The Turning Point
"Shadow clone jutsu!" Naruto said through gritted teeth as he maneuvered the rope into his mouth and created the necessary hand sign.
"Hn the dobe is going to get us caught" Sasuke muttered in Sakura's ear as they watched their blond teammate ascend up the rope and onto the blimp with the help of his clones. Sakura blushed a little at Sasuke's proximity which didn't go unnoticed by the Uchiha boy who smirked.
Sasuke and Sakura had concealed themselves on the outside of the blimp and were searching for a way in when they saw a rope with a kunai knife attach itself to a nearby railing. Sakura caught sight of her teammate and sighed inwardly. She didn't begrudge Naruto following them she knew he wouldn't have done well being left behind but keeping him quiet so they weren't discovered was another matter entirely.
Before Sakura could alert Naruto to where she and Sasuke were pressed up against the wall of the blimp, Naruto had punched his way through one of the glass panes and jumped inside determined to find Koyuki.
"There's our way in" Sakura whispered to Sasuke and both followed Naruto inside the broken window.
Boxes covered a dimly lit corridor which twisted and turned towards an elevator which Sakura saw Naruto get into before the doors shut and the elevator dropped down. Sasuke felt like slapping himself in the head, he knew Naruto was more inclined to charge head first into a situation without giving it any tactical thought but an elevator where anyone could walk in at any time and not knowing where it could end up seemed completely stupid. Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers and tried to comprehend the actions of his teammate.
"The elevator was a stupid move but Naruto's never been one for careful planning. Come on let's see if we can find some stairs or we'll lose him" Sakura said and moved quickly down the corridor with Sasuke in tow.
Looking to the left and right of the elevator Sakura spotted a small stairwell with the words 'Control Room' scratched on and a crudely drawn arrow pointing downward. Nudging Sasuke in the ribs Sakura pointed to the stairwell and motioned for him to be quiet as they moved to the right of the elevator.
A guard walked past and Sasuke all but shoved Sakura down into the stairwell to avoid being seen. Sakura hissed in pain as her tailbone connected with a hard concrete step but shook it off and stood up.
"Look over there I think that's how we can see the control room" Sakura said pointing at a dirty grate which had long slats able to see out into the room without being seen.
"Hn" Sasuke replied and Sakura walked over to it putting a hand to her mouth to remain quiet. Dropping to her knees she pushed her face forward against the grate so she could see out and motioned for Sasuke to do the same.
From their position Sasuke and Sakura could see Koyuki sitting opposite Doto on a plush lounge suite while guards busied themselves around them controlling the direction and travelling of the blimp. There still seemed to be no sign of Naruto.
"I am very glad to see you have the hex crystal with you Koyuki. After all I couldn't exactly access the Kazahana clan's treasure without it" Doto explained calmly.
"Treasure? What treasure?" Koyuki asked and Sasuke exchanged a glance with Sakura.
"Hn I thought that whole treasure thing was a legend"
"Apparently not" Sakura whispered and pressed her ear closer to the grate and straining to hear the conversation.
"Sosetsu must have hidden the clan's treasures somewhere so I searched for many years after I relieved your father of his duties. Deep within the Rainbow Glacier appears to be some sort of device which holds the hex crystal and unlocks the treasure" Doto said greedily.
"What will you do with the treasure?" Koyuki asked regarding Doto with a mixture of disdain and annoyance.
"The Kazahana fortune will allow this nation to attain military strength beyond the capability of the great Five Nations themselves"
"That's not going to happen!" Naruto exclaimed loudly and stood in front of the grate where Sasuke and Sakura were hiding.
"I can't see anything" Sakura hissed trying to see past Naruto's body.
"Dobe" Sasuke muttered in annoyance.
"How did you get in here?" Doto asked not seemingly at all perturbed by the intrusion.
"You should never underestimate a ninja!" Naruto began to say as ropes shot out from different parts of the control room and bound him tightly.
Mizore jumped down from the balcony above and hit Naruto with the metal cylinder on his arm. Opening up the elevator Fubuki revealed the hundreds of Naruto clones that had been hidden inside bracing for an attack.
"Doto I give you my apologies. We would have caught him earlier but he put up quite a fight" Nadare said bending at the knee out of respect.
"This kid's chakra is nothing to be looked over" Mizore said restraining Naruto and pulling him to his feet.
"We also have reason to believe the other ninja have stowed away, there are guards searching the blimp as we speak" Fubuki added.
"Kakashi?" Nadare asked sounding a little fearful.
"No the other two brats we fought on that glacier. The pink haired one and the black haired boy"
"It's nothing that can't be dealt with swiftly. They're just mere children caught up in a game of men. It would almost be sad if I actually cared" Doto said and nodded to one of the snow guards who opened a compartment and handed Nadare a circular contraption with a red and blue yin and yang symbol.
This can't be good, Sakura thought as Nadare pulled the device apart and an electric charge began to run through the two ends.
Mizore held Naruto up as Nadare pushed the device hard into Naruto's stomach and twisted to activate it. Octopus like tentacles shot out and attached themselves to his flesh causing an electric shock to course through him.
"Dammit Naruto" Sasuke hissed angrily as Naruto yelled in pain.
"What the hell are they doing to him?" Sakura wondered aloud hating herself for being unable to help her teammate.
"What is that thing?" Koyuki asked.
"The device is cleansing him of his chakra. It's a prototype we've been working on for some time; it will seal the chakra away behind a barrier and once it has the device cannot be broken or destroyed. It's completely debilitating for any ninja" Doto said and smirked as Naruto fell to the ground completely drained.
"Not much of a ninja now are you?" Nadare taunted.
"Enough of that prepare the other two prototypes so that I may give those two brats the same cleansing when we find them" Doto ordered and two of the snow guards picked up similar devices and disappeared.
"Hn we need to leave before they find us" Sasuke said glancing up the stairs towards the main corridor where heavy footsteps and the shouting of the snow ninja echoed.
"IS THIS SOME KIND OF JOKE? I KNOW THIS IS A FAKE WHERE IS THE REAL HEX CRYSTAL?" Doto yelled at Koyuki tossing her aside and breaking the hex crystal in his hand.
"I-I don't know. Unless, no wait it's impossible. Kakashi Hatake couldn't have-"
"Kakashi was never one not to use all the tricks in the book. Makes sense that he'd pull the switch" Nadare interrupted Koyuki.
"No matter I'm sure he'll make an appearance soon with the real one. He can't very well leave his three brats here to fend for themselves" Fubuki said and Mizore nodded.
"Very well take the princess and the brat to the hold. We'll transport them to the prison cells when we arrive" Doto instructed and Mizore grabbed Koyuki by the arm and dragged her towards the hold carrying Naruto with him.
"You two join the others and find those brats"
"Okay we need a plan and fast" Sakura said to Sasuke.
"HEY YOU DOWN THERE!" A voice calls down the stairwell alerting several others and they all run for the staircase.
"We should have left earlier when we had the chance. Now what?" Sakura asked her teammate as they got to their feet and began sprinting off in the opposite direction of the control room and down another flight of stairs.
"Disguise is the best plan. Then we can free the dobe and the actress when we get to wherever this guy is planning to go" Sasuke said running sharply to the right and threw a kunai into the chest of the closest ninja.
Sakura aimed a kick at another who had barely had just opened a door and stepped out into their path. "Cover me while I get some information out of him" Sakura said to Sasuke as she picked up the man on the floor and tightened her grip around his neck.
Sasuke took up his position in front of Sakura and reached into his ninja pouch throwing kunai which effortlessly hit their targets.
"What direction is the hold!?" Sakura hissed in the guard's ear holding her kunai to his throat. The man seemed to be made of stronger stuff because he simply glared at her and refused to say a word.
Sasuke sent one of the guards flying and noticed they were getting much closer and seemingly unafraid of anything Sasuke threw at them. Seeing one of them say something into a small microphone attached to his chest Sasuke quickly glanced at Sakura who was still struggling with the guard she had previously attacked.
"Hn Sakura move and deal with those guards. This is taking too long and we'll be surrounded if we don't get a move on" Sasuke instructed and moved Sakura aside and set the full force of his Sharingan on the man.
"Tell me where the hold is" Sasuke growled angrily.
Weakly the man raised his right hand and pointed towards the left past all of the guards and motioned at a small barely noticeable passageway. Sasuke huffed in annoyance they would somehow have to take out all of those guards without arousing suspicion and noise which was seemingly impossible. Then steal two guard uniforms and stay down in the hold in disguise until they reached what was presumably Doto's hideout.
"Sakura we need to get past them" Sasuke said after finishing the informant and taking off the snow garb he was wearing.
"Way ahead of you" Sakura replied having punched the last guard out cold. Sasuke smirked as his teammate grabbed the uniform off of the man and both ran for the small passage way to the hold.
"The radio signal came from down here! Oh man what happened?" A guard said as he stumbled across the bodies left behind and quickly radioed in for back-up.
"We need to move fast" Sakura said as they came to a small but open room where she immediately spotted Naruto and Koyuki in a small cell. Naruto still appeared to be unconscious by Koyuki looked at them in confusion.
"Hey stop there!" Two men who were guarding the prisoners lept to their feet but Sasuke ran forward and finished both of them in a second.
"Hn. These guards aren't very good" Sasuke observed pulling on the snow uniform he had stolen and dragging the bodies behind a few shipping crates.
"Well they're not exactly ninja by trade are they?" Sakura added pulling on her own uniform making sure to cover her distinct hair and using a visor she had also picked up covered her bright green eyes.
"What are you two doing?" Koyuki demanded from her cell but Sasuke's glare shut her up.
"We're trying to rescue you what does it look like?" Sakura hissed and Koyuki rolled her eyes and looked away.
"How ungrateful can you be!? We're practically risking our lives for her!" Inner decided unhappily.
Sakura agreed with Inner but had little time to question Koyuki about her attitude as the footsteps of the snow guards got closer and Sasuke motioned for Sakura to stand attentively to mimic the men they were disguised as.
"You two! Did you see two Leaf Ninja come through here? Scrawny runts and teammates of the kid prisoner" A group of guards burst into the hold and immediately began rummaging through the shipping crates.
"No one has come through here" Sasuke said trying to disguise his voice.
One of the guards approached Sakura and eyed her carefully. "Well what about you? Did you see those brats?"
Sakura made to answer but quickly realised her downfall would be her voice and they would be found out instantly.
"Uh don't get any closer than that, he has a highly contagious disease. It's already taken his voice" Sasuke said noticing Sakura's panicked glance at him and quickly covered for her. Sakura nodded quickly and coughed for emphasis.
Most of the guards took a few lengthy steps back and muttered to themselves anxiously.
"Disgusting no one they keep you two down here away from the rest of us" One of the guards announced and the rest laughed loudly in agreement.
"Be sure to radio in if you see anything and don't take your eyes off the prisoners we know how easily distracted you get" Another taunted and shoved Sakura roughly taking her off balance which caused her to fall to the ground.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed violently as the guards continued through the exit to the hold. Resisting the urge to kill each one of them he reached down and helped Sakura stand up.
"Thanks for the cover I was sure even if I tried to make my voice lower it would still rouse suspicion. That fall hurt more than it should have" Sakura said pressing her thumbs into the bruised tailbone which had been damaged further.
"Hn" Sasuke said.
"How exactly do you plan to get us out of this cage and out of a blimp in mid-air?" Koyuki spoke and gestured to Naruto who was still out cold.
"We're going to wait for them to imprison you when we land and we'll go from there" Sakura answered and examined Naruto through the bars of the cage for any major injuries. "He's fine medically speaking but his chakra is completely drained because of that device"
"I don't know why you're bothering. You're just a bunch of kids and Doto is more powerful than you, you all should have left this place when you had the chance" Koyuki said icily.
"It wasn't our choice to be here and babysitting you is a waste of valuable training time but it's our mission. Besides it'd be a pain explaining to the dobe and Kakashi if we let you die" Sasuke said stoutly and fixed Koyuki with his infamous glare.
Sulking quietly the princess turned her back to the two ninja who exchanged looks of annoyance. Above their heads a speaker crackled to life.
"Attention all crew prepare to disembark"
Doto's huge fortress stood in place of the Kazahana castle that had burned to the ground all those years ago. Sasuke and Sakura had become separated from Naruto and Koyuki when the blimp had landed. All they were able to overhear was that the prisoners had been taken down to the cells at the very bottom floor. Due to Sakura's 'contagious illness' she and Sasuke were stationed a few floors above but fortuitously they happened to be near the central room for the snow guards which also contained the key to unlock the prison cells.
Sakura made quick work of the guards inside using the remainder of her chloroform, Sasuke found the key they required and both ninja made it down to the cells in record time without alerting suspicion. Naruto's cell sat opposite Koyuki's and Sakura immediately noticed that instead of being restrained by the chains on the ceiling Naruto was on the floor. Koyuki said nothing and Sakura put the key into the lock and entered the cell immediately fearing Naruto had been badly hurt from the device Doto had used on him.
"Take this!" Naruto yelled jumping up from his position on the floor and aiming a punch at Sakura who was still dressed as a snow guard.
Blocking the punch successfully Sakura tried to open her mouth to speak but Naruto turned and kicked at her hard. Avoiding the attack successfully Sakura dragged off her visor and head cloak shooting Naruto a withering look.
"Sakura-chan! What are you doing down here?" Naruto asked noticing Sasuke leaning against the cell with his hands in his pockets.
"We're here to bust you out what does it look like!?" Sakura exclaimed pulling the rest of the uniform off.
"Hn dobe you need to be more observant and work on your chakra reading skills" Sasuke added and Naruto glared at him.
"Huh, looks like you'd already had a plan to get out though" Sakura observed bending down to pick up a small file which had been used to meticulously cut through the metal chains.
"Never underestimate a ninja! That was in my mouth the whole time and with no chakra man did I struggle!" Naruto exclaimed, Sasuke grimaced and Sakura dropped the file as though it were on fire.
"Right well we need to get out of here before those guards come looking for us" Sakura said and tossed the cell key to Sasuke who unlocked Koyuki's cell.
"Hn we'll need to take the elevator she can't jump like we can" Sasuke said nodding to Koyuki. Seizing the princess enthusiastically by the wrist Naruto led the way to a small elevator.
Reaching the floor Sasuke and Sakura had been stationed at all three ninja looked around cautiously before running towards what they thought might be the exit. Passing the central guard room Sakura was pleased to see the guards were still completely unconscious.
"We've got company" Naruto announced seeing a rope shoot up from the floor under them and attached itself to the balcony.
A single guard appeared in front of them and Naruto immediately let out a war cry like sound and ran forward intent on destroying the man. Holding his hands up in defence the man blocked the attacks effortlessly.
"Naruto it's me just hold it for a second would you?" Kakashi said ditching the guard uniform he had been wearing and caught Naruto's leg mid kick.
"Kakashi-sensei? What are you doing here and where are the film crew?" Sakura asked.
"To be honest I don't really know where they got to" Kakashi said rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly "Sandayu told me of the location of Doto's fortress before he died so I thought this would be the best place to look for you all. Glad to see you're alright Princess Koyuki"
Koyuki fixed him with an accusing look "You stole my hex crystal and didn't think to tell me? I could have been killed no thanks to you"
At least she seems to be taking this seriously now. I wonder if Naruto had a role to play in that, it would have taken a lot of physical stamina and guts to break through those chains without chakra, Sakura thought.
"I did and I'm sorry but I thought this was what he'd want" Kakashi explained and handed over the real hex crystal which Koyuki promptly tied around her neck.
"We need to go I hear more guards coming" Sasuke interjected his eyes trained on the floor above.
"How do we even get out of this place? It's a complete maze in here!" Naruto said catching the ninja pouch Kakashi threw at him after he had lost all of his equipment climbing up the blimp.
"The layout is similar to my father's old house. I think I know a way out follow me" Koyuki announced suddenly and began to run back the way they had come. Kakashi nodded and Team 7 followed the princess through a maze of corridors and passage ways.
Reaching a vast room covered in darkness Koyuki lead them inside still running fast and the hairs on the back of Sakura's neck stood up. Something clearly wasn't right and her suspicions were confirmed by the light that activated automatically to reveal Doto sitting on a throne-like chair.
"You!" Naruto exclaimed angrily but Doto ignored him "Well done Koyuki" he said smirking at the actress/princess.
"Wait stop!" Kakashi yelled as Koyuki ran to Doto, Sasuke charged forward to stop her but the appearance of the three snow ninja caused him to halt his movements.
Reaching Doto, Koyuki promptly undid the clasp of the necklace the hex crystal was on and handed it over to her uncle.
"Why would you do something like this? You're handing your clan's fortune and your own throne to him on a silver platter!" Naruto demanded and Koyuki scoffed. "Please I'm an actress you shouldn't have been surprised by this at all"
"I think a round of applause is in order as we've just witnessed another brilliant performance from the great Yukie Fugikaze" Doto laughed clapping slowly.
Within seconds Koyuki had drawn out the blade Sandayu had used during his attack on Doto which had the princess's acting eye drops attached to it. Stooping forward Koyuki thrust the blade into Doto's right side and twisted with the clear intent to cause fatal damage.
Enraged Doto's hand closed around Koyuki's throat and squeezed violently. Given impact of the blade he should be bleeding by now, Sakura though alarmed at the scene before her. Koyuki had managed to push Doto to the edge of the high platform where he had been sitting. Losing consciousness due to a lack of oxygen Koyuki gave one final push and threw herself and Doto over the edge.
"Koyuki!" Naruto yelled and ran past the snow ninja to get to the princess. Sakura quickly followed him determined to see if there was anything she could do medically to save her. Before Naruto could even lay a hand on the princess Doto had struck him back hard causing Sakura to almost lose balance as she caught her teammate.
"It's laughable almost that she thought she could kill me and with this toy of a blade" Doto said and removed his robe to reveal black dark plated armour. "That's right it's chakra armour and the latest of our prototypes"
Sakura let out a small breath of relief when Koyuki stirred awake and began coughing violently. "Let me examine her she's injured" Sakura said and walked forward calmly showing her intent to help Koyuki.
Doto's closed hand hit her cheek just as hard as it had hit Naruto's and Sakura groaned in pain as she hit the ground. Sasuke was at her side in an instant to help her up resisting the urge not to use his Chidori knowing it would be useless against the armour. Doto laughed at the pink haired girl who glared viciously back at him as she healed herself.
Picking Koyuki up and ignoring her futile attempts at struggling Doto attached a cable to the ceiling and shot out through the roof. Determined as ever Naruto threw a rope from his ninja pouch to Koyuki who caught it and the blond boy quickly followed Doto out of the fortress. The roof began coming down in pieces and a huge explosion accompanied by huge flames from the floor below suggested Kakashi had left a few paper bombs rigged up to oil tankards.
"Well we'd love to stay and chat but I'm afraid we're needed elsewhere" Nadare said and the three snow ninja disappeared from the fortress.
"Sakura! Sasuke! Stay on Fubuki and Mizore, track their chakra signals and stop them. From there head to the Rainbow Glacier and help Naruto. I have some unfinished business to take care of!" Kakashi yelled above the noise of the falling debris and immediately took off in the direction Nadare had vanished.
"Sakura have you got their signals?" Sasuke asked as he and Sakura ran on top of the collapsing roof of the fortress after hauling themselves out using their ninja wire and kunai knives.
"It's faint but I can still feel it. South west into the forest about forty metres ahead of us, they're moving quickly towards the Rainbow Glacier, Sandayu said it was south from the Kazahana palace where the fortress was built over" Sakura explained leading Sasuke in the direction of Fubuki and Mizore.
"I've lost the signal" Sakura announced stopping in the middle of the forest. Sasuke huffed and drew his cloak around his shoulders; he had forgotten how cold it was outside.
"Now what do we do?" Sasuke asked as Sakura shivered involuntarily, it had gotten dark and the temperature had dropped dramatically.
"I'd suggest looking behind you!" Fubuki called out and immediately a huge wall of ice surrounded the two genin.
"They were behind us and you didn't sense it?" Sasuke asked sarcastically and Sakura glared "Oh shove it Sasuke this weather isn't exactly helping me I'm too busy trying to keep warm"
"Hn so are you going to break through or am I going to melt it down?"
"I'll do it, it'll be quicker" Sakura said teasingly and Sasuke rolled his eyes, in a matter of seconds the ice prison shattered and the two ninja found themselves alone again in the forest.
"Hn we don't have time for these games" Sasuke said throwing a web of ninja wire between two trees as a trap.
"Right they're getting closer, about twenty degrees on the right. The position you've got is good, you know what to do right?" Sakura asked having already caught onto the plan Sasuke had been formulating in his head.
"Hn" Sasuke said and disappeared.
Mizore appeared first on the snowboard he had used when they had been on the glacier and Sakura ran straight for him the paper bombs she needed hidden skilfully in her hand. Being careful not to get close enough so that he could land a blow Sakura planted the paper bombs on him while blocking each one of the close range combat attacks Mizore threw at her. Sakura quickly jumped back a few metres to see Fubuki within range of the ninja wire.
Pulling out a kunai with a paper bomb attached Sakura ignited it and threw it on the ground in front of Mizore, the blast from the explosion rocketed around the forest sweeping Fubuki in its path and throwing her right into the web of ninja wire. For a moment it seemed as though she was trapped completely but a pair of mechanical wings folded out from her back and she quickly avoided capture.
"Do you realise who you brats are dealing with? It's going to take a lot more than a simple attack like that to stop us" Fubuki boasted not seeing Sasuke behind her.
"I guess you'd be right then" he said grabbing her from behind "Lion's Barrage!"
Sasuke's attack rendered Fubuki completely disabled as she fell to the snow covered floor; Mizore stumbled trying to take in clean air as the smoke from Sakura's paper bomb assault cleared. Sakura and Sasuke watched as Fubuki fell onto Mizore and to their surprise both snow ninja died instantly when a huge purple light erupted from their chakra armour killing them both on contact.
"What was that?" Sasuke asked and Sakura shrugged but approached the two ninja carefully.
Examining their bodies Sakura knew they were dead but her attention was drawn towards the armor itself and the dimming purple light on each of their suits which had been cracked on contact. Sasuke joined his teammate and looked at the snow ninja's bodies.
"Their armor it can't come into contact with another person's armor otherwise it's crack and destroyed" Sakura said shaking a little from the cold.
Sasuke shrugged out of his cloak and draped it around Sakura while squatting down to get a closer look at the armor. Sakura glanced at Sasuke curiously and felt flattered but she knew the cold would be too bitter for Sasuke to handle without a cloak of his own.
"Hn keep it on. You'll get hypothermia and you should know about the effects of that" Sasuke said standing up trying to avoid Sakura's gaze.
"Right. Well we need to get to the Rainbow Glacier and help Naruto" Sakura said and stooped down to prize the purple stone from the chakra absorption component of the armour which glowed brightly in her hand.
"Hn that's going to help us?"
"Exactly"
Hi guys!
Hope you enjoyed the chapter it was a little bit shorter than I'd intended but I'll be finishing off the Land of Snow arch next week and then we move to the Land of Tea! Please make sure to review/favourite/follow this story if you like it and I'll respond to as many as I can ^^
I've had a couple of questions about this so I thought I'd throw it in. Sakura's age I've time lapsed because I felt more comfortable writing for her as a fifteen year old girl rather than 13/14 as in the manga. Just kind of flows with the maturity and all, so for reference the rest of Rookie 9 are consequently around that age give or take.
Thanks again for your support and I'll see you all next Wednesday