Sorry I haven't updated in a pretty long time...but here's Chapter 9! Enjoy!
Reviews plz!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Chapter 9
"You have a new mission."
Sasuke, Kikyo, Naruto, and Sakura stood at attention.
Master Kakashi continued, "It will not be easy. You will go out of Konoha. The mission will await you there. I won't accompany you this time."
"What! You're not even gonna tell us what it is!" Naruto moaned, clutching at his already aching head.
Kakashi smiled. "No. The mission will depend on your own decisions. Good luck."
With that, he disappeared.
"Done packing?" Sakura asked as everyone met up at the entrance to Konoha the next day.
Everyone nodded. Sasuke noticed the pretty kunai knife he had given Kikyo on her belt. He smiled inwardly.
Little did he know that the mission would go terribly wrong...
"It's so freaking hot!" Naruto complained for the millionth time that day. They had walked the last mile without the shade of trees, and Kikyo was beginning to feel faint. They staggered onward, doggedly pursuing a mysterious"building" that Kakashi had talked about. Their weary feet marched on the dry sand, and the wind blew the grains into their faces.
"What's our mission anyw--" Sakura gasped and broke off as a kunai knife hurtledher way.
"DUCK!" Naruto lunged for her, and the knife grazed his shoulder instead.
"Kikyo...long time no see." an all-too-familiar voice greeted her.
Filled with dread, Kikyo stood up.
"Kabuto..."
He smiled. He was the loyal right-hand-man of master. "Glad you remember me." Then his voice turned harsh. "Why haven't you done it yet?"
Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke all looked questioningly at Kikyo, who was staring at Kabuto with the deepest utmost loathing.
"Too bad...Konoha should be about destroyed by now..." Kabuto sneered at her with equal hate and distrust.
"What! You creep!" Naruto lunged up but got punched swiftly.
"Something...is up. Naruto and Sakura, stay here and guard this...Kabuto person. Kikyo, let's go." Sasuke snapped out orders, desperately trying to analyze the situation. A moment later, Kikyo and Sasuke had disappeared, leaving only a small whirlwind of sand in their footsteps.
"What the heck is up!" Naruto moaned, massaging his poor head.
Kabuto spared him a cold glance. "You will see...that girl, Kikyo..."
"What?" Sakura's voice grew low and soft.
He smiled evilly. "She is not what you think..."
Yes, even more tragedy was to befall the peaceful village of Konoha, an incident even worse than the nine-tailed fox demon many years ago...!
Flames burned hotly around them, and buildings collapsed. Kikyo gasped and choked at the thick smoke, and stumbled on the fallen wood. Half of Konoha was in ruins. Then she saw the very person she did not want to see...
"How could you do this! What do you want!" Kikyo screamed furiously at Orochimaru. Sasuke, standing beside her, drew his kunai knife.
Orochimaru never flinched, and coolly said, "I want you, Kikyo. How DARE you disobey my orders? I waited for a month for you to come back with the Sharingan. But instead, I find you over here, pathetically idling away your time instead of killing him!"
Kikyo flinched. All of a sudden her voice was gone and she stared at Orochimaru. Sasuke glared and snapped,
"Stop spouting idiocy!"
Kikyo said nothing and swallowed hard.
It was true.
"Kikyo?" Sasuke whispered, rounding on her. "No. It's not true, right? Kikyo?" he demanded, refusing to believe the impossible.
Orochimaru smiled evilly, and walked over to Kikyo. He hissed softly,
"It's time for you to come back to me, my faithful apprentice."
Kikyo suddenly winced and clutched her left arm right above the elbow. Gasping with pain, she shoved up her sleeve to reveal a weird black mark. It sort of looked like the Sharingan, and the mark started duplicating and spreading over her skin. Kikyo cried out in pain as half of her body became infected by the strange mark.
"Stop it! What are you doing to her!" Sasuke ran over to Kikyo and knelt beside her.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed and his fist lashed out, striking Sasuke hard on the stomach, sending him sprawling way across the road.
"How dare you!" he spat. "You are more trouble than you are worth!"
"No…please." Kikyo whispered, struggling upright. Orochimaru froze. For a second his cold eyes softened, but the next it was ice.
"Fine. Then you must kill him. Kill him or I will destroy the rest of this pitiful village. When you have killed him, bring his blood to me." Orochimaru angrily struck Kikyo across the face.
With that, he turned his heel and left, leaving half of Konoha in peace and prosperity, and the rest of it burning away, spinning into the depths of the underworld.