Deafening - Shikamaru Nara

11

The four of us sprint quickly towards the light, Kakashi concocting a plan along the way. I could feel my adrenaline increase as the sound of the waterfall gets closer and closer.

We arrive just short of the water, we don't dare a closer glance. Kakashi Sensei pulls down his mask and uses his sharingan to look inside.

Kakashi nods affirmatively. "This is it. We can't take the risk of coming in this way, though. We'll have to find a different route," he says quietly.

Naruto groans. "But we're this close!"

Sakura rolls her eyes. "We can't be seen, Naruto."

I smile slightly. Even in the midst of danger they're always bickering. Despite my smile, I feel really nervous. What if my dad was here? And worse yet, wha if he wasn't okay? The question has been in the back of my mind the whole mission, and now it's blaring in my head.

"We'll come from the side," Kakashi says, pointing. There was a gap between the water and the rock, providing an entrance.

"I'll enter first. When I give the signal, I want Rei behind me, followed by Sakura then Naruto. Don't make any noises," Kakashi commands. We nod in understanding and stealthily follow our Sensei towards the gap.

Anxiety boils in my stomach; my heart is beating so fast and hard it was like a drum in my ears. I'm not nervous for the danger, hell, I hope I face Orochimaru or Kabuto. I'm nervous because I don't know what I'll see when we walk into the cave. What if there's bodies hanging from the ceiling or littered on the floor? What if my people are crammed in cells, sick and dying?

Kakashi gives us the signal and I bite my lip, creeping inside behind him.

What I saw before my eyes was nothing like I had imagined. Instead, it was nothing. Literally nothing. Nothing but darkness and the sickening smell of mold and wet rock. Kakashi lights a match and holds it ahead, illuminating a few meters in front of us.

The cave was like, well, a cave. We seem to be standing in the hub, four smaller tunnels were on the sides of us. The problem was, which tunnel should we take?

Kakashi uses his sharingan to look in each opening, but I could tell even he's unsure.

"We'll take the one on the far left and work our way right," he says finally. The three of us nod in agreement.

The tunnel we chose is full of laboratories and jail cells, but they were empty.

"Are we too late?" I murmur. But the whoosh of a front door swinging shut told me otherwise. The four of us stand in a circle, back to back, weapons out in front of us.

A figure walks out from the darkness, and I recognized him immediately. Naruto's scowl told me that he knew him too.

Kabuto.

"Rei!" Kabuto says, a wicked grin drawn across his pale face. "Isamu will be pleased to know that you're here." I remember Kabuto from home—he's always been annoying. Funny enough, me and Isamu used to joke about him together. Now they're both working agaisnt me.

I scowl. "Please do." A little cocky, I'll admit.

I roll my eyes as Isamu emerges from behind Kabuto.

"Where's Orochimaru?" Naruto asks.

"Not here," Kabuto responds. "But I don't think you came here for him."