The Willow Maiden [Naruto]

{30} What Do You Remember?

After the rescue of Gaara, and bringing him back to life and returning him to his village, the Leaf Shinobi returned to their village. Ruka was still under Kakashi's genjutsu while Naruto was carrying her on his back. 

Her eyes were half open while looking at the ground, still wearing the Akatsuki cloak. "How is she?" Sakura frowns while looking at Ruka on Naruto's back. 

"She will be fine, but it wasn't easy trying to talk to her. All she could do was defend for herself since she thought that Naruto and I were going to kidnap her." Kakashi replies. 

"I don't blame her. . ." Naruto adds, frowning. "Because she has no memory of us, she thinks that the outside world is a dangerous place. . . Just like back then. She's afraid." 

As they return to the leaf village, Ruka was taken to Tsuande. Squad 7, Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi were there in case Ruka decided to escape.

"She's different. Her hair has changed color." Tsunade comments on Ruka's  appearance. "I assune she's under a genjutsu?"

"Yes." Kakashi nods. "She wasn't going to listen for reason, so I thought putting her in a genjutsu was the best option."

"Release the genjutsu on her."

"Yes, Ma'am. . . Release!" Breaking the genjutsu, Ruka slowly blinks and looks up to the person she's standing in front of. When she realizes that she's not with Zetsu, or in the Akatsuki hideout, she begins to panic.

"No!" She shouts and runs, but Kakashi grabs her arm to prevent her. Ruka drops to her knees and trembles with fear as she starts to cry. "Please, do not hurt me. . . ! I want to go home! Please, let me go!" 

"That's not going to happen, I'm afraid. But we're not going to hurt you, Ruka. I just want to ask you a few questions. Pleasw try to calm down." Tsunade frowns at the sight of Ruka behaving this way. Given her backstory, Tsunade knows how frightening this is for Ruka. "Can you tell us what you remember?" Tsunade questions.

"I-I remember fighting with somebody. . .in the Land of Snow. . . Doto. . . A-After his defeat, I woke up in the Akatsuki hideout. . . S-Someone claimed that they saved me. . ." Ruka speaks honestly as she continues to tremble.

"Do you remember anything else? About being in the leaf village?"

"Y-Yes. . . Zetsu told me that he rescued me from the village and found my flower near the KIA stone. . . I saw my crown that Mother gave to me. . . But that is all I know, I swear! I don't have any memory of being in this village except for that one time! Please. . . Let me go home. . ." 

"You are home, Ruka." Naruto tells her, but Ruka shakes her head. 

"This is not my home! My home is with the Akatsuki!" The maiden shakes her head in denial, scared out of her mind. "But it is you that I remember for some reason. . ." She looks at Naruto. "I do not know why but you are the only person who is in my memories, yet I have no idea who are. . . I do not want to be here. . . Please, let me go home. . . I beg of you. . ." Ruka tears up and hangs her head. 

Tsunade sighs and looks at the group, then says, "She will need time to remember. She will be staying with you, Naruto, she seems to recognize you. Will you take care of her?" 

"I'll take care of her and help her regain her memory. You can count on me." Naruto gives Tsunade a thumb up. 

"Very good. Please see to that she recovers. You may go." Tsunade dismisses the group. 

"Come with me, Ruka." Naruto offers his hand to her with a gentle smile. Ruka is hesitant at first, but gently takes his hand and takes Ruka back to his house. 

It was uncomfortable for Ruka to be staying at somebody's else's home when she can't remember them. She just wanted to home, but looking at Naruto made her feel warm and secure. {Who are you? . . .} She questions within her thoughts. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~