Find Him!
Previously
With Fugaku's eyes on the room Sarutobie's have not yet left the block of ice that is directly across from the door he is now kneeling next to. Against his better judgment he gets up and starts walking slowly to the block of ice that is murky and covered in frost making it impossible to look what is in it without moving your palm across it to see what's inside.
without thinking Sarutobi approached and with a swipe of his hand he stood stone still in front of this block of ice. This person was in much worse condition than the one on the ground, there was nothing left but bone as the face, only on the wall behind can you see the distinctive red of blood. Though the person's face looks like it has been punched in the bone, it is that bad you can't make anything out apart from that it was once the bone structure of a face. Sarutiobi looked back behind him when he heard movement and realized that Fugaku had come to see what had been done to this person.
Between the two of them neither could figure out what could cause this much damage to a person let alone an entire underground bass. Making a mutual decision they both turned around and prepared themselves to see what was in the pitch black room behind them keeping their guard up. Fugaku, thinking ahead, made a fireball to light up the room so they could see what was inside when they walked in.
With the damage that has been done and what they have seen so far they prepared themselves and walked into the room with cautious steps.
Both not realizing they were being watched the entire time.
Now
Shadows POV
Damn that child, after all these years, why now. Why now of all times, the one time I'm out of the lab, not able to be contacted, not able to be reached. Of course all the time spent on that child, trying to make the experiment a success, it had to happen now.
As soon I arrived I could tell, anyone could tell that the experiment had escaped. To top it off, Sarutobie and Minato are here which is just perfect, that's just what I need.
As the Konoha Ninjas look around and start going through my scientist's notes, I stay in the shadows, concealing my presence so they don't know I'm here.
Ah it looks like Minato finally found the photo of his boy, I remember when we took that picture. His hair was a very light blond close to white but not quite, it got lighter and lighter as time went on but not ever white, his eyes were bright blue like Cerulean, so bright, so innocent. No matter what we did, no matter what experiments we did, his eyes never lost that innocence that was in them. After a while it became a goal of mine to destroy that innocence that was within those pools of blue.
When the subject's hair started to turn white a few days after its 15th birthday, we knew it was time to go to the next set of tests. Faze one was already complete, the first phase was that the subject needed to show a sign that the previous tests were working. That sign came in the form of its hair changing colour from blond to white. The second faze is a bit more complicated, faze two required a few... samples. The samples required are blood and hair, those are needed so that we could see what made the change happen, and see if we could trigger the rest.
They were going to start those tests the day before I got back, put the subject into the testing tub and run their tests while he was unconscious so he doesn't fight back when they do eventually get a reaction from the tests. In the best case scenario we would see the results and find out how to activate our project, and from there see how these abilities come to life. The worst case scenario would be that the subject showed no signs of the abilities that we've given the subject, and the hair transformation would be the closest we ever get.
Shadow first arriving back at the lab
Coming back from my little mission, I was not expecting to see the entire lad covered head to toe in ice, and then some. There were no tracks leading away from the building, so upon first impression it looked as though everyone was still inside the building. Feeling chills run down even my spine I went to the door of the building, my right hand and most loyal by my side all the way.
When you first see the ice glinting in the sun, it looks just like normal ice, nothing to it. When you look closer on the other hand you can see that it is a darker blue than any other ice. It is thick and ominous and gives an aura that tells you to go away, to turn around and forget you have seen anything. Hardening our resolve we pushed forward and went to the door, of course the door was also frozen solid. Pushing all our chakra to a long forgotten fire art, we started to melt the ice, even just a little bit, just enough to get the door open.
The ice is definitely thicker than we originally thought, it took the two of us close to six minutes to get the door handle and the line between the door and the wall melted enough to be able to push it open. Stepping inside the building is something we will never forget, the floors, the walls, the roof, even the air, everything was frozen. it was slightly hard to breathe for that reason, it was like breathing in solid ice into your lungs, realizing that we started moving forward hearing the door slam and freeze shut behind us. Pushing ford we continued deeper and deeper into the building seeing if we can find anyone still alive, though seeing this mess it's highly unlikely.
To think that child had all this built up, this power must have been festering for years but never made an appearance no matter what tests we did they never made a difference. If that little brat isn't here, I swear. Though if it isn't, as long as all the notes for the whole process are we can always track the brat down, it shouldn't be too hard with the new power constantly releasing itself. If my calculations are correct about how long this power has been building up, This won't be the last outburst of power, we need to get it contained and controlled, otherwise this will happen again, on a much larger scale. With that thought we continued on, looking for the note, hoping they survived. We have given up on seeing if any of the scientists have survived after seeing the first few frozen solid, blood splattered in the frozen ice. We made our way to the lab where they were setting up the next experiment. The scientists, frozen on their way further into the base, were making their way to collect the subject.
My second and I looked at each other releasing this outburst more than likely from the subject's emotion. We realized very early on that the subject projects its emotion with no fear of consequence, I now realize letting it keep a lot of those emotions was a mistake. I won't make that mistake again, when we get the subject back those emotions will be the first thing to be modified, we will work on obedience next.
Finally making it to the lab, we again had to melt the door again just to open it let alone get in. As we are probably closer to the spot where the subject had the outburst the ice was definitely thicker than the front door.
Walking into the room, being mindful of the ice on the ground, we searched the room looking for the subject notes. The one book that has everything from the beginning, when we chose the child, to every test, every reaction, to every result. There are even plans in there for future tests, so we need to get that book. No doubt the power surge allerted Konoha with how big it was. I still find it amusing how Minato's son has been so close all these years, yet he's never known that he was.
I know I’m sadistic, I find joy in thinking of Minato’s reaction if he were to ever find out. Though I don’t think it will be much longer until I do, they are more than likely on their way here as we search for this book. My second is searching just as frantically as I am, we search the room as best we can with it covered in ice.
A thought comes to me, I turn and look directly at the door that is in the lab. While doing this I make eye contact with my second and we head to the door. This door is one of our most secure, because it has test vials in it. Those vials can be dangerous but they are necessary for what we are doing here, so to prevent anything from happening we keep them separate. When we get into the room, there is ice but not anywhere as thick as everywhere else in this base. That is very good news for us, as we take a better look around further into the room, the ice thins out more and more, eventually only becoming frost. Looking at the table we see the book we are after, and of course a scientist that was reaching for it. Unfortunately for him, he suffered the same fate as all the others, blood freezing once the ice made contact.
Dusting my hand over the book, I was surprised to find that it wasn’t frozen over. A very pleasant surprise, I stared at this book with a smile on my face, possibly what others would call an animalistic smile or dangerous. Going to open the book, both of us hear shouting from the front door of the lab. I realized then that both Sarutobi and Minato had found the lab, along with anyone else who was with them. Looking at my second we smiled and nodded at each other, time to play hide and seek.
Previously with Minato and Sarutobi
With the damage that has been done and what they have seen so far they prepared themselves and walked into the room with cautious steps.
Both not realizing they were being watched the entire time.
Now back in the lab
Sarutobi’s POV
Slowly walking into the room, we see another person, though not anywhere near as bad as the others scattered around the building. Though this one had the same thing as it looks like his blood is bursting through his skin, in every which direction. I won’t lie, it is not a pretty sight, seeing what seems to be the blood frozen in the ice.
Looking around the room, we can see that the ice doesn't reach all the way into the room. Fugaku and I looked at eachother realizing this is a very secure room, as I continued looking around Fugaku started collecting some of the vials that were lining the walls. Looking closer at the desk in the middle of the room, I notice a spot that hasn't been touched by the frost that should be there. Except for that spot everything around it is at least mostly covered in a thin layer of frost that is slowly melting. Slowly swiping my fingers across the top of the table, the spot hasn't been touched at all, whatever was there was picked up and taken away.
“Fugaku, come take a look at this, this spot, there was something here. I think not too long ago either.” Turning to the other man while I speak, gesturing to the spot on the desk. The spot that I now realize the scientist was reaching out for. “And look, whatever was here, this person knew he had to get to it and keep it safe. Whatever it was, we need to find it.” Trying to take a closer look at the frozen man's face, but not getting anything because of the blood.
“I agree, whatever was in that spot was important enough for that man to run to it. Without looking back, even though he more than likely knew what was coming. Now that it is missing, either means someone knew this place well enough that as soon as that blast happened that person came in here and took the book and left just as quickly. That way we wouldn’t know, but the fact that that spot hasn't at least been covered slightly in an attempt to cover up the spot, could mean that whoever took that book is still here.” Upon hearing those words leave my Ninja’s mouth, I knew he wouldn’t have said it if it wasn't a high possibility. So that being said, if that was true we would be being watched right now.
“If that isn’t worrying Fugaku, I don’t know what is. Like you said, whoever took that book is more than likely still here. No one goes off alone, we don’t know who they are or what they are capable of, let alone if they have someone with them”. Walking back out into the main lab room we repeat everything to the others, Minato seems worried and looks like he wants to find whoever is here. I don’t blame him, because whoever it is they more than likely have some sort of connection to all of this.
“Minato, I know you want to find whoever it is. Unfortunately at the moment we have more important things to worry about. For all that we know, there is a child out there, your son, that has no control of his power. This could happen again, the child that is running around out there has probably never seen the sun or the moon since he was brought here. So for more than likely fifteen years that child has no idea about the world. For all we know his power could react to his fear, and this will happen again. So right now we need to get back to the village, round up Shinobi and find Naruto, because we don’t know what will happen if we don't’.”
After I said this Minato instantly understood the situation properly, I know he was still hesitant but he knows this is what needs to be done. The look of hesitation is very quickly overcome with a look of determination, he nods to me and looks around the room a final time before opening his mouth.
“What did you find when you kept going down the hall, did you find where my son was being kept?” I knew he would want to know, that doesn't make it any easier though.
“We did, we found the room he was being kept in. Minato, this isn't easy for me to say, but that room is where all this ice originated from. That is where it started, whatever they were doing to him, whatever they were injecting him with. I don’t think this is the result they were after, but the power that they were looking for. The two scientists that were closest to the room, there was nothing left on their bones, their skin, their blood, everything else was smeared and spread through the ice. It was a gruesome sight Mnato, I know that boy was more than just scared, he was petrified. At both probably what he had done, and what they were going to do to him.” the look Minato was giving me, I thought he was going to start crying again, and in truth I wouldn’t be far behind him. He needs to hear this, and now isn’t the time for me to let my emotions take hold of me.
“We don’t know what they have been doing to him, let alone their plan. What we do know is that there is a scared, terrified boy running alone out there with extreme power he has no idea how to control. We need to get him safe, and we need to get to him before anyone else does. We don’t know who these people are or what they plan to do with Naruto, what we do know is they will be after him. Without knowing who it is we can’t really try and stop them at this time, if we come face to face, fight like hell. But at this moment and going forward, Naruto is our top priority. For now we need to take what we have gathered and get back to Konoha, so we can think of a proper plan to find Naruto.” With that said and everyone agreeing, we all gathered up what we could and made a dash for the exit and headed back to the village. I just hope that we find Naruto before anyone else does.
Shadows, just after the group left
Damn them, if they hadn’t come running in here when they did I would have covered up that spot so they wouldn’t know.
Coming out of the shadows with the second in toe, we look around to see what they took. No surprise that Fugaku and Sarutobi took some of the vials from the contained room, and Minato took the photo of the subject when he was 6. No real surprise there, the man is overly emotional after all.
Though they do have the right plan, go back to base, think of something and find that child. The brat couldn’t have gotten too far, but that also depends on how quickly now that it’s abilities are coming through.
After looking around to see what else they took, we left to get back to our other base. To regroup and gather our resources and ninja. Like Konoha we need to send out teams to find that child before they do, I can’t let them get to the subject before we do.
After gathering all our resources we split them into groups, and gathered them in one room.
“Aright, listen. As of early this morning, our subject frost had escaped and killed every single scientist that was there in the building with it. With the lab being so close to Konoha, they saw the outburst of power the subject let loose before making its escape. They got there not long after we did, so we unfortunately weren’t able to grab anything other than the trial book. This book is the key to this whole project, so it will be kept safe and hidden until the subject is back into containment. Your mission is to find the subject no matter the cost, no matter how far you have to go. Do not return without it, if Konoha gets ahold of it before we do return instantly to me and do a status report. Put someone on to tall them and stay on their tail, do not lose sight of the subject. Now that you all have your assignment…
FIND HIM!!”
With that they scattered and left the base, fanning out to find the subject and bring him back to me.
With Sarutobi
As soon as we got back to the village, we called an emergency shinobi council meeting. We explain all that we saw and found, not leaving out any detail, no matter how gruesome. By the looks on most of the clan heads that are in this room, they have never seen or heard of anything like this.
“We need to come up with a plan to find Naruto, before whoever runs that lab does. Those that are willing and ready to join the search to find him, gather your forces, split them up into teams of five to six people. That way all sides are covered, no one is unprotected, Naruto has no idea what he is capable of let alone know how to control what power he has already shown. We go in teams of those numbers to keep yourselves safe. If you find the boy, show him your Hitai-ate and explain where it comes from. Show him you're not a threat, keep your communications close and notify me or one of the ANBU in charge that you have found him.”
Taking a breath and letting the information sink in, and upon seeing the nods of agreement I continued.
“Good, with that all sorted. You each have your assignments, make your teams and coordinate with the ANBU you see here. When you have done that, send your teams out. I thank you all for coming to this meeting and agree to aid in this search. Once you get your men in order, give them the ear pieces and send them out, we can't waste anymore time. If you come across anyone else searching for the boy let us know. We know there is someone else after him and that person can not get their hands on Naruto. For now do what you have been assigned…
FIND HIM!”
The photo reference