Messing with the Middle

First things First

Haku was holding onto Sasuke as he dragged his barely conscious body away from the battle that had just occured.

Sasuke had already pre-warned him that the fight would be ugly, but he didn't think it would get so crazy that Naruto would enter Kyubi mode.

It's weird since Sasuke can still hear Kurama cackling in his head about getting his ass beat.

It was tiring to try to get out of the Land of fire for them.

As much as Gaara didn't want to he had to help track them down, so Suna borders were a no go.

With Zabuza back in the Mist, that would be the next obvious choice so that too was a no go.

No they had to go somewhere Konoha would never expect them to go.

They were going to Kumogakure, if the tailed beasts all remeber then the smartest choice would be to go to the two most reasonable ones.

Matatabi and Gyuki, although dealing with Bee and Yugito was going to be something completely different.

First things first however... Itachi. Thanks to that finding Tsunade trip, Sasuke had the chance to tell Itachi to meet him at the old Uchiha hideout.

The same one Sasuke killed Itachi in.

So that would be their first spot as soon as they recovered.

It had only been a few hours since they escaped Konoha's and Suna's Shinobi but they barely had any time to rest, if they wanted get out of the land of fire before Konoha realised that they hadn't actually left the land.

"Sasuke, are you ok?" Haku asked, Sasuke only nodded his head, and if Haku didn't know any better he would have thought that Sasuke passed out.

"Tired..... I'm really tired" he muttered.

That fight with Naruto had drained him completely, and in order for him to keep up with the Kyubi cloak Sasuke had to use some of the power inside the curse seal that he still had on him. It wasn't as strong as last time hence why Sasuke is much more damaged than before... but it did the job.

He was just happy that the curse mark was on paper and not on him.

Haku leaned him up against a nearby tree.

"Come on Sasuke you can't pass out on me now, we need to get out of the land of fire..." Haku whispered.

Sasuke was a complete mess, and on the borderline of consciousness.

Haku was shaking Sasuke but he was out like a light. Giving a short huff of frustration Haku lifted Sasuke on his back and trecked on.

Haku then took the moment took lift up the sleeve on his right arm and take a look at the ugly purple vein that was slowly spreading from his shoulder.

It was his own fault, he and Shikamaru got too comfortable that they forgot that other Enemies could be around.

Haku had stupidly let his guard down and now paid the price. A Poisoned Senbon hit him in the shoulder but when he went to look at the culprit all he saw was a grey cloak.

Thankfully the poison wasn't a fast acting one. Unfortunately it wasn't one that could be easily removed either.

It's name is black Roots, as the poison roots itself into the victims veins, and slowly spreads throughout the body constricting movement of the areas it covers, until eventually it gets to the heart gripping it to a stop.

It's a horrible slow acting poison that was designed to cause pain for years on end.... and Haku had been hit by it. Whoever hit him with it wanted him to suffer, or wanted to weaken him.