Manami's POV
I groaned in pain when I woke up and sat up slowly to try and stop the room from spinning. When my dizziness vanished I looked around and noticed we were in a cave hidden underground. I could hear water running in a small stream nearby and the only source of light was a small oil lamp in the middle of the floor.
"So you are finally up" I heard someone say from the corner of the cave and I jumped but relaxed when I noticed it was just Uragiri.
"What happened?" I questioned him and he got up and walked towards me.
"We were ambushed by a bunch of ANBU" he replied and I felt my heart race.
"What about the others, are they okay?" I asked anxiously and he shook his head at me.
"I don't know what happened to them I haven't seen them since you did" he replied and I nodded feeling more worried about Deidara and Sasori.
I soon relaxed when I looked around the cave more and felt at home. I couldn't put my finger on it but I knew this place somehow and It seemed very familiar.
"Have we been here before?" I questioned Uragiri and he looked at me confused.
"I don't think so... Have you?" He answered and I looked around slowly again.
"I think I was here before but that's impossible, as far as I know I have never been in this land before" I told him and he smiled at me holding out his hand.
"Well we need to find a way out of here so why don't we take a look around?" I grabbed his hand and nodded while he lifted me up. "Well you say you know this place so where do you think we should look?"
"I'm not sure but something tells me we should go this way" I replied and he grinned and took my hand in his.
"Lead the way Manami"
Sasori's POV
Manami and Uragiri still haven't come back. I wonder what happened? We should go to look for them but the sun is setting and we don't have much time left.
"They are taking a long time, un" Deidara stated what I was thinking and I nodded in response. "Should we go look for them?" He suggested and I looked back at the sky.
We should have about half an hour or so left so I suppose it should be alright if we look for a while. I sighed and stood up answering Deidara's question as he followed behind me. We walked in the direction that Deidara and Uragiri went to get food as Deidara had said Uragiri had found a place he wanted to show Manami.
"They aren't here, un" Deidara stated the obvious and I rolled my eyes but stopped when something caught my eye. I walked over to it and knelt down to see what it was and felt very uneasy when I saw it. "What is it?" Deidara asked me and I stood up with a picture of Manami and I smiling when we were kids.
"It's a picture of Manami and I." I looked around and noticed two sets of footsteps but one set stopped while the other kept going. "Some thing isn't right" I mumbled.
"So what are we doing, un?" Deidara asked me and I thought hard about it.
"We continue without them" I told Deidara and I turned to see the shock in his eyes.
"What? But I thought..."
"Enough! If we don't finish the mission we are as good as dead" I interrupted him but he continued to argue.
"I know leader sama won't be happy but what if Manami is in trouble? Aren't you worried?"
I balled my fists up and grit my teeth. Manami can take care of herself but still she could be in trouble. Damn it what do I do?
"You continue to search for her and I will do the mission on my own" I told him.
"But how will you do a four person mission, un?"
"Don't underestimate me brat! It will just take me a little longer so you will be on your own if you get into trouble." I warned him and he gave me another one of his cocky smirks. "Don't get cocky, brat"
"Relax Sasori my man, I can do this no sweat" he grinned and I sighed but walked off leaving him on his own.
Manami's POV
"This place is so beautiful" I said in amazement.
"Do you remember anything?" He asked and I shook my head. I started to feel wary off him as he had asked that at least five times in the past thirty minutes.
I walked over to a moss covered wall and studied it carefully. I rubbed off the moss and looked at the wall and noticed it had very strange markings on it.
"What is this?" I asked curiously.
"I'm not sure. Try putting your hand in the middle." Uragiri suggested and I nodded and did as he said but nothing happened.
"Nothing... Wait what's this?" I queried and went to rub more moss of a symbol on the wall but hissed in pain when I cut my finger.
"Are you okay?" Uragiri questioned anxiously.
"I'm fine" I smiled but became confused when he started to stare wide eyed at the wall behind me. I slowly turned around but was blinded by a bright white light. What the hell is going on?
My eyes adjusted to the new lighting and I noticed me as a child standing in this cave with a taller woman who had dark brown hair and baby blue eyes. We were walking over the water in the river and onto the island in the middle of the cave.
"Why are we here mother?" I heard myself ask to the woman. That can't be my mother she looks nothing like her. Then again that crazy man that captured me all those years ago told me I was taken from my village but he couldn't be right could he?
"You wanted to know why you were so special, didn't you?" She smiled sweetly at younger me who nodded excited. The woman... My mother laughed at my reaction and gently grabbed my hand and made me sit down while she opened a chamber with her blood.
I followed her and younger me down the chamber and into a huge room that was lit by torches. I smiled slightly as I watched how amazed I was by the whole experience.
"Come sit here sweetheart" she said softly and I sat down with my younger self and watched as she opened a book that she had taken from one of the many bookshelves and sat down beside us. "I want to tell you a little story that's very important so please listen carefully Manami" she told me and younger me nodded and gave her full attention.
"This story goes back a long , long time to when our clan had first came to existence. We are close relatives to the Shirogane clan who got wiped out because of their search for power. The Shirogane clan where a small clan that wasn't particularly powerful. They specialised in puppet making but because of their lack of power they searched for forbidden justu so that they could grow in power. It took years but one of the leaders finally found a way to make a very powerful puppet called the puppet master that would help them to gain power. This caused a divide of opinions between the clan, the majority thought this plan could help them but there were a few members of the clan who thought creating such a creature was a bad idea. The clan took a vote and decided to go ahead with the plan but those who didn't like the idea broke off from the clan and that's how our clan came into existence." She told us and younger me stared at her fascinated and waited patiently for her to continue.
"As expected the puppet master was far too powerful and ended up being split up into five orbs for the clans own safety. The five orbs were them entrusted to our clan who hid them in five separate locations. During a rebellion against the Land of Fire, who banned our techniques as they were inhumane, the Shirogane clan tried to find the five orbs in order to resurrect the master puppet but were annihilated before they could. The few survivors disappeared after swearing revenge on both the Land of Fire and our clan because we didn't help them. In light of the actions of the Shirogane clan, our clan thought it best to nominate a young man as the keeper of the five orbs. He would guard the cave which contained a map of where the five orbs are hidden and our clans secrets. Generation after generation his children would take over his duties and that's where we come in. I am a keeper just like my father and grandmother were and now I am going to entrust you to this duty when you turn eighteen years old. That is why you are special my dear but I want you to promise me something."
"Anything mother, what is it?" I asked and she smiled at me.
"I want you to promise to never tell anyone about this place and if anyone ever discovers its location you have to guard these secrets with your life. Promise me Manami." She pleaded and younger me smiled.
"I promise mother" I said and hugged her tightly.