Ghosts from the past [Private]

[Ayame]

The sun was in it's zenit, shining above the golden sands. The desert was a huge place. It could make you feel small and insignificant, worthless. Almost like your existence didn't matter for the huge universe. And maybe it didn't. We were just some little ants, trying to live their life the best way possible and in the end... it didn't matter. All of our problems, fears, sorrows, happy moments, relationships, love affairs, dreams... they didn't matter. They didn't matter for the universe, for the other people. Only for us and that was kind of a pathetic. But at the same time we were so deeply engaged with them that it was hard for us to see the big picture. If we die, all of our fears, sorrows, our happiness would just die with us and... that was it.

At that time there was a girl, sitting on a big stone somewhere in the dessert. She was wearing all black, with black long hair, but it was made to look like it was short. The hot wind was blowing through her hair, while she was watching with her red eyes somewhere in the distance. She hated her eyes. They were like her brother’s eyes. No one of her family had red eyes, only Izura and her and that was the main reason when she looked at the mirror to remember them and mostly him.
She had his eyes, but she looked so much like her mother. Her mother… she remembered her as a real beauty, a caring mother and good kunoichi. Ayame had memories that shouldn't remember at that age, but her father implanted them. She thought that it was a stupid idea, because she knew what was like to have a family, but didn't had one. It was a cruel thing to do. Ayame tried to erase them, to not to think about them and she kind of succeed to the point where her family’s faces were blurry.
And then… her father came to mind. You could say he was the incarnation of a real power. Unbroken spirit, who’d do anything to protect his family. A strong pillar that kept everything from collapsing.
Her brothers…
“Ah, stop it Ayame. The past won’t come back. The present is important.” – she thought.
The closest thing she had to a family now was a scary ninja stranger, named Nataku Kurosawa. He gave her his name, gave her a home and made her an academy student. Sounds good, right? Maybe. And at that moment she was full of emotions, promised him things, hugged him. But now… she felt different. Watching somewhere in the distance, Ayame kept thinking about the situation she was in.
He was a stranger. He didn’t talked much. His words “at the end of the day, come back some safely” were indeed soothing, but Ayame didn’t felt that house like a home. That’s why she came here to think. Nataku kept his distance and she knew why. He didn’t trusted her. She was feeling the same. There was a big distance between them and that made the things harder. She, of course, would keep her promise, but the guy didn’t really needed her. And maybe… he regretted his decision.
She really wanted to get to know Nataku, she had so many questions, but didn’t really knew how to start a conversation with him. He was so mysterious and it was hard for her to speak to him.
“Come back home safely…”
His words echoed in her head once again. Ayame really wanted to come back home safely every day, but she knew that the day she won’t come back safely was near.
There was a lot of going on in her head right now. She sighted and kept looking at the distance, trying to put to order the mess in her head.

[MFT]

 

[Kurosawa Nataku]

Far off in the desert heat, a red blur slowly faded into existence. The blistering heat rising from the sand bent the light in such a way that seeing things in the distance was quite difficult. Slowly, as Nataku approached, his image became much more visible.

Spoiler

He donned his usual gear for when he traveled outside the village walls. The red hat. The oranged-tinted glasses. The red cape. The dark red suit. He stood out, but it was hard to make out any of his features except for his jet black hair. Whether Ayame noticed him or not was not important. He noticed her. His eyes were fixed as he slowly walked in her direction. If she saw him, she probably wouldn't recognize him. Not like that, anyways. She had never seen that outfit, and it was impossible to see his face from far away. He could only hope she wouldn't run before he got there.

When he was finally within speaking distance he took note of her expression. She seemed deep in thought, but he didn't know what about. "You know if you wear all black in the desert sun you're bound to overheat," he said in a lighthearted tone. She had obviously come here to be alone, so Nataku felt kind of bad for barging in on her like this. But they needed to talk; they needed to establish a more solid connection. As they were now, they seemed to be avoiding each other. They had one moment, but since then nothing else really happened. Ayame went about her business, and Nataku went about his. He glanced away from her awkwardly. He wasn't good at this sort of thing.

 

[Uchiha Izura]

Play This Song While Reading​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baqseQCFGZw​

Spoiler

​

As shinobi…for what reason do we have to continue to exist other than for the sake of those we care about, and for the sake of what we believe in?

There were plenty of times throughout my life when I asked that question to myself.

When father died to assassins.
When my old team turned their backs on me.
When a girl who loved me with all her heart refused to see me ever again.
When I was powerless against a murderous and insane missing ninja, unable to do anything as I saw a kunoichi burned alive by him right in front of me.
When a medical kunoichi staked her life on the line to ensure that I live.
When mother informed me of my brother’s death.
When out of frustration I fought my adoptive father…in the crumbling ruins of a place I once was able to call my home.
When I saw my home die slowly from an inescapable disease- the result of a terrible plague unleashed upon the people.
When…..mother died in my arms, entrusting her final legacy to me…so that I could see the world through her eyes.

Kirien, Ryu, Kobayashi, Kiryu, Chi, Hitomi, Naota, Arata, Saeko, Sojobo, Katsuko, Gun, Daine, Kuro, Mugen, Shin, Sekai, Yogi…

The memory of their names still haunts me to this day, as reminders of the regrets I’ve had in life. Of wasted opportunities.

And now, seven years since I was last awake, I can’t help but ask myself the same question.

What is my reason to exist?​

Izura soared through the sky at high speeds, clinging closely to the back of his bird summon. Air billowed around him as the heat rose from the desert 100 meters below. In hot pursuit, four more birds with riders wearing sand colored cloaks with grey trim. To Sojobo and Ayame below, the desert was mostly silent, the birds’ only giveaway the shadows they cast upon the desert as they fleeted across the sky. Izura was wearing the mask of a member of the Stone Anbu, along with an inconspicuous hooded grey robe. All meant to remain incognito, honestly.

The lead pursuer drew a bow, firing arrow after arrow at Izura and his mount. With each second that passed, another arrow would whizz by.

Izura clenched his teeth, drawing his kusarigama in self-defense and using it to deflect arrows that would’ve otherwise made their mark. His eyes were already active with the sharingan, analyzing his opponents’ moves with careful scrutiny and precision.

It had been a surprise attack- Izura didn’t even have the chance to figure out who they were. He had been on his way back to Iwagakure in the aftermath of a mission when he was attacked suddenly and without warning. His pursuers had waited patiently in the sand, knowing that it’d be easier to catch him off guard and outnumbered when there was literally no cover in the desert to use.

Another one of the cloaked pursuers lifted their left arm to aim at Izura, and within a second their hand had morphed into some sort of projectile launcher, firing a salvo of 30 missiles in the direction of Izura and his bird.

BOOM!


The sky was filled with the sound of a series of explosions, covering a portion of the sky in an ominous black cloud. Ditching his grey robe, Izura fell from his bird, saved from the damage of the explosions through the power of his sharingan and the Takaamahara technique. His summon, having taken significant damage from the attack, fell from the sky, skidding across the sand violently before grinding to a halt and disappearing in a poof of smoke.

As Izura fell, he performed hand seals, the wind buffeting around his body and causing his hair to flow wildly.

“Shakuton, Zofukutsuru!” (Scorch Release: Amplify!)

A blindingly bright lance of scorch chakra was released from Izura’s hands, impacting one of his pursuers’ birds and completely annihilating it in an instant, filling the air with yet another explosion as it impacted the target.

Before hitting the ground, Izura teleported, reappearing on the desert floor about 100 meters away from where Nataku and Ayame stood.

Izura wore a mask, his back facing the two as he prepared for the enemy counterattack, his eyes focused on the sky. Another salvo of missiles came his way, forcing him to run, jump, roll, and flip out of the way, dodging the incoming explosives. Immediately following this, two of his pursuers dove in with their birds, Izura charged lightning chakra into his hand, cutting one of the attackers down, but the next attack, using a wakizashi, managed to spear Izura through his left side, launching him through the air and back into the sand, soaking the ground with a trail of his own blood. Beside him, one of the pursuers’ birds crashed to the ground before dissipating in a cloud of white smoke, it’s rider now wounded and missing an arm.

Izura’s mask was now partially shattered, a third of it falling away to reveal part of his face as he coughed up blood, withdrawing the wakizashi that had impaled him and continuing to fight the armless attacker, kunai in hand.

Sparks flew as the two wounded shinobi fought with blades and taijutsu, the remaining two attackers circling overhead like vultures, waiting for the opportune moment to close in for the kill. One of the cloaked pursuers flew down, landing in front of Ayame and Nataku, about 20 meters away from them both.

“Do not interfere, and you will be spared.”

Right now the odds were dire for Izura. A three versus one battle, and Izura was now injured. What would the both of them do? Watch as a stranger was slowly picked apart? Or were either of them able to recognize Izura? That voice was likely familiar to Sojobo, although Ayame was only implanted with memories of a younger Izura. One that was too young to really resemble the young man in front of her now.

WC 1018

 

[Ayame]

!!! EPIC BATTLE SOUNTRACK !!!

Everything seemed peaceful, like nothing bad was gonna happen. She hated to stay alone with her thoughts, cause they made her feel sad. The idea was to come here and try to think if staying here was the right decision, but her thoughts again drifted in the wrong direction. And now she felt sad and lonely, only accompanied by the desert winds that played with her hair.

The girl didn't expected someone to show up, but she saw a strange scary figure at the distance. It seemed that this scary figure was coming where the girl was.
Who was he? When she came here she was afraid that someone from the gang might show up. But that person... he wasn't from the gang, but it was possible to be under disguise, so she jumped on the ground and reached for her tanto.
"You know if you wear all black in the desert sun you're bound to overheat,"
But then... that voice...
- Nataku...is... it's you! You scared me! You look scary!
The girl calmed. He looked scary, like really really scary evil psychotic serial killer. If it wasn't for his voice she'd definitely run away or try to fight him.
She really wanted to talk to him. She needed to talk to him, so she opened her mouth to say something important, but right at that time an explosion echoed through the dessert. She immediately looked where the sound came from and saw a black cloud covering some part of the sky.
"What the actual fuck?!"- came to her mind.
And like it wasn't enough, but some guy teleported near them.

Ayame couldn't comprehend what happened. She, in her entire life, never witnessed something like that.
A mercilessness fight started and for a short time this calm place turned into a battlefield. Some people in front of her were fighting like an animals and the fight was brutal. Three of them were fiercely trying to kill one person, but he dodged their attacks. Everything was happening so fast. How did he managed to dodge these attacks?!
The fight continued, lightning, smoke, sand, blood and even missing body parts filled the area. Her eyes were wide open in amazement. The girl draw her weapon fast and instinctively got close to Nataku, grasping a little part of his cape. That could tell him that even if they didn't knew each other, when she is scared she'd go to him. She didn't really knew why she did that, but she felt safer. It was something.
That moment Ayame saw the guy with the mask. From his body movement she understood that he was coughing and she noticed a few blood sprays. He was with his back against her, but she managed to notice the little blood.
At that moment one of the attackers landed in front of her and Nataku.
“Do not interfere, and you will be spared.”
Was what she heard from him.
Oh. My. God.
Saying this to an angry teenage girl, who just took her first ninja class was like saying "Go, interfere. You are the God of this universe now and you can do anything."

She didn't know why, but she wanted to help that masked guy. Maybe because the fight wasn't fair and he was wounded.
Her expression quickly changed to a serious one and she lifted up her head to see Nataku. At this moment she was waiting for his decision.

PS: So I started to write how Ayame goes into the fight, but it's only logical for her to wait and see what Nataku would do. But even if he wants not to interfere.. well... she will....

PS2: Sorry about the song, I tend to ruin the precious moments HERE, this is the actual soundtrack.

 

[Kurosawa Nataku]

[Whistle a tune, that can be your theme music]

As Nataku glanced away from Ayame, his eye caught something it wasn't meant to. Dark shadows skirted across the desert sand. The hair on his arms began to straighten, and all his senses went on alert. Meanwhile Ayame was mentioning how scary he looked, but his focus had shifted. He looked up just in time to catch an explosion. He saw it just moments before he heard it. Instinctively, Nataku stepped closer to Ayame without taking his eyes off the scene. He had already deduced a battle was going on. He watched as a figure fell from his mount and the mount fell from the sky. Birds. Why did they all have birds? Nataku wished he had a bird. The figure falling did something and one of the other birds suddenly erupted in an explosion.

There wasn't anything remaining from the second explosion. Nataku's interest was piqued, but the presence of Ayame made him uneasy. He didn't want her to get hurt, so he kept his distance. That is, until the falling figure disappeared, and reappeared 100 meters away. Nataku could see now the person was a man, and he was quite skilled. He dodged an onslaught of attacks from the others. Two birds dove down to attack him and Nataku stepped even closer to Ayame. He was going to tell her to stay behind him, but she was already grabbing his cape. There was no need to say anything. The man sliced down one of the birds, but suffered a hit from the other. It was clear now that they were all attacking him. He had eliminated one, but three still remained. The man he cut down began fighting him, but only had one arm.

Nataku watched intently as the two birds circled overhead and the other was locked in a melee brawl. It was all quite brutal, and Nataku silently hoped they would not come any closer. As if in response one of the two above flew down and landed only 20 meters away. Nataku stared at him intently and put his left arm backward in front of where Ayame was standing. Then this man in front of him made a fatal error. He threatened them. Prior to this, Nataku and Ayame were silent observers, but now he had involved them. If the man was observant, he would notice Nataku's eyes change color. They turned a dark red, subtly different from their normal brown hue. An invisible aura could suddenly be felt by those nearby. It was his demonic presence, and it was powerful. It was enough to freeze some enemies in their tracks, and make others run in fear. Regrettably, Ayame would feel it too.

In that instant, Nataku made a snap decision. He knew that the man before him couldn't be trusted. He had no honor. He was attacking someone four on one. Nataku couldn't just take his word that they'd be left alone. On top of this, as it were right now, the group was distracted and much easier to take down. If he waited for them to defeat their target, it could become that much more difficult. Plus, they were on Sand's turf and Nataku had principle. Four on one was just not cool.

To the untrained eye, Nataku would vanish. His movements were so quick that they were hardly noticed. His cape would slip right out of Ayame's hands. He moved forward so fast that the man barely had a chance to react, even at a distance of 20 meters. His right arm transformed into a much larger shape. It was dark, and the fingers were more like talons on a claw. He was partially transforming into his demon form, just enough to send a punch forward with insane force. The average man would have said something first. Something like, "You would be wise not to threaten me," before squaring up for a duel. Not Nataku. He was true to his shinobi ways, and the element of surprise was a tactical advantage.

His punch connected, but the man managed to get his arms up to block it. The force was enough to send him flying backwards another 30 meters before skidding along the sand. Nataku glanced back at Ayame, before looking up to see what the other bird would do. It continued to stay up there, watching and waiting. For some reason, it made no move to help the man Nataku just hit. That's when Nataku noticed something. The man was back on his feet already. A punch like that was sure to eliminate most foes. Nataku was certain he felt his arms break under the force. That's why he got a sick feeling in his stomach. The guy's arms seemed just fine. The fight wouldn't be settled so easily. On the plus side, he managed to put some distance between him and Ayame. On the down side, he wasn't really willing to leave her side.

Fortunately, he had a solution for this. With one hand seal suddenly another figure appeared in front of him. The figure was his other path, and the spitting image of Toraono Kuro. However, before anyone had a chance to see Kuro, the path quickly used the Transformation jutsu to appear like Nataku. Yes, this was a clone as far as anyone else was concerned. Nataku then had his path pursue the man he had just hit, while he returned to Ayame's side. His willed his demonic power to relax as his arm turned back to normal and his fearsome aura faded. But there was a different noticeable change. His eyes were no longer brown, or even dark red. They were the Rinnegan.

"Do not worry," he said to Ayame, "I'll keep you safe." He stood next to her and remained watchful, keeping his eyes on the others in the battle. He did not need to have his eyes on the one man his path was in combat with now. They shared eyes, after all.

Meanwhile, the path dashed forward as swirling blue chakra formed into a silver katana in his hand. Although there was a significant distance between them now, Ayame would recognize the blade as the one she attempted to steal from him. The real battle was about to start, and these guys had no idea what they had just gotten themselves into.

 

[Uchiha Izura]

Nataku’s path slashed and stabbed at his target with ease, each attack making a clean slice or stab on the target, although they seemed to avoid any attacks that would’ve resulted in dismemberment. Things were going well….almost too well. The figure who was being slashed at smiled for a brief moment before counterattacking with taijutsu of their own- a flurry of kunai swipes and kicks directed at Nataku’s path. The kunai swipes were dodged with relative ease, the kicks blocked as well, but as soon as one of the kicks made physical contact, in a single moment, the tables were reversed. Every single one of the slashes and stabs that were on the target’s body were now gone….but Nataku’s path was now the one injured heavily. It seemed that mere physical contact allowed this person to transfer their own wounds to whoever they wanted. The transfer was instant, covering both fighters in splashes of each other’s blood.

One of the birds swooped in, the assailant hopping onto it’s back as it ascended into the sky. The figure pulled down their hood, revealing that it hadn’t been a man this entire time, but a woman with purple hair and wholly red eyes that indicated that she could be a Chigokai.

“Rinnegan….a descendant of some long dead god.”

She rose her arm to her mouth, licking off a bit of the blood that had splattered there. The woman then made an evil cackle, before stabbing herself in the heart with a kunai. Nataku’s path would immediately reflect the same condition as her, as if it had been stabbed in the heart as well.

“Lord Jashin’s power is greater…greater than your accursed Rinnegan and the powers of that damn Uchiha!” The woman coughed up a large amount of blood, smiling. “Heretics, you will all die!”

They say that home is where the heart is. If that’s the case, mine was always encased in skyscrapers of steel, whose looming forms reached out to the sky, as if defiant against a sky of endless rain; a rain that washed away the sins of a past we all once held.

It all began as a dream for a place we could call our own.

Izu-chi. I still remember growing up with that nickname in the Yasha-Monzaemon precinct of the village where I grew up. My 14th birthday, spent with Uncle Yogi on those waterways, lined with the bustle of restaurants and the dim glow of lanterns, happy and booming with customers despite the light patter of the rain around them. My adoptive father Sojobo wasn’t there; he was busy in his leadership role…although as a kid I felt somewhat bitter about it anyway. It wasn’t till I was much older that I’d understand. I remember the birthday gift Uncle Yogi gave me too- a sailor uniform that made me look much more innocent and less menacing than the shinobi I was. He tended to give that gift every year, for reasons I couldn’t fathom. Naturally, I was flustered every time I received it, but wore it anyway, just to make Uncle Yogi happy.

To get back at my father Sojobo, I stole his hat one day. It was a tattered old thing by now, trademarkly known by it’s crimson red color. Frankly, the way he dressed was quite….unique to say the least. Even though he was a ninja, you could tell it was him judging by the ominous red clothing he wore everywhere. Maybe it was his favorite color? I was a shy kid back then who tended to get into quite a bit of trouble, but he saved me on numerous occasions. We butted heads at times, but for the most part, it was a silent resentment, just wishing he wasn’t so busy all the time. Hence why I stole the hat.

It’s times like that which remind me what I fought for.

But that…was all gone. Wiped clean by the Red Rain organization. An organization that unleashed a bio weapon on my home so terrible that nearly everyone died, and the place became little more than a disease ridden quarantine zone. Driven from my home, I returned to the Leaf with what little remained of my father’s organization, and worked with them for a time. Leaf became…a second home of sorts. It could never repair the rift in my heart for those steel skyscrapers of old, but it sufficed, for a time. But even those days never lasted. The Leaf was overrun by the samurai, and I tried to defend Konoha, but to no avail.

I should’ve died, but here I was, like a ghost from the past.

Izura continued fighting his opponent who was missing an arm. He twisted to avoid a stabbing lunge from the mysterious attacker, taking the opportunity to cast hypnotic suggestion at the last moment to allow for a brief window of opportunity. Izura then swung his kunai in an arc, slicing across the man’s back deeply, but in the next moment, both of them were engulfed in a series of explosions as the third remaining assailant who had been on a bird this whole time fired a series of missiles at both of them, his puppet-like arms rotating to reveal twin cannons which unleashed a torrent of shuriken in the wake of the explosion.

Sand and dirt and dust filled the air, a fire having started where the explosion had occurred.

I was distracted. My timing was off. I’d dodge more out of instinct rather than a strong will to live. Part of me threw myself at the enemy, wishing for a quick death, but my body almost moved on it’s own, as if out of habit to survive. Maybe things would’ve been different, if I realized that I stood on the precipice of a new reason to exist. Maybe my focus would’ve returned, and I would’ve dodged those attacks. I managed to evade the majority of the explosions and the torrent of kunai that followed with my Izanagi technique, but a final explosion sent me flying, tumbling through the air like a rag doll before I slammed into the desert sand, rolling and tumbling on my side several meters before coming to a halt.

The violet haired woman observed the scene below, but for some reason, decided to leave Nataku, Ayame, and Izura be. It was as if she understood that staying here might mean mutual destruction- odds that she was not willing to take. She then looked to her companion who was still in the air, tilting her head as if it to indicate that it was time for them to leave. And leave they did, soaring off into the distance on their bird mounts. As they turned to leave, the violet haired woman gave Sojobo a wicked grin before her bird increased speed and began to disappear into the horizon.

Concussion missiles. The blast did more internal damage than external, and Izura could feel it. He coughed up blood, the crimson liquid dripping from his mouth onto the ground. The mask was gone, completely destroyed by the blast. His sharingan still active, his facial expression reeked of melancholy, of a man who had lost the will to live. But as he raised his head, he saw a young girl with black hair and red eyes.

And the memories came flooding through. Their mother’s voice, as if a memory link planted by her had transcended time by being set into their eyes as young as they could ever remember.

“G-gaaah!”

He curled up, covering his face and curling up as the memories overwhelmed his senses. It was a lot to take at once.

The loneliness, the pain, the resentment…it was as if the emotions of 13 years had coalesced into this moment and overwhelmed Izura all at once.

She’s your sister, Izura….

The sensation eventually subsided, but it drained Izura, mentally exhausting him. So he remained there, lying on the ground with lidded eyes as he felt his vision go hazy, noticing another familiar silhouette in the distance- that hat couldn’t be mistaken for anyone else’s.

And for the first time in a long time, he laughed and cried tears of joy.

“T-they’re alive…..f-father’s a-alive….a-and….”



Even more tears flowed as he finished his sentence, although his voice was weak due to his injuries.

"I have a sister!”

WC 1410

 

[Ayame]

Ayame witnessed a grand battle. All kinds of power shake the ground, leaving holes and black trails behind. She knew how serious everything was, when she saw Nataku's eyes. Before that he was carefully observing the situation. Ayame didn't know what he was thinking, but he looked so intimidating, like a bloodthirsty predator. A predator that observed the prey's actions and a predator, that'd protect his own pack. He put his left arm backwards in front of Ayame. That made the girl to look at her protector. And suddenly... his eyes changed.
"Nataku..." was everything she was able to think, before fear overtook her mind. Every piece of her mind was soaked in fear - she couldn't think straight anymore. The only thing she wanted right now was to just run away from here, to save herself. But she knew this was coming from Nataku. Her Nataku. He'd never hurt her. He was the man who protected her, healed her wounds, calmed her troubled mind and banished her nightmares.
Suddenly he vanished and the girl realized she wasn’t holding anything in her hand anymore. Ayame looked with her eyes for him and saw his inhuman nature. With his punch he managed to put some distance between the stranger and her. He came back to her, leaving a clone in the battlefield. Suddenly, that feeling of fear disappeared. She looked at him worried. His eyes… Rinnengan.
“But… he revealed his secret…”
"Do not worry,I'll keep you safe." he said.
“I’m not worried for me, Nataku. I’m worried for you. Did you do this only to protect me…”
She kept watching him, worried about the fact that he showed his Rinnengan to the people here.
Then her attention was caught by the blade his clone was holding. It was the blade she tried to steal from him.
“That must be the real one…”

The merciless fight kept going. Everything was a mess. Both Nataku and the stranger were fighting against people with enormous powers. Ayame didn’t stand and chance and felt guilty that Nataku revealed his secret in order to protect her.

They say home is where the heart is. What a stupid thing to say. Does that meant Ayame was heartless?
Everything started years ago. A baby girl was found, all alone in a ruined house, crying it’s lungs out, with a little bracelet. The bracelet wasn’t in a good shape and everything you could read on it was Ayame. Iris. A perfect name for an Uchiha.

The big room was almost always cold, full with beds. Most of the kids didn’t stay long and their beds quickly became someone else's beds. Just one bed remained with his owner.

- Hello, nice to meet you. We are Nakano family.
- It’s so nice to meet you – the caretaker smiled – take a seat, what would you like – coffee or tea?

Nakano family entered the room. The kids were well dressed with an uniforms, playing happily. They immediately smiled at the couple, and the couple smiled back.
Only one girl remained on her bed lying, watching at the sealing, chewing loudly gum and making bubbles. She was with her uniform, but her shirt wasn’t tuck in like it should, her jacket was tighten on her waist and the skirt wasn’t ironed at all. Around her were sitting boys with clothes in the same condition as hers. The group looked like they didn’t gave a shit about anything.
After the couple talked with the other kids they saw Ayame's group.
- What about the girl there? – the woman asked.
- Ooooh, she… she is not the type of a kid you are looking. – said the caretaker.
- What do you mean?
- Well… her profile and the kids around her says they don’t fit well in the society. They are troublesome kids and need special care.
- Oooh – the woman smiled – how troublesome a child could be?
She went to the girl and saw her red eyes.
- She has red eyes – the woman whispered to her husband with troubled face and sat on the bed with unsure look.
- Hello, little girl. What’s your name?
The girl looked at the family, still lying on the bed, chewing her gum loudly, popping bubbles.
- Ayame.
- Ayame! That’s beautiful name! So, Ayame, we are Nakano family. Tell us more about you.
- Well… - Ayame started – I live here with my friends.
- Is it hard for you?
- Most of the time it’s lonely. You know… I often watch other kids from schools. Their families come to pick them up, taking them to restaurants, hug them, kiss them.
The girl sat on the bed and continued, watching the woman’s expression. The boys around her were trying not to explode in laughter.
- On the holidays they are always together. I won’t say it’s hard for me staying here. I’m grateful to the caretakers, they’re doing everything they can to make us feel good. But… sometimes… especially when you lay in bed at night… you feel alone and sad.
The woman watched Ayame, smiling warmly at her.
-You know you’re not special to anyone. You’re on your own – a tears starts showing in Ayame’s eyes – you can’t do anything, but to hug your pillow tight and wait for the day to come.
The woman’s eyes started to tear up too.
- But I’m trying to stay strong, cause I have a dream and must work hard for it.
The woman placed her hand on Ayame’s head.
- What’s your dream, sweety?
- Well… I want to make sure that children at my position won’t feel this way. And… won’t be at my position at all. It’s sad, no one should feel this way.
- That’s an honorable dream! Did you think of a way to do this?
Ayame smiled.
- Ofcourse!
- And how?
- First… i'm gonna murder all the children here. Well… you know, that’d be difficult and everything will become bloody – blah! To make sure all of them are dead, I’ll just lock the exits and lit the fuckin’ orphanage on fire with all the people here!
The boys started laughing in tears, Ayame explode in evil laughter too. The woman quickly removed her hand and held her husband’s hand with horror in her eyes.
- Let’s go! – Said to her husband and they quckly left the room.
The caretaker looked at Ayame and the boys. Her eyes were filled with anger.
- You won’t learn your lesson, aren’t you?!
She slapped her, but Ayame pushed her and she fell.
- I don’t care about having a family or lessons, you old bag!
- Hachiro – screamed the caretaker – Come here to deal with that demon child!
An angry man came to the room. He was the guy who dealed with the children who cause torubles and the girl was well aware of his methods. He hit hard.
- Let’s go, guys!
Ayame took the glass of water that was staying on her night stand and throw it at the man. The boys started throwing stuff at him too.
The girl then throw something at the window and broke it. The gang quickly made their way out of the window.
A chase began.
- Ayame! – Said one of the boys – we’re too far away, we should get back.
- I’m not getting back to that dump!
The boys stopped.
- But… what are we gonna do?
- We’ll think of something!
The boys looked at each other with a worried look.
- So…. You are finally escaping? We thought you were kidding…
- What do you mean? You’re not coming with me? – the girl asked.
- Well… - that was all they said.
- You’re bunch of pussies!
Said the girl and turned her back on them, disappearing in the distance.

That day was hot. Ayame was dirty and hungry. She went to the town’s market to see what to steal. Suddenly, she noticed a big man, starring somewhere. She saw his little purse, attached to his belt on his back. She smiled.
Ayame got close to the guy with silent steps. She cut the bag with a little knife she had and money started falling in her hand. Quickly she turned around and 3 guys jumped in front of her, laughing. One of them grabbed her by the hand. The other guy she just robbed turned around and saw her.
- Hahaha, the Right hand robbed by a little girl! Now that’s a story!
The robbed guy became all red and prepared a punch for the girl.
- You little shit! You know who I am!
But the other guys stopped him.
- You know, she could be a big help to us.
- What do you mean? – asked the robbed guy.
- Well, she managed to steal from you and we didn’t saw her in the crowd until she was getting your money. We can use her, she has a potential. And no one would suspect a little innocent girl.
- Hm…. – the guy looked at the girl – you have 2 choices. I could kill you right now or you can join us and work for us. What’s you name?
- I… Ayame…
- Ayame who?
- … Nonomura Ayame.
And that was how the girl ended up joining a gang of bandits.
She was trained by them in the art of stealing. Her missions were success every time. But couple of days after she joined the gang their behavior towards her changed. The Right hand seemed always angry to her.

He took her by the hand and threw her on the ground.
- You think you can lie to us, you little shit?
He hit her with the back of his hand and she fell on the ground again with a bleeding lip.
- Show me your eyes! Use them for once!
The girl looked at him and screamed.
- I am using them! I don’t know what you’re talking about!
- Oh, so you wanna play that game? Okay…
He hit her again.
Ayame didn’t know anything about her family. She never wanted to know who they are, what they could do, so she really didn’t had any idea what he was talking about.
Days kept goind. Things like that happened once in a month or so. Her back was full of long scars from the beatings with a bo staff. The leader of the gang sometimes visited her. He seemed like a calm guy, tall, with long white hair and wicked smile.
https://goo.gl/aUzmTe
https://goo.gl/qaQchS</I>

<I>
- Poor girl… - he placed her hand on her wounded shoulder and after a second the wound was gone – I’ll take care of you.
He then placed gently his hand on her cheek and looked her in the eyes.
- These eyes of yours, little Ayame.. they’re special. You’re special to me, you know.
She looked at him and he smiled softly.
- Yes, you’re. You have something that I want. But I can’t tell them to stop, until you show me your power. It hurts me to see you like that, Aya-chan. But I can promise you something… as soon as you get your powers I’ll make you mine and no one would hurt you anymore. I'll protect you and make you stronger.
The girl cried.
- But how?! I don’t understand!
- You wan’t to kill my Right hand, right? I give you the permission. Hate him. Channel your hate when he comes again. Hate the people from the orphanage, hate your family. After all, they did this to you… You’ll feel it when you’re ready. And then… I’ll release you, little one.


- Kill him, Ayame. You are old enough for your first kill and you can even keep the tanto as a present, after you kill him. See, we are not that bad. Or are you not loyal to us?
Her hand was shaking. The traitor's body too.
"He only wanted to leave and start a new life... is this so bad?" - she thought.
- You have 10 seconds or you'll follow him. - a voice near her year scared her.
She couldn't move, so the gang member grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up.
- I'm not kidding, you little shit! - he said and released her.
Tears started falling from her eyes. She closed them and cut the throat of the traitor.
Blood poured from the man's throat and stained her face and hands. This was shocking for the 12 y/o girl. She fell on the ground crying and shaking, holding the blood stained tanto.
- Good. Keep the tanto and feed him with more blood. You're now a real member and should start killing. - Said the man and left her crying in the room with the dead body.

So.. they say home is where the heart is. Was she heartless…
Ayame looked at Nataku.
Maybe. But now she found hers. A scary, silent heart, full of secrets and… love.[/i]

But the name Uchiha echoed in her head. That guy… right there... there was a little place in her heart, wounded and rotten, just for him and all of the Uchihas. A place that couldn’t be healed. A place that reminded her that she didn’t matter.
The girl managed to catch a little glimpse of Izura’s eyes and something came to her mind, unwanted. It was her mother’s face.
- It’s your brother Izura, Ayame..
“What?!”
It was the kind of memory that she knew was true. Her father took care of that.
The memory disappeared as soon as Ayame looked the other way. She realized that she was in the battlefield, but she felt that this memory transferred her somewhere else. This man, right there, was Izura Uchiha, for sure.
She quickly flew out of her place. Went right into the battlefield, under the rain of missciels. She didn’t know how, but she was able to dodge some of the missiles. She was fast, but not enough. Ayame managed to dodge some of them, but others landed too close to her, shaking the ground underneath her feet. The girl didn’t know how, but she managed to survive.
All of a sudden the rain of missiles stopped. Ayame was on the ground, staring at Izura’s eyes. She couldn’t move her eyes away from his, and a river of memories flooded her mind. It was more than the girl could handle. She started screaming and her eyes suddenly changed. Without realizing, they took the pattern of the Sharingan. The memories were too much, coming too fast, she felt like she was dying, but she wasn’t able to close her eyes or look the other way…

She saw everything. Every questions ever asked were answered in that moment. She experienced his memories like they were her own. Her father was long gone. The girl always said that she hated her family. But deep inside she felt sad.
Finally her mother appeared. The image of her mother lifted her spirit.
- Mother! – came of the girl’s mouth without realizing. But what she heard from her was painful. Naoto was dead.
She saw how Izura and her mother teamed up… but for one last time. She saw her bleeding, holding herself between life and death. The girl always hoped to see her mother. To hug her, just like in her memories. But now… she was standing in Izura’s hand’s.
- NO! MOTHER, NO! DON’T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS! – screamed the girl, without realizing this was just a memory. Tears poured from her eyes, everything she ever wanted was to meet her mother. To spend time with her, to feel the mother’s embrace. This memory crushed her dreams.
But there was another man in Izura’s memories. A man she knew, a man she believed. But it seemed to her that this man wasn’t the man she thought and he says he is.
Ayame looked around her. She was on the ground, staring at her brother’s eyes. She felt different, something happened, her eyes felt different. But this wasn’t her biggest concern right now.
She went to her brother. The girl couldn’t feel anything but envy. He had his moments with their mother. He talked to her. He took her away from Ayame. Now she wasn’t able to even touch her…
He had the opportunity to sped time with HER family.
Why does Izura came here?
Her eyes moved at Nataku’s.
Maybe he was now trying to take away Nataku too. He was everything she had. But… it seemed that Izura was first once again. They met long ago, they were family, and Nataku was lying to her this whole time.
She looked at the blue skies.
“Why am I always the second one? Why I’m always left with the leftovers… isn’t there something just for me?”
Then she looked at Nataku, watching him directly at his eyes with her Sharingan eyes.

Her look was different. Now she watched him intimidating, with fading trust in her eyes. Who was this man? He was lying to her this entire time? He said he took her by his side, only because he saw potential in her. He said he didn’t want anything else! But what happened here seemed like a plan that got wrong. Of course Nataku would try to keep Ayame safe for Izura, until he comes. After all… Izura was his child.
The girl took a few steps back and draw her weapon.
- You take me for a fool… YASHA SOJOBO?! – Ayame screamed the name that echoed through the dessert.

[MFT]
WC: 2952 (Nice try, Izura )

 

[Kurosawa Nataku]

Nataku assaulted the woman with a constant barrage of attacks from his sword. Most landed cleanly, which was all that was needed. Eventually she responded with a barrage of her own, but each was easily dodged. All except for one. That one resulted in a transfer of the injuries, but it had an unexpected effect on Nataku. Instead of wincing in pain, he smiled and his blood began form a liquid suit of armor around his body. The path that Nataku had summoned was a Chigokai, and blood was its power. This was the first time someone had made him bleed, and it felt great. He had never been so excited by his own injuries before.

The excitement turned into upset as the woman jumped onto a bird to run away. Things were just getting interesting. She pulled down her hood to reveal her features. Purple hair and red eyes. She did not realize how similar they were, but there was one clear difference. This woman was delusional. "This world does not have gods," he said like a parent lecturing a child, "It only has power and those willing to take it." Nataku did not like where things were headed. The woman licked some of the blood of her arm, and then stabbed herself in the heart. Immediately he felt it. The path that was doing combat winced as a hole ripped open in it's chest. It fell to one knee, clutching its chest as the other Nataku standing by Ayame barely flinched. The woman gloated as she explained that she worshipped Lord Jashin.

Nataku's path then stood up again. His cloak prevented his injury from being witnessed, but it didn't seem to be bothering him anymore. The blood more or less matched the color of his cloak, which made it look as though he was unscathed. His hand clutching his chest was actually him performing medical jutsu to heal the wound. He was quite proficient at that, if nothing else. He looked up toward the woman flying above, wondering what her next move would be. Shouldn't be long now, he thought, with a bit of a smirk. Maybe she was already feeling the effects of the poison, because she motioned to her ally and they both flew off into the horizon. Two of the most brutal poisons this world had to offer were on that blade, and they were starting to take effect. As she flew off, she would potentially lose her ability to fly and her consciousness if she didn't have any treatment available. If anything, she wouldn't forget Nataku. Once the enemies were all gone, the path took off into the distance in the direction of Sunagakure. The original Nataku remained next to Ayame, untouched.

He had been watching the battle from this perspective as well. The other battle had resulted in a mutual defeat. The enemy had no problem killing their own, as the one on the ground was nothing more than dust thanks to an explosive assault. Ayame had run toward the battle at one point, as it was ending. Nataku had to cover her with a powerful barrier to prevent her from taking any damage. She seemed to have lost her senses, but before Nataku was able to say anything he noticed something. Ayame was leaning over the fallen man who had been assaulted, but that wasn't what was stunning. It was her eyes. The Sharingan had activated.

Nataku stood right behind her, focusing now on the man who lie on the ground. He let out a painful grunt and curled up. He also had the Sharingan, and there was something eerily familiar about him. Izura. came a thought from the depths of his mind. He ignored it. He didn't understand it, and brushed it off as just nonsense. What did 'Izura' mean? The man covered his face with his hands. Ayame seemed captivated by something. Genjutsu, he thought, worried for a moment. But she didn't seem in pain, and the man looked too tired to be able to harm her. Nor did it look like he intended to do harm. Instead, he said something odd.

“T-they’re alive…..f-father’s a-alive….a-and….I have a sister!” He was crying and his voice was weak. Nataku couldn't make sense of his words, and figured the man was just delusional. He decided to do the right thing and start healing the man. His injuries were no problem. Not for a medic like Nataku. As Nataku knelt down to heal the man Ayame starting talking strange. "Mother!" she shouted.

That snapped Nataku to attention. He looked at her, and stopped healing the man before he had even started. Ayame started frantically screaming for her mother. Nataku didn't understand. He didn't know what to do. This whole situation was too much for him to comprehend. After a moment he decided he would touch Ayame, to ensure she wasn't in a Genjutsu and give her a friendly hand. That would surely bring her back to reality. He reached out to touch her when suddenly she looked straight at him with her Sharingan. There was something in her look that made him stop. His arm froze in midair as he tried to understand what she was thinking. She stood and stepped back as Nataku remained on his knees next to Izura. She drew her weapon, and Nataku's armed dropped to his side. He did not like where this was going. He immediately assumed she was under a Genjutsu and was being tricked into attacking him.

"You take me for a fool… YASHA SOJOBO?!"

Suddenly Nataku's world stopped. Literally, stopped. Time froze, and his mind went into overdrive. The name kept echoing in his head. Yasha Sojobo... Yasha Sojobo... Yasha Sojobo... Yasha Sojobo...

Spoiler

They say home is where the heart is, but my heart is a forgotten memory. My home was destroyed..

The white noise of rainfall echoed through twisting towers of stone and steel. I had grown to love this sensation. Meditating in the rain atop the largest tower ever constructed, overlooking the symbol of hope in the shinobi world. All that I could have hoped for was right beneath me. I could feel it. At moments like this, I was certain my life's purpose was completed. I truly felt at peace with the world. But there was one thing left to do, before I could die. I needed a successor. Honestly, I already knew who it was, but I wouldn't admit it openly. He wasn't ready yet. He had so much to learn, so much room to grow, and he was still immature. I had sheltered him for too long, and I was just now letting him be free to experience the consequences of his own actions.

...

Years went by. I couldn't even remember how old I was anymore. My body didn't age like normal, not since I realized my full potential. I couldn't keep track of time as I was too caught up in the moment. Before I knew it, a plague swept through our home. Our once perfect village quickly saw ruin at the hands of the world's worst scum. Bodies piled in the rivers, forming dams. The stench of death lingered, bolstered by the extreme humidity. Not even the rain could wash that away. Worse, the once forgiving rain turned to acid. What once washed away your sins would now burn you forever. I'll never forget the day I knew it was over.

He confronted me in our Palace of a home. He was angry and upset with me. I can't really remember what I did and why he was acting out. I can only imagine it was a standard phase in childhood. I didn't have much experience in raising a child, and he was adopted after all. With all of my duties to the world around me, I probably wasn't the best of fathers. Regardless of what he said, that was probably what bothered him the most. I didn't spend much time with him. His anger turned into violence. Maybe he thought he could beat me in a fight. Maybe he had something to prove. The end result was clear, though. We wrecked our home with a violent battle, but he was clearly outmatched. I don't think it ended well either. He stormed off, still angry. He let off some steam, sure, but the emotions would not go away. I keep thinking maybe I should have let him beat me then. Maybe things would have turned out differently. I don't think I ever saw him after that. A regret I would carry with me for the rest of my life. I don't like how we ended things. I suppose it wasn't just him though. There were others. I had forgotten about everyone, even the ghost and the bear. They were all just memories with no closure.

...

In a grandiose fashion, I sealed up our massive tower in a big scroll. A relic of a lost time. Everything I worked for was crushed. My hopes.. no.. the world's hopes were crushed. Democracy was crushed. The status quo would not be shaken. I was a fool for thinking I could make a difference. I began to question why I was even put here on this planet. What was the meaning of it all? Was I just some big joke for some higher being to laugh at. Let me believe I've won then take it all away? Defeat is always worst at the moment of victory. And so I wandered. I wandered so far I became lost. Anything to get away. An escape from the cruel reality I was born into. And then... then there was nothing. Nothing at all. And that was just fine.

<i></i>

The world stayed frozen for a moment longer. A mirage of Rain permeated the desert in Nataku's eyes for but a moment longer. And then it slowly faded and his eyes readjusted. They focused back on Ayame. There was something different though. The man before her was Nataku on the outside, but on the inside he was something different. Senkaku let out a sigh.

"Yasha Sojobo is dead," he said flatly. "But you wouldn't know anything about him anyway," he said condescendingly. This man did not speak like Nataku. He was not friendly, and did not hide his emotions in his words. He was blunt. He was selfish. His eyes shifted back to the man lying before him. "Izura, Izura, Izura," he repeated shaking his head. "I never thought I'd see you again. I suppose I owe it to fate, eh?" His hands started to glow a soft red color as he placed them onto Izura's body. A massive amount of chakra would begin flowing, immediately soothing Izura's pain and mending his wounds.

"What has happened to you?" he muttered, mostly to himself. When he looked at Izura he only felt pain, which was not an emotion Senkaku was used to. In fact, he wasn't sure he had ever felt it before. Perhaps it was because Izura reminded him of Sojobo, and he knew Sojobo was gone. He missed Sojobo; it was like a part of him that could never return. When he was there Senkaku constantly fought him for control. But eventually they came to terms with each other. Now he was gone forever. And the world kept turning. Uncaring.

 

[Uchiha Izura]

“Yasha Sojobo is dead.”

The words stung like the thin cut of a iajutsu strike, barely visible but acute as ever. Izura’s face was initially one of relief, but upon hearing Nataku’s words, a wave of melancholy and a strong feeling of sorrow washed over Izura. He closed his eyes, smiling and taking a deep sigh as he tried his best to internalize those feelings. His emotions were a whirlwind by this point, as he struggled internally to try and decide how he truly felt. Happiness, sorrow, anger, relief, confusion, fear…the storm raged on inside of his head.

But shinobi were only human, and Izura had already reached the tipping point. Opening his eyes and revealing a determined stare, filled with resolve, but also one that revealed an endless sea of sorrow, he grabbed Nataku by the collar, pulling himself up.

His Mangekyou sharingan were activated, as if he was still in disbelief about the reality before him. That perhaps this was some form of trickery made to get inside of his head.

And Izura was about to speak his mind- to lash out verbally in anguish at Nataku’s apparent indifference…but he stopped himself. It took a few moments, but the determined stare softened a bit, as if to indicate that he wasn’t willing to handle the issue of Nataku’s indifference at that moment.

And with that, he stood up despite the weariness, looking at Ayame.

The struggle of all shinobi never ends. It is the reason that I come into conflict even now, despite all that I have endured. I remember when I thought that I had ended things once and for all. A memory….of the days before mother and I had ended the assassin cult that had killed our family and forced me into this hell of being on the run.

A magnificent palace atop a tower of steel stood amongst the other skyscrapers. Latticed with networks of tunnels, they served as easy access points for those who were more attuned to the use of chakra. A memory of where he was from, and a memory with his mother. Crossing her arms, Uchiha Katsuko leaned against one of the pipes along the wall of the corridor, the patter of the rain outside being the only ambient sound as she conversed with a younger, 17-year old Izura. By that point in time, Izura was a very capable shinobi, having already activated his mangekyou sharingan of his own accord.

"This is the chance we have to strike back. For your father, for Naota….for Ayame."

Katsuko seemed to be in deep thought, but one could tell that there was vengeance in her voice. As if the pent up anguish was fueling her will after finally finding that with Izura’s help, she’d be able to finally retaliate against those who had terrorized them for so long.

“Ayame, okaa-san?” A wave of confusion played across the young Izura’s face.

“When you were very young, about two years old…your baby sister was born….but she was killed in a fire shortly after when the assassin cult found us.”

“They’re all gone then? Father…Naota….my sister…”

“….Yes…but now we have our chance to strike back.”

Izura clenched his fist, walking to the entrance of the corridor, which opened up to the side of the tower, the drenched city floor several hundred feet below. His face bearing a strong amount of determination stared off into the distance, the grey clouds looming in the sky, but still unable to mask the bright dawn of the sun’s rays piercing through and filling the sky with some warm glow.

“…Yeah….we do…”

It wasn’t much later before Izura and Katsuko faced off against the assassin cult. Their leader was a Chimera- a monster in terms of sheer combat power due to their mastery of multiple kekkei genkai. In the end, Izura and Katsuko were successful at defeating the assassin cult leader, but at the cost of Katsuko’s own life. Izura held her in his arms and watched as she faded away, helpless and unable to prevent it from happening.

And even at that junction of his life, Izura never got the chance to get Sojobo’s help. He was away from the village on errands. Always gone, always busy. And now he was claiming to be gone entirely? Just what exactly did it mean to be a leader? To shirk responsibilities as an adoptive father, for the cause of leading a community? And for what?

But even for all the wrongs that Sojobo made later on in his life, Izura would’ve been dead without him. Executed by assassins, the Leaf Anbu, perhaps even his own former teammates. There was an irreplaceable debt there, and a lasting affection that, despite Senkaku’s attempts at separating from, would never wither within the boy’s heart. The love that a son held for his father transcended events and time. There was a connection left there, and Izura was determined to salvage it eventually.

Ayame was so young looking, but their father had been prepared for this possibility. It was a beautiful gift- to know her despite all that had happened. It was a window into their hearts. Ayame may have been bitter about how their lives had been lived up until this point, but hopefully she’d understand what he had endured too. The countless deaths, the betrayal, the empty feeling of losing home after home after home. She was holding a weapon. Angry. Fearful, even. But Izura didn’t care.

The first step.

The second step.

The third step.

It felt like an eternity, but he kept his eyes forward, as if to make absolutely sure that it wasn’t an illusion. That this wasn’t some cruel twist of fate. That this moment was real. There were no words as Izura took the final step, wrapping his arms around Ayame and hugging her tightly. Tears flowed as he tried his best to weep in silence, but she’d be able to tell that he was shaking from the sheer emotion of the moment.

She’s not gone, okaa-san. I’ve got her right here.

And for the first time in seven years, I found my reason to continue. To endure as a shinobi. This new threat of Jashinists. Whatever threats that were ahead in the future. I’d protect her from them all.

WC 1062
MFT

 

[Ayame]

"What.... "
The girl didn't know what was happening. Whatever it was.. she did't liked it. The man in front of her, who took care of her was somebody else. That wasn't her Nataku. The way he talked... the way he acted. Someone else was watching through his eyes. The eyes never lie...
It seemed that these guys knew each other. It seemed to the girl that everything was planned, except the attack.
"I really thought that... that... it's okay now..." - she was thinking. Yeah, everything was okay for a moment. Until Nataku transformed to a guy she didn't knew.
"You promised... you were pretending... all this time... "
The hand that was holding her weapon started shaking, because she was holding it too tight. She clenched her teeth in anger looking at Nataku, like a little disappointed child.
- Nataku! - She screamed, so she can get his attention - Why have you lied to me?!
The girl was about to jump at him, but not to hurt him. She couldn't, she loved him as a child would love his father, but at that moment something else happened. Something that distracted her from Nataku or whoever he was.
Izura stood up. It was hard for him, but he managed to do it. He was watching right at her with his scary eyes. The girl quickly made a defensive stance, but it seemed that Izura didn't want to hurt her.
His eyes... even with the Mangekyou sharingan, the look in his eyes was caring, with a little bit of disbelieve. He watched right at the girl like she was the only thing that existed right now.

The first step.
Ayame wanted to take a few steps back, but she couldn't. She froze.

The second step.
She saw it was hard for him to even walk, but somehow he did. Her eyes opened widely and her brows furrowed in worry.

The third step.
He was close.
"What are you doing?" the girl thought.

He didn't cared she had a weapon. He didn't cared for the angriness in her eyes. He hugged her and the world stopped spinning for a moment. She was numb. She didn't know what to feel. Before that she was sad and angry. She thought she lost the most important person in her life - Nataku. But now it seemed like another one showed up.
The girl dropped the weapon on the ground, without realizing.
Izura's body started to shake as the girl felt his tears on her cheek. He wasn't fully healed and he was weak, but he managed to come to her.
Watching the skies above, the girl's sharingan deactivated. Her brother was hugging her tightly and was crying. All this time she wanted to find her family and make them pay for abandoning her, but this moment showed her that he was in pain too. And his hug... he was hugging her like she hugged Nataku - with hope and new reason.
Emotions flooded the girl's mind. Too much happened in her short stay in Sand, so she just let her tears to flow. She was crying, because she finally met Izura. She was crying, because she felt like she was losing Nataku.
These people were powerful. Very powerful. If their powers collide that'd bring destruction. She didn't know what happened between them, but it seemed that the'd get in a fight.
In that moment she realized... she needed them both in her life. Was it so much to ask? The loving hug of a brother, and a soothing words from a father. These things kept her worries and nightmares away.
Nataku showed her that the present could be good, and Izura showed her that the past wasn't so bad.
Her present and her past collided. And she knew that in order to continue to live she had to accept and treasure them both, cause without them she wouldn't be whole.
Nataku and Izura.
A family.
A purpose.
A home.
A life.
Something to fight with her life for. To keep them here, with her. Cause they were all that mattered.
But something was happening with Nataku, that woke up the fear in Ayame. The fear of losing someone important.
She needed an explanation.
Was it possible for the girl to live her life with them? Everything to be alright, to be able to relax, to be happy with the people she needed? Unlikely. But she didn't knew that. All she knew was that she wanted that and she'd fight for it.

-Izura.... - she started talking in tears. Nataku was behaving differently and she didn't know what to do - Where's Nataku? Bring Nataku back... I want to go home with you, guys...

 

[Kurosawa Nataku]

Senkaku's healing was interrupted when Izura grabbed him by the collar. He fully expected Izura to throw a punch, but it never came. Looking into the Mangekyou Sharingan eyes, Senkaku could understand the emotion Izura was going through. The things they had to go through.. it wasn't fair. Senkaku stood and Izura stood with him, still holding him with anger. It was a nostalgic moment, really. It looked as though he was about to shout something, but instead he seemed to calm down and let go. There was an accepting silence in the air. It was soon cut by Ayame's angry voice. She called out at Nataku, angry at him for lying to her. Nataku never lied, thought Senkaku. But he didn't care to explain it. It was too complicated, and she wouldn't understand anyways.

Senkaku noticed Izura approaching Ayame, his focus no longer on the man he wished was Sojobo. He approached her, and Senkaku just watched as they embraced for the first time. There was one thing that was bothering him. How was it that Izura and Ayame were connected? If she's actually his sister, then it can't be coincidence... maybe deep down Sojobo guided that decision. He wanted to believe that was true. That it wasn't just chance or fate, but that Sojobo was somewhere deep inside and he recognized Ayame. He knew, and that's why he took her in. That had to be it. It was a foolish belief, especially for someone like Senkaku.

Ayame dropped her weapon and appeared in shock. The two of them began crying. The situation was heavy, even for someone as apathetic as Senkaku. The demon actually felt emotion, apparently. His eyes looked between the two of them. But he did not shed a tear. His mind splintered, and he began seeing rainfall in the desert. He was surrounded by rain. Ayame and Izura were just dark, blurry figures. Everything else was just rain. Suddenly the rain started to get blurry, as if the rain was falling directly onto his eyes and clouding his vision. And then, there was nothing. Emptiness.

Although Izura and Ayame would likely miss it, Senkaku's eyes went hazy. He looked up at the sky and took a step backwards, wavering. Then he fell straight backward, unconscious. A fleeting thought lingered as he drifted into no man's land. This world would be better off without me.

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[Ayame]

Although Izura hugged Ayame, she never looked away from Nataku. She could still see him, looking up from Izura's shoulder. The girl was worried sick about him.
And she noticed. Nataku took a step back, wavering. At that moment the only thing you could see in Ayame's eyes was terrifying fear.
"No..." came to her mind and the girl quickly let go of Izura, running towards Nataku with everything she had.
- NATAKU! - echoed her scream in the dessert.
She reached at him with her hands, managed to grab him while he was falling and fell with him. He was unconscious. The girl's heart was about to explode from the fear she felt, her whole body began to shake, as she placed her hands on the sides of Nataku's face. Her face looked worried with a sad grimace of incredible pain. Her tears she couldn't stop. They poured like stormy waterfall on his face. One tear after another. Like a rainfall on his face. Like a rain in the dessert.
- NATAKU, PLEASE, WAKE UP! - she screamed at his face, but nothing happened.
- Did they hurt you, Nataku? Did I do this?
She didn't know why he fainted. Maybe the people from before hit him bad, but it didn't seemed so. She was weak. She promised him to protect him, but she was weak. She couldn't keep her promise and that teared her apart like a sharp blade making it's way through the human skin.
- I'll kill them, Nataku!
If she did this she wouldn't forgive herself. The girl buried her head in his hair that fall on his sides. Her mouth was close to his ear and she whispered:
- I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, otousan. Don't leave me...
Tears kept falling. Her body kept shaking. Maybe the world would be better place without him. But the girl's world would collapse into abyss, spreading it’s little pieces into the darkness, never to be found again, taking her sanity with it. Her world wouldn’t be better. Her world would turn into a living hell without him. He was holding her sanity.


- Izura – she turned her head at him, looking serious as hell – Can you help me take him to our house?

[Topic left, unless something super cool happens. We can continue at A home. If Nataku doesen't wake up there, Ayame would call Akujin for help, cause he is the only medic she knows (besides Nataku). Before anything fucked up happen I think it would be better to explain there some stuff. Gonna post at "A home" asap]​

 

[Uchiha Izura]

Upon seeing Nataku fall to the ground unconscious, Izura rushed to his side as well. He nodded to Ayame.

“I’ll get you back to the village!”

He held onto both of their hands, using his ocular powers to teleport to the outskirts of Toraono Dojo. But there he stopped. He couldn’t get into the village with a wounded Nataku so easily- as a wandering ninja, he’d be stopped immediately at the entrance to the village. He’d have to improvise, seeing as Ayame was unable to carry Nataku by herself. He did a series of hand seals before summoning another creature.

The bird he had flown in upon was severely injured, the summoning jutsu dispelled so that she could recover. Luckily, Izura still had Soraka in reserve, a magnificent and large raven, that he could use to help bring Nataku back to their home in Sunagakure. With a poof of smoke the raven appeared, and Izura hefted up Sojobo, placing him on the raven’s back. She wouldn’t be able to fly, but she was large enough that she could be used almost like a mount on land. It’d have to suffice- there wasn’t much time left at this point.

Izura turned to Ayame, kneeling beside her. He looked worried for her. “I…can’t go with you right now. Take the bird. Go with her and bring….bring father home. I’ll meet you again inside the village, tonight, okay? I promise…”

And with that he’d grab Ayame and then place her on Soraka’s back, the bird taking off in the direction of the Toraono Dojo. He made sure to use the Snapshot jutsu to remember their chakra signatures. It'd be easier to track them that way.

When the deed was done, he’d undo the summoning jutsu and bring Soraka back into reserve. He clutched his wound, cringing a bit before retreating once again into the distance with another teleport. He’d wait till nightfall, then make his move to enter the village…

WC 329

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