"Get your ugly hands off me, you disgusting freak!" cried out a familiar blonde boy, struggling against the many hands--thousands, perhaps?--that restrained him from moving. His back was flat against icy-cold steel, his body about a foot up in the air. Cuts decorated his body, a few small ones and at least two large ones, as well as bruises. He breathed heavily, temporarily giving up the struggle, only to continue a few seconds later, growling as he did so.
"You're such a strange little boy, you know," murmured a voice from behind whatever was holding him to the metal. The whole creature--even the hands connected to the thousands of arms--were veiled in shadows.
"Let me go you bastard!"
"Why?" tormented the voice, the sound trailing somewhere else as slight footsteps could be heard in the pitch-black room, signaling he was moving. The hands did not, however, so that led the blonde to believe it was either a jutsu, another person, or some sort of device. "I have business to attend to... You will be a most friendly guest and stay, won't you? And do not worry, you need not consider knowing when you have overstayed your welcome, because I want you hear as long as I can keep you. So, with that, Naruto, I say, sayonara."
"Who the hell are you and what the fuck do you want with me?" his voice rang out. His reply was simply the echo of his own voice hidden within the eerie silence of the room, and--of course--the hands squeezing tighter around his body. His left arm already was completely numb, as was his right leg, and his bruises were getting agitated by the pressure being pushed against them by the countless number of fingers. He struggled harder, which only allowed him to meet with more pressure on his already broken, battered, aching body.
"You kidnaped me... and made it look like I ran away, didn't you?" he slowly asked, his voice raspy and breathing irregular. "And you used some weird attack that made me look like I was doing it... Right?"
No response.
"Yeah..." He coughed, a bit of dark red trickling down his lips and out from his throat. "I'm right... You... You are trying to make them come after me and kill me... They'll do just that, too... Heh... But before that... You'll die..." he murmured, knowing fully well he was just talking to nothing but the walls of the shadowed room.
"Damn it..." he whispered, frustrated at himself for even trying to reason. His head was hurting far too much... The freezing metal against his back, the icy hands surrounding and grasping his body, and the thick, unbearable scent of death that lingered within the room...
"You're sure you fully understand it, now?" came the scarred voice of the pink-haired girl, watching her team mate sheath a long sword in the hilt against his back and tighten the belt around his waist. Her sword was already sheathed, and her outfit was tight and secure.
"Yeah, yeah, don't worry..." he murmured, brushing a hand through the black hair that was slightly matted by the liquid pouring from the sky in small droplets.
"Alright..." She stretched her arms, looking at Sasuke. "No Kakashi-sensei to help us this time..."
"And no Naruto-kun to be an idiot and fuck up the mission..." Sasuke made sure Sakura was ready with a questioning look. She nodded, frowning.
"Do you... really think that Naruto went rogue?" she slowly asked, staring at her left shoulder where her ANBU tattoo was. She didn't know why she agreed to become part of the ANBU, but her medical skills were so useful, she decided to become part. "I mean... Even with the Kyuubi inside him... even if it partly took over his body, that wouldn't make him decide to destroy parts of the village, right...?"
Sasuke looked at her, starting to lead them to the edge of the village. His back was to her, so she couldn't see his worried look. "I... I really don't know. Let's just hurry up with this..." He shook his head, jumping up in a tree, speeding forward quickly. He knew better than to use the Shunshin no Jutsu. Not yet, at least; his body had only just started allowing him to control it, and it'd just drop on him if he went too fast. He'd barely managed to gain control of his lower body just the previous night.
Sakura, following quickly behind him, kept one hand always at her side and the other in a position near her waist, in a position that she could quickly reach any of her weapons if she needed to.
"Alright, we're going to use Shunshin to get to our first plotted destination point." Sasuke announced.
"Understood." She nodded, going off in a different direction, as did Sasuke, before both activated their jutsu techniques. Within moments, both were standing upon two large, white rocks in the middle of a lake, their feet just an inch above the water on the rocks. Sakura sat down, while Sasuke just stood there, eyes inspecting every section of the area. He only sat down, as well, when he was sure they were alone. He pulled out a thin slip of paper from under the bandage around his left arm, letting Sakura take it from him. She held two fingers two it, closed her eyes, then nodded. When he took it back, he did the same.
"Alright, understood." Sakura stood, looking over at Sasuke, adjusting the mask that hid her face.
The Uchiha also adjusted his mask, to show he was going to destroy it, then murmured something, making a couple hand seals with the paper in his hands before pulling his fingers to the mask, blowing out at the paper that he let drop into the air. Instantly, it was destroyed in the fire, and all remains of it were ruined in the water. Watching as Sakura disappeared, he used the same technique.
As he raced through the treetops, sped up by his technique, thoughts were racing through his mind. He couldn't understand why Naruto would do such a thing as to betray the village... Naruto, hadn't you once said that you'd become Hokage and protect everyone, even if it cost you your life... To die with honor, protecting the people of Konohagakure, even if it were before you became Hokage...? He couldn't help but question the other boy of the group in his mind, but he new better than to even utter a word.
"This is an S-class mission... Since you two are, technically, both S-class shinobi, as is Naruto-kun, and in the ANBU, you are the two perfect candidates for this... Well, other than that it technically is Naruto you're going to be disposing of. Sasuke-kun, Sakura-chan... For his mission, do not let your person feelings for who was once your teammate get in the way of who is now your enemy."
The words Kakashi had said rang through his mind, slashing away at his insides. His heart felt like it was being torn apart, and with everything that had happened recently... Then there was the reason they were hunting him down, and the reason why Sasuke was even more afraid of this mission.
"Naruto has become a nukenin, and as he left he stole the sword that you recently brought back. We don't even know how he did it, because of the fact that it steals chakra, and that the restraints were all removed... however, it is believed that he is affiliated with another party so you have to get to him quickly and dispose of him."
Kakashi has a great way of really pissing me off, Sasuke inwardly decided. And he's really good at it...
He found himself stopped on a thin branch, staring down at his feet which were connected to the underside of the branch, him hanging upside-down in the tree. His eyes scanned around, before his feet left the branch, continuing quickly. It wouldn't be long before they reached their destination. He could sense and hear Sakura not too far behind and to seventy degrees West of his current position.
"Naruto-kun," he whispered, biting on his lower lips as he thought, feeling his eyes starting to sting. "If you did betray Konohagakure... Fight me... Show me... Prove that we're not even... Or I'll drag you back..."
"Are you even awake anymore? Or have you given up...?"
A finger poked at one of the many painful, gray bruises upon the younger boy's body, jabbing it roughly, actually. The body affiliated with the voice took a few steps back when the other's head rose a bit, glaring with hateful, slightly-elliptic eyes towards the man. He could make out a figure in the thin light that emitted from a nearby window, which above rested a thick black panel. He guessed it was used to control the filtering of the light into the room. His eyes became squinted at the sudden rays hitting his pupils, and then closed, before opening to glare at the man once more.
"So you are awake... Oh, how sad. But I suppose that does allow for more torture..."
"Fuck... off... you... disgusting... bastard!" panted out the blonde, glaring at him.
"Naruto, what language... Ah, well, how rude as well! Just the more fun."
Naruto, who was able to see the man's features in the thin sunlight, just inspected him. Black, waist-length hair, a feminine, thin face, and dressed in a light-blue kimono that made him look like a woman with the way it was fitted. It reminded him of someone he'd once known... Someone that had taught him something...
"So, which would you prefer, Naruto-kun? For me to pour acid into your veins... or to pull our minor bones, bit by bit?"
"What's with that face of yours?" Naruto growled, demanding an answer.
"Oh, this?" he asked, raising a finger and touching it gently. "Well, a few years back there was this person you were around that got killed... You almost killed him yourself, actually. About your age, give or take a year or so. It was in the Land of Waves that he and his associate died. They looked cute together, don't you think?" He smirked a bit, walking closer so Naruto could get another good--better--look at his face. "Pretty, right?"
"You stole it, you stole that face from Haku-kun, didn't you, bastard!" he growled suddenly, his strength back. He could only feel four hands against his body--ankles and wrists--but they felt stronger than even the thousands that held him previously. He struggled, but when it didn't work, he calmed down a bit, still glaring.
"I didn't steal it, not really. I just made a replica. It is a beautiful face, though, isn't it? Oh, yes, yes... Your face is no where near as delicate and fragile as this one, nor that unique shinobi's... Come to think of it, the Uchiha's face isn't even as pretty." He shrugged, pulling out a kunai and pressing the tip dead-center into one of Naruto's bruises. "I'm going to enjoy torturing you... Then I'll cut you into little bits and pieces and find out all the secrets of your village, all the secrets of what lies in that body of yours... But I must say, that beautifully-drawn seal on your stomach is very interesting." The mysterious man lowered a slender finger, tracing the marks on Naruto's bare stomach around his naval. Still, other than the gray boxers, the boy with the Kyuubi inhabitant was bare.
Wincing and shivering at the icy touch of the blade and the finger--as the metal to his back had grown to not be as painful, because it had become a constant--he bit down on his lower lip, eyes shut tightly.
"Don't like that?" the man asked, pressing his thumb roughly into Naruto's belly button before ripping it out, making a couple little cuts with slightly-pointed fingernail tips.
"Stop it," he growled, lashing out with his head in an attempt to bite the older man, though it failed.
"Hmn... No, how about that? Oh, but don't feel so threatened... I still must prolong your body and preserve your life for my personal entertainment."
"You sick, fucked-up--"
"Now, now... What would your parents say if they heard you talking like that? My, my, tsk, tsk..."
"I don't have parents, dumbass..."
"Oh, oh, that's right..." the man whispered, his voice a mocking tone. "Well, I'm sure you used to, but that must have been so long ago. Before you had that Kyuubi implanted within you, that is... After that, they probably shunned you... They might even still be alive, but refuse to acknowledge you as their son..."
"Shut up... I know that they died a long time ago... I never knew them, so I don't care. It has no effect--"
"But, my Naruto-kun, don't you so often wonder what it would be like to have a family, one with a mother and father who love and adore you for you who are? That don't care about the Kyuubi, or how others treat you? Or at least some sort of parent?"
Naruto remained silent. His head was down, bangs hiding his face and shadowing it, eyes closed and teeth deep in his bottom lip. He had to keep his eyes closed, or they'd start stinging worse, and hurt like hell.
"I'll take that as a yes, then?"
"..."
"I adore your silence, truly I do..." He moved to the right, pointing with his left index finger at an object. A sword was laying on a table that he pointed to, the only sheath for it being randomly-placed bandages, tight yet not ripping against the blade. Naruto looked up, staring at the sword.
"That's the sword..."
"That bears its own chakra, yes... That weapon is meant for your use. With your intense level of chakra, and that of the Kyuubi's, you can wield that sword like no one else. You wouldn't even need to seal off the chakra vents; it wouldn't steal your energy, it would share with you its own."
"... You're asking me to take this sword... and you want me to kill someone with it, don't you?"
"Yes, I am... You will be stronger than anyone else in your village. The strongest... Your power will surpass that of any Kage before you... and be greater than any that might come after you... And, there's one more thing... With that sword, you'll have parents again... Me and my wife. We will adopt you as our own blood son."
Naruto looked at the man, a little bit of fear in his expression. He knew better than this... He knew not to do this... That sword was so strong, though... And to become an instant Hokage... and the strongest... And...
"Well, Naruto-kun...? Will you agree to these terms, take this sword, become the official son of two extremely powerful, S-class shinobi, and become not only an S-class shinobi, but take the life of only one person, and become Kage of Konohagakure?"
"I..." His voice was nothing but a faint whisper. "I..."
"I'm not so sure about this..."
"Sakura-chan, don't worry, alright?" Sasuke looked behind him, over his shoulder, staring at the girl hidden behind the mask. "We're already here... Let's hurry up with this..." He pulled out a tag from under his mask, which had been curled up and put in in a way that he could only take it out in a straight way. As he drew it out, he slit his thumb on a small metal object that was part of his outfit, on the side of his mask, running the finger so the blood ran along the scroll. He lashed out the scroll, letting go so it stuck to a nearby house, then exploded. "Go."
Sakura jumped down, using her excellent chakra control to manipulate the way she moved along the ground. Sasuke followed behind her, but they both stopped quickly, frozen in place. They'd hit the right house, they'd correctly located their target, and he was staring them down in the eyes.
But it was no longer Naruto which they were facing...
"We should have sent a third person with them..."
"Sakura is excellent in her ability of chakra control and in medical ninjitsu. Those two are S-class ANBU, so we shouldn't worry... Kakashi, you really shouldn't be so worried."
Lifting his shoulders then dropping them in a shrug, the man simply stood. "I'll go after them, now."
"Don't... And that's an order. You are to stay here... We do not need to send anyone else after them. They will be fine, Kakashi. Why won't you stop worrying?"
"I'm not worried, Tsunade-sama. Not at all. A little frustrated, maybe, at the conditions they are fighting for and with, and that the target happens to be their teammate who is wielding a sword that has already nearly killed one of the two, and that is--"
"Okay, fine, just... Be quiet now. If you're not worried, stop listing the reasons as to why you're annoyed."
"So, are you sending me after them?"
"No... I'll send someone else." stated the Hokage simply, crossing her arms over her chest.
Kakashi, raising an eyebrow of his right eye, watched her carefully. "And just who would that be, then?"
"Uhm..." She looked to the side, biting into her bottom lip just a bit.
"You... don't know, do you?"
"Look, give me ten minutes; I'll figure something out..."
"Liar..." he muttered, glaring at her slightly.
"Go away. I'm busy contemplating... And don't pursue your team, Kakashi..."
"So you're not sending anyone after them... are you?"
A few seconds later the woman grinned. "I know just who to send, don't you worry."
"Oh? Who?" He crossed his arms over his stomach.
"Heh, best I didn't tell you. Go do something else, now. Besides going after them!" she said, having to remind him of the last part. If she didn't, he'd argue that she hadn't specified. He disappeared with a jutsu, leaving her to sit in her desk, staring down at a paper in her hands. She sighed, frowning. There had ben a contest where if you guessed the right five letters in correct order, you'd win a large amount of money. It wasn't like a lottery, more like just a random activity hosted by one of the many shinobi of the village. The piece of paper in her hands read 'xiaks.' And the paper that told the week's letters, read 'xiaks.'
"This... is definitely a bad sign..." she whispered, shaking her head and hiding the paper under the book, closing her eyes and resting her head against crossed arms on her desk. "A very bad sign..."
With a sigh, the woman stood up, slowly making her way from her room, the building, then down a street, heading straight towards the memorial stone. Once there, she just stood, staring down at it, then sighed. Behind her, a shorter boy had appeared, watching her. Without turning, she'd already known who it was.
"Konohamaru, good to see you. Just the person I was going to go find shortly."
"Oh... Why would you need to see me, Hokage-sama?" the younger one asked, probably only around thirteen or so years old. He grinned. "Am I really that special?"
"No, its not that... I have an urgent mission for you. However... you're the only one needed. You're still just a Genin, though, so I'll have to send a Jonin with you, since its an A-class. So, before I do, any favorites?"
"Kakashi-sensei!" he yelled out, right as he heard it. He grinned, sticking his hands in his pockets.
The woman frowned, turning to face him. "I already told Kakashi that I wouldn't send him... so that's not really a good choice. Why Kakashi?"
"Kakashi-sensei is the one who taught Naruto-sempai!" he pouted, crossing his arms quickly over his chest. "I'd love going somewhere cool with him... And... if its an A-class mission, how could a Genin like myself be allowed to go on such a mission?"
"Naruto-kun only recently became a Chunin, though he's been in the ANBU for an extremely long time... You want to be like Naruto-kun, who's been going on A-class missions since he was your age, only a few days after he graduated?"
"Yeah! Of course! Alright, I'll accept the mission!"
"So which Jonin do you want to come with you?"
"Kakashi-sensei!"
"I already told you no!" she yelled, twitching a bit.
"B-but..." He whimpered somewhat, sticking out his bottom lip and frowning.
"Konohamaru, you're thirteen; don't act like such a baby. You should know that such actions are-"
"I know, I know..." Moving his shoulders only enough to barely shrug, the boy sighed. "What about... Uhm... What about Neji-sempai?" he asked, tilting his head a tilt to the side.
"You sure?"
"Yeah..." He grinned.
"Alright, I'll have him sent for. Pack up supplies... The length should be around a week, and you will encounter enemies, so prepare thuswise. I'm hoping you've been taught proper preparation?"
"Of course. I'll see you...?"
"Find me in the mission room in exactly one hour."
"Alright, see you then, Tsunade-dono!" he cried, turning around and running off, then jumping off through the trees, grinning. Where she was left, Tsunade turned around, kneeling next to the stone and touching two of the most important names on that list to her.
"Dan, Nawaki... I still miss you two, and I'll never not miss the either of you... I love you both..." Gently bringing the tips of her two fingers of her left hand to her lips, then placing her index first against her younger brother's name, over the engraving, then her middle along her once lover's name, she stood up. "I'm sending a boy only about as old as you, Nawaki, on an A-class mission... He's with a Jonin, and they're both going after someone very important... I know, I'm probably an idiot for sending a thirteen-year-old out on such a dangerous mission, that might even end up being S-class... However... The one they are bringing back is who I gave the necklace to, now... You know, the one I gave the both of you..." She frowned, closing her eyes, scenes playing through her mind like that of a movie.
"The one I'm having them bring back is the one who carries on the dreams of the both of you. After I die, he will succeed me, thus becoming the Sixth Hokage... And when he does, he'll become the greatest Hokage... I'm worried, for both the boys, though... Sure, they're both strong, and their favorite techniques happen to be two forbidden techniques... Of course, the younger one was taught by the older one... Heh... Sound familiar, Nawaki? Yeah, maybe... But, I promise you... I won't let either of them die... Because they both share the same dream as well, just as the two of you did... Konohamaru because of his grandfather, because of his family ties... And Naruto-kun because of the lack of family ties, because of the Kyuubi, and to get acknowledged more than ever before... We all acknowledge him now, but... When he becomes Hokage, it won't just be the whole village..."
Slowly, she stood up, wiping under her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt, then heading straight back to the mission room. She had Neji sent for, and within moments he was there, staring at her.
"Hyüga Neji, you have been sent for because I am being forced to send a young Genin--Konohamaru--on an A-class mission, possibly even an S-class mission... Since I already refused to allow Kakashi to do such a task, I had him pick someone. That would be you." She stared at him blankly, to be responded to with a nod. "And, thus, it is you who will go with him. Only the two of you, because there are already two others--both ANBU members--sent out. Your mission is to safely take Konohamaru to the location of the two others and have him aid in the capture and retrieval of the nukenin Uzumaki Naruto. You have been informed of his actions, I take it..."
"Yes, I have, Tsunade-dono. I understand the aspects of my mission fully."
"Also... The two and the nukenin are all Chunin ANBU, so just because of their rank do not underestimate any of them... As well, on the same note, do not underestimate Konohamaru. He's the one that has to fight, so, as a Jonin, I would like for you to make sure that he is properly equipped before going on the mission. No sword, of course. Make sure he's prepared, though. Alright, he's here." She smiled at the younger one coming in the door. "Konohamaru, hey there. Ready to go on the mission?"
The boy looked up, nodding. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good. Your mission is simple."
"Question..." He frowned, standing next to Neji. "Why couldn't Naruto-sempai do this instead of me?"
"Answer. Because he has become a nukenin, and you are going to be retrieving him." She smiled.
