The solution to all my problems was a bottle full of pale white pills.

They were my mothers, to be exact, and only to be taken as prescribed by the doctor.

I did not plan to follow the strict instructions commanded by the label.

And I didn't, I washed them down with water straight from the tap with two long gulps.

In the mirror, hazel eyes looked back at me through the fractured mirror.

Maybe, instead, I was fractured in place of the mirror. The distortion was my own.

The floor was cold against the soles of my bare feet.

I lowered myself to my knees with a firm grip on the counter.

I pressed my heated face to the tiled floor.

How come I was so warm?

My eyelids were heavy.

The darkness didn't share the unbearable heat the waking world held.

I let my breaths slow until my chest seemed to scream at the effort of even taking one.

Why was it suddenly so cold?

Wrapping my arms around myself I tried to keep some body heat, but I couldn't move.

What happened?

There were voices...

A baby was crying.

Suddenly, as if by force, my mouth was torn open and air flooded my lungs, my body agreeing greedily. Light burned my eyes and the cold air surrounding my body caused me to let out a cry of surprise. The loud wail of a baby.

...

I was born premature and had a weak immune system. I spent the first two years of my life in the hospital, being poked and prodded.

"Chakra sensitivity... Small system... Overly developed brain..." I learned quickly, and out of all the things that were said one dominated the others. "Prodigy."

My mother smiled, I never saw her not. My father was rarely there, but when he was he was always frowning.

"Kaa-san."

"Kuro-chan." My mom said in her high-pitched baby tone.

"Why did you name me Kuro? I am a girl and your first child, why ninth son?"

My name meant ninth son, a name normally given to the ninth son.

"Children should question their elders."

I looked away from my mother, who sighed at my father's reply.

"Kuro-chan..."

I had turned away, walking a few steps but wobbling due to my weak-muscled legs.

"You're coming home today."

"Yes Mai, Daiki."

...

My first day home introduced me to my family. We were large, we were a clan and before I could step onto the land that was owned by my blood relatives my father stopped me.

"The Clan, the Village, than yourself."

I nodded.

"Speak child!"

I flinched but forced out a response. "Yes, sir."

Our house was small and out-of-the-way, I got the feeling we were low in the clan.

...

I had managed to join the ninja academy by six, like the other children. Hatake Kakashi had joined the academy by four. I advanced to Genin by seven, top of my class.

My team and two older boys, Kogun and Yuki. Our Sensei was Akira Wasabi, a prodigy himself.

Our first C-rank mission ended with Kogun's death due to poisoning. I suspected Yuki.

Yuki and I made into Chunin, I was nine and Yuki was eleven. We celebrated with the other Genin that had made Chunin (only two others).

Yuki offered to walk me home after we had our fun. I agreed, the darkness was perfect. When I led Yuki down one of the abandoned alleys near my clan's district I was on him in seconds, my kunai laced with poison, and my eyes spinning.

His body was found the next morning by a civilian, all that was left was a charred husk. Evidence spoke, I couldn't take any chances.

Akira-sensei sat me down later that day to talk to me.

"Kuro-kun..." Sensei stared at me for a moment. "Yuki was under watch as a suspected spy. His death makes you and I fall under suspicion as well... not of being spies." Sensei quickly covered, accusing an Uchiha of being a spy was dangerous. "But of killing him."

I nodded faking innocence.

The next notable mission I was sent of was Kannabi Bridge mission. Obito Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake, and Rin Nohara. I played my part and sided with Kakashi after Rin was taken. In the end, I did what I had to, pushed Obito out-of-the-way, the boulders collapsed on me.

"I killed Yuki Nohara." He had been Rin's older brother, and I had killed him.

Rin's eyes widened and Kakashi and Obito stood on the side, tense.

"He was a suspected spy, he killed Kogun, who was a spy. You should be proud of him Rin. Now take my eye and leave."

They did and with my remaining chakra I destroyed my other one and I died... again.

...

I couldn't see, cradled by darkness.

It hurt so much that I almost couldn't feel it.

But eventually, like the time before, the shallow breaths pattered out and the pain slipped away.

Another intake of air sharper and stronger than previously, a shiver taking hold of my body.

The murmur of voices, a baby crying.

A new name, Annabeth.


(17/07/08) I rewrote the first and final portions of this story, I don't think I can salvage the rest of it. I'm thinking of starting from the top with this one.