Chapter 3: A Place to Think

The next morning I awoke to silence. I rolled over and checked the time with my half-asleep eyes.

6:13 AM… It's early. I should probably go there.

I got out of bed, too tired to fix it, slipped out of my PJ's, and put my regular ninja suit. I looked into my giant mirror as I draped my akatsuki cloak around my shoulders, letting it engulf me with red clouds in a black sky.

I walked out into the hallway and drifted down a long, creepy hallway and passed many doors until I reached the door, or should I say the giant-stone-that-is-marked-with-tags-so-if-you-try-and-open-it-without-doing-a-secret-handsign-you'll-die boulder.

I quickly made the hand sign and chanted secret words. I kneeled down and lifted my head and very slowly, the boulder rolled over, letting in sunlight.

My feet carried me outside, and I walked to a giant lake. It was my secret hiding place ever since we moved to this place. It was very relaxing and soothing. It was my official place to think. There, it was away from the Akatsuki, Konoha, and the Hidden Sound. This very lake is where I could forget my past and just think.

I went to a random boulder and willed my legs to climb upon it. Then, I decided to lie down, and stared out into the blue, cloud-spotted sky.

My mind pondered about my mother and friends that had passed.

I bet they have it better than I do now.

Then, my mind went to my father. He's still alive, I knew that, but I wonder what had become of him ever since the night.

My mind suddenly showed me flashbacks of my father slaughtering my clan. I saw crimson blood everywhere, and I heard my mother saying, "I love you, Kasumi. Good Bye."

Then I heard a terrible scream before I was transported from the compound.

Tears swelled up in my eyes, and I let them fall, flowing onto my cheeks, and falling at my jaw line. The faces of the people I loved that passed filled my mind. I saw my brother, Isamu, and my best friends, Hotaru and Hana and I knew I missed them so much. I even thought about my best friend Kairyuu even though he didn't die yet. I wondered what happened to him after I fled Orochimaru. Leaving him there, helpless. He was merely a test subject, but we became fast friends.

After I was done letting myself shed tears, I used my sleeve to wipe my face dry. I started to think of something else. And to be specific, I thought about Itachi and his little "deal".

"On the night I slaughtered my clan, before I killed the boy's parents, they put an ocular power in him that keeps me from touching him…"

I recalled hearing Itachi's very own voice saying those exact words and couldn't help thinking this was a trap. I couldn't resist thinking that Itachi wouldn't tell me what he's hiding when I was done with my side of the bargain.

Suddenly my ears picked up a strange rustling noise in the trees behind me. I whipped my head around, searching for the cause and activated my sharingan.

" Who ever is hiding, come out now, or I'll kill you." I demanded with cold, heartless eyes. I scanned the forest still looking for who ever or what ever interrupted my thinking.

"Kasumi? Is that really you?" I heard an uneasy voice behind me say.

It's him. I know it.

My body completely froze over that voice. I knew it. He was going to come sooner or later. I turned my head slowly to confirm my prediction.

It really is him.

"Kairyuu?" I asked.