The rain over the field fell so lightly it misted over the long grass. My eyes felt dry from not blinking and I realized I had just regained consciousness as I gained control over my body. I didn't feel too sore, but I felt exhausted. I tried to move after noticing I was sitting on the ground, but found myself unable to. Ropes held me to a wooden pole, another pole on either side of me.
My skin felt cold, beginning to numb with the cold fog, the grass was wet, and my cloths began to soak though as well.
Where am I?
"Here!" I heard someone call, and in an instant, a man clad in black stood before me with a rag of matching color over his head. He looked familiar in a way, but I couldn't place a name or where exactly I knew him from. Several other black clad people fell in behind him from what I could only assume to be the trees. The only difference being the white animal masks they wore.
"Tesshin, are you alright?" The first man asked as he pulled a knife from his pocket and began to cut the ropes.
"Who?" I asked, My name was Tesshin? That didn't sound right.
The man didn't say anything more, but picked me up as the rain began coming down harder and harder. It was pouring as he carried me though the trees, over roof tops, and to the front of a large red, circular building with the symbol fore 'fire.'
I was guided inside, and then hurried to the top floor where I was shoved into a room with two other people I didn't know.
"Tesshin!" A woman exclaimed, her voice sounding stressed as she wrapped me into a crushing hug. She squeezed the breathe out of me before I tried to push her away, but she wasn't having that.
"Who are you?" I asked, and the look on her face when she pulled away told it all. She looked back, panicked, to an old man that sat behind a desk in the back of the room. The old man puffed on his pipe a few times before he spoke.
"She doesn't know who she is Anko, please, calm down," he put an extra emphasis on the second she, and he was right. I didn't know who I was, "Take her home Anko, if you find anything else strange about her, bring her back."
"Thank you, lord hokage," the woman, Anko, bowed to the man, and then put her hand on my back, pushing me out the door. She flashed a hand sign and with a poof of white smoke the scenery changed. A small but spacious apartment lay out before me, a little kitchen with an island went well in the corner of the room while a large sofa and two smaller arm chairs sat around a free standing television set in the middle of the room. There was a short hallway, big enough for two doors to branch off of it and a third door was closed to the hallway's right. Three walls were empty, but one was taken over by three rectangular windows that showed me not only that we were on the fourth floor, but the rain still pouring down.
"Welcome home," Anko sighed, giving me a half smile. I didn't say anything. I heard a thump from down the hallway, and a medium sized spotted dog dashed to meet me, his feathered tail and legs gave him the distinguished look of what could only be an English Setter. I lent down to pet him, his soft fur smooth between my fingers.
"You remember Ryuu right?" she asked hopefully, but I could only shake my head no.
"Alright," she sighed again and continued with a frustrated tone, "I'm just gonna explain the basics to you. My name is Anko Mitarashi, your name is Tesshin Mitarashi, and we live here together, in the village hidden in the leaves. We're Shinobi." she stated.
"Your my sister?" I asked, she looked sort of young to have a child my age. She shook her head. "I adopted you, you call me mom."
I looked at her very seriously. She was sort of demanding I call her mom with her tone.
"Mom," I started hesitantly, almost as if the word left a bad taste on my tongue, "Why don't I remember any of this?"
"You were kidnapped three days ago. Who took you? I don't know, why? I don't know that either, but the important thing is that your home now," She insisted.
"Okay," I said continuing to stoke the dog until I was blinking sleep from my eyes in the calm of the moment, "could you take me to my room please? I'm sort of tired."
Her smile widened, and without another word she lead me down the hallway. The door to my room was open, the walls painted a bright green, a gray sheeted twin bed was pushed ageist the wall under the window, a cabinet and desk were opposite the bed, pictures of animals adorned the walls. Between the desk and the cabinet a large plush dog bed lay on the floor, a black cat was curled up in the middle.
"Damn cat," Anko laughed, patting my back. Ryuu jump up on my bed, walking circles until he found a comfortable spot and sighed as he plopped down.
"If you need anything, I'm just across the hall okay?" She asked, and just when I thought she was going to leave, she pulled me into a tight hug, "Its good to have you home, Tesshin."
I could hear the happiness in her voice.
The next day I learned that Anko was much different around other people.
"Faster Maggots!" she commanded to a group of kids, a few years younger than me, as they ran around an oval dirt track, "You lot aren't stopping until I see bleeding feet!"
I sat in the grass a few feet back from her, watching the runners run. Ryuu panted next to me. The spotted dog never left my side and I loved it. He was so friendly and loyal he walked next to me without a leash, never once getting distracted.
"What are they doing?" I asked.
"These are academy kids," Anko said, putting her hands on her hips, "their finals are in a few weeks, finals to see if they pass on to the next grade," she explained. This morning she told me that she was a substitute, but I didn't think she was substitute teaching.
"You can go if you want," she offered. "You don't have to hang around me all the time you know, this village is pretty safe."
Standing up, I decided I'd do a little exploring today after her suggestion. I didn't know this village well, at least, I didn't know this village well anymore, and It'd be best if I looked around a little, maybe got to know a little more day by day.
With Ryuu by my side, we strolled the streets. I'd found a little money in a jar under my bed and used some of it to buy the soda I was currently sipping on as I got familiar with the streets again.
I'd also been told by Anko this morning that I'd grown up here. She adopted me, well, more like was stuck with me, when she was eighteen and then adopted me a few years later. She was chosen as my care giver by the Hokage, the same man I'd seen in the room with her yesterday after I'd apparently been rescued. The reason why I needed a foster mother that was already a shinobi she wouldn't tell. She also told me a little about the village history, about the nine tailed fox and the boy it was sealed within, and some things, paces and people I'd previously liked.
However, when I noticed a green speck on the horizon down the street approaching me at a break neck speed, I never would have thought him to be any more than an exuberant weirdo. I stepped out of the way, watching the speck grow larger and larger, until the features of a boy my age appeared. Ryuu barked happily, wagging his tail but I was confused. Where exactly was this guy going?
"Tesshin!" He cried and then he was upon me, hugging me tightly, more so than Anko did. I wasn't exactly repulsed, but this had to be the strangest person I'd ever meet! The green jump suit was enough, but the eye brows, my god!
"Do I know you?" I asked, trying to peel him off of me, but it was about as successful as getting gum out of your hair.
"Tesshin! Of course you know me! Do you not remember? What has happened to you?" He exclaimed, pulling himself back enough to look at me, though his arms remained around me.
I shook my head, wanting desperately to be one hundred feet away from this guy.
"I am Rock Lee! The handsome green devil of the village hidden in the leaves!" The poor guys face looked crushed, but for the life of me I couldn't remember a thing about him.
"Listen, I-" I started, but he began talking over me then.
"The trauma you must have received must have been to great for you! I understand Tesshin! I only ask that you believe me when I say that we are the best of friends. We were all very worried about you Tesshin," Lee spoke with honesty and a seeming integrity. Even if I wanted to think of him as a liar, I couldn't of. I believed every word he spoke.
"I'm glad that you know me, " I smiled, and I returned his hug. It felt like a sort of peace in my time of mass confusion. I couldn't explain why, but the comfort I felt in that moment made the last few hours feel okay.
"Don't crush her Lee, she might be injured," A male voice scolded, and as Lee released me from the hug, I saw two brunettes had joined us, a long haired boy and a girl with double buns.
"Neji! Tenten! Tesshin has lost her memory!" Lee exclaimed, The faces of the two fell.
"Perhaps we should reintroduce ourselves," the boy suggested, his tone seemed very calm and almost stuck up, "I am Neji Hyuga."
"And I'm Tenten!" the girl chimed, smiling warmly, which I returned.
"Its nice to meet you, again," I grinned, but it seems only Lee thought the joke to be funny,
"Could I ask what it is that we all do together?" I felt sort of stupid, asking people to explain to me what I even did all day, but I wasn't sure myself.
"Training!" Lee shouted, a A smile leapt onto his face and he gave me a thumbs up. He was a strange one for sure.
XXXX
"Spar with me Tesshin!" Lee suggested in an enthusiastic tone once we arrived at their usual training ground, raising his fists, "I will go easy on you!"
I nodded, mocking his pose. I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing, but as he charged at me, my body went into sort of an auto pilot mode. I moved just as quickly as he did, blocking each punch and kick with one of my own to counter. Where had this sixth sense come from?
"I am happy to see that you still remember how to fight!" Lee exclaimed. We'd slowly began moving faster until I was unable to keep up with him. My ribs on my right, my hip on my left, my legs swept from under me, a knee aimed at my chest. Before the last blow could land I leaned back, my head touching the ground, my legs bent awkwardly behind me. There was no way I could get up, Lee had won.
A hand extended my way, a smiling Lee looked down on me. I'm sure my face looked surprised.
"What a glorious fight!" Lee congratulated me, even know I'd lost.
"Thanks," I said taking his hand. After standing and brushing myself off, I was patted on the back by Tenten who also told me what a good job I'd done. He wasn't easy on me though, that's the part that bothered me most. Lee offered to walk me home after a few more minutes of standing around talking and watching as Tenten practice with her weapons. I took the offer, seeing as I didn't really know where I lived. The almost forgotten Ryuu was on my heals as we walked though town.
"So, how much can you explain? Like, can you tell me why I live with Anko, or maybe anything else actually, " I asked as Lee lead us though some back street.
"You live with Miss Anko because you were an orphan Tesshin, what other things would you like to know?" he replied turning right down an ally way, the setting sun was now behind us instead of to our right where it was blinding me.
"Well," I started, but I didn't know what else to ask him at first, so I decided to question him about himself. I didn't know a thing about my supposed best friend.
"Where do you live if I need to find you?" I asked, looking at him quizzically. I couldn't decide if Lee was sane or not, but I knew he was at least a safe person to be around.
"I live across town, but you can see my building from yours," he then jump up onto a roof to, and hesitantly, I joined him. I laded safely, much to my surprise. I was aware that I was a shinobi but all of my abilities amazed me, no matter how simple. He pointed out to me the green roofed building in the sea of blacks and beiges and then pointed out my own slightly lighter tinted brown roofed building.
"We've known each other for a long time haven't we?" I asked, looking down at my hands. It made me so angry I couldn't remember! My childhood, all my good memories, and all my bad times and learning experiences! All gone! My fists clenched in anger. Why?
"Tesshin," Lee's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, "Yes, it is true that we have known each other a long time, but do not be angry! One day you will remember! You must have faith that your memories will return! And even if they do not, we will make so many new memories. You are still the same Tesshin today as you were a week ago."
Lees words hit home. I couldn't remember a better speech than the one he had just given me, but I'm sure it would have been right up there with the best of them. It comforted me to know that I had not changed. Would I really have known if I had?
"Hey Brats! I got food!"
Our heads whipped around just in time to see Anko, bags of take out in hand, leaping across building, touching down on the building we stood on for a second before leaping sideways to go around us, and continuing to our apartment building.
"Race you, Brats!" she shouted over her shoulder. Lee was quick to take off, but fear over took me I face having to jump. If I fell I would most certainly die, but Lee had gone and acted like it was no big deal. No fear I decided, and closing my eyes, I ran to the edge of the building and jumped.
I opened my eyes, mid-jump, and a smile overtook my face. I felt like I was flying, and I longed for the feeling again as my foot touched down on another building, but I was soon off again, chasing the two people I'd apparently been closest to grinning like mad. I ran the length of the building before jumping off again, achieving the same flying feeling. I was much slower than them, but none the less I made good time back to my apartment I shared.
Rolling her eyes, Anko invited Lee over for dinner. I found out over a beef cuts bowl that Lee was also an orphan, though he had not been adopted like I had. I also learned of the friendly and joking but also very serious dislike Anko had for Lee's general excitable nature. Anko painted painful looking a smile on her face but I could see her struggling not to punch him in the head as he struck his 'nice guy' pose. It was over all very funny. I couldn't believe I'd been given such lovely people in my life.
I turned in early that night, unaware that I would meet someone who would become detrimental to my future the next day.
Hey everybody! I decided to take a break from Miss Atomic Bomb to start the rewrite for this story, with names actually spelled correctly and a lot more interesting plot that's actually going places! Not to mention my writing style has changed a lot. Let me know what you think please! Reviews are appreciated!
Let me know if I sort of jumped into the story too fast in this first chapter, I wanted to get the basic characters introduced mostly.
