Regarding all you people who are angry about chapter 9…tough luck. It's an awesome chapter. It's my fic, not yours. Anyway, now that THAT's outta the way… I give you an ACTUAL chapter.
Chapter 10: Home sweet Hell
Kaoshi stirred in from his artificially induced nap. He felt like he had been drinking for the past three days straight. He looked around trying the rub the grogginess away. He was in a holding cell. There was a chakra absorption seal on the door.
"Fuck…" he looked at his waste. "Of course." His blade was gone. The cell looked familiar. He looked at the wall and grimaced as old memories resurfaced. On the wall were several scratches representing days. There had been exactly 2,195 scratches. Six years and five days. "He thinks he can break me." Kaoshi said to himself. He looked down. "He's probably right…" he said gravely. "Welcome back to hell…" he said to himself.
To Naruto and HinataNaruto slowly woke up after being incapacitated by Sasuke. "Ugh…" He said to himself. "Where the Hell am I?" He was in the corner of a cell looking out. "Dammit…" He looked to his right, "I wonder where everyone else is…" he turned his head to the right.
"SHI-!" he was greeted by the face of a still unconscious Hinata. This was the third time he woke up to her face right next to his. This time, however, was different. There were steel bars between their faces. Naruto flicked the metal bar. "Ow…" The bar resonated a little. "Why is it that we always end up together…?" Naruto sighed as he looked around again. "Doesn't look to promising at the moment…" Next to him, Naruto heard something move. It was Hinata.
"Neh Hina-chan…" Naruto said in a subdued manner. "Glad to see you're all right."
"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata said still half asleep. "W-where are we?"
"I haven't the slightest." Naruto said trying to fake a smile. "But I'm sure we'll be fine…" Hinata instantly noticed the lack of sincerity in his smile.
"You don't know do you Naruto-kun?"
"Wha-?" She saw through him so easily.
"How the-?" Naruto asked himself confused. "How did she see through me so easily?"
"Hina-chan…" He looked at her, his face turned slightly red. "What's this feeling?" He continued to look into the almost lavender eyes of the girl sitting next to him. "I can't put my finger on it…"
"N-Naruto-kun?" she asked concerned. "A-are you okay?" Naruto snapped back into reality.
"Huh? What?" he said shaking his head. "I must still be groggy…"
"It's okay Naruto-kun." She said. Naruto looked at her again
"There it is again…that feeling…""Thanks Hina-chan," he said with a real smile. She responded with her usual blush.
"To be honest Naruto-kun." Hinata said shakily, "I'm scared. What's going to happen to us?" she leaned over and buried her head into her knees.
"Hina-chan," Naruto said. He reached through the bars and places his hand on top of hers. "Everything will be fine." He smiled. "I promise."
"N-Naruto-kun." Hinata said with a smile. "R-right…"
"Aww, how touching." Said the second to last voice he had heard. Naruto turned and glared at his former comrade.
"Sasuke…" Naruto stood and rushed to the door. "HOW COULD YOU DO IT SASUKE!" Naruto grabbed the door. A flash of light sent him flying back into the wall. "Wha-?"
"Chakra binding seal." Sasuke said. "And since you REEK of chakra, you will hardly be able to move." Sasuke chuckled maniacally.
"You bastard." Naruto spit at him.
"I wouldn't do that Naruto-kun." Sasuke retorted. "I have the keys." He said grinning. "AND…" he continued. "…Orochimaru-sama has given me permission to do what I wish with the prisoners."
"Do what you want to me, I don't care."
"It wasn't YOU I was referring to." He looked over at Hinata. "I had something else in mind…" Hinata drew back shaking.
"Sasuke!" Naruto leapt up. "If you so much as TOUCH her…" Sasuke chuckled and started to walk away.
"Just keep this in mind Naruto." He opened the door, "I own you." Sasuke left. His maniacal laughter was audible for a few more moments. It was like poison to Naruto.
"N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata said gently.
Naruto sat in shock. How could this have happened? Sasuke was his closest friend, he had even said so himself…so why was he acting this way?
Naruto was terribly upset. Hinata or anyone else for that matter could tell. She was the only one there to comfort him, but she didn't know how. He had done so much for her. All she wanted was to do something for him in return, and finally she got the chance, and can't do a thing.
The rest of the day past in the same manner. Naruto's confidence seemed nonexistent, Hinata tried to get up the courage to say something but failed each time, and Kaoshi sat in his cell looking at the ground. He had already added a mark to the wall.
"2,196…" he said to himself.
Back in Konoha"Tsunade-sama." Gai said knocking on the Hokage's half open door. Gai stepped in to see the village leader neck-deep in paperwork.
"O-oh Gai-kun." She said rather frantically. "I'm sorry I'm fairly busy at the moment. Can it wait?"
"I'm sorry Hokage-sama, but it can't." Gai said gravely. He motioned down to a dog at his feet. "If you would Pakkun." The dog nodded.
"Greetings Hokage-sama," it said. "As you are probably aware, I am Pakkun." It made a little doggy bow and continued. "Kakashi summoned me at the beginning of the mission to the Lightning Country in case something happened."
"I see…" Tsunade said resting her head on her hands, "What news have you?"
"I was just getting to that." The dog said bitterly. "I regret to inform you that Kakashi, Naruto, Lee, Tenten, and Hinata have all been captured by Orochimaru and are being kept in the Sound Country's dungeons."
"WHAT!" yelled Tsunade. "How did this happen!"
"They were ambushed," the small animal said bluntly. "By a young man who calls himself Uchiha Sasuke."
"Sasuke beat ALL of them!" Tsunade yelled in surprise.
"No, he distracted the party with a staged attack. After they had won, Sasuke used a rain of tranquilizer darts to knock them out."
"I see…" Tsunade said gravely. "This isn't good." She looked at Gai. "Gai."
"Hai Hokage-sama!" he said snapping to attention.
"No one but us three are to know of this, understood?"
"Hai!"
"Good." Tsunade started writing on a small piece of paper. After she finished she handed it to Gai and said, "Go find me these nin and bring them to me ASAP."
"Hai Hokage-sama!" Gai bolted from the door. He looked at the list. It had the names and addresses of several shinobi on it.
Haruno Sakura
Hyuuga Neji
Nara Shikamaru
Inuzuka Kiba
Gai arrived at Sakura's house first. He knocked on the door. Sakura's mother answered.
"Hello," she said pleasantly. "May I help you?"
"Greetings Haruno-san." Gai said with a slight bow. "I wish to speak with Sakura-chan. Might she be home?"
"Yes, hold on." Her mother turned around and yelled. "Sakura! There's some ninja man here to see you!" Thumping could be heard from upstairs as Sakura ran from her room. She rushed to the door.
"Gai-sensei?" she asked confused. "What are you doing here?"
"The 5th wishes to see you immediately."
"Hai!" She gave a nod.
"Excellent." Gai said. He turned and started towards Nara Shikamaru's house. He arrived and knocked on the door.
His mother answered.
"What do you want?" she said.
"I need to speak to your son please." He said giving a bow. "It's rather urgent."
She sighed. "SHIKAMARU!" the sudden yell surprised Gai. "GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE! THERE'S SOMEONE HERE TO SEE YOU!"
Moments later Shikamaru came up to the door.
"Jeez mom, do you have to yell so loudly?" he said sarcastically. "I think that the 1st heard you."
"I wouldn't have to yell if you just listened the first time." She motioned towards Gai, "Here."
"What's up Gai-sensei?"
"The 5th needs to see you as soon as possible."
"Whatever." Shikamaru said, "I'll be there shortly."
"Good." Gai ran down to Kiba's house and knocked on the door. Kiba answered.
"Hmm? Why are you here Gai-sensei?"
"The 5th would like to see you in her office as soon as possible."
"Kay." He said, "C'mon Akamaru. The 5th wants to see us."
Gai smiled and ran towards the Hyuuga house. He intentionally saved this one for last because he knew that it wouldn't be any fun.
When he arrived at the gates of the giant clan house, he shuddered. He hated the thought of going in there. Despite his unhappiness, Gai knocked on the steel gate in front of him. Shortly a member of the Hyuuga clan approached him.
"What do you want?"
"I need to speak to Hyuuga Neji-san." Gai said with a bow.
"Hmph." Said the man behind the gate. "Come in and wait while I look for him." The giant metal gate swung open. "Come."
Gai reluctantly went in. He was seated at a table in the center room. Gai waited several minutes before he saw Hiashi and Neji walk into the room. Gai cursed his luck for he was hoping to not have to deal with Hiashi.
"What do you want with Neji?" asked Hiashi coldly.
"The 5th wishes to speak with him." Gai said flatly.
"About?" he asked glaring at Gai with his icy eyes.
"A mission I'd suppose." Gai said pretending to not know anything.
"You suppose?"
"Yes."
"You don't know?"
"No."
"I hop you DO realize that you're wasting my time." Hiashi sneered. "I will not allow one of my clan to go on a mission without knowledge of the mission."
"I do not know any details." Said Gai hiding his frustration. "But this IS a direct order from Tsunade-sama herself…" he said letting his voice trail off. "If Neji does not attend then she will be quite upset."
"I don't care what her orders are." Gai grinded his teeth, this man was a child. An angry, old, very spoiled child.
"Hiashi-sama." Neji said with a formal bow. "I believe I should go see Tsunade-sama."
"What is the meaning of this Neji?" Hiashi asked coldly. "You know I will not allow you to go unless I know the details of the mission."
"Hai." Neji said with a nod. "I will report back here after the meeting and report to you what the mission entails." Neji continued. "If the mission is not to your liking, I will inform the Hokage of this and that will be that."
Hiashi considered for a moment before saying, "Fine. Go." He motioned for Neji to go.
"Arigato, Hiashi-sama." Gai said with a bow. Neji and Gai walked out of the clan house. "How do you stand living with that man Neji?"
Neji looked at Gai and said, "You see Gai-sensei, we of the Hyuuga clan are especially good at hiding."
"Yes, I know that…but what does that…" Gai's voice trailed off in realization.
"Now you know why."
At Tsunade's office
Tsunade sighed. She had, assembled in front of her, Sakura, Shikamaru, and Kiba and Akamaru. Gai must be having trouble with the Hyuugas again.
"I swear…" She said rubbing her temples. "They'll be the death of me…"
Sakura was about to ask Tsunade what she meant, but at that moment, Gai and Neji walked through the door.
"Good," Tsunade said pleasantly. "Everyone's here."
"Why exactly are we here Hokage-sama?" asked Shikamaru.
"Well, as some of you already know. We had recently sent Lee, Naruto, Tenten, and Hinata on a mission." The group nodded and Tsunade continued. "This mission was a diplomacy mission in order to gain an alliance with the Lightning Country."
"Wh-?" Sakura started to say but Tsunade cut her off.
"Save your comments till I'm finished." She said. "Now, as you may or may not know, to get to the Lightning country, one has to pass through the Sound country." She said surveying the expressions given by the young shinobi. "They made it through the country with little incident. However, as they continued onward, they were ambushed and taken captive."
"And that's where we come in right?" Shikamaru asked blandly.
"Yes." Tsunade said giving Shikamaru the "evil eye". "You are to free them and continue giving them support till the end of their mission."
"Yes Hokage-sama." They all said together.
"Excellent, your guide will be Pakkun." The dog jumped up into the table. "He will show you the way to where they are being held." She looked at them once again. "Understood?"
"Hai."
"Good. You will leave as soon as possible." Tsunade paused. "Tonight if it is possible."
"Hai Hokage-sama."
"Excellent." She said with a smile. "You are all dismissed."
The shinobi left Gai, Pakkun, and Tsunade alone.
"Are you sure they're up to it?"
"Yes." Tsunade said with a confident smile. "They're fighting to save their friends. What better motivation is there?"
"I suppose…" Gai said still unsure. "They're all still inexperienced though."
"Since when has THAT ever stopped them?"
"Good point." Gai said.
"I'll go wait at the gates…" said Pakkun as he jumped off Tsunade's desk.
"Fine." Said Tsunade, waving him out. "You should go too Gai. I have a load of paper-work to do."
"Hai Tsunade-sama." He started to leave.
"And Gai." Gai turned around, "Don't worry. That's an order." Gai faked a smile.
"Of course Tsunade-sama." Gai didn't like the prospect of having his entire team on such a dangerous mission without him. He left and headed home.
Later that day!
"Is everyone ready?" Pakkun asked.
"Yup," Shikamaru said.
"Hai." Said Sakura
"We're ready." Kiba said, Akamaru barked in agreement.
"I am too." Said Neji.
"All right," Pakkun said. "I hope you realized the danger and importance of this mission." They all looked at the small talking dog. "If we fail, not only do we die, but your friends as well." He narrowed his little-dog eyes and added, "To make things worse, but we also lose our chance at diplomacy with the Lightning Country. So, I'd like us to not only come home with our five friends, but also with the reassurance of an allegiance with the Village Hidden in the Clouds." He turned around and added. "Do I make myself perfectly clear?"
"Hai Pakkun…kun." The four said awkwardly.
"Good, now let's go save us some friends!" the four shinobi and the talking dog walked out of the Konoha gates, each of them determined to bring their friends home in one piece.
Hey. Yeah. It's me. Um. Stuff. Review it if you want…I'm just happy I made it this far. I guess I should thank you people for taking the time to read this, even the people who dislike chapter nine. (you people really need to develop a sense of humor) but thanks nonetheless. All right everyone, I'll get started on chapter 10 tomorrow and hopefully I'll have it done soon.