Well Firstly i would like to welcome you all to my very first Chapter of my very first story! Thought im not unfamiliar to writing, this IS my first one where i have been able to complete various chapters. Please, read and Review :3
I do not own Naruto or any of the Characters. But Damn do i wish i did. Enjoy :D
CHAPTER ONE - Crimson Fear and Uneasy feelings
Being eight isn't easy. I mean, you have to make sure you get to be the line leader at school at LEAST once a week, or be doomed to reading with the bad bean-bag chair, with its loose threads and beads just threatening to explode out at any given moment. And don't even get me started on climbing UP the slide, I don't want to overload your mind. You know what is even harder then either of the above two things? Being eight and dying. Even worse? Being eight, dying, and waking up somewhere you don't know.
I guess I need to start from somewhere...
" Mommy! Claire took my teddy gram!" I shouted from my booster seat, or as I liked to think of it, my perch, in the back seat of the car.
"Not!" The accused said back her voice sounding angry and playful at the same time. This infuriated the small eight year old me. Granted, I was arguing over a TEDDY GRAM , with a five year-old. But then again, that was big for me. It was my after-school snack after all, and ill be damned if I let my little sister, with her annoying, bouncing dark ringlets, and her chubby irresistible cheeks that adults couldn't seem to keep there hands off, take something that belonged in MY tummy.
"Lyra, its one teddy gram I'm sure you will live," My mother said gently, not taking her eyes off the road. We were almost home. I could tell because we already had our roller-coaster turn. The one that made my seat lean and the magazine on the floor slide to the opposite end. Yeah, you know the one I'm talking about. But my sour mood, and lack of one teddy gram, prevented me from enjoying the sharp turn.
When we actually got to our house, my mom unbuckled both myself and Claire and lead us to the door, where she fumbled with the keys. She always had problems finding the right one.
I stood there, looking off towards the road, munching angrily on my remaining snack when I saw the cute little grey fluff ball sitting in the middle of the street. I looked back to my mom. "Mommy look a kitty!" I exclaimed pointing out into the road. Claire shrieked with excitement. Seeing the tiny creature.
"That's nice " She said absentmindedly, putting her long dark hair behind her ear. It was the same color as mine. Nearly black with odd strands of brown and blonde in there. We had the same skin color as well. A nice light crème color. The only real difference where our eyes. While Clair and my mother shared they syrupy brown eyes, mine where a striking green, with dots of that brown.
Puffing my cheeks out in anger from being ignored by my mom, I decided to take things into my own hands. I put my little hello-Kitty book bag on the ground, and cut across our grass. I was annoyed to find my little sister tagging along with me, basically waddling her way across the green. I crept up on the cat, which seemed to lazily dwell in the sun on the street, licking its side with its pretty pink tongue. I snuck up besides out neighbors car, which was parked in the street from lack of room in their driveway, ans tugged my sister with me. I was planning an ambush. I kept my eyes on the cat, and leaned back in anticipation of my jump.
With that, I leapt. Or well, WE lept. My sister bounding along with me.
That's when I heard my mom scream my name louder then I had ever heard her shout before, even when she was angry. It was even louder then the sound of the engine of the car that had hit me, not seeing me from behind my hiding spot. Louder then my own yowl of pain as I felt things inside of me crunch. Louder then even my sisters yell, known to wake the neighbors.
I felt like I was being pushed at a thousand miles an hour. And that was that last thing I felt. At least, the last thing I felt in my own world.
I woke up later that night. Or well that's what I thought for the moment. I'm not sure. It was hard to think when there was a cold wet puppy nose pressing up against my face. I opened my eyes, and the first thing I found out wasn't right, was the fact that I was laying in an alley in the dirt.
" Mommy? Claire?" I croaked, my throat dry and throbbing. I was thirsty and achy all around. This defiantly wasn't my neighborhood, or the school, and the darkness of night that seemed to cling to everything, was scaring me.
"Where am I ?" I asked, my curiosity overruling the pain and confusion in my little eight-year-old mind. But as soon as I said that, things came rushing back to me. The cat, the scream, the car .My sister and I bounding to our doom. My eyes stung with the tears that welled up there, threatening to spill over any moment. And they did, they spilled over unrelentingly, drenching my cheeks, and the bottom of my khaki skirt.
The little puppy that had woken me up nudged my hand, whimpering. I looked down and petted his soft puppy fur. I Stood shakily, and stumbled over to the end of the alley. I was surprised I was able to stand, but having the attention span of a ant, I quickly dodged that thought.
I looked up at one of the buildings, and from the light of the full moon, I saw a very large red and white fan on a building. For a moment I was thinking of how ridiculous it was to put a fan on a building like that. My attention span overruling me once again, I looked around, I noticed a few more of those little fans around. They were scattered across stalls, and stores and even signs. It confused and fascinated me. But what didn't fascinate me was the sound of screaming, and metal hitting metal.
Quickly, whether out of instinct of fear I'll never know, I dived behind a cardboard box someone had left there, feeling a lot like James Bond for my swiftness. From my hiding spot I saw people run out of buildings, yelling their heads off. To me, the appeared like chickens running around without a head. Little did I know that fate may soon befall them.
Then I saw him. He looked like a black wolf. With red eyes. One glimpse of them made me shiver. I'm sure they would haunt my dreams for weeks maybe years. I shivered again.
I stood stock still as he slaughtered countless people. My eyes opened wide with disbelief. He couldn't be older then 13. Why was he killing people? Would I die by his hand to? I asked myself, my fear taking over my mind.
But, for some odd reason or another, he didn't see me. And once I was sure he wasn't around anymore, I stepped cautiously out of the alley again. Now the calming little village it had looked like, turned into one of those vast murder scenes from shows I wasn't supposed to watch. I was horrified beyond my imagination. My breath started coming faster and faster as I started to hyperventilate.
Looking around wildly, I only saw the puppy that had woken me up. I dashed in the opposite direction that the wolf-like boy had gone, barely aware of the small creature following my running figure. I stumbled over things I didn't want to look down at, and slipped on a thick, sticky liquid that covered my pants and arms quickly. What scared me more was the fact I thought it was a nice warmth compared the the chilling night.
I ran as fast as my little eight-year-old body could carry me, and tried not to hyperventilate, although my lungs needed the air now. All I was concentrating on was getting the hell out of there.
I left through a set of wooden doors, out onto another part of the village, looking around in hysterics. I went left, and turned another corner only to run into someone bigger then me. I let out a bloodcurdling scream, clutching my hands to my face, getting the dark substance that covered me on my face.
"Don't kill me! I promise I wont go after cats anymore! I'll be good and wont leave mommy's side!" I shouted, only recalling the sick sound of a blade slicing through skin and organs. A hand steadied me.
"I wont kill you, quite the opposite, I'm here to help." A deep voice said. I looked up. It was a man. He had white hair, with an odd headband hanging across one of his eyes. And he had a mask on. He smiled kindly though, and he reminded me of my teacher at school. "Now little one, what happened?" He asked.
I nodded, wiping my tears away, only to end up with a tear and blood-streaked face. "There was a wolf boy. With the red eyes. Scary red eyes" I whimpered, not much different then the puppy next to me had done seconds before.
The man nodded and put a hand on my head looking down at my companion, recognition in his expression. " Shikoru?" He asked. The puppy barked in response. "Oh boy, both of you are far away from home." He said. I noticed that there were others around to, running, and jumping from roofs towards the place I had just fled from. They had on odd masks that resembled different animals. Usually, I would have been extremely curious as to how they were running so fast and jumping like that. But the only thing concerning me right now was the wolf-boy and where my mommy was. Or why my sister hadn't been there with me.
"Do you know where my mommy is?" I asked looking up at him with tear filled eyes. He looked confused for a moment. "What's your name little one?" He asked, his one eye that was showing shone with slight curiosity.
" My name is Lyra Queens." I said, holding one hand up to my face, only to wrinkle my nose in disgust at the smell of the blood on my hands. It was no longer warm, and just chilled me more.
"And how did you get all that on you Lyra Queens?" He asked. He sounded very kind and warm. I looked at myself for a moment, shirt wrinkled and torn. Bloodied arms and legs, not to mention the stuff on my face, and my short, dark, bob was undoubtedly sticking out everywhere in disarray. "When I was running, I tripped." I answered honestly.
The man sighed. " Okay lets get you and Shikoru cleaned up hm?" he asked, wrapping something around me and picking me up. I nodded. Shikoru jumped up, landing softly on my stomach. I was surprised at how he could jump like that, but it didn't matter now.
My eyes got heavier as I traveled with the man. I leaned my head against his chest and peered at this odd world through the tiny space that my eyelids left open. I hardly remembered what the man said to me, for I was already submitting to the black waves of unconsciousness.
I awoke somewhere I didn't recognize, for the second time that day. The only familiar thing was the warm bundle of black fur curled up at my side. I looked around the room, my eyes just starting to adjust to being open.
It was a plain, but warm room, with a small nightstand next to me and a chair to my right. I was laying down in a bed with tan sheets. It was a hospital room.
I knew firstly because of the smell. It smelled like old people and medicine. But it was better then the reek of blood I had smelled earlier. That was another thing I noticed. I was clean, and in a pair of black shorts and a green tank top. There was no more blood soaking into my skin, although I could see its pink remains in my cuticles. I turned my attention to the fur ball snoozing next to me.
"Puppy?" I asked stroking its soft fur. My voice was small and hoarse. Said puppy lifted its head and yipped happily, smothering my face in warm, wet puppy kisses.
I couldn't stop the burst of giggles that erupted from me. He was so much like my dog back at home. My face saddened. Home… would I ever get back there?
"You seem to be doing well" A woman's voice said, scaring me out of my thoughts. I instantly yelped and flew off the bed, taking my puppy with me. I scampered under the bed in fear, not sure what to think of the woman that had entered the little room. I heard a small chuckle. Then a small grunt as the lady got on her hands and knees to look at me under the bed.
"Lyra, I'm not going to hurt you, so stop the nonsense and get up here!" She said with warmth, but also with a stern authority. It reminded me of my mom when she would tell me to stop trying to ride my neighbors dog like a horse.
I coward back a bit, my lower half sticking out from the other side. I swear I didn't see her move, but before I knew what was happening the lady exclaimed "Gotcha!" and I felt someone dragging me from under the bed. I scrabbled on the ground, trying to get away from the persons grasp. I looked up and froze.
The lady who had grabbed me was the same lady standing on the other side of the bed. There were TWO of them! She must have seen my wide, terror stricken face, because she snorted with laughter and placed me on the bed. She then continued to disappear in a puff of smoke.
"Kakashi said you were a bit jumpy" The lady, now the only one, said from her place on the right side of the bed I was sitting on. I swung my head around.
"There are two of you!" She said, with awe and fear. An odd combination. The lady looked at me as if I had sprouted a second head.
"It shouldn't surprise you, its just a simple Shadow clone jutsu." She said, perplexed. I then returned the look she had given me.
But before either of us could ask a question, the white hair man, who I had found out his name was Kakashi, returned, his headband around his head now, like I have seen others. I noticed a long scar there, and that he kept it closed.
"Oh so she's awake" he said and smiled my way. I simply stared back, unsure of how to respond. "How is she Inuzuka-san?" He asked looking to the lady now identified as Inuzuka-san.
"She's fine physically, and as soon as she saw me she hid. But I'm not sure about her mental state. She acted as if my Shadow clone jutsu was something out of a kiddy book." She said looking worriedly to me.
I furrowed my brow, a wrinkle of confusion showing up on my head. 'Did she just call me dumb?' I asked myself.
"I am not dumb, you Meany" I said, crossing my arms and puffing out my very flushed cheeks. This was my typical angry look. Inuzuka-san turned in my direction, and looked as if she had forgotten I existed. Kakashi on the other hand chuckled. I could have sworn I heard him say something like. "Spunky little kid".
Inuzuka-san sighed rubbing the bridge of her nose. She decided to ignore my comment for now. "Besides the kids appearance at the scene, what else do you know Kakashi? I want to be kept in the loop, I need to know which dogs to send out." she asked.
Kakashi looked to me for a split second with his one eye, then back to Inuzuka-san. "Not much else new. One suspect. We are unsure of any other persons involvement, and the entire clan, save for little Sasuke and Lyra here, has been completely demolished."
I heard Inuzuka-san gasp, and I merely stroked my puppies back, trying to calm myself. " Do me a favor and look around. Anyone out of the usual around here? Or looking suspicious?" she asked. I expected Kakashi to nod and leave the room to go and look around. But what I didn't expect was the next shock I got. That would probably be the billionth one that day.
Kakashi opened his eye that he kept closed and looked all around. My eyes widened to an impossible size, and I started breathing very quickly again. He had the same kind of eyes that the wolf-boy had. The exact same color, and wild-ness.
Both of them, hearing my odd breathing looked over. Kakashi stepped closer. "Whats wrong little one?" He asked, extending a hand. I flinched back.
I dived under the tan sheets then, out of fear of the crimson eye. I could hear my puppy barking. I was sobbing loudly and saying things like 'Don't kill me' and 'I'm a good girl, I wont leave mommy again'.
"Shush shush hun" Inuzuka-san said, coming over to the bed and petting me like I would have if my puppy was worried. "Shikoru, can you help?" She asked my puppy, Who barked and nuzzled his way to me, whimpering and licking my hands.
"Hun, Kakashi wasn't the one who did that sweetie." She soothed. I was shaking, I could tell. A hesitantly scratched My puppy, or Shikoru, the fourth name I learned that day. "Same ones….same ones…" I murmured under my breath
"I should go" Kakashi said, and I heard him leaving the room. "Take care of her Inuzuka-san" He said. I picked out something weird in his voice. Pain? I'm not sure.
When I heard the door close, Inuzuka-san lifted the covers off of me. "Now now, we have to be going. I have a son your age and I don't want to leave him alone. Not tonight anyways." She said, and picked me up. Still scared, I clung to her like a koala. Despite my nap, I was still exhausted, and drifted in and out of a light doze.
"Here we are!" She said, opening the door to a large house. It smelled good. Like dinner and dogs. I sniffed the air, and felt my stomach growl. Apparently Inuzuka-san felt it to, for she laughed. " Lemme go get us something to munch on shall I?" she asked, setting me down at a large dinning room table.
" Kiba! Get down here please!" She yelled as she rummaged through the fridge. I was guessing the Kiba was her son. I heard quick little footsteps from above me, then a little yip from another puppy.
"Yeah! Moms back Akamaru!" A young boys voice shouted from the stairs. Instinctively, I hopped from the seat, and dashed to hide behind Inuzuka-san. I didn't know this voice, and at the particular moment, the image of the slaughtered people was stuck in my mind. I wasn't in the mood for running, shouting people.
Inuzuka-san chuckled, then turned to her son. "Kiba, not so loud, you are scaring her." She said, placing a hand on my head. Kiba, I noted, had two red marks going down his face, right under his eyes. They looked a bit like Inuzuka's, but different. He also had brown hair, that seemed to stick out everywhere.
"Who's that?" He said, sniffing as he got closer to me. I whimpered and ducked further behind Inuzuka-san. Shikoru seemed to sense my fear and growled slightly at the approaching Kiba. "Shikoru? What were you doing out? And why ya growlin'?" He asked confused.
Inuzuka-san stared down at the pup curiously. Then she smiled. "Seems like she has gotten Shikoru tamed. He picked her" She said, wondering how that was possible.
"For real? But she's not in our clan! She cant have the Ibiki bloodline trait!" He said, staring down at me. I shrunk back even more. I didn't like being stared at like an animal.
"Kiba." She said with a slightly warning tone. I found myself being picked up once again, and placed in the chair I abandoned. "For all we know she could have our blood. We don't know all of where out blood went."
All I knew at that moment, was I was confused as hell. There were Shadow clone whatevers, and blood somethings that apparently were normal around here. I was sure my neighborhood or school didn't have either of these. And they especially didn't have slaughters like that. I shivered at the thought of the blood and bodies.
gWe will have to talk with the Hokage , as soon as this mess is sorted out." She said, pulling out a few things from the fridge. "But as of now, Kiba, say hello to Lyra, she'll be living here from now on." I almost laughed when his jaw dropped. I settled for a smirk.
After eating, I was shown to a warm bed, and Shikoru was right there next to me. " Sweet dreams Lyra" Inuzuka said, smiling warmly before she turned out the light. I mumbled a g'night as she left. Again I was falling asleep. I sighed closing my eyes, and stroked Shikoru.
That was the memory of my first night here.
I don't know what caused me to daydream of that again. I thought to myself, as I stared up at the sky, or what I could see of it from the gaps in the leaves. I was seventeen now, and just finished a very boring, very 'C' Ranked mission. I wasn't that scared little girl I used to be. That went away in about a year, after I was enrolled into the academy and had my own tough training.
I had been asked several times of where I came from, and I answered them truthfully. But as the years went by, my old life faded. Now I concentrate on learning the newest techniques with Ma, formerly known as Inuzuka-san. It was fun.
Lets just say, I learned a lot in those 9 years. I had even gotten my own pair of marks under my eyes. They where a light violet color. But the most important thing was I learned how to forget my past before then. It was all a blur. But one thing that stayed clear in my mind was the crimson shine of those eyes I saw on my first day here. They still haunted me to this very day.
"Lyra!" A deep bark came from my side. I lolled my head over to look at Shikoru. He had grown to. He had grown almost as tall as my shoulder. That in itself was amazing. Ma was guessing he had part wolf somewhere in his genes. He was lean and dangerous looking. And he had the shiniest black fur out of any nin-dog. His eyes where that same color of the tattoos on my face.
"What is it boy?" I asked, scratching him behind his left ear, where I knew he loved it. "Do you have a odd feeling?" he asked me in return. Oh yes, I can understand him. It comes with the training I endured. Very handy, very cool.
I did actually. In the pit of my stomach. It felt weird. I wasn't used to this feeling, and it put me on edge. " Yeah." I answered. "And I have a feeling this day is going to get a lot more interesting." I replied with a smirk.
-END-
