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Track 2: Pianississimo. – Very, very soft


I don't know what brought me back to the lake, but I had to get out again. Madara has been up my ass once again - more and more, and last night I wanted to chew his head off.

As I perched upon the branch from yesterday, familiar notes drifted in the wind. She was far away, but I guess that's a plus for going blind: you rely more on hearing and in return, it gets sharper.

She appeared in my line of view with the same basket that she carried yesterday. I could make out the syllables now, but the words still seemed foreign to me.

To get a better view, I switched to my Sharingan. She wore a lavender kimono and her red hair was tied and hung over her shoulder. Its highlights flashing orange and pink. Her gray-blue eye slid quickly in my direction, accusing.

My back stiffened and I let myself go blurry again, even though she probably couldn't see me. I closed my eyes and focused on my surroundings.

The sounds of birds and lapping water couldn't over power her song.

The girl's song gave a crescendo and I noticed that she had deep sound in her voice. It didn't make her sound manly, but it sounded like she was singing from the depths of her soul. From a part of her that you couldn't see unless she sang it out.

I had to admit, it was beautiful.

Her voice grew higher and higher until it was almost nonexistent, and then suddenly, seem to tumble down. Each word sounded like pain turning into despair; into darkness.

Into madness.

"Everything you told me is a lie..."

My eyes flashed open as I recognized the words. No longer foreign:

"You were supposed to be there for me.

Where did you go?

I miss you.

In my darkest hour, you betrayed me.

I'm tried my hardest to get stronger

To rise above, to be rid of you

I believed your lie

But the truth came out

And I was wrong

I'm sorry, forgive me.

My eyes are wide and I couldn't breathe. My stomach clenched, my head pounded and I felt like my lungs were going to burst.

Things have changed since you've gone

And I'm no longer the person I thought I was

Because of you I don't know what to believe anymore

You've changed me

You've made me, who I am today

You've changed me... once again..."

When the last note of her song drifted away, my head hung and a smirk flitted across my face.

Then, my face was in hers and my hand around her fragile neck.

She was alarmed, but she seemed to look through me.

"Who the hell are you?" I growled.

"Aria." She looked at me so intensely that I let her go.

"Aria," I sneered, "What the hell was that?"

"What was what?"

"That song you just sang."

"Just a song."

Frustrated, I walked away from her.

"At first, it may seem like a song in a different language, unrecognizable. Foreign."

I stopped.

"But when you think about something, the words change and morph into what you're feeling. The words you cannot speak. It's an ancient song. I'm also sorry if I singing it made you think of... things you'd prefer not to think about. I can't help it, it's beautiful."

I turned to face her. I felt her eyes bore into mine like she was looking into my soul, like she knew everything and every thought.

It was unsettling.

A small smile crept on her face and she lowered her eyes to the ground, like she knew how her eyes made me feel. She looked at the now scattered berries that had fallen out of her basket, birds swooping down to claim their stolen goods.

She pouted, "I would hope you have the time to help me pick all those berries again."

The trees rustled with a breeze and a piece of her hair flung itself into her face. She ended its short lived freedom and tucked it behind her ear, all while her eyes sheepishly looked up at me.

I smirked.

"It's the least you could do for nearly killing me for the past two days." Her dimpled smile grew to her eyes.
I couldn't help sighing. I had better things to do than this, but then again I didn't want to go back that hole.

I grabbed her wicker basket and crouched by the bush, even though my back was to her, I had a feeling she wouldn't dare try anything stupid.

She kneels beside me and starts plucking. By the time the basket is full, the sun was hanging low in the sky, the orange aura claiming another day.

"Ah! There we go!" She wiped her forehead and stood up as I started walking away.

"W-WAIT!" I heard her yell. The next thing I know I receive a handkerchief full of raspberries.

"They're a good source of vitamin c, which helps get rid of the bad stuff. I was going to give you some yesterday, but..." She smiled up at me.

I hesitate to take it.

"It's not poisoned... but you should probably wash them when you get home."

Home...

I take the pouch and put in my pocket.

"I don't expect a 'thank you'. I guess you helping me were enough." She shifted and the tie that held her hair together fell off.

"Oh shoot." She bent down to retrieve it and went to say something, but I was gone; already making my way through the cover of the trees.

"Still as rude as ever." She said and I could hear the smile in her voice.

I couldn't help my smirk.

I reached base and the three seconds after I flopped on my bed, Juugo knocks on the door.

"Madara wants to see you."

"Then he can come and see me."

"Why must you be so difficult, Sasuke?" He pouted.

"Juugo." I warned.

"Well, it's your funeral."

Doubtful. I rolled onto my side to face the wall. I sighed and closed my eyes, hoping that sleep would steal me away from Madara for a few hours. But I only thought about my revenge for my clan.

For Itachi...

Three hours later, defeated, I crawled out of my bed and into the bathroom. I turned the shower on and then looked at myself in the mirror and was disgusted with what I saw.

Just like Aria's song, I looked foreign – unrecognizable: My pale skin was almost a gray color that stuck out against my black hair; cheek bones that jut out and eyes that look bruised. Black eyes that were as flat and hard as coal itself.

"Tsch." I squeezed my eyes shut from the unfamiliar face and slid out of my stifling clothes. The icy water felt good on my hot skin. I stood there for a while, thinking about a line of Aria's song.

"I'm sorry, forgive me."

Can you forgive me, Big Brother? For being so naïve? I thought to the tiled ceiling. The only response I got was the sound of echoing water. I sighed and turned the knob to off.

I walked back into my room, and to my dismay, a letter from Madara telling me to come in the hour.

I knew better than to piss him off anymore. I quickly put on my clothes and shook out more water from my ever growing hair.

I still needed that goddamn haircut.