Chapter * drum roll please * 5!
I AM SOOO STOKED!
Don't ask me y cause I really don't know.
PS. Only Sakura knows about Kyuubi from their generation besides Naruto. And if my biology reference is wrong well sue me(not really) but my mom teaches bio so I must know something…right?
Anyway :P
Disclaimer:
Shikamaru: You know the word disclaimer kinda already speaks for itself
Me: I know but typing weird stuff after it is all in the fanfic writing experience
Naruto: Yea Shikamaru lighten up
Shikamaru: You do know she's just trying to distract you long enough that you forget Sakura's dead. Right Naruto?
Naruto: …,…,…..WHHHHHAAAATTTT!
Me : …Well I think we all know I don't own Naruto that's Kishimoto's job!...Later!*runs*
Naruto: Jayenator come back here!*runs after poor innocent Jayenator*
~Last time on 'The Lost Clan'~
"They must want to separate us. Strategically that is the most logical move."
Shino started in an even quieter and possibly more threatening whisper than Suonyo "Are you insinuating… that we were wrong in assuming that I could restrain you if need be?"
She felt something stir within her at their close proximity which both ninja were very aware of.
Naruto clutched his head in agony and felt a cool liquid dribbled down the side of his hands. 'I must…protect my-my friends!'
"Naruto's rushing Sakura with a katana!"
"No!"He shouted swiping his hands at Sakura's outstretched ones
"I know you're not Sakura…because Sakura is DEAD. She told me so!"
For what seemed like an hour, but was only a few minutes everyone in the tent stood. Frozen in their spots. Totally stunned at Naruto's outburst. All eyes were instantly glued to Sakura's disbelieving face. Sakura took a slow step forward. Apparently that was all her colleagues needed to break them out of their stupor. Sakura stood shaking her head back and forth slowly as if willing her friends to believe it was really her.
In a shaky voice, just above a whisper, Sakura stated, "Naruto. Please, Naruto. You- you can't really think…that I" Sakura looked towards her long time team mate and most importantly her best friend with fear evident in her gaze.
'Could he have really suffered such bad head trauma that some voice in his head is causing him to go insane? It may even have made him bipolar.'
"Naruto" stated Kiba with hands outstretched in an act of peace "You know it's me man you can trust me. Trust us." Said Kiba as he slowly took a few steps towards Naruto's frazzled form.
"Don't you think the guy with the heightened senses would be able to tell whether or not our Sakura's the real deal? If she was an enemy she could've easily killed you while you were K.O'ed for those few hours. Instead she spent that time desperately trying to revive you." Persuaded Kiba
Naruto's firm resolve faltered slightly under his friend's words that seemed full of sincerity. But no. Still…why would Ino, the squad captain and basically the one in charge of all their lives lie to him like that? Ino would never play such a heartless joke. So then why?
Naruto hesitantly looked down at his hands pondering the mystery before him. Surely Kiba must be mistaken. After all…wouldn't an organization like the Akatsuki need him alive to extract the Bijuu. That has to be it! That's why they need me alive. And Sakura and I once fought what we thought was Itatchi but turned out to be an innocent civilian cloaked by an extremely high level transformation jutsu…But surely the technique couldn't fool an Inuzuka's nose or an Aburame's chakra sensitive bugs.
Suddenly Naruto's heart rate sped up exponentially and his head started pounding as he fell onto one knee tensing his arms, one supporting his weight the other locked onto his face and he let out a pained whimper. Sakura leapt forward pass Kiba and proceeded to scan Naruto's body for the source of his pain with Ino soon joining her.
"No no no!" cried a now frantic Naruto.
"Sakura you don't think that maybe his sudden stress and aggravation of his wounds could have-
"Sent him into a state of critical shock thereby making his already damaged cranium go into over drive and possibly undoing the previous clotting of his wound?" responded Sakura un wrapping the gauze over his head while Ino moved her chakra covered hands over his head. Ino's only sign of response was a slight nod of her head.
"Okay Ino you need to move aside for a second and hold him still." Commanded Sakura who was now in full medic mood
'This is do or die time. Naruto needs me now probably more than ever. I just hope the books I covered on neurosurgery prove to be good enough. One false slip and I could permanently damage his brain function. However…if I do nothing and the bleeding spreads any further it could just be enough to kill him by shutting off his medulla oblongata which means he would suffocate himself to death.'
"Okay Ino we need to lay him down on the bed here. Kiba!"
"Yes ma'am."
"I need you to hand me certain things when I ask for them got it? They're in the scroll right next to you."
"Right" replied Kiba who deftly got Sakura's scroll and released the medical utensils inside.
"Alright right now I need a scalpel Kiba. In order to slow down the bleeding and stop it from reaching the major arteries I need to direct the blood flow away from the wound and relieve some of the pressure on his brain." Explained Sakura
Kiba handed Sakura the small blade and she proceeded to make the incision. Ino was skeptical at best as to whether her friend could save her teammate's life but now was not the time to doubt Sakura's skills which far surpassed her own.
" Kiba, I need you to pass me that syringe. Also, see if there are any clean towels among those items in the scroll. We need to help absorb the access blood so Sakura can see what she's doing!" said Ino
"Sure thing Ino. Anything to help."
Ino proceeded to inject Naruto with the sickly green coloured liquid inside the needle and his body slowly relaxed as the sedative slowly ran through his veins and the pain killers helped numb the throbbing from within his skull.
Once Sakura was able to redirect the blood flow the trio worked tirelessly for two hours, Kiba dabbing at the wound and injecting Naruto when instructed and Ino and Sakura using their chakra to slowly thread back together the open wound. Almost like using their chakra as stitches.
"Ahh!" Ino's abruptly shrieked as she swiftly pulled back her hands like they were just burnt.
"Ino?" came Sakura's questioning glance. But all Ino could do was look intently from her hands back to the boy's head
"Hey Ino what's up?"asked Kiba
"I dunno but I just suddenly felt like my skin was being seared and this evil aura appeared out of nowhere." answered Ino
"Huh? Okay now I know you're crazy Ino." Replied Kiba
"You're probably just tired Ino." Said Sakura's calm voice "Go to sleep okay? You've got to lead the team tomorrow back to the village. You should go too Kiba. I'm almost done here."
"Wha-but…Sakura." Complained Kiba
"No Kiba, she's probably right I mean just look at what happened to me just now. We're no use to Sakura if we're too tired to perform. Plus we'll need you and Akamaru full of energy to be able to carry Naruto back to the village. I don't think he's in any shape to travel by foot." Reasoned Ino.
"Yea. I guess you're right. We are feeling kinda drowsy. C'mon Akamaru."
Ino had already gotten up and went outside but just before Kiba exited the tent.
"Kiba?" started Sakura "wasn't there someone else who needed healing?"
"Oh, yea right. Um I'll go tell him he can come soon...And Sakura" Kiba said when he noticed Sakura's worried glance. "Naruto will be fine. He always pulls through."
As soon as Kiba left Sakura let go a sigh she wasn't aware she was holding in. Unbeknownst to Ino and Kiba, Sakura had picked up on Kyuubi's subtle chakra increase flowing through to Naruto's wound. Thankfully he helped to speed up the process but Sakura couldn't help but wonder why the chakra hurt Ino and had no effect on her. Soon Naruto's healing was done and Sakura could take a breather until her next 'patient' arrived. Unsuspectingly some of Kyuubi's chakra began to seep out from Naruto's hands.
After a short minute Sakura felt herself gravitate back towards the boy she had just healed. Her right hand drifted towards Naruto's chest and she let out a slight gasp as his seal became visible before her. She felt drawn by some unseen force to bear down her hand onto his seal which was faintly pulsing with an eerie red glow. Naruto's eyes were still cloudy from the effects of the sedative and he didn't comprehend what was happening until he felt a force draw him into his mindscape where the Kyuubi's wicked grin greeted him.
Naruto was, at first confused, but soon he registered the familiar surroundings of the Kyuubi's realm within his seal.
"Nani? Whadda hell do you want Kyuubi! I was about to take a nice nap or something." Complained Naruto
"Sorry kit didn't mean to upset your beauty sleep." Came Kyuubi's raspy reply
"Damn fox" muttered Naruto with his hands across his chest and a sour expression on his face
Naruto could sense the chuckle threatening to escape through the beast's lips and it did nothing to help him understand his situation. That was when a slight shimmer seemed to appear near Naruto's left and the water there seemed to dissipate. Soon Sakura's faint form was made clear, yet to Naruto it seemed as if he was looking at her through a fog.
"Eh! Sakura-chan!" exclaimed Naruto. He quickly rushed to her ghostly form and attempted to touch her only for his hand to slip through her apparently non-existent body. At this revelation Naruto began frantically calling out to Sakura while waving his hands in front of her to try and gain her attention.
"Sakura? Sakura-chan! Sakura!"
"Enough!" Kyuubi's voice reverberated throughout the cellar like mindscape expansecausing Narutoto stand stock still
"The pink haired vixen can neither see nor hear you Naruto. I have entered into her mindscape in order to...examine a certain aspect of hers." Grinned Kyuubi
"What are you up to fox! If you hurt her I swear I'll-
"Oh please kit! Why would I hurt the only one who gives me daily entertainment?"
"You-you PERVERT!"
"Eh! What no-Naruto I didn't mean-!"
Alas Kyuubi's tries to defend himself fell on deaf ears as Naruto rushed towards Kyuubi's cage scream profanities at the fox.
"Stupid hentai watching, pervert. Like a peeking tom and-"
"Listen kit I just meant the bodily harm she causes you with her punches! I mean you guys could really make a show out of it or-."
"Now you want us to make a porn movie! Stinking kitsune!"
It was then that another figure began to shimmer near to where Sakura now stood. A loud shout resounded in Naruto's mind.
"SHANNARO!" screamed inner Sakura and Naruto desperately clutched his head once again in pain.
"Whaaattt now?"
To say Sakura was mystified was an understatement. At first she felt a great emptiness within herself as her hand rested on Naruto's seal. The next thing she knew she was trudging through a totally weird landscape that seemed to be covered in water and grime and just plain grossness. Despite this she could still feel her body gravitating her towards a large room full of golden pipes along the walls. The most striking thing that caught her attention was the large golden gate posts and the darkness beyond that threatened more than invited her in.
As she moved slowly towards it she sudden froze.
"A golden gate with golden pipes? I must be dreaming…or I'm in heaven somehow. I mean the golden gates fit. Huh what do you think? Inner?" leaning her hand on her hip she stood back and focused on the black expanse
While Sakura pondered the lack of response from her usually hyper active inner being and the bizarre situation she was currently in two glowing blood thirsty eyes suddenly made themselves known.
"So you just gonna stand there cause I don't have all day little vixen."
To say Sakura felt like she was experiencing an understatement was also an understatement. There she was, a lowly medic nin from Konoha Gakure no Sato having a literal stare down with the renowned Kyuubi no Yoko. In case you mightn't have guessed she was very far from winning.
"Y-y-y. You're t-the. The- K-K-ky."
"Oh come on now. You're practically giving the Hyuuga heiress a run for her money." Kyuubi rose to his full height and looked down upon the trembling kunoichi before him, all joking manner aside.
"In truth girl, I expected better from you."
'What the hell does he expect from me!"
No matter what thought was running through her head deep down Sakura knew what the Kyuubi was insinuating. She felt weak.
'Well no more! I made a promise to myself. To Naruto, that I wouldn't be useless anymore. That I wouldn't get in their way…that I wouldn't get left behind and damnit I intend to keep that promise Kyuubi no Yoko or not!'
Sakura could feel her chakra move within her veins . Calling to her. Telling her to show the demon before her what she could really do. Stretching from her core to the very tips o her fingers…until.
"SHANNARO!"
Sakura quickly dodged through the water to her left, rolled and took out a kunai in self defense only to notice a figure that looked almost exactly like her had materialized a few inches from her previous location. The figure appeared to be a black and white interpretation of the young kunoichi, with silver eyes and grey gloves, white hair and skin and a black headband.(basically just how they depict Sakura in the manga, I could even go as far to say this is her inner hollow*coughbleachcough*)
The figure suddenly turned towards Sakura with a menacing gleam in her eye and a fire burning from her soul.
"Well!" asked inner Sakura hands suddenly on her hips, looking at Sakura as if she was a little kid about to get reprimanded. "Are we gonna take out this asshole, pompous, son-of-a-bitch or not!CHA!"
"Please, please tell me you or not my inner." Sakura mused all the while this 'bleached out' version of herself was busy perfecting her fist pumps.
Kyuubi "…..*sweat drop*" proceeding to look at Sakura weirdly simply starts to question the sanity of this situation.
Finally coming out of his stupor he questions "…Well…I don't suppose you could explain this." His gaze fixedly upon Sakura's equally seat dropping form
"Trust me this is too weird even for me." Replied Sakura "If I had to guess I suppose she's a bloodline limit but I never talked to her besides when she was in my head."
"Just the fact that you didn't think the talking to her part in the first place was weird just goes to show how credible your word is pertaining to weird things." Stated Kyuubi in a manner of fact tone.
Both Sakura's eyebrows can be seen subtly twitching in that instant. When suddenly the original Sakura had a sickly sweet smile on her face while the other one grinned at her.
"I'm sorry Kyuubi but…it almost sounded like you were insinuating something about my mental state of mind." She said in her most innocent voice
"No way girl you must have heard wrong. Right Kyuubi?" Inner Sakura sent Kyuubi a menacing glare and began cracking her knuckles suggestively.
"Ohhh…..?" came Kyuubi's reply "I had always assumed that you still retained your basic hearing…I guess you're just more coughinferiorcough than I had first thought."
It was at that moment that both Sakura's simultaneously lost it and began pummeling Kyuubi's paws and jumping up, making their way towards his head
"That damn stinking FOX!"
~Naruto's mindscape~
"What the HELL Kyuubi! Do you have a death wish I should know about?" asked Naruto from where he was currently viewing the unsheathed fury of his best friend.
"Relax kit…" With an evil grin he explained "It's all part of the plan."
That was when Naruto observed that a portion of Kyuubi's chakra, that appeared invisible to Sakura herself, seemed to slither around her, encasing both her and her inner in a large chakra bubble as they desperately tried to hurt the king of demons.
"What plan? And what are you doing to them! Your chakra, it's…it's. Well I don't know what it's trying to do but there's no way I'm leaving until I find out!"
A long sigh escaped Kyuubi's mouth and his eyes dimmed slightly with a subtle sadness that, if not for Naruto's many visits to the fox, he wouldn't have noticed.
"Kyuubi?"
"I'm sorry Naruto but…I had hoped to keep this from you for awhile longer. If I didn't have to go through your psyche to reach the girl then you wouldn't have had to see this."
Naruto stood confused at the sudden change in Kyuubi's emotions. Kyuubi decided to take this time to lower his head to Naruto's height and look him dead in the eye.
"Naruto. There will come a time, as with all jinchuuriki's, when you will take on the chemical imbalances caused from the type of animal sealed within you. The two tails jinchuuriki had attacked all wild animals unfortunate to get too close that were not related to the cat within. Killer bee almost drowned trying to hibernate in an underwater cave. When it comes Gaara's turn he will most likely go on a self preservative rage. These are all according to the animal's different natures which are usually self preservative defense…or more commonly, as with foxes, you will feel the strong urge to find a mate…and, under go in more human terms…sexual relations."
"No…" stared Naruto in disbelief "You don't mean-"
"Yea kit. You won't be able to resist. It's like going into heat. I could've let you terrorize Konoha which could traumatize the villagers and cause unfathomably detrimental results. Or. I could mark a female appropriately compatible for you to mate with."
"NO! She doesn't even like me like that Kyuubi! But if I'm so out of control….what if-oh Kami. What if I rape her Kyuubi?"
"You have to trust me Naruto. This is for the best."
"Kyuubi STOP! Take back your chakra please!" begged Naruto , almost on the brink of tears
"I'm sorry kit."
"Please Kyuubi; I could never forgive myself if I hurt her."
"I know. But, it's already too late…the process has just been completed."
Suddenly both Sakura and Naruto could sense a pulling sensation as their physical bodies returned to them.
Meanwhile, a red mark, in the shape of three claws appeared on the back of Sakura's neck and disappeared into her skin. Her body suddenly arose from lying down next to Naruto's body.
"Wow. That was some -"
Sakura woke up just in time to see Naruto's seal pulse one last time before fading back to black and finally disappearing back into his skin.
She slowly moved her eyes back to his face to find that even in his drugged state his eyes were piercing right into hers with emotions of sadness.
Worriedly Sakura placed her hand on his shoulder and carefully whispered "Naruto? Can you hear me? What's wrong?"
The only response she got was a slight smile on Naruto's face that was soon replaced by some other indiscernible emotion before he turned his head away in anger.
Before Sakura could comment on his odd behaviour Kiba came in to the tent with his prisoner at hand.
"Sakura?" Kiba asked uncertainly seeing her propped up so close to her teammate.
Enji's only thought was to raise his eye at the male before focusing on the concerned medic nin before him.
"I'm fine Kiba." Said Sakura slowly raising herself from the ground and walking towards her next patient.
"You must be one of the ninjas that the others are going on about. I'm Haruno Sakura." She extended his hand towards him in an act of peace. That was when Kiba untied him and he did the same.
"Chan Enji." Replied Senji "It's an honor to meet the Hokage's most talented apprentice. I've heard much about you."
It was time for Sakura's eyebrow to slightly raise as well.
"Right well just lie down on the sheet next to Naruto and I'll be with you in a moment."
Sakura and Kiba went to the far side of the tent where Sakura's bags were to have a little discussion.
"So Kiba, any info on this guy or what?" asked Sakura who was reaching for something in her bag.
"All I know is that he claims to be one of us. He's decent enough but his sister is one really bitc-"
"Kiba." Sakura fixed him with a hard look
"Hey" he said with arms up in defense "I'm just saying it like it is. Anyway we have no idea what they're capable of. All we know is that he needs help, the girl seems pretty healthy to me so I guess we can wait till we get back to the village before she gets looked at. Anyway Ino said I should sleep in here. With me and Akamaru's ears we would hear if he tried something funny."
"Well I guess that's a good idea as any." Sakura finally fished her arm from her bag and popped a soldier pill into her mouth.
"Uh, are you sure that's a good idea Sakura?"
"I'm running low on chakra as it is Kiba and with two unknown ninja sleeping among us I've got to be prepared to fight should the time come."
With that Sakura turned her back to Kiba who was preparing to sleep and went to check on Enji. After dealing with the surface wounds she ran a complete diagnostic on his body. What she found was hardly anything comforting.
"Your body." Gasped Sakura with wide eyes.
"Is the poisoning really that bad?" asked Senji sheepishly
Sakura peered at him oddly " You knew? But how? Why didn't you alert us sooner?"
"Well you guys seemed kinda busy and I couldn't afford to panic my sister. She's in a very fragile state of mind as it is. If she knew how badly I am-
"How bad you are!" exclaimed Sakura "It's a wonder you're still alive at all. This poison whatever it is, is decaying your organs from the inside. Your spleen's already gone and it's working on your kidneys. There's- I can't do anything to stop it. Not with the tools at hand. We have to get you back to the village."
At that instant Senji began a horrible coughing fit. It was hard to not notice the blood running down his chin.
"I'm guessing my lungs won't fare any better then?" he said light heartedly
"This isn't anything to joke about!"
"Sakura what's up?" Kiba asked urgently
"Pass me my scroll from earlier Kiba."
Taking out another syringe and a bottle of yellow liquid Sakura got some into the syringe and inserted it near to Senji's heart.
"The only thing I can do for you is to slow your metabolic rate so that it can't spread as quickly. We won't be able to do anymore till we get to Konoha and even then your odds of surviving are slim at best." Said Sakura gravely
"I figured as much. Thanks anyway Haruno-san, and by the way." He said groggily
"Yes" said Sakura urging him to continue
"You can't tell-tell my sister. Don't let her know how ill- ill i- I am …"
"Sakura, what-?"
"Don't worry Kiba it's just the medicine. It'll knock him out for awhile but in the meantime go back to sleep. We can't transport these two tomorrow without you and Akamaru at full speed."
"Fine but what about you?"
"I have to stay awake with Naruto. If he stays up till morning then at least we know the concussion isn't as bad as it looks."
"Alright but if you need help just call me or Ino and we'll help."
"Thanks Kiba."
As Sakura sat watchfully next to her injured teammate and Enji she couldn't help but notice the slight similarities in their facial structures.
Naruto's cloudy eyes seemed to be gazing lazily at a world that wasn't there. Unbeknownst to Sakura he was having the biggest internal meltdown of his life.
What's up with Kyuubi? How did Senji do this? What's up with Suonyo and Shino's pasts and most importantly what is Shino hiding? All this and more next time!
Yea so I figured it's time to actually introduce a bit of the plot you know…that's what stories are for
Naruto: Well it's about time
Ino: I gotta agree with him on this one you know jay it kinda did take you awhile.
ME: yea well who asked you? at least i managed to make it TWICE as long
Shika: She does have a point there
Anyway expect more twists in the next chap. introducing the great toad sage himself JIRAIYA! And some parental action in there 2! Did I mention the sound army or Akatsuki yet? No id don't think so so I'll try and put them in there 2