This is my first one-shot so please don't go all evil like, if you think it sucks… so …ya. READ ON, READER'S, READ ON!!
There has never been a story told, like the one, of my life…
I was born near the village of the mist. This is where I was raised; where I went to school, where I met friends, where I received my first kiss… This was my home, in the village of the mist...
This was also the place where I died.
… I lived with my father, mother, 2 sisters and, 1 brother. I was the youngest. My 2 sisters, Nikki and Natti, majored in science and were training to become medical doctors, and my brother, moki, was part of the ANBU like my father had been, until he met my mother…
My house was located at the end of our road. We all lived together in a giant white brick building with red trim along the outside. The interior had hard wood floors and, white linen curtains.
When I close my eyes and think really hard I can still remember the sweet, smell of the roses that mother used to put in the dinning area. I can also see the light pouring in from our windows, and I can sometimes and, only sometimes, feel the warmth of the sun's rays on my smooth skin.
I remember very little of my childhood. Bits and pieces come and go like the passing tide. I remember meeting Yuki, and Yoki; a brother and sister, who ended up becoming my 2 best friends. I remember going down to the river with them, almost every spare day we had, and go fishing for fish, most of the time we didn't catch anything so much as a guppy, but the real reason why we went was just to have a good time…
… But that was a long time ago they may have died for all I know, and even if their still alive after all these years they probably would have forgotten about me and the river and the fish. To them I'm probably just a figment of their imagination, someone who makes you wake up and think "Why do I have a feeling like I've forgotten someone important." To them, I just doesn't exist.
I remember going to elementary school. I remember the desks all lined up in a row, all filled with students scribbling down notes, and talking with friends, this was how I met Yuki and Yoki.
I also remember my high school and feeling so nervous on my first day. I remember wearing a blue and green kilt, with a snow white blouse, and my brown hair tied back into a single braid.
I remember walking down the halls and sitting in class, listening to the teachers talk and the students scribbling down notes, almost like back in elementary school, and writing letters of love…
… What is love? I remember asking myself that, when I had first received my first love letter from a boy named Kuji. He was my first real kiss, I can sometimes feel the softness of his lips on mine, but the feeling never lasts, for long…
Kuji I know died. I was with him when it happened, yet when people had asked me how it happened I did not know. It was like one moment he was alive, holding my hand, and the next he was dead. His dead eyes still burn in my nightmares and dreams…
I also remember my first encounters with ninja's. I remember walking home one day and having to cross a bridge and, there they were. Their eyes pierced me as if looking deep into my soul, trying to figure out who I was. They stopped me and asked me questions like: who I was, and where I lived. I told them the truth and when they nodded to each other, the said I could go. I then remember running all the way home, never had I been so intimidated in my life…
The last and final memory I have is of the raid of our village and… my death.
… I remember sitting on the back porch with my 2 sisters, I was 17. I was lying on my back, just watching the clouds go by. I always liked seeing all the different shapes. To me it reminded me of art… A gentle breeze was blowing. I remember wearing my white cotton sun-dress. The breeze fluttered the hem of my dress around my lower thigh. In my right hand I held a red rose, courtesy of my mother. I remember just thinking about life.
My 2 sisters where writing a report for their science. I, also, was supposed to be writing a report for English, but seeing as it was a beautiful day I found myself distracted. Then all at once my beautiful day turned upside down…
My brother burst outside yelling for every-one to get inside. My one sister thought this as a joke and asked why. My brother responded that our village was getting invaded by 2 men wearing black cloaks and red clouds. All at once every-one became serious, except for me, but before I could ask what this was about, I felt my hand being pulled as I was being dragged into our little home. My 2 sisters held both of my hands and were pulling me through the house, my brother in the lead. We went down to our basement, walked over to a corner of the room. My brother lifted up the small corner rug that was beneath our feet, to reveal a small hidden door, he opened it and I felt my 2 sister thrust me down into it, before they to, came down.
My mother and father were already there, and as my brother closed the door above us I realized, that he wasn't coming down. I remember asking mother and father why big brother wasn't coming down here with us, and my father responded with: "He has a job, to protect this family. And he has decided to protect his family from danger."
Danger? I remember thinking that, and proceeded to ask what danger we or our village was in. My mother and father looked at each other, each with an expression of worry. My sisters came over to me and sat me down on the cold, damp floor. They explained that these 2 men were part of an evil organization of 10, S- ranked criminals, who are very powerful.
When I asked who these 2 people were my father looked up and said that by the detail of their jutsu, which they had used already used on the village, they were recognized as: Sasori of the red sand and Orochimaru.
My head pounded with even more questions then before; why would they attack our village? How many lives had they already damaged? What do they want? But, before I could ask a question more, I felt my mother's hand clamp over my mouth and pull me close to her chest. At first I didn't know why, but then I heard it screams… not just one scream but dozens. Then the footsteps started not just one pair like my brothers, but three pairs of footsteps…
All was silent in the little space we were in. Upstairs, on the other hand, we heard voices and more thumping around. But something wasn't right, even my father showed that look on his face that something was going on. Instead of harsh, angry voices, the voices where calm and smooth, no yelling, no shouting, just calm talking like the type of tone you have when having tea. Then as if our day couldn't become any worse, it did.
My family and I heard the three pairs of footsteps coming down the stairs. They walked right over to where the small trap door laid, and it was then that my family knew that we were trapped rats with no-where to go.
My mother pushed me closer to her as the soft click of the door was heard clicking open. The door opened and reviled the face of my brother. He smiled, and announced to us that it was a false alarm, but still no-one moved. I looked over to my father to see that he had an expression as non-belief. He calmly asked who else was in the basement with him. My brother's smile didn't falter at all, and he said that the 2 other men were ANBU soldiers, who had come over to report that it had been a false alarm. Still none of us moved.
My brother's eyes flickered away from us for a split second and, then a pair of arm came through the door and grabbed my one sister who was closest to the door. Another pair of arm came and grabbed the next one. My father, mother and I heard their shouts of terror and surprise from above ground. Then everything went quiet. Again a pair of arms came through the door way and, this time, try to grab me. I felt a cold icy grip on my left wrist and began to be pulled, but my mother pulled me back, and the hands let go.
My brother who was still watching us looked at me and said to me: "What's the matter, Mari, these men are only here for our protection." This time I was the one to grab onto my mother. My brother's smile then went away. He looked to the side of him and gave a nod. Before I had time to do anything, 2 figures jumped down. My mother covered my eyes, but not before I caught the sight of black cloaks with red clouds. I again felt that icy grip, but this time I had no-one to hold onto. I was terrified, yet I didn't say anything. I heard a deep snake like voice say "Normally they scream like hell, yet this one doesn't make a sound."
I felt another pair of hands grab me as I was being lifted up and heard my brother say: "Mari's always been the quiet one, no matter what happens, she hardly makes a sound…" My brother's voice sounded close so in assumed my brother was the one holding me. I still couldn't see, whoever was holding me had their hand up over my eyes.
I felt their grip lessen, and felt my self being thrown up against a wall. I kept my eyes shut, not wanting to know what was going on, but I opened them anyways. Beside me, to the right, was Natti, and to the left was Nikki. On the other side of the room I saw mother and father on the opposite wall.
The floor of are basement was cool and damp, it gave me the shivers. I brought my legs up to my chest and, hugged them, trying to keep warm. I looked around again and spotted my brother and the 2 Akatsuki men. One had pale skin, black greasy hair, and a rather snake like look to him. I assumed that this one was the one who had the icy grip on me. The other member looked almost around 17-19, he had bright red fiery hair, and had a very bored expression on his face. The red head turned, looking directly at me, and I turned my head quickly to the side, but still looked at him.
"Well, Moki, why don't you introduce us to your family." The snake man said. His voice even sounded like a snake. My brother said of course, and called the man: Orochimaru. That meant the red head was Sasori.
My brother walked to the opposite wall, over to where my mother and father where. Orochimaru and Sasori followed closely behind. "This, here, is my mother and father. Father is the one who worked for the ANBU, he's the one where you'll get information from. My mother isn't that important, you can disregard her." I remember my mother and father giving my brother a look, so full of hatred.
My brother walked over to were me and my sister's were. I felt both of them wrap there arms around me trying to protect me and themselves. "These 2 are Natti and Nikki." He said pointing to my sisters. "And the one in the middle is Mari, the quiet one." He said then pointed to me.
Both of the men turned to face me. The one man named Orochimaru came forward, kneeled to my level and looked directly into my eyes. Although I wanted to close them I stared right back. Orochimaru let out a small breath, lifted his hand to my chin and tilted it ever so slightly. He didn't do it rough or anything, surprisingly he was gentle. I felt my sister's grip tighten around me…
Orochimaru smirked, and looked over his shoulder to his comrade, still holding my chin in his hands. "Sasori, you must look at this girls eye's, they are simply beautiful, almost artistic like."
All I remember thinking was: "What do my eyes have to do with this?" But still I said nothing. Even as the man named Sasori walked over I didn't even move. Sasori, to, kneeled down to my height and grabbing my chin. Unlike Orochimaru he added a little pressure to his grip, as if to make sure I wouldn't move. He also not only looked at my eyes, but turned my head side to side. The whole process made me feel like a horse for auction! He finally let go and got up, dusting off his cloak. He gave me one glance before he turned to face my father.
"Now, you have 2 choices. Either give us the information we need willingly or we beat it out of you."
My father looked at him and did something that I would have never expected my father to do, he spit at Sasori's feet. Sasori looked over at Orochimaru and nodded.
Orochimaru came to take Sasori's place, while he stepped back. Orochimaru lifted up a hand clenched in a fist, but all around the fist was a bluish, whitish aura. Orochimaru swung his fist down, hitting my father's cheek. My mother and 2 sisters both screamed, and continued screaming as the beating continued. After what seemed like hours the beating stopped. I looked at my father's face as Orochimaru stepped away; it was covered in sweat and blood, and several bruises were starting to take effect. My 2 sisters and I ran over to my father and encircled him, comforting him… My brother stepped forward and said in a sneering tone "Why don't you just give them what they want."
My father looked up at my brother, and we did the same. All with a look of such disgust and hatred, well, at least I did. "Son…" he began, "Why would you do this."
My brother smirked. "Why, To gain more power. That and also the fact that I was tired of being the good guy…So I made an alliance with Sasori and Orochimaru saying that I could get them the information they needed."
I remember feeling an anger I had never felt before serge through my veins. To calm my self I found a smooth stone on the ground for me to rub in my hands. It helped but I guess my anger showed on my face cause, my brother looked at me, and motioned me to stand up. I did.
He stood right in front of me. I could see Orochimaru and Sasori, watching from behind. "Is there something wrong Mari?" He asked me. I stood silent, still gripping the stone in my hand. He smirked "I thought so." He raised his hand, it to, had the bluish whitish aura, though it wasn't as bright as Orochimaru's was. He raised it and slapped it across my face. I felt a sudden stinging sensation on my left cheek.
My brother turned his back to me and started walking towards the 2 Akatsuki members. It was then that I lost control. I held the stone in my right hand, directed all my hatred into it and closed my hand into a fist. I felt the stone break into tiny pieces, and all at once my right hand got a feeling of hot and cold mixed together. The power felt good, I turned to face my brother, who was silently talking with the 2 men, and ran at full speed towards him. He turned around just as I hit him in the gut. Blood splattered out of his mouth and landed on my white dress, but I didn't care.
I felt the same feeling in my left hand, but stronger. So I hit my brother again in the jaw, this time my brother flew at least 5 feet before crashing into a wall. I just stood there breathing. I lifted my hands and noticed that they now had the bluish whitish aura to, but it was much darker then the previous times that I had seen it.
I turned around and ran back to my father, with a questioning look on my face. My father smiled, and whispered in my ear that what I had just done was use chakra to strengthen my punch, which in other words meant I had just done something that a ninja would normally have done.
My brother groaned as he got up. He looked up at the family, then at me. A look full of hatred came over his face, a look that also haunts my dreams. He started moving his hands to make certain symbols. Nobody seemed to notice but me, Sasori and Orochimaru. All of a sudden it was like lightning had erupted in his hand. He gave a smirk and came directly at me. Before anyone could say anything, I knew I was hit, and I knew I was dieing.
The technique my brother had used, I later found out was Chidori, but whatever the technique was, I felt it kill me.
At first all I felt was heat, then I felt pain and electricity surge through my body. I remember hearing screaming after I had been hit screams from every-one in my family, though they didn't last long, because before I lost my sight I saw my brother use his technique on every-one in my family. One by one they all died…. Except for me. The last few minutes before all went black, was me, watching my family being murdered by my own brother. After my family's screams were gone, I remember calling him a bastard. He started walking towards me, a kunai in hand, ready to finish me off… But that never came, my brother made a gurgling noise as blood poured out his mouth. He fell forward to reveal a puppet with knives instead of hands sticking into his back.
The 2 men walked forward so they were standing beside me. Orochimaru bent down to look at me, I just looked back. "Do you think you could use her for your collection?" He asked, looking behind him.
Sasori bent down, looked at me, and said: "I was going to turn her into a puppet, even before she could use chakra." … Then all went black.
I woke up 3 weeks later, to find that I was somewhat alive. I remember moving my head and wondering why it was so stiff. Sasori later told me what had happened, and that I know was working under his command, as a puppet in the Akatsuki. I really didn't mind after all, who likes being good…
That was 9 years ago…
… My name is Mari. My family was murdered by my brother when I was 17, so was I… I am a teenage girl for all eternity. I am dead yet I am alive. I am one of Master Sasori's puppets.