A/N: Hello
everyone and welcome back!
Rated: "M" gore /
adult situations / torture / violence
Welcome to Chapter 13 of "The Collector" – Confrontation
OoOOoO
Sasori was jolted awake by a loud, feral roar. The vibrations were so intense they shook the walls, ceiling, and floor, knocking the redhead off balance. He would've fallen flat on his face had it not been for the iron collar he now wore. It grew taut as his weight shifted forward, then brought him back hard against the wall. Sasori grunted, pain searing up through his skull. Shaking his head of the annoying throb, Sasori turned his attention to his latest 'accessory.' He deftly brought his fingers up to his neck and felt the cold iron. Tracing the thick chain links that flowed from it, he found it connected to the wall directly behind him, giving him approximately two feet to move around. Dropping his gaze to his feet, he saw more shackles bound around his ankles. As for his arms, they were free other than the unusual metal cuffs that were wrapped about his wrists. Physically he seemed to be unharmed, at least for the time being. He frowned seeing his coat and tunic lying crumpled on the far side of the room. "That explains the draft," he scowled. He sighed inwardly, glad that he still wore his pants.
Lifting his amber eyes, Sasori took stock of his surroundings. A small drab bulb provided little light as it hung from the ceiling in the center of the room. He squinted through the darkness. This time his cell consisted of two blank walls, the third with a steel door in front of him, and the last one contained a wooden door off to his right. Sasori struggled against his bonds, unable to break them. "First I lose Deidara, then Sakura, and then some woman sticks me with a sedative. And I'm a prisoner yet again." He sagged against the wall, frustrated and worried. The silence of the room was broken by a familiar hum coming from behind the steel door. Sasori tossed aside his pity and strained his ears. Odd, he was positive that was the same type of hum that Deidara had insisted on having in his room back at Pein's office. He smiled slightly, remembering how insistent Deidara had been about keeping that lamp with him after he moved to his own cabin. Without much else to do, he was soon lulled to sleep, his thoughts drifting back to memories of the past.
…flashback…
"There, that should do it," Pein said, stepping back and content with the new addition.
"A lamp?" Sasori raised a brow skeptically.
"Not just any lamp," Pein replied, clicking on the small lamp. A warm light blanketed the room along with a soft constant humming. "Well Deidara, what do you think?" he asked quietly, turning towards the young dusty blond.
Deidara said nothing, just as he'd done for the month since Pein and Sasori had found him. Icy blue eyes slid slowly over to the lamp. Deidara's tension eased as he settled back into the soft hospital bed. Pein's face was grim, his guess had been right.
"I don't know, that lamp seems kind of annoying to me," Sasori grumbled. He didn't understand what all the fuss had been, but even he saw Deidara soften, if only slightly.
"Well, this isn't your lamp, now is it?" Pein wagged a finger at his young student. After finishing a final check on Deidara's monitors, his eyes locked with Deidara's. He could see the lack of trust; a guarded and distant attitude despite all that Pein had done for the kid so far. He sighed; figuring the shoulder harness he'd put Deidara in wasn't giving him much credit. But he hadn't had a choice. Deidara had panicked, nights where he'd wake up screaming, confused, or intent on ending his life. He'd become dangerous to others as well as himself. The restraint wouldn't be forever, but to his credit, the boy's arms were healing rapidly due to the minimal movement. "All right Sasori, it's getting late," Pein said, shooing out the redhead. He followed the boy, glancing back over his shoulder to see that Deidara had closed his eyes, content to listen to the hum of his new lamp.
"It's been over a month, and still this whole situation with Deidara scares me," Sasori admitted. "I've never seen or heard of such violence done to someone. I can't even begin to fathom what happened to him."
"You mustn't be afraid, Sasori," Pein replied. "It's true that Deidara is an extreme case, and it's difficult finding out exactly what did happen to him. But often times, when one goes through something so terrifying, they block it from their minds, denying that it even happened in the first place. If that is the case, sometimes time is the only medicine."
"But how? I mean, looking at his hands, they're…" Sasori gulped. He still wasn't comfortable seeing the bandaged stumps that were at the end of Deidara's arms. "Anyways, he's so stubborn, I don't think he even wants our help," Sasori pouted.
"You really think so?" Pein cocked a brow. "Well, he may not care much for me, but you, Sasori, are a different story." Sasori cocked his head. "Think about it, Deidara doesn't trust doctors at all, and here you are, a kid like him, acting like the very thing he despises."
"I guess I could try and talk to him," Sasori said warily.
"That's a great idea," Pein clapped his hand into his fist. "Maybe you can crack into that barrier Deidara's made for himself. Besides," Pein mused, "You might find that you both enjoy the company."
"Alright, I'll do it," Sasori nodded. "But what is it about that lamp?" Sasori pressed.
Pein shifted uncomfortably. He didn't want to scare Sasori by telling him of his thoughts of the torment that Deidara had been through. So he went off on a tangent. "Sasori, you must remember that we are doctors. It's our job to do whatever we can to help people and never give up so long as there is even a one percent possibility of preserving life. Deidara may not see it that way, for in his mind, he doesn't understand that we are healing him, not hurting him. So, despite how difficult he is, we mustn't let that deter us from doing what is right."
…end flashback…
Sasori took those words to heart back then, and even more so today. Though he never did find out the reasons behind the lamp. And yet, it seemed crucial to know them now. "Just how exactly are the two connected?" Sasori thought curiously to himself.
"Don't worry love," said a feminine voice. "You'll be finding out what that sound means soon enough." Sasori quickly came out of his thoughts and saw the same woman who had pricked him with a sedative earlier, leaning up against the wooden doorframe. She smiled at him, though this grin held more malice than comfort.
OoOOoO
Naruto's eyes popped open as panic set in. Had his reunion with Sasuke been merely a dream? A murmured 'dobe' brought his attention downwards. The blond smiled, staring with half-lidded eyes at his closest friend. Sasuke was asleep, curled up against him. A shiver raked through the raven's body causing him to snuggle closer to the blond, burying his face into the reddish black fur around Naruto's neck. "I suppose this body is good for something," Naruto uttered. He then brought his long furry tail up, wrapping it around them both like a makeshift blanket. He pulled Sasuke close enough to feel the raven's soft ragged breath. "Sasuke," Naruto whispered, "We'll be out of here soon. Then we can find that doctor Ino knows of and get you back to your teme self." Naruto began to gently stroke his hand through Sasuke's ebony hair. He could heal himself quickly with the help of the Kyuubi, but he could see Sasuke was being pushed to his limits.
"Naruto," the raven spoke so softly that Naruto had to lean in close to hear him. "Something's not right." Sasuke's eyes had cracked open barely a slit, their dullness reflecting the last embers of the nights' fire. "Where's Ino?"
"Um..last I saw of her, she was headed further up the tunnel. Looking around now, I don't see any trace of her. Do you think she's in trouble or something?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke didn't have time to reply as a vicious roar was let out, the sound waves coursing through the tunnel, causing all four walls to tremble and crack. Ninja instincts took over as Naruto and Sasuke separated, rolling off to either side, barely avoiding the large stones that came crashing down from the ceiling above.
"Now what?" Naruto shouted in exasperation over the loud rumbling. A piercing scream filled the corridor.
"It's Ino. We have to get to her," Sasuke called back, startled to see that he actually cared what happened to the girl.
"Right." Naruto bounded over to Sasuke. "I'll take you there, but you have to climb onto my back." Sasuke stood uncertain for a minute. "I can move faster on all fours," the blond quickly explained. He reached for Sasuke's arms, pulling them over his shoulder and securing him piggyback style. "Lock your arms around my neck and we'll be off." Once Sasuke was secured, they took off down the hallway. It was a bumpy ride, but Sasuke had to admit that Naruto was quick and agile. He was curious to see exactly what Naruto looked like now and wondered what it would be like to run his hands over that tanned body, his pale fingers sliding over smooth skin mingled with coarse fur. It was intriguing. Very intriguing. Sasuke felt his face flush at what he had been thinking, but quickly let it pass as Ino let out another frightened cry. Naruto skidded to a sudden halt, his body growing tense. Sasuke may not have been able to see what was going on, but he certainly felt the intense amount of chakra that now filled the room. "What? What is it?" Sasuke demanded. There was no reply and for the first time since he could remember, Naruto was speechless.
Naruto stared up at the creature that stood before him. It was huge, probably almost ten feet tall, its bones straining to break through its gray tough skin. Tattoos covered its upper body, the largest one, "Rhage," scrawled across its chest. Giant black leathery wings sprouted from its shoulders, three small talons adorning their tips. Down its back ran a scaly spine that led to a long whip like tail that ended with the head of a ferocious snake. It had a human head and torso, whereas it's lower body was covered in a dark brown fur, it's feet like that of a lion. Its face was tough to see, except for the bandage that covered its eyes. Long dark hair lay in disarray down its front and backside. It had one set of human arms plus another set that was covered with feathers and tipped with wicked talons. And that was where Ino hung, a clawed hand wrapped tightly around her slender neck, constricting with every passing second. Naruto backed up slightly, shaking his head to block out the odors that emanated from the creature.
"Death and decay. There's no other way to describe it," Sasuke spoke, sickened by the smell. He slid off Naruto and crouched down low. "If it smells this bad, I can only imagine what it looks like," Sasuke muttered.
"You have no idea. Let's just say that whatever it is, it's big, furry, scaly, feathery, and mean," Naruto growled. "And it's got Ino."
"I'll distract it, and you can move in for an attack," said Sasuke.
"Pretty bland plan, teme," Naruto said over his shoulder.
"Do you have a better one?" Sasuke challenged back.
"Okay, okay," Naruto replied, moving stealthily towards the creature. He tried to focus on his part, but he was worried about Sasuke. How could he fight when he couldn't see? Then he remembered what Ino had told him. Even with the loss of his sight, Sasuke was still an Uchiha. That fact alone was a force to be reckoned with.
OoOOoO
"I suppose I owe you my gratitude," Sai spoke stiffly.
"Don't bother," Sakura clipped. Using her incredible strength, she snapped the last of the chain links from the leaky urinal, freeing Sai from his bonds. Sai stood awkwardly, his joints wet and cramped from his forced sitting position. He rubbed at the soreness on the back of his head, frowning at the sensitive lump on his scalp.
"Bastard," Sai muttered, thinking of how Suigetsu had trapped and left him here. A shiver shot through Sai as he remembered the nightmares featuring the lecherous older man and what he had done to him. Sakura chose to ignore Sai for the most part, choosing instead to make her way back out of the public restroom.
"Wait a minute," Sai called, quickening his step. He had to admit, he was intrigued that Sakura was able to escape her previous prison. Perhaps he'd underestimated the girl. As to why she wasn't with Sasori, he couldn't guess. Sai had finally caught up to Sakura, his footsteps squishing along the cheaply tiled floor.
Sakura eyed Sai in a critical way. "You look pretty good…" she began. Sai quirked a brow. Was she serious? The pale teen stood soaked, his clothes and hair matted to his lean body, dripping water that formed puddles around his sandals. "…for a rat!" Sakura bit out the last word.
"You plainly do not approve of my past actions," Sai replied calmly.
"That's an understatement," Sakura said through clenched teeth, trying to keep her anger in check. As much as she wanted to knock Sai into next week, she had to first find Naruto, Sasuke, and Sasori.
"Well, shall we then?" Sai said,
emerging from the restroom and stepping into the empty dark corridor.
He headed left. Sakura sighed, torn between following the pale teen
or staying behind and alone. As much as she hated to admit it, she
only had one choice.
Sai smiled smugly as he heard Sakura's
footsteps following him. His satisfaction was short lived as a loud
roar rippled through the hallway and rumbling echoed in their
ears.
OoOOoO
Ino was terrified. One minute she was quietly asleep, and the next, a monster had crashed through the ceiling above her and was now crushing her throat. Escape seemed impossible, until she caught sight of Naruto slinking silently towards her, crouched on all fours. She knew he was a friend, though she paled slightly. Something primal had come over the blond. His eyes glowed, filled with the thrill of the hunt and the chance of a kill. Licking his lips in anticipation, his tongue suffered cuts as it rolled over his elongated fangs. To Ino, Naruto reminded her of a great predator stalking its prey.
"Now!" Sasuke shouted from opposite Naruto. The raven had tapped into the power of his curse seal in order to access his chakra. He'd sent a stream of fire sailing towards the monster, Rhage. The flames danced along the creature's wings, the smell of burnt leather permeating the air. Rhage uttered a startled cry, his body turning towards the source of the fire stream. That's when Naruto leapt, slamming himself into the creature's chest. Naruto hadn't expected it to be hard as steel and he felt his body crumple against the sheer muscle of the creature. Turning back around, Rhage smirked, taking Ino and flinging her into Naruto. They both were sent flying backwards. Naruto reacted swiftly as he flipped behind Ino, protecting her as they skidded and tumbled to a dusty halt. Rhage uttered a sound that was something of a laugh and flapped his wings, putting out the flames in one sweep. "Naruto!" Sasuke called, trying to brush aside the smoke, pitching forward in the limited vision of his golden eyes.
"I'm fine," Naruto choked out.
"Thank goodness you came," Ino sighed in relief.
"Yeah. Look, I need you to stay out of the way and let Sasuke and I deal with whatever the hell that thing is," Naruto said, his attention focused on the raven further down the tunnel.
"I've heard about it," Ino replied. "It's some sort of weapon that Karin was working on. It's just as twisted as she is." The ground began to rumble beneath them as it rolled and cracked.
"Ino, find something to hold onto and stay hidden," Naruto barked. The girl nodded and clung to a large boulder. Naruto had taken off in the direction of the beast, scrambling down the tunnel and back into the fight.
The smoke seemed to have thickened, the air turning hot around Sasuke. He was sure he didn't use that much fire. He furred his brow, wiping at the sweat that had formed there and was now dripping into his eyes. "As if I didn't have enough problems seeing as it was," he scowled. He continued forward, focusing more on his sense of smell rather his eyes. The thing smelled like death, and being a ninja, it's a smell he knew.
"Sasuke!" Naruto called out, swatting at the smoke that had begun to thicken. He lay low to the ground, his tail swishing around with nervous energy. He couldn't attack without knowing where Sasuke was. Suddenly, a low hiss rang out, the head of a snake cutting through the haze like a knife. It sunk its fangs into Naruto's shoulder, drawing blood and chakra greedily from him. Naruto snarled, twisting his body to grip the snake into his own clawed hands. The snake hissed angrily, releasing its hold and disappeared back into the smoke.
Rhage gave a smirk, "Idiot Human," he thought to himself as he heard Naruto struggling against the dancing flames. It was then he felt the other bump up against him. "This one's not much smarter," it smirked.
"Crap," Sasuke scowled. Squinting his eyes, he could barely make out the gray blob that stood before him. Rhage reacted quickly, hooking Sasuke in his talons and pinning the raven to him.
Drawing his wings closer to his body and crouching down low, Rhage felt his body move like a well-oiled machine. He couldn't wait to try it out. Lifting his head, he smiled, wicked sharp teeth glimmering in the firelight. Naruto could only pace alongside the fire, searching for a weak spot.
The creature sprang upwards, crashing through the ceiling of the tunnel, barreling through rocks and granite, and dragging Sasuke with him. "Sasuke!" Naruto screamed. The roar of the fire answered him as it grew larger and hotter. Dropping to a crouch, Naruto crossed his arms in front of him, palms out. He then spread them wide, sending out a blast of wind and chakra that smothered the flames almost instantly. He grunted as pain shot through his body, and dropped to his hands and knees.
"It's that snake's bite. Whatever venom it had has infected you. I will do my best to dilute it, but you must be careful. If things get worse, I will advance you to the next tail stage." Kyuubi warned.
"Alright, I got it," Naruto growled, frustrated at this new development. He didn't want to go to the next stage for fear he completely lose what was left of his humanity. Naruto hastily sprang through the dying embers and paused to look up at where the creature had gone. He felt the coolness of snowflakes drift down onto his face. Looking upwards, it seemed the creature had continued its ascent all the way up to the surface, shattering every level in its wake, where a dark gray sky awaited it. Naruto was stunned, for he and Ino had to be over one hundred feet underground, if not further. It seemed so long since he'd seen the sky and breathed fresh air. Naruto was getting ready to spring upwards to follow when Ino had caught up to him.
"Naruto…" Ino began.
"I thought I told you to stay out of the way," he snarled. She shrunk back, but only for a minute.
"The tunnel, it's collapsing," Ino said frantically. Naruto looked up and saw she was right. The structure was weakened beyond repair and was caving in on itself.
"Time to go," Naruto uttered, wrapping his tail around the girl. Ino gulped down her fear as she was swept upwards and flung side to side to avoid falling debris. Naruto had to stay focused as he darted upwards, trying to keep a steady grip on the crumbling edges of the holes left by Rhage. As Naruto was pulling himself up onto yet another level, the edge gave way. He barely hung on, digging his claws into the earth and cracked floor tiles as he swayed precariously over the large gaping hole beneath him. While he hung for a moment, he glanced down this new corridor. It seemed safe enough. Whipping his tail up and back, Naruto swung Ino into it, releasing her and sent her rolling down the hallway. "You'll be safer here," he called out quickly.
"Naruto!" Ino called out. But all she could see was the reddish black fur of his tail as it disappeared up and out of sight. She came to a halt by thudding against something, or rather, someone.
"Oomph!" Sakura fell backwards as Ino collided with her. Both girls tumbled over each other and landed in a dusty heap.
"Ino?" came a surprised male voice.
"Sai?" Ino turned, blinking her eyes in shock. The tall, wet, pale teen stood before her. "Sai!" she cried happily, tears rolling down her cheeks. Sai had stepped closer, extending his hand to grab onto Ino's. Once he had a firm grip, he lifted her to her feet, pulling her into a strong embrace.
"I'm glad you're safe," Sai said, relief flooding through him. He then slanted his lips across hers into a passionate kiss. They stood locked in their own world, their worries of their situation tossed aside, if only for a moment. The two then reluctantly separated, Ino wiping at her tears with her arms.
"Did you just call for Naruto?" Sakura cut in anxiously, her green eyes wide.
Ino nodded. "Yes, I did. He headed up that way," she said, pointing back down the corridor. Sakura took off at run, her adrenaline on high at the hopes of seeing her teammate again.
"Wait!" Ino called out. Sakura didn't listen. She saw thin streams of daylight shining ahead, streaming down through a rather large hole. That must be it! Just a few more steps and CRACK! The ground crumbled beneath her feet. Sakura felt herself pitching forward, her eyes staring down into the vast pit beneath her. Propelling her arms to maintain her balance, she was suddenly pulled backwards.
"You mustn't be hasty, Sakura," Sai said, his hands on her shoulders. Ino was there too, placing her hand out, feeling the snowflakes against her skin. She carefully leaned over the ledge and looked up. Snow caught in her thick lashes.
"It's like a blizzard up there," Ino said in awe.
"I don't care. I have to follow Naruto," Sakura said stubbornly.
"Not that way you're not," Ino countered. "The hole is unstable as it, especially after that monster and Naruto went up it.
"What monster?" Sai asked warily.
"A chakra monster made up of animal parts, human parts, and god knows what else," Ino replied. "It took Sasuke and they headed up there with Naruto in pursuit."
"Sasuke is here too!" Sakura was thrilled to find her teammates, but terrified what they were up against. "Wait a minute. Sasori and I saw something locked in a cage earlier. Could they be one in the same?"
"Master Sasori is here too?" Ino said, stunned.
"Does it really matter?" Sai said a bit too hastily. Ino furred her brow. Something was off about her Sai. "Staying here won't help anyone. There has to be another way out and a chance to help our friends, so let's move and find it." Sai took both girls' hands and headed away from the dangerous hole.
OoOOoO
Naruto had finally made it to the surface. Dropping to all fours, he shook himself of the snow that had accumulated on his fur, though he knew it wouldn't be long before he was covered in the white powder again. He scrunched himself into a tight ball; head low against the biting wind and onslaught of snow. His eyes surveyed the area in search of his friend. Huntington Ridge stood off to his right about two hundred meters away. Other than that, it was trees and snow all around. There was no movement on the ground so he turned his head skywards. "Dammit, where are you?" he uttered. Suddenly, a spark of lightning drew his attention.
Sasuke was freezing as he hung like a rag doll from the creature's hooked talons. The wind was brutal against his exposed shoulders and chest. He sensed cold flakes brush against his skin, and frostbite nip at his fingers and toes. The raven knew he was out in the open, the fresh air revitalizing him briefly. His shoulders were sore, the blood running down them in streams. And the smell was overwhelming. "Enough of this," Sasuke thought bitterly to himself. Running through the hand signs for chidori, he let his chakra fly, aiming it against Rhage. The creature howled in pain and annoyance, releasing Sasuke from its grasp.
The raven dropped into a nose-dive as he headed towards the ground. "Sasuke!" Naruto cried out in horror. The blond got to his feet and raced towards his friend. Panic crept in, as he didn't know if he'd make it in time or what he'd do if he did.
Sasuke was scared out of his mind, but he had to stay calm. Through what little vision he had, he had figured the large dark lump to be the 'hospital,' and he used that to help gauge how much distance he had. Tapping further into his cursed seal, he felt his body prepare for the shift. His skin at his shoulder's rippled and split, his giant gray hand-wings extending outwards and flexing. Sasuke spread the fingers of his wings open, their webbing catching a draft and slowing his descent. Flapping hard, he was able to shoot himself up and out, grazing the building by mere inches. He turned, Sharingans blazing red against the gray of the snow. But something was wrong.
They spun for a quick moment, but stopped quickly as his temples and eyes began to throb. Sasuke reached his hands up to face, dragging his nails across his own flesh. Anything to focus away from the intense burning he was experiencing. As the rest of his body caught up with the change, Naruto saw Sasuke's ebony locks turn long and gray while his porcelain skin turned ashen.
"Sasuke, get down here!" the blond called out.
"Naruto?" Sasuke looked up in confusion. He couldn't see a damn thing now, but it was too late to react as he heard Rhage speeding towards him. Seconds later, Rhage slammed into him, knocking the breath from Sasuke's lungs. The two become entangled with each other, rolling across the sky.
Back on the ground, Naruto had channeled much of his chakra into his right hand. It grew and stretched into an enormous claw, one that was headed upwards. Rhage now held Sasuke by its snake tail, which was wrapped around the raven's leg while his human hands were busy forming more hand signs.
Aiming carefully, Naruto was about to swat at Rhage when the ground beneath him began to shake. Giant talons of earth shot upwards wrapping around the blond, and brought him crashing into the snow. His focus and chakra disrupted, Naruto's attack dissipated in nothing.
Rhage heard the one below muffling curses in the snow while the other's fear and panic grew. He'd make these two suffer quickly, then go after her.
OoOOoO
"What the hell is going on out there," Sasori demanded.
"I suppose my pet is having some fun," Karin smiled viciously. "But you needn't worry about that," she cooed, crossing the room towards the redhead. She brought an arm up and slid the back of her hand across his tanned cheek. "You have your own problems."
"Don't touch me," Sasori said evenly, slapping Karin's hand away from him. She let out an amused laugh, turning back away and heading towards the steel door.
"You know, I haven't used this for quite some time now, but for some reason, it seems to fit for you." She opened the door and pulled out a wooden box that sat upon a wheeled cart. The humming had grown louder; its source being whatever was contained in that box. Karin parked it right in front of Sasori. The redhead was grim but never looked away. "Enjoy your spirit now, for I will break it into a million pieces." Karin laughed and pulled open the cover to the box. Sasori paled for now he knew.
OoOOoO
End of Chapter 13
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