Prologue - Stolen Dream

A quiet whimper could be heard from the cell of one Naruto Uzumaki. He had been doing so since he arrived here. That had been here no longer than a few hours. Even that short time alone filled him with dread. Knowing that he had no idea how long he would be here. Weeks? Months? Years? Just the thought of him spending a single day in this horrible place made him feel so helpless.

"Why? I didn't do anything. Why am I here?" He hit his head into his knees. His body shuddering in pain every time he breathed. He didn't know what was seal around his body that stopped him from using his chakra or the fact that he was still healing from the fight with his best friend. The one who tried to kill him.

Up until several days ago Naruto felt like he was finally exceeding in life. He had the acknowledgement from his friends and peers, a weird new sensei teaching him powerful new jutsus, respect from the new Hokage whom he quickly grown attached to you, he even saved his best friend from turning to one of the Leaf Villages greatest enemies, Orochimaru, and most importantly he kept the promise to the girl he likes most, Sakura. Things couldn't have been better for 's what he had thought at least.

This blissful high unravelled faster than he could blink. His thoughts drifted to this event that sent his world spinning. He was still in his hospital bed, recovering from his fight with Sasuke, than without so much as a warning he was dragged In front of all the important people in Konoha. Going in he had no clue why he was there but the anbu escort said it was important. He had recognized a few faces in the line up because he was friends with some of their children. Of whom, he just survived one of the most dangerous missions he had ever been on.

His body had still been in a lot of pain. His chest feeling like it would tear apart without warning. But he bore with it as the room had an almost unbearable tension to it. It was almost uncomfortably nostalgic for him. Their glares bearing on him more heavily than he had felt in years. He had never seen Tsunade Baa-chan look so serious. Her eyes lacking the usual passive concern he had slowly becoming accustomed to. Truthfully, everything quickly became a blur to him, his ears ringing, and shock paralyzing his body. Words piercing him like a knife to the heart.

'Genin Naruto Uzumaki! You have been formally charged by the ministry of justice under the Fire Daimyo, Lord of the land of Fire and ruler of this country. It has been decided that for the proceedings for these charges you will be placed in confinement in Hōzuki Castle. Also due to these charges your reliability and trustfulness has been put into question and as such are stipped of your status as a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf.'

The words rang through his head over and over. He almost didn't believe them. Like he was hallucinating from the drugs shot into him from the hospital. It was the pain he felt that cast that denial away. The sight of his escort handing over the headband Iruka - sensei gave him the night he graduated. The promise he made to become Hokage taken away from him so easily. It made him feel so frustrated and sad. It made his fist clench so tight they bled.

'What? W-wait! Don't I at least know what i'm being charged with? I swear I haven't done anything!' He managed to finally bite out once he realized he wasn't having a post- traumatic nightmare. The room had grown especially cold after that outburst. Tsunade's face became contorted into a bitter glare.

'Silence! You have no right to speak at this point in time. You will know the charges at your preliminary trial. Only then-.'

'When is my trial then?!' He felt a hand grip his shoulder tightly after his second outburst. He collapsed on the floor gasping in pain as his unhealed injuries came back with a vengeance. Everything hurt. He could barely move except to cough up a glob of blood onto the floor.

'Enough! Get him up.` He wasn't sure who had ordered the guard off him but Naruto was sure it wasn't Tsunade. Like a sack of rice he was hoisted onto his feet. He remembered being so light headed he couldn't see straight but he could hear every heart wrenching word.

'Naruto Uzumaki. Due to the circumstances of the investigation the duration may take years to sort through given all the evidence that has been submitted. Should you be found guilty the punishment will be execution, no question. Should you be cleared of any wrongdoing in this issue you'll be released back into village custody, however…' He remembered that brief moment of silence his heart pounding his chest. A glimmer of hope still held out. It was death if he was found guilty but since he didn't do anything all he had to do was sit tight and wait for his friends to dig up the truth. '...Even if you are found innocent this counsel and the Lord of the Land of Fire fears that your behaviour and unpredictability as a shinobi puts yourself and others at risk. Especially concerning what you hold within you. As such, regardless of the outcome you will be forever barred from being a Leaf Shinobi.'

He remembered his ears ringing. All sound seemed to cease. He couldn't remember what happened after this. He remembered everything going dark, unaware of how long he had been unconscious. The next thing he realized was being carted off in a cage across a wide stretch of water and hauled off to the scariest castle he had ever seen.

The warden, Mui. A tall, gaunt looking man and a real heartless bastard, was even worse. Being called a threat was one thing but being called worthless and no longer of value felt like a punch to the gut to the sentencing the village gave him. He was told that the only two ways he was leaving was either being collected by his home village or by dying. He had shouted his innocence to everyone in the courtyard, hoping someone would at least hear him out. The end result was being blown back into the large gate behind him as his chakra was sealed away.

He was then dragged through the prison. He shuddered as he could hear all the hooting and yelling coming from the dimly lit cages on both sides of him. Arms stretching seemingly to drag him inside whatever hell awaited on the other side of those cages. He didn't even want to think about what happened when they tried to search him. That was just a mere topping on this horrible nightmare.

Now only a few hours later he was curled up in the corner of his cell. Only his tears and the memory of better times to help him drift off to sleep before the nightmare continued.