WHAT?How can a whole anbu party have gone missing?", Tsunade shouted angrily at Shizune.
"..Tsunade-sama..a Chuunin who was training next to the point where we lost contact said that he smelled blood..", Shizune said pointing at the door.
Inuzuka Kiba was standing there with a big white dog sitting next to him.
"Yo, Hokage-sama.", Kiba said as he lifted his hand to his forehead.
"Kiba..Report immediately.", Tsunade said as she sat on her chair.
"Hmm..Let's see...I was training with Akamaru next to the Fire country's boundaries, when Akamaru said there was a weird smell nearby.We followed the smell and we realised it was blood.After searching for about two minutes we found blood stains on a small clearing. There weren't any bodies, but broken branches and some ashes we noticed, may mean there was probably a fight involving Konoha nins..That's all.", Kiba sighed and gave Akamaru a rub behind his ears."Good job. Aka."
"Okay, you are free to go.But please send a more detailed report, on the locations and time that these happened, to Shizune.", Tsunade said as Shizune opened the door and left with Kiba and Akamaru after excusing themselves.
"So..", a voice echoed in the room.
"Stop playing it cool Jiraiya..", Tsunade frowned and got up from her chair. Jiraiya appeared next to her and smiled.
"..figured out anything from that kid's report?..", Jiraiya said as he handed a document to Tsunade.
"It was the Akatsuki, wasn't it?..", Tsunade wasn't asking.She knew it.
The Akatsuki was an organization of ten high class criminals that wanted to gain the power of the nine sacred beasts.They had already lost two members while trying to get Naruto's sealed Kyuubi and Gaara's Shukaku.But they had recruited new members and they continued their search for power.Now once again the Akatsuki would try to go after the kyuubi. Naruto was a very good nin and great help to the village, but he was also a target and this made Konoha a target too.
"I think it's time to let him go. He's strong enough, isn't he?", Tsunade asked Jiraiya sincerely.
"Yes. He is probably at high Jounin lvl now. How about your cute apprentice?", Jiraiya smiled as a vein popped on Tsunade's forehead.
"(That pervert..)Of course..After all she IS my apprentice..", she said and looked at Jiraiya, remembering their common past.
A shadow seemed to move outside and a slight sound was heard as the wind blew making the leaves of the trees in Konoha sound.
"Ok, then..let's send them off.", Jiraiya went towards the window.
"Alone?...Hm..I think they could use some help.", Tsunade thought for a moment and then called Shizune.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama?", Shizune said thinking she needed a break from Tsunade's office work.
"Call Kakashi."
---
A strange feeling bothered Kakashi. He couldn't even read his favourite book, 'Icha Icha Paradise'.
"I guess it's nothing I should worry about.. I probably just forgot to meet someone..", he said to himself and then walked towards the Ichiraku ramen shop.
Right before he entered, Shizune appeared panting.
"Huh? Shizune? You're that hungry?", he said and smiled.
"Kakashi-sensei..Godaime has called for you! There is a mission awaiting!", she said and seemed to be ready to crumble.
"Ok.. But I'm not leaving until you sit and have a cup of tea.. You seem out of form today.. Relax and don't overwork yourself, ok?", he took her by the hand and then ordered a tea with strawberry flavour for her.
"..Thanks Kakashi..", she said and started to sip from the cup of tea.
"No, no..It's no problem. Well, I'm going. See you..", and with those words he turned to smoke.
Shizune sighed after she had another sip.
"OH NO!", she stood up panicked."I have to check the reports of this morning!", she paid the bill and then started running towards the Konoha Headquarters.
The night covered everything.In the sky there wasn't a single star.
The only thing that made light was the slowly burning fire that was lit by the two Akatsuki members.
"Itachi.."
"What is it, Kisame?..", the Uchiha said.
"Kurokumo has a message for us.", the shark-like figure of Kisame handed a small paper to Itachi.
"...So.. They want to protect Konoha more than anything.. and they send us the child?..", Itachi said with no emotion.
"Foolish Konoha ninjas.. They underestimate us. I will crash them all!", Kisame said angrily.
"Kisame.. relax.. This is not a matter to take lightly.", Itachi said as he rested on the ground next to the fire.
"What are you talking about Itachi.. Have you no confidence? They are just two kids. Jounin level at max!", Kisame laughed at Itachi.
"Don't make a fool out of yourself Kisame..", Itachi said calmly and Kisame stopped laughing and gritted his teeth.
"How dare you Uchiha!", Kisame stood up, ready to grab his Samesada.
"Kisame.. You really think that Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-hime would let the Kyuubi-kid and some female jounin alone, while knowing that Akatsuki is after the Kyuubi?..", Itachi explained.
Kisame stood for a while. He then sat down and started eating what was left of the food they bought at the last town the stopped by.
"But Kumokuro spoke nothing of a third person..", Kisame said and showed the small paper he handed to Itachi a minute ago.
"Kumokuro.. a foolish person.. always overestimating his stealth skills. Jiraiya probably knew he was being followed from the very first second.", Itachi said and sighed. "There are lots of fools in Akatsuki, but power is what matters..as long as there is enough power, we can still go on."
"Itachi.. that sort of thinking may put you into trouble.."
They both stayd silent for a while and let the night cover them as their camp fire went out..
Sigh...At last, second chapter finished..
Thanks to -------- for his review, it was probably the only thing that kept me determined to write this (well, that and a friend of mine that said I should write another chapter too. :) Anyway, reviews are REALLY appreciated, and before I started writing fics I didn't understand the other authors that said this.
Waaaaai, hurray for Naruto!