Thanks for all the reviews. I wrote faster for you and a bit more than normal. Sorry for the cliffie. I tried to write more dialogue but it didn't really fit. Thank you all so much for reading and I apologise for any spelling mistakes. Love the reviews. Will try to get something else up within the month. No promises. Much love
chys
Iron collars leave clear marks on the individual. Every movement embedded the tiny barbs from the underside of the worn collars into fragile flesh, opening new wounds and widening the old. Sleep is an arduous process; it does not come easily but is a battle to descend into a brief respite from pain. The stillness of sleep is considered beneficial by traders because it allows the skin to heal over barbs and so awakening will bring the onslaught of more pain. The rising sun brings the next march greeted by screams of pain as the collars dig flesh from the necks without any hope for lasting peace. Then night comes and the pain is paused, and then the sun rises and it begins. The march to their slavery a painful process of healing and tearing until the only concept of pleasure is the absence of pain. Only masters can control pain so they make a covenant, they will no longer be people if the pain will just end. The collars are removed but they bare the mark eternally into their skin a naked collar they can't be conscious off and all thought of freedom vanished. The Kingdom made their money off slavery, they were infamous, and no other nation was capable of breaking people of any sense of autonomy and humanity so completely.
They created collars not so masters could identify the slaves but so that slaves would realise they were less than human themselves. An industry entirely reliant on the dehumanisation and suffering of others. The epitome of human suffering.
Sasuke had dealt with them enough while with Orochimaru- they were vile. Kabuto had had to stop using them to find menial labour and test subjects because Sasuke massacred any business traders and all their merchandise whenever they got within 15 km of whatever base they were in. Sasuke saw it as his act of charity.
So it was not out of concern for Konoha or any of its inhabitants that Sasuke found himself before the boundary of the village. The dense forest merely a foot behind him. He could turn and leave. No one would notice or really care and with Naruto so busy dealing with looming crisis Kyuubi wouldn't get free to catch up.
The choice was an illusion though. Sasuke could never bear to be a coward even if it was only in his own eyes.
Narto felt them approaching, the chakra signal a siren song pulling him from his meetings, from his desk, from his duties. Each metre covered niggling at the remaining control and concentration.
Kyuubi was throwing himself against the bit- "too close, he is coming to me."
"to us" Naruto added
'Let him come all the way, we will not be hasty, act carefully, gently enough, subtly enough and we won't be able to leave he won't want to."
This mantra was all that kept Naruto in his seat, Kyuubi's claws destroying the arm rests, the only sign of the slipping control. The fox wasn't paying attention to Naruto- he was consumed by Sasuke's approach which surprisingly for Naruto made him easier to control.
The only action Naruto had taken was to warn the ANBU- let the Uchiua through.
His voice came from the window: "You have better control then I expected, to hold beoth yourself and Kyuubi back. It is more than your mother was capable of."
Naruto's desire rippled through his body, Sasuke had arrived.
