Author's Note: Sorry I didn't update that week. Things got a bit hectic. Heads up the next chapter is really rated, so just proceed with caution if you don't want to read that stuff*
*Neji's POV*
We waited on Naruto's ship for Shukaku's appearance through the seal Gaara had drawn. I could not fail them as I did before. Guilt weighed heavily on my heart, yet Gaara's words gave me some solace in knowing I could help fix things. The idea that my death would be more of a hindrance than a benefit entered my mind.
Suddenly the seal began glowing bright red and Shukaku climbed out from it, holding his small paw up to me. I took it and grabbed Kiba's hand. He then grabbed Shikamaru's hand and Shikamaru grabbed Kakashi's hand. The seal glowed brighter and I felt my body tensing up.
We appeared in Orochimaru's castle, specifically in his 'trophy' room. It was exactly where I told Gaara to tell Shukaku to go. Orochimaru had several large items from when he would commit both small and great acts, such as taking over Konoha, killing council members, and contined various items taken from the Uchiha pirates. One of these items stood out in particular- their flag.
Kakashi sighed loudly. I looked at him to see his eyes were set on the flag. I saw Kiba playing with Orochimaru's large scale of the world. Shikamaru yawned while watching Kiba. I began looking around to find what Orochimaru took from the mermaids. Gaara hadn't told us what to look for, so as far as I was concerned it could be any of these items.
Suddenly, a loud banging noise jolted us. We all looked at the door and heard shouting. Shukaku began sniffing around and went to a large red curtain. I watched him go underneath it and walked over to it.
Immediately, he scurried out from the curtain, squealing excitedly. I lifted the curtain and horror filled my mind. I felt the weight of the the material lighten and the sounds of sharp gasps. "Oh…shit," Kiba remarked.
A dead mermaid stood before us, not just any mermaid, it was the golden-tailed mermaid. The extremely well-preserved remains of the golden-tailed mermaid stood before us in perfect condition. Her skin was deathly pale, but her hair and tail glimmered as if they were not attached to a dead creature. Her eyes were closed as if she were only sleeping, but the smell told me otherwise. Her bones were frighteningly apparent. It looked as if the skin would soon be ripped because of them.
The loud banging interrupted my thoughts. I withdrew my blade and cut the curtain, while the others tried to grab the mermaid. I looked at the door and saw they were busting through it with something large.
"Shukaku, draw a seal closer to the mermaid!" I shouted and ran to the large scale of the world and began pushing it to the door. I got it against the door and looked back to see Shukaku had finished the seal. I ran back to them as they all grabbed each other's hands. I took hold of Kiba's arm and watched as Kabuto burst through the door with a loud blast.
I let go of Kiba's arm and started toward Kabuto. I need to keep him from being able to teleport with them! I collided with Kabuto in a fury of punches. Both of us exchanged hits to the other. He pulled out a long blade and I pulled mine from its sheath. We started toward each other when, suddenly, something flashed in front of me and Kabuto fell to the ground.
I looked back and Kakashi came to me, grabbing my shoulder. "Go now! I'll take care of him," he said quickly, pulling me from where I was standing and pushing me toward the others who were slowly disappearing. I hesitated.
Kabuto glared up at Kakashi. "You didn't kill me the first time, why should now make any difference?" he spat. Kakashi chuckled and pulled something from his vest, tossing it to me. I looked down at it, then at him.
"Now I can repay a debt to an old friend," he spoke and waved his hand at me to go. I ran to the others grabbing onto Kiba's arm again. I felt my body tensing as the others disappeared and I stared at the empty spot where they had been standing a moment ago, then at my hand that was no longer grasping Kiba's arm. Shit!
Gaara's POV
I stood over the seal and closed my eyes. I muttered the specific chant to take me to the seal the mermaid had made on Orochimaru's ship. I felt my body beginning to get tense. My energy is getting lower and lower. I have a short amount of time to get to Sasuke before my energy is completely gone. I wanted to wait for the Kakashi and the others to return, but there's no time.
Then in an instant, I was in the ocean. I grabbed the bottom of the ship as it rose slightly with the water. I began following it up to the surface of the water. Once I reached the surface, I gasped for air and held tightly to the vessel remembering my training as a child.
With only the moon to provide me with light, I struggled to see where I needed to go. The rough waves of the ocean were not helping me keep a grasp. My eyes stung from the water.
"Sasuke is up there." I looked around to find the source of the voice and saw the blonde mermaid behind me. I looked up, then back at her. "Thank you," I told her. She nodded and dove into the water. I carefully climbed up the ship, occasionally slipping.
How do pirates manage to do this so often? It could be that my energy is so low that I cannot withstand doing this much longer. Where is the window? Then as if I had summoned the windows to appear, I felt the sill of a window. I lifted up my upper body enough to where I could look into the room.
It was completely dark. Damn. I pushed the window only to find it locked. I readjusted myself on the sill and swiftly busted open the window with my elbow. I climbed up onto the sill making my way into the room.
I could see dark shades of furniture. What if they knew I was coming? What if they know of a way to end his life?
No, do not think of such things. Slowly the room filled with a deep purple light. I looked at the source and saw Manda standing with his hand over a torch, lit with a purple flame. I noticed Sasuke's body on the floor with him propped up against the wall. Sasuke!
I raised my gaze to Manda and met his stare. "I suppose you have learned that he still draws breath," Manda spoke, "Honestly, you should have just let it alone and went on your merry way to save your stupid country." He hissed.
I gritted my teeth, looking back down at Sasuke. He didn't have anything on his upper body, except long parallel cuts all over his chest and abdomen. What have they been doing to him? I could see the scar from the time when Orochimaru pierced through his chest with the sword. The most important thing I could see was the slight rise and fall of his chest. I shifted my gaze to the smiling Manda.
"Oh, if looks could kill I am sure I would be dead now," he chuckled. I turned my attention back to him. "No, you will wish for death when I finish with you," I growled. Everything sane has left my mind. Everything rational is gone. I could kill this creature and not think another thought of it, just as I could do with Orochimaru; however, they have immortality so, anything I do will not kill them permanently...
"In truth, I would do anything to kill you for fucking my Sasuke," Manda spoke, putting emphasizing 'my'. I gritted my teeth at the idea that he thought he could own Sasuke. Though I took pleasure in knowing I was the first to claim him, still I doubted I could state possession over him. I struck such thoughts from my mind.
"I actually want you," he uttered in a low tone. My eyes widened at his words. I couldn't find any words to respond.
He chuckled. "Yes, why would I want you? Well, I want to drain the blood from your body. I want to do to you the same thing I did to your mother," he said this while grinning devilishly. I clenched my fist in anger as he went on with his words, "If you accept, I'll let Sasuke go… He poses no threat to me and Orochimaru." I scoffed in response.
"Do you really believe me a fool to merely accept those terms?" I asked. Manda nodded and his grin widened. "You will probably break free from us eventually, considering you can use that magic your mother used. I am only wanting to relive such a moment of ecstasy. Orochimaru does not yet know of your life and he would not seek to exploit it, considering that he already has immortality," he explained.
I stared at him stricken with both confusion and disgust, "I am not going to be separated from Sasuke, no matter what." I immediately bolted toward him. I need to act and not listen to his trifling talk!
I quickly withdrew my blade and swiped at him, but he ducked and transformed into a snake slithering away into the shadows. Why, that coward!
I took this chance to run to Sasuke's side. I knelt down beside him and set my blade down beside me. I reached my hands to him, but stopped not sure what I should do. I looked for his brand and saw it was gone. It might have disappeared when he 'died'.
I looked at the shackles holding his wrists and ankles. I took hold of one and tried to examine it.
Suddenly, the room went dark. I froze and looked behind me. The full moon provided little light in the cabin. I reached for my blade and felt a scaly texture. I grabbed it tightly. The snake hissed and wrapped around my arm quickly. I fell back slamming my arm into the floor. The snake hissed louder.
Then I felt something begin to wrap around my neck. I put my chin to my chest as the snake's body came around to my head. The body slipped into my mouth as if to keep me from making any sounds. I tried to pull at the creature while the other snake's grip tightened on my arm.
"Well, not much of a defense you put up," Manda spoke adding a short chuckle. I growled and bit down on the snake around my mouth. The snake hissed and tightened its grip.
"Oh… No… See, now, we could have had a deal... But, no, you wanted to refuse it. Now, you and Sasuke will be my toys." Manda merrily spoke while I rolled over in some attempt to get up, but only ended up against Sasuke's legs.
Sasuke grunted quietly. Damn, even if I'm able to wake him there is nothing he can do to help me. Shukaku! Both of the snakes tightened their grips. I felt my arm beginning to go numb and my head feeling as if my skull were going to crack.
Manda knelt down in front of me. "This can all go away, if you just relent and say that your life is mine," he coaxed. Shukaku! "You know Sasuke will leave you after this... After you given your life, he will return to us. He has nothing else in this world that holds meaning. We are the only ones he can relate to," he hissed.
"If you stay, then he will truly never leave you. He will be chained in the trophy room and there you can always visit him," he chided and touched my shoulder gently. A touch far too gentle for such a creature.
I shook my head as much as I could and he scoffed. "Fine," he spoke and the snake on my arm released its grip, though it then joined the other reptile at my head. It was able to wrap around my neck.
I got to my knees and began feeling around on the ground for my blade. I felt something grainy and followed the feeling. I heard Shukaku coo quietly. I leaned down and then heard the snakes hiss.
"What are you doing?" Manda asked and grabbed my shoulder. I felt Shukaku's sand seep between the snakes and my head. He pried them from my head until I could get out from them. I rubbed my face wincing at the pain.
Suddenly, Manda was on top of me. His head transformed into that of a snake's and he began striking at me. I dodged his attacks, until I was finally able to grab part of it with one hand. "Shu, free Sasuke!" I shouted. Shukaku peered up at the bodies of the snakes underneath Sasuke. Shukaku cooed in acknowledgment and ran to his aid.
My other arm slowly recovered feeling in it, but I could not grip anything with my hand. Manda drew back, "I will finish this now!" He hissed and struck. I closed my eyes tightly and held my hand up and it went into his mouth and through the back of the snake head.
I slowly opened my eyes and saw what I had felt. I saw my hand protruding out of the back of his head. I quickly pulled out my arm and shoved his lifeless body off of me. I shivered and immediately began wiping his blood off my torso.
I stood up and walked over to Sasuke. Shukaku had finished releasing him from the shackles and I quickly drew a seal. I lifted up Sasuke, put my hand to the seal, and felt my body beginning to tense and near the point of collapsing as as the seal began to brighten.
We then found ourselves on Naruto's ship. My entire body ached and I soon collapsed to the ground while everything went black...