[Akane's P.O.V]

I woke up feeling very strange. My eyes felt puffy. The tattoo on my back was burning. The pain was bearable, but bothersome just the same. My memory from the night before was hazy.

"Hey, are you up?" a male voice near me inquired.

I jumped upright, slamming backwards into the wall as my eyes shot open.

Kakashi stood before me, fully dressed. "Oh," I breathed in relief, relaxing into bed again. Then I glared at Kakashi. "What the hell are you doing in here, pervert?"

Kakashi got an anime sweat drop, but then looked at me with a strange seriousness.

"You asked me to stay. You had a nightmare last night. It was pretty bad. You were screaming like someone was trying to kill you."

I blinked in surprise, trying to remember the night before. Why the hell was my memory so hazy? The harder I tried to think, the more my tattoo began to burn. I hissed, clenching the top part of my back. Kakashi's eye narrowed.

"That tattoo is bothering you again, isn't it? It's that seal. But why is it acting up again? Did you remember something?"

I shook my head helplessly. My eyes wandered around the bed as I tried to remember what the hell happened the night before. Then my gaze fell on two black notebooks. Suddenly, my tattoo burned so much I doubled over, groaning in agony as I clawed at my back.

Those notebooks… shit. The memories were slowly returning. The horrible drawings. The journal entries. Shit. It wasn't me. It couldn't have been me.

My breath tore from my throat in ragged gasps.

Kakashi thrust me down on the bed, forcing me to look into his face.

"Breathe slowly," I faintly heard him say. I felt his fingers massaging my temples. As I looked into his dark eye, my breathing gradually slowed. The pain in my back subsided slightly. Kakashi's brow furrowed in confusion.

"You looked at those notebooks and started hyperventilating. What's in them that is making you act like this?"

I brushed off Kakashi's hands and turned away so he wouldn't see the tears starting to form in my eyes.

"Nothing. Forget about it." Kakashi got up, his face now a cool mask.

"You don't have to tell me anything. Just don't expect any help if you don't even have the sense to help yourself."

He turned and started to walk away. Before he went out the door, he stopped.

"I'm going on a mission with the brats. We're going to the Wave Country, although you must not know where that is. We shouldn't take long. You're welcome to stay here as long as you want. There's a spare key under the flower pot outside." Then he looked back at me. "Take care."

And with that, he was gone.

I waited until I was sure he was gone before I burst into tears. It was very early when Kakashi left; I cried until the sun rose.

Eventually, I got up and stripped naked before walking into Kakashi's spare bathroom. I looked in the mirror. My eyes and nose were pink from crying, and there were purple rings under my eyes. I twisted around and scrutinized my back. The intricate dragon tattoo that took up the whole right side of my back was throbbing, but it didn't hurt much anymore. My eyes strayed to my lower back, where the seal was. It seemed a little less opaque for some reason.

As if it had faded slightly.

I turned away from the mirror grimly and stepped into the shower. As I let the hot water pummel my body, my thoughts wandered to the last journal entry. It said the seal was weakening. But mine was still pretty strong. If that journal was mine, and I had really run away, maybe the seal was placed on me again before I could get away.

I scrubbed my body with soap, suddenly feeling so disgusted I wanted to tear my skin off.

If that journal was mine, I didn't even want to think about how many men had abused me, including my own father. Fresh tears stung my eyes.

How fucking horrible. I had killed my own mom. This couldn't be…

I slid to the floor of the bathtub and curled into a ball, beginning to cry again. This couldn't be happening to me…

When I could finally get up again, I dressed in a tight black tank top and capris and went to prepare breakfast. Surprisingly, Kakashi had already left me some miso soup. I warmed it up and ate, and then I studied the damn notebooks again.

The first drawing of me was troubling. The name Akane was written there, so it had to be my name. The journal entries had to be mine. Why else would this book also be with me?

I sighed heavily, resting my head in my hands. Kakashi was right. I had to talk to someone. But I was so afraid of what I'd remember. I flipped to the last entry again. May 2.

My heart began to pound as I noticed the calendar on the wall. I forced myself to go look at it.

The calendar was on the month of May. On the sixth box, in Kakashi's messy scrawl was the note, "Mission to Wave Country with Team 7".

Today was the sixth. I had been hospitalized for three days. It added up. Shit.

I went out the door, taking Kakashi's spare key with me. I had to talk to someone.

I walked through the village, trying to avoid the curious stares and whispers of people who didn't recognize me. I silently cursed my flaming red hair, which made me stick out like a damn sore thumb. I rubbed my eyes wearily as I walked. This shit was all so complicated. I was thinking about talking to the Hokage … I didn't know what to do, in all honesty. I was lost, with no memory, in a strange village. All I had were a notebook with fucked up drawings and a journal with fucked up fragments of my past life that I'd rather not even know about.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't look up as I walked. I crashed into someone's hard chest, falling on my ass. I looked up in surprise. Standing before me were three kids who seemed a couple of years younger than me, and a man with bushy eyebrows and a soup bowl haircut.

One of the kids, a girl with her hair in two buns, glared at me. "Hey, watch where you're going!"

"Ten-Ten, don't be rude!" a bushy-browed boy admonished, his hair also in a soup bowl cut. He looked like a miniature of the older man. The boy reached down to take my hand, but I drew back.

"Are you okay? My name is Rock Lee!" the boy said, grinning happily.

I picked myself up and dusted myself off, starting to walk away. "Nice to meet you. Sorry I wasn't paying attention."

"Wait," I heard a voice command. I turned around, annoyed. Now it was the other boy addressing me. He had lavender eyes and long brown hair. He seemed more mature than the others, and also much more conceited.

"What is your name?" he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "I've never seen you around here before."

I turned my back to the arrogant bastard.

"You don't need to know my name. And I'm not from here. Have a nice day." I started walking again. Suddenly, a kunai whizzed past my face, missing me by a centimeter. I caught it with one hand and turned around to see the lavender-eyed guy in a fighting stance.

"Oy, Neji! What are you doing?" the man demanded, glaring at the boy.

"She's suspicious," Neji replied, glaring at me. I snorted in contempt, although the annoyance in my face had to be hard to miss.

"Listen, I'd appreciate it if you left me alone," I said. "I'm not looking for a fight, but if you really want one, you'll get it."

Neji smirked. "Let's go." I had a feeling this was a bad idea. Adrenaline was pumping through my body. I could feel my tattoo pulsating with excitement. I wanted to draw blood. But why was I feeling like this if I didn't want to fight? I had no more time to think. Neji ran towards me.

I felt something raging inside me as I dodged punches and kicks. I could feel my power straining to get out. My body was almost on autopilot. I couldn't believe I was moving the way I was, with such power and speed. I could tell Neji was surprised, and getting a little nervous. I landed a punch, and before Neji could regain his balance, I grabbed him by the neck, whipping him up into the air before slamming him into the ground, leaving a huge crater. As I lifted my kunai to stab him, a hand grabbed me forcefully, yanking me up and away from Neji.

"What is going on here?" a voice commanded. When I looked behind me, I saw the Hokage, his callused hand still gripping my arm tightly. He was frowning at me.

"This asshole attacked me for no reason!" I snapped after seeing the accusation in the Hokage's eyes. The Hokage's eyes narrowed at Neji.

"Is this true, Hyuuga Neji ?"

I glared at Neji, daring him to lie. Neji bowed before the Hokage.

"Yes, Hokage-sama, it is true. Please forgive me. I was suspicious of this girl because I'd never seen her in the village before."

"Hm," the Hokage grunted, puffing his pipe and releasing his grip on me.

"Fine. Anyhow, she is not an enemy. I am allowing her to stay in the village. Make sure no more misunderstandings occur."

Neji bowed again. "Yes, Hokage-sama. My apologies."

Then the asshole had the nerve to reach out a hand to help me up. "My apologies, miss. I won't attack you again."

"Fuck off," I growled, getting up by myself and walking away from him.

I could hear Neji's teammates laughing behind me. I heard a chortle next to me, and I turned to see the Hokage.

"You are something else. Is that the kind of mouth a lady should have?"

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "I seem to be having all the luck this week. I'm in a strange area, I don't remember anything, and now random idiots are trying to attack me." The Hokage chuckled again, but his expression sobered quickly. "Speaking of which, have you remembered anything?"

I nearly stopped in my tracks. Shit. I had to tell someone. I needed help.

"… Do you think there's any way you can help me regain my memory?"

The Hokage narrowed his eyes at me as he puffed his pipe.

"No, I told you that seal can only be broken by you. Why?"

I closed my eyes briefly. "I have to talk to you."

I wiped away the last of my tears. The Hokage's pipe was on the floor, broken from when it had dropped out of his mouth in shock. "That's all I know," I finished hoarsely, looking down at the floor. I couldn't bring myself to meet the Hoakge's pitying eyes.

I heard the Hokage sigh heavily, and before I knew it I was enveloped in such a warm embrace that I wanted to cry again. I stiffened involuntarily, so the Hokage drew back, sensing my discomfort. But he gently pushed my chin up so I could look into his old, weathered face.

"Akane…." he began. "What you have gone through is unforgivable. It is a miracle that you could even function right now. I am honored that you chose to confide in me. Anything you tell me will be kept secret." I nodded, breaking away from his hold.

"Please don't pity me," I said quietly. "Just let me know if there is something I can do to break this seal."

The Hokage returned to his desk, where he pulled out another pipe and packed it with tobacco before lighting it. He appeared to be deep in thought.

"I consulted the sealing team from the Hidden Sand Village. I did not give many details, only a description of the seal. They have never seen it before, but they also agreed that it can only be broken by you."

The Hokage sat down and leaned forward.

"The sealing team recommended that you retrace your steps. Perhaps if you wear what you had on the day you were found, and you enter the forest, it could trigger memories. Also, if it is true that you have some sort of chakra monster inside you, the seal can't hold it in forever."

I nodded slowly, my eyes narrowing. That wasn't a bad idea, actually. Then I remembered my fight with Neji.

'Hokage-sama.. While I was fighting Neji, I thought I could feel the power inside me straining against the seal. Do you think if I began training it could help break it?"

The Hokage nodded, blowing out a puff of smoke.

"It is possible. When Kakashi returns I will have him train you with his team. You get along with them, correct?"

I shrugged. "For the most part, yes."

"Alright then," the Hokage said. "Try what I have suggested. I wish you the best of luck. And please be careful. You probably don't know just how much strength you have. Don't try to force it all out at once."

I nodded.

"Thank you very much for your help, Hokage-sama. You have been too kind." I hesitantly offered my hand.

The Hokage smiled, gripping it firmly. "You don't have to thank me, child. Now go. And don't hesitate to come to me if you need anything."