Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Talking: “…”

Thinking: “…”

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Chapter 15: Arrival

“Are you in love with him?”

“In love with who?”

“Are you in love with Naruto?”

“Yes, I am in love with Naruto. I love him.”

Sakura sighed, as she remembered what she told Sasuke. “Why...” She whispered to herself, frustrated. “Why did I told him? I’m so stupid. What was I thinking?!”

She stood up from the bed she was sitting on, beginning to walk. She couldn’t get any sleep last night, she just kept thinking about what she said ánd about Naruto.

She stopped walking and looked towards the door. She gave another sigh; “Naruto... please be careful.”

Suddenly, the door was flung open. Sakura wasn’t too happy to see that person.

“Kabuto...” She nearly growled.

“It’s time.” He simply said as he walked towards Sakura.

She didn’t understand him; “What are you talking about, time for what?!” She fiercely said.

She saw a grin appearing on Kabuto’s face. She didn’t like it one bit. She clenched her fist together. She had most of her strength back, and she wasn’t planning on going with him without a fight.

Kabuto noticed that Sakura took her fighting position. He stopped walking, but the grin didn’t disappear. “I wouldn’t do that, if I were you.”

Sakura held her fists higher up, trying not to shake. She knew she was no match for Kabuto; he was a very skilled medical ninja, something that she wanted to become. She wanted to be skilled as well, she even wanted to be feared by others.

“You are very entertaining, blossom.” Kabuto said, with his eyes closed, shrugging.

In a blink of an eye, he started to run towards her. She almost couldn’t see him, like he was faster than the speed of light.

‘He’s fast!’ Sakura thought as she saw him approaching her with fast speed. She wanted to jump backwards, but she realised he was already in front of her.

She gasped, not being able to move anymore. He looked straight at her, his glasses sometimes glistering to cover his eyes.

She suddenly felt something cold coming from the back from her neck, slowly moving down. But it wasn’t from the outside, she was injected with some kind of liquid.

Her eyes went big, her pupils small. She looked at Kabuto while her body went numb, unable to say anything.

Kabuto’s grin went wider, as he retreated the injection, throwing it away over his shoulder. His face went closer to her, not holding her because she couldn’t escape.

“I really hate to use these kind of methods, but if it’s true that you are training with Tsunade-sama, then I really must take no risks.” He whispered to her.

Sakura felt herself grew colder because of the liquid that had been taking over her body. She suddenly fell on the ground, not being able to stand up again, her eyes wide open.

‘I...don’t lose consciousness?’ She thought to herself. She saw Kabuto bent down, his arms sneaking themselves under her body. He stood up, with Sakura in his arms.

He heard Sakura growl; “Let.. go...” She hissed.

He let out a laugh, looking at her. “Should I now? When you are like this? I don’t think that’s such a good idea. Besides, you are part of our plan.” He said while he walked through one of the long hallways in the lair.

“Plan?” Sakura whispered, but was heard by Kabuto.

“Yes, plan.” He said to her while looking straight forward. “I might as well tell you. Orochimaru-sama needs both Sasuke ánd Naruto. Sasuke for his body, and Naruto for the Kyuubi.”

“What?” Sakura got out. She knew about Sasuke’s body, but Naruto’s... nine-tailed fox? “No, you can’t... Naruto... Sasuke... how..?” She couldn’t get her words and sentences straight and right. Looks like the liquid was affecting that as well.

“Orochimaru-sama has stolen the method that could steal the bijuu’s from the subject’s body from the Akatsuki. They were careless over there.” Kabuto explained.

“What happens when-“

“When the bijuu is sucked out from the subject’s body?” He interrupted her. He stopped walking and turned his head to Sakura. There was a sick grin on his face.

“The subject dies.”

Sakura was quiet, she didn’t knew what to say. She wanted to cry, she wanted to cry so bad, but somehow, she couldn’t.

Kabuto began to walk again, but stopped soon after that. Sakura could feel his body grew tense.

“Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere else?” Kabuto asked to someone. Sakura couldn’t see who because she couldn’t move or turn her head towards this other person. But she didn’t had to wonder who it was for long.

“What are you going to do to her?” He roughly asked Kabuto.

“Sasuke...” Sakura whispered.

Kabuto let out a slight sigh. “She’s here as bait for Naruto.”

“Bait?” They could both here Sasuke was irritated by this. He suddenly turned around, his back facing Kabuto and Sakura. “Let her go, we have no use for her anymore. Naruto is going to be here very soon.” He started to walk away, slowly though, like there was something else...

“Sasuke... stop...!” Sakura said, trying to yell. Sasuke did indeed stop, but didn’t turned around. “They... kill Naruto... for Kyuubi!” That was the best she could get out, but it got Sasuke’s attention.

“I am the one who will fight Naruto... You and Orochimaru should stay out of this. Don’t even think about touching him, or I will kill both of you.” With that said, Sasuke walked away again.

“Tsk,” Sakura heard Kabuto say. “pesky little brat...” With that, Kabuto suddenly turned left, going into a dark room, taking Sakura with him.

“We’re here...” Tsunade exclaimed. Jiraiya, Naruto and Tsunade arrived at the lair, that looked like it was hidden underground.

“Let’s check out if this is really it.” Jiraiya said. And as soon as he said that, he bit his thumb and a little bit of blood came out of the spot where he bit himself. He made some fast hand moves, which looked like seals. As soon as he was done with the seals, he quickly punt his hand on the ground. Around his hand, some more seals appeared in circles.

“Kuchiyose no jutsu!” Jiraiya said as dust formed around Jiraiya’s hand. When the dust was cleared, there was an orange frog with a blue sleeveless jacket sitting there.

“Yo!” It exclaimed when seeing everybody.

“Huh?! Why did you summoned Gamakichi? We don’t have any use for him!” Naruto yelled.

“How rude, you little punk!” Gamakichi yelled back.

“On the contrary, Naruto. Gamakichi is excellent for scouting.” Jiraiya said.

“That’s right, don’t you forget it!” He said to Naruto.

Naruto huffed and crossed his arms. “Just go and find out if this is the real one or not!”

“Yes, yes...” Gamakichi said and hopped down the entrance. He saw that there was no door, so he was able to go inside. When he was, he only saw a endless hallway, with no windows or whatsoever. There were only a few torches that lit up the hallway.

Gamakichi hopped further in, but not too far. He looked around; there were doors, but it looked like their were shut tight.

“Look, a little intruder.” A voice said above Gamakichi. He looked up, and saw a guy with glasses on and his hair in a ponytail.

“Uh-oh...”Gamakichi said, as he wanted to escape. But the person picked him up via his jacket, holding him up.

“You friends can come in now.” He said, grinning.

“No worries mate. They are already here!” Gamakichi said, as he heard many footsteps from behind him.

“Kabuto!” Naruto screamed as he, Tsunade and Jiraiya came running towards the two.

“Welcome, Naruto-kun, Jiraiya-sama, Tsunade-sama.” Kabuto grinned, still holding Gamakichi up. “Glad you found the place.”

Naruto didn’t had time for this. “Where is Sakura-chan!” It wasn’t a question, it was a demand.

“Never heard of hide and seek, Naruto-kun?” He grinned.

Naruto began to shake with anger. “Don’t mess with... me!” He screamed and wanted to attack him, but Jiraiya stopped him.

“Naruto! Calm down, don’t let your energy go to waste.” Jiraiya said. By hearing this, Naruto calmed somewhat down. Jiraiya looked at Gamakichi. “You may go, thank you.”

“It’s about time!” Gamakichi said, as he disappeared with a ‘poof’ leaving behind some dust.

“Well?” Tsunade said. “Where is Sakura?” Kabuto turned his look from Naruto to Tsunade.

“Who knows? I have to say, she can put up quite a fight. Luckily, I had her quiet down. It’s so much easier to deal with her when she is completely... defenceless.” He grinned. He knew he had him right where he wanted to.

“You bastard!” Naruto screamed and lunged at him, not listening to Jiraiya and Tsunade who were telling him to stop.

He held his fist backwards, and when he was close to Kabuto, he lunged his fist at him.

It was a direct hit.

But something felt wrong, it didn’t felt real. Just as Naruto thought that, the Kabuto he was fighting with disappeared with a ‘poof’ and some dust.

“A kage-bunshin?!” Naruto exclaimed. He quickly shook his head and regained his balance. “Damnit!” He said as he ran straight forward, not thinking about Jiraiya or Tsunade.

“Naruto! Come back! Don’t be such a... tsk!” Tsunade said as she also began to run, motioning Jiraiya to come with her.

“That kid moves fast!” Jiraiya said, as they almost didn’t see Naruto anymore.

“His driven... I think this speed comes from his Kyuubi chakra.” Tsunade said.

“I just hope he will be able to contain himself.” Jiraiya replied, knowing what this chakra could do.

“That chakra... is strong. We have to say close to him!” And with that, Tsunade and Jiraiya sped up, hoping to catch Naruto, before they catch him.

‘Sakura-chan, where are you?’ Naruto thought as he just kept running and running. It seemed like there was no end to the hallway.

‘What?! A dead end?’ Naruto said, as he came to an abrupt stop. Indeed, it was a dead end. But he hadn’t seen anything while he was running, this just can’t be!

“Sakura-chan!” Narto yelled, and his voice was echoing through the whole hallway. He was hoping she would hear him, somehow. “Sakura-chan! Where are you?! Please answer me!” He yelled again. He waited a few seconds, but no reply. He smashed his fist against the wall, breathing heavily.

He slammed his fist again and heard something strange; there was something behind it, like another room.

‘How to break it open?’ He asked himself. ‘I know!’

He took his position, and crossed his hands, making two fingers of each hand crossing each other. “Kage-bunshin no jutsu!” He yelled, and a shadow clone appeared besides him.

“Let’s go!” Naruto told his bunshin and stretched his arm towards his bunshin, while he circled his hands above Naruto’s, creating a ball of energy. When that ball completed, the bunshin disappeared.

“Rasengan!” Naruto yelled as he lunged his hand towards the wall. The ball of energy connected to the wall, shattering it. Smoke appeared, and the ball of energy disappeared.

When the smoke was cleared, Naruto saw an enormous room on the other side of the wall. “I knew it!” He happily told himself.

He walked through the hole he created, seeing that the only light in this room came from the hole Naruto created.

He felt that the air was thick, and it was hard for him to breathe.

“Naruto...” A woman’s voice was heard from the darkness.

Naruto walked faster into the room, “Sakura-chan?!”

To Be Continued