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Track 8: Andante. - Walking Pace

"Madara said that he'll let her out for a bit if she spoke, but it's been almost a month now and she hasn't peeped a word." Juugo sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "I've been trying my hardest to help, but she's so stubborn." He put a cup of water on the tray; a plate of salad was its companion.

I sighed. She seemed like she would be the kind to scream at us and demand revenge for herself. I guess that calculation was wrong. "I should probably go to her this time." I grabbed the tray from the surprised Juugo.

"She hasn't seen you since you killed her Aunt. How do you think she might react?"

"Exactly. We don't know how she'll act, so if I go in there, then it might ring up something. It would be best if she does react." I said and walked down the hall to her door, Juugo trailing behind.

"She's a trained shinobi, Sasuke. Her Aunt made sure of that, so just don't do anything rash. I'd hate to deal with Madara if something happened to either of you."

"I know." I muttered. I knew the day that I killed her Aunt that she was a ninja, the focus to hide her chakra was obliterated in that single swing.

"She's strong, Sasuke."

"I doubt she'll be able to take me down."

"I hope you're right." Juugo whispered as I opened the door.

It was dark except for the sunlight streaming through a narrow slit of a window. Dust particles swayed and floated through the beam making the scene eery.

She was sitting in the wooden chair below it.

The vitality that originally came from her had dwindled down to barely anything. She wasn't that rash, obnoxious girl anymore: Her head hung slightly, her eyes downcast. She seemed to be staring at her hands. Her skin was pale and her cheeks have sunken in a little.

I broke her.

"Good morning, Aria." Juugo smiled sarcasticly at her, she said nothing, "Sasuke has joined us today."

I could barely see it, but her eyes flickered.

She's not totally gone. "Juugo, you can go now. I want to be alone with... our guest for a little while."

He sighed, exasperated, "Whatever. Just make sure she eats something." He closed the door behind him.

We sat in silence for several minutes. The only sound was the cicadas whirring their song, unashamed. Her vitality has increased a fraction, I could feel it.

"Has Juugo been treating you well? I know he can be a little much, but he means well." I didn't receive an answer, so I kept rambling, "How do you like it here, Aria? Cozy… like home?" I felt a sneer come to my lips.

She looked up then, her russet and grey-blue eyes were dead. But she remained silent, her eyes boring into mine. She looked like she hasn't slept well in a while.

"Ah, well that got your attention." I grabbed the plate of food, "It seems that you trusted the wrong people, and look where it got you. Your Aunt's dead and your whole village is too. Here, eat something. I know it's not like Auntie's cooking, but you don't have to starve yourself. Look at yourself. Are you that picky? Selfish little girl." I let the plate shatter to the floor.

She didn't even flinch; her gaze remained as blank as ever. But… the vitality meter in her was going up. Her ghostly cheeks turning a pale pink.

I turned the information in my head over, until I found the right trump card. Remembering the day at the river, I smiled.

"When I was rampaging through your little village, I came to this little shop. Reminded me of a blacksmith's. The man inside of it looked like Goldie Locks," I was coming closer. "Totally caught him by surprise. It was so easy to kill him, that weakling."

She started shaking. Yes.

"You know what his last words were? As he lay dying on the floor, he said 'Aria, I'm so sorry. I can't be there to help you anymore, my little songbird'. Pathetic, right?" I mocked.

She continued to sit there, a darkness settling around her.

"Did you know him? He seemed to really love you, what was his name? Did you even know it? Haha, not only are you selfish, but you're stuck up, songbird." I used her nickname, hoping to bring someting forth.

Just when I thought her vitality would go up, it shot right down. Her shaking stopped, there were no tears.

She looked like a fucking mental patient.

Dammit. I sighed."So, are you going to agree to Madara's plan or are you going to rot here in this prison? I would choose the former if I were you, songbird. If Madara has a pawn that's useless, he'll just throw it out." I walked closer to her and leaned down to her ear, "What's your choice, songbird? Use your songs for Madara or have them wiped out forever?"

Her voice cracked as she spoke, "I'd rather die."

I smirked and backed up, "Well, the songbird finally found her voice again."

Her voice was barely audible, "His name was Sasuke. Like yours. I loved him... I still do."

I could feel her vitality creep up more and more. She could explode at any moment.

I grinned at her pain.

"Love sucks, doesn't it?"

She turned her head quickly and gave me a strange look, like she was trying to figure me out. She stood up, her head cocked, "Like revenge, right? Isn't that right, Sasuke?"

I narrowed my gaze at her, "What are you talking about."

She gave me a strange, lopsided smile,"That song that you heard me singing when we first met was one of my jutsus, my Auntie's to be exact." She paused and seem to hesitate on what to say next.

She breathed in, it came out shaky and began again and spoke as if she was talking to a child, "She was trained since she was young to be a spy, and she wanted me to follow in her footsteps and since I had a nice voice, she trained me to use it. Oh, Sasuke, it wasn't just some ancient song that I made you believe that it was."

Her smile broadened, and with her eyes that wide like that she had all the qualifications of a mental patient, "With it, I can infiltrate the person's mind without them even knowing."

I could feel myself glaring at her, wanting to tear her throat out.

She giggled and threw her head back, "When you were paying so much attention to words of my song, you were so wrapped up in it that I could slip through into your mind. Every memory that was yours is now mine. I know what you've done..." She made a gasp, offended as her head popped back up, "Calling me selfish, of all people? You should look at yourself a little bit more closely before you start accusing others and being a hypocrite..." Her smile dissipated and and she looked to the side as if she forgot something. She plopped back in the chair, elbow on the rest and her head in her hand as though she had all the world's problems in one.

I was at my boiling point, I couldn't stand here and let her insult me like this!

She looked at me through the corner of her eye, "Sasuke, you are the most selfish and arrogant person I have ever known. That revenge you've put in your heart is the only thing keeping you going… You're a pitiful person." Tears welled in her eyes. "My Auntie Kana wanted revenge for her sister's death, my Mother. She loved her very much and couldn't forgive the people who killed her. If it wasn't for me, she would've gone out to find them herself, but she had to think about another way so she didn't have to." She sighed, her vitality diminishing, "Auntie did some research I guess and finally found the right technique to get back at them. She never told me what, but it weakened her and slowly was taking her life force." With that, the pink in her cheeks disappeared, her eyes going blank.

"Don't end up like her…" she barely whispered out the last words. The last of that burst of energy dwindling away. The airborn dust finally calming from her episode.

I could feel my inner demon screaming to be let loose, to take her life right then and there. How dare she go rummaging through my personal memories? Fucking bitch.

I couldn't kill her, but I could use my Tsukuyomi on her. I walked back over to her and gripped her chin in my fingers hard and made her look at me, grinning widely when we made eye contact.

I made her relive each slaughter of her fellow villagers.

I made her relive the slaughter of the man she loved.

I made her relive the slaughter of her Aunt.

I could feel her shaking under my fingertips; tears ran down each of my digits to my elbow.

I let her go after a minute, and pushed her off the chair and started toward the door before I could do anyting more.

She crashed to the floor in a fit of silent cries.

"Sasuke…" The pain in her voice was raw. I couldn't help but pause; I didn't know which Sasuke it was for.

She was a very unsettling girl.

I turned around and saw her looking at me, her weak arms supporting her torso; her face twisted up in a mask of pain. The look in her eyes made my heart clench, she looked so much like him...

She panted heavily, "Is this how you felt too?"

Something inside of me twisted as I felt my face contort in rage, "SHUT UP!"

I was about to strike when Suigetsu grabbed me from behind, "I thought we agreed to no more killing, Sasuke." he sneered.

I struggled against him, almost letting free when a voice of reason reached my ears.

"She's in no condition to fight, Sasuke. She's all words right now and probably wants you to kill her. You must remember that she's key on getting your revenge. You can kill her later." Juugo appeared in the doorway, arms crossed and in his adult form.

"Tsh."I admitted defeat and shrugged Suigetsu's hands off of me.

"Suigetsu, take Sasuke outta here; I'll take care of her."

"Come, come." Suigetsu sing-songed and started walking towards the door, me following. In the hallway, I turned my head to get a final look at her. She was sitting in her bed, Juugo checking her for any wounds. She was blank again, looking at nothing.

My heart clenched. I know that look.

The look of someone who has nothing.

Someone like me.

"Sasuke, what happened?" A voice said in front of me, I instantly recognized it as Madara's.

I turned back around, and pushed past him,"Don't worry, I didn't hurt her. But I did get our little songbird to sing."

I MADE THE DEADLINE! Even if it is a little late... hehe. Sorry.

Finally out of high school! Yay! So my chapters might update more frequently. So, I decided to include the meaning of the chapter's title because they're all musical definitions, hope you like it!

Reviews are welcomed along with any questions!