Here's chapter two! Please enjoy.

I don't own Akatsuki, Konoha, Suna, any Naruto characters you recognize, any villages' you recognize, or Alice and Kathryn when they get involved. I only own Terah, the random meaningless OC's that appear for like… five seconds? Ten? And the village she's staying in… no, technically, that's Jin-chans, so… Yeah. Me no Own.

UPDATED VERSION!

~oOo~

When I emerged from my hot shower, my skin was again it's natural pale white tone, no longer caked with mud, my hair was free of sticks/twigs, leaves, blood and dirt, I dressed in new clothes and socks that were warm and fuzzy, and surrounded by rolling clouds of steam. My towel was sucking the moisture from my hair and furry-foxy-ears like a mosquito- a soft, fluffy, very soft white towel, too.

I looked around the room again, smiling at the brown-and-emerald colors scrolling over eachother, and walked over to flop on the bed. True to my thoughts earlier that day, I was quick to call the kitchen and order some room service for anything sweet and fresh, and a pitcher of apple juice.

I waited patiently, tracing over the scrolling patterns on the covers idly. When the waitress/maid knocked, I easily swung open the door and smiled at her. She smiled back distractedly, rolling her little silver cart into the room. My eyes landed on a pair of silver platters and a silver pitcher, with a very pretty crystal glass beside it. I grinned and pulled some money out of the leather coin pouch, passing it away happily as she nodded and left. A small card was placed on the front of the little cart, with a greeting and my room number written on it with fancy, scrolling letters, welcoming me to the hotel and giving operation hours for the various features my room came with.

I love room service!

I pulled the little cart over to the side of the bed and flopped down on the dark auburn sheets, lifting the lid off the first platter and taking a deep breath of sweet, sugary, bakery smells. Dango… Yummy. I replaced the lid and opened the other one, getting only a faint whiff of fruit and distilled water. "Ichigos~!" I sang, snatching up a large, juicy looking strawberry and taking a monsterous bite.

Ah, genetically altered strawberries, I have missed you so….

I rolled over on the bed to grab the fancy radio and flipped the switch. I was greeted by static, twisted and fiddled with dials, and got a good song playing so I could return to nomming my fruit and desserts.

I spent at least a good half an hour eating genetically enhanced strawberries and slightly under-cooked dango, before I let out a huge yawn. I smiled to myself and took a sip of apple juice in my fancy tumbler before I laid down fully on the bed, streatching to the fullest before relaxing. I flicked the radio off and returned it to the side table, then snuggled under the fluffy, warm blanket and fluffed up a pillow, stuffing it's softness under my head. I covered my face with another pillow to block out the late-afternoon sunlight, and slowly drifted off into a comfortable sleep.

~oOo~

I was surrounded by blood. The ceiling dripped with vicious splatters of it; the walls, once pale blue, were coated with crimson, slithering down in wobbly trails to join the pools of liquid on the floor. I wandered through the hallways, ignorant of the stench of death surrounding me, of the dead bodies littering the wooden floors like ragdolls. I just had to find him… He would make it better… He could fix everything.

He always fixed it.

Another room passed, empty of the living, more ragdolls spilling blood onto the floor, more crimson staining the pretty colors I had helped mom paint. The normally cold floor was warm and wet, and where the blood had not spread, I left red footprints, trailing all the way back to my room, where I'd discovered the first dead girl. But still, I strode on through the labyrinth of hallways in the compound, looking for the one person I knew wasn't dead, because he was too amazing to die- he was invincible.

More Blood. More bodies. More people I recognized that weren't him. They were passed, ignored. God, there was so much blood… the smell was sickening, and much too strong. I wanted to stop, to run back to the room, to run away, but I couldn't- I still had to find him…

Riku. I had to find Riku. He would make it go away. Riku made everything better.

Another room passed by. Blood trailed out in a single line from a huge pool, but I moved on.

There it was- his room, where I had told him he could stay, whenever. I sped up just a little bit, anxious to see him, ears flattening to keep out the wind. I pushed open the door, ready to call out for him, but froze in the doorway, the words stuck in my throat.

He stood in the middle of the dark bedroom, a bloody Katana in hand. He turned my way and smirked, his shoulder-length white hair twisting silently in the breeze from the open window as blood dripped down his arm, down the length of the weapon in his grip.

No.. No, Not again… It wasn't real… It couldn't be real…. NO!

~oOo~

"NO!" I shot upright in bed, a scream building in my throat. It was dark now, and the cart was gone.

Slowly, I lowered my heart rate, slowed my breath, chanting to myself.

That dream again. It had been haunting me for years, ever since that day, when I'd seen that hideous side of him…

"I need food." I declared, louder than I needed to.

I pushed myself out of the bed and stumbled to the door, falling over once. After a moment of cursing, I lurched to my feet again, only to fall against the door, fumble for the key on the table beside it, and manage to yank open the wooden slab, into bright lights and cool fresh air. I took a deep breath, wiping the back of my hand along my forehead, then was off.

I half stumbled down the hallway to the stairs, almost fell again on the landing, and didn't stop until I reached the dining area and had slouched in a booth seat. Surprisingly, there were still a lot of people awake, eating their dinner and drinking… whatever they were drinking. The waitress looked half asleep as she made her way over to me.

"Hello, I'm Charolette; I'll be your server tonight. What can I get you to drink?" She asked robotically.

"Uh… Coffee. Two spoons of sugar, a splash of milk. And get yourself a cup and sit with me. You look dead on your feet." She blinked at me in surprise, then smiled and nodded, handing me a menu.

"Fifteen hours of work a day- it'll take a lot out of you." She sighed. "I'm supposed to suggest the steak tips and mashed potatoes, but the steak they used is old and microwaved and the potatoes are cement. I like the chicken tenders and fruit cup best." She twisted her lips into a weak smile.

I returned it happily. "Then we'll get two." I pulled a 10 out of my pocket and handed it to her. "If they give you any trouble, give 'em that."

"Will do, uh…."

"Terah."

"I'll be back with the food in… fifteen minutes." She nodded and walked off, leaving me with a pretty white orchid centerpiece and a small wire box of condiments. I hummed quietly to myself, watching the other waitresses walk around, hefting large trays of food and drinks to tables and the kitchens and back. And they were supposed to do this on a regular basis, in heels? The management is crazy…

"Hello, may I help you, M'am?" I looked up at the waiter who had walked over, and smiled slightly.

"No, I just gave Charolette my order." He nodded and turned away, and I snuck a look at his shoes. Black Oxfords. Lucky males.

He walked away and I turned to the pretty, ghostly pale flower. It was cute- one of three colors the kitchen had stocked. Pink, purple, and white. They were my favorite flowers, right up next to cactus blossoms, and if you poured blueberry juice on them every time you watered, the flowers turned blue because it absorbed the nutrients and color pigments, and since the petals are the most influenced, they were turned blue by said pigment. It was really very interesting. I'd gone to a library and found books that nobody checked out, and figured I would take a look, expand my knowledge. Flowers are very interesting... and so is the human anatomy and biology. 358 pressure points that can easily disarm, inable, paralyze and kill an enemy. Over 600 muscles that can be removed separately. Oh so many bones to support the body, and that can be broken and mended and broken again...

Yeah, maybe there was a reason I was head of the torture and interrogation division back in my old village...

"Alright, two coffees and two chicken platters." I blinked into reality, surprised to see Charolette sitting across from me and two plates of food in between us on the tabletop.

"Great." I sighed, sipping the coffee she pushed towards me.

She nodded and worked on eating a chicken strip.

"So," I started after a comfortable silence, staring at her face, "I'm going to guess... working two jobs to pay the bills- possibly helping out family or close friends- hate them both, but working yourself to the bone because you know it will all pay off." I stated, looking into her eyes. They were a soft blue, starkly contrasting her red hair. "And... you had a rough past. I think I see... death... abuse... lost. Your parents died when you were young, and in the many foster homes afterwards, you took abuse in multiple way. You felt toally lost in the world, a fish out of water, but... you found someone. Or should I say they found you?"

She blinked, proccessing. "Um... y-yeah." she looked down, stirring her coffee idley. "You know, rough economy. Things are getting pricey, and Mai-chan... she helped me out in a tough spot, so I figured I owed her something."

"I understand. 105 hour weeks, right? Trying your hardest, not three hours rest before you're off again. It's tough..." I tossed a piece of fruit in my mouth, chewing it slowly as I contemplated. "You deserve better. You've been walked on your whole life, but nobody ever appreciates it. I don't even know you and I can see that."

She half smiled, taking another bite of chicken tender.

Pity hit me like a cake to the face(almost literally, when the waitor passing by tripped), and I pulled a handful of cash from my coin purse, holding it out to her. "Here. I don't need it. you clearly do. Take it and do whatever."

She stared at me in pure shock for a minute as my words and actions registered. Slowly, she took the wad of paper, holding it like it was breakable. "Th-thank you... thank you so much..." She wiped at her eye. "You know, you're already doing all kinds of things for me, and all I know is your name."

"Trust me, It's better that way." I cut her off, taking a long drink.

We finnished our food and coffee after that simple display in quiet. Charolette told me a little more about herself and her past, occasionally prodding me for info about myself or dropping not so subtle hints that she was curious. She didn't get much out of it. When we finnished, she thanked me again and gathered our dishes on a large round tray. I gave her the money for our meals and sent her off, heading back towards my room alone and feeling happy with myself.

I probably shouldn't have given her that money, the little voice of logic in the back of my head scolded. Her dearest Mai-chan was probably a druggie, and useless, but she just didn't have the kahones to tell her to get up and do something.

I just couldn't stand the guilt of knowing I could have helped her and I didn't, the voice of fact and the obvious replied.

Well, If I can help someone else, maybe it will shorten my sentance in hell for what I couldn't do before.

~oOo~

Updated version, for those who care.

So, here's your next chappy. Review, or I will not type the next one! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Question: Why is there a Krusty Krab in Bikini Bottom?