-Hate goodbyes, make mental note to avoid them.-

"Akari," my mother mused as she paused in her ministrations. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Hai. This is exactly what I want to do."

Again, she raised the scissors to my hair and clipped off bit by bit. I flinched the first time, watching the raven strands fall lifelessly to the floor. I sighed, though, once she was done. Looking in the mirror, I nodded. Perfect, then.

I looked just like a guy. I Fidgeted under my father's gaze until he nodded, then sighed and looked to my bag on the floor. I glanced down at myself, frowning. I could see the bandages still. Bindings had been wrapped tightly across my chest, making my chest flat as possible.

Said wrappings of bandages extended from my shirt to my abdomen, and from my shoulders to wrap down my arms to my wrists and them my palm.

As for my clothes? I wore black ninja sandals. The pants were rather baggy, wrapped down with bindings mid-calf to my ankle. A tight, black, sleeveless shirt went under a larger, baggier, white sleeveless shirt.

Pleased with my guy-impersonating appearance, I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked like the pictures of father as a kid. Not that I was exactly a kid, I was a teen, but that didn't matter.

I felt her arms wrap around me before I saw them, and I turned white eyes look at my mother. She was close to tears.

"Aka-Kyo, you be careful. And you write us at least once a week. Tai, your father's hawk remember?, will be taking and returning them. Fat bird needs the exercise…." she continued rambling, tears flowing now as she clutched my shoulders and I nodded sadly.

My father came up to me too, chuckling and ruffling my hair.

"Do you remember that name I gave you?" I nodded in response, listening to him repeat what he'd been repeating for weeks.

When they were, finally, done, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and slipped the bag over my shoulder. I gave them a shy, hesitant smile, hugging them both once more.

"Okaa-chan, Otou-chan…" I muttered, pulling away.

It was night, as risking leaving in the daylight was a bad idea. Both smiled, one with green eyes, the other with white. One with black hair, the other with light brunette. Opposites. I brushed a tear from my own eye, turning away from them. Couldn't look back then. I wouldn't want to leave.

"Goodbye."

-Note to self, find better place to sleep.-

The ground had been uncomfortable, hard, and-well, dirty.

Grimacing, I made my way to the river and dunked only my head under, gasping from the cold when I resurfaced. Frowning, I shook my hair out, grinning as I shouldered my bag again. Walking might take longer, but I couldn't run in the trees like a ninja.

Yet. The thought made my grin widen and I went from a walk to a run. I had been, physically, training myself as best I could in the past few weeks. I had not gotten far. I did, to my pride, manage to run for quite some time until eating and then starting on my way again. The Hidden Village in the Leaf was days away still when I found myself too tired to keep going.

I sighed, plopping down against a tree and closing my eyes. It was an easy slumber, no dreams, and I awoke refreshed and energized. My meal was quick and I was off as soon as I could be. This time, I didn't stop when my legs refused to keep running. I walked at a mild pace through the trees, eyeing my map tiredly constantly.

I did, though, stop when I heard voices coming closer. On instinct, I hid behind a tree, peering at the small group walking through. There was a man with silver hair, a girl with pink hair, a blond, and a raven haired boy… Actually, his hair reminded me of a duck.

I watched the tense-looking group for a long time-they were setting up camp-before making my way over to the river. I actually dunked my head in the water again before planning to sleep. Key word; Planning.

Instead, I stood, turned around, and found myself face-to-face with one of the teens from the clearing. In my own haste to remove myself from the area, I nearly fell into the water.

I gave him a look over, taking a deep breath. Raven-black hair, spiked up in the back, black outfit… Leaf headband. I froze, staring curiously at the offending item. I tilted my head to the side, praying that he couldn't see me well enough to recognize me later.

"Are you a stalker?" was my first question. By the cold glare, and scoff, that was a no. I nodded, standing and brushing myself off. "If you're here to, ah," I looked away awkwardly, "bathe, I'll just go."

Attempting to walk past him was a bad idea, because before I had made it anywhere near my bag, he had my arm in a hand, onyx eyes staring-glaring-at me. I frowned, tugging against his hold, and it tightened in response.

"Who are you?"

"Mm… Rai, Tysukyomi." I responded cheekily, tugging my arm again. He scowled, releasing me to retrieve my bag. "If your not jumping in the river, why are you here?"

"You were watching us." He stated, cold, narrowed eyes following my every move.

Actually, the teen scared me half to death. If only because his eyes held tales of hatred, revenge, death and… and loneliness. I shivered when his gaze lingered on me, brows furrowed, before glancing off behind me.

"Your really nosy, y'know?"

"Hn."

"Don't do that."

"Hn."

"Please?" I asked, smiling at him. He didn't move.

"Hn."

"It's annoying." I deadpanned, shaking my head.

"Hn."

"… It's…" I faltered, wrinkling my nose at him "Unbecoming."

"Hn."

"Can't you form another word?"

"Aa."

"Hn." the noise sounded odd from me, oddly high. He raised a brow.

"Hn."

"Aa."

"Hn."

I twitched, punching the bridge of my nose. "At least I can form coherent words."

"Your not worth the words."

"N-Nani!" I turned to face him, arms crossed under my chest in aggravation. "But you just-"

"Hn."

I frowned, lifting my nose in the air. "Fine. Grumpy."

If I didn't know better, I'd say he was amused. I turned around, stalking into the trees again. When I looked back, he was gone. "Obviously didn't see me as a threat or anything. I would've liked the help getting there, though…"

-Do not sleep in trees. Period. At all.-

"Damnit!" I snarled, hitting the ground with a satisfying 'thump'.

I scowled at the leaves and dirt and grass. Stumbling to my feet, I gave a huff of annoyance and grumbled to myself before eating and starting on my way.

Again.

-My first thoughts of the Leaf Village: Perfect.-

It looked… Amazing. I couldn't help but gawk at the village gates before me. This was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. There were people on the other side, smiling, chatting, grinning. I couldn't help but stare even as I approached the entrance to the Leaf, marveling at what I could see.

"State your business." a bored voice ordered, and I blinked before turning my head to see a silver haired man-headband covering one eye-peering up at me.

"I don't really have any business, actually. Just visiting someone." I replied easily, turning to face him.

I must've looked pretty bad, actually. I ran a hand through my too-short-for-a-girl hair, grinning. I could feel some of the dirt in there, a leaf resting by my temple. My clothes-baggy and boyish as well-were dirty and ripped. I would need to buy new ones.

I blinked a few times before the man stopped examining me. Instead of telling me to piss off, he merely looked to the side, and sighed. I figured the man beside him was his replacement for the moment.

"Hey, Kakashi, who's the kid?"

I scowled, damn ready to tell him I was not a kid, but something on their faces told me not to. A silent exchange, then.

"Good question."

"Rai, Tsukyomi." I fidgeted under their even stares, shoving my hands in my pockets childishly. "I'm here to find someone by the name of Gai." Both grimaced, I think, before even looking at me. "But first, I would like to see the Hokage."

-New thoughts on the Leaf Village: Creepy, weird, and crazy.-

I couldn't help but twitch. Here I was, in the Hokage's office, staring at a group of Genin and a man. One of the Genin looked almost like a younger him. Both clad in tight, green suits, with a bowl cut.

"Oh, Kami-sama." I squeaked, shaking my head. Almost as if I'd yelled 'ninja aren't real' everyone's eyes snapped toward me. Suddenly feeling immensely uncomfortable, I took a wary step toward the door. I promptly hit Kakashi's leg.

"I shouldn't have barged in. I'm sorry, I was just in a hurry and-" I noted that the green-clad man had started a tournament of rock paper scissors with my escort.

"It's fine," the old Hokage dismissed with a chuckle, "We were done."

"Oh," I sagged with visible relief.

"What did you need?"

"Oh!" I nodded, stepping forward and bowing. "Right. Arigotou." I hesitated, biting my lip. "You received a hawk two days ago, if I'm correct?" A nod. "I sent that. Well, my father of course assisted me with that as I didn't have a hawk, and I wasn't sure what to right-Gomen, I'm rambling. I was just wondering if you had understood and… If…Ano…"

My voice slowly got quieter and quieter as I came to realize nobody had left and everybody was staring again. Expect the brown haired one. The boy. He looked… bored? I looked back up as the Hokage chuckled, and a set of keys dropped onto the desk. Grinning, I took them between my fingers.

"Where requested?"

"As to your father's wishes."

I relaxed immediately, before looking tentatively back up at him again. This, of course, would be the harder part. He knew who I was, and that was the scary part. I sucked in a breath, straightening up to smile at him.

"Ano… Arigotou, for everything already, but I need help."

"Help?" He looked immensely amused.

"Hai." I nodded once, ignoring the now more curious stares. "I'm looking for someone that goes by the name of Gai. My father told me there was only one man of that name in this village, but I'd like help in finding-"

I cut off with a squeak, finding that the tall, green-clad man had moved closer and was giving me a curious, childlike look. Immediately, he gave me a blinding grin and a thumbs up. Uniquely bothered, I raised a cautious brow at his antics.

"I," he announced cheerily, "Am Maito Gai!"

Immediately, I wanted nothing more than to run away. Instead, I gave the Hokage a questioning look, to which he nodded to confirm my suspicions. Setting my face into a passive look, I dropped to my knees and put my forehead to the floor.

"Please take me as a student!"

"EEEEH!"

-Have learned to never trust first thoughts based on appearances.-

-Author's Note, for the cold hard facts-

I decided to rewrite this. The whole. Story.
Why?

Akari was a MS. D-= Unacceptable. So, to avenge her, I chose to change everything. Ah, ah. Same personality for Akari-chan~ though! I did, however, change her looks. Why? They were unrealistic.
As for her demon...-evil grin- you'll have to read on for that juicy information.