Chapter 1: Prologue: my saviour
"Azusa you must never go outside okay?" My parents told me over and over again. "We'll be back soon. Just stay in your room."
You would think I would listen, but I didn't want to. I was six years old and had never seen flowers outside of my parent's garden. Never seen another human aside from Mom and Dad. I could only imagine how the world was, and by the way my parents described it, it sounded a lot like hell, whatever that word meant to a six year old. I would never go to school and no one would ever know I existed. Do you want to know why? I didn't know why either until my parents finally left and I left. And you know what? Whatever scary place hell was the world sure didn't look it. I saw real flowers outside of my garden in bloom for the first time, and I smelled a smell that didn't smell like home. I'd never walked so far before, and I'd never felt so free. I saw a village far off, or at least it looked like one that I'd seen in books. My feet took me off forward, no way anything could stop me, I was Azusa the unstoppable.
At the village there were so many people, different eyes, faces, hair. My parents were the only other people I'd ever seen after all. Some walked by and smiled at me, their really pretty smiles that warmed my heart and made my want to cry. They would pat my head and say. "Hi sweetie? Where's your parents?"
"I'm taking care of myself today!" I beamed back at them, the sort of smile I knew I gave my parents. The only one I knew how to give. Then the people would smile at me again and say.
"Well take good care of yourself kiddo."
Kiddo, I'd never been called kiddo before. I'd only ever been called Azusa, my parents were really strict people so that was how it'd been as far as I could remember. I kept wandering until I saw a huge gate like structure. It had a red and white blob on the top of it and had writing that read "U-chi-ha," I sounded out. Then I realized how tired I was. I wiped my eyes as two males approached me.
"Hey, are you a clan child?" One of them asked worriedly.
"She sure looks like one." The other man said.
"Who's kid are you?" They asked. "We'll take you back home."
They seemed nice and trustworthy to me so I lifted my head from rubbing my eyes and said. "I want to go home." Immediately they backed away and began to glare at me.
"You have silver eyes! You're not an Uchiha!" Then one of the men lifted me up by the collar and I began to scream. "You're an Amamiya! You filth! Stained Uchiha descendant!" He shook me around like I was a toy and tears spilled out of my eyes.
"Help!" I screamed and next thing I knew I was snatched out of the man's hands and cradled. I looked up and saw a boy.
"Itachi! Why are you helping that girl! Do you know who she is!" The men yelled.
"She's an Amamiya, so what? I'd advise you to leave now." The boy said. The men ran away like scared animals. I took a long look at the boy who was carrying me and saw that he looked a lot like the two men. The same black hair and black eyes. I began to kick, but he didn't drop me. "It's okay, I'm not like those guys. You're safe with me." He smiled. Immediately I believed him, and held him tightly. "Goodness, you look about Sasuke's age. What's wrong with those guys?" The boy mumbled to himself.
I looked up at him, "Sasuke?"
"Oh! My little brother's name is Sasuke, I'm Itachi. What's your name?"
"Azusa," I said back, then hesitantly said my last name. "A-Amamiya."
"Well Azusa I was on my way to pick Sasuke up from school. Why aren't you in school?" Itachi asked.
"Mommy and Daddy don't let me go outside. I snuck out." I said guiltily.
Itachi grumbled something about it being that the Uchiha clan would disrespect me and that was probably why. "Hey, let's go pick Sasuke up okay? And I promise you I'll never let another Uchiha hurt you ever again."
I beamed at him and nodded, but it was a different type of smile this time. How did I look with a different type of smile?
"Here," he put me down on the ground and held my hand. I was about as tall as his waist, Itachi was so big to me. We began to walk and Itachi kept up a conversation. "How are you ever going to become a ninja if you don't go to school Azu- chan? Oh do you mind if I call you Azu-chan?"
"No, it's okay." I was happy, was that what they called nicknames? "And Mommy and Daddy talk about me becoming a ninja when I grow up. They say I don't have to go to school if they teach me at home. They've been teaching me for a long time now." I laughed. "Daddy says I'm going to become the best ninja there is in the world!"
"Oh? Is that so? You must be very talented then."
"Yup!" I nodded happily.
Soon we reached a big red building and I saw little kids coming out of the doorway. All of a sudden Itachi started waving his hand and I saw a little boy about my age come out of the building. He looked like a tiny Itachi and I smiled that new smile of mine again. "Sasuke!" I couldn't help but call out.
The little boy looked at me confused, then ran over when he saw Itachi. "Nii- san!" He cried happily bouncing over to us.
"Sasuke, this is Azusa- chan. Can you be friends with her?" Itachi introduced.
Sasuke looked real hard at me then smiled, he really looked like a little Itachi and I couldn't help but feel amazed. Did all brothers look so alike? "Sure!"
"Let's go bring Azu- chan home now okay Sasuke?"
"She can't come to our house to play?" Sasuke pouted.
"No, she needs to go home for today." Itachi responded.
"Why?" I whined, "I want to stay with you Itachi!"
"Let's bring her home!" Sasuke said again.
"Sasuke, she can't go in to our clan okay? Sorry. Let's bring her home and we can play together with Azu- chan another time."
Sasuke looked upset but nodded all the same.
We got back to my house and Itachi let Sasuke knock on the door. I shuffled my feet nervously as my parents opened the door. "Azusa! Where have you been!" My mother cried then she spotted Itachi and Sasuke and snatched me away from them. Then my father rushed over.
"Don't you ever come near my daughter again Uchiha!" Father said furiously.
"Daddy!" I cried.
Sasuke looked terrified, but Itachi patted him on the head and looked at my father. "Your daughter snuck out of the house today. She's a really nice girl, please her go outside from now on. We promised her that we would go play again another time. I promise you I will protect her and won't let any Uchiha touch her."
"You're one of them! How can I trust you!" My Dad cried.
"Please trust me. I have nothing against your family like the rest of my clan. My younger brother doesn't even know of such matters yet." Itachi begged.
"Darling," Mother said to daddy. "If he really does protect her we don't have to worry so much anymore, or lock her up in the house. We can enroll her in school!"
"She's been training just fine at home! She could beat every single one of those students if she wanted too!" Father argued.
"Darling, but she's so lonely." Mom said looking at my pouting face close to tears.
"Daddy, I want to play with Itachi again." I hiccupped.
He looked at me sadly then at Itachi, "fine."
I smiled wide and flew over to Itachi hugging him tightly. And when the time came for me to go back inside I smiled one last time at Itachi and cried. "I love you!" Then I laughed and ran away. Itachi paused looking surprised at first then smiled back and waved.
Itachi saved me from a life of isolation.
This is Azusa at 6 years old. Forget that white animal thing… she has black hair and silver eyes (not according to the picture though)
