MENTIONS OF MATURE CONTENT IN THIS CHAPTER

In physical training the next day, Orochimaru surprised us by splitting the entirety of Group B into two teams. "Let's play a war game today!" The entire room had been cleared of equipment and large crates had been placed at random on the floor.

"Everyone grab a gun, don't worry the bullets are rubber. When I blow my whistle, do whatever it takes to win."

Matsuri, Kiba, Neji, and Naruto were all on my side, but Ino, Sakura, Tenten, and the Uchiha brothers were on the other. There were others on both sides, of course, but I didn't focus much on them. My grip tightened nervously around my gun.

There wasn't a single bullet vest or piece of protective gear in the room, so if one of those rubber bullets hits it's still going to hurt like hell. Not only that, but at least two of the more proficient shooters in our group were incredibly upset with me and they weren't on my team. I took a calming breath when I saw Ino and Tenten glaring at me from across the large room.

The whistle blew and gunfire immediately started filling the air. I sensed multiple bullets flying past me as I dove behind a crate for cover. My heartbeat was already pounding. A few people on my team were already down.

Orochimaru said we don't have to stay down if we're shot. Instead, he wants us to fight until we can't fight anymore, like we would if this was real life and not just practice.

Matsuri slid behind the crate next to me with a serious look on her cute features, like a cat in hunting-mode. Our eyes met and we shared a nod before refocusing on the battle. I peered around the edge, only to pull back and narrowly dodge a bullet that would've hit me right in the forehead. Quickly, I peered around once more and fired a few shots in the direction it'd come from before pulling back again. Sounds of fighting filled the air, people yelling and gunfire hurting my ears.

Matsuri hollered from behind me and I turned to see Gaara standing over her with his gun pointed right at her face, a look of exhilaration on his features. I quickly aimed at his chest and shot in a panic until he was forced to the ground. She turned to me with tears in her eyes, "T-Thank you!"

The redheaded boy was shot by a few stray bullets as he hugged his chest and she surprised me by diving out to grab him by the shoulders and drag him behind the crate with us. He growled out in a voice that did little to hide his pain, "What are you doing!"

She pointed her gun at him with as brave a face as she could manage, but her hands were obviously shaking, "Shut up and lay there!" The young man's mouth clamped closed and soon we had to focus back on the battle.

The sound of heavy footsteps were getting closer, signaling that the enemy team was starting to approach which meant they most likely had the upper hand. We had to move or we'd be surrounded.

After giving Matsuri a warning look, I sprinted across the three yard gap between our crate and the next one. A shot clipped my arm as I dove for cover and it hurt like hell. I winced as I slid to a stop, glancing down to see it'd broken skin and a small trail of blood was starting to run down my arm. It wasn't deep enough that it'd need stitches so I ignored it as I crouched up to peek over the top of the thick wooden box.

I was surprised to find that almost no one was left standing, that I could see. Either that or the enemy team was doing a great job of covering themselves behind the crates.

I slowly worked my way toward the other side, only to hear an angry yell from my right. I turned in time to see Ino leaping toward me and managed to get a few shots off before she tackled me to the ground and my gun slid out of reach. She straddled my hips and I wrestled to keep her gun pointed away from me.

She was panting, as the bullets I'd fired had hit her in the stomach and the pain was undoubtedly taking its toll on her. My teeth grit as we struggled, but she started gaining the upper hand. Just as she was able to aim it at my face, I bucked my hips up and threw her off me, tossing her gun away as I tackled her back onto the ground.

Tears rose in her blue eyes as she stared up at me. The pain from being shot caused my body to default to anger, but the red over my vision faded instantly when she squeezed her eyes shut and spoke in a desperate voice, "Why won't you talk to us!"

My eyes widened and we both stopped fighting. I stared down at her as she continued, her tears starting to pour over, "Why won't you trust anyone, Hinata?"

Tears rose up in my own eyes and I struggled to find a response, "I…I'm sorry, I-" A hot pain erupted in the back of my head and I felt myself falling forward as I passed out.

A sharp breath slid past my lips before I could even open my eyes. The headache thumping in my ears felt like my skull was about to crack in half. I groaned as I reached back to feel a huge bump underneath my hair. My eyes crept open and I jolted in surprise to see Ino and Sakura sitting with Naruto on his bed, facing me.

The young man made a swatting motion with his hand as he gave me a sheepish grin, "They got you good, huh?" My brow furrowed as I nodded and tried to sit up.

"I'm sorry, Hinata."

We all looked over at Ino, who was staring down at her lap with a guilty expression. Her blue eyes lifted to land on mine and her frown lowered further, "I was so angry about what I heard yesterday that I wasn't thinking clearly."

I looked between her and Naruto frantically. Did he tell her? Why was she suddenly apologizing? My M.A.T. partner shook his head reassuringly as Ino continued, "It's not that you don't want to trust anyone. You can't tell us, can you?" My jaw clenched stressfully and I gave her a pleading look. Even wordlessly confirming her theory would be stepping over the line.

Her eyes suddenly filled with tears and she threw herself over so she could wrap her arms around me. My eyes widened and I almost moved away in fear, but ultimately sat there stunned as her shoulders shook, "and I was so mean to you! I'm so sorry, Hinata, please forgive me!"

Before I realized what was happening, I felt tears rolling down my own face and my arms slowly moved to hug her back, "No, I'm sorry!" We cried for a few minutes before ultimately sobering up and calming down.

I didn't need to tell them to keep quiet about what they'd heard because they already assumed. I'd thought they'd told everyone, but that wasn't the case. They kept my secret. I really can trust them.

Group B's members were littered with small injuries from the wargame. The only person who was left completely unscathed was Tenten, which didn't surprise a soul. Her team ended up winning with her, Ino, and Sai being the final people standing.

Sai had apparently been the one who shot me because he thought I was hurting Ino. The young man apologized during dinner, which I accepted immediately. Even if he hadn't done it to protect someone else, I couldn't blame him. I was on the enemy team and the doctor doesn't like it when the participants hold back.

I'd missed a lot of action because I'd been knocked out, though. Apparently Gaara'd recovered slightly after I parted ways with Matsuri and the two took one another out. The girl seemed more angry than I've ever seen her as she snuck angry glances in the redhead's direction as we ate. He completely ignored her.

Naruto and Sasuke started out shooting at each other, but ended up fighting hand to hand until neither could continue. The Uchiha twin and Naruto have become rivals of sorts. Their personalities clashed, so they argued a lot, but I think if they met outside of The Program they'd become good friends.

The MVP on our team was Neji, which didn't surprise me all that much since he's in my physical training group and I'm aware of his natural talents. He took out six people on the enemy team, but still didn't stand a chance against Tenten's shooting skills.

The next day, we headed into M.A.T. apprehensively. Madara told us to expect a different approach starting today and it surely tied into the sensitive info we were forced to divulge about our partners, so it couldn't be good.

After a brief greeting, we headed into our rooms and got hooked up to the helmets as instructed. I no longer flinched at the sharp pain that came in the back of my neck each time. I regarded Naruto's presence and we nervously waited to see what would happen.

Before long, the familiar text started to scroll out before us. Step one: Appear before one another. We did so, like the time we had to fight one another like this, glancing at each other with unsure gazes.

Step two: one at a time, reach within your partner's chest until you feel a warm sensation. He turned to face me with an apologetic frown, "Is this safe?" The text didn't offer a response so he gingerly lifted a hand toward me, "I don't wanna do this."

I nodded, steeling my nerves so I could be brave for the both of us. We'd undoubtedly be punished if we refused to participate. "Just do it. I'll be fine." He swallowed nervously before coming closer and shoving his hand into my chest.

I thought his hand would stop against my skin like it had when we fought, but to my disbelief it slid right through and into my body. A terrible feeling raked up from the soles of my feet to the tops of my ears. He could sense my unease undoubtedly and hesitated, but had to keep going for both our sake.

After a moment, it felt like something grasped around my very being and squeezed, leaving me suffocating and restless. His other hand rose up to grip my shoulder tightly as I squeezed my eyes shut. "I-I think I got it! Now you go."

It was hard to make myself move when it felt like a heavy blanket was stifling my lifeforce, but I reopened my eyes and tried to copy what he'd done. When my hand slid through his skin, it felt like cold water was surrounding it. I searched blindly for a moment before I felt a heated spot, like a ray of sunshine had been resting in just that one spot for hours. He sucked in a breath and I knew I'd done it.

I looked up to meet his eye, only for his irises to melt away slowly until my entire vision was distorted. When I blinked, I was in an unfamiliar room. My body felt weak and I was incredibly hungry. I tried to get up, but couldn't. My vision danced around until they landed on my hands. They were tied tightly to a rusted old radiator with multiple layers of duct tape, but they weren't my hands.

Panic rose in my chest as I realized this wasn't my body. I was experiencing a memory of Naruto's from his perspective. This was different from the training before, Madara was right. Before, it was like a movie playing on a screen and I could feel Naruto's emotions and sometimes a small glimpse of his physical sensations, but it was nothing compared to this. It was obviously a memory in the previous training sessions. I was living this. His body is mine. His feelings are mine.

Despite being able to realize what was going on, I couldn't control my body. The memory was going to play out how it'd happened in real life whether I wanted it to or not. I was only wearing a pair of boxers, but was still burning up. It must be a fever. Naruto was thirteen at this time, I somehow realized.

There was a sound from behind me and I somehow conjured the energy to roll up onto my knees so I could see the rest of the room. My limbs felt heavy, like my bones had been replaced with bricks. A skinny man, looking to be in his forties, was stirring on a rundown mattress on the floor nearby. Beer cans and trash were strewn about.

His name is Kizutsuku, but I call him Kizu. I mentally shook my head. Naruto calls him that, not me. I'm not him, I'm me!

"I thought you were dead."

An ice cold terror filled my limbs as the man swayed up onto his feet. It was clear he was inebriated and judging by the needles beside the bed, it wasn't just by alcohol. Naruto's voice came weakly from my lips, a bit higher than the pitch I've grown used to, "Please stop…"

The man looked up at me as he lit a cigarette, taking a puff before letting out a raspy laugh, "Don't act like you didn't like it." The most terrible memory came to mind, one I've never seen before, and I wanted to scream, fight, cry, or do anything to break free and tear this man to shreds. He'd hurt him in a way no one should ever be hurt, much less a child. I couldn't force my body to do anything, though, and had to relent.

His tears welled up in my eyes as Kizu stumbled toward me. I struggled against the duct tape holding my wrists, but it was all in vain. A wave of relief came over me when a knock at the door stopped the man in his tracks a few feet away and he turned his attention to it. My whole body was shaking in fright.

He answered the door and I recognized the person there as a drug-dealer that Kizu often bought from. He was younger than my abuser, I mean Naruto's abuser, and looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties with light brown hair and dark brown eyes.

"Hey, man, can I use your bathroom real quick?" Kizu gestured behind him with a nod, letting the man come in. I felt his eyes on me as he passed by.

The older guy returned to the bed and flopped down to tie a rubber strap around his arm before preparing a syringe for a moment and then sticking it into the inside of his elbow. His eyes drifted closed and his head fell back to rest against the wall. I knew he'd fallen asleep, but started to panic all over again when I suddenly felt a hand fall onto my shoulder.

"You don't think he'll mind, do you?" Disgust crawled up my spine when I turned and saw the younger man from before unhooking his belt.

Before I could witness anything else, my vision distorted like before and I soon felt the familiar M.A.T. chair beneath my body. Slowly, my eyes crept open. I was afraid that I was going to be forced to withstand the continuation of that awful memory.

A sigh of relief came from my trembling lips as I took off the helmet with tears in my eyes. When I turned to see Naruto doing the same, my body acted on its own. He had a dark look on his face as he rose to his feet, but I ignored it and lifted a hand hesitantly toward him.

When our eyes met, it was like we were still in one another's head. He tightly pulled me into a hug and I returned it this time, salty tears seeping into his shirt. There's nothing I can say or do to change the fact that those terrible things happened to him and it filled me with an unbearable rage. How he grew to be the positive young man he is today, I'll never understand. If those things happened to me, especially at such a young age, I don't think I'd be able to overcome it.

"I'll kill them," The hate-filled words left my lips before I realized I was speaking my thoughts aloud. I didn't recognize my own voice, it was so tainted with malice. I've never really had friends, especially close ones and the fact that the first person I know I can trust with anything was hurt like that made me feel so helpless. Guilt that I had the audacity to feel helpless when he was the one who had to suffer through it only made me more upset.

His arms tightened further around me, but his voice was much calmer than mine, "I can guess what you saw by your reaction."

My hands shook as they fisted up into handfuls of his shirt on his back. I struggled to get control of my emotions. I was overwhelmed like never before and couldn't think straight enough to apply a coping mechanism. Eventually, he pulled back and I turned away so he couldn't see the undoubtedly enraged expression on my face.

I sensed his hesitation and forced myself to get it together, "J-just give me a moment, please." I took multiple deep breaths and forced the traumatizing thoughts to the back of my mind before finally becoming calm enough to face him.

Luckily, he spoke so I wouldn't have to awkwardly try to fill the quiet air, "It's one thing to hear about the blindfold thing, but it's another to actually experience it."

I tried the door and it was still locked so I rested my back against it with a frown, "How much did you see?"

He sat on the edge of his chair with a far away look, "Everything from the time you woke up to when he threw you back down here."

My face warmed substantially. He'd undoubtedly seen me in my underwear. "It felt so…odd being in a girl's body, y'know?"

My blush heightened and I tried to muster a glare, but when he noticed he gave me a sheepish grin and waved his hands dismissively, "N-No, I meant because you're so much shorter and stuff, " his grin fell, "I haven't felt so intimidated by someone in a long time." He was obviously referring to Madara. "Your sister looks a lot like you. I was surprised!" A bittersweet smile dusted my lips at the memory of how she'd desperately tried to connect with me the day Madara took me upstairs.

The lock clicked behind me and I wordlessly held the door open for him before both of us headed out of the training area with the rest of Group B. Looking around, it was obvious we weren't the only ones shaken by today's training. The group looked even worse off than after our very first session.

Sakura and Matsuri in particular seemed incredibly affected. When I asked Matsuri about it, she shrugged it off and I quickly relented so she wouldn't feel forced, but Sakura seemed relieved when I approached her after dinner. After pulling us away from everyone else so we could talk in private, she sat next to me with our backs to the wall.

"I'm glad you finally reached out, " she paused and her expression became a bit awkward, "How was your training today?" I gave her a look that told her exactly how I felt and she nodded in understanding. I don't want to think about it for now or else I'll get worked up all over again.

"Yeah. Me, too. Well, probably not for the same reason, but still." I gave her a confused look and she let out a shaky sigh, "I-I'm gonna tell you something that not many people know. Can you promise not to tell anyone?"

I nodded with a serious look, worried about what it might be. "Two years ago, when I was sixteen, I was mugged by a group of guys when I was walking home from school."

"There were four of them. They beat me until I couldn't move anymore and then they tried to-" her voice wavered and she trailed off. I reached over and rested an unsure hand on top of hers. She gave me a grateful look before swallowing and continuing her tale, "Ino and Karin found me before they could do anything serious, but I was in the hospital for a long time after that and I haven't been comfortable around men since."

A wave of relief washed over me when I realized that she'd been saved in time to not be abused like Naruto had, but I still felt so bad for her. The way she shied away from any male that got too close made complete sense now. I'd probably feel the same way if it'd happened to me.

"I-I think Sasuke saw it."

My neck turned so I could look her in the eye and her cheeks were steadily reddening, "He, um, he hasn't ever really talked to me unless he had to, but now he won't even do that. I feel like he's…judging me for it or something."

I could tell she was trying hard not to cry. I straightened my back up so I could look across the room to where the Uchiha brothers were sitting with a few others from Group B. Sasuke's mouth was in a firm line and he looked like he was in a daze rather than paying attention to whoever was talking.

If he was judging her for her fear, that'd make him a terrible person. He hasn't really done anything to make us see him as good or bad up until now so it was hard to tell.

"He's so hard to read, right? I can't tell what he's thinking and I've literally been in his mind!" I nodded in agreement. Sometimes Naruto, too, confused me.

I tried to change the subject, if only slightly, to make her feel better, "Well, what about you? What did you see?"

Her mouth clamped closed before she slowly shook her head, "I…I don't wanna talk about his personal life, you know? It's kinda private."

I nodded, realizing what I'd just asked her, "You're right, sorry." I looked back over to see the Uchiha boy in question glance over at her, only to quickly avert his gaze when he realized I was watching.

Whether he's a good person or not, one thing's for sure. He's lucky to have someone like Sakura as his partner because if it was someone else, they may not have protected his personal business like she had.

I know for a fact that a lot of others in The Program blabbed about their partners, most of whom were in Group A. This caused a lot of animosity, but luckily no one's gotten into any fights about it yet.

Sasuke glanced over again and I averted my gaze so as not to scare him off this time. Maybe he really is a good person and is trying not to scare her.