Disclaimer: Same

Notes: For once in my life...there isn't a note.

And as requested---ages (sorry if it was confusing...XD):
Kirei - 16
Itachi - 17
All of Team Seven - 13
Kikyo - 16

Chapter Seventeen

I stared at the Hokage standing in front of me. Good news or bad news? I closed my eyes, I didn't really want to hear either, but I guess I didn't have a choice, she was going to tell me anyways, unless I jumped through the window and died or something…I looked over the edge and calculated the fall. Not enough to kill me. Darn.

"Bad news," I responded, not looking up at the lady standing in front of me.

She sighed, "Based on the data I've collected…it's very possible that you will never regain your memories. Your brain has been severely damaged, and I can't heal it…so you remembering anything is very unlikely…"

"I figured so…" I whispered. "I wonder what I did to deserve this…"

Tsunade-sama had a pained look in her eyes, I hate that look.

"Well, the good news probably won't sound too good right now, but you can be released from the hospital at anytime, I have an apartment fixed up for you, so I'll have Sakura and Kakashi get you set-up in there."

I nodded slowly, "But what am I going to do? Just sit there the whole time. I want to be a ninja again, even if I don't remember anything. I'm not in a group…and I don't know what my ranking is…"

Tsunade-sama grinned, "I don't know what your ranking is either…but how about you let me train you?"

My eyes brightened up, "Really! I would love that!" I couldn't imagine being trained by one of the Three Legendary Ninjas of Konoha!

> >

"Thank you all so much for helping me get set-up!" I smiled.

"It was no problem…" Kakashi said, not even looking up from his book…which he was now reading again.

Sakura nodded, "If you ever need help, just ask…" he voice broke off as we watched Kakashi turn and walk out the door, still reading of course.

"What am I supposed to do…just sit here and do nothing?" I asked suddenly. I stared at the walls surrounding me, it was like they were closing in. Why was I here? What had really happened to me? Why was I like this?

"How about I show you around Konoha…? You probably don't remember it too well, Tsunade-sama said that you should remember it a little bit though," Sakura smiled, grabbing my wrist and leading me out the door.

I followed Sakura out the door, and the moment we hit the main street, I noticed everyone glaring at me.

I nudged Sakura slightly, "Do I have something on my face…?"

She looked down, "No that's not it…"

"Then what is it?"

"I can't say," she responded, "It's nothing extremely important right now, so just don't worry about it, okay?"

'Right…"

"Well, how about we go visit Tsunade-sama! Maybe she has some time for training!" Sakura said excitedly. "I don't know about you…" she almost whispered, "But I have to get stronger, I have to find a friend who's very dear to me, and I want to keep everyone safe."

I found myself smiling, "Me too…Oh, who's the friend you're talking about?"

Sakura's face became slum, "Well…his name is Uchiha Sasuke, he left and joined Orochimaru…" her face changed and a wild look appeared in her eyes, "But I'm going to bring him back no matter what!"

"You're determined, that's so great! I wish I could help you…the name sounds familiar but that's about it…"

> >

"Oh," Tsunade said looking up from her desk, "I have a favor to ask of you two. Kazekage is coming, I want you two and Shizune to meet him at the gate and bring him here, alright?"

"Gaara-sama is coming?" Sakura asked looking surprised, "What for?"

"I'll tell you later, he'll be here soon--now go."

We both bowed, and rushed out of the office.

I jumped on top of the building, and pushed myself forward, Sakura followed closely behind me, "I wonder why Gaara-sama is here…" Sakura asked.

"Does he usually not visit here or something?" I asked.

"Not usually, usually the Kages don't meet up so suddenly is all. I'm wondering if it has something to do with our guest here."

"What guest?"

"Sorry, just thinking aloud."

I frowned, I didn't like the sound of this. For the Kazekage to appear, this guest must be someone really important and maybe even dangerous.

We skidding to a stop in front of the large door, the door to the village, just as it began to open. I saw Sakura bow and I did the same.

Gaara-sama entered followed by a few sand ninjas. Only two really stuck out, one was a girl with blonde hair. She carried a huge fan, and the other was a guy dressed in all black with purple markings on his face.

"Welcome back!" Sakura smiled, "I'll talk you to Tsunade-sama, she's waiting."

"Thank you, Sakura-san," Temari grinned, "But do you think you could tell Tsunade-hime that Kankurou and I want to check security."

"Alright, Kirei-san, would you accompany them? I'll need you to show them the way back to Tsunade's office."

I nodded. I saw the rest of the Sand Ninja stay by the gate, and Sakura walked off with Gaara-sama, leaving me with the other two.

"So, you're Moeru Kirei. Not what I was expecting, really," the girl said, "I'm Temari, please to meet you, and this," she pointed to the guy, "Is Kankurou, he doesn't like midgets."

"Okay….?"

We chatted while I followed them around examining the security of Konoha. They seemed to know their way around the village better than I did, which is really sad.

"Shikamaru-san!" Temari shouted suddenly. I saw her rush over to a Chuunin boy with weird hair. Just by the look of him you could tell he was pretty lazy and carefree.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Gaara-san and Hokage-sama?" he asked her.

"I'm checking up with security," she replied.

"God, you're so troublesome, the security is fine. Now go away."

"Quit being such a lazy ass, you could at least try to be nice to a friend."

Shikamaru raised his hands in question, "A friend! You've just given me trouble."

"Oh yeah? Who saved you're sorry ass a year ago!"

"Do they always do this…?" I asked Kankurou.

He nodded, "She always teases him. It's annoying."

Shikamaru nodded towards me, "Hey you, get them back to Hokage-sama would you?"

"They're checking security--"

"Security is fine! Y'know what, I'll check security just take them to Hokage-sama alright?"

Temari laughed in surprise, "You'd actually get off your lazy ass and do that for us? You must be sick…well let's get going."

> >

When we made it over to Tsunade-sama's office, Sakura rushed out to greet us, well, actually to greet me since Temari and Kankurou just continued on upstairs.

"Why aren't you still upstairs?" I asked.

"I may be being trained by Tsunade-sama, but that doesn't mean I'm allowed to listen in on top secret conversations."

I nodded in response.

We sat there in silence, watching people pass us on their normal daily errands. But there was this thing that concerned me more and more anyone past by. Each and every person threw me a dirty look, with the exception of younger kids. Each person would look at me and a look of pure disgust would appear on their face…

"Sakura, I know you told me not to worry about it…but why does everyone throw me those looks…"

Sakura sighed, "I can't tell you…one, because I don't know the whole story, and two, because Tsunade-sama forbid me. If you want to know, you'll have to ask her."

I closed my eyes, what had I done? It was either something really surprising, tragic, or terrible. I didn't believe that I'd do something terrible. I tried to remember…and nothing came, only an ache in what seemed to be my "heart". You'd think my own heart would let me remember something.

A sharp pain intruded my shoulder, and I jumped suddenly only to find a girl standing in front of me.

"Hey, Kirei!" the girl said.

"Do I…know you?"

She slumped down slightly, "You're not Kirei? You look just like her…they said she was in the village."

"No, no, I am. But, who are you?"

She closed her eyes, "So the rumors are true? You actually lost your memory?"

"Yes…" I replied. This girl was starting to annoy me.

"Shit," she said, a huge smile on her face. Suddenly that smile reminded me of something…yet I didn't know what.

Sakura suddenly sat up, "Hey Kikyo."

"Hi there, I haven't seen you in a while, Sakura. You must be really busy training."

"Like always," Sakura nodded, she turned to me. "This is your cousin, Kikyo."

"Really?" I perked up suddenly. "Can you tell me some things?" I found myself suddenly standing in front of her.

She must have been the same age as me, because we were close in height and she had a similar body structure to me.

"It depends."

"Tell me about my past!" I said staring her in the eye. I saw her glance down at Sakura, and shake her head. "I can't."

"Wha--why?"

"I don't want you to remember those things," she said laughing slightly. "Well, it's not that I don't want you to remember it's just that…"

I rolled my eyes, "You're just like everyone else, giving me weird looks, not being truthful…"

I noticed a hurt look appear on her face suddenly, but what did I care? I hadn't known her for five minutes, you know what, how did I even know if she was my cousin? My own cousin would keep things about me from me.

She quickly made a excuse how she had to go meet up with her team for a mission, I watched her go, but didn't say anything.

> >

"So how's that girl doing?" a lady asked as Kikyo walked into a large house.

Kikyo glared at her, "What about her?"

"How is she doing?" she repeated angrily.

"She doesn't remember a thing," Kikyo replied, storming up to her room.

She threw the door open, and found herself in the comfort of her room. It had used to be Kirei's. She had kept the same structure of the room, not wanting to forget what it had looked like. Kirei had been one of the people she trusted most, she had been her friend, she had saved her from the possible death that Orochimaru had arranged for her.

Yet, her parents still had finally forgiven her. Kirei was just that special. It didn't matter if she had betrayed her clan or betrayed the whole village! They had forgiven her because she had returned their daughter to them! A daughter they hadn't even cared about in the first place. But she had returned pride to their family! A family member who had betrayed them all was still looking out for her family members, and thus the pride was returned. The Moeru family was once again near the top!

Better yet, the person who they had wanted to give the head of the family name to was once again in the village! Things were looking up for the Moeru Clan! Kirei was the cause for all their misfortunes in the first place and now they didn't even care that they had lost Kikyo's aunt and uncle because of her because once again, the honor Kirei had brought again.

Kirei had been perfect when she was younger, Kikyo had looked up to her. She wanted to be just a strong. She wanted to be strong enough to lead the family. She'd been jealous.

What had this lead to? She had been the only one to forgive Kirei because she had been happy when she left. She had left with the person she loved. She had left. That meant that there was now a chance to lead the family.

If Kirei stayed and regained memory, they still wouldn't give her the head of the family would they?

With how things seemed to be going now, they would give her that position regardless of if she regained her memories or not.

She had been in Akatsuki, all members of the Bingo Book, she had been with Orochimaru, one of the three Sannins, now she was training with Tsunade-sama. She was stronger than any of the people in the Moeru Clan wished to be.

She was fast on her feet, fast thinking, always doing the right thing.

Kirei was perfect. How had Kikyo ever thought she could compare to someone like that? Why had Kirei led her to belief that she even could…?

It was Kirei's fault, everything that had happened was.

Kikyo felt the tear drip down her cheek, and she pulled her knees into her chest and cried.