Hey guys! Don't you love slight cliff hangers? Yeah, I hate them too but at least I'm updating quickly. This story is nearing its end (cries in a corner) and so I don't want to leave my loyal followers hanging much longer no matter how much I try. So here's the next chapter, enjoy and R&R PLEASE!
Chapter thirteen
The search had been going on for two month already. They weren't in Ryuugakure or the Land of Wood, the forces were tiring from Konoha and Suna was helping out as best as possible, the other countries saying they would keep a look out for her or any of the men and girls they're after.
Naruto sat on her bed, playing with the spiky necklace she had given him for his birthday, it was made in the same coloured crystal as his necklace he lost from Tsunade just with spikes after the two balls on each side of the crystal. She had said it could never replace the one he had but it would be a reminder of it and his bet he made with Tsunade with her own flare to it.
He had been pretty exhausted after sending out thousands of clones each day to look for her and it was wearing his energy down but he knew he couldn't give up, he knew she wouldn't and didn't give up looking for him when she saved him that one time. The Hyuuga and Inuzuka clans have been doing everything in their power to find her and weren't giving up easily even when Tsunade considered calling off the search, they refused as did the rookies and their senseis.
"Naruto… I've made some food, you must eat." Kakashi said, sticking his head into her room. Naruto sighed and put his necklace on, stood up and headed into the kitchen to eat with Kakashi.
Skylar rolled over on the hard bed and fell of with a thud as she rubbed her head. Kabuto had finished his experiments on her a while ago now she was locked up in a cell that had been furbished by Kiiro who spent all of her time with Skylar. Yusei didn't even try to bother with them because even with the chakra suppressor, with Kiiro they were powerful enough to give him a nice beating.
She wasn't sure what Kabuto was doing or looking for in her but he did inject some things into her that were helping with her chakra recovery meaning soon enough she could break out of there and escape with Kiiro. Kiiro slammed Skylar's cell door open and cuddled straight into her lap and cried, Skylar was stunned but then tried to comfort the poor girl.
"Kiiro, what happened?" Skylar asked her. Kiiro choked back her sobs and raised her red face up to Skylar.
"Gin… She died… Kabuto-sama took her bijuu from her after she refused to be his subject and play toy… I'm afraid." Kiiro said in a small and scared voice as she tried to cuddle deeper into Skylar's arms. Skylar took a deep breath to calm her anger down… It looks like her plans will be moving up, she needed to escape now.
"Okay Kiiro, you remember what I said to you about leaving here and you could come with?" Skylar whispered to her and she nodded. "I'll need your help but we need to leave soon, is Kabuto planning on experimenting on me sometime soon?" Skylar asked, looking around to make sure no one was listening or watching.
"I… I heard him say… He wants to put niibi in you or Yusei…" She sobbed.
"He won't do Yusei, he's to old but he may risk trying me… Do you think you could get Yusei in here so I can cause a commotion?" Skylar asked and Kiiro nodded… Today, she would be getting out.
Back in Konoha, Naruto froze while eating his ramen Kakashi had made. Outside information from his clone entered his mind, he felt Skylar's chakra there, no mistake about it.
"I've found her." Naruto said after slurping up the rest of his noodles and swallowing quickly.
"What do you mean you found her?" Kakashi asked with hope and excitement as he pulled up his mask.
"I was attacked by that Yusei guy, coming out of a cave somewhere between Iwa and Suna. Let's get the team together and get her." Naruto said, finishing his ramen and standing up, heading to Tsunade's office with Kakashi.
Skylar's head slammed against a wall as she slumped down it, she wiped her bleeding lip with the back of her hand and he grabbed her neck and held her up against the wall off of the ground while Kiiro watched from the door. She stared defiantly at him as he did what he wanted to her as she squirmed away from his probing hands.
"I saw your boyfriend today." He teased. "He said he's happy that you're gone and out of his life for good and he'll never see you again." Yusei growled as he played with her body, still holding her up by her neck in one hand.
"Then tell me, why does his chakra call out to me every day Yu… I'm not stupid, I'm not thirteen anymore and under your control. I love Naruto and he loves me." Skylar said, feeling odd after she just admitted she truly loved him. "I love you too Yusei but you're not healthy for me or anyone else and so I'll end your suffering." Skylar said, stroking his face with soft eyes.
"What are yo…" He began but his eyes widened as Skylar removed her hand from his chest and powered down her Chidori. He let go of her neck and fell dead to the ground as Kabuto came rushing in and began yelling at Yusei's lifeless body, then his eyes filled with rage turned towards Skylar and she backed up a little.
"You bitch, I needed him." He growled out as a sick smile played across his face as he started towards her and grabbed her hair roughly and injected her with something that made her pass out.
She woke up on a metal table with the chakra suppressor digging painfully into her and the cuffs hurting and tight around her ankles and wrists as she looked around. Kiiro was sitting in a dark corner while Kabuto was moving around, gathering his tools to play with Skylar's body once again.
"So what are you planning this time Kabuto?" Skylar asked as her head whipped around to watch him moving around.
"I'm turning you into my new jinchuuriki. Since the treatments I've been giving you have worked, it's the perfect timing. Say hello to the niibi Skylar." He said, holding a large jar in front of her with a seal painted on it. She ignored him as he was moving around again and Skylar began humming her tune, Kiiro humming with her. She gritted her teeth as the first blade dug into her skin but kept the tune going as she flared her chakra and sent out Chidori Nagashi, taking out Kabuto who hit a wall with a sickening crack. She focused her lightning to break the chains and jumped off of the metal table, holding her stomach as she grabbed her shorts and tank top and threw them on. Kiiro came over and helped her quickly and tried to look around for some thread.
"There's no time, he's not dead yet." Skylar said, grabbing her hand with her free one and began running down the corridors, Kiiro leading her. They stopped by a metal door and Kiiro burst it open with a wind jutsu and ran in and slung her x-shaped strappings over her with her blade and scythe still attached and began running again.
They got to the exit but Kuro jumped in front of them with a defiant look. Skylar gripped her hand tighter as she ripped the spider like suppressor off of her stomach and dropped it, feeling her chakra returning to her instantly. Kuro threw a fireball at them and Skylar flared her chakra causing the building to explode from the power.
Naruto, Kakashi, Sasuke, Yamato, Sai and Sakura were running the area when there was a huge explosion nearby and the flare of chakra was felt and they made their detour towards it.
Skylar pushed the rubble off of her blade and stood up with Kiiro. Kuro was still standing there in her defiant pose, not willing to let them pass. Skylar could feel Naruto and them getting closer, they hadn't given up after all which made her smile that turned into a smirk. She coughed from the smoke and wiped the blood away with the pain she was feeling, She didn't have enough chakra to fight her head on with both bijuu, curse seal and sharingan and perhaps even Yusei's blood. Her wounds already taking a toll on her, she stood her ground, ready to attack again.
"Stop Kuro!" Kiiro begged, jumping in front of Skylar with her arms out. "Kabuto-sama has just been using us, he's not our home or even cares for us… Skylar has shown me what it means to care about someone and what I have always felt for Kabuto-sama is hate and I know you do too!" She shouted with tears streaming down her face. "Come with us please." She begged her sister as she took her hand in her other one and pulled her with Skylar, leaving half the building standing. The girls hooked her arms over their shoulders between them and ran towards where Skylar was guiding them.
Skylar pushed away from them and stopped them behind her, pushing away the kunai aimed for them with what little chakra she had left for the wind. They took it as a sign and Skylar hugged Naruto and collapsed in his arms as he lowered her to the floor and Sakura began healing her cuts and bruises.
"Kabuto's still in there and not impressed after I killed Yusei earlier, keep on your guard." Skylar warned them.
"I was so worried about you. I'm so sorry Skylar." Naruto said, hugging her gently from behind as she rested against his body.
"You still think so poorly of my skills Naruto-kun." She said with a small smile as she touched his face and looked behind her. He let out a wet laugh from emotion and let his tears fall this once. Skylar watched her rescue group being very weary around Kiiro and Kuro and Kiiro looked like she wanted to cry and watching Skylar. She held out her arm and Kiiro was hugging into her side in a second, Naruto and the rest of the group looking very confused as she lulled the girl to calm down.
"There, all fixed up now, let's go and get Kabuto." Sakura said, standing and cracking her knuckles.
"Not right now, he has a whole army under there of freaks from his failed experiments down there, completely loyal to him." Kuro said.
"She's right, we should regroup first and plan from there, now that he's lost his main pieces, he'll be making mistakes and screwing up a lot. Let's get back to Konoha and sort this out first." Kakashi said, pulling Skylar up as she helped Kiiro up as well and kept her close as the group began walking away. Skylar passed Kakashi a scroll and told him to keep it safe until they get back to Konoha and Sasuke took the rear behind Kuro as he's still suspicious of them. He saw Kuro twitch to look behind her and her sharingan eyes widened as it all happened in a split second, Kuro pushed Sasuke out of the way and she took a large bolt of lightning to the chest and collapsed, dead with a huge hole in her chest.
Skylar, Sakura and Kiiro were next to the fallen girl quickly but Sakura called it and let Kiiro cry over her fallen sister for a few minutes, everyone on high alert, wondering where the attack came from. Skylar pulled her away from her sister's body and Kakashi and Sasuke burnt the remains to ash and Skylar let the wind take it away. She sealed her blade and scythe in a scroll and carried the heartbroken girl on her back and fell asleep crying half way through the journey back to Konoha.
The group stood in Tsunade's office with Kiiro still sleeping on Skylar's back, not willing to let her go just yet.
"Well Done Team Yamato and Team Kakashi, the search has ended and Skylar is back safe and sound… How are you doing and what happened?" Tsunade asked carefully, knowing that kidnapped people don't come back the same.
"I'm fine Tsunade-sama, thank you for finding me. Kabuto has done something to me during his experiments but it hasn't affected me negatively but the exact opposite. I made friends with Kiiro here who realised Kabuto wasn't as great as he should be and she had been helping me during the two months. Kabuto extracted the niibi from Gin, you can give her the scroll Kakashi, in there is the niibi to be returned to Kumogakure after Kabuto tried to put it in me. I was forced to move my escape plans up and killed Yusei in the process… Kuro also died, sacrificing herself to save one of the team from a blast that came out of nowhere. That is all I have to report." Skylar explained calmly.
"I see… I am worried though, you're way to calm after everything that has happened to you but we will sort that out later… Now about that girl on your back, will she be a problem?" Tsunade asked harshly.
"She won't be a problem. Since the first day I was captured, we have gotten along and she has helped me anyway she could and I have helped her as well. She wants a better life. She will tell you anything you want to know if she knows it but you have to be gentle about the interrogation, Kabuto and Yusei have done a number on her and her pure and innocent soul has been tainted enough… And if you hurt her, I will make sure you pay." Skylar threatened as she let some killing intent free and her chakra enveloped the girl protectively.
"I will take your word to heart Skylar so calm down before you give my ANBU a heart attack." Tsunade said with slight amusement and Skylar calmed down again. "Wake the girl now so she's not frightened when she wakes up in a strange place." Tsunade asked carefully. Skylar nudged the girl on her back gently and she opened her eyes sadly and listened to Skylar and nodded timidly as Skylar put her on her feet gently and placed her hand in the waiting ANBU's hand.
"Go straight to Bird here if you feel scared and he will come and call me, okay? Now tell them everything they ask and if you don't know just say and everything will work out fine." Skylar said, hugging the slightly shorter girl again as she was led out by ANBU. "I need to sit down now." Skylar said, walking wobbly to the couch and collapsing on it, holding her dizzy head. She was pushed to lie down on the couch as she could feel the numbing feeling of medical jutsu on her stomach… Maybe it wasn't a good idea to just rip out a chakra suppressor. The couch was so comfortable that she fell asleep with a slight smile on her face.
"This girl must be insane to just rip out a chakra suppressor from her stomach, no wonder she passed out." Tsunade said, shaking her head as she watched Skylar sleeping happily.
"Well as we all know, we all do stupid things in desperate situations." Kakashi said with a carefree shrug.
"I think take her home to sleep and return to me tomorrow or when she wakes up so I can double check her condition and run some tests, also, I want her to have some therapy with Inoichi so we can have her back on duty as soon as possible… As for Kiiro, I'll put Ibiki and Anko on the case but warn them to go super easy on her if they don't want Skylar on their case. You're all dismissed until further notice." Tsunade said tiredly as she sat down in her chair again. Naruto picked Skylar up and noticed how light she was as he walked with Kakashi and Sasuke back to her apartment and lay her down in her bed.
Kakashi and Naruto relaxed in the kitchen a little later, sipping their tea, listening and feeling Skylar's surprisingly calm presence in the room over and felt relaxed for the first time in weeks.
"You know Naruto, I think you should move in with Skylar… Then I'll go and get my own apartment, you seem to spend more time here than your own house." Kakashi said to the blushing blonde who was staring at his tea.
"Skylar would miss you too much plus we can't cook and we'd be living on cup ramen for the rest of our lives." Naruto said with a sheepish laugh.
"Well then move in with Sasuke." Kakashi suggested.
"Oh hell no." Naruto said with a pathetically hidden smile as he sipped his tea.
"Besides, they'd kill each other over the first thing they argue about." Skylar said from the doorway to the kitchen. She smiled at their stunned looks and began making herself coffee and splitting her clumps of hair that had matted with blood as she waited for the kettle, leaning against the counter. "Besides, it's not a choice between you but of how we'd all fit in one apartment like this… I don't think Kashi-nii san would be happy about me sharing my room with my boyfriend." She said with a smirk, facing away from them as she finished making her coffee, sat down at the table and took a sip. "Oh my god, that's like heaven, you don't realise how much you miss something when you don't have it… Why so quiet?" She asked, taking another sip of her coffee and watching the two guys.
"Nothing, we just thought you'd be asleep for much longer than three, nearly four hours." Kakashi said, sipping his tea. "And you're completely right about the sharing your room thing." Kakashi added for good measure making her laugh. "How are you so calm after what has happened over the past two months?" Kakashi asked seriously and she wrapped her slightly shaking hands around her cup.
"I guess I just expect the worst out of every situation and if that doesn't happen then what's there to be sad or confused over, everything turned out better than you expected plus having experience of being kidnapped before helps. I'm safe and alive with my friends and family who are also okay and I made a new friend and asset to Konoha, there's nothing to be depressed over because I came out better than most people, that's how I see my situation." She said with conviction and smiling at them in the end.
"That's an interesting way of looking at things I guess but you still have stress on your mind from it." Kakashi said and Skylar smirked.
"When do I not have stress on my mind?" She asked playfully, looking over her cup, laughter dancing in her eyes. "Sure, of coarse I'll have stress on my mind but it didn't turn out bad and like I said, I'm fine." She added to calm Kakashi's worries a bit. "Besides, I'm sure Tsunade has my schedule packed so I can return to my normal duties again soon plus we need to take Kabuto out while he's still weak." She said, rolling her neck to stretch out the kinks in it.
"Don't you get it?!" Naruto said, standing up and slamming his fist on the table, making Skylar look up at him in confusion. "You killed your brother and ex-boyfriend… You were kidnapped and experimented on… How can you not feel anything?!" He asked with rage in his shaking voice.
"A coping mechanism." Skylar said coldly and Naruto pulled her up by her shirt, face to face with an angry growl, tears springing to his eyes.
"Don't give me that shit… I can see it in your eyes Skylar, don't say you're fine when you're not." Naruto asked as a weak plea as he hid his eyes behind his bangs, still clutching Skylar's shirt. A shaking and cold hand was placed on his, making him look up into the red face and eyes of Skylar's glistening purple eyes as her lips trembled slightly.
"Naruto…" She said shakily like a scared child as her tears fell and she began to cry and grabbed him in a tight hug that he returned just as tightly after moving around the table to her. "I… I killed him?" She said into the collar of his jumpsuit and Naruto nodded as she let out a heart wrenching cry and her legs buckled but Naruto held her up and let some tears fall for her pain and his at her heart breaking cries.
"I'll go and tell Tsunade-sama she broke." Kakashi said quietly as he got up and left. Naruto picked her up carefully and carried her to the lounge and sat her down across his lap as her cries just seemed to get more painful and her shaking worse. She quietened down but she was still shaking for a while as she took in deep and shaky breaths as he rubbed her back in long and calming strokes as his tears dried up with hers. She sniffed and raised her head from his neck and wiped at his jacket and then she looked at Naruto timidly.
"I'm sorry, I made your jacket wet." She said with a small pout to her voice and Naruto couldn't help but laugh and hug her close to him again as she hid her eyes in his neck again. "I really feel like shit right now." She said with a rough and tired voice as she clutched onto his jacket.
"I'm not surprised…" Naruto said with slight sarcasm and he felt her smile gently. "Do you want me to get you anything?" He asked and she shook her head.
"No, I just need your presence right now… Please don't leave me." She said as he felt a few tears against his neck.
"I'll get her some water and painkillers." Sasuke said, walking in and heading off to do just that.
"Teme… Don't just walk into people's houses!" Naruto yelled and Skylar laughed a little which made Naruto smile and hug her into his neck.
"Here… Dobe." Sasuke said holding out the water and painkillers. Skylar raised her head and took them and drank down all of the water and sighed with her eyes closed as Sasuke sat down next to him and Skylar, her head fell back into Naruto's neck, fast asleep and he held her securely.
"I heard her crying… Is she okay now?" Sasuke asked quietly.
"I hope so, I was the cause of her going into such a state… I should have just left her alone when she said it was a coping mechanism." Naruto said sadly as he stoked his fingers through her matted hair.
"It was the right thing to do." Sasuke said as he threw his arm across the back of the couch.
"Kurama says that whatever Kabuto did, her chakra's back in order again at least… Maybe Tsunade-obaa chan can see what he did for future references." Naruto said, making small talk.
"Good to know… That blonde girl has told them everything she knows, Inoichi confirmed it and she's going to be allowed to stay in Konoha, maybe become a ninja for Konoha as well saying she is already trained like one and has the nanabi." Sasuke said.
"Skylar will be happy to hear that… Why'd you come over so suddenly?" Naruto finally asked.
"It's hard to miss your chakra's especially when you two are together… You can almost feel your emotions, it's quite irritating really." Sasuke said and Naruto blushed, thinking about other emotions and how embarrassing it would be. Sasuke smirked at his blonde friend, making him blush harder and avoid Sasuke's gaze.
"Teme… Don't look at me like that, we can't help it okay." Naruto said defensively, standing up with Skylar and taking her to her room, slamming the door defensively with a kick but not loud enough to wake Skylar.
"I only wish to find someone like you have one day Naruto." Sasuke said into the room as he got up and locked the door as he left back to his apartment.