Well. This started as an idea for a one shot. But I couldn't bring myself to write another story with a tragic ending (granted, "Illusionary World" had an alternate, happier one too, but still…)

So this plot has been extended and tweaked, though I might still add in a tragic ending just because I'm like that.

If you liked "Illusionary World", well, I think this one is a bit similar. I don't like torture, so I didn't choose to do anything too gruesome. At least, I hope that doesn't count as gruesome.

The writing style/tone is the same too. Hope you guys can put up with it again! (I'm talking about the refusal to use his name unless necessary. I think it ruins the mood.)

It's totally different than Naruto the anime or manga. So check the bottom if you don't understand some things, or leave a review with your question and I'll explain it to you.

Chapter 1—Or Die Trying—

A whip. She chose a whip this morning. Or, he guessed it was the morning. There weren't really any signs in the room. It was windowless, underground, and only had one door that was locked at all times, unless someone was coming in or leaving. So he humored himself, guessing the time, just to force his mind to do something.

Uzumaki Naruto, age 12, was a torture victim.

It was because of his mother, Uzumaki Kushina.

Oh, don't get him wrong. He loved his mother, and still loves her. But it was because of something she did.

See, Kushina was a medic-nin. One day, she discovered something amazing. She had been researching for years. By theory, if she mixed all the right ingredients together, she could make a healing liquid with amazing powers. Just one drop, when drunk, would heal nearly any physical wound.

One of the ingredients called for her blood. So she did it, she pulled out a whole vial.

She had needed to mix everything together, and then add in the blood. Force it into a controlled explosion, and the results would be the medicine. She tested it, and it worked. She hid it in a place only she knew, and she only ever told her son.

Thing is, people somehow found out about it. Before he knew what was happening, they had taken his mom. Never to be seen again.

He lived his life in fear. He never knew if, or when, they would come after him.

They did, when he least expected it. And here he was, tortured; they were trying to force out the location of the medicine. They liked to call it "Shina medicine", just to anger him. Sometimes, it worked. Other times, it just made him feel numb.

He was chained to the floor at two places. One at the area just below the knee, the other at his ankles. They also chained him by his hands; it was held over his head, and caused him to kneel on the ground, back straight up. It pulled him up slightly so that his knees didn't touch the ground, forcing him to either let the chains hold him up painfully or use his lower leg to push himself up. Though his legs hadn't been used in a long while (a few months, he guessed with a humorless chuckle), he forced himself to use them. It was less painful than the other way.

"So, are you going to tell me where it is today, honey?" He hated that voice. It was high pitched; just enough to tell him it was a female, which he hated. Being beaten by a female was more embarrassing, and this particular female had no conscience, resulting in extreme pain for him. It had a weird quality to it, slightly husky yet smooth that hit his ears in all the wrong places, causing cold shivers to run up his spine every time his inflictor talked.

"You know if you tell me I can release you and you can go back to living a pain free life. This hurts me just as much as it hurts you." Her voice was smooth and warm, feigning sympathy. Making him believe that he could get away. He knew he couldn't. Even if he told, they would just kill him.

His lips pressed together tightly. He knew she was frowning, and mentally congratulated himself. At least he had won something. Something little, but it was something.

The whip came down, and his eyes widened in pain as it struck. He forced himself to stay silent though. It would only tempt her.

There was something at the end of the whip. He wasn't sure what it was, but all he knew was that it hurt like hell. It dug itself into his skin and ripped back out.

She flung the whip again, and it dug deeper in. Against his will, a soft pained whimper escaped.

"I don't want to do this, but you're forcing me to." Liar. She was a sadist, she loved hurting him. The first time he had gotten tortured, he had cried. She laughed. Laughed at his misfortune, laughed at his pain.

This was her life.

The whip struck him again, and he whimpered softly before biting his lips. The more she knew it hurt, the worse it got.

He could feel the blood running down his back, staining him red.

He searched through his mind for something to think about. Anything. Just to force himself away from what was happening.

He remembered a conversation he had overheard.

"So, the Hyuuga heiress?"

"Reports say she's weak. Should be simple, though the other Hyuuga's might present a problem. You know, the Byakugan."

"Get her here as soon as you can. I want you to leave for Konohagakure in a week."

"Yes sir."

Konohagakure. He had heard of the place. Supposedly the most peaceful and welcoming of the nations.

The Hyuuga girl really wasn't his problem. He never met her in his life. He didn't even know where he was, or where Konoha was. But…

He felt the whip again. His mind was set.

Even though he didn't know the girl, no one should have to go through this torture. If he could save just one person, it would make all the difference.

Even if he died trying.

So, notes…

—Naruto has never been in Konoha, he was raised elsewhere by his mom.

—There was never an attempted kidnap of Hinata when she was around three. They are just planning it now. (They think she's so weak that time won't matter.)

—I chose a female torturer to differentiate between Naruto and the person and because I have no name for her and will probably never name her.

—The chapters will be about the length of "Illusionary World", though I'm trying to make it longer.

—"Shina Medicine"; "Shina" as in Kushina. I'm not the most creative at naming things...But anyways, you don't need to remember it. Most likely, it won't appear again. Just a reason to be in the place.

—I have absolutely no idea what's going to happen. So...This will be fun...The torture wasn't too bad, was it?

Didn't answer something? Ask (in a review, so there won't be repeats of the same question. Please and thank you!)

Next Chapter: Ch2 —Sugar Isn't Always Sweet—

Naruto makes an escape and searches for Konoha...will he find it?