Karena's Story...
Stolen Past
~Chapter 2~
I don't remember much from when I was younger. Except my name, being hungry, and alone. Now I look back at the time when I was six years old and smile about it. It doesn't bother me anymore the fact I have no memory passed that age. I remembered I wandered into the Sand Village feeling completely lost and starving. That was probably the best decision I ever made. Coming to that Village.
Walking down the streets starved, I ended up on the steps of an old widow's home. She told me later that I was barely breathing, pale, and all bones. The woman was very shriveled with dull green hair and foggy eyes. She was the one who ended up taking me in and took care of me. She told me to called her Grandma, and all I really knew about her was that she lost her husband years ago in some great war and was all alone, like me. That we had in common.
We kept each other company and I ended up caring about her a lot. She had told me past stories of her life, tucked me in bed then took the spot next to me, enrolled me into school, but most of all she would tell me that she loved me.
The best memories I have of her is when she taught me all about the shinobi's. The stories she would tell me about her own skill of medical ninjutsu, and the important moment of my life when she said that I could be one, but I would have to practice very hard. I didn't care what the cost was but I knew that I was going to become one. I had to make Grandma proud of me.
She would help me train when I got home from school, showing me all that I could do with the chakra within me. "I want you to become very strong. Unlock your full potential one day, okay?" She had always said. Those times seeing her smile as I advance higher day by day were the greatest memories.
Sadly, only a few years later she passed away when I was eight years old. I guessed she was a lot older than I had thought. There was a little funeral for her but no one knew her like I did. I cried for weeks after her death, and I still get emotional about it. She was the only person I knew as a parent figure.
One day I stayed after school and practice my chakra control, silently crying as I did so. I couldn't go back to that house we used to share, reminding me that I was alone once again.
I had just released chakra out of my fingertips, that took the shape of light jade green lightning making a soothing crackling sound, when a voice startled me.
"Hey are you okay?"
I spun around to see a girl standing in front of me, and she had to be a couple of years older. She smiled, "You're that girl that's always crying right?"
I wiped the wetness away from my eyes, "No!" I yelled back at her.
She laughed at me, which made my face go red, "I was only joking. I'm Temari." She stuck her hand out and I only stared. "You shake it with your hand."
I hesitantly took her hand and she continued to smile, "That was a unique chakra type you have there! Don't see it around here that much... Lightening right?"
"I guess…"
She looked over at the setting sun, "Why don't I walk you home? It will be dark soon." She waited for me to reply but I didn't. "Where do you live?"
Still no answer. Temari looked at me confused, "Don't you know where you live?"
"Yeah!" I try reassuring. "But I couldn't explain where."
"Then show me."
Taking back by her words, I gave her a look of disbelief but went ahead and lead her there. On the way I ended up telling her about Grandma and how it was just me now. She listen to my story which made me happy that someone cared enough to. She didn't ask questions until we arrived at my house.
"So you are all alone now?" She asked with sadness in her voice.
I nodded and forced a smile on my face. But it probably looked pitiful.
"Well I guessed that means I will be walking you home everyday from school! I wouldn't want you getting lost or something!" She declared with arms crossed.
I feel like her reason for doing so was dumb but I didn't say anything, I knew that maybe I would be able to have a friend and not be as lonely anymore. And I was right.
She kept her word and the following day she had waited up for me to walk me home. But this time Temari had a brown haired boy with her. "This is my younger brother Kankuro." She told me.
He was also older than me and was giving me a mean glare, "Still don't see why we gotta walk her home…"
Temari elbowed him, "So how was your day Karena?"
From that day on, either Temari or both her and Kankuro would walk me home. Then soon we got close enough to where she brought me to her home. I learned that she was the daughter of the Kazekage and I felt pretty dumb for not knowing, but it didn't change anything. I would sometimes spend the night over at her house which was triple the size of mine! We always stayed up late making jokes and telling stories.
All the times I stayed over I never met her father but I did know that her mother passed away giving birth to her brother. For some reason I thought she meant Kankuro and never thought she had another brother. And Temari didn't want me to know that she did.
I met Gaara two years later when I was walking out of their house, Temari following not far behind me. I was yelling over my shoulder not paying attention to my surroundings, "I said that I don't need to be walked home all the time! I am ten years old and can take care of myself!"
"Karena! Just wait up!" She called out to me.
I suddenly knocked into someone and fell, with whoever it was under me and me being on top. I opened my eyes that I had shut to see it was a boy about my age with red hair and with a tattoo on his forehead. My face probably turned as red as his hair, "I'm sorry! Are you okay?" I immediately climbed from him and helped him stand up.
Temari was now by my side looking suddenly terrified, "Oh! Gaara! What are you doing walking around?"
"Who's this." He demanded ignoring her question. His teal eyes were cold, harsh, and they were fixed right on me.
"I'm Karena. What's your name?" I said nicely. I had a weird feeling about him that I couldn't shake.
He answered by staring at me with his hateful eyes and to be honest it scared me so bad that I almost couldn't look at him, but I was still curious. Who was this boy? Why hadn't I seen him before?
Temari stood in front of me, as if she was shielding me from him. But his eyes never left mine. "I was just walking her home. No trouble at all. We are heading out now actually!" She told him nervously.
But he gave no answer and just continued to stare into my eyes. Temari grabbed my hand and quickly walked around the boy, tugging me along. Glancing back as she did I saw him still fixed at me, it made me think he hated me or something. I didn't mean to run into him!
Temari and I walked in silence most of the way home before I spoke up, "Who was that?"
She sighed at my question and blankly answered, "I knew you were going to ask that. That was Gaara."
"Gaara?" I wondered why she never told me about him, she obviously knew him. And I knew I've only seen Temari, Kankuro, and a few different people around their house.
"He is my youngest brother. But don't worry I won't let him hurt you."
Is he the younger brother she was talking about? She didn't mean Kankuro? I had too many questions running through my head but the thing that came out was, "Let him hurt me?"
We had arrived at my house by now. So we both took a seat on the steps, "I was trying to avoid this." She mumbled to herself then spoke louder. "Have heard of the demon that has killed people around the village right?" Her question was rushed and seemed almost random.
Although I nodded. I only heard what the villagers and kids at school were saying but I didn't really give any thought to it. I thought it was just something somebody made up.
"Well that demon is my brother. He was born with it in him." She said again quickly, yet with caution in her voice. She was afraid of how I would react. And I could tell that this was her least favorite thing to talk about.
I was silent at first, because it all made sense to me now. Why she never told me about him the past two years, the hate in his eyes, and Temari's nervousness. But still at the same time not at all. How could someone have a demon inside them? "How was he born with it?" I asked bluntly.
She completely ignored my question, "But don't worry I won't let him get to you." She reassured with a smile.
I repeated myself this time harsher, "How could someone be born with a demon in them? Is that even possible?" She stood up wanting to walk away but I wanted an answer.
"Temari!"
"My father…" She started but trailed off. "Don't let what he is bother you. I won't let him harm you, I promise."
That made me mad. I hate it when people hide things from me. There was some secret she wasn't telling me that she knew. I decided to shove what she just told me back at her, "But why? I'm not scare of him or anything. Maybe I could see him tomorrow?"
Temari eyes widened at what I said, "Are you serious?"
"Why wouldn't I be? I think its dumb the way you are acting. He hasn't done anything to hurt me. So I guess when he does then I might be."
I could tell Temari was really surprise by how I reacted, her eyes were watching mine for any sign that I was lying, but I wasn't. I was now very curious of him. I actually wanted to learned more about him, talk to him, and find out why everyone was scared. I also couldn't help but blush at the thought of how I fell on top of him today.
Temari laughed at the sudden tension between us, "Whatever you say. See you tomorrow alright?" She walked off and waved as she headed back home. I could tell she didn't believe anything I had just said. But I didn't care because I meant everything, and in time she would believe me.
Got to learn a little about Karena's past, huh? What did you think? ...
Wow! I got a lot more support then I expected on the first chapter! So as promised I posted a week later, I plan on posting every Friday by the way.
And I forgot to say that this story will follow the main plot/story of Naruto, but with my OC's POV!
And YES (to answer a question I got) I plan on this story having a sequel if I keep getting support on it! So yeah, you guys can ask me questions if you want. I don't mind!
REVIEW, FAVORITE, and FOLLOW! It makes my happy!
See you next Friday,
Mar
