AN1: Hello dear readers, I know it's not Sunday yet but tomorrow it's a really busy day and a day I don't think I'll even be home so I thought I will give you the chapter now so everybody will be pleased. And if you've been waiting for us to finally come back to the present, well…here it is.

Oh, and I am sorry to say this is Not beta'd, at least not yet.

From the previous (last) chapter:

Ryuu shifted on his seat as he continued by saying:
"We survived out of the kindness of the people, of strangers, more from those who were old and who didn't care what will happen to them, they just wanted to do a good deed for the youngsters, like us. We tried to get jobs, to get somewhere to stay but it was impossible since Cloud's father, as the respected politician that he was, threatened everybody's life and even the families of the ones who will give us a helping hand. No matter if it was about a glass of water, a warm bed or a job. I don't remember a young person with its future ahead of it to have helped us. There's only one who responded to Cloud's angst when the young man said: I have a family at home, I have to feed them, they are kids about your age, so I'm sorry but I can't help. At this, Cloud told him the following: Imagine we are your children, left alone on the street and we search help from another father who doesn't help us because he also has children at home. After this, he offered us a job, far away from him though…he helped us a lot. For every penny we earned, we used it to get as far away from Cloud's hometown, and even mine. To escape any influence, good or bad, his father had on us, mostly bad. We accepted strangers as our family. Our new and only family.

Cloud continued when Ryuu stopped:

"What I hated the most is that my father told everybody, even on TV, newspaper, and I guess on internet too, besides that threat… that if they want to help Ryuu, then they're free to do so, as long as he dumps me, as long as I don't receive anything from him. Basically, tried to make Ryuu to give up on me, and when we really had no luck in some towns, I really considered that, I really begged Ryuu to just leave me, for I'll manage something but I wanted for him to leave me, I wanted for him to live, but he wouldn't have it. He never gave up on me. If we starved, we both starved. If we were too cold or too hot, we were too cold or too hot, together. And no matter what happened, no matter how bad we got, he never gave up on me. And I really wish someday I'll meet my father by accident only to tell him how much I want to thank him for trying to get Ryuu to give up on me in the way he did, for since then, and even now, I've never been more sure about a person who sits beside me in my entire life. And as the son of a politician, I had it up my throat with fake people so… yeah…fuck it.

He ended his own opinion in his own usual way, and I also noticed as he held Ryuu's hand even tighter.

The actual (new) chapter:

'The easiest way it's always the wrong one.'

'Why am I thinking about it like it's all in the past now?'

Chapter 25: A wandering soul

We finished our breakfast, maybe hours ago, I couldn't tell. I've been so caught up in their story, since it first was Ryuu's story, then it seemed like Cloud's story, no matter what, it involved both of them and I'd lie by saying it wasn't sad or even scary, for their stories somehow connected them, made them what they are today, though I'm not pretty sure what they are besides good people tried by life in every possible way. Just like their scarf, they are somehow …connected.

"So, you cool with it?" Cloud's words were followed by a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes for I could tell that I was still yet to blink, I still couldn't believe it was over. I felt that there were questions that still had no answers, and which assaulted me the moment they stopped narrating, however, the questions came in waves of emotions, of pain and sorrow, nothing happy or bright. There was none of that.

In the corner of my eye, I could spot Sisay nodding beside me and I could also tell it was an absent nod since there's nobody who wouldn't have been impressed, or at least…revolted.

'Absurd.'

The only thought which passed through my mind as their eyes fell on me, waiting for my approval or disapproval for their own existence. With small smiles that didn't reach their clouded eyes which were a little bit still stuck in the past, after being forced to remember and see it, again and again, for us, for some… strangers?

"So...any questions?" Ryuu shyly started by catching my attention with his intonation, directed at me but I was annoyed by it.

'What do you expect for me to say? Who am I to judge you people? To say you were not guilty for all the bad that has happened to you both? I'm sure of that now. But who am I to say something, to approve or disapprove life itself? Your lives! To question it, have doubts or what?'

A scowl that might've been misunderstood because Ryuu's smile got even smaller and I was easily feeling incriminated by possibly acting like a cold bastard, which I is not true. However, their attention changed to Sisay who finally talked after an entire moment of uncomfortable silence.

"I get what happened, but what I don't understand is how you two got here? Isn't this the evil side of things? Since the King rescues the ones you want to kill, like you plan killing us, since we're locked up…?"

Sisay's question spoke volumes, a bit clumsy in her explanation, but still, a question that involved both them and us, a cleaver one if you ask me, since I couldn't even form one word, though, I was really curious and really concentrated on them, on their facial expressions, if their breathing rate increased, but I wasn't able to tell any of that. The only change that took place in the next second was the loss of their smiles.

"You think that if… if we'd be the criminals? You think we'd be standing here, helping you and telling you guys our stories only to kill you both after we end them?" For the first time, Cloud said a whole sentence without swearing which alarmed me more, didn't calm me one bit though.

"So, you're not the criminals, but what about the ones you work for? They are saints? How did you guys get here, and what will you do to us? These are the questions I have."

Sisay was calm, so calm it was ironic because I was having a heart attack and she's supposed to be the woman here!

I can't say I don't agree with her questions or that I'm not having the same questions, but I'm honestly expecting them to grin and say: 'Kidding.' To get a gun or a sword out of nowhere and end our lives in that instant, but none of that happened. Instead, they both looked at each other wide eyed.

"I wouldn't say they're saints but they're not evil either. And we got here just like you two, and we take people from your King since he's the one murdering them! We rescue them! And make them part of our family."

Ryuu's words didn't fit, at all, with the image we had. In fact, it seems like they were the good people and we were the bad ones. So, after too much time I couldn't ever estimate, I finally talked:
"You think is normal that when your side rescues someone, they end up locked in a freaking cell? Or you bring them to your village and let them do whatever they want to do like our King does when He rescues someone?"

They went pale and I could see realization in their eyes. I could see the years they spent taking care of the prisoners, believing that they're doing good deeds for the right side, that the prisoners will leave the cell alive to live God knows where, hating the other side but knowing nothing about it or their King, knowing nothing of the way we've been brought here, kidnapped in the whole sense of the word, and that what our King does is indeed rescuing.

They've been so blind to all the signs, intentionally. And they were attracted to us, they choose to tell us their story because they felt that we could give them the answers and now, even now, they deny it though they already know. Their whole being knows but they're too scared to admit it, too scared to face it, or to start fresh again, afraid to go through hell again. Since they're protected by the hell's side itself.

"You're wrong." Ryuu said but he didn't believe it. Cloud didn't say anything, he seemed far away in thoughts, or in the past, putting two to two together.

"I am not wrong! Think about it! They let us freeze and starve here! This isn't the way to treat someone you want to rescue! You ignored their lies so bad that you started believing them yourselves! I don't know your reasons or maybe I can get where you came from now, and how afraid you both are to stray from a place you now call home again, but believe me! The other side is where you two belong! You're good people! And so are they, us and the King! His people! His army! You know it! You just don't want to believe it!"

"Enough!"

Cloud yelled, silenced me and also got up from his seat. With such force that the chair retreated a bit from its original place, his eyes are cold and with hate, since he's refusing it all, with good knowledge, I can tell.

And he only proves I'm right when he takes Ryuu's hand, makes him stand up and brings him closer to his own body only to speak with him.

'You're protecting Ryuu! You knew all along!'

"We have no business with liars Ryuu. Let's leave, you know they're fucking liars Ryuu, let them rot in their lies Ryuu."
Repeating his name over and over again, driving him numb, since Ryuu's eyes are already half closed but I could tell they're filled with pain. Since is true, they can choose to ignore the truth or face it. And when Cloud drags Ryuu out the door and then closes it, I can guess their choice's been made.

'The easiest way it's always the wrong one.'

We were left in complete darkness only seconds later, and I could tell we won't get any dinner tonight. The day passed so quickly because of their story that we were yet to meet our empty stomachs in the bed we now finally put in its original place as we silently put ourselves under the blankets.

I felt disappointed by them. They didn't deserve the darkness they lived into since they weren't at fault at all. But now, they are to blame! They refuse to fight, therefore they pay for it.

'Trying to remain blind when you're no longer blind is not easy at all. I should know…'

Since I've lived in darkness most of my life until I was forced to meet the outside world, to see only its ugliest side, to want to go back to the good, but with no option left but to fight since I've never been a quitter. I had to be something, do something, if not marvelous then at least something I won't hate myself for, like giving up the life my mother and father gave me. So I choose to wonder through the dark tunnel until I meet the light.

The light never really existed because not even today, I don't really know what I'm supposed to do. I search in people's pasts but I really don't want to search into my own. I can really understand the duo. But somehow, we're different. I still have the time, I give myself the time to recover and hope that one day I will be strong enough to face my fate, my past and my goal in life.

They gave up on it and choose to stay in the darkness, forever.

'They ignore the light.'

I never gave up fighting, since though I hate to admit it, when I search into people's pasts… I tend to hear my heart in my ears; it beats so fast that it hurts. I always expected to see a small connection to me, to my family, to my own past and until now, it never happened but I've been patient and ignored the fact that I'm still fighting for myself.

I'm a bit selfish but it's been the only way I've been able to let myself to still fight, for me but for my family too. Never admitting it, made me to continue and do it.

Being kidnaped and then being rescued by Sasuke has been the best thing that could ever happen to me. For I've became part of his army, learned many things and my life was worth something. Even if I took part of killing people, since I drove Sasuke's car while he shoot people, I also took part of rescuing people's lives! I couldn't possibly ask for more.

'Why am I thinking about it like it's all in the past now?'

I closed my eyes for the headache returned, my eyes still hurt and that reminded me of my sleepless night. I rejected the memory immediately since I started to think it's the time to let the sleep to take me away from this horrible reality. But Sisay helped me reject the memory, but also stopped me from falling asleep by calling my name:
"Naruto?"

"Hmm?" I murmured without opening my eyes only to feel her shifting closer to me.

I was prepared to fake feeling numb from staying all day in bed and start walking through the small cell with the probability of freezing to death until she falls asleep to just avoid her body. Talking with her was still a pleasure or so I thought…

"You think they're the only ones who don't know they're not on the good side?"

The question really passed through my mind too but it was really impossible for me to tell since the only people I've meet from this damned place have been the duo. Who will probably never visit us again.

"I don't know. Maybe yes, maybe not. But even so, I think the number of people who know they're not on the good side outnumber the ones who are not sure if they're on the good side."
"What makes you think that?"

"Ryuu and Cloud knew it too, before we told them. But is just that they prefer remaining blind. They're probably not the first to realize it and so, the others maybe got killed so now, they're protecting each other by remaining blind…?" I clumsily finished an idea I still didn't really think about much.

"Yeah, I think so too."
We both turned and started into each other's eyes without any real reason. We both looked exhausted; even she looked tired though she slept last night. It wasn't only physically, but also mentally. We were drained of powers, and now that the duo won't take care of us anymore. Fear returned. Fear that maybe they will take the bed away and we'll have to sleep on the cold floor again, fear the we won't eat anything but bread and water from now on, hoping that we'll eat at least that, and fear that maybe somebody will separate us.

And from her eyes, I could tell that the greatest fear of them all was being separated from me. There won't be any sanity left.

No warmth provided by bodies, no talking to anybody, not being cared about, nothing; only the coldness of the cell and the hope of dying a quick and maybe a painless death.

Waiting for something to happen. Waiting for something to hit or help. Will probably drive us mad sooner or later even if we remain together. But at least…we'll lose our sanity together.

If only I knew, in that very moment that we'll stare into each other's sane eyes for the last time. If only I knew that this is the last time we'll be this close and this calm. If only I knew that the peck on my lips she placed in those final seconds will be…our last kiss.

If only I knew…I would've kissed her back without regretting it.

I swear.

Today, I've been the one thinking that being blind is not good for anybody. Thinking that I've refused being blind until now and that I've never been more sure I'll never let myself be blind. But just like Cloud, and even Ryuu, I've been blind for only one second, for somebody I love and care about; but in the last second when I felt the fur that only a cat can have, brushing against my back, as if…comforting me.

I…ignored it.

Countless steps barged inside in the still unlighted room. Feet wearing heavy boots, that of an army, supporting muscled men that only in seconds…they…destroyed everything.

We didn't even have the time to look behind us; we were staring in our eyes in the moment I heard steps and then the gate of our cell being opened, its usual annoying squawk. Only to feel hands grabbing my arms and forcing me out of bed with a painful hold and what I'll never forget until the day I die is… Sisay's scream as she was forced to her knees just like I was. To have my eyes covered with something, my hands tied up and all of this, happened in only mere seconds.

She didn't scream anymore, in fact, I wasn't even sure if she was with me anymore. I wasn't sure of anything. For all I could hear were the boots of the men and their hands pushing me to walk without stopping. No voice other than that of a man which also pushes me or so I think while screaming:
"Walk weakling! Walk or I'll kill you!"

Of course I walked since it isn't like they made such grave damage with their boots in my stomach, but I could tell they were lenient, however, even if those were not so powerful blows since I made no resistance though I wanted to, very much, I was sure that if they also hit Sisay, for her, those would make some bruises or even break a bone…I just hoped they realized how fragile she is! But why would they care after all?

Why would they care about whom I care?
After walking and never stopping, after being turned right and left until I couldn't tell if I was even in the world as we know it, with strong harsh hands, one of them pushed me so hard that it was planned for that blow to make me kneel and after getting so confused and so desperate, already feeling sick, I fell on my knees waiting.

I felt sweat rolling off from my forehead to my cheek as I stood there in complete silence, on the ground, waiting for something, anything or probably, only waiting for death; though I really couldn't welcome it while knowing that Sisay isn't safe. In fact, being sure that she isn't safe.

And with Sasuke's smirking expression facing me in the darkness, as if he was saying: I trained you for nothing. And damn right he was. I was pissed and afraid in the same time.

"They're here."

The familiar voice of the man which ordered me around echoed through, I could only assume, a bigger room since it was capable of having the echo of a voice.

"I can see that."

Another voice, unfamiliar and colder, and if it's possible, it made me feel like I had no hope left. That voice sent shivers down my spine and that voice made me fall even lower than the ground. I was assaulted by pain as if a spell took control of me.

I couldn't even cry, I couldn't even breathe until I felt that the pain disappeared or at least…became more bearable.

"Women first."
My heart felt the pain forming and then exploding as I heard the cold voice speaking, and I just knew.

'Sisay is with me, in this room, and she's the first to die and I can't do anything about it.'

I expected to hear a gunshot or a sword being pulled out. I tried releasing my arms but it was just not possible, I only hurt myself and even if I'd get up, there'd be no way I'd know where they are, since I can't see anything.

But the voice that spoke after the piece of silence I felt even in my very core was familiar and heartbreaking.

"Plea…se…you…c…an …kill…me…ju...st...do...n't…ki...ll...him!"

'She's …protecting me?'

Sisay's voice proved that she's in pain, and as if hinted, I was sure the pain I felt earlier was just a joke compared to what she's feeling now but nobody hit me when I felt that pain, nothing touched me, it was just…pain.

"Oh, you're protecting your little friend? How kind of you. But you should be thinking about your life before you start protecting someone else who might not be worthy of it."
I approved to the emotionless voice, I didn't care if I ended up dead, I wished for her protection, her well and her life, though the only voice who still talked seemed to have no intention of that, still, I assumed he's the 'King' of this side. And my King wouldn't be pleased by letting its citizen die right beside his soldier.

It is as if my shame intensified to the roof, even if I had bigger problems now…so odd…

"Besides, who said I'm even considering letting one of you live?"

I gritted my teeth and as if that caught his attention because he stopped talking, the pain returned. In full force; I felt my teeth hurting, bleeding…

As if convincing me that even the tiniest disobeying act, feeling, or movement is visible to his eye and will be punished, without exception.

And then, it was gone.

"Sit, woman."
Silence covered everything for the next seconds only for his voice to fill it again, as if he's everywhere, besides me, in front of me, behind me, and within me.

And I was somehow sure it had nothing to do with the wideness of the room that can leave an echo, for his echo was within my very organs, mind and soul.

"Now, I want to hear the story of your life."

"What?"
Her voice was clear, this time, not in pain. But that only lasted for one whole word since the next thing I hear is her scream made out of pain. I tried to get up but I also felt pain that forced me to stay down. Again, nobody touched me.

"Don't make me tell you twice."

He's not yelling, but it's as if he's vibrating through us, he owns us, completely.

"I've only been a young girl from Africa, living like the rest of the women there, until our enemies killed my family, and burned the small village we had, out of jealousy for the peace we lived into with each other, they killed them all, I was one of the few who survived but I got lost and somehow ended up on a boat which took me far away from Africa, and some hippie guy led me to an airport, telling me I'll be able to start a new life to the destination that the plane had. I had nothing to lose so I accepted. The next thing I know is that the King soldier's took me away when I arrived in that empty and haunted city and then gave me a house and protection, and since then, I've been living there."

'A hippie guy? Unbelievable …'

"Therefore, you don't hate anybody? You don't hate the ones who killed your family, burned your house and not even the one who brought you here? Don't you want to get …revenge? Not even on me for wanting to kill your friend?"

The voice suddenly spoke to her, not to me, not to anybody else, the vibration from within I felt all the while he talked until now was barely existent and I was sure it was all concentrated on her.

Her answer will decide her fate and somehow, I was sure this is how he proceeded with the ones he wanted to take under his wing, but only those he thought they had some hate in them were worth sparing. And it was no surprise that Ryuu and Cloud got accepted, I know their stories now, and Ryuu had almost no regret over his father's death and Cloud hated his father for sure, it was clear that they somehow fit like a glove, but still…they are good people, just like Sisay.

However, something must've been different when they first arrived here since they've been accepted.

But despite it all, I wanted for Sisay to say she hates the ones who destroyed her life and brought her here. I wanted her to stay alive no matter what she had to do for it. For if she dies in this moment, there is no way I'll be able to save her.

'Even if you don't hate them, lie! Please Sisay!' I prayed, but somehow I knew…from the very first time she took my hand when I arrived with Sasuke's car, and even after she gave me tea in her house and got all worried because I was different and wanted to become part of the army, I knew because she wasn't worried something will happen to her, she was worried that this is unheard of and that something bad might happen to me. Even now, on the verge of death, she protected me instead of her. So I knew, just like I know now…there's no hate in her heart. Not even one…bit.

"No. I don't hate anybody. I don't want anybody to get hurt. And I don't hate, not even you. Though I really wish you'd let my Naruto live and go back to our King."

Her words once again, held no pain but my whole being felt it for if she realized the trap she felt into, she ignored it, maybe because of having the wish to die, or the wish to rescue me, no matter what made her say the truth, it was the first time I ever hated the truth, and the first time I wished somebody would just lie instead.

"You don't feel any hate? You don't want revenge? Not even if I kill your precious Naruto before your very eyes? Not even if I want to kill the King who rescued you?"
Silence fell upon and stood still too much.

And then, what covered my eyes fell to the ground. This time, because someone took it off and that was a man, the only man which I assumed was his soldier, or commandant of the army because he was the only one left in the huge room, besides me, Sisay and a man who stood on a chair that looked pretty much as a throne.

But my eyes had troubles adjusting with just seeing, after being kept in the dark for so long even though the room wasn't in particular, bright, quite the opposite.

I had no idea why they choose to restore my sight, but my dilemma was soon cleared up when I couldn't take my eyes off Sisay who has been indeed sitting on a chair before the throne, but I wasn't looking at the throne, I could only see Sisay as she fell from the seat and knelt on the floor, on her own, without nothing tied at her hands or legs, not even eyes, without being forced by anybody, she just fell. And only one second later I realized she's in pain, as a scream echoed all around and killed me inside.

She struggles on the ground, left and right, as if she's suffocating, she even hits herself, scratching her chocolate skin with her nails and tears fall from her cat-like eyes as she rolls on the floor and screams in pain.

"Stop! Don't do it! Don't hurt her! Please!"
I begged the one from the throne but I didn't look at him at all, I couldn't look away from Sisay even if I wanted to, my eyes couldn't look away as if forced and stuck on her. I tried to get up, I sent the sings for my feet to get up but my body didn't respond to me, instead, it did just the opposite. It stood still as my eyes watched and cried in the same time, my vision not even being blurred by the sea of tears.

Minutes later, the screams stopped and I was allowed to feel relief, I was allowed to close my eyes, allowed to get up and I did. Only to fall besides her body, this time willingly to realize why she's not screaming anymore.

Her eyes are watching the ceiling as if watching the blue sky of Africa. Her chocolate skin got even darker as if becoming one with the earth and I could tell she's not breathing the air of this world anymore.

I was wordless.

And mad.

Tears fell as I got up and looked with all the hate I've been capable of in my entire life at the man I knew it was responsible for this. And even for my feelings as for, he let me feel relief because she died, he let me close my eyes while she kept hers open but without seeing, forever, he allowed me to walk when she'll never walk again. Tears barely dried on her cheeks while mine disappeared out of anger and too much pain to let out. He let my body free while she's forever free of her body, only a soul now. A wondering soul.

"Why! You …why! She did nothing wrong!" This time, my voice echoed and my tears stopped, they still burned the back of my eyes.

"That was the problem with her. She did nothing wrong, nor did she wanted to ever do something wrong." His voice is so calm, it drives me insane.

But just when I could see his whole face in the darkness he's surrounded into, the expression of anger from my face evaporated immediately, not completely of course, to be replaced with curiosity or plain surprise which left me breathless.

When his dark hair that framed his face shone even in the darkness because of his porcelain skin, just as his black eyes hold lights enlightened by a feeling I couldn't define but something evil, just as his lips rested one upon another in a straight line…in my mind, the ripped photo of the 'Uchiha clan' book popped into my mind, the last page of it, the half ripped photo was completed for I felt he is exactly the one who stood smiling a smile he never smiled again in that photo beside…Sasuke.

To be continued…

AN2: Ta da! How do you like the first chapter after all the 'past thingy' though the next one is even more interesting, in my opinion at least, I want to hear your opinion on this one! And if you guys are nice enough to tell me something, I will post the next chapter on Christmas, as a gift! What do you guys say?

PS: Hope nobody hates me for having Sisay…well…you know. Sorry, but it was inevitable. See you next time. Happy Christmas!