Naruto was covered in his own blood from head to toe. His entire body had cuts and bruises, old and new, gushing out and causing the most of pain. Shuriken were thrown all over the floor with blood on all its sharp ends.

Kyuubi, where are you...I need your help...

Madara stared down at the pitiful teen, crumpled on the ground, bones broken and tears pouring from his eyes. "Do you want to tell us something, Uzumaki?"

He looked up at the man, though he couldn't see him. "N-never..."

He sighed and grabbed Naruto by the scruff of his shirt, pulling his limp body into the air. "Is that so?" He pushed him against the wall, hitting his head roughly against the stone.

"Gah!" His sight was blurring up and slowly becoming duller by the minute, besides the fact that he was still blindfolded. He couldn't seem to process anything apart from the darkness that was closing into his vision. Something wet was trailing down his neck and his head was throbbing. Damn...I think I hit my head...

The menacing voice was so close to his ear that he could feel the hot breath ruffling his hair. "So, do you still have nothing to say?"

"I-I..." His blond head fell and he instantly lost consciousness.

"So...Sasuke. Why did you come back anyways?" Tsunade pressed her hands beneath her chin.

Sasuke looked up at her from the hospital bed. "I already told interrogation."

"I want to hear it from your own mouth."

The Uchiha sighed before settling himself into a sitting position. "I've completed my goals."

"And that would be..."

"I gained my powers from Orochimaru and I got my revenge on my brother. I have no other reason to be away anymore."

"Is that the only reason why?"

He stared at her in confusion. "What other reason would there be?"

Tsunade chuckled. "Are you sure? Maybe...a certain boy...a certain blond, maybe?"

Sasuke blushed slightly. "N-no..." He flung a finger at the Hokage whom was laughing at his flustering. "And I don't think of him as anything else besides my brother, so don't go get any ideas!"

A silence seemed to fall over them. "So...how's he doing?"

"Who?"

Sasuke stared at her, emotionless. "Naruto. Sakura said he wasn't blind, after all. I want to hear it from you."

She lowered her hands into her lap. "He's a lot better than when he first got here, I can tell you that. That 'fight' of yours took a great toll on him."

He dropped his gaze in guilt. It was his fault that Naruto had become so injured. I mean, the Uchiha was also injured (muscle and bone-wise) but the blond had been damaged from torture AND from chakra exhaustion. Not to mention also being blown at with fire square in the face.

"Hey, kid, don't worry about it. I'm 100% sure he'll forgive you."

The Uchiha nodded. "When...when do you think that I can see him?

She stood from her seat and headed for the door. "Why not now?"

Sasuke smiled slightly and lifted himself from his bed and walked over to the Hokage whom was heading down the hallway now. The two of them held a smile pressed upon their lips as they moved door after door and turning the mapped left to where the blond's room was. But as soon as they had turned a worried looking nurse bumped into the Hokage, slightly losing her balance.

"H-Hokage-sama...there was an incident...we don't know what happened-we can't- we can't find him-anywhere!"

Tsunade waved her hand over her face. "Chotto. What incident?"

"Naruto-kun...we can't find him..."

"What?!" She thrust her way forward, Sasuke following close behind. She skidded to a stop at an open door, empty and dark. On the floor was a splatter of bright coloured blood. She fell to her knees before the sight, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

Sasuke was several paces behind, he was as shocked as the Hokage herself but he was beginning to feel rage burn through his very soul.

Tsunade couldn't fight the tears that were now pouring down. "I-it's all my fault...I should have placed guards...ANBU...I should have put myself here..."

The Uchiha growled beneath his breath. "Godaime-sama...I swear I'll find him. I'll making that damn Madara pay...I swear." I'll find you...otouto.

Naruto felt his chest heave and his arms twitch. He knew he couldn't move them and the twitching only started to mock him. He wanted so desperately to be free from his pain but what he wanted the most was to be able to see if the two had left or not. He wanted to see what they had done to his body, even. He was confused. Why don't they just perform the ritual? Why are they making me suffer like this...?

Then, he thought. Why was he wishing such things? He was nearly begging for them to remove Kurama and for destruction of the leaf...the Shinobi world. I don't give a damn what happens to me...I'll never betray my village!

He sighed. The blond had been through so much in who knows how long it had taken. The men had ruthlessly kicked him around, punched him, pushed him, slammed him against walls, the floor, stabbed at him, and threw shuriken from directions unknown.

Flashback

"I'm going to make this simple. You tell me where Hachibi is and I won't hurt you anymore."

Naruto scoffed. "Not until you extract Kurama..."

He heard the man chuckle and he felt as a hand was placed roughly underneath his chin. "Will you tell me?"

"Like hell, I will."

Kabuto could be heard laughing in the background. "I told you he wouldn't give in. Why not use Genjutsu."

Naruto's heartbeat slightly raced. That was probably the most effective way to get information out of anyone; by messing with their mind.

To the blond's relief, he let go of his chin and the man sighed in front of him. "I did tell you that I wasted my chakra on that last extraction, didn't I?"

"Gomen...gomen." The snake didn't sound sorry at all.

"In fact..." He grabbed at the boy's hair whom let out a soft whimper. "I have something better planned." He lifted Naruto to his feet, though he could barely stand from his injured leg. "Let's make a deal. If you can find the entrance than I'll let you go."

That's a messed up way of screwing with someone...

"Go on."

He was shoved to the side by the masked man. The blond tripped over his own feet but caugh himself at the last second.

Madara chuckled. "Come on. I haven't got all day."

Dammit...this isn't funny.

Naruto dragged himself forward, attempting to sense at his surroundings and anywhere away from the Uchiha. He stepped over to one side and felt his hand place itself against a stone wall. The blond gripped his fingers along the slabs and cracks in the stone and pulled himself forward.

A voice sounded near his ear. "Oh, that's right. I forgot to tell you that I'll be sticking around very close to you, to make sure you don't accidentally find the exit."

A fist collided with Naruto's stomach, knocking the wind from his lungs. He crouched low, growling and gasping beneath his breath. Then, the man kneed the boy in the face, bringing him flying upward and slamming his own head against the wall. Blood began to well from his nose and his eyes underneath the blindfold were caught in the impact and throbbed.

"I don't think I gave you permission to bend down."

Naruto growled out in fury. "I don't need your fucking permission!"

A grasp around Naruto's neck made contact. "Well, isn't that funny. Kabuto, if you don't mind."

"Of course I won't. I'll enjoy it, that's what matters."

Shuriken implanted themselves into the boy's arms, legs, and body. "Gah!"

End flashback

Naruto twitched at the lingering memory. No matter what, I won't give where Octopops is hidden. I won't!

Please someone...I can't do this alone.