Disclaimers: Naruto isn't mine. This is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.
Warnings: This story includes strong language, violence, sexual assault, angst, & later- delicious yaoi lemon.
Like Night and Day
~
Chapter 13
Naruto followed Sai through more hidden corridors, staying close. It was dark, and space was pretty limited, but the walkway was tall enough where you didn't need to crouch and there was some light that illuminated their path. As they moved forward, Naruto noticed the small lights that had been placed in the wall sporadically throughout the tunnels. They emitted just enough of a glow to help you keep your footing and find your way.
Well.. for Sai to find his way. Light or no light, Naruto was sure that he would never escape this place without him.
Sai must have put them there. So he could explore whenever he wanted to.
So he could escape whenever he needed to..
He glanced over at the man, studying him. Though teen would probably be a more appropriate word to describe him. He looked to be around the same age as him- sixteen, maybe seventeen years old. His skin was extremely pale, maybe a shade or two lighter than Sasuke's porcelain complexion, and his jet-black hair was a sharp contrast.
And his eyes- they were just as dark as Sasuke's, but somehow.. emptier. Hollow. Like he hadn't been allowed to live enough life to put light in them in the first place.
Those eyes made Naruto feel an overwhelming sadness. He knew pain and hate and degradation, but he knew those things because he had experienced life. And while the good times were rare, he had still had them.
He had still.. lived.
He said he didn't have a name, Naruto thought. So what does Sai have..?
He didn't know, but he felt a strong urge to get to know. To connect with this seemingly empty hero. To save him too.
"I'm Naruto, by the way" he found himself saying, his voice low and shy.
"Naruto" Sai repeated, testing out the word.
"Umm.. Sai?"
Dark eyes glanced his way.
"Why are you here?"
Sai looked away, focusing on the path before them. At first Naruto wasn't sure he would answer, until finally he said, "I'm Orochimaru's next body. His.. vessel."
He must have noticed something in Naruto's expression because he added, "his last one left before he could make use of it."
Naruto's eyes widened.
Sasuke.
"Sai, you don't have to do this. Don't let him destroy you." Naruto grabbed his arm and spun him around. "You can leave. With me. I'll help you."
The pale teen pulled his arm free and gave Naruto's bound hands a gentle squeeze. "I have something I must do before I leave this place. After that.." he met Naruto's determined stare, "I'll consider your offer."
He pulled the blonde along with him, eager to get him out before it was too late. Naruto was a rather curious person, but Sai didn't have time to answer all of his questions. If they didn't move fast enough, Orochimaru would find them. Sai couldn't blow his cover- not before he killed the bastard. But he couldn't just hand over this traumatized blonde either.
Best to avoid having to choose between the two, and just get him out of here.
"Sai?"
"We do not have time for this, Naruto."
The blonde ignored him. "Whatever you did back there- it put a barrier between the collar and Orochimaru's commands, right? That's why they won't work anymore?"
Sai nodded.
"But.." Naruto lifted his bound wrists to finger the collar around his throat, "why didn't you just break them open?"
Naruto was almost too afraid to ask. He felt like he could trust Sai, but doubt kept creeping into his mind. Especially when certain things just didn't make sense.
Like the collars.
"A regular weapon won't break through those" Sai replied, gesturing towards Naruto's restraints, "neither will chakra."
Naruto stared at him in horror. "Then how.. how do I get them off?"
What if I can't? What if I'm stuck like this until Orochimaru releases me..?
Sai saw his fear and continued to explain, keeping his voice at a whisper to avoid being discovered.
"Orochimaru made that metal. He melted down steel and a large amount of Molybdenum- a rare element that can be found around the Hidden Mist. It strengthens metals. When he combined the two, he also infused his own blood and chakra into it. It linked the collars to him. That's why they respond to him, and him alone. Naruto-"
The blonde looked over at him hesitantly, already dreading what he was going to say.
"You'll need his blood to be free of them."
Naruto's steps faltered.
"What..?" he breathed, panic beginning to rise. Fearful blue eyes shot over to him. "I.. I can't. Sai, please- you don't understand.. I can't just-"
"Naruto" he said, calmly. "You don't need to face him."
The fear stayed in his eyes, but confusion slipped in as well.
"I have already collected a sample of his blood."
The confusion remained, so Sai explained further as he pulled the blonde along. "When I saw what he was doing- what he had created, what he was using it for.."
Sai avoided looking at the blonde, which Naruto was incredibly thankful for.
"As his trusted disciple, I was able to learn the secrets of the collars Orochimaru has become so fond of. Such as how to block his commands, and what it takes to destroy them."
"I still don't understand why you would help me.." Naruto whispered, not necessarily intending for Sai to hear him, but not surprised that he did.
The pale teen glanced over, struggling to read the blonde's face. He wasn't great with understanding emotions, but even he could see the unbearable sadness in his eyes.
"Why does it surprise you that I would show you kindness, Naruto?"
Naruto's head shot up at that. For someone who seemed so inexperienced at life, at feeling emotions, Sai was incredibly perceptive.
"Not many do."
Sai thought about this, trying to find the most appropriate response. "Sometimes.." he said slowly, gauging the blonde's reaction, "all you need is one."
Naruto gave a small smile. It didn't quite reach his eyes, as far as Sai could tell, but the comment didn't offend him either. He nodded, meeting Sai's watchful gaze.
"Yeah" he said softly. "One might be enough."
~
Kakashi led the team, with Sasuke keeping pace and Sakura falling back. Which was not surprising. Her priority had never been Naruto. She was here for Sasuke, despite the fact that her existence meant absolutely nothing to him. His heart, mind, and focus was on his blonde.
And only his blonde.
Sasuke's drive to find Naruto, and his fear that they wouldn't, constantly shifted into rage, which made him.. difficult to deal with.
When the trio left the hospital Kakashi wasn't exactly sure where to start, and the Uchiha's temper spiked fast. Luckily, Pakkun and the rest of Kakashi's pack rejoined them and they were able to guide them to the right trail. It would bring them to the place where the villager had been when Orochimaru ambushed him. From there they would find the clearing with Orochimaru's barrier, his hideout, and- hopefully- their comrade hidden inside.
Kakashi had thanked them for their help before sending his Ninken summoning hounds off to report everything to the Hokage. If they were going into Orochimaru's lair on a rescue mission, they would likely need some back-up. He just hoped Tsunade could send out a team fast enough.
The silver-haired jonin glanced over at the raven racing by his side. The Uchiha's desperation was palpable. Kakashi had never seen the boy look so terrified, though he understood where he was coming from.
Especially after seeing what Orochimaru did to his last victim.
He cringed at the thought.
We'll stop him before he does anything like that to Naruto, he told himself vehemently, fighting to believe it.
We have to..
We have to.
Author Note:
I'm sorry if this chapter sucked! I know it's short, but I promise the next one is longer! This one is kind of a connecting chapter to make sense of the collars and Sai's whole deal. I hope it made sense, and that it was a decent read, even if it was brief.
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Side Note: Molybdenum is a real element. And it does strengthen steel when they are melted down together. I just added my own spin to the mixture.
See- I do my research ;)