Memories of the Dawn
Chapter 3: Even Death Forgets Sometimes
Naruto decided to follow Hidan and Kakuzu, in hopes of finding his friends. He had to keep a distance or risk being caught and sent back to the base. He jumped from tree to tree, but the two of them were walking so slow. They chatted back and forth about various topics and then they stayed silent for a while. It seemed like they were in no hurry to finish their mission. Suddenly the two halted, Kakuzu motioned his head and Hidan grabbed his scythe. Hidan turned around and launched his scythe into the air. It flew at such a high speed, that Naruto wouldn't be able to dodge it. It was fly right towards the branch he was standing on. The scythe went right under his feet and broke the branch off. Naruto fell out of the tree and crash-landed into the ground. The two walked over to him. "What are you doing here?"
"...Following you?" Naruto chuckled.
"Leader told you to stay at the base. You can get seriously injured out here." Hidan said.
"You're the big prize here, whoever has you, will kill the other side."
"You're not going to kill my friends are you?" Naruto questioned.
Hidan laughed, "If we must."
"I won't let you leave a finger on them!" Naruto shouted.
Kakuzu stared at him, "From what I recall, you already laid a tail on them; four actually."
Naruto growled, "Why can't I remember that?"
"I'm not sure, but I think it's this island. It does things to you; it can make you forget who you are."
"God, Hidan, is this more of your religious crap?" Kakuzu scoffed.
Hidan pulled scythe back, "Shut up! I'm serous, that's what Leader told me."
Kakuzu completely ignored his partner, "Jinchuuriki, I don't care if you wish to join us. Just realize I won't be responsible for you. If you die, that's not my problem. Also, I hope that fall didn't ruin my work with your leg; I spent hours on it." Naruto continued with Hidan and Kakuzu. They would occasionally chat, but would usually remain silent. After a long grueling walk, the trio arrived at a large hillside. There was a large river that separated the path from the hill. This was probably to make sure that only real shinobi would get through. "They would either have to use chakra to walk over the water, or use their skills to jump over it." Kakuzu said observing the obstacle. "Otherwise you'd get caught in the current and fling you far away. You'd probably end up in the ocean." They simply walked over the water to get to the other side.
"How do we get through here?" Naruto asked. Hidan smirked, "Just watch kid." His partner began making hand-signs. The wall of the mountain fizzled out and left a large steel door. "Oh, a jutsu, hey if this is an island why is there a steel door?"
"That's why leader suspects your friends may be here." Kakuzu said walking towards the large door.
"And our enemies." Hidan sneered. He redid his scythe.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, I told you to let me talk to them first." Naruto argued.
"And that fails we kill them. I'm actually looking out for you; my douche bag of a partner doesn't care about you at all." Hidan smirked. The trio proceeded past the door it looked like a dark cave. Kakuzu flipped the light switch and everything poured into view. The lights came on one at a time, each revealing a stack of cases. They weren't kidding when they said huge stockpile. The walls were pure steel and led on for almost a mile Naruto walked over a case and opened it. In it was various swords and kunai. "Wow." He opened another and it was full of scrolls. He opened one and found that it was a secret jutsu that very little even new existed. "What is this place?"
Kakuzu opened a scroll from his pocket and made hand-sings. "Leader said it have to do with the island's original owners, whoever that may be." He used the scroll to capture a whole stack of crates. He threw more scrolls to his partner and their current ally. "Use these to capture the best cargo you can find. Leader wants the best tools and hidden techniques." The duo prepared the sealings while Naruto looked around. He walked down the isles looking around at the different cases. Hundreds of stacks filled with some of the most advanced jutsu in the world. Soon Naruto stumbled upon an opening behind a stack. Hidan and Kakuzu quickly noticed Naruto was gone. They finished they're scrolls and caught up to him. Naruto pushed the stack away and gazed at the large opening.
"This must lead farther into the volcano." Hidan stated peering down the tunnel.
"Volcano?" Naruto asked in surprise.
"You didn't know? We're in the bottom of a volcano in the center of the island." Kakuzu started down the tunnel and Hidan was right next to him; Naruto followed suit. They quickened their pace; this looked so familiar. "C'mon Jinchuuriki, hurry!" Kakuzu was running at top speed. The tunnel was dark and cold, walls lined with slime and mold. "Yeah, move it dude." Hidan shouted using his scythe to cut through the various vines. Both Hidan and Kakuzu were ahead of Naruto. There was a blinding light at the end of the tunnel. Naruto stopped in his tracks, not willing to go forward. This was just like in his vision, his dream. He remembered, when we reached the end of the tunnel there, hanging from a jungle vine by the neck... Naruto ran as fast as he could, getting considerably ahead of the two Akatsuki members. He reached the end first, and looked around quickly, just like in his dream; there were trees all over. It completely unrealistic for a volcano. He looked at the tallest tree; there was the vine, but not Tenten. Naruto let out a long sigh; suddenly he was stabbed by a kunai. He cringed. He looked around and saw someone, his old friend. "Neji?" He asked cautiously.
"Naruto, how did you find this place?" He asked still in his battle position. "You were warned about returning!"
"When?"
"When you killed them!" Neji charged. He swiped at Naruto, Naruto carefully dodged to avoid him hitting his chakra points. Neji almost hit him when Kakuzu used his tentacle to hold back his arm. "Calm down, boy." Neji pulled his arm away and jumped back to a stable position. Kakuzu made a hand-sign, "Tentacle Snare." Hidden tentacles shot forwards and wrapped around Neji. He motioned with his hand and the tentacles drew him closer. "You're going to pay, Naruto!" Immediately another voice was heard, "Calm down Neji." Another person stepped out of the opposite tunnel and into the light. "Shikimaru." Naruto said almost in glee.
"I told you this location didn't I?" Naruto pressed the button and it spoke 'Through the fire's path, and into the light."
Kakuzu put Naruto's friend down and retracted his tentacles. Shikimaru retreated back into the opposing tunnel and made a motion for them to follow. They did and Shikimaru led them to a campground. Tents surround a fire. Naruto didn't realize it since they were in the volcano for so long, but it was already dark outside. They all sat down on a long, Shikimaru and Neji sat opposite of them. Quickly, Shikimaru trapped all three of them in a shadow possession jutsu. "Shikimaru? What are you doing?"
"Shut it, I knew you were working with Akatsuki!" He shouted.
"They saved me after Sasuke attacked. They fixed me up and fed me, what was I supposed to do?"
Neji crossed his arms, "You should've killed them all when you had a chance! Instead you killed your friends."
Naruto was getting angry, "What did I do?" He shouted in rage.
"I told you he wouldn't remember." Another voice said this one a girl. She walked out from behind a tree and sat on a log. She had blonde hair kept up in four points and a large fan on her back. "Temari? Will you tell me what's going on?"
"You shouldn't be so rough on him, he can't remember anything."
"Exactly, but how do you know?" Naruto questioned.
"Gaara's the same way. This island, it does weird things to people. Apparently Jinchuuriki lose some of their memory." She said rubbing her chin.
"But Gaara's been extracted." Naruto replied.
She shook her head, "Doesn't matter, you're still losing your memory for some reason."
"Just tell me what I did!" Naruto pleaded.
"Well," Shikimaru started.
M
"Didn't you?" I shouted my eye were glowing blood red, my nails sharpening. Many of my other friends appeared around us. I was on all fours glaring back at them. I tackled one of them and started slashing away at them with my claws. They were screaming for me to get off, stabbing me continuously, but I just kept clawing at them. "Naruto, please!" She cried in pain. I made one final slash, one slash at their throat. I stood up breathing so heavily. I stared down at my hands, covered in flesh and blood. I must have been blinded by rage. I put one finger in my mouth, licking off the blood and feeling my razor sharp teeth. It had a very sweet taste. I starred down at their tattered remains, her once long vivid purple hair was now cut and blood stained on the ground. Her jacket was ripped and pants cut in half. Her cousin stared at me in horror. "What?" I asked, "Never seen a slaughter before?" I had a sudden realization of my actions. My eyes were wide and I was shivering, the blood dripping from my fingertips. I let out a blood curdling scream.
M
Naruto clenched his head, "No, no!" His thoughts raced in his brain, 'how could I have killed her. Her! One of my closes friends. Why can't I control myself' "Ahhhh!" He shouted in distress. Temari stared in sympathy, Shikimaru stared in concern, and Akatsuki in surprise, but Neji, Neji just stared with anger and rage. His cousin was slaughtered by one of his closet friends, and all he cared about was himself. He should just kill him then and there. He would keep his fury bottled up inside him and unleash it when the time was right. Little did he know that this anger would lead to his ultimate demise.
"God, why," Naruto mumbled. "Why did this happen, how could it have happened?" Tears were forming at his eyes. "H-Hinata."
Hidan put his arm over his shoulder, "It's alright kid." Naruto slapped his arm away.
"Shut up! You guys probably did all this. You're the reason I can't remember anything."
Hidan stood up, "You can't blame that on us. They're the ones that set you up! They led you to the volcano and they hung that girl."
"Hidan sit down," Kakuzu ordered.
Naruto growled, "I can't trust any of you people!" Naruto ran off in a huff into the forest once more.
Hidan and Kakuzu ran after him. Shikimaru and Neji retired for the night to their tent. "I'll be in bed in a second." Temari said. Quickly she went over to her ten. She threw her hair back and pressed the button on her communicator. "Temari here, we have a problem."
"So, I see you let him go, against my orders you let him go."
"I didn't think it would hurt."
"Ha-ha, not at all. If fact this is going just as planned."