Imari and Inner

As they sat up the tents, Imari was lost in her own little world. She was thinking why I have to share a tent with him he hasn't even said ten words to me. I bet he hates me already.

Well girl at least he's Hot!

What who are you?

I'm your inner dummy; who did you think I was?

Well I didn't know it's not like you've ever said anything to me before.

Well now I am, so back to the Mr. Hottie subject. He is hella fine don't ya think?

Yea he's cute but he seems like a major stuck up prick to me.

How do you know, he's barely even talked to you.

That's how I know. He acts like I don't even exist, plus I bet he's got a girlfriend who would try to kick my ass for even talking to him.

Well why don't you start talking to him first, I mean you'll have the perfect chance to you're sharing a tent with him!

I know but what could I possibly say that wouldn't make me sound like an idiot?

Hmmmmm, I don't know what about hi?

I guess, but we will see what happens.

"Imari?"

Oh it's him girl, I'm out I'll talk to you later Kay. Good luck!

Wait, damn why did you have to leave.

Reality

"Yes?" I questioned Sasuke.

"Hn, I was just going to tell you the tents ready, so come in when ever you like".

Ok thanks Sasuke.

Oh well it is late and I am pretty tired I guess I'll go in now.

As I entered the tent I realized jus how small it was. Sasuke and I were going to be crammed together. This will be a little awkward I thought to myself. As I looked around I noticed Sasuke sitting on his sleeping bag without a shirt on. I tried to keep the rising blush off my face but failed miserably.

I turned away as soon as he looked at me.

"Well, are you going to lie down or not?" he asked.

I shook my head and carefully stepped over him and sat down in what I guessed was my spot. Then I turned to look at him.

"What, he asked?"

Well I was just wondering………..why you haven't talked to me really.

"Easy" he said, "I just don't talk much".

So does that mean you don't hate me then? I shyly asked.

At this he turned to face me, his eyes bore into mine and sent a tingle through my whole body.

"Yes, it means I don't hate you, I don't know you well enough to like or dislike you yet!"

"Oh" was all I managed to say. Then I asked, "Are you tired?"

"No, not really, what bout you?"

"No, I'm not, but ummmm you want to talk and get to know each other?" I asked hoping his answer would be yes.

He sighed then looked at me and said, "Sure why not."

Ok how about we play twenty questions, that's where we ask each other questions we want to know ok. He just shook his head. Ok I'll go first. Hmmmmmm, do you have a girlfriend?

"No"

There was silence for a minute then ha asked, "What's your favorite color?"

"Pink"

Ok, hmmmm let me think for a minute. What should I ask him? Wait I know ill ask him about his family. I wonder if their all like him?

"Ok Sasuke, tell me about your family".

He was silent for a long time. I began to wonder if I asked the wrong question, or if he had just fallen asleep on me. But after a few more minutes of silence he sighed and began to tell me his story.

Sasuke

Well to begin with, all my family is dead except for my brother and me. You see when I was little I used to be happy. I loved my family, and wanted to be just like my older brother Itachi.

I was about seven at the time and was walking home from school. When I arrived at my house, I knew something was wrong I could feel it. Also it didn't ease those feelings when my mom wasn't waiting for me at the door like she did every day. Actually before that I don't think she ever did miss a day.

Since she wasn't there I walked into the house took off my shoes and jacket and then set my backpack down by the door. I decided to go into the kitchen and see if she was in there, thinking she had lost track of time, but as I was about to turn into the kitchen I heard a scream coming from upstairs. It sounded like my mom, so I ran up the stairs as quickly as I could.

Once I was at the top I didn't hear anything else, everything had grown quite. I began looking in all the rooms. First my in my brother Itachi's and found nothing, Then I went to my room and again found nothing. So I ran to my parent's room which was at the other end of the hall from my brother's and mine.

The door was shut. I had always been told to knock before you entered a room that was closed. But right then it didn't seem like the time to use manors. So instead I slowly opened the door trying to be as quite as possible.

Within the first inch of opening the door I saw blood. Even more cautious then I continued to push the door. I stopped when it was opened to about four inches, because something was blocking the door.

So I snaked my head around and saw my father's lifeless body lying in front of the door. I was too shocked and scared to even scream. So I just stood there and stared. His eyes were still opened and it looked like he was staring at me.

As I continued to stare at him, his body began to slide away as if someone were pulling his feet. That's when I did scream, but my scream was cut short when the door flew open. I still felt as though I was screaming but no noise was coming out. I was paralyzed with fear.

Then I saw my mother cowering in the corner of the room. I somehow managed to regain the use of my limbs and ran to her. At first she didn't even know I was there, but then I grabbed her hand. She looked at me then, with tears running down her face and fear shinning brightly in her eyes.

She grabbed me and pulled me close. She kept saying Sasuke I love you, remember that. I didn't know why she kept saying that, but then she shoved me away and yelled run. I didn't though I sat there for a minute to bewildered by her sudden out break to move.

That's when I saw a shadow coming towards us. I looked up to see who it was and I saw my brother. I called out his name and stumbled to stand up so I could go to him. But when his eyes looked into mine I just stood there. He wasn't the same brother that he had been earlier that day. He seemed colder.

I watched as he went up to my mother and grabbed her face so she would be looking at him. I heard her whimper, and him whisper something in her ear that I couldn't hear. Then stood up straight, looked at me once more then pulled out a knife and slit her throat.

I heard screaming. At first I didn't even know it was I who was screaming. I didn't even know how long I was screaming for, but I stopped when my brother started to walk towards me. "Why I asked?" He just stared at me. Then he began walking to door. "Why" I called out again.

He stopped, turned to me and said, "Because I had to" and left without another word.

Then I remember crawling over to my mother and lying down on her blood soaked lap. I don't know how long I laid there before I fell asleep, but when I awoke I was in the hospital.

Now it is my mission to kill my brother and take revenge for my family.

Sakura

With that he was quiet again. I wasn't sure what to say or if I should say anything at all. He's lived a tough life tougher then mine. Here I was feeling sorry for myself while hes gone through all that. I mean what's a few beatings compared to watching your own brother kill your family right before your eyes.

I never realized how selfish I've been until now. I was still lost in my own little world when I heard a noise. It sounded like someone was crying. I looked over at Sasuke, and it was him

Sasuke was crying what should I do? I didn't know I've never had to comfort someone before. So I slowly crawled over to him and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. As I did I felt him tense-up a little and then relax.

He laid his head on my chest, and I let him. We stayed like that for about twenty minutes, and then I heard a soft snore. He was sleeping. So careful not to wake him I laid down still holding him, and went to sleep myself.

The Next Morning

When I woke up I saw Sasuke sitting on his sleeping bag staring off into space. Not wanting to startle him I gently touched his shoulder.

He turned to me and said, "Thank you for last night. I'm sorry I started to cry but I couldn't help it. It just gets to me sometimes you know? I still want to know why brother said he had to do it. Maybe he did for a good reason, but I guess I won't know till I find him."

I shook my head in agreement, and softly patted his back. Then I slowly stood up, getting ready to go outside when I felt him grab my arm. I turned to look at him, and saw something that looked like fear in his eyes.

He pulled me back down and whispered into my ear, "Please don't tell anyone about me crying!"

After I promised I wouldn't he let go of my arm and let me walk out of the tent.

As soon as I stepped outside, I noticed that the other two were still sleeping. So I walked to the nearby stream and began to clean myself up a bit. After about half an hour I went back to camp.

Everything was put away. I mean it didn't even look as though we had been there. The guys were sitting on a log waiting for me I guessed.

It came to me right then that I should try and sneak up on them and scare them. But as I was about to grab them I lost my footing and fell. All three guys turned to look at me simultaneously.

Naruto jumped up and ran to me. Trying to ask if I was ok in between fits of laughter. I was laughing just as hard while I tried to answer.

After we were done laughing I got up and wiped the dirt off myself and turned to look at Kakashi sensei.

He had a smile on his face and was clearly trying to hold back his laughter. After waiting for a few minutes, he said, "We will walk for about two hours, then stop eat and rest. How does that sound?"

Naruto, Sasuke and I nodded our heads in agreement.

So at that we all grabbed our things and began to walk again.

For about the first hour of our walk nobody talked. But it wasn't an awkward silence it was a peaceful silence. Naruto walked on one side of me Sasuke on the other and Kakashi sensei in front of us.

Naruto seemed to be off in his own little world as was Sasuke. Kakashi sensei was reading some book while he was walking. I however just walked silently among them not wanting to bother any of them.

When all of the sudden the silence was broken by Naruto. He suddenly asked or more like shouted, "Imari-Chan why do you dye your hair black and white? Is it because you are in some sort of gang?"

With that both Kakashi sensei and Sasuke turned to look at me and hear my reply.

I simply shook my head and said, "No, Naruto I'm not in a gang. I just like to be different then other people. How many people do you see with black and white hair?"

Naruto was silent for a minute, and then said "No I really don't see any people with black and white hair".

"See that's my point" I said "It makes me different".

The subject was dropped after that. I decided it was my turn to ask Naruto a question. From last night I had already learned a lot about Sasuke but new hardly anything about Naruto.

"So Naruto" I asked. "Hmm" he said.

"What's your family like?"

Another pause then he said "I'm an orphan".

"Oh" I said "I'm so sorry I shouldn't pry!"

"No its ok Imari-Chan I don't mind it's the truth".

Then he gave me a huge smile and hug and said, "My family is all my friends, and since you're one of my friends you are my family as well!"

"Well thanks Naruto that means a lot to me!" I replied.

After all that it was time for our break.

We all set our stuff down, and Naruto and Sasuke went off to find wood again. Once they were gone Kakashi sensei said, "Why don't we go catch some fish to eat?"

"Sure" I said "But I don't know how to fish, and I have never eaten fish before!"

Kakashi sensei just patted my back and said, "It's ok Imari, we'll help you. And fish tastes really good you'll like it".

"Ok" I smiled and we made our way down to the creek to begin fishing.

After about half an hour I caught a pretty big fish I was so happy. By the time the boys arrived I had caught a total of five fish, and Kakashi sensei had caught a small one. We then made our way back to the place we were resting at to make a fire and cook the fish.

Kakashi sensei was right it was really good I loved it.

After we all finished eating we cleaned up our mess and sat back down, letting our food digest a little before we continued with our walk.

We had decided that we would walk for another five or six hours before we would stop again. After that we were ready to go again.

Again for the first hour or so of walking none of us talked.

Finally I became tired of the silence and began to softly sing to myself.

She walks to school with the lunch she packed
Nobody knows what she's holding back
Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday
She hides the bruises with the linen and lace, oh

The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask
It's hard to see the pain behind the mask
Bearing the burden of a secret storm
Sometimes she wishes she was never born

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place
Where she's loved concrete angel

Somebody cries in the middle of the night
The neighbors hear but they turn out the light
A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate
When morning comes it will be too late

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place
Where she's loved concrete angel

A statue stands in a shaded place
An angel girl with an upturned face
A name is written on a polished rock
A broken heart that the world forgot

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place
Where she's loved concrete angel

When I had finished the song I noticed that al three guys had stopped and were staring at me.

Naruto was the first to speak he said, "Wow Imari-Chan you have a very beautiful voice!" The other nodded their head in agreement with what Naruto said.

I felt a slight blush creep up onto my cheeks. I tried to turn away from he guys before they saw it, but they still saw it.

It was quite again but only for a short time. As we were walking I heard Naruto say my name. "Yes Naruto?" I questioned.

"Well I was wondering what your last name was. You never told us."

"Oh, well my last name is Hinomadara".

"Hinemadara" hmmmm "I think I've heard that name before" Naruto shouted.

Just as quickly as the words flew out of Naruto's mouth, Sasuke's hand hit the back of Naruto's head.

"Teme" Naruto whined, "Why did you do that?"

"Hn" was the only thing Sasuke muttered.

At this Kakashi sensei turned around and told them all to shut up. He had heard something.