Broken and Abused Whats Behind The Mask

The Dark room

"You should know. You wouldn't have felt them since you woke up am I right...

Menma?"

Everything was rushing back into his head. Once again his emotions turned jagged and his insides tight. He remembered seeing Hinata lifeless and dead behind Neji's protection. However. Something else felt wrong and missing within himself. There was a silence to his soul like fall leaves under frost. The chill in his blood, coldness bringing the synapses of his brain to a standstill. Part of it was a pain, yet one he could endure. The only thing that filled the silence was the spring day and the chattering of birds. Menma clutched his head from the throbbing headache however Shikamaru was not bothered by this.

"Headache? Not surprised, Kakashi sensei did quite a number on you" Shikamaru gave a smile after and turned his head to face the open window as the curtains swished in the sea of air. Menma was quite confounded and attempted to remember what had happened before he was knocked out. Shikamaru, with a bored smile, could see Menma trying hard to remember, which made him laugh a little.

"After you cut yourself loose from those ropes we tied you with, Kakashi sensei had pinned you down in the blink of an eye but since you two were high up the impact knocked you unconscious. We were all shocked to see him but after he explained everything, we were able to finally hear some good news since this whole thing started." Shikamaru had a genuine smile of relief as he spoke. And it made Menma's soul ache. 

"What did he say?" Menma asked curiously.

Shikamaru looked to the ceiling above him."He said that the Fifth Hokage was able to send a secret letter to Kakashi and Kurenai sensei. They came to find us immediately but were stopped by some of Orochimaru's henchmen, now that I think about it that's probably why no one was defending the entrance to the cave. heh, guess we got lucky, they must have noticed them pretty quickly and left the cave unattended. Anyways, long story short, they took us back home and well here we are."

"What about your friend?" Menma said with an unintentional sarcasm in his voice.

"Which one. The one who's dying or the one who's already dead, or maybe it's the one who is in mourning, oh it could also be the one who is badly injured or-"

"I get it, I get it, you're all friends blah blah blah," Menma answered quickly hoping that Shikamaru would stop, "I-I meant how's Naruto doing, and well everyone else at that."

"Naruto isn't doing well after landing in Konoha he lost a lot of blood from the impact and well, Hinata as I said is already gone and Neji is obviously not coping well after she was deemed clinically dead. Her family is at the funeral right now" Shikamaru actioned to the scenery outside the window "at least it's a nice day today"

Menma looked at the Konoha village outside his hospital room. He had never seen such blinding rays of sunlight so powerful it could outshine any star in the universe, the leaves whistled and sang in the light breeze which brushed against his pale cheeks. It was so beautiful. He had seen the same village and same scenery every single day yet. Yet. It was as if he had seen a foreign sight as if he was seeing heaven's garden. Children and women laughing without a care in the world. Men roaring in laughter as they told stories of each other. It was all so perfect. 

" 'It's a fine day, from the sunlight to the birdsong, yet what makes it good is having you right here with me.' " Shikamaru's odd words caught Menma's attention, "Do you know who said that?.....no?.....It was Hinata."

Menma frowned and looked at his empty pale bed which seemed to best describe his mood right now. 

"She wrote it a few years ago on Valentine's day. It was meant for Naruto but as always she never did have the courage for that sort of thing." Shikamaru looked at Menma's hidden face attempting to see his reaction.

"But you know it's funny I think" Menma eyed Shikamaru menacingly "that on such a beautiful day like this, brats like you..." Shikamaru turned his head to meet Menma's voidless eyes "...should be burning in hell."

For the first time, Shikamaru spoke with menace in his voice.

"heh," Menma said flatly. Shikamaru contemplated letting him see Naruto but just sighed and stood up straight and began to walk out of the room, he stopped and turned to face Menma.

"You coming?" 

Menma slowly got up unsure of where he was headed but as he exited the room and within a few paces they reached a warning sign that said emergency care with red lights illuminating it. As they entered the dull and darkened room there stood a table with a white mantel on top of which lied a young blonde boy of 12 naked, shivering every so often. Doctors and surgeons were at work closing up the open wounds Naruto had, carefully taking out pieces of thorn from his torso. He had an oxygen mask and attached to his left arm was a blood supply with a young healer at his side constantly providing him portions of chakra. 

"He's shivering." Menma stated to which Shikamaru answered a simple 'yeah'

"It's because he's been stripped of the nine-tails chakra that had kept his body strong for years. Imagine always being resistant to fire then one day it goes away and you burn yourself, your body would be fragile as if it were a baby's skin being touched by lava. He's in pain. He's suffering because of you." Shikamaru explained.

"Yeah, I know he's in pain.  It's obvious."

"We were thinking of telling him, when he wakes up, that Hinata's dead since he wouldn't remember except with everything he's been through. However, we thought that it would be problematic since it could cause him to blame himself and with the whole village ostracising him since he was young doesn't exactly help."

"Look. Those old scars are best left alone unless you've got the time to stick by him, to heal him after you've opened them up. I know it seems kind to ask and enquire, but in this situation, it isn't. Every one of those scars is some terrible pain - "

"-Which is why we do our best to accept people as they are and be compassionate," Shikamaru said firmly. Menma had a surprised look on his face but soon he turned back to face Naruto again. He relaxed his tense shoulders and began to walk out of the room without a further word until he stopped in front of the automatic doors which opened for him and let the light illuminate the dark room.

"Just so you know. That surface conversation he had with Hinata even though I was blocked out I could still hear and feel everything, it wasn't much, but it was something." Menma said and gave a thumbs up to Shikamaru as he continued to walk out.

Shikamaru could have sworn he saw Menma smile. But a smile that reminded him of Naruto. But it was impossible. Menma was a heartless villain.

right?

Hello everyone. so. I may or may not have not updated since like two months ago.......yeah um ok so 1. Exams came up so that took up two weeks of not writing then after I was like ok you have a hell of a time, take a break. But uh, obviously that break lasted WAY too long and welp. here I am. I feel kinda bad since it's two chapters till the end and I was like horray! Can't wait to finish! (In a good way) To be honest I have no excuses since I had plenty of spare time (trust me)

-_- however I hope this chapter was worth it and after I've finished the story I might make a separate page for anyone who wants questions answered about the story just so people reading aren't spoiled anything on the other chapters etc.

Here's my quote of the day and I'll see you next time for the final chapter!

"Imagine a future where you hold no grudges towards anyone. 

You're not angry at past lovers, not bitter about failures, not disappointed by your parent. 

You forgive, send love and move on. 

You're free."