Naruto's Mission

19*

*fixed mistakes

Naruto awoke. His whole body was screaming in pain and he couldn't move. It was as if his muscles weren't in his control. He couldn't even feel the presence of the nine tails in his mind. Somehow, communication between the two was being actively blocked. If only he'd could move, he'd be able to check his seal and determine what was going on. He heard the door open and a doctor walked in. Except when he looked at the doctor, it was the grinning and triumphant face of Orochimaru. Naruto struggled to move and tried to make noise but Orochimaru was quick to cover his mouth.
"Sh... Sh... Naruto, we don't want anyone to find out, right? But, I can't have you mess around with my new vessel..." Orochimaru said with a grin as Naruto's struggling continued to intensify.
"You want to know what happened to you, don't you?" Orochimaru asked, his face now extremely close to Naruto.
"It was Neji. I gave him some chakra - of course, he didn't know, and I influenced his actions. And then once the chakra was transferred to you by the gentle fist technique, I simply caused it to spread around your body and kill off some of your cells. Too bad that meddling Kyuubi saved you, or you'd be dead." Orochimaru watched as Naruto continued to glare at him, unable to move.
"I won't kill you yet, Naruto. You are the most interesting person I've ever met... I'll let you witness your friend turn into my vessel..." Orochimaru smiled as he took a small vial of clear liquid from his pocket. Naruto's eyes widened and he began to struggle again.
"Now now, take your medicine..." Orochimaru chuckled as he forced Naruto's mouth open, pouring it in and then closing his mouth, and blocking his nose so that Naruto was forced to swallow it and then breath through his mouth.
"Good night." Was all he heard as his vision faded.

-----

Sasuke looked at his best friend. He was lying there, still and unresponsive. He'd been unconscious for a week now. And Sasuke sighed. In two weeks, he'd be fighting the creepy sand guy, Gaara. Kakashi had analysed his fight against Rock Lee in the preliminaries and had determined that speed and a piercing attack would be his weakness. Sasuke heard footsteps and turned to see Sakura, Hinata, Kiba and Shino approaching. Team Asuma were busy training. Well, helping Shikamaru prepare for his match. She'd beaten Tenten without getting hit so she was definitely a strong opponent.
"Any signs of improvement?" Kiba asked. It was definitely a sight to see. Before the Genin exams, if anyone had said that Kiba would stop being so wild and crazy, they'd be laughed at. And now here he was, concerned for someone else's wellbeing.
"No." Sasuke replied. Sakura and Hinata went inside and replaced the flowers. Everyone watched silently as Hinata gripped Naruto's still hand and held it for a few seconds before leaving.
"Let's go training. We have Chunin exam finals..." Sasuke said. Kiba sighed.
"I have to fight Neji first. It's a match I'll definitely lose for sure." Kiba said.
"And I have to face the creepy sand guy." Sasuke replied.
"At least I'm fighting puppets." Shino added in. Everyone sighed as they made their way to the training grounds.

-----

"Itachi, where are we going?" The tall missing nin from the Hidden Mist asked. He had his sword, Samehada, leaning against his shoulder casually. The raven did not reply. Instead he just kept going. His destination was Konoha. That was where they were stationed. Although the path Itachi was taking, he told Kisame that it wasn't on any maps. Which was why Kisame had asked such a question.
"Kisame... we are going to Konoha. To scout around for information on the jinchuriki." Itachi said. He neglected to mention that he personally knew who the jinchuriki was, and that he was actually there to check on Sasuke and report to the Hokage.
"Well it looks nothing like Konoha." Kisame commented. Itachi hid a smirk. His Mangekyo Sharingan was active and spinning slowly, indicative of his use of it. Kisame had no idea. Itachi's genjutsu was just so subtle, that none of the surroundings changed. They were in what appeared to be just an endlessly large forest. Kisame had no idea he was actually walking around in circles in the Hokage's office. Of course, Itachi walked in circles too, just to keep up appearances.
"So, Madara and Pain send us off to capture jinchuriki and they'll command us from the base... even so, Kisame, we should be careful. I doubt their information on the other villages will be accurate." Itachi said carefully. Danzo and Hiruzen were completely silent. As were the ANBU in the office.
"True, but who can stop us? You are the legendary Uchiha Itachi..." Kisame stated. "Besides, no one knows Akatasuki's motive is to capture jinchuriki. Leader Sama has already established to the other villages that we are just mercenaries for hire." Itachi said nothing for a moment and continued to walk.
"Itachi... you don't talk much do you. Perhaps when we find Konoha, you'll be more talkative." Kisame said. "I don't think going up against 'The Hokage' is wise without either Leader Sama or Madara." Itachi smiled again. Kisame was a wealth of information and he was unknowingly spilling out secrets to the Hokage and ROOT leader.
"Itachi... are we close?" Kisame asked after a while.
"Yes." Itachi said simply as he led him out of the office, flanked by a dozen ANBU, the Hokage and Danzo. They walked to the village gates, where Itachi led Kisame out of the village and into the forest around it. When the Leaf shinobi were gone, Itachi gradually changed the genjutsu surrounding Kisame so that they appeared to be heading out of a forest before he dissolved it, his Mangekyo Sharingan stopped spinning and he deactivated it.
"So you did know where you were going, Itachi." Kisame said. Itachi gave him a rare smile.
"Of course."