Chapter 43

Trigger Warning: This page contains descriptions of torture and violence which may be triggering to some readers.

Tobi closed the door to the clients room, carrying an unconscious Siata over his shoulder. He passed her to the sound ninja in charge telling him to put her back with the others now before they woke up.

"And this is a personal request of mine okay? Hurt them really bad okay? Make it hurt extra before you kill them! Oh and kill Kakashi last okay? I want to see the look in his eyes as he watches all his little students die before him! I've got all the tools ready for you inside, so you run along now." Tobi twiddled his fingers at the sound nin.

"Heh, I'll make sure to enjoy myself," the sound ninja grinned wide.

Tobi shuddered excitedly and waved at the man as he turned and dragged the unconscious Siata away by her hair towards the torture room. The corridor was filled with Sound ninja for securing the prisoners. Of course Tobi was here as well just in case.

He would have loved to see Kakashi in pain before his last moments up close, but he was going to have to satisfy himself from looking at the video screens instead.

He turned and opened the door again stepping inside,

"Deidera senpai got us some lamb from the wedding. Want to share it while we watch?!" Tobi clapped his hands and slammed close the door.

Siata gasped as electricity shocked her system, the pain jolting her awake. Her limbs shook and she noticed her hands were stretched over her head and secured to the wall with some kind of seal contraption that had pulsed out the electrical shock.

"Naruto you idiot!," Siata whipped her head up to the familiar voice and froze seeing Sasuke hanging from the wall as well, shouting at Naruto who was also in a similar situation, "stop shoving through chakra and calm down- can't you see that's whats generating the electric shocks?!"

"Sorry I didn't mean to datebayo. Damn it! We need to get out of here!" Naruto tugged on this hands stuck above him without any luck.

"Ino? Hinata? Are you guys alright?" Siata managed to say seeing the two girls tied up next to her on the wall. They were shivering and stank like fear.

"S-Siata-chan. Whats going on? Whats going to happen to us." Ino was fully panicking while Hinata was already crying.

"It's ok Ino. Let's keep it together." Siata whispered to them, "Hinata.. Hinata look at me." Hinata fumbled her lips and looked up at her with tear streaked cheeks.

Siata's heart was pounding in her heart as well and she took a big breath, "We need to keep our wits about us. Ok? I'm sure… I'm sure Asuma-sensei or people in the wedding have noticed we're missing by now and have people tracking where we are. We just need to hang on until then. Buy time and keep looking for a way out."

Ino nodded her head but still her eyes looked down not really believing what Siata said.

"B-but this looks really elaborate. It feels like they planned this long in advance… I don't think… I really have a bad feeling about this." Hinata just sobbed louder.

Siata bit her lip and turned her head forward and observed the room.

The first thing she couldn't keep looking back at was the table leaning on the wall near the door. A range of equipment was on display that made the hairs on the back of her neck rise. On the table were long barbed whips, knives of every size, pinchers, clamps and forceps with huge hooks. It was obvious that any torture in this room would be varied… and inventive. Her breathing came fast. She tore her eyes away from the tools.

Keep a cool head. Gather information Siata.

The second thing she noticed was how all the boys were hanging on the other side of the room. There was Shikamaru. Shikamaru was here. Seeing him here felt like a kick in the gut. It physically pained her to think someone would hurt him. Why the hell are you here. She wanted to cry suddenly. No she had to get a grip.

But the images of the tools doing things to him just kept slamming into her and her breathing came fast, panicking. No no that's not going to happen. We are going to get through this. She took a shaky breath in when she met his eyes from across the room. She searched Shikamaru's face for a long moment. He had a grim look about him with barely controlled fear, but he nodded to try and reassure her. Siata's mind was racing and she nodded back at him unable to smile.

Next to him was Duckling who was looking furious. That was better than fear at least, but he seemed to be worried and trying not to look at the table as well.

Sunshine was looking frustrated and there was still a spark in him that was hopeful and Siata hanged onto that. There was hope. Sunshine was always strong enough in these kind of situations and it steadied her.

She let out a little breath when the last person here- was Kakashi-sensei. Finally a jounin. Maybe we still had a chance somehow. Kakashi sensei looked the most calm and reserved and he was calmly talking to the boys about something, it was hard to hear from the loud electrical wall separating them.

The room was separated by a huge electric wall, naked buzzes of white hot blue electric beams that rippled and pulsed whenever one of them pushed in any chakra, which travelled through their hand restraints, giving everyone an electric shock.

Hinata whimpered again when Naruto twitched and accidentally pushed out more chakra when he fought with the shackles- it got him a yell from both Shikamaru and Sasuke that he was hurting everyone and to calm down!

She shuddered at how much more excruciating it would get if Naruto released the Kyuubi chakra. She tried to calm Naruto down by smiling for him when he caught her eyes and Sunshine was smart. He seemed to understand and slowly reduced panicking, and stopped pushing the chakra out. Sunshine still kept that determined face on him though. Making her smile wider and swallow again for more strength.

Siata's gaze fell on the huge steel beams in the middle of the room that formed a box that was covered in a seal. So that's the jackpot.

The metal box must be some kind of generator and the seal written on it was helping it convert the seal into electricity, effectively sucking them of their chakra and making them unable to use it.

If only she could get out of the hand contraption she was stuck in, maybe they had a chance.

In the distance she could sense at least twelve people waiting outside the door of their room. But they were all guarding the room outside, not doing anything else. She sensed a few more people deeper inside the building and didn't feel anyone else. She hoped the reinforcements and trackers were on their way, soon.

So far she didn't have any idea what this situation was and had so many questions. She'd thought this might be about wanting Naruto as a Jinchuriki. But then what was the point of torture? To find out who the Jinchuriki was? Her stomach turned cold. That was something only two people in this room knew about. Kakashi sensei. And herself. She knew Kakashi sensei would be able to take it. The problem was her. She had to be strong and not break. She could do this.

Suddenly the door flung open and a sound ninja entered. One watched the door from outside, and the other- Siata looked up.

She saw the man sent to torture them, that much was obvious from the arrogant jerk in the way he walked. The course-featured brute easily outweighed Choza-san, with a thick stomach, and heavy-muscle. He'd definatly been chosen for the intimidation factor.

His hair was a greasy brown mop with a broken nose, looking liked he'd been dragged out from some fighting ring, looking pumped up. He'd probably been told how much he'd be rewarded for making one of them squeal. For what she didn't know yet. His cold eyes passed over all of them and stopped at Hinata first and started walking towards her.

He would do serious damage to them. Her eyes widened. Under normal circumstances despite size like this they wouldn't have worried. But their body's didn't function with chakra at the moment. They were trapped, to a wall. And Hinata looked so small as the man loomed over her.

Hinata started to sniffle as her face scrunched up in fear as the man stood right in front of her.

"Shut up," the man slapped Hinata hard across the face. Siata's body jerked in her restraints

"Hinata! Who the hell are you?! Get away from her!" Naruto shouted. His voice muffled from the electricity.

"Oh you want me to what?" The man punched Hinata in the gut making her gasp then wheeze, drooling.

"You bastard" Naruto pulled at his restraints.

The man grinned. "I've been ordered to torture you all before I kill you. The client has a couple of people here they have personal beef with. They especially requested to make it as painful as possible for you." The man pointed at Kakashi sensei.

Kakashi sensei? Not because of the Jinchuriki? This was all for a grudge on Kakashi sensei?

Tobi.

It had to be. This was some sick personal grudge on Sensei using torture. But then what was the point of kidnapping them all?

"Come at me then, no need to involve the others. They'll fetch a high price if you let them go, ransom them instead." Kakashi sensei said his voice perfectly authoritative but the man shook his head.

"No no no. That's why I'll be killing you last. You see, after seeing all your precious students die because of you, it's guaranteed to cause you the most pain I'm sure of it. I wonder how long it will take for you to start begging me to kill you instead."

Siata's muscles slackened. If that was the case this wasn't even some torture that might have an end goal with information on the line. It was just pure, pain. Then death. We had to get out of here now. The trackers, they won't make it in time.

'P-Please let us go! Please…" Ino was sobbing trembling next to her.

"Heh, then get over here and start already first." Shikamaru shouted over the noise.

Siata jerked against the wall. Her eyes tracked the man, praying he didn't take Shikamaru's bait and go for him first. He wouldn't make it.

"No I might as well enjoy myself. Girls are the best aren't they? They scream the loudest and are pretty to look at." Ino shuddered as the man grinned wide as he stepped towards Hinata once again.

Hinata shook her head faster and faster tearing up again, and the boys shouted from the other side.

The reality that this man was going to torture Hinata right here in front of them hit her. It wasn't possible something like this was going to happen. Siata flared her senses again and there was no one coming for them. All they could do is watch.

The man clasped his hand around Hinata's neck and crushed her windpipe squeezing his fists tighter and tighter. Hinata choked violently, turning red, her wrists digging into the hand restraint as she desperately tugged on it, her lungs catching for air as she couldn't breathe.

"Hinata!" they all shouted and screamed at the man who didn't stop. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and the man finally let go.

"NO!" Naruto yelled.

Siata was wet-eyed shaking her head. N-no she can't be dead. She can't. Your supposed to live forever with the most perfect life with Naruto. She can't be dead. Siata's eyes frantically roamed over Hinata's slumped form but she couldn't tell from here if she was breathing. There was no time to try see more as Siata's brain short circuited. The man moved towards the table and picked up the large metal forceps, swinging it in his hand as he moved towards Ino next.

"PLEASE! PLEASE I BEG YOU- ARRHHH!"

Siata's whole face trembled as her wide eyes watched as the man started pulling out one of Ino's teeth. Her gargled screams was endless. And Shikamaru yelled for the bastard to stop it. Just stop.

But he wasn't done. He suddenly gripped one of Ino's arms and then they heard a snap.

Ino slammed her head against the wall and screamed. A horrifying blood curling scream, as the man broke her arm. Ino pissed herself and cried out for her mum as the man proceeded to break her other arm.

Siata sobbed watching Ino's face and toes curl in pain and her vision blurred from her tears. She looked to the boys who looked just as horrified at what was going on – unable to believe their eyes. They were questioning if this was what it meant to be a ninja. If it meant being strong enough to endure this kind of pain.

The she saw the boys visibly flinch back when the man took a step back from Ino and saw how her arm bone stuck out in an unnatural angle. Her eyes lifelessly empty in despair as her face rained in tears and snot.

"You disgusting girl." The man backed away from Ino's piss.

They weren't ready for this. Being a real ninja. Not these girls. Not the boys. Siata stared at the boys visibly shaking in their skin. They were still just kids. She shouldn't have been shocked when she saw Naruto's hollow eyes drained of hope- staring with naked fear as the man walked back to the table again. She knew right then.

This would break him. He wouldn't be the same sweet happy go lucky Sunshine full of guts she knew if this man touched him. Shikamaru wouldn't be that relaxed peaceful spirit that sought her out and talked to her quietly under the shade and nuzzled her for hours. Sasuke wouldn't be the same fiery yet smart-ass boy that got curious to see what was under Kakashi's mask anymore. They- they wound 't make through this. And she couldn't bear seeing that happen to them. She couldn't let this man touch them.

D-do something. Just think of this as a game. Siata, your good with that, you can scoff and laugh at any situation like you don't care. Like you always have.

A sudden image of her cutting the fish all alone in her empty house flashed by. She was going to lose her family, her boys. No. Not if she tried everything to the very end. Siata took in a resolved breath.

Her body was already more desensitised to pain after her experience with her crow transformation.

Just remember what that was like. She grit her jaw tight as the man smirked wide and came to her next. He was holding a thick barbed whip and he dropped it on the floor as he neared her.

She was completely still. Locking all fear tightly away from her eyes, replacing it with a watchful stare.

"Oh no begging? Maybe you'll be a more interesting challenge."

"I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU TOUCH HER!" Shikamaru yelled despite his shaking. That's my Shika. It gave her the final strength she needed to do this right.

Siata ignored everything and focused hard. Splitting a grin for the man and making sure it didn't shake,

"Oh I play hard. I'm not like these pathetic losers. You sure you can break me?"

That was good. Your voice- remember to keep it light, and more bored like he doesn't impress you.

The man stared at her for a second then burst into big bellows of laughter.

"HA! I like you! Are you gonna make this fun for me? Are you sweetheart?" The man leered.

"Just as long as you don't bore me. Sweetheart." Siata smirked wide for him making the man go into laughing fits again.

In the background she could hear Shikamaru shouting at her to shut the hell up.

Even Kakashi sensei was yelling at her to stop that this was a bad idea.

No. It was the only idea, Sensei.

She looked straight ahead at the man, knowing if she looked at the others just once- everything could break apart.

She reinforced her humorous mask even stronger. Staring at the man expectantly to give her his best try.

"Let's see you first handle this." He chuckled then smashed his knee up into her gut.

"Siata!" Naruto cried out.

The boys all rattled in their chains. They struggled and shouted and flinched with wide haunted eyes as one blow after another landed on her. Siata's quickly turned into a bloody pulp and she shuddered. Sweat drenching her brows.

This was still ok. The blows hurt so much worse without reinforcing the body with chakra. When the man took a moment to catch his breath, she had precious moments to breath and collect herself and her mask. She slapped on her best amused smile looking bored at the same time despite her heavy breathing from the pain.

"Is that the best you can do?"

A muscle ticked on the man's neck.

"You asked for it now. Even the best start screaming after this." The man picked up and lifted the whip in his hands.

It was finally time. The whip.

It wouldn't break her. Just breath. Remember the boys. Siata couldn't help but flare her senses out again for reinforcements and still found nothing. She closed her eyes, and braced herself.

The first slashing burn across her chest quickly followed the other one and another. The man chasing her pain, so the it overlapped eachother, trying to get a response from her.

But Siata braced herself on the wall motionless and silent as the whip crackled down her front. Her fingernails dug into her palms and she shuddered.

"I'm just getting started! But your so fun, maybe I should save you up for later then I'll have more fun afterwards…"

Siata briefly looked at the boys visibly shaking, then she looked back at the man.

No, not the boys.

The room smelled thick with blood, just like her yukata. She pulled at her body that rejected her, her muscles, everywhere screaming at her it couldn't. Instead she flattened herself against the wall with her back, taking strength, and squeezed her eyes closed tight as she tried to fight the pain and dark spots that was closing in around the edges of her mind. The man was going to kill the boys if she delayed any longer. And all of this would have been for nothing.

Just before the man managed to turn away, showing his back to her, Siata found just enough strength to pull out her amused poker face.

One more time.

Siata smiled through clenched teeth, sweating hard. Smiling so bright it was disarming, the man stopped in his tracks.

"You're so pathetic when you can't even make a little girl scream who's tied up to a wall. And now your running away because your arm can't hold out?" Siata burst out laughing. Her ribs screaming at her to stop immediately.

The room froze. Both the man and the boys shocked at her response.

"NO!" Kakashi sensei shouted when the man grabbed another whip and ran to her. He'd completely lost it now. The man bashed the whips down onto her in a furious mess of whips.

The pain was blinding as her body shook paralysed and about to pass out.

"Why does she keep provoking him?!" Naruto yelled.

Shikamaru answered, "She's trying to stall him from moving on to us."

"But but at this rate she's going to die datebayo." Naruto yelled.

"She knows." Sasuke choked out. That made them still and the heaviness sunk in. The anger and fear for themselves and for her. All they could do was yell in desperation as the man continued.

Most torture with a goal for information in mind, was highly controlled and professional. Keenly aware of the line between life and death- this one was just a brute, not even sure if he'd crossed the line yet. No way would the boys survive. Siata shuddered at the burn, the bright flash of pain as the whip dug in again.

"Scream! I said scream!" The man yelled. But she was too disoriented to answer, she didn't have much left in her now.

The man was gasping for breath as he finally took a step back. Blood drooled out from her mouth as she hung on the wall mindless. Slowly, she could make out what she'd been staring it until it finally registered. The faces she was seeing across from her… it was the boys.

They were… crying.

"Please… Please… just kill me instead." Kakashi sensei's voice felt so far away.

Siata dangled from her hand restraints, her feet for some reason no longer able to support her weight as her head lolled on her arm, about to fall at any moment. Shikamaru's voice was far gone from shouting for so long, and tears choked in his eyes.

She felt so raw. Like a protective layer of her mind had been stripped away and everything was exposed and vulnerable.

Her heavy eyes met Shikamaru's and she found something so unmistakably tender in them. Something she'd never remembered wanting this badly before.

And he was just so precious just hanging there. His eyes holding onto her. And then her realising what she hadn't recognised before. What she'd missed at every quiet stare, every warm hug, every laugh and disagreement, until now.

Siata took in a shuddering breath. How could she have not known this until now. That she had wanted him this way. Left this so last minute. When they'd run out of time. Tears brimmed in her eyes as Shikamaru shook his head begging her to hold on. Don't leave him.

"Let's see how well you do for your back now." The man gasped, lost in his excitement.

The man started fumbling with something above her hands and the other sound ninja jolted up at that.

"Its fine! She's almost dead anyway. I just need to turn her around for her back" The man said.

Wait, what?

A sudden whoosh of sound came above her as the chakra suppressing cuff came off.

Siata instantly felt her chakra surge through her and gasped at the feeling going straight through her body and strengthening her arms. She acted fast. Slamming her fist into his face, knocking him out cold.

The cell doors burst open and the ninja guards speed towards her as she slipped out from the other handcuff.

"Ha! What's the point of escaping with just you verses all of us?" the ninja shouted.

They were right. She could barely stand, and she could sense Tobi almost on arrival. But knew this was their only chance.

The ninja shouted. Jumping her.

And in that split second, she stared at the electric wall containing the seal and then dashed towards it.

Some of the boys realised what she was doing, and it was as if everything moved in slow motion as they cried out her name.

Tobi slammed into her and she used soul dispersal to dodge him and get in front.

Then she smiled and threw herself into the fence tearing up the seal.

For a horrifying minute Siata jerked like a fish as the electricity ran through her- the sound ninja jumping back from her as the wall started to spaz.

Then the building completly blacked out.

Kakashi instantly wiped the floor of sound ninja. Shikamaru tore Siata out of the fence and the others helped Ino and Hinata. They followed Kakashi sensei's direction. Escaped. And ran.

Shikamaru who was holding Siata started to bawl feeling how fried her skin was from interrupting the electric fence.

Then suddenly something smashed Shikamaru into the ground and snatched Siata away from him, and started running off with her in a different direction.

"Ha ha ha! Catch me if you can! Come on, lets run through the flowers like lovers!" Tobi dashed away with Siata on his shoulders.

Hinata weakly pried open her byakugan and with Kakashi sensei they located the direction Tobi had went and started running as fast as possible, blitzing through the forest.

As they got closer and closer to the centre of the Land of Waves, first came the sounds. The clatter of metal on metal, and the sea of shouts. Next the smell. The smell of burning and blood. Then they passed a body, then more. Civilians, ninja alike.

"Whats… going on?!" said Naruto taking everything in as the forest cleared, showing the scene.

The Konoha and mist ninja were outnumbered by the sea of Sound ninja that were attacking them, with Oruchimaru in the lead, along with a massive army of puppets with explosions going off everywhere as a man on a white bird dropped bombs from the sky.

"Secure the wave civilians! Choza's group is supporting Jiraiya-sama so you four go support the Hokage now." Shikaku-san was blasting out orders and turned sharply and did a quick scan seeing his son finally secured along with the missing jounin and the others.

Shikaku grabbed his son and hugged him when he approached. Shikamaru hugged him back.

"Are you alright?" Shikaku checked his son who looked relatively fine physically- but. "Dad," Shikamaru looked like he was just about to lose it. "They tortured Siata and then a man, medium sized built, orange mask- he took her and lead us here and disappeared. I need you to help me find her Dad. Please."

Shikaku froze. He was always rational. Calm. He turned to one of his jounin he knew well.

"Kakashi, report."

"Shikaku-san. There was a hidden base to the east side of the mountain range where we were teleported to and some of us- Hinata, Ino, and Siata were tortured, requiring medical attention. While escaping Uchiha Siata was intercepted by a man in an orange mask who'd followed us from the area which we'd been detained." Kakashi sensei asked.

Shikaku nodded.

"Reinforcements from Sand will be here soon. We're holding on until they arrive. Go get the injured to Tsunade-sama with her slugs. How may was on the base? Did you recognise anyone?" Shikaku snapped out his questions.

"Only 16 people in the building. But they had an elaborate chakra restriction seal built in readied in advance. The sound ninja gave information the kidnapping was in response to a personal grudge someone has against me." Kakashi finished painfully.

Shikaku paused taking that in and what it might mean or imply. Then nodded. "I'll take that into account. It was useful information Kakashi."

"And… Siata? Shikaku-san?" Kakashi asked as his students watched Shikaku.

They couldn't afford any search parties at the moment. He knew what he had to say. But suddenly Shiki's face flashed by his thoughts. Fugaku holding Shiki in his arms while the man lay lifeless.

"Let's go."

"Really? But don't you have to-"

"No. A direct search party right now would be inefficient."

"WHAT?! HOW COULD YOU SAY-" Kakashi pulled Naruto back to let Shikaku-san finish.

"We will go speak to the Hokage. For both finding Siata and ending this fight. I think I've got an idea."

Authors Note:

Thank you everyone for reading and commenting. See you in the next chapter :D