24.5

Kin watched as Naruto stood behind Sakura while she scanned over Anko. Looking around the cave they were hiding in she could see that all of the kunoichi present were just as concerned. Kin moved to the entrance and looked at the lake that was just outside after a several meter drop. They had been led to it by Anko, who had boasted that she had practically lived in the Forest of Death for a while. Kin scoffed softly since the name of Training Area Forty-Four was more fitting than ever. Looking back at the assembled Shinobi, she wondered why they were so concerned for the one woman but had barely shed a tear for the boy Kiba. He had been taken shortly after they had begun running as the one they had called Chouji easily caught up running along the ground and although it seemed the zombie genin had been unable to harness his chakra to leap among the trees. It hadn't stopped it from making a leaping jump to snatch the Inuzuka out of the air. His calls for help had gone unanswered, but when the zombiefiied Dosu, Shino, and Zaku had tried to grab a victim of their own. Temari and Tenten had unleashed a barrage of long range attacks that had destroyed Zaku, due to an exploding kunai to the head, and had cost the other two a couple of limbs. Tenten had finished off Shino by throwing another exploding kunai as the legless corpse had tried to crawl after them. The creature that had once been Dosu must have sensed an easier prey as it had leapt away albeit minus an arm.

Kin's focus switched back to the woods surrounding the lake as a scream pierced the night leaving her to guess another person had joined the ranks of the undead. Turning towards the others, she said, "We should have killed those things when there were only three."

"It wouldn't have mattered," Ino replied looking up having been lost in thought, "Something else would simply have popped up in their place as a threat."

"What are you talking about?" Kin asked, nearly exasperated as her patience was running out.

Before Ino could reply, Sakura's voice interjected as she reported to Naruto, "She's fine, just some cuts and bruises."

"I said as much," Anko replied although she groaned slightly as she adjusted herself, "Damn, I really thought I'd do better this time around especially since I didn't have the curse mark."

Kin, recalled how Sakura had seemed to imply that she had met her before and wanting answers demand, "What do you mean this time around?" Pointing at Sakura, she said, "Why were you acting like we met before?" Losing some of her anger, it was replaced by confusion as a lost look appeared on her face. Crouching down and holding her head with her hands she asked, "What's going on?"

She heard footsteps approach so looking up saw Naruto standing above her looking at her with a face full of sadness. Crouching as well he said, "Thanks for your patience." He gathered his thoughts for a moment before continuing, "There is no easy way to say this but what Anko means is for us the Chunin Exams are a thing of the past. Almost four years to be exact."

"W-what!? That's insane," Kin replied her eyes searching all those present for some sign of deceit. Although she didn't find any, she figured that just meant they were excellent liars. However, she didn't discount the possibility that it was possible she and her team had failed to kill Sasuke and was reliving the Chunin Exams via a Leaf trick to reveal something about the Sound Village. Stating as much, she said, "I get it, this is some sort of set-up and we're living out some nightmare scenario so that I'll come to trust you guys. That's why you left that Inuzuka to die he wasn't real."

"In a way you are exactly right," Naruto admitted, "We are using a variation of an interrogation seal to enter your mind. However, we don't care about the Sound Village and any information you have is horribly out of date."

"Bullshit! I'm on to you now. You'll never get me to betray Lord Orochimaru."

Naruto sighed, but Ino put a hand on his shoulder saying, "Naruto. Concentrate on how you look now."

Kin fell backwards onto her butt as he began to glow a bright yellow which began to grow. She closed her eyes as the others began to as well. When the light faded and after blinking the spots from her eyes she was surprised to see all the genin had appeared to age. Still, she knew that the appearances they now had could simply be to fit their cover story so said, "Come on, I wasn't born yesterday. You already told me that four years supposedly passed it would be monumentally stupid…"

"The Sound Village isn't just one village but several bases scattered all over the elemental countries," Sakura said cutting in having read the information Karin had revealed during her interrogation.

Anko picked up as she paused adding, "Each base has a specific purpose whether it be experimentation, training, or weapon manufacturing. Since you're simply a genin I assume you came from the base in River Country. I don't recall you having any great manufactured abilities like your teammates, so I'm guessing you've never been to any of the others. You must have felt cheated especially considering throwing senbon and genjutsu seem to be your only talents."

Kin's eyes grew wide in surprise but she shook her head saying, "All that means is that maybe one of the others has talked."

"Then why are we bothering with you," Naruto said calmly but his words acted like a bucket of cold water being thrown on her. "If we have information on Sound, and your words would confirm that what we said is true. Then there would be no reason to continue. But I'm afraid it's not that simple."

A part of Kin recognized the truth of Naruto's words. Recognizing she really had nothing of value to them information wise she said, "You say it's been four years." Naruto nodded so looking away, she asked, "W-why then would you wait so long to use this jutsu to enter my mind? What do you hope to gain?"

"Nothing," Naruto replied causing her head to snap back to face him. Meeting her eyes he said, "You've been asleep for a long time. After your team failed to kill Sasuke, we all headed to the tower. There a bunch of preliminary matches were held to see who would advance to the final round of the exams. You and Zaku were defeated…" Naruto paused wondering if his words were stirring any sign that she remembered what happened after, not seeing any he continued, "What happened next we don't know for sure. But we believe you were used as a sacrifice for a jutsu called Endo Tensei and that Orochimaru planned to use you to bring back someone during the invasion of the Leaf."

"What invasion?"

Naruto was surprised at her lack of knowledge sending a look back to his lovers. Anko let her opinion on the matter be known saying, "That fucking bastard. He didn't even tell them he was planning to invade with the Sand Village."

"I'm not surprised," Sakura said sadly crossing her arms as she directed her gaze out the entrance to look over the forest, "I don't think they were meant to live past the exams."

"Shut your mouth," Kin snapped angrily, "We were chosen by Lord Orochimaru…"

"To die," Naruto said calmly again, the truth his words seemed to carry sapping her anger. "Do you remember those black marks Sasuke had upon waking up? That was from the curse mark Orochimaru gave him before your team found us. Now I'm only speculating, but I believe he did it so that when a team as strong as yours showed up and he defeated you then he'd want more of what the snake bastard had to offer."

Kin wanted to deny it, but she had been questioning why Orochimaru would send her team to kill one genin. "Why?"

Naruto looked away to gaze out on the forest outside the cave before saying, "To lure him away from the Leaf and his friends in order to one day take over his body. Sasuke has always craved power and knowing that, Orochimaru planned to sacrifice you and your team to prove that he could give it to him. But when you turned up alive, I'm guessing he had further use for you so decided to use you for his forbidden jutsu."

Kin closed her eyes and wanted to deny what she had been told. She was about to give a half-hearted denial when she suddenly flashed to a memory of her kneeling in a circle. Orochimaru and Kabuto were standing in front of her as she pleaded for them to stop and after Kabuto placed a bloody kunai on a scroll she remembered screaming as ash and dirt floated towards her to begin covering her. Her eyes snapped open, and she imagined that she appeared quite panicked as Naruto quickly placed a hand on her shoulder asking, "Are you alright?"

"Y-you're not lying… I…I think I just experienced them using that jutsu you were talking about."

Naruto nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. He paused as if waiting for something, but when it didn't materialize he turned towards Ino to ask, "Uh…shouldn't she be waking up now if she's recalling what happened to her."

"I'm afraid it isn't going to be that simple," the Yamanaka replied moving to the entrance of the cave. From her vantage point she could see the tower that had been the goal they needed to reach during the exams.

Despite knowing the seriousness of what they face she couldn't help smiling as her lover whined, "Why not?"

She turned to face him, and then allowed her gaze to settle on Kin before saying, "For the same reason things are getting so out of hand. Think of Kin's mind as two parts. There is the conscious level of thinking and the subconscious. The conscious level is the one with us right now."

Everyone turned to face Kin causing her to feel a little awkward as a result of the different gazes which ranged from thoughtful to intrigued, feeling put on the spot she raised her hand meekly and said, "Um…hello."

Ino smirked and then continued her explanation, "When she was used and abandoned her subconscious mind dealt with the stress by creating all of this to protect her from the isolation." Ino held her arms out to indicate the world they now resided in.

"We already knew that," Temari said leaning against the cave wall, "But that doesn't explain why she isn't waking up now that she knows the truth."

"I'm getting to that." Ino moved behind Kin to be able to look at everyone. "The problem is that her subconscious is what is keeping her from waking. It's also what is creating all the obstacles in our path."

The group remained silent for several moments. Much to everyone's surprise it was Kin that broke it as she asked, "Why?"

"Basically you are trying to protect yourself," Ino answered moving in front of the girl and tried to smile at her. It proved somewhat difficult to do since she knew that with her subconscious working against them waking the kunoichi may very well be impossible. She abandoned the effort to smile in favor of saying, "That's why everything keeps going against us, and why some people act differently then we remember. It's her subconscious mind trying to prevent her from waking up and facing the truth."

"But she is safe now," Naruto said quickly. Then jerking his thumb towards the entrance of the cave he added, "That also doesn't explain the horror movie going on out there.

Ino looked at him sadly before saying, "I'm afraid it does. In order for us to enter Kin's mind the link needs to be two ways. We were imposing ourselves on her memories. Normally when such seals are used it is a one way communication since the intruder is an outside perspective viewing the events but not interacting. For us to be a part of it, Kin's mind is able to view our own memories to expand the world so to speak for our perspectives. For instance, this cave is probably a part of Anko's memories since she guided us to it. By the same token, that thing that Sasuke became is from yours."

"But still that's a long way from the dead suddenly rising from the grave," Anko said sitting up from the cave wall she had been propped against.

"I'm willing to bet that's also due to Naruto."

All the kunoichi turned their gazes to Naruto causing him to whine, "Ino, why are you going to put the blame for that on me. Anko's the one who likes those kinds of movies."

"Hey," Anko quickly replied at her lover trying to shift the blame.

Ino couldn't help but laugh softly at the two since they were staring at each other in a way that made her guess they were trying to force the other to accept the fault for the situation. "True," she said moving behind Naruto and dropping to her knees and pressed herself against his back, "but again we have to deal with the fact that Kin's subconscious is working against us and I'm willing to bet subconsciously you're more inclined to believe zombies can be real."

A little flustered by Ino's closeness in front of Kin due to the effect it had on his body, Naruto said while trying to fight growing another boner in front of the kunoichi, "Well yeah you saw the way that dark chakra was arcing around Sasuke when he fired up that black chidori. I mean that movie Anko wanted to watch said the zombies were a result of a chakra virus."

"Ha! See, it is your fault," Anko said triumphantly as she pointed at the jinchuriki.

"Uh-uh, you made me watch that movie so technically speaking it would be your fault, wouldn't it?"

Ino peeled herself away as the two began to argue before turning to Kin again as she said, "Regardless, the point is we have to find a way to force Kin awake."

Hinata looked away from Kin due to the girl looking so utterly confused and scared, "Um…If her mind is fighting us then why give us a chance to rest like this?" Wouldn't it be prudent for it to keep the pressure on?"

"It doesn't work that way," Ino said turning to her fellow harem member, "There still has to be rules. For example, Naruto saw the black lightning surrounding Sasuke and subliminally might have thought that it could create those creatures. Kin's mind in turn seized on that, but zombies don't hunt for specific targets. They simply follow instinct so when we were close we were targets, but now that we aren't…"

"I get it," Sakura said, "That's why Shikamaru turned on us. Subconsciously we see him as the chunin he is now who would never abandon a fellow Leaf-nin."

"Exactly," Ino said, "which is why Naruto was right that the only people we can trust are those in this cave. Everyone else will probably find some reason to turn against us."

Kin had been looking down at her lap as she tried to process everything she was learning. Finally she looked up, "Then how do I wake up?"

"I don't know," Ino admitted, "I think we should rest her till morning and then make our way to the tower."

"Why," Naruto asked ending his bickering with Anko.

"That's where we were supposed to head after the exams and is therefore the most logical place to expect some sort of conclusion to the second exam."

Naruto nodded. Standing he dusted off his pants and moved to in front of Kin. Placing his hand on her shoulder he assured her, "Don't worry, we'll definitely find a way to help you."

*********

Ino was on watch as she stared out of the cave entrance. Several hours had passed and from time to time the Yamanaka would hear screams. It was easy to imagine the zombies were behind it but truthfully it hadn't been all that different during the real exams. Hearing someone approaching from behind she asked, "Can't sleep?"

Despite the darkness, Kin shook her head as she said, "No, it's difficult to sleep what with everything I've learned today."

"I can imagine but it would be best if you try. We might just be inside your mind, but fatigue is fatigue."

"Yeah," Kin said but nevertheless sat down next to the blonde. They sat in silence for several moments before Kin asked, "Why are you doing this for me?"

"What do you mean?"

"You already pointed out any information I have on Sound is useless. I couldn't have been all that strong for Lor… for Orochimaru to abandon me. So why help me?"

For a moment Ino thought of the powerful crystal user that Orochimaru had sent against them when they tried to seal away the Three-Tails. Thinking about how he had put her and the boy whose mother she had murdered together just so the boy would grow attached and then more powerful upon learning the truth, she said, "Don't let what that bastard thinks bother you. He values nothing but jutsu. People are just things to be used and discarded."

"Still… that doesn't answer my question."

"No I suppose it doesn't." Ino turned to look inside the cave. Due to her eyes being used to the dark she could just make out Naruto laying on the ground snoring contently. Snuggled into his sides were Sakura and Hinata. Ino looked back out to gaze on the forest before saying, "Truthfully we're here because of him. When he learned about what happened to you he became hellbent to help you."

"Why?"

"Because he knows what is like to be alone."

Kin turned to look at the sleeping man. Seeing the two beautiful women clutching him in his sleep she said, "I find that hard to believe."

Ino smiled and knowing what the kunoichi was referring to replied, "That's a rather new development."

"Um…" Kin began but from the way she trailed off Ino could imagine she was blushing."

"What is it?" she asked wondering why the girl was so nervous all of the sudden.

"Well it's just… aren't you jealous?"

"A little," Ino thought wanting to be one of the two kunoichi snuggled into the shinobi. "It's complicated."

"Oh…okay. It's just from the way you were hugging him earlier I thought you two were together."

"We are."

"But…I… aren't they…"

"Like I said, it's complicated." They trailed off into silence again and Ino realized that she was talking about more than just the many relationships Naruto was currently involved in. But that she was also speaking about her own feelings for the jinchuriki.

*******

Naruto backpedaled as one of the large overgrown beasts that called the forest of death home swiped at him with its claw. Naruto threw a kunai that hit the massive tiger in the eye, but unfortunately the creature didn't even flinch due to it already being dead. Luckily though, the creature wasn't bright enough to compensate so its next swing at him was way off. Naruto took advantage to move to the recently created blind spot and leaping behind it shouted, "Tenten, do you have any more exploding tags?"

"I'm running low," she shouted back, avoiding a human woman that was obviously a civilian making it apparent that the virus had spread outside the training ground. She easily avoided the dead woman, who moved far more slowly than the turned shinobi due in part to the chakra in their systems. Summoning a sickle she beheaded the woman, and turned towards Naruto to try and hit the sweet spot where spine met brain.

However, Temari shouted, "I've got this," and swinging her fan she sent a wind scythe at the giant tiger which cut through its neck. The beast's body fell to the floor as Temari turned to the weapons mistress saying, "I'd have thought you'd have trained in something more than just weapons instead of doubling down on it."

Tenten glowered, but before she could respond a shinobi zombie landed on a branch and then leapt at the Suna kunoichi whose back was facing it. Letting her sickle fly, it passed inches over Temari's head and caught the zombie in the mouth separating the top half of its head from the rest. Hearing the dead meat hitting the ground behind her Temari's complaint died on her lip, as she spun to see the corpse sliding the final few feet towards her. "Thanks," she said turning back to the kunoichi.

"You're welcome," Tenten replied, but her voice hardened slightly as she added, "And don't think that if we ever fight again I'm not prepared to deal with you and that fan."

Temari's voice grew heated as well as she countered, "Oh yeah, I'd love to see you try."

"Stow it you two," Anko said throwing a senbon that passed through a zombie's throat to hit the brainstem, "Settle your grudge from the chunin exams some other time, preferably not when we're fighting for our lives."

Both kunoichi grumbled under their breaths as they turned from one another but felt their blood run cold as they saw more and more undead appearing from the forest. "Dammit Ino, I thought you said these things weren't targeting us," Tenari shouted swinging her fan and blowing several away.

Anko was the one that answered as she said, "They've reached the village and if I had to guess ravaged the place. As survivors become scarce they're going to target the few that remain."

"Shit," Naruto said blocking a shinobi zombie jaws that had leapt over the horde of civilian ones. Pushing it away it collided with several of the slower moving civilians knocking several over, but it quickly sprung to its feet to leap at him again. Naruto was ready shoving a Rasengan in its face which sent it flying away creating a path. But it was quickly filled with more faster moving shinobi zombies that ran at him. Naruto created several clones to meet them and asked, "Are we sure these things aren't intelligent they're plugging whatever holes we make rather quickly. And if we take to the trees the faster ones force us to the ground."

"Think of them as animals," Anko supplied as she raised an arm and sent several snakes from her sleeve to wrap around the legs of one. Pulling back, she knocked the zombie off its feet and then spinning spun it around to batter away a bunch of them before tossing it away into a group of others, "Much like how wolves hunt in packs so do these with each one instinctually knowing how best to surround, wear down, and finally make the kill."

"What happens to us if we get killed in here," Sakura asked as she put her fist through the head of one zombie before kicking another in the chest that created a gap through the horde of undead as it sailed backwards. Charging forward, she slammed her fist into the ground creating a massive shockwave which blew the undead off their feet. However two of the shinobi zombies leapt from the trees from opposite sides forcing her to leap back towards the group. Upon landing where the kunoichi was just standing they charged towards her, but Hinata stepped in their way and using her Protective Eight Trigrams jutsu created a net of chakra around her which as the creatures slammed into it sliced themselves to ribbons.

Ino kicked away a civilian before answering Sakura's question, "Nothing should happen. If we die here we should just wake up in the Den, but considering how everything is going I don't want to test it out."

Kin felt helpless as she watched the much more experienced shinobi tear through the undead. It really made her wonder why they were going through so much effort on her behalf since she couldn't believe it was just because Naruto supposedly understood what it was like to be alone. Her feelings of worthlessness stemmed from just how little she was contributing to their slow march to the tower. Her aim with her senbon wasn't nearly good enough to hit the spot that granted the zombies instant death, nor was her taijutsu good enough to mix it up with the creatures which seemed to shrug off some of the hardest of blows. Therefore she was in the middle of the group being protected from danger which made her feel guilty since if things had gone her teams way during the true Chunin Exams they would likely all be dead. Her inattention nearly cost her as a large Akimichi zombie leapt over the horde of civilians. Kin's eyes grew wide as it shrugged off a kunai from Tenten to the throat which apparently didn't penetrate deep enough due to the creature's bulk. It would have probably crushed her had a chain not wrapped around its neck from behind which was pulled taunt causing the zombie's neck to break as it disappeared into the canopy of trees.

What emerged from the leaves in its place was a gorgeous woman dressed in a tan short sleeved kimono which was tied by a black obi. The kimono stopped at her waist below which she wore a short black skirt and leggings which reached her thighs. Donning her feet were a pair of brown sandals. What was most striking about her though was the long read hair that flowed behind her as she flew through the air before landing in front of Kin.

"Mom," Naruto said in disbelief, "What are you doing here?"

"I'll explain later," she said as she began to flash through several handsigns. Several chains appeared from her back which shot straight down into the ground. They emerged from the ground having apparently divided and multiplied as they passed through the earth since they wrapped around the legs of all the various undead present. A moment later the chains pulled the creatures completely into the ground before the chains emerging from Kushina's back disappeared. The few zombies that had been perched in the trees proved easy targets to dispatch minus the aid from the horde of civilian ones that had been surrounding them from all sides.

"That was awesome mom," Naruto said in awe, "How'd you do that?"

Kushina smiled at the praise from her son before replying, "It's what made me such a good host for Kyuubi. My chakra is special in that I can form chains from it. They were able to work that ability into my seal to restrain Kyuubi."

Kin noticed that as she explained her ability she was passing an eye over the kunoichi present as if judging whether or not they were worthy of her son. It made the Sound-nin question just what his relationship was with the women since they each seemed to be more than just friends with him. Naruto seemed to sense it too so forced his mom's focus on him as he asked, "But how are you free of my seal?"

"When you all entered… um which one of you is the one we are trying to awaken?" Kushina asked, surprising Kin since she would assume the woman would be able to pick her from those not apparently interested in her son.

Kin raised her hand, answering, "That would be me."

Kushina stared at her for a moment before saying, "In any case, when you entered her mind it had to process certain differences. The fact that Kyuubi is no longer inside of you meant it had to process my consciousness and did so by allowing me to operate free of the seal. It's a good thing you haven't called upon the Bijuu chakra since that Kyuubi would still be trying to escape."

Naruto nodded saying, "Ino suspected as much already."

"I see," the red-head said turning to the young blonde woman probably recognizing the traits that made her a Yamanaka with another judging gaze. "Well I think we should get going before we are surrounded again."

The others nodded, so Naruto suggested, "Temari, Tenten, you two take point. With your long range abilities it should prevent any of these things from getting in our way. Hinata follow them to point out any that might be lying in wait. The rest of us will spread out behind you guys."

Following Naruto's directions they took to the trees. With the formation Naruto had suggest they were able to move more quickly. The creatures began bunching up again obviously searching for them. However Hinata was able to pick out which ones were the more dangerous shinobi allowing Tenten or Temari free reign to decimate them. The trees began to thin out forcing them to the ground in a clearing littered with the undead causing Naruto to say, "Sakura, would you be so kind?"

Sakura took point leaping straight from her branch to the ground and slammed her into it causing the earth to erupt cataclysmically. The others followed her down slicing through any that got in their way. "Come on we're almost there," Naruto shouted recognizing the area as close to where his team had fought the Rain-nin with Kabuto's help.

Reaching a spot where he could see the tower, Naruto paused as he heard Hinata shout, "Kin watch out!"

Turning, Naruto saw something dark slam into the ground blocking his view of the surprised looking Sound-nin. The dust of the landing obscured his view causing Naruto to shout, "Kin," as he charged towards whatever had grabbed her. He was slapped away by something large.

"Hahahahaha, you still leap before you look, loser," a voice everyone but Kushina recognized. The Wing he had used to slap Naruto away caused the dust to blow away revealing Sasuke in his second stage form holding an unconscious Kin under his arm.

Naruto was being helped up by his mother as he shouted, "Sasuke let her go. Your fight is with me."

"Maybe some other time," Sasuke said as he pointed towards the tower, "Orochimaru has promised me power in exchange for the girl. By all means try and take her back." Leaping into the air he flew directly for the central tower.

"Shit," Naruto said slamming his fist into the ground.

"There's no time for that Naruto," his mother said shocked at what Mikoto's son had become. "It's likely we're running out of time if her mind is making such an overt move for her."

"I don't get it, shouldn't things be happening differently now? So shouldn't the fifteen hour time limit change as well," Sakura asked noticing they were being surrounded again.

"I'll explain later, for now we need to move," Kushina said turning to her son who was already back on his feet his eyes shining with the determination to help the Sound kunoichi. He leapt first to the trees and slammed a Rasengan into a shinobi zombie which tried to grab him from the air. He looked back long enough to make sure the others were following him before focusing on the tower determined to reach it as he had a promise to keep.

*********

"Well…" Naruto began to explain to Kin but he was cut off by someone shouting his name.

"Naruto!"

Spinning towards the possible threat, he was knocked off his feet as something collided with him. However he relaxed somewhat as his lips were covered by the soft wetness he usually associated with kissing. Focusing on the face, he couldn't help wrapping his arms around the girl as he pulled her closer. She broke the kiss saying, "I always wanted to kiss you even back then Naruto."

"Well here's to making up for lost time, Hinata," he replied pressing his lips to hers.

"What the fuck? Why are you kissing Naruto of all people Hinata?" her teammate Kiba shouted from the tree she had launched herself from.

"Be quiet Kiba," she replied sternly, "I've waited a long time to kiss Naruto when he looked like this. It was too good an opportunity to pass up."

"Hey since when do you…" Kiba trailed off as it became apparent Hinata was ignoring him in favor of kissing the blond shinobi.

"This does not appear to be the same Hinata we entered this forest with," Shino stated walking up next to his male teammate. "Why, perhaps she has entered a mating cycle."

"She ain't some bug," Kiba said with a shake of his head.

Hinata broke the kiss whispering, "I don't know I feel like mating." Rubbing her crotch up against Naruto's, she added, "It feels like someone else does too."

Temari, who had been traveling with Hinata since their teams had run into each other, pulled the girl by the ear back up to her feet saying, "Easy there girl, let's not forget who we're trying to lose."

"Ow, ow, ow," Hinata moaned as she was pulled away by Temari whining, "But I wanted to kiss Naruto for so long even back during the first exams."

Naruto sat up and conscious of Kin staring at him in a mixture of confusion and embarrassment tried to adjust his sitting stance to hide his erection. Having an idea of what the two kunoichi were doing traveling together he simply asked, "Gaara?"

Temari nodded as she said, "Yeah, back during the real exam we set a record for how fast we reached the tower. After he killed some Rain-nin for their scroll we were supposed to head to there. Back then we had sensed a team, but since his blood lust was sated he let them go. He wasn't going to this time so we bolted."

"He's a monster," Kiba supplied, "Akamaru has never sensed such a huge chakra before." He directed his attention to the dog whose head was sticking out of his jacket and noticing it shaking asked, "What is it boy? Is that freak near again?" The dog whined in response causing Kiba to say, "What do you mean you have before?" The dog replied again causing the Inuzuka to reply disbelievingly, "Naruto has more chakra then even that freak get out of here."

Naruto tensed something both Hinata and Temari noticed. They also picked up on the fact that both Sakura and Ino moved so that they could attack the other members of Team Eight. It was a move that didn't go unnoticed by one of them who spotting the corpse of Chouji moved up to it to look at the wound it sported. Crouching down and turning the corpse he was unfamiliar with the type of jutsu that had caused it so turning asked, "It would seem we are making our Leaf colleagues uncomfortable Kiba. That may explain Chouji's condition."

Temari reached for her fan obviously going on guard as did Kiba. Naruto doubted that at the moment either male believed she was preparing to attack them. Turning towards Kin, trusting his ladies to makes sure neither Kiba nor Shino took advantage of his inattention to them he said, "Kin, I know you're confused. But, from what I've gathered Gaara is probably going to be hunting us down since Temari's here. Trust me when I say that's not a good thing. If you'll trust us for just a little while I promise we'll explain everything to you."

"Hey don't ignore us you bastard! Did you kill Chouji?" Kiba shouted taking a step towards Naruto only for Hinata to bar his path. "Hinata what are you doing?"

"It's obvious her attachment to Naruto is stronger than the bonds to her team," Shino said as bugs began to leave his sleeve in preparation to attack. As he raised his sleeve his attention on the kunoichi preparing to attack him, he failed to notice the body behind him begin to twitch ever so slightly. That all changed though as Chouji's corpse suddenly lunged forward and grabbed his leg. "What the…" Shino said looking down at the threat and screamed as the reanimated Chouji bit into his leg.

"Shit," Naruto said noticing the bodies of both Dosu and Zaku rising as well and then making straight for Shino to bite into him. "I-I don't fucking remember this happening. What's going on?"

Hinata activated her bloodline and saw the chakra systems of the undead shinobi were still active but was a black-white color. Reporting her reporting her findings Sakura said, "You don't suppose Sasuke's curse mark is behind this?"

"If it is that's the first I've heard of something like this happening," Naruto said, "Let's get the hell out of here."

"W-what about Shino?" Kiba asked torn between following the jinchuriki and kunoichi and helping his teammate.

"He's gone," Naruto replied causing the shinobi to turn and notice the Aburame was no longer screaming and that the reanimated shinobi were beginning to focus on him.

"Shit," Kiba said before taking to the trees to follow the others.

Naruto looked back towards Ino asking, "What just happened?"

"I don't know," she replied.

"Shit, that's the last time I watch a horror movie with Anko." Thinking of his other lover he said, "I'll be right back." Disappearing in a red flash he reappeared first with a surprised Tenten, and after filling her in then teleported once more. This time when he reappeared Anko was clutched to his back looking as if she had been in one monster of a fight.

"What happened?" Sakura asked moving to see if the woman needed medical assistance.

"Orochimaru," she replied simply.

"We're in some deep shit," Naruto said which was a sentiment everyone seemed to share.

****************************

Despite her earlier calm, Kyuubi was beginning to feel slightly nervous despite the safeguards she had built into the seal. "Do you know what's going on?" she asked figuring the Hokage would ignore her like she had the last two times she asked.

"Most of them are reacting as if they had seen something that gave them a shock," Tsunade answered, looking over her shoulder. "Do you have any idea as to what it is they are facing?"

Kyuubi shook her head in the negative saying, "I'm afraid if they've made contact with Kin and have revealed the truth to her, then for them all to be reacting this way she must be resisting."

"I doubt she could put up that much of a fight," Tsunade said motioning to screens monitoring Naruto and the others.

"Not her in a physical sort of way. But mentally."

"I don't understand," Shizune said joining the conversation, "If she's been made aware shouldn't she wake up like what you did with Tayuya?"

Kyuubi shook her head no explaining, "Tayuya's mind was somewhat aware. It was just unable to communicate due to damage to her body. Kin's mind while active began to operate in a circuit so she didn't have to come to terms with what happened to her. Orochimaru's betrayal and the time alone in the isolation of the coffin probably created such stress on her that she'd rather retreat into her memory then face it."

"Damn it," Tsunade said moving to crouch down next to Naruto. Running her hand across his face she asked worriedly, "If they are in danger what will happen to them if they are hurt or killed?"

"Nothing," Kyuubi replied sounding vaguely insulted, "I was aware things could go poorly for them so made sure that if anything happened to them in her mind they'd simply wake up." Tsunade breathed out a sigh of relief at that, but she tensed as Kyuubi added, "However, I'm afraid that Kin on the other hand is a different story."

"Why?"

"The dangers that they are facing is Kin's subconscious way to not deal with what happened to her. But, the conscious part of her must realize the truth now, especially if Naruto has explained it to her. Therefore, if they reach the time limit and she hasn't awakened then it could be disastrous for her."

"Disastrous how?" Shizune asked sending a worried gaze back towards the Sound-nin whose face seemed almost pained from hearing bad news.

"If they reach the fifteen hour mark, and her mind resets then one of two things will happen. Her conscious side will face what it needs to and she'll wake up. Or, she will not be able to deal with it and she'll likely lose her will to live."

"You mean…"

"Her brain will simply shut down and she'll die," Kyuubi said matter of factly. "It may be prudent to wake them up since at this point I doubt they'll be able to do too much more for her."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Tsunade said standing and turning from her lover, "Kyuubi, I need you to get someone for me."

"I don't think that's very wise. I'm supposed to be in my home at the moment."

"I know, but you're the only one that will be able to get there and back in time to make a difference."

Kyuubi arched an eyebrow asking, "Where exactly do you expect me to go?"

To which Tsunade simply smiled before saying, "Suna."

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