Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Reading Totems ❯ Chapter 29 ( Chapter 29 )

Author's pre-ramble: Thank you everyone who expressed concern for me with all that's been happening. I'm ok, bruises have all healed. I have a new car, too! Postings will continue to be sporadic though…just as a general warning.

 

A thank you to my reviewers: otakutron, DragonTamer94, TheForsakenOne, tasuki001, Dwarfwarrior, ghostreader14, TheRavenQuoth, sotobell, interestingstuff, mousetrap, DemanFox, Simply Me, jadedkatrina, Alexeihowe

 

I'm a bad, bad evil author…

 

Title: Reading Totems

By: GrizzlyTeddyBear

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and this makes me sad. I do own Paige Stone, my OC! All information regarding animal totems was taken from the books Dancing The Wheel by Sun Bear and Animal Speak by Ted Andrews.

Main Pairings: ShinoxOC, NaruxHina, SasuxSaku

Rating: M for mentioned adult themes

Warning: AU, Post-series start time. Rookie 9 is 23-24 years old. Fic mentions pagan religions, if you can't handle it, don't read! Also is OC-centric. Hold your pants, all will be revealed as the story progresses. I like to take my time.

 

Chapter Summary: When mercy, isn't merciful…

 

*** Chapter 29 ***

 

She decided against answering the question of her readiness made by Hoshiro. It was obvious that it didn't matter if she was ready or not. The Hoshikage would ask her questions as it pleased him to do so. Paige would have to bide her time, stay alive, and find a means of escape. Taking a moment to look around the room, she noticed it was unfurnished, except for the two chairs she and Hoshiro occupied. Masa took up position to her left, and the bodyguard took position next to his Kage. There was only one other door besides the one she came through to come into the room. There were no windows. The room was lit with torches hung on the walls.

 

Hoshiro finally gave up waiting for her to respond. “You're probably wondering why you were brought here.”

 

Paige nearly gave a sigh of relief. It was to be a match of wits first. She was ok with that. “You need me to help you wage war on Konoha. You think I will give you information. The isolation of location suggests you wanted somewhere that no one would have to hear anything if I don't answer you and decide to use…other methods. It also suggests you are enjoying your new political status as an official Kage. If people knew what you were up to they wouldn't stand for it.” She was happy her voice remained steady. After all, that one statement pretty much hinted that she knew this wasn't going to be a…pleasant visit.

 

“Very good. You do understand. We'll begin with the basics.” Hoshiro smiled. “Your name is Paige Stone.”

 

Shrugging her shoulders, she answered, “Yes.” There didn't seem to be any harm in confirming what wasn't a secret.

 

“You're origins are unknown.”

 

“I know my origins quite well,” she retorted. Paige did not want him thinking she would just roll over for him.

 

“You're abilities are previously unheard of.”

 

She raised an eyebrow and decided to attempt her own information gathering. “I could say the same of your shinobi.”

 

The Hoshikage's eyes flickered towards Masa.

 

Paige's world exploded into one of pain, and she found herself knocked off the chair by Masa's backhanded blow. He had been so fast she hadn't been able to brace herself, and her head had actually bounced off of the wooden floorboards. Calling on her grizzly bear totem, Paige struggled to her feet, righted the chair from its position on its side, and sat down again. The reaction had told her one thing. She had found something. She was also pretty sure, she had earned herself a concussion.

 

“If you wish to avoid more, I suggest you refrain from such a rude tone in the future,” reprimanded Hoshiro.

 

“You have not earned my respect.” Paige wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, and came away with blood. The metallic taste had to go. She spat a mouthful of blood on the floor. “You will never earn my respect.”

 

A hand grabbed her hair and jerked her head backward. “How about we earn your fear?” Masa asked with the strangest look of anticipation in his eyes.

 

Her heart was racing, her eyes wide. Masa had earned her fear long before this point.

 

“Masa.” Hoshiro commanded. “Enough.”

 

And with those two words, Masa let go.

 

“I suggest you give me the information I want, my dear. Otherwise I will give you over to Masa until he breaks you in,” was the nonchalant threat made by Hoshiro.

 

She again called on the calming ability of her grizzly bear totem. Paige debated giving in to her fears and escaping now using her totem's ability to attack physically, but decided against it. She needed information to protect Konoha, and running away would not give her information. She called on another ability of her totem. “Konoha is mine to protect.” She made sure the determination showed in her eyes. “Masa may succeed in breaking my body, but you will never get the information you seek. Did Danzo realize he was making a deal you would never honor? That you wouldn't stop until Konoha was destroyed, not just tested for strengths and weaknesses?”

 

Another flash of eyes towards Masa.

 

Once again Paige was knocked to the floor faster than she could react to brace herself. He had hit the same spot on the side of her face. Unable to concentrate through the pain, Paige clutched her head, trying to regain some control. She felt breath next to her ear.

 

“I want to know the defensive plans of Konoha against invasions, and you will give them to me. You are their weakness. You know too much,” whispered the Hoshikage.

 

Opening her eyes at the accusation of her weakness, Paige spat the next mouthful of blood in his face. “Weaknesses are strengths waiting to be tapped. That which yields is not always weak.”

 

Finally, Hoshiro's control broke. His rage finally surged to the surface. Coming to his feet, he walked towards his bodyguard. “Lock her up for the night.” Hoshiro next faced Masa. “You can have her tomorrow.”

 

***

 

The bodyguard still felt of conflict and resignation as he man-handled her through the other door to the room. Paige wasn't expecting what was on the other side. It was another cave, but from the torches that hung on the walls, it looked like this one had been helped along by human hands. It wasn't just a simple cave either, looking along the corridor; Paige noted the doors on either side.

 

Paige also wasn't expecting the change of behavior from the bodyguard either. Once the door shut behind them, he gently guided her down the passageway and helped minimize her stumbling. “It would have been easier to tell him what he wanted to know.”

 

“It would only have been easier for me, not for the ones I wish to protect,” she responded. It was too dark to see inside the doors they were passing by. Finally they stopped at the end of the corridor.

 

The bodyguard leaned her against a wall while he unlocked a door to their right. “Get in.”

 

Obediently, Paige walked into what was now easily identified as a cell. There were no torches. The light from those in the corridor made the shadows dance. The room was carved from rock and held no comforts save for the bucket in the corner which Paige assumed was to be a chamber pot.

 

He hesitated before closing the door. “Forget those you want to protect. Save yourself tomorrow.”

 

Giving him an assessing look, she grabbed onto his arm and asked, “What is your name?”

 

He looked down at her hand on his arm. “Why would you care to know the name of your kidnapper?”

 

“Because your heart isn't in this. You obey orders, but not because you believe in what Hoshiro says.”

 

His eyes widened. “How?”

 

Paige took a risk and decided to trust this man. She needed allies, maybe he would be one. “I can feel it.”

 

He drew back his arm, and closed the door. “My name is Sumaru, and you would do well to obey Hoshiro-sama as well. Masa is not as kind as I am.”

 

And with those parting words, he left her to whisper to no one in particular, “I know.” Paige hoped she had not made a mistake. He had given her his name.

 

She decided to pass some of her time by trying to gain some information of her own. Making herself as comfortable as possible in the corner farthest from the door, she settled into meditation. Serving Konoha meant she needed to stay alive and gather information on the enemy.

 

***

 

It shouldn't have been surprising. Calling on her ravens was laughingly easy. The pull of the ravens from Masa and Hoshiro called to her own. Paige begged for information on Hoshiro, the strength of Hoshi shinobi, and any other information that would keep her alive.

 

There was a flood of information that came in response. The pain from her jaw and head combined with the disorientation from the concussion proved to be challenges in processing all that her ravens could gather for her.

 

She first learned of one named Akahoshi. He was proud and arrogant in his belief that he would make Hoshigakure a power to be feared by the other shinobi villages. Paige watched and listened as a raven showed her images and whispered his tale to her. Akahoshi was willing to destroy his own shinobi in order to make himself more powerful. The star. The namesake of the village. It gave great power at great cost.

 

Paige watched and listened as another raven told her of Akahoshi's downfall. She smiled as she watched a young Naruto and Neji. Her attention was drawn to someone else…Sumaru. He had been there. He had seen. Why would he aid someone so similar to Akahoshi?

 

And then her answer was brought to her. Hoshiro, he had been there as well. He had watched Naruto, with the help of a spirit, destroy Akahoshi…his father. It was the beginning of his rage, and his hatred of Sumaru. Hoshiro had been planning his chance to become the Kage and gain his revenge. Paige had to grudgingly admire his determination. He had kept his plan hidden for so long. And then he finally became Hoshikage, manipulated Sumaru into helping him somehow, and discovered another star.

 

Paige's questions of the amazing abilities of the Hoshi shinobi were answered. This star had been well hidden; it did not create the toxic environment of the first one. It had been surrounded by forest until Hoshiro stumbled upon it. She watched as Hoshiro favored Masa as his student and exposed him to the star the most…his natural ruthlessness and limited emotions became enhanced by the chakra levels the star granted him.

 

Returning from her meditation, she had found some of her answers. Paige had information to help Konoha defend herself. But she had not found piece of mind to quiet her fears.

 

***

 

The next morning, harsh lighting awakened her. Paige shrank back, trying to shield her eyes.

 

“Hold still,” a voice soothed. “I want to check your concussion.”

 

“Sumaru?” she questioned. She opened her eyes, but it was hard to make out anything beyond the torch he held in his hand.

 

“Yes.”

 

Staring ahead, she allowed him to check her pupils.

 

“You still have a concussion.” He assisted her to her feet and began leading her down the corridor back to the room she `talked' with Hoshiro in. “I'm to bring you to Masa. It would be wise if you gave up your information. You're body is not trained to take a lot of damage.”

 

“We had this discussion yesterday,” Paige returned. “And if you care enough to check my concussion, why don't you care enough to get me out of here?”

 

“He has my wife.” Sumaru opened the door and his demeanor changed again. What was a supportive hold became a rough throw into the room.

 

Paige struggled to remain upright through the nausea the sudden movement caused.

 

“She's yours for the day,” he growled at Masa, and then left the room.

 

Paige Stone was now alone in a room with the one person who could actually strike fear to the very core of her being. Slowly, she made herself look him in the eyes. The hard part was not looking away.

 

“I think you look beautiful.” He stalked towards her. “A definite improvement over yesterday.” His hand reached out to caress the bruised cheek he had struck yesterday.

 

Stepping back, she swung at him.

 

Masa caught the punch easily. And slowly increase the pressure he exerted on her hand. “That wasn't nice.”

 

“Fuck you!” she yelled and was then forced to her knees as pain and the loud popping of her fingers breaking in his grasp registered at the same time.

 

“I've been told to use that as a last resort, but if you keep insisting, I might end up being persuaded,” was the cold whisper in her ear.

 

Unable to suppress a shudder, Paige decided silence was her best option. However, she couldn't help the whimper that escaped, when Masa used his grip on her broken hand to haul her back to her feet. When she had regained her footing, he transferred his grip to her forearm.

 

“What are the plans Hoshiro-sama needs to defeat Konoha?”

 

Paige kept her silence.

 

Masa didn't repeat the question; his face just broke into a grim smile as he gradually increased the pressure and angle of his grip on her forearm.

 

Another sickening sound of breaking bones.

 

She let out a gasp this time, and again her knees went weak from the increase in pain.

 

However, unlike last time, Masa held his grip on her arm, so that her full weight was being supported at the point of fracture.

 

Paige let out a scream in agony.

 

“You have such a beautiful voice.”

 

Thinking there was a pattern, she wondered how many broken bones it would take her to not be able to regain her feet. Sumaru had been right about her. She had not trained to withstand interrogation or torture. Paige wrapped her grizzly bear totem around her. He couldn't give her physical protection because she still couldn't bring herself to take a life, directly or using her totem. Even if she managed to take him out, she had no idea of the security outside. She needed someone who had inside knowledge. She needed Sumaru.

 

Masa interrupted her thoughts. “Have a seat.” Dragging her over to a chair by her broken forearm emphasized that it was not an optional activity. He made sure to throw her so that she needed her injured arm to brace herself from falling over.

 

Another spike of pain lanced through Paige. Slowly, she dragged herself into a sitting position on the chair.

 

The next hours proved some of Paige's thinking wrong. Masa did not break anymore bones. Instead, he went about the rest of the interrogation in a slightly more subtle fashion. He would ask her questions regarding the defenses of Konoha. And when Paige would refuse to answer the question, he would slap her hard enough to knock her from her chair, but not as hard as he had the previous day. No. Today he made sure to place and time his blows with precision. The blow would come at a speed which would allow her body to go into its natural reaction of placing her hands out to brace her fall. And each and every blow was placed to ensure it was her broken arm that took the brunt of the force of breaking her fall.

 

At first, Paige was able to pick herself up, right her chair, and regain her position in the chair as she had with Hoshiro yesterday. But the constant bombardment caused a constant increase in pain. It took her longer and longer to regain her seat. And she had to listen to Masa's goading longer as a result. It was the times when Masa deemed she had taken too long, and his taunting stopped, that she learned to fear the most.

 

Masa would then ruthlessly kick her in the ribs and stomach.

 

Paige would struggle between wanting to protect herself from the blows and trying to take her seat in the chair. Instinct told her to curl up and protect herself. However Masa's kicks would only stop when she would reach for the chair, and struggle against the pain to regain her seat.

 

After the day with Masa was over, Paige was taken back to her cell by Sumaru.

 

“You didn't tell him what he wanted to know.”

 

She gave a dry chuckle, “I told Hoshiro that he wouldn't get the information he sought.”

 

Once inside the cell, Sumaru again checked her injuries. “Bruising, severe internal and external.” He pushed lightly on her stomach.

 

Paige let out a hiss of pain.

 

“Still soft, no internal bleeding yet.” He gave Paige an unreadable look. “He could make this last days. The breaks are clean, minimal splintering. No breaking of the skin, minimal chance of immediate infection and sepsis.”

 

Allowing him to assist her to lie back, she sent up a quick prayer for guidance and courage. Her answer came in the form of a whispered name from a raven. “Natsuhi.”

 

Sumaru stumbled upright quicker than she would have given him credit for. “Wh-what did you say?”

 

Struggling to prop herself up to keep better eye contact with the bodyguard, Paige elaborated. “Natsuhi, your mother…she didn't want a life of pain for you.”

 

Turning and shutting the door on the injured Paige, Sumaru answered her through the bars covering the small window on the door. “What choice do I have?” And walked away.

 

***

 

The next day Masa proceeded to pick away at Paige again. This time it was her leg, and he wasted no pleasantries. Within minutes of Sumaru throwing her into the room containing Masa, two swift kicks were delivered. The pain of falling to her knees with two breaks in one leg, and then attempting to brace herself with her arm that had similar fractures, cause Paige to scream out.

 

The rest of the day went similarly. Although instead of repeatedly backhanding, Masa would kick Paige's chair out from under her. Again kicks to her abdomen would rain down until she managed to crawl back to the chair, right it, and regain her seat.

 

Afterwards, Sumaru brought her back to her cell, and again checked her injuries. “Breaks are still clean, although you probably have tissue damage from him forcing you to use your broken leg and arm.”

 

Another raven whispered to Paige, as if it sensed Sumaru was someone to be trusted.

 

“Your wife. You said Hoshiro had your wife,” she ground out between clenched teeth. Pain was Paige's constant companion now.

 

Sumaru only nodded.

 

“I'm sorry. He had her killed.”

 

He said nothing in response. The only reaction was a careful blanking of his features, before he got up, and locked Paige in her cell again, to be alone with her thoughts. Sleep would be her only comfort away from the pain now.

 

***

 

The next day it was Masa who came to her cell. Paige was crestfallen, it looked like Sumaru had taken the news she gave him about his wife worse than she feared. Closing her eyes, she gave a sigh of frustration and hopelessness. Hearing Masa muttering something under his breath, she quickly reopened them to determine what kind of danger she was in. After all, they hadn't even left her cell yet.

 

“I like the look of fear in your eyes.” Masa closed his own eyes. “Fear and pain.” He reopened them to reveal a look of reverence. “Today I have something special for you.”

 

Her eyes were drawn from Masa, to the still open door of her cell as a guard she hadn't previously seen, brought in a form she would have recognized anywhere.

 

He was covered in bruises, his one arm bent at an unnatural angle at the elbow. His leg was broken, and she could see the white of bone protruding from his lower leg.

 

Paige couldn't help her reaction. Reaching out her good arm, she called softly to him, “Shino?” A tear escaped to slowly roll down her check.

 

Masa smiled. “Today, we're going to finally break you…” He began to laugh darkly, “By killing him.” Calmly, he produced a kunai, and similar to the Chunin Exams, the kunai appeared to flicker from his hand to protruding from under Shino's chin. His body fell to the ground… It was limp…lifeless…

 

A wordless scream of pain and heartbreak was her only outward reaction.

 

***

 

Author's post-ramble: …don't hurt me?