Chapter 9
The Reunion II
AYA's POV
I wake up from the sound of explosions coming from the outside.
I slowly open my eyes, squinting at first, adjusting at the same time scanning the dark, humid room, looking for any signs of life. Sweat damps my clothes making me uncomfortable.
I try moving my weak exhausted body. It's no use. These restrains on my wrists and ankles do me no good. Somehow it makes me think if I'll ever survive this time. My chakra is almost depleted and I not know how much longer these I can take. If they are going to kill me, they should hurry. Prolonging the agony only feeds their ego and I don't want them to have such satisfaction.
Something twitches from the corner of my eyes.
Wataru. He's still alive.
I should probably feel relieved. But instead a pang of anger arises from deep within me. I wonder what would become of Wataru if I'm dead. Would he return to the village and go by to his normal life pretending nothing happened? Or carry the guilt as one of the reasons that lead to my untimely death? Though right now, I'm not even sure if he's even Konoha's ally, my ally, or Akatsuki's. I don't know anymore.
Suddenly, images flash through my head and trigger a headache I rarely get. Like a film being played in rewind, but bleak and obscure. The truth that only I didn't know about unexpectedly resurfaces on my mind, leaving me breathless from shock.
I scream. So loud that I didn't notice Wataru is screaming too. So loud that I didn't hear the walls fall apart. So loud that I didn't see the only person who has always been my safe house is standing right beside the fallen walls, ready to kill anyone who stands in his way.
Standing beside him is Akane, fear painted on her face.
"Aya," Kakashi says.
It took me a while to get myself together. I shake my head hard, trying to erase the images that ostentatiously invade my mind. I look at him, trying to rearrange my dread face.
He hurriedly make his way towards me and reaches out his hands to open the cuffs on my restraints and slowly carries me in place.
"Let's go."
"Put me down." I say, weakly.
"We have to go, Aya-taicho. There's no time." Akane says while supporting Wataru's weight. "Guy-sensei and Asuma-sensei are fighting the Akatsuki right now. We don't know how much longer they'll hold up."
"Put me down now, Kakashi!" I command.
He does what I say.
"You," I say, pointing at him, fury clearly smears my face. "You knew all along. Yua is alive! And Wataru… Wataru's memory…"
I can't clearly stitch my thoughts into words. My low chakra took away all my thinking ability; all I want to do right now is to lie in bed and forget that this is happening.
I try to regulate my breathing, calm my pounding heart and ask, "Were you the one who suggested altering my memory?"
Kakashi gives me a wry look.
"Your memory is returning, I see," He arches an eyebrow. "But you don't remember everything yet."
"What…"
"Kakashi, why are you still there?" Sukki yells. "We need to go now!"
In an instant, Kakashi lifts me from the ground while Sukki fishes Wataru from Akane and all of us head towards the exit.
