The weight of the rock failed to slow the determined mother from reaching her daughter. Kaede was prepared to kill the would be kidnappers if need be, there was nothing she wouldn't do to save her only child.
Kin quietly hummed a song to herself, oblivious to the approaching danger. "I wonder where mama went, she never came back." Kin shifted from her crouching position to a seated position at the edge of the dock. "And papa too. I'm getting worried."
"Don't worry, bunny gumdrop. We'll be here for you." The bearded man said softly.
"Bunny gumdrop?" The blonde man asked.
"Shut up, I don't know what kids like to be called." The bearded man whispered angrily.
"U-uh my mama says I shouldn't talk to strangers." Kin said shyly, she pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them as tightly as she could.
"Well, you may not have a choice. We were told to care for you now." The blonde male spoke up.
"Why would they leave me?" Tears welled up in Kin's eyes at the thought of her parents abandoning her.
"I don't know. But we will never leave your side, okay?" The bearded man feigned concern and patted Kin's small back.
"Don't you dare tell my daughter such horrible lies." Kaede yelled raising the rock above her head and smashing it down upon the head of the crouched bearded man. The man's body slumped into an unmoving heap behind the now frightened girl.
"Mama!" Kin yelled as the blonde man panicked and grabbed Kin by her hair and forced her head towards the edge of the dock.
"Back off bitch or this girl gets drowned." The blonde man was acting like a coward now. Threatening to take a child's life over an ordinary woman with a large rock.
"Get your hands off of her!" Kaede inched closer.
"I said back off!" The blonde man forced Kin's head into the icy cold water and held her there. She couldn't breath, she was has never been so scared in her life.
"Stop!" Kaede wailed and lifted the rock above her head to kill the man.
"Argh, dumb whore." The bearded man of whom Kaede believed she killed got up on his knees and his arms around her waist and pulled her down. Her only defense dropping out of her hands and falling into the lake.
"Get off of me!" Kaede screamed and punched at the bearded man, but to no avail.
"Hey, forget the girl and help me with her."
The blonde man eased his grip on the young girl's hair and pushed her into the lake. Kin was still in the beginning stages of learning to swim, and struggled to get her head above the water.
"What did you plan on doing?" The blonde man watched as his accomplice held his hands around the woman's neck.
"Make her pay for all of the shit she's put us through." The bearded man smirked.
END OF FLASHBACK
"They raped and killed my mom." I said twiddling with my fingers. I've never told anyone this story before. Well, at least in a long time. It was difficult not to show any emotions about it all.
"I managed to catch a glimpse of it all as I doggy paddled out of the lake. After they were done. They knocked me unconscious, and when I woke up I was with Orochimaru."
"Why the hell did you stay with him." Naruto said softly.
"Well, he told me that he made the guys who killed my mom disappear. As a little girl, I really admired and appreciated that." I said ashamedly. "He said that he'd make me strong enough to make all of the bad people disappear. Thinking back, what he said to me does sound kind of silly. But I believed in him and I really thought of him as a new father figure. So that's why I stayed"
Everyone including Ino sat in silence and stared at me. Their stares were making me a little nervous, but I'll make sure to answer any questions they had.
"Can you guys please say something?" I whispered. Their silence built a very uneasy atmosphere. It made me feel as if they were having second thoughts.
"Well what do you want us to say Kin?" Kiba spoke up.
"Anything. I'm just-.. are we still friends?" My voice was breaking.
"What?! Of course we are!" Kiba smiled.
"Yeah do you really think this'll make us change our minds about you?" Naruto said.
I smiled and shook those silly thoughts of losing their trust from my mind. Of course they would still accept me, I don't know why I was so worried in the first place.
"I-I..I had no idea, Kin. I'm-" Ino began. I could tell she feels guilty for bringing up such a difficult topic. As long as she doesn't try to do something like this again, I think I can forgive her.
"It's okay Ino. Who wouldn't be jealous of me?" I joked to lighten the mood.
"Ugh." Zaku responded picking at his cold food, "don't give yourself so much credit, ugly."
"Excuse me," I yelled at Zaku. "You wanna say that to my face asshole?!"
"Hey hey, maybe we should calm done and order dessert?" Choji suggested.
I sent Zaku a murderous glare and he simply responded by flipping me the bird. "Sure I guess."
"Hey, you know what? I have a better idea." I said clasping my hands together in excitement. "We should cut my hair."
"And that's a better idea than dessert, because?" Zaku said, giving me a 'this should be good' look.
"Well, isn't cutting one's hair sort if like a rite of passage to new beginnings?" I trailed off feeling some what embarrassed at their lack of excitement.
"Whoa that sounds like fun, do we all get to cut it or do we just watch!?" Naruto said. Yes, there was the excitement I was looking for.
"I was hoping we could all do it together." I smiled.
"Yeah, no. You guys have fun with that I'm going home." Zaku said standing up.
"No Zaku, I want all us to be apart of it." I begged, "please."
"How the hell am I supposed to cut your hair with my arms broken. I was barely able to feed myself." Zaku argued.
I looked at his arms, "Dosu will help you."
Dosu loudly sighed without saying anything or even looking in my direction. I know he doesn't want to participate either. But this is really important to me. I understand how awkward it is for all of us to be so intimate towards each other after all of the years of arguing and strict reinforcement and disciplinary training from Orchimaru. But because of those reasons; I want to be as close as I could with them.
"Please, please please. Zaku, please." I begged
"Fine. Okay shit, shut up." Zaku said visibly upset.
"Thank you so much!" I stood up and placed my hands on my hips. "Come on guys I know the perfect place!"
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I took them to my most favorite place in Konoha: the park near the small and clean pond. Even though Kiba and I have spent almost everyday here since I came to Konoha, I will never get tired of looking at its beauty especially on nights like this.
"Okay guys, do you all have you kunai ready?" I asked.
"Are you sure you don't want to use proper instrument for for this?" Ino asked apprehensively looking at the kunai in her hand, "this could ruin your hair, ya know?"
"No worries, Ino." I assured her. "If my hair looks too bad I'll get it fixed at a salon."
"I'm gonna cut hella." Zaku smirked.
That asshole... No, No. Don't let him get under your skin. This is a happy time. "Okay Zaku, cut as much as you'd like." If he cuts more than necessary, I'll make sure to kick him in the groin once we get home.
I got my own kunai out and marveled at how it felt in my hands. Of course I've held kunai before, but having my own set of Konoha made weapons made it seem different. They're very special to me.
I took a deep breath and grabbed a small portion of my hair, and I waited until everyone had their own. "Okay here goes." I announced and closed my eyes.
I forced the kunai through my hair and felt everyone else do the same. My head felt ten times lighter and I couldn't help but to smile as I opened my eyes and turned around. Everyone else was smiling back at me (except Sasuke and Zaku).
"Thank you guys so much." I said, feeling the new length of my hair. My hair hasn't been at shoulder length since I was a little girl. I remember when my mom used to brush my hair every morning, and my dad used to stroke his fingers through my hair as he read to me before bed. The happy memories of my parents made my heart feel warm. I hope they'll see how happy I'll be from now on.
"You're welcome you look great, Kin." Various voices said at once.
"Thanks guys." I repeated. Looking once more at the hair in my hands. I simply decided to drop it on the ground hoping the wind would carry it away. Everyone else followed suit. I really hope the wind blows all of my hair away, otherwise my hair would be scattered all over the place.
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Zaku, Dosu, and I were walking home after saying our goodbyes to everyone. It turns out that my hair ended up severely uneven, so now I have to pay an early visit to salon tomorrow. Sigh, well it was a monumentous moment for me, so I'm not too upset.
"You... Uh, look nice with short hair, Kin." Zaku said quietly looking at his feet as he walked.
"I agree. You look decent." Dosu added.
I chuckled "thank you guys for everything." I said.
"Hn. Thank you as well." Dosu responded.
"Yeah, thanks for whatever I guess." Zaku said.