Aimi sighed as she petted Firestar. She had been thinking: Itachi had told her all of this was to help Sasuke, it was for him… and yet every time she saw him, he seemed to be heartbroken, cold, or angry. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Wasn't he supposed to be stronger, happier…? Was she slowly killing him, or slowly bringing him to life?
Aimi pushed it out of her mind and stood up.Stop it, Aimi. Do something useful. She sighed and stood up. "What to do, what to do…" Aimi asked herself. She walked in circles, trying to figure something out. She let out a distressed hiss.
Deidara happened to walk by just as she was hissing. "Aimi?" he asked. She glanced up. "Yeah, DeiDei?" she asked. He stared at her for a second before saying, "One, don't call me 'DeiDei', hmm? Two, are you alright, hmm?" Aimi grinned. "I just need something to do and it's stressing me. And I'll call you DeiDei if I want, DeiDei," she said. Deidara rolled his eyes (or erm eye) again. "You could practice, Aimi, hmm. You know that new jutsu Itachi and I taught you, hmm? Try it, it seemed a little rusty, hmm," he said. Aimi nodded and sighed as he walked away.
She practiced hard and it kept her occupied. When she finished, she was in a pretty good mood. She smiled to herself and started punching a punching bag type thing. She sang to keep herself entertained as well.
"You don't know what you do to me
Every time you come around,
I cant seem to find my way,
I'm shifted, baby, losing ground…"
Deidara just happened to walk by as she was singing. Him and his timing. He tilted his head and peeked to the space where he heard the singing. That is one hot voice… Wait, that's where Aimi is…! He quietly turned to get Itachi. He'd like to see this.
Aimi continued singing, not noticing how Deidara saw her.
"Its like I'm spinning all around in circles,
Cure me, you're my remedy,
I get dizzy from the sound of your name,
I'm just so intoxicated when you spin me, baby…"
She continued on, not noticing the two pairs of eyes watching her now, one in amazement, one in a hazy remembrance. She was completely unaware of her spectators.
"You spin me right round, baby,
Right round, like a record, baby,
Right round, round, round,
You spin me right round, baby,
Right round, like a record, baby,
Right round, round, round."
She stopped after that verse when seeing the two pairs of eyes staring at her. "Uh… hello?" Aimi asked. "You sing very well, hmm! Why didn't you tell us, hmm?" Deidara asked, the first to step out of the shadows. Aimi shrugged. "I never thought it was that important…" she said. Itachi stepped out after Deidara. "I remember now. I remember your voice… it sounds like your mothers voice. She was a beautiful singer. She used to sing me to sleep when I was little. Your voice sounds almost exactly like hers," he said. Aimi held a smile in. Her mother's beautiful voice, eh? "And I remember your singing when you were little, too. A promising voice that was," he added. Deidara stepped in again. "Your voice IS important, hmm. If we could teach you something… you could use your voice to hypnotize an opponent in battle, hmm. You're that good. Now we have to show you a new skill, hmm. Come on… we'll teach you, hmm," he said.
Aimi nodded and followed them-- one of her favorite things to do as a battle skill? Why not? Heck yah!
()()()
"Two little princesses,
Dancing in a row,
Spinning fast and freely
On their little toes,
Where the light will take them,
No one ever knows…
Two little princesses,
Dancing in a row,
Dancing in a row,
Dancing in a row…"
Aimi sang her favorite lullaby as she danced out in the forest clearing. Everything seemed to be black and white, except for her pinkish red shawl, which she was swinging behind her like wings. She seemed so small and fragile in the big, dark, intimidating forest. But that wasn't stopping her from enjoying it.
A snap echoed. Aimi turned quickly to see Sasuke standing in the pathway staring at her, Itachi coming up behind him. "You were spying on me," Aimi said quietly. "No! Well, yah, but it's not like-" Sasuke began. "Calm down, I'm not mad," she said, smiling. Itachi glanced down at his brother. "Don't run off like that," he sighed. "I couldn't find her anywhere!" Sasuke protested. "Well WE did. Just ask US next time, ok?" Itachi said. "Ok," Sasuke said.
Aimi had started dancing around again, singing that lullaby over again. She had almost forgotten they were there. "Wow Aimi! You have a beautiful voice!" Itachi said, kneeling down. Aimi stopped and turned, blushing. "Th-thank you, sir," she said quietly. "Hey, hey, quit calling me sir! You know my name," Itachi said, tickling her. Aimi laughed. "Oh-ohk, Itachi," she said, smiling.
Itachi stood up and pretended to walk away (key word… pretended) but went into the bushes and watched what Sasuke would do alone with Aimi. They were so cute.
Sasuke glanced around and stepped up to Aimi. He put one hand behind his back, one out to Aimi, bowed slightly, and asked, "May I have this dance?" Aimi smiled and took his hand. They begun ballroom dancing- the cutest thing you could ever see. They had watched people do it and were forced to take lessons, so they were pretty good for a couple of 6 year olds. Itachi smiled as he watched them. Who could see that and not feel anything?
()()()()()
"6 months ago, we lost a dear friend. We have had to wait this long to go and save her. Now on this day, we are going on a mission to save her and claim her back to us. Are we all ready?" Kakashi said. The kids nodded, all with some excitement in their eyes. "Then lets go," Kakashi said, turning.
Yes, the 6 long months had gone by, and now Chika, Sasuke, Miko, Naruto, Sakura, and Ichirou were all headed out to save their friend.
"Finally! Its here! The day we've all been waiting for!" Naruto yapped. For once, no one told him to shut up, and for once, they all agreed with him. It was really what they had been waiting for for 6 months. They all set off happily.
()()()
The Akatsuki was onto the whole thing, except for Aimi, who was filled in last second. They were going to put up a fight for her. And Aimi had to fight alongside them all. She was scared. She was caught in the middle of a fight between her two families. And she had to take off her hood in front of them all… especially Sasuke… and it would get very, very bad from there, she just knew it.
Itachi and Deidara tried their best to make her think about other things.
It didn't work.
()()()
"Something isn't right about this place," Ichirou commented, looking at the misty, dark forest surrounding them. "I agree. Something about it feels… oh, I don't even know how to describe how bad it feels!" Sakura exclaimed. Kakashi looked around and nodded dimly. "I have to admit, something about this place is very odd," he said. "Are you scared, Kakashi?" Naruto asked, looking panicky. "N-no, of course not. I'm very experienced," he replied. Naruto still didn't look so sure, but he didn't talk back. No need.
Kakashi glanced around them. He looked to the sky, the ground, the trees, then finally, the bushes. His eyes stayed on the bushes. "Don't talk unless there is a total need, ok?" he said. The group looked at him oddly. "What-" Chika began. "I SAID, don't talk unless there is a total need!" Kakashi was usually patient, but when he said something he meant it. After a few more minutes of staring at the bush uneasily, Kakashi said, "Show yourselves. All of you."
Slowly, a group arose from the bushes. The Akatsuki. Everyone was quiet, observing each other, taking in every detail possible.
Sasuke spoke first. "Kakashi said all of you." Everyone turned to look at him. "But this IS all of us, little brother," a deep intimidating voice said. Sasuke tensed up. "Itachi…" then he started over. "This is not all of you. Where is the hooded one? The girl." Everyone was silent. "Oh, yes. How could we forget? She should be here any minute now," Itachi replied.
Now Ichirou spoke. "Enough chit-chat. Where's Aimi?" A laugh. Then, "To find that out, we would like you to meet our female friend, hmm. She and Aimi are… linked, hmm." Ichirou spoke again, "We don't care about your 'female friend'. We want Aimi." Sasuke said, "I'm… vaguely interested in meeting your little friend again if and only if she takes off her hood." Everyone in the Akatsuki laughed. "Oh, you can count on that," one said.
MEANWHILE…
A hooded figure rode through the forest on a running tiger. The person's hood flew back in the wind, revealing long hair flying behind the person. The person hastily reached back and pulled the hood back over her face.
BACK TO THE ACTION…
"So we just wait here? I don't think so! Give Aimi back!" Naruto boomed with a burst of courage. Eyes glared at Naruto from all sides. He shrunk back. "Not so brave under strong eyes, hmm?" a taunting voice said. "I DON'T GIVE A CARE! GIVE AIMI BACK!" he yelled with even more courage. Sakura slapped her hand over his mouth. "Care to repeat that?" one said. No reply. "I said care to repeat that?!"
A low growl from up on the hill. "Now, now. We don't need to pick on them" a voice after the growl. Everyone turned to see the hooded one on a tiger. She petted the tiger, resulting in a purr. Then she slid off the tiger's back. Another tiger followed behind.
"You…" Sasuke growled. She nodded her head. Underneath her hood, she was fighting back tears from hearing the hate in his voice.
Firestar sensed Aimi's unhappiness and Sasuke's hateful voice and took a step forward. "Say one more word… I dare you," he growled. Sasuke opened his mouth to say something but then closed it. "I thought as much," Firestar said. Icetear purred deeply behind Firestar in agreement.
Aimi took a deep breath. "Well then," she said. She didn't say anything else. She stood there, her tigers beside her, awaiting for her to signal something for them to do.
"Where's Aimi?" Naruto asked. Aimi sighed. "Dead, more or less," she said. "'more or less'? What is that supposed to mean?" Ichirou asked. Aimi shook her head. "It would be hard for you to understand," she said. "Try me," Ichirou replied.
"Her old self is dead, while she is quite, quite alive, hmm," an Akatsuki member said.
Ichirou cocked his head, then straightened it. "How has she changed?" he asked. Aimi looked to the Akatsuki then back. "You'll figure it out," she said. Then she walked up to Sasuke.
"You have be trying to take off my hood for a while, you've been wanting to take off my hood for a while. But have I let you?" she asked him quietly, only loud enough for him to hear. He simply shook his head. Aimi nodded, then just stood there. Finally, Sasuke asked, "Why?" Aimi shook her head and sighed. She moved closer to him. "Who's stopping you now?" she asked. Sasuke finally understood. He lifted his hand. Aimi bowed her head. He moved his hand closer. She didn't stop him. He took a hold of her hood. No response. And finally, he slowly lifted it.
Once the hood was off her face, Aimi looked up. The emotions she saw in Sasuke's face were unbearable. Confusion. Anger. Love. Hate. Betrayed. Lost. Scared. Lost of all hope. Fear. Sad. Wondering. Wishing. Hope. Everyone else looked like this, too, but his face was much stronger in these feelings. She didn't speak. She let them all think for a minute. "Why?" Sasuke asked quietly. Aimi shook her head. "Why, Aimi?" he asked, raising his voice a little. He seemed to be panicking. She put her hand on his shoulder, then let it slide off.
She stepped past him and on to Kakashi. He didn't say anything. All she could say to him was, "I'm sorry. I hope you all will understand someday." Then she moved on past him.
Chika was next. Aimi looked her in the eyes. "We're still sisters, Chika. No matter how much you hate it now, we are still sisters," she said. Chika was angry. She clenched her fists and said, "You are not my sister. My sister would NEVER do anything like this to us." Aimi stared in Chika's eyes some more before passing her by.
Now Miko. "Miko…" she began. "If I knew you were going to do this, I would've stopped you, Aimi," Miko said, "this isn't who you are. Somewhere inside of you is the old Aimi-" Aimi cut her off. "There is no old Aimi! Only this Aimi that you see before you. No one else." Then she stepped past Miko.
Naruto was next. Aimi couldn't think of anything to say to him. "I'm sorry, Naruto," was all she could think of. He just shook his head and motioned her past him.
Sakura now. "Sakura. I didn't know you much before. I wish I had." She glanced over at Sasuke then back to her. "Keep trying," she said. Sakura looked confused, then understood when Aimi looked from Sakura to Sasuke again.
Ichirou. "I believe that dreams never existed but realities can be made into dreams," she said to him. "Think about it," she added. Like Sasuke, he asked, "Why?" Aimi shook her head. "Sasuke is why," was all she said.
She turned back to the Akatsuki. "My brothers, meet my ex-family," she said, smirking a little. They laughed. The other side looked pained. How could she do this?
Aimi walked back up the hill to her tigers. She petted them. They purred. She smiled a sly, evil smile. The smile you'd last imagine to be on her face.
Seeing that smile, it was then Naruto decided he wouldn't let this happen. He ran up the hill to her, grabbed her hands and held them behind her back cop-style. Aimi's tigers were about to attack, but Aimi knew they'd probably kill Naruto and she didn't want him killed. She signaled them not to attack. She looked to the Akatsuki for help, but they didn't respond. Then Itachi nodded vaguely. She was to be kept captive for awhile, then they'd get her back… somehow. Aimi closed her eyes and focused on breathing as Naruto dragged her back down the hill.
Aimi didn't want this to happen. This wasn't how it was planned. She let out a cat-like hiss and kicked Naruto. He fell backwards, and she tried to make a break for it, but Sasuke caught her and held her tight. She struggled and yelled.
Naruto recovered and stood back up. He walked up to take Aimi again but Sasuke wouldn't let her go. Naruto understood and walked back.
The group pulled her away and the Akatsuki turned to go their way as well.
Aimi was being held captive.
()()()()()()
At the place the group was staying, Sasuke, Naruto and Ichirou walked into a room with Aimi and put her into a cage-like cell in the room.
She growled to be let out. They refused. She paced back and forth, like a caged tiger. (Ironic, isn't it?) She didn't say anything for a while, she silently planned how to get out, but in the end, she couldn't figure anything out.
The truth was, she felt betrayed and mad. Her brothers let her get taken away. What kind of brothers did that?! After she calmed down, she thought some more and figured they either knew she'd be able to get out on her own, or they were planning to help her out somehow. So she focused.
She was snapped out of her thoughts when she looked up to see the boys staring at her. "May I help you?" she asked quietly, softly, scared-like and coldly at the same time. "You never answered me," Sasuke said, "why?" Aimi looked away from him to Ichirou. She had told him… soft of. Ichirou stayed very, very quiet. "Why, Aimi?! Why?!" Sasuke asked again. Ichirou couldn't take it anymore. "She said it was because of you, Sasuke, that's what she told me," he blurted. Sasuke's eyes widened and he looked between the two of them. "Wh…what?" he asked. "To…help…you," Aimi said quietly from inside her cage thing. Sasuke shook his head. "To HELP me?! How did you think this was going to help me?! I mean, look! You haven't helped ANYONE by doing this!" he said. "Your goal in life is to kill your brother. And I was getting in the way. If I was gone… dead… then maybe you could think about your goal. I also thought maybe it could help me, make me stronger…" she trailed off. Sasuke shook his head. "You should've helped me by staying with me," he said, "you shouldn't have left us! Naruto, c'mere." Naruto hesitantly stepped forward. "Naruto… he's been depressed… thinking about you all the time. Ok Naruto, go back. Ichirou, step up," Sasuke said. "Same with Ichirou! Depressed and thoughtful!" he said. "And your sister- she has been worried sick about you, Miko was worried, your cats were never the same way, they've all been depressed and sad and tortured looking since you left!" he added. "…what about you?" Aimi asked. "Huh?" Sasuke replied. "What about you? You've been saying the effects of everyone else, but what about YOU?" she asked. He looked from side to side. "Well, you know how it effected me. You were there at the lake- you were there in the forest… you saw how it effected me," he said quietly. Aimi nodded. "Fine… but I am not coming back," she said. "You have to!" Naruto said. "No. I- I can't and I wont," she said. "You are coming back alright. You are coming back if I have to put a leash on you and drag you screaming back," Naruto said. You gave him a weird look. "No. They are my brothers-" you began. "STOP CALLING THEM YOUR BROTHERS, ALRIGHT?! THEY'RE NOT YOUR BROTHERS!" Sasuke yelled. Aimi's eyes flashed gray for a moment, then red. "They are my brothers. And they are the best thing that has ever happened to me," she said venomously. The poison worked because there was terror, anger, fear, hate and still love in his eyes. "There is still love there… stop it, alright! Stop loving me!" Aimi yelled at him. You turned away from him and walked to the corner of your cell where you fell asleep for an hour or two.