Me: I didn't say it last chapter but I will say it now. I have a beta for this story! Isn't it great? Her name is Demoness Drakon so be nice and say nice things about her beta-ing.
Also I would like to send out a quick call out to Dark Angel of Pain and Chaos. Truthfully I never noticed the thing about (almost) all of my OCs having abused pasts. Part of that has to do with the fact that I'm an OC dictator. If some fictional character isn't suffering in some way shape or form then I ain't happy. The other fact has to do with I like the conflict it gives. I'm not going to say much more because it'll spoil the story but you catch my drift.
Here's chapter four! Enjoy!
***
Chapter 4
***
Sasori knocked on Leaders door, the genjutsu not fazing him. Pein irritably called to him from within and Sasori opened the door. Shuffling to Leader's desk. Konan started at him her eyes reflecting a deep worry.
"Leader-sama, Suzu has-"
"Lost her memory." Leader finished sighing. "I was hoping it wouldn't be the case."
"What happened." Sasori asked. Pein nodded to Konan, silently signaling the woman to listen as well. He filled them in on the events that had occurred earlier that day. He told them about the plant that poisoned Suzu. Konan growled, muttering aloud a tempting though of burning Zetsu's crazy plants.
Sasori understood now. "I see, so what do you want to do about it?"
"For now..." Pein stood up, staring at the two of them, "Nothing. Zetsu said it was temporary so we wait it out."
"Pein." Konan stepped forward, "About what we were talking about earlier... about me..."
"I will let you watch over Suzu." Pein answered. "But Sasori..."
Sasori stood stiff, only guessing at what Leader-sama was going to make him do.
"I want to you watch Deidara for awhile, make sure he doesn't make an even mess of all this."
Sasori nodded but inside he was cursing Deidara. Why was he the babysitter? Sasori bowed and let the room. Konan smiled and couldn't hold back her laugh.
"Finally...a girl I can talk and spend time with." Her mind boggled at all the possibilities. When was the last time she had decent female company? "Gosh." She admitted, her face blushing. "I can't even remember..."
"Don't get too excited." Pein warned. "She still hasn't agreed to join us, and if she denies us..."
Konan nodded gravely. "I understand, but I-" She stopped; she was just making a fool of herself. Getting so excited over this. She couldn't help it. This was a rare opportunity for her that she could never get again. "Pein, can I...."
"Can you what?" Pein said monotonously. Though he didn't act it he was smiling on the inside at Konan. The woman was so happy.
"Can I take her to town? T-to get her proper clothes of course." She added quickly. Pein smirked before retaining his hard poker face.
"I don't see why not." Beside him Konan's face lit up. "Just be careful, the town may have good connections with us but you never know." The woman thanked him profusely and ran out of the room. Pein shook his head and plopped down into his chair. He had a feeling he was going to be stuck doing all the paper work.
***
"Hello." Konan warmly smiled at the teenage girl sitting quietly in her bed. Suzu looked up and cocked her head to the side, her eye browns kited together in deep thought.
"I'm sorry." She said. "I don't remember your name."
"We haven't meet before." Konan explained. "I am Konan. Pleased to meet you." She sat down at the edge of Suzu's bed. The girl nodded and smiled back at her.
"I'm Suzu-ah.... um....I'm-"
"Suzukanene right?"
Suzu nodded. "Suzukanene." She repeated looking away.
"Well Suzu, would you like to go out with me?"
***
"Where are we going again?" Suzu questioned as she and Konan walked down the dirt road.
"Idaki village." Konan pointed far down the road. In the hazy distance a small village sat nestled between a mountain and a wide river with forests around the perimeter of it. "They have an agreement with Akatsuki. We protect them and in return they give us food and information they have gathered. Being along a major trade route lets them hear things from all over the world."
"I see." Suzu stared at the small town. It was quaint human village.
"It is a nice day." Konan looked up at the sky cheerfully. Suzu followed the woman's gaze and asked what was so nice about such an over cast day. The gray clouds put everything under a dull cover. "It usually rains everyday here." Konan explained. "Sometimes for weeks on end. It's not often it's nice enough out for us to go to the village."
They walked in comfortable silence. It would take them about an hour to reach the village. Suzu didn't mind walking the whole way in silence but a question was picking at Konan like a torn in the rear.
"Suzukanene." She said quietly, Suzu looked at her confused. "What do you remember?"
"Wh-what?" Suzu staggered back, shocked. "I... um.... n-nothing. I-I don't remember anything."
Konan nodded, looking content with Suzu's answer. She noted the way Suzu's eyes were looking as she spoke. The woman smiled to herself. "I hope you remember soon." She said encouragingly.
"Y-yeah..." Suzu found the ground very interesting that moment.
They reached the village in silence, Konan planning their day and Suzu in her own world. Two men guarding the gate bowed to Konan, letting the woman and girl pass.
"Odd." Konan said as they entered the village. Her mature features troubled.
"What is?" Suzu asked curiously.
"I've never seen those men before." Konan sneaked a glance back; the two men were watching them walk down the road. "Everyone in the village knows us Akatsuki, but only when we are wearing our cloaks."
Suzu nodded, Konan was wearing a thin tank top and knee length pants. They both looked like average shinobi, or at least Konan said they did.
"We must be careful." Konan warned, her face softening for a moment. "Oh poo." She sighed, walking off the road to look into a store window, antique dolls, their smiling faces and black eyes stared back at them. "I'm being paranoid. Forget what I said Suzu. Let's just have a good time, hmm?"
Suzu nodded and Konan told her about a new chic restaurant that Suzu instantly agreed to go to.
"I've always wanted to come here." Konan admitted as they sat down at their table by the window. People walked past them, all working hard on this rare, dry day. "Though the guys would never come here with me, too girly." Suzu laughed, the whole restaurant was clearly designed towards women, its pink decor and vast array of pastries evidence to that fact. "And I would never come here alone. It's a bit embarrassing if you ask me."
"I wouldn't." Suzu agreed, thinking. "I've never been to a restaurant either."
"This is good then." Koman smiled, her eyes lighting up as the pair sat down at a table. "I'm so glad you got your memory back then." The blue haired woman said confidently, laughter in her words. Suzu jumped in her seat.
"As far as I can remember!" She said quickly, but too late. Suzu buried her face in her hands, cursing her own stupidity. "How long have you known...." the girl whispered.
"How long have I known what?" Konan lifted Suzu's head, looking the girl straight in the eye, laughter playing in her blue eyes.
"That I've been lying..." Said the girl embarrassed. "About my memory..." Suzu was interrupted by a server coming over.
"Hello, my name is Kaida, and I'm your server for today. What would you like to order?" Both women put in their requests for various desserts before the waiter flounced off to go get it. Suzu looked down in embarrassment once the waiter was out of hearing distance.
"Suzukanene." Konan's eyes soften, the woman grabbing the girl's hand. "Why did you lie about it?"
"I didn't want to remember...." Suzu cried, tears coming to her eyes. "I remembered something... I should have forgotten."
"What happ-"
The waiter walked up, carrying two trays in her hands. "Here is your order." He smiled at them. Placing their deserts down on the table. Suzu took her fork and played with the cheesecake, mashing it around.
"Suzukanene-"
"I don't want to talk about it." Suzu said absentmindedly. Konan nodded sharply, saddened. She had hoped that she and Suzu could bond but the girl was too stubborn, unwilling to open up to her. Konan thought about telling Suzu about the Haze ninja. What their after, what they could to do her and her village. The danger.
'No....' Konan looked around the shop, at the groups of chattering friends or couples. 'It's too dangerous to talk about that here.... I'll tell her when we get back to the base.' Konan took a bite of her cobbler, wondering what they'll do next.
They finished their meal in silence, Suzu not touching her food. They left to pay for their food but their waiter said it was on the house. Konan thanked him and lead Suzu out of the shop, the girl withdrawn into herself.
"Let's get you some clothes." Konan said brightly, "I know a good shop we can go to." Konan and Suzu entered the small shop, the latests teen and woman trends displayed on store maniquins. "I wanted to buy you proper clothes" Konan was desperate to get the girl talking again. "But Kakuzu wouldn't let me. He said it was a waste of money since I didn't know your size. He told me to give you other member's old clothes. Though in hindsight-" Konan grabbed a cute top of its hanger and held it up to Suzu for comparison, only to throw it out. "it was smarter, so I ending up giving you Deidara's pants and Kisame's shirt. I think I also threw in one of Itachi's torn tanks that I had to sew new straps onto. Ah... I'm rambling aren't I?" Konan laughed, but to her dismay Suzu only stared at her feet.
"I'm only trying to help you." Konan said flustered at the girl's stubbornness. "You could at least say something. You're like Itachi only he gives a "Hn" at least." When Suzu said nothing Konan tried to grab the girl but Suzu shoved her away.
"I don't want to talk." Suzu said coldly, scowling at the new top Konan was putting up to her.
"Fine." The woman pouted.
The comfortable silence they shared before was gone. Konan's patience was wearing thin and Suzu refused to give the woman any slack. After several strained minutes Konan gave Suzu a pile of clothes to try on and pushed the girl into the changing room.
"I want to see every outfit you try on" Konan said through the door before plopping herself down on a chair. She yawned, suddenly tired. " It wouldn't hurt to rest for a bit." She said quietly, already falling asleep.
A skinny woman sharing the store with them turned her head when she saw Konan fall asleep; she walked out the store, putting bright red lipstick on her face. Two men across the street saw the signal and walked into the store, one knocking out the owner and the other heading to the dressing room. Tearing open the door Suzu was behind.
Suzu jumped, scared at the hostile intrusion. "Who are-" she screamed. "What are you!" The man punched her square in the jaw, stunning her.
"You should have eaten your cake." The man said before picking her up and throwing her over his shoulders. He nodded to his comrade and they walked out the store back door.
"Help..." Suzu muttered weakly. Her shock wearing off. "...Help."
"It's no use." The man told her, his comrade wrapping a white cloth around his face. On the forehead was attached a metal place. On it a slanted question mark.
"Who..." Suzu growled, anger welling up within her. The memory she strived to forget, the fire of her rage.
"It does not matter." The other man said quickly, punching her in the head. Suzu screamed and kicked and punched. Her foot landed in the man's stomach. He collapsed below her and she lunched herself at his comrade. Clawing at the man's eyes. His friend recovered and kicked Suzu in the back. The girl screamed and curled up on the ground.
'Bite.' The brown dog growled at her.
"STOP IT!" Suzu screamed. Flailing about madly on the ground. The men jumped on her, struggling her limbs into submission. One pulled out a rope and bound her limbs. He slapped her harshly.
"Listen bitch." He growled, his hand squeezing around Suzu's chin. "You will obey us or we will kill you."
"No!" She twisted and turned, kicking, punching. Doing whatever she could to get away. The man hit her again, the other pounding his foot into her stomach. "...no!..." Suzu coughed, struggling to regain her breath. The men forced her to her feet and dragged her off.
"Tie her mouth." The man said to his partner. His comrade pulled out a cloth gag when blood gushed from his chest. Seconds past before Suzu understood what happened. The man was dead. His partner had let go of her and ran. She heard his screams of pain moments later.
"Amateurs." Konan walked up to her, cutting her bindings.
"Konan..." Suzu didn't understand. Why did Konan save her?
"I'm sorry I didn't come to you sooner." Konan held on to the girl, helping her back to the store. "Their third wheel tried to kill me. I had them fooled though. Did they honestly think they could poison me? Next time they'll send someone more competent. We got lucky." All laughter was gone from the woman's eyes.
"Let me go." Suzu tried to break away from the woman's grasp. Konan let her go, following behind the girl back into the store.
"Suzukanene... I"
"I don't care!" Suzu shouted, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't care about stupid humans! I hate humans!"
"What happened Suzu!" The woman grabbed at the girl but Suzu snarled at her. Konan jumped back, scared. "Please Suzu..."
"No! I hate you!" Suzu dashed forward, barging through the stores glass front door.
Konan cried out and followed after her. Suzu ran into the forest, running at a haphazard pace. Konan stopped at the town's edge, panting. She had to follow after Suzu. There could be more Haze ninja, but she couldn't capture Suzu on her own. She didn't have the heart to suppress Suzu, to hurt her. She had to get the others, if she ran she could get back to base in half an hour. Konan ran down the road, praying that Suzu would be fine.
***
Suzu ran through the forest, too high on adrenaline for notice the cuts lining her skin like red lace. She wanted to go back to that moment. The moment she first awoke and was blissfully ignorant. Then Sasori left and she remembered.
"ugh...no!" She clutched her head, howling in pain. She had to keep moving. She had to keep running. Suzu ran faster through the forest, jumping over logs and bushes. A sent lingered in the air but she didn't care. All that mattered was her to get as, far, far away from herself as she could get.
You can't run from yourself. The thought shot through her, she staggered in her step, nearly falling. She caught herself and kept going. She would try. She would find away to forget.
A thick log cut across her haphazard path, she leaped forward. Her jump short of fully clearing the log, her extended leg caught on the bark and she fell hard to the ground. Before she could gather her bearings to stand up she was flung into the air.
Cloth netting closed around her as she was bounced up and down, she clawed and kicked, tangling her ever more into the mesh. Two masked figures jumped down from the trees, landing silently on the ground. They both had the same strange metal on their foreheads. That weird question mark. Suzu remembered it from before.
"Who are you!?" She demanded, twisting and turning in the net. One masked person spoke slowly.
"Suzukanene." They said in a gentle voice. Suzu glowered at the masked female, under the thick clothes Suzu could vuagely see her feminine figure. The woman tugged on her mask and it came clean off. The woman shook her long red locks out and smiled at Suzu. "I am Toeto."
"Go away!" Suzu cried, franticly thinking how to escape. She was caught, like a run away dog.
"We want to be your friend Suzu." Toeto said calmly, her wine red eyes strangely inviting, glowing from within. Suzu was enchanted by the woman's eyes. She stopped in her struggles, her body captured by the neat; her mind by those eyes. "Join us Suzu. Join us."
"Y-ye-" Suzu's lips started forming the words. The woman nodded, encouraging her. Suzu tried but she couldn't speak properly, her mouth refusing to move any further.
"Say it," Toeto said more firmly, her eyes narrowing. A marring frown on her smooth face. Suzu faltered, her thoughts thinking beyond the woman's words.
"No!" She stammered out weakly. "I hate humans. I won't join you! Ever!"
"That is unfortunate." The woman scowled, her eyes flashing dangerously, darkening like black coals. "But I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter. You will join us, whether you like it or not." The woman jerked her head to the masked man and his hands flew though a series of hand signs.
Suzu stopped struggling, thinking carefully. She scurried the net, looking for any weakness in it. The woman was focused on the man, she took her chance. Suzu shifted carefully in the net, trying not to get more tangled in it than she already was. Her eyes caught sight of frayed rope. She turned and at the bottom of the net the rope was frayed and thin. If she could just break the rope she might have a chance of escape.
Her hands reached down and she picked at the rope, quick glance at the woman and men. Still distracted, the woman's head flinched and Suzu pulled her hands away from the rope. She was just in time as the woman turned to glare at her for a moment. Suzu prayed she didn't know what she was trying to do. The woman's eyes darted to the man, back to Suzu and again to the man. Toeto looked back to the man and Suzu took her chance.
The rope was still too strong to pull apart, Suzu picked at the rope, one thin strand at a time. She could cut the thin stands by pinching it between her finger and thumbnail. Suzu thanked the gods she liked to keep her nails long and sharp like claws.
A strand of rope broke; it pulled nicely through the woven mesh creating a small hole. Suzu didn't wait any time and started picking at another rope. She didn't look up at he woman periodically; she risked speed over getting caught.
"What are you doing?!" The woman's voice snapped, directed at Suzu like an arrow. Suzu growled and pulled on the remaining strands. They gave away and the hole grew larger. The woman was walking towards her now. Suzu didn't waste a beat and jammed her feet down into the hole. She cursed suddenly when she got to her hips and the rope tightened against them. The hole was still too small!
Mocking laughter came below her. "So you thought you could escape?" Toeto laughed again, high and obnoxious. "Nice try sweetie but you'll never escape us."
"I'm ready Toeto-sama" The man ruffed. Toeto smiled wickedly at Suzu.
"Good." She said. "Start."
"Hai."
Suzu squirmed in the hole, her legs kicking the open air. The air shimmered around her and she was reminded of the genjutsu in the Akatsuki base. The trees around her churned in their roots, dropping all their leaves. A shower of green covered her, when they fell past her she was thrown into a horrifying world.
A graveyard of barren trees surrounded her, their sharp angles curved towards her. The gray sky was dark, thunder rolling across it like fish jumping through water, each boom the smack of its tail. Each string of lightning its flashing scales. Dead branches grasped onto her pulling her madly about.
Suzu bit back her rising fear, trying to reason with herself. This wasn't really happening. She sniffed the air, no smell of death or decay lingered in the air like a veil of despair. The smells that cover the earth before a storm was absent as well. This was all an illusion.
Suzu closed her eyes; if she couldn't see it then it wasn't happening. The branches scarping her skin with their sandpaper bark. 'It's not real.' Suzu thought, clearing her mind. Fear hung around her. What if this wasn't an illusion? What if it was real? Suzu had never encounter humans like this before. She didn't know what they were capable of.
"Open your eyes deary." Toeto's smooth voice sang through the air. Suzu opened her eyes. The thunder, the trees, everything as still there but for Toeto. Standing before her. "Make your pact with me." Toeto smiled, her eyes glowing red.
The brown dog howled in anger.
She screamed, and screamed and screamed. She screamed her anger, her pain, her hate. Toeto slapped her but she refused to stop. She kept screaming, her keening voice matching the angry howl of the brown dog.
Toeto screamed too, hateful words of disdain, indignant. Suzu couldn't hear them, the dogs pitching voice rolling through her head.
Her screams turned to howls. Arms wrapped around her and she pushed them away. She reeled forward, her body landing on ground. Something far back within her told her to run and she did. Her howls subsided as her lungs burned for air. She kicked hard off the ground, pieces of the net clinging to her.
Arms grabbed her and held her back; the smell of blood was fresh in the air. Voices called out to her, familiar ones. Her body crumpled into its self and she was released. Her shoulder crashed into the ground, hitting it hard. She whimpered, panting as her blood cooled down.
A slender hand stroked her forehead. Konan's voice whispering to her. Her voice telling her everything was okay now. That she was safe.
Suzu didn't believe her; she was never safe. She would never be safe. Konan helped her to sit up and Suzu relaxed. Her thoughts lingered back to her aunt; Konan was similar to her aunt. They had the same kind of eyes, sad but always searching for that hope to lead them through.
Auntie told her she had wild eyes, the eyes of a wolf. She laughed despite her aching, bruised body. She told her aunt that she wanted to be a wolf; that she would live in the forest, hunting animals for all her meals. Auntie told her she would be a great wolf.
"Suzukanene?" Konan's face slurred into focus before her. Suzu looked into the woman's eyes. They were very sad eyes, but hopeful. So hopeful.
"Konan..." Suzu whispered. Konan smiled and picked her up, sliding her arm gently over her shoulder. Suzu closed her eyes, her fatigue over taking her. Inside her mind the brown dog growled threateningly, its howls calling back that memory. Suzu forced it back, thoughts of home replacing them.
'Auntie is fine.' Suzu thought warmly. 'And I will be too, the outside world is scary, but I will survive. Like the wolf, I will stand strong and proud.'
She looked up at Konan; the woman focused on caring for her. "I'm sorry Konan." She muttered weakly.
"I understand" Konan smiled. "But we can talk later, right now we need to get you treated."
"Yeah." Suzu let herself be carried away. She closed her eyes, closing in a semi-dream like world. She could feel her body being passed on, strong arms grabbed her, pulling her up. She was laying down on some soft surface. She didn't really care at the moment. She was simply too tired.
Konan stroked her face, her head in the woman's lap.
Something stirred in the bottom of her stomach. A ghost of her past, whispering to her, its soft child voice singing. 'One body for the soul, one word to spark the mind. One life to call back the soul. A new life is made from death'
The ghost sang over and over again, dancing in tight circles to it's own rhythm. The dog barked beside her.
She was thrown back to that moment.
'One body for the soul'
The knife was in her hand.
'One word to spark the mind'
The incantation's slid of her lip.
'One life to call back the soul'
She smiled at her helpless pry, his eyes wide. She laughed at the irony. She stabbed the heart. Life's blood spilling over her.
'A new life is made from death'
***
"Keep up." Hayato growled to his child. Suzu whimpered her father's hand squeezed around her wrist. The skin had turned color, a sickly gray, blue color. She walked faster, shuffling into pace beside her father. Hayato glanced down at her and released some of his hold.
"Father…" Suzu stared at the passing scenery; they were walking a winding forest path, light shining through gaps in trees. They were close to the flower field. "Why must we go see mother?"
"Because it makes your mother happy." Hayato dejectedly told her, "You're mother needs company,"
The dead don't need company. Suzu wanted to say but didn't. She said something like that before and father hit her.
They walked in silence down the path; Suzu wished she could be one of the birds in the trees. Unattached to the world, free to go anywhere they want to. Free from the pain that comes from living grounded.
The forest opened up into a wide, irregular shaped field. The ground before her was painted with vibrant color and texture. The Moon Wisp in particular was in bloom. A special flower that only blooms on the day of a full moon and dies on the night of the new one. It was her mother's favorite flower.
Hayato dragged her to the bare spot where a single tombstone stood. The familiar words engraved on it. Suzu couldn't read the words but father told her what they were long ago. Hayato bowed his head and glared at Suzu when she didn't follow suite. The young girl respectfully dropped her head. She hated today.
"I miss mother."
The solid impact left her stunned, she fell to the ground, crying. Her head throbbed painful.
"Miss her?" Father spat the words out, raging. "You can't miss what you never had! I grew up with her; I loved her. I miss her. You don't know anything! You can never know anything! Don't pretend you understand; don't fake innocence. If you were never born she would still be with me! You spoiled, rotten brat! You killed your own mother!"
Suzu brawled tears, her body convulsing. Hayato hit her again, I harsh punch to her back.
"Stop crying! You can't cry for your mother. You can't cry for any of the right reasons!"
Suzu screeched. "I'm crying because I got a crappy father like you! I hate you! I hate you!"
Hayato's dark eyes started glowing with malice. "You should have been the one to die. A worthless piece of shit like you has no place in this world. You don't submit yourself to the humans; you're wild, untamed. You break the tradition of our people." He pulled out a knife from a pouch hanging from his waste. "How many times have I sharpened this weapon, thinking of that ritual. To bring the dead back to life. One body for the soul, one word to spark the mind, one life to call back the soul, a new life is made from the dead."
He lifted the knife above his head and held it there. Uncertainty flashed across his strut features and Suzu lunged. She rammed into his leg knocking him off balance. He dropped the knife and stagged back. Suzu crawled to the knife and held it out before her. Hayato growled as he called upon his Inu powers.
Fear. Its probing fingers grasped at her mind and she ran. She ran, knife in hand through the field. Father chased her and he was already caught up with her. He reached out but tripped, his foot falling through a mole hole in the ground. He hissed in pain as his leg twisted. The bone chilling crack hovering in the air.
Suzu stood over her father, the man's eyes wide. "One body for the soul." She said effortlessly. The fear was gone, replaced by irrevocable anger. A desire for revenge.
"Stop!" Hayato cried, too stunned to think.
"One word to spark the mind." Suzu continued, raising the knife above her head. Hayato screaming at her stop, threating her. "One life to call back the soul."
"Stop!"
"Mother will love me." The tears ran down her face. The knife aimed at his heart. "She will love me and we will be happy! A new life is made from the dead."
She brought down the knife. The metal cut through his skin, blood spurting up, covering her with its sticky redness. The tears burned, the wound wasn't deep enough to kill him. Hayato laughed, the harsh sickness of it pain to her ears.
"Let me help you." He grabbed the weapon and brought it down hard, killing himself instantly.
Suzu waited, bloody and miserable. She licked her lips, the salty taste of the water mixing with the metallic tang of blood.
Her mother didn't come back and now her father was gone. Night fell quickly upon her and she sat by her father's corpse. Around her the supple Moon Wisp glowed under the light of the full moon. She looked at her bloody hands and screamed. Screamed. Screamed.