A/N: Well here is the new chapter…. *huff* it's hard working on two fics at once but I can manage :D Thank you to all the people who have added this story to their favorites and also to the kind people who take the time to review! I love you guys, it's because of you that I continue writing this :D
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto blah blah blah…. Let's move on…
Like a Blossoming Rose…
A Naruhina Story
Chapter 4: So close…Yet so far…
Naruto searched his surroundings and found only smoke… 'Great all I needed… another ambush…' He quickly got to his feet and soon the smoke started to clear. All he heard were the sharp noises of metal hitting against metal. His companions must be fighting already. All of a sudden, someone grabbed him from behind and Naruto quickly hit him with his elbow and sent his attacker spiraling backwards. He quickly made a familiar hand sign and a dozen Naruto clones appeared. When the field had gotten clear he saw Sakura punch the earth and make a crack so big, five of the rouge ninja fell in. There had to be at least twenty of them this time! Kakashi had uncovered his Sharingan and was sending enemies flying. Soon Naruto's clones had wiped out most of the ninja, but two remained… One was forming a slur of hand signs and a fireball missed Naruto's head by a couple of inches. The other launched a series of ice senbon, which Naruto wasn't so lucky to avoid. Sakura was going fine in pace with the one who had launched the fireball until…
"Sakura! Below you!" Kakashi yelled
She looked down, but it was too late… Someone erupted from the ground and managed to stab Sakura in the leg before she knocked him out.
"AHHH!" Sakura yelled in pain.
Naruto ran to her if it wasn't for two more ninja erupting from the ground. He noticed all these ninja were from Otogakure judging from their head protectors.
Sakura tried to heal her wound yet some flurry of movement left her on the ground as the ice ninja kept on throwing senbon at her, covered in poison.
Naruto rushed to her aid and used a clone to form a neat Rasengan. He caught the man off guard and rammed the ball of compressed chakra into him. He was about to be hit from behind, yet Kakashi took him out with a quick jab of his Chidori Blade. The one left used another fire technique that spewed small fire balls in all directions, and then he fled. They managed to dodge them, yet Kakashi managed to catch up to him. Naruto went to him, placing Sakura on a rock. Kakashi had him against a wall and motioned Naruto to come.
Naruto understood and quickly formed a clone as well as another Rasengan.
"Ok you have a choice of either cooperating or getting hit with this lovely ball Naruto is holding," Kakashi said calmly, "Which one will it be?"
"I'll never tell you anything." replied the man stubbornly.
"Fine… Naruto, get over here."
Naruto approached them and with each step he took, the man cringed. When he was no more than a couple of feet away from him, the man suddenly spoke.
"Okay okay, I'll cooperate, but please take that thing away… my skin is burning already."
The clone dissipated and so did the Rasengan. He came closer and held the man by the throat.
In a deep voice he asked, "You work for Kabuto don't you?"
The man gave a quick nod.
"Okay then… Where is Hinata?" Naruto said, all the while staring intensely at the man.
"Who?" asked the man innocently.
"Hinata! A girl my age with indigo hair and pale lavender eyes! The girl your good for nothing boss took! My friend!" Naruto said as silent tears slid down his whiskered cheeks.
Kakashi placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and said "Calm down Naruto…"
"How can I calm down when I don't even know if she is still alive?" Naruto yelled back.
"Oh her… She is still alive, though weak with hunger. Our leader plans to transport her in a couple of hours to a different location." The man whispered.
"What? Where are they going to take her!" Naruto turned to the man once more.
"I don't know… All I heard is that he was going to offer her to someone powerful in exchange for an alliance pact. Apparently the other person finds great interest in her byakugan."
"Where are they now?" Naruto spat.
"Near the base of the mountains in the east, about twenty minutes from here." The man responded.
Naruto let go and said, "Take us…"
They left the forest and returned to the clearing where Sakura was feebly trying to heal herself. Naruto ran to her side and knelt by her side.
"Sakura, are you okay?"Naruto asked her.
"Yea… It's just that this is extremely potent poison. The only one I know capable of making this type of poison are Tsunade and…. Kabuto." Sakura said the last part in a mere whisper.
"Naruto…" said Kakashi from behind him, "Go ahead and try to stop Kabuto… I know you are capable. I'll stay here and ask for reinforcements and protect Sakura. I'll ask for an antidote from Lady Hokage." He performed a Summoning Jutsu and a small dog appeared with his signature blue vest on with the scarecrow characters on the back. "Pakkun will accompany you."
"Yeah…" Naruto responded, "Take care, I will bring Hinata back."
When they turned around to face the Oto-nin he was gone… 'Oh well, I'll have to do this the hard way.'
Naruto dashed up a tree and got a clear view of Otogakure. He spotted the closest mountains that should be approximately about twenty minutes away. He climbed down and took off at full speed towards the mountains, being all the time followed Pakkun.
The doors swung open and a torn up ninja came in, holding his right arm. He limped towards the center of the room towards the cloaked figure sitting at a throne covered with snake emblems.
"What is it Daishi, did you manage to stop the advances of Team 7?" asked Kabuto with a slight threat in his tone.
"Well not exactly…"he started, as he saw a twitch in Kabuto's eye he quickly continued, "But, I did manage to injure a pink haired kunoichi and the silver haired one was going to stay with her. Yet the blonde one and a dog are still headed this way."
"Hmm… I see… Naruto Uzumaki is headed this way? Well, we can't wait much longer. Judging by your injuries you must have had contact with Naruto's Rasengan."
"He didn't even hit me though… the sphere radiated something that made my skin start to burn."
Kabuto nodded, he still remembered when he was almost struck with that deadly blue sphere that left him wounded for a couple of weeks. Yet it hadn't even touched him!
"We will depart in a couple of hours so get everything and leave no trace that we were here."
After twenty-two minutes, Naruto and Pakkun were close to the base of the mountain. Yet they never seemed to get any closer, no matter how much they ran. Suddenly Naruto stopped and Pakkun also came to a halt. He sat down in crossed legged position and when he opened his eyes, he had markings around them and his pupils had become small slits…the mark of a true Toad Sage. He thought pensively until finally he had the answer. When he opened his eyes again, they were once again normal and he began to run back where they had come from.
"Hey kid, um isn't this where we came from?"asked the small pug.
"Yea, I just realized we were tricked by a simple gen-jutsu. They cast as illusion to make us think we hadn't arrived yet while we had already passed it!" explained Naruto, "This is one of the times I wish I would've paid attention at the academy."
They ran for about another ten minutes until the blonde stopped again.
"It should be around here…"said Naruto while feeling the surrounding rock.
Pakkun was hopping from rock to rock until he slipped and fell on a small stone that had the vague appearance of a snake. Suddenly, at the base of the mountain the rock split and left an opening with stairs that led underground.
Naruto turned around and faced the dog with a huge grin.
"I could just about kiss you for this…" said Naruto.
"Ugh… let's leave it at a mere thanks and a bone for later…Ooh and maybe a nice belly rub when we get back…" said Pakkun as they descended underground.
Tsunade was staring out the window in the Hokage's Office dawdling and trying her best to avoid the paperwork piling up on her desk. She had sent Shizune on an errand to free herself from her nagging about her duties. The sun caressed her face warmly, and she closed her eyes… Suddenly she heard the sharp cry of a bird. She opened her eyes and saw a hawk or eagle flying in circles in the distance. She wasn't sure about the species, but she was sure it was Kakashi.
She swirled her chair around and was about to pick up the phone when Shizune came in.
"Lady Tsunade, what did I tell you about the paperwork? You should've at least done a page…" she was saying until Tsunade cut her off.
"Shut up Shizune and listen. Contact Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame; tell them to come here immediately. Team 7 is in serious trouble."
Shizune was a little shocked by her serious tone, and just replied "Yes Lady Tsunade." and quickly left.
In about ten minutes, Kiba and Shino entered the room.
"You boys probably know why I have called you." Tsunade said.
"Yea… So this means we finally get to be in the action and help in rescuing Hinata, right?" Kiba asked.
"Yes, Sakura got injured so Team 7 had to split up. Naruto went after Kabuto and Hinata, and Kakashi is taking care of Sakura. Your job is to track them and hand them the antidote and help if necessary."
"Alright! Come on Shino! Let's go rescue Hinata!" said Kiba enthusiastically.
Tsunade handed Kiba a small grey flask. "Go safely…"
Kabuto walked into the cell where Hinata was kept. He found her tied up, still unconscious. He was greeted by Gorou and Tadao who were ready to depart.
"Gorou, bring the girl, we are going to depart a little early…"
"Yes master." replied Gorou and nudged Tadao to get moving.
He had lifted the girl up when the door swung open.
"Stop right there, you are not taking my friend anywhere."
The two men turned around to find a blonde ninja with blue eyes and whiskered cheeks standing in the doorway.
"Naruto Uzumaki… We meet again." said the cloaked man as he faced Naruto.
"Kabuto Yakushi… You lowly piece of… give me Hinata back…"said Naruto menacingly.
"I would love to, except you see, I already agreed to hand her over to Madara."
"Madara?" Naruto raised an eyebrow inquiringly.
"Yes, Madara Uchiha…"
The name made his blood freeze… 'Another Uchiha? '
"Yes, he would be a very powerful ally in the war we plan to launch against the ninja countries."
Naruto froze in place. A war? Why did Madara need Hinata's byakugan? If he is an Uchiha, then how is he related to Sasuke?
His train of thought was interrupted when Kabuto struck his arm with his chakra scythe. His arm filled with pain, yet he still managed to form a hand sign and in a flash a hundred Naruto's filled the cell. Kabuto shot small chakra bullets from his hand and Naruto formed a Rasengan. In a couple of minutes Kabuto and Tadao took reduced his army of clones to two. Naruto aimed the Rasengan at Kabuto and ran to him. Kabuto dodged in time but Tadao wasn't as lucky as he flew backwards and hit the wall.
Naruto backed up and formed another Rasengan, yet this time it was bigger and looked like a…
"RASEN-SHURIKEN!" Naruto yelled as he threw the chakra shuriken in Kabuto's direction. It struck him and he yelled out in pain as his right arm and side were injured. He limped to Gorou and grabbed Hinata. He raised his hand sign to his lips and said, "See you around Naruto Uzumaki." He then disappeared into a cloud of smoke…Hinata gone as well.
Naruto fell to his knees and began to let the tears slip his defenses. His sadness soon turned to rage as he began to walk towards Gorou and punched him. He began to take out all his anger on him. When he was about to deliver the finishing blow, Pakkun stopped him and shook his small head. He let Gorou hit the floor and sat down.
"Sh-she m-might be near the grand hall office… I think M-Madara and some other Uchiha had a hideout near there…"with that, Gorou passed out. He would live…
"Hinata…where are you…"
Kabuto popped up in a cave underground and entered a room. He stumbled inside and placed Hinata on the floor. His hands began to glow green and he began to heal himself. He didn't imagine Naruto's Rasen-shuriken could cause this much damage and pain.
"Let me stay here for a while, as well as the girl. I know you don't care much for Madara, yet she can make him stronger, and he will make you stronger."
"Fine… Just while you heal…" replied a cold voice.
"Thank you…" Kabuto replied as he saw a pair of onyx eyes stare back. They suddenly turned red with a black star pattern, seeming to illuminate the room.
Well there you have it… Hmmm wonder who the "onyx eyes" guy is…. xD hope you guys enjoy this chapter. PLEASE REVIEW BECAUSE EVERY LITTLE THING COUNTS AND MOTIVATES ME TO KEEP GOING! Even favorites without reviews if fine! I am nothing without you guys
- PerfectAngels98