The One Who Saw Me
It was a crisp fall morning. Birds were singing, people were out and about, and the leaves had just started to change colors. Though it was a bit chilly, people were out laughing, hanging out with friends, on a walk, at the play ground, and having fun, ignoring the cool wind whispering in their hair. All was calm and peaceful except for one household.
"You're a disgrace! A complete and utter failure!" A man shouted at a young girl, about the age of fifteen. "You should be out training, not reading these stupid books and writing! How else are you going to become the next Hokage?!"
The girl flinched. "Dad, you know I want to be an author! I like being a ninja but I don't want to be the Hokage!"
"That is exactly what I mean! You're a failure, a nobody! You don't try and strive for bigger and better things!" He continued. "You'll never become an author! Do you like bringing shame to our family's name?!"
"But-"
"No buts! Leave! Get out of my sight you little brat!" He shouted, pulling the notebook out of the girls hands, and began ripping it in half. He threw the ruined notebook at her, pages flying out the open front door and in the girls face. She blinked back tears, kneeling and picking the ripped pages up, trying to gather them all. "GO YOU FAILURE!"
Her hands full of pages, she ran out the door, which was slammed behind her. She knelt and picked up the other pages, and then ran as fast as she could to nowhere in particular, tears falling fast down her cheeks. She soon came to the Leaf Ninja Village, Konoha, entrance and raced through the big doors, ignoring the two guards, Kotetsu and Izumo, yelling for her to come back. She ran blindly through the Konoha forest, coming to rest at a pond with a trickling waterfall.
Sitting down on a large rock by the pond, she cried her heart out. Her name was Miyuki Saotome; she was fifteen and dreamt of being an author and leaving all the ninja stuff behind. Unlike the other girls, she didn't dare fall for any of the village boys, knowing she had no chance with them. After all, what would you have done if your parents treated you like dirt and pushed you past your limits all the time? Wouldn't you have come to distrust any other being?
She was quite pretty, with her long flaming red hair and emerald green eyes, her delicately defined facial features, her small piano fingers, her nicely fit and curved body. Her beautiful singing voice and normal talking voice was the voice of an angel. Any guy would have been glad to be with her if she tried to be pretty. But, she down played her looks, wearing not very flattering clothes, hair always in a ponytail, and hiding behind glasses instead of wearing contacts. She had no one to be pretty for.
1st person point of View – Miyuki
"He's right! I am a failure!" I gasped out loud, my hands covering my face as tears poured down them. I looked down at my ripped notebook and went into hysterics again. It was the best story I had ever written, and now it was gone. I had just wanted my dad to read it and tell me it was good; I wanted him to be proud of me. "I hate myself! I am a failure and I won't amount to anything!"
I took one of the ripped pages from the torn notebook and started to write a song I made up on the spot. (I do not own this song, it belongs to Miley Cyrus, and any alterations in the song are purely mine.)
"I can almost see it/ that dream I'm dreaming/ but there's a voice inside my head saying, 'You'll never reach it." I sat, scribbling on the paper; thinking a bit before I continued. "Every step I'm taking/ every move I make feels/ lost with no direction/ My Faith is shaking." That was when I heard a male voice pipe in, a voice deep and warm, one I had never heard before in my life.
"But you, you gotta keep trying/ gotta keep your head held high!" He sang from the forest. "There's always gonna be another mountain/ Your always gonna wanna make it move/ Always gonna be an uphill battle/ some times your gonna have to lose!"
I listened to the nice voice. It was sweet and welcoming. I wrote down what he sang quickly. "Ain't about how fast you get there/ ain't about what's waiting on the other side!/ It's the climb!" I heard what he sang with great clarity, taking the rich voice in. When he stopped, I continued,
"The struggles I'm facing/ the chances I'm taking!" and he continued.
"Some times might knock you down/ But no, they won't break you!" "You may not know it/ But these are the moments that/ your gonna remember most, yeah/ you just gotta keep going!"
"And you, you gotta be strong/ just keep pushing on!" He sang. "Cause theres always gonna be another mountain"
"I'm always gonna wanna make it move!"
"Always gonna be an uphill battle."
"Somebody's gonna have to lose!"
"Ain't about how fast you get there."
"Ain't about what's waiting on the other side!"
"It's the climb!" We sang together, our voices blending perfectly.
"Keep moving/ Keep climbing!" I sang.
"Keep the faith baby/ its all about, its all about the climb!" He answered.
"Keep the faith-" I replied.
"- keep your faith!" He finished.
"Whoa. . . . ." We finished softly together. Silence echoed around us, the quiet startling after all the singing.
"Where are you? Who are you?" I whispered, breaking the silence. A figure came from beneath the tree tops, into my little field. He was wearing a full body black suit, a hood that looked like it had cat ears, and purple face paint, and a bandaged object on his back.
He had a confident smile on his face, which was a nice face, even with the face paint. "I'm Sabaku No Kankuro! And who are you?"
"I'm Miyuki Saotome."
"It is very nice to meet you, Miyuki." He grinned. "You sing awesome!"
I turned bright red. "Me? Sing awesome? Ha! You must be deaf if you think that!"
"Hey, hey, hey now! That's not nice!" He shrugged. "I call them as I see them. And I see that you sing well."
"Well, thank you. So do you." I couldn't help it, I smiled back at him. His grin was sweet and infectious.
"You live in Konoha, Fire?" Kankuro asked, pointing in the direction of the village. I nodded. "I see." That's when he spotted the notebook. He looked at my flushed, wet face and looked at the notebook again. He strode quickly over to it, and picked up the pieces before I had time to get out a feeble "Hey!"
"Wow, Fire. Did you get a little angry and need to shred some thing?" He said, a slight smile on his face. I couldn't help it, my face crumpled and I broke down in tears. He looked up at me, startled, and dropped the notebook and came over to me. "What did I say wrong?"
"It wasn't me! It was my dad!" And before I knew it the flood gates had opened. I told him every detail, not caring that he was a total stranger and ignoring the part of me that was screaming to shut up and stop making myself vulnerable. I kept my eyes closed, expecting him to tell not to be a baby and get over it. I was shocked by what he did.
His arms were suddenly around me, pulling me in and holding me against his nicely muscled chest. His hand cradled the back of my head, stroking my hair softly and making quiet reassuring noises. I cried for what seemed like forever, taking comfort, and shock, of the arms around me, holding me close.
"It's okay. Get it all out." Kankuro whispered. "You're not what he says you are. You're a beautiful girl, who has a ton of talent."
"How would you know? You don't know me!" I pulled away from him, feeling the cool air brush the warmed places where he had touched. "Why are you helping me?! Why do you care?!" I shouted at him. "You don't even know me!"
"How do I know? I can just tell. And why am I helping you? That's an easy one to answer." Kankuro said, moving closer to me and pulling me against his chest once more. "I want to." And with that, I was reduced to tears again.
* * *
A while later Kankuro walked me home.
"I'm headed this way any way. I've been sent by the Kazekage." He said, making a face. I giggled.
"What? Do you not like the Kazekage much?"
"It's not like that." He said, looking at the ground as he walked.
"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.
"I don't like taking my little brother's orders. The Kazekage is my little brother Gaara." He mumbled, looking up and continued walking, not noticing for a little bit that I had stopped and was in hysterics.
"What?" He growled out.
"You have to take your little brothers orders! And you the older one!" I gasped out.
"And I have to take orders from my older sister, Temari, too." He sighed. I continued to laugh until my face was red and I was practically crying. "Aw shut up!" He cried, turning a bit red.
"Make me!" I panted.
"Fine."
I continued to laugh, tears pouring down my face. Kankuro shook his head, sighed, and then lunged. He rammed into me, causing us to fall to the ground, but turned over before we hit the ground so he was below me and I didn't get hurt. He quickly flipped me over so my back was to the ground and straddled my legs. I looked up in shock at him.
Now your gonna get it!" His words reverberated from his chest, and he lifted his hand up over me. I flinched, thinking he was going to hit me like my father did. When his hand came down, he started to tickle my sides, the spot I was most ticklish. The agonizing feeling shot up my sides, causing me to laugh, but I wasn't the only one. Kankuro had started laughing with me, for reasons unknown, to me. I finally pushed him off, and we sat there on the ground still giggling and breathless from the previous laughter.
"What are you laughing at?" I panted.
"You! Your laugh is pretty, and very contagious!" Kankuro chuckled. "It's cute!" I turned bright red.
"Me? Cute? As if!" I said. "I'm probably the least cute person ever, the least cute person in the world!" I ranted. "I'm ugly, and stupid, and won't amount to anything!"
"Not this again! Your none of those things, you're the exact opposite and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise!" He replied, pulling me into another hug. I turned slightly red, hugging him back. "Even if your dad says those things, it's not true. I have another reason for walking you home."
"What would that be?" I asked curiously.
"I want to meet this dad of yours and have a talk with him. He isn't treating you right, the way you deserve to be."
"What?!" I shouted, pulling away. "No! You can't do that!"
"Why not?"
"You just can't! He'll get mad at me! And you!" I exclaimed. "He'll hit me more! H-he will hurt me!" I started sobbing.
"Then you'll come live with me."
I looked up, into Kankuro's eyes thinking he was joking. But I knew from that one look he was dead serious.
"R-Really?" I stuttered. "You'd do that for a girl you just met?"
"No. I'd do it for you." He replied, staring into my eyes like he was looking into the depths of my soul, seeing who I really was and not the façade I put up. Kankuro leaned towards me, his face getting closer to my own. I realized what he was going to do, and I started to panic. He was going to kiss me!
'OH NO! He can't try to kiss me! What if I sneeze?! What if I bump his nose, or what if I cough or do something wrong?!' My thought screamed my worst fears out. 'Or even worse . . . . . what if he doesn't like it?'
While I was inwardly panicking he was getting closer . . . and closer . . . and closer. . . . Soon his nose tip was touching mine, his warm breathe sweetly scented, fanning across my face. His eyes were closed as he leaned closer, one hand on the small of my back, pulling me towards him, against his well toned chest. One of his hands threaded through my hair, as if to hold me there.
"S-Stop!" I managed to get out. "N-No!'
"Sorry Fire. Too late to go back now." Kankuro whispered back, chuckling slightly. My eyes widened, but soon slid closed as I gave up and leaned forward to meet him.
"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?!" A man shouted. I shot back, away from Kankuro and out of his embrace.
"Dad!" I gasped out.
"You little brat! This is what you have resulted to?! Being a prostitute?!" He shouted, yanking me up by the neck of my shirt. "Do you really think you can get away with this?! Do you really think I'm going to let a little slut like you stay under my roof?!"
Tears formed in my eyes as I tried to pull from his grip. "Dad! It's not what you think! I meet him this afternoon, and we hung out but no more!"
"Give me one reason why I should believe some one like you?! I have half a mind to turn you into the authorities for what you've been doing!" He struck me across the street. I cried out in pain, feeling a large, purple bruise blossoming forming across my cheek. He raised his hand to hit me again, and I closed my eyes for the blow that never came. I slowly opened my eyes.
"Put. Her. Down. Now." Kankuro spat out, his hands had blue threads forming, coming from his finger tips. The threads encircled my father's wrist, seeming to prevent him from moving his hand. "I said now."
My father let go of the front of my shirt, and being short like I was I fell a foot and would have landed on the ground if Kankuro hadn't caught me.
"Listen here Mr. Saotome. I don't want to see you lay one more hand on this girl." His voice rumbled dangerously. My father just laughed.
"What gives you the right to tell me what to do, little boy." My dad put emphasize on the 'little boy'.
"What gives me the right?" Kankuro laughed. "I was hoping you might ask that! Because I am the older brother of the one and only Kazekage of the Hidden Sand village, Suna." My dad gasped. "Nice to meet ya! I'm Sabaku No Kankuro."
I stared at my father who had gone quiet and was openly gaping at Kankuro. "Dad?" I asked quietly.
"Leave her the Hell alone, got that. Or you'll pay." Kankuro smirked. "I will find out, I promise you that."
"Well, you can have the brat." My dad snarled, moving backwards from us. "She's all yours. I don't ever want to see that vermin walking through my doors ever again. Good riddance." With that, my dad walked away from me, leaving me without a parent and without a home.
"You helped me." I whispered.
"I told you I would." Kankuro said, raising an eyebrow. "You think I lied?"
"No."
"Good." He smiled. "Hey, you know what?"
"What?"
"I'm going to finish what I started, then your coming and living with me." Kankuro grabbed my waist and pulled me against his chest, his hand traveling down to the small of my back and his hands rethreading themselves in my hair. I gasped as Kankuro pulled me close, oh so close. "Prepare yourself, Fire." Then he leaned in, his eyes and my eyes slid to a close, and pressed his lips softly to mine.
It was amazing. His soft lips pressed to mine, holding me to him; his feelings that had sparked for me only a few hours ago were poured into the kiss. When we finally parted, we looked into each eyes, and in that moment I knew he was the one for me. He saw me for who I was, and looked past my flaws and insecurities.
"Wow. . . ." We both whispered.
"That was my first kiss." I said quietly.
"That was the best kiss of my life." Kankuro replied, looking at me with warmth in his eyes. "C'mon. Time to go home."
"But-!"
"My home is now your home." Kankuro interrupted. "If you'll be mine?" He suddenly looked insecure. His eyes were pleading, and he looked scared that I'd say no. I turned red, and looked him straight in the eyes and said,
"Y-Yes."
"Good." He then pulled me into another kiss.
Five Years Later
"I'm going to ask her today." Kankuro said to the leaf ninja beside him.
"About time. I thought you were both going to get old and die before you asked her." The brown haired young man laughed, his red fanged cheeks pulled up in a big grin.
"Shut it Kiba. I'm headed to meet her in the forest where we met five years ago."
"Dude, then go. Why are ya talking to me when you got somewhere to be?" Kiba chided. Kankuro grinned and took off for the trees, yelling a quick, "See ya!" as he ran. "Good luck, Kankuro." Kiba smiled.
Kankuro soon came to a clearing, and saw a beautiful flaming haired girl by the pond. He grinned and lunged at her, forcing her to the ground. She looked up at him, her now not needing glasses emerald eyes gleaming. Her loose hair fell over her shoulders, tumbling in waves down her back. Miyuki had matured a lot, and had gotten over most of her insecurities with Kankuro's help. She now let her hair out and found she didn't need glasses any more.
'She is beautiful. Whether she's trying to be or not.' Kankuro thought, leaning down and placing a deep kiss on her lips.
"Hi Kankuro!" She laughed, pushing him off her.
"Hey fire. How are ya?"
"Well. But you would know, considering I've lived with you for years.
"Heh, how could I forget?" Kankuro chuckled.
"Why did you want to meet me out her so suddenly Kankuro?" Miyuki asked, cocking her head slightly to the side in wonder. He pulled her up, and they sat on the rock from years before.
"I have a question to ask you." Kankuro stood and pulled Miyuki to her feet. Smiling, he got down on one knee and she gasped. "Miyuki Saotome, I, Sabaku No Kankuro, wish to spend my whole life with you for as long as I live. Will you marry me?" He produced a little black box. Opening it, he turned it towards Miyuki, showing her a beautiful diamond ring that sparkled in the sunlight.
Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears of happiness, and she shouted out a "Yes! Yes I will!"
Kankuro laughed and slipped the ring on to the third finger of her left hand and stood up. Miyuki jumped at him and he caught her, holding her above the ground and twirling her around. Setting her down, he looked at her and smiled, and she placed a kiss full of passion and love on his lips. A kiss that sealed their fate.
Three Month's Later
"Go, go, go!" The squad captain shouted as a bomb burst overhead. "Head towards the center line, attack, but don't get caught. Let's finish this war."
Months had past since Miyuki and Kankuro's engagement, when a war between the hidden sound and rain villages challenged the hidden leaf and sand villages, pushing them into a horrible war. Both Kankuro and Miyuki were fighting this war, there only hope was to get through this a get married.
"Where's Miyuki, Kiba?" Kankuro asked of the leaf ninja sitting beside him. They were both panting hard and hiding for a small rest.
"Dunno. I haven't seen her." Kiba breathlessly said.
"I need to make sure shes okay." Kankuro said, moving to get up.
"You should focus on keeping yourself safe, kid. But it's too late for that now!" Kankuro felt a constricting vice like grip around his throat as he was turned to face his attacker. The man was of the sound, a crazed look in his eyes.
"Kankuro!" Kiba shouted, flinging himself at the enemy. The man just kicked him away, knocking him unconscious.
"Your going to die now kid. Say your prayers." The man snarled, tightening his grip on Kankuro's throat.
'N-No! I can't die . . . . . not yet . . . . Miyuki and I were to be married. . . N-no. . . . I'm so sorry Miyuki. . . . .I love you. . . ." Kankuro thought, trying in vain to draw in enough air to breathe. Spots danced across his eyes, his lungs screaming for air. He knew he was going to die, and his only regret was leaving Miyuki alone once again.
"KANKURO!" A shrill shout was heard from somewhere near bye. The man suddenly shouted in pain and he released Kankuro and fell to the ground. Kankuro landed on the ground, wheezing for air. The air filled his lungs fast and painfully and his vision cleared. He looked up and saw Miyuki fighting the man, trying to beat him.
"Fire!" He shouted. Miyuki ignored him and landed a kick to the mans neck. A crack was heard and the man came crashing to the ground. Miyuki stumbled, but caught herself before she fell. Smiling, she faced Kankuro and started walking towards him. But she suddenly stopped.
"Miyuki?" Kankuro asked, moving towards her. That was when he saw why she had stopped. The man was up again and right behind Miyuki. Her eyes went wide, bulging in shock, then pain. Kankuro then saw it. A sword had slipped right through her chest, right through her heart. She reached a shaking hand out towards him, and mouthed,
"K-Kankuro. . . . ." She barely whispered,
"NO!" Kankuro shot towards the man, bringing a chakra infused fist up and punched the man in the face. He went flying back, hitting a tree with a sickening crunch. Kankuro ran over to Miyuki and gently pulled the sword from her bosom. "Miyuki! Miyuki wake up! Don't leave me! You've got to stay with me!"
Miyuki's Point of view
I heard a voice calling through the darkness that was now cascading over my eyes. The pain went numb, making where I was more peaceful.
"Miyuki!" The voice shouted, shattering the calm. Who was this person? What did they want? Couldn't they see I wanted to be left alone? "Miyuki! Wake up! Don't leave me! You've got to stay with me!" I slowly opened my eyes and light shined into them painfully. The young man above me was looking down and looked hysterical. Tears ran down his face as he stared at me, his pain, sadness, and miseries shining in those tear filled eyes.
"K-Kankuro?" I choked out painfully, recognizing the boy above me.
"Oh, God Miyuki! I thought I had lost you!" Kankuro cried out, hugging me close but releasing me when I cried out in pain. I lifted a shaking hand and pressed it to the source of my pain. I removed it and saw my hand was stained red with blood. My eyes widened and I turned my head and spit out the bloody bile rising in my throat.
"Miyuki!" Kankuro shouted. "Hang on! You've got to hang on! We'll get help and you'll be fine!" He started to sob, knowing it was too late; I was too far gone as I knew myself. "Please, you have to."
I realized how close to death I was, and knew it was too late. "Kankuro, listen to me." I hissed through my teeth and the pain each word brought me. "I want you to go. Find someone else, its too late for me."
"No! Miyuki-!" He gasped.
"I love you Kankuro. You were the one who saw me. I will always love you." I murmured out. "Find someone and be happy. That is my wish." The darkness started surrounding me again, and I leaned up and pressed a kiss to his lips.
Then, I was gone my soul left the earth and my pain was gone.
* * *
"We are gathered here today to mourn for the young woman who lost her life tragically and heroically in battle." The pastor said quietly to the people gathered around a grave. A young man in the front heard none of this; he could only look at the grave thoughtlessly. The rain pounded down, as if the heavens were crying also, with all the people gathered. "Her name was Miyuki Saotome, and she was one of us. Let us never forget her.
With that people left, sobbing and patting the young man nearest to the grave and staring at it. He felt none of this. He felt nothing. He started to cry, staring at the grave marked:
Miyuki Saotome
A wonderful friend and fiancée
Let her fire never burn out