Author's Note: Don't forget to R&R :) And if you do, I'll give you one hundred virtual chocolate chip cookies!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
"Kurai! Dinner's ready!"
I ran inside to the smell of freshly steamed rice and vegetables with grilled pork strips – my favourite. My mother was a beautiful woman, and the kindest I had ever known. My father was what many would call a fool, who did silly things to make me laugh. But once you got to know him, you'd discover that he was extremely intelligent and brave. A worthy shinobi in my eyes. All I ever wanted was to be as kind as mother, and as strong and able as father.
After dinner my mother washed me and tucked me in. I was five years old, but I had a feeling she would still tuck me in even if I was fifty. "Goodnight, my sweet little Kurai," she said. "Pleasant dreams."
I smiled and closed my eyes, preparing for a good night's sleep. Little did I know it would be the last good night's sleep I would ever have.
I woke up somewhere in the early hours of the morning. It was still dark outside, and cold too. So cold... I felt like all the world had been frozen over in the night. I couldn't explain it, but I was worried. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. I flipped off my covers and became aware of the golden glow around my hands and feet and body. At first I was startled. What was this? It looked like fire but it wasn't warm. It was freezing cold. What was happening to me?
Despite how it felt, the more I looked at it, the more beautiful it seemed to me. I quickly stood up and looked at my reflection in the mirror on my wall. Wow... Who was this person looking back at me? When did my blood-red hair seem so fiery and strong? When did my dull skin glow with such passion? When did my small hands seem so capable? My entire body was immersed in the golden glow, and suddenly I was excited – and all thought of worrying left me.
I raced downstairs to show my parents. At the bottom step I slipped on something and came tumbling to a painful stop. What had I stepped in? Did someone spill water on the steps last night? I reached up for the light switch and flipped it on. When I saw it, my hands shook. My blood ran cold – colder than it already was. So cold it hurt.
Blood. Blood everywhere. Trailing down the steps and into my parents' room. For a moment I couldn't breath. I couldn't move. A scream threatened to work its way up my throat, but couldn't get out. Tears welled in my green eyes, and I forced my legs to move closer to my parents' room. It took me ages to get there, it seemed, and even longer to wrap my trembling fingers over the handle and turn it. I was grateful no light shone into the room, for I feared with every cell in my body what I would see.
"Mother? Father?" The words clawed their way out my strangled throat, and when there was no answer, I tentatively felt for the light switch. Weak light flooded the bedroom, illuminating the mangled and shredded bodies of the two people I held most dear to me. The bed sheets were soaked in their blood and clung to their bodies. My father was half on the floor, half on the bed, reaching towards my mother. The trail of blood from the stairs was his.
Looking at them, my grief was quickly replaced with rage and I ran around the house looking for an intruder. Who had done this? Who was responsible? Where were they? I didn't know what I would do if I found them, but my anger refused to let me stand there and do nothing.
The house was empty. I felt empty. I caught my reflection in the hallway mirror, but I didn't recognise the stranger looking back at me. Who was that? Was that me? The golden glow that surrounded the girl appeared hostile – vibrating with malicious intent. That couldn't be me... I would never do something like this!
"Oh but you did," a voice whispered in my head. My eyes widened in fear. "You did this."
Kurai's POV
I woke up trembling, as I did every night. Only recently had I learned how to control my Kekkei Genkei even whilst I was asleep. I could never stop the tremors, but I could stop anything bad from happening. Orochimaru had taught me that. He'd even slept in the same room to keep an eye on me. And every time I started losing control he'd wake me up and help me get it together. After a week of it, I was able to get it together by myself, without even waking up. Orochimaru was pleased; he could finally sleep in his own room again.
The sun was up, and so was I. Kakashi was already making breakfast – which I was exceedingly grateful for because I didn't have a clue how to cook – and it wasn't long before we were on our way to the Hokage's office. Today was my first interrogation with Ino Yamanaka. To say I was nervous would be the understatement of the century. I was freaking out, and Kakashi could tell.
"Relax, Kurai," he said, his one visible eye glued to me. I imagined the small army of ANBU shinobi that were following us had also picked up on my nervous state.
"I'm trying, but it's not as easy as you think," I replied. His gaze turned worried, but I reassured him. "I'm in control, I promise. But I'm about to have my mind invaded by someone I don't know and it's just making me really anxious. What will she see? What if there's something private that I want to keep to myself?" Like my dreams...
"Ino Yamanaka is a professional at what she does," Kakashi said. "She will give you her full discretion and keep anything private that she sees to herself. If, however, she finds something that may be classified as a threat to your control or a possible trigger of your Kekkei Genkei, then she will inform Lady Tsunade and the Hokage. You will also be informed, I assure you."
When we reached the Hokage's office, I was introduced to Ino Yamanaka, a pretty young woman with stunning blonde hair that I immediately envied. Nevertheless, she was quite sweet and seemed to know exactly what she was doing. She put me in a chair that leaned back comfortably, but when she tried to strap my arms and legs down, I protested.
"Miss Akira, I'm sorry but we have to do this," Ino said, giving Kakashi a look that said "Help me".
"Kurai, don't resist. It's just a precaution," Kakashi said, smiling at me. I wasn't comforted. "I'll be right here through the whole thing."
"If you like, I can give you a mild sedative," Ino suggested. "It won't put you out, but it will relax you. It will help with the tremors, too."
I shook my head. "I'm not the one who's going to need it. You're the one who's taking a trip inside my head..."
Tsunade's POV
"Miss Yamanaka! Are you alright? What happened? Did Kurai lose control?" I questioned a rather pale and stricken looking Ino, who had difficulty standing in front of me on two wobbly legs. She looked like she had just crawled out of hell itself.
"N-No, she didn't lose control," Ino replied with a shaken voice. "But I- I saw- I saw- so much pain... So much loss... So much b-blood... I- I couldn't go any further. I'm sorry, I will try again tomorrow."
"No, don't apologise. I should have forewarned you about what you might see. Kurai has had a difficult life. It's a miracle she hasn't turned against us and started a massacre. However, did you see anything that would suggest she has alternative intentions? Does she plan on turning against us? Starting a war? Losing control?"
Ino shook her head. "No, nothing like that. From what I could see, she has gained considerable control over her Kekkei Genkei. I feel safer knowing that, but to be sure I would like to exam her a few more times. Another member of my clan will also be examining her, in case I missed anything."
I dismissed Miss Yamanaka and sat back down at my desk. What a day, but Kurai had passed her first test: she had remained in complete control whilst someone meddled around in her head looking through her memories and past experiences. Between the two of them, Kurai had come out less scathed than Ino, poor girl. Perhaps it would be more prudent if Ino and her fellow Clan member took turns in examining Kurai.
The next test was in two days. Kurai will be sparring with some of our top Jounin – as well as with myself and Naruto, the Hokage. If I thought these examinations were stressful or anxiety-inducing, I couldn't even begin to think what that would be like. Extra security would have to be brought in. Safety measures would have to be implemented. A secure training area would have to be sectioned off. All these precautions just so Kurai could spar with a fellow Leaf shinobi.
"Kurai... What the hell are you?"
