Author's Notes: My daughter was happy to see my surprise yesterday. She is now colaborating with me on this story since I wanted to know what she would like to see happen. But so far the story is just a fly by the seat of my pants sort of thing and any ideas as to where you, as the reader, would like to see it go please feel free to make suggestions. Otherwise Ill just keep writing each chapter as they come to me with the advice of my daughter. After all, she's the main cahracter.
Chapter 2
Miranda slowly opened her eyes then shut them again quickly when the pain in her head started pounding. "Ugh!" she groaned reaching up to her head feeling the spot that seemed to hurt the most. Pulling her hand back she opened her eyes wondering why she felt wet. "Im bleeding!" she shrieked sitting up quickly. The movement made her sway as the stars started flashing in front of her eyes. She touched the spot on her head again wrinkling her nose at the sharp pain.
Looking around she realized she didn't recognize where she was. In fact she didn't even remember where she had been. Her hands shook unsteadily as she felt over her body pulling on the fabrics and checking pockets. She felt like she was wearing someone else's clothes. Nothing seemed familiar. The forest, her clothes, even her own body. The more she tried to remember things, anything at all, the more she realized she couldn't remember. Not even her own name.
Miranda gasped, throwing her hands over her mouth, her eyes scanning the forest around her. She had no idea what she should do now. What was someone with no memory suppose to do in a situation like this. Moving a hand up to the bloody spot on her head again, she slowly moved her legs up under her and pushed up off the ground. Standing still for a moment, she waited for the earth beneath her feet to stop swaying like a boat at sea before picking a direction at random and heading off slowly.
She had been walking for over an hour when she heard the sound of water running over rocks. Stumbling down to the waters edge, grasping the nearest tree, she dropped down onto her knees scooping up water to her mouth as quickly as she could. The water felt nice and cool against her dry throat and it seemed to help ease the pain in her head. Which reminded her, she scooped up some more water and started cleaning the cut on her head, hissing at the stinging.
After filling her stomach full of water, it didn't help with the hunger pains, and cleaning the cut until it stopped bleeding, she decided to just pick a direction and keep walking in hopes of finding something. If she was lucky she would find someone who knew her and could help her get home. It would make sense that she would live nearby she thought, how else would she have gotten out here? And what exactly was she doing in the middle of the forest with a nice sized cut on her head anyways?
Miranda stopped and stared up at the tall wall ahead. It was huge and she could just make out a person at the top walking along the edge. Hearing the sounds of children laughing she turned towards the noise, her eyes still gazing up at the wall until she was forced to look at where she was walking when she tripped, nearly falling on her face. Maybe she was the worlds biggest klutz and that explained the cut on her head she frowned to herself and reached up touching it gently.
Watching the noisy kids from behind a tree, she noticed the parents standing next to a man dressed in a uniform. He scribbled something down on a clipboard and checked something the man she assumed was the kids father had handed him before smiling and waving them through the large gate. Without really thinking about what she was doing she ran over and scooted close to a couple of the kids as they followed their parents through the gate. When the guard looked her way she simply smiled and waved when he smiled in return before going back into the small room behind him.
Once inside Miranda let herself drift away from the fighting kids as she studied the buildings and people she passed. She found herself on a street full of vendors and small stalls full of fruits and vegetables, flowers and herbs. It was very busy as people scurried from stall to stall toting bags and carrying on conversations with people they met along the way. Stuffing her hands into her pockets she pulled out some pieces of paper and some metal objects then looked up at one of the stalls. Walking up she picked up an apple and set the paper and objects on the wooden table top.
The man stared at her like she was crazy "You think your funny don't you?" he asked eyeing her then taking the apple from her grasp "Come back when you have real money." Miranda stared down at what she had set on the table then clamped her hand over her stomach as it growled. Sighing she walked away not even bothering to pick up the paper and metal pieces. 'How am I suppose to find out where I am or who I am without getting into trouble? How will I know who I can trust?' she thought stopping at the end of the street and looking around at all the faces. Nothing and noone seemed familiar to her so far.
"If you hadn't tried to grab her with your bare hands she wouldn't have bit you!" Sakura scolded sticking her finger in Naruto's face and poking his nose. "How was I suppose to know toddlers were ferocious little monsters with teeth! She looked harmless!" Naruto yelled back smacking Sakura's hand away. "You scared her baka. That's why she bit you." Sasuke walked calmly past them, his hands in his pockets. He stopped and stared up the street, Sakura and Naruto still bickering behind him. Miranda kicked a small rock and shoved her hands into her pockets staring down at her feet as she walked not paying attention to where she was going.
He wasn't sure why but something about the dark haired girl had caught his attention as he started walking again, following her up the street. She seemed lost in her own little world, not noticing anything or anyone around her. Miranda stopped walking, jerking her head up and staring ahead at nothing in particular. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up making her shiver slightly at the sensation. She had the sudden and strange feeling of being watched as she looked around at the people passing her on the street.
Turning around quickly she half expected to find someone standing right behind her but there was no one there. At least not anyone who seemed to be paying her any attention. Especially not the two kids who were yelling loudly enough to be heard over the bustling crowd. Sasuke watched as Miranda turned on her heal and walked up the street, looking back over her shoulder every once and a while. Hopping down out of the tree he continued to watch her but kept his distance this time. Naruto turned to say something to his team mate and froze mouth open "Sakura-chan, where's Sasuke?"
Miranda touched the faded painting on the gate then pushed past into another street lined with old buildings. She could tell that no one had used this part of the village for some time since there was no one around and the windows were so dirty you couldn't see into the shops. She wiped away some dirt and peered into a window before continuing up the street. She was surprised that an area this big would be so deserted. Looking up another street she could see houses, some really big, behind elaborately designed gates. She imagined that the people who lived here once were very rich.
"What are you doing here?" Miranda turned around to face a dark haired boy not much taller than she was glaring angrily at her "What? I mean I...Im sorry...I didn't mean..." Sasuke didn't back down even though he could see she was afraid of him "Who are you and what are you doing here? Your not suppose to be here. No one is." Miranda just shook her head, her mouth opening and closing like a fish trying to breath as she started to back away from him. Sasuke's eyes traveled over her face then landed on a bruise partially hidden by her hair. From what he could see it was dark purple and obviously fresh "Your hurt?"
Miranda's hand flew up and covered the cut, glaring back at the dark haired boy "Im sorry if I was trespassing. Ill leave." she said in a low voice before walking past him and heading back the way she came. Sasuke watched her walk away not really sure what to do about her. He wasn't even sure why he had followed her to begin with. She wasn't that interesting he thought still staring at her back as she hurried her steps and was nearly running now as she passed back through the gates and out of the Uchiha district. He stuffed his hands back into his pockets and took a deep breath letting it out slowly before following her.