Disclaimer: I don't own Kishimoto's characters. I just like to think I do.
Chapter Two- The Winding Court: Children of Bloodshed
"Yahiko, wake up."
The ginger was still asleep, dreaming about being Lord of Ame while Konan was his personal servant, at his every beck and call. "Yahiko." Dream Konan offered him a plate of cookies, smiling coyly and blushing. "For you Lord Yahiko," the dream said.
"Wake up you lazy ass!" Dream Konan suddenly turned into the real bluenette, who was roughly shaking him so hard he hit his head against the concrete wall of the tunnel. Wincing at the sharp pain in the back of his skull, he ran a hand through his hair to locate what was surely a large bump. Glaring at the very real, angry female in front of him he asked, "What the hell was that for?" Propping himself on one arm, he squinted against the bright light that seemed to radiate around Konan like a halo.
Hands on her hips, her grey eyes searched him over, looking for any sign that the knock to his head hadn't caused any brain damage. "Nagato told us last night to be out of here by morning. I don't know if you were too busy having your "Lord of the Rain" fantasy again or what but if you haven't noticed, the sun is a bit higher in the sky than just morning. I saw Nagato again after I woke up and he didn't look too pleased to see us still here. I think we should head out."
Yahiko nodded; a bit concerned that Nagato had been around while he wasn't fully awake. "Yeah sure, let's get going. Don't want to give him any reason to kill us while our back is turned." Leaning on the wall for support until he could feel his legs again, he and Konan chatted about their plan for the day. "Market. That's where we were heading last night anyways. Might as well arrive at our destination." Konan said.
Several hours later, the pair were roaming the stalls of the main courtyard in Ame, the Market. "Ooh! 'Hiko, can we get some dango?" Konan's voice was a sharp yell so close to his ear, accompanied by the dragging of his arm over to the cart that sold sticks of the sweet treat. Smiling at the almost childish delight in his friends eyes he nodded, "Sing for me Konan. Bring the children." The bluenette grinned and slowly started spinning in a circle, her voice radiating around to the crowd.
Oh come little children,
Let me sing you a song,
Of a world with no bloodshed,
Where no one could do wrong.
The land was still peaceful,
The people merry and gay,
I'd hoped it'd stay like this
For such things I did pray.
High above the courtyard, amongst twisting metal, wires, and mesh sat Nagato, whose eyes were fixed on the blue haired girl and the people around her. There were lines streaking in the crowd, where small bodies pushed their way to hear what this world of peace was. Like comets drawn to a planet with gravity, they circled until coming to a halt in front of Konan.
But peace is not everlasting,
There's nowhere you can go
Where the earth is not tainted
Blood is bright in the snow.
Noting the distracting Konan was making, Yahiko snuck around to the dango cart and grabbed a lapful of the treat. Sneaking away slowly, he straightened up to look more inconspicuous. The last notes of Konan's song trailed off and she made her way over to him. "Thought you were never going to get away from them." Yahiko said, handing her a stick of dango. Smiling, she accepted it. "It wasn't about getting away from them, 'Hiko. Some of them are orphans, just like us. They just wanted to get away from what the war left them."
The ginger opened his mouth to reply, and was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. "Thought you'd like to know, there are ANBU heading this way." Konan looked behind Yahiko to see Nagato, dressed in a different blue robe with a straw hat dipped low to cover his face. Returning the favor, she pointed behind the two boys, "ANBU behind us as well. They really must have liked my singing." She said.
Grabbing Konan's arm, Yahiko pulled her through the still dense crowd in the Marketplace, trying to find a sidestreet to run into. In his haste, he ran into a barrel-chested man wearing red, blue, orange, and yellow robes with a straw hat similar to Nagato's, and a graying beard. "Get out of my way old man!" he snapped, trying to go around.
The people surrounding them became almost suffocatingly close and Yahiko lost Konan's arm in the mass of bodies trying, it seemed, to crush the life out of him. Moments later, he felt himself being lifted up and looked at the man in front of him, the one he'd run into. His tangerine eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open in shock. There was no way he'd just run into him of all people. What was he doing here without his guards? His ANBU? Oh but wait, that's who was holding him up wasn't it? His ANBU guards, protection for the Lord of the Rain, Hanzo the Salamander.
Nagato had been a few paces behind Yahiko and Konan when he'd seen the Salamander Lord. The connection clicked instantly in his head. Why else would there be ANBU out on the streets on a seemingly normal Market day if not to protect the leader of the district? Turning around, he made to walk in the opposite direction of the masked guards when he ran straight into the one behind him.
"Well, well, well. Look who we have here. Nagato. Seems like we've been running into you all over the place." Wincing a little as the wolf masked member clamped a hand on his arm, he quickly glanced over his shoulder to see the others being moved along with the Salamander before being shoved backwards roughly and spun around, the vice-like grip now on his right arm. "Don't worry Ring King you'll see your little friends soon enough."
The last thing Nagato heard was the man's harsh laughter before darkness swallowed him.
AN: This is the end of the Pre Arc. Next is the Salamander Arc. This might go pretty slow since I'm making this up as I go.
Thanks for reading. Oh and don't be shy, please review. It makes me happy. ~Blair
