It was a rescue mission.
They were going to save Sasuke.
They had gotten information, telling them where Orochimaru's newest base was located.
Naruto had begged, and pleaded, and made himself a general nuisance, until Tsunade had agreed to send a team to investigate. If only to shut him up.
Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura.
Kakashi for tactics.
Naruto for brute force…and the occasional flash of brilliant insight, but don't tell him I said that.
Sakura for their medic. No one was naïve enough to think they would get out of this uninjured.
When they entered the snake's lair, immediately, something felt…wrong.
It was eerily silent in the tunnels, and the very air was oppressive. It wasn't the usual aura of evil that tended to permeate the typical Orochimaru lair.
This was something else.
-Jyaki?- the Kyuubi murmured.
'What's jyaki?' Naruto asked.
The fox ignored him. -It couldn't be jyaki…not with the Makai barrier up…and those damned detective.-
The team moved through the underground complex cautiously, always on the lookout for Kabuto or the snake-Sannin himself.
And, then, they reached a door, from which the odd aura seemed to be emanating.
Kakashi motioned for his team to be on their guard, and cracked open the door. After a moment, he stepped inside, the other two shinobi following.
Sakura gasped, as she registered the occupant of the room. Surely, no one could lose that much blood and still be alive.
But, sure enough, the boy was breathing. He shifted slightly, hissing as the chains he wore cut further into his wrists.
Immediately, Sakura was wrenching the lock off the cell, and rushing to the boy's side.
"What-" he began, voice rough, but then, he saw her. "You!"
She was surprised at the recognition she heard. She'd never met this boy before, had she? Was he, perhaps, a shinobi from another village, and he had seen her entry in the Bingo Book? His next words confused her.
"You little idiot! You have to go!"
She frowned. "You're obviously ill. I can't leave you in your condition. And, besides, we'll be fine, with them here to-" She turned to gesture at her team, and was stunned into silence.
They were surrounded.