A few minutes earlier in Naruto's mind...
"Now shut up before I kill you with my own hands." Menma then slowly disappeared as he took over Naruto's body, leaving Naruto and Kurama alone. She was ticked off at Menma's comment but even more ticked off that Naruto was just allowing things to happen.
"Oi kit, do you plan on staying here, or do you want save yourself from a gruesome death at the hands of...well two monsters" There were two monsters in this current situation Menma and Orochimaru either one would kill Naruto eventually.
"It's not like I want to be here you know" Naruto replied a little quiet averting his eyes from hers.
"I never wanted this to happen, this wasn't supposed to happen. I just want everything to go back to normal -tebayo" Naruto was sitting down in the now ankle-length water burying his face in his knees trying to escape into nothingness, an endless abyss. As he looked back up a few moments later he was met with an odd smile from Kurama who was staring out in space, he was very confused as to why, and was offended by this. Was Kurama actually enjoying this? Was all that talk back in Konoha and what she said just now a lie? Did he finally reach the point that even Kurama was approving of this? "What's with that look?"
"You're smiling, why?"He stuttered before continuing "Why haven't you done anything? Do you actually want this to happen?" Naruto said with a little more force than intended.
"I'm smiling, because it's been a long time since you said that annoying word. I don't know if it means you're finally willing to break out of this hellhole or whether it's just a habit" Naruto wasn't aware of this, he was probably so used to screaming and yelling the past few days he forgot how much he used to say "dattebayo", preaching about being the Hokage. heh sounds like such a long time ago now that he properly thinks about it.
"You obviously don't want to be here, so try harder kit, you'll regret it if not" Naruto was fully aware that he wanted to get out badly but was too weak to really confront Menma right now. He was tortured for days on end never getting a break with constant strains to his body, not exactly wise to fight a very powerful enemy created from your own hate when you can barely stand up now is it?
"Kurama?" She eyed Naruto with curiosity but was attentively listening.
"Do they even know I'm gone?" Naruto's question resonated deep within the cage. Not just because of the silence but because of the hard truth that almost a week has passed...... .........and no one has come.
"I think that deep down if you still think life's worth living, you know the answer to that, you're in pain. What you lost, is the same thing that can stop that pain" Naruto pondered this thought, he wasn't quite sure how to react to this for he wasn't even sure what Kurama even meant.
What I lost.....
At this moment the water began to violently tremble and rise to the ceiling almost drowning him in his thoughts.
Meanwhile back in Konohagakure...
Shikamaru was strolling around the village when he suddenly remembered that Tsunade-sama had ordered him to once again tell Naruto to see her. It was bothersome to do it every day for the past week when it was obvious Naruto didn't seem to want to come out of his apartment however he didn't have much of a choice. As he walked towards Naruto's house he passed Sakura's house who you can tell was having a disagreement with her parents which bothered him greatly since it was so loud it disturbed everyone in the area. Sakura came running out of the house slamming the door on her way out to find a lazy Shikamaru outside.
"Shikamaru? What are you doing-" she was cut off by her parents yelling and ordering her to come back into the house. He decided to use this opportunity to ask her if she has seen Naruto lately so that she could tell him about the Hokage's orders rather than himself however as soon as he opened his mouth he was dragged away into the alley by Sakura.
"Walk with me" Sakura was obviously angry at something but Shikamaru wasn't bothered to figure out why so he just followed her instead of resisting but she kept a tight grip on him in case he decided to up and leave.
When they finally ended up in the children's playground near the academy Shikamaru took his seat on one of the swings while Sakura took the other but instead of sitting was standing up rocking back and forth. It was almost dusk and Shikamaru had to do many things before the day ended and therefore decided to get this over and done with.
"Look this is such bother but could you ask Naruto to-"
"It's all been about Naruto these days, Naruto this, Naruto that. Honestly! an idiot like that causing trouble around the village, hmph I could even say the village would be at peace if he just left. Why can't people like my parents actually understand and appreciate me? You know sometimes I look at Naruto and envy the freedom he has with no parents. He can do whatever he wants and always get away with it!" Shikamaru was furious at her for what she had just said. Was she that ignorant to those around her that she couldn't appreciate the lucky things that she has? He could not let this go and decided to finally put her in place, something that was very overdue.
"I think that's enough"
"Don't tell me even you are going to take their side now?!" Sakura jumped off the swing glaring at him.
"That's not what I'm saying" Shikamaru slowly stood up and put his hands in his pockets and sighed, "Do you even know where Naruto is?"
"hmph, No I don't and I don't particularly care, that so-called ninja can take care of himself" Shikamaru gave Sakura a foul look before speaking again.
"You're really annoying you know that? Lifes too short to wake up with regrets. You have to love the people who treat you right, forgive the ones who don't, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it" Sakura felt disturbed by his words. She looked down at the grounds before answering Shikamaru with sorrow in her words.
"I'm sorry" Shikamaru raised his eyebrow.
"Don't apologize to me. I'm not the one you insulted for not being "brought up right." Anyways I'm heading to Lady Hokage because unlike you, I care whether or not Naruto is even here." Sakura was a bit shocked to hear these words.
"W-What do you mean?" Shikamaru explained how Naruto was not present in the village since no one has seen him for days, he finally decided something was not right and was to report this to Tsunade. Shikamaru left without another word leaving Sakura alone with her thoughts, she began to shed tears as she realizes how much of a fool she was being so cruel to Naruto when no one even knows where he is right now.
Shikamaru knocked on the Hokage's office door to hear a faint come in and so proceeded to enter. Tsunade was writing and checking some paperwork when she greeted him without even glancing at him, therefore to attract her attention he began with
"Naruto" in a tone that quickly made Tsunade stop what she was doing and gently place her work down. Tsunade signaled him to continue,
"Has been kidnapped."
That was A LOT longer than intended but I got the main points I wanted in this chapter so that's all good. I've been thinking of an uploading schedule and so far I think I can upload every day unless something comes up where I will let you know beforehand.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and so I present to you the ending quote:
"Be careful with your words,
they can only be forgiven,
not forgotten"