Hello people! Hope you guys like this chapter. Thanks to Lyris88, Uchiha Sasha, lovefatedestiny, ruler of dragons, MistFairie93, jjayno1, Valinor's Twilight, and Eterna1 for reviewing. Please review, the sooner you review the sooner I update and the more reviews I receive the more I write. Now, on with the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, but the lovely Rei and the dashing Okoru.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Team Seven began to travel through the forest, but they were now accompanied by Okoru. Rei and Okoru were traveling next to each other with Naruto and Sakura behind them. Sasuke was in the front. He kept thinking of the new addition to their team. He knew Rei was close to him and he really didn't think he was so bad, but it annoyed him that he knew so much about Rei. He knew it was because they had known each other for along time, but he wanted to know more about her. He sighed. He would just have to wait for her to trust her enough to tell him.

'But when will she trust me?' He thought.

Rei was next to Okoru, who had been trying to get her to talk to the others. He didn't really tell her to tell them, but instead dropped a few hints. She was getting annoyed and her annoyance only grew when she saw him grinning. If there was one person that could get her to talk it was Okoru. That was the main reason he knew so much about her. Another reason she trusted him so much was because she knew that no matter what she did he would never hate her and he would always keep things to himself. She was glad to have him as a friend. She sighed and Okoru's smirk widened as he knew she would give up soon. He watched as she went over to Sasuke.

"Sasuke I think it's time I told you the truth."

Sasuke looked at her and raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"The truth about what?"

"About why I came to Konoha."

Sasuke stopped and she stopped next to him. He looked at her for a moment.

"Hey, why are we stopping?" Naruto said.

Sasuke ignored him. All his attention was on Rei.

"Alright, let's find a place to rest."

They settled in a relatively open area. Sasuke leaned against a tree and Rei stood in front of him with Okoru at her side. The other two sat down near them.

"Why are we stopping?" Sakura asked.

"Do we really need to rest again?" Naruto whined.

"Shut up you loser, we're not resting." Sasuke said, irritated.

"Then why are we here?"

"It's because I have something to tell you guys."

Everyone turned to look at Rei.

"What is it Rei-chan?" Naruto asked.

"I want to tell you why I'm here in Konoha. After the attack from Orochimaru, I think it's only fair for you to know of my connection to him."

"What connection?" Sakura asked suspiciously.

Rei sighed and Okoru looked at her.

"I think you should start from the beginning." He said.

Rei nodded.

"You guys already know that my father was from Konoha and my mother was from Kirigakure. However, I didn't tell you about my father's Kekkei Genkai, although you've probably guessed it."

"What Kekkei Genkai?" Sakura asked.

"My father passed onto me the power to manipulate the elements. It's a very useful power, but it takes a lot of chakra and superb control of it. That's why I only use it when I have no other choice. But, I wasn't always able to control this power."

She paused and Okoru sighed. He knew that the next part of the story always upset Rei.

"When I was young my father's clan was all but gone. Their numbers had been greatly diminished during the fight with the Kyubi. Because of this my father decided to move to Kirigakure with my mother. We lived with my mother's family which consisted of my grandparents and my aunts and uncles. One day my family was betrayed by Hametsu."

"You mean the guy we fought in Kirigakure?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, he held a grudge with my mother for marrying someone from Konoha and because of that he hated me. He was, as he put it, loyal to the family and so when he found out that he was not truly a member of my mother's clan he went…crazy. He became obsessed with getting rid of me and my parents, but he was defeated by my father, or so we thought. However, before he could be stopped he proceeded to kill my mother's true siblings. Soon after that the rest of my mother's family perished and we were left alone in Kirigakure. We were happy for a while, but then, when I was five, I began to lose control of my power."

Okoru looked away. Although she had been the one to suffer, it always bothered him the way things had gone for her. When he had heard of her past he had immediately thought that none of the things that happened to her were her fault.

"My parents tried to help, but they couldn't do anything. Just when I was about to turn seven, my father was injured while trying to help me learn to control my powers. My mother was upset and although she didn't say so, she blamed me. My father was upset, not because of what had happened to him, but because he was unable to help me. In the end they were forced to employ the help of someone. They looked for help, but couldn't find any. Just when they were about to give up, a stranger wandered by our home. My father knew who it was because he was from Konoha and refused his help, but my mother was desperate for help and so when my father was away she handed me over to Orochimaru. She hoped that he would be able to help me and make me stronger. She was a foolish woman and because of her my father died."

Sasuke was amazed by how much hatred dripped from her voice. Okoru looked down at the ground, tired of hearing this part of the story. It always sturck him how much hatred Rei held for her mother.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

"My father tried to get me back from Orochimaru when he found out what my mother had done, but Orochimaru was too powerful. He killed him right in front of me and used my fear to keep me from running away. He threatened me with killing my friends if I tried anything. For the rest of the time he trained me. He taught me to control my power and although I hate to admit it, I learned a lot from him. I would even go as far as to say that if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be alive."

From the corner of her eye she saw Okoru flinch at this. She knew how much he hated to hear her being grateful to the snake.

"In exchange for my obedience he allowed me to visit my friends in Kirigakure. While I was there I stayed with my mother, but it didn't really matter to me. I held no attachment to her and cast her off as nothing more than someone who gave me a place to stay at times. To her I was nothing more than a burden. The villagers knew about me although they didn't know of Orochimaru. They shunned my mother because of that and in return she shunned me. In time, she came to fear me and when I was nine I stopped visiting Kirigakure."

"Why? What about your friends?" Naruto asked.

"I did it because of them."

Okoru looked at her and frowned. He looked away and felt Sasuke looking at him.

"By that time I was already one of Orochimaru's servants. I killed for him and it didn't matter who it was, I did it without thinking about it. I did it to keep my friends safe, but I knew that I did it out of my own selfish wish to stay alive. Still, I didn't want to have to face my friends as a murderer. Soon, I grew tired of lying to myself and telling myself that I didn't care about anything, but staying alive. I was cold and ruthless and killed mainly to forget about everything else, but in truth I hated killing. When I realized what I had been doing I hated myself for it and vowed vengeance on Orochimaru, but I knew I had to escape first. He didn't think I cared about anyone anymore as I refused to see my friends and talked about them as though they weren't worth my time, but it was all part of my plan. I knew that if he thought I didn't care about them they would be safe and I would be free to escape."

"It worked too, Orochimaru never bothered us." Okoru said grimly.

Rei gave a weak smile.

"Yeah, it worked and I managed to run away, but I went back home. My mother saw me and tried to hand me over to Orochimaru to save herself."

Rei recalled the events of that night clearly.

Rei ran to her home ignoring the looks she received along the way as people saw her with her bloodstained clothes. She had managed to escape from Orochimaru, but not without killing some of his servants first. She reached her house and ran inside. She went straight to her father's old training room and took his weapons. She knew she would need them if she wanted to make it to safety. She stopped when she heard someone approaching. She frowned when she recognized the chakra. It was her mother.

A few seconds later a tall slender woman with long blonde hair and green eyes walked in. She scowled as she saw the woman whom she resembled so much. She was always grateful that she had at least gotten her father's eyes. Still, she couldn't help but frown at her own reflection whenever she looked in a mirror. Her great resemblance to her mother was one of the reasons, she was careful to keep her hair short opposing her mother's long hair.

"What are you doing here?" Her mother asked.

Her voice held no warmth or concern. If she asked her why she was there it was only for fear and curiosity as she had not been in that house for two years.

"That's none of your concern." She said coldly as she stood up to leave.

The woman frowned deeply.

"You're supposed to be with Orochimaru. If he finds out you ran away-"

"I don't care about what happens. Do you think I care if he kills me? Besides, if he does kill me I expect you'll only be too happy."

"You idiot! If he finds out you're gone…"

Rei looked at her for a moment and understood. She was afraid. She was scared of Orochimaru killing her.

"I see, so you're worried about yourself. I should have expected that from you."

"If he finds you here he'll kill your friends."

Rei scowled at her mother.

"Since when do you care about someone other than yourself?"

"I care because you're my daughter."

Rei froze and turned to look at her mother.

"I only gave you up to him because I was worried about you."

She walked up to Rei and hugged her. Rei stood there not knowing what to do. She felt something was wrong, but she couldn't think straight at the moment.

"I'm sorry, please forgive me."

She felt her mother move and pushed her back in time to avoid being stabbed. She saw her mother holding a kunai and scowled. She cursed herself for being foolish and for believing that she held some affection towards her. She now saw how foolish she had been for trusting the woman that had cast her off.

"I'm sorry, but if I don't Orochimaru will kill me. You have to go back."

"I won't go back!"

"Then die!"

She charged at Rei who stood there waiting for her. She knew her mother didn't want her, but she had never expected her to try to kill her. She felt a renewed pain in her heart, but ignored it like she had ignored it for the past years. As her mother approached her she moved out of the way. She made some hand signs.

"Earth Style: Binding Vines!"

Her mother was held against the wall. Rei walked up to her.

"All of this time, I thought that I should just forget about you. I thought that somewhere in your heart my mother was still there and that's why I put up with you. But now that you tried to kill me I see that I've been a fool to think that you were still my mother. For you I feel nothing but hatred."

Rei watched as the woman before her flinched at the look in her eyes. They were cold and held nothing but hatred. When she spoke she could feel the venom dripping from her voice and she trembled in fear of the young girl in front of her.

"However, because I owe my life to you and because I know what Orochimaru will do to you I will grant you a quick death."

Rei took out a kunai and walked up to her mother.

"Stop!Why can't you just die!?! I curse the day you were born!"

Rei stopped for a second. Then she moved so quickly that her mother barely saw her. She saw her eyes widen with shock and pain. As she stuck the kunai deep into her.

"Tell me mother, are you not proud of me? Am I not as strong as you hoped?"

"You…monster…"

Rei twisted the kunai and knew the other was dead.

"Goodbye mother."

She left the house with nothing more to hold her back. She had no friends or family and all she had was her life which she would gladly give away once she was done with Orochimaru

"After that night I traveled for a while until some shinobi from Konoha found me. They had been ordered to look for me by the Hokage as my father was from Konoha and so it was my second home. Shortly after that I arrived here."

Everyone looked at Rei, but didn't speak. Rei smiled weakly.

"I guess you guys must think badly of me. I don't blame you and I'm sorry for keeping the truth from you. If you want, after this test I will leave your team."

"You idiot."

Rei turned to Sasuke.

"Why would we care about that? What happened to you wasn't your fault."

"Yeah, and besides, Rei-chan isn't like that anymore. You wouldn't hurt anyone." Naruto said.

"Rei, if they trust you and if they're willing to give you a chance, why can't you forgive yourself?"Okoru said.

Rei smiled and looked down.

"Thanks guys."

They rested for a while and Rei went over to the river to get some water. Sasuke followed her.

"Are you alright?"

She turned to him and smiled.

"Yeah."

He sat next to her and they looked out at the water.

"Rei, I'm sorry about what happened to you."

Rei looked at him and smiled.

"Why? It wasn't your fault so why worry about it?"

"But-"

"Sasuke, I don't care anymore. Okoru's right, if you guys don't care why should I? I'm just glad I was able to tell you guys. I actually feel better now that I don't have anything to hide."

Sasuke smiled. He was glad to finally see her being happy. Then he thought of asking her about Okoru since he wasn't around at the moment.

"Yeah. Rei, about Okoru, is he really like a brother to you?"

Rei looked at sasuke who was pointedly avoiding her and began to laugh. Sasuke turned to her.

"What?"

"Oh my God! You're actually jealous!" She said between laughs.

"I though I was just imagining it!"

Sasuke could feel his cheeks getting hotter and his eye beginning to twitch.

"I am not jealous." He hissed.

Rei ignored him and kept laughing. He felt like pushing her into the water and letting the river drag her away while she laughed at him. He watched as she wiped a tear and looked at him.

"I can't believe you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous." He said through gritted teeth.

"Suuure you're not. Anyways, Okoru is just a friend. I've known him for along time ever since I moved into Kirigakure. He's like a brother, but nothing more okay?"

Sasuke looked away and Rei smiled.

"Sasuke?"

"Hn."

She kissed him on the cheek and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You worry too much."

Sasuke smirked.

"Come on, let's go back."

They stood up and walked back. They were surprised to see Kabuto with their team when they returned.

End Chapter Thirty-Two

Hope you guys liked it and please review. The sooner you review the sooner I update and the more reviews I receive the more I write. Also, I have a new story idea for the Get Backers anime, it's a Rei/Ban story. Tell me if you're interested and check out the other pairings I'm interested in writing about. It's all in my profile. Sayonara!