Hey all this is chapter ten brought to you by: Paperclips, the only good thing in my life. Now onto the reviews
darklight03- I feel her pain too I become my character when I write so I try to keep it real lol
Suna-TsukiKoinu- Thank you
BloodHeron- thank you I couldn't figure how too spell the word and the spell check wasn't helping me figure it out Orochimaru can't be squished… stupid snake he has to be blown up lol
Adventurous Dream Girl really you didn't?... I thought it was obvious …. Oh well what can I say thanks for the review
Burn- love that name…. hehe wouldn't you like to know… well I guess you would if you are reading this chapter
Jazzy Uchiha- oooo you feel sorry…. I don't hahahaha
13thShadowKnight- lol your comments make me laugh although your right Orochimaru just plain freaks me out and your friend is crazy! Kakashi is so cuddly lol
Fuyun- that's the spirit! Muhahaha thanks for the comment
Paprika012345- happy you like it hope this was soon enough for yous
Neji-kun-naruto- meh then you need to try and read a non-yaoi Kabuto/OC pairing they tend to be really good try reading Trust me, My Love and if you still don't like it then I will not push the subject onto you any longer
Gaara's otome of course I'll continue don't you fret just takes me a while to update thanks for your comment
Vlad Plasmious- blink blink wow I like your name lol thanks for your comment too
Jessica- hehe…. It'll be something sort of like that but you'll have to read to find out
Ghostioanddaigona- well here's more lol thanks for the review
shadow-5-girl- oh it's no problem I was really sick so I don't blame you for not reviewing or anything
Jenny- really? I'm your favorite blush blush thank you lol I feel so happy to know that you like it that much thanks for the review
QUICK NOTE- hey sorry the update took so long but I used like half a week to do some researching for better fan fiction reading by reading about 150 chapters of online Naruto manga so that took up some of my time and then I got the uber flu and ended up sick and in bed for another whole week then I had to make up all of the work I missed in school being sick for that long so it took over three weeks to update and for that I am really sorry but I couldn't help it anyways
I do not own Naruto so there hahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha bleh
The leaf nin known as Ichimaru Atashi sat crumpled on the prison floor gasping for the air her body failed to intake. Tremors of electricity shot through her body making her breathing harder than usual. "Siren," she hissed as her mind started to smear the fine line between consciousness and unconsciousness. "S-siren," she gasped again feeling as if she was being tortured by some sort of lightening jutsu.
'Child, do not distract me unless you want the pain to intensify.'
Atashi moaned biting her bottom lip to keep herself awake, 'Seems that the siren is blocking Orochimaru from my mind but,' she winced in pain, 'but if I fail to stay conscious, it will more than likely double the pain that I am already experiencing. How the hell did Sasuke and Anko endure this? I can barely control my shaking and pain, not to mention that the Siren is fending off the treacherous Sannin….. but then again they did have chakra….. damnit.' Her breathing faltered briefly making the room spin all around her. Taking a painful breath, Atashi formed the tiger seal and tried to mold her chakra.
It sparked before her eyes making them widen in surprise. 'It worked?' The diplomat decided to try again but this time her body was sent into an extremely painful spasm causing her immediate unconsciousness.
Gaara paced his room angrily, 'I let her live. Why did I let her live?...' he turned and moved towards the wall farthest from him, 'I should have killed her… and then I would be stronger and less…. Less anxious. Did I not kill her because she is like me? Did I not let my sand absorb her blood because I pitied her? I don't care what happens to her. I'll be glad to see her die……. But then why do I feel this pain here?' He stopped in the middle of his room and pressed his open hand to his chest. 'Why do I hurt here again?'
"There are wounds that do not bleed… wounds of the heart…. There are times when those hurts never heal and go away, but if you want them to stop aching you need another person to heal it for you….. Gaara you need love."
Gaara's sand lashed the wall, splintering the wood beyond the paint and sheet rock. 'Love! I need no love, I have only love for myself and that is what will help me survive.'
He growled grabbing his gourd and stalking out the door and down the hall. The frustrated sand demon retainer encountered his siblings as he descended the stairs. Both of them flattened themselves against the wall, letting their youngest sibling pass by with plenty of room.
"G-Gaara, where a-are you going," Temari managed to stutter as Gaara reached the bottom of the stairs.
The aura around the red-haired boy darkened, "None of your concern. Don't speak to me unless you have a wish to die."
Not waiting for a reply, the disgruntled boy left the house.
Atashi stood staring into the surrounding darkness that reigned over her vision. Numbly she took a step forward only to lose balance and stumble. Ahead of her now was a faint red glow. Climbing back to her tired feet, she stared trying to make out what she was seeing before her. Whatever it was, it was drawing closer, or maybe she was going closer to it. She was currently unsure, all she knew was that whatever it was, it was certainly familiar looking.
It was still hundreds of yards away but the kunoichi froze recognizing what it was. Unable to move frozen in horror, she watched as the broken gate of Konohagakure drew closer, flames caressing the wooden structure. It flew past her so she then stood in the village. Her beautiful home was destroyed, the familiar looking streets littered with the bodies of friends, colleagues, acquaintances;
people who she had grown up with
locals she knew by first name;
her teachers
her caretakers;
the people she had sworn to protect,
the ones she had sworn to cherish.
It was the mass death of the reason she kept herself alive.
The city moved past her until she stood in front of the Hokage tower. Its structure was demolished completely, destroyed. Atashi found herself on the brink of tears, she felt as if something was squeezing her lungs making her unable to breathe at all. The flaming village faded from around her again, leaving her alone in the dark once again.
"Konoha will be destroyed and it will be all your fault, Ichimaru-san and your weaknesses. Because of you, everyone you care about will die and you will be all alone again, but it doesn't matter now does it? You've always been lonely.
No accepts you.
They all see you're different
Unworthy.
They would all rather see you dead.
You are unimportant.
No one wants your help.
You are too weak. Too weak to protect the one thing you live for.
You are unworthy to protect your home.
Unworthy to guard Konohagakure."
The words rang in her mind. Unworthy. Unable. Your fault. Hated. Alone. Atashi fell to her knees and held her head.
"That's not true," she screamed, "I would protect my home with my life!"
"Worthless."
"NO! Stop it! Stop it…." She closed her eyes short of breath 'I am needed. Hidden leaf needs my protection.'
"Your fault."
Tears streamed out of her clenched eyes as her crumpled being was sucked into a never ending depression.
The kunoichi gasped returning to reality. 'A dream. Just a dream.'
Her breathing was still unsteady and her body was completely drained of energy. Out of the corner of her blurry eye, she made out a black sandal. Not bothering to turn her head she whispered, " Is there something I can help you with Kankuro-san?"
The puppet master shuffled forward towards the kneeling prisoner. "I just want you to answer a question for me. D-did you really attempt to kill the Kazekage?"
Despite her current position Atashi smirked, "I do not think that I would be stupid enough to fight a shadow who happens to be someone much more powerful than me. So to answer your question, no I did not try to assassinate the Kazekage."
The black clad boy crouched to the kunoichi's level, "Then that means you're innocent and that you were set up. I'll go tell my Otou-san and-"
Atashi sat up and shook her head, "Kankuro that's not going to work."
"Of course it will. My-"
"Listen Kankuro, your Otou-san isn't going to listen because he wants me dead. He needs me dead because he made an alliance with Konoha's enemy, Otogakure."
"That's impossible. You're lying. The Kazekage wouldn't." Kankuro was shaking with outrage of the very thought.
"Look Kankuro believe what you want, its only a decision that you can make, but believe me when I say I've never lied to you about anything while I've been here. Now get out of her before you get caught, I don't want you to get into any trouble for talking to me."
They stared into each other's eyes, "I believe you Atashi." He paused glancing around the room, "that's why I'm going to help you to escape."
Atashi deadpanned, "Huh?"
"I said that I'm going to help you get out of here."
"Kankuro…."
He smiled at Atashi who was staring at him like he was crazy. Finding her voice the kunoichi spoke again, "Kankuro this is a bad idea, if you get caught you will be considered a traitor to your village and you will be put to death. I'm not worth the risk. Please just-"
It was Kankuro's turn to interrupt, "Look Atashi, I owe you big time. Because of you I was finally able to build up enough courage to ask the girl I like out. I am a bona fide chick magnet."
Blink Blink. 'Riight.'
"And I believe that you are innocent. Now do you want my help or not?
Atashi sighed tilting her head upwards, "Very well but if you get caught I won't forgive you."
The puppet master gave her a wicked grin, "I don't plan on getting caught." Slowly he started to gather chakra to the ends of his long digits.
'He's going to form some sort of chakra knife to cut the bonds? It is very simple but it might just work.'
"Could you spread out your wrists as far as you can? I don't want to accidentally cut you instead." Atashi complied immediately holding her arms out in front of her steadily. Slowly Kankuro's chakra became pointed long knife-like blades; he lowered his hand into the thin space between her wrists above the bond that kept the leaf nin from using her energy. Several flashed and danced impatiently around the string as the two energies of the bond and Kankuro collided with each other. Just as the bonds started to crackle and weaken, Kankuro lost concentration and swore under his breath before standing up, "I'm sorry. I couldn't break the bond completely but I must leave immediately."
Before the kunoichi could reply, the oldest brother of the sand siblings disappeared into thin air. 'I can only wonder what made him want to leave so fast.' Her answer came when another familiar face appeared in the room, "What brings you here, Kazekage-sama?"
"Nothing more then your impending death, Ichimaru-san. Look at you, so vulnerable and weak, nothing more than a stupid and worthless girl. To think I was ever scared of you."
'Cocky bastard wouldn't be saying that if I were untied.'
"But to answer your question, I am here to escort you to your death place."
"Oh I feel so special," Atashi sighed sarcastically giving the powerful sand nin a glare. On reaction the Kazekage smacked her across the face with his hand.
"Your disrespect is distasteful. I guess trash will remain trash until the very end."
"Does hitting those unable to defend themselves make you feel even more powerful?"
The Kazekage rose his hand to strike the leaf nin again but faltered seeing the look of challenge on her face. He smirked and lowered his hand, "You know what… I think we'll continue this conversation out in the open."
Atashi couldn't help but smirk even more at the Kazekage, "Is something the matter with just killing me here?"
"Not really. It was after all my second choice of place to end your existence but the first place is much better."
"Oh? And what is this place that you deem more worthy of my pathetic death?"
"You will find out soon enough Ichimaru-san."
From behind a black slip of cloth fell over her eyes and tied tightly. 'Great.' The shackles around her wrists and ankles disappeared leaving her with a mere line that held in her chakra. Thoughts raced through her head at such a high speed that a plan was already starting to form. She smirked inwardly, calculating the number of enemies present in the room, 'Okay three people are present, I could easily knock the one behind me out and then I could take out the one guarding the entrance. Screw the Kazekage, running is my best-' Atashi was shoved from behind bringing her out of her thoughts.
"I wouldn't try anything rash Ichimaru Atashi, You can't possibly escape."
'Well escaping is now out of the question since Gaara is one of the ones present.'
"Stand up Ichimaru-san, we have a bit of a walk before you're at your death place." Atashi had no choice but to comply with the order; slowly she rose to her feet, feeling weak at the knees and the stinging of the sudden increase in the blood flow to her legs. Biting the inside of her cheek, the diplomat took a step forward ignoring the throbbing in her legs.
"Lead the way then, I am curious now to see the place where I will die." Feeling the harsh tug on the string that bound her wrists and chakra, she followed obediently.
The farther she walked the more nauseated she felt, and to top it off the seal that Orochimaru had bestowed on her was throbbing. Slowly she inhaled and exhaled concentrating on keeping the contents of her stomach, whatever they may be, down. Stumbling over her feet and almost falling, Atashi started to climb the narrow stairs before her. Somewhere behind her one of the guards started to snicker. Just as she was about to say something about the laughing, Atashi stumbled again this time having reached the top of the stairs.
The quick forward movement made the lead nin's head snap back causing stress to the three commas on her neck. Making a nearly inaudible sound Atashi regained her balance and started to walk after who ever was in front of her. The air around her started to warm as she walked farther down the hallway .Her head and neck felt like someone was stabbing a sharp kunai repeatedly into them. 'Endurance Atashi Endurance,' the black haired girl mouthed digging her jagged fingernails into her pale palms. The tightness on her bonds became slack as Atashi narrowly missed the person who led her. Her warm breath rebounded back to her as it bounced off the figure in front of her.
Slowly reaching her hands out, her blood covered fingers met a hard round object, 'Gaara,' her mind screamed as she jerked her hands back. 'Okay calm down everything is going to be alright. Who am I kidding! I'm going to die! Ah, I don't want to die yet! I'll be like… the virgin sacrifice! NO! Why didn't I take up any of the offers for sex! Virgin! NO! Atashi shut up and think about it logically…. Now I'm having arguments with myself! I must be going mentally insane! Damn you black cat! I knew there would be repricutions to having you cross my path! I'm going to die and no one will notice and then Gaara's sand will squish me and suck all my blood up and they'll leave my body for the desert animals to eat and then scary snakes and scorpions will use my skull as a new home and then-'
Atashi's mind barely registered the faint jingle of keys and the rusty creaking of an old door's hinges. It wasn't until she was pulled forward that she realized her momentarily pause was over. With a quick breath Atashi stepped forward after the demon retainer.
Sand crunched under the kunoichi's worn black sandals as the sun mercilessly beated down on her healing sun burnt back.
An indistinct murmur met her eager ears, 'What the hell is going on?'
Suddenly it became deadly quiet for no apparent reason or so Atashi thought. "Citizens of Sunagakure, of Wind Country, before you stands the treacherous wench that tried to do away with me, the person who is on trial here today!" The unseen crowd hissed, booed and cheered at the Kazekage's words.
'So he made it into a spectator event…. Joy.'
The blindfold was removed from her eyes as she was forced into a kneeling position. The crowd gathered to see her death was huge! Like the whole entire village was there.
Her death place was a stadium- like structure with very high balconies. 'Can it get any worse than this?'
"Now Ichimaru-san how do you plead to the charge of attempted assassination of me the Kazekage?"
Atashi stared at him in disbelief, "Not guilty…."
The crowd yelled angrily throwing objects at the defenseless kunoichi, unfortunately their aim really sucked so Atashi didn't get hit by one thing.
The Kazekage kicked the diplomat in the back causing her to fall onto the ground. He then applied force with his heal into her spine. The leaf diplomat bit her lip to stop herself from crying out in pain. Cheering started to raise in her ears the longer the Kazekage held her in that position.
"What do you say citizens of Sunagakure, guilty or not guilty?"
"Guilty Guilty." The crowd's chant became furious.
"Ichimaru-san of Hidden Leaf Village you are found guilty of attempted murder of the Kazekage. Your punishment is death by beheadment."
"What! You can't do that you filthy bastard!"
He smirked down at her, "Oh, but I think I can. Restrain her."
Two Jounin appeared out of nowhere, grabbed the fifteen year old by the shoulders and slammed her down in front of the Kazekage who has pulled a katana out of seemingly thin air. "Any last words Ichimaru-san?
"Go to hell Bastard!"
"A fighter to the end. I'm going to miss you Ichimaru-san…. Not really." The ninja pulled back his katana and swung it down as hard as he could on her neck. It easily sliced through as the kunoichi's head rolled onto the ground. The crowd cheered in victory as the Kazekage picked up the head by its long spindly black hair.
As she brought it eye level he noticed something. There was no blood at all coming from the body or the head. In his hand the head became sand that piled uselessly on the ground.
Growling with seeping anger he spun around to ask his Jounin what happened but found them on the ground unconscious. "Where are you Ichimaru-san? Come out and face your death!"
"I think I'll stay hiding," the shinobi replied her voice echoing through the stadium. The Kazekage screeched in anger as he started his search for the kunoichi.
'Thank the gods for you Kankuro without the small dent you made in the bond, I would be dead right now. But because of it I trapped the Kazekage in Genjutsu. Now all I have to do is force my chakra through the bond and break it.' As Atashi gathered chakra to her hands her neck burst into pain once again, adding to what she already felt by being pressed into the sandy terrain.
"Kazekage-sama, are you alright," the Jounin on her right asked.
No response.
"Kazekage-sama?"
Still no response from the powerful shadow.
Feeling the weight holding her down lift and lessen slightly Atashi took the chance by flaring up her chakra at such a force that the Jounin holding her down were thrown off. Taking a sharp breath, she caught, in the corner of her eye, movement.
The Kazekage broke from Atashi's Genjutsu and slashed his blade down at a high speed. On reaction the kunoichi rolled onto her back, barely dodging the would be fatal blow. Instead the kunoichi's sand infested onyx hair took the blow.
The guardian of Suna stood staring down at where the blade connected to the ground, breathing heavily as if he had just run a marathon. With bought time, Atashi struggled with her bonds as they continued to hold fast, 'Break already you stupid string!'
The sun reflected off of sharp steal and into the leaf nin's eyes as the Kazekage bought the blade slowly to his shoulder's level. No noise met either's ears as the two enemy ninja glared at each other heatedly. The entire village was frozen in the lingering silence.
Atashi released the breath she had been holding and gave another sharp tug at her chakra bonds.
As fast as everything had seemed to freeze the world started to function; the sound of the citizens of Sunagakure screaming came back to unprepared ears as the cool steel blade flashed down aiming for the diplomat's neck. The unblocked blade met the sand as Atashi narrowly dodged a fatal blow her hair taking the damage once again instead.
In rapid succession with movements too fast for civilian eyes to track, the agitated wind shadow continued to hack away at the ground where his prisoner had previously laid. Although literally rolling for your life was somewhat productive and successful it only worked when there was actually a place to roll to, but when faced against a twenty foot high wall there was really no place for you to go. Atashi encountered this problem early on in her attempt to stay intact against the sword hacking Kazekage. The kunoichi's left sandaled foot tapped the sandy wall as she was brought to an abrupt stop, the looming wall to right, the towering psychopath Suna leader to her right, his sword poised to strike once again.
As the sharpened blade was thrusted as the delicate skin that covered her chest, the leaf nin did the first thing that came to her mind at that very moment; she kicked off of the wall causing her body to spin and narrowly dodge the sword, while kicking at the Kazekage who easily jumped over her legs.
Situations were dire, as the fifteen year old now lay on the ground with no where to escape to, her heart pounded rapidly as the Kazekage seemed to slowly raise his sword. Sweat stung her eyes as he held it readily over the kunoichi's heart. She squeezed her eyes shut and instinctively threw her hands up as he thrust it down aiming to kill her in that blow.
Atashi screamed in pain as the point of the sword went through the palm of her hand instead of into her chest. The steel protruded through her left hand as blood washed from the wound onto the kunoichi's dirt encrusted clothing; the pain was excruciating but Atashi smirked weakly as the foot of steel was removed from her hand.
As the blade was pulled away, the leaf nin's chakra bond fell uselessly to the ground, having been severed by the Kazekage's katana.
A/N: and that is the end of chapter ten meh I hope you enjoyed it!
Should Atashi hook up with Gaara soon?
How bad do you want them to kiss?
Should the storyline be close to the manga's storyline?
What kind of pairing would you like to see after Ten Years in Sand Country?
And just to tell you because I am weird my shoe had Sexy No Jutsu written on it in black pen… yeah so review and answer my above questions please thanks that's all.