The Memory Keeper (Naruto Fanfic)

Chapter Eleven- Scars

   On the other hand, I felt I should be grateful. At least he was still alive, right? He was okay. He was in Konoha. And just maybe he had a reason to be gone for nearly three months. ((AN: If that time period is off, then please tell me!)) What if he was still in danger of being killed off, and he had been staying away from Konoha to protect me from getting murdered myself? That was an interesting thought, and one I refused to even entertain. I wasn't even going to let my thoughts venture into that subject, though I knew I should think about it. The thought my brother was safe was really one of the only things holding me together, mentally. I wasn't going to ruin it, especially right now, at such a pivotal time in my life.

   As I think of my brother, a painfully familiar memory begins to nag at me, demanding to be re-lived. I have no choice in the matter, it seems, because I'm pulled into it anyway. 

--

   The blade digs deeper into my skin, bringing forth blood. I bite my lip so hard the rust taste fills my mouth, and I swallow it, refusing to make noise. It's pulled closer to me, eliciting more scarlet liquid. I clench my fist, willing the pain to stop. As I knew would happen, it remains.

   "Well?" Masao-nii-san's voice is breathless, echoing in my ear. His grip on my arm tightens even more. "What're you going to do? Just keep being pathetic, huh?" Masao-nii-san was going through another of his 'episodes', and as usual I was the one who he vented his anger to. It never really ended well for me, as I usually ended up physically harmed. Masao-nii-san always was so sorry after it happened, and told me he was 'sorry' and it'd 'never happen again', but it always did. I forgave him each time, though, no matter how much it hurt me to be treated as I was.

   Masao and Kazuo were eight years older than me, and had been on many dangerous and bloody missions. I was only ten, making them eighteen. When I was eight, Masao had already become a jonin and was sent off on several life threatening missions. One time, when he left on an A rank mission, he didn't return for five months. When he finally did come home, something in him had changed. He was never the same again. He had always been ruthless before, but never to the level he was now. If the memories of that mission were triggered, it always set something off in him and he became sadistic and angry. That's likely why I always forgave him-it wasn't his fault. Not really.

   He twists my arm again with one hand, and the kunai is still pressed against my throat. A small gasp slips through my lips. The blood from my lip dribbles down my chin and mixes with the blood from the wound on my neck, trailing down my chest and staining my shirt. He laughs at me. I bite back another yelp as he trails the blade down my neck and to my arm, hard enough to draw thin lines of blood. "Pathetic," he hisses in my ear. His hold loosens on my arm, and the blade moves away from my skin. I know this was a good opportunity to get away from him, but the fear coursing through my body kept me frozen in my position.

   As soon as the blade is from my skin and Masao's hold slackens, a deadly voice says, "Masao. Let her go." I recognize it immediately. Kazuo, my aniki, my savior.

   Masao sighs heavily. "No."

   He's tackled from behind and I'm propelled forward. I spin around dizzily just in time to see Masao-nii-san's reaction. Kazuo-nii-san has him pinned against the trunk of a tree, mere feet away. Masao-nii-san looks furious at first and is struggling to break free, but Kazuo-nii-san's whispering something frantically in his ear, trying to calm him down. As the real Masao comes through, the sane one, it's easy to tell. He looks first at Kazuo, then towards me-and then guilt and shame come crashing down on his features. Tears well up in his eyes, and he looks so broken and guilty.

   "Kimi-chan...imouto...oh, Kami, I'm so sorry," he gasps, body crumbling as he takes me in. I look really bad, I know- blood stained, hair messed up, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and pity. "Kimi-chan...please, forgive me!" He pleads.

   I don't know what to say. Part of me wants to forgive him so much, but the other part doesn't. I'm torn between wanting to hate him and forgive him. This was the worst he'd done to me yet. I give in as I observe his obvious guilt, shame and self-hatred. He didn't even really need to ask.

--

  I'm startled from my memory as the sound of glass breaking processes. I look up, towards the front. A woman is standing there, with a thick sheeting of some sort behind her, pinned in place by kunai. Her hair is purple and she looks fierce, like a perfect kunoichi.

   "Hello, kiddies," she says, smiling impishly. "I'm Anko Mitarashi, proctor of the second phase of the Chunin Exams."

--

   Haa, done! Be prepared for the next phase, kiddies! I totally don't even care if that's what she actually said, or if that's how the exams even worked. I know Kimi was completely out for the whole 'tenth question' thing, but I don't really care about that either:P Let's just assume that she's clear and did what she was supposed to! (I don't plan on changing it, b/c I don't have much time to do so). Anyway, I hope you liked it. Please comment and vote and share opinions.