"Mother, will I be a great ninja like you one day?"

"Of course, Sunna," a warm voice cooed. "You're only as great as what you allow yourself to be."

The little girl grinned a toothy smile. "I'm going to be awesome!"

Her mother giggled at the enthusiasm as she walked beside her daughter. "I know you will be, darling."

...

Sky blue eyes stared out her window as she recalled the memory. She clutched the window frame gazing into the sunny day.

"I wish it came true, mother," she whispered to herself. She sighed. "Oh, how I hope I didn't disappoint you too much…"

The wooden floor creaked by a presence across the room. She turned around, seeing a gruff man standing in the doorway. Dark bags dragged under his eyes and his short brown hair was messy, and stubble was growing on his face.

"I'm going to work." His deep voice stated. His voice was groggy, as if he had just woken up. In reality he was hungover.

The woman gave a small nod and averting her gaze to the floor. "Yes, Father."

He lingered in the doorway a moment, then carelessly moved his feet to leave. She didn't lift her head until she heard him open the door and leave the house. Once he had gone she gazed out the window again, a sad expression on her face. Birds chirped as they started their flights for the morning and day.

"I miss you…" Sunna whispered. "…Mom…."

It was bright and early and her day had already begun. It was expected for her to make breakfast for her father before he left for work. She ventured into the living room of their home. Inside was quite typical of a Japanese home, a television set, bookcase, and seating arrangements for relaxing. However by the futon several beer bottles laid strewn about. Some had fallen over spilling the remnants onto the floor, while others bundles together standing.

She sighed as she began to pick up the bottles and avoiding the spills. She brought them into the kitchen, pushing aside a pantry door to place them in the recycling bin. When she unloaded she grabbed paper towels and a cleaning spray so the beer wouldn't stick to the floor.

This was how it was every morning. Cleaning up after her alcoholic father. At one point in time they had truly been family. Now she was just a simple maid, almost a caretaker for the man. Her next task would be to clean the rest of the home, as always, so it was to his approval. Then it would be off to the grocery store to buy him everything he needed.

She prepared herself in the hallway mirror. She gazed at her reflection, turning this way and that. Her bright blonde hair shifted with her movements. Her hair reached down to her mid-back, with long bangs to either side of her face extending to her collar bones. She brought a hand to her pale face, analyzing a red mark across her cheek and a reddening on her eye. It stung as she touched the area and memories of the night before came back to her.

...

Sunna had been washing the dishes from dinner. Her father had just started drinking and lounging in the living room. As she scrubbed a pot she heard his footsteps come close.

"Yes, Father?" she called, turning around.

Smack!

She cried out and wet hands reached for her cheek. She staggered not anticipating the blow. Tears filled her eyes as she looked up to him. Brown eyes glared down at her.

"F-Father, what did I do?!" She pleaded.

He scowled, one of his hands a fist. His cheeks were turning pink. "Why do you look like her?" He asked although it seemed more of a statement.

She took in a deep breathe in shock. Not this again!

"I-I can't help it, Father." She whimpered, attempting to take a step back. She was pinned between him and the kitchen sink. She had nowhere else to go.

He reached out and grabbed the scruff of her shirt. She yelped as he pulled her close, smelling the alcohol on his breath.

"Why do you look like her?!" He yelled, shaking her in his hand.

"I'm sorry!" she cried. Her response was met with another slap to the face. She sniffed. "I'm sorry!" He slapped her again. She had stopped replying but he continued, more force seeming to come with each hit

...

She returned to the present, her eyes tearing at the memory. She couldn't step out of the house looking like this. Everyone would stare at her. Although, this wouldn't be the first time she had gone out with bruises.

I don't understand why he beats me. She thought to herself as she walked to her room. At her own vanity she took out a makeup bag. Inside was foundation. She started to apply to the cream to her face in an attempt to hide the bruise.

Lately it seems he is just in a terrible mood constantly. I'm not even doing anything to provoke him, yet he comes out of nowhere and starts a beating! She examined her reflection to view the results of her cover up. I don't think this is what my mother said when she wanted me to take care of him. But I will never understand why he started to do it and why he continues.

She looked up and down at her arms. Black and blue bruises blotched half of each full arm. Sometimes they happened from being hit trying to defend herself. Sometimes he just decided to throw her around. She had a less cosmetic solution to covering these marks up.

Reaching into her closet she pulled out one of her cardigans. It was a fair blue with a simple stitched design throughout it. Sliding one arm through and then the other, it covered her arms fully but was only covering her mid-body. Her yellow shirt underneath complimented the blue cardigan and the pleated blue skirt she wore. Luckily the bruises remained on her torso and none were covering her legs at the moment. Now she would be acceptable to go into public.

But first, she had something very important to do. She had training to accomplish.

Sunna reached into her dresser, shifting away personal items to find the scroll she was searching for. She brought it out as well as a small fabric case. With these items she exited her bedroom and went to the back of the house, pulling one of the screens open to her backyard.

She stepped onto the wooden patio deck, closing the screen behind her. Her backyard was small and fenced, but it suited her needs and her privacy. She sat on the edge of the patio, dropping her feet to touch just above the grass. Her backyard was very simple, a few decorative large rocks in one corner and a flowerbed to the other side. It was a wonderfully sunny morning, birds continued to chirp and the warmth of mid-spring was in the air. Although the rest of her life was so filled with hardship, at least this garden her mother had once started to create was relaxing.

She took in a deep breathe, smiling slightly as she placed the fabric case to her side. She opened the scroll she held onto in front of her. Symbols and words were written on it. To the right of the scroll, at the opening, there was a particular symbol that always stood out to her. It mimicked the symbol of yin and yan, but instead of using a black ink it was almost an orange ink. Waves of a brush came from the circle symbol. The whole symbol looked like a sun.

Sunna graced the symbol with the tips of her fingers. Our family's symbol.

She remembered when her mother had shown her this scroll when she was a little girl.

...

"Now Sunna," her mother instructed. "This is a scroll passed down by our family. My mother used this scroll and gave it to me, the same way her mother gave it to her and so on."

Her daughter sat on her lap, looking at the ancient texts in front of her. "Don't you need this, Mother?" The young girl asked looking up to her mother's face.

She smiled. "It's tradition to gift this scroll to our children when they officially start their ninja training."

"Wow, you mean this is mine now?"

The blonde woman giggled and patted her daughter's head. "You have to take very good care of it."

"I will, Mother!"

"That's my girl," She cooed. She turned her daughter's attention to the scroll in front of them. "Now let me show you what all of this means…"

...

Sunna gazed fondly down at the scroll, but it was filled with melancholy. It was a fond memory of her dear mother, but also a reminder of who she was. Her mother had explained to her that originally they had been part of a clan. However, over time the bloodline became thinner and passed down skills only to girls, almost becoming a matriarchy. Years ago the clan was separated from weddings to other family clans, thinning the blood and severing their abilities even more when more dominant traits appeared in the children. Sunna was the only remnant of her clan that she knew of, asides from her mother. It was distressing to know that she had no way of finding any of her relatives who may be in other lands or regions.

However, this did not stop her from practicing the ways of ninjustu from her family.

"Let's try this again," Sunna mumbled to herself.

She laid the scroll out over her lap and brought her hands up to make a symbol together. She closed her eyes, concentrating on generating chakra from within. This was some of the basics she knew from her first year at the academy, as well as the minimal training from her mother. She could feel her life force flutter from within her chest. As it began to awaken, it spread like a river to the rest of her body awakening the flow. After several minutes she could feel her entire body surging with energy.

Her eyelids opened to gaze at the scroll below her. Okay…now to use my chakra.

She created another symbol with her hands, almost as if she was trying to extend an object in her palms forward. She closed her eyes again, focusing and imagining what she was trying to create. Rain, raindrops, water.

A bead of sweat lingered down her forehead. She had been trying for some time now. She could feel her energy pass through her hands, but was unaware of where the chakra was going after that. She opened her eyes and looked directly into the sky. She sighed and rubbed her temples that were now aching slightly.

"I don't understand…I can never do it!" She cursed to herself.

The once bright sunny sky turned into overcast. There had not been a single cloud in sight. Now a huge dark cloud hung over her house and neighbourhood hiding out the sun. To her dismay there was no rain, only a cloud's presence. She reached for the scroll again, opening it further to instructions.

"I don't understand," She repeated. "How am I supposed to control my environment? I can summon chakra, I know the hand formations are working because I can summon a raincloud….but I can never make it rain let alone storm."

She hung her head low. Mother would have been able to help me with this…Even someone at the academy could have. Maybe I'm missing something that I didn't learn in first year?

The blonde teen looked to her side where the fabric case was. She began to sheath the scroll and when she was finished she grabbed the case and opened it. At least I can practice with my shuriken and kunai.

Inside the case was a belt, a pouch, and various kunai and shuriken. It was aged, but because the case spent so much time in her dresser they were still sharp and usable. It was her ninja gear from her first and only year at the academy. She grabbed a kunai and stood up onto the grass. Now she would practice how to handle a weapon.

Mother…she thought to herself as she moved the kunai this way and that. I wish I could have finished my training….I hope that is doesn't disappoint you that this is all I can do.

If her father ever found out she still had these remnants of the academy, she was sure he would throw them out in an instant and who knew what kind of beating would be in store for her. She could only train when he was at work and wasn't too sore from the beatings. As much as she tried it was not enough. Without a teacher and trying to train from memories she found herself stuck in a rut; she couldn't learn or teach herself anything else.

After some time had passed she placed her ninja gear and scroll back into her dresser. That would do for today. Now she had errands to run, groceries to fetch.

Again she checked her appearance ensuring she was fine to go out into public. Then she locked her front door, walking into the streets of Konoha. Her thoughts returned to her father and the unprovoked beating from last night.

Perhaps he's just stressed with everything that was happened lately. She contemplated to herself. Konoha was attacked not long ago. Many people were lost. Luckily our home wasn't damaged, but Father has been working more overtime than usual in response.

Although the city had suffered a surprise shinobi attack only a few months before the city was regaining its durability. Buildings were being rebuilt as fast as they could, as well as powerlines. Businesses were still open if they had not been damaged, and it was odd to see most people still going about their daily lives. Nowadays everyone seemed to have a "hustle" to their movements. Everyone from business owner to shinobi was working hard to regain Konoha back to its proud status of the Land of Fire's capital.

As the blonde made her way to the grocery store she passed the shinobi school. Normally her path would not go this way, but since the destruction her main way had been blocked with debris that was on the list to slowly be removed. Until this point in her life she had tried so hard not to go by this school. She stopped by the chain link fence still intact. A hand reached up and held onto one of the links.

Young shinobi students could be seen practicing their ninjustsu; throwing kunai and shurikens at targets. Laughing and talking together, and a teacher giving guidance. Memories came to her from over ten years ago.

She could remember her first day at the academy like it was yesterday. The third hokage was there, welcoming the new students and congratulating them for the hard work they would achieve in the academic year. She remembered glancing to the side, seeing her mother and father with the other parents. Both were smiling, her mom motioning a "thumb's up" with a wide grin. The little girl grinned in return.

Her mother had been a ninja; a jonin. Her father hadn't studied, but instead devoted himself to the world of architecture and construction. This memory was one of the few she had of the man ever being happy.

It all changed when her mother died.

Another memory came to her, a year after being in the academy. She was 7. It was after school and she had been talking and laughing with some of her fellow classmates.

"Sunna!"

Her father's call popped her out of the conversation with another girl. She smiled at her father who was walking up from the entrance of the yard. She waved. "Hi Dad!"

The man didn't smile back. His face was stern. He had a cigarette in his hand. He brought it up and took a drag and with his other hand he motioned the girl to come to him.

Sunna had smiled, looking back to her friends. "I have to go; I'll see you tomorrow!" She ran up to her father, backpack behind her. "Hi Dad!"

He finished his last drag and threw the cigarette to some bushes alongside the gate entrance. "Come on," he grunted, grabbing his daughter's hand.

Sunna flinched slightly. "Daddy, you're holding me really tight."

"I said let's go." He growled. He tugged his daughter closer with a quick movement. She tripped slightly from the momentum.

"F-Father, is everything okay?" Her father hadn't been the same since her mother had died. He had started smoking and his once happy aura turned more and more sour each day. It was so confusing to her 7 year old brain at the time.

"You're not going to the academy anymore." Her father stated. He didn't even look her in the eye. He just kept his face forward.

"B-But why?"

"Because I said so."

"But Father, I want to be a ninja!" She pleaded.

"I said no!" He growled back. His hold on her hand tightened. The 7 year-old girl flinched from his anger and the pain in her small hand. "You're not going anymore."

He dragged her to walk with him again. She hung her head, upset at what had just happened. "B-But my friends…"

She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. She opened them again, viewing the academy once more. She never did go back to study. She never spoke to her friends again. She just stayed at home.

I remember thinking he wanted what was best for me, she thought to herself. I remember thinking he didn't want to lose me like how he lost mom. But now that I'm eighteen…I don't really know if that was why. I can't tell if he wanted what was best for me...or what was best for him.

A spring wind blew her hair as she continued to stare down at the school. If he knew I kept training at home…I don't know what he would do. I don't even know how I've kept it from him for so long.

She brought a hand to her face where the covered bruise was. Mom told me to take care of him…but I don't think she wanted me to be treated this way. I wish things could go back to how they were when I was little and she was still around. Mom always wanted me to be happy.

Another memory surfaced. A blonde woman with long hair to her knees. She was hugging a younger Sunna. "Oh, Sunna, my sunshine, you make me so happy!" She would always tell her.

All she had were memories. Not many were happy, most of them were sad. But she remembered one place that always cheered her up. Later. I need to get groceries.

...

It was evening now. Her father had returned home as she was preparing dinner. Although she greeted him when he came home he made hardly any gesture to her. He simply slipped out of his shoes, grabbed a beer from the fridge, and immediately sedated himself onto the futon. The flicker of a lighter could be heard and the smell of tobacco began to fill the house. As she continued to make dinner she could hear the television flicker on.

"On behalf of the Konoha Police Force Chanel 6 news have been advised on the picked up activity of the Akatsuki in neighbouring regions." A newscaster could be heard.

Sunna browned beef in a skillet, stirring it with a wooden spoon.

"Do you think that they are related to the incident in Konoha a few months ago?" Another person asked through the television.

She added green onions, stirring them in with the oil and meat juice in the pan.

"At this point the Konoha police haven't released any official information. What we do know is that these are highly dangerous criminals with little known about them or their intentions. Citizens of Konoha are advised that if you see someone in a black cloak with red clouds to be cautious and do not interact. Contact the police immediately and seek refuge as soon as possible. The police will take things from there."

She plated the dinner dish and added fresh vegetables to the side. Placing the dinner on a tray she brought it into the living room where her father was slouched on the futon, drink in hand.

"Father," She gestured with the tray. He leered up to look at her and took the tray. He said nothing but dug into the dinner.

The young woman returned to the kitchen, eating some of the dinner she had just prepared and then cleaning up afterwards. She looked outside the window, seeing it was still daylight out. The sun was beginning to set. Inside, she could feel a craving, a passion to leave for the place she remembered earlier that day.

She returned to the living room. She held her hands behind her back as she stood in the archway. Her father was done dinner and continued to watch TV. He was on his second beer. She cleared her voice lightly to gather his attention.

"F-Father…May I go out for a walk?"

He slowly turned her head to her, his brown eyes stern. She couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"I-I won't be gone long. An hour perhaps." She tried to justify.

He shrugged his shoulders and went back to watching television. Sunna smiled lightly, and walked to the door.

He's acting….odd lately. However she would take advantage have the permission to go out. She put on her black flats and left. She knew exactly where she wanted to go.

She made her way to what was once a popular park in her neighbourhood. It was now closed off with a chain at the entrance. A ceroplastic sign attached read that the park was to be taken down and a new one would take its place. Seeing as how the sign had gone up before the devastation in Konoha Sunna knew it would be quite some time before priority would be placed on this neighbourhood project.

It was after six o'clock at night and the park was clear. Sunna casually stepped underneath of the chain to enter. She didn't care about the warning; this was a happy place. She walked through the park. Trees surrounded the area and trails would lead to more grove-like parts of the city. She remembered being younger and coming here, seeing young shinobi run in their ninja gear and weights. The trails spread and attached throughout Konoha and were ideal for training strength and speed for ninja, as well as perfect for civilians to take a stroll through.

She could see a teeter-totter now rusted and warped with age. A jungle gym looked the same, a few graffiti spots on it aged as well. She made her way to the swing set, which again was brown after so many years, but two of the four seats remained functional. A loose hand reached for the chain and guided her to sit.

Oh, how I loved these swings. She thought to herself. She was now too big for the swing and her feet could touch the ground no problem. She casually moved the balls of her feet forward and back creating a small momentum.

She remembered how her family used to come to this park often when she was little. It was in its prime back then, the equipment shiny and nearly new. Many families used to come here to enjoy afternoons or whole days here. Sunna's parents would have picnics, they would take turns pushing her on the swings, and go for walks in the trails.

What I wouldn't give to relive those happy days once more. She smiled lightly as she rocked back and forth in place. Her smile slowly turned into a frown. Is there anything I can do to change him? I want….I want so much more than what I am doing right now. I know life would be different if I had trained as a shinobi. I want…freedom.

Suddenly she heard a light rattle of chains and a small shift in the weight of the swing set frame above her. She perked her head up and turned beside her where someone was now sitting.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't see you earlier." She stuttered. She always tried to avoid people and wouldn't have come to the park if someone else had been here. But someone was here now.

"I just arrived myself." A deep voice replied. A man was sitting beside her on the swing set. He looked forward, not at her, and had black hair with different layered bangs to each side of his face. He wore a strange cloak. It had a large collar and red clouds throughout it. He seemed to have some of it open as he rested one arm on the nook of the sleeve and his other hand was holding loosely onto the swing's chain. His eyes were dark, practically black, and a large wrinkle descended down each cheek. The light of the setting sun brought a small shine to his serious gaze, almost making him look friendlier.

"Oh," was all she could think of to say. She nervously looked away and forward. She didn't talk to people often. After her father forced her out of the academy she never was given other opportunities to socialize. He would always scold her or yell at her when she was young and tried to talk about visiting friends. She had never been in this situation before.

"I didn't think many people came here anymore to be honest." She said quietly, but also wanting to socialize. "Most people go to the newer parks around Konoha."

"This place holds fond memories for me." The stranger answered.

"Me too," She quietly replied. She looked back at him. Those eyes…he looks so…familiar…and that cloak…there's something about that cloak…

He turned to look at her. She blushed nervously for being caught staring, and turned forward again. He's really handsome!

"Y-You know what I like about this place right now?" She asked. She looked back at him. One of his fine eyebrows was slightly raised. "Despite all the destruction that Konoha was left in after that recent attack…this place was untouched." She pushed herself again for some momentum on the swing. "Even though it's rusted and old…it's still beautiful."

He gave a slight nod in response. They stayed in silence for a few moments, both looking forward at the setting sun and the forest surrounding them. She rocked back and forth on the swing and he stayed put, his legs extended and the hells of his sandals holding him in place, almost like he was in a relaxing position. Sunna eyed his shoes. They were shinobi sandals.

"A-Are you a shinobi?" she asked. He turned to her again. She noticed the headband around his forehead. The symbol for the Village Hidden in the Leaves bore on it, as well as a slash through it. She stopped her movements for a moment, eyeing the headband. That means something…

"Yes," He replied. The tone of his voice was casual, but emotionless at the same time. His eyes were fixated on her, as if waiting for a reaction.

She gave a small nod and pointed to his headband. "You studied at the academy here?"

He nodded once more. She traced his features again with her eyes. I know you…

"Wait, you…you're…" Sunna's mouth opened in an "o". "I…I know you."

He still seemed to be waiting for a reaction. "You…you were in the academy!" Sunna lightly smiled as her memory slightly flickered back. "I'm so sorry, I forget your name. But I remember your face. You were at the academy ten years ago."

His eyebrows furrowed slightly, almost as if in confusion.

"I'm Sunna, I think we were in the same class." She studied his face more. "You…you graduated early if I remember."

"I did." He concluded her findings. He seemed hesitant but eyed her. "I apologize, I don't remember you."

"Oh, that's alright." She looked down slightly. "I was only at the academy for the first year. My father pulled me out after that." Her smile had turned to a frown.

"A shinobi life can be greatly difficult." He commented, almost as if trying to sympathize.

She shook her head ever so lightly. "I wanted to keep going…so did my mother."

"If I may," The blonde looked back at him. "If you are not a shinobi, how did you injure your face like that?"

Sunna's eyes widened. One of her hands immediately shot up to her cheek. The cover up must have worn off now that it was the end of the day. "I-I…"

"Did someone do this to you?"

She sharply looked away still clutching her face. This was the first time anyone had ever commented on a bruise. She had no idea what to do. "Uhm…I-I…." She had no idea what to blonde looked back to the dark-haired man before her. Her mouth was open, trying to come up with something to say. "I-I'm fine."

His dark eyes stared at her intently. "May I assist you?"

Her blue eyes looked down and back up at him again. "I….I don't how you could…I don't…I'm fine."

He continued to stare. She did nothing but stare back. In his eyes, she could have sworn she saw pity, empathy, but it was so hard to tell as the rest of his face was emotionless and stern.

"I…I don't know how…" She trailed off. She bit her lip. "I don't know how anyone could help me."

"Will you let me help you?" he asked. All Sunna could do was stare at him, holding onto her red cheek. She looked up to see the sun was now at the peak was setting.

If I don't get home soon…She looked back at him. "I-I…have to go." He watched her as she stood up. "…Thank you...but I'm…I'm fine." She gave a slight bow with her upper body. She quickly walked away, too flustered to know of anything else to say. She could feel his eyes on her back as she left, ducking under the metal chain entrance.

She hastily returned home. The sun had fully set and it was dark out. She had been gone for far longer than an hour. She quietly opened the door to her home, hoping not to disturb he father. If she was lucky he would be passed out by now. Perhaps by being gone for so long she had escaped a typical nightly beating.

She slipped off her flats and tip toed to her bedroom. As she walked through the house she heard the television still on. She lightly shut the door, breathing out a small sigh of relief that she had not disturbed her father. She walked to her bedroom window, eyeing the trees nearby her house.

That man…should I have taken his offer? She lightly bit her thumb as she gazed out. He's the first person to ever say something about the bruises...but what could he have done? Something suddenly caught her eye. She tilted her head slightly and squinted. Something...did I see something in the trees?

Suddenly her bedroom door was swung open. Sunna gasped and turned around, clutching onto the window sill with both hands. Her father leaned into the doorway, a beer bottle in his hand. His eyes were groggy, his cheeks lightly pink. It was obvious he was drunk.

"F-Father," she spoke. He just stared at her, his eyes leering at her. His brown eyes slowly looked her up and down.

"You look so much like her you know." He stated, taking another sip of his bottle.

"Y-Yes Father, I know," Sunna replied, biting her lip softly. His eyes continued to stare at her. Something is wrong…he's not acting normal…

"It's been hard for me lately." He continued. "Nowadays you just look so much like her…and it's hard."

Was this some kind of apology for how he had been acting? Sunna didn't know what to say.

He took another sip and intently stared at her. "Take off your shirt."

Sunna's eyes widened and she blinked. "P-Pardon?"

He straightened his stance in the doorway. "Take off your shirt."

Sunna griped the window sill. "I-I don't understand."

He stated to walk up to her. "I want you to take off your clothes." He began to adjust the buckle on his pants.

Her eyes darted to his undoing belt and back up at him. O-Oh god…

"Now take off your shirt."

"I-I…" He was right in front of her now. One of his rough hands grabbed her cardigan from the shoulder and began to slip it down.

"You look so much like her…" His breath reeked of alcohol and cigarettes and moved closer to her face.

Sunna grabbed his hand trying to undress her. "No,"

His eyes flared with anger. "Take it off. Now."

"No!" She pushed him away. The drunk man staggered back, eyes now wide with disbelief. This was the first time she had ever resisted. "I-I won't do that, Father." She instinctly grabbed her cardigan tighter to her chest.

She took a deep breath. "Mother said to take care of you. A-And I've been trying. I quit the academy like you asked and I've taken every beating from you. B-But this…" She gripped the clothing tighter. "Mother wouldn't have wanted this for me."

He scowled. Although Sunna spoke from the heart the man was obviously too drunk to reason with. He pointed a staggered finger at her. "I told you to take it off and you're gonna."

Sunna gulped. This had never happened before. "Father…I need you to leave."

He took a step towards her.

"Father…I will defend myself." She darted her eyes to the dresser. Her room was small but it seemed so far away now. Her other hand started to form a fist. She shook as she tried to summon chakra.

He was right in front of her again. He reached a hand out towards her skirt. Sunna jabbed her chakra-powered fist at the man. He flew back and hit the wall on the other side of the room. She didn't waste any time. She ran to the dresser. Her breathing ad quickened. Her hands shook as she pushed aside personal items to retrieve the fabric case.

A hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder and threw her back. She let out a yell as she landed on her bed. The case was in her hand. Her father followed her, lunging at her on the bed. She yelled out once more when one of his hands held onto her left wrist. He was right on top of her, breathing heavily down. She winced but with her other hand frantically tried to unzip the pouch. She could feel a bulge from his pants on top of her skirt.

Her father leaned in close. "How the hell did you do that?" he growled. "Are you studying again?!"

"Father please!" She screamed. He brought his other hand to her, now ripping her shirt off from her collar.

"Looks like I'm going to have to out you back in place."

She couldn't stop the tears. He continued to rip at her shirt, hearing the fabric shred from the force. Her right hand finally opened the case. She reached inside grabbing whatever she could.

Thiwck!

Sunna stared up at the man. His eyes were bulged wide. Warm, wet droplets began to drip onto her torso. Her father looked down seeing the kunai jabbed into his side. His white shirt began to turn crimson in the spot.

"Y-You…!"

She was baffled and continued to cry. He raised himself up off of her, grabbing the knife from his side out. He yelled out slightly as he ripped it out of him and threw the kunai across the room. He brought the same hand up now a sealed fist and brought it down onto her face.

Sunna screamed out from the blow. Again he raised his hand and slammed it against her face. Her hand reached into the case again. She moved her face to the side trying to block as much of her as she could from his hits. As he brought down his fist again she threw her hand out with another kunai.

This time it pierced into his chest. When his fist didn't make contact with her face she looked up to see he had stopped. He stared at the knife protruding out of him. His hands were brought up, shaking and trembling. He twitched and looked back at her. Her blue eyes were like a deer in headlights.

He didn't say anything. Instead his eyes closed. Sunna continued to breathe heavily, feeling the blood leaking from her nostrils. She cried out again when his body fell on top of her. She struggled to lift him off. He was suddenly stiff.

Eventually she rolled him off and stood up gasping. She eyed her father, eyes still wide and crying. He lay on her bed, his white shirt pooling with blood. He wasn't breathing.

She looked down at herself, trembling. Her body was covered with the man's blood. The shoulder of her shirt had been ripped, exposing her shoulder and bra strap. She looked into the palms of her hands.

What…What have I done?

Knock knock knock.

Still gasping she turned her head to her doorway towards the backdoor. One of her eyes lightly twitched at the odd noise. She stood there trying to figure out if she actually heard the noise.

Knock knock knock.

She began to move forward. She did hear it. Her hands trembled as she made her way to the sliding door, her footsteps creating a creaking noise as she walked. The light of the hallway penetrated through the paper screen, a shadow behind it. She lifted a hand to the panel pulling the door open. She gasped.

"I-It's you." She whispered. She gazed up at the taller person, tears pouring down her face. "Pl-Please…I need your help."