Chapter 24: Possum
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Moran knows who did what they did to Naruto. He is not happy, but holds back his anger, for now.
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Start date, January 3, after night fall
Moran walked back on the train. He let out a sigh as the train whistle sounded and the train jerked as it started down the tracks. He walked into the small bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. He smirked at the sight of his right eye. It was swollen shut. He looked to Mike, smiling at the man. His smile fell.
"Get something for the brat to eat, besides oatmeal. Bring the medic nin just incase you have trouble giving him his medicine. I doubt you will."
The man nodded and walked off. Moran looked back in the mirror and twisted his neck, making it pop. He let out a sigh and walked out of the room. He walked down the cars, checking on his small group of men and others that join him. He talked to one, laughing at the broken finger he received during their fight with bandits. He snorted as the group joked about his wounds from Naruto. He took off to find a food cart when Mike ran up to him. How the man looked, he just took off; not even asking what was the matter. He ran, causing ninjas to step out of their rooms. He entered the room Naruto was in and watched as the medic nin wrap the boy's feet up. He knelt down and pulled back the boy's shirt, stained with blood. He hissed, seeing the burn patch that went around the boy's belly and it was riddled with deeps gashes. He looked to the boy's face, seeing it was bruised up. He placed a hand on the boy's cheek, seeing deep bruising around the boy's neck. He frowned when the boy whimpered and pulled away. He looked to the medic nin.
"He has been like this for a couple of hours. I talked to the guard. He said no one entered. I checked him and found remains of sleep power on him. The boy was gagged."
Moran clenched his jaw. He stood up and walked out of the room. All looked at him, frighten of what he would do. He looked to a group of four ninjas.
"Find me Lou."
They bowed their heads slightly and left. Moran walked back in the room and sat down on the bench. The medic nin glanced at him and back down. She stepped back and stood up. She did not look to the man.
"I done all I can. He has three cracked ribs on his right side and two on his left. His nose is broken. He is bruised up and the burns he received today are also on his back, down the spine. I believe his eyes will swell shut."
Moran nodded and watched the women walk out. He let out a tired sigh. He looked up as Lou was brought into the room, two of the ninjas holding his arms behind his back. Lou glanced down at Naruto and back to Moran.
"Why did you drag me in here? Tell these idiots to let me go."
Moran stood up and walked to the man. Lou cowered down.
"Take him back to his room and keep guards on his at all times. Place a chakra binder seal on him. Take all of his weapons and belongings. He is confined to the room till we reach Flours."
The two ninjas nodded and dragged the man off. Moran shut the door and sat back down. He looked to the boy, a frown crossing his face as he watched the boy curl in a ball and whimper. His bowed his head and covered his face with his hands, wariness coming over him.
-captured-
Two days passed and the train came to a stop in a large city, Flours. Moran looked out the window, watching the fading light. He snorted and moved to Naruto. He knelt down and brushed his hand on the boy's face. He frowned as the boy pulled from his touch.
"Its okay, no one is going to hurt you. I know its going to hurt, but I have to pick you up. The sedative should take in effect in a few minutes and you will be asleep and won't be in pain."
Moran scooped the boy up and frowned as the boy cried in pain. He walked out of the room, anger coming to him. He nodded to Mike and both left the car. Moran shot a glare to Lou as the man was lead into the city. He looked down at the blond, finding him asleep. He walked into the city, ignoring the curious glances from its citizens. He looked up, seeing the hospital up ahead. He looked to Mike.
"I will be staying with the brat. Send a message to Lord Fang. Bring me something to eat, later."
The man nodded and took off, using the rooftops. Moran walked into the hospital and a nurse lead him to a room. He laid Naruto down and backed away. He watched the healers work on Naruto for a few minutes, before moving to the window. He tapped the bars on the window before looking out into the city. He looked back as a doctor walked up to him.
"We started him on some fluids and antibiotics. He is stable. His old burns have become infected, as well the wound to his shoulder and leg. We can start healing his buns after he recovers in a few days."
"That will have to wait. His burns will be taken care of in Fang. How long before he can be moved."
Three days at the most. We will not know till how his condition changes in the next few days."
Moran nodded.
"I will be back. Keep an eye on him at all times."
The doctor nodded and Moran left the room. He walked out and headed to a type of military post in the city. He entered and arranged for a wagon and horses. He wandered around the city, picking up items and headed back to the hospital. He nodded his thanks of the food Mike brought. He sat down on a chair in the room and lean back, letting sleep take hold of him.
-captured-
Naruto opened his eyes, which he found he could not. He curled his nose, felling air rush over his nose and mouth. He reached up, touching the area around his eyes and found he could not fell. He flexed his fingers, remembering his right hand was covered in bandages when he was burnt with the accelerant. He moved his left fingers, felling cloth under him. He picked up his left hand and touched where his eyes are. He frowned, finding a bandage. He heard chuckling in the back of his mind, his frown deepening.
"What is so funny fur ball?"
He heard a loud snort, echoing his mind.
"I did enjoy the part of your dream when the noodle monster was after you."
"Hey, I don't think that was funny. I end up beating it, though."
"Yah by devouring eating it. As you ran you stopped and your stomach end up growling. You turn around and looked at the noodle beast, drooling. The noodle beast roared at you. All you did was looked at it, a predatory look on your face. Once you said food, it took off running. I am still wondering where those chopsticks and bib came from."
"What do you expect, it was a dream. I'm hungry."
Naruto open his mouth and pried free his dry tongue from the roof of his mouth. He let out a sigh as he let sounds come to him. He heard a steady beeping to his right. Muffled footsteps came to him, followed by muffled voices. He frowned, knowing where he was. As he became more aware, he found he was not hurting.
"You?"
"No, they have you on pain killers, strong ones. That buffoon burnt your stomach, feet, and back. I'm sorry to say, you are in no shape of trying to escape, for a long time."
"So all the injures I have received since this little adventure, I'm not even healed from and it wont be a good idea of running away, since I will be easy to catch. I guess I might still have an infection, and who knows what now. Just my, well I would say week, but this has gone on so long already. Damn, I remember now that Iruka-sensei had a present for me and we were going to eat at Ichiraku for all I could eat for my birthday. Then obba-chan said she would teach me something as well as Kakashi-sensei. Then I had a huge prank plan for the pervert if he happened to be in the village. Shit, I don't even know what day it is."
"No need to worry about that. You might want to worry about what they will do to you after your escape and what you done. I don't think you will be punished as much now since what has happen to you. I think that man Moran has a liking of you."
"So you won't be trying to take off the seal off of me now, damn. You think we could use the man's like to our use?"
"Hmm, that sounds like a good plan. We will see what happens in the next few days. I'm going back to sleep."
Naruto snorted in his mind and brought his awareness back in the room. He heard the door opened up and softly shut. He head near silent footfalls and a knee pop, he guess when the person knelt down. He recognized the voice, belonging to the red head.
"Moran-san, wake up, I have a message for you."
Moran opened his eyes and turned his head to look at Mike. He pushed the blanket off himself and sat up. He rubbed his face, waking himself up more. He looked back to the red head. Mike gave him a letter with a wax seal on the back, showing the symbol of Fang. Moran frowned and pulled the flap free. He pulled out the letter and read it, his frown deepening.
I am very angry that this has happen. I want to see that idiot in my office once you arrive. Make a summoning scroll for you, Lou, and the boy. I want the boy here, under my watch. Send it with your fastest ninja.
Moran crumpled the letter in his hand and gathered his chakra. He easily burnt the paper, letting the ashes fall to the floor. He did not care. He looked to Mike as he brushed off his hand on his pants.
"Get summoning scrolls made for me, Lou, and the boy. Make sure the boy and mine are the same and they send a summon creature or a signal they are about to summon us. Have them taken by the fastest ninja here. Get the others gathered and sent home, you will be in charge."
Mike nodded and walked out. Moran stood up and stretched, causing his stiff joints to pop. He looked to the boy and noticed he was awake. He moved to the boy and pulled off the oxygen mask. He made a calming noise as the boy flinch.
"It is okay, it just me."
He brushed his hand over the boy's face and was surprised when the boy took hold of his hand. He furled his eyebrows as the boy took sniffs of his hand. He looked to the door as a nurse walk in with food for the boy and him. He looked back to the boy as his hand was let go. He pulled the bed tray closer and grabbed a straw from a cup. He dipped the straw in the pitcher, trapping water when he closed the end off. He smiled down at the boy as he brought the straw over the boy's mouth and let the water flow out slowly. He looked back to the nurse. He nodded as she set the tray of food on the table. He picked up the bowl of soup and stirred it, cooling it off. Once he found it was not too hot, he spooned some of the soup in the boy's mouth. He smirked at he foul look the boy gave him. He took a spoonful of the soup himself and gagged at the taste. He looked to the women, seeing her with a stern look.
"Women, what are you trying to do, kill our taste buds?"
He watched the women walk out, shutting the door, a bit hard. He laughed at this and turned back to the boy.
"Sorry brat, it looks like you will have to eat this."
He fed Naruto the soup, coaxing him to eat. While this was going on, Naruto was cussing both the man and fox. He asked if the kyuubi could have the sense of taste while looking over his memories. To his enjoyment, he found it could be, if the fox focused its senses on the memories. Naruto was silent when the fox told him that was how he knew that the medicine he got was a sleeping draft. Moran set the bowl down when the boy refused to eat anymore. He picked at the food she brought for him and took bites, finding the food was as bad as the soup. He gave Naruto more water and left to get him something different to eat.
-captured-
Jiraiya looked down at Gamakichi. His anger rose after the frog said he could not find Naruto, once again. He walked out, not saying a word. Kakashi sat up in the chair he was in and let out a sigh. He looked to the frog, seeing how depressed it was.
"Don't worry Gamakichi. We know Naruto is still alive. He must have been captured by Fang ninjas. We will plan something to get him back. You have been doing a good job so far. Now go on, Jiraiya will contact you when we have word, or even Naruto will summon you. Thank you."
The frog nodded and disappeared. Kakashi let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. He looked back at the jounin, letting out another sigh.
"I think Tsunade-sama will want us to come home soon. We might have to take Jiraiya bound and gag. We are not much help, not really knowing the terrain. We would be going in blind, unless Lord Moon would send someone with us. I am going to check on my team, hoping Sasuke did not kill any of those trainees. You would not believe once they got their courage they bombarded me with questions."
The three gave him small smiles. They themselves were targeted by most of the trainees for answers to their questions. They did not visit Gai after he did his nice guy pose. Kurenai was followed by most of the girls and three of the older boy's who developed crushes on her. Asuma stayed in the room after his first encounter with the group. When they convened on him, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. He only ventured out when he knew the group would be in classes or busy doing tasks. Kakashi laughed at the three, since some of trainees adopted wearing a mask, even one mimicking his completely, minus the forehead protector over the eye. He stood up and walked out of the room, pulling out his book. Kurenai stood up and looked to the two remaining males.
"I am going to see if Kiba is doing his punishment. I can not believe what he did."
"Well, they were making fun of Hinata because of her eyes and shyness. I might have done something." Asuma said
Kurenai shook her head.
"Scaring the group when Kiba and Akamaru performed the Jinju Konbi Henge: Sotoro (Man Beast Combination Transformation: Double-Headed Wolf) is something I would not have done. I think Naruto's kidnapping has put a strain on all of them. It will be good to get the boy back soon."
The two men nodded. They watched her leave the room. Gai got up and left soon after. Asuma just picked up the book he was reading and laid down to enjoy the peace.
End date, January 5
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