Chapter 11: Redheads and Snakes

I slowly open my eyes. Everything was dim except for the area where a candle was lit. I stare at the ceiling, watching the slow dancing lights. I don't know how long and I don't seemingly care. They're gone. Dead forever. And I'm...alone again.

I feel something wet sliding down my face. I didn't realize it but I was crying. I close my eyes for a while before opening them again. My heart is bitter cold, but my body is warm. Looking around, I just realized I was inside a room. I was lying in bed with white covers draped over me. Someone put me here.

Sitting up slowly still weary and tired, I take a good look at my surroundings. I was in a small room with a bed, a drawer beside it, two chairs and a table, and a door upfront. At the top of the drawer were two flutes and a pouch.

Huh. The person that brought me here was kind enough to bring along my things. A small smile appears. But as suddenly as it came, it quickly disappears. I just can't seem to be happy right now. And I think I won't be for a while or maybe never.

Standing up, I get off the bed and walk to the door. As I open it, a man stands in my way. One look into his piercing golden eyes, I knew who he was...

Orochimaru.

My mind was pulled to a stop, and my mouth was slightly agape. With wide eyes, I stare up at him. I must look stupid in front of him looking like that, and I just confirm it as a small smile appears on his face.

"I see you're awake."

I could only nod. I was too surprised and confused that I couldn't speak anything. What was he doing here?

"How are you doing little one?" His voice was intimidating, but without any hint of malice. It was actually with amusement. I must really look stupid.

"I...I'm fine, thank you." I say, lowering my head.

A hand touches my shoulder, making me look back at him. "You should get some rest dear child. You look tired."

"But I-"

He cut me off as he leads me to the bed and sits me on it while taking a chair for himself. We sat there with awkward silence. He just stares at me, and I couldn't help but think the floor is the nicest place to look at.

I wonder what I am doing here. I should be with my...at least give them a proper burial. My broken heart aches with loneliness. And I also felt dull anger and rage inside. I heave a sigh. And without even looking, I could feel him stir in his seat. I guess he was waiting for a reaction from me. Orochimaru...wait.

"H- how did I get here? Were you the one who took me here?" I ask.

He smiles or maybe it was a smirk. "Who else would it be?"

"..."

"..."

"Did you see...I mean...there were two boys with me..." I bite my lip. "Are they really..." I didn't finish the sentence. It's too painful to even think about it.

"Yes." He simply says.

"Oh." I look at the floor again. That tiny feeble piece of hope was crushed into nothingness. My heart aches again. I know they're gone. There is no room for hope. Everything is a fact. And the fact is they're dead. "Wh- what happened to them...I mean...their bodies..."

"A group of people heard screams and looked at the source. I heard it as well, and I saw what you did."

I stiffen as he said the last part. He saw me, and he saw what I did. Does he know my power as well?

"After you fell into unconsciousness, I took you in my arms. I hid myself when people came. And before I left, I saw them take away the two lifeless boys."

"I see...thank you...for telling me." I look at him in his golden eyes. "Are you...a ninja?"

My question seemed to surprise him, if only but for a second. He smirks, folding his arms. A look of amusement glitters his eyes. "Very observant. Tell me. How did you come to that conclusion?"

"I uh...the first time that we met when I looked into your eyes, I felt fear. And then when you spoke for the first time, it was gone. It was you who made me fear. And the only thing I know about ninja is that they have power that ordinary people don't have. So I kinda pieced it together and assumed you were one."

He nods. "You are a bright child for your age. You'll make a fine shinobi if brought properly."

His last comment hit me. "What did you say? Me...a...a shinobi?"

"I saw what you did and for a child your age doing advanced genjutsu on multiple people, my interest is peaked."

Advanced for my age? Genjutsu?

"I'm curious as to who taught you that jutsu."

"I...I did, actually."

And again for the day, I see a flash of surprise running in his eyes before it was gone instantly.

"A brilliant child indeed."

I look at the floor again as he stares at me again. Was he observing me? A brilliant child. Am I? What so brilliant about someone who's weak and couldn't even save their precious people? If only I wasn't weak. If somehow I was strong then maybe...maybe there was a chance.

Orochimaru...maybe...maybe he could help me...make me strong. I look up at him with a request of a lifetime. "O- orochimaru. Could I...you...will you make me a powerful shinobi."

~oOoOoOo~

I look one last time at Hanazami. My second home. One final tear drops from my face as I leave behind a goodbye.

"...Hayaki...Atsuro...Goodbye..." I whisper.

"Tayuya." Orochimaru calls.

I nod and step beside him with Hanazami at my back and the road ahead as my future.

I will get strong. And I will get my justice.

~oOoOoOo~

Orochimaru says that we were to go at a place in the Land of Rice Paddies. Though the land is now called the Hidden Sound Village. Orochimaru lives there. He said there was a clan using musical instruments as a weapon like myself. A person from that clan will teach me awesome jutsus to get stronger. Whatever jutsus are. But first, Orochimaru said that we would make a stop to a town north west from here.

The town was smaller than I expected. Hanazami would crush this town in size. But although Hanazami was amazing as it was built on top of a mountain, this place was beautiful. Lush green forest surrounds the south west side. And on its right was a wide lake hence the name 'Mizuumidori'.

I couldn't help but be amazed at the beautiful scene. The sinking sun lights the lake below and gives a wonderful reflection. The lake shimmers with a brilliant shade of warm colors.

"The lake is named 'Yuragi-ko'. Literally meaning Shimmering Lake." Orochimaru says.

"Yugari-ko."

He then walks down ahead. "Let's get a move on. It's almost night time."

"Ri- right."

We arrive at Mizuumidori twenty minutes later, and the sun was little to no left at the horizon. Orochimaru leads me to an inn. I guess we'll be staying here for the night. My stomach suddenly grumbles, and I blush as Orochimaru gives me an amused look.

As we got there, I thought Orochimaru was going to the inn manager to rent a room to stay. But instead, he directly went upstairs. Not wanting to be left behind, I quickly trotted after him.

"Lord Orochimaru! You're back!" A shrill voice cries.

Lord? I look at Orochimaru then to a redheaded girl beside him. She was about my age or maybe a year younger. She wore a white sleeveless top, dark purple shorts, and black sandals.

"I sense another presence mingled with yours so I thought it wasn't you, but as it came closer I could distinguish it separately." She says to Orochimaru before turning to look at me.

She wore brown glass and beneath those were bright crimson eyes. She has a fair complexion and a very unusual hairstyle. Her hair is short and spiky on the right side, while longer and straight on the left side giving half her hair the appearance of being spiky and somewhat unkempt on one side, while the other side is neat and straight. Her hair was red like mine, but hers was much redder and brighter for the matter.

The girl only stared at me and said nothing. When the awkward silence and the weird staring were getting to me, I break it.

"What?"

The sound of my voice seemed to startle her as I see her jump out of whatever she was doing. She blinks her eyes for a moment before looking at me again. But this time, it was directly at my eyes.

"I'm Karin." She starts.

"Uh...Tayuya."

"You...you have an unusual chakra. Like some part of it doesn't exist yet it's there...and..." Her voice gets quieter and quieter until she wasn't even talking to me anymore and was mumbling to herself.

I look at Orochimaru. I didn't get anything from what she had said except her name. My chakra being what? And what is chakra? I'm so confused. I think its some ninja language I have yet to learn.

Orochimaru looks at me intently. It was as if he was studying me. I sigh inwardly. All this weird staring and talking is making me hungry. And right on time my stomach suddenly grumbles for food.

While Karin stops from her stupor, Orochimaru's look changes to one of amusement. He walks inside the room Karin came from. She looks from the open door then to me before going inside herself.

Well that was a weird encounter. Are all ninja like this?

It took me a few seconds before going inside as well.

~oOoOoOo~

We only stayed one night at Mizuumidori before traveling to the Hidden Sound. I learned from last night why Karin was calling Orochimaru, Lord Orochimaru. He is the leader of the Hidden Sound and as such is a powerful and respectable man. I was surprised that he didn't reprimand me for calling him only by his name. Lord Orochimaru really is something. I also learned something about Karin as well.

She can sense another's presence. Orochimaru, I mean Lord Orochimaru, called her a sensor type ninja. Someone who can sense where a person is by either sensing their chakra or tracking them by other means. Karin said it was like seeing things through the mind's eye, whatever that means. She can also tell when a person is lying from the fluctuations in a person's chakra made from dishonest emotions. I'm still not sure what chakra is for the matter. Karin said that it is in every living thing, sort of like a life force or something like that.

Chakra can be also used to form jutsu. Jutsus are...well...um...I'm not really sure about it yet. It was something about physical and spiritual energies being used two create arts that are used by ninja in battle. Lord Orochimaru had said that while Karin was a sensor type, I on the other hand was a genjutsu type shinobi. Genjutsu, a form of jutsu that makes the target sees illusions. Good chakra control must be in order to perform genjutsu. He said that I had a talent for chakra control. That's why I'm good a genjutsu based jutsus. So as we traveled north west to the Hidden Sound, Lord Orochimaru made me practice leaf concentration. He was amused that someone as young as me can do standard to advanced genjutsu yet doesn't have any idea how it is done.

I place a leaf on my head, concentrating only on it. Focusing my chakra into it. Good shinobi starts from chakra control. Mastering this technique will make other jutsus easier and more effective. Lord Orochimary said that among genjutsu the most dangerous are those that affect the opponent with sound allowing the user to stay out of sight. So if I train and do it right, I can become a powerful shinobi using the flute as my weapon. Then someday I can finally attain my goal.

The leaf on my forehead drops to the ground.

Damn it. Lost my concentration...

~oOoOoOo~

A soft tune follows the cool night air. Then the melody changes as the soft tune shifts a note higher. With practiced fingers, I play my second song to no one in particular. I'm not using chakra so no genjutsu will be cast. I don't know yet how to control chakra. I just somehow feel it and I use genjutsu. He said that I already have good chakra control. It was like second nature for me to be a genjutsu type shinobi.

The crunch of twigs snapping breaks me from my reverie. Karin walks out the trees into the small clearing I was in. "The song is beautiful, yet uh...creepy." Karin complements.

"Um...thanks." I shrug. I continue to play the flute, and I wonder. What if I had other songs? Different genjutsu for each different melody.

"What are you doing here Tayuya?"

I look at her. She looks curious and intrigue. "I'm just...clearing my head. That's all really."

"Can I sit here with you?"

"Sure." I nod.

I start to play again my flute. The melody from before comes back, swimming through the night air. A little while later, I could hear someone humming beside me. Looking at Karin, I see her holding her knees, eyes closed. She was humming my song. I'm a year older than her, so she's six while I'm seven. Now that I think about it. She looks like me when I was still happy and carefree. A small smile graces my lips. I hope she doesn't experience what I've been through. No one deserves to...

I continue to play until Karin suddenly comments. "You're chakra is really intriguing."

"Huh?"

"Oh, sorry. Don't mind me. I was just...mumbling to myself." She smiles. "Please continue your song."

But I didn't play again. I'm too curious as to what Karin was saying...mumbling... "What do you mean by intriguing?"

She looks at me in the eyes. "...your chakra is...incomplete."

"Huh?"

"Well, its like some part of it is missing, but I can tell it's still there."

"What? Wait, you're really confusing me. You said some part of my chakra's not there but it's really there."

"Um...yeah." She nods.

"Can you...explain?"

"Um..." She folds her hands and closes her eyes. She's in deep thought as her brows knit together. "It's like...a cover."

"Cover?"

"...it's like...um...I know!" She opens her eyes and looks at me. "Let's give an example. How about...ink and paper."

"Ink and paper?"

"Yeah, ink and paper. Now, imagine a white paper. The paper represents your chakra. Then, someone drops ink on it, making a small black spot. The spot represents the cover. Sort of like a cloud, how it sometimes hideaway the sun."

I nod. "So you're saying that something's hiding or covering a part of my chakra."

"Exactly."

"So how do you know about this? How can you tell it's hidden instead of being gone?"

"Hello, I am a sensor type shinobi." She says, putting an emphasis on the word 'am'. "Look, it's like this. The ink makes a part of the paper black. The black represent the cover. But underneath that black ink is the still same white paper, your chakra. It's not gone. It's still there but is being hidden by that black cover."

I nod. "So what's the cover then?"

"I don't know. All I can tell you is that it's hidden even to me."

"But you can tell it's still there."

"Yeah."

"Am I the only one you met with hidden chakra?"

She nods.

So I'm different than other people. My chakra is hidden...incomplete. I sigh inwardly. This talk is really giving me a headache. "Thanks Karin."

She smiles "Sure, no problem. Um..."

"Yeah."

"Can I see your genjutsu?" She asks. I can see how excited her face is.

"Sure." I smile. It didn't reach the eyes but, it's genuine.

Playing my flute, I cast a simple genjutsu. I make her see a cute white fluffy rabbit. I see her gasp in amazement as she touches it, ruffling its fur.

"It looks so real. It feels so real." She grins. She looks so happy and I couldn't help but smile as well. She really was just like me. Then an idea came to mind. I grin in mischief.

I cast an illusion, making her see me still standing in my position, while real me sneaks from behind her. As I close in, Karin suddenly turns around, grinning directly at me.

"I can tell you're there Tayuya. Sensor type shinobi." She points to herself then makes a hand sign. "Release." The genjutsu I created vanishes like a cloud of dust being swept away by the wind.

"H- how did you do that?"

She grins. "It's a technique my father taught me. It disrupts the flow of chakra, breaking the genjutsu that was cast."

Wow. So my illusions can be broken. "So are all genjutsu can be easily dispelled?" I ask.

"..."

"Karin?"

"..."

I place a hand on her shoulder. She jumps at the touch, looking at me then to the ground.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"I just remembered my father."

I nod. "I understand if you don't want to talk about it."

She nods.

We sat on the grass beside each other like the way it was earlier. I play the flute while she hums with it, enjoying each other's company.

Tomorrow...

Tomorrow is the day we will arrive at the Hidden Sound.

~oOoOoOo~

We finally made it to the hideout. Being still near the border of the Land of Fire the place was overgrown with tall trees. Hidden within the forest is one particular tree where that tree is the entrance to the hideout.

"Wow, it's huge." Karin says in awe.

"Yeah." I say. It's not just huge. It's amazing. This is the biggest tree I have ever seen. It grew for about sixty to seventy feet.

Lord Orochimaru chuckles. "There are more other trees larger and wider than this one."

"Really. But this is still awesome." I say.

He chuckles again then stands at the base of the tree, weaving hand signs too fast for my eyes.

When he finished, the ground suddenly shakes and a deep rumbling sound ensues. The part of the in front of us splits open. A person size hole erupts from within. Stairs can be seen, leading down underground.

"Cool." Karin whispers.

I nod. I couldn't agree more.

Lord Orochimaru went down first. We followed down to a winding staircase, and as we reach down the end, the entrance where we came from closes.

As darkness consume my sight, the light of torches flares away the darkness, leaving a dim eerie corridor. Lord Orochimaru proceeds to the end. Karin and I follow him until we reach a large metal double door. He opens it and walks inside.

The room was small. Desk upon desk of bottles and jars filled the room. It looked like they were experiments. But for what I don't know.

In the far middle of the room, I could see a silhouette of a person. "It's good to see you, Lord Orochimaru." A voice echoes.

I look closely at the silhouette and faintly see a face of a boy. He had ash-grey hair and black rimmed circular glasses. Onyx eyes and had a well toned physic. He's older than me about fourteen or maybe fifteen.

"Kabuto." Lord Orochimaru says.

"My Lord." The boy, Kabuto glances at me. "Who're the two redheads?"

"Karin and Tayuya." Lord Orochimaru introduces us.

"Nice to meet you." Kabuto smiles.

"You too." I say.

"Y- yeah." Karin mumbles.

I look at her. Even though we only met for a few days ago, I can tell that something was wrong.

"You okay?" I whisper.

"Yeah...I'm fine." She mumbles.

"If you say so."

Kabuto walks in front of us. "I'll show you two to your rooms."

"Could we stay in the same room?" Karin asks.

Kabuto raises an eyebrow. "There's only one bed per room."

"It's fine with me." I say.

Kabuto only nods before opening the door for us. I look back to Lord Orochimaru. He was supposed to introduce me to a teacher, but I guess he's tired as well and needs rest.

The door closes behind us, and Kabuto walks on ahead. "Follow me."

As we follow him, I notice that his hair was tied to a ponytail, although it is quite short and doesn't really need to be tied to a pony.

He led us a series of twists and turns before arriving at the desired room. Taking a key from his pocket, he opens it up. "Here we are." The room is looks spacious with only a single bed and a drawer. A candle on top of it and nothing more. "I'll leave you two girls." Kabuto says, closing the door. "Oh and, do stay in the room. You don't want to get lost in here." He closes the door, leaving us completely alone with each other.

"I don't like that guy." Karin comments.

"Huh?"

She looks away. "I don't like his chakra." She plops down on the bed, burying her face in the pillows.

"Huh. What do you mean?" Sitting on the bed, I try tugging that pillow off her face. "Hey Karin. What's wrong with you all of a sudden? What's the matter? Hey."

"don'tgetclosetohim." She mumbles.

"What?"

She sighs and sits up. "I don't like that guy's chakra. So, don't go near him."

"You don't like his chakra? Don't go near him? What do you mean?" Then it hit me. "Wait, is he a spy?"

Karin looked shocked. "N- no. I don't think that...I don't know whether he's loyal or not. I'm just...uncomfortable around him. I just don't like the guy, that's all." She shrugs.

I smirk. "Hey, is that why you wanted to room with me? So you could tell me you don't like his chakra?"

She grins. "And also to stay away from him. You might catch his bad chakra." We both laugh. I didn't think I could still laugh when experienced what I've through. Yet here I am laughing with her. "Do you think...Lord Orochimaru's gonna be okay." She suddenly asks. Her mood changes and the happy light air earlier were gone.

"What do you mean? Of course he's gonna be okay. He's Lord Orochimaru. He's powerful and a ruler of his own nation."

"I know that but... You may not have noticed this yet but, his whole right hand down to the middle of his lower arm...is gone."

"What? Do you mean it has been cut off?" A horrible memory appears in mind. His painful scream ringing in my ears.

"It seems so. I can feel his chakra all except for one part."

"His hand. You can't sense it because it's not there."

She nods. "For him to be still a shinobi yet being impaired by one hand, I can't imagine what it's like. Hands are used to create jutsus...It's like his dream is shattered."

"Dream?"

"Lord Orochimaru has a dream of obtaining all jutsus and mastering it. But now, I don't think he can obtain that dream anymore. Most jutsus need two hands for it to work."

So his hand was cut off just like what happened to my... Someone destroyed his dream. I want to help him. When I finish my goal, I'll stay with Lord Orochimaru and help him anyway I can. It's the least I could do for him.

A knock on the door awakes me from my thoughts.

"Come in." Karin says.

A young man opens the door. "Lord Orochimaru asks if you two are hungry."

My stomach suddenly grumbles.

The man sweat drops. "I take that as a yes."


[Part 1 End]