Chapter 2

I opened my eyes. I was in a house, or a hut of some sort. My eyes were stinging. They felt as if thousands of tiny needles were stabbing them, from behind. I looked around, but even that felt like agony. I noticed I was in a bedroom. I was alone. How did I get here? I was outside the landfill site, last I remembered. I heard footsteps outside the room I was in. They were getting closer so I assumed they were coming this way. I closed my eyes to pretend I was asleep, and because my eyes were killing me. The footsteps were getting closer and closer. They stepped in and closed the door behind them. I opened my eyes and saw red hair. It was Nagato. Had he saved me? He turned around and I closed my eyes again, I'm not sure why? I suppose I wanted to stop him from doing anything horrible to me while I was 'awake'. He came over to me, got to his knees and put a bowl on the side. He took a wet flannel from the bowl, wrung it out, and put it on my forehead. It was cool and I like it. It refreshed me and made me feel pleasant and safe. I was so relaxed that I opened my eyes by accident, causing them to sting again. He noticed.

'Oh,' he said, 'you're up?'

I looked at him, now that I thought about it wasn't just the Rinnegan that intrigued me about him. He was quite good looking. His hair was long and soft-looking, his eyes were inviting anyway and he seemed to have a smile that captured my heart.

'How are you feeling?' he asked.

It was then I came back to earth and remembered where I was.

'Oh, I'm fine, thank you.' I said, blushing slightly, from what I'd been thinking. I tried to sit up but I didn't have a lot of energy.

'Don't sit up too fast,' he said. 'you're very weak and it'll be worse if you move a lot.'

I looked around. The room was quite cute, actually. Small, accurate, with little paintings of tree's on the wall. My eyes were burning. What had happened? I looked at Nagato again. It was then I saw a flash of Nagato passed out on the floor, and the falling rock. I jumped.

'Are you ok?' I asked.

He laughed, his smile really was captivating. 'Yes I'm fine.' he said, through a chuckle. 'You saved me, Ayako.'

Now I laughed. Me? Useless Ayako? huh-nice try. 'Very funny.' I said. 'What actually happened.'

He looked at me, as if he was shocked that I didn't believe him. 'Well I woke up right at the end. But what I saw was you saving me by using your eyes.' he said.

I was getting annoyed. Why did he keep saying that? What was so special about my eyes? 'Stop it. It's annoying. The Yamazaki's did at home. Don't you do it.'

'Do what?' he asked.

I looked away. Partly because I was upset, partly because my eyes still burnt. He grabbed my cheek and pushed it so that I was looking at him. There was something about him that made me comfortable.

'Do what?' he repeated, slower and calmer.

I hesitated. 'Pretend I can do something. Pretend I'm useful.' I hesitated, again, 'Pretend I'm worth something.'

I looked down. I thought I was going to cry, but my eyes stung when water reached them that I just couldn't.

Nagato stood up. He looked down at me. Opened his mouth as if to say something, then left the room. Of course. Just like the family. Still Useless Ayako. No good for anyone. My eyes were killing me. I closed them, then drifted off to sleep.

I opened my eyes, again. I was in a room. Or was I? Water was dripping off my face. I was in a hot spring? How had I got here? I looked around. There were a few other women here. A girl with blue hair and a piercing in the middle of her bottom lip, was next to me. Her eyes were orange. Well that was odd. On the other side was a woman with blonde hair, it was in bunches on the side of her head, she had stripes on her face. Three on each cheek. That was very odd. Her eyes were blue and it looked as if she had clouds surrounding her private areas. Very, very odd. In front of me was a woman with green hair. She was taller than the other two, and had brown eyes. She had a scar on her cheek, in the shape of a tear drop. She was talking to us. '...If we're serious. We shouldn't be at a hot spring! We have to fight back!' she said. 'Yes. I know, but it doesn't hurt to stop every now and then.' The girl with blue hair said. 'No. You clearly don't know. You're sat in a hot spring, enjoying yourself, instead of starting the plan. This was a stupid idea from the start!' said the tall woman. 'First of all, it wasn't my idea, it was Yahiko's, Second, It wasn't a stupid idea, it was quite a nice idea, actually. It's made me relax. Third, 'You're sat in a hot spring, enjoying yourself, instead of starting the plan' as well, so you clearly like the idea, too.' blue girl said. The taller woman shut up. I looked at the blonde girl. She smiled, stupidly, as if she knew she wasn't meant to be here. 'Do we know you?' Blue girl said. 'Uh...Sorry, I'm not supposed to be here.' blonde girl said, laughing and getting out. I was right, she had clouds round her. I looked her, hard. My eyes started burning. But only a little. A small beam came down from the sky, next to her, she screamed and jumped out of the way. She transformed into a small boy with Blonde hair, he was wearing an orange jacket, and a Hidden Leaf Village headband. The blue girl got out angrily. The boy giggled and ran off. He was pretty fast. I laughed. It had actually made my day. Green girl looked at me. 'What's so funny?' she asked. I stopped laughing. 'Just that I used to know someone who, would do something like that, he looks a bit like him as well.' I said. 'Oh really? Was he a friend of the family?' she said, laughing. I wanted to punch her. 'No,' I said, 'I met him in a chuunin exam, he was from a neighbouring village.', 'What village were you from?' she asked. I opened my mouth to answer but, I couldn't remember.

I woke up with a start. I was being shaken. The person who was shaking me had really cold hands. I opened my eyes when I felt them properly. Wow. It was pitch black, great. My eyes weren't burning anymore, which was good. But my side was freezing. 'Wake up,' I heard from above me. 'Wake up!' I kicked the guy. There was an OW! and a thump.

'I think she's awake.' said a, surprisingly familiar, second voice. I jumped. I didn't realise there were other people here, as well. I thought it was just me and Nagato. I sat up. Looking around as my eyes got used to the surroundings. When my eyes adjusted I noticed there were actually three people, other than me, in my room. The one who had been shaking me was Nagato. I'd guessed that immediately, from the eyes. The second person who'd spoke, sounded so familiar, I felt as if I'd been talking to them a few minutes ago.

'Hurry up. It's getting late, she'll be waiting.' The third voice said. His voice was masculine and kind of sexy. He sounded dominating. I could tell he was in charge. But who was 'she'? As I pondered this I realised I was being lifted out of bed. But I wasn't doing it.

'Sorry,' Nagato said. He was dragging me towards him? Using Universal Pull? Like he had on Orochimaru in the landfill site? Well. This was a different way of being woken up. Finally, I was upright, and could walk myself. I noticed I was fully dressed and ready to leave. How convenient. I walked towards Nagato but my legs didn't work properly. So I kind of wobbled and fell. But I didn't hit the floor. Nagato had caught me. How nice of him I thought. So, after kidnapping me, at least he has the decency to look after me.

'Hurry up!' the second voice said.

Nagato nodded, looked down at me and hung me over his shoulder. Yay. Best way to be transported by people you didn't know. Over the shoulder, like a bag, or a gourd. They left the room and it was then I noticed the living room. It was cuter than the bedroom. It was kind of empty, apart from a fridge, a table and three pictures of frogs on the wall. One of them walked over to the frogs and turned all three of them around, so that it was just a plain, red screen. How odd. They continued to walk out the building. Where, it was raining. Great. There were two options. I was either, in a place where the weather hated me, or the Hidden Rain Village. Although, I knew my luck, and it could easily have been the weather hating me, I knew Nagato was from the Hidden Rain, due to being told to stay away from the Hidden Rain because of the Akatsuki. Great. They walked over to a cart and chucked me in it. I sat myself up properly, and prepared myself for what was, probably, going to be painful. I noticed the cart was being pulled by a horse. It was a black horse with a long, white tail. The Hidden Rain was an odd place. I watched as Nagato and the others got in. The second voice grabbed the reins and started the horse. I laid my head on Nagato who was next to me and dropped off to sleep again.

I was running. Looking for something, or someone. I was in some sort of hideout. There were strange patterns on the wall. They looked like snakes. I turned around. Blue girl was running with me. 'Konan, which way are you going?' I said. She looked around, at all the possibilities. 'This way. I have a feeling.' She said. 'Gotcha,' I replied. I followed her to the left, into a room. Completely empty, apart from a man in the middle. He had white hair and was wearing glasses. He was wearing a headband, but the symbol was unknown to me. It seemed to be a musical note. I was angry. 'You won't find him.' The man said. He had a mocking tone. 'Where is he!' Konan said. 'My, My, we are eager aren't we?' he said. I was really angry. 'She asked you a question, you bastard, answer her!' I shouted. 'Ah yes, I almost forgot about you, Ayako. You're the whole reason this started.' he said. 'What? What are you talking about?' I said. 'You won't remember, it was a year ago now. A lot's happened since then.' He said. I was so confused. I didn't have time for his games. 'I don't care, tell me where he is!' I said. He laughed. 'Tell me! I'll find him anyway!' I said. I was really angry. My eyes were getting hot. Oh no. Not with Konan here. 'Now, Now, Kabuto, why can't you play nice when I'm not around?' said a voice behind me. I turned around. Orochimaru! 'Hello Ayako,' he said. He jumped at me. Everything went black.

I woke up. Startled again, but this time because of my dream. Why was I having such strange dreams? I looked around. It was light again. Nagato was still next to me. I looked up at him. He was so intriguing.

'Oh Ayako, you're awake.' he said, startled a little. He moved slightly, so that I sat up.

I looked at our surroundings. It wasn't raining. We'd left the Hidden Rain. We were in a field of some sort. There was a barn-like building next to us. The other two had gone. I'm not sure where. Nagato got off the cart and walked over to the side I was on. He smiled.

'Come with me.' he said. He grabbed my hand and helped me off the cart.

I knew what was going to happen would hurt. I don't know how, but I just knew. To be honest, I didn't care. I'd given up. My family had given up on me long ago. The landfill site was just a good way to get rid of me. My mother had died when I was young, so I didn't remember her. I had no one. I was ready to go. They could have my eyes if they wanted. I was positive there was nothing interesting about them, but I didn't have the will power to put up an argument. As I walked, I thought about my hair. Odd, I know, but then, everyone reacts differently when they're faced with death. It must be messy. I started brushing it with my finger. It was really knotted. Little bits of my orange hair came out onto my hands. It's funny, I hated the colour orange. I hated my hair too. We walked into the building. I was met with a fresh smell of ramen. I loved ramen. Three people were sitting down eating it. There were five bowls.

'Guess who woke up.' Nagato said. The three people eating, turned around.

'Finally.' said a woman with green hair, brown eyes and a scar in the shape of a tear drop on her face. It was the woman from my dream!

'Ayako. This is, Hoshi Suzuki. She's dangerous and cunning, but she's quick with hand signs and amazing with a kunai.' Nagato said. She bowed as if expecting me to applaud her. 'This is Yahiko. He's my best friend and he founded the Akatsuki.' he gestured to a man with orange hair. He looked important. He didn't say anything just continued eating. I almost flinched when he said 'Akatsuki'. 'And this,' he said, gesturing to a woman with blue hair. Konan? From my dream as well? 'Is...' he began but I interrupted him.

'Konan,' I said. They all looked shocked. Especially Konan.

'You...You know my name?' She asked. They all looked at me in awe, as if I'd just shown them a magic trick, or something.

'Yeah...It was in a dream I had yesterday.' I said. They gasped.

Why was this so interesting? It was a dream? Maybe I'd seen her before, and she looked like a Konan anyway, so maybe I made it up and happened to be right.

'Right...' Said Nagato, stunned. 'Well, ummm, we made you some ramen. We thought you might be hungry.'

'Thank you.' I sat down and began eating. I was hungry. I hadn't eaten for a week.

Nagato, still stunned, sat next to me and began to eat his bowl. Staring at me, to see if I did anything odd.

When I'd finished my bowl, I wiped my mouth and looked at the rest of them. They weren't so wowed by me anymore, so I wasn't being stared at. I was scared, and restless. I wanted them to get it over with.

'Will you hurry up and do it?' I asked, kind of loudly, actually. I didn't mean to say it.

'Do what?' Nagato asked. A third time.

'Whatever it is you're going to do to me. Kill me. Take my eyes. Take my eyes, then kill me.' I said.

Nagato laughed again. The others didn't. 'What makes you think we're going to do anything?' he asked.

'Well, because, you...'

'Because me, Yahiko and Konan are part of the Akatsuki? And you've 'heard stories'? It may come as a shock to you, but we're nice people.' Nagato said.

'Ok, then, why did you kidnap me?' I asked.

'Huh! Kidnap you. That makes it sound like someone wanted you there.' said Hoshi. I didn't like her.

'Hoshi. Be quiet.' Yahiko said, masculine and dominating, he was the third voice from last night.

'We 'kidnapped you' because we want to train you. We want you to be able to use those eyes of yours perfectly.' Konan said. She had quite a sweet voice.

'Well, oh...But wait, if that's the reason why did you kill all the guards in the landfill site? There were three guarding the exit we used and two guarding the entrance you used, or so I suppose anyway, and yet there was an uproar. All the guards had been killed. Why did you do that?' I asked.

They looked at each other. Confused. 'We didn't kill all the guards.' said Nagato. 'You did.'

I laughed again. Having been Useless Ayako my entire life, it was pretty hard to believe I could kill anyone. They all looked at me strange. 'What? You're not serious?'

Nagato sighed and looked down. 'Ayako, walk with me.' he said. I got up and followed him, out into the back garden.

We walked over to a fence, which I sat on. Nagato looked at me seriously.

'Ayako, why don't you believe you can do anything?' he asked.

I thought about this for some time. I didn't know what it was. I suppose it was a habit I'd developed, but honestly I didn't believe I was good enough. 'Because...I can't' I said, 'I've never been good at anything. All my life, I've had my family take the mick out of me, there was only one person who cared about me, but he didn't even care enough to save me from the landfill site.'

Nagato looked at me. 'I think it's time I told you what's so 'special' about your eyes.'

'Yes, I agree with you.' I said.

'You were born with an extremely rare dojutsu. One that has been seen for millions of years.'

'so were you.' I said, bluntly.

'yeah, but this is rarer than that. This is called, the Myojo.' he said.

Suddenly, I was interested. The whole time here, I hadn't believed a word of it. I wasn't special. But now, hearing the name, made it seem...real. It made something happen in me. I don't know what it was. I'd never felt it before. It made me want to smile. 'The Myojo?' I asked. Excitement building inside me.

'Yes. It's a power that allows you to use the weather as a weapon.' He said. I wanted to laugh again. This had to be a joke. Eyes allowing you to use weather as a weapon? I'm not an idiot. I rolled my eyes. I think he noticed because after I did it he said, 'I'm serious. No one's sure about the details of it, because it's so rare. But somehow you can.'

'Of course. An extremely rare Dojutsu, that no one's ever heard of.' I said, sarcastically.

'I've heard of it, Yahiko's heard of it, Konan's heard of it, Hoshi's heard of it.' he paused. 'Orochimaru's heard of it,'

I looked at him. Maybe he was telling the truth. No one had continued a joke for this long before. If it really wasn't true, he would've given up ages ago. Plus Orochimaru had tried to kill Nagato in order to get my eyes. It did make sense, now that I thought about it. Even so, I was still being cautious. I didn't want to be a moron.

'Ok,' I said, slowly. 'I believe you. What is it you want me to do?'

'Well, we need you to start your training as soon as you're well enough. Until then we will make you as comfortable as possible. Well, I will anyway.' He smiled.

He really was interesting. He was determined but sweet at the same time. His smile comforted me, but I was, also, worried. I knew he wanted to use my eyes, for whatever it was he was doing. I suppose I was alright with this. I had no reason not to be. He was the only one who'd tried to save me, from the landfill site. I suppose that was what my initial attraction was to him. He laughed at me. Had he read my thoughts? No! Stop thinking that! He couldn't read thoughts! It was impossible.

'By the way,' he said, when he'd finished laughing. 'You're name's right.'

I looked at him. Confused. I was still half asleep, so I was being a little slow. However, eventually I remembered what he'd said, when we'd first met.

'Pretty child is the meaning for Ayako, right? I will have to see for myself, when we get out,'

I blushed. How cute. He walked back towards the building. Even the way he walked interested me. When he got to the door, he turned and looked at me.

'When you're ready to train, just let me know.' he said.

He turned around and walked in. I thought about it. I wasn't very tired anymore, the ramen had woken me up a little. I didn't feel weak, I'd had food. I couldn't feel the poison that I'd been hit with by Orochimaru. I felt fine. I ran after him.

'Hey, Nagato! I think I'm ready now!' I shouted after him. Running towards the door. I heard his cute laugh coming from inside the building. It made me smile.