Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Artifice ❯ Solitary ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

A/N: I’ve really grown to like this story and the plans I have for it. Which is, of course, a good thing. Any which way, I’ve been real busy lately what with school starting up again and all. Happily I’m just about done with it. Hurrah. I also just got my computer fixed. Yay. So, read and review. Seriously. Please, please, please review. I adore those.

Blanket Disclaimer: Naruto and all characters contained there within belong to Kishimoto. I do, however, take sole responsibility of this plot.

It was the realm between waking and sleeping that he had learned to linger upon. Where his dreams no longer taunted him, yet he was still not fully aware of the harsh realities around him.

It was something he had grown so used to; barely waking up and testing his body -mentally probing every portion of it for possible problems.
There never were any.

That was the problem.

Blearily thinking back, he couldn’t recall just what had happened last night, something he was all too used to.

Well let’s see...it was a Thursday which meant he was due for an exam. So he was likely a bloody mess in his bed. The only good thing about the situation was that it would be a whole week before he once more had to endure Orochimaru’s torture. The doctors never called that, of course. It was merely an exam. Testing.

He was only seventeen -an innocent seventeen year old, at that- and he was so used to the word torture that it was just that; a word. He’d read plenty of books that dealt with such themes. Acts like those preformed on him were appalling and sinful in the eyes of Outsiders. Something that hardly ever seemed to happen.

He was so used to it that it was now simply a mark on his agenda. A single line on his to-do list.

That didn’t make him like it anymore of course. It just furthered his belief that no matter what he told, he was not a normal boy.

Heavy lids slid open, bright orbs of blue squinting up at the darkened ceiling. He lifted a heavy arm over his head to turn his alarm to his lazy eyes.

The red letters listlessly flickered to 1:03 before his gaze.

Ah, the one good thing that came from his Thursday regime was that he was allowed to sleep in on Fridays. Thanks to Tsunade, of course.

Any which way, he had already moved so no doubt someone would be speaking though the P.A. system in moments, urging him to get ready.

He heaved a sigh and sat up, covers falling about his waist.

‘Might as well assess the damage...’

His entire front was a giant smear of deep rust red. Dried and itchy, flakes of it littered about his pristine bedding. A lip was raised in light disgust. He may have experienced it countless times before, but it didn’t make it any more appealing. At least a janitor would be cleaning his room today.

The blonde boy had to pry his legs from the stained sheets and stood up casually, not modest at all of his blatant nudity.

Stiff limbs were stretched, joints popping and cracking in a way fit to make most wince. He knew he must look a wreck, and also knew that there was someone watching him as he moved to the back of his bedroom, making for the door leading to his bathroom.

Sure enough, no sooner had the thought carelessly crossed his mind then a brisk feminine voice fizzed over the speaker implanted high in the wall, just as it did every morning.

‘Kyuubi. Instructions begin in half an hour. Be prepared.’

He rolled his sapphire eyes. The doctors were so adamant against using his name. He’d been told from birth his name was ‘Naruto’, so why did so few people insist on calling him that?

His thin, tanned hand scratched at his navel in an irritated manner. Entering his pristine small bathroom he quickly reached into the shower, twisting the knob to make the water as hot as it could get.

He brushed his white teeth vigorously and took care of other morning activities while the steam in the room thickened. Once he deemed it ready, Naruto stepped under the scalding jets of water.

Naruto didn’t necessarily always take showers as hot as these, but he’d learned that the blood came off more easily under extreme conditions. He’d take hot over cold any day.

Standing amidst his personal sauna he watched the blood on him come to life again, slinking down his lithe body in rivulets and pooling at his feet, tainting the water pink before washing silently down the drain. The hot water made his skin red and raw, but Naruto didn’t pay it any heed. He wouldn’t be able to feel it within a few minutes anyway.

Naruto throughly scrubbed his body and emerged a short while later, donning a towel from a shelf and tightly wrapping it about his narrow hips. It never took him long to shower, but he did so often. He liked to be clean and have control over that aspect of his life.

And the bathroom was the one place where they couldn’t watch him.

He took a smooth hand and wiped the moisture from his plastic-mirror as best as he could, eyeing the lines adorning his face. No matter what he was told, he knew he was different. Different from the doctors around him, different from everyone. All he needed to do to was look in a mirror to see that.

Blue eyes drifted to the restraining collar taunt about his neck. Yes, he was quite different. He sighed as his reflection was once more claimed by the white mist surrounding him.

The boy stepped out from his small restroom, steam enshrouding him as a mere shadow in the haze. As the remnants of his shower cleared, Naruto shivered. He really detested the cold. It reminded him of needles and scalpels, of cold metal beds and harsh restraints. It was so cruel.

“Ah, Naruto.” A voice said. Said teen turned to look at his care-taker -just below Tsunade-, Iruka. He’d always liked Iruka. He was a very mellow person. Quite caring also. Iruka was one of the first people -and only people- to accept him and treat him as a person, not some priceless china doll or some sort of animal. Nevertheless, he always felt an amount of guilt and shame whenever he saw the deep scar lining the older man’s nose. He didn’t remember the incident, but was eventually told of it. And it was just like Iruka to not blame him whatsoever.

“Get dressed and I’ll take you to breakfast.”

Naruto nodded and the dark-haired man turned around, facing the corner out of respect for his privacy. Naruto didn’t need it of course, and Iruka knew that. After all, a boy who lived in a glass house couldn’t be expected to be modest. Naruto was grateful for the kindness anyway.

He walked to his set of draws and casually withdrew the first set of clothes. He never had the luxury of choosing his own clothing, and all of the things he possessed were labeled in the same way; a swirl with nine lines surrounding it. He supposed it was in place of wearing a name tag, though everyone around here knew him by name and sight.

Drawing on his garments, Naruto made it over to the door, waiting patiently for Iruka to open it and allow him to leave. The scarred man looked distastefully at Naruto’s bare feet. It was always fairly chilly here, what with it being below-ground and the need to maintain a sterile environment that was comfortable for all the hardware, yet Naruto rarely wore shoes. When questioned, the blonde would simply reply that they were too constricting for him and leave it at that. It didn’t stop Iruka from worrying like a mother-hen over his health though, even if he knew that Naruto couldn’t possibly become sick.

Running through the usual security measures, the two were free to the barren hallway. Trekking towards the other set of doors Naruto set pace beside his caretaker.

“Hey Iruka, what’s planned today?” The boy asked. It wasn’t that he was forgetful -though he tended to be on occasion- it was that his day-to-day schedule was nearly non-existent. One day he’d have history lessons -taught by Iruka, the next it could be something else entirely. He never made it a point to find out ahead of time. If it was important he’d be told.

Iruka pointedly avoided his charge’s eyes as he opened the next doors.

“After you eat I’ll take you down to the Sun-Room. You have a meeting at three.”

The tone his senior had used caused Naruto to stop in his tracks.

“Meeting?” His voice wasn’t questioning. It was stony and cold, trepidation inching in on him. ‘They wouldn’t do anything so soon, would they?’

“Yes.” Iruka began apologetically. “You’ll need to be at T.P. on time. I was told there is a possible client interested in investing in the company.”

T.P. was the common term for ‘Testing and Procedure’. His outlook grew darker. It was never a good thing to have to go to that room. The exam room was horrible, yes, but it paled in comparison to this.

“I suppose I’ll act the show-animal I am then.” Naruto spat bitterly, fisting a hand at his side. Iruka looked at him with compassion, but didn’t respond. He knew all to well what would happen that afternoon.

The two continued down the white expanse of hallway, bypassing the occasional person in a lab-coat who would stare at Naruto until he passed. Though he was used to it, he still felt very uncomfortable under their scrutinizing glares.

The scarred man led his charge to the door labeled ‘Cafeteria’, opening it and allowing him passage. Once both were inside Naruto followed dutifully to yet another door, this one marked ‘Private’. The teen tried not to notice how all motion had stopped in the very white room, cups frozen half-way towards mouths and at least a dozen sets of eyes trained on him.

Gulping nervously he passed through the door and sighed gratefully when it was closed behind him. He knew life continued the instant he was out of sight, occasional people whispering to each other about what they had witnessed. Thankfully, this new area was devoid of all persons aside from himself and his mentor.

The particular room he was in was his personal dining room; partially because of the spectacle he had just gone through and partly for his own safety -but mainly through Tsunade’s insistence- Naruto ate in a separate room. Naturally it was expected that very few would be dining here at any one time, so there was a simple circular silver table in the center, four silver chairs surrounding it. Upon said table was a bowl of fruit and a heaping plate of pancakes. He hadn’t noticed it before but Naruto was famished, as he always was after his exams.

Both of them sat down, Naruto digging in ravenously and Iruka casually thumbing through papers on a clip board he extracted from the interior of his lab coat.

“Well, at least you don’t have to listen to me ramble on about boring historic events for hours.” he said, not even looking up from his paperwork.. Naruto was not amused and continued rifling through his meal, suddenly none-too-eager to continue on with his day. The older man took note of this but refrained from commenting.

“Iruka...what’s the weather like today?” Came a morose young voice. The care-taker looked up, perturbed. “I...I just want to know what everyone feels outside.” Receiving no answer, the youth redirected his angle. “Heh, silly, I know. Just forget I said anything.” And though he tried to cover it with a laugh, Iruka could see the sadness, the desperation, welling behind those crystal blue spheres.

“It’s horrible out. Rainy and cold. I guess that’s how the weather works in November.” He said, amazing even himself with how fluidly the lie came out. It was actually quite bright and crisp outside.

If Naruto didn’t believe his fib he didn’t call him on it and polished off the last of his breakfast, blatantly ignoring the cup of milk set aside for him. “Well,” he stood. “I guess it’s time to get me ready for my doom.”

Iruka rolled his eyes at the boy’s melodrama but got to his feet anyway. “We need to go to the Sun-Room first, remember?”

“Ah, how could I forget.” ‘Kyuubi’ said, waiting for the door to open and strolling proudly past the quieted room once more behind the brunette. When once more in the sanctity of the hallway they continued on, charge following mentor down the narrow passageways. The security became more and more lax as they proceeded through separate halls and armored doors. Naruto was getting more and more anxious.

He wasn’t scared of being tested, not really. He’d done it before. It hurt, yes, but it was nothing that wouldn’t heal...it was more of the emotions he got afterward. It was more of how horrifying the blank gaps in his memory were. It was more of the terrified eyes watching him, stun-guns and the like at the ready. No, it wasn’t just the pain.

Even more than being afraid, he was angry. It was eerie how easily someone could accept a life that was so abnormal when they’d been living it for so long. He’d known nothing but this life of tests and servitude, but when he saw these people from the outside, for however brief a time, staring at him in such pure, unadulterated fear. They watched him like he was some sort of beast, a monster.

But then again, that’s what he was. A monster. One of a kind.

Well, maybe not singular. He remembered once being told that there were others like him. Eight of them, in fact. He himself was simply the newest one. Tsunade had told him in a moment of her anger that he was their only successful project.

Naruto recalled, as a child, he’d once played with a boy his age. It was the only time that’d ever happened. He’d been a juvenile, perhaps a tad older than he was at the time, with striking green eyes and tufts of red hair. The identification marks on his clothes was a simple dash mark. The caretakers had called him ‘Shukaku’. One day they stopped bringing him to see Shukaku. When Naruto, still young, had asked what had happened to him, Tsunade had quieted him, telling him not to bring it up again. He hadn’t.

During his musings Iruka had led him to the aptly named ‘Sun-Room’, unlocking it and allowing him with a simple key from a ring. Iruka had a whole ring-ful of keys. More then he needed, Naruto assumed, but Iruka was like that. He held onto everything incase he’d ever need it.

Out of all the places Naruto was given access to, the Sun-Room was probably among his favorite. There were no nasty looks, no eyes staring at him, only a single camera. There weren’t even any cruel objects in the room. It was, for all intents, a miniature spa. And it was all for him.

The woman who kept this room was named Shizune, a friend of his on a more personal level than most of the people here. She was good friends with Tsunade and about Iruka’s age.

The duo walked in, Naruto greeting her happily and Iruka timidly standing back, waiting by the door with a small blush on his features. It didn’t take a genius to notice that Iruka had a thing for Shizune.

“Naruto!” The woman admonished gently, her short, black hair falling around her ears. “You need to come down and visit me more often! I hardly ever see you anymore.”

He laughed, placing a hand behind his head. “Yeah I know. I’ll try to come down more.” They both grinned, but they both also knew that he came down here when he was ordered down here, no more or less.

“Alright,” Shizune gestured to the cheery expanse behind her. “What’ll it be?”

The main purpose of this room, and it’s namesake, was a specially designed machine meant to give Naruto a supplement for sunlight. It provided UVB ultraviolet rays, both giving Naruto a lusciously tanned look and allowing him to produce the normal amount of vitamin D. Aside from that there were various things about the room to keep up Naruto’s appearance. Whenever he was deemed needy of a haircut he was sent down here and Shizune made quick work of his locks. There were also occasions where he would have his nails properly trimmed, and in the past he’d had laser epilation. He had perfectly smooth skin, free of flaws and, aside from his head, free of hair.

That was what was expected of a show-animal.

It was Iruka who answered for him. “Uhm...Naruto just needs sun treatment today.”

Shizune smiled, though she looked a bit put out. “Oh, too bad. I love playing with Naruto’s hair. It’s so nice.” Said boy smiled and ruffled his blonde mop self-consciously. “Well then. You know the routine.”

Indeed he did. Naruto stripped for the second time that day, tossing his clothes distractedly on a chair and stepping forward to a small cabinet glowing blue. From inside here he withdrew two small eye-covers. He walked to the corner of the room where a large mechanism was located. It was made up of two large sized blacked-out panes, both of which curved outward into a loose semi-circle shape, set opposite each other with enough space in between them for a human to stand. These were held aloft by a craning mechanical arm reaching over and fastened to the wall.

As he took his place and secured his eye-plugs properly Shizune was making small noises of annoyance and righting his messy clothes. She really was a lot like Tsunade.

“Are you ready, Naruto?” She asked, stepping over to her brightly colored desk, ornamented graciously with pictures and even a potted flower.
“Whenever you are, Shizune.” The blonde called. The dark-eyed woman placed a set of sunglasses on her face, checking to be sure the scarred man had done likewise, and then typed a strain into her computer.

The sun machine sprung to life, formerly black glass glowing brightly and both pieces circled Naruto quickly with a loud humming noise. The operation stopped after it had made two full rounds, lights dimming and flickering out.

“Alright Naruto.” Shizune said, reaching for the oppressive glasses. “You’re set.”

He gratefully stepped out from under the claw, plucking the buds from before his eyes. It was so stuffy in that thing.

As he set about putting his clothes back on -and grunting at the fact that they were neatly folded- he began to get tense. He hoped, at least, Tsunade would be there. Iruka wasn’t allowed in rooms when such testing went on anymore. Tsunade was the only one who really cared whether he lived or died during these things. He especially hated Orochimaru. Forget it being his job or responsibility, that man took pleasure in causing him pain. There was a sick twist to his lips and a gleeful look in his eyes every time a blade pierced Naruto’s tanned skin.

“I hope I’ll see you soon, Naruto!” Shizune waved. “Bye Naruto, Iruka.”

Naruto waved a hand in parting, whereas Iruka flushed and managed to mumble a farewell.

Each step forward brought him closer to his wing and caused his trepidation to grow. And anger. There always seemed to be an underlying anger now. Security gate through security gate they passed, both Iruka and Naruto abnormally quiet. It was only when they were outside of the T.P. room and Naruto was breathing heavily that Iruka broke the silence.

“I guess it’s time then, Naruto.” he said. Sympathy was clear in his expression. He may have not been allowed to witness it, but he knew what would happen. Naruto didn’t answer. “Tsunade should be waiting inside. I’ll meet up with you tomorrow.”

In a whorl of beeping and scraping Iruka opened the door for him before stalking off to take care of his duties.

‘Well then’, he thought. ‘Let’s get wild.’

It was time to put on a show.

Post Note: Yep. That’s it for this chapter. And I promise Sakura comes into play soon. Did anyone recognize Naruto’s old playmate? Hehe. I was originally going to make the next chapter a continuation of this one, but figured it’d be better if I broke it up into two. Either way, expect that soon. =3.

Please review if you read this. Even if it just one word or a flame. :)

-hanyoupup