Ko quickly walked to the nearby bathroom that was near the waiting area busting through the door only to scream out in pain and fell onto the tiled floor. She tried to cope with it but the pain was too much for her to handle now. She knew that at least one of her arms was injured along with her back from falling into the crater. Her left side screamed in pain from the rock hitting her but all her physical pain didn't compare to her emotional pain.
Ko didn't mean to kill Airi, she was supposed to dodge the attack then continue until she was exhausted. Airi used up a lot of her chakra and was in too much pain to continue after a few more moves. Ko didn't know what went wrong with her genjutsu. She released Airi just in time to realize that it wasn't real and she had to get out of the way. Ko got to her feet and stumbled to the mirrors across the room. She held onto the sink looking at her battered reflection. The left side of her face was more scabs and bruises than skin; the look in her eyes seemed dull and soulless. She didn't recognize herself.
Her father had always told her that the first kill would change you. He didn't want to force her first kill, he wanted it to be on her own terms instead. Orochimaru had told her that his first kill made him feel alive and powerful but right now, Ko felt terrible. The guilt sat not on her chest but inside her brain, what she had done she could not undo. Guilt was eating and pestering at Ko. A fire burned in her mind and throat. Remorse hit her like a sledgehammer.
"She's gone and all because of me. I burnt her sister and now she's an only child...well that I know of. Her parents have lost a child...what if they were here today? To see their child die before their own eyes by the same person who burnt their other daughter to a crisp. Ugh my body, I have to heal myself if I want to finish this mission."
Ko released chakra from her necklace and used it to heal her major injuries making them hurt less. When she was finished, she looked back into the mirror seeing no change in the look in her eyes.
"No, I can't act like this. I am the daughter of Orochimaru! I can't be weak like this, killing is part of a shinobi's job description. She was a Mist Ninja, they don't care about anything else but killing. This village has made me weak. I had no problem burying my emotions when I was younger but now it's almost impossible. That girl's death shouldn't have affected me at all. I have to complete this mission then this place will only be a memory I want to forget."
Ko turned from the mirror and walked out of the bathroom heading for the waiting area. She poked her head through the doorway seeing everyone focused on Sasuke and Gaara's match. Naruto was the first one to notice her presence.
"Ko! There you are!" He shouted alerting everyone of her arrival.
"Y-yeah I just needed some time to myself. I wish I could stay but I need to go to the infirmary." Ko answered.
"Alright, I'll see you later!" He exclaimed with a wide smile.
Ko gave him a faint smile before turning around heading down the hall. She formed a hand sign making a clone then made another sign and teleported outside the arena. Unfortunately, she hasn't practiced lately so she landed in a back alley filled with dumpsters.
"Arg dammit! I didn't want to appear in a dumpster!" Ko cursed as she painfully got out of the disgusting garbage. "All right, now I have to go to the middle of the village where it's the busiest then wait for my clone to tell me when to start."
As Ko waited for the signal, she looked at the villagers that passed by her. Mostly everyone that was out shopping were civilians; hardly any shinobi were walking around since they all went to see the finals. The children were all pulling their mothers and fathers to the different shops with smiles on their faces unknown to the danger that lurks in the dark alley way. She could feel her heart sink at the thought of killing innocent people but shook her head trying to shake away the feeling.
"If Father saw me now, he'd kill me. I can't be a weak Leaf ninja, I need to be the emotionless Sound ninja that I was trained to be. This village changed me...I have to destroy it in order to go back to my old self, the one that Father was...more proud of." She started to sift through her memories remembering when she was still with Orochimaru when she was young.
*Flashback*
"Lord Orochimaru?" Ko questioned as she sat on the floor of her Father's lab.
"Yes my dear?" He asked as he read his scrolls jotting down notes in his book.
"What is it like to kill?" She asked with curiosity.
Orochimaru stopped what he was doing and looked over at Ko as a sadistic smile started to form on his face. "Now what kind of question is that?" He asked getting up from his chair and walking over to her.
"Well, shinobi are supposed to kill. You're training me to be strong so I can kill. When I do eventually kill someone, I want to be prepared."
"It's different for everyone."
"What was your first kill like?"
"It felt amazing, I've never felt more alive and powerful. The adrenaline was coursing through my veins as I watched his life leave his eyes."
"When will I kill?"
"In time darling, you shouldn't force your first kill. It'll happen eventually."
*End*
Ko suddenly felt a shiver go down her spine as memories cluttered her mind. She could see an Anbu perform a seal followed by the audience starting to slump over as they were caught in a genjutsu once her clone disappeared. She started to make hand signs and slammed her hand to the ground summoning a three headed snake which destroyed everything in its path. Screams were heard throughout the village as the snake slithered through the village hissing at the people below.
She watched it destroy the houses and shops as the civilians ran from it. She looked up to see some ninja standing on the village wall observing the scene discussing a plan. At first, she thought they were Leaf shinobi but the clothes were different, they were Sound ninja. She saw a shadow appear on the ground getting larger and larger. Ko looked up seeing a large toad falling from the sky about to land on the snake.
Ko ran out of the way in fear of the snake collapsing on her and being seen by anyone. She got a good distance away before the toad landed on the snake causing a huge crash making debris flying everywhere. Ko was glad she decided to move since the spot she was at before, was now occupied by a fallen building. Her body was protesting for her to stop moving and using her energy but Ko had to get out of there. She ran back towards the arena quickly making hand signs and teleported towards the arena. Once again, she missed her target and ended up in front of the gate of the arena. Ko started to get a bad feeling and knew something was going to happen.
"At least I was close this time." Ko muttered to herself.
She jumped onto the wall viewing the scene before her. Bodies littered the arena along with blood while screams and metal touching metal was heard from all over as the shinobi fought. Ko looked over at the barrier that was on top of a building; she could hardly see anything but a large tree in the middle of it. She knew Orochimaru was responsible for the barrier and guessed that he and the Hokage were inside it. Ko could see several Anbu on one side of the barrier, so she ran to the other side of it. She reached one of the corners which Tayuya occupied.
"Ko? Is that you?" She questioned a smile forming on her face. It had been years since she saw the girl and missed her terribly.
"Yes," Ko replied keeping her composure. She had missed her mother figure over the years wanting to hug her but there was no time.
"Wow you've grown. I saw your match kid and it was pretty sweet; you've definitely become stronger. The side of your face looks terrible though."
"Thanks, I guess."
"Why are you here?" She questioned fearing Ko could be caught any moment.
"I think Lord Orochimaru is in trouble. I have a bad feeling; let me in to help him."
"Can't risk it but those Anbu are too stupid to try from below." She said with a smile.
"Thanks, Tayuya."
Ko made hand signs using up almost all of the chakra that she had left to melt into the ground and swim under the barrier. She emerged behind the vegetation making sure the Anbu didn't see her. She quickly activated her eyes seeing Orochimaru and the Hokage not too far from her but their life forces were dangerously low. She deactivated her eyes and ran towards Orochimaru as fast as she could, from the position they were in, it looked like he was in trouble.
She jumped up onto a branch to get a better view and looked down at the scene before her. Orochimaru and the Hokage were bound together by a sword while the Hokage was gripping Orochimaru's arms. Ko looked at Orochimaru's arms seeing that they were turning purple. Ko ran towards them but she was too late. The Hokage let go of Orochimaru falling to the ground as Orochimaru screamed in agony saying he couldn't feel his arms.
"Lord Orochimaru! What happened?" Ko questioned with a concerned tone just as she caught him.
"Ko darling...just in time. Heal my arms!" He screamed out in anger making her flinch from his raised voice.
Ko was taken aback by his burst of anger but regained her composure. Her hands started to glow green as she hovered them over his arms but it was no use. Her chakra was already low and she didn't know how to heal this.
"I-I don't think I can." Ko admitted as the green glowing disappeared.
"I read your letter, you've done it before!" He shouted in her face with rage making her flinch with fear.
"I don't have any chakra left my Lord...I've used it up."
"Impudent child!" He yelled in anger and kicked Ko in the stomach. "You are here to heal me not yourself! I made you so you can make me immortal!" He shouted down at her then kicked her again.
Ko got to her knees bowing at his feet. "I'm sorry my Lord. I'll try my best." She activated her eyes hoping that was the trigger.
Ko released the remaining chakra in her necklace and put her hands over Orochimaru's lifeless arms. She tried to do what she did with Sasuke but she was too weak. It was hard to keep her Subete Miru activated for long while trying to transfer her life force to Orochimaru. She tried to concentrate on his life force but in his arms, there wasn't one.
"I-I can't, the life force isn't transferring." Ko explained.
She received another kick to her side this time. Ko cried in pain from her previous injuries and fell to the ground.
"What good are you for?" He scolded with a harsh tone as he slammed his foot on her back causing her to break the tiles below her.
Before Ko could respond, the barrier was gone and the sound four appeared at Orochimaru's side. "Before we go, take care of her for me."
The sound four looked at Orochimaru, down at Ko, then at each other and nodded. They walked towards her kicking her and punching the defenseless girl repeatedly as she took the punishment. She had forgotten what it was like to live with Orochimaru and this was a grave reminder.
"Sorry kid, orders are orders." Tayuya apologized with a saddened expression. She had always been kind to Ko despite her usual orders would be to beat her to a pulp during training.
Once they were done, they took Orochimaru away leaving Ko barley conscious next to the Hokage's body.
"I have to get out of here before they see me."
Ko used what little chakra she had left, she teleported outside the arena into the woods where she laid still trying to catch her breath. Ko planned to stay there until she felt well enough to walk back home...if she had a home anymore. She didn't want to roam the village during the day fearing someone seeing her and asking about her injuries. She already told Naruto that she was in the infirmary and should've been resting during all the commotion.
"How could he treat me like that? I couldn't heal him, why didn't he understand?" Ko thought as her vision started to get blurry and tears poured down her cheeks. No matter how hard she tried to stop them, tears continued to fall and she started to sob even harder letting out a loud scream in anger. "I'm useless."