Hello everyone...*stares at everyone holding their torches and and nooses*
**falls to knees** I'm soooooooo sorry for not updating this, i really am. But, since the beginning of school it's been physically impossible to get time to write this. But, i'm making a pact with myself to atleast write a chapter or 2 every month...anyway, you're most likely gonna have to re-read the previos chapter just to refresh your memory on what is happening.....
Happy Reading
-glitter2126
(P.S sorry if this chapter is a bit lame or soap opera-ish)
Chapter what-ever-one-were-on:
"It's not much, but it's home." Konan said, sliding the key into the lock and turning. The bluette opened the door and stood aside, allowing her blonde companion to take a first look at what would be her new home.
Leara hesitantly stepped inside, gripping her new black and red cloak for security. She looked around. "It's so beautiful." Was all she managed to say.
A light cream colour covered the walls, and dark hard wood covered the floor. A neatly made queen sized bed was in the far corner, right beside a closed door which Leara assumed lead to what appeared to be a bathroom. A small kitchenette stood beside the front door, which faced opposite to another closed door.
Konan lightly smiled her cheeks lightly red. "Thanks." She said meekly "umm, well 'that's my bed right there." She said pointing to the bed in front of her, stepping through the door way, removing her shoes. Leara did the same.
"That's the washroom, the kitchen." She said walking through the small apartment. "and this…" she said walking to the closed door opposite from the kitchen " is your room."
Leara watched as Konan opened the door, and flicked on the light switch. It was smaller than the main part of the apartment, but still a fair size. Two beds were located in the room; one of which Karinai was sleeping on. There was also a closet, a dresser and a night table near the second empty bed.
"It's so homelike."
Leara stepped into the room, the floor boards beneath her creaked. The image of the bodies of her family covered in blood filled her head. She was even certain she could smell the dried blood.
The blonde brought up a hand to her mouth, and she lurched over; collapsing onto the floor. Closing her eyes, she felt all her energy draining out of her body.
"Shit, the effects of the sharingan are still in place."
The touch of a soft warm hand made her reopen her eyes, and look up. Konan was lightly patting her back. Konan lifted out another pale hand, to which Leara grabbed onto, and got up.
Konan led her out of the room, closing the door. Together they proceeded to the kitchen; Konan still holding tightly to Leara's hand. She sat the blonde down at the small kitchen table, located in the middle of the kitchen. Konan pulled another chair beside Leara and sat down; a look of worry filled her face.
"Are you okay?" Konan asked "Do you need anything, water, Tylenol?"
"No, I'm fine. I just forgot how much the after effects of fighting the sharingan can affect the body"
Leara, upon realizing what she had just said, brought a hand up to her mouth. "Baka, what'd you say that for?"
"Leara…" Konan began "I was hoping we could talk."
Leara raised her eyes and looked at Konan, whose face showed no emotion. She swallowed "What would you like to talk about?" Leara said lightly, although she very well knew what was about to come.
"Who taught you to fight against the sharingan?" Konan asked.
"I was taught in the academy, just like everyone else in Konoha. After all, when I went to school, the Uchiha clan was very powerful." Pause "After all, we needed to know how to protect ourselves against everyone, even if they were considered our allies" Leara responded.
Konan raised an eyebrow. "That was well rehearsed. I wonder how many times she's been asked that. Although, it probably is true: about the academy teaching their students to protect themselves against the Uchiha clan. After all it probably wasn't long after the Madara incident when she attended school."
"Who gave you the sharingan eyes?"
"Someone." Leara responded mechanically.
"Who taught you how to use them?"
"The same person who gave them to me."
"Why are you considered a criminal?"
"S-ranked criminal actually."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Leara…" Konan said in a mother like tone.
Leara lowered her eyes, avoiding Konan. "I killed my family." She finally said. "My brother, sister, father…"
"…Your mother." Konan completed
"No." Leara stated, looking back at Konan; her eyes staring coldly. "My mother was murdered when I was 6. She was the only one that ever really loved me in my family" Leara concluded lowering her eyes.
"I'm sure your father and siblings loved you." Konan said sympathetically, reaching out a hand to comfort her blonde companion. Leara pushed it away and stood up, her head tilted down; pieces of her blonde hair covering her eyes.
"You think they loved me?" She said quietly, but threateningly. "You think that I was being a selfish little brat, who was being over dramatic in thinking that the world hated me, and that I was alone? Is that what you think?" Leara grabbed the bottom of her top, turned around and lifted it up so that her bare back was facing Konan.
A jagged scar ran up from her hip to the beginning of her left shoulder blade. Konan just stared at it in shock.
"What the hel-" she began. Leara answered before Konan could finish her question.
"A broken china doll fragment. My china doll actually. I had been playing with it, when my dad accidentally stepped on it. He got angry that I had left my toys out, and then accused me that I had cut his foot on purpose. So he cut me with one of the pieces, saying that next time I shouldn't leave my toys out…I was 8."
"Why would he think that you tried to hurt him purposely, you were 8?" Konan asked.
Leara pulled her top back down. "I don't even think he thought that, but at that time, he would come up with any excuse to hurt me, and put me in my place." She returned to facing Konan, but still remained standing.
"Didn't your brother and sister try to defend you? "
Leara smiled and chuckled. "At first they did, but after a few months they just gave up." Her smile deteriorated. "After all why get beat up themselves, when they could pick on the baby of the family." She then took off her right sock. She then lifted it up, flexing it so Konan could see the long thin scars that ran from her heel and up each of her toes.
Konan looked at them and recognized immediately what weapon had caused them. "Those marks came from-"
"A kunai. Yes, I know. My brother and sister were also ninjas."
"You mean your family was part of the ninja community?" Konan asked questioningly.
"Everyone except for my mother. My father had to retire early due to an injury on a mission. He was a medic nin, ironic right?" Leara lightly smiled and continued. "My older brother and sister were of the chunin level I believe, it's been so long, I can't even remember…" Leara's voice went to a whisper as she finished, her smile faded. Konan found this strange.
"What level were you?"
"ANBU" Leara said, her voice still whispering.
An awkward silence fell between the 2 females. They both looked at each other, not knowing what to say. All that could be heard was the ticking of a clock, and the light moaning of Karinai from the other room. It was Leara that broke the silence.
"I was 13 and a half."
"Hmmm, I'm sorry, what?"
"I was 13 and a half when I was appointed to ANBU rank."
Konan smiled "I think your skilled, but really?" she said in a sarcastic tone.
Leara looked at her blankly, eyes emotionless. "I'm not joking Konan, I really was when I was 13 and a half."
Konan's smile faltered. "Could Leara really be this strong?"
Leara's voice broke Konan's thoughts. "I think that's why they hated me- My family- I mean. I always seemed to be the stronger ninja in my family's household. I know it sound's silly, but sometimes I blame myself."
Konan looked at her questioningly.
"I mean, my momma always said that I was too smart for my own good. After momma died, the beatings started, I was still a student at the academy. I thought that the reason why my dad would get angry would be because I wasn't strong enough, I wasn't good enough. I started working harder at the ninja academy; staying after hours to work on target practice, that sort of thing. Yet, still the beatings continued; they even became worse. And then, one day, I just realized it wasn't because I wasn't strong enough, it was because I was too strong.
I remember trying to hold myself back on missions when I had graduated. Not do anything that would make me stand out in my team. However, when I was 9 and a half, I found myself passing the chunin exams. I was then the same rank as my 14 year old siblings."
Konan put a hand on Leara's shoulder.
"How old were you when you killed them?" Konan asked "The 1 million dollar question…"
"Fourteen" the blonde responded without saying anything more.
Konan looked at Leara, and for the first time she actually saw her; a young mother, whose childhood had been damned to hell and her only way to escape it was to become the thing she had once lived to hate: a criminal. "I feel really sorry for her. Not just for her, but for her daughter. They've both suffered something that I don't think I could even relate to. Leara's suffered the consequence of murder. Has had to carry the burden of raising a child at a young age; dealing with the stares of hatred, the name calling, and the reputation. I can't even imagine what that could be like, and I've been through a whole lot in my childhood..."
"…why I told you."
"Huh" Konan looked up, Leara was looking at her. She had obviously just said something which Konan had missed.
As if reading her mind, Leara repeated herself. "I said 'I don't know why I told you that' it was way too much for me to say."
"Oh no, it's no problem!" Konan exclaimed a little too loud, that Leara looked at her with a questionable expression planted on her face.
"I mean, it's no problem that you told me. In fact I'm glad that you told me. I think it will help us build a better understanding with each other. You know, so that we can build, like, a relationship." Konan said with a nervous laugh, before falling silent.
A silence which didn't break for a long time. It was Karinai who broke the silence.
"Mommy" She lightly moaned from the other room.
Both the young women at the table turned and looked at the doorway. Leara turned and looked at Konan. "Excuse me." She said getting up from the table, pushing back her chair. Without even knowing, Konan was on her feet as well.
Both women looked at each other. The bluette looked at Leara; there were bags under her blue eyes, the pony tail which had once been neatly placed on her head now had several loose strands of blonde hair framing her face. Several bruises were showing up and down her arms, so Konan noted.
"Well, I guess I'll say goodnight." Leara said uncomfortably. Staring at Konan with her blue eyes; making Konan rather uncomfortable.
"Yeah! I guess so. I have some things that I have to get done." Konan Said walking to the front door of her apartment. "I guess I'll let you tend to everything, and get some rest. She said before turning and exiting the room, Leaving Leara alone in the apartment.
Konan closed the door behind her, heaving a great sigh. "Well, that was awkward." She raised her bent head and jumped back; her back hitting the door. Pein was directly in front of her.
"Did I startle you?" he asked politely; his deep voice, smooth to the bluette's ears.
"Just enough to give me a heart attack." Konan said with a little laugh.
The sides of the pierced man's lips curved into a smirk. He stepped aside, an arm outstretched, indicating Konan to walk with him.
Both of them walked down the hallway. The lights we set down to dim, making the beige coloured walls appear orange.
"Did you find anything out?" Pein asked bluntly.
"Excuse me?" Konan asked, confused.
"What did you find out about Leara." Pein said stopping to look at Konan. Konan took a few more steps, contemplating.
Should she tell him about what she had learned? Pein was, and always had been, her closest friend. A part of her said yes, but the other said no to ratting on her new found friend friend.
A cough made her turn around, to look at her companion. Just by looking at Pein she could tell he didn't like Leara. His eyes were bearing into Konan, pressing her to tell him what secrets she had gotten from the newest member of Akatsuki.
"I won't tell him." Konan thought firmly.
"well..." Pein asked impatiently.
"I can't tell him..."
Looking straight into Pein's eyes, she calmly said "I didn't get anything, but her name. After all, she was quite tired.
Pein seemed to contemplate this answer for a moment. His eyebrows raised in thought. After what seemed like hours to Konan, the pierced man turned in the opposite direction and began walking away. He stopped briefly only to say: "Keep me informed", before continuing to walk away.
As soon as he was out of sight Konan let go of the the air that she had been subconsciously holding in. "I hope i don't regret this later." Was all she thought as she turned to walk away, for this had been the first time she had ever lied to her partner, her friend, Pein.