Ok, well first thing I know that the poem is rather if not completely and totally corny but it just kinda came to me and it stuck. So each line or group of lines will be the theme of each chapter. Second thing is thank you to all the returning fans of my first story to this one and thank you to all the new readers that have decided to give this one a chance. So hope you like it!

Memories build. Memories break.

Memories bond. Memories fake.

Memories peace. Memories fight.

Memory's darkness. Memory's light.

I am light.

My name is Hikari. I am 16 years old.

I was born in a beautiful place. A village nestled in the mountains, where we could be close to the moon…where we were all family. There were many years of plenty and prosperity in my village. Just another thing to be jealous of. And it is jealousy that starts my story.

It had been a hard few years of bad weather and drought throughout the land. Many villages were struggling, except mine. The rains always fell first in the mountains, keeping our crops healthy, and the mountain also shielded us from the worst of the weather.

Each of the other villages were jealous of our good luck and wealth, but none of them told the others for fear that they were the only ones. There was one village in particular that bore the greatest grudge. While they were not struggling like the others, they were in constant competition with my village to be the most powerful and influential. Their spies had told them that unrest was growing in the other villages, and that all they needed in order to become top dog once and for all was a reason to wage war on my home. And one day, they got their reason.

Two spies had overheard our village leader, my mother, talking about a great power. That if she could only find a way to control it, that all the villages could be great again. When the other leader heard this, he found a way to turn it into the perfect story. This "great power" could be seen as a weapon that could destroy all the other villages. He quickly sent word to all the others about this "weapon" and that if they did not band together that they could all be wiped out. The others finally had their excuses as well, and if the plan failed then they could blame it on the village that started the accusations – the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

Under the Leaf's direction, all the other villages sent half their nin to gather at a place several miles from my home. When they all arrived, they found that nearly the entire population of the Leaf had come as well, even the Hokage. To them this was now life or death. They stayed in that place for a week to train, plan, and organize everyone. They would strike at the time when my village was most susceptible, The Blue Moon Festival.

I don't remember the night they attacked and murdered my family before my eyes. Master tells me that it's for the best I don't. The night, he says, still gives him nightmares. He told me that he and my mother had been good friends, and that when he heard of this plan, he rushed to tell her. However, when the night came, the enemy troops delayed him and he could do nothing for us then. He told me that he saw my mother and I backed into a corner by the Hokage and his elite…we were the last ones left. He described to me an awesome battle that left the Hokage dead, but before we could escape, my mother was killed by the Leaf's young tailed-beast. I was spared because I was so young – or at least that is what the Leaf told the other villages even though they had killed much young children.

While no real "weapon" had been found, the other villages said nothing about the pointless slaughter of my family. But, the Leaf spared me for a reason; I was the great power that my mother was talking about. Now the Leaf had me. Each village had their own tailed-beast, and each was relativity the same strength, except for me. The spies had found out that the beast within me was stronger than any of the others – which made me a threat. The best place to keep an eyes on this threat, they thought, was in the own backyard.

I was taken back to the Leaf and lived for many years as an outcast. I talked to no one and barely scraped by doing only the most dangerous missions and back-breaking labor that no one else would do. One night however, my luck changed. Master finally found me after believing that I had been dead all this time. He told me about who I was and who my mother was. That he used to live in the Leaf before he was cast out because he was different, because he was powerful. He helped me escape at the next full moon, and so I owe my life to him. I wonder, how I'll ever repay him?

I put my brush down at this thought. How would I ever repay the man that has taken me in like I was his own blood? I looked at the sun that had already started to peak out from the mountains, "Well, being late won't help," I said out loud. I closed my journal that first started this odd day. Master had suggested that I write to help me with my memory, but that was a month ago. Why did I choose today to start? I shook my head in response to these questions and pushed the book to the side of my bed before I got up to get dressed.

I crossed the cool, dark oak floor to the closet and started deciding what I should wear today. I don't know why I was pondering at all. I wore the same thing everyday – it was all I had – but for just a moment my eyes rested on my old clothes that were tucked in the darkest corner. For just a second I thought about wearing them. Why? It was just that kind of day. However, I decided against it and dressed in my usual outfit. Black shorts with my crimson marks along the sides, black sandals, a shirt that I had crafted that allowed me to use certain jutsus by just touching its symbol woven into the fabric, and of course my Akatsuki cloak that I had added a hood to. People didn't need to see me, I was just a shadow.

I walked passed my vanity to make sure my almost brown hair looked ok and for the first time in a while my eyes rested, for just a moment, on the black onyx necklace. I wasn't really one for jewelry; I only wore the necklace that contained some of the Moon Dragon's scales. But today, today being what it was, today, I put on that strange onyx necklace that seemed to glow with unknown chakra. I had asked Master once before if he knew whose chakra it was. He said nothing except that I wasn't ready yet, so I haven't asked again.

Interrupting my thoughts was a knock at the door and I hurried over to see who it was. I wasn't surprised to see Zetsu's black form, because this place was so big it just wasn't logical to walk all the way from one end to the other just to tell someone some trivial thing; Zetsu was much faster. "He shall meet you in the Grand Hall today," he said.

"Thank you. I'll head out in a minute," I replied and the form melted into the floor and disappeared. I wondered for a moment why we were meeting there today. We normally met on the training grounds or the library to study jutsus. Just another thing to add to the list. I was just about to leave when I realized that I had forgotten my satchel and kunai holster. I left the door open and shuffled over to them, and of course, there was more deviation from the norm. I always wore my black holster, it blended in with the rest of my black outfit, but today I looked at my other one – white as the first snows. Why I had even bought a white one I really don't know. I like and prefer dark colors. I called myself silly for even thinking of wearing it and finally left my room to find my Master.

The Grand Hall was near the middle of the palace in which we stayed. I don't know why who ever lived here before us would ever leave, the palace was beautiful even before we redecorated. The once bright and colorful walls, carpets, and floors had all been redone – along with the decorating. I thought the new darker pallet gave the place a more regale feel. (think slightly gothic/Victorian/scholarly) I soon passed the rooms of the Falcon members that he employed. They had been with us since I can remember but I rarely ever see them, let alone talk to them. I suppose Master keeps them busy with something or other. He and Zetsu stay in the other wing of the palace, I assume it is because that that side was build further into the mountain so there is less light. I passed through the shadowy gardens that separated what I believed to the children and their servant's quarters from the rest of the palace. I always took the path that wound around the willow trees and through their beautiful veils. However, I didn't have time to dawdle today so I couldn't be enveloped in their world for very long.

Next to the Grand Hall and overlooking the garden was a huge outdoor dining area that still had the old lanterns hanging around that looked lovely at night. Finally, I walked through the open glass doors from the terrace into the Grand Hall. Its most predominate features are the huge crystal chandeliers and the dozens of smaller ones whose candles always glowed with a blue flame. In the middle of the grand room Master stood in from if the ever shape changing table that he and I, and sometimes Zetsu and the others, ate at every night. I hurried across the almost mirror-like marble floor, and stopped a few feet behind him and bowed.

"Come," he said and he motioned to come to stand beside him.

Even though I hadn't made a sound getting across the large room he was readily expecting my presence. I stood and walked over to him, wondering what we would do today.

"Hikari," he started and looked at me, "in the short 30 days that you have been here you have progressed faster than I could have ever hoped for."

"I had a good teacher." I looked into his Sharingan eye, just another thing that we shared, even if my eyes were just a bit more different, and I felt him smile.

"I believe that you are almost ready now, but there is still something you must do."

"What?" I asked eagerly.

Before he could answer I felt something cross the ring of chakra Master had me set up in order to find intruders. He sensed the change in my demeanor instantly, "What is it?"

"Someone approaching from the Northeast. They seem to be alone."

"Go. See who our 'guest' is."

"Of course," I said as I bowed and flickered outside. As I ran toward the lone "guest", the feelings that I had been experiencing came back. Something about this nin was different, but different or not if they didn't leave willing they left as ash on the wind.

When I got within 50 meters of the mystery nin they stopped, probably sensing my presence. My eyes glowed their blood diamond black and red as I dropped from the trees like a jaguar on the hunt, and I finally got a good look at our "guest". He had light maroon hair and dark emerald eyes that were framed by dark, sleepless circles. He was young, about my age, but he looked old and tired beyond his years. It took him a moment to even realize I was there. I chalked it up to the obvious lack of sleep. Even when he did turn his head he looked at me with dull eyes for another moment before they grew wide and colorful again.

"Who are you?" I questioned in aggression.

He blinked at me a few times.

"Who are you?" I said again more forcefully.

He opened and closed his mouth, lost for words it seemed.

"I will ask one more time. Who are you and why are you here?" I had lost all my patience.

His eyes seemed to go dull again and in a very defeated voice he answered, "You don't remember.

"It doesn't matter then," I brandished my claws, "You won't leave here alive." I leaped, expecting to feel soft flesh across my scales, but what I felt was cold and rough, yet smooth, then just air. I took a step back as I completed my slash and blinked a few times before I totally understood what I saw. Where there should have been deep gashes across his face there were bands of silver sand. It was not his sand either, his circled at his feet like a playful puppy, not a seasoned guard. I noticed a thin trail of sand that revealed from where this protection had come, my own necklace. It was only then that I noticed that this stranger's chakra and the chakra from my necklace were the same. But it wasn't his chakra now that moved the sand from its home around my neck. So, what did? My sense of curiosity kicked in.

I retook the step closer to him as he watched me with guarded, yet equally curious eyes. With my index claw I gently tried to draw blood but as my claw moved so did a thin trail of sand. It followed like ink from a quill. I tried something else. My claws and scales reseeding back to human skin and the sand hung in the air. I reached out, just to touch, and the sand floated back into my necklace as if it sensed my meaning no harm. It felt so odd to stand there in silence, my fingers on his cheek. It was even odder when, as I was about to move away, he placed his hand over mine, keeping it there. I felt so at peace here, as if I had found someplace to be. But again, why? Why did he gaze at me with a new sharpness that seemed to pierce my soul, yet be almost loving…like he was trying to tell me something.

It was then that I felt the slight burning of the dragon scar on my palm, Master was calling me. He must have felt me tense because he let my hand fall and follow me as I back away. "You must go," I said in an eerily familiar way.

He simply nodded and looked at me once more before turning back to where he had come. "I am Gaara," I spun and saw his shadowy form in the trees.

"Hikari," I answered.

"…I know," and he faded like had never been there.

When I walked back into the hall, Master was still standing in the same place, as if he had never even moved while I had been gone. As I got closer he asked, "You took care of our 'guest' I presume?"

I hesitated for a moment before answering. I started to wonder if I was suppose to have killed him like any intruder – of course no one else had ever come close to here so I didn't have any previous experience to work off of.

"No, I wouldn't want you to kill him anyway," he read my mind. "Come."

I walked the last few feet and stood beside him at the length of the table. "Did you talk?"

"Sort of," I wasn't sure what sort of form of communication staring at each other was.

"Good, I was expecting him to come soon."

"Why?" I looked at him.

"I knew that he would come looking for you."

"Why?" I repeated, more confused.

"You see, I haven't told you the entire story. I wanted to wait and see if an old friend would help your memory…and I truly believed that you weren't quite ready yet."

"What is my story?"

First he told me the entire story of the attack on my home. There was one village that didn't share the other's petty feelings, The Village Hidden in the Sand. My mother and their leader had been good friends for many years. They met quite often and they brought their children. Gaara and I had grown up together because of our parent's friendship. So that was how he knew me…

When Master had learned of the plan he also went to tell my mother's closest, and only ally. When he heard he and Master rushed to my home, but the all same they were too late. The late Kazekage fought and was seriously injured by the nin from the other villages when he tried to grab me after my mother had been killed. After the battle Master helped him back and his village was outraged, but they could do nothing without being attacked and destroyed themselves.

So the years went by with my other family in the Sand thinking that I had been killed by the Leaf. When Master first found me he didn't have the time to go tell them before the full moon came, so that night we started for the Sand. However, I became very ill as we reached the desert and it took two extra days to get there. When we arrived Master found out that his old friend had also taken very ill and wasn't expected to live the night. He took me to the same ward as his old friend. When he found out I was alive, but just barely as he was, he gave the last of his life for mine. This is when Master believes that something happened in my brain that wiped out my memory. He left with my still recovering body the next night so as not to endanger the Sand if the Leaf came looking, and this is also when Gaara gave me the necklace to protect me and those I cared for… I guess the sand remembered.

That was my story. I soaked it all in for a moment. Then he said that now that I knew I was ready, ready to step into a new life of my own choosing, and to commemorate the event a small, simple, white cake that said "Happy Birthday" appeared on the table. Because my mother told so few people about who I was she also told no one when my real birthday was, so why not make it today? The day of my "rebirth" as Master had put it. After all this he told me something else, that the young Nine-tails that had murdered my mother was still alive, and has been praised as a hero in the Leaf ever since he had killed her. He now told me to make a wish, and make it come true.

What I wished for was simple, revenge. I wanted to destroy the villages that had destroyed my own. But most of all I wanted to kill the monster that had killed my mother. First I would destroy the village, and kill that those he loved most. Then I would paint the rubble red with his blood. Master seemed pleased with my wish, as if he had been wished the same thing as I but had never been able to do it himself.

As I sit here I take my Master's words of "rebirth" to heart. I am not longer the sweet little girl I once was, and I am no longer the broken spirit that lived for all those years alone. I am an avenger, for my home, my family, and myself.

My name is Kurai. I am 17 years old.

I am darkness.

Well hoped you liked it. I really didn't think that I would get this done and up before I left for band camp so YAY! And on that same note I am leaving for band camp for a week and depending on how tired I am and how much time I have to write while I'm gone it will most likely be two to three weeks before I can update so just telling you guys. Hope you guys have as fun a week as I will!