Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Shades of Crimson	By : Onileo Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 2074 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; that honor belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. My fanfiction is for entertainment only and is not intended for financial gain.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
- 20
Chapter 19
          A breeze rustled through the leaves of the trees overhead, granting a slight reprieve in the afternoon heat. Birds occasionally chirped out a short tune, but for the most part the forest was quiet, its animals awaiting the cooler climate of late evening. In the midst of this peaceful scene, a shadow could be seen darting through the foliage, too fast for the untrained eye to make out. A dull thud suddenly sounded as a blur of orange, black and yellow landed on the ground, in sight of the massive gates of Konohagakure. Running a hand through his sweat soaked hair, Naruto Uzumaki smiled, blue eyes mirroring the action. He was home. It had been nearly five years since he left to train with the toads on Mount Myoboku. Five years away from his friends, his village and his team. He couldn't wait to see the look on everyone's faces when he arrived. Baa-chan's, Kaka-sensei's, and most especially, Sakura-chan's. He wanted to show her how strong he had become. Strong enough to surpass Ero-sennin and be worthy of the title of Hokage. And strong enough to finally bring Sasuke back home. The smile faded from his eyes, but remained on his lips as determination coursed through him. He would not fail again.
          Adjusting the massive scroll on his back and the flame embellished haori that signified his accomplishment as a sage, Naruto stepped forward. Approaching the gates, he was surprised to find that they were closed. And more surprising, they didn't open when he lifted a hand and pounded on them. For a long time there was nothing but quiet. He knocked again, but there was still no response. Had something happened? Stepping back, he was about to jump to the gateposts and look around when there was a loud pop and the gates began to swing wide. His smile returned when he could see the village, still there, going on as it always had. And standing in the road to greet him, was Tsunade.
          "Baa-chan!" he exclaimed, rushing over to her.
          Tsunade stood stiffly before him, arms crossed over her chest, red fingernails gleaming like daggers off her hands. Her breathing was a little rapid, as if she had run all the way here from her office. There was a welcoming smile on her face, but when Naruto met her eyes, it gave him pause. She looked, watchful, calculating, maybe even worried. Had something happened after all? He wanted to ask, but before he could speak, she greeted him. "Welcome home, Naruto. I know you just got back, but I need to talk to you in my office. A few things have happened recently, and I wanted you to get the correct story from me, before you heard a distorted second-hand rumor."
          That was odd. Usually, the Hokage wasn't this vague about anything. "Is something wrong, Baa-chan?" he asked, voice filled with concern.
          Instead of answering him, she turned and started walking down the street, waving him to follow after her. Clearly, whatever it was, wasn't meant to be said out on the street. Her pace was brisk, her twin ponytails swishing in time to the rapid click of her heels. Concerned, and more than a little curious, Naruto followed after her, the massive gates behind him snapping shut with another pop as soon as he was clear. Past the whispering bystanders they went, not stopping to talk to anyone, not even when Kakashi dropped from a nearby roof, easily falling into step with them. He gave Naruto a reassuring smile from under his mask, but the usual bored look in his eye was gone, replaced by the same worry the Hokage's held.
          "Kaka-sensei!" Naruto greeted him.
          "Yo." he said in a tight voice, looking away as he continued to follow Tsunade. With a frown, Naruto noticed that his slouching gait was also gone, along with his favorite book. What on earth had them so shook up?
          When they reached the steps of the Hokage Tower, Naruto was surprised to see Sai and Yamato waiting for them. Without a word of greeting, Tsunade swept past them. Naruto raised an eyebrow at her before grinning and waving. There was no need to be rude. "Hey guys!"
          "Naruto-san." Yamato replied with a nod.
          "Hey, dickless." Sai said, his fox-like grin making Naruto shake his head. Well, at least someone was acting normally around here.
          Both shinobi fell in behind Kakashi and Naruto, who was now struggling to keep up with the ever quickening Tsunade. He didn't think she was even capable of moving so fast, kunoichi or not. At last they mounted the final step and proceeded down the hall to her office. Once inside, Yamato quickly closed the door, and Naruto's teammates formed a loose semi-circle around him as he stood before the Hokage's desk. Tsunade flopped into her chair, automatically grabbing her bottle of sake, and took a drink to bolster herself. Setting it down harder than she intended, she watched as Naruto jumped from the noise it made, before she laced her fingers together and let her eyes roam over his face. Memorizing it, she took a deep breath and prepared to crush him.
          "Naruto, there is no easy way to say this. So I'm just going to come out and say it." she started.
          Naruto gave her a confused look. "Wait a second, Baa-chan. Shouldn't we wait until Sakura gets here? If it's that important, I'm sure she'll want to know."
          Tsunade dropped her gaze to the desk as the rest of his team shuffled uncomfortably around him. A terrible feeling sunk his stomach as the Hokage spoke again, her voice barely a whisper now. "What I'm trying to tell you, Naruto, is that Sakura isn't here."
          "Well, I'm sure Sakura-chan can get back from her mission in time for us to do whatever it is you want us to do. Can't she?" he asked, fighting the nausea his stomach was causing with its churning.
          Kakashi laid a hand on Naruto's shoulder, stilling his questions. A pained look came over Tsunade's face, and when she answered, her voice was tight and angry. "Will you just shut up and listen, Naruto?" she ground out, tears springing to her eyes. "Sakura isn't absent because she is out on a mission. Over two months ago, she and Yamanaka Ino were kidnapped from Sakura's apartment by an unknown person. Ino returned about a week later, confirming that the kidnappers were Akatsuki, but we haven't had a single clue as to what they did with Sakura." she finished, her voice breaking as she said her apprentice's name. Fighting to control herself, she looked away, out the window to the Hokage Monument.
          She didn't want to see the look on Naruto's face as comprehension dawned, even though it played perfectly in her mind. The widening eyes, the clenching fists, the trembling shoulders. From behind her his voice came, and she winced at the hurt anger in his tone.
          "Wha...What?"
          "Naruto, try to calm down." came the soft command from Kakashi, as he gave his shoulder a squeeze.
          Shrugging off his hand, Naruto stared at his squad leader in shock. "Calm down? Calm down? She's been gone for two months, two months, and no one bothered to tell me! Sakura-chan's in the hands of the Akatsuki right now, going through Kami only knows what, and you want me to calm down? She's in danger! We have to go get her back, right now!" he yelled angrily.
          Tsunade spoke from across the desk, her voice solid steel. "We can't."
          "Why not? Don't you care about Sakura-chan? Did you even go look for her? They could be hurting her, torturing her! She could be..." Out of steam and unable to say the word aloud, Naruto suddenly crumpled to the floor, tears streaming from his blue eyes, falling from his cheeks to land on the backs of his hands. His fingers were fisted tightly in the orange material of his pants, his haori flared out on the floor around him. He suddenly wished the flames on it could consume him until this feeling was gone and there was nothing left. He slowly started rocking back and forth, the same thought running through his head over and over again. '...Not dead. Oh, Kami, tell me she's not dead.'
          Tsunade spun around and jumped back to her feet, slamming her fists on the desk, a resounding crack of wood making the rest of the ninja jump. "Of course we looked for her!" she shouted back. "Kakashi spent nearly a month straight out there searching, using the ninkin dogs until they were all exhausted and ready to drop!"
          Kakashi just shook his head at her, and then nodded to where Naruto sat in the floor, in utter defeat. He hadn't heard a word she just said. He was locked in a mental battle with himself, fighting the shock, sorrow and anger that hit him in waves. Long minutes passed, and no one moved. They just kept watching him, waiting for his next reaction. And true to the fox ninja's nature, he recovered as quickly as he had collapsed. His hands still clenched in fists, he rose to his feet, and locked gazes with Tsunade.
          "I'm going to go get Sakura-chan." he told her, his tone completely unyielding.
          Tsunade sighed. The easy part was over, now came the hard part. "I told you, Naruto, we can't do that."
          "Why not?" he asked, his face already telling her he would reject any reason she had for not letting him go.
          "Because it's too dangerous. The village is under a lockdown, the only ninja allowed to leave are the ones going on essential missions. Even training is restricted to inside the walls only." Kakashi explained for the Hokage.
          Tsunade nodded. "These precautions were taken because the Akatsuki have turned their attention to Konoha, and they are dangerously close to capturing all of the biju. And you arrived just in time; I was planning on recalling you this afternoon. We received an emergency messenger bird from Kumogakure this morning. There was a battle just outside the Land of Lightning. An entire cell of Kumo ANBU is dead, and Killer Bee, the eight-tail's jinchuriki and the brother of the Raikage, has gone missing. Several pieces of a torn Akatsuki cloak were found nearby, and Kumo fears the worst. Which means it is absolutely imperative that you stay here where we can protect you. You are the last jinchuriki left in the world."
          Naruto looked at her for a long time, letting her words sink in, and pondering what to say. His uncharacteristic silence disturbed everyone present, and some more quiet shifting went around the room until he began shaking his head. "No, Baa-chan. I can't just sit around hiding in the shadows, waiting on them to come for me. If they have Sakura-chan, I have to go get her. She would do the same thing for me."
          Tsunade mimicked his head shake. "I'm sorry, Naruto. In this you have no choice, and no amount of persuading will change my mind. There is just too great a risk of you being captured for me to let you go. And if that happens, war will break out, and innocent people will die. Thousands of them. Sakura would understand this, and agree to be left behind. It hurts me to say it, but we cannot save her."
          Taking a deep breath, Naruto opened his mouth to yell at the Hokage, when his tirade was interrupted by the banging of the office door. A breathless ANBU ran in, hand clutched to his chest, sweat pouring down his unmasked face. "Hokage-sama! An intruder has been detected in the village!"
          Just as he spoke, an explosion sounded from the far edge of the village. The ground vibrated beneath their feet, and the bottle of sake on the desk suddenly broke, sending glass and alcohol everywhere. Narrowing her eyes at the ANBU, Tsunade tried to keep her head clear as the moment she had been dreading for months had finally arrived.
          "...Akatsuki." she whispered to herself.
          The whole room tensed at the revelation, the ninja pulling kunai from their pouches and awaiting the next order from the Hokage. The action seemed to snap Tsunade out of her freeze, and an angry look came into her eyes as she started barking out orders. "Sai, get into the air. I want intel, now. How many there are, what they are doing, everything you can find out, no matter how small. Send word back to me by your ink birds."
          "Hai, Hokage-sama." Running to the window, Sai slid the pane of glass open and jumped out, pulling a scroll and ink from his pouch as he fell. Moments later, a blur of black and white climbed passed the window as he rose into the air on his ink hawk.
          "Kakashi, gather as many of the jounin and chunin as you can. Set up defensive positions at the academy, hospital, prison and here. And send the leftover ninja to find these assholes and eliminate them!" Tsunade commanded, her voice rising as adrenaline poured through her.
          "Hai, Hokage-sama." Kakashi gave a quick bow and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
          "And you!" she said to the ANBU still standing in the doorway. "Alert the hospital to the attack so they can be ready. And tell Shizune to get there as quickly as she can!"
          "Hai, Hokage-sama." he replied before sliding his mask into place.
          Before he could get turned around, a blur raced by the open doorway, Shizune's voice carrying back to them. "I'm already on it, Tsunade-sama!"
          "Good. Then go gather as many ANBU as you can and aid Kakashi in the search for the intruders." Tsunade commanded.
         "Hai." With that, the ANBU disappeared.
          "Yamato, you stick with Naruto, and Naruto, you're staying here with me."
          "Hai, Hokage-sama." Yamato replied.
          "What?" Naruto thundered, slapping his hands on Tsunade's desk. "Baa-chan, you have to let me fight! These bastards killed Gaara, they were after Sasuke, they killed Jiraiya-sensei, and now they have Sakura-chan! I will not stand by while they attack Konoha looking for me!"
          Tsunade watched as that look came over Naruto's face. The one he wore when things were at their worst and only his sheer determination could pull him through. The Will of Fire burning brightly from his soul, he stared her down, his mouth turned in a grim frown, unshed tears shining in his eyes. He was an impenetrable wall of emotion, and nothing she could say would get through to him. Tsunade sighed. She was entirely too soft for her own good. "Fine, but you stay with me at all times. If you don't, you'll spend the next hundred years locked in a cell at ANBU headquarters. And we wait for Sai's reports. We will not go rushing blindly out there to have our asses handed to us. Maybe if we surprise them with Konoha's best, we can catch them off guard."
          Naruto gave her a beaming smile and punched the air. "Hell yeah! Now you're talking, Baa-chan!"
          Tsunade just shook her head, cleared the glass off her desk and prayed that everything turned out the way she hoped it would.

          Pein's Deva path stood just outside Konoha's chakra barrier, the other paths and Konan gathered behind him. It was finally time. He had gotten word by way of Zetsu that the eight-tails had been captured and would be sealed tomorrow. The corners of his mouth tugged upward into a small smile. By the time the day was out, the last jinchuriki would be in his possession and the world could come to peace. Glancing back at his angel, he beckoned her to his side. When she neared, he explained the plan. "We'll divide into two groups. Konan, you are with me, Ningendo, and Jigokudo. We will search for the nine tails while the rest serves as a distraction to draw the enemy ninja away. Chikushodo will go in first, and summon the rest of us so they won't know how many there are for a little while. Work quickly; the element of surprise won't last long."
          Konan nodded her understanding as Chikushodo and Shurado stepped forward. The only female path, Chikushodo was small and light, and Shurado had no trouble launching her high into the air, heading straight for the heart of Konoha. As soon as she entered the barrier, she finished the hand seals and summoned the other paths and Konan. Their feet hit the ground simultaneously and an instant later they were gone, racing through the village. Konan was about to take off in the direction of the hospital when the Deva Path grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop.
          "Stay with me."
          Raising an eyebrow at his uncharacteristic request, Konan nodded. The Deva Path gave her arm a little squeeze before he let her go, turning to run down the street towards the Hokage Tower. A little unsettled, the blue haired kunoichi followed after him, trying to shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Whether it was the mission, the village, or Pain himself, she just wasn't sure. Seconds later, she heard an explosion sound. Pein's Asura Path had begun his assault. Checking the side streets for threats, Konan noted how quiet it was. It was the middle of the day, but the streets were practically empty. Had they somehow known they were coming?
          The feeling of unease increased as a shadow passed overhead. Glancing up as she ran, Konan saw the underside of a great black bird. It was shaped like a hawk, but it looked shiny and wet, as if it would melt out of the sky at any moment. Figuring it was a jutsu of one of the Konoha nins, she reached into her pouch and grabbed a handful of paper. Infusing it with her chakra, she threw them up into the air. The sheets of paper folded in on themselves, until they looked like cranes. Zooming upward, the birds pursued the hawk.
          Konan continued to follow Pein as he made his way through the village. Through her chakra, she could see the cranes as they neared the strange bird in the sky. As the first one made contact, it collided with the wet material, soaking the paper and sending it careening to the ground. It was ink. Interesting jutsu, she thought to herself. Sending the second bird higher, she was surprised to find a shinobi perched on top of the bird, a scroll in one hand, paintbrush in the other. He was as pale as her paper, his hair and eyes as dark as the bird he rode on. She watched in dismay as a smaller version of the ink hawk lifted itself from the scroll and took flight, heading towards the Hokage's tower. Then the ninja looked at her cranes, and seconds later she lost her vision of him as the paper birds were destroyed.
          Speeding up to reach Pein's side, she caught his attention. "Pein-sama, they know we are here. They have a shinobi above us gathering information."
          Pein just looked at her, completely unconcerned. "It matters not." he said. "They will soon learn that all their efforts to protect the nine-tails are futile."
          Bolstered by his confidence, Konan nodded. They had just passed the fifth block of buildings when the village seemed to come alive. Civilians and ninja alike were running everywhere, scattering in all directions. More explosions sounded and one of Chikushodo's summoned animals went scurrying past, two ninja desperately trying to halt its progress. An ANBU in a wolf mask made the mistake of coming too close, and Pein caught him around the neck as he came to a halt, using his strength to lift the man off his feet. Squeezing until he was gasping for air, Pein questioned him. "Where is the nine-tails, Uzumaki Naruto?"
          Coughing hard, the shinobi replied. "I'm not telling you anything."
          "Do you wish for death?"
          "Of course not. But if dying will protect Konoha, then I gladly welcome it. So piss off!" the ANBU choked out.
          "Very well." Pein closed his hand tighter, watching the shinobi suffocate with an almost bored expression on his face. When the last breath had left his body, the slain ninja was dropped roughly to the ground.
          Turning to continue onward, Pein was stopped by the sight of two very powerful, very angry ninja. They were standing in the road, kunai drawn, their bodies crouched to attack at any second. He recognized them both immediately. One was the kunoichi, Tsunade, Hokage of Konoha. The other surprised him. It was Uzumaki Naruto, the host of the nine tailed fox demon he sought. Either they hadn't realized what he was here for, or they were very, very stupid. If he were the Hokage, he would have locked Uzumaki in a dungeon somewhere far away from harm, not put him directly in the path of the ninja who were looking for him. He could sense a third ninja on the roof above them, evidently there for support. Instructing the other paths to converge at his location, the Deva Path assessed his opponents for a weakness. Glancing at their faces, he noted their expressions. The Hokage's eyes were cool and deadly, the angry glint in them making her look every inch the trained killer she was. Uzumaki's were full of emotion. In fact, he looked as if he would start crying at any second.
          Good, Pein thought. He could use that emotion to bring Naruto over to him. And if that didn't work, there was always force. But it was better to avoid the violence if at all possible. He was a god of peace after all. Pulling himself up to his full height, he addressed them. "Tsunade, last of the legendary Sannin. Turn Naruto over to me, and spare your village from destruction."
          The Hokage's eyes widened in recognition as they passed between him and Konan. "You two. I remember you. From Amegakure."
          "I'm pleased that you recognized us after such a long time. But we are no longer the children that Jiraiya took under his wing. We are strong in a weak world of war, and we want to better it. Will you do what is right and let us lead humanity to peace?"
          Before the Hokage had time to answer, Naruto was shouting at him. "Why the hell should we trust you? You just killed a ninja in cold blood! How peaceful is that? And what about Sakura-chan? What point was there in kidnapping her? You didn't have to hurt her! She didn't do anything to you!"
          "Naruto, shut up!" Tsunade hissed, grabbing him by the back of his jacket as he tried to launch himself forward.
          "But...Baa-chan! Let me go! I have to avenge Sakura-chan!"
          Pein and Konan watched as the Hokage tried to restrain Naruto. Finally after several minutes, he relented, falling to his knees, the tears that were shining earlier now streaking down his face. Something stirred in Pein at seeing him sitting there, something that was akin to pity, if he was still capable of such emotions. Luckily, he had transcended those weaknesses long ago. Still, he could definitely use this situation to his advantage. Taking a half step forward, he spoke. "I assure you, Naruto, that Sakura is just fine. If you come with me of your own free will, you can see it for yourself."
          Pein watched as the shadow of doubt crossed the blonde's face. Then the anger was back, hotter than ever. "Liar! Sakura-chan would come back if she was able to!"
          Pein turned and looked at his partner, who had been standing quietly behind him. "Konan."
          Konan stepped forward, her amber eyes wary. She hated being the center of attention. "It's true." she said quietly. "Sakura isn't being locked up and tortured, and she is far from dead. We've been friends since she came to us. She likes to read, especially medical texts. She has a short temper and can punch hard enough to break bones. She likes dango and other sweet foods...shall I go on?"
          Naruto just stared at Konan, shocked at her description of his teammate. His jaw opened and closed several times before he could speak. "It's not true, it can't be true. Sakura wouldn't abandon us."
          "Naruto, don't be stupid." Tsunade bit out, her voice cracking under unseen emotion. "It's obvious that there's more to it than what they are telling us. She's alive, I'm certain of that now, but she wouldn't just stay with them when she could come back to Konoha. She takes her duties as a ninja far more seriously than that." Glaring at Pein, she continued. "So, was she successful in reviving Hidan?"
          Pein and Konan just stared at them, neither denying nor confirming the Hokage's suspicions. The orange haired shinobi tilted his head as he felt the other five paths fall in behind him. Two of them had been damaged in battle already, but not enough to hinder them. Stepping forward until Konan was once again behind him, Pein beckoned to Naruto. "We are telling the truth. Whether or not you believe us is irrelevant. This is your last chance. Come with me, or I will force you, and everyone you love will die."
          "Naruto nii-san's not going anywhere!" an angry voice shouted as a blur landed in front of Tsunade, white scarf fluttering to a halt behind him. Straightening as he drew a kunai, Konohamaru glared at Pein.
          The Hokage stared down at the genin in front of her. Had the child lost his mind? "Konohamaru, you idiot! Get the hell out of here before you get killed!"
          Two more blurs raced by her, and Konohamaru's teammates stood on either side of him, kunai in hand. "Sorry, Baa-chan. But I'm the only one allowed to defeat Naruto when I become Hokage!" Konohamaru replied, standing fast.
          "Hey! Who says you're going to win?" Naruto narrowed his eyes and sulked.
          "I'm afraid he's right, Tsunade-sama. Even though he is a troublesome baka, Naruto is one of us, and we won't let him go." Shikamaru said as he dropped from the nearest building to stand in front of the genin team. Ino and Choji arrived moments later, skidding to a halt beside him. With a battle cry, Kiba and Akamaru bound over to them from the nearest cross street, Shino running to keep up with his exuberant teammate.
          Twin blurs of green heralded the arrival of Gai and Lee seconds later. "The power of youth will burn you like a bright fire that never extinguishes! You will be overcome!" they shouted in unison as they stopped in front of Kiba, fists raised in the air. Tenten and Neji dropped into a defensive crouch on either side of them, the kunoichi muttering something about having 'the most moronic team in all of Konoha'.
          Silence hung in the air for several moments as Pein and Konan took in the sight of the ninja before them. Then movement from the back of the group caught their attention. A flash of silver and green, moving slowly, made its way around the gathering to stand in front of them. Pein recognized him instantly as Hatake Kakashi, the copy ninja. He was strolling nonchalantly along, a small book in one hand, the other in his pocket. When he finally stopped beside Guy, he broke his attention from his book and gave them a bored look before turning to his longtime rival.
          "Well, Gai. There are seven of them. I guess this means we'll finally be able to break that tie."
          "Yes! Our youthful competition will invigorate us and they will not stand a chance!" Gai shouted. A loud sound made Kakashi glance over to see Tenten smacking herself in the forehead in frustration.
          The Deva Path pulled a kunai from his cloak as the other paths stepped forward, preparing for attack. "Your display of loyalty is touching. However it will not matter. You will all fall before the six paths of Pain. The only question is, who is going to go first?"
          "I will." said a soft feminine voice from behind him. Turning, Pein was surprised to see a kunoichi standing there alone, kunai drawn. She had the pale eyes of the Hyuuga Clan, long black hair and a petite frame. Her Byakugan was activated, and he could see the outline of chakra that surrounded her in a protective layer.
          Pein gave her a puzzled look. "Why would you choose to attack alone, knowing that you cannot survive so far away from your friends?"
          A small smile formed on the kunoichi's lips and she blushed. "I am not alone. As long as Naruto-kun is here, smiling, I will never be alone. He is my strength, the road that keeps my feet going in the right direction. And it's not just me, the entire village needs him. I will die before I let you take him away from us."
          "I see. You love him."
          "Yes, I love him." she whispered as she launched herself forward, the smile still on her face.
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Shades of Crimson