Akai laid on her bed, wide awake despite the late hour, despite the eerie silence upon the small house.
No. She couldn't deny it anymore. It's true, she's scared of Akane. That red-eyed girl knows everything about her, even her deepest secrets and her sweetest lies.
And she hated that fact. Akane may or may not be a part of her, she's still unsure. No matter how much she tried to think over it, she never found the answer.
A tear fell from her eye. She hated living in fear. Even when her father was just inside the next room, even when she knew Akito was outside her room and Shin on the couch. Even when they all stayed close to her, the fear never ceased.
Akai stared at the wall in front of her. Her dark room reminded her a bit of Orochimaru's lair, and an uneasy feeling settled upon her chest. Yes, the mighty Red Mist is scared of a mere memory.
What a hypocrite. She used to torture hundreds people, under orders, even when her age hasn't reach two-digits. Hell, she enjoyed that job. And when she experienced the pain she caused them, she lost it.
"Yeah. Worthless, right?" A voice asked. Her eyes widened slightly.
"You shouldn't have started thinking about everything, that action was even better than counting sheep." The voice continued. At that point, Akai had realized that she had fell into a deep slumber, and returned back inside her mindscape, her personal hell.
"I miss you, Akai." The girl in front of her mocked, smirking slightly.
"Akane, stop." Akai commanded, but Akane ignored her.
"I really really really want to get out!! I'm bored here! Your father locked me up, I can't do much here! But thank you, Akai. Thank you so much for falling asleep. I finally had you here!"
"I'm leaving." Akai muttered, turning away, but Akane caught her wrist, and pull her down. Akai yelped as the ground below her disappeared, and turned into an endless pit of darkness. They were falling, but Akane grinned, cheering in excitement.
"Everything must be fair, right? You control day, I control night. Then it was ruined, but I found a way to solve it!"
Akai gave Akane an incredulous look, which she returned with a smile, "You can control our body, Akai. But I will control this place! I control your mind!"
"Can you please let us land somewhere, safe and sound? And smoothly, if you please?!"
"Of course! Anything for my ex-ally, Akai Hozuki!" Akane sneered, and the two of them fell into something that seemed like an ocean. Akai panicked, and quickly swam back to the surface, her instinct kicking in almost immediately.
Despite her bloodline, Hoshigaki, which was often associated with sharks, Akai hates water, cold water. Moreover, this one tastes like salt. And, Kami, sea, ocean, anything related to that would almost immediately be sent to her hate-list.
Akane had just, literally, dropped her into one.
"Where's the old fearless Akai?" Akane asked, a smug look on her face as she appeared in front of Akai, soaked as well, but enjoying the moment.
"Akane, I'm not in the mood to deal with your antics."
"Bam, you blamed me again." Akane stated, pointing an accusing finger at Akai. The scene changed again, now back to a clearing that used to be a battlefield.
"But you started this." Akai replied, causing Akane to scoff.
"I guess you forgot, huh? Do I have to remind you, Akai?"
Akai stayed silent, and Akane smirked. "Everything started falling apart one November night. A mother was sitting on her daughter's bed, singing the little girl a lullaby to bid her a 'Goodnight, sweet dreams'. She started coughing up blood all of a sudden, and the 4-years-old girl panicked, calling out for her father. The Daddy came, but none of them could do anything. The woman died a week later, sad that not a single medic nin wanted to help her, except for her best friend. And she was never successful, either."
"Akane, I don't want to hear that. What are you trying to do now?"
Akane shrugged, "Stating the facts." She replied calmly, crossing her arms, "Two years later, the father left for another mission, as usual. He never returned. Leaving his little girl alone, only with her uncle and her cousins."
"My father is now with me, Akane. Talking about the past like that wouldn't change anything."
"Really? Then it's fine, right?" Akane asked, tilting her head as she slowly approached Akai, "Her uncle, breaking his promise to the little girl's mother, left the kids all alone. What a betrayal, huh? The girl and her cousins, abandoned by their last family. The whole village hated them, despised them, their bloodline was the death of them."
Akai glared at the red-eyed girl. "Why are you doing this? Talking about all of these?"
"Because you don't want to. Someone needs to mention it every once in a while, so I did. It's just a reminder, right?" She asked back, "Now, who's next? Your cousin? Mangetsu?"
Akai's eyes widened, a glint of fear flickered inside her grey orbs. "No, stop already. I don't want to think about it."
"HA!" Akane yelled, "And that's why you have to! Don't you remember what happened?" The lack of response made her raised an eyebrow, "What happened to Mangetsu, Akai? How did he die? You were there, right?"
Akai shook her head, taking some shaky steps back, "No, no I wasn't there. He wasn't-..."
"Stop your denial." Akane stated coldly, as she lunged at Akai, grabbing her collars and pinned her onto the wall behind, as the scene changed completely into a cell, a cold, dark prison cell.
"It has been years, and you forget it?! You forget his death, even when you were there, watching as he let out his last breath?! Even when you were there as he handed you his last sword?! He trusted you as his legacy! He died for you, Akai!! MANGETSU F*CKING DIED FOR YOU!!"
"STOP IT!!!" Akai screamed, covering her ears with her hands as she started trembling, "It's my fault, I know. It's my fault!"
Akane smiled, and the scene changed again, "Let's take a look at your memory, Akai. The memory you buried deep inside your mind."
Akai's breath hitched as water began to surround them, creating thick walls, locking her and Akane inside. No, it's too much. The sight of water, the cold, the smell of salt, it's just too much.
'Oh, the irony. Pathetic,' a voice rang out. Her own voice.
"Funny, Akai. Seems like no one really loves you. Not even yourself."
Akai shook her head, a tear fell from her eyes as images appeared on the water surface, still around her. It was the image of her young self, with her older cousin Mangetsu, still in Kiri as shinobis. It was as if she was there. As if she went through it again. As if she experienced that hell over and over again.
The problem is, Akai knows exactly what was going to happen.
[***]
The little blue-haired girl let out a whine, tugging the sleeves of the white haired boy, who stared down at her in disbelief. "Are you crazy?! You can't simply just ask me to take you to my mission! It's an S-rank! You had just turned 7 two days ago, Akai!"
"I'm a chūnin already!" The girl, Akai, exclaimed, flailing her arms around.
"You're still a chūnin!" The boy, Mangetsu, corrected, lifting his large sword up and tied it on his back, "I mean it, Akai. It's too dangerous! Besides, I can't leave Suigetsu alone!"
"Suigetsu said he prefers if I leave for a while! He would have his friends coming over, and they would always make fun of me! They always say bad stuff about me, I don't want to hear that!"
His gaze softened, "Akai, you don't have to listen to them. You can always stay at Mairu-san's place, right?"
"Mangetsu, please! Just let me go with you! I promise I won't drag you down! I'll help, Mangetsu, I'll do what you say!"
"Akai, that's not my point. What if you got hurt? What if... What if you die?! I-... Your father trusted me, Akai. Your father trusted me that I can keep you safe. I don't want to risk it."
"Then you have to trust me." She stated, "I want to prove it. I want to show everyone that I can do it, that I'm a good shinobi. I'm more than just a weird blue-haired girl, I'm strong, too. Please, Mangetsu."
He grimaced, letting out a deep breath. "...Fine. But promise me you won't die."
[***]
"Stupid little girl. You should have listened to Mangetsu, right, Akai?"
"Don't remind me, Akane." Akai replied bitterly, her voice shaking as she sighed quietly.
"Alright, continue with the show!" Akane cheered happily, pointing at another water wall. Akai abruptly turned, her hand reaching out in desperation.
"Akane, no, please, stop-..."
But the show had already started.
[***]
"Mangetsu, we shouldn't do this. I got some bad feeling now."
"Just ignore it, Akai. We need to hurry and finish this."
"I thought the deadline is in 3 days? Besides, we should wait for a while. I'm sure the others would return soon."
"I want to finish this as soon as I can." Mangetsu replied, tightening his grip around Hiramekarei, his sword.
"But we shouldn't get reckless, their patrol is-..."
"Akai, just stop!" The yell managed to shut her up, but with the silence, she also froze.
The next second, a group of rouges had already surrounded them. Mangetsu quickly got into his stance, pushing Akai behind him. The girl pulled out her own katana, holding it firmly.
"Now, Akai, just do as I say. Stay calm, stay defensive. We don't have to defeat them, we just have to hold on until the others came back." The male Hozuki said, "I'll watch your back."
"...Alright..."
And the chaos began. Akai, who hasn't mastered her Hozuki kekkei genkai yet, could only block the attacks with her blade. But as an inexperienced chūnin, fear crept inside her.
"Akai, stay focus!"
"I-I can't!" She shrieked, raising her katana in panic as a kunai was about to stab her from above. The blades clashed, and her eyes widened as she saw another rogue lunged at her. Akai pulled her katana as she jumped aside, a few feet away from her cousin.
Another rogue came after her, and she thrust her katana forward, stabbing the man. She quickly turned, blocking another attack, but a kick landed on her back, causing her to lost her balance. The girl stumbled to stand back up, but when she raised her head, she met a horrifying sight. A sword had gone through Mangetsu's body, from his back to his stomach.
"Mangetsu!" She called out in terror. Their eyes met, and Mangetsu's body tensed, before his body liquefied. The next second, a hit was sent to her head. Akai fell, and when she felt someone stabbed a kunai through her side, she dropped her katana. With her consciousness slowly slipping away, she could see the blurry image of Mangetsu standing in front of her, swinging his sword, killing the attacker instantly and pushed away some others. He immediately crouched over her, shaking her shoulders.
"Akai, wake up. You need to stay awake, you can't die here!"
Her sight cleared, and a gasp escaped her lips. Blood was dripping from his body, while he used his large sword merely for support, and in that condition, with his skin full of nasty gash, he's still worrying about her. She was no better, the pain almost paralyzed her. But even so, she couldn't stand the sight of Mangetsu dying.
"Akai, you promised me you wouldn't die. And I'll keep your word. You must return home, for me, for Suigetsu. I-..."
His words was cut off when a katana went through his body for the second time. His breath hitched, his grip on her loosened as he forced himself to smile.
"Akai... Keep... my sword... T-Take care of Suigetsu..."
The girl was still frozen in shock, lips parted and eyes wide. "Mangetsu, y-you... No... You can't-..." She stopped when someone slashed her back, snapping her to reality.
Her gaze hardened. "How dare you..." She whispered, taking a grip at Hiramekarei. The large sword was indeed heavy, but somehow she managed to lift it. She pushed herself up, glaring daggers at the remaining rouges around her. In her blue eyes, a tint of red flickered, while her teeth slowly turned shark-like.
"I'll cut you to pieces." She declared, before she lunged at her enemies.
[***]
"Ah, I love that time!" Akane exclaimed, grinning, "You were just 7 years old. But your anger was a great help! You killed all of them in no time! Sad that you passed out right when they were all dead. Well, it's a good thing the rest of your team members found you."
Akai didn't react. She stared at the last image, her 7-years-old self holding the sword, coated in blood, eyes red and teeth like a shark's.
That moment was far from pleasant. It was the beginning of everything, how her life as a mass-murderer started.
"And Lord Mizukage was so kind! Instead of giving you a punishment, he put you in, what was that again? The assassination squad or what?"
Akai stayed silent. Tears keep falling, but she said nothing. Instead, she pulled out her dagger, and spun it around.
Akane huffed. "Okay, now the last one!"
[***]
A white haired boy stood beside the bed, where his younger cousin lay, still silent. The girl was awake, but she kept her mouth shut even when he arrived.
"They said that Nii-san is..."
"Yeah. Mangetsu's dead. I'm sorry, Suigetsu." She confirmed, her voice somehow was different than what he remembered.
Suigetsu looked down. "What happened? They said you were the only one with him, Akai."
"He died protecting me."
"...What was his last words?"
"He gave Hiramekarei to me." She replied, as she looked away, "And to take care of you."
"I see," he muttered, as his tears began to fall, "Of course he would do that."
"It's my fault, isn't it, Suigetsu?"
The boy tensed. He bit his lip, and turned away, walking out of the room.
Meanwhile, the girl stayed still, her gaze went back to the sword next to her bed.
[***]
"I think it's funny, Akai. The two of you never talked about Mangetsu's death after that. Maybe Suigetsu blamed you? I always wanted to know."
"Then why didn't you ask him?" Akai asked back, keeping her poker face as she turned to look at Akane. The red-eyed girl gave her a disbelieving look, crossing her arms.
"What the hell is wrong with you?! You were crying, and now you're glaring at me!"
Akai shrugged, "I told you I don't want to talk about it. Yet you bring it up. What do you expect me to do?"
"Eh...? So the old Akai is back now? The cold-blooded, heartless Red Mist had returned?"
Akai replied with a huff, "I'm done here, Akane. You got what you want, I watched Mangetsu died again. And I get it, it's my fault. That's why I have to live on, as he said, to get back to reality now."
"Oi, you can't just-..."
Akai had already disappeared.
| * | * | * | * | * |
Slowly, Akai opened her eyes. She was back in her room, fortunately, even though her head was pounding like crazy now. She turned around and looked at the ceiling, as another thought crossed her mind.
Now that she thinks about it, it doesn't makes sense. In the end, it proves that Akane is really a part of her, right? She could access her memories, at the very least. Also, Akane could gives Akai flashbacks and control her dreams, or nightmares.
Akai huffed, forcing herself to sat up. Her whole body aches like hell, probably Akane was trying to have her falling asleep again.
And no, Akai wouldn't give in.
With that in mind, Akai stood up, and walked towards the door. She opened it silently, taking a peek to see Akito sitting on the floor, asleep.
She smiled slightly, crouching next to him, and tapped his shoulder. It didn't take long for him to wake up.
Akito was about to ask her what's wrong, when she placed her finger in front of his lips, shutting him up immediately. She gave him a meaningful smile, standing back up and led him to the kitchen, where she sat across him.
"What is it, Akai? You can't sleep?"
She cringed. "More like... I don't want to sleep."
He raised an eyebrow, and she let out a sigh, "Akane. She talked to me in my nightmare."
"You need sleep, Akai. You looked so tired, you need to rest. You sure you can't block her or something?"
She buried her face in her hands. "She gave me flashbacks about what happened, what I don't want to think about."
"Okay... But you look really tired, Akai."
"I don't care. Just distract me so I don't fall asleep. I don't want to go through that again, just for tonight."
Akito let out a small sigh, before he started asking Akai some questions, mostly about her days as a thief. He doesn't like this, forcing Akai to stay awake, but seeing her so desperate, not wanting to fell asleep, that also hurts.
But still, probably she really needs his help now.
| * | * | * | * | * |
They talked for hours, and Akito was glad she looks like she's in a much better mood. A few times she almost closed her eyes, and he reminded her, merely because he knew how hurtful Akane's words can be.
"Wait, what?"
"I sneaked into Naruto's apartment. Then I stole some of his clothes because I need them. And I told him I was running from some evil shinobis, when what I mean actually is Ibiki."
"And he believed you, didn't he?"
Akai smiled. "Yes, he totally buy that lie."
You're insane." He muttered, "So-..." Akito was about to ask something else, when someone opened the kitchen door. Akai cringed, as the door creaked open to reveal her father, standing with his arms crossed, glaring at the two teens.
"Care to explain this?" He growled, making his way towards them. Akai cringed, while Akito froze in his spot.
"Akai, it's currently 2 in the morning. Why the hell would you still be up at this hour?!"
The girl bit her lip, looking down and started twiddling with her fingers.
"And you. Don't you get my warning?! Do not get close to my daughter. You should have understand that since hours ago. I-..."
"Dad, he's-..."
"Akai, no. You don't have any rights here. This is between me and him."
Akito grimaced, as the Hozuki started scolding him. "That's why I don't want you to get close to my daughter! Now you keep her awake at this hour, what if she got sick?! What if-..."
"She's a shinobi and-..."
"Well, who cares if she's a shinobi?! She's my daughter and I would never let anything happen to her again!"
"She's the one who-..."
"Don't put the blame on her! I will not accept excuses! You will-..."
"SHE NEEDS ME TO HELP HER!!" Akito finally yelled, glaring back at the man in front of me. Yes, he was angry. Not because he was put on blame.
But, the problem is, Ketsueki sounds like he's underestimating Akai. Akito knows how strong she is. Defending her team against a sannin, defeating an S-rank criminal, she could stay awake for days without sleep, this is nothing. It's not that she would get sick or whatever.
She asked for his help. Akane is the only enemy she couldn't defeat right now, and Akito would do anything to help her. The easiest thing he can do is to make sure Akane knows that he wouldn't let her win, that he would support Akai no matter what it takes. Even if he would get beaten up by the white-haired man.
Ketsueki stared back at the Naokaze, eyes wide in shock. He never expect the teen to yell back.
"She begged for me to keep her awake. You were able to hold Akane back, but at the same time, you don't know what she's capable of. She gave Akai nightmares and headaches even when she had her turn." He continued, "Now that you locked her up, Akane got even madder. What if she tortured Akai in her sleep?! She-..." Akito paused, turnubg his attention back to Akai. His eyes widened, "Oh sh*t."
Akai's head was leaning on the back of the chair, her eyes closed, already asleep. She was writhing, whining, looking so distressed. Akito rushed to her side, gritting his teeth in frustration while he gently caressed her cheek.
"Akane, go away." He muttered in annoyance, as he bent down, gripping her shoulders, "Stop it, Akane. You already have your fun tonight."
He leaned his head on her shoulder, "I'm here, Akai. It's alright, I'm here for you. No need to be scared anymore, okay?"
Ketsueki watched as Akai's body relaxed, and her expression turned peaceful. He let out a grunt, and walked out of the room.
Maybe that blonde boy deserves a chance.
Maybe.
| * | * | * | * | * |
When Akai woke up, it's just around 3 in the morning. She was still in the kitchen, her arms on the table, under her chin. Akito was asleep right in front of her, and this made Akai smile.
It is absurd for her, the Red Mist, to say this. But really, a sleeping Akito looks cute as hell. When awake, he always looks calm, but in a sleeping state, Akai doesn't know how is that possible, Akito seems even more relaxed.
"I guess I should let him sleep." She muttered, "But really, I have to do something with Akane. This is getting troublesome, since now I don't have Orochimaru to give her orders to go around and kill people. Well... not that I enjoy being his guinea pig..."
Akai let out a sigh. "What does she really wants with me? I think it's impossible for her to mess around without reason. She isn't that kind of person..."
Akai pulled out her dagger, and spun it around on the table. Red Mist, that's what people call her. A heartless assassin. She used to kill so many people. It felt so natural, to hurt others, to make them suffer. Was she really crazy, ever since she was that young?
Then it hit her.
It was supposed to be like that. Just like her uncle, and her mother, and everyone else before them. Hoshigaki's bloodlust. How could she forget? Her parents warned her about this, ever since the day she stared using a kunai.
She knows what Akane is. It's just like what happened to her mother. Her bloodlust took form into another personality, and later takes over.
Really, she should stop denying things.
Akai let out a huff, as she realized what caused everything. She was born with Akane, grew up with Akane. Unconsciously, they worked together to get through all the missions, but suddenly they stopped. Akai stopped one day, and just ran away.
No wonder everything got this complicated.
Akai put her dagger back to its place, shaking her head slightly. She raised her hand, her fingers started playing with Akito's blonde hair.
"Tomorrow, I'll talk with Akane." She whispered, "Wish me luck, okay?" Akai asked, her eyelids getting heavy.
Before she knew it, she already fell asleep.
| * | * | * | * | * |
Ibiki Morino, the large jonin from the Hidden Leaf, and Sensei of Akito, Shin, and Akai, walked through the village Hidden in The Mist, at this point, lost. Ibiki had only ever been to Akai's old house one time before, and he didn't even make all the way to her old home at that time.
The large man let out a loud sigh, as he looked around for anything that may have pointed him in the direction of the Hozuki house.
"Ibiki?" A female voice called out, and Ibiki spun around slightly in the direction of the voice, to see a young woman sticking her head out of the door of a shop. Ibiki soon recognized the girl as the woman that Akai knew, Mairu.
"Mairu, right?" Ibiki asked as he walked towards her, and the woman nodded.
"That's me! What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for Akai's old house. Do you know the way?"
"Of course I do!" Mairu said as she took a step out of the shop, closing the door behind her. "Do you need me to show you the way?"
"It'd be appreciated."
"Can do!" Mairu said as she smiled at Ibiki, and began to walk towards where the Hozuki's house was located with Ibiki following big so far behind her.
| * | * | * | * | * |
"We're almost there!" Mairu said as she walked out of the small forest that they had to walk through to arrive at Akai's house. At the house, Mairu walked up to the door and knocked a couple of times, before she threw the door open because that was how she always used to go into the house.
"Akai?" Mairu called out, walking around the corner to where the living room was, but she stop and froze when she saw Ketsueki sitting on the couch beside of Akai.
She didn't say anything, she just stood and stared at Akai's father. Ketsueki stared back at Mairu with wide eyes, but no one dared to make a move.
"Mairu? Are they in here?" Ibiki called out as he walked inside the house and stopped behind of Mairu and stared at the white haired man sitting with his students. "Who is he?"
"That's-... He's-..."
"Ketsueki." The man replied, as he stood up and walked towards Ibiki and Mairu, stopping in front of the woman. "Ketsueki Hozuki. I'm Akai's father."
Ibiki stood, staring at the white-haired man and slowly taking in his features. Ibiki couldn't deny the fact Akai and the man held very similar features. Akai's wide eyes, and slight upturned nose, and the way she held herself with confidence all seemed to come from the man who was standing in front of him.
Akai had told Ibiki that her father died, and that didn't seem like something that Akai would lie about. But standing in front of him seemed to be the one person in the world whom Akai would be blood of.
Ibiki couldn't help the slight feeling of jealousy that was forming in his chest, because Akai was someone that Ibiki had began to think of in the sense of his own child. She was orphaned, and no one showed her the love she deserved to have, or for someone to show her what was right from wrong, and Ibiki had taken her under his wing and began to show her all the things he believed that she needed to know, but standing in front of him, was Akai's actual father. The man who had a bond with Akai that Ibiki can only dreamed of having with someone.
Ibiki nodded his head and stuck his hand out, Ketsueki took it and the two shared a firm shake before Ibiki spoke.
"Ibiki Morino. Akai's sensei, and her current legal guardian."
| * | * | * | * | * |
4473 words, almost 4500. Just how kind are we? Amends for our cliffhangers in the past, maybe?
Anyways. We will only do this once in a while, since we're being kind at the moment (both our birthdays had just passed a few days ago, not even a week!). So...
Sneak-Peek!!
"I cannot believe you're still this stupid! It has been, like, almost ten years, you old man!"
"Believe me, I wish it wouldn't be this hard."
"Can both of you just stop it already?! Throw away those ego of yours, stop being so f*cking selfish!!"
"Well... Damn. She's not here."
Any guesses?? XD
Tell us what you think about the chapter, give us those cute little stars!
See you guys later!