Ok do you guys want me to continue this or not??? I only got 1 review (thank you so much iKannSpel! It really made my day!) and truthfully I'm getting discouraged. If you like the story please review. It doesn't have to be long, it can just be "Update". Just so I know people are still reading it ok? Thanks! This is the last chapter!!!! POV means Point of View for people who don't know. Oh and I know next to nothing about Snake so any info would be a big help!
HarunoPOVThe crowd in the stadium roared as I stepped into the arena. Midori stood across from me and smiled. I didn't return it. I looked up past the concrete walls to the sky. It matched my mood perfectly with big dark clouds. I looked back at my sister, heart pounding in my chest. It wasn't that I was worried I would lose the fight, I was worried that I would hurt her. I looked up for my dad but could barely make him out. I didn't care, I was too mad at him. Why didn't he tell me I'd be fighting her? Why didn't he get them to change it?
The examiner opened his mouth to speak.
"I forfeit!" I yelled. There were gasps from the audience and Midori ran toward me.
"What are you doing?" She whispered.
I ignored her and began to walk away but was stopped by the examiner.
"You sure about this kid?"
I nodded and he let go of my shoulder shaking his head. I felt his eyes on me as I kept walking, ignoring Midori's shouts of protest.
I shot up drenched in sweat and looked around my room. Three years later and I was still having nightmares of that day? I sighed and collapsed back on the bed praying I could go through a week without reliving that day for once.
"All in good time little one." Came the voice in my head. I sighed once more and closed my eyes.
SasukePOVI rubbed my eyes wearily as I waited for Karin to come back. She was on a scouting mission for possible additions to Snake. I was getting desperate now that Jugo and Hozuki had been killed. Finally I saw her red hair in the distance approaching.
"Guess what I found!" She said happily, causing me to roll my eyes unconsciously in disgust. She pouted. "I found someone of interest but if you're not nice to me I'm not going to tell you!"
"Fine, I apologize." It was much too late to argue with her. "Now who did you find?"
"A boy in the sand village named Haruno."
"Haruno?" The name sounded familiar. "You mean the boy who forfeited his exam three years ago?"
She nodded happily. "Yep!"
I sighed, could she get any more annoying? "Then why would he be of interest to us?"
"Because I have reason to believe that he has power that he didn't get the chance to show." She sat down in my lap clutching my neck as if she was drowning and I had suddenly become a human sized lift saver.
"And that is?" I attempted in vain to push her off.
"He was fighting his sister! Also his parents are slash were pretty powerful! His dad's the Kazekage Gaara and his late mother was the famous medic-nin Sakura Haruno."
I stopped my feeble attempts and looked off into the distance. "You don't say? I remember them now….very well, good job Karin. I'll look into him more. We go for him in a few days."
"Yes sir!"
MidoriPOVI was finally home! After being away for more than a week doing my chunin duties I was relieved to see the small wooden door to the house in the distance. When I was only a few feet away dad bursted out of the house, clearly he had been watching at the window.
I had heard many things about my father over the years and I didn't believe any of them. I've heard everything from he was once possessed by a demon to how they say he loved killing and did it without reason or remorse. I know it's all lies but it makes me nervous all the same. Even with all that, my Dad still reminds me more of a mother hen than a cold blooded killer. (AN: I never thought I would EVER compare Gaara to a mother hen….)
"Hey Dad!" I waved at him, running now.
"How was the mission?" He asked, embracing me but then looking at me for cuts and scrapes.
"It was fine Dad. We weren't attacked or anything. Where's Haruno?"
"At the shop."
I sighed. After forfeiting the match it was like my brother had lost all his will to continue living. He began working at a local shop and has been there ever since. At first he told us that being a ninja just wasn't for him and he'd rather work somewhere else. Even now I highly doubt that.
Dad put a hand on my shoulder. "He'll be home in a few minutes and I know he'll be happy to see you." I nodded and let him lead me into the house.
"So what have you eaten for the past ten days?"
"Um…I'm not really sure." He said weakly.
"You'd starve without me."
"Not true."
"Dad, you can't cook to save your life."
"Ok so maybe it is true." He glanced at the window. "Here comes your brother now."
I knew my sister was home without even walking through the door. I opened it and attempted a smile as she ran over grabbing me in a crushing hug.
"Welcome back." I muttered, pulling free and walking past her and my dad. I hated to be cold to her but I had too much on my mind right now. Mostly the voice and the dreams; I was seriously starting to think I was going insane. I've heard the voice since I was little but never thought anything of it. I thought it was what they meant when they said "the little voice inside your head" that had subconsciously taken the voice of my dead mother. It sounded motherly, it would praise me and scold me, and it even consoled me. Only now it keeps hinting that something is about to happen, like I'm about to realize some part of my fate and it's making me uneasy.
The dreams started a few weeks ago and are steadily getting worse. At first I passed it off as your average nightmare. But now, the spiders are getting bigger and bigger and are coming closer and closer to me. I shivered just thinking about them. Spiders are my worst fear hands down. I think it's something about their legs. The way they crawl up your legs, tickling them in that way that just tells you something's wrong. I walked into my room and began writing in the small book were I put all my thoughts in hope that one day it'll all click.
GaaraPOVI put away the last now clean dish and set down the dishtowel. Cooking had never been my strong point but today's dinner had been disastrous. Midori seemed to enjoy it either way, she likes cooking, but Haruno ate and then sulked off to his bedroom like he's been for the past how many weeks. I couldn't help but wonder if it was his demon and I knew I had to figure it out – fast. I was surprised he had lasted this long without it making itself known. But if it was still dormant inside him I didn't want him to know yet. Either way I had to talk to my son.
I walked off to his room and knocked on his door.
"Ya?" Came his voice, obviously annoyed I had disturbed him.
"Open up." I called. I heard him moving around and his desk drawer slam shut. After a few more seconds the door opened.
"What is it?" He asked looking me in eye. He was as tall as me now, a spiting image except for the eyes.
"We need to talk."
"Can we make it fast?" He sighed, getting more annoyed by the second.
"Depends. First, let's talk about that attitude of yours. Sit down." I pointed to his bed. After a few seconds he walked over and sat down, arms crossed.
"What's going on with you? You keep sulking off to your room, you barely talk to anyone, and your attitude plain sucks."
"Why do you think?" He shot back. "I'm confused as hell!"
"Don't use that language." I replied sternly but I felt all the blood drain from my face. Had his demon finally showed? "Now what are you confused about?"
"Everything. Like why is it that even though I know I make a right choice I still regret it? And how you and Mom were such great ninjas yet I'm horrible at it all?"
"That's all that's bothering you because you know you can tell me. Learning right from wrong, although as young children we are taught the basics, is something we learn throughout life and opinions can drastically change. And you are not a horrible ninja and just because it was our calling does not make it yours." I wrapped an arm around his shoulder, attempting to comfort him. If that was all that was bothering him I was in the clear for now.
"I'm not worthy." He muttered under his breath so I barely caught it.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm not worthy to be your and Mom's son. I haven't proven myself like Midori has."
"Who are you trying to prove yourself to? Me? You've already done that a million times over."
"Not everything's about you Dad, maybe I'm trying to prove something to myself?"
"Like what? What can you be trying to prove?"
"That I'm not as weak and helpless as I think I am."
"You are not weak and helpless."
"To you Dad, but not to me."
I sighed and shook my head. "One day, you'll see just how great you actually are. Until then, just keep doing your best and I'll always be proud of you. And if you mess up, we all do at times." I stood, preparing to leave.
"That's not all Dad." He took a deep breath. "Since I was little…I've always heard this voice in my head and I have a feeling it's not Mom like I originally thought." I froze and turned to him. He looked at me, fear clearly visible in his eyes. I could have sworn he was about to cry at any second.
"What voice? What does it sound like?"
"It sounds like a mother would if she was talking to her child, that's why I always thought that it was Mom. But now…I think I'm going insane Dad." He covered his eyes with his hands, taking big gulps of air a few tears escaping. I rushed over to him; I had been right, his demon had awoken.
"You are not insane, if anything the voice is my fault. Whatever you do don't panic. I have so much to tell you. Haruno there is a-" I was cut off by a searing pain in the back of my head and then all I saw was black.
HarunoPOVIt all happened so fast. Before I knew it Dad was out cold on the ground and some strange man with red eyes was pulling at my arm.
"Your name?" He asked coldly.
"H-Haruno. Who are you? What do you want?" The words came out in a rush all on top of each other.
The man smiled at me wickedly. "I'm here for you." He nodded to the now opened window and I screamed when I saw another pair of red eyes followed by a flash of red hair. I hadn't realized it was storming. A clap of thunder and flash of lightening later the eyes were gone. The man grunted in pain and I saw a kunai sticking from his back. I looked around franticly for the source of it and saw Midori in the doorway, three more in hand.
He glared at her and she gasped. "You! But Dad told me you disappeared!"
"Damn." He muttered, obviously he hadn't planned on being recognized. He tugged my arm until our noses were less than inch from touching. "I'll be back for you boy. Say hello to your father for me." And with that he was gone. Shaking I fell to my knees.
Midori ran past me and checked Dad's pulse. "He's alive." She said, relived. Suddenly she grabbed my shirt. "What did you do?" She snarled.
I pushed her away and stood up. "I didn't do anything. I don't even know who that was!" I shot back just as angrily.
"That was Sasuke Uchiha Haruno; the ninja that supposedly disappeared from Konoha how many years ago. Maybe if you asked Dad a bit about his life for once and stopped caring only for yourself you'd have known that."
"You think I only care about myself?" I asked, shocked.
"I don't think it Haruno for God sakes I know it! All you do is mope around the house as if we're all suppose to feel sorry for you! You don't talk, you spend all your time at that damn shop, but more than that I know that you're jealous of Dad and me. Jealous that we made it when you gave up."
She hit the nail on the head but I wasn't about to give in that easily. "Don't talk like you know me that well. I don't you call him Dad because guess what he's my real Dad! I know him a lot better than you do Midori! Unlike you, I wasn't adopted by him." She stood there, shock still.
"You're wrong you know? About so much. This is your fault." She pointed at Dad's body, tears now leaking down her cheeks. "Uchiha came here for you. Not him and not me but you. I don't know what you did that he came after you but I won't let you hurt the only man who has ever cared for me. Sure, he might not be my real Dad in the biological sense but in every other way he is. He cared for me when no one else would, he stayed by me when I was sick, he comforted me when my brother wouldn't. It doesn't matter if he did supply half of me, I love him and that's all that matters." Her voice was now a deadly whisper. "Leave. We don't need you Haruno, so leave." She turned from me and began lifting Dad onto the bed.
I opened my mouth to say something but closed it. She was right. I was worthless and they didn't need me. I turned and reached into my closet, grabbing my sack I used for deliveries at the shop and my thinner cloak. I walked through the house and grabbed anything I thought I might need. I walked back in a saw her covering Dad up. "I'm leaving." I muttered.
"Just go to your room and stay there like you usually do." She said coldly without looking up.
I shook my head at her back. If I was leaving I wasn't going to hide in my room. She was right, if this Sasuke Uchiha was after me I had to lead him away from the house. I walked out the front door.
The rain came cascading down upon my head as I walked away. I looked back at the small wooden house I had grown up in. Through the lit windows I was able to make out my father, sleeping in my bed still unconscious, with Midori whispering comforting things into his ear hoping he would respond. I felt liquid trickle down my cheek but I wiped it away, not knowing whether it had come from the sky or my aching heart. I hugged the cloak closer and walked into the night without looking back. I walked through the sand slowly; secretly hoping someone would come after me and stop me. When no one did, I just walked faster. I wasn't use to the rain, since Suna rarely got it. I wished I had thought to grab my thinker cloak before leaving. After a few hours I was completely lost. Ahead I saw a sand dune large enough to provide some cover. I wondered over and collapsed completely exhausted. It wasn't long after when I saw her. She was in a white dress that showed off her pink hair and green eyes, so like my own. She reached out a hand to me, as if beckoning me to follow her. I tried, but I couldn't move. I heard a whisper in my ear, tantalizing.
"You are trying too hard little one. You are safe now and forgiven. Come along, Papa will be waiting for us."
"I'm not forgiven Mom. I hurt them so badly and I can't move. What's wrong with me?" I muttered desperately.
"I know. Try again, everyone's waiting for you at home. It's time to head back and stop this foolishness, you never had to run away."
I slowly lifted my arm and stretched my fingers toward her hand, brushing it. She smiled once more at me and disappeared. In her place was Midori, her face red from anger. I pulled away quickly
"How could you run away again! You coward! Fine, then don't come back. We don't need you – you're useless! You couldn't even beat a girl in the exams!"
"I didn't want to hurt you!" I shouted back at her.
"You were a coward and you know it! You failed us Haruno. I hate you!" She screamed. "Don't come back here! EVER! You hear me?"
I nodded.
MidoriPOVI got up from Dad's bedside, yawning. I had fallen asleep after talking to Aunt Temari the other night. I rubbed my eyes and stretched, then I walked out into the hall after seeing no change.
"Haruno?" I called for my brother, wondering where he could have gone. I felt bad for yelling at him before. I knew deep down that it wasn't his fault but at the time I had been so angry with him and I guess I needed someone to blame for what happened to Dad. I looked around the house only to find him nowhere. Maybe he's outside? I asked myself, dread growing in my heart. He couldn't have taken me seriously, could he? Before I even looked out I knew he was gone. I called out into the night, only to get no answer. Without thinking, I ran back inside grabbed a pencil and paper, wrote a quick note to Aunt Temari explaining what had happened and where I had gone. Then I ran to my room, grabbing a sack and filling it with bandages, food, and water. I grabbed my cloak and ran off into the desert in search for my missing brother.
Wow! It's done!!!! I've been planning this chapter for so long! Look for Saving Haruno to be up soon!