AN: Hey sorry for so long for the update. I've had a bit of writer's block and have been disheartened with the story. Your reviews keep me going. If you have any ideas, then please let me know. So on with the story…
Awakening
Crickets chirped lending their melody in the music of the night. The leaves rustled and the trees seemed to sway in the evening breeze. A solo figure traversed through the forest this night. Currently, the pale skinned dark haired teenager was immersed in a book labeled: Human Emotions and You.
You can strengthen a bond or relationship with a person by doing tasks that would make them happy…
With a simple flick of his wrist, the small self help book snapped shut.
"Hmm…" The teen stopped to ponder the words he had just read, and how they could apply to his own life. Sai, go out and bring me back something unique, his master had commanded him.
He had responded with a "Yes, master Sasori," as was customary of his station. So what prompted his current choice of reading materials? With his intuition of a brick, he could tell that his master merely tolerated him, that he didn't particularly care about his existence.
Though his emotions had been erased with his earliest training as a ninja, he still did want to please his master and so he sought out this book. He had to admit that reading material of his desire was quite limited. Emotions and how to react to get a favorable result from a person were not things that most people needed an education. Even master Sasori was quite disinterested in his research and had labeled the quest an "idiotic waste of time and energy."
Luckily, his lack of emotion shielded him from hurt or discouragement. He would complete his mission. He would succeed in making his master happy. It was the reason he had traveled all this way into the forest. So he continued on.
His senses as a ninja told him that a body of water was nearby. This was beneficial because his canteen was almost empty. Continuing on in his trek, he was interested in the fact that it looked like a battle had just raged here in these ruins. But there were no corpses. How odd…
As he examined closer, there were tracks footprints and then some tracks that were most puzzling. Footprints indicated that there was a small group traveling somewhere, but it was the other tracks that had him baffled. The prints were indicative of a snake; it was the sheer magnitude that was mystifying. There were no snakes that size native to this forest. Such a creature would have to be at least the size of a person.
Curiosity piqued, he followed the tracks. Besides, the body of water he had sensed was in this direction as well. Something unique had to be associated with those strange tracks. And did he get more than he bargained for…
Yes, he did find the lush tropical oasis that was the area of the waterfall, but he certainly wasn't expecting to find a group of people lying unconscious strewn about the beach, "people" apparently being a generous term. Upon further inspection, he was floored with the discovery that all of the males were clearly not human. Three of them were half snake, and one was half fish.
But then…there were two human females. And the peculiar thing was that their lower halves were uncovered. Sai's eyes narrowed. So this was the battle that had taken place. Those two women must have been traveling through the words woods when those creatures attacked them. The girls must have fought to get away. When they failed, the males must have tried to take advantage of the females.
But why were they all unconscious? Maybe it was a last ditch effort on the girls' end. Maybe it was something else entirely. Regardless, master Sasori would be very pleased. He had not planned on ever finding so many unique things. But then, he could only bring back one judging by the size of them. Despite how exotic they were, Sai decided he was not going to bring back a male. He had no idea of their capabilities and would not risk himself in order to find out.
That left him the two human females. He needed only to look at them briefly to know which of the two he was going to choose. Lying beside the raven haired snake man, there was a human woman with the most strikingly peculiar pink hair. Waist length locks of it lay strewn about her in a messy halo. She was an exquisite beauty and something rose in him at the though that this girl was about to be disgraced in such a manner.
He would save this girl.
Sparing a glance at the unconscious violet haired female, he hoped that she would be alright by the time he returned. Hesitantly, he proceeded to walk down to the shoreline, keeping a close eye on the other inhabitants. It would not do if this was some kind of trap designed to warrant him a meal for those creatures. When he was within reaching distance of her, Sai stopped.
It was odd…the sight before him. It didn't look like she was struggling to get away from the unidentified male. It actually appeared that she might be clinging to him. Wait…no…that couldn't be right. Didn't women have an aversion toward snakes or something?
He wasn't well versed in the art of rape victims but he supposed that this was probably sufficient evidence to support his case. It was his duty then to save her. But it seemed there was something more pressing as of present.
He removed his abdominal showcasing shirt and draped it over the unconscious female. At the very least, she deserved to have her modesty preserved. Focusing the train of his eyes on her upper half, he knelt down beside her, and gathered her into his arms bridal style. Despite the limpness of her body, she was breathing. Sai was concerned about her condition. Pumping chakra into his legs, he leapt with her from the area sprinting back to his master's home…
Ugh…His whole body protested with an ache, yet oddly rested, and rejuvenated even. Sitting up, he was hit with a wave of dizziness. Briskly, he shook it off and looked about his surroundings.
Where…am I? Images: memories flashed in his mind's eye.
A forest
Leaping through the tree tops
Something happening
An ambush
Sakura!
Reckless pursuing
Kabuto…
Neji's body heaved forward until he was sitting in an upright position. SAUKRA! Kabuto…He remembered now. He and Kakashi had been fighting Kabuto. There was no sign of Sakura, and that fact alone alarmed him. Where was she, and was she safe?
He didn't have time for this. Just as it seemed that he and Kakashi were about to win the battle, the dark Lord himself appeared. One wrong move and Kakashi had been rendered unconscious. Orochimaru was about to deliver the mortal blow, and Kabuto was closing in on him while charging up a deadly medical ninjutsu.
He knew he had to do something fast or he was going to die. At this point, he had only one weapon in his arsenal that would save him and his companion. It was risky though. The jutsu would drain him completely, so if he failed then he would be completely vulnerable to attack.
His decision was instantaneous. He had to do it. Hopefully, the others could save Sakura. He hated leaving her safety in the hands of the snake, but he was left with no choice. He couldn't protect Sakura if he was dead. It was a sacrifice he was willing to make.
Gathering up all of his chakra and a few hand seals, he let loose a wave of chakra that spread like a dome over a mile in radius. Apparently his plan had worked because he was still alive.
But…where was he? He didn't recognize this place at all. This wasn't the ruins, it was a giant lake and…he was in his original form?! His muscular turquoise blue tail was a surprise sight even for him. But it did make sense. If he was rendered unconscious then all of the jutsus he cast would be nullified. That meant his transformation jutsu, which took years of concentration to control, would be deactivated as well.
Still, that didn't explain his current location. Or better yet…the state of Sakura. Looking about the shore, he felt the panic in him rise when he couldn't spot his beloved princess among the bodies about the shoreline. In fact, he couldn't sense her chakra signature anywhere near the area.
In seconds, he had changed back into his human form. He was getting answers…now. Clearly, this company was incompetent in protecting the princess. With some information, he would set out and search for her on his own. He would take her back to the ocean swiftly and silently. Orochimaru was probably more concerned with the naga kingdom. Besides, it would be a lot harder to locate two people that six. Their chance of returning back to the ocean undetected would be a lot higher if there was just the two of them.
Now to get answers and he knew just the filthy snake to go to. It was fairly a stomp his gait was set to and it took seconds for him to be standing over the prone naga prince. In his building rage, he didn't notice that the naga had regained his true form or the imprint in the sand where a body once occupied.
Kneeling, it was all he could do not to deliver a killing stroke in that moment. Instead, the knight settled for something a little less extreme. He charged the murderous jutsu, that if applied to the chest would cause the heart and lungs to shut down immediately, but held his hand inches away. He was being generous after all.
With his other hand, he roughly began to shake the sleeping Uchiha. It didn't take long rouse the young heir. Sleepy onyx was revealed with a hooded gaze. Blurred vision sharpened and immediately Sasuke tensed, a low growl of warning hissed out behind clenched fangs.
Neji spotted the subtle movement of the blue serpentine tail beside him and so he flared the chakra in his poised hand for emphasis.
"Do not move, or I will not hesitate to end your pitiful existence." The warning was low, concise, and direct. It was the truth and Sasuke knew it. The merman had awakened as well as his wrath. His tail dropped limply in the shallows, but that didn't stop the defiant rumble that continued to vibrate through his chest.
"What?" he sneered out angrily. Neji returned the saturated glower of contempt.
"Where is Sakura?" Neji watched hate tuen to anxiety in the span of a moment.
"What do you mean, isn't she…" Sasuke tried to sit up but was forced back down when the chakra charged hand sank an inch lower.
"Do not move. No, she is not here. Her chakra signature has faded from this area. So why is that? You were supposed to be protecting her! Are you that incompetent?" The edge rivaled the resentment in Neji's tone.
"He doesn't know, Neji." The merman didn't have to look behind him to know that Kakashi had risen from his sleep. A low growl could be heard beside him.
"Yeah, so let him go." Naruto…The blonde was fiercely protective of his best friend. But then, Sasuke was the naga prince as well…reluctantly, the pale eyed warrior pulled away but still flared his chakra as a warning not to try anything suspicious. Without a word, he started to walk off towards the woods.
"Wait, where are you going?" Naruto called off after him. Yeah, Neji was a complete and utter jerk but he was apart of their group wasn't he?
"Take care of Hinata. I will not accept failure again." With the warning given, Neji leapt out of view. Naruto's eyes widened. Hinata!
Immediately, the blonde rushed back to his unconscious love. Gently, he rested her head on his lap, which now consisted of his burnt orange scaled tail. Cerulean blue softened. Hinata… What would she think if she saw him now with her memories sealed? Would she be repulsed by his serpentine lower half?
"Naruto," Kakashi's voice snapped him from his reverie. That's right. Sakura was missing, and probably in danger. He couldn't wonder about possibilities when it was his mission and duty to protect Sakura. But…Hinata…
"Kakashi, what's going on?" Seriously, everything had been relatively fine right before they had performed the sealing technique.
"Someone took her." Sasuke's deep voice vibrated with a heavy growl. It sounded so animalistic, so primal that it sent shivers down his spine. Naruto's line of sight was hesitant as he looked up. What he saw almost frightened him. Crimson fire burned with the sharingan. Deadly fangs were bared and knuckles cracked revealing claws itching to be unleashed. All eyes were focused on the enraged prince.
"Was it?'
"No, a human male, his scent bares no trace of Orochimaru." Naruto was confused for a moment but remembered that they weren't human and that they did have heightened senses. This included their sense of smell.
"But why would a human take Sakura? They couldn't possibly…"
"Doesn't matter, he did." Naruto flinched. Sasuke was always a bit scary when he acted like this.
"It's decided then. We'll have to go after them." Sasuke rose to a standing position and turned to leave.
"Wait, first the transformation jutsu. Remember, Hinata and Sakura do not remember your true forms." The two boys nodded and all three transformed into their human counterparts. Covering his beloved with his jacket to preserve her modesty Naruto lifted Hinata into his arms. It appeared that Hinata would get an "explanation" when she woke up, wherever that was going to be….
Warmth. The kind of warmth that encases you and you don't want to part from it. Sakura recognized it as the kind that is associated when awakening in bed.
Rolling over onto her other side, she buried her head into the silk pillow trying her best to retain the level of comfort that she was currently enjoying. But all good things can come to an end when assaulted with a disturbing thought.
Sakura had hers a second later. Silk sheets, a pillow? Where was she? The last she remembered, she was about to be raped by some low life who had ambushed her. Immediately, she sat up rigid as a board. Crimson silk sheets pooled at her waist. Discretely, she looked down and was surprised to find she was clothed in a light weight thigh length red dress.
Quietly, she examined her body and found no damage done to it. In addition, there was no pain there; giving her hope that maybe she hadn't been violated.
But why not? That man had seemed so close to achieving his sick intentions. What had happened? And where was she now? Was that dreadful creep holding her captive? But judging by the room she found herself in, then she would say no. Her would be attacker was dirty and dressed in common clothing. This enormous room spoke of luxury and royalty. The two components did not match. Whoever held her here had real power, while the one who attacked her was just a lackey.
She couldn't help but appreciate the elegance around her. Crimson silk sheets and the softest of comforters. Her large sleigh bed had translucent crimson material coiling down from its canopy. Extravagant carpets covered the wood floors. Furniture of the finest mahogany decorated the room with all the furnishings a girl could want. There was even a balcony with French doors leading out to it.
Well, this was certainly the most unconventional prison. Her thoughts were interrupted by the opening of a door. Sakura's eyes snapped to the large double doors as one of them slowly creaked open. Was this her assailant or the keeper of this place? Either way, she was about to find out.
Hoped you're liking it! Another twist! Please review and tell me what you think!