In retrospect, they really should have taken a better route then on the street in plain sight.
First, the Guard threw an explosive tag right in the middle of the group. The resulting explosion created a large dust cloud, which confused the rebels even further. Naruto, his eyes stinging and ears ringing from the explosion, groped about wildly, and suddenly bumped into someone.
“Damn, Naruto, you’re still alive? Guess Jiraiya taught you some useful tricks while you were away.”
His eyes clearing, Naruto looked up at the speaker, a female wearing the Emperor’s insignia. She was a bit older, but she was unmistakably Ino Yamanaka.
“It’s weird…when she learned I was in charge of tracking you guys, Hinata practically begged me to bring you back safe. Guess she still has some affection for you…impressive, all things considering.”
And before Naruto could draw a kunai, Ino had formed handseals and his vision crumbled into darkness.
“Well, well. My first visitor in fifteen years.”
Naurto was jolted awake by a girl screaming. A quick look around him and he realized he was back in the sewer.
“Oh, don’t bother. No one can get out of here unless my jailer wills it.”
As the Kyuubi’s voice rang throughout the tunnels, Naruto realized with a cold dread just who he was speaking to. He broke into a run straight for the demon’s cage.
“Now, seeing as you’re my first visitor, I’ll let you decide: quick, or slow and oh so painful?”
As Naruto entered the room, he saw behind the bars Kyuubi looking hungrily at Ino, paralyzed with fear. “Stop!”
Irritated, Kyuubi turned to glare at Naruto. “You should be thanking me, kit. Do you realize how close she came to taking control of your body? If I hadn’t been here, you’d be in the palace by now.”
Naruto pointed a finger accusingly at Kyuubi. “Stop giving yourself so much credit, Fox. It wasn’t you that stopped her, it was the seal. Now get away from her.”
Kyuubi motioned to Ino, who was still quivering in the corner of the cell. “Why, so you can just let her loose? She’s here specifically to hunt you down. She said so herself.”
“I don’t care! She’s still my friend…acquaintance…whatever! I don’t care if she’s been brainwashed, I am not leaving her just so you can have a chewtoy! So unless you can somehow bring her back to normal, you’re not touching her.”
Kyuubi was silent for a moment, glanced at Ino again, and turned back to Naruto.
“Actually…I can.”
Naruto stared at Kyuubi as if he had just said the sky was green, he was sorry for everything he’d done, and that he occasionally worked with the Easter Bunny. “Damn it Fox, if you’re lying…”
“Well, I couldn’t do it usually…but these are special circumstances. Take a close look at her.”
Reluctantly, Naruto looked at the paralyzed Ino. At first he saw nothing…but then he noticed the faint outline of blue strings encircling her.
“See that? This isn’t her real body, just a mental projection. And the things that look like string represent the changes to her mind made by the Master PC. Now, if I cut that string…” he raised one of his daggerlike claws, “I should be able to restore her personality, or at least alter the programming so she’s more agreeable.”
Going against the voice in his head telling him not to trust the demon, Naruto considered the possibility. Even ignoring the incredible achievement of saving someone under the PC’s thrall, Ino would be a huge asset to the rebels. Her knowledge of the palace and PC would be better then any intel could give them, and she’d also be much stronger with whatever physical powers the PC had given her. Hesitatingly, he said, “Alright…but if you hurt her, I’m going to choke myself.”
Ignoring the ninja’s comment, Kyuubi brought the claw down towards Ino.
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(Posted Fri, 09 Nov 2007 19:11)
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