I don't own Naruto.

-Chapter Ten: Field Trip-

Naruto and Temari had returned to Konoha, per Temari's request. "The place is growing on me." Was the blond girl's only defense.

Gaara had allowed her to go, releasing Naruto back to his own home as well. Sasuke and Sakura had returned ahead of them, the two were heading directly to Konoha, while the two blond lovers had a very sandy detour to take. This was, perhaps the best time they'd had in a while, where they were allowed to relax to some extent.

Naruto paused as he passed a clearing. He looked to his left, and saw a lake, it was a massive one, with deep, blue water. He turned back and smiled. "Let's take a swim, it'll be refreshing." It was getting to be fall now, so it would be their last chance to take a swim in comfortable temperatures.

They swam in the cool water for a while before eating a good lunch, and finally continuing on their travels.

Sasuke sat, drinking his sake, admiring the view of the village that he's forsaken before. There, his thoughts were filled with many things.

"I betrayed them, and they just let me come home. I left, gored Naruto, and they let me come home. Why? Is it because I killed Itachi? Is it because I never really did anything against Konoha?" Sasuke muttered his thoughts aloud.

"It's because you're important to them." Sasuke's eyes widened as he heard the voice. "That's right Sasuke-kun, you didn't think you could avoid me forever did you? You did absorb me after all" Orochimaru's voice sounded in Sasuke mind, but it sounded muffled, like his own conscience was combating Orochimaru's.

"Get out of my head." Sasuke said. "You don't think I can't silence you?" The last Uchiha heard the voice of the Sannin as it boomed with laughter.

"You can never silence the voices! And in another three years, your body will die! This is the cost of absorbing another's soul!" Peals of laughter echoed in Sasuke's mind.

"I'll find a way to get you out of me!" Sasuke never realized the consequences of using the Sannin's own forbidden jutsu against him. I have to. Sasuke added silently.

"Boy, you don't know what you're dealing with, your eyes and their trickery are the sole reason that you even survived!" Orochimaru's disembodied voice shouted again. "Your mind is weak! But in time, your mind will fade, and mine will take control of your body." All that could be heard was the snake man's laughter. Sasuke silently shook the bottle of sake in circles, next to him was a second bottle, also empty.

It's just a drunken hallucination. Sasuke thought to himself, before standing shakily, and slowly treading his way down the mountain, into the village that was his home.

Sasuke woke the next morning with a hangover, his nausea prevented too much movement. Instead, he called for Orochimaru. No answer, it was then that the coughing began. Sasuke coughed and wheezed until he was sure his lungs would explode from his chest.

Naruto had been awake for several hours, he had a mission today, his job was to escort a group of medicinal herb collectors as they hunted for an herb that was said to cure a terrible respiratory illness. The mission was supposed to last three weeks long, it took him into arctic conditions high in a mountain range in the farthest reaches of Earth Country, it would take them five days to get there, the plant was said to grow on a certain mountain, also the largest mountain in that range, and the highest mountain on the continent. They would search for the plant, and journey back. Currently he was packing his equipment, his thickest gi, his warmest cloak, pants, sleeping bag, a face cover, much like a scarf, only thicker and longer, so he could wrap his entire head.

On his way out, he found Temari, awake on his couch. "Oh. Your door was open, so I came in." She stood up, a bundle in her hands. "I got you this, it's a coat." Naruto accepted the bundle. It was a trench coat, a rather thick one, lined with a woolen, blanket like fabric The lining was removable as well, so that it could be worn in a warmer environment as well, a belt was fastened around the waist of the coat. "I know you're going to an arctic environment, and I'll be damned if I let you freeze to death." Naruto kissed her.

"Thank you Temari, and you shouldn't be sorry that you came over unannounced, you're welcome here anytime." Naruto sealed the coat away and put it in his backpack. "I'm sure it'll come in handy. Can you check on Sasuke for me? I saw him staggering around last night, he was really drunk. Just make sure he's okay."

"I'll do that. Make sure you come back in one piece." She kissed him again as he left.

Naruto fixed his mask to his face as he walked into the mission hall, where he met his clients. One man was a large, powerfully built man, his name was Tora Okin, he carried a large red backpack, easily half his height, which was an impressive seven feet. He was clad in gray pants and a gi, Next to him was a younger man, much shorter, and much thinner. He was wiry, thin and strong, much like Naruto. His name was Nishin Arima. Arima was clad in black pants, a long sleeved shirt, and a gi over that. He carried a large pack as well, but it still seemed small compared to Okin's massive one. Both of them wore boots.

"I'm Okin, the apothecary that sent for your services. This is Arima, my adopted son and apprentice." The larger man spoke in a deep baritone voice.

"You may call me Kitsune. I'm the one that was chosen to escort you." Naruto bowed slightly. "Let's leave quickly, while it's still early. I trust that you can both keep a fast pace." Naruto had to keep as formal as possible, in order to maintain professionalism, and in order to not betray any of his habits. An expert tracker could find someone just because of how they said 'So there I was right…' or something like that. Naruto focused on keeping an ice cold demeanor. They departed from the mission hall.

"Sasuke's not doing well, he's been coughing up blood all morning apparently, vomiting too." Temari was standing outside. Okin's face showed surprise.

"That sounds like consumption, the same disease that the plant we're hunting for cures." Naruto turned and looked at him. "If we could see your friend, I could diagnose him, and perhaps if it is consumption Lady Tsunade could use some of the plant to cure your friend." Naruto nodded, and they headed towards the Uchiha compound.

Sasuke lay in bed, a bloody cloth against his mouth as he continued to hack up blood. It was then that he heard Temari again.

"Sasuke, I brought someone that you might like to see, but he's at work." The Uchiha knew of course, that she was talking of Naruto.

After a period of examination, it was determined that Sasuke exhibited all of the symptoms of consumption.

They set out again, Naruto, Okin and Arima. Their northwest bearing was easily traversed because of the road that led straight to Iwagakure. They would go through the village, but Naruto was aware of his likeness to his father, a man not well liked in the Iwa village. His mask was his ultimate safety, he was currently wearing a hood-like garment, his hair was an unusual color, so concealing it was in his best interest. All anyone would know about him is that he was an ANBU from Konoha escorting an apothecary and his apprentice. The first day, they spent mostly on the main road, Naruto was quiet as he listened to Arima talk about how he was going to find the most of the plant, which was used to make a medicine called Streptomycin, the only known cure for Consumption.

On their second day of the trip, they were required to take a second, much smaller path because a landslide had blocked the main road.

Workers from a local village were working on the road, busy moving rocks, dirt and debris out of the road. Naruto made a mental note of it, but spent little time thinking anything of it. Earthquakes happened on occasion, and they would destroy things. Roads were a favorite victim of earthquakes and landslides, being entirely reliant on the earth that they were packed from.

The third day took them near Iwa, a large section of the wall that surrounded the wall had been collapsed, several workers were quickly mending the wall with powerful jutsu. Naruto found this a little more suspicious, why would a ninja village be built on or near a fault line? There had to be something going on that he couldn't possibly understand. He would find out inside the village, hopefully he could learn something about the mountains he was going into, get some last minute equipment, and perhaps hear a good story of two. That would come later though, first they had to procure a dwelling for the night. They found it in a travelers inn, which gave them a good price for lodging, as well as good locations at which they might find information.

That night, Naruto wandered the village by himself, hoping to glean some information of the mountains, as well as of the plant and sickness which his friend bore. In a small tea house he found his information from an old wrinkled mountain dweller.

Naruto stepped into the tea house, disguised as a wandering swordsman, clad in kimono and hat, his sword was on his side, a knife hidden under each boot, and his cloak over his shoulders.

"Excuse me, I'm heading up into the mountains north of here where I've heard I can find a plant to cure consumption. I was hoping you could help me find someone to talk to about that." Naruto asked the woman who had brought him his tea. She pointed him over to the elder man who sat alone in the corner, drinking his tea.

"Come to ask about the mountain Leng have you? If you want my advice, don't even think about going there." The man said, on his arms, jagged and distorted scars lay.

"My friend has been stricken with consumption, they say that this mountain Leng is the only place to get the plant I can make the medicine from. I must go." Naruto looked up at him, his eyes fixed in a steel gaze.

"I see." The elder set his cup down, took a deep breath, and produced a pipe. "Then my next pieces of advice are going to be critical." The man took a deep inhalation of tobacco smoke. "Bring a strong warrior, one who knows how to combat all manners of evil."

"Evil?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, evil. On that mountain are things that you've never even dreamed of before. These scars tell of that story." The man held up his arms. "The beasts you'll see on that mountain are hideous in ways no one can ever hope to put into words." He pulled a book from behind him. "This is what I can tell you of the beasts you'll find, where the plant that we call mountain elixir is found, and what you should expect from the mountain itself." The old man sighed. "If you return, then keep the book, I don't expect you to come back anyway." The man paused. "I can feel your power, and even you might not be strong enough to face the beasts and demons that dwell there." The man again lit his pipe.

"Sir, I know not what I should call you." Naruto paused, thinking of a name he could call himself.

"Simply call me Alhazred. Now go, you have much reading to do." The man chuckled. "I'll pay for your tea."

Naruto picked up the volume, bowed, and left back to his home for the night. He noted to himself the man's own dark complexion, uncharacteristic of a mountain dweller, and the queer name the man held. It was so queer in fact, that he repeated the name as he sat in his bedroom, reading of grotesque beasts and strange fungi that dwelt on the mountain of Leng. Naruto set his hand on the sword by his side, feeling that after this mission, the blade, as well as his hands, would be covered in the blood of weird creatures.

-Chapter Ten: End-

Author's Note: I'm willing to bet that not a single person will be able to guess where I took the names Leng and Alhazred from. If you can guess, without using Google, then I'll give clues as to what the next few chapters will hold for you.

I tried spending a little more time on descriptions with this chapter, since it is a story, and stories are entirely dependent on description. Anyway, if you have any questions, feel the need to guess about my strange names, or just feel the need to say something, feel free to, I'll reply as quickly as I can.