{Unchained} - SasuSaku Asylum Story

{Criminal Mind}

Shizune had spent the past decade of her life working as senior doctor at the Konoha Psychiatric Institute. Considering her reputation as a professional and as a psychiatrist, seeing Shizune in a straightjacket through a glass screen was an appalling experience for Tsunade Senju, the chief administrator.

Her screams were muffled by the glass screen, but the sight was nothing less than disturbing. Tsunade sighed, and turned to Naruto Uzumaki, the warden of Konoha State Prison.

"How did this happen, Tsunade?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"This is just... unheard of. How is she doing?" Naruto did his best to disguise the anger and disappointment in his voice. He had enough awareness to show compassion in this difficult moment.

"As you can tell, Shizune has seen better days." Tsunade averted her eyes, fixating on a distant spot over Naruto's shoulder, "We're doing what we can."

"How long... um, how many sessions did she..." Naruto was struggling to find words, given his knowledge of how close Tsunade was to Shizune.

"She saw that bastard three times. Three times, and he put her in this state." Tsunade's nostrils flared with barely suppressed rage. "Shizune was - is, our best, Naruto. I don't know what to do."

"Has she, um, said anything?" Naruto was just as angry as her, yet they both tried to maintain their professionalism.

"Just some nonsensical mumbling. I don't know what he did to her, but he managed to put some concerning suicidal thoughts in her head. She had a complete mental breakdown during their third session. We had to send every guard on site. It was a mess."

Naruto glanced at his colleague, struggling to find words of consolation.

"He is a monster, Tsunade. We've known this for a long time. I am sorry your staff has to endure such suffering."

"Naruto-"

"I knew this was a bad idea from the get-go, dammit." Naruto sat down on a hospital bench against the wall, "that son of a bitch should be on death row right now. Ah, the fortune I'd pay to be the one to execute him-"

"Enough, Naruto." Tsunade sat down next to him, finally daring to look at Shizune again through the glass screen. "Enough sulking. You just did your job. It was the court's decision."

"That's the thing! His bastard lawyer played the whole fucking court!" Naruto clenched his fists on top of his knees. "It is disgusting to see the legal power money can buy."

"I have to agree," Tsunade sighed and lit up a cigarette, ignoring the "No Smoking" sign right across from her. "I was shocked to see the verdict. When they caught him at the crime scene, I was convinced that was it. I mean, I was watching the news from my living room, and I remember thinking, 'they got him. It's finally over.' And then-"

"And then the bastard managed to get a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation. God, I hate rich criminals. I wish I could kil-"

"Naruto, take a breather." Tsunade exhaled the smoke, unfazed by the warden's outbursts.

The mental institute had always had close ties to the Konoha prison, often exchanging prisoners and patients back and forth. Naturally, Naruto and Tsunade have been colleagues for most of their respective careers.

"What did Judge Hatake have to say about this?" Tsunade took another pull, fingers shaking from anticipation."

"Uhm, Tsunade, maybe you should focus on Shizune's recovery..."

"Tell me, Naruto. He fucking hospitalized Shizune. They have to take legal action-"

An involuntary twitch pulled at Naruto's eye,