Naruto: Lost In Kishimoto - Revenge [Book 2]

Chapter Sixteen: Pieces.

Sasuke POV

Before I could react, the sound of some kind of explosive being set alight erupted from the seemingly empty room. The figure disappeared from my sight as I flew back, slamming into the stone wall across from the archway. Air escaped my lips as flashes of red, yellow, and orange blurred my vision, a loud ringing echoing in my ears. The section of the hideout in which I stood was now crumbling to pieces, nothing more than a large crater in the ground remaining. Pushing myself up I dusted the pieces of rock off my pants and covered my eyes, trying to block the sudden rays of light which blinded me.

Once the ringing in my ears ceased, my vision focused. I waited as my skin stopped aching from the collection of burnt skin now decorating the front portion of my body. Glancing around the crater, I searched for where the figure went. Where she went. Just thinking about her sent shockwaves of nausea through me. For years I had waited for this, waited for the chance to take her out, to force her to repent for the pain she caused. But standing here, waiting to finally catch a solid glimpse at the woman who haunted my thoughts and dreams, who entered my mind every waking hour, mocking me. I didn't know if I was prepared enough.

"The journey to manhood has been successful, I see." Her voice was soft, yet rough, with a dark, seductive undertone; a sound that was still recognisable, even after three years.

I turned my head in the direction of the voice and stared. She was beautiful. Her long blonde, almost white hair gleaming in the sunlight, contrasted by the charcoal black colour of her singlet and shorts, accompanied by a solid black vest and knee high boots. She was average height, I guessed the same as Sakura, although she was a lot skinner, almost to the point of looking starved, her collar bone and shoulder bones visible under her snow white, almost translucent skin. However it was her eyes which struck me at first glance, the focal point of her entire being, the bright violet colour almost hypnotic. No trace of her natural crystal blue colouring remained. However it wasn't the colour that drew me to her gaze, it was the emotion they held. Her body language, the leaning against a stone column, the hands crossed over her now developed chest, the bending of one knee whilst the other stayed completely straight. A position which screamed confidence and readiness was completely shadowed by the slight look of fear and longing in her eyes. She was beautiful, and yet, she was empty. Devoid of the happiness and life that made Beth, Beth.

I tried my best not to dwell on my initial reading of her emotions as to avoid being ensnared into her trap of lies. I'd been fooled once by her façade, and never again would I trust her with entirety.

"I can't say the same." I replied, a comment which received a small smile from the woman. A smile which was unable to reach her eyes.

"That almost hurt." She never took her gaze off of me, blinking only a few times throughout the exchange.

At this moment the sounds of footsteps running from the opening reached my ears. It didn't take long for Sakura, Naruto and Captain Yamato to come up behind me, each wearing the same look of shock as they gazed upon the mysterious creature before them.

"Beth..." a whisper escaped from Sakura's lips as she stepped forward to stand beside me. Where Sakura stayed silent, Naruto took the opposite approach, running forward towards Beth with vigour. He yelled out her name with such a happy tone it wasn't easy to misread.

"BETH!" His voice carried throughout the newly created crater, causing Beth to simply shake her head, sighing.

"You haven't changed at all." She stated in response. "Didn't I tell you not to look for me?"

"WE THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!" Naruto cried out, tears forming in his eyes.

"If that was what you thought then you wouldn't be here." Her voice had lost all snark, a monotone string of words that seemed as if they had been pulled together beforehand, rehearsed.

"Your headband! That was it! That was all we got to let us know that you were alright!" Naruto's voice had changed from one of happiness to one of anger. But I hadn't been paying much attention to the conversation being had before my eyes for I was simply calculating the precise moment when Beth was distracted enough for me to pounce. But her eyes remained on me the entire time, as if she knew my intentions.

"Kakashi could have told you I was alive. He saw me being rescued after Kabuto knocked you out."

"Kabuto didn't knock me out. Orochimaru was the one who–"

"That's impossible" Beth shouted. "Orochimaru was recovering from his body transfer, he was too weak to come and save me."

"Well whoever it was had black hair!" Beth stared off into space for a moment, as if deep in thought. It was Sakura who screamed for me to hold back as I dashed forwards, a kunai at the ready. Beth's movement was so quick I couldn't even make out when it occurred, all I knew was that when I reached her position, she was no longer there. A sharp pain erupted from one of the burns on my arm, a strong stinging that erupted when someone touched an open wound. I turned my head to see Beth gripping tightly onto my arms, twisting the broken skin.

"Sasuke, if you think you can kill me that easily, you are far more foolish then even Naruto." Pushing me away from her she brought her attention back to Naruto.

"Either way, Kakashi saw me being dug out from under the boulders. He could have told you I was alive. After all that he's invested into keeping me alive, Orochimaru wouldn't want me to die because I had a momentary lapse in judgement." As soon as that phrase left Beth's lips, Naruto latched onto it like a fox.

"You did move your hand. You moved your Chidori out of the way before impact. You let me win."

"Like I said, 'momentary lapse in judgement'. I should've killed you when I had the chance. Now you're just... an annoyance." At this point Beth tilted her head towards Captain Yamato, squinting as she glanced over him. "He's new. Where's Kakashi?"

"Injured." Sakura answered without a hint of fear in her voice. "What's it to you?"

"Such hostility Sakura. And to answer your question, no reason in particular. Captain Yamato, it's an honour to meet another one of Orochimaru's prize experiments."

"I have nothing to discuss with you. Only that we are taking you back to the hidden leaf village, either voluntarily or forcefully." I had to replay Beth's words inside my head to fully grasp what they meant. Yamato, another one of Orochimaru's experiments? Wood jutsu's, the First Hokage...

"Tempting. But no. I'm fine where I am, thank you. But, unfortunately for you, I'm getting bored with this conversation." The snarky undertone to her voice returned as she gave me a slight smile, walking over to where I was. Gripping her hand around my shirt, she picked me up and pushed me against another column still present from the former hideout structure. Her strength was surprising, for someone with such a small figure.

Leaning in close, her cold lips brushed over my ear as she spoke. "You want to kill me for what I did to you three years ago, and I'll give you the chance. But I have some business which is in progress. When that's all taken care of, you will have your chance. Alright. Until then, keep Naruto and Sakura away. I have friends in high places, ones that can watch every move you make, every thought you have. I'll know if you break these terms. If you do, I want you to know that I will make Naruto and Sakura suffer for it. The only people you still care about." Her words were like poison, causing a build up of wrath to form within me, one that I couldn't be rid of until I held the hilt of a knife with its blade embedded into her flesh.

"I can't wait to rip you to shreds." I replied, my voice shaking with anger.

"Looking forward to it myself. Death is my only salvation now." With that she pushed her lips against the side of my face, pushed me hard against the wall once again and turned to face Naruto and the others, a grin decorating her beautiful face. Without another word a circle of flames erupted from her feet, swallowing her whole as she waved mockingly at Naruto as he screamed for her to come back.

Just like that she was gone.

And even though I hated her. Hated every fibre of her being. I couldn't help but ache for her to come back.