Amidst the Hate: Chapter 26

"So...how long have you two known Menma?" asked Fu to her new housemates. They were the only ones in the home, Kushina deciding to go to the store, and Minato was at work.

Mito's eyebrows scrunched up. "Uh...since the first day of the Academy, which was eight months ago. We've been a team for only one."

"Wow...you've known her longer than I have."

This surprised Sasuke. "What?"

"Yeah. Before we separated, we only knew each other for...maybe two, but I guess her being in such a bad place made us closer than you guys."

"She mentioned that she contemplated suicide...is...is that true?" asked the jinchuuriki.

The green haired girl started looking down at the ground. "Sadly. When I first found her, she kept mumbling about why her parents were so cruel, if they even loved her in the first place, and if she was born just so that she could be a toy for others. And her eyes...her eyes were so blank. No light seemed to come from them. It looked like she gave up, and I wouldn't have that. She had a shard of glass in her good hand, and I knocked it out. The rest is history!"

"She had eyes when you met her?" Fu nodded. "What color did they have?"

"An odd question...but they...they...uh oh…I don't remember!"

"You don't remember your best friends eye color?!"

"What does it matter if she can't, Mito?" said a familiar voice coming from the doorway. They turned, and there stood the person they were talking about, leaning back on the wall with her arms crossed. "My eyes are ruined anyway, so even if she did remember their color, I couldn't show them to you. By the way, this place should have some defences. I was able to get in here rather easily, and that could prove terrible if an enemy decided to strike at home."

"You must have trained a lot from the time we last saw each other. I never even heard the door open!" exclaimed the former holder of Chomei.

"Because it didn't. I used a shunshin to appear here. It's...kind of my thing, I guess. So are you three gossiping about me?"

"...would you believe us if we said no?"

"No. Maybe if I heard something about what jutsu's I have, but eye color? Dead giveaway."

Fu shrugged. "I had to try. Well, since you're here...can you remind me what they were?"

"Might as well, you'll just keep asking later if I don't. Yellow."

"That...doesn't seem right. Are you sure?"

"They were my eyes, so don't you think I'd know?"

"Okay, okay! I'll take your word for it...but how did you lose them in the first place? You always did your best taking care of them."

"Strangely, a sneak attack. I should have sensed him coming, especially since I knew his chakra from a previous encounter, but I was too slow to react."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that...it must have been hard adjusting to using your other senses."

"Why? You didn't cut them, and it wasn't that bad. Anyway, are you ready to go?"

"Wait, we're starting training today?! But I've only been in Konoha for a day!"

"Yes. The sooner we start, the better. Mito, Sasuke, would you like to come with? I can try to show you both a few things."

The Uchiha smirked, but shook his head. "Nah, I'm good. After the mission we had, I just want to relax for the time being."

"I will, if you teach me how to use fuzzball's chakra."

"Sorry, but that's beyond me. I can't 'teach' you how to use Kurama's chakra and powers, you have to learn that by yourself. I wish I could be a bigger help, I really do, but each biju is different. Chomei, for example, grants me the ability to fly and use bugs as a sort of tracking system."

"She's right. The only thing we biju have in common is our powerful chakra, which you haven't even used due to me thinking your not ready for it, but the Wave mission has made me start reconsidering..." said the fox.

"Then...I guess I'll just stay here with Sasuke. I too want to rest a bit before going back to doing missions."

"Okay, but please, think about it, okay? I don't want you getting hurt just because you can't use his chakra." Menma gave a small smile before starting to walk away. "Since it will only be Fu and I...Fu, this will be your first exercise. Meet me in Training Ground Three." She disappeared with the sparse information.

'Strange...she seemed nicer when she spoke to Mito. Hm...' "Training Ground Three, got it...where's Training Ground Three?"

"It seems like she's copying Kakashi-sensei's 'plan', so I don't think she want's us to tell you outright, but go to the main gate and ask one of the guards there to give you directions." said Sasuke.

"But...won't they just...I don't know, turn me away?"

"They shouldn't. Just say you're being trained by someone, and they want you to meet them in that training ground, it'll probably get you the results you want."

The mint haired girl grinned. "Thanks! Well, I'll see you two later!" Fu got up from her seat and started running for the front door.

"Wow...I think I realize what Menma ment at the orphanage just before we left. Haruka and Fu have the same hyperactive tendencies. I wonder who was the other one she mentioned, though…" commented Mito.

"I don't know, but I don't think we ever will. Menma doesn't really explain anything involving her past."

"Yeah, and I don't like it. We're her friends, yet it feels like we don't really know her. I want her to trust us like she trusts Fu!"

"(Sigh) It does seem like Fu knows her better than we do, huh?" The raven-haired boy leaned back into the couch, hand covering half of his face. "She's too much of a headache at the moment, and weren't we trying to relax? Let's watch a movie, or something." His blonde teammate nodded, and turned on the TV.

-later, Training Ground Three-

Fu watched as a leaf fell from her forehead for the umpteenth time in a row, and she was not pleased. "Grr...how is this the 'break period'?! It's even more irritating than the physical conditioning!"

"Calm down and concentrate. The more you let your emotions run wild, the harder it is for the leaf to stick." said Menma as she leaned against a tree.

"Can I just take a real break? I haven't trained a day in my life, and I can't do things like you can yet."

The jinchuuriki put a hand over her chin. "You make a good point...sure. I'll be doing my own training until I say we should start again." Her three tailed mode roared to life, but a fourth tail soon grew out of the visible mass of chakra. Menma began doing her normal routine of pushups, situps, and the like as her 'student' watched on. 'Have to get used to four tails, otherwise five and up will eventually kill me...'

After a few minutes of doing nothing, Fu decided the silence was unbearable. "So...how has your life in Konoha been?"

"About as good as it can be. I have my pills, have a few friends, a little sister, and every day I'm one step closer to completing my goals."

"A little sister? But I thought you didn't have a flesh and blood sibling?"

"Oh, she's not. She's an Uchiha I met at the orphanage that most are at now. Her name is Haruka, and I think you'd like her. She's like you, after all."

"I'd love to meet her! Maybe after we're done here we can go visit."

"I already was, but I know that she'd love to have another friend."

The silence came back. "Uh...ooh! I got it! Do you have your sights set on someone?"

"Bad choice of words, and what do you mean? You're going to need to be specific."

"Sorry...and what I mean is...well, your what, twelve now?"

"Yes, what's your point?"

"Then you should start gaining feelings towards people!"

"So what you're asking me...is if I have a crush on someone?" Fu nodded. "No."

"It's the Hokage's daughter, isn't it?"

Menma stopped what she was doing and sat on the ground, pinching the bridge of her nose. "And what makes you say that right after I said no?"

"Well, you seem nicer to her than everyone else, even me! There's also the fact that I'm pretty sure you showed an interest in girls..."

"That means nothing. Look, Fu, you can look for someone as much as you want, but I won't. I have a career to focus on and people to kill. Even if I did somehow get a partner, why would they stay with me? I am driven solely by vengeance and wrath, no one wants someone like that. I...will be alone for a long time." As she spoke, her tone became bitter, as if she's been through this train of thought before and hated it.

"Then don't focus on revenge. There's more to life than-"

"You don't understand. I will never be truly happy until I absolutely butcher those four…" The cloak dissipated, and she stood up. "The fact that you can speak without any tiredness in your voice says volumes. You seem like you've rested enough, so we're going to continue. I will get you to at least mid-genin level by the end of next month." The former jinchuuriki gulped, knowing that she was probably going to be very sore in the morning.

-dusk, Konoha-

'Konoha sure is peaceful at night, right fuzzball?' asked the young Namikaze as she wandered her village alone. She found that just walking around was pretty relaxing, and it helped her think whenever she needed to.

"Yes...it's strange. By looking at the people, you wouldn't think that I attacked this place so long ago."

'That's a good thing. It means we moved on from the past and are going towards a better tomorrow.'

"I hope so, I tire of the constant war you humans wage. Not just because it's nearly endless, but because of my father's wishes."

'Your father's wishes? Wait...you have a father?'

"Maybe 'father' isn't the best word, but he did bring me to life, and I did love him like one. You may know him, he was known as the Sage of the Six Paths, and all he wanted was peace. He spread his belief, ninshu, across the world, and for a time there were no more wars. That was until he died, then because of his sons, my 'brothers', actions, they indirectly reintroduced war with a new weapon: ninjutsu, the perversion of ninshu."

'Um...nope. Never heard of him, but he sounded awesome. One man singlehandedly brought peace to the world...it sounds like 'The Utterly Gutsy Shinobi'. Don't worry, we can bring that about again. Just give it some time.'

Kurama didn't respond to her optimistic claim. 'I don't know, kit. Based on the stories father told me and seeing this world with my own eyes...I just don't know if an everlasting peace is possible. War...to war seems to be the drive of all living things.'

Before Mito could ask why the fox was suddenly silent, the sound of singing started going through the air...and she knew it's voice, despite it sounding a bit...strange. "I'm walking beside myself, just I'm like someone else…"

'Is that who I think it is?'

"I think so. It's coming from around the corner." She followed it, and turning, she saw a seemingly very wasted Menma wobbling down a street, bottle of sake in one hand, and a strange blue jewel in the other.

"...lost in the human race...how'd it go again? People from scary dreams? Bah, can't recall it..." Her speech was slurred to the point that Mito could just barely understand her.

She tapped on her shoulder, causing the slightly flushed girl to turn around. "Menma? Are you okay? And why do you reek of alcohol?"

"Eh? Who are...oh, hello, Mito! Care to join me in a (hic) drink? I don't think it's gone yet…" She took a swig. "Nope...still there."

"Uh...kit, I'm pretty sure she's drunk. I thought Chomei was supposed to keep this from happening?"

"I tried! I told her 'only one drink', and she agreed until someone asked if she could hold her liquor, being so young-"

"It was some busty bitch…"

"Yeah, and Menma here said she could probably drink her under the table, and it became a drinking contest, and we know she hates losing! I said 'screw it!', and stopped trying to filter the alcohol."

"And I think a talking pig tried to stop us...stupid pig…"

"I think you ran into Tsunade...that's not good, that means you drank way too much."

"Dun' care...was told once that it helped deal with things...and they were (hic) right! Can't remember a thing! ...I think…"

"Well, you can't stay out here all night." Mito got closer and got her friend to wrap an arm around her neck so she could keep her standing. "Come on, my house is nearby, so it looks like you're staying over."

"You're so nice to me, even though I hide things...I could kiss you because of how sweet you are! ...would that be weird? Nah." The blonde had no response as the drunk planted one on her cheek, getting her face to turn a shade of red that greatly amused her tenant.

"S-s-so why did decide to drink?"

"(hic) Something...came up at the forest. Can't remember what, but that's the idea! I don't wanna think about it, and being drunk has been said to be the cure of bad memories, so I did it! Very tired though…" Almost immediately afterward Menma became limp, dropping the things in her hands, and with only one set of legs working it became hard to walk, so Mito set her up against a wall.

"What a perfect time to fall asleep…" She made the clone seal and created two Kage Bunshins to carry the other jinchuuriki. Walking to where Menma lost hold of her things, she picked up the jewel, getting a better look at it. It was easily the size of her palm, was actually a blue-green color similar to the ocean, and it had what looked like a miniature, frozen whirlpool inside it. "What a strange object...looks cool, though. Do you guys have her?"

"Yes, boss. We can get her back to the house rather easily."

"Good, then we should hurry. Mom and dad said that I shouldn't stay out too long."

"Aye!" The clones set off, with their creator close behind, getting home in a few minutes. She opened the door and her doppelgangers took the passed out girl upstairs while her mother watched the spectacle.

"I feel like I asked you this before...but did you just bring an unconscious Menma here?"

"Yeah. I found her drunk in the middle of a street singing as if she had nothing left to lose, so I decided it would probably be best if she stayed in a house for the night. Turns out she doesn't like losing any contest, not even a drinking one. She fell asleep on the way here, too."

"But we don't have any rooms left for her to stay in."

"Yes we do. Mine. There's an extra bed there."

"You mean Anza's?"

"Yep. I'm sure she wouldn't mind that someone else is using it for a little bit."

Kushina sighed. "Well, it's your room, so I guess you can decide who can stay in there...but don't tell me you tried whatever she was drinking."

"Huh? Why would you say that?"

"Because your face is a little red."

"O-oh. W-well...hey, check out what Menma had!" She gave the Uzumaki the jewel.

Upon seeing it, Kushina's eyes widened. "Oh wow...it's been awhile since I've seen another of these things. Back when I was in Uzushiogakure, the last time I was in it's Kage Tower, one of these were on the leader's desk. They were said to represent the Uzumaki's complete control over the whirlpools surrounding the village. Rubbish, but a cool marketing idea. This...this brings back some memories."

"So Uzu sold these things?"

"I think so, but I can't remember that much about these...but I wonder, how did Menma get one? Most of them should have been destroyed the same day Uzu was."

"Do you think she could have visited your old home?"

"Maybe. There's no protective barrier around it anymore, so theoretically anyone can explore the ruins if they get past the whirlpools, but she probably found it in a store somewhere." She handed it back to her daughter. "Make sure she gets it back when she wakes up."

"I will. I think I'm going to bed, so good night."

"Night." The blue eyed girl walked upstairs, brushed her teeth, and entered her now not so lonely room. She found Anza's katana laying on the floor, probably tossed off it's perch so that there was room for the other girl. Mito picked it up and put it up against a wall, out of the way of peoples feet. After that was done, she sat down on her bed, looking at her roommate for the night.

'Three years...it's been three years since anyone has used that bed. I can't believe you've been gone for so long, Anza...I hope you're proud of what I've done so far.'

"Don't...don't t-t-touch…" She heard a whimper come from the other side, and saw her friend shake. "P-please…leave...alone…"

"Her emotions are all over the place. I feel so much sadness, yet I feel astronomical amounts of hatred. For what, I have no idea, but whatever it is...she's dreaming about it right now."

'Do you think this is why she takes those really strong sleep aids? So she doesn't dream?'

"It's a possibility. I guess we should ask her about this in the morning...if she let's us, that is." Mito agreed with the fox, and soon the words were drowned out by her descent into deep sleep.

-morning-

As light started to stream in from the window, Menma began to stir from her dreams. 'Guh...eug...ow, my head...where the hell am I?' She closed her hand around the smooth material she was on. 'A...a bed? What happened last night? I don't remember anything past...a bunch of bottles...that can't be good...'

"You got drunk, idiot!" mentally yelled the giant beetle, causing his jinchuuriki to grab her head with both hands.

'Be a little more quiet, please, but I figured as much. Why didn't you do your thing?'

"I did! But you decided to be stupid and take the challenge, so I stopped!"

'Then it's a good thing that's going to be the last time I decide to use sake as a means to repress memories and thoughts. I'll just stick to drugs, they don't give me massive headaches when I wake up.'

"Good! Now, I bet you're wondering where you're at?"

'Just a bit, but I can sense a chakra signature directly to my right...wait...is that Kurama?'

"Yep! You should thank Mito for dragging your ass here while you were singing and kicking random men in the shins for shit and giggles. Seriously, you do some strange things when you're drunk!"

'I'll...keep that in mind. Please, tell me anything else I did.'

"Uh...nope, that's about it." he lied.

'If you say so.' She sat up and swung her legs out over the dark red-covered mattress' edge. "Hey."

Mito had woken up a bit earlier than Menma and was picking out an orange outfit to wear for after she took her shower. "Oh, morning! I didn't think you'd wake up so soon."

"Truthfully, I'm still tired, but I'll wait until later to take the pills. I'm never drinking again."

"That's good to hear. You were acting very strange while under the influence."

"I guess so, Chomei said I started singing and kicking people, but I can't recall anything past my time in the bar."

"Anything? So you don't remember…"

"...remember what?"

"N-nothing!" She finished finding her clothes and sat across from Menma. "Listen...I want to ask you something."

"Shoot. Probably won't give you a good answer, but by now you're probably used to that."

"Okay...do you suffer from nightmares?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Last night while you were sleeping, you mumbled words, you shook like you were scared, and fuzzball could feel all your negative emotions, which were mainly sadness and anger. So...do you?"

"...yes."

"Do you know what they're on? Maybe we can get someone to help you."

"I...I do know what are in those nightmares, but I-"

"You need to tell someone. You tried to keep those memories down with anything you could find, but it isn't working. You can't just keep them suppressed and locked inside, it'll slowly destroy you if you do that. I know it's hard to talk about, but please, tell someone, share your burden! That's what friends are for, to help lift the weights off your back!"

She let out a deep sigh. '...I...I guess I will.' "Mito...do you want to know?"

"Yes! I'm here for you, we all are. Don't forget that."

"I won't...okay, give me one second." She summoned a piece of paper and attached it to the floor, seals crawling out of it and covering the entire room. "Now...now no one can listen in or barge into my tale. What I'm about to tell you isn't even known by Fu, and please don't tell anyone else unless I say you can."

"Okay. You can trust me."

Menma scooted on the bed, having her back against the wall and bringing her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "You know how I call my father a bastard, right?" Mito nodded. "Well, that's where it begins. I was once a happy child, like you. I was raised in a good place, my parents showered me with love, and I had a handful of friends. I even started being taught on how to be a kunoichi from mother and father, who were ninja. One day I walked into the woods near our house, one of my normal things...and then I was attacked and taken by a horde of bandits. I tried to fight them off, but they...they grabbed my right arm and broke it because I was being a fuss. Without it, I couldn't even make a hand seal in a desperate attempt to do a jutsu. I was taken to their camp, the place that would be my own personal hell for maybe a month."

"It's rising again, kit. Anger." noted the Kyuubi.

"If you thought I was just going to be a prisoner for some kind of ransom, you are wrong. My luck was far worse. They...they chained me to a post...and….and..." Her voice choked up, and she looked like she wanted to cry, but couldn't. "They molested me, raped me, nearly daily. Me, a girl not even in her teens. Whenever I tried to fight back, they would twist my broken arm, so eventually I stopped fighting and let them do whatever they wanted to me. Every day, every night I prayed that my parents, that someone would save me...but no one did. I found out the hard way that...that my beloved parents, the people that said that they would always be there for me, that I was special to them, never truly cared for me. They should have been able to find me, but they didn't, not even with their resources. That told me all I needed to know...and I couldn't even cry at night, for fear of them taking my few hours of respite. Eventually, my arm healed to the point that I could flex my hand...more than enough. I pretended to cry one night, getting the guard to come in to 'punish' me, and I choked him out with the chain around my neck." The tone of sadness melted away, being replaced with sadistic hatred as a twisted smile grew onto her face. "I took his key, freed myself, and I killed them one by one as they slept soundly in their tents. At the end of it all...I stood atop a hill of corpses, and I was so happy." Her face resetted back into a neutral look. "Then I had nothing. No map, no idea where I was, and no one I could have guide me. I wandered, and then I ran into Takigakure shinobi. You know the rest."

To say Mito was stunned would be an understatement. 'What...what a horrible story. She's been through so much...no wonder she felt like she was worthless and thought about ending it all. To have that happen to you, to hope that someone would come save you, only for it not to happen...' She set the clothes down on her bed, got up, and started hugging Menma.

"Wha-what are you doing?"

"Hugging you, of course. You need one, after all of that."

"...thank you." She awkwardly returned it, but it was enough for the Namikaze, who released her hold after a few minutes.

"No, I should be thanking you. That must have been hard to talk about, but you trusted me enough that you could share it."

"Chomei said it would help make me feel better...but it didn't. It only made me remember the feelings of helplessness and the insatiable rage."

"Well, how about you stay for breakfast? Hang out with your friends while we're still on break! That'll surely help raise your spirits!"

"(Sigh) Sure, but I'm not staying long. I still have to train Fu, and I need to continue working on how many tails I can safely use." Menma got up off her temporary bed and ripped the sealing paper off the ground.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Going through the drawer in the middle of the room, she procured the blue sphere. "Here. You had it with you last night."

"An orb? Oh, wait, I remember that thing now...I'd completely forgotten about it. How did I get it out of the right seal while I was drunk?" She took it and stuffed it back into the seal.

"How'd you get it, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Found it in an abandoned building and decided it would make a nice little heirloom I could give later on in life. You should go probably take your shower, before someone else decides they need it more."

Mito's eyes narrowed. "Not today, Sasuke! You're not using up all the hot water this time!" She meant it as a joke, and it worked. It got her friend to smile before she ran for the bathroom, clothes in hand.

'I guess we should go downstairs and wait. I'm sure Fu will be happy that she won't be getting a day to rest after the beating she took yesterday.'

Needless to say, she wasn't.

A.N.: Yes, I know making Menma a rape victim is rather cliché, but I didn't know what else to do. I wanted to give her a reason to hate her parents that she oh-so often mentions while also giving her a similar past to Mito...like what Kishimoto used with Gaara and Naruto. I feel like I missed the mark on this one, so I'm sorry if that's true. For those of you that want to know, the lyrics that Menma was singing belonged to a song called 'Let it Fall'.