Sight and Sound

Hate Akatsuki

Her brother took her hand and pulled her roughly toward the door of her room. She recoiled at his touch for the first time. This wasn't like him, and it scared her. He motioned to her with his hand silently. She tried to tell him no, but he clamped his hand over her mouth. "We must be silent if we want to live." This only frightened her more, but trying to obey her brother, Aster stifled her whimpering. They jogged out into the hallway and began to rush down the stairs. She wasn't balanced enough to make it down the stairs at this pace. She tripped and fell four stairs before her brother caught her. Panicked, he picked her up and began to continue on. She was not a small child anymore, and refused to be carried. "Hikaru put me down!" Aster protested. She shoved her way out of his arms, despite his efforts to hold her. "Heh, heh," the laugh came from a dark corner of the bare living room. A figure in an Akatsuki cloak emerged from the shadows with a bandaged sword. "So, you think you can deceive Akatsuki?" The figure unsheathed the sword. Aster trembled at the sight of it. It stood taller than her or Hikaru. Hikaru chuckled in an undertone, "Guess I didn't do such a great job." "Don't worry I'll take care of her for you anyway.." the shadow's voice was menacing. "Then I'll deal with you. You know too much, Hikaru-san.." Her brother's eyes widened in anxiety. "No, you won't!" He said, assuming a defensive stance in front of her. "Hikaru-niisan! Don't!" Aster tugged at the corner of his shirt. He turned to comfort her quickly before the silhouette could attack. He tried to say something, but stopped short when he saw the look of terror in her eyes. She trembled and stared fixedly at something behind him. Hikaru turned just in time to jump in the way of the sword. The stab was meant for Aster, but Hikaru shielded her with his body. The sword pierced the backside of his body and spattered his blood on her. Her body became numb as she remembered what had driven them to associate with such people. It was like dejavu. "Run!" Hikaru called to her. Aster stood immobilized. The figure was now half shown in the light to be part shark. Aster screamed. The shark-creature tried to dislodge the sword from Hikaru's body, but he held onto it. As the blade bit into his hands, blood dripped to the floor. Senses heightened by fear, Aster heard the drop of it as it fell to the wooden planks beneath their feet. "Run!" Hikaru cried, straining every thing left in his dying body. It was too much for a girl, only ten years of age. Aster needed no more prompting as she dashed out the door.

Aster awoke to daylight. The same dream again. It was unnerving to find his head band clutched in her hand. Pain flooded her consciousness, followed by hate. She could take it no more. She was leaving today, continuing her journey. She could tell Jiriaya and Naruto who she really was, if they remembered the killings that almost copy-catted the Uchiha Massacre. They would almost surely try to capture her, but she could escape.

Without hesitation, she dressed and put her mist head band back on. She felt no love or compassion for this village either, but it was the origin of her blood line. Prepared for the uncomfortable task ahead, Aster confidently swung her door open. She stood for a moment, shocked to find another bad dream waiting to resurface.

The sharkman from her dream stared back, Jiriaya and Naruto at his sword. Fear, sadness, anger, hurt, and most of all, hate injected themselves into her veins. Her heart beat faster and she whipped the short sword on her back out in blinding speed. Her eyes locked on him, she did not look to see who else was in the hallway.

"You die now," she hissed, straight to the point.

He only laughed at her, the same way he had at Hikaru. Her blood ran cold.

"This is for my brother!" she cried as she rushed at him. He easily blocked her slice and redirected her into the wall behind him. She skidded to a halt, facing him, eyes flashing.

"And which one was he? There were so many," he said lightly.

"You don't remember Hikaru Sukkeynumm? The one who attempted to betray Akatsuki?" her voice became shrill without warning.