Chapter 72 Behind the Door

Sasori had done and seen many things in his life. He had killed a Kage by fifteen, turned almost all of his body into a puppet, saw enemies become friends and friends become enemies. He was a logical man, he was a thinker, a scholar if you will. He had a firm grasp on reality, and was a calm and collected individual, and was proud he was sane.

That sanity was now beeing challenged as a massive sized skull floated unmoving over his head. He didn't know what Deidara was thinking at the moment, though from the look of it he was just as stunned. The skull flew away from them heading toward Water Country. Sasori was intrigued but otherwise mildly shocked.

"Deidara?", asked Sasori.

"Yeah", said Deidara.

"Did a giant skull just fly over us"

"Yeah", said Deidara.

"I see, I think we should follow it, things like this happen once in a lifetime it could prove worthwhile, besides chances are that belonged to the Organization Dr. West spoke of, I can think of none other who could have built that", said Sasori.

"Yeah"

Sasori looked at Deidara's expression, he was staring at the spot where the skull once was.

"Are you ok", asked Sasori.

"Yeah", said Deidara.

"Are you sure", asked Sasori.

"Yeah"

Somehow Sasori didn't believe that. However there was one way to find out.

"Hey Deidara, tell me. Is my art better than yours", asked Sasori.

"Yeah", said Deidara.

Well that did it, Deidara was in shock. Sasori waited to see how long until Deidara could absorb exactly what he just saw lucky him Deidara walked next to him following the skull, the shocked expression never left his face. Five hours later Deidara spoke.

"Hey, your art is not better than mine, un", said Deidara,

"You said it, not me", said Sasori.

With that over and done with, they continued to follow the skull. It was looking to be an interesting day so far.

They traveled the clouds. Quite literally. Naruto began to wonder how many people could claim that, either way he watched the screen as they headed toward Water Country. Only hours until they would make it to the Whirlpool Village. Naruto left the bridge. He headed off to the back rooms where his teammates were. He firse headed off to Sakura's new room. Unlike Sasuke or Naruto, she had family in the village, she would not be taking this well. Naruto knocks on the door.

"Come in", said Sakura.

Naruto opened the door. Sakura was in the middle of setting up her new room. Thus far she was nearly finished. Her bed was set up, as was a vanity with various makeup products. Sakura sat at the vanity as she turned to Naruto. Naruto examined the room for a moment.

"Hey Naruto, whats up", asked Sakura.

"I'm just coming to check up on you. How are you, you know, After leaving behind your family", asked Naruto.

Sakura's expression was solemn for a second but she fixed it well.

"I'm fine, with you and Sasuke here, It isn't that bad", said Sakura.

Naruto sat on her bed. He crossed his arms.

"I'm sorry it came to this, I really never should have brought you here, it's my fault we are in this situation, sorry", said Naruto.

Sakura waved Naruto off.

"Don't worry about it, what you are doing is much more important than anything I would have done in the village, well at least as a genin. Besides you remember what Kakashi told us, those who abandon the mission is trash", said Sakura.

"But those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash", finished Naruto.

Sakura smiled.

"See, now don't feel so down. we're in this together", said Sakura.

Naruto nodded.

"Thanks Sakura.", said Naruto.

"No problem", said Sakura.

Naruto looked around the room.

"I'm going to miss Kakashi", said Naruto solemly.

Sakura frowned.

"Me to", said Sakura.

Naruto looked to Sakura.

"How are you feeling", asked Naruto.

Sakura shook her head.

"Good, just Good. Never thought I'd be on some quest to save the world. I can officially say my life has taken a turn I never expected", said Sakura.

"I felt the same way when I first decided to do something about Cthulhu, even then I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I worry about you and Sasuke though. You actually have healthy emotions and states of mind. Well you do anyway, I am not to sure about Sasuke", said Naruto.

Sakura laughed lightly.

"Funny Naruto, real funny. But I am not any poster child for sanity either, I never told anyone this, but I am not exactally alone in my head", said Sakura.

Naruto jerked his head back and raised an eyebrow.

"You, Schizophrenia. Wait. What", said Naruto.

Sakura glared for a moment before she shook her head.

"See why I never told anyone, I'm serious though, I have another Sakura in my head. I call it inner Sakura"

Naruto blinked twice before a smile formed on his face.

"Ok, that I have to see", said Naruto.

"See. What, but how"

"Tactile telepathy, Whats say I meet your Inner Sakra, we would have to do it in my mindscape, with Kurama. I am better at dealing with multiple minds in my mind than you are, once had Herbert, Xel, and Konohamarau in my head at the same time once", said Naruto.

Sakura put her hand to her chin for a moment before shrugging.

"Well, compared to what we are going to do in the future. Talking to a demon is about as dangerous as well, a fresh genin with no arms", said Sakura.

"Dark joke aside, I'm serious. Sakura, you really should have told me. With what we are up against, mental insanity is a possibility, existing psychosis could be bad", said Naruto.

"It's not another personality, it's more like another me, not someone else. It's hrd to explain", said Sakura.

Naruto shifted into his Eldritch form causing Sakura to gasp and fall out of her chair. She slowly stood up.

"Not funny", said Sakura.

"Sakura it's for your own protection", said Naruto.

Sakura sighed.

"Fine", said Sakura.

Naruto floated over to her and lifted his hands to her head. As soon as he did the world around them blurred and melted.

Sakura stood in a massive library. She looked at the books. They had unusual titles, such as Id, Ego, Superego, Thoughts, ideas, weight of a shadow, color of a mirror, composition of stars and other such titles that were abstract or otherwise strange. What was strange was all of them had the same writer. Naruto. As Sakura looked at them she deduced that they must be facts Naruto Knows, memories, or aspects of his personality. Though she did note that he seemed to know a large amount of seemingly useless and yet abstract trivia.

She was drawn from her thoughts by a strange sound, she looked up to see a strange twenty sided cage like structure filled with spheres. Some looked like Sharingan eyes, or Byakugan eyes. Some were frozen, some were blood, some were wood. Others had no shape or form she could understand. And whatever this thing was it seemed to be alive. She recoiled away from the figure but it just moved closer.

"Follow the sphere child, it will show you the way", spoke an echoing voice emanating from the cage like figure.

One of the spheres, a red eye resembling the Mangekyo Sharingan broke off the figure. Sakura followed it. It led her through the library to a spiraling staircase. It lead down below. She saw a massive cage. Inside was the sleeping form of the Nine Tailed Fox. It opened it's eye looked at Sakura before yawning.

"Must he always have people here, the point of having a mind is to keep things secret", said the fox.

Kurama looked down at Sakura he was amused by the state of shock that was displayed on her face.

"And who would you be", asked Kurama.

"S-S-Sakura. I'm N-Narto's teammate"

Kurama nodded. He turned his head looking around the room before looking back to Sakura.

"So, where is Naruto. I have been bored lately", said Kurama.

"Here", said Naruto weakly.

They turned to see Naruto standing by an unlocked door. His eyes were wide. He stared down to the floor.

"Of all the Outer Gods it could have been, Why him", said Naruto.

Sakura backed off.

"There he goes again, every time he comes here it's always the same, you could swear he was about to fight me with how scared he is", said Kurama.

"What is he talking about", asked Sakura.

"Whenever he comes in here he remembers who someone is, don't know who. Don't really care, I was barely listening that day, but it always bugs me. It gets repetitive. It's bad enough I can't see whats going on the the real world ever since he got those eyes of his, but its the repetition that really pisses me off", said Kurama.

Naruto shook his head before he looked to Sakura. His eyes widened. Before he looked behind him in the door. The Shadowed man stood behind the door. It looked at Naruto and smiled.

"Say Nothing", spoke the many whispers.

Kurama actually flinched when he felt it. Kurama felt empty. As a tailed beast, he could sense negative emotions, and this thing hiding behind the door. It was as if every negative emotion ever had by everyone to live, lived or ever will live, was condensed into a single point and multiplied more than Kurama could count. And all that was somehow condensed into Whatever was behind the door. For the first time in his life, Kurama realized he was not the strongest being to live, and that scared him. He pushed those feelings aside as he watched Naruto.

It seemed Sakura did not notice, which Naruto was thankful for. Naruto turned to see Kurama and put his finger to his mouth, Telling Kurama to stay silent. He turned around and looked at Sakura.

"Sorry, sometimes I just get flustered when I come here, ignore Kurama. He's just board and likes messing with people", said Naruto.

"Bored, is he fucking trying to creep us out ,Cha"

They turned to the new very loud voice. What they saw was another, seemingly angry Sakura standing on the spiral staircase.

"So why are we here anyway, cause this place is fucking big. I got fucking lost for fucks sake", said Inner Sakura.

"I promised Sakura to meet Kurama, so here he is", said Naruto.

Kurama waved at them. Something that seemed to shock Naruto. Kurama stayed Wary of the door but Naruto was still shocked that Krama actually waved. The day seemed determined to get stranger.

"Well, Naruto this is Inner Sakura", said Sakura, well Normal Sakura.

"Cha, remember it asshole", said Inner Sakura while pumping her fist in the air.

"Inner Sakura is a bit violent wouldn't you say", said Naruto.

"What was that pipsqueak", asked Inner Sakura as she cracked her knuckles.

Naruto shook his head, he slowly walked away from the door Nyarlathotep hid behind. His eyes never really left the door.

"So Inner Sakura is it. Tell me about yourself", asked Naruto.

"Tell you about me. I'll tell you who I am, I'm the fucking most bad ass mother fucker in this head right now. As of now you are all my bitches. Especially you, you fucking fox", said Inner Sakura as she pointed to the fox.

Kurama glared at her. Willing her to die. It didn't work. He turned to Naruto.

"Can I kill her, she won't be missed", asked Kurama.

"No Kurama, that could mess with Sakura's psyche", said Naruto.

"You get used to her", said Sakura.

"Somehow, I doubt that", said Kurama.

"Be nice Kurama", said Naruto.

He tilted his head back to the door. Nyarlathotep was gone, but his warning was obvious. Here was his chance to finally tell Sakura, who was not apart of the secret door that held the knowledge on who the Shadowed man was, and yet Naruto could say nothing. Naruto began to think on that. There must be a reason Nyarlathotep does not want us to know who he really is. Not like it would matter, as an Outer God there was little Naruto could do to stop him. He decided it would be best to push it from his mind and just try and figure out Inner Sakura.

Herbert fixed his mask as he looked down below. They had made it to the Land of Whirlpools. The Shinigami hovered above the village. Herbert currently stood in the lower levels of the Shinigami. Where the hatches opened. The soldiers threw ropes down sliding down to investigate the Village. Herbert jumped out of the ship and fell. He stopped mid air and began to fly. He looked over the ruins of the village. It was a sad sight to see. The clone soldiers roamed the village, searching for anything they could find. Herbert crossed his arms. He summoned his masked Beasts to help search the village. Once that was done he put his hands behind his head and leaned back mid air, watching over the clones and masked beasts do their work. As he waited he felt Black Kurama stir within him. Unusual, usually Black Kurama tried to stay unnoticed for fear of Herberts rather detailed and excruciating torment. It was amazing the thing ever moved at all.

Herbert looked around to see what could have caused his beast to stir. He saw it. In the distance a strange man stood. Herbert could tell it was the Shadowed man, so he wasn't going to go there. Herbert may be eccentric, but he isn't suicidal. He just floated on. What was strange was the Shadowed man seemed to be leaving. Hard to tell what that was about. Either way he ignored it, but he did take note. Naruto might want to know about that later.

Sasori and Deidara continued to follow wherever the skull went. Thus far, their trip proved to be interesting. They had come across some rather foolish bandits. Thanks to them Deidara would get exploding everything in sight when they got their. Sasori may have been able to handle an army, but fighting a village sized skull was not something Sasori ever wanted to do. Then again fighting any flying skull of sufficient size was probably not a good idea. Usually something like that means your fighting something already dead, and Hidan made stuff like that confusing enough.

Sasori looked at Deidara, he was in a good mood after blowing up those bandits. Sasori mused weather that was a good thing or not. He would find out soon, he could see the skull. To bad it was still miles away. Still it was an impressive sight.

Hiruzen was furious. When he heard what happened while in his coma he nearly leveled the hospital. Now his grandson was missing, probably went off with Naruto. He had not heard much on the flying skull, but it was far from his mind. Hiruzen was marching his way to the Hokage office where Danzo would be. Hiruzen may have had only one arm, but he was going to kill Danzo personally. As he neared the door he stopped. He listened carefully to the voices. The room may have been sealed to prevent sound from exiting, but as a former Kage, Hiruzen was able to bypass this. He listened intently.

"And you are sure of this Sai", spoke Danzo's voice.

"The researchers told me they tested it many times. There is no mistake, the Reagent that Uzumaki made can bring the dead to life", said the voice Hiruzen assumed was Sai.

"Can it be replicated", asked Danzo.

"No, all attempts are temporary, in some cases the body even melted. We do not have the full list of ingredients", said Sai.

"So it is useless information, but this is intriguing. To bring the dead to life without sacrifice, Ingenious. It however does beg the question how a child came up with it", said Danzo.

"Naruto is no mere child lord Danzo, my dyed Ink clones tell me that Naruto was much smarter than we originally thought. I believe the Skull is his work", said Sai.

"Then perhaps the Uzumaki child has been misranked, but none can know. Officially he will remain a B-Rank missing nin, unofficially he is S-Rank. Whatever that craft was is the greatest weapon I have ever laid eyes on. I will begin plans to retrieve it after the boy has been dealt with. Though we must have him alive. This reagent of his is to valuable. See if any of our contacts can learn where it is heading to", said Danzo.

"As you wish Lord Danzo", said Sai.

Hiruzen froze. He thought long and hard on everything he just heard. Then an idea popped in his head. Hiruzen turned around. Danzo could wait. For now His Grandchildren needed him. Both his genetic grandchild and his surrogate grandchild. Hiruen left to find just the group of people who could help him. If all went according to plan, he could hopefully get Naruto back and get Danzo off the Hokage seat. But first he had to speak to Jiraiya.