Welcome to chapter 9! Yay! So far my stories are safe, but just in case something happens I'm still trying to set up a new account on a new website. Sorry it is taking so long to update, I've just been really busy lately. -_-' Well hope this chappie makes up for it. :P

A quick note to my oh so very awesome reader, alyssa, that website you gave me is one I cannot use. I am not 18, far from it actually. :D OK, not that far, but still not 18. :P So yea...

Ok this chapter has quite a few dedications: LovelyMystery for their oh so lovely guess, alyssa, for her attempt at getting me a website, and ms. martin for their 'encouraging words.'

Now for the warning: I don't really know what is going to happen too much in this chapter, but it definitely won't be pretty. :O So there will be rape in this chapter, but not how most of you would expect, I think.. -_-...

Disclaimer: Nothing owned except for the plot.


Naruto's POV:

Something was wrong. Everyone seemed to be on their toes and on full alert today. Even the ringmaster seemed a little stressed. It was so rare to see him so messed up, but I wasn't enjoying it like I should have. It was barely Monday and already everyone looked tired as hell. I was getting really worried.

I had no idea what was going on around here and it made me really uneasy. I was too afraid to ask any of the cast members, and I wasn't about to go and ask the ringmaster. The good thing, or the not so good thing depending on how you looked at it, was that Kimimaro was ready to perform in the circus. He didn't even need practice, he was a natural at the 'impalement arts.' The name still confused me, but I suppose that was what made it so appealing.

He, unlike everyone else, didn't seem to be bothered. He was calm and there were no emotions on his face that I could read. The whole weekend, he clung to me and cried practically every second. And when he had finally fallen asleep, he kept me up with his whimpering of 'they're coming.' The poor thing, he was so afraid that someone was coming to get him. I tried multiple times to reassure him that I wasn't going to let anyone get him. That he was safe here in the circus with all the other cast members.

Kimimaro wouldn't listen to me though. He just kept crying and hanging onto me throughout the whole weekend. But, now he was...calm? It was a strange emotion to see in him, and it was a bit nerve racking. Maybe he was finally heeding my words? Or maybe he was trying to be brave and not show his fear.

It did after all take a lot of guts to perform in front of so many heartless people three times a day. It took great courage and talent to do something like that, and it was an even greater feat for a ten year old. But it still didn't seem possible that that was the issue. It seemed to be something more, but maybe I was just overthinking the situation.

I figured it was probably best to relax rather than worry over something that could not have even been important in the first place. Stressing over this wasn't doing anything for my damn headache I had woken up with this morning either. My whole body was hurting a little, but that burning sensation in my chest was what was standing out right now. Standing at the ticket booth was only making it worse too.

I wanted to lie down, but it was barely the beginning of the first show. It wouldn't be fun, but I was just going to have to tough it out and hope for the best. Rubbing my eyes, I put my head on the top of the podium in frustration. The customers had already bought their tickets and were now waiting for the show to start, so I could at least rest for a little while.

Sasuke's POV:

He was looking sicker. I watched as he rubbed his eyes and put his head down, he probably had a migraine or something. Maybe that operation wasn't enough to sustain him. I would have to check on him later after the shows had ended. For now, my main concern would have to be on how that white haired freak performed. I could see from the practice sessions he had had with Naruto that he was pretty good, but would it be enough?

It was always a good idea to make changes in a circus's act, but that was only if you were sure on the reliability of the new cast member. That was something I wasn't. If he screwed it up, there would be hell to pay. What the hell was I supposed to do with the white haired freak if he couldn't perform? If he proved useless, I would just have to get rid of him somehow. Maybe my brother would take him.

Another concern was Minato. He had come back before, and the result of it was having Shikamaru the way he was. There was no telling what he would do this time if given an opening. I had told all the cast members to keep their eyes open for him. They all had spent unwanted time with him, and they knew more than anyone else of what he was capable of.

I was sure that they would be sure to alert me if they saw head or tail of him anywhere on the circus grounds. I chose not to tell Naruto about any of this, his condition wouldn't be anymore stabler if he heard of this. For now, this would be on the down low and hopefully nothing too serious would happen. All that was left to do was to wait and see what would happen.

Naruto's POV:

The show finally started. The sound of people murmuring and gasping as the cast performed reached my ears, making me sick. The show had begun late today, I wondered why. Delays were rare as well. Something was seriously up, but what?

"Excuse me, is this where I can buy a ticket?" I looked up and locked eyes with a pale, yellowed eyed man. He practically scared the shit out of me, coming out of nowhere, but he looked pretty harmless.

"Yes, but the show has already started." I apologized to the hell with Sasuke's no talking to customer rule, I was too tired to care.

He frowned, "I see, and do you know when the next one will begin?" There was a cold wind in the air, and I was starting to feel a little nervous. But why?

"There are three shows a day, so the next one will start at noon sharp."

He looked at his wrist, as if studying an nonexistence watch. "That means I still have an hour." I turned my eyes to the big clock and saw that he was correct. "You don't mind if I stay here and talk with you while I wait, do you?"

I shrugged, "be my guest." I was too exhausted to really care. The ringmaster would kill me if he knew I was talking with customers, but at least this time it was a male. Or was that worse?

Contrary to his words, the man didn't speak but instead studied me. Now that I thought about it, the man closely resembled a snake stalking its prey. I was beginning to get a bit freaked out, but I decided not to say anything. It wasn't as if he was doing anything wrong.

"So tell me, how long have you been working here?" The snake man finally said.

"For a long, long time." I growled.

"You don't seem proud of that, do you not like it here?" I became aware of the lack of distance between us, and my nerves began to shake even more.

I shrugged again, and trying to create more space I leaned away. "There are much better jobs." I was really feeling uneasy about this man now. What was wrong with me?

"You could come work for me, I'm always looking for new employees. Especially ones with your... 'type of physique.'"

I shook my head fast, "no that's fine. Thanks anyways." Even if it was possible, I sure as hell didn't want to work for this creepy guy.

He got a smirk almost as creepy as Sasuke's could get, "why not? You don't want to work here, so I see no problem." I opened my mouth to protest, but he grabbed my chin and pulled me closer to him. "I'm sure we could get you a much more decent job then this. I also know you would prefer not to be wearing all this makeup." I tried to lean away, but his grip got tighter. "Trust me, you'll want this job."

"I really must decline. So please let go of me." I growled trying to keep my voice leveled. I hated to be touched, but fear was overcoming my anger. I could feel my mind going blank, what was wrong with me?

"And if I don't?" He said smoothly. I was about to give him my retort when a scream broke through the circus music making me pause.

"NOOO!"

The yell made me jump and I realized it was familiar. "Kimimaro?" I pulled roughly away from the man's grip and turned towards the tent.

A hand clasped onto my shoulder and pulled me against the podium and I flinched from the hard wood. "You really make this hard, don't you?" I barely had time to comprehend his words before something hard hit the back of my head, making my vision darken before blacking out.

Sasuke's POV:

So he had made his move after all. I picked up the torn forgotten collar from beside the podium. It must have been really hard to get it off. It may have been just a prototype, but it still needed the key. By the looks of it, it seemed it was first tried to be removed by force before a knife was used. And it was done poorly if the blood on the collar was any indication.

No note was left behind, just like the last time with Shikamaru. It wasn't needed, it was obvious that this was Minato's doing. "What are you going to do?" Said brunette stared down at the collar in my hand as well.

"Who knows." I shrugged at the rag doll freak.

"So you're giving up? You're not going to do anything at all to find him?" I was obviously pissed. My fox was taken without any clues to where he was, the chip was too far to be tracked.

"There's nothing we can do but wait." I didn't like the option either, but it was all we could do for now.

"You did that last time as well, and look what happened," the brunette growled indicating himself, "do you really want that to happen to Naruto too?"

Of course I didn't. I was planning on doing whatever I could, but only when I got some clue as to where he was. "I'll figure something out. But did you find that kid?"

He shook his head, "he ran out before any of us could get to him."

I sighed, "I want that kid found, there's no telling what could happen now that Minato is around the area."

"And Naruto?" Shikarmaru asked again, probing for some kind of indication that something would be done.

"I told you I'd figure something out." He glared at me, but turned away nonetheless.

"If anything happens, it's on your head." I heard him mutter under his breath.

If anything happened to Naruto, I was going to kill someone. I didn't care who, but someone would pay. But first things first, I would have to call Itachi. He would know how to handle the situation much better than I would.

Naruto's POV:

My head hurt a lot from where I had gotten hit, but my neck was itching with dried blood. How the hell did I get blood there? How did I get cut? But more importantly, where was I? Though my vision was still a bit blurry, I could tell that I was no longer on the circus grounds. There was no circus music playing, no noise of Sakura and Ino's bickering, no sound of the wind in the trees, nothing. There was nothing. Where was I then? Eyes clearing, I could see that it was dark, but even if there was light, I still wouldn't have been able to see what was all around me.

From what I could tell from touch, I was laying shirtless on a cold floor. With some struggle, I managed to sit up, but standing up was out of the question. There was something tight around my neck, keeping me at this height at most. My hands were tied behind me as well, but other than that, everything else was mobile. What the hell was going on? This wasn't the ringmaster's doing, was it? Could that snake man have been hired by the ringmaster as some kind of test? It seemed like it was going too far, even for Sasuke. But then again, I had learned to never put anything past him.

I pulled at the restraints, testing their strength. They were well done, the tightness scraping roughly on my wrists and neck. There was no chance that I would be able to struggle out of these, though I sure as hell would try anyways. I was starting to freak out, what was going to happen this time? Same as always no doubt if that bastard ringmaster was behind this.

The sound of a door opening somewhere broke me out of my thoughts and my heart pace quickened. "I see you're finally awake." That was not Sasuke's voice. No, it belonged to that snake man. He didn't appear completely in my vision, but his yellow eyes confirmed my suspicion.

"What the hell is this? Where am I?" I spat out angrily as I backed up into the wall, I was terrified as hell.

"You're somewhere far. A place where no one will interrupt this 'special time,' not even that damn ringmaster." He growled, his voice changing from false lewdly to anger as he spoke about Sasuke. If he hated the ringmaster that much, then did that mean this wasn't Sasuke's doing? Then what did I have in store for me? And who was this guy?

The snake man smirked, and as if reading my mind said "don't worry. We're going to have a little fun."

I pulled at the bindings, "quit fucking around and let me go!" The bindings were chafing me, tearing skin with inevitable pain rising in me, but I continued to thrash.

"You're going to only make it worse if you keep doing that." He said with amusement in his voice.

I ignored him, but stiffened when I felt his hand suddenly around my throat, slowly tightening until I was struggling to breathe. "I said be still." His voice was dangerously low, and my body shook with fear as I saw the intensity in his eyes. I gasped desperately for air, and my vision was starting to get hazy again.

"It's too bad you did not accept my job offer, you could have been quite the employee you know." He sneered, looking me up and down. "Oh well, I guess it means I'll just have to have fun breaking you." He released my throat and relief filled me as air filled my lungs.

"Why don't we begin?" He moved away from my vision, and the sound of a drawer reached my ears. Something was pulled across my mouth, possibly tape from the feel of it, and my protests were immediately muffled. "I'm going to fuck you so hard, you'll wish you had accepted my offer."

His sudden words sent fear up my spine, he was kidding right? Forceful hands gripped my arms and twisted me onto my stomach on the floor. And though I thrashed like a maniac he managed to pull loose my clothing that I had left.

I shut my eyes and tried screaming, but the tape was still on my mouth. My spine felt like jelly as I heard the inevitable rustle of the snake man's own clothing and I struggled even more. His already hard member was nudging against me, but he stopped, delighting in watching me squirm. I kept trying to cry out and was doing my best to beg for this not to happen, but he obviously paid no heed. The pressure started, slowly at first, but then it got harder and more firm.

The hands gripping my arms moved and instead gripped my sides and it felt like hell as I felt him pushing inside me. My sphincter parted slowly but surely, despite my struggles and, quite suddenly, he slid inside. The sensation was indescribable and I felt tears well up in my eyes. The feeling of the first time Sasuke had done it was bad, but the feel of the snake man's dick inches inside my tender rectum was ten times worse! I heard him gasped in pleasure as I writhed in great discomfort and disgust.

I found it hard to breathe from my nose as he pushed forward harder. More dick slid inside me, filling my gut completely, until, to my dismay, thighs were pressed against me. I couldn't even beg or cry anymore, all I could do was try desperately to take in air through my nose and contemplate the fact that I was being raped, again, but someone other than Sasuke.

This was far worse than what Sasuke had done, even when he had claimed me his property. Then came the real thrusting as the much larger man pulled back quickly and smoothly, till only his tip was buried in my rectum. His second thrust was far more violent and the nerves in my ass screamed at the invasion. He settled into his own bizarre rhythm, ramming his dick impossibly far into me. I couldn't help let out another muffled yell and I again tried to resist, but this served only to excite him more. Thrusts became faster and jerkier and his moaning more savage.

I shivered and whimpered painfully as the flood of his scalding cum pumped into me, making me feel disgusted. I could feel the liquid ooze out of my ass and trickled down my legs as he pulled out harshly. I couldn't think of anything knowledgeable through a haze of intense pain. My sides hurt from his deathly grip, and the hard ground's rocks had left marks on my legs and stomach.

The bindings were suddenly released and he grabbed me clean off the ground and dropped me on some sort of table. New bindings were pulled onto me and soon I was strapped down by the neck, wrist, and ankles. My head was spinning from the fast change of location and I had to squint as lights suddenly filled the room.

I looked around and felt a chill rise in my spine. The once empty room wasn't so empty anymore. Various blood stained instruments were hanging from the walls, and it was not a pleasant sight at all. The room itself wasn't very big, more like a storage containment with drawers built into the walls. The whole scene was intimidating and dread filled my body even more.

I watched as the snake man grabbed what resembled a scalpel, but a mediocre one if anything, and came towards me once again. "Don't worry, I'm a professional." I choked back a scream as he ran the instrument up from my abdomen and through my wound. My wound was still infected, a mere touch hurt like hell, but cutting into it?

I writhed in pain as he pushed the blade in deeper and let out another muffled blood curdling scream. "Now, now. Be still or you'll make me lose my concentration." He sneered. I couldn't see due to my blurred vision from the pain. But what I could see was the blurred silhouette of someone else. Kimimaro?

The thought of Kimimaro was wiped from my thoughts immediately as the snake man continued, digging deeper and deeper, but going tortuously slow for the hell of it. Despite the earlier rape, I still tried to scream and I pulled at the bindings even though it was bringing me a shit load of pain. "You'll only make it harder on yourself if you keep it up," he jeered without any hints of stopping.

Another wave of pain rolled over me as he placed what felt like pins on the broken skin to keep it folded open, and I felt light headed. Nausea was becoming overwhelming, and the feel of his fingers digging into the wound was excruciatingly painful. Regardless of how loud my muffled screams were coming out and how much I thrashed about, he kept digging deeper into the wound, the feel of his bare hand making me even sicker.

'Please stop!' I thought frantically. The back of my skull was burning, and as were my eyes with stubborn tears of pain. 'Stop! Stop! Stop!' The word was becoming like a mantra in my head, and the need to throw up was consuming me. If it were not for the tape, I'm sure I would have. The snake man's hand closed into a fist, and as he pulled out, I was sure he was dragging out my organs as well.

"Found it." He murmured more to himself or maybe to the possible 'Kimimaro', and giving a hard tug, I felt something give and my organs settled back in place. I couldn't see, my vision was darkening and my throat hurt from the raw, useless screaming I had done. I was feeling even more sore than I had before. "There. Don't you feel better now that that's out?" I could hardly even hear him before I couldn't feel anything anymore as a white heat took over my consciousness.

Sasuke's POV:

The signal's completely gone now. For a brief second the signal was coming in, dim at first, but it was gradually getting stronger. Meaning that we were close to the blonde's location. But now it is gone. In the blink of an eye. Which meant what? That chip was guaranteed to never go out unless it was tampered with.

What could have happened to it? And how would we find the blonde now? "Any other ideas?"

I shrugged to my brother, "guess it's back to plan A."

"And that would be?" He gave me a questioning look.

"To just sit and wait for things to play themselves out." What else could we do? There were no leads at this time.

He shook his head, "and do you really believe that to be a good idea. This isn't the sort of thing to wait for, and you know that just as well as I do."

I nodded at him, "I do."

"So what's the plan, little brother?" He slowed the car we had been driving into a smooth glide for stopping completely on the side of the road. What was the plan? I don't know, in fact I would like to know the same thing. Wait and let the worse happen, or keep looking around with the chance of only getting farther and farther to my fox's location? Well, there was really only one thing we could do.

"Keep driving. We'll keep looking for any suspicious areas near the circus." How far could they have gotten? Hopefully they would still close, the chip after all only just lost signal. He studied me carefully, before putting the car into drive once again.

"You wanna know what I think?" Itachi said, keeping his eyes on the road. I didn't like the familiar tone.

I rolled my eyes and sighed, "what."

"I think you've fallen pretty bad."

I scrunch my nose at him and growled, "what are you talking about?"

He quickly shook his head and shot me a knowing smile, "oh nothing, just forget what I said."

Naruto's subconscious POV:

My numbness is like a dead weight on my mind. I can't think straight, not one thought of any usefulness. Where am I? Am I dead? Please God let me be dead... I can't...No I can't do this anymore...

The strain of having to be the toy of a bastard ringmaster, getting mixed up in affairs not my own, watching these cast members suffer. I don't want to exist anymore. Why am I me? What good am I? Just a toy, and only a toy. I began to think that this was why I was born. To be the plaything of others, something they could hurt all they want.

I'm tired, oh so very tired. I can't continue like this anymore, it's too much. Who's fault is it?

Minato's. It's his fault. And because it's his fault, it becomes mine as well. His blood. His blood that he has never once acknowledged.

Snakes. Who was that snake man? Is he connected to my father? He was a doctor, wasn't he? Why else would he have all those tools? Mediocre tools.

Kimimaro... How was an innocent child like that involved? I don't understand. Maybe I never will. I don't want to. Forget. That's what I will do. It's not real.

Even though it will never be possible. I can still try, right?

It's too much to think about right now. Maybe it always will be. Sick. I feel sick...Maybe I'm dying? I hope...Please let it be...

"Naruto?"

Ngh. Who's calling me? I don't want to be bothered right now. Too sick to answer, too tired to give a fuck.

"Wake up."

The feel of someone shaking me is evident enough, but I don't want to move. No, I don't want to move ever again. Sleep. Yes, that's what I want to do. It's what I will do. Forever? I pray it can be possible to whatever God feels sorry enough to grant me my wish. Too complicated. It's all too hard to comprehend. What is? I can't remember...

The shaking is still going on, getting rougher as every second goes by. I won't wake up, no. I refuse. I digress. Sleep. That's all I want. Is that so bad? I'll stay here in the dreams of nonsense, with the white rabbit who ruined my life, with these thoughts that never fail to confuse me. But at least here that's all the harm they can do.

Unlike in reality, when all it seems to want to give me is more and more pain and watch as I suffer more and more. Maybe they're all laughing as I writhe in pain and hopelessness. Well I hope they are enjoying themselves.

Sasuke's POV:

Stubborn. That's the word that runs through my head to describe Itachi as I watch my brother uselessly try to shake Naruto awake. It's obvious the blonde was still alive, if his breathing was any hint. But Itachi had to make the blonde open his eyes to be sure. Couldn't he see Naruto had been through hell? The last thing the blonde would want is to wake up.

"Itachi, just grab him and let's go." I growled impatiently. I just wanted to check the blonde's wounds and see how much damage had been done. The more time that passed was more time wasted. "...Fine." He growled back, giving up his fruitless task.

He stooped down and wrapped up the damaged blonde in his coat before picking him up, grimacing at what I could only guess was what he weighed. He gave me an irritated look, but I turned away and made my way towards his car. Moments later, I could hear him following me.

**Time Skip**

I had been hoping that the wound had only looked worse than it had been, but it seems that was not the case. For the outside of his body, lots of bruising had appeared around his shoulders and neck. There were cuts on his wrists and ankles, and as well as his neck. His would looked as if it had been torn open rather than cut, and the messy stitching was atrocious. The inside was even worse.

The microchip had been ruthlessly pulled out, leaving the organs it had been embedded in in really bad shape. His organs were looking pretty bad before, but this was just disastrous. Orochimaru(1) may have done an awful job, but definitely knew what he was doing with all those tools. He had ruptured three of Naruto's organs, and supposed 'accidently' nicks on the insides were really deep. He was bleeding internally from being violated, and he was in critical condition.

It was no wonder the blonde didn't want to wake up. Well, that and maybe he couldn't wake up. His body must have been in a real bad shock after what had been done to it. "So what's the damage? How bad is it." Itachi asked from the corner he had been watching from. The damages were pretty intense and they all pointed to one conclusion. "He may die."


(1) Obviously the 'snake man.'

Well? How was it? I really hope it was worth the wait. I've been really busy, and it does not look like things will be calming done anytime soon. :(

I'll keep on doing my best to do my stories and update as soon as I can! I just hope you'll all still be interested in my stories as time goes on. I really wouldn't want to waste my time putting my heart and soul into these chapters only for it not to be read. I'll write more details on what's going to happen in the story in the next chapter.

Any who, Ja Ne for now my lovelies! :D