Okay here's the tenth chapter of Second Best. Treble thanks to all the people who have stuck with this fic so far. In this chapter there will be swearing and torture. I suppose this chapter is about all I'm famous for where writing is concerned. Anywho, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
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Second Best
Chapter Ten – Action and Reaction.
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Ryo felt a hand on his forehead, and the soft, light, weight of a blanket over his body. His head throbbed with pain. "What happened to me?" Ryo thought to himself. "Those creeps came into the back garden... they wanted..." Ryo's thoughts trailed off as he sat up in bed, horror written all over his face. "Shinji!" Ryo yelled. He felt tears under his eyelids, and he didn't try to hold them back. The teardrops streaked down his face as he sobbed. "He's dead! It's my fault! I couldn't protect him!" Ryo thought to himself angrily. "What's Sakura-San gonna think of me?" Ryo thought to himself. At the idea of how angry Sakura might be at him, he sobbed more brokenly. He heard a machine bleep, and that was when he realised he wasn't in his room at home. He felt someone pull him into a tight hug.
"Ryo it's alright. Shinji's fine. Don't worry." Ryo looked up at Sakura.
"Sakura-San! I'm so sorry! I tried to protect him, and I just couldn't! I didn't mean to get knocked out!" Ryo exclaimed. Sakura stroked Ryo's hair gently and let the boy cry on her shoulder.
"Ryo you're a little boy. You're not even a Gennin yet. No one expects you to be the hero." Sakura whispered. Ryo looked up at her as he wiped his tears away with his sleeve. "You were so brave Ryo. Shinji told me what happened before I came out." Sakura said softly.
"I wanted to look after Shinji. I really did. I thought when I woke up that you'd be furious with me Sakura-San, because I couldn't do it. Then I realised I wasn't even at home..." Ryo trailed off as fresh tears invaded his eyes. Sakura shook her head.
"I would never be angry at you for something like that Ryo." Sakura stated. "I'm so proud of you for the way you tried to protect Shinji. You acted like his big brother and you looked after him even to the point where you got hurt." Sakura added. Ryo smiled a little.
"I want to be his big brother, like I'm Hiroki's big brother. You're all kind to me. You all treat me like a member of the family. You do more for me then my own mother ever did." Ryo said softly.
"Is that why you called my house your home?" Sakura asked gently. Ryo nodded.
"It is my home now. Right?" Ryo asked. He looked nervous at what Sakura's answer might be. Sakura hugged Ryo to her tightly.
"It'll always be your home, and we'll always be your family." Sakura whispered to him, as she hugged him, and he hugged her back just as tightly.
"So, what happened? Who got rid of those creeps?" Ryo asked.
"Believe it or not, your father did." Sakura said softly. Ryo blinked.
"My father? He came and saved Shinji?" Ryo asked. Sakura nodded. "He saw me lose?" Ryo asked. He looked fearful.
"Ryo, your father was worried about you. He didn't care if you won or lost, he just wanted to know if you'd be alright. He loves you and Hiroki very much." Sakura said to him quietly. Ryo leaned forward to hug Sakura again.
"Thank you, Sakura-San. For telling me." Ryo said quietly as Sakura hugged him back.
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Sasuke was furious. His wife was stupid enough to believe he'd allow her to go behind his back on anything? His blood boiled with anger as he paced through the mansion. He flung open his study door to see Mitsuko sitting behind his desk. "What the hell do you think you're playing at?" Sasuke asked her. His voice was calm and even. For those that didn't know Sasuke, they would think he wasn't angry at all. But he was seething, and Mitsuko could see the look on his face. The jet-black eyes, bleeding into red, as his Sharingan formed. She stood up and had a frightened look on her face.
"What do you mean Sasuke?" Mitsuko asked softly.
"I mean that you, behind my back, sent two of my men, to kill a four-year-old child." Sasuke hissed.
"I didn't think it would bother you so much Sasuke. After all, the child's mother is one of your cast offs, and we want our son back." Mitsuko said quickly. She knew Sasuke had something against killing children. Sasuke glared.
"Because of your stupidity I jumped in to save the child. When I found out it was you that sent them I left them for the Konoha authorities." Sasuke hissed at her. He was losing control of his temper and Mitsuko knew it, but she couldn't help but ask a question.
"Why then, did you leave your own men, to be tortured by Konoha Anbu?" Mitsuko asked.
"Not only did they disobey and betray me, by taking your orders, but you and they ruined my plans." Sasuke hissed.
"What plans?" Mitsuko asked heatedly, starting to lose control of her own temper.
"My plans to keep my sons safe and happy." He thought in his head as he answered her annoying questions.
"My plan to get my sons back you idiot woman. I was testing the security perimeters today. I might've even been able to get Ryo back today if not for your interference. Get out of my sight and send Kabuto to me. If he isn't here within the hour, I'll hold you responsible." Sasuke hissed at her threateningly. Mitsuko nodded in fear and headed out of the room. Her own poisonous thoughts ran through her mind as she left.
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Naruto was asked to interrogate the prisoner known as Goro. He had gained a reputation that was sometimes as fearsome as Ibiki Morino's. Especially if it involved his precious people. He knew Ibiki had Ayumu and for that Naruto was thankful. Naruto was intelligent, he'd proven as much many times. But this Ayumu seemed like he'd be a tough nut to crack, mentally, so Naruto knew that Ibiki was the best man for the job. Of course, Naruto was great at physical torture, and this guy seemed like a perfect candidate. Naruto took a chair from one side of the room and set it down in front of Goro. He straddled the chair backwards, grinning foxily at the stocky male. "Hello there Goro." Naruto said cheerfully.
"What the fuck gives you anything to be cheerful about?" Goro asked.
"Well the day is bright and sunny. The people I love are happy and healthy. Oh, and I almost forgot that I get to torture you all day long. What's not to be cheerful about?" Naruto asked. Goro glared.
"It's obviously not a good day for me then." Goro stated gruffly.
"Oh no. It's a great day for you. If you decide to talk. If not, then it's a great day for me." Naruto said happily.
"You're a fucking psychopath." Goro hissed.
"So I've been told, but that's your problem at the moment." Naruto stated. His face fixed itself with a serious look then. "So this is how it's going to go Goro. I'm going to ask you questions. For every question you answer rudely I'll break a finger. For every question you answer dishonestly, I'll stick a bamboo splinter under one of your fingernails. These won't be small splinters. When I run out of fingers and fingernails, I'll drive nails through your elbows. Then your knees. I could go on all day, but I think you get the gist." Naruto said seriously.
"You can't do this." Goro hissed.
"Why not? Just because your legs have only just been recast, and your wrist just splinted? Trust me, that makes no difference as far as I'm concerned." Naruto said happily. Goro hissed angrily at Naruto. "So, which village do you come from?" Naruto asked.
"Why should I tell you?" Goro asked back. Naruto slapped him across the face, drawing blood from Goro's lower lip. Goro yelped and the blood trickled down his chin.
"I expect answers, not questions." Naruto replied. "I'll ask again. Which village do you come from?" Naruto hissed.
"Go to hell asshole!" Goro yelled. Naruto tutted as he stood from the chair he had been straddling.
"I warned you about rudeness." Naruto said softly. He grabbed Goro's little finger on his left hand, then bent it all the way back until a loud crack and pop were heard. Goro yelled in pain. He glared at Naruto as pain misted over his eyes. "Now I'll ask again. What village do you come from?" Naruto asked calmly.
"You know I come from Otokagure." Goro hissed.
"Who sent you here?" Naruto asked again.
"Fuck off." Goro hissed. Naruto quickly grabbed hold of the finger he had just broken, and yanked it hard, eliciting a scream of pain from Goro, as he bent it all the way forward, then side to side. Goro screamed.
"I chose to spare your other fingers this time. I won't be so nice next time. So just answer the questions. Who sent you here?" Naruto asked.
"My mistress, Mitsuko Uchiha." Goro said shakily.
"I thought your leader was Sasuke Uchiha? What did Mitsuko want you to do here?" Naruto asked. Goro glared and went to open his mouth. "Before you say anything, just remember I've already broken one finger. I'm quite glad to break the others." Naruto said.
"We were here on a reconnaissance mission to find out what happened to Ryo Uchiha, our mistresses' son." Goro said. Naruto gave the male a feral grin and walked over to a table, where he picked up something that couldn't be seen. He grabbed Goro's hand, and dug a large bamboo splinter underneath his thumbnail. Goro screamed in agony as Naruto wriggled the piece of wood under his victim's nail. Goro carried on screaming until Naruto finally stopped. "You fucking bastard!" Goro hissed. Naruto sadistically twisted Goro's thumb around and snapped it. Goro screamed again.
"You lied to me Goro. You told Ryo you came to kill Sabaku no Shinji, and that you had also admitted to killing Sabaku no Kankuro." Naruto said quietly.
"If you know then why ask?" Goro asked.
"I just needed to know when you are lying about things. What reactions you make, what your body language is when you lie. No big deal really Goro. Not for me anyway. For you however it's going to prove more painful unless you answer me truthfully." Naruto asked. Goro spat at Naruto. The flying gob of saliva, missed him by inches. Naruto glared and twisted the broken thumb and the broken little finger at the same time, making Goro scream even more. "That wasn't very nice Goro." Naruto hissed.
"If you want any more information, you'll have to torture me to death." Goro hissed.
"If that's the way you want it Goro." Naruto said cheerfully. Naruto grabbed the tray he had picked the bamboo splinter from before. There were nineteen more just like it. He grabbed the middle finger on one of Goro's hands and set light to one of the splinters, which he then gauged in under Goro's fingernail. Goro screamed in torturous pain as Naruto wriggled the hot piece of splinter around and pushed it further in under the nail. Goro yelled in pain, and passed out. Naruto smirked, and called for a bucket of ice cold water. After two minutes, he received it and chucked half the contents over Goro who woke with a start. He stared at Naruto in horror. "Where were we then Goro? Do you think you might want to cooperate with me now?" Naruto asked in a friendly tone.
"No fucking way!" Goro yelled. Naruto just smiled, then went over to a table, which he dragged to the middle of the room. The table had leg and arm cuffs attached to it. Naruto grabbed hold of Goro and threw him onto the table, where he proceeded to cuff him up. Then he broke Goro's other thumb by twisting it down backwards. Goro screamed again.
"Are you sure you don't want to change your mind?" Naruto asked.
"Yes." Goro hissed out. Naruto smiled softly, then began, one by one, lighting the bamboo splinters and forcing them under Goro's fingernails. He screamed for all he was worth. Naruto's face never betrayed emotion at all as he committed this barbaric act of torture. Whenever Goro cursed him, Naruto just broke another finger in the most brutal way he could think of at the time, depending on the finger and angling. Once he'd done with Goro's fingers, Goro had passed out several times. Naruto had had to keep bringing him back to the world of the conscious by using ice cold water and so had ordered two more buckets sent down.
"Are you sure all this loyalty to your mistress is worth it? I mean when it comes right down to it, I've broken enough Oto spies. It's nothing to me to carry on torturing you. They all break and tell me what I want to know in the end. Sometimes they even tell me things I don't care about too." Naruto said stoically. Goro glared at Naruto fiercely.
"I'm not other people asshole!" Goro hissed. Naruto broke another finger with a loud snap.
"No, you're not. You're stupid. Most guys figure out the rules early on and stop swearing at and cursing me by now. You must be a masochist." Naruto replied evilly. Goro glared more at Naruto who started working on Goro's toes. Wedging bamboo splinters under his toenails. Goro screamed in horrifying agony. Naruto ignored his screams until he passed out again. Then he ordered another bucket of ice cold water. "This is going to be a long day." Naruto said to himself as he waited for the water.
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Kabuto went to Sasuke's study. He walked in to find Sasuke sitting behind his desk, looking pensive. "You called for me Sasuke-Sama?" Kabuto asked.
"It's been nearly an hour." Sasuke said quietly.
"Miss Mitsuko told me ten minutes ago Sasuke-Sama." Kabuto replied. Sasuke hissed angrily, then turned to look at Kabuto.
"I need you to infiltrate the interrogations of Goro and Ayumu. I want to know what's going on and what they find out. You have no need to stop the interrogations under any circumstance. They know nothing that is important enough to hurt me. I have a feeling they know more about my wife's dealings." Sasuke said angrily. Kabuto nodded and made to leave the room. "Check on Hiroki and Ryo for me. Ryo was injured the last time I was there. I want to know if he's alright." Sasuke said quietly. Kabuto nodded and left the room. Sasuke carried on sitting in his seat, lost in thought.
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Naruto had finished on Goro's toenails. He'd broken each finger and toe in turn, and now he was going to start with the nails. Naruto had a heating pit in the room where he stuck four large nails. "You realise that I'm about to stick nails into your knees and elbows now?" Naruto questioned coldly.
"You wouldn't." Goro hissed.
"Of course I would. I take my work very seriously. You can talk now, or we can carry on with the torture." Naruto stated. Goro tried to move in the restraints, but he had no chance of escape. Once the nails were red hot, Naruto used tongs to take one off, and positioned it above Goro's knee. "Last chance Goro." Naruto stated.
"Fuck off." Goro replied. Naruto shrugged and used a hammer to drive the nail into Goro's knee. Goro screamed in agony and passed out. Naruto sighed and ordered more water. It didn't take long for the water to get there and Naruto used it to the fullness of its ability. Goro was awake and stifled painful groans. Naruto certainly felt no pity for him. He soon drove the rest of the nails into Goro's other knee and his elbows. Goro's screams ran throughout the dungeons. Naruto started boiling something that stank horribly. Goro dreaded to think what it was exactly but of course Naruto knew what he was going to do. He threw white powder into the boiling mixture and then picked up the pot with tongs again. Goro stared at the bubbling mixture, fear showed in his eyes. "What is that, and what are you going to do with it?" He asked fearfully.
"Why its oil mixed in sugar. I intend to pour it all over your lower region. Just to prove how hot it is, I'm going to pour some on your chest. Just so you know what you're letting yourself in for of course." Naruto said. Goro watched in slow motion as Naruto poured the syrupy oil onto his chest. The burning pain was the most horrifying thing he'd ever felt in his entire life. He saw his skin bubbling away at the surface, as the oil ate through it. He felt his skin being boiled and melted like butter in a frying pan. He screamed the most horrifying and painful scream he'd ever screamed. His voice already hoarse from screaming, cracked, but his mouth remained in a silent O as he carried on screaming.
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Naruto came out of the room and Sai was sat there with Neji and Ibiki. Gaara sat to one side also waiting. "He admitted to killing Kankuro. He admitted to trying to kill Shinji on orders from his mistress, rather than his master. He also told me some other information." Naruto replied, as he wiped his hands clean of Goro's blood on a towel. The group stared at him in shock. Gaara looked impressed.
"I never knew you had such a dark side Naruto." Gaara said quietly.
"I'll do whatever I have to do to protect the people I love." Naruto replied. He then carried on his horrifying report.
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It was one week later, when Kabuto walked back into the mansion and up to the study. He walked in to see Sasuke there. "Ryo and Hiroki are well. Sakura-San has been looking after Ryo well, making sure his head injury heals properly." Kabuto said.
"What else." Sasuke asked.
"I snuck into the file room and read all the reports on the interrogations of Ayumu and Goro. You were right. They knew nothing about you. But everything about your wife." Kabuto said softly.
"Like?" Sasuke asked.
"Your wife has been orchestrating a coup of Oto for many years. She seems to think she can outsmart you eventually. In fact, she is the one who orchestrated the poisoning of the other trainees." Kabuto said sadly. Sasuke's fists clenched on the table and his face went dark with anger.
"I think it's time my wife and I had a little talk. Go and tell her I want to speak to her. Don't let on that you know anything. Just go and tell her there is something I wish to speak to her about." Sasuke said quietly. Kabuto nodded and left the room, wondering about the confrontation that was soon to follow.
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Okay, end of this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you R&R. Anyways, you all got to see Naruto's dark side. There will be more strange events to come.