[22] Orochimaru’s Hideout! Sasuke Saves The Day!?
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[22]

 

The Next Morning

 

Naruto and Shikamaru stood listening to the Hokage berate them both. They'd failed in their mission of protecting Utsuri Nikko--but, Naruto could only think of one thing...

Sasuke had fucked his girlfriend--

Taken her away with him, to some creepy snake villian!

Naruto banged his fist on the table and shouted, "I can't stand around here and wait any longer! If you aren't going to send us to rescue her and bring back that jerk, I'm throwing in my headband right now!" He began to untie the Hidden Leaf headband when Tsunade put her hand up.

"...Calm down. Why do you think I brought you both here? Shikamaru Nara, it's up to you to find a team who you believe would be best to bring them both back." She said.

Shikamaru nodded. "On it."

They left the Hokage's office and quickly grabbed the best genin available. Naruto, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba and Neji. The last to join was Neji, who hadn't the first clue who Utsuri Nikko was but did agree to go along with them for Sasuke's sake.

And so the team set out from Konohagakure, encountering the team of Otagakure ninja who were transporting Sasuke inside a sealed bamboo barrel. Shikamaru quickly began thinking of a way to beat his enemy and came up with the only way to break their defense was picking them off one by one.

Thus began the battles each of them fought solo, encouraging Naruto to continue on his journey and to leave the rest to them--

Naruto clenched his fist and set his sights ahead, gaze fiercely determined to redeem what he had lost.

The most beautiful girl with flowing green hair, eyes of crystal amethyst, and a body that would turn heads wherever she went. A smile that was somehow both shy and cheeky, laughter that tickled his insides, and her soft, creamy hands that made his body come alive...

For a moment Naruto daydreamed as he sprinted, thinking on the last of that list quite heavily. 

He longed to hold her again. Delve into her sanctuary and make Nikko shriek his name as she had before, pulling at his skin and hair as he rode her over and over, tasting her mouth as they became as one--

"Nikko-chan..." Naruto chewed his cheek. Had she fallen for Sasuke? Was that what happened? Or maybe he tricked her somehow, yeah, that had to be it. There's no way she'd just fall for a guy like him, especially when he'd hurt her before. Right? Right? 

Deep down, the fox boy knew...knew that Nikko was too kind of a person. She'd forgiven Gaara after he raped her, even wished to see him again, calling his name out in her sleep despite Naruto being right next to her. So it was possible she'd done the same with Sasuke.

He finally made it to the place where Sasuke was. Yet another fighter showed up--Kimimaro, but a determined Rock Lee said he'd take care of him. Rock Lee was still recovering so Naruto had his doubts but didn't voice them, seeing the light of fire in bushy brows face. "I'm counting on you, Bushy brows," Naruto told him.

"Yes! Go Naruto!"

Naruto finally, finally, finally at long last made it to his former comrade. He was tricked just a moment by entering a cave but remembered his purpose in coming and shook off the fear.

"Quit running from me!" Naruto shouted to Sasuke.

His former comrade stopped and turned. "Tch." 

"You--! Where's Nikko-chan, huh?! What did you do to her!"

Sasuke's dark eyes widened. "....She's supposed to be with you, idiot."

"Quit joking! You took her!"

"..." Sasuke's pale face grew even paler. "...She was on her way to find you when I left. Tch--that stupid girl--!"

Naruto's insides quivered with anxiety. If Sasuke didn't have her, then where could she be? Anybody could have come and taken her, he worried. "...She...she was so close to me...I--If I could have just gotten there sooner...then...Nikko-chan.." His blue eyes tightened with frustrated tears. He shook his head to dislodge the emotions that were piling up but it was useless. "How could you, Sasuke! I know what you did to her!"

His friend smirked. "Oh, I see. Then you know how I fucked her, what was it? Five times? I lost count." 

"W-What! You're lying!"

Sasuke chuckled darkly. "...Believe what you want. Oh, and by the way--there may be another user of the Sharingan soon."

Naruto ran toward Sasuke and threw an angry punch. "You bastard! I'll kill you for this, after I bring your sorry ass back to Konoha!"

The fight began. Naruto truly gave it his all, but wasn't able to convince or change Sasuke's mind, let alone punish him for robbing Naruto of Nikko and putting her in danger. 

Sasuke bid his unconscious friend farewell and left him there in the rain.

The Uchiha looked up at the gray clouds. He'd made his choice and had to live with it now. His chest ached, wondering also where Nikko could be, if she was alright. Even after he'd parted ways and allowed her to run off, Sasuke had found and killed the swordsman right before the Otagakure shinobi arrived to retrieve him. 

He looked back the route he'd came, where Naruto lay somewhere in the waters--

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun."

Sasuke was indeed sorry. He'd severed ties with Naruto at the cost of his own sanity, morality, also disconnecting any hopes for a future with the Utsuri girl. His dark eyes wavered a little as tears filled them. "I have to do this...! For my Clan...!"

He gazed up at the rain and let it wash over his face. [After making me fall for you, this is what happens?]

"Nikko...I'll find you. It's the last thing that I can do."

 

Nikko

 

She was moving, swaying. Her purple eyes opened to see grass blurring beneath and a pair of shinobi sandals. I'm being carried? Who? She tried to move but found that her feet and hands were bound with restraints. And a quick glance around told her that her guide was still missing in action. Just were was those damn butterflies when she needed them? A vacation?

"Oh. You're awake." 

Kabuto's voice. Nikko was placed down against a tree and she looked up into his friendly face, now void of the mysterious hood from before. He smiled. "It's about time. Maybe I overdid it a little."

"Where are you taking me?! What do you want from me?!" She demanded, squirming.

"That's a lot of questions so early in the morning. I'd tell you but I don't have the time. I've been gone too long from Lord Orochimaru's side, and would like to get there as soon as possible." 

Nikko swallowed. She felt like puking, remembering Orochimaru's long ass tongue. He'd likely only have bad intentions for someone like her. "I--I won't go! Kill me instead!"

She rather die then go there, Nikko realized. After all, she'd quit her role as Hime-sama and had no other use than that, really. 

Kabuto's eyes widened. "You're serious, aren't you? Don't be so glum. I'm not going to hurt you, Nikko-chan. You're too valuable alive."

"I don't care!"

He pulled from his waist some sort of vial filled with food pills and took one out. "Here. If you want to die, take this pill then."

Nikko leaned forward as best as she could and opened her mouth. Kabuto inserted the pill and she chewed, noting it was flavorless. Her vision instantly swam. This was it, she thought, I can finally be done with all this curse nonsense and maybe move on--

She fell over.

 

***

Naruto returned to Konohagakure empty handed. He was too upset for words, instead standing on his apartment balcony, holding Nikko's broken mask in his hands. Just staring at it glumly. Wind whispered through his blonde hair. 

Where was she? He wondered. Maybe she was actually still fine--maybe Nikko just ran away from everything. He could envision her doing that, actually. That's why she was in the Land of Tea to begin with.

"She'd rather be anywhere than with me..." he whispered. 

Sakura walked past him and spied Naruto on the balcony. She called out to him. "Naruto-kun. Lady Tsunade has a new mission for you."

"...I don't care," he replied, never taking his eyes from the mask. 

All of his hopes of becoming Hokage were drained. Without Nikko, without Sasuke, what did it matter? 

Sakura frowned sadly up at him. "Naruto-kun...we'll find them. And Lady Tsunade has a mission that is near Orochimaru's Hideout."

His head perked. Light flooded Naruto's eyes and he squinted, as if blinded by the possibilities. If he could get Sasuke-- "Alright. I'll go."

***

 

Nikko

 

"Ung..." 

She was alive. Kabuto tricked her, Nikko realized. She gazed up from the cold stone floor and saw an empty chamber room, aside from one shadowed person with bandages about his person. She noted white hair. "Who are you...?" She asked.

"Hm. Who do you think I am, sweet innocent Utsuri Nikko?" He smiled. 

Nikko recognized that voice--that eye, that body language. "Orochimaru!"

"Yes. It is me, though in a new form. Pity that you weren't retreived sooner."

A door behind her creaked open. Nikko tried to see who it was but couldn't, still restrained. She heard the tap tap of sandals before in her field of vision a figure stood. They bent down. "Is she hurt?"

"S-Sasuke?" 

His face came into focus. Cold dark eyes looked her over. "She'd better not be hurt or the deals off."

Orochimaru chukled a little. "Settle down, Sasuke-san. She's fine. Kabuto-kun only sedated her for the journey."

Sasuke pulled Nikko up to him and tried to communicate something in his eyes. Nikko didn't understand--only knew that for some unknown reason, Orochimaru wanted her powers. 

"Sasuke-san, why don't you show Utsuri-san to her chambers? Be sure not to free her hands, however." Orochimaru smiled.

"Fine. C'mon." Sasuke hoisted her to him and set off through the door at the back, torches on the walls the only indicator that she was in a hallway. It was stone covered on all sides and cramped.

Finally it opened to another area, this one tinier, and he went to the left, stepping over a grate, before entering a room. Sasuke placed her down on something somewhat soft. "Here."

Nikko gazed with lackluster eyes into Sasuke's, not caring anymore what became of her. All the fire and will to break the curse was now lost, just as lost as her heart. She didn't utter one word to him, merely studying. 

Sasuke sighed and pulled her against him. "...I'm glad you're safe. Naruto-kun came and told me you didn't make it back to the village. What happened?"

"...."

"Not gonna say huh. Fine. I don't blame you." He petted her hair down. "...I'll make sure you're freed. For now, bear with it."

Nikko glared up into his face. "Bear with it...? That's all I've been doing, since day one--since I first woke up in this damn body--! If you want to help me, then kill me!"

His eyes widened. "Nikko? Why are you saying something like that?"

She stared spitefully. "...Screw the curse. Screw this place, and screw you, too!"

He pushed her down into the one person futon and placed hands on either side of her. "Quit talking nonsense!"

"Please...just end it, Sasuke..! If you truly care for me, then..." her eyes filled with tears, "I can't take anymore! Please, end my suffering!"

"Nikko..."

Sasuke's chest ached. He brushed aside her bangs and leaned his forehead to touch hers. The boy didn't understand what had happened to make her this way, didn't understand it was his doing--the straw that broke the camels back.

"I won't run. I won't fight. I don't care what he does to me...! He can have this body for all I care!"

"Shut up, Nikko. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Do you hear me? He won't touch a hair on your head!" Sasuke closed the gap between them and gave her the kiss he'd been withholding, needing to feel that connection they'd shared before. Nikko didn't respond to his touch. He pulled away and clenched her bound hands. "...Why would you say such a thing? Tell me."

"...Even if I said it Sasuke wouldn't get it. Nobody would--"

"Try me."

"Fine. I'm not this person you know me as. I--I died some where else, and awoke as Nikko. She was poisoned--and my guide is this hapless butterfly who's both a pervert and good for nothing know it all, always going on about how to break her curse and all of this crap! I thought that if I broke the curse, then I could at least have another life, maybe live normally, even--but you see where I am now. I can't escape fate...it's useless...A-And anyone who gets close to me will die, like Idate-kun. Can't you see? I'm better off dead!"

Sasuke quirked a brow. "...So, you're saying that the girl in front of me isn't actually Nikko Utsuri. Hmm..." he tilted his head back and laughed up at the ceiling, "...That makes total sense."

"Go ahead; make fun. I don't care!"

He merely smiled and replied, "...I wasn't joking. I've always that Nikko was different than anyone else. Now...it makes sense to me. So, are these perverted butterflies still here?" Sasuke looked around, "I don't see them."

"N-No..." she sighed. "They disappeared when you--" At that moment her mind registered something. Aponi had told her that when she found her true love, then---then--! "S-Sasuke!" Nikko shouted his name so suddenly that the boy jumped a bit. "You're him! My--true--love.."

His face reddened deeply. "Now I know you're making that up."

"They're gone! Since when you came and helped me back in Konoha--I can't believe, after all this time, I really found you at long last!" Her amethyst eyes filled with tears. "Then my curse is broken! Truly!"

Her 'true love' shook his head, reaching to ruffle her hair. "...Silly girl. You needed butterflies to tell you that?"

Light at the end of the tunnel. Nikko laughed with the cheeriness of someone who'd fought all she could and won. "Ha ha! I can finally live normally!" She gave him the brightest smile that he'd ever saw, and Sasuke's heart melted to the floor. He laughed as well, overcome with sudden giddiness that was both foreign and familiar before pulling her to him. "Nikko..."

They kissed, once, twice, all the while smiling silly little smiles of ones in love. 

For now, Nikko was right where she wanted to be...

***

Gaara

 

He read the report. Sasuke Uchiha didn't return to Konohagakure after all. He set down the letter and saw another one nearby it. It looked handwritten, and at the top was the poorly written name Uzumaki Naruto.

--Gaara,

Nikko was taken. I'm doing my best to figure out where she went to but I need your help. I'm sorry. You put all your trust and faith in me and I've let you down. I've let everyone down. I don't blame you if you hate me. I hate me, too. 

She misses you anyway. Back in the Land of Rea--

Gaara paused, rereading it. There was a smudge as though Naruto had been crying.

Back in the Land of Tea, she was counting on you to come for her. When I showed up she wanted to know where you were and got real sad that you went back to the Sand Village without her. Oh, she also told me how you put that mark on her chest. I think it looks kinda cool actually. Like a tattoo.

But...

You see, I've fallen in love with her.

In the beginning I just wanted to do what you wanted me to, protecting her and all of that, but I couldn't help myself. You know how she's like. Who couldn't fall for Nikko?

I bet right now you're pretty pissed off at me. I would be too, believe me. This is all of my fault. 

I just want Nikko safe. Even if it's not with me, but with you. Please find her Gaara. I know that you can!

---Naruto

Gaara crushed the paper in his hands and stood up. His teal eyes narrowed with one determined. Whether he was angry at Naruto Uzumaki or not was irrelevant right now. Nikko was gone and that was all that mattered. The rest could be dealt with at another time. 

He bade his village goodbye, telling them that he would ensure that their enemy was truly gone. 

Gaara stood atop the village pier and looked over Sunagakure. He wasn't quite ready to receive Nikko Utsuri yet. There was still much to be done. He thought on these things and many more for a time before turning away. His shawl lightly flapped in the wind. "Until next time."

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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