Alright, first with the legal stuff; we all know that the Naruto series does not belong to me. This is easy to tell because it's not all senseless gore, harrharrharr.

Okay, now with the other stuff. Inuzuka Hanmou is my original character. If you're wondering how she's related to Inuzuka Kiba, well, she's his great niece. That means that her grandmother is Kiba's sister, Hana. All the rest of the figuring I'll leave to you. On with the fanfic!

Part I – The Rain

Hanmou woke with a start. She sucked in air with a quick gasp, and abruptly sat up. Her eyes – or rather, the general vicinity of – seemed to be overcome by an itching, burning sensation.

She brought her hand up to rub at them. She brought her hand down again, only to discover a cool, damp feeling on it. She had broken out in a cold sweat, apparently. A light sigh escaped her lips, and she lay back down again as thunder sounded from outside.

She had had that dream again, that awful dream again... She felt the sleeping dog at her side, Ginmaru, cuddle deeper into her torso. Absently, she stroked the silver-furred pup.

She couldn't define her dream as a nightmare, for the sole reason that while she was having it, she was happy; truly, undeniably happy. It was when she woke up that the horridness of it all would settle in. She loved that memory, and wanted to be there again so badly… that was why it hurt so much. She could never go back, she knew, even if she REALLY wanted to be there. All that was left of that time, that place, were painfully nice memories, and the feeble desires to be there again.

She stopped petting her dog, and brought her hand up to clasp her chest, as though attempting to slow her wildly beating heart.

Ginmaru shifted in his sleep. Hanmou sighed again, in an attempt to regulate her breathing. She didn't want her puppy – her comrade – to worry, after all. Alas, this only proved to wake the dog. He made a gentle whine noise, one that only the keen ears of Hanmou could catch. He stretched the top half of his small torso onto Hanmou's. As if sensing her pain and worry, he began to comfortingly lick the small girl's hand. She accepted his offering of comfort by releasing her grasp on her nightclothes, and opening her hand to him. His warm tongue swept over her palm once, twice, thrice, four times. Then he pushed his head into her hand, and settled down, ready to sleep again.

"Sleep, Hanmou, sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day. Don't worry, I'm here." The dog seemed to tell her. The Inuzuka girl wondered, for a brief moment, if that was what the ninken would say if he had learnt enough to speak.

A dull ache filled the ten-year-old's heart. She willed to just be able to open her eyes again, to see Ginmaru and his beautiful silver fur again. She wanted to see that rain that was drumming gently on the roof, she wanted to see the lightning light up the night, she wanted to see her partner, her leader, her organization members, and her own reflection… she wanted to see Ginmaru and her family, just one last time.

But she knew she couldn't go back. It was too late. Just like she couldn't return home, she would never be able to open her eyes again. Just as the scars of the past and her method of healing them had forever prevented her from returning home, back to her old life, her past, the scars on her eyes and her method of hiding them prevented her from seeing her present.

Part II – The Thunder

Thunder sounded. Hanmou groped around on the floor beside her low bed, searching in the endless darkness for her hitai-ate. The cloth band came in contact with her hand. Her small, callused hand closed around it and lifted it carefully. Her fingers slid over the cool metal plate. Ah – there was the smooth spiral, with grooves on opposite ends that branched off, marking her former home of Konohagakure. And there, across it… running through it was the rough, jagged slash marring the once-perfect metal, cutting through the engraved leaf relentlessly – this marked the kunoichi's decision to leave, and the vow to never go back.

She sighed as thunder rang out. She brushed back her brown, wild hair and pressed the cool metal to her scarred, burning eyes. It felt so soothing, so calming….

That was her decision. She had chosen it. She had left home, left everything she knew and loved behind (except Ginmaru, of course). She missed her home, missed her family; she honestly did, but she had already chosen. Her decision was finalized the instant that kunai had slid over her hitai-ate; she would leave home and not come back. And to ensure this….

The memory of the kunai slicing with cruel ease into the tender flesh covering her partially functional eyes came to her mind. She shuddered. Aye, that was when she had verified it – verified that she wouldn't come back, couldn't come back.

Her place was now in the Akatsuki. She, a ten year old girl, without the gift of sight, had achieved one of the highest and most dangerous ranks in the entire world.

This was Inuzuka Hanmou's decision. This was where she belonged. Somewhere where she was of use, somewhere where the ailments of her past had no real power against her. The Akatsuki – here, among them, the strongest and most feared… yet… how strangely dignified they were...

Part III – The Lightning

More thunder. Hanmou's gentle footsteps sounded down the hallway, though only barely. Her hitai-ate was tied tightly around her eyes, hiding the scars beneath from this world… her world. Ginmaru was cradled in her small arms, the slumbering dog unaware of the absence from their bedroom. Her black, high-collared Akatsuki robe was draped over her shoulders to fight off the chill of the stormy night. Lightning flared, but her perpetually black world neglected this rather useless event.

She must not have been able to sleep; her thoughts must have been rampant once again. She paced the halls late at night like this so very often, more often than she seemed to care. She walked aimlessly down these empty, dark halls for no purpose other than to ease her mind.

She was strolling past his room right now. The door was closed, but he could see. She was silent, as always, and whatever noise she did make the pattering rain covered. Like always, along with the silence, she appeared to be mentally absent. This was her natural behaviour; she once assured him that she did this even back in Konohagakure, even before she had been given Ginmaru.

He knew he shouldn't worry, and to be honest, he was fairly sure he didn't. That brat could do as she pleased; he had no qualms, no right to stop her. But there was still that part of him… that miniscule, well hidden part of him….

With a slight breath and a slow, grim blink, the bulging veins in his temple receded. He found himself to be looking at the cold, empty wall and the closed door inside his room.

That miniscule, well hidden part of him wondered just what it was that such a young, innocent girl could be so troubled by; what it was that drove her. What could possibly drive one such as her to become so strong at such a young age, and become part of something so large, and do something so irreversible? What was it that kept the tiniest, purest (yet so powerful, the most respectful, and the most obedient) of creatures pacing so late at night?

He smirked to himself. There was no use in wondering, it wasn't really his business. They had a mission in the morning, and at least one of them should get some sleep. Lightning flashed, and lit the room. The man's white eyes glowed eerily for that one brief moment. The darkness consumed him once again as he settled down to sleep.

Hanmou would be fine, and she wouldn't allow this to affect a mission. Besides, becoming a traitor by screwing up a mission or abandoning the Akatsuki would mean death… As if to respond to the thought, his hand twitched. …A death by his very own hand. He, personally, would kill that brat if she stepped out of line. It was very unlikely, though, as she was aware of the consequences. She would stay loyal.

That was one thing about that girl that Hyuuga Shugorei was sure about.

If you would like to hear more about this character, let me know and maybe I'll delve into her past a little more, and perhaps create a multi-chaptered story, hmm?

Anyway, any feed back - good, bad, random, etc. - is welcome and encouraged. Even if it's a curt "I read it." than that's cool, too.