Passing Through

Naruto stepped over Jugo's unconscious form. He brushed himself off, and kept walking.

"Easy as pie…" he muttered to himself.

As he walked, he smelled the scent of ozone. And burnt meat.

He entered the next antechamber. He saw that the walls had black streaks covered the walls, and in the middle of the chamber, there he saw a prone form, clad in Akatsuki robes. A white light was shining down on the figure, bathing him in a white glow.

He looked closer, and at once, immediately knew who it was.

"Sasuke."

He walked over to him, and squatted down.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked.

For a while, Sasuke was silent.

Naruto gave up, figuring him unconscious, and stood up to leave.

"You've got some friend over there." Sasuke suddenly muttered, so faint, you'd almost miss it.

"Wha-?"

"Your friend, the one with the mask. He's really something, that Kenshin guy." Replied Sasuke, a little louder this time.

Naruto was silent.

"I think he has more ninja skill than you…" he intoned.

Naruto moved closer to him, and gave him a sharp kick to the ribs.

He heard something crack.

"Aaggghhh!!!" yelled Sasuke.

"He may have more ninja skill than me, but I'm the one who's gonna be Hokage!"

He then left Sasuke, and kept walking, unknowingly following Kenshin's footsteps.

Kenshin wound up his shoulder, and tested for pain.

Nothing.

He looked at his previously burnt arm. No blemish scarred it, no sign of the 3rd degree burns earlier.

He smiled.

He put on his mask, and sat down.

He cast out his mind, and felt his way through.

And soon, he was in the Dreaming…

Naruto kept walking. He had walked for some time now, and his legs felt like he could leave them behind.

He then saw a light.

It hovered about a few feet in the air, and it illuminated a seated figure.

The light slowly moved from right to left, and as it did so, a golden shine was cast onto a wall.

"Kenshin."

He kept walking, and finally got to where he was sitting.

He was in a meditative state, by Naruto's observation.

He made attempted jab his two fingers into Kenshin's shoulder.

They never made it.

In an instant, Kenshin's hands flew out, wrapped themselves around his hand, and cast him onto the ground.

"OWWWW!!!" yelled Naruto, his howl of pain echoing through the cavern.

Kenshin looked like he broke out of a daze, then let go.

"Sorry, Naruto, I acted on instinct..." He apologized.

Naruto slowly stood, and rotated his arm. Kenshin found it amusing that only moments ago, he was doing the exact same thing.

"Next time, screw instinct and get to know a little thing called common sense." He muttered as he started brushing himself off.

They started to walk. They had made fair progress

But Pein was getting impatient.

End of Chapter