Once Upon a Time That which Stalks the Night, a naruto fanfic

Hey guys, sorry it took me so long to update, my computer failed on me. I had to wait to get a new one and everything, but I'm back. And here's the next chapter of Once Upon a Time.

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Once Upon a Time

Chapter 3

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"What do you mean, he kidnapped her?" Pein looked forward into the darkness, his body ridged as he heard the voice of his master speak. He felt like shuffling from foot to foot, but he beat down the urge. He couldn't afford to show weakness in front of this man, doing so might just spell his demise. He took a step forward, and looked into the shadows at the head of the table he stood in front of. Nodding gently, Pein cleared his throat and spoke.

"Yes, it appears she got the drop on him when he was attempting to flee, and he had no choice but to take her captive."

There was silence for a few seconds, before a voice yelled out in rage, and a plate shattered against the wall. Letting his eyes stay on the food that had fallen to the ground, Pein held back a flinch when the man started to scream.

"Foolish boy! He knows not what he has done. Killing that girls father was only part of the plan!" Pein hid his surprise at hearing that, but didn't question his master any more then he had to. So he st there, in silence, while he waited to hear what had to be done.

"Leave me." The voice spoke after awhile and Pein acknowledged as fast as he could. No one liked to be around Madara when he was in a foul mood. Madara sat in contemplative silence for a second, before he spoke into the darkness.

"Where are you snake? I know you're here, I can smell your vileness over the food."

A laugh greeted his words, and out of the shadows slinked a tall pale black haired man. The man bowed in front of Madara, before speaking himself, letting his eyes rise to meet him.

"What do you require of me lord?"

Madara looked at the man in front of him, biting back his disgust, before he spoke.

"Deploy the Valkori, Orochimaru, and bring me that girl." Orochimaru nodded, and bowed, before slinking back into the shadows, his voice echoing off the walls.

"Kukukuku, as you wish my lord. What of the boy?" Madara shifted lightly, thinking to himself, before he answered the man's question.

"Do not harm him more than necessary."

"Of course not, my lord."

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He could hear the whispers. They beckoned him, called to him, urging him forever forward in this endeavor. The complacency, simplicity, normality of life was something he had never, and would never know. He was destined to walk, to bring chaos into the world which feared it so, and the whispers… they urged him to, screamed in that hollowed dead whisper for him to do it, to forsake all he had known and all he would ever know, and bring about the destruction they so desired.

He could feel it, consume him and bring him into its darkness, whispering sweet murder into his ear, as his own blood dripped from his hand. Glancing down, he idly noticed the dark blood red blade in his grasp, its metal reflecting no light, seeming to scream for death and destruction. He could feel it, vibrating, calling, urging him to take lives. He let one hand rise to his head, gripping it, forcing himself to block out the whispers that called so sweetly into his ear.

"No…" He fell to his knees, the blade still held firmly in his grasp. He couldn't let it go, no matter how hard he tried. He could feel it pulsating, the grip hot in his hand. He shook his head quickly, feeling his grip on reality shake. Everything seemed… so blurry. What was once so important to him, the people that where once so important to him, seemed to slip out of his minds grasp like water, falling to the dry earth, and away from his memories.

"No… you can't make me… I won't…" he whispered, his eyes growing wide with the pain, oh the pain. He could feel it, bouncing around in his skull like some demented echo, the whispers echoing off it in a sweet symphony of destruction. He tried so hard to let it go, to let the blade go, but it wouldn't budge. It grew hotter, seeming to amass power from his pain, and it burned hot into his skin. Shaking his head fiercely, he screamed into the heavens.

"No! I won't! I won't become a demon, I won't become a killer! Not for you, not for Him, not for anyone!" He screamed, letting his head rise upwards to the heavens, the whispers growing louder, until finally… they united, and one, hallow, empty voice spoke into his head.

"My my you poor soul, so eager for death, for the sweet callous relief of the blade. You yearn for it, call for it, and yet… it does not answer you. Become a demon? My sweet child, you're already a demon. You live for bloodshed, to feel your cold steel slide through another's body, to watch the light fade from their eyes. So complacent, so set in your ways, you fail to see what is right in front of you." The voice spoke, its whispers so sweet and so true in his mind. He felt his grip on the blade slacken, his body rise from its kneeling position, as he looked at the girl in front of him, "You're friends? They are nothing, they mean nothing… and yet you fight? So, it would seem that it was too much to hope you would rise above this, rise above the expectations of those around you. This pain, this hate… I can feel it, you know. Growing in you, moving in you like a snake in the bush, cold coiled and just waiting to strike. So willing and so able to bring about the destruction of countless lives, you were destined to fall into this. To be the one to bring about great change, great death, and leave the world trembling in your wake."

Her eyes wide, she was screaming but… He couldn't make out the sound. He strained his hearing and yet, he couldn't seem to hear her. Her lips made motions he couldn't understand, and he felt himself walking towards her in a slow and steady gate. Her eyes grew wide with fear, her body, broken and bleeding, pushed backwards to escape him. Yet he walked forward, his gate steady and self assured, his mind clouded over by the sweet whisper. She had run out of space to back away, sliding her body against the wall and folding in on herself, trying to shy away from the horror. He looked at her with cold, apathetic eyes, when suddenly he stopped once more, and raised one hand to his head. Eyes growing wide, he threw back his head, the force causing his neck to bend upwards, as he screamed. He screamed and screamed, his throat growing raw from the noise, till he could scream no more. Putting both hands up to his head, the glade still so hot in his grasp, he whispered with wide, red eyes.

"Get out of my head…" The voice cackled, before it spoke one final time, just as the strength left his body. He watched as the blade rose, high over his head, as he looked down at the girl, unable and unwilling to recognize who was in front of him. Her eyes widened, the horror in them growing, as she looked at him and started to sob.

"You foolish boy, don't you see? There is no one in your head. I am merely the personification of your deepest darkest desires. I am no one you are unfamiliar with, no one that you do not already know. I am you, the real you. Don't you see child? There is no one else here…"

The blade fell.

"Only you… And me."

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Naruto awoke, his body shooting upwards as cold sweat matted his eyebrow. He took in a deep breath to calm his beating heart, and then let his eyes roam around the room slowly. Taking in the still sleeping figure of Ino, he sighed and sat up. Letting his head fall downward, into his hands, he wiped the remaining sweat from his brow, before he sat up and stretched.

Dawn was still a few hours away, but he was used to not getting much sleep. Moving silently to the window, he looked out it cautiously, taking in the narrow, empty street. His eyes flitted slowly over it, looking this way and that, before he finally stepped away and let his thoughts finally roam to the dream he had just had.

It had felt… so real. He could only remember bits and pieces now that he was awake, but he remembered the terror he felt, the fear he felt in the pit of his stomach. Fear so great and so real, it drove him to wake. Sighing gently, he went to go lay back down when he stopped, his easy twitching slightly.

A noise, outside in the hall way, is what caused his hesitation. Standing there, Naruto strained his hearing, and picked up the small footsteps converging outside of his doorway. Eyes narrowing softly, he moved to his pack and drew his short blades. The cold steal left the scabbards with a barely audible hiss, and Naruto slowly moved forward to crouch in front of the door. Watching, silently, as the door handle turned, he readied himself. He let his body slink down, placing all his weight on the balls of his feet, and got ready for the moment the door started to open.

The door began to open, and Naruto launched himself forward, slamming into the door and slamming it back onto whoever had opened it. Ino shot up at the noise, her eyes quickly scanning around the room, still red from sleep. Streatching gently, and letting out a stifled yawn, she mumbled softly.

"Naruto… Was goi—"Whatever she was going to say, was cut off, as the door burst open and several men started to move into the room. Naruto growled softly, taking in the appearance of the men, before he stood up slightly.

"Who are you? What do you want with me and my betroved?" The men glanced at each other, before they all laughed softly. One of them, apparently braver then the rest moved forward and spoke to Naruto, his voice hauntingly deep.

"We come for the girl." Naruto grinned softly, before swinging one of his blades behind his back, and holding it in a reverse grip. Letting his body settle into a stance, he idly noticed Ino back into the corner behind him before he spoke, his voice rough and loud over the clinking of their armor.

"Then you'll have to go through me." The men all grinned, before one of them launched himself at Naruto. Spinning to deflect the blade coming at him, he stepped behind the man and thrust one of his swords backwards, grinning as he heard the satisfied crunch of the man falling. The other men growled, before they all converged on him, and his life became a blur.

He felt the heat rise inside of him, the rush of battle, and Naruto felt the smallest of smiles grace his face.

Twisting around one of the sword strikes, Naruto lashed out with his blade, letting it slide across the man's throat, before he had to lean impossibly far back to dodge another sword strike. Using the momentum from his backwards acrobatic move, he flipped onto his hands, and sent his foot upwards into the chin of one of the attacking men. Pushing off with his hands, he launched himself over another thrust, before he landed and twisted, his foot shooting out to kick one of the men in the head.

Naruto grinned, watching them fall, before he turned to face one of the men. He lashed out with one of his swords, which the man barely blocked, before he slid forward on his feet, and head butted the man roughly. Watching him stumble backwards, Naruto turned and deflected another sword strike, before reaching forward and grabbing the offending mans arm. Pulling him forward, he used the man's sword to spear someone behind him, as well as using his own sword to spear the man in front of him. Twisting once more, seeing the man he had head butted come up on him, Naruto dipped his body low, and pulled out a knife. Settling it in his grasp, he threw it suddenly, growling as he did so, and watched the knife sink into the man's skull. The man's head snapped backwards, his eyes widening, as his mouth let out a weak gurgle, before he slid to the ground.

Turning, he faced the only remaining man, who had stood back and watched the proceedings with a bored gaze. Shooting himself at the man, Naruto let his hand collect around his throat, and pushed him against the wall.

"Who do you work for!" Naruto growled, his eyes flashing crimson slightly. The man just stared at him, before slowly, hauntingly, he began to laugh. Naruto growled, and thrust his sword into the man's gut, only to frown as the man laughed harder. Naruto's nose twitched, and he picked up a foul, retched scent, and leapt backwards, staring at the man in front of him in horror.

The man's body was bulging outwards, his form becoming distorting and growing rapidly. His nose suddenly fell off, smoke rising from where it fell on the floor, and a putrid scent rising from the gaping hole in his face. Naruto watched, too shocked to attack, as the man in front of him suddenly exploded in a gory mess, covering him and much of the room in blood.

When he looked back at where the man stood, he cursed under his breath. There in front of him stood a beast, the body of a man, covered in fur, with the head of a boar. It grunted once, before it reached behind itself and pulled a battle axe from its back, which it held dangerously in front of him. Naruto raised his blades in front of him, growling softly as his mind registered what was in front of him.

Valkori. Wretched, emotionless beasts, they had become the main foot soldier and infantry man for the Dark Wizard Madara in the last Great War. Ten times stronger than a man, with no concept of pain, they where a fearsome enemy and Naruto was not happy about the fact that one had shown up here. Nor was it lost on him that someone had covered the beast in magic to conceal its form, the only question he had was who?

The Valkori roared out at him, before it charged. Swinging its axe at Naruto's mid section, it watched as it's pray jumped up and over the strike, and landed on his side. Naruto swung his sword out, opening a gash on the creature's side, but was unprepared for the beast to ignore it and swing its hand at him; back fisting him threw the wall in his room, into the adjourning room.

Naruto groaned and sat up, his eyes adjusting from the pain. He bit his lip softly and fought through it, his eyes moving to see if he had disturbed anyone. Around him, the room was covered in blood, the occupants obviously slaughtered to avoid anyone helping Naruto and Ino. The beast roared from his room, before it suddenly leaped at him, covering the distance easily. Naruto leapt to the side to avoid the axe that would have cleaved his skull open, before he had to let his body drop to the floor to avoid the follow up strike at his mid section.

'Thatonewouldacleavedmeintwo.' Naruto thought to himself as he leapt up from his position, thrusting his sword forward. It caught the beast in the stomach, to which it roared and viciously kicked Naruto in the chest. The boy lost his grip on the sword and flew backwards, once more landing in his room, while the beast just growled and yanked the blade out, before snapping it in half.

Ino watched, petrified, as this beast took apart someone whom was arguably one of the most deadly persons she had ever met. She didn't know what, or who, it was, but she just wanted to be rid of it. Rushing to Naruto's aid, she helped him to his feet, and watched the beast stare at them from the other room.

"Are you okay?" Her concern for his well being wasn't from caring for him, but simply the fact that as it stood, he was most defiantly the lesser of two evils. Naruto muttered something under his breath, which to Ino sounded like 'that hurt', but she couldn't be sure. Naruto glanced at the girl beside him, before he pushed her back towards the corner and looked at her with fiery eyes.

"Stay there!" Naruto turned his attention back to the beast, which had decided to finally make a move. Growling once more, Naruto leapt back to avoid an axe swing, before bringing up his arms to block a kick from the beast. Feeling his bones protest, Naruto flung his arms out and pushed against the beast's leg, causing it to stumble. Capitalizing on this, Naruto leapt onto the beast and thrusts his sword deep into its neck, grinning as he watched it let out something akin to a scream.

"Got you good, didn't I you ugly mother Fuc—" His words where cut off, as the beast kicked him back and off him, sending him upwards into the air to hit the ceiling, before falling to land on his back. Naruto shot to his feet, and watched with wide eyes as the beast stood, ignoring the blade in its neck. It charged once more, and Naruto leapt above the axe swing again. But having seen this many times, the beast swiftly launched its massive war axe upwards, so Naruto had to extend his feet and plant them on the wall mid air, and push off.

Using his momentum, he tackled the beast to the ground, before rolling off it just as it regained footing. Sliding his body under an axe strike, before rolling under its legs to avoid the follow up, Naruto came up behind the beast and slipped a knife out. Planting it in the beasts back, he twisted it hard, before he was launched away by the Valkori rushing backwards hard against him. He hit the wall hard, before he slumped downwards.

His mind was cloudy from that last hit, and he could feel his eyes droop into unconsciousness. The world around him blurred and lost focus, and slowly, he slipped into slumber. The last words he heard, seemed to vibrate around his skull, repeating themselves endlessly.

"Pathetic…"

Ino watched, horrified, as the beast glanced once more at Naruto, before it started towards her. Folding farther into the corner, she prayed. For her father, for the guards, for anyone to save her from this wretched beast. But no help was coming, and she knew that, and so she did the only thing she could think of doing.

Leaping upwards suddenly, as the beast drew near; she picked up one of the blades the men Naruto had killed had dropped, before shoving it viciously into the chest of the monster. The Valkori looked at her, Naruto's blade still sticking out of his neck, without even acknowledging the attack. Ino felt her eyes widen even more, before she mumbled out softly.

"No…No please…No…"

Suddenly, a terrible presence filled the room. It seemed to pull her in and suffocate her, the air grew hot around her and hard to breath, and she fell to her knees. She had never felt such an evil presence, but she could tell it wasn't from the beast in front of her. Looking behind him, to where Naruto had fallen, she moved her hand to her mouth to cover her gasp of surprise.

The boy stood behind the beast, his whole figure glowing in a red aura, as he looked at the Valkori with blood red eyes. The beast turned, suddenly, and let its axe fly outwards at the boys head, but Naruto ducked under it, and punched the beast hard in the gut. The Valkori lost its wind, and folded over, to which Naruto drove his knee into the beast's head, before turning around and kicking it into a wall. Watching the beast rise, Naruto growled out, his voice heavy and more bestial then it was before.

"Roundtwo." The beast growled, and then roared, as it charged at him. Swinging its axe at the blondes head, it watched as said blonde leaned backwards, avoiding the strike, while leaping into the air. Naruto Let his foot launch outwards, catching the beast in the face, and with a force surprising from one so small, he sent it flying backwards into the wall. Wiping his bloodied lip, Naruto stood straight up, and watched the beast stumble to its feet, before motioning him forward.

The Valkori roared, the sound filling the room and making Ino shiver, before it charged at Naruto and let its axe swing at his head. Naruto ducked, sliding smoothly under the blade, and let his fist rocket out, catching the Valkori in the stomach. The beast doubled over from the impact, and Naruto reached up. Gripping his blade, still in the beast's neck, he yanked it sharply to the left, and was instantly covered in a spray of foul smelling black blood. The motion ripped the Valkori's head off, and Naruto watched it drop to the ground. Sighing gently, he suddenly felt very tired, his body overcome with exhaustion. Glancing at Ino, he spoke, his voice losing the sharp edge it had had seconds ago, as the power around him faded.

"Fair Maiden, are you alright?" Ino stared at him, before she nodded dumbly. Naruto walked to her, offered his hand, and when she took it started to lead her out of the room. But she stopped, and pulled away softly.

"Why did that… Thing want me? And what was it?" She spoke, her voice low but clearly showing her disgust at the creature that had attacked them. Naruto was about to respond when he smelt that same disgusting smell, and his eyes widened. The men on the ground all started steaming, there bodies contorting into shapes not meant to be, and he quickly tugged on Ino's hand. She hesitated, watching the bodies with wide, fearful eyes, and Naruto tugged again.

"No time, I'll explain later, we must leave now Fair Maiden." Ino sensed the urgency in his voice, and for once complied without a sound. They took off, Ino's eyes catching sight of a dead body on the floor every once in awhile, including the Inn Keepers, before they finally reached outside. Just when they did, they heard several vicious roars from the room they had just occupied, and Naruto tensed. Leaping up onto his horse, he pulled Ino onto it quickly, before urging his horse forward.

As soon as the horse started to move, the upper wall of the Inn exploded, and out of the wall jumped two Valkori. The horse took off, its eyes wide with primal fear, as it raced to escape these monsters. Naruto looked over his shoulder, and watched as the Valkori dropped on all fours and took off after them. Urging his horse on further, he watched as the distance between them and the Valkori remained the same. His horse was going full speed, but it would be able to out distance the Valkori, who also appeared to be going full speed.

Naruto growled, urging his horse on faster, and glanced over his shoulder once more. At the rate they were going, the Valkori would be on him in a about a minute, and both him and they knew it. Racking his brain for a plan, Naruto turned back forward, his eyes scanning the darkness that permeated the area in front of them. Something moved, in the forest, and his eyes instantly shot towards it.

It was too late.

Out of the darkness, a large shape came flying out, and roughly tackled Naruto off his horse and too the ground. Immediately, the other two Valkori were upon him, and Naruto lashed out with feet and hands at the beast in front of him. Off to his right, he could hear Ino's screams of terror, and he fought harder. Finally able to get his feet under the beast, he pushed upwards as hard as he could, and heaved the Valkori off of him. Shooting to his feet, he turned in the direction of Ino's scream, and dashed at the two Valkori closing in on her. His body screamed at him to stay down, the exhaustion of the previous fight still apparent on his form, but her scream drove him on.

He approached one of the Valkori, and swung at its head with all his might.

He never even saw the furred claw shoot outwards at him, catching him in the head, and sending him crashing into a tree. He groaned, loudly, and rolled slightly, but couldn't find the strength to get up. Struggling to his knees, he heard Ino scream again.

He fought against the pain, his whole body seeming to seize up from the effort that it took just to rise himself onto his feet, and finally managed to push himself onto his shaky feet. Swaying was he stood; he tried to focus on the objects in front of him, and fumbled for his blade.

"No! Naruto! Help me! Don't let them take me!" Ino screamed as tears streaming from her eyes, while the two Valkori took one last look at Naruto, before making their way off. Naruto screamed out, looking in her direction, before yelling into the now empty area, his mind swimming.

"I'll find you! I swear I will!"

He stumbled, his vision swimming, the world around him contorting and fading from view. Falling to his knees, he threw up, and fell onto his side. Laying there, the darkness moving in around him, he could have sworn he heard a voice, somewhere far off, chuckle deeply into his ears.

His vision faded to black, and he didn't even notice the arms pulling him up, and taking him away.

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Several Hours Later

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He groaned.

Gods the pain he felt, it was all around him. His whole body ached, in places he didn't even know could ache, and blearily he opened his eyes. His memory was blurry, but slowly, lying in that bed, he remembered the job at the castle, taking the girl captive, running, the Valko—

He stopped. They had taken the girl. Suddenly, all the pain left him, and he sat up in a hurry.

Or at least, he tried to, but as soon as he put all his weight forward to sit up, he felt a sharp stabbing pain in his wrist, and was forced back down. Letting his eyes travel to his wrists, he found that he was bound to where ever he was laying. Blinking, he let his eyes wander around the room, and then frowned.

He was in a fucking cell.

"Ahhh awake at last I see. Good, Lord Inoichi wants a word with you. Up you get prisoner, no funny business now." A Voice spoke, n he looked outside of his cell bars to see a man, standing there and grinning at him. The man walked into the cell, and unbound his arms.

Naruto leapt up, feeling himself become free of his chains, and went to lash out at the man. As soon as he stood, his vision swam from a sudden stab of pain, and he stumbled lightly. The man lashed out at him with the butt of his spear, and caught him in the stomach, causing Naruto to bend over and cough in pain. The man laughed, and hauled him to his feet, before dragging him from his cell door.

"No more funny business now" He said, before laughter filled the area. Naruto growled deeply, letting himself get dragged, and let his eyes wander around the hall ways, trying to memorize the way back. He thought he caught a glimpse of a door to the courtyard on his way, but he wasn't sure, and not wanting to act too suspicious, he didn't try and check. The man dragged him for awhile, a few guards joining him along the way, till he was in the Audience chamber of the castle.

Inoichi looked down at the boy dragged in front of him; his face twisted in rage, and watched him. Naruto looked up at the man, standing on his feet, and leveled him with a glare. One of the guards growled softly, and hit the back of his legs with his spear. Naruto fell to his knees as the guard spoke, his voice directly behind Naruto.

"Bow before your better's boy." Naruto allowed himself a glance over his shoulder, looking the guard square in the face, before he spoke.

"What was that?" He let a grin grace his face as the guard stepped closer. The guard leaned in, his mouth next to Naruto's ear, and began to shout.

"I said Bow to your Betters Bo—Ugrk." Naruto roughly head butt him, sending him tumbling. Leaping upwards, he shot his foot outwards at the man who had dragged him, causing him to double over. Slipping under the outstretched arms of another guard, he lowered himself and tackled the guard. His head hit the guard's stomach, and he felt the guards legs wrap around him from the force.

The guard hit the ground, and Naruto let his chained hands lash out, double hammer fisting the guy in the face repeatedly. Suddenly, he felt weight on him, and he was tackled to the ground by the remaining guards in attendance. There were shouts and a brief scuffle, before finally they restrained Naruto. Inoichi looked on from his chair, before speaking to the head of his guards.

"Do you have him now?" the man looked away sheepishly, as Inoichi rubbed his head. Naruto spit on the floor in front of him, before speaking to Inoichi.

"Lemme out'a these chains and we'll see exactly who has who old man."

For that, he received a whack to the back of his head.

Inoichi sighed, and spoke, his voice loud and commanding through the room.

"Okay, enough of that. I want him coherent enough to tell me exactly where my daughter is." His eyes lit with rage as he spoke, his gaze leveled directly onto Naruto, who glared right back. This man couldn't scare him, he had been around people far scarier for the majority of his life, and he could stand this guy easily. Inoichi motioned him forward, and when he didn't comply, sighed and motioned to the guards, who dragged him to the foot of the lord.

"Now, young man, you are going to tell me where my daughter is, or you're going to have a very unpleasant stay here in my castle." Naruto felt his eyes widen slightly, as he looked at the man in front of him, before he looked away and whispered.

"Valkori…"

Inoichi felt his eyes widen slightly at the name, and he sat up in his chair and let his eyes gaze at the young man. Inoichi felt his respect for the boy grow slightly more when he didn't so much as flinch, enemy of the kingdom or not.

"What did you say…?" Inoichi stared at the boy in front of him, who was biting his lip. Finally, after a period of silence, Naruto spoke again.

"The Valkori took her. I was going to release her once I had escaped from your territory, and let her find her own way back. But then, when we were In Yokitomo, we were staying the night at an inn, " Naruto shuffled gently seeing Inoichi glare at him with even more hatred, before he felt his anger spike, "Oh come off it, I'm an honorable man. I wouldn't take your daughters innocence like that.

Inoichi relaxed slightly, before he motioned Naruto to continue.

"We were attacked, that night, by a group of men. I fought them off, and killed them… but then… One changed into a Valkori, and almost killed me. I managed to fight it off and escape with Ino, but by that time the others were transforming. We ran, and obviously didn't make it, and after they caught up with us they knocked me out… and they took her."

Inoichi slumped back in his chair, despair running through his body at the thought of his little girl being held captive by those beasts. He let his mind wander over what the boy had told him, before voicing a question.

"Well why her? Why would the Valkori want to take my daughter…?" He said, half to himself and half to the boy in front of him. He wasn't expecting an answer, and thus was surprised when the boy in front of him provided him with one.

"I can't answer that, but I can tell you the Valkori were not the ones who took her." Inoichi looked at the boy, and motioned him to continue, "Someone, a powerful wizard or something, had to have put a spell on them to disguise their true form. Valkori are pretty much mindless beasts, they have no Magical ability of their own. So the question you should be asking is who are controlling the Valkori."

The implications were not lost on Inoichi, but many of the guards looked on in confusion. The only known wizard to control the Valkori was Madara, but he was long dead. Or so was the belief. Either way, if another wizard had gained the power to influence the mind like Madara himself had, then it spelled far more trouble than just getting his daughter back. Rubbing his head, he settled back into his throne, and thought of what he was going to do.

A long period of silence stretched on in the chamber, and Naruto bit his lip idly. He accepted that he was probably going to die, he had tried to assassinate one of minor royal blood after all, but still he waited with baited breath to hear the outcome of his fate. Inoichi, after what seemed like an eternity, cleared his throat and spoke, his strong voice filling the chamber.

"You… what is your name?" Naruto looked at him, tilted his head, and then responded.

"Naruto."

Inoichi waited, before it was apparent the boy wasn't going to add a surname, and then spoke.

"Very well Naruto, you will remain here in the castle until we decide what to do with you. Guards, take him to the dungeon." The guards nodded, and started dragging Naruto back. Naruto bit his lip, his promise to Ino coming to the front of his mind, and he started to struggle.

"No… No no no! Let me go after her! It's my fault she's gone, let me go save her! I promise you I will bring her back to you safe and sound." The guards ignored his pleas, and continued dragging him backwards, when suddenly Inoichi's strong voice froze him in his spot.

"Wait." The Guards stopped. Naruto turned and watched as the man he had tried to kill rose from his seat and walked in front of him. Looking at Naruto with cold eyes, he spoke.

"Let you go save her? It is because of you that my daughter is now in the hands of beasts. Let you go save her indeed, I would rather see you hung and quartered for your crimes. Thanks to you, I will never see my daughter again. Take him away."

Naruto said nothing else.

It was a few hours later, sitting in his cell, that Naruto came to the conclusion that he probably wouldn't see another friendly face for the remainder of his life, and that he was most likely gonna die.

Which was why, hours later, when he blearily woke himself up, he was so surprised to hear another voice come from in his cell.

"How Troublesome… You're awake."

He turned his head, straining his eyes to see into the darkness of his cell. He could barely make out, in the other corner of the cell, a boy about his age, his hair set up in his head.

The first thought Naruto had, also happened to be the first words he spoke to the boy.

"Hey, your head looks like a Pineapple."

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End Chapter 3

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So there you have it guys, And I'm already working on chapter 4 : P lol I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it, and If any of you saw what has happened coming please tell me, means I need to be more… How shall we say this, discrete in what I'm going to be doing. Next chapter should be up in a couple of days. Read and Review!

Next time: Jail Break with the Lazy kid.