I am sooo sorry for not updating in a looooooong time but school was hectic not to mention I had practice every day for a Quinceanera (A Mexican Party where a girl turn into a woman at 15) Which was held at Disneyland and it ended up being a major dance production with 10-15 different dances. o.O Not your typical 15th but it was amazing none-the-less. Now that it's over and I have fixed my school schedule I'll be able to hopefully update more frequently. \^.^/ I shall stop my babble and let you read. Hope you enjoy.
The next morning Kiyoko got early and tried to finish as many of her duties as she could. As she finished putting the last of the food in their proper boxes she turned and found herself face to face with Katsumi. From the furious look in her eyes alone told Kiyoko she was in for a lot of blabber.
"Do you know how many times I've had to get rid of trash and animals waste?" Katsuki hissed. "My nails are ruined and I smell like a bloody beggar!"
"How is this my problem?" Kiyoko asked coolly.
"You are the reason they made me do this!"
"You're the one who kept egging the ninja on." Kiyoko replied with an eye roll. "Now if you don't mind I'm going to finish my chores."
Kiyoko walked past Katsumi but she grabbed Kiyoko by the wrist and pulled her back.
"Oh no, you are going to pay." Katsumi hissed.
"Let me go." Kiyoko replied with a warning. "If you get hurt it won't be my fault."
"That's a nice threat for someone who doesn't even remember how to be a ninja."
"I'm warning you, one last time. Let go."
"And who's going to believe you? I have lived here since I was five while you are a stranger. Who appeared with a traitor and barely alive. Nobody is even looking for you."
"You don't know that."
"It's been almost three weeks. Maybe you were a good for nothing ninja and that's why they aren't even bothering to look for you. Your parents probably care less."
"Shut up." Kiyoko hissed angrily. Realizing she'd pressed a button Katsumi smirked.
"You probably don't even have parents. Probably left you by a dumpster and left you for dead. If anything...you are probably the child of a whore."
"Enough!" Kiyoko snapped and her eyes glowed blue. Katsumi only had a second to feel Kiyoko's arm tense and she was flung out of the tent and into a stack of hay. Everyone outside stopped what they were doing and watched as Katsumi got up and felt something trickle down her cheek and when she wiped it she shrieked with anger as she saw blood.
"You little bitch if this scars I'm going to kill you!" Kiyoko walked out of the tent and everyone felt the temperature drop as they looked at her eyes which were still blue.
"Then you shouldn't speak I'll of other's parents." Kiyoko said calmly. "And who are you to act all high and mighty. You're not even the heir to this clan nor are you a blood relative."
"Kiyoko!" Mayumi had arrived with Hyosuke and they both looked at her with wide eyes and that's when they noticed her shoulder. The sleeve had ripped and they could see her moon shaped birthmark which was pulsing and glowing. "No way." Mayumi whispered as she looked at Kiyoko with surprise.
"Kiyoko look out!" Hyosuke called.
Kiyoko raised her arm and caught the pole that was about to hit her face. She looked to the side and saw Katsumi's shocked look and smirked. She tugged hard on the pole, pulling Katsumi over to her and punched her hard on the stomach before grabbing her hair and pulled her head back hard making Katsumi yelp in pain.
"You know, it's not nice to attack people when they're not looking."
"Enough!"
Everyone turned and saw Ryoma walking towards them with Keiko who had a scared look on her face.
"Let her go Kiyoko. Now!" Barked Ryoma. Kiyoko chuckled and stood up straighter but didn't let go of Katsumi.
"Ryoma Tsukiko, it's been a while. I remember when you were but a child." Kiyoko smiled then looked at Keiko. "And Keiko, the years have been quite kind to you."
"Kiyoko what are you talking about?" Keiko asked and Kiyoko looked down at herself before looking back at them.
"That's right, you didn't know. Ryoma's mother had this same birthmark and it skipped two generations. Your daughter's child was born with the mark as you can see."
Keiko and Ryoma looked at her shoulder and both stiffened.
"Ah, that's the reaction I was hoping for. Honestly I did not expect for Koyuki here to summon me over something as trivial as a cat fight. But sensing all the wounds I'm guessing she has no memory of who she is."
"Amida." Ryoma growled. Amida's smile widened with pleasure.
"Oh you do remember me. Well then," she looked to Hyosuke who pulled Mayumi behind him. "Don't worry Hyosuke I'm not going to harm her, she is going to be head of this clan after all. I protect those of my blood."
"Enough." Ryoma snapped. "Let go of Katsumi."
Amida released Katsumi and she instantly shuffled away and Amida smirked.
"You better be nice to my vessel, or next time I'll make sure to show you how scary I can really be."
"Everyone back to your duties we have a final show tonight!" Barked Ryoma and everyone quickly scurried away leaving Ryoma, Keiko, Hyosuke, Mayumi and Amida. "My tent, now."
"What have you done with Kiyoko?" Keiko demanded.
"Relax, she's nice and snug inside her own mind. And you christened her with her own mother's name, charming." Amida mused looking around the tent.
"Wait wait." Mayumi interrupted. "Kiyoko...is my cousin?!"
"Aren't you quick on the uptake cupcake." Amida smirked. "Yes, but don't feel bad. Your grandparents exiled you aunt just because she married a ninja so of course they gave her for dead."
"Amida silence." Ryoma warned.
"You are NO ONE to silence me!" she snapped, eyes blazing and a feral looking aspect crossed over her face making Mayumi start. "I am the creator of this clan, this little circus wouldn't even have existed in the first place if it hadn't been for me."
"We apologize." Keiko amended with a small bow.
"Keiko-"
"Ryoma that's enough out of you!"
"That's enough out of the two of you actually." Amida said. "One is lying because she doesn't want to lose the only memory of your daughter and the other is too ashamed to even to see her as a granddaughter. You two are pathetic. If you told this poor girl the truth she wouldn't be suffering the way she is now. Lost, disoriented and confused."
"Really Amida I thought you couldn't be summoned anymore." Amida turned and saw Hansuke walk in.
"It wouldn't be a problem if you had only told her the truth. Helping these two fabricate this lie is shameful, even for you."
"At least I know how to make you go back."
"Oh really?" Amida challenged and stopped when she sensed a spike of chakra. There was a gasp and she turned to see a hooded figure next to Mayumi and Hyosuke.
"Who are you!?" Mayumi gasped as her and Hyosuke moved away.
"Amida go back." the hooded figure replied and he lifted his face so the hood could show his face and crimson eyes shone through.
"Ah, little Uchiha. Here to save your dearly beloved?"
"Go to sleep." Uchiha whispered and his sharingan began to spin, so fast it almost looked like ringlets and Amida felt herself loosing power.
"Why...you little..." Amida cringed and fell to her knees before passing out. Ryoma looked at the hooded figure and back at Kiyoko.
"You're the vessel of the Sage." Uchiha simply looked at Hansuke.
"Make sure you tightened security in the next few days before you reach Konoha. Akatsuki are already making their move, you might meet some of them on the way. Just give them any info they need and the circus won't be harmed."
"What could they possibly want from us?" Hansuke asked.
"Ask him." he nodded to Ryoma who glared at him. There was a groan coming from Kiyoko and they looked at her before looking back to Uchiha but were surprised to see he had disappeared.
"Kiyoko." Mayumi went to her side just as Kiyoko opened her eyes. "Are you alright."
"What happened? Where am I?"
"What do you remember?"
"I was in the tent packing up the food...Katsumi was insulting me...that's just about it."
"You were possessed."
"Mayumi!" Ryoma barked.
"No! You lied to the three of us! I'm not going to be a part of it!" Mayumi snapped. Mayumi helped Kiyoko sit up and explained what happened which took about half an hour. Anger began to build up in Kiyoko and when Mayumi was done she exploded.
"How could you do this to me?! I'm here, completely without an identity and you all make a fool of me!"
"Kiyoko-" Keiko began but she barked.
"Don't, if you had really cared about me you would of not gone along with this lie." She turned and began to walk away.
"Where are you going?!" Mayumi called.
"I need some time alone," she looked back at Mayumi and smile sadly. "Thank you for being the only one to be honest with me. But I really need to be by myself. As for the show tonight, I'll only help out in the stands and go with you to the next town. Once there I'm gone, I'll find a way to remember who I am on my own."
She left the tent and as she walked many people were avoiding her, looking at her like an animal about to attack and she even spotted Katsumi who walked in the opposite direction as fast as she could. Kiyoko simply kept walking until she got to the water fall and she wasn't surprised when she saw Uchiha at the shore of the shallow lake. This time he had a hooded cloak and when she got close enough he let his hood fall back.
"Thank you." she said.
"For what?"
"You know what. Mayumi told me what happened."
"If I'd know Hansuke was withholding the truth for personal reasons I would have told you the truth about yourself sooner."
"That doesn't matter anymore..." she looked up at him with a sad frown. "Tonight is the last performance,"
"I know."
"I won't see you once we head to the next town will I?" he shook his head and could see the disappointment in her eyes. He hated when she looked like that, especially when he was the cause of it. For once in his life he should be helping her instead, he'd already made her a promise to go back to her so why was he being an asshole and trying to-when did she get this close? He stiffened when he realized she was getting closer to him and grabbed her by the arms to stop her.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm tired of everyone treating me like I'm going to break!" she snapped. "I have scars from wounds that would have killed a normal person and I know that you are someone important to me because what I'm feeling every time I'm this close to you is smothering me! I'm a strong person and I'm not going to fucking break you hear me Uchiha?!"
At this he smirked and she glared.
"What?!"
"I forgot how hot you look when you get mad." this made her blush but she glared either way until he finally tilted his head and pressed his lips against hers. She felt like her head was going to explode with the feelings that bombarded her. Passion, love, desire, excitement, and so many other emotions passed through her. Then her flashes of memories sped past her mind like a waterfall; getting stabbed, the curse mark taking over her, her first kiss, the chunnin exams but most importantly was the man who was kissing her right now. The first time she met him, the day she lost him, meeting him again, their fights, the first time they made love-and her son! The son who was waiting for his mother to come back to him and the promise she'd made. She finally opened her eyes and pulled away.
"I remembered..." she whispered and looked up into a pair of hopeful onyx eyes.
"What did you remember?"
"You." his eyes widened and he took her face in his hands.
"Say it...my name." he whispered in urgency and she could see so much love in those eyes she couldn't help the wide smile that spread through her lips.
"Sasuke." she said and this time Sasuke kissed her so hard and passionately she was sure her legs would turn into jelly. Her hands clenched to his cloak and pulled him as close as she physically could. Sasuke's hands tangled through her hair just as hers did through his own hair, their chests heaving with short breaths from lack of oxygen and when they finally pulled away to breath her lips were slightly swollen and both their faces were flushed.
"Did you remember your name?" Sasuke asked and she nodded.
"I did, but it'd rather hear you say it." she smirked as she ghosted her lips over his. Sasuke's response was to place his hands on either side of her waist and pull her to him again with a devious smile on his lips that she found completely sexy.
"Koyuki." he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. He gently kissed her ear down to her jaw and to the crook of her neck. Koyuki gave a small sigh of pleasure, her hands going to the edge of his shirt and going up his stomach only for him to flinch and a small groan of pain to escape him.
"Sasuke?"
"I'm fine." he said but she knew better. She lifted his shirt and saw his entire midsection bandaged and bruises were peeking from the edge of the bandages.
"What...Sasuke what is this?"
"Those are bruises." he answered.
"I know that you idiot. Did Orochimaru do this?!" She looked up at him but he was trying not to look at her. "Uchiha you better answer me now!"
"He wasn't too pleased you escaped, or that I helped you and have been looking after you since you left."
"Looking after- have you been stalking around the circus this entire time?!"
"Not stalking," he muttered. "I've snuck out once in a while when I've finished training to make sure you were alright. And Orochimaru wasn't too thrilled about that either."
"You're so lucky he needs your body or he would have killed you by now." Koyuki sighed. "Why did you-"
"You know why." he interrupted, pressing his forehead against hers. "When I saw you get stabbed and fall down to the ravine...I almost lost it. I really thought I'd lost you again. I searched for you for almost a week until I found the circus, imagine my surprise when I realized you had amnesia again."
This brought a small laugh to her though it was without actual humor.
"I just hope this is the last time I have to go through that." Koyuki murmured. "But I'm still worried about this." she motioned to his injured midsection though he waved his hand dismissively.
"I'm fine, it's nothing I can't handle. I've had worse." he then reached in his pocket and took out a small locket she instantly recognized, the locket Mika had given her.
"That locket..."
"I found it shining through the mud by the ravine. I haven't been able to open it to see if anything inside got damaged. Looks like that fall bent the button that opens it." Sasuke had cleaned it well except that even if he cleaned it the small stain of blood was still there and of course he couldn't open it because you had to push the button down, and twist it clock wise twice. Mika had it made that way so only Koyuki could open it and she was glad of it since Sasuke would have been quite shocked to see a younger version of himself in that picture but with some differences because it was his son.
"I'll find a way to fix it." she said as he placed it in her hand. "It's the only thing I have from Mika."
"I truly am sorry he died...he could have made you happy the way I couldn't." Sasuke placed his hand on her shoulder by Koyuki shook her head.
"He knew I still loved you, and even if I had tried to be with him I would have ended up hurting him. In some sick morbid way it was better this way."
"Kiyoko!" Koyuki and Sasuke turned to see Mayumi with a torch in hand. The sun had set and they hadn't even realized it. "The show will be starting soon."
"I'll be there in a minute." Koyuki responded and turned to Sasuke with a sad smile but he kissed her deepely on the lips.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning before you leave." he promised when he pulled away. She kissed him one more time before stepping away and following Mayumi, she looked back once but Sasuke had already disappeared.
"He really loves you." Mayumi commented as she walked in front of Koyuki with torch in hand. "I've never seen so much emotion in someone's eyes before."
"Except for you when you look at Hyosuke." Koyuki commented with a smirk making Mayumi stumble and almost drop the torch.
"What?! I-I don't-" Mayumi stuttered while Koyuki gave her a small pat on the shoulder.
"It's okay, it'll stay between us." she winked. "But you should tell him how you feel."
"I can't, he doesn't feel the same." Mayumi sighed.
"You don't know that." Koyuki contradicted. "For all you know he feels the same and just doesn't know how to say it."
"Can we please stop talking about this?" Mayumi interrupted with a flushed face. Once she saw Koyuki nod she kept walking. "So, what's your name? Your real name."
"Koyuki Hatake." Koyuki happily replied and felt pride in her chest. "I am a ninja from Konoha."
"You remembered all that just by kissing him?" Mayumi asked and then smiled deviously at Koyuki when she saw her shocked look. "I went looking for you and saw you two kissing. But I was too far away to hear what you two were saying."
"There you are you two." Hyosuke sighed when they appeared. "The show's about to start."
He handed Mayumi her bow and arrows and Mayumi handed her torch to Koyuki.
"Break a leg." Koyuki smiled.
"Thanks." Mayumi smiled before heading in the direction of the large performance tent. Hyosuke waited until Mayumi had left before turning to Koyuki.
"Are you really going to leave?"
"Yes, I need to get back home. There's people that are important to me waiting for me to return."
"Well you sure made this place a lot more lively, it won't be the same." Hyosuke sighed. "I have to say it wasn't much of a surprise when I found out you were Keiko and Ryoma's granddaughter. You have a lot of family traits."
"And you just noticed it now." Koyuki scoffed but stopped when she saw Ryoma and Keiko making their way towards them. Her look turned hostile and her posture became stiff.
"We need to talk to you." Keiko said.
"The show-" Hyosuke began but Ryoma waved his hand dismissively.
"Mayumi will take care of it. Help her." he commanded. Hyosuke could only look apologetically at Koyuki before heading to the tent. Ryoma motioned for her to follow them and they walked back to his tent. There they sat on the cushions on the floor and they handed her a medium sized backpack that was torn in some places and looked muddied.
"My backpack." Koyuki said with relief as she opened it and began to look through it.
"Hansuke had it with him when he found you." Keiko explained when she saw Koyuki take out the scroll Tsunade had given her.
"Thank you, but I'm still mad at you." said Koyuki, barely sparing them a glance.
"Stop being a child." Ryoma scolded. "You're a ninja are you not?"
"Yes, and you betrayed my trust." she snapped back. "Some grandfather you are. I'm surprised mother talked fondly of you even though you kicked her out."
Those words made him freeze and Keiko to place a hand on her chest.
"That's right she talked about you but never told me you were performers...or that you banished her. All she talked about was how great parents you were and that she missed you. But you two don't deserve to be praised like that after what you did. Lying to her daughter for your own greedy-"
"Enough." Keiko whispered. Koyuki looked then was surprised to see tears in the old woman's eyes. "Enough."
"Keiko," Ryoma began but the glare she gave him made him stop.
"I loved my daughter." she sniffed. "I'll never forgive myself for the harsh words or the way I refused to listen. I just couldn't stand the idea of her living the way of the ninja or leaving us..."
"She was happy." Koyuki replied.
"It only brought her to an early grave." was Ryoma's reply. "She was killed by a ninja and not even in her home but the home of a clan that is so despicable-"
"Don't speak about things you don't know!" Koyuki snapped. "I was there! I saw her die before my eyes and trust me when I say I blame myself. If I hadn't insisted I wanted to see Sasuke she would still be alive!"
Ryoma looked at his granddaughter and could see the self guilt in her eyes along with anger. This is what made him realize the mistake he had made, memories of his daughter's sorrowful eyes as she walked away. That was the last time he had seen his daughter and those biting words he had told her.
You are dead to me. I have no daughter.
"You look a lot like her." said Ryoma and Koyuki looked at him. Same eyes, same nose, even the way she tilted her head reminded him of her and he felt a wave of sorrow and regret hit his chest.
"Up and at 'em sunshines!" Koyuki groaned at the sudden intrusion of sunlight and turned only to fall off her hammock and land flat on her back.
"Hyosuke I will murder you." she growled while Mayumi placed her blanket over her face to block out the sun.
"Later, start packing. Ryoma said we'll leave around 7." with that the flap closed and darkness enclosed the inside of the tent again. Mayumi pulled the covers back and looked down at Koyuki. After the show Mayumi had found Koyuki on the hammock staring at the ceiling as she told her the argument that happen between their grandparents and how she had excited the tent after Keiko and Ryoma had told her how long it would take to get to Konoha.
"I'm going to miss you." Mayumi said as she helped Koyuki get up.
"Well if things go well you might just go back to Konoha to show your performance." Koyuki smiled. "Konoha loves good performers and I'm sure they'll ask you to go back."
"I'll take your word for it." Mayumi smiled. After that they got dressed and began to pack all their stuff and undid the tent. After that they helped the other performers pack tents and load boxes onto the carriages. They had finished three hours later and it was finally time for the entire caravan to get moving. As she was made her final round to make sure everything had been packed and loaded she was grabbed by the arm and pulled behind a thick tree. She threw her arm to land a punch but it was caught by a hand and pinned against a tree, dark onyx eyes looked down at her and a smirk from her ambusher's face.
"I told you I'd see you off before you left." Sasuke smirked.
"I was wondering when you'd show." she smirked back and Sasuke wasted no time in hungrily kissing her. She threw her arms around his neck while her wrapped his around her waist, bringing her closer to him and pinning her against the tree.
"Koyuki," he whispered in between kisses as her hands went through his hair. She moaned as his hands started going up her shirt, slowly caressing the scars he knew she had, knowing they were sensitive when he touched them in just the right way. Her grip on his hair tightened, making him smirk against the kiss but too soon she heard Ryoma's voice telling everyone they were heading out. Slowly Sasuke took his hands out of her shirt and locked them behind her neck while Koyuki's were still on his hair. He rested his forehead against hers and sighed.
"It's time,"
"Please just come back with me." she pleaded despite knowing it was impossible for him to accompany her.
"You know why I can't." he told her. "As much as I want to."
"What if there was something more waiting for you?" she insisted. Her secret be damned he had to know.
"What do you mean?"
"What if it wasn't just me waiting for you? What if you had a family waiting for you to come back? And I'm not just talking about Team 7 I'm talking about-"
"Koyuki lets go!" she heard Mayumi's voice a few feet away and Sasuke looked down at her sadly before kissing her hard one last time.
"You're all I have left Koyuki." Sasuke whispered. "That's all I need, knowing you'll be waiting for me."
"I love you." She told him.
"And I love you." with those last words he disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Koyuki stepped from behind the tree and walked towards Mayumi who had her hands on her hips.
"We were just going to leave without you."
"I had to say one last good-bye." Koyuki replied.
"You didn't convince him to go back with you?" Mayumi asked and gave her a sympathetic look when Koyuki shook her head. "Don't worry, you'll see him again."
"I just hope he'll still be alive when I do." Koyuki sighed looking back at the tree one last time before following Mayumi to their carriage.
Please come back in one piece Sasuke. Our son is waiting for you.