Thrown into the Dark

In Need of a Plan

When Soramaru came to, his arms were tied securely to his sides. He was in a dank prison cell. His body ached and his head continued to throb. He was lying down on the floor, which considering that his previous prison was a tank, was not that bad. He didn't make any attempt to move or figure an escape plan. He remembered what had happened, the blood of the people he attacked, Naruto's refusal to kill him, and his world going blank.

The ropes dug into his arms and the stone floor scraped any exposed skin, but he was grateful for these things. They were keeping him contained, they were restricting his ability to hurt anyone else. He sat there for a while, he still hadn't gotten estimating time down, so he didn't know for how long.

Eventually, Sakura entered the prison room. She had dark circles rimming her eyes and a sour look on her face. "Hey," She said, her voice several times less welcoming than it normally was. " Everyone wants to know what the deal is." He didn't sense any anger or bitterness in her tone, just confusion, and a majority of fatigue. Without any other words, she opened his cell and gently pulled him to his feet. She walked him through a maze of hallways and stopped at a simple, well lit office.

A woman with blond twin tails down her back and a strange diamond mark on her forehead sat at a large desk. Everyone who rescued him also filled the room. With the admiration on Sakura's face, he assumed that this woman was her master and the leader of the Hidden Leaf. "I'll just cut to the chase with this," She began authoritatively."What happened?" All eyes looked at Soramaru. The Hokage's, intense. Sakura's, thoughtful. Sai's, blank. Kakashi's, interested, but still a bit indifferent. Naruto's, his eyes were a bit more complicated to read, he had almost a knowing look, maybe even... understanding.

Soramaru took a steadying breath in. To tell them everything was a long story, but he did it anyway. He could have left the part of his parents being killed, of meeting the man responsible, of losing Tenka, of not smiling for a week, of taking in Nishiki. He included everything. His words spilled out, falling over one another. "And I am the vessel." He concluded. There was silence, not an awkward silence, not a stunned silence, just a silence. Naruto broke it. "I knew something was up. I could tell from the moment we walked into that lab." Everyone looked at him. "I thought I sensed a jinjuriki. Look," He said, taking a step closer to Soramaru. "You can learn how to control this thing, I used to have trouble controlling the nine tails, and I still do sometimes. But nothing is impossible."

The Kumou cocked his head. He didn't know what a jinjuriki was, but he understood what Naruto was saying. He would have agreed to any help that Naruto would have offered. The hokage shook her head. "No, if the story he told us is true, the Orochi is not something that can be controlled. He's a vessel, not a jinjuriki, there is a difference." Naruto stared at her and seemed outraged.

"Come on, Grandma Tsunade! You said that I couldn't learn the Rasengan in a week, and I did it. So, controlling this tailed beast or whatever it is totally possible!" Naruto said, raising his voice. She shook her head again. She looked straight at Naruto. "The nine tails in you is different. It was placed in you by people. this boy's case is almost a completely different matter." She turned to look Soramaru straight in the eye. He could feel her intense authority and power just by hearing her speak and feeling her eyes on his. "The Orochi chose him. It's like a parasite, it chooses its host rather than being controlled. It is uncontrollable." Soramaru's heart sank. Deep down he knew what would have to happen.

Out of nowhere, the hokage produced long poison needles. She readied her arm to hurl them at Soramaru. Then, Naruto was in front of him, his arms outstretched. His body protecting Soramaru from the needles. Now there was a stunned silence. "What are you doing, Naruto?!" The hokage yelled. Naruto kept his position as human shield and answered. "It's not his fault if he's a vessel. Just like how it's not my fault that I'm the nine tails jinchuuriki.You can't kill him."

Tsunade bit her lip. Normally she wouldn't be too hesitant to protect the village, but her mind flashed back to a certain moment in time. *Naruto had just mastered the Rasengan and was lying passed out on the ground. Orochimaru came at him with a sword and Tsunade had gotten in front and took the blow.* That was almost exactly what Naruto had been doing, only this time, she was the one acting like Orochimaru. It made her sick, being anything like that man who betrayed the village that she was protecting.

She put the needles on her desk and sighed. "Then what do you propose we do?" She questioned.

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