Chapter 18

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 randomly 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. Of course, others were on both sides, but I didn't focus much on them. My grip tightened nervously around my gun.

There wasn't one bullet vest or piece of protective gear in the room, so if one of those rubber bullets hit, it would still hurt like hell. Also, at least two of the more proficient shooters in our group were incredibly upset with me and 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 filled 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 to crouch next to me with a severe 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 again 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 squeaked from beside me, and I turned to see Gaara standing over her with his gun pointed right at her face, a look of murder on his features. I quickly aimed at his chest and shot in a panic until he was forced to the ground.

She whispered with tears in her eyes, "T-Thank you!"

The redheaded boy was shot by a few stray bullets as he hugged his chest, and Matsuri surprised me by diving out to grab him by the shoulders and dragging him behind the crate with us. He growled 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 obviously shook, "Just shut up and lay there!" The young man's mouth clamped closed, and we had to focus back on the battle.

The sound of heavy footsteps was 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 to peek over 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 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 because the bullets I fired had hit her stomach, and the pain was undoubtedly taking its toll on her. My teeth gritted as we struggled, but she gained the upper hand. Just as she could 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 pouring over, "Why won't you trust anyone, Hinata?"

Tears rose in my eyes, and I struggled to find a response, "I…I'm sorry, I-" a searing 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 facing me with Naruto on his bed.

The young man swatted 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 at Ino, who was staring down at her lap with a guilty expression. Her blue eyes lifted to land on mine, and her frown sank 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, right?"

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 to wrap her arms around me. My eyes widened, and I almost moved away in fear, but I ultimately sat there stunned as her shoulders shook, "I was so mean to you! I'm 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 had 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 war game. Tenten was the only person left completely unscathed, which didn't surprise a soul. Her team won, with her, Ino, and Sai standing final.

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

I'd missed a lot of action because I'd been knocked out, though. Apparently, Gaara'd recovered after I parted ways with Matsuri, and the two took one another out. The girl seemed angrier than I'd ever seen 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 they'd become good friends if they met outside of The Program.

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 four 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 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 when we had to fight one another like this, and glanced at each other with unsure gazes.

"Step two: Reach within your partner's chest, one of you at a time, until you feel a warm sensation." Naruto turned to face me apologetically, "Is this safe?" The text didn't respond, 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 undoubtedly sense my unease and hesitated but had to keep going for 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've got it! Now you go."

It was hard to make myself move when it felt like a heavy blanket was actively stifling my life force, 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 surrounded it. I searched blindly for a moment before I felt a heated area, 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 vision distorted.

When I blinked, I was in an unfamiliar room. My body felt weak, and I was starving. 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 but 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 was mine. His feelings were mine.

Despite realizing what was going on, I couldn't control my body. The memory was going to play out how it'd happened in real life, regardless of whether or not I wanted it to. 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 onto my knees to see the rest of the room. My limbs felt heavy like my bones had been replaced with bricks. A skinny man, looking in his forties, was stirring atop 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 onto his feet. Clearly, 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…Just let me go…."

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'd never seen before, and I wanted to scream, fight, cry, and 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 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. He flopped down to tie a rubber strap around his arm before preparing a syringe and sticking it into the crease of his elbow. His eyes drifted closed, and his head fell to rest against the wall. I knew he'd fallen asleep, but I 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 unbuckling 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 I would be forced to endure that awful memory's continuation.

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 hugged me, and I returned it this time, salty tears seeping into his shirt. Nothing I could say or do would change the fact that those terrible things happened to him, which 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 had happened to me, especially at such a young age, I don't think I could have overcome them.

"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 knew I could trust with anything was hurt like that made me feel so helpless. Guilt that I dared 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 the 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 enraged expression on my face.

I sensed his hesitation and made myself 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, which 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 faraway look, "Everything from when 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 we headed out of the training area with the rest of Group B. Looking around, it was apparent 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 didn't want to think about it, or else I'd 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 sighed, "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. "A little over a year 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 she'd been saved in time to not be abused like Naruto had, but I still felt so bad for her. How she shied away from any male that got too close made complete sense now. I'd probably feel the same way if it 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 doesn't ever really talk to me unless he has 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 to look across the room, 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 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 at her, only to quickly avert his gaze when he realized I was watching.

Whether he was a good person or not, one thing was certain. He was lucky to have someone like Sakura as his partner because if it was someone else, they might not have protected his personal business like she just did.

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

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