Disclaimer: Don't own, never will.

Rating: T

Warnings: OOC; AU

Behind the Smile

She seemed like a normal girl. She was beautiful and intelligent, but no one knew the dark side of her. Behind the innocent smile, she was a valiant gang leader. Witnessing the death of her parents by the age of four, she set out to become the most feared and powerful person she can be to get the revenge she's been yearning for her whole life. Right now, she is a part of a gang called FD. Her code name, BLB, is what I'm going to be using in this story. Unfortunately for me, she lives her life in such a secret, that even I am unable to reveal her true name. She's had many aliases but none seemed to be her real name. Because of that, names that refer to her may be completely different but still embody BLB. She lived her life a lie. She lived her life in danger. Her name was BLB, and she is anything but normal.

-x-

"…she lived her life, from then on out, in fear, for those people that murdered her parents may come back for her. That night, she died. She died inside; it was as if her soul left her. It's rather hard to explain, but she was simply an empty body. She only lived to love herself and to avenge her parents' deaths. She was inert and chose to stray from everyone. She lost everything that night. She lost her dignity. She lost her parents. But most of all, she lost her ability to love."

She closed her eyes as her hands met the two sheets of paper together, indicating that her story was finished for now. She stared out into the crowd in front of her, analyzing how each person was in awe in their own special way. This was her 'friends,' as so she says. She perked up when her teacher began to speak.

"Well, Hana, that was very intense. I couldn't have made your story any better. Good job. I'm proud of you. Your writing really improved!"

The said girl smirked in approval and approached her seat, awaiting the glares she usually received when she got high remarks from the teachers. 'Ah! There they are.' Their stares intensified, but she did not so much as to flinch. She just continued walking down the row to her seat.

She propped an elbow on her desk and rested her cheek on her fist. Hana let out a bored sigh and rolled her eyes as someone else stood up in the front to read his story. She took a thick strand of pink hair between her fingers and began to twirl it. (She always told everyone that her real hair color was black, and that she had dyed it to become 'unique.') She tried to keep up with what the boy was saying, but she just couldn't help but notice something odd about him. He seemed familiar, not because he was her classmate, but because of something else. Hana just couldn't put her finger on it. This boy, Juuni, just recently exchanged from a school in the suburbs.

The curious girl let the idea go, but just couldn't think of why this Juuni kid would leave a rich school to go to a public school like this. 'Whatever.' Hana slowly closed her deep, jade eyes, which was soon boring with fatigue. Last night's fight was intense. She suddenly remembered something. She raised her hand delicately, asking to be excused for the bathroom. Hana nodded and smiling, she walked out nonchalantly, but when she got near the entrance of the school, she dashed for the door.

The girl wrapped a hand around the bar and locked the heel of her foot on the door handle. With a crucial push, she hopped up to the ceiling vents and climbed inside. Hana got to the end of her path and slid down the abyss with steady precision. She closed her eyes as air passed her smoothly, carrying her deeper and deeper to certain pain. Something will befall if she goes on any further. But Hana liked the excitement of danger, so she didn't doubt her move. Besides, she lived for this. Where else was she to go anyway?

Hana finally exited the vent. She stepped forward to meet the leader of another gang, Sound. She put one foot in front of the other with utter royalty, as if an aura of richness surrounded her. If she was afraid, she surely didn't show it.

The voice in front of her spoke, "It's Dosu. And you're?"

"BLB, the leader. What do you want with FD?"

"I want your real name. I have information about the death of your parents. I was considering on being generous and helping an enemy. Are you interested?"

The girl pondered and shook her head no. She'd rather have a fight than false hopes about her parents.

"Suit yourself, BLB."

They walked away, but not before he grasped a knife and lunged towards the girl. Although she was caught by surprise, she thought quickly and put an arm forward, blocking a lethal attack. She exasperated with an annoyed sigh and stared at the man, straight in the eye, with nothing more than a bored expression. It was like she couldn't even feel the blade lodged in her forearm.

Crimson red slowly slid down the expanse of her arm. The smell of iron infiltrated the air. BLB gave a chuckle, a smirk, and a swift punch with her left arm. He stumbled back, only to be caught by his crew, and began to charge at BLB. She took the metal out of her arm, not even wincing in pain. She held her ground, analyzing each step he took and any possible weapons he may have.

Dosu yelled as he pulled an arm back to return a heavy punch, but with the dregs of her strength, she held the coming wrist and lowered herself to kick his ankles off the floor, while at the same time, twisting her body to accommodate his. She was behind him, both of his arms in her one hand and his own weapon at his throat. You could sense his fear.

"Leave now because I won't hesitate to kill you and your pathetic crew. By the way, it's Sura."

Obviously, Sura lied, as she always does when asked of her real identity. Nonetheless, she allowed him passage to run away, and he eagerly took it. They knew the FD leader was strong, but they never witnessed her sheer power. The fiasco of Sound was over as soon as they turned the corner. Sura checked the time and only ten minutes had passed. 'I better get back.'

This time, Hana climbed a tree to get to the second floor of the school. She sneaked through the window and opened the door, but having an ominous feeling cloud over her, she peeked through the small crack before entering entirely in the room.

Just as she suspected, there was someone there. However, she was not too happy to find out that the people inside were the Akatsuki. These people were not her favorite gang. In fact, it was quite the opposite. They had quite a history together, and it ended with her separation from the crew. However, she put all that behind her and focused on the task at hand. Why is it that everything she wanted in life was just pushed out of her way?

Well, Hana became stronger this way. Although, she was far from perfect, she was sufficient. Her hand tensed when the door squeaked. Her mind settled as she busted open the door in a threatening manner. She quickly scanned the room, taking in all the information she could. This was serious, and there is no way she was going to let the chance to beat her former gang down the bowl.

'All classmates are taken hostage. One person, Juuni, is injured but not fatally. There are only five members of the Akatsuki here. The leader, Itachi, isn't here; however, one of the head honchos are - Kisame. I got to watch out for him. There are about ten blades and five guns. There seems to be no one hidden. I got this.'

Hana heard the blue man talk to her, "Well, if it isn't BLB, or Blossom. Oh Blu! We certainly missed you back at Akatsuki Headquarters!" Each word dripped with malice and sarcasm. He was mocking her, and this infuriated Bee. Oh, and there was that painful name again. Blossom. That was yet another one of her dull names, which now held no meaning to her now that Akatsuki is her past. She is a D4E now. The leader of the most feared gang.

"What do you want, Kisame?"

"To fight."

And with those words, Bee drew close to the door, waiting for them to submit the first move. Three of the weaker ones ran towards her. They seemed clumsy for their steps were wild and untrained. The first to reach her was flipped over her back with ease, and with that prisoner's feet, she pounded the second victim, causing him to fall on the floor. The third one took his knife out and threw weak slicing motions. Bee was ready for this and used a knife taken from the first victim and defended herself, giving off grating sounds as the metal interacted with one another. She elbowed him quickly in the back of the neck, and began to start her pile of unfortunate prey, which now held unconscious to the floor.

She wiped the blood that ran down her arm from the previous battle with the side of her knife. The reflection scared her classmates, but they believed she was on their side when in reality, she fought for only herself. She took a rubber band and quickly drew up her pink hair. Her eyes dulled with emotionless viciousness. One of the tougher members stepped forward to fight her one on one. She quickly apprehended the gun and two blades from that person's gear. She kneed his back and hit a pressure point, causing him to fall without pure thought. She tossed him along with the rest of the poor crew.

Blu faced Kisame and motioned him to attack. With the rest of the guns and knives at a safe distance from her enemy, she fought with no weapon. It was a fist fight with no mercy. Each blow and punch earned blood and groans. Kisame finally had Blu to a point where he flashed his gun, pointed to the middle of her forehead. She heard a clicking sound, signaling that finally, he had his gun ready. She didn't even close her eyes, but instead, laughed. Belu doubted that he was actually going to shoot her.

With a confused look set on his face, she lifted her right leg to kick his wrist, and with perfect coordination, she was able to capture the gun in her arms and turn the odds around. Now she had the gun pointing at him. She smiled in triumph. Blu, still having the gun in Kisame's direction, began to run over to her classmates, asking if they were all okay. However, there was one child missing. 'Where's Juuni? '

She turned around, only to be met with a fist to the face and a knife to her left thigh. She clutched her wound, as to stop the blood from leaking, and stood up to see who dare wound her. Blu was met face to face with Juuni. She still questioned in her mind who was this child. However, the question subsided when she heard a bang, piercing screams, and pitch black atmosphere. She had been shot.

Blu, though dizzy and on the floor, looked down at her body. Blood running from the wounds in her arm, leg, and stomach was evident. And she was sure that she was now sporting a bruise on her face. She coughed out, trying to speak words, but was met with supreme darkness and unconsciousness met her fate.

The next thing she knew, she was in an unknown place, tied up to, what seemed to be, a concrete bed. She remembered what this was. 'Ah! Our good, old torture bed. I was wondering what they would do with this.' Blu analyzed everything that was going on around her.

She was in a dark cell room. She remembered this to once be a place where they did their drug dealing. I guess they are using it as a torture chamber.

Finally, a voice erupted from the silence. It was Itachi. "You can't run away from your past."

It echoed through the room, sounds of his rough voice bouncing off the walls. She immediately shot her body up, but found that she could not. She was tied. Remember? Blu did not speak but moved her hand to the back of her neck. She grew her hair long so that no one would ever see what lay hidden there.

Itachi noticed her motion, "Do you miss us?"

Blu began to grow angry. She thrashed in the cement bed, and against the belts, her arms, legs, and stomach began to sting pain, which reverberated throughout her whole body. She almost forgot that she was still injured. However, she showed no distinct feature that she was about to throw herself to mercy.

"You can't escape from your past, Blu."

The said girl still remained silent. Her eyes fluttered around the room, but in the sheer darkness, only to be lit by a single candle, there was no one to be found. Blu's fingers ran nimbly over the back of her neck. It was something she just couldn't stand.

"So you still remember us. Don't you?"

Behind her neck was a tattoo, which marked her as territory to Akatsuki. They were somewhat like slash marks of black. She used her middle and forefinger to rub circular motions around her temples. She needed to relax. She had to find a way out of this. She was BLB for Pete's sake! There was no way some measly gang was going to hold her down.

"So I see you're thinking now, Blu. If I may ask, what are you thinking about? Your escape? Your tattoo? Or your past? Because my dear, it's all going to end badly for you. After all, you did betray us, and everything you do comes with a price. Am I not right?"

A door opened, giving a brief moment of light. Blu's eyes flushed when she saw Juuni there. Again, she gave him a blank expression, dazing off in his features. He wore a sleeveless shirt and cargo pants. His muscles rippled and you could easily tell that he was not some normal rich boy. 'I knew I should've looked into him.'

His footsteps gave light taps as he walked to the edge of the parallel rock. Juuni gave out an almost loving gaze to Blu, which was exchanged for a snort.

"Oh what a waste of beauty."

Belu rolled her eyes, but was found with her head being lifted. She didn't resist. Juuni held his hand tenderly before dipping his head down, under hers, to dart his tongue out, tasting the flesh of which bore the mark. She viciously banged her head down, hoping to hit his against the rock. Blu was a beat slow and gashed her head instead.

"Don't be violent. I really don't want to see you get hurt."

"Then what do you want to see me do? And who are you anyway? You were never here back in the time."

"Questions will be answered in time. But first, your name."

"Blu."

"No, your real name."

"Sura"

"No, your other name."

"Hana."

"Well, obviously, you aren't going to cooperate."

Her eyes turned to slits as she tried to hide the pain that surface from that horrible blow. A metallic fragrance engorged her nostrils. 'Blood. My blood.'

"Why B, you're bleeding!"

BLB remained silent.

"Look, I'm not Juuni, as you probably have figured out. My code is Sharingan. They've put me as your replacement. However, they told me something that they never told you. Ah yes. And what I want to see you do…"

Her eyes now shone with a bright gleam, not with fear or tears, but with anxiousness and adrenaline.

"I want you to die."

She settled down into the concrete, let out a long sigh, and said, "Go ahead. I deserve death. I've done many things that just cannot allow me a bright future. All I see going for me is blood, sweat, and fear."

"But I won't kill you just yet."

This brought questions in her mind as relief will garnish her figure. B was caught dizzy and her body grew numb. She was brought slump into the darkness, most likely from the loss of blood.

When she closed her eyes, not knowing what was going on around her, she was dreaming of her parents. Maybe then she can finally visit them, visit them wherever they went after the grave. If they went to a good place, she was certain she couldn't go there. Maybe hell was already awaiting her arrival. She just wished that she could see her mother and father one more time before burning in the fires of death.

Sharingan walked over to her, a tear surfacing in his eye. He purely wondered why such a perfect angel had to go to waste. B was smart, and beautiful, and versatile, and had great chances at a successful future. Or was that only because of what her parents inspired her to do?

He stepped closer, seeing how she was unconscious, and tucked a pink strand behind her ears. His eyes shone with innocence. He never wanted this kind of life, but it was not like he had a choice. After all, his brother was Itachi, himself.

Blu was still asleep and pallid when Itachi came into the room. He came in with his younger brother, who looked almost exactly like him. That was probably why B thought that she noticed him from somewhere.

"So dear brother, did you get any information out of her?" Itachi looked onto the unconscious with much curiosity.

"No. I'm sorry."

"Well, whoever she is, I'm sure she will be pleased to find out who exactly killed her parents."

His hearty laugh echoed in the dark chamber as he exited the room. Itachi left Sharingan in the room with BLB. When the door finally closed, he rushed to the side of B to wake her up hurriedly.

"Please, wake up. Come on, B. I need you."

She began to stir with a stricture due to her wounds. She found them to be wrapped up. B mentally asked but the boy answered her thought for her.

He gave a smile that scared Blu, not because it was evil, but because it was unusual for the enemy to be so kind. Sharingan brought a bottle of water for B. She analyzed the top. It was still sealed but she still didn't trust him.

"You drink it first."

"I didn't poison it, B. Trust me."

"Trust you? You're the brother of my ex-boss. Don't tell me to trust you freak!"

Sharingan hung his head low. He really did look innocent, and very gullible. He was handsome, but had a stern and strong face that caught attention from many girls in her class.

"I'm sorry, B. I'm just trying to help."

BLB just couldn't help but pity the boy. It was clear that he never wanted to be a part in all of this. She took the water and sniffed it. She trained herself to detect almost all traces of poison. Finding that it was clean, she carefully poured the liquid down her throat without placing her lips on the mouth of the bottle.

She noticed him smile, a genuine one, as if proud that he thought that she finally trusted him. Sharingan began to talk.

"Hey. Can I ask you something?"

She looked up, "Why not?" B nodded for him to continue.

"I need you to kill my brother."

B blew a whistle, surprised with what she just heard.

"I know you're confused, but you see, B, my brother, well, he killed your parents. I can't kill him without you. The thing is I can't kill anyone. I only gain respect because of Itachi, and without him, people see me as nothing." He looked up, looking for a reaction. He couldn't find one. He sighed out, "Why did you choose this path anyway, B?"

"To get revenge, and it looks like I'm going to be getting it soon. Yo, what's your name kid?"

"Erm, Itachi told me never to tell anyone to tell my real name."

B smiled, "You can trust me. I won't bust you up," she paused, giving him a thumbs up, "or out."

"I'm Sasuke! Can I have your name? Please!" He had the most pathetic look on his face. B just had to make him happy.

"It's Lyna." She saw him smile.

"Thanks Lyna! I promise I won't tell anyone."

B smiled. She had lied yet again, but her identity was personal. Besides, you can never trust anyone. Breaking the veneer that covered her strict thoughts, she began to plan a way of escape. 'Maybe if I knock Sasuke out, with some mercenary work, that can get me enough time to scavenge for weapons and find a rational way out of this place. If I remember, all air ducts lead to a central room. From there, I can find my way out.'

She began to scratch at her skin. Just because they had supposedly taken away all her weapons, doesn't mean that she always had one hiding. B peeled back a fake bandage from her wrist and pulled out a very small blade. The girl didn't bother trying to cut the rope that restrained her. Instead, she sweetly asked Sasuke to untie it, so as to not arouse suspicion. She had told him that her arms began to ache. And so he untied the buckles for her and, she dashed for the exit right after knocking him out with one blow. She mouthed an apology to Sasuke and broke open the vent.

She glanced behind her at the unconscious body and slipped inside the small vent, which seemed to lead to oblivion. Fortunately, B had a petite figure and could maneuver through the tight passages with little stress. 'Okay, now… fifty paces west, head south through two intersections, and at the two way short stop, fall down the chute to the ventilator near the nurse's room.' B followed her mental directions and continued through the building unnoticed. 'Climb out the corner into the hallway. From then on, I have no cover. One more hall to the right, and I'll be in the central room.'

B moved stealthily and without hesitation. She didn't meet up with anyone, thankfully, and proceeded to open the door to her freedom. However, she faced something that she never thought would happen. Inside the central room were three people. One was almost predictable. That was Itachi. But the other two were so… familiar that it was scary. It was like B saw them every day. But who were they?

"My dear B, it was simply obvious that you were going to try and escape! So I wanted to hold a little surprise for you. Do you see these two people?"

She stared at the familiar two, "Yeah. One's a boy and the other is a girl."

"Well that's obvious," he rolled his eyes, but continued, "Do they look familiar to you? Do you know them from somewhere?"

B stared them down, right from their deep eyes that seemed to yelled sounds of anguish to her, down to their worn out feet. They looked downright pathetic, but they seemed happy, in a sense. They didn't seem like it, but B noticed how both of them had a certain sparkle to them. Why? She could only guess that there was something, or rather someone, who made them feel joy in such a way.

"They look familiar. Who are they?"

While B was analyzing them intently, she didn't realize the twenty or so people that entered the room. Some were visible, but others stayed hidden for the moment. Three minions moved behind her, able to tweeze a point in her neck. B was able to move a millimeter in a different direction, only making her slightly dizzy from the pinch. She was able to slide to the floor, causing two of the goons to collide together. She grasped the ankles of the pincher and flung him to the floor.

Immediately, ten more came to replace their fallen comrades. B knew she was outnumbered, but knew that she had nothing to lose. She was surrounded with ten of them, with eight more hiding. That gives her a 4:1 chance of winning. She could win. Right? They had about seventy weapons altogether, and she had two. But she could still win if she tried! Right?

"Stop!" Itachi opened his mouth to order the men to fall back. It seemed that he wanted to inform B something before she takes her 'ultimate downfall.'

"Why'd you make them stop? I was ready for a fight!"

"Shut up, will you? I have to tell who these two people are first."

"Well then, who are they?"

He gave out a slight chuckle as he stared deep into B's black eyes. "These two people… are your parents, my delightful Blossom."

Her eyes grew wide, "My parents? But how?" She stumbled over her words.

Itachi let out a deep, caustic laugh. "You see Blossom. I supposedly killed your parents. Correct? Well, I just knocked them unconscious because I had big plans for you, my child. However, these nut bags wouldn't let their precious daughter do anything along the lines of gangs or violence. So I just had to get them out of the picture. Well, it wouldn't have mattered anyway because look how you turned out now."

B sneered, letting her teeth show in anger. She grew a pale red, not something she'd normally do, and her palms began to shed blood for her fingernails had dug deep in her skin in utter anger.

The man continued, "Now don't get upset! I'm not saying that how you turned out was bad. Actually, I think it was perfectly beautiful! However, there was one problem. You got too good for us. I hadn't wanted that to have happened, but that was why I kept your parents as prisoners. Blossom, you left the Akatsuki to start FD, your own gang. Is that what your parents would have wanted?"

She could not hold it in anymore. For the first time in seven years, Blossom cried. "Don't you ever talk about my parents that way! I swear, I will rip you apart!" She screamed every word with full intent and threat. "I'm telling you. You will be sorry…" B bit out the last part.

"Oh! I am so scared. Hah! You make me sick. No true leader would ever show emotion! Not even for their own family."

"Shut up! Just shut up!"

"Shut up! Shut up! " He was mocking her, "What do you think of this? Huh?"

Itachi took a hand gun out, a desert eagle, and shot both of them in the stomach. This infuriated B as she shoved some of the other men aside to get to her mother and father.

"No! Please no! Don't die on me! I need you! Please! Mom! Dad!" She screamed, tears flowing down her face, lining her face with a trail of moist, wet tears.

She put a hand to the stomachs of her parents, trying her best to stop the blood from gushing out. 'Please, I need you.' B began to whisper incoherent words, but stopped when she heard her mother and father talk.

"Remember sweetie. We were always proud of you."

B looked at him tenderly, refusing to accept the fact that they were too weak to go on.

Her mother began, "I love you. I always have, and always will."

She passed away, leaving B shaking violently, still refusing to let go of her mother, who now lay limp in her arms. Lying on her legs was her father, who was losing life as well.

"I love you too, Sa-"

And with those two statements, her parents were gone. She barely spent any time with them, and now they were just taken away from her? What did she do to deserve such hell?

B let the two succumb to endless sleep together as she stood up to face the Akatsuki.

She spoke, with a newfound tint in her tone, "This seems to be the entire gang." B glared at Itachi, who stood with a smug, "Too bad it'll be the last day of your existence!"

B ran towards the group, ready for the cuts and gashes she'll receive from eager hands. She did her best to fight them off, but it seemed more of a collision of metals and clashing of skins. Honestly, B felt like the world was spinning on her shoulders, and didn't know if she could carry the burden any longer. It was a strenuous fight that was too painful to remember, but thirty minutes later, two reigned above the bodies of the weak. Itachi and Blu… it was the last fight, the last motion that will decide all things. Who is superior?

They were both winded, but unfortunately, B was running out of willpower. She could barely move, let alone fight! But she stood up, and let out a small gasp as she realized something.

"I'm sorry, boss."

"For what?"

"For not being the one to kill you."

Sasuke jumped from behind a large crate and finished off his own brother. But, in a sense, who would call a man like that his brother? A real sibling is one that cares for his family and would do anything to keep them safe, but this man was no brother. I don't think he was, and neither did Sasuke.

"Thank you, Sasuke."

"No. Thank you, Lyna, for setting me free."

With that, he walked away, not sure where he was going, but either way, his fate was to be a wanderer, going wherever the road takes him. He was like B, living life as if that minute was your last.

B smiled and waved farewell weakly. She was a mess, but she still had the dignity to stand up in the midst of the battlefield and walk out on her own. She limped over to her parents. 'I never even got a chance to tell them I loved them.'

She bent down, kissed each of them on the forehead, and whispered in their ear, "I love you."

B knew that they couldn't hear her, but for some reason, after that sentence got out, they seemed to be more at rest than their troubled spirits had proclaimed them to be.

She lifted both her father and mother and proceeded to walk out that horrid place. After lighting it on fire, effectively burning the hellhole down, she walked to a memorial place near her beaten-down house. She dug two holes and buried her mother and father.

B cried emotionally, with not one person there to comfort her. She often talked to those graves, promising to herself to meet with them once a week. In this sense, she was always with her parents some way.

She put down a lily on each grave and walked back to her house, ready to shower and surrender to sleep.

It had been a tiring day, almost unrealistic, but when she woke up in the morning, she looked out the window and saw the stones that marked the bodies of her mother and father. When she woke up in the morning, she looked in the mirror and saw the body that killed her ever so slowly.

B changed into something nice for once, and nothing baggy and street-like such as the clothes she usually wore. It was a pale green sundress matching her eyes perfectly. It reached down to three inches above her lower knee and it flowed from the upper waist and down. Maybe she would be different just for today. It was time for her to get to school. She limped for a piece of toast and walked to school, like every other morning, not so eager to get to a learning establishment where she had no friends.

It was that time of the day again… oral stories.

B was called up, and she began to speak.

"My life is not what you think it is." She looked down at her paper and looked up at her classmates, giving a loving and genuine smile towards Sasuke. "I am not who you think I am. I've been living my life a lie. I've been living under the shadow of what I never wanted to be, but now am unable to resist it. I never knew the purpose of life until it smacked me in the head just recently. I never understood what my purpose on this planet was supposed to be. But I found out. Yes, I found out when I met my parents again, only to have them die in my arms."

She held her breath, almost regretting even getting up in the morning.

"My name is Sakura, and this is my story."