Chapter Twelve: Denial

Cyndi: Our guest today is... Who was it again, Hidan?

Hidan: Get out here you faggot.. I mean, lady.

-Konan comes in, slapping Hidan on the face... real hard.

Cyndi: Konan... you have to say the disclaimer.

Konan: Cyndi does not own Naruto. If she did, she would've... Do I have to say that?

Cyndi: Keep going, I'm enjoying this.

Konan: She would've made Sasori the main character, thus creating a new title. Not Naruto, but "Sasori". And Sasori wouldn't have died.

Cyndi: Good. Let's start the chapter, and there will be a time skip in the next chapter. Be warned.

Sasori was lying on his bed, apparently unaware of the person across the hall form his bedroom. It was midnight, but then again, his grandmother pitied him, so he could stay up until... Until whenever he felt like sleeping. Kaori turned on her radio to the highest extent, singing along with a religious hymn.

"God she's loud... Who's worse at singing than Kaori?" thought Sasori. Immediately he thought of Aimi singing. "Never mind, there are worse.." He still thought about the seemingly unimpressive threat that she had told him a week ago. But no way in the world would he let her kill Kaori. The singing grew louder. Sasori sighed. "I shouldn't have persuaded her to go to church in the first place."

He continued to stare at the ceiling, extremely bored. He thought about all the puppets he created, thirteen in all. His third puppet, Kaori, was made to look like Kaori. It had Kaori's hair, and it even had the gray eyes that seemed to smile. His latest one, Ryouki, was armed with poison and various weaponry. Still, it was weak, and he hoped to improve his puppetry skills. He was to build at least three hundred puppets before his death. His lifelong goal, besides protecting the one so dear to him, was to prove to the world that his art was eternal.

He wanted to play. As a child, he felt the need to be loved. Not spoiled, but appreciated nonetheless. He took out "Mother" and "Father". They were the first puppets he made, but they were dear to him. He spread his fingers so that the flow of chakra would be distributed evenly. Slowly, Mother and Father crept towards him, letting out a faint "Creak". He wanted to feel loved, and be loved in return. He made them wrap him in a warm embrace, and he was loved. Or at least, felt that way.

Outside, Kaori looked through a crack in the door. She saw Sasori's lonesome form between his first two puppets. She recalled the "Mother" that fell on her during one of her birthdays. "The other one," she thought, "must be his Father." She saw threads of chakra streaming from his fingertips, one on each finger. Suddenly, she felt a sense of peace come over Sasori's face. So peaceful-

Sasori's chakra strings disconnected from his puppets. His eyes widened in shock as Mother and Father plummeted to the ground. Kaori shocked, watched as Sasori stood silently above his puppets, unaffected. She could have sworn a single tear was shed by him as his face grew shadowy. She quickly opened the door and wiped his tear away. She gave him a warm hug, and she said, "Sasori, it's ok. As long as we have each other.."

"It's not the same.." mumbled Sasori incoherently. "They're gone." He collapsed into a heap of sorrow onto the ground, and nothing could move him from the spot. Kaori was going to beat the crap out of him for not being the easygoing guy he usually was. She left the room, not wanting to recall the similar events of her childhood. From that moment on, Kaori had a deeper understanding of Sasori.

As Sasori sulked in his room, a shadowy figure giggled behind him. He paused and said, "Kaori?" He thought that Kaori was being inconsiderate for giggling at a time like this, but he didn't see the blonde-haired girl in front of him. "Aimi? Why are you here?"

"I'm here to make you forget." smirked Aimi. Sasori swore under his breath. "To forget a certain someone."

"Aimi," started Sasori. "Don't forget that I only think of you as an annoying comrade."

"I won't forget." smiled Aimi. "But you will. You have two choices. One," stated Aimi, "you can let me erase your memories of Kaori. You will still remember her, but only as an acquaintance. You will remember only me, your fiance."

"I won't." spat Sasori. "I'd rather die than be your fiance."

"Or two," retorted Aimi, "you can watch as your little girlfriend dies."

She pointed to the Kazekage, who appeared without being noticed. He held a kunai to someone's throat... Someone...

"Kaori!" yelled Sasori. He ran over to her, but the Kazekage created a fresh cut on Kaori's throat. Sasori stepped back. For the first time, Sasori didn't know what to do.

He turned to Kaori, who was unconscious. He slowly turned around to face Aimi, and he gave her the classic "look of hatred". When Aimi refused to let Kaori go, he had to decide. He would forget that he loved Kaori. He would forget that Aimi was a retard. He would forget that he had made this choice. Sasori stood up reluctantly. "I'll forget." He followed Aimi and her father to their home. As he looked behind him, he saw Kaori's face for the last time. The last time he would see her as who she is.

Kaori's Point Of View

After a fews hours of sleeping, I had finally woken up. I must be drowsy, because I don't remember falling asleep. Sasori was nowhere to be seen, but I couldn't care less. I focused mainly on a wound on my throat. It was caused by a kunai, but I couldn't even remember how I had gotten it. It was a fresh one thought, since it stung as I touched it. I was in Sasori's room, tucked into the bed. I looked under his pillow to find a silver necklace of some sort. I put it on and it seemed as though a strong presence of chakra was stored within it. The blood red heart in the middle had a strange blue glow in its center. Underneath it, was a note. I held it and read it aloud. Sasori's messy handwriting was messier than usual, and it seemed as though it had been rushed.

"Dear Kaori-chan," she started, " I have been given this necklace by the Kazekage when we were both five years old. I've waited eight years to give it to you, and now I'm afraid that I cannot give it to you in person. When I may be different, and not quite the same-" I was dumbfounded, and I stared at the letter.

"Hormones?" I thought. I continued to read the letter in disbelief.

"I will have changed, for the better." I finished reading it, and at the bottom I saw something unbelievable. "Love, Sasori."

"Love."

As I stared at the letter in shock, Sasori opened the door. I greeted him with a smile as he sat down. Quickly, I tucked the letter in my pocket.

"Leave." said Sasori cold heartedly.

"What? Did I do something..." I stuttered. I hadn't seen him so disturbed before.

"Aimi's coming over." He said , emotionless. "You best leave now."

"It's almost 2 AM!" I protested. Secretly, I wondered why Aimi was coming, but I didn't ask.

"I know, she's sleeping over." responded Sasori. "I'm her boyfriend." He pointed to a necklace that Aimi had given to him on his thirteenth birthday. He had somehow managed to find it in the garbage.

I was torn, speechless as most would say. I felt warm tears coming out for no reason. I stared at his heartless face with disbelief as Aimi came into the room.

"Oh!" giggled Aimi. "How are you, Kaori?" I tried to smile through my tears, but I couldn't.

"She was just about to leave." stated Sasori, smiling to her. "Was she?" He turned to me.

"I..I.." I was sniffling. "I was just about to leave." I slammed the door, but before I shut it, I saw them kiss. I wanted nothing more but to plop onto my bed and cry my heart out. I felt the necklace on my neck turn as cold as ice. I read the letter many times as I tried in vain to see through my tears. In the other room, I could hear Aimi's giggle.

Granny Chiyo came in. She consoled me, and stated that Sasori was going through a phrase. I argued that he had been subjected to witchcraft, but she just looked at me. Without helping me at all, she left me to cry my brains out. After several hours, I stopped. There were no more tears left. In the other room, Aimi was snoring like a pig.

I took out the letter one last time, and I read it word by word. I could only focus on one single word. This word confused me with Sasori's current emotion to the one he had written down in his letter. This word led me to believe Sasori was forced into "liking" Aimi. This word was the reason why I kept the letter for many years. Slowly, I skimmed through the letter, and there it was.

Love

Cyndi: Sad chapter. I cried.

Kato: You're only writing this because of Ja-

Cyndi: Don't give it away!

Kato: Jay Jay Jay

Cyndi: No! Anyways, while I come up with Kato's death plot, please review. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter.

Kato: Meanie!

Cyndi: I know. Cyndi, over and out.