"WE ARE KONOHANS! WE MUST TAKE ACTION AND DRIVE THE FOLLOWERS OF THAT TRAITEROUS SNAKE OUT OF OUR BELOVED CITY!"
The man yelling was located in the middle of Konoha's main square. He was standing on a pile of bricks that formed a makeshift podium.
The crowd that was gathering around him cheered loudly at his words.
"WE NEED TO STAND UP FOR OURSELVES AND ASIST OUR NINJA IN RIDDING THIS PLACE OF THOSE FILTHY TURN-COATS!!"
More cheers followed this statement.
To many, this seemed like some kind of pep-rally, a way to exhibit Konohan spirit. But to Mitarashi Anko, a purple-haired teenager who was currently crouching in a back alley, these shouts took on a more gristly meaning. The mobs of people were blood thirsty and ready to kill.
The teen peered out from around one of the many garbage cans that lined the mouth of the alley. The sight that met her eyes was frightening; it made her pull back to the safety of the shadows and sink down shaking.
"WE NOW KNOW THAT OROCHIMARU BETRAYED KONOHA AND ATTEMPTED TO ASSASSINATE OUR HOKAGE! BUT HE DIDN'T DO THIS ALONE!"
Anko shivered; now was the part she was dreading.
"NO!! HE WAS HELPED. BY MITARASHI ANKO, THE PURPLE-HAIRED SNAKE!"
Even with the loud cries of the crowd pressing down on her, Anko couldn't help but smirk a bit at the man's statement. Purple-haired snake? That doesn't make any since. Snakes don't have hair. But the man's next words wiped the small smile off her face;
"MITARASHI ANKO IS A DISGRACE TO THE NAME OF SHINOBI. SHE MUST BE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SHE DOES ANYMORE HARM TO OUR PEACEFUL VILLAGE!!"
The girl drew back even farther behind the dumpsters and stayed stone still as the mob spread out, searching for her. The villagers rushed by, some even coming through the alley way, they shouted to one another and named different places she could be hiding. Slowly, ever so slowly, the cries and calls of the hunting citizens faded away as they poured thought the main streets and out of sight.
Anko waited with bated breath until she was sure the main square was empty. Then she rose up to her feet and walked shakily into the wide, clear, expanse. Her eyes fell on the pile of bricks; it was the last straw for the girl. She collapsed against one of the walls and curled up into a small ball.
Why? Why are they so intent on punishing ME? I'm a Shinobi, I'm on their side. Why did this all happen? DAMN YOU OROCHIMARU!!!
As if responding to her mental exclamation Anko's cursed seal throbbed painfully. The girl winced and stifled a cry of pain as she clutched her neck. She could feel her own tears crawl down her face and didn't fight them.
These Konohans say that I've betrayed their village, but I feel like the village betrayed me. Perhaps I should have stayed with Orochimaru. It wouldn't be worse than this!
However as soon as she thought this the girl took it back. Nothing and no one could be worse than Orochimaru. Another stab of pain from the cursed mark sent Anko back into her paralyzed state.
Anko sat in the deserted square, dazed and wracked by the mark. Then the crunch broken glass alerted her to someone else's presence. Her head snapped up and her mind flooded with thoughts of torch-bearing citizens out for her blood.
Her fears were momentarily stopped when her wide chocolate eyes locked gazed with a single black one. After further observation, Anko found that this eye belonged to a young man, probably 18 or 19, who was dressed in Shinobi gear. His mask identified him as Hatake Kakashi, the boy prodigy, who became and ANBU at age 14.
"What do you want Hatake?" rasped Anko. Better to find out now than figure out later. Kakashi looked down at the broken figure before him with an unreadable expression. Then he knelt down in front of Anko and grabbed her shoulders. Without another word he hoisted her onto his back, ignoring her half-hearted attempts to punch him.
"We are going to Hokage Tower. Don't struggle." Was his reply.
Anko had never been very good at following directions and she didn't feel like starting now; so she struggled. But before she had the chance to really fight they had arrived at the base of the tower.
Kakashi opened the small door and nodded to the secretary. He took the stairs 3 at a time and soon had reached the Hokage's office. The silver-haired man opened the door without knocking and stepped inside.
The room was filled with a group of chattering Shinobi. The talk died when they saw Kakashi.
"Ah, Kakashi. Late as usual." The Hokage was sitting at his desk with Jiraya and Tsunade on either side of him.
"Sorry Lord Hokage. I actually have an excuse." Kakashi turned his head so that he met Anko's dull, frightened, glare. He sighed, and gently lifted Anko down onto the cushions of a waiting seat. The occupants of the room froze as they took in the sight of the limp and silent girl. The Hokage was the first to say something,
"What is this Kakashi?" soon more voices joined in, these ones lacked the warmth of the Hokage.
"Yes! Why did you bring a traitor here?"
"I say we throw her out, the little spy!"
"She's probably reporting all of this to her snake-master!"
"That girl is the cause of our problems!"
Anko could stand it no longer, she forced herself to stand up and glare at the company of people.
"This girl!" she started, "Apologizes that she forced herself upon you. She sees that she's unwanted and plans to leave immediately." Anko leaned on the wall for support and began to make her way to the door, intent upon leaving.
"Stop." The Hokage spoke in a calm yet authoritive voice. The 16-year-old froze and reluctantly turned to face the old man.
"My Apologies Lord Hokage. But right now I have pressing matters that must be attended to." The girl tried to make a respectful smile but it ended up looking like a forced grimace. Through the open window in the office she could hear the mob of people hunting for her start up a chant;
"KILL THE PURPLE-HAIRED SNAKE! KILL THE PURPLE-HAIRED SNAKE!"
Anko grimaced again and stumbled to the door only to be stopped again, this time by a gloved hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Kakashi exchange a significant look with the Hokage.
The Hokage seemed to understand the unspoken message and waved his hand to the surrounding Shinobi.
"I want all of you out except for Nara, Yamanka, Akimichi, Namikaze, and their teams. Go!" Like a flood, the Shinobi swept out of the doorway, shooting Anko an occasional glare which she returned ten-fold. Finally there were only a few select Shinobi left standing in the room.
Anko felt Kakashi's hand guide her back to the chair and push her slightly onto it. The girl glared at her feet and refused to meet anyone's eyes. The sound of the mob's chanting filled the quiet room,
"KILL THE PURPLE-HAIRED SNAKE! KILL THE PURPLE-HAIRED SNAKE!"
Anko couldn't help smiling again at this statement; she voiced her previous thoughts,
"Snakes don't have purple hair." This earned her a few odd glances from some people cough-Asuma-cough.
"What?!" she said defensively, "They don't! Have any of you ever seen a snake with hair before? Other than Master Orochimaru?!" The people in the room looked thoughtful.
"She has a point." Murmured Namikaze Minato, the deputy Hokage,
"I never have seen a snake with hair. We should go down their and tell those angry people to change their chant into something that makes more sense."
Anko didn't miss the slight sarcasm in his voice, she glared,
"Fine! What would you like to talk about?"
The Hokage and his deputy smiled slightly.
"That is a good question."
Sorry bout the bad chapter-end. I promise I'll wright more. I also updated my other story; Willing Prisoner.