"Naruto!"

"Oi! Naruto!"

"Naruto-kun"

"Naruto"

Their voices intermingled in his ears, sounding like distant dreams.

His eyes fluttered opened.

She was the first thing he saw. Her green eyes laced with worry.

"Sakura-chan" his voice was weak.

"Oi." Shikamaru stepped in. "What happened?"

He tried to sit up. His chest hurt at the very spot where the man had hit him.

Looking around he realised he was not at the shrine but still in the cave. His friends wore worried expressions on their brows.

"What--happened?" he asked.

"You were fine and then you just passed out." Sakura explained. "You were unconscious and your pulse just started getting weaker."

His eyes darted around the room

"Where's the man?" he asked

"What man?" Shikamaru asked.

"There was a man.He called me Kyuubi and took me a shrine.He said he was waiting for me."

Shikamaru furrowed his brow.

"All those disappearances. This might have been a trap to lure you and the enemy is after you. Tch. What a drag."

"What did the enemy want?" Sai asked.

"He said ---it was my fate and his destiny."

"What did you see?"

Naruto described the enemy. He told them how he'd met him in the village before he attacked him before chasing him to the shrine.

His eyes came to rest on Sakura.She looked a little shaken up.He took her hands into his.

"I'm fine now Sakura. Thank you."

"You scared us." Was all Sakura could manage in return.She looked at their hands together.

Shikamaru remained in his position, with one knee on the ground. He began to mentally go over everything he knew about the mission in his head.If all the disappearances were somehow set as a trap to lure Naruto to this island, who knew what the enemy had planned.

It was always difficult to fight an enemy that no one knew anything about and that's exactly what they knew, nothing.

"Alright. The plan remains the same." Shikamaru announced "Hinata. I'll take the next watch." 

Hinata nodded as Shikamaru stood and made his way to the mouth of the cave.

In time, it was still again and only the crackle of the flames permeated the night as it kept the chills at Bay.

Naruto wondered who the man was and what he wanted with him. He'd called him Kyuubi so he had a mind to guess that perhaps he sought the power of the Nine Tails that resided in him.He wouldn't be the first person to target Naruto because of Kurama.

As though on cue, the fox spoke.

"Oi. Naruto."

"Kurama."

"That man."

"You know him?" Naruto asked.

"He looks a little older but I'm sure it's him--"

"Who is he?" Naruto interjected "What does he want?" he fired questions

"Oi! Shut up and let me finish!" The fox inside scolded him, losing his temper.

"Sorry"

"He's from your mother's village.He was supposed to be chosen as the next Jinchuuriki after Mito but he became obsessed with deification. He thought that once he had the power he would seal me in himself forever and then go after the other tailed beasts so he could ascend to be a god among men. The head of the village passed him over as my vessel and he was incensed so he conspired with the other nations who already feared the people of Uzushiogakure.The village was destroyed. Your mother who had moved to Konoha a little before the village was destroyed, was chosen as the next Jinchuriki. I didn't think a guy like that was still around." Kurama finished in his deep rumbling voice.  

"So what does he want?" Naruto questioned

"Perhaps to finally carry out his plan."

Naruto furrowed his brow deeply.

"As long as I'm alive that will never happen." The conviction in his voice was clear.

"Good.I'm sure if a guy like him got hold of my power nothing good would come of it."

"Right." Naruto agreed.

He'd had Kurama since he was a baby, having been sealed with him the day he was born. For many years their relationship had been contentious, with Kurama being a mass of hatred that wanted to take control of him. 

They were past that place. They were a team. Friends. He couldn't imagine life without Kurama and that wasn't just because of the immense power he got from him. He wanted him to always be there to watch over him like he'd done all his life.

Whoever this man was, he would not allow him to have his way.

To hell with him and his plans.