The Memory Keeper (Naruto Fanfic)

Chapter Thirteen- Foreboding

   I bite my lip and close my eyes, silently fighting with myself. I couldn't give in, not again like always. He needed to realize that it wasn't okay for him to do this, purposefully or not. Then again, I would be hurting him if I didn't do at least something. I cradle my head in my hands. This was definitely not an easy decision.

   But it was made. Dropping my hands, raising my head and opening my eyes, I find Masao-nii-san still standing there, crying uncontrollably. His head is hanging and his hands are knotted in his hair, yanking and pulling on the silky black locks in frustration. He's mumbling angry words to himself, cursing himself for being 'such a horrible brother'. I swallow hard, reconsidering my decision for a brief moment. I push the indecision away as best I could, though, and I step forward.

   He stiffens in confusion as my thin arms wrap around him. He drops his hands from his head and looks at me, trying to say something. Keeping my expression impassive, I simply shake my head. He gets my meaning, my silent asking him not to say a word. He wraps his arms around me and leans into the hug, still crying quietly.

   "Don't think that it's okay," I tell him, speaking softly. He only nods, understanding immediately.

   "I won't. Promise," he whispers, hugging me harder. In that little moment, I was so confused and torn. Should I forgive him and go against what my brain was telling me not to do? Or should I hold this against him?

--

   Of course, as it just so happened, I never ended up actually making the decision because two days later he, like the rest of my family, was ripped away in one violent pull.

   I suppose that it was sort of strange this was what was running through my mind as I stood before my latest adversary. I was in a tense, ready-to-fight stance next to Sasuke. The snake girl licked her lips with her abnormally long, snake-like tongue. "If you knew he would forget, why didn't you make it shorter?" she asks. 

   "Knew you were underground," Sasuke replies, smirking, "listening to our conversation. So I chose it on purpose."

   "Really," she says, removing her hat, "you're not tired or letting your guard down. This'll be fun. More than I thought. But, you, girl. Who are you?"

   I roll my eyes at her attempt to unnerve me. "None of your damn business."

   She lifts an eyebrow. "Oh, you've got some lip."

   Rolling my eyes again, I tell her, "Guess so."

   She smirks. From her pocket, she pulls out an earth scroll. "You probably want our earth scroll...seeing as how you have a heaven." At this point, she holds the scroll in front of her mouth. Her long tongue flicks out and she swallows the scroll. Once she does, she licks her lips again and comments, "Well, let's begin...the battle for the scrolls."

--

   Just one look into that woman's eyes made my entire body hurt. To see my own death, to feel it, was one of the worst things that had happened to me yet. It would forever be etched into my memory. None of the training Masao-nii-san subjected me to could have prepared me for seeing that. That, like everything else, would stay with me forever.

   "Can't move already?" Her whisper sends shockwaves through me. I couldn't let her triumph over me, especially not so easily. Move, Kimiko, move! Dammit, fucking move! Panic begins to set in, followed quickly by desperation. I don't want to die. I have to move. I have to do something. I'll even use that summoning scroll if I have to.

   Every single fiber of my being echoes with phantom pain. Despite this, I manage to turn my head ever so slightly to see Sasuke's hand inching towards his kunai pouch, extracting a kunai and standing. I will myself to move and little by little, I manage to pull myself to my feet and get a shuriken.

   She casts a dismissive glance to our weapons. "And what are you going to do with that?" She asks, drawing two kunai from her weapons pouch and stepping forward. "Don't even worry. I'll make it quick. Painless."

   She smiles, and with a simple flick of her wrist, sends the kunai straight towards us.

--

   "You're too confident of your abilities for your own good," I chide. At his glare, I roll my eyes and add, "But, I must admit you did save both of us. And for that...thank you. However, do not expect me to owe you for long!"

   He glares and rolls his eyes again. I huff angrily. Such an ass. I look at the wound on his leg before huffing again and withdrawing medical supplies from my pack. I withdraw gauze, medical tape, an antibiotic and a pair of small metal scissors. I glance up at his face. He looks questioningly at the medical supplies, and my pouch. Like he's asking how I fit all of that in there.

   "Bigger on the inside," I respond grimly. Then, ignoring his curious look, I continue, "I am about to patch this up. When we get out of this hell hole, I fully expect you to get this properly looked at. Until then, my skills shall have to suffice."

   "Whatever," he replies, almost flippantly. I roll my eyes at this and with no further warning, promptly reach forward and yank the kunai from his leg. He hisses in pain, and his body tenses up. I smirk but remain silent. His pants were getting in the way, but I wasn't even going to suggest he remove them in order for me to better treat the wound. So I just rip the fabric a bit and I douse the wound in antibiotic cream. The antibiotic cream was thick and smelled faintly of mint. I let it settle for a moment before proceeding to wrap  his entire leg with gauze, winding it around his thin leg several times before cutting the fabric with the scissors and taping it up.

   I lean back and observe my handiwork. I put the tools back in my pouch after a brief glance. We didn't have much time here-we both knew that. We needed to leave. We needed to find Naruto, especially. Before we can make much movement, or even speak, the biggest snake I've ever seen is attacking.

   We both jump back automatically. The snake completely ignores me, instead going after Sasuke.  Sasuke quickly tosses several shuriken, killing the snake. The snake's giant body falls against a tree. I look up at Sasuke-panic was written across his face. Never before had I seen him in such a state. He looked so disoriented and afraid.

   I look back to the snake to see a form emerging from within it, busting out from its skin. My stomach churns as I realize it was the snake girl. "Don't lower your guard...not even for a moment," she hisses, standing. In a fluid movement her body is elongating, winding itself around and around a tree in her efforts to get to Sasuke. She's stopped short as kunai and shuriken embed themselves in the tree before her, blocking her path.

   "Sorry, Sasuke," Naruto chimes. My eyes flicker up to the sound of his voice. He was standing on the trunk of a tree several feet above, his arms crossed over his chest. I roll my eyes, but on the inside I felt relieved. I felt more at ease with two of my boys there. I felt like I had to look out for them, and I felt as if I was responsible for them even though I had only known them for a few short weeks. (AN: I imagine it's been about a month and a half to two months since Team Seven was formed. If you think different, or know different, please tell me in the comments!)

   But even Naruto's appearance wouldn't completely ease the tension in my chest and stomach. I felt almost afraid of what was to come- it was all so uncertain and mixed up. Worst of all, though, I couldn't help but feel I would be revisiting some of my worst memories of all in a very short period of time. Hell, maybe I would even resort to using the mysterious summoning scroll. All in all, I knew it would be a very long next few days.

--

 And finally, the end of the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Like I've mentioned, it would really make me happy if you guys commented(: Please do so, as well as vote. I worked very hard on this chapter!

   Oh, and a word about the titles. Has anyone ever thought about how they are named? *coughcoughcough* they really are very significant *coughcoughcough*