Massashi Kishimoto owns Naruto. I own Cassandra and everthing non Naruto related. The story is in play form, from Cassandra's point of view. Italics represent character thought or action.
Chapter 6. Tragedy Comes Calling.
Yet again, more time passed by in the Akatsuki. Life with my family was good, and I felt that they brought me up the best that they knew how to. I was now 17 years old, a young woman instead of a child. They say that the teenage years are the best times of your life. Well, whoever 'they' are, I would like to give them a good piece of my mind. My teenage years were a nightmare for me.
A few months after my 13th birthday, I grew several inches, and started developing certain body parts in the chest region. Small as they were, I was overjoyed that someone could tell I was female without asking me. Deidara always said he felt my pain when I complained to him about such things. Where as I was the definition of a tomboy, Deidara had a very feminine appearance, which he absolutely hated. My 13th year was really the only good teenage year I experienced.
On my 14th birthday, I officially became a woman. It still sends a chill down my spine when I think about the first morning I woke up with blood dripping from me. The following conversations were both embarrassing to me as well as to Sasori and Deidara. Konan made me feel a little better, but the moment was ruined when Pein found out and told everyone. I was mortified. Konan punched him in the face, but the damage was done.
My 15th birthday came and went unnoticed. A tragedy had struck us only days before...Kukazu and Hidan were both dead. I was told that they had acquired the Two Tailed Demon, when they came across some ninja from Konoha. They fought them, but were over powered. I didn't particularly care that Hidan was dead. In fact I was upset that I hadn't found a way to kill him first. But I missed Kukazu and his lessons on health and money. I knew he had well over lived his lifetime, but it was a shock for me that he could be dead. We were the Akatsuki. We were invincible. Now two of us were dead. It was an incomprehensible idea for me, and I moped around headquarters for days. Even now, I still miss Kukazu. No one ever told me the names of the ninjas that killed them. If I had known their names, they would be dead.
My 16th was perhaps the worst. That day Tobi and I were on another mission. A client of ours had threatened to turn us in to the authorities if we didn't comply with his demands. Obviously, we aren't the sort of organization that takes kindly to blackmail, so Tobi and I were to lynch the guy. Halfway through the mission, Pein decided he wanted us to kill his family too. I almost backed out. The man had a wife and three children. The oldest one wasn't more than 5 years old. Pein insisted to us over our radios that if we didn't do it, don't come home. No amount of pleading could get him to change his mind. Tobi and I carried out the mission as Pein asked. The voices of that family will haunt me until the day I die. The mothers' pleading was bad, but the worst was the baby. He looked at me with big blue eyes full of sadness and understanding. I am convinced he knew what I was going to do. He never cried out, never fought back. He just lay in his crib and watched as I slit his throat. I didn't even do a clean job, my arm was shaking so badly. I cut his head off crooked, and fell to the ground sobbing andscreaming. Tobi was shaking silently as well. He had done away with the man and other two children. That day, a part of my soul died, and I began to wonder yet again, why I was doingthis. Pein said he could rule the world betterthan is was being ruled already. That was fine with me, but if that meant I had to kill innocent people...I wasn't sure about that. In that sense, I hated Pein. I usually got along with him, but he believed strength lay in experience. He knew I couldn't stand killing innocents, but he thought it would make me stronger, so once in awhile, he sent Tobi and me to lynch someone. When Tobi and I got back that evening, we celebrated my birthday. It was the most awful experience of my life. Here I was, enjoying the privilege of another year of life, hours after I had taken that privilege away from two people. I retired early, and spent the entire night throwing up in the bathroom. I was so overcome with guilt and remorse, I actually became sick. I couldn't hold my food down and I developed a fever. This 'grieving illness' as Pein called it, lasted two weeks. Tobi was in an even worse condition. He stayed in his room for three weeks straight.
Now we have reached to my 17th birthday. It was a few days ago, and I had a nice, quiet birthday. It was too quiet, like the calm before a storm. I'm expecting something to happen any day now.
Well, enough rambling. I need to do my chores.
Tobi: knocks on the door and comes in Hey Cass, what are you doing?
Cass: I was just scribbling in my diary Tobi.
Tobi: Oooohhhh! You have a diary? Let Tobi see! Let Tobi see!
Cass: No, it's private. What do you want?
Tobi: Tobi was just coming to tell you we have to go grocery shopping, and that Sasori and Deidara went out on a mission earlier. They said they will be back shortly.
Cass: Alright, let's go then.
We go to a small store on the outskirts of the village. The owner is a nice old lady, and she has no problem with Akatsuki, so we get all of our supplies from her. We picked up everything that we needed, bread, meats, candy, ect. and go to pay
Cass: How much is it Mrs. Yumiko?
Mrs. Yumiko: $56.79. Thank you.
Cass: Mhmmm. Goodbye! C'mon Tobi, I want to get home.
As soon as we arrived home, I felt a sudden wave of cold fear wash over me. I stumbled and fell to the ground. I only ever got this feeling when something was horribly wrong, like how an animal can sense danger.
Tobi: Cass? Are you ok, what's wrong?
Cass: I don't know yet Tobi, but something is wrong. I got that feeling again.
Tobi helped me up, and we both rushed inside.
Cass: Pein! Pein what happened?
Pein: What happened?
Cass: I don't know that's why I'm asking you!
Pein: Nothing has happened Cassandra. What makes you think that anything's happened?
Cass: I just...I got this feeling, that's all.
Pein: Well, as far as I know everything is fine here so why don't you put the groceries away and stop worrying, alright?
Cass: sigh Yes Pein.
Tobi and I put the groceries away, and go finish up our chores. I went to take a nap after that, because I had a horrible headache. The next thing I knew, Tobi was gently shaking me awake.
Tobi: Cassandra?
Cass: Yeah? What's up Tobi, you sound upset.
Tobi: Tobi came to tell you something.
Cass: Ok, shoot.
Tobi: You've been asleep for a few hours.
Cass: Ok...where are you going with this Tobi?
Tobi: Well...you missed a lot...
Cass:...Like what? My voice rose in pitch. Something was seriously wrong
Tobi: Remember that Sasori and Deidara went out today, to acquire the One Tailed Demon?
Cass: Yes. What happened? Did the Demon break loose? Is everyone ok?
Tobi: Well, a lot was going on at once, but Deidara got the Demons container, and Sasori was bringing up the rear, to make sure that no one was following behind.
Cass: Tobi, tell me what happened, or I will strangle you.
Tobi: Deidara is badly injured...and and...Sasori...he's...he's...Cassandra, Sasori is dead. His Grandma was fighting him because she was trying to save the container...and there was another person there, a girl. I just went with Zetsu to have a look, but he's already dead. His heart was pierced...and then his Grandma came in here, demanding that she be sacrificed to save the container. Tobi doesn't know what happened to the girl. Deidara is in the infirmary, and Konan is taking care of him right now. There was too much going on, and Tobi is a little sketchy on the details, but that's what Tobi thinks happened. Tobi is so sorry Cassandra. Really really sorry.
I sat in a stunned silence through this little speech, half listening. I didn't care about pointless details. All I knew was Deidara, my parent was injured, and Sasori, my other parent, my teacher, my friend, was dead. And I couldn't even avenge him, because his killer was dead too. I guess I must have been crying, because Tobi went to wipe away my tears, and tried to hug me. I pushed him away. Now was not the time for comfort. Now was the time for denial and rage. Now was the time to thirst for the blood that I could not have. The beast within me stirred, and I let out a savage growl.
Tobi: Cass...are you ok?
Cass: OF COURSE IM NOT OK YOU FOOL! Sasori is DEAD! Deidara is HURT! And I can't even DO anything about it!
Tobi: Cass, you need to calm down. It will be ok.
Cass: It will NEVER be ok Tobi. NEVER! I want someone's blood for this!
Tobi: Cass, Sasori's killer is dead, and the person who injured Deidara got what was coming to him. Besides, the container is alive! You won't have to feel bad about him dying for us to get his demon.
Cass: What is his name?
Tobi: Gaara of the Sand. He's the Kazekage of the Sand Village.
Cass: Gaara-sama?
Tobi: You know him?
Cass: I know of him. He was the Kazekage's devil son. I always wanted to know why he was feared. I guess now I know. He housed a demon. Poor Gaara-sama. I want to go see him.
Tobi: You won't hurt him right?
Cass: Not unless he gives me reason to.
We walk down the long corridor to the place where Pein did the sacrifices to extract the Tailed Demons. I never went down here if I could help it. Soon we came to an open room. Gaara was tied up, with a calm, bored look on his face. I saw a mangled body on the floor. I guess it must have been Sasori's killer. Growling, I kicked it away from me and spat on it.
Gaara: Don't. She's been through enough. You should respect the dead.
Cass: I'm showing her all the respect she deserves for killing Sasori.
Gaara: He must have been weak to die from this old woman's hands. Is that her fault?
Cass: No man is immortal. It still gives me no reason to respect her.
Gaara: No, no man is immortal, but isn't that one of your organizations goals?
Cass: I'm an underling, so I wouldn't know.
Gaara: So who was this Sasori to you?
Cass: My foster parent. What's it to you?
Gaara: Then that woman is your foster grandmother. I'm just curious.
Cass: Nosy boys don't have a long life expectancy.
Gaara: Neither do rage filled underlings. Rage often leads to stupid mistakes, sometimes fatal ones. Believe me, I would know.
Cass: How is it that you are so calm in a time like this?
Gaara: It's called patience and understanding. You should try it sometime. I understand that you are upset that Sasori is dead, but he was a ninja. Ninja are expected to die sometime. I see that you look a little calmer now. Rage is a short lived thing. It's much easier to let it go.
Cass: I can't let it go. He's dead. That means he isn't ever coming back.
Gaara: I never said you have to let go immediately, just as long as you don't harm others in your grief.
Cass: I take a deep breath and start feeling more at peace Thank you for your advice. You are a wise ruler, Kazekage Gaara.
Gaara: smiling Thank you. So...when can I leave?
Cass: I don't know actually.
Tobi: Pein says that we can get him out of here and back home if he swears not to come back and try to seek revenge on us.
Gaara: I'm just happy to be alive. Your organization has actually ridded me of a great burden. However, I won't turn a blind eye if you attack my people again. I won't tolerate chaos in my home.
Cass: We really aren't that bad. We keep peace in our own way.
Gaara: Then we can have a mutual understanding. I know little about this place, and I think I would like to keep it that way.
Cass: Excellent. Then I will escort you home.
Tobi: Wait for Tobi.
Cass: No Tobi, I got this. I want to be alone for now. I may take the scenic route on the way back home.
Tobi:...Well, if you need Tobi...
Cass: I'll keep in touch. Tell Pein I'm taking care of this. Bye.
I untie Gaara and we walk out together like this is an everyday occurrence. I liked that about him, he seemed to be a very accepting guy. I guess that would come with the job description of being Kazekage. I was over my initial anger and had settled into a numb sense of shock. Still, I thought, sighing to myself, it could have been a whole lot worse. Gaara shifted into place behind me and we started the trek back to his home.