Of Blood And Sand

Written by: BloodySandGirl

Disclaimer: BloodySandGirl doesn't own Naruto. Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto; all BloodySandGirl owns is Akane Tsukino and her family.

Aika Sakurano belongs to Spirit of Wynter, and I have permission to use said chara~ She was last I know working on a sister story to this, so you might wanna check it out~ This will also be the last time that I make this disclaimer or mention Wynter. Though the Chara and such still belong originally to her creative mind. Thanks~

Thanks:

xVentressx: Yes it is! Guess you will just have to keep reading to see now won't you? ;P Nah, he won't do anything for awhile at least.

fiore: (Or Whatever your user name may be! :) ) Thank you! Keep up reading, I have no plans on leaving people hanging. :)

Writer's Note: ( 3 )

Ohhhh a number three? What's going on?

ANYWHO! More Akane, less daddy dear...thank you everyone who reads this story, and those who review often. I would not keep writing this without all you guys.

Playlist: Linkin Park - What I've done, Breaking Benjamin - Dear Agony,

Chapter Ten: Loss of Life

Months passed and I did my best to avoid my father, which was easy given he was hardly ever home anymore. The gulf in our family grew but it allowed my mother, sisters and I to grow far closer than ever before; our father became a distant, shadowy figure in our lives within a remarkably short time. Recently, I had caught Mother and Ami talking about moving to her home village of Tsuki to live with one of my aunts; Ami was against the idea and I agreed with her. We were both Ninja of Taiyou and I wanted to stay that way even if Mother was against it. Aika though, was another matter...if Mother left I wanted my younger sister to go with her and I cornered Ami later to tell her my exact thoughts on the subject. I was relieved when my elder sister agreed with me- neither of us wanted Aika to become a Ninja for multiple reasons, mainly because neither of us could see Aika surviving becoming a Ninja..she was too kind, too soft, too gentle in manner..and these qualities, which we both valued highly in our sister, would be sacrificed-she would inevitably change (as both of us had) if she chose to pursue that path.

In the weeks following our discussion, all was as it had always been-we did not move, nor was the subject broached by Mother or ourselves-but I could tell Mother was getting closer to bringing it up to me and then possibly Aika. I knew Ami backed me, but Aika started to ask to go to the Academy and I feared for her safety more than leaving my home. I finally brought up taking Aika to Tsukigakure, the Moon village, but Mother refused to leave Ami and I or allow Aika to become a Ninja-we had reached a wall it seemed, an impasse that left us all feeling..unfulfilled. Time passed quickly however, and I started to take on missions again but this time, it was with Ami's team; the transition wasn't difficult though and I took some small pleasure in work as it kept my mind elsewhere; and so the days passed in a blur until I realized with some surprise my birthday was upon me. The night before I had begun another letter.

'Dear Gaara,

Did you not get my last letter? I'

I tossed the letter with a sigh and began composing another, a feeling of finality weighing heavily on my shoulders. In a rare moment of wistful remembrance I thought to myself how different things were from that time, seemingly so long ago, when my path had been crossed by a boy with eyes the color of sea-foam, red hair blazing in brilliant contrast against the hot sands in the sweltering desert of Suna; sometimes I wanted to go back to that time. I allowed my head to fall back onto the headrest of my chair with a huff as I closed my eyes, pressing one hand to my forehead. At times I felt so tired, stretched a little too thin..the youthful vitality of my body made little difference to the tattered mind housed within; things in this world were just as real, just as personal, and yet somehow, this world seemed more….vivid than the one before.

I pressed the palm of my hand into my forehead with a loud exhale and shook my head, feeling the weight of my braid swing across the back the chair. I then sat back up with sudden resolve, leaned forward and, taking a deep breath, gave myself a mental pep talk 'I can do this, I know I can, so stop procrastinating!'

'Dear Sabaku No Gaara,

This will be my last letter, because I've been writing you for over a year now...well, two years to be exact...and still no reply. I will probably still write to you, I just won't send them...so please respond...

Tsukino, Akane'

Aika had woken me up early that morning, bringing me breakfast in bed that she herself had made (I had been told this, quite proudly, by a beaming Aika, who had stood expectantly at my bedside in anticipation of my first bite) and I could not help but smile, happy despite the letter I had written late the night before. I am sure you know it was to a certain red-headed sand Ninja who I was going to try and reach out to once again. She'd eaten with me (only after I had first tried, then exulted, her meal) chatting happily in that carefree manner that so endeared her to me. Afterwards she gave me my present-a new set of wraps for training and a new whetstone-for which I was sincerely thankful and told her so as I gave her a quick, one-armed squeeze that sufficed as a hug.

It had been a peaceful morning and Aika's sweetness had put me in a rare good mood-I'd even bowed to my Kaa-San's wishes for me to wear a kimono, though I did sneak a pair of shorts and a tank on underneath it (I was still me after all, which equals hate on every and all kimonos everywhere). I even let Kaa-San pull the mess my hair had become over the last few years up into a bun of sorts; she swore it looked beautiful. I could have cared less-if not for Aika's obvious joy at going to the festival I probably would have fought against this girlish ritual in my usual manner-this time however I gave myself up to their wishes with a small smile and accepted defeat, helpless in the face of my little sister's questioning smile and large blue eyes...she gave a surprised squeal of joy when I nodded assent to their administrations, and her pleasure was apparent as she happily danced around me, pulling and tugging here and there until my head felt quite sore. Her reaction was almost worth the pain I endured.

Later that morning I had stood fully clothed in front of the bathroom mirror, whose perch against the opposing wall had remained unchanged for all of eternity to my knowledge. The mirror was tall and stately, and from what my mother had once told me, a family heirloom that had been passed down several generations now. I ran my fingers lightly across the aged silvery glass that reflected my image in the late morning sun; I gazed at myself in silence, taking in my appearance with and indifferent and critical eye; my gaze travelled down, noting the white hair framing my face in loose waves even as the tie put in by Kaa-San and Aika kept most of it tightly bound. I tucked a few stray strands of hair behind my ears with a slight frown….my hair had grown nearly to my waist in the last few years, something that had happened without my notice.

Further down, the skin of my forehead gleamed..my skin tone was an even, pale shade of ivory that matched my hair wonderfully, it even complimented the bright hue of my eyes, made them seem more intense somehow. My eyes..I stared unabashedly into them, searching their fiery depths. Eyes of crimson, the color of freshly spilled blood, glinted in the mirror from my face even as darker shades of red swam below the surface like shadows of terrible leviathans rising from the depths in a great see of blood. I'd learned in the last year that my eye colour changed based on my mood, and even the use of my blood line it didn't alter this. I closed my eyes, resting my face against the cold, smooth surface of the glass, centering myself before I started my day of 'fun'.

I could have cared less about my birthday, for it was still the same day it had always been...July the Thirteenth. Even in this world I could not seem to shake some things, they were….so similar….I caught myself counting these similarities all the time in what I suppose must have been an unconscious effort to reconcile my two lives; my number of siblings and matching days of birth were only two among a plethura of coincidences. I shook my head a little to clear myself of these introspections, tuning back into the outside world. Aika was chattering on about the koi toss, a game that I had always been good at..I caught her last sentence-she was saying something about wanting me to teach her my signature trick-and quickly capitalized on the opportunity to escape the house.

"Kaa-San, I'm going to take Aika to the koi pond, she wants to try it….and I think I will enjoy it as well." I smiled up at my mother, who laughed softly as she ruffled Aika's hair, who in return stuck out her tongue playfully.

"Alright, be careful Akane...and take care of your sister….remember lunch with your Oto-San later as well." I just nodded and quickly pulled Aika away towards the koi ponds. I would have much rather avoided a birthday lunch with my father altogether, but for my family's sake I would endure.

"We're going to visit Obaa-San as well! I'll find you after!" I shouted over my shoulder right before we turned the corner, grinning irreverently at Aika, who only laughed.

"Kaa-San will not like that Ane, you doing things on your own." She giggled and I ruffled her hair, earning a glare as we neared the ponds whose tranquil waters played host to every kind of game imagineable for most everyone around.

"Eh, what do I care Ai? I'm a Ninja and she always treats me like a baby but I can look after you for a little while." She smiled at me, her pale blue eyes seeming to sparkle at my words and I knew right then taking Aika away from our mother for awhile was a good choice. Aika struggled under our mother's smothering embrace far worse than I ever did, but then again my little sister was a kind soul...and kind souls, combined with gentle upbringings and soft hearts, were souls that didn't do well under relentless pressure..like a fragile flower struggling to grow under torrential rains, I envisioned Aika's will crumbling under our mother's love like the stem of the flower snapping under the weight of all that water pouring down upon in constant, life-giving drops. I felt a swift pang of sorrow and overwhelming love for my little sister then..I gave Aika a quick hug, feeling her tiny frame and the heart beneath it beating fiercely before I let go and lead her into the rush of children and adults playing the various games set up in the center of town.

Aika was rather easily frustrated, a trait that often enough reminded me of Lei, but she was not one to give in on much. We continued using the small paper 'nets' which looked more like a fan 'made to help you lose' as Aika put it often enough. I could not help but laugh at my sister, and her obvious anger at the game..she was still being rather hopeless at it, despite my best attempts.

"Ai, calm down…" I laughed when she turned, flashing angry blue eyes in my direction and a scowl on her face that went against her usually cheerful disposition and looked unnatural there. "Oh don't scowl, you'll get wrinkles…." She huffed as I smoothed a hand across her forehead but soon enough cracked a small grin.

"It's so easy for you and A-"

"Yeah yeah!" I lightly shoved her shoulder, earning a confused look as I paid for another round and a few more of the ridiculous paper nets. "It's a thin piece of paper, it only takes patience and I know you can do it...remember what I told you; thing is, actually watch this time, okay?" She huffed but nodded, giving me the focus only a small child could...if an adult were to give you such a fixed, attentive stare it would be creepy. I shook away my dark thoughts as I watched for a koi to get close enough. Then, with a quick scoop under it, I managed to toss it into a nearby fishbowl.

"See?" She nodded mutely as she took the second turn-you had to get two out of three to win a fish-and failed miserably, the paper ripping through.

"Again." She growled softly and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. This time Aika managed to get the fish up, much to my surprise. It barely made it into the bowl I had tossed the previous one into but of course my baby sister was completely elated by her victory.

"I-I WON!" She screamed, throwing herself into me and I could only laugh as she jumped around in utter, complete joy.

"Then let's get your fish, eh?" I mused over her excited voice as she continued to repeat 'I won' to my complete annoyance. Yeah, she was my baby sister and I did love her, that did not mean there were not times when even she did annoy me. She pulled me along, her hand tangled with my own as we approached the merchant who gave out prizes. Aika's prize was her choice of fish..I watched my sister with an indulgent smile as she pressed a clenched fist to her mouth, cheeks pink, flushed with her excitement. She was being sure to find the 'perfect' fish, or, well, that is how I interpreted her lengthy show of staring at first one fish then another, as we stood like that for several long minutes.

"That one!" 'Finally' I mumbled under my breath as she pointed to a mostly white koi that had some rather vibrant splotches of red. "Like your eyes….the red reminds me of your eyes Ane…." She smiled up at me sweetly and I felt an iron fist grab my heart even as I smiled back. "Can we show Obaa-San?"

"Of course, I wanted to get some tea anyways…" I smiled down at her as I laced my fingers through hers again and this time she followed me, her prize fish swinging in the bag clenched in her free hand. We'd only made it a couple streets over when a loud boom rang out across the air, making the ground shake and leaving my ears ringing. I looked around in surprise. 'Fireworks? They should not be till later today though…' My thoughts trailed off as I noticed it was not any kind of fireworks display I had ever seen before; in fact, it was most definitely not fireworks at all. I saw, in the stark clarity afforded me by my rush of adrenaline, the flames licking up the sides of the walls of a nearby shop. 'An organic tea shop that opened up only this last year' I thought senselessly, crouching instinctively over Aika's trembling form..all the while my eyes happening upon one black figure after another and I realized then that there were people dressed in black starting to appear in alarming numbers, at an equally alarming rate, all around as more explosions sounded in the distance. I barely registered it when my mother rushed up behind me and grabbed Aika's hands out of my own..I knew this was no game, no prank or silly joke.

We were under attack.

"Aika! AIKA!" My mother's frantic screams yanked me from my thoughts and I looked back at her….I wished in that second I had just kept going. My mother had managed to pull Aika a meter or so towards home but now she no longer held my little sister's hand; Aika had been pulled from her grasp in the rush of noncombatants leaving the village. Even if I was a Genin I would not be allowed to join in the defense groups while everyone else tried to escape..panic squeezed my heart. I had made it back within a blockof my mother's home with Aika in tow when the fires and enemy Ninjas swarmed my once peaceful home; Mother had apparently rushed to find us the moment the first explosion had ripped through town, only to see us there a few meters away.

"I'll get her!" Ami appeared beside our mother just as I myself reached her-I nodded as I grabbed Ami's hand.

"I'll go with..."

"Akane y-"

"I can fight Onee-Chan, and I know some of the spots she may go to that even you don't know. If we work together we will find her quicker..."

"Okay...damn it but okay, go on Kaa-San I'll get them both back to you..." Our mother's eyes were wide blue orbs, lost and frantic as they searched our faces for some kind of reassurance...an image of ocean waves being tossed and turned by uncertain winds flashed across my mind... then we turned, running towards the retreating mob of villagers. Of course Ami nor I had any real idea where our little sister had gotten herself to but we would find her, of that I was certain. It took longer than I would have liked to get through the crowd-Ami took the lead early on and I was more than relieved to allow her that honor as we maneuvered through the smoking rubble that had been our home a few short moments ago.

We carefully kept to the shadows even as buildings crumbled and fell, burning all around us; so much destruction, seemingly instasntaneous-someone was using fire jutsus, and a lot of fire jutsu by the looks of it. 'We are the Sun village, how could we be brought low by fire of all things?' Our village jutsu's were predominantly ruled by fire sign, as were the citizens who called Taiyougakure home...it was just how things were.

Peace was apparently just as fleeting in this world as in my own.

"Damn it Aika…" Ami's growled words caught me by surprise as we searched through the market district, avoiding the enemy as best we could. However both of us were scrapped up a bit from the two, and then three men we had ran into shortly after getting to the markets. Ami spoke low, "Okay...shit. Akane, go towards the house….I'll head to Obaa-San's shop, they're the last two places I can think of that she would be." Her footsteps had ceased as she spoke but I was unaware of their absence, so focused on hearing her words as I was, until I was nearly on top of her. She had stopped abruptly, and then, without a word, slid into deeper shadows...so seamless were her movements that she seemed to just melt away into nothing. Reacting quickly, I did the same only to discover the shadows were hiding a small alley that branched off towards both places, an alley I would have known to be there had the village not been in ruins..I shook my head with a frown as I followed with equal stealth.

"We should not separate…."

"I know, damn it! Aika is running out of time though, more enemy Ninja will be arriving every second and we have to find her now. I know you can handle it Akane, just….be careful...Oto-San should be out there somewhere….so if you run into him...or one of his team, alert them to Aika's disappearance." I sighed even as I nodded my head in compliance and she closed her eyes, "I'll hurry to you whether I find her or not as fast as I can…."

I squeezed Ami's arm, "You be careful too…" We both nodded and separated, going towards our different destinations, both heading into unknown, even more dangerous territory. Ami had chosen the more dangerous for herself, and, ashamed at my own weakness, I actually felt relief that I was headed towards what was once our home.

"Oh look...it's a little Genin..." I glared up at the man as he dropped down in my path, even as I pulled a kunai out and attacked. We danced around, but one Ninja would be no issue for me, even with my low capabilities, because even at my weakest I was stronger than most. I pulled a second kunai from under my kimono (no scythe today which really did suck seriously but I was flexible like that). I rolled, ducking under his punch, then stabbed my weapons high into his thigh even as I moved away "Bitch!" Oh, did I make the idiot mad? Guess so because he suddenly grabbed that damn bun my mother had spent hours putting my hair into, and lemme tell ya it fucking hurt!

I kicked at the inside of his elbow, keeping my focus on him because I would die otherwise, never be distracted. His arm gave way instantly and my weight proved too much for him as he dropped me to the ground. I rolled to my feet without missing a beat. I'd busted my lip as I landed because of course my stupid fangs had grazed it. I gave it no second thought, only slid my tongue across my bottom lip, licking away the blood. With a shake of my head I freed my hair, letting the length of it fall around me even as I lunged towards my attacker. I caught him with a solid punch to the stomach as my other hand reached for a weapon to slice this idiot's throat open for him…..and then I was grabbed from behind, my arms wretched upwards sharply, causing a hiss of pain to escape my lips.

Apparently this idiot was no longer alone, or maybe he'd never really been alone, but I did not shy away from the pain. I slammed the heel of my foot into his shin and like any good idiot he released me in response, but his buddy...well yeah, I forgot about him. I'd just gotten steady on my feet when the first man grabbed me again, this time by the throat, squeezing tightly enough that spots danced across my vision.

"Kill her Kusu, we need to hurry and she's just a little brat."

I did not want to die here, I had made the perlious journey to our house, carefully avoiding the enemy but now here I was, in trouble. 'Well shit….' I quickly shoved my hands towards the man, Kusu, aiming for his face even as I saw the glint of kunai steel being drawn forth. A wretched yowl of pain caused hope to bloom in my chest..I had successfully shoved two of my fingers into one of his eyes; I felt the wet pop of his eyeball as I pushed my weight into him...the hot liquid rushing over my hand made my stomach clench painfully, though. 'Don't get sick' I repeated over and over in my mind as I painfully slammed into the ground, dropped by Kusu in his agony..sadly I'd only gotten one eye.

I shook my hand, splattering the gooey substance onto the ground with a grimace before I wiped the rest on my kimono. I pulled my last kunai from under the heavy material and shifted into a stance 'Just gotta hold on until Ami get's here….just hold on….if she did not find Aika she'll already be on her way back.' I took a deep breath feeling the bruising on my throat, 'good thing I heal faster than most people; if not, he might have crushed my throat.' The other man, Kusu's friend, lunged at me and the clank of metal on metal sounded loud in our small area.

'Shit….he's just so much bigger than me…' trying to just fight the man, kunai to kunai, was proving to be a bad choice. His arm reach, hell, even the reach of his legs were far superior to my own 'Damn being so fucking short!' I fumed on the inside even as fire spread across my cheek for the third time in so many seconds-I might be a prodigy but I was out of my league as two more men joined. The other man used the distraction to kick me in the stomach and a small scream escaped my mouth as I felt ribs snap.

Everything happened in slow motion then; the group of men closed in around me and I had time to lament not knowing if Aika had been found..then Ami was shoving me behind her, throwing her arms wide in defensive posture, effectively making herself a barrier between myself and my attackers-A kunai sticking out of her back with its deadly, glinting tip pointing up towards the sky..it was almost a graceful sight until the man removed it from her. Even as he shoved her body aside and reached for me, I did not look at him, no, I looked at the roofs above and behind him. Then I felt the warm droplets of my sister's blood-as it sprayed me across me in fanning arc of red, I saw my father drop down behind the men, his eyes filled with horror, bright in their pain as he moved to attack.

"Move Akane!" My body acted although my mind was frozen. I dropped to the floor, rolling away from the men who wished me harm. As I came to a stop, I caught sight of myself in a puddle beneath me..my hair was loose and tangled with debris, but my eyes finally matched something-the blood that coated my body, Ami's blood, was the exact shade of those blank orbs staring back at me. My mind was so numb but something snapped in that second; suddenly, those staring, vacant eyes darkened and grew stormy-I snatched a kunai from the ground and started to move alongside my father with deadly grace. I killed then, ruthlessly-for the first time in a long time I felt like Anna again, I felt like I had come home. I moved like that, almost on autopilot, and killed with abandon, slaughtering all who did not carry the Sun insignia on their headband.

As I slew through men with mindless ease, in some distant part of my mind I realized that the men my father and I fought could not be much higher ranked than a Genin themselves. I think now, though, that the ruthless part of me, the part that allowed for the use of my bloodline, gave me some sort of edge..but still, I really can not say how I only endured a few wounds from our attackers in the bloodbath that ensued. Even as my village burned around me I did not care-I only felt the thrill of the kill as my kunai cut through limbs and arteries, and as I felt their blood splatter over my body, layering over my elder sister's, I felt a kind of peace.

For me time became meaningless, it had come to an abrupt halt on my eighth birthday when Ami had died to protect me. So still, as I just stood there staring at the ground, completely numb, when he touched me..I looked up at my father and his mouth was set into a grim line, but his eyes were full of hurt and sympathy..I just shrugged off his touch however, and went to her body.

Ami.

We had both become so close...

I crouched there, touching her cold cheek with just the barest brush of my fingertips, and could not go any further. I stared into eyes dulled by death, eyes that had once been a vibrant violet, eyes that had flashed in anger and belied depths of feeling..the sudden onslaught of once-happy memories now turned painful caused my chest to hurt with icy, aching cold. My breath hitching, I pressed my free hand to my chest, gripping the cloth of my soaked kimono with one small, blood-stained hand-I was a monster. I guess no matter how far one ran, how far your soul traveled, you would always be what you were born to become. I was always meant to be a monster, a killer who had no remorse and I had always known the joy I had was limited. I let the hope for a new start, for a better life, even, blind me to the reality of this world...of all worlds where I was in existence.

This had to be a dream, some fucked-over nightmare and I'd had enough of it.

"Ami..." I pressed my hand fully to her cheek now, tears brimming over the top of my eyelids only to spill down my cheeks in miniscule rivers of sorrow. "Onee-Chan...Ane...please..." I moved my hand over her mouth and nose where no breath came. I started to shake then as I grabbed up the front of her kimono "WAKE UP! AMI!" I knew I was screaming and I could not care less..let them take me too! It was all my fault, I should not have come with her-if I had stayed behind then maybe she would still be alive, still be here with me..

"Onee...please don't leave me...please...I...I need you..." I buried my face in her chest, uncaring of the cold blanket of death that permeated her. I just wanted her back, I needed her back because she was my older sister and I could not imagine life without her. "I-It's all just some bad d-dream!" I leaned back and started to shake her with renewed fervor. "P-Please...Ami...sister..." I leaned over her face as my tears fell on her in irregular droplets..even in my confusion and uncertainty I knew my tears were not supposed to be pink, but there they landed on her cheek, pink and unapologetic, in stark contrast to the skin on Ami's smooth, pale white face.

I would forever be different, I knew that and always had, but Ami had made me feel loved-as had most of my family-but even more, she had made me feel like I belonged..but it never lasted. I knew this-really, I did, but...what was life without the hope for more? It was a bottomless shit hole we called survival, but that would never be living and I wanted more for myself. My fault, my fault, all my fault-the words rang through me, over and over in my head, drowning out everything else. I shook my head as I finally let her body go, pressing my hands to my face even as I screamed long and loud in my rage, my loneliness..and then my voice broke as wracking sobs overtook me.

"It should have been you..." English words whispered in my ear. I whirled around, only to see no one there but the words bounced around my head.

"Yes...but I will never be a victim again..." I responded in English as I looked around for the source of that voice-but I was all alone. I would not die here, no, Ami would not have ever have wished my death so I would live where she could not; I would live for her, for my elder sister who meant the world to me, and for the first time in a long time, I recalled my old life...had my own younger siblings felt a gripping despair like what held me now? I felt sure they had, but I also had to believe they had both moved on from this..so I could as well.

"Akane…" Wait, I was not alone and I looked up into my father's face as he walked towards me. 'Where was he?' We had fought side by side but then he had disappeared "Aika is with your mother…..you need to come with me….to the clan compound."

'Clan compound?' This was the first I had heard of our clan actually having a compound, and I should have been curious but I was only numb. No….I was not numb, I felt the tears trailing down my face as I stared at him mutely.

"I will carry you….we must hurry...more Ninja will come…" He looked ragged, tired even, but he scooped me up with ease and I let him without a word of resistance.

I was not numb, but I would be….being raw like I was would get me nowhere. 'Goodbye Ami…..I...I love you, and one day….I'll avenge you. I will kill whoever caused your death…..the person who had our village attacked…..I'll kill them...because you would want me to live but I need that closure. I can not be kind like you were, so I will take the only approach I know and I will be cold…..cruel even...whatever I must do I will. I'm sorry….'

She had died to ensure I would live, so live I would….but I would live for a purpose and that purpose made me smile inside.

Writer's Note:

So yeah, I now have a new Beta reader whom is also the artist who drew older Akane. Check her out and give her some love, but also let me know if you guys like this better, so I'll keep her ;)

Anyway, I promise things will change up soon (More Gaara to come!) and that this deep stuff with end...somewhat...because...have you seen who her love interest is?