A/N: So…anybody getting bored of the story yet? I was thinking of doing an alternate universe story for Naruto. How does that sound? Give me suggestions! Anyway…here's the seventh chapter. The invasion of Konoha will start soon.
P.S. sorry for taking so long...it turns out my arm's fractured O.o
Chapter 7: Blood
"Hey," Naruto called towards the body that lay beside him, "Hey, wake up!"
He heard his voice echo off of the walls and into the depths of three halls that came off of the room he was in. This only helped to make the small boy seem even smaller in the large and elaborate structure he was in. It had been hours since the boy had last used his voice (which, believe me, is a long time for the loudmouth ninja) and it sounded strange and unfamiliar to his ears.
He poked the body in hopes of waking it up but there came no response. He tried hitting him with a hard fist and found this attempt to be in vain. He began to wonder if the man was actually dead, a thought he did not even want to consider in hopes of not being alone. But reality would not change solely for him and he knew it.
But the boy was a dreamer and he would much rather put his faith in a hopeless dream instead of a painful reality. He did not want to continue his journey alone so he draped the body over his shoulders, picked up his torch and continued his walk through the complicated labyrinth.
On and on he walked and more tired he grew, but he would not give up hopes in finding an exit. For what seemed like hours, he continued walking, the extra weight bringing on more of a burden. He entered another dimly lit room and as soon as he took one step in, he heard a voice say through the darkness,
"Take one step closer and I'll kill you,"
And this was a voice that was indeed familiar to his ears.
Tsunade stood inside room 107 reflecting on what had just happened. She thought she was dreaming, the events were so unbelievably dreadful. Hyuga Neji had melted right in front of her eyes and all that remained was the blood that covered the entire room. She remembered a time when she was terrified of blood, but that was a long time ago. What could have caused this catastrophe? ran through her head over and over again.
"Tsunade-sama," she heard a voice call from the doorway, snapping her out of her thoughts, "I think you should take a look at this,"
The medic-nin held a sheet of paper in his right arm, which he extended, and a worried Tsunade took a look at what it had to say. Relief washed over her for a split-second before she realized the mystery and many questions the lone sheet of paper held. Impossible, she thought to herself, I saw his body melt away right before my eyes!
What was the paper she held in her hand? The results of a test, is what it was. A blood test, to be exact. And the results said negative.
She ran outside to tell the children the hopefully good news. Outside the hospital building, she found Hinata, Sakura and Kiba, sitting side by side, with towels draped over their shoulders and an expression on their faces that was a cross between terror and confusion.
"Children," she began, catching their attention and snapping them out of their trance-like state, "Neji's not dead."
The three kids had replaced their expressions with surprise and soon, slowly and gradually, small, relieved smiles were visible on their faces.
"But…how?" Hinata asked, unbelieving of the good news.
"It has been recently discovered that the blood on the walls does not match that of Neji." The Hokage explained.
Once again, the expression on the children's faces had changed, this time to confusion.
"But if that's so," Sakura began, "then whose blood is it?"
"Now that, my dear, is the question."
And though the four of them were happy about the fortunate news, they were also strangely irritated by the unnerving questions it brought up. Whose blood had it been on the walls of room 107?
"Do you want to see him?" asked Yososhi, looking out of the window, sounding distant and calm, "If you like, I could take you to his grave." She turned towards him, waiting for a response.
This caught Sasuke's attention. Though he had been with Rikodamau for only a month, he had gotten to know so much about him and felt as though he had known the sensei for all his life. He had taught him so much in such little time and had gained Sasuke's respect, ehich, nowadays, was very rare. He thought about the suggestion. Naruto would definitely be okay if Yososhi was with him the whole time. She wouldn't have the opportunity to confront her brother and cause morechaosin his life. Little did he know what a desperate situation his blonde love was in.
"Fine," he said, sustaining his calm resolve, "Take me to his grave."
She got out of his seat as he got out of his and together, they made their way out of Konoha village.
Naruto, Sasuke thought, Please take care of yourself while I'm away.
"Take one step closer and I'll kill you."
In the darkness, Naruto could not see the face of who was speaking.
The voice sounded so familiar but he couldn't quite place it.
The body draped over his shoulders began to groan and Naruto lay it on the sand-covered floor immediately. Thank goodness, he thought, he's not dead.
"Who are you?" the figure in the shadows asked, not answering the question himself.
Naruto gave no reply, busily trying to wake up the unconscious body.
"Tell me who you are, or I'll kill you," the figure calmly stated.
Still, Naruto did not say a word, much to distracted by his unconscious companion.
"Fine, have it that way." Said the figure in the shadows, taking a special fighting stance. Now, if Naruto had seen this special pose, he would have identified the person immediately, "Prepare for battle," The next word the figure said caught Naruto's attention and revealed the identity of this mysterious person.
"Byakugan!"
"Neji?" Naruto asked, finally looking up.
Two fingers stopped three inches from Naruto's throat. Woah, Naruto thought.
"Naruto?" Neji said before collapsing onto the floor in front of Naruto, "I've been walking forever."
"Me too," he replied.
The unconscious person that lay by Naruto began to stir.
"Who's this?" Neji asked, nodding his head in the direction of the soon to be conscious body.
"Dunno," replied Naruto, "Found him in one of the rooms."
"Where are we?" asked Neji, not needing to take a look at his surroundings because of his 360 degree vision.
"Well aren't we full of questions," Naruto said in attempts of brightening up the situation, "But again, dunno."
"But maybe he does," said Neji, again gesturing to the unconscious body.
Said body began to move, turning from side to side. Soon, the man was sitting up and clutching his head in pain.
"Where am I?" he asked in a deep voice.
"We were hoping you knew," said Naruto.
It was only then that the man opened his eyes. Gray and hollow eyes that looked similar to Neji's. He sat silently for a moment before saying,
"I do know," he lightly touced the large scar that marred his face, "And we have to get out of here."
A cloaked figure stood in the middle of a small and dirty shack. He wore a grotesque and monstrous dragon mask, concealing his entire face and making him impossible to identify.
"How long will it take brother," he said to himself in a dry and scratchy voice, "for you to realize the secrets of my labyrinth?"
He took a look around the shack and at three tied up bodies that lay in three of the four corners of the room. The unconscious bodies of Naruto, Neji and his dear, beloved brother.
"Now all I need is Sasuke."
"Hokage-sama!" Tsunade heard Shizune call for her urgently as she ran up to her superior, "Hokage-sama! You need to take a look at this!"
It was then that Tsunade noticed the sheet of paper that Shizune waved in her hand.
"What is it?" asked Tsunade, slightly irritated. She already had so much to worry about, after all.
"The results of the second blood test," answered Shizune, panting for breath, "Traces of Bizunen were found in the blood."
"Bizunen?" asked Tsunade in surprise, "But that's -"
"Yes, I know," interrupted Shizune.
"Gather the available Jounins," said Tsunade in a tone of urgency, "The situation is worse than I suspected."
A/N: Did you like? Hate? Suggestions are accepted! Read and review please:D muahahaha...the story isconfusing so far, isn't it? just hang in there and all will be revealed. keep reading y'all :)