Colors of Life and Death series
Truth in Dreams
by Songbird21

Chapter 34

Naruto was about to suggest they head down a new tunnel when he sensed a strong chakra behind them. He turned around and they team saw Gai closing in on them. "Yo, Gai-sensei. What's up?"

"I realized something disturbing about this case. We need to speak with the Daimyo before we continue," Gai said seriously.

Naruto looked at the rest of his team and when they all did variations of a shrug he turned back to Gai. "What's going on?"

"There's something the Daimyo isn't telling us and I intend to find out what," Gai said with a frown.

"Welcome, Gai-san. I wasn't expecting a report from you so soon," Kyoha said with a smile.

Everyone took their places and Gai and Naruto bowed before the Daimyo. "This isn't exactly a report, Daimyo-sama. We are here because I need some questions answered if this mission is to be a success," Gai said with a firm tone to his voice.

Kyoha's expression darkened a bit. "Oh? And what might these questions be?"

"As I was searching the river area I realized an odd correlation between the age and gender of the kidnapped children," Gai explained.

Kyoha visibly stiffened a little. "Go on."

"They were all boys around the age of eleven. You were right when you said this wasn't an average kidnapping, Daimyo-sama. They're searching for someone specific."

Kyoha was quiet although he was starting to take on the body language of a trapped animal.

"I think you know more than you've let on. Who are they looking for?" Gai asked sternly.

Kyoha looked as though he was trying to think of some excuse he could give instead of the truth but he eventually lost the battle and sighed heavily. "His name is Kidomizu," he said in defeat. "He is my son."

Every face on the Konoha team showed surprised with the exception of Gai. He sighed in disapproval. "I thought so."

"You knew?" Kyoha asked in surprise.

"I'd already guessed what was going on. I only needed confirmation from you," Gai responded calmly. "Naruto told me you accepted his first offer almost immediately. Now I know why. You wanted to add his team to the search party as fast as possible."

"That's partially correct. I would have accepted regardless. Aside from the fact that the offer was excellent I don't think I could have said no to a member of the team that saved my country from poverty," Kyoha said with a small smile. His smile faded, however, when he turned his attention back to Gai. "I suppose you would like to know why my son is in hiding in the first place."

"It would certainly help," Gai answered.

Kyoha ran his hand through what was left of his hair and sighed. "Am I right in remembering that Konoha has the Kyuubi sealed into one of the village's children?"

Naruto tensed. "Yeah. That was me," he said softly.

Kyoha's attention snapped back to Naruto. "You?!" he said in surprise.

Naruto nodded.

"Well, that explains why you were able to defeat Zabuza so soon after graduating from the academy. But what do you mean by 'was'?"

"That's a long story," Naruto said dismally. "All we have time for me to say is that he died while he was in the seal."

Kyoha looked confused but let it go. "Then you know how dangerous it is to have people know you are a...Jinchuuriki," he said carefully.

Gai's eyes flashed wide with realization as the seriousness of the situation hit him like a lightning strike. "Which of the biju does your son carry?" he asked urgently.

Naruto whipped his head sideways and looked at Gai for a moment in disbelief before turning to stare at Kyoha in anxious anticipation.

"The Sanbii (a/n- the Three Tails)," Kyoha said with what sounded like regret.

Naruto's expression turned to shock. He swallowed and composed himself before speaking. "So you hid him so no one would know," he said softly.

Kyoha nodded. "Most of my country thinks my son died at birth. Only five people, including myself and Narumi-san, know the truth."

"You don't have any ninja. How did you capture the Sanbii?" Sakura asked.

At this Kyoha smirked a little. "My wife was originally a shinobi from Iwagakure (a/n- Hidden Village of Rock). She summoned the Sanbii directly to the seal she created on Kidomizu." He was quiet for a moment. "I should have listened to her. If I had I wouldn't have had to watch my son grow up from a distance," he said sadly.

"Why did you do it?" Naruto asked suddenly.

"Nani?" Kyoha asked.

"Why did you seal something like that into your own son?" Naruto asked, his eyes desperate for the answer.

Everyone who knew him well understood why Naruto had asked that question. Hinata took his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

Kyoha sighed. "I knew he would be Daimyo one day and since we have no shinobi village I wanted him to be able to protect this country well. I also wanted to protect him. I was already forty-five when he was born and I knew I wouldn't be able to guide him for long."

"Arigato," Naruto said. "I heard similar words from my adoptive mother about why my...." he was about to say 'my father' but thought better of it, "...why the person who sealed Kyuubi into me would do something like that."

Unfortunately, Naruto's omission of his lineage was too late—Kyoha had already caught on.

Kyoha's eyes widened. "I knew something else about you seemed familiar! You're the Yondaime Hokage's son!"

Naruto's eyes became filled with panic as he looked at Gai.

Gai cleared his throat. "That fact must never leave this room, Daimyo-sama."

Kyoha looked confused but let it drop. "I would ask why, but this is hardly the time."

Gai nodded. "Now that I know the reason behind the kidnappings I also believe I know who is behind them."

Kyoha was instantly more alert. "Who?!" he asked.

"We may be dealing with the Akatsuki," Gai said amid several sounds of worry made by his comrades. "And if this is indeed the case then this mission just got a lot more dangerous. We need to send for reinforcements before anything else is done."

"We don't have the time to waste!" Kyoha protested loudly.

"Daimyo-sama, with all due respect, you obviously do not understand what we're up against. These are quite possibly the most dangerous renegade ninja organization in existence."

The look on Kyoha's face was now pleading. "Onegai—At least try to find them while you wait. I could not bare it if they took my son."

Gai sighed in partial defeat. "We will do what we can. In the meantime, please send a message to Konoha detailing what has happened."

"Of course," Kyoha replied.

Now that he knew why the Daimyo's son was in danger Naruto was even more determined to stop the Akatsuki—if that's who was truly behind the kidnappings of course. He and his team were headed back to the mining area. As they walked he absentmindedly ran his tongue over his elongated canines.

Hinata noticed her boyfriend's preoccupation with his teeth and frowned a little in worry. "Naruto-kun?"

Naruto looked down at her. "Hm?"

"Are you okay?" Hinata asked.

"Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"I thought you were worried about your teeth again," Hinata explained gently.

Naruto gave her grateful smile. "Not really. Just messin' with 'em," he replied.

"Okay," Hinata said with a smile and a squeeze of his left arm.

As they came within sight of the mines Naruto noticed something odd. "Hey...where's the entrance?"

Sasuke looked at the place where they had entered the cave system earlier. Naruto was right. The entrance had simply vanished. "What the hell?"

Naruto looked to his girlfriend. "Hina-chan."

Hinata immediately understood what Naruto wanted. "Byakugan!" Her enhanced eyesight revealed the cave entrance was still there, just hidden from sight. "It's a genjutsu," she said after a moment.

Naruto nodded. "Well, we're definitely dealing with shinobi," he said with confidence. "Let's go. Hina-chan, you're in the lead."

Hinata smiled and nodded. "Hai."

"You left the entrance open, Hidan!" said the irate man who had most of his head and face covered by a hat and wrappings.

Hidan rolled his eyes. "Fuck off, Kakuzu. Like the people around here could lift a finger against us," he said as he slammed the prison cell door he'd been holding open shut.

Kakuzu ignored the crying of the child they had just locked away. "They can't, but the group from Konoha I saw today can."

Hidan's expression changed to a frown. "Ya know, Konoha really pisses me off," he complained as he ran a hand over his slicked-back, silver hair.

"We need to kill these kids. They're getting on my nerves," Kakuzu said irritably.

"I told you we can as soon as we have the Sanbii. I want to sacrifice the largest group possible in one shot to honor Jashin," Hidan countered.

Kakuzu rolled his eyes. "You and your stupid religion. It gives me a freaking headache. One of these days I'm going to kill you," he growled.

Hidan smirked. "Oh please. Like you could anyway." He looked in the cell nearest to him and glared at its raven-haired occupant. "I might let you kill this one though, if he tries to escape again."

Inari tried his best to look brave like Naruto had taught him, but in the face of such a powerful enemy—and having no ninja training to fall back on—the fear in his eyes betrayed him.

Gai looked up as the rest of his team jumped into their meeting place. "Report," he commanded.

"Nothing," Neji answered.

Lee shook his head. "Gomen, Gai-sensei."

"I found signs of a struggle, but nothing that would lead us to their hideout," Tenten said with disappointment.

Gai frowned. "Alright. Let's go see how team seven is doing; then we can decide on our next course of action."

Naruto and his team walked through the entrance to the cave system, unaware that they had just walked over a seal that was hidden in the dirt—which now glowed briefly in response to their presence.

Hidan looked up suddenly. "Hmm; seems someone has tripped the chakra alarm," he said with mild interest.

"Let's go deal with them then," Kakuzu said.

Hidan looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. "Let's take a hostage with us."

"Why the hell would we need a hostage?" Kakuzu asked indignantly.

Hidan smiled in a frightening way. "Amusement," he answered. He walked down the short row of cells. The cells each had and average of four kids in them...except one. He stopped in front of Inari's cell. "And I have the perfect choice."

Inari shrank back from the cell door as it opened.

It wasn't long into their trek that Hinata finally saw what they were looking for. "I don't know why I couldn't see them before, but the boys are through that wall," she said, pointing a finger at the rock face in front of them.

Naruto frowned in thought. "I don't think we could dig through quietly enough so we'll hafta find a way around."

Sakura's hand was suddenly on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto-kun, wait. The reason Hinata can see them now might be that this is a trap," she advised.

"I know, but we don't have time to come up with a different plan," Naruto replied. "We're depending on you, Hina-chan," he said with a warm smile.

Hinata nodded sharply and lead the way down the cold tunnels.

"There're the cages," Sasuke whispered as they stepped into the cell area. "But where are the guards? I don't like this," he said as he looked around for signs of the enemy.

"I don't see anything suspicious," Hinata said.

"Inari," Naruto called out in a loud whisper. He saw a boy with black hair. "Inari?" The boy shook his head.

"No, but there was another guy in that cell over there who had black hair too. They took him a few minutes ago. They said he was a hostage," the boy said with a worried expression.

Naruto's face hardened. "Okay. You guys let these kids out. Get them somewhere safe," he said to Sakura and Sasuke. "Hina-chan and me will go after Inari."

"Naruto, you and Hinata aren't going to be enough to face down Akatsuki," Sasuke warned.

"I know," Naruto answered. He lanced his finger with his ring and slammed his hand to the ground. "Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

A cloud of smoke and a loud pop later Kazehana appeared before them. "Konnichiwa, Naruto-kun. What do you need?"

"We're going into a fight. You ready?" Naruto asked.

Kazehana smiled. "Always."

Once the others had left Sasuke and Sakura quickly set about to the task of freeing the boys. Sakura cursed a little under her breath once when a sharp edge on one of the doors dug into the flesh of her left palm.

"That's the last group. Let's go," Sasuke announced.

"Now you guys gotta be super quiet, okay?" Sakura said sweetly.

The boy who had earlier been mistaken for Inari made a face. "We're not a bunch of babies you know."

"Sorry. I guess now that I'm fourteen I forget that boys your age don't need so much guidance," Sakura said with an embarrassed smile.

"You're only three years older than us. Don't get so cocky," the boy answered irritably.

"Cocky?!" Sakura said angrily. "Come over here and say that again," she said with her balled fist held out in front of her.

Sasuke's hand was immediately on her fist. "We don't have time for this!"

Sakura glared at him but simply snorted in distaste. "Fine!" she snapped. "Let's go!" she said as she marched off toward the exit.

Sasuke shook his head. She's getting as bad as Naruto.

Naruto's team raced down the tunnels. Their footfalls echoed off the walls, making it sound like there were a lot more than three runners.

The light from the high noon sun sparkled at them from the mouth of the tunnel and they squinted their eyes against the brightness of it as the leapt out into the open meadow. What they saw when they opened their eyes entirely made them freeze in their tracks, making little gouges in the dirt as they dug their heels in to stop themselves.

Two men stood in front of them; both wearing Akatsuki cloaks. They didn't recognize either of them but the silver-haired one held Inari tightly to him, a nasty looking triple bladed scythe was against the boy's throat.

"INARI!" Naruto yelled in concern.

Inari's eyes became wide as dinner plates. "Naruto-nii-san?!" he said in disbelief.

"So this is the team from Konoha? Awfully small group aren't you?" Hidan drawled lazily.

"There's more coming," Naruto proclaimed. "So hand over Inari and maybe we'll let you live!"

Hidan laughed loudly. "Oh brother. You guys are a riot."

Kakuzu elbowed Hidan in the side to get his attention. "That's Uzumaki Naruto!"

Hidan suddenly looked very pleased. "You know I think you're right? This could be our lucky day," he said with a grin.

Kakuzu rolled his eyes at his partner's cheerfulness. "Let's just kill them so we can get out of here."

"Heh. Usually I'm the one sayin' that," Hidan commented. "Yo, science experiment," he called to Naruto with a smirk.

Naruto's angry expression deepened. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

Hidan sniggered. "He doesn't know. All the things he's seen in the last year and he doesn't know."

"Control yourself would you?" Kakuzu growled.

"He's probably talking about the niji chakra," Kazehana offered.

"That's part of it," Hidan admitted. "Would you like to know before we kill you?" He took Naruto's silence as a cue to go on. He cleared his throat. "We were looking for a new weapon—something that would give us enough power to reach our goals. Orochimaru was still a member back then and he suggested we harness the power of the Kyuubi. We all thought he was insane because the Kyuubi couldn't just be summoned like the other biju. He was the only one never captured by humans because his insane power made bringing him to this dimension pure suicide."

Hidan cracked his neck to one side and continued on. "He explained that he thought the Kyuubi could be summoned and trapped in a baby at the cost of the summoner's life. Of course none of us felt like dying," he said with a slight chuckle, "so the idea was put on the back burner."

"When Orochimaru found out you were gonna be born he found a way to get the Kyuubi and get his revenge on the Yondaime while he was at it. He knew that Yondaime would figure out how to seal the Kyuubi. He also knew that your idiot father wouldn't dare use someone else's child." Hidan smiled oddly. "Orochimaru was a prick, but I gotta admire his cruelty. He got your dad killed and cursed you to a life of pain in one shot."

"SON OF A....!" Naruto began.

Hidan silenced him by cutting Inari's throat a little. A thin line of blood ran down Inari's neck and stained his collar. "Now now," Hidan said, "I'm not done the story. You gotta hear the end," Hidan said with a calm smile.

Naruto gritted his teeth to keep quiet.

"That's better," Hidan said. "We were told you died after the sealing so we went back to business as usual. Years later, at the Chuunin exams, Orochimaru found out you were alive and we got things rolling again." His smile became malevolent. "Do you remember the clones you found?"

Naruto's eyes became wide as the images of the soulless creatures in the lab came flooding back to him like a torrent.

Hidan smirked at Naruto's expression. "Those aren't clones of your dad...they're clones of you."

.........TO BE CONTINUED

And you FINALLY hear more about the mysterious clones. I'm so glad I found a place for the explanation. I was getting tired of waiting myself. Lol.

I hope the end of this chapter made sense. It does to me but then I'm not exactly normal. Lol.

I realize I'm making the Sanbii a dif person than the manga, but this was needed for my plot. I hope you can ignore this little fact.

Before any of you ask—NO, Minato will NOT be brought back to life in a clone.

About Hidan and Kakuzu. These guys are in the manga and the anime and yes Hidan has a very foul mouth so you're gonna hafta deal with it. I hope I wrote their personalities correctly. It's been ages since I read that part of the manga so I'm going from an almost year old memory of them.

One of my readers asked me a bunch of questions and since they didn't log in I will answer them here. 1. No, I will not be introducing Killerbee. That guy makes my IQ drop. 2. The niji chakra will not influence Naruto's lifespan. 3. Yes I plan on a book 3. But I'm not sure if it will be a full sequel or just a spin-off story. 4. No, Itachi did not give Naruto or Sasuke the "gift". 5. I don't know if Konohamaru will be in the story. Not sure I could write him believable (Mainly cause he annoys me). Yes, some questions were skipped, but I feel they've already been answered in the story if you look hard enough.

At any rate. There will be new stuff on the Deviant art account soon so keep an eye out. (colad-art-gallery dot deviantart dot com)

And now I must go for it is 3:20 in the morning and I'm exhausted.

Ja na,

Song