The Day Ame Cried (Sequel to The Rain-Dancer's Last Dance)

Running Out Of Hope & Returning To The Orgin

My birthday came last week.

Unfortunately, word got out.

The Akatsuki threw me a birthday party. It was the first birthday party I’ve had since I turned four.

It was…

Eventful. I’ll give them that.

It was VERY eventful.

- - -

It was just another morning to me.

The night before, I’d had another nightmare. Sasori-sama comforted me, and lured me back into my slumber.

But then I had a dream about my fourth birthday. Except I wasn’t a little girl, I was my current self. My family was there, minus Okaa-sama.

And they all looked at me like I was some stranger.

Even Daddy didn’t recognize me.

The only person who recognized me was someone just as out-of-place as I was.

It was him. Madara Uchiha.

“It hurts, doesn’t it? To be rejected so ferociously by those you love and care about. That’s what you did to me, Kori, dear.” He gestured around the room where my family members stood frozen, as if someone had stopped time.

Could he do that?

“In the end, the one you’ve trusted the most… They willbe the ones who will betray you. I guarantee it. It’s happened to me. It will happen to you. That’s why I took you away. To make sure that this would never happen. But you left… and I can’t protect you anymore.” He said sadly.

“You weren’t protecting me, you were coveting me! Trying to keep me as your own. You’re nothing but a monster! Why won’t you just LEAVE ME ALONE!” I said, wailing.

He smiled sadly.

“In the end, you’ll realize just how much I love you.” I said softly.

I glared weakly at him.

“Oh, by the way?” He said, a side-ways grin on his face, “Happy birthday, love.”

I woke up sharply from my nest of warmth the Sasori’s protecting embrace provided.

“Ningyō?” He asked, “Is something wrong?”

My panic didn’t subside, but grew instead.

I put on Konan-chan’s flower, a habit of mine.

“Let me go.” I said, whimpering slightly.

Sasori frowned.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Ningyō… I thought I made that clear.” He said, a slight trace of confusion in his voice.

“Let me go!” I said more loudly, voice insistent.

‘Running away from your fears won’t help you, Kori.’ Ame scolded.

‘I don’t care. As long as I get away from it!’

I tore away from Sasori-sama’s hold and dashed off.

I ran blindly.

I ran until I became aware that it was raining around me.

‘I had run so far…’

I was in the marketplace.

It was cold, empty, and dark. Abandoned, except for two other people.

It was a woman, collapsed on the muddy floor, hugging someone as she wailed in anguish.

I stepped close enough to see who the woman was, and whom she was clutching in the pouring rain.

I paled.

I recognized that woman.

And the person she was clutching as she wailed, I also knew.

My face drained of color.

“No…” I whispered.

The person she was clutching was Daisuki, the little boy I had met so long ago.

The woman was his mother.

Daisuki had blood trailing from his mouth and his eyes stared blankly at the sky that wept. The light that sparkled in his eyes was gone.

Daisuki was dead. Dead, like Daddy, and the rest of my family.

I approached Daisuki’s mother, and knelt down in front of her, head tilted down.

“I am so… so… sorry…” I mumbled.

I took my flower Konan-chan had given me, and placed it in Daisuki’s hands. I then got up, and stepped away.

“It was his birthday too,” the mother whispered hoarsely.

I froze, and remembered why I was running.

I backed up from the dead child and his grieving mother, and began to run again.

I ran.

And I ran.

Soon, I was at the outskirts of Amegakure. I saw a landmark that was familiar. Over-grown, older, but familiar landmark. An old tree, stained with blood.

With an old, (probably rotting) house behind it.

My eyes widened.

“Home…” I whispered in shock.

I had returned to my home.

I walked up to the tree that held so much history and shakily reached up, my fingers brushing the bloodstained mark.

Upon contacting the bark, my knees went weak.

I collapsed into a heap and just wept.

And wept.

I felt so… broken.

Could I ever be mended?

Or was I too broken to repair?