Anya woke with a jolt as thunder crashed into her ears and lighting lit her eyes through the glass of the apartment window. She shut her eyes again, but sleep was not going to visit her in the near future, so she gave in and drudged out of bed, straight into the cramped bathroom. She was still groggy when the hot water poured from the shower head, but was awoken with a start.

She didn't linger in the water for fear of the lightening playing havoc just a wall's width away. She stumbled out and toweled off, realizing she was probably late. Her simple ninja garb was a blue turtle neck and a black pair of shorts((Think Sakura!))Under a blue skirt. She quickly donned these clothes and skipped breakfast, in such a rush she almost forgot her gear. When she was positive she had all her things she sprinted out the door into the pouring rain.She bypassed the main roads and cut through the forest to a clearing where her sensei and teammates waited.

"I'm sorry, my alarm didn't go off." Shika shrugged indifferently and choji had his mouth full of chips. ((I'm taking Ino's place in this one, I just hate her. Unoriginal I know, but deal.)) Azuma jumped back, "Because you're late, you have to spar with me. Shikamaru and Choji have already paired." She glared at Shika and sighed, getting ready.

"Am I playing Defense or offence?" She called to Azuma. His only answer was him folding his arms and waiting for an attack, "Offence it is." She said to herself, throwing a shuriken. He dodged and came at her from the side. She turned to block but was cut off by his punch. The rest of the day carried on like this, her loosing to Azuma. When the day was almost over and the sun was nearing its end, Choji was on his umpteenth bag of chips and Shika was complaining about the work.

"You're dismissed." Azuma said, waving a hand to his students. She turned and left, muscles aching. The door was unlocked, but she thought nothing of it as she strode in, looking to the kitchen.

"Hey, I'm home! Where are y-" She stopped mid sentence when she saw the dead bodies of both her parents on the kitchen floor. She rushed over to them to check pulses, only to get covered in blood. Both ninja were long dead and she left the house screaming. She was disoriented, and the last thing she remembered was Azuma trying to calm her before she blacked out.

--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--

When she came to, she was in a hospital bed, the artificial lights dazing her for a moment. She sat up and looked around.

"Ah, you're awake." An Anbu leaned against the door frame, "I hate to ask this of you so soon, but we need to know what happened." He sat in a chair next to the cot. She explained what happened, keeping her emotions in a neat little box.

"Now, tell me the truth. In order to make your story true, it would have taken you an hour to get home. I do this for a living kid, you can't lie to me." She opened her mouth to argue, but he shushed her. "Your parents died sometime in the time Azuma dismissed you, and the time you ran from the house. You were covered in blood and had the perfect opportunity." She raised her voice in disbelief.

"You think I did it!?!?" Her voice was shrill and full of panic.

"I didn't say that, but the evidence says that's what happened. We decided to be nice and let you gather your things before being taken into custody. Be back in an hour or we will find you and bring you back," He paused. "Forcefully."

She nodded, not letting her mind comprehend it until she was back at her house. The kitchen was cautioned off and she looked away, running up to her room to gather her things. When she was done, she sprinted back down the stairs and out the door, in the opposite direction of the hospital.

I'm not going back to be accused of murder. She ran down a side rode and out of the village gates, not stopping for anything. She made it about a mile before she herd pursuit.

"Shoot!" She said softly, speeding up. They were gaining on her and she was about to be caught when she was pulled from the trees and held back.

She watched the Shinobi go past her and squirmed against her captior. She was almost free when one pair of arms clamped over her mouth, accompanying the ones surrounding her waist and arms, and the third pair around her neck. A low voice sounded in her ear.

"I'm trying to help, be calm." She was still tense, but stopped struggling. "Now I'm going to let you're mouth go, don't scream unless you want them to catch you." He did as he said, and she didn't scream.

"Who are you?" She said, or more hissed. He just chuckled and jumped down from the tree, her still in his arms.

"I'm Kidomaru, of the sound 4." He released her and she turned to look at him. His tanned skin and six arms stood out, but what really caught her attention was his head band.

"You're not from the Leaf village." She scrambled back and he pushed her up against a tree to keep her from running.

"Yes I'm from the sound, hence sound 4." He smiled and she was frozen for a moment. She regained composer enough to steady her voice.

"What do you want with me?" She was still shocked that he helped her.
"You have been requested by Lord Orochimaru, and I was sent to fetch you. Lucky for me, you seem to have done some of the work for me." Her eyes widened and her jaw felt like pure lead.

"W-w-why?" She couldn't form a complete sentence.

"He thinks you could become strong under his command. I would not question it. Besides," He smirked wider. "You've no where else to go." She tensed up even more and he dropped her. "You won't last half as long as you think you will in this forest, and no other village will accept you. You'll be an outcast, forever."

She looked down and spoke very softly, "Fine."