A/N: Hello
everyone and welcome back!
Rated: "M" gore /
adult situations / torture / violence
Welcome to Chapter 12 of "The Collector" – Reunion
OOooOOooOOooNaruto leapt at Ino, forcing her to the ground. She yelped when her back hit the rocky, damp floor. The blond snarled, positioning himself over the startled girl, his limbs like prison bars around her. Naruto's reddish-black fur bristled, his back arching as his long fox ears flattened against his head. Blazing red eyes bore into pale blue ones. Ino was terrified, but she held her ground. Shifting slightly, she was able to bring her fists up to beat against Naruto's chest.
"Get off of me!" she shouted. Naruto barely felt her small fists hitting against his well-muscled torso, but it was starting to get annoying.
"Are you going to just take this?" the Kyuubi barked inside his head.
"I'm warning you beast," Ino threatened. She then maneuvered herself in attempt to bring her knee up for a swift hit to the blonde's groin. Naruto barred his fangs and growled, pinning Ino's legs back down with his own. He'd just saved her life and this was hardly a way to thank him.
"You see? She doesn't understand and neither will anyone else," the Kyuubi scorned. "She sees you as nothing more than a monster." The fox's face broke out in an evil grin, revealing razor sharp teeth. "Make her pay for her insolence."
A malevolent gleam sparkled through Naruto's eyes as he stared down at Ino's slender, pale throat.
"That's it," the Kyuubi pressed. "It'll be easy." Naruto licked his lips then brought one clawed hand back. Ino's eyes widened as she saw the nails lengthen, their points wicked and aimed directly for her. "Yes!" the Kyuubi said wickedly. "Revel in the power I have given you!"
"Naruto!" A gruff voice called out from behind them. Naruto blinked his eyes, then cocked his ears. He seemed to have completely forgotten about the deathblow he was about to deliver.
"Damn Uchiha," Kyuubi muttered, turning its back and sulking further into its cage.
Ino was shocked. This was the Naruto that Sasuke had talked about? Naruto spun from her and bounded over to his friend. Ino rose shakily to her feet. For a minute there, she thought she really was going to die, but something had changed the instant Naruto's name was called out. She steadied herself against a wall, giving a sigh of relief, then watched curiously as the two friends were re-united.
Naruto was bursting with joy on the inside, but if that girl's reaction to him was an indication of what was to come, the blond was petrified by what Sasuke would think of him in this altered state. He tentatively approached the raven, his tail dragging on the floor, his ears lowered. Gulping down his nervousness, Naruto approached Sasuke, who was now in a sitting position, head bowed, ebony bangs blocking most of his face. "Are you okay?" the blond asked, his voice full of concern.
Sasuke was about to reply when he felt the curse seal pulse. His body shuddered at the power that still coursed through him. "How bad is it?" he said flatly.
"Um..well," Naruto leaned in closer to get a better look. Sasuke dipped his head lower, making sure he still felt his hair on his cheeks. "You still have those black marks all over your body. Plus, your ugly hand wings are pretty scuffed up and are just lying back there like dead weight," Naruto observed. Circling Sasuke, Naruto could sense the metallic odor of blood in the air.
Sasuke scowled. He needed some time before he had the strength to get himself back to normal. "Enough about me, what happened to you?" he demanded.
"Aww..you really do care about me," Naruto smiled. Growing serious, he surveyed his own damage. "You're not going to believe this, but some guy tried to rip the seal off of my stomach and take the whiskers from my face! Then, some crazy lady came by and pricked me with some needle and paralyzed my body. Lucky for me I had the fox come out and…" his voice died away as he remembered his current state. "Yeah, but..uh..besides all that, I'm fine."
"You'd better be, dobe," Sasuke sighed in relief.
"Are you kidding, teme! It'd take a lot more than that to get me down!" Naruto tossed back. "However…there's a problem," he hesitated. Sasuke lifted his head slightly as he could sense the fox's incredible chakra. "But you don't have to worry about me, I'm keeping that wily fox in check. In fact, Hey! I'm tired of talking to the top of your spiky head," Naruto pouted.
"Who wants to look at your ugly mug anyways," Sasuke said cheekily.
"Har har," Naruto rolled his eyes. "I'm serious," he said, his voice softening. "I've missed you and I want to look at you." The blond reached out a clawed hand to grasp lightly at Sasuke's chin. He felt Sasuke stiffen and try to back away. "What are you trying to hide?" Naruto murmured. "I promise, whatever it is, we'll fix it."
He lifted the raven's chin and his breath caught. Naruto found himself staring into dull, waxy, gray eyes that drifted off somewhere over the blonde's shoulder. The raven's eyes were rimmed in red, surrounded by swollen, purplish-black welts. Naruto could barely breathe as he deftly pushed one of Sasuke's bangs back. He could see four tiny needle punctures at his friend's temples. Bloody tears trickled down the raven's cheeks.
"Did she do this to you?" Naruto growled, his body shaking with rage. Backing away from Sasuke, Naruto dropped to all fours, his feral side taking over. "I swear I'll kill her!" he roared.
"Naruto!" Sasuke said sharply. He knew Naruto would overreact. Deep down inside, Sasuke was just as angry, and a bit scared, but he had to keep a lid on his emotions if they were to accomplish anything. The blond looked up expectantly from his rant, his breathing slowing as he fought for control.
"If I may," Ino started, inching her way towards the two teens. Naruto turned wary eyes to her, his entire being very intimidating. But, if Sasuke trusted this guy then so would she. Taking a brave step forward she said, "I know someone who can help Sasuke once we get out of here."
"You do? That's great!" Naruto said happily, racing over to Ino babbling out, "See, Sasuke has Sharingan and it's critical his eyes stay intact and in focus."
"We can discuss my eyes later," Sasuke cut in. "Right now, we need to rebuild our strength, then find the way out." He leaned back onto the ground as much as his hand wings would allow and closed his eyes; he was exhausted after much of the night's ordeal.
"Right. I'll see what I can use to make a fire and we can take a rest here," Ino added helpfully.
"What about that guy?" Naruto gestured over to Juugo, who, after being slapped away by Naruto earlier, now sat unconscious further down the tunnel.
"He's not going anywhere." Ino replied matter-of-factly. She moved about the tunnel in search of tinder to fuel a fire. Naruto was busy clicking two small stones that'd he found together, hoping to make a spark.
"You're doing it wrong," Sasuke said point-blank, stifling a yawn.
"I know what I'm doing," Naruto called back over his shoulder, striking the stones harder. Truth be told, he was getting really frustrated at his lack of any real progress.
"Angle the stones at a steeper incline," Sasuke said sleepily. "Don't be a stubborn idiot." The raven's voice trailed off as sleep soon overtook him. Grudgingly, Naruto did as instructed, and sure enough, there was a spark, which led to a nice-sized fire.
"Nice job, Naruto!" Ino smiled happily. She had just returned, dropping off more tinder for the fire. "It's important we keep the fire going while we rest. We could certainly use the warmth," she shivered and moved in closer to the dancing flames.
"How did he know what I was doing when he's…" Naruto began curiously.
"Just because he can't see doesn't mean he's completely helpless," Ino chided.
She sat down next to the blond, stretching out her weary body. The two sat in silence for a few moments. "Look, I..uh..," Ino began regretfully, "I'm sorry about calling you a beast."
Naruto stiffened. "Don't worry about it," he responded quickly, stoking the fire subconsciously
"I'm serious. I had no right to judge you. I don't even know you or what you've gone through. I'm truly, very sorry." Naruto lifted his eyes and saw true sincerity staring back. He nodded his head and offered a small smile. "Look, I think we got started on the wrong foot." She extended her slender arm into a handshake. "I'm Ino."
"Naruto," the blond replied, taking her hand into his own and giving a slight shake.
"I suppose you're wondering what I'm doing with Sasuke. Well, frankly, he saved my life. Though, he was a bit hard pressed to do it." Naruto snickered. "I guess he's usually like that," Ino mused. "We've been searching through tons of these hallways trying to stay free of Juugo and his creatures. I have to say, Sasuke was certainly adamant about finding you. Personally, I thought it was all very sweet." She smiled. "I'm so happy you found each other."
"Me too," Naruto replied with deep emotion. "Sasuke is everything to me. I don't know what I'd do if something were to happen to him."
"You care for him like I care for Sai," Ino said longingly. Naruto raised a brow. "Sai is my boyfriend. You see, Sai and I got separated on the outside. I've been here for a few months now. I hope he hasn't given up on me," she said dismally.
"I'm sure he's looking for you right now," Naruto reassured her. Ino wiped away at the tears that we forming in her eyes.
"I think I'll go check on Juugo, make sure he's not getting into any trouble," she said, rising and heading up the tunnel. In truth, she wanted to have a good cry. Everything that's happened, she needed to release. And although she liked both Naruto and Sasuke, she felt that this should be done privately.
Naruto watched her leave, and then tended to the fire. He glanced about the ruined tunnel. Dust and rocks littered the ground. The bodies of the undead army had been shoved off to one side. It wasn't long before Naruto's eyes floated back to the sleeping raven.
"Well, he wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't brought him here," the Kyuubi smirked from within.
"Shut up, you stupid fox," Naruto snapped back.
Satisfied the fire was set, the blond turned towards Sasuke. Using his clawed hands, he skillfully shredded the ends of his orange tee shirt into narrow pieces. Balling a few into one hand, he carefully began to dab at the blood on Sasuke's cheeks. He could feel the soft breath of the raven on his fingers. With the other hand, Naruto traced the unusual shapes of the curse mark that ran from Sasuke's face, down his chest, and all over his arms. The chakra pattern was conflicted, stronger purple swirls fighting against faint blue ones. Naruto grew slightly alarmed seeing Sasuke's normal chakra so weak. Come to think of it, Ino's pattern was weak too. "And here I have more than enough chakra than I know what to do with," Naruto thought ironically to himself. Normally, Naruto hated the curse seal and its effects on Sasuke, but it had kept his friend going, and for that he was grateful.
Gently, Naruto placed a clawed hand on the raven's head, deftly sliding it down to caress Sasuke's cheek. The raven nuzzled into the warm palm. Dropping his palm, Naruto leaned in close, his forehead touching Sasuke's. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "This is all my fault."
"Don't be stupid," Sasuke drowsily muttered back. Naruto put his fingers over Sasuke's lips, silencing him. Naruto then lay down next to Sasuke, one arm wrapping around the raven protectively while the other reached behind the raven's neck, bringing him close for a slow, deep kiss. After a few moments, Naruto pulled away and looked down lovingly at his friend. "I've missed you."
"As I you," Sasuke replied softly. They sat in silence, comfortable with each other, deep in their own thoughts. "Let me look at you," the raven murmured.
"But your eyes," Naruto replied uncertainly.
"It's true. My world has become a black void," Sasuke said darkly. Naruto began to speak but was cut off quickly, "However, there seems to be a more pressing problem. Now, take my hand and let me look at you," he said evenly. Naruto sighed heavily, taking Sasuke's pale hand into his own tanned one. He guided his friend's hand around his face, where Sasuke felt the deep whiskers and sharp fangs, then the rough, course fur that draped around Naruto's neck. The blonde then moved his friend's hand up into his blond spikes and onto the long furry ears that protruded from behind his normal human ears.
"It's like that all over my body. I even have a tail," Naruto said grimly.
"The fox's chakra and your own have blended together so tightly, its affected you physically. We have to get you to Tsunade so she can separate them. I can even go inside your mind and help using my Sharingan." Sasuke glowered feeling Naruto tense up. "I'm trying to stay optimistic here, you moron. Believe me, you're much better at this sort of thing than I am."
"Boy, am I. I bet you'll pop a blood vessel trying to be positive," Naruto teased, feeling a piece of his old self returning.
Sasuke felt a sharp pain run through his shoulders. "Off!" he ordered. Naruto backed away, staring in fascination as Sasuke's hand wings retracted back into the raven's body. Skin and muscle rippled as bones snapped back into place. The change hurt even more with his wounds that had still not healed properly.
"I don't know whether to be impressed or grossed out," Naruto sat back on his hunches, his brow furring. Sasuke was breathing heavily, spent after such an effort. "Don't over do it," Naruto said warningly. Sasuke grunted in reply. Naruto moved back in closer, snuggling next the raven. He felt Sasuke relax slightly and grazed over the lean body curiously. "Do you have those curse marks over everything on your body?" he drawled while palming at Sasuke's sex.
Sasuke's face grew crimson. "Shut up dobe and get some rest. We're not out of here yet." Naruto sulked but only for a moment. Sasuke soon faded back to sleep. Naruto stared affectionately at the sleeping raven. When Sasuke slept, it was the only time his features softened, melting the usually cold and stoic exterior. Naruto was truly happy that they'd found each other. Nestling into the crook of Sasuke's neck, the blonde draped his hands over the raven's hips and pulled him close. Now that he had Sasuke back, he wasn't ever letting the raven out of his sight again.
OOooOOooOOoo
Karin was extremely annoyed about Naruto having escaped. How that was possible, she had no idea, but he wouldn't get far. The tunnels underneath the main building were like a labyrinth with only a select few knowing the correct way out. She tried contacting Juugo, only to discover him unreachable. "Odd," she thought to herself. "Where was that stupid oaf?" she said exasperated. "Must I do everything myself?" As for Suigetsu, she was more flustered now that she'd have to find another lackey to fill in the gap. "I can worry about that stuff later. As for now, I think I need some stress relief." Pausing in front of her 'Room of Eyes,' as she affectionately called it, she ran her fingers through her hair and dusted herself off. She grew warm at the thought of Sasuke inside the room, bound and gagged, and giggled naughtily. "I suppose I can have some fun with the kid before I harvest those beautiful Sharingans of his. To think, I'll be the last thing he'll ever see. Lucky boy," she mused, stepping inside the room.
Clicking on the light, Karin's jaw dropped at what greeted her. The table Sasuke was supposed to have been bound to stood empty, the leather straps hanging limply from the sides. The IV had long gone dry, its contents pooled on the floor near the bed. She was stunned as the list of impossibilities kept growing. Walking slowly up towards the slab, Karin reached for one of the straps, seeing the edges rough and jagged. "You had a concealed kunai, did you? Smart boy," she uttered. She glanced about the room, enjoying being the center of attention to her numerous jars of eyes, all of which were focused on her, yet she felt incomplete. "I will not lose such a prize," she said angrily, throwing down the strap and storming from the room.
Retracing her steps, it wasn't long before she found herself back in the room with the steel cage and river of chakra that ran along the ceiling. Withdrawing the same controller from before, she began pushing buttons rapidly. "Enough playing around. I want what's mine and I mean to get it," she vowed. Inside the steel cage, the water began to bubble and stir, the wires alive with shocks of electricity. Karin lifted the edge of the tarp taking in a quick view of her weapon. She sighed as it wasn't quite complete, but it'd be strong enough to take on the simple task she'd give it. "Come, slave. You are being beckoned to perform for your master."
OoooOOooOOooSai lie flat on his back, naked, manacles attached to his wrists and ankles. Black mist swirled around him, its touch cold, yet strangely arousing. He couldn't help it when a low moan escaped his pale lips as the mist reached out to caress his sex.
"There's more where that came from," a voice spoke up, bringing Sai back to his senses. Ebony eyes snapped up to meet with dark purple ones.
"Suigetsu. Damn you. You played me for a fool," Sai spat.
"I played you for what you are," Suigetsu coolly replied, his hand trailing down the pale boy's neck and chest, pausing to rub roughly at the pale, pink nipples before continuing their journey south. Suigetsu's lithe fingers brushed down the thin trail of hair that ran from Sai's belly button down to the courser curls that protected the boy's cock. Once there, Suigetsu slid his fingers up and down Sai's shaft before running underneath it to cup at the boy's heavy stones. "Wow. You're quite endowed, aren't you?" Suigetsu raised an eyebrow. "I rather like that," he smiled lustfully, leaning over Sai so that his light blue hair brushed against the pale teen's face.
"Stop that," Sai ordered half-heartedly.
"What? You mean this?" Suigetsu smirked, rubbing more roughly at Sai's sex. The pale teen moaned in pleasure and was soon wiggling on the table, filled with a mix of pleasure and shame. "That's it," Suigetsu smiled lecherously, seeing Sai's cock stiffen and rise. "So tell me, ever do it with another man?"
"No! I have a girlfriend!" Sai shot back, his body betraying his mind as he arched further into Suigetsu's sensual touch.
"Funny, you seem to be responding to me better than any bitch in heat," Suigetsu mused. "Tell you what, let's invite her along to our little party." There was a ripple in the black mist and Ino appeared before them. Her eyes were full of shock.
"Ino," Sai squeaked out.
"Oh Sai, what are you doing?" she cried, tears flowing like a river from her pale blue eyes.
"Technically, I'm the one who's doing the 'doing,' but I'll let you watch, just for kicks." Suigetsu said with a wink. He then leaned in close, one hand stroking the insides of Sai's thighs while the other traced along the pale teen's arms that were shackled above his dark head. Sweat beaded along Sai's body as Suigetsu's touch was turning him into a withering mass of desperation. A hand was soon massaging Sai's cock again, the tension building within the velvety muscle. "Cum for me," Suigetsu spoke thickly, "I don't even care if you think of her. She is a hot bitch after all."
"Don't do this," Sai cried anxiously, though his body said otherwise.
"Why not? Seems to me that you like it," Suigetsu drawled, clearing enjoying himself.
"Was he right? No. What the hell is the matter with me?" Sai scolded himself, but the eroticness of what was happening was all too much. He released, shooting his seed onto Suigetsu's chest. Ino screamed, while Suigetsu laughed, grabbing hold of Sai's soft tissue which was already growing hard again.
"That was fun. But like all good things, it must come to an end. Next show at 5 o'clock," Suigetsu sniggered, sending Ino away with a snap of his fingers. A wave of black mist encircled his hand. It quickly dissipated, leaving a pair of sharp surgical scissors in Suigetsu's grasp. He snapped them close to Sai's face, seeing confusion cover the usual stoic face. "All will be clear in a moment." He moved the scissors down the length of Sai's body, stopping only when they hovered over his sexual organs. "This is going to hurt, a lot," Suigetsu sneered. Sai went white as a ghost as the realization hit home.
"NO! Please! Anything but that!" he cried. The blades of the scissors drew closer; he could feel the cold steel on his soft skin. SNIP!
Sai screamed, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" His eyes snapped open and he found himself at home, nestled between the sheets of his own bed. A dire need to use the bathroom had him bolting out of bed, where he promptly headed to the toilet. Lifting the seat, he squatted, issuing a sigh. "Wait a minute," he straightened. "Why am I sitting like this?" Looking down, he was horrified to see a giant white "X" of surgical tape over where his man sex had formerly been.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" Sai opened his bloodshot eyes again, tears streaming down his cheeks. He was back where Suigetsu had really left him, chained to a urinal inside a public restroom. His clothes were soaked through from the leak and his muscles were stiff from his cramped position.
"Are you alright?" said a familiar voice. "I heard you scream."
Sai turned wild eyes and saw a mane of pink hair and concerned green eyes staring at him. He brought his knees together, feeling the familiar bulge between his upper thighs. "Sakura," he said, choking back a sob of relief.
"What happened to you?" she asked. "Why are you like this? Although I wonder if you deserve it for knocking me out back there," she snorted.
"A nightmare. A double nightmare. One that was so damned real and I seriously thought that…" WHACK! Sai's face stung where Sakura has just smacked him.
"You betray me, or anyone else again, and I'll beat the crap out of you. I swear it," Sakura threatened. Sai swallowed a nervous gulp and behaved as the girl worked at his binds.
OoooOOooOOooJuugo awoke with a start. His head was pounding and he had the distinct taste of blood in his mouth. He glanced around, his vision fuzzy and tinged with red. The tunnel was dark save for a small, dim light that danced across the walls many yards away. That had to be his quarry. Waving off some nausea, he attempted to stand, only to find himself pushed back against the wall by a sandaled foot.
"What the?" Juugo squinted upwards, annoyance flickering across his face. "Quit screwing around Suigetsu." He was met with silence, followed by more pressure being applied to his chest as the foot ground harder. Juugo grunted, trying to shift his bulk. "I said, knock it off, Suigetsu!" the big man growled. A tiny flame flickered to life, set upon a tiny makeshift torch, which illuminated hallow, ice blue eyes, dull, limp blond hair, and two large scars set upon each cheek. Juugo's eyes widened. "Deidara?" he said incredulously. "Am I dead?"
"No," came Deidara's flat reply, "but that can be arranged."
"Don't be so cocky. I can crush you in an instant."
Deidara smiled coldly, "I'd like to see you try." Juugo accepted the challenge, curving his hand into a fist. The fist held, then faltered, his fingers going numb and spreading limp back onto the dank floor. Panic swept through the older man's face as many of his other muscles failed to respond as well. "Where is she?" Deidara demanded icily.
"She?" Juugo asked, feigning innocence.
"You know who I'm talking about," Deidara said warningly. He then brought a large stone close to the big man's eyes. Juugo's eyes darted from the tiny torch to the rock.
"What are you going to do with that? Squash a bug?" Juugo laughed mockingly. "You don't even have any…" he paused in confusion seeing Deidara holding each object in two very real hands. "I don't understand. I could have sworn that Karin took those from you back then."
SMACK! The rock collided with Juugo's skull, stunning him momentarily. "I see you remember now," Deidara said evenly. "You said her name yourself. Where. Is. She." Each word was accented by a strong kick to Juugo's chest. He gasped, hearing a few of his ribs snap. After spitting out a few broken teeth, Juugo stared back, his eyes full of malice.
"You've gotten gutsy kid," Juugo snorted. "I'll give you that." He smiled cruelly. "I suppose I can just call Suigetsu over here to teach you a lesson."
"He's dead." Deidara deadpanned. "And if you don't tell me where Karin is, you'll be too."
Suddenly, a guttural howl resonated through the walls, followed by a huge surge of chakra. The walls began to shake violently causing rocks and dust to fall. A few sharp stones had managed to cut both Deidara and Juugo's skin and clothes. The tremors intensified, larger stones were beginning to loosen from above. Deidara didn't notice and failed to move as the earth around them started to give way. "What's wrong with you? We have to get out of here! There's going to be a cave-in!" Juugo shouted frantically. He stared up at the ceiling with dread. Seconds later, the tunnel had completely collapsed.
OoooOOooOOoo
End of Chapter 12.
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