Ok so this is the last chapter before I start updating based on reviews and requests.

If you would like an update for this story, put in a review. This is so I know it is being read otherwise it will just sit here and be updated later in a few months as I continue other works that have higher demand.


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Chapter 7: Of Men and Children

Silent footsteps walked the muddy soil that pulled at her feet like quicksand. The forests around her whispered humorously with glee about their current captive that lay tucked deep in the confines of their shadows. Their whispers carried on the sharp sting of the wind that blew between the foliage carrying their conversation and dancing in glee at the mirth their mistress was about to dish out. The woman carried her satchel close to her body while keeping her eyes in view of the small little hut abandoned to the swamp's will. Her long ponytail flowed behind her and she loosened up her orange jacket a bit for comfort. She bowed her head ducking in to see the object of her excitement.

Her eyes fell onto the young man's still body as he lay wrapped in blankets much like how she had left him before. Her eyes took in the room noting he had gotten up to take care of himself while she was away. The fire still burned lively in the corner providing warmth for the space. It's light flickered casting shadows upon the various objects sitting lonely around the small hut. Food bowls sat stacked in the corner and a cup of water from a nearby bucket sat abandoned to the side. Her glowing yellow feline like eyes scanned the ground to find her incantation still fixed along the ground untouched. She smiled brightly at this before taking off her bag and setting it down on the ground. Immediately she dug into her bag and pulled out a small vial. She looked at the dark greenish liquid with excitement before she shook it up. Carefully she crept over to the young man and carefully rolled him onto his back.

She felt his head and checked his breathing. The rhythm of his heart beat strong in his chest and the color slowly bloomed along his cheeks again. She brushed his black tendrils of hair from his face anticipating seeing his Sharingan again. He threatened her once with it but he quickly learned that his little trick wouldn't do against her. Carefully, she uncorked the vial and titled the young man's head up. She pried his lips open and slowly began to administer to him the liquid. She watched carefully as he began to swallow the contents. His adams apple bobbed and she could feel his strength coming to. Carefully she set him down on the makeshift futon waiting for the effects to develop.

Carefully two slanted brown eyes opened in shock. His head turned slowly towards her direction and his body began to shake. She looked as sweat broke out on his forehead and his mouth moved to form words. She smiled and went to retrieve his water. She held the cup gently to his mouth as he moved his head out of the way. She tried again and with every fiber of strength in his body he moved his head again with a snarl. She watched sitting back on her hind legs as he looked at her with all the hatred he could muster.

"Tsk tsk." She said setting the cup down a little annoyed by his behavior.

"What else have you done! I can't move." He rasped.

The woman looked down at him feeling his call to his chakra system only to deflate when he couldn't connect with it once again. She watched pitifully as he continued to do so. She could feel how powerful he was and how much he relied on his anger and rage for strength. This saddened her. It is for this reason he would forever be weak.

"Of course you can't." She stated closing the vial and setting it in her bag. "That would be foolish to try and train you when you're moving around ready to attack me all the time. What lesson would you possibly learn." She stated cocking her head to the side and brushing his hair back gently. She watched him flinch and try to move but his attempt was futile.

"Why! Let me go you vile witch!"

The woman frowned and paused in her gentle stroke of his hair. "I am not vile you ingrate. You know my name, use it! And we had this conversation already. Get what I said through you thick little skull. God you're like a child!" she said exasperated. She snatched her hands back and moved.

He watched her carefully trying to move his limbs but he felt so heavy and weak. He glared daggers into her head thinking about how they first met. She appeared to him in a dream claiming she had been searching the entire great plains to find him. He fell sleep in his own private chambers hidden in the mountains where he knew no one would dare roam because it was too far away from villages and months away from the next stop. She spoke of healing him and preparing him to face his fears so that he could be stronger. He thought it was a dream until he woke up in the place he resided now. The place smelled of rot and bugs crawled everywhere. Yet, not one came inside the hut which he found odd. She had come to him a few times in person giving him necessities and talking pleasantly of things he didn't want to hear. She spoke of his old Genin team and their nuances while completing some task she had given regarding a waterfall. She also spoke about how he needed to heal to defeat his enemy. He lay there at one point truly confused at her behavior. She would come and go at odd hours of random days relaying information to him while he went through a hell of a sickness. His body rejected liquids and he slept as if he was making up for days he stayed awake. His mind was forced to drift on various subjects which was dangerous as he found himself drifting on the edge of madness with nothing but the howl of the wind to speak to. Now she sat before him like always talking about how it was finally time.

His eyes suddenly felt droopy and the room shifted. His mouth moved and anger built up inside of him. "Wh-what have you done!" He nearly yelled. His fist bawled tightly at his side fighting the pulls of sleep. Suddenly he looked to see Naruto sitting beside the woman. His face was stern unlike the goofy smile he usually carried on for the world to see. Blazing blue eyes penetrated his soul as he sat with his arms crossed over his chest looking for once like an adult that was about to scorn a young ninja.

"Na-Naruto." He said with wide eyes shaking in anger and confusion. Suddenly a sharp pain struck him and his head fell back onto the pillows. He hissed as his eyes closed from the pain. He looked down at himself to see blood staining the covers that wrapped around him. Frantically his eyes widened and he looked to see another person sitting next to the woman as she sat looking smugly down at him. Pink bubblegum colored hair floated into his vision. His eyes made contact with her bright green ones. A shock of pain rocked him on his futon. A silent scream escaped from his mouth and his body convulsed. He rolled pitifully on his futon as his hands slowly came up with much effort to grip his head. He screamed loudly this time feeling hot scorching electric pain shoot up from his gut to his chest consuming him as if he trying to set him on fire from the inside. Tiny little needles buried themselves deep in his flesh and tears pooled from all the pain. He rolled over to see Itachi leaning casually along the wall alongside Kakashi. Blunt fingernails scraped at his body and he looked down to see his hands were now covered in blood.

"Hurts doesn't it?"

His head turned to look at the woman he knew as Zenani. Around the room casually sitting with grave faces was a mixture of people he had crossed in his life both alive and dead. Faces of those from the village, from his clan, his comrades etc. Everyone here held some value in his life at one point or another. His eyes fell on the woman as she stood up. "This is the pain that you ignored." She said waving at his body. "The pain you are feeling is the pain of those innocent and loved that you have hurt or worst." She looked at him pitifully. "In your quest for power and retribution you forgot something very important. Revenge is a double edged sword."

His forehead broke out into sweat as he tried to close his eyes.

"Why did you turn against us?"

He opened his eyes to look Naruto who stared at him intensely. His voice echoed around the room. He growled out refusing to answer choosing to focus on the woman standing. "What trick is this! And I share no love!"

"Lies!"

Suddenly his body wracked with unbearable pain and he cried loudly. The woman watched pacing the room mindful of the people inside. "The pain you feel is testament to that. You may not have loved everyone but you cared. And like a spoiled brat you tossed it away in hopes of gaining revenge. And look where it has gotten you. You are pathetic." She stated firmly as she wiggled and thrashed among the bloody cover managing to use what little strength he had to kick it off his sweaty body. His eyes opened and widened to see his body covered in wounds and blood dripping from every space along his body. Sweat rolled down his forehead quickly and upon further inspection he found it to be mixed with blood as well.

"I have been sent to help heal you and get you ready to fight the great battle. Before you were in no condition to do anything but die." She stated watching him shake and fight against her potion. But the effects were already well into his body. "You are not ready and fit to do anything. You have abandoned your loved ones and even raised your hand against your own."

"Those who abandon their friends are worse than scum."

His eyes quickly looked to his former sensei who eyed him as well. Kakashi's hard gaze raked him before turning away in disgust.

"I-I had no choice!" He yelled fighting against whatever that was holding him down.

"How could you. We would have done everything for you!" Sakura yelled with tears pouring down her face now. Her head hung into her hands from sadness. Her words stung him and he couldn't bear her sentiments. His heart beat wildly against his chest now as everyone in the room confronted him and the pain rocked him to his core. For some reason her pain hurt reflected in him on two separate levels of existence. Her tears were his tears and he couldn't fathom at the moment why this was.

"You have been running long enough." The woman stated moving towards her bag and grabbing it. "It's time you face the consequences of your actions and deal with the pain you have caused. Your healing starts now."

"Wait!" He yelled reaching out to her while coughing up blood. "You can't-"

"I can leave you here." She walked over to him moving between the people of his memories that were very much real and breathing. Their sentiments, pain, fear, love and friendship would be felt by the little child who failed to truly grow up. She bent down and gripped his bloody hands in her own with encouragement as he fell down on his futon from the pain and stress. "You must face what you have done if you want to grow strong and defeat this foe. You must confront everyone here in this room and then some. Only then will you have grown and be free to do as you wish." She kissed his fingers knowing the pain he felt was something truly horrific. Never had she administered this type of spell and the effects were so strong with so many people. This boy truly lived in his own personal hell built with his own two hands.

Tears were rolling down his face now feeling her release him back into the throws of his darkest nightmares. She situated her things around her and walked again to the door. "And my dear Sasuke…" She stated not looking back but forward into the darkness of the surrounding area. "You don't have a lot of time. If you don't confront your fears you will stay lost and trapped where you are until you rot away alone and forgotten." With that stated she moved out of the hut back into the swamp.

She walked steadily hearing his loud shouts of anguish and threats mingled with the pain and tears that he truly felt for once. His screams echoed around the forest but she walked on knowing well that no one would hear him or find him. He was truly alone. She looked up into the night sky frowning at his pleas and desperation.

"You wanted to be alone. And so…you have it now." She mumbled.

As if he could hear what she had to say his words echoed throughout the swamp.

"I'll kill you!"