Winter's P.O.V
I gasped, sitting up. "What?! What the heck Haku you can't just spring that on me!" I shouted at the not-so-human-Haku.
He looked apologetic and he put his hand on my arm and I felt a comforting sensation wrap around me. "You said you wouldn't freak out," he said with a small smile on his young face. "Oh well, it can't be helped." The comforting sensation wrapped tighter around me and my vision grew foggy. Haku's face blurred in front of me as I felt the world tip and I was out like a light.
"Many years ago, we were a great nation, living among the ninjas as an equal race." Haku's voice lifted me through the haze and I saw a thriving village full of happy people. They all had the same eyes as Haku, and they were laughing and hanging out with the ninjas. The sky was a rich blue, not a cloud in sight. "We were a wealthy people, using our talents to thrive and make ourselves known to the outside world. Many of the women were married to feudal lords and Kages, our race was the best of the best."
I saw pictures of beautiful women with Haku's eyes on the arms of powerful men, the couples all looked happy and blessed. "Of course, the happiness our race held was not meant to last." Suddenly the blue skies turned black and the ground was stained red. "Our kind was slaughtered for our gift. Our gift that once was cherished became hunted. We no longer held the fate in our hands, people wanted to change their fate. They believed our race was a curse."
Images flashed in front of me, pictures of men killing their wives, children screaming as their fathers went after them. Ninjas trapping the race in a building doused in spirits and set alight. Horrific images of Haku's race being hunted and killed. "I was the only one who escaped." Haku's voice cracked. I saw a loving mother and father looking at their child with broken hearts. They hid him just in time as ninja came and killed them.
I felt Haku's tears as the fog lifted and I wrapped my arms around him as I thought about the images Haku had just sent through my mind. "What was-is your gift?" I asked the boy with eyes as golden as the sun.
His eyes looked into mine as he whispered, "The Akatsuki want to use my gift for their well being, I refuse to allow them to use it... but I'm positive they will try to make you use me."
"Use you? Haku I don't understand, what's your gift?" I said appalled.
"I have the gift of sight, I can see the future. I am a Seer, not human. I am the last Seer in the world and I intend to protect my gift, not a curse, with my life." Haku's eyes became determined and I didn't doubt for a second that he was telling the truth.
"I'm still a little confused, if you, Seers, could see the future, how come you guys didn't protect yourselves from the ninja?" Tears welled up in Haku's precious eyes.
"That's the only weakness to our gift of sight, we can't see our own future unless we are in somebody else's future. None of us could have foreseen our deaths, none of us knew what was coming. For some reason I trust you, Winter, you're the first human I've trusted since..."
"I understand Haku. I will protect you and your gift with my life, okay? I promise to never let any harm come to you." I finally understood why this child at such a young age seemed so experienced. Seeing horrors like that at a young age would most definitely age you. I felt an urge to protect Haku, and I would, I owed it to him.
Protecting Haku meant not following through with the plans to kill Orochimaru, I had to stay alive no matter what, I would be of no use to Haku dead. Hurry Sasuke, I need your sorry ass.
Sasuke's P.O.V
I know it's up ahead, I just know it. I have been walking in the same direction for about two days and I have this feeling that she's close. I have no idea how or why but I think she needs me. Grunting I push my legs harder and start running.
I'm coming, Winter, wait for me.
Winter's P.O.V
I cross my arms in front of my chest and give Pein my best don't-mess-with-me stare. It was kind of hard with his purple, swirly eyes. I was afraid that if I stared at them for too long I would get hypnotized - or worse. I had been holding my breath waiting for Pein to deliver his best lead in line for the lecture he was about to give me. Surely he should have known that I figured a way to get out of his dungeon.
"We need you to do something for us Winter."
That was it?! I let out the breath I was holding and tried to stop myself from laughing. "Like I haven't heard that one before." Before I could say anymore Pein cut me off,
"Shut up and listen. It has to do with the boy you are friends with. Haku."
"No." My voice went deep and my eyes met him in a piercing lay-off stare.
"No? You don't have a choice in this." He put his hands on the desk and brought his eyes level with mine. I squinted trying to protect my eyes from whatever hypnosis he was currently trying to work on me. Pein looked momentarily startled and then he squinted his eyes exactly like I had.
Oh, two can play this game.
I squinted my eyes even further and he did exactly the same. Wanting to best him I brought my eyelids even closer together so all I could see was a blurry, hazy darkness that used to be Pein's face - I don't even know if he did exactly the same as me, I couldn't see.
"Enough!" he roared. "Stop stalling me! You will do as I say whether you like it or not!" Pein grabbed me by my arm and roughly tugged me to the floor. I brought my legs underneath me and tripped him over. I tried to run past him but his arm went in front of my feet and tripped me over. I tried to get up but he placed a firm foot in the middle of my back so I was stuck there on the dirty floor. I screamed and thrashed but he stabbed a metal pole clean through my lower back. I tried to whip my arms around and pull the rod out but he pinned my arms.
My screams turned into sobs and I heard him roar for his men to bring out Haku. I failed him, I couldn't do anything, I am useless. The words kept repeating themselves in my head as I watched helplessly as Hidan brought the boy on the floor next to me. They put a knife against his throat and I screamed the loudest I had ever screamed before.
Pein brought his lips down to my ear. "Listen, girl. I'm going to remove this rod and if you try to run I will give the order and Hidan will not hesitate to slit the boy's throat, no skin off my back." I allowed my sobs to turn into a quiet whimper as I felt Pein slide the rod out of my back. I winced as I felt the cold wind bite at my wound.
"What do you want me to do?" My voice sounded pathetic in the silence that followed.
"Nothing, however, the boy here has to do something. We need to see if his gift still works. He's going to tell us our future or we'll kill you, Winter." Pein's voice filled the silence with cold evil.
"I will never tell you your future, and you won't kill Winter, she's far too valuable." Haku's voice was strong and confident and he looked at me with such assurance that I almost started crying again.
"But you are just an asset. I suppose I could just kill you instead."
"No!" I shouted. "Haku, just tell them their future," I said, defeated.
"I refuse to look at their futures... but I'll see your future, Winter." Hidan released him in wonder as Haku walked gracefully up to me. He placed his hands on my cheeks and he placed his forehead against mine.
I felt his presence in my mind but I didn't panic. The Akatsuki made no move to pull him away despite being angry at him, after all, they just wanted to see if Haku could still see the future. After a long time, I heard Haku laugh, laugh so hard that I thought the walls would break. I felt a tear slide down his face and he slowly opened his eyes. Pein's expression was unreadable but it was clear to see that the turn of events was not what he had expected.
"You're an amazing person Winter. I've never seen someone's future so... bright." His golden eyes seemed to light up the entire hideout and I laughed, not because I was relieved that I had a happy ending, but because I was genuinely happy, right here in this moment with Haku.
Breaking our trance we heard Deidara come thumping in on his heavy feet. His expression was clearly pained and he seemed afraid of what he was about to say. "Pein... he broke it.. he's-"
"-He's what?!" Pein shouted at Deidara, annoyed at how long it was taking for Deidara to finish his sentence.
Deidara audibly gulped and looked up seeing his eyes filled with worry. "He's here." His voice was so soft but it filled me with hope. Part of me wondered if I would die right here, wondered if this was my bright happy ending Haku was talking about. I was about to be rescued out of this hell hole.
I became very aware of the hole in my lower back bleeding out as there was a crashing noise at the Akatsuki hideout entrance.
Sasuke's P.O.V
Genjutsu. I was in it the entire time! I'm such an idiot. Releasing the Genjutsu I run my hardest towards what I now am positive is the Akatsuki hideout. As I near it I see about one hundred puppets running towards me. Darn Sasori. Pulling out my long blade I slice through three at a time, making sure not to let any of their blades touch me.
I've heard the rumors about what Sasori's poison can do to you, the type of poison he uses depends on whether he wants you dead instantly or a slow, painful death over the course of a few days.
Just as I sliced through my thirtieth puppet I heard the most ear piercing scream. It wasn't just the fact that it was loud, it was filled with such pain that goosebumps prickled my skin. Certain that it was Winter's scream I start to speed up my pace and slice through Sasori's puppets like blades of wheat.
Were they brainwashing her? Perhaps they were torturing her until she accepted to kill Orochimaru. Anger coursed through me and I sliced through the hundredth puppet. Before Sasori could re-assemble the puppets I bolt towards what seemed to be the entrance and I use my Chidori to smash through the entrance.
Winter's P.O.V
I saw a flash of blue light and then I turn my head to see Sasuke standing amongst the rubble. Show off. He sheathed his long blade and sauntered over to Pein and I like he was some sort of god. Did I ever say nice things about him? I take them all back. He's an idiot with an ego the size of the entire ninja continent. His eyes met mine and he must have sensed what I was thinking and he rolled his eyes.
That was so like him!
"Aren't you glad I showed up?" He said in a monotone. Anger coursed through me.
"I would be glad if you had shown up before I got a metal pole shoved through my back. You, on the other hand, seemed pretty chilled about whether or not you show up, casually walking over here. Why don't you walk out, take a few more days and then come back again when the time suits you. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll have a broken neck when you arrive - not like you care!" I got ready to give him another mouthful but before I could he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. I winced as I felt the pressure of my wound.
"We're leaving," Sasuke said nonchalantly, not even caring about a single thing I had just said to him.
Looking back I saw Haku sitting on the floor, staring at me. "We can't leave him, the boy."
"I didn't come for the boy," Sasuke said, robot-like.
I squirmed in the hand and tried to find a way to get the purple light to release me. "Can you for once not think about yourself and what or what not you came to do! That boy needs my help! Let me go Sasuke!"
"I didn't come for the boy." He repeated.
I looked at Sasuke with so much fury he had to avert his gaze. Smart move.
I turned as much as the hand would allow and I looked back at Haku. "I'll come back for you Haku, I promise. I won't let anything happen to you." I swore it to him and myself, forgetting that I was speaking in English.
"I know," Haku smiled and my eyes widened in surprise. Sasuke dragged me away before I could say anything else.
******