The Willow Maiden [Naruto]

{46} What Is Betrayal? Unleashed

The rest of the team went back to the village while Naruto, Ruka, Sakura, Kakashi, and Yamato continued the search for Sasuke. But, they ran into Tobi. 

Naruto became angry when he heard what Tobi told him, about Sasuke joining the Akatsuki. So angered by this, Naruto released part of the 9 tails chakra and tried to attack Tobi. But Yamato restrained him. 

While Naruto was being restrained, Tobi took this opportunity to go after Ruka. Seeing this coming, Ruka used her wood style to create a wall between her and Tobi. But, she forgot that he could phase through things so easily. 

Tobi grabbed Ruka by her neck and got behind her, then held her head in a position where he could snap her neck. "Ruka!" Kakashi runs at her, but Tobi tightens his grip, causing her to yelp. 

"Come any closer and I will snap her neck." Tobi tells him. 

"You let her go!!!" Naruto shouts at him. 

"She doesn't belong to you. She belongs with the Akatsuki." Tobi looks at Ruka, who has her eyes shut. "It's time to come home, Ruka. You know that this isn't your place." 

"You are wrong! Let me go!" Ruka shouted while she struggled. Tobi glared at her through his mask and tightens his grip, causing her to yelp again. 

"Don't hurt her!" Sakura shouted. 

"I could never hurt the Akatsuki little flower. It's time for you to come home, Ruka." 

"Īe!" {No!} Ruka shakes her head. 

"Let her go!" Kakashi runs at him with his chidori. Tobi stands in place as he uses his jutsu to escape from Kakashi by creating a portal, with his body swirling. 

"Naruto!" Ruka shouts while extending her hand before completely disappearing with Tobi. 

"No! Ruka!" Naruto shouts while running over to them, after Yamato released Naruto, even when it was too late. "Dammit!" He growls whiel tightening his fist. 

"Hanashite!" {Let go of me!} Ruka shouts when her and Tobi arrived inside an Akatsuki hideout. Tobi threw her to the ground, causing Ruka to grunt. She got up and crawled away. "What do you want from me?!" 

"Such a foolish girl. Did you really think you could leave? And after everything we have done for you." Tobi walks over to the maiden. "You betrayed us." 

"I did not!" Ruka shouts at him. "I went home to the people who loved me!" 

"We took you in and protected you, and this is how you betrayed us." 

"I did not betray anyone. I was brought to the Leaf Village against my will when they came to collect the 1 tails!" 

"And Zetsu came to get you, but you turned him down. What do you call that?" 

Ruka frowns, recalling the memory, as she looked away. "I did not betray anyone... What would I need to come back for?... The Akatsuki has fallen... Everyone has perished."

"Not all of the Akatsuki. We still have Kisame and Zetsu, and new members." 

"New members?" Ruka looks at Tobi with a cocked eyebrow. 

"Come with me." Tobi walks closer to the maiden and grabs her wrist, then yanking her up from the ground. Ruka grunts a bit because of the pain as Tobi grabs her to another part of the hideout. 

"Sasuke? Jugo? Suigetsu? Karin? Kisame?" Ruka sees them as they come into view. 

"Long time no see, kiddo." Kisame smirks at her. 

"They will be joining the Akatsuki." Tobi points to Team Taka. "You will be accompanying them while they will collecting the 8 tails." 

"No!" Ruka rips out of Tobi's grip. "Sasuke, you cannot do this. You will be taking a life away! Do you not understand that!?" Ruka looks at Sasuke with fear. But Sasuke showed no remorse into Ruka's words. "Please, Sasuke. This is not right, and you know that. If this is about your brother, then-" 

"I already know the truth about Itachi." Sasuke cuts her off as he stands out of his chair, then walks over to Ruka. "I know about everything, and you knew. You lied to me. You told me that Itachi didn't tell you anything, but you knew all along." He stops in front of her and grabs her chin while grabbing onto her wrist with his other hand. "I trusted you." 

"Itachi didn't want me to tell you because he was going to tell you himself! He was very sick and he didn't want me to tell you so soon. . . I gave him my word that I wouldn't tell you!"

"You betrayed me!" Sasuke shouts at her, causing Ruka to flinch. 

"I am sorry. . . I wanted to tell you, but I could not. . . I made a promise to Itachi. . . I am sorry, Sasuke. . ." The Maiden frowns while looking down at her feet. 

"Sorry isn't going to help you, Ruka." Sasuke drags Ruka to a room, located somewhere in the hideout, and throws Ruka inside. 

"Nanishiteruno?!" {What are you doing?!} Ruka looks at Sasuke with fear as she backs herself up to a wall. While Sasuke is walking over to Ruka, Ruka's eye widen, seeing Tatsuya walking over to her. With so much panic in her heart and mind, she's seeing things that aren't there. 

"You will side with us." Sasuke says while at the same time Ruka is imagining Tatsuya since he said the same thing to her at some point in time. 

The moment Sasuke is about to touch Ruka, Ruka screams, "No!" while dropping to her knees and holding her head. "I cannot take it anymore. . . Please. . . No more. . ." She whimpered. 

So many things happened all at once. Being held, grabbed, and yanked brought back so many memories when she thought she had recovered from it all. When she thought she had escaped from all of this horrible treatment, she didn't realize that it had stuck with her. 

"Ruka?" Sasuke questioned her actions. The poor Maiden was shaking in fear as old scars and bruises appeared on her body. This made Sasuke's eyes widen with horror. "What's happening to you?" He kneeled in front of her and held her gently, and closely to him. "I scared you, didn't I? I'm sorry." 

Ruka didn't say a word to Sasuke while he held her. "I am sorry. . ." Ruka repeated as she cried in her hands. 

"I forgive you, Ruka." Sasuke strokes the back of her hair while leaning towards her ear, then saying, "Just don't betray me again." 

Ruka sniffled as Sasuke held her close. 'Betrayal. . . What is betrayal. . .? Why?. . . Why must this continue on? When will this abuse end? . . .' She thought, recalling to all the times when she was mistreated. 'What do I have to do?. . . No. . . I know the answer to that. . . I have to kill.' Her eyes glowed red as she slightly pulled away from Sasuke. 

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