Prologue

"[Great. Just brilliant.]*"

Life sucked, plain and simple. If it wasn't bad enough that her mother had died not three weeks before, now her friend was in ICU.

"Risa?**"

She turned to see a man wearing a black robe with red cloud-like designs and a spiraled black and orange mask. He walked over to her and repeated, "Yastora Risa?"

"Yeah," she replied, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, "[What's it to you?]"

He walked over to the bench where she sat, and lowered himself down next to her.

"I'm sorry for your friend," he said, and she laughed.

"Where have I heard that line before," she said gruffly, her voice cracking. She turned her head away from the man, and choked back a sob. Once she regained control over her swelling emotions she asked, "But why would you care? Who are you, anyway?"

The man didn't respond for a few seconds, but then he said quietly, "I'm your father."

"[Wha-what?]" she sputtered, blinking in shock, "But I thought--"

"Your mother's lawyer contacted me after the reading of her will. Apparently, she wanted you to come to Japan, to live with me."

Risa bit her lip.

"But, I mean, everything I know is here!" she protested, "My friends, the band, and, well, just everything!"

He laughed quietly before responding, "Yet if you come with me, your slate will be wiped clean, which means no more Juvy, you'll be able to openly practice your nin- and gen-jutsu instead of just your tai-jutsu, and I can help you train your newly gained Mangekyo Sharingan."

She glanced at him sharply, but turned away as a doctor walked over to them. She stood and grabbed the doctor's arm, her eyes wide and brimming with fear and tears.

"[How is she, Chris? Did she pull through?]"

He shook his head, and Risa threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest as she bawled her eyes out.

"[Come on, Ris,]" he said soothingly, "[It's not your fault. She knew the price for betrayal, just like everyone else in the gang, but she did it anyway. You did the right thing.]"

Risa pulled back and shook her head, insisting, "[It is my fault! I made her choose, and then I killed her for it!]" She glared at him with red eyes as he attempted to cut her off. "[I did it, Chris. It wasn't one of the others, I didn't order it, I did it. I pulled the Goddamned trigger.]" Tears streamed down her face as her voice grew hollow and faint. "[I scare me sometimes. I pulled the trigger, killed her in cold blood, but I didn't feel a thing. Joanna is--was--my best friend. But I didn't feel sad about it until I got her here.....]"

"It's a feeling you learn to live with," the man claiming to be her father said, walking over and placing a hand on Risa's shoulder, "[It never gets easier, but you learn to accept it. Trust me, I speak from experience.]"

"[Who the hell're you?]" Dr. Chris asked the man.

"Marada, Uchiha Marada. [But most people call me Tobi. I'm Risa's father. And you are?]"

"[Chris. Dr. Chris Pratt. I believe we spoke on the phone when you called the Juvenile Delinquent Center a few days ago.]"

Marada smiled, and extended a hand. Dr. Chris took it, and Marada said, "[Yes, I believe we did. Were you able to arrange...?]"

"[Yes,]" Dr. Chris replied with a nod, "[We were. I even managed to get the luggage to your hotel room. Will you be needing anything else?]"

"[No.]" Marada replied, releasing the doctor's hand, "[We'll be fine. The plane leaves tomorrow morning.]"

Risa sighed, and rolled her eyes.

//[Great,]//*** she thought as she followed Marada--no, her father--out of the hospital, //[Just what I need, a new life. And the plane leaves tomorrow, shit!]// She pulled out her cell phone and texted her second in command, who was also the drummer in her band.

[Max: My old man just came

to get me, so I'm leaving for

Japan tomorrow. You're the

leader now, so do me proud.

~Ris]

//[A new life, huh?]// she thought, a small smile playing across her lips, //[Maybe it won't be so bad, after all.]//

* Words spoke or thought in English will be surrounded by [ -word(s)- ]

** Words spoken or thought without anything surrounding them are in Japanese

*** Words that are thought re surrounded by // -word(s)- //