oOXOo

"Rip me to shreds, tear my heart out. I am toxic, I'm a fallout. Say your farewells and cut me out. Without a doubt I am the monster now." -Fade

oOXOo

"...Itachi." Kabuto sneered.

Itachi stood in front of the silver haired man, his sword in his hand and his long, black hair blowing in the soft wind. He did not flinch at the harsh tone Kabuto had.

He raised his sword, the sharingan blazing in his eyes.

Kabuto smirked. "Come for her then? You're too late. She's just an empty shell now…"

Itachi's eyes narrowed as his body flickered. Kabuto grinned, raising one of Orochimaru's blades into his hand before flickering himself.

oOo

Kakashi quickly went through each and every guard, cutting their necks to make it fast. Nakumaru ran through the dungeon area, looking for a white haired girl. But there was no sign of any females.

"N...Naku…"

His eyes swirled, staring at the fallen form of his comrade, Tora Shigari. His form was skinny, pale, and weak. His eyes were dull. His skin covered in blood and dirt.

"Tora." Nakumaru gasped, ripping the door to his cell off and rushing to his side. Tora reached out, gripping Nakumaru's robe, trembling against the Hyuuga man. "They… it… i-it was terrible… they…" "Shh… it's alright Tora… you're safe…"

But the red haired boy frantically shook his head, his green eyes shaking as he stared up at Nakumaru. "N-No… you came.. For her?"

Nakumaru flinched, nodding his head slowly. Tora whimpered.

"T-they… they took her… She's… in the electricity room."

"And where is that?"

Both men averted their gazes towards Itachi, who walked in with his clothes splattered in blood. He looked unwounded, his eyes still blazing with the Sharingan.

Tora trembled.

"D-down the hall… first door to the right.. But please… you have to be carefu-"

Itachi was already walking. He kicked the door of the dungeon open, his eyes scanning for any sign of enemies or Kaida.

Nakumaru used his Byakugan, scanning the area around them. It seemed, no enemies were visible, but…

He gasped, covering his mouth in utter shock. The urge to throw up resided in his stomach. He should warn Itachi before he saw her. He had to warn him.

But… his mouth wouldn't open.

Itachi went to the first door on the right, opening it with ease and expecting her to just be chained to the wall.

...Oh how wrong he was.

oOo

Brutality didn't even scrape the surface of reality.

Itachi had never in his years as a ninja, seen something as horrid and disgusting as this.

There she was.

Tied to a wooden cross, barely clothed, covered in blood and puke, with electric wires stabbed into her flesh. He eyes were shut, thank god, Itachi didn't think he would be able to meet her eyes. The machine was turned off, but Itachi could tell she was still twitching from the electric shock torture she was put through. A part of him wanted to scream. Another wanted to puke.

He was too shocked, too scared, too disgusted. He was shocked that Orochimaru would go to this extent to torture her.

He took a step forwards, then another.

Right… left… right… left.

Now he was in front of her.

"...Kaida…" Her name left his lips in barely a whisper.

He reached up, beginning to take each wire out very slowly, afraid to hurt her more.

He cut the ropes tied around her wrists and ankles and caught her when she fell.

She was cold, so cold. So pale. So…

Itachi choked. The Uchiha prodigy choked on nothing.

Her hair, once long and pure, was cut short and uneven. Her skin, once smooth and clean, was covered in blood, dirt, scratches, wounds, and puncture marks. The wires that were in her skin had begun to make her bleed.

She was skinnier. More fragile. He could see her ribcage.

Yet… somehow with all these wounds, she was alive.

He could feel the slow rhythm of her heartbeat.

Itachi held her closer, clenching his teeth. He was becoming irrational. He felt like he had failed her. He was angry at himself for not coming sooner, his father for putting the mission on hold for a week while she suffered like this, and at the world for being so cruel.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Itachi whispered, holding her as he walked out of the room.

He met up with Kakashi and Nakumaru outside of Orochimaru's fortress. Orochimaru must have relocated before they got here.

"...Oh…" Was Kakashi's reaction.

Kakashi had heard of this girl. The future of Konoha, according to the Hokage. Now… he didn't know what to think of her.

Nakumaru held Tora on his back, his eyes not being able to see her form. It was too painful. Too…

Itachi just continued to hold her, his anger flaring at the sight of Kabuto's body. He was crawling towards them, blood falling down his forehead and both of his legs bent backwards.

Itachi stepped forwards, raising a foot over Kabuto's head before smashing his skull into the ground, watching as his blood splattered all over the ground.

"...Let's go." He said, walking around Kabuto's corpse and jumping into the trees, holding Kaida closer.

oOo

She was hospitalized immediately. They said she was in critical condition.

Itachi sat outside of her hospital room with his father next to him. They were silent. There was nothing to say.

When she had come out of surgery, they were allowed to see her.

By that time, more people had come to see her. Naruto, who was holding a brown teddy bear and crying. Sasuke, who was staring angrily at the floor. Neji Hyuuga, who was completely silent the whole time and clenching his fists. His mother, who was hugging Naruto and trying to comfort both Sasuke and him. His father, who had his arms crossed over his chest.

Kakashi, who stayed for protection. Nakumaru, who came as a representative for the Hyuugas. Tora, who came to see if Kaida was alive.

The Hokage, who came to see his beloved student.

Izumi, who came to see her friend.

They all stood around her hospital bed, listening to the beeping noises of the machines monitoring her condition.

Naruto was the one to break the silence.

"...Will she.. Be alright?" He asked, holding her hand in his. He had placed his bear next to her on the hospital bed.

Kakashi nodded. "She will be fine." He assured the blonde boy.

Itachi just continued staring at her face.

One by one, each of them began to leave. The Hokage had his duties to attend to, Nakumaru and Neji left next. Then Sasuke and his mother and father.

Tora didn't leave for a while, but while he was there, he began telling Itachi about how Kaida was in that hell-hole.

"She was brave," He said, "She would tell Orochimaru to go to hell and insult Kabuto as much as she could, whenever she could. She didn't say a word about Konoha and stayed loyal until… she became unresponsive."

Itachi listened.

"She… met me when she had to change cells. After I was beaten, she asked if I was okay. She gave me her rations of food and was kind to every other prisoner. There was one who couldn't sleep. He was blind, so she sang to him."

"She sang every night from then on, it gave the prisoners down there hope. It gave them the small bit of sanity they needed. Even me…"

Tora's eyes glistened, staring at Kaida's feeble form.

"If it wasn't for her, I would be dead. I couldn't… do anything for her… I was too afraid." He said, guilt staining his face. Itachi's heart strained as he empathized with the teenage boy in front of him.

Tora had been cleaned up. His wounds were bandaged and healed, the color was beginning to return to his face.

"...Yes… she is too kind. She cares for others without thinking of herself." Itachi heard himself saying.

Tora nodded.

He left next.

Finally, it was just Itachi and Izumi. Kakashi had decided to wait outside the hospital room for a bit. "I need air," he said. He took Naruto with him.

Izumi, the girl he knew was infatuated with him. He would have come to like her as well… if not for Kaida.

She stood next to Itachi, who was sitting next to Kaida's form. She reached down, putting a hand over Itachi's.

Itachi flinched, her warm hand encasing his. But Itachi couldn't…

"I'm sorry…" He said softly, his eyes never leaving Kaida's face.

Izumi froze, her hand stopping it's advancements.

She knew why he was apologizing.

"... Why…? Am.. I not pretty enough?" She whispered. Itachi stayed silent.

Then, Izumi understood.

"...It's because of her, isn't it?" She said, the truth in her words hitting Itachi harder than he wanted.

Itachi said nothing.

Izumi's eyes narrowed, then shut as angry tears fell down her cheek. She removed her hand, dropping it at her side and saying nothing else.

She left soon after.

Itachi never thought about romantic or sexual relationships before. Of course, the clan rules were shown to him at a young age. 'Uchiha's must marry other Uchiha's'.

But… he didn't care about love. He never had a reason to. You're a prodigy, you must focus on your duties to Konoha. You must focus on your duties to the clan. He was split between the two for months.

Then… she saved him. She made it so he didn't have those choices anymore. She saved him from going insane as well. All that suffering he would have gone through… gone. Because of her.

Sarcastic, funny, energetic, beautiful, Kaida.

He couldn't protect her.

oOo

"...S-stop… I-I swear… I don't know anything else… Please… Stop… stop… stop… STOP.. STOP!"

Naruto's eyes widened as he rushed over to Kaida's side. The white haired girl's eyes snapped open, her body sitting up in her hospital bed. The monitors for her heart began to go crazy. She was having a panic attack.

She was screaming, holding her head in her hands and thrashing on the bed. Naruto, unable to do anything, took her hand. "O-Onee-chan! Wake up! You're okay!" He promised, his voice cracking. He couldn't… see her like this. He hated it.

She just kept screaming. Doctors and nurses rushed in, pinning her back down to the bed. She thrashed against them, screaming and kicking.

"What happened?!"

"She's having a panic attack!"

"We have to get her blood pressure down or else she'll have a heart attack."

Naruto backed away, letting the doctors crowd around her bed. He whimpered, hugging the bear that was thrown from her hospital bed. He was so afraid.

A hand rested on his shoulder, making him jump. Kakashi, with crazy silver hair, stared at him. The mask over his mouth made some sort of smile shape. "It's okay…" he tried to reassure the young boy. But what words could he possibly say in this situation?

Itachi rushed in next. He pushed the doctors and nurses away, grabbing Kaida by the shoulders.

"Kaida? Kaida! It's me. Itachi." He said, sternly. Kaida's eyes rolled to Itachi, the life slowly beginning to return to them.

"I-I-Itachi-i?"

"Yes… it's Itachi… You're safe… I promise."

The beeping began to slow down, Kaida's screaming ceased to a stop. She began to breath at a normal rate again as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Please… don't… d-don't make me go back there… I'm scared… it was so dark… Itachi…" She sobbed, gripping his hand. Itachi's heart hurt, the guilt returning.

"You're safe… I promise." He continued to remind her. Again and again.

She whimpered, falling back onto the bed.

The doctors around him sighed in relief. "Thank you," They told him.

Once they left, after giving her some sleeping medicine, he decided to stay the night. There was a couch in her small hospital room. Kakashi was keeping watch outside.

Naruto crawled next to Kaida, hugging her and fast asleep with dry tears on his cheeks. Itachi just sat next to her, his mind wandering into thought.

When night came, Kaida's eyes opened again.

They were crimson, with orange around the pupil area. Unlike her normal blue eyes, these were the eyes of the dragon. Itachi remembered that night she fought Danzo.

'Kaida' sat up, her eyes landing on Itachi. She let Naruto sleep against her.

"Itachi Uchiha." She acknowledged. It didn't sound like her. Something softer, wispier.

His mouth went dry. But her mouth curled into a smile.

"I believe we haven't formally met yet," She said, pushing her bangs behind her ear.

"My name is Kasai… and I'm the dragon of fire residing in Kaida's body."

oOo

"...Why didn't you help her?" Itachi asked, the anger rolling off his body. This feeling of emotion was new. As a ninja, he didn't usually let emotion get a hold of him, but meeting Kaida had changed him.

Kasai smirked. "I have. As much as I could. If I revealed myself to Orochimaru, he would have attempted to remove me from her, which would kill her."

"You could have done something." He snapped.

But the dragon spirit shook Kaida's head. "I managed to put a block on her mind, saving her sanity as much as I could. My brethren did what they could to keep her body alive, but she has yet to bond with them. She can not access their power without bonding with them."

Itachi bit his tongue. He could not argue with logic.

"... She… will be fine," He promised, "I refuse to let her die. It has been fifty years since we have had a vessel able to contain all four of us."

Kasai ran a hand through Naruto's hair, who shifted in his sleep.

"Besides… she has much to do in this world. I have watched her change this world's future, one by one. It… is amazing to watch. Humorous, of course, for she is a strange one. But as happy as she is, she bears a heavy burden. The future… is hard to hold on her shoulders."

"I know," Itachi answered, "She is strong."

"Indeed, but to what extent?" The tone of Kasai's voice made Itach uncomfortable.

"...Can you help her? Psychologically? Physically?" He questioned, making Kasai frown.

"... I can lock her memories away. She will wake up and not remember a single thing that happened in Orochimaru's dungeon. But… would that be the right move? Locking away someone's memories is dangerous. If she were to get a hold of them, she would never be the same. There is a chance of her going insane."

"Do it. This is the burden I will bear for her. I will make sure she will not suffer with those memories. I will protect her." He said, confidently. But the uneasiness in his voice made Kasai smile. The dragon spirit chuckled.

"... As you say. I leave it to you then, Uchiha Itachi."

Kaida's body was slowly lowered onto the bed again, her eyes shutting as she breathed in deeply, holding it for a few moments, before letting it out.

Itachi folded his hands. This was the least he could do. This was the smallest burden he would bear for her. To protect her.

...He was a different person, because of her.

Konoha was a different place, because of her.

oOXOo

Chapter End.

PLEASE READ

For those of you who are confused, this is a quick explanation.

Going through something as terrible as this would drive someone insane. Because this story is just beginning, I have made it so Kaida could continue being the sarcastic, bubbly girl she was for the better of the story. Of course, this also gives me more chances to add in dramatic scenes like these.

The reason I added these dark scenes in was because it would be the most realistic. Remember, this is the ninja world. There is torture, pain, suffering, and dark stuff. I did not plan to just have this story be happy-go-lucky.

Yes, this is a fanfiction. Yes, this is supposed to be humorous.

But I wanted this to be as realistic as I could possibly make it.

I promise, there will be more laughs later on. But to add depth to this story, I felt like I had to put in something… dark.

When you think about it, Orochimaru wouldn't just… Ignore the fact that something powerful was existing in the world. He even saw her face and knew where she was going.

Kabuto, who is a wannabe Orochimaru, would have be demolished by Itachi in a fight. Especially if Itachi was angry.

Itachi was an originally loving older brother. In the anime, he had to KILL his clan and make Sasuke hate him, but now he didn't. Because he had no real reason to become evil and erase all emotion and what not, he now develops more emotion from meeting Kaida. Because she changed the future.

The reason I had Kaida want to change the future, was so she had a purpose in this world.

Questions? Comments? Review please or PM me!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Thank you, for following the development of 'Strawberry Banana Smoothie'.

-Nightrave1726