Next chapter of Blood is Thicker than Bone. As Naruto ponders the fate of his cousin and makes a deal, an unexpected event may serve as a prelude of what's to come.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
The blond sat in the lone chair of the room as he looked on at the individual lying motionless in the bed. Not once since the event had he moved or woken up. Still he laid there, the only sound being his faint heartbeat on the monitor as he watched on. Other machines as well where hooked onto him as well giving him medicine.
It had been two days since the incident, since Kimimaro had collapsed and Naruto had stayed by his bedside ever since then waiting to see if he would ever wake up. He had stayed by his side and as the hours passed fear grew into him wondering if he was seeing his last days.
The Doctor came into the room and checked up on Kimimaro, Naruto watched him as he made notes on his notepad as he check his body.
"Doc?" Naruto asked and looked up at him. "He is ever going to wake up?" He said to him.
"…I don't know, his body could no longer support the strain on him he put himself through. His illness has taken quite a toll on him as well. All he needs is rest." The Doctor said to him and turned and left the room.
Naruto watched him go. He felt as if they where hiding something from him, something they didn't want to tell him about Kimimaro. He knew when people where hiding things from him.
He looked back at Kimimaro and let out a sigh.
A hand grasped his shoulder and he lifted his head up and saw Kakashi behind him having entered the room. With him was Sakura and Sasuke as well.
"I'm sorry to hear what's happened Naruto." Kakashi said to him. "You should head back home and get yourself some rest. You need a good sleep." He said as rings where under Naruto's eyes from lack of sleep over watching him.
"I'm fine." Naruto said to him.
"Where's that redheaded girl? She's disappeared." Sakura asked him. Tayuya had disappeared after he had been brought to the Hospital, no one had seen her at all, Jiraiya had sent ANBU to try and find her but nothing came up the group unable to pick up her trail. It was as if she had simply vanished from the world.
"I don't know…" Naruto answered with little emotion.
"Why did he not tell anyone he was sick?" Sasuke asked him.
"I…I don't know." Naruto responded wondering it as well.
"The Exam finals are four days away, you think you'll be able to compete in your condition? If not I'll tell them you've decided to drop out. You got a lot on your mind I can tell." Kakashi said to him
The blonde didn't respond, he hadn't even thought about the Chunin finals ever since Kimimaro had collapsed.
"C'mon, you need to get home and get some rest, it's not healthy to be here all the time." Kakashi said and lead him away. The boy went with them and turned and gave the motionless figure one final look as he exited the room.
Elsewhere…
"Her trail ends here, where did she go?" Jiraiya said to himself as he looked around. The Toad Sannin looked around the area as the trail of the girl he was after had gone cold.
Jiraiya after leaving Konoha had went in search of the missing Tayuya, trying to find her. She knew something he knew that, and he was going to find and get the information willingly or unwillingly out of her. She had some skill he knew that given how she was able to avoid the ANBU and him for a bit but eventually he picked up her trail.
"She's around here somewhere, we're at the edge of the Land Of Fire as it is, any closer and I'm in Rice Territory." He mused to himself.
Suddenly a bolt of lightning came at him and he skillfully dodged it.
"What the?" He shouted not expecting it. He looked ahead and saw to his surprise a green haired man duel wielding a pair of blades which charged with electricity. The man grinned and held them up.
Lighting shot out of the sky and into him and his swords. "Lightning Ball!" He shouted and fired at Jiraiya who dodged it.
"Damn! Fire Style: Great Fireball!" He shouted and fired a fireball at him. To his surprise Electricity covered him and blocked out his attack.
Jiraiya studied his foe and noticed how he generated his attacks through his blades.
(A Mist Swordsmen? Here?) He thought to himself at what he was seeing as he recognized the blades as one of the Seven Swordsmen.
"Kill him…" Raiga ordered as Ranmaru told him he had no backup.
Suddenly several men appeared wielding gloved claws and surrounded Jiraiya. One group got on top of each other and formed a tower and began spinning at him and Jiraiya dodged it.
They attacked him and Jiraiya fought the gang members off, avoiding their slashes and attacks as despite having some skill they where no match for the Sannin as not one attack hit him.
He then dodged another bolt of lightning aimed at him by Raiga who leapt and attacked him, Jiraiya dodged his attacks and swipes of his twin blades.
"You possess skill but you let your anger do all the fighting, leaving you open to weaknesses!" Jiraiya exclaimed and in speed Raiga did not believe his target had disappeared and reappeared behind him and before Raiga could block punched him in the chest knocking him into his men.
Raiga roared when Jiraiya did hand symbols and the area became surrounded in a thick mist. Raiga looked around unable to see anything but then heard the sounds of his men being attacked.
"Find him!" He ordered Ranmaru who went to activate his Kekkai Genkai and his eyes and pupils began to turn red when the mist disappeared and Raiga saw Jiraiya standing in front of him and around them all of his men where knocked out.
"Ready for round two?" The Toad Sannin asked. "Your men won't be around to help this time."
Raiga grunted but then grinned. "That's what you think, look!" He shouted and Jiraiya turned and saw several ninja with a melody note on their Hitai-ate coming this way.
(Damn, time to get out of here) He thought to himself as this was getting too risky, all of Rice would know he was here at this rate.
"Now you die!" Raiga shouted and slashed at him. Jiraiya dodged nonchalantly and threw down a small bomb which exploded and covered the entire area in smoke.
By the time it had ended he was miles away.
"Sound has a Swordsmen of Mist in their employ? Things just got better," He said dryly to himself as he ran. "Sarutobi will want to know about this, they are planning something!" He exclaimed on he was back on the trail to Konoha.
Meanwhile…
"He's been found?" The figure asked standing on the outskirts of the Base.
"Yes, he's at Konoha Hospital." The redhead said to her master kneeling .
The golden eyed figure crossed his arms across his chest thinking it over.
"Sakon!" He ordered and the blue haired leader of the Sound Four stepped forward.
"Gather the other Sound Four and Toshihiro, you all have a mission for tomorrow night."
"Hai!" The ninja said and left.
"Bring him back Tayuya, bring Kimimaro back to me." Orochimaru ordered her and she nodded and went as well having told him about Kimimaro being at the hospital in the Leaf Village.
The Sannin brought a hand up and clutched it into a fist that would crush steel, he would not have his plans ruined.
The next day…
Haku looked on as Kin Tsuchi worked on her Senbon aim, the girl showing improvement with her aim and throw. He had given her some pointers and had taught her the proper balance of speed and aim. Every needle she tossed hit a target and every hit would either incapacitate or kill the target.
She looked back and smiled at him as he had taught her some things this past month when he had meet her again. The two having talked and in a way had become friends as he helped her out and she opened up a bit to him.
"You could use a break, haste makes waste." He said to her.
"I can rest when I'm dead." She said and got ready to throw again when he reached over and took her hand and stopped her.
"You throw with the makings of a person who wants something." Haku said to her. "What do you want Kin?" He asked her.
She gritted her teeth at his question.
"I want power, the power to get revenge on those who had the nerve to look down on me when I was a child. That's what most of us want, me, Zaku, and Dosu. We want strength and we joined up with Sound cause we believe we can get that power there."
"Power that is all you want?"
"Well yeah, those who have power don't get looked down upon and mistreated by others." She said as it seemed simple to her.
"Those who don't have power beat down upon those with even less power than them, and so forth. It's an endless cycle." Haku said to the long haired girl.
"Maybe so, but it's the only path we know, you think Dosu would let people continue to mock his bandaged face if he had the power to shut them up?" She asked him.
"Perhaps, but a pursuit of power often only ends up leaving you with nothing." Haku said to her as he didn't bother himself with gaining power by any means necessary.
Kin didn't say anything to him. She didn't let him know but she had heard Dosu and Zaku arguing about something recently, Dosu was saying they had been betrayed and where setup. Zaku who's arms had recently healed somewhat was arguing that saying they wouldn't be used like that. All three had been brought together by the same man and had been loyal to him as he helped them escaped their troubled past and become Shinobi, for him to betray them was something Zaku didn't want to think about. Dosu on the other hand had seem angered about what had happened reminding Zaku that Sasuke broke his arms and what had happened to him when he emerged from the tree in the Forest.
As for her, she didn't know what to think. She didn't know if he did in fact betray her or not. If she performed well in the exams and was able to become Chunin maybe that would revalidate his faith in her as he had selected them to go to the exams himself. Failure in Otogakure often came with the harshest punishment as none of them had headed back after the mission, surprisingly the man hadn't come for them either. Maybe he was too busy with his planned invasion they had heard rumors about.
"Kin," A voice said and she opened her eyes and saw Haku. "Whatever happens these next few days, be careful and be safe." He told her. Part of him thinking of leaving and telling The Sound Trio to leave as well so they don't get caught in the upcoming events.
Gaara stood on top of the roof of a building, the quiet and stoic Suna nin overlooking the village.
"The Uchiha's blood, is that what you want Mother?" He asked seemingly to himself. "No, you want more than that don't you? You want the Uzumaki's blood as well, that would satisfy you I know it would to have his blood running through our sand as well." He said as he thought back to the preliminary fights, how he had nearly killed Rock Lee and watching Naruto use his bloodline to defeat Kankuro. For the first time he actually was interested in what had happened when he revealed his Kekkai Genkai.
Before he had been bored and thought nothing of the exams, now he was interested and intrigued in the blonde's Kekkai Genkai, once he destroyed Sasuke he would then battle Naruto and kill him as well.
"If I have no meaning in life than I shall make my own, even if it means killing all others in this wretched world!" He said coldly feeling the demon inside him start to awaken and he suppressed it for the moment.
Meanwhile…
Naruto laid on the bed asleep, the boy tossing and turning on it as he dreamt uncomfortable dreams, dreams he didn't know he would be capable of having.
He imagined himself in what seemed like to be a sewer, a dark damp sewer that was red in color. He looked around as he didn't know where he was or how he got here, all he knew was that he got a bad vibe coming from this place.
He looked around and saw a light nearby. Thinking it a way out he cautiously made his way, looking around for any hidden danger.
As he made his way he thought he heard a sound and looked behind him, there was nothing there and he can hear the low sound of laughter, cruel mocking laughter that got louder and harsher with every step he took towards the light.
He stopped as he reached the end and the light obstructed his view and he wondered if he should head back.
"ENTER!" A voice roared surprising him and grunting he covered his eyes with his arm and stepped into it.
He felt himself burning up as the room felt hot, he uncovered his eyes and they widened in shock at what he saw before him.
"So, we meet at last." A gigantic nine tailed fox with red fur and two ominous eyes and a dark smile said to him, the beast was imprisoned behind a locked fence leering down at him.
"K-Kyuubi?" Naruto said in response. He did not expect this, he did not expect the demon that lived inside him to be so large, nor so ominous and powerful. As if the Beast could destroy all in his path if he ever got out
The demon fox laughed darkly which echoed across the room. "Yes, I am him. The Nine Tailed Bijuu! You are my vessel, you pitiful child." He said and showed his fangs. "If it weren't for this accursed cage I could tear you apart in an instant!"
"What do you want?" Naruto asked him.
"I have a proposition for you, I've taken amusement in watching you train with your last remaining family. This entire time he did not tell you he was dying and not once did you ask him, you humans and your ignorance amuses me!" Kyuubi said taunting him.
"Kimimaro's dying?" Naruto said in shock. He knew something was up but didn't think it was something like this.
"Yes, even before he met you he suffered from a disease, soon he will pass on to the world of the dead, forever gone. There is nothing you can do to save him, at least not by regular human methods." Kyuubi said and smirked at him.
"What do you mean? Tell me!" Naruto demanded and the fox growled at him.
"I do not bow to the whim of humans foolish boy." He said warningly to Naruto snarling at him. "As I was saying there is a way to save him, but I won't tell you, not unless you agree to the deal."
"What do you want?" Naruto asked not sure what a demon would want.
"I want you to use my power. To use it and destroy all that gets in your way, most presumably during these Chunin Exams of yours. The only time I'll feel any pleasure is if you use my power and you have not done so at all these past twelve years!"
Naruto stared at him wide eyed at what he was demanding. He was wanting him to use his power? At the Exams in front of everyone with hundreds if not thousands watching? If that happened he'd be treated with fear and hatred even more than he had been before. He remembered what happened back in the Forest and how he acted, if that happened again he could go wild and attack everyone! He'd never be forgiven if he used it.
"No way! I'm not using your power, not at the Exams!" Naruto shouted at him.
"Oh? Then I won't tell you how to save your cousin." Kyubbi said in response.
"Why you…" Naruto said glaring at him as the two stared face to face.
"The choice is yours boy, you can either use my power and save him or not and watch Kimimaro slowly die." Kyuubi said to him. "If you won't, then get out."
Naruto glared at him and shut his eyes thinking of what he was being put through. He had the opportunity to save his only remaining family, but in doing so he'd have to use the Kyuubi's power and that had the potential to be a disaster. But if he didn't he would doom his cousin to death.
He remembered Kakashi's words from their first lesson.
"Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their friends teammates are worse than trash."
He grunted as his body shook over the predicament he was in.
(Those who beak the rules are trash, those who abandon their friends and teammates are worse than trash, but those who abandon their own family are nothing but scum!) He thought to himself and his eyes snapped open.
"I…I accept!" Naruto said making his choice.
"Hmph, human sentiment how predictable." Kyuubi said in a bored tone.
"I accepted your offer, now tell me how to save Kimimaro!" Naruto demanded and Kyuubi growled at him.
"Very well then, I shall tell you, your blood has secret healing powers in it, a side effect perhaps of my healing factor I've given you. Capable of healing your sick cousin, if you go to his bedside and cut your hand and insert the blood into his mouth, the blood will then take into effect. That will heal him."
"Will it cure his disease?" Naruto asked him a part of him not believing his words and thinking he was trying to trick him. After all, he was a fox. For all he knew this could make him worse or even kill him.
"Yes it will, the disease will be neutralized and his body should heal. Now then remember our deal, at the Exams use my power!" Kyuubi ordered and turned and walked away heading back into the deeper parts of his cell.
Naruto woke up with a start and sat up in bed. He looked outside the window and saw that it was now mid afternoon. How long had he been asleep? Was that all right now just a dream?
No, it wasn't a dream. His meeting with The Nine Tailed Fox was real. Remembering his words he tossed the covers off and got dressed as he looked out the window and saw the hospital.
Grunting to himself he headed out of his home and headed to the apartment.
At the Same time…
"Is everyone ready?" A voice asked perched on top of the hospital to the other four.
"I don't see why we have to get him." A second one said the person having six arms.
"Orochimaru-sama's…orders." Another one said sternly to them all
"Jirobo, Toshihiro, you handle the guards if necessary. Tayuya you use an Genjutsu on the staff to make them think nothing's happening. Kidomaru, web up any who's in the room with him." The first voice said to them. "Don't screw this up or you can kiss your lives goodbye." He said to them all.
The group silently nodded as they prepared to begin.
Naruto made his way to Kimimaro's room at the hospital. As he walked he hoped Kyuubi wasn't lying to him, he hoped this did work and his cousin would be healed. He walked past Lee's room the nurses and doctor's as well as TenTen coaxing him to sit back down and rest instead of straining his wounded body.
He stopped at the door and took a deep breath, for all he knew he could open this door right now and find him already dead. He maybe too late to save him…
Grunting he reached towards the door and grasping the doorknob turned and pushed it open.
What he saw surprised him, Kimimaro was awake. He was awake and breathing under his own will power.
"Kimimaro!" He said and dashed to his bedside.
"Naruto?" He asked surprised to see him. "How long have I been out?"
"Three days, listen I can heal you." Naruto said to him but he wasn't listening.
"Naruto," He said and coughed loudly. "Listen, listen close. I don't have much time."
"Be quiet don't strain yourself." Naruto said to him as he coughed and saw him cough up blood. "I can heal you, there's a way to save you. But you have to listen to me." He said and pulled out a kunai and surprising his cousin slashed himself across the hand drawing blood. "Here drink," He said to him.
Kimimaro looked at him confused.
"Look I know this sounds crazy but this can save you. If you drink my blood it'll heal you."
"I'm too far gone…" Kimimaro said and he frowned.
"Don't say stuff like that, please drink my blood." Naruto said to him. "I don't wanna lose my only family." He said and to him and Kimimaro was surprised at the tone of his voice and his eyes.
"Alright, I'll drink." He said and Naruto brought his hand to his mouth as Kimimaro lacked the strength to do so. He leaned his head as far as it could go and gradually took a drop of blood from his hand and put it into his mouth. This alone cost much of his strength and he fell back onto the bed.
Naruto watched him as he breathed wondering if it worked.
"Naruto, Cousin…" Kimimaro said the first time calling him that. He started to feel a bit strange, as if some of his strength was slowly returning. "There's not much time, you have to get out of here. Get away from Konoha as far as you can."
"What are you talking about?" Naruto said not understanding him
"On the day of the finals, during it, Sound will-"
"What are you doing here?" A voice outside said surprising them. "You're not allowed to be-Gacckk!"
The sounds of fighting and killing was heard…
Suddenly the door burst open surprising Naruto.
"What the?" Naruto shouted in shock as he saw a group of Ninja and saw among them in the back Tayuya. "Who the hell are-"
"Kidomaru shut him up!" The leader of the group shouted.
The six armed spider like ninja fired a sticky substance out of his mouth and hit Naruto in the face. Naruto tried to peel it off but was then knocked against the wall and then strong sticky fluids was added to his arms and legs trapping him.
Naruto struggled as he couldn't see or hear anything as he fought to get free.
"Kimimaro-san!" A voice said as he struggled to get loose as more webbing to his body was added and he couldn't move a muscle.
"Shall we kill this brat?" Jirobo said looking at the trapped Naruto as they had gotten Kimimaro and knocked him unconscious before he could say anything and being carried by Toshihiro. In the room behind them where several unconscious bodies.
"No," Tayuya said stopping Kidomaru who was aiming his bow and arrow at his heart. "He won't give us any trouble."
"Let's get out of here, kill any who try to stop us." Sakon ordered and the group departed their mission complete.
Naruto struggled to get free when a hand grasped his face and pulled the webbing off of him. He coughed hard as he was freed and looked around
"Kakashi?" He said as his Sensei freed him from the web. He looked around the ransacked room as many ANBU where in the room as well as Jiraiya who was talking with a nurse for details and for once not oogling her. Rock Lee on crutches was being dragged back to his room the boy swinging them daring them to show their faces and fight him "What happened here?" He asked him.
"A group of ninja entered the hospital and ransacked the place. They are long gone…" The Jonin said to him.
"Orochimaru's men I'd figure…" Jiraiya said to himself thinking them responsibly for what happened.
Naruto looked around and saw the empty bed. "Kimimaro? Where's Kimimaro!"
Kakashi shook his head in remorse. "I'm afraid they took him…whoever they where he was their target. We're trying to locate them but I'm afraid whoever did this was skilled in the stealth arts."
"No…" Naruto said and thought back to what had happened. Faintly he remembered seeing before he got trapped the six armed one was wearing a Hitai-ate with a Melody note similar to the Three Sound Ninja in the exams. Was Otogakure behind this? And what did Kimimaro mean, Sound will what?
Looking at the wrecked room he glanced around and looked out the window, wondering just what was going on here.
A/N: That's it for this chapter. Review please.