AN- Okay. I'm still not exactly sure where I'm going with this, but atleast i updated. I'm not that proud of it though. I've read it over and to me it sounds rushed. Oh well. Maybe if I get more reviews I'll be able to write better. Thanks to those who reviewed.

Chapter 2: Shady Liason

Idle banter and laughter rose up and filled the air, mixing with the savory smell of cooking food, before finally spilling out in to the streets through open garage-like doors. Many from the street rushed in as a result of this, for it was dusk and the hour for eating had arrived. Among those already in the bustling restaurant, sat two particular figures both clad in black cloaks and one wearing a rather large straw hat to block his facial features. At the moment, a waitress was serving them tea.

"Thank you," Itachi said to the young waitress. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she stopped to take a good look at him. When he returned her gaze, however, she had suddenly found something interesting on her shoes. A small rosy haze hung around her cheeks.

"You're welcome, sirs," she replied shyly.

Itachi continued to watch her as she bowed and quickly made her way back to the kitchens. She had a slim figure, dark purple hair that she had tied back in a pony tail, and the most beautiful pair of crimson eyes Itachi had everseen. She also looked to be about a year or two younger than him. And she probably has no idea who I am.

"A shame…," he whispered sadly.

"Say something?" Kisame asked, looking up from the restaurant menu.

"Nothing." It was a lie, but then with such an amazing poker face who could tell? Itachi reached out for one of the cups of tea and brought it to his lips. It was when he brought it down that he noticed Kisame giving him an odd look.

"Kisame, I'd appreciate it if you'd quit staring at me," Itachi said with a bit malice. Itachi watched as Kisame lightly put his hand up, as if to surrender.

"Forgive me, Itachi-san," the shark-like nin replied with a grin.

Itachi simply stared before going back to his tea.

"It's just-" Kisame began again. Itachi sent him a death glare, complete with Mengekyou. "You've seemed a little tense since your dream," Kisame finished quickly before returning to the restaurant menu.

An odd silence came between them as the sounds of the busy restaurant seem to become louder. The dream…

Two nights ago, Itachi had awoken from a very ominous dream. In it, he'd been fighting non other than Sasuke. At the very end, he'd been killed by Sasuke –or, more accurately –allowed Sasuke to kill him. Unable to fall asleep, he'd gone for a walk afterwards, into the cool darkness of the night (or early morning, depending on where 3 am falls for people), to try and interpret the dream.

So this is it then, Otouto? Hopefully you've done something to improve. I might even be glad to see you...that is, if I'll be able to see at all.

Yet, another thing that was bothering him: his eyes. His eyesight was rapidly deteriorating, thanks to the curse that was the Mengekyou Sharingan. At the moment, he could just barely make out figures that were no more several yards away. It was also making his reaction time in fights a bit slower –not noticeably slower, but enough so that Itachi actually found himself hesitating. Soon enough, his eyesight would be gone completely –the price one pays, I guess.

"Itachi-san." The voice of his shark-like partner interrupted his thoughts. Itachi looked up, his gaze meeting a row of sharp teeth –a smile –which was a tell tale sign of the shinobi's excitement. "Take a look outside."

Itachi turned and squinted to get a better view. He looked around a bit before seeing what Kisame saw.

"Oh, good; my quarry is here," Itachi said, and Kisame smiled even wider.

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Just outside the doors of the restaurant stood a lone figure, who seemed to look up at the large restaurant sign before glimpsing back down to his own hand. Apparently satisfied, this blond haired blue eyed wearer of orange and black strolled into the restaurant.

Naruto made his way from the door to the bar (because what's a good restaurant without a bar?) with no intention of getting a drink. For this mission, he needed to be sober, no matter how personal the mission was. He took a stool, and waited patiently. What was the guy's name again? He wondered before taking out a piece of paper. 'Gio'. Right. He tucked the piece of paper back into his pocket, sat there for another minute or so before shouting at the bartender.

"Hey, wait a sec, alright! I got other customers too!" the bartender, a fairly old, fairly large man with a crew cut, shouted back.

"But I've been waiting so long!" Naruto countered.

"'Waiting long'? Are you really that eager to get drunk? I saw you come in here two minutes ago!"

"I don't wanna get drunk-"

"Then get out of my bar!" the bartender interrupted.

Naruto sighed, and held his head in his hands. People can be really frustrating…

"Now you know how everyone else feels, twerp."

Kyuubi?

"No, brat; The Tooth Fairy," Kyuubi said flatly. Naruot took a moment to consider.

But…I've lost all my baby teeth…

"And you complain about other people being frustrating."

Naruto physically frowned, still trying to figure out why the Tooth Fairy was talking to him when the figure of the Bartender moved into view.

"Alright, you; What do ya want?" The Bartender wrapped his finger against bar.

Naruto looked up, and quickly forgot about the Tooth Fairy. He pulled out the slip of paper again and said, "I want to talk to Gio."

The Bartender looked genuinely taken back at this. "You want to talk to Gio?"

Naruto nodded slowly, taking note of how some of the other patrons of the bar looked at him as though he was crazy. "I'm looking for a friend," He said finally, the events of the past two nights whizzing through his head.

Two nights ago, Naruto headed out from home, attempting to finish the mission that he'd started so long ago –only this time, he would bring Sasuke back. He'd only just returned the week before, but as he sat up on the familiar water tower, staring at the stars, images of back then would flash through his mind. Finally he decided 'Hell, it's about time,' and, simply, left. (1) Except just leaving without notice had proven to be slightly hazardous –Sasuke's leave was proof of that. So he left a note (Went to find Sasuke; Be back soon). From then on, he'd traveled from village to village, seeking information about Orochimaru, and, ultimately, Sasuke. Sure he'd probably be in trouble when he got back, but when they'd see Sasuke he was sure that they look past his minor incursion.

"You're looking for your friend? And you're goin to ask Gio?" the Bartender's voice interrupted Naruto's thoughts. Naruto looked up and nodded. "You know, I gotta be quite frank with you; if it's a missing person yer after and it involves Gio, then your friend is probably dead."

In a flash Naruto was out of his seat, a kunai in one hand and the Bartender in the other. "Sasuke is not dead!" Naruto growled between barred teeth, unaware of the scene he was making. The Bartender, wide eyed, smiled sheepishly.

"W-whatever you say," the man said, raising his hands in submission. Naruto let him go and slipped the kunai back where it belonged, taking a deep breath while doing so.

"Motoko!" The Bartender called after purpled haired waitress who was about to enter the kitchens. (2)

"Yes, Batou-san?" (2.1) The girl turned toward their direction.

"Could you take our young friend upstairs to see Gio, please." The girl lifted and eyebrow. "He's looking for someone." The girl –Motoko –sighed, and nodded her head, already heading toward the staircase.

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"Be careful," Motoko whispered to Naruto as he reached out for the door knob. Naruto simply smiled at her, and pointed to his head band.

"Don't worry about me; I'm a ninja and nothing can stop me!" He exclaimed. The look on the Motoko's face fell even more. Naruto watched as she turned away and went back to the stair case, only to be bumped in to by a dark man in a suit. "Excuse me. I'm looking for Mr. Jun Tao?" Naruto heard the man say before entering the room. (3)

Naruto almost gaped at the farily large lounge before him. It was nicely decorated with a vast array of arm chairs and comfy-looking couches. There were a couple of TVs where various people watched anything from sport competitions to something a little more adult rated. Naruto was about to take a step before an arm quickly cut across his chest. A man that Naruto swore was not there before stood off to his right, a cigarette in his mouth.

"May I help you?" the man asked in a tone anything but hospitable.

"I'm looking for Gio," Naruto stated. All activity stopped as twenty or so pairs of eyes rested on him. From the throng of men, stood one, a brown man with black hair that fell over his left eye. He wore a loose fitting black knit turtle neck with the sleeves

rolled up. Crossing over his chest were two leather belts –bandoliers –with various pouches and knife holder. He nodded his head at the 'doorman' allowing Naruto to move closer to him.

"Yeah, I'm Gio. So, how can I be of service?" Gio smiled, his hands held out. Naruto noticed his smile falter for a second as he stepped into the light. "A ninja, huh?" Gio muttered.

"I was told you could help me with something." Naruto said. "They said you could help me find someone." Gio raised a brow.

"Yeah. I can find anyone…if the price is right."

Naruto went wide eyed. Cautiously he asked, " How much money?"

"At least a couple hundred. Or even a couple thousand if they're important."

Naruto could only stare. Shit! I don't have that kind of money!

"No cash, no deal," Gio said, as if reading his mind.

Naruto clenched his fists. He would not get this far only to fail. Letting his frustration take over him, he lunged toward Gio shouting, "I need this!" Blinded by frustration, Naruto didn't even see the back of Gio's hand until it hit his face. Naruto stumbled back, quickly regaining his senses as everyone in the room pressed in on him, swords, knives and other manner of hand to hand weapons readied.

"Damn you," Gio spat. "Just because you think that you're a ninja means you can jump me and make me do what you want? Fuck you!" at this Gio raised something odd up to Naruto's face, something he'd never seen before.

A bead of sweat (not a sweat-drop!) dripped down from Naruto's brow as he stared down what looked like a small, metal pipe connected to a wooden club. To the others surrounding him, the bead was hardly noticeable. "Okay…" Naruto started slowly, lifting a finger to touch it, "What is this suppose to do?"

The brown man behind it smiled. He turned his head to the others saying, "Should I give the kid a demonstration? He obviously doesn't know what this is." The men surrounding Naruto, voiced their approval, either laughing or saying, "Do it Gio!"

Naruto, still oblivious to what it was, continued to stand there while Gio smiled maliciously at him. "Majority rules, kid," Gio said before lowering the object at one of Naruto's legs. A thunderous roar was all Naruto heard as he felt something tear through his left leg, splattering the floor beneath him with shredded muscle tissue and blood. He quickly clutched his leg, screaming out of shock more than pain, as he crumpled to the floor, as if someone had just cut it off instead.

"This, my friend," Gio stated as he put the object away and pulled out another one, "is what we normal folks call a 'pistol'." Naruto turned his head up weakly, already turning pale from blood loss, while tears streamed down his face. "It's the perfect weapon against you ninja…or shinobi, whatever –I don't give a fuck," Gio spat.

Naruto could barely hear or see anything after that. Neither could he really feel much –the only thing he felt was the hard wood as his face hit the floor. Naruto slowly shut his eyelids, only opening them to find that he now floated just outside the giant cage that held Kyuubi.

"You stupid brat…" Kyuubi said venomously.

Naruto turned his head to look at the great fox. "I'm…sorry…" he managed to choke out. Kyuubi scoffed.

"Oh, your sorry, huh? Sorry that you didn't bother to go get your little friends? Sorry that you had to lunge at him? Sorry that you just had to ask that asshole what his little toy could do? If anything, be sorry for your stupidity!" Kyuubi barked. "Had it not occurred to you that this man might be dangerous?"

"I didn't think that…this guy would b-…would be like this. The others…weren't," Naruto panted, making note of how the others whom he'd asked information from weren't nearly as malicious.

"Well that's your problem then, brat: you don't think," Kyuubi retorted. Naruto ignored him.

"Can't you…do anything…to save us?" The Kitsune grinned. He opened his mouth as if to say something but stopped, his eyes going wide. Naruto frowned, not exactly sure what to make of it, before his view of Kyuubi blurred completely…

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Itachi ran upstairs, Kisame at his heals. It had been about ten minutes after watching Naruto go upstairs that he and just about everyone else downstairs heard what sounded like a small explosion. Never having heard the sound before, Itachi shot up from the table and took off for the large stair case that rested on one side of the restaurant. Yes, it worry that drove him, but in a different sense –for all intents and purposes, the Akatsuki needed Naruto alive, and, because Itachi was the one to capture this jinchuuriki, it made him somewhat responsible for the boy. Besides, he needed Naruto for something else as well.

Itachi reached the top step, turned and swore. The upstairs was a long, white hallway, with many doors lining either side.

"Shit," Itachi swore, uncharacteristically, as he ran down the hallway, his hair whipping at his face.

"Itachi-san, listen!" Kisame shouted, coming to a halt. Itachi stopped, too, and listened. Laughter. It was coming from a room two doors down on the right. Itachi moved and Kisame hurried after. With one quick swing, Kisame destroyed the wooden door, splintering it with the powerful Samehada, allowing both of them access.

The room was dimly lit but Itachi could see sixteen figures all standing around another that lay on the floor –Naruto. Some of the men had only just started turning around.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" One of them shouted. The speaker pulled out something from his waist –some kind of metal tube with a wooden handle –and pointed it at Itachi. At that moment there was a loud crash from the wall opposite them. Everyone turned, their attention on this new intruder. Even Itachi was curious to see who else had decided to make their way into this soon-to-be hell hole. Standing in where painted drywall used be stood a girl who Itachi recognized as Sasuke's old teammate –Haruno, was it? –and the only non-Uchiha to ever posses the Sharingan. Slowly, they too entered the room.

"Oh what the fuck is this? More ninjas? FUCKING KILL THEM ALL!!"

AN- Alright, now i gotta go a type up a fight scene. Oh well. There are some parts that, to me, seem a bit confusing so, if you think so, go ahead and ask me.

(1)If you're a gamer like me and enjoy Starcraft, perhaps you've heard that Starcraft II is coming out. What Naruto decides (Hell, it's about time) is a reference to the Starcraft II trailer.

(2)Both 2 and 2.1 are name references to another anime that I particularly enjoy, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.

(3)This reference is to one of my favorite movies, Rush Hour. I couldn't resist it, it was just too funny. Okay, so maybe Jun Tao is Chinese, I don't care, it still cracked me up.

I'd appreciate the reviews.