I only own Akahana and the father. The OCs belong to their respective owners.

Rain poured down from the heavens like tears at a funeral. The skies were dark, and the sun was hidden behind deep gray clouds. The sound of thunder echoed through the air, and lightning crackled every now and then, signaling that the worst of the storm had yet to come.

And yet, everyone in the village had grown used to this depressed feeling that nature always bestowed on them. The Rain Village was not named for its sunshine, after all.

Inside one shackled home, a teenage boy was hurrying around his room, collecting as much as he could and stuffing it all into his pack. When he thought that he had finally packed all of his essentials, he slung his backpack over his shoulder, and with a final smile, he bid his old bedroom goodbye and headed into the main room of the home, where his mother was waiting.

When his mother saw him descending the steps into the small kitchen, she quickly stood up from her seat on the ratty sofa. She quickly ran over to her only child and started randomly brushing him, clearing all the invisible dust off and making sure he looked suitable for going out.

"Mom, stop it!" the boy laughed as he swiped his mother's hand away. "I'm going out into the rain; I don't have to look fancy."

"Oh, I know," Akahana sighed as she let her hands fall to her side. Feeling the need to do something, her hands started fidgeting with her apron. "Oh, Shin, are you sure you have to do this?"

"Mom, I want to do this," Shin said sincerely, his smile falling slightly with his serious attitude.

"But… but you're so young!" his mother exclaimed, with tears prickling her eyes.

"I'm seventeen, Mom," Shin sighed, his smile lighting up his face again, making even his black eyes somehow seem bright.

"Oh, I know!" she sighed again.

Her hands quickly made their way up to fixing his clothes again, trying to stall as much time with her son as possible. She fixed the collar of his dark gray shirt and tried to calm his messy wavy brown hair. She, again, started dusting off invisible particles off his shirt.

"Seriously, Mom!" he exclaimed, lightly slapping her hands away. He quickly adjusted his black wristbands on each of his wrists and dusted off his own white Capri pants. "Alright, see? All clean. Yeesh, you're so fussy. The way you act, you'd think I was going into the army. I'm just going to travel and see the world."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Shin," the woman sighed sadly in defeat. "I know, I know. I understand your goal."

Shin sighed sadly as he saw the forlorn look in his mother's eyes when she looked away from his face, hoping that he wouldn't see her sadness. But he did.

"Mom, if anything, I wish you would come with me," Shin said quietly, catching his mother's attention. "It's not like I want you to stay here by yourself. Why won't you come with me?"

Akahana looked back at him and smiled sadly. "No, I'm not one for traveling, Shin," she said with a wave of her hand. "In fact, you're the only one of the Miyazaki clan to ever leave the Rain Village."

"I know," Shin shrugged slightly. "It's just… this place is way too depressed for me. The constant rain is so miserable and gloomy. I need excitement and fun, Mom."

Her smile turned from sadness to pride. "I understand, Shin. I'm proud of you."

Shin sighed in relief, and his bright smile lit up his face again. "Thanks, Mom."

He leaned down slightly and kissed her cheek. She kissed him back, and then she gave him a motherly hug, wishing she didn't have to let her only family leave her. Shin returned the hug, thinking of how he would miss her greatly. The warm embrace almost convinced him to run upstairs and unpack his bag just so he could stay and protect his mother.

But he wanted this. He needed this. He wanted adventure, and he couldn't get that in this dismal village.

Mother and son released each other from the hug, and they looked at each other sadly. "You better take care of yourself, Shin Miyazaki," Akahana said in her stern motherly voice. But her warm smile gave away all intention of being strict.

"No worries, Mom. I'll be fine," her son grinned. He retrieved his cloak and placed it over his normal wardrobe. He pulled the hood over his head and turned to look at his mother one more time.

"Are you sure you don't want to wait for the storm to pass?" Akahana asked as she gestured toward the outside world, revealing the pouring rain and dreary-looking atmosphere.

Shin raised an eyebrow at her question. "Mom, the storm will never pass."

"What's your point?" his mother asked. Shin gave her an expectant look, and she smiled. "Alright, alright. I'm just kidding… mostly."

Shin smiled. "Bye, Mom," he said as he kissed her one more time on the cheek.

"Goodbye, Shin," she answered as she, too, gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.

With one last meaningful look, the teenager departed out the front door and into the rain. His mother watched him go from the window beside the door, and she watched his lone figure trudge through the mud and slush, toward something that neither of them could ever think of seeing.

Shin marched on through the village. In his heart, he knew he wasn't necessarily leaving everything behind. He was just going on to find something more to bring home. He was looking for something much more than what he already knew and was accustomed to.

He was looking for himself.

And deep inside his heart and soul, something shattered. However, it didn't hurt. In fact, it almost made him feel elated and happier than he had been in a long time.

Deep in the Sound Village, a lone figure stood in the midst of many trees in a forest. Her black hair swayed behind her as the wind gently kissed her cheek. Her eyes were closed, and her body was still.

Then, out of nowhere, her eyes flew open, revealing pitch black orbs. Her hands quickly flew to her belt, pulling out four different knives. With the speed of light, she flung them out in different directions, and each knife landed on a different tree.

The fourteen-year-old girl glanced around, checking her targets. She had hit each knife in each of the four makeshift targets she had created herself. She frowned in an angry manner.

It wasn't satisfying.

A slow slithering sound broke her from her thoughts, and she glanced down to see her purple snake with green spots slinking its way up her leg and all the way up to her shoulder. Once it was finally settled around her shoulders, she absentmindedly patted its small head.

"Well, Salyzar… I hit all the targets… again. Just like all 487 times before," the girl sighed pessimistically.

The snake hissed its response, its tongue sliding in and out rapidly.

"Bah! Mother can wait for her kitchen knives when I'm done," the girl countered in response to her snake.

She went over to each of the trees and removed the knives from their targets. She went back to her position in the center of the trees. This time, she decided to go for a different stance. She let herself balance on both of her hands, pushing her body into a handstand. She was just about to reach for the knives when a sudden rustling alerted her of another's presence.

She quickly broke her stance and turned in the direction of the sound. A man emerged from the bushes. He was shaking slightly, his cowardly form quivering in the presence of the girl. The snake hissed loudly at the intruder, its fangs bared dangerously. The frightened man jumped slightly, practically seeing the dripping poison of the venomous snake's teeth.

"Um… Karasu? Y-Your mother wants h-her knives b-back," the man stuttered as he hesitantly pointed to the four knives in his daughter's hands.

The girl flashed dangerous black eyes at the man she called her father. "Fine, take them!" she spat.

In the blink of an eye, she flung all four knives at him. The man jumped in terror. Two knives landed in front of his feet, and the other two landed on either side of his head, lodging themselves in the trees. Karasu glared dangerously at the knives, angry at them for not piercing the weak man. The man hyperventilated a bit, but he quickly gathered the knives and scampered off quickly.

"Ugh! Why wouldn't they hit him?" Karasu growled, clenching her fists angrily.

Most people would have reasoned that, somewhere in their hearts, something was blocking them from doing such a cruel act, such as trying to kill their own parents.

However, Karasu wasn't like most people. She had often reasoned that she didn't have a heart. She loved the dark feeling that came with death. Unfortunately for her, she never got to experience the thrill of killing. And she so desperately wanted to feel the life drain from another living creature under her barbaric hands.

But for the life of her, she couldn't understand what was preventing her from doing it. All her life, she had experienced this sadistic taste of blood on her lips. And yet, there was just some strange force that prevented her from actually accomplishing such violence.

Everyone she knew feared for this strange characteristic of hers. While many of her village talked of the nice weather they were having, she was wishing for a new pair of training blades. This made Karasu Itami Shi an outcast to not only her village, but even to her parents.

Her mother and father feared her more than anyone else did.

Karasu quickly straightened up her dark blue pants and cream-colored shirt before she crossed her arms. "Heh, what do you think, Salyzar? How long do you think we'll be able to last living in this stupid village?"

The purple snake hissed multiple times.

"Hmm, tonight then?" Karasu asked. The snake nodded its head. The girl slowly petted her pet's head before she headed off to her pathetic home.

Hours later, in the dead of night, Karasu ran away from home.

As she ran through the open rice fields, she felt a strange sensation twist around her soul. Venom, blood, and death all flashed in her head… and she smiled. She yearned for it all. And she could feel it now. Now that she had officially left behind that wretched place, she felt as though she could now live.

"Salyzar, I feel alive, and it is time to go live," Karasu said, her eyes wide with bloodlust, and her lips twisted into an evil smirk. Her tongue hungrily licked her lips.

She couldn't really hear herself, for she was consumed in her visions of killing. But her snake could hear the change of voice. She was noticeably hissing, and her voice seemed unlike her own; it somehow seemed deeper, more profound.

Salyzar hissed in response, seeing how snake-like his master really was.

Days later, Shin walked through a small forest he had encountered upon. He was now in the Waterfall Country, and he had to admit. It was a rather beautiful place. The various streams and rivers were rushing all over, giving the place an enchanted feel to it. It was a very nature-like place.

It was a nice refreshing scene to happen upon, compared to living in the Rain Village all his life.

Shin smiled as he continued onward. In his days of traveling so far, he had seen a lot. From the rice fields, to the forests, to the blue skies, it was all so different than what he was used to.

As he walked, Shin suddenly heard a peculiar sound. Cocking his head slightly, he turned in the direction of the noise and followed.

He brushed some bushes away and looked around before he finally saw what he was looking for. And he sort of wished he hadn't seen it.

In front of him, a girl a few years younger than him was butchering a boar. He grimaced slightly at the stench of the blood and flesh.

The girl immediately felt his presence, and she turned around to glare at him. "What do you want?" she snapped.

Shin was taken aback by the spite in her voice. "Uh… well, I heard you… slicing up that boar, and I was just wondering what it was."

"Well, now you know. So leave," she hissed before turning around and going back to her work.

"How… Why are you doing that? Why not just go to the store and have the butcher slice it for you?" Shin asked as he took a step forward.

The girl quickly stood up and glared at him. "I'm fourteen years old. Do I look like I have money to buy pork from some greasy butcher?"

"Better than reeking up the whole joint," he muttered quietly.

"What was that?" she stood up so fast that he hadn't even had time to blink before she had her bloodied knife pointing at his neck. However, he quickly knocked the knife out of her hand with a flick of his wrist. She was a little surprised at his speed, but instead of showing this, she glared dangerously at him instead.

He held his hands up defensively. "Sorry, reflex. Seriously, you shouldn't go around pointing knives at people. You might just get hurt yourself," Shin said seriously as he stared at the girl in front of him.

"I don't need your advice," she scowled. She picked up her knife and turned to go back to work.

Shin sighed, trying to steady his breathing. "So, where's a girl like you headed off to?"

"Is it really any of your concern?" the girl asked, not even bothering to turn around.

"Just curiosity, is all," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Konoha, if it interests you that much," the girl spat.

"Why do you want to go there?" Shin asked, confused.

"Because a flying pink fairy told me to," the girl replied, sarcasm lacing her voice.

Shin raised an eyebrow. "Flying pink fairies, huh? Well, does the girl who encounters flying pink fairies perhaps have a name?"

"Why are you so interested in my life?" the girl scowled, her black eyes turning around to meet his own coal eyes.

"Well, I figured fellow travelers have to have some kind of similarities," the boy said as he shrugged. "Although, I can't say I've ever been visited by flying pink fairies," he snickered.

"Well, you've met me and know my destination. So leave," she said.

"You still haven't told me your name," the guy said. "I'm Shin Miyazaki. And you?"

The girl finally stood up, deeming that she was finished with her work. "Karasu Itami Shi. Happy now?"

"Well, not particularly. You're a very cold person, you know that, right?" Shin asked.

"Thank you," she said.

"You alone?" Shin asked.

"Yes, why?"

"Need a traveling companion?" he offered, trying to make friends.

"Why on earth would I want to travel with you?" Karasu asked.

"Well, it's better to talk to someone else rather than to yourself," Shin supplied.

A sudden hiss surprised him, and he realized that a purple snake had hidden itself inside the girl's cloak. It stuck its head out to glare at him, its fangs dripping with liquid poison.

"Um, okay, so you can talk to your snake friend… But don't you want a human to talk to?"

She glanced over at him and gave him a cynical smirk. "If you can keep up, then by all means, 'tag along'. But don't expect me to wait for you. And if you so much as annoy me, this knife is going through your heart," she said, holding up the bloodied knife to show him. She then headed off into a random direction, and Shin glanced down at the fallen pig. Other than the various cuts and slices through it, it still had all of its meat there.

"Um, aren't you going to eat that? Why else would you kill it?" Shin asked as he stepped around the pig.

"For fun," the girl said as she continued, not even turning back.

Shin stopped cold in his tracks. Maybe talking to this girl wasn't such a good idea after all. He shuddered slightly and followed, making sure to keep a safe distance between himself and the sadistic girl in front of him.

Shin Miyazaki belongs to Konan at TONFA. He has no known ancestor.

Karasu Itami Shi belongs to Fantasy Madeline at TONFA. She is the descendant of Orochimaru.

I hope you liked this!