The Way Through Stone Village (Naruto)

94: Sasuke And Sakura's Failure

[OP: "Eat You Alive"--The Oh Hellos]

The mud slide, for lack of a better term, stopped moving once it had carried the hapless teammates into the Village itself, right through the gate--or did the gate open for them?

Ino was too disoriented to be sure.

She had no jutsu that would help her get out of the silt-like substance, but she thought Sakura would--but no such luck.

Sasuke, on the other hand, while not able to use his Sharingan to get out of it (and, really, setting it on fire wouldn't have accomplished much anyway) tried to charge up his Chidori.

It kind of worked, he was able to fry the mud enough to make the jutsus sotp--around him anyway.

But it took long enough to build up to it that he only got free once he was already inside the wall of the Village.

And right after that, the slide stopped anyway.

Jugo, who had been utterly helpless anyway, only looked up in confusion.

Ino struggled to pull herself out of the ground now.

The bandits came popping out next to them.

Sakura, the only one with strength to break out of it easily and quickly, was up before the others were.

But she wasn't the fastest fighter, and she wasn't liking her chances against so many people.

Ino didn't even have time to try to do anything before the bandits grabbed her by her arms and pinned them behind her back.

Camie was plucked up also.

Rock Lee had a better chance. He was faster than them and hit harder. The bandits quickly realized that he wasn't going to go down easy.

"That's the best Taijutsu I've ever seen," one of them commented. "Watch this guy."

"Where's everyone else?" Sakura looked back. "They just ditched us, didn't they?"

Sasuke had followed the trail of mud to see what happened to them--not that he really cared, but it might be important to know what the bandits were doing. At least that's what he told himself.

When he appeared, with everyone else, on the street, Sakura just frowned. "Where were you?"

"What?" Sasuke didn't really understand why she was mad this time.

"Miss Haruno," Jugo said, "look out."

One of the bandits had taken advantage of Sakura being distracted to try to sneak up on her with a rock attack.

Sakura turned and hit it aside easily enough.

"You know," she said, testitly. "I've really had it with this Village. I'm sorry we ever came back now."

"What kind of person are you?" the bandit said to her, sounding surprised. "Are you Stone?"

"I use Earth Style," Sakura said.

"Use is a strong word," Sasuke said meanly. "That would imply there was a technique."

"Sasuke, if you don't shut up about my--" Sakura began to say crossly.

"Wait, did you say 'Sasuke'?" said one of the bandits.

"Sakura!" Ino called. "Help!"

The bandits who had her and Camie were dragging them away now,.

"Let go of me, you freaks!" Camie was kicking wildly and squirming.

"I'll get you!" Lee cried, going after them, but the bandits rose up a wall of earth to block him.