Mixing of Snow and Sand

Chapter 22: The Night Everything Changed

As I hopped from roof to roof I remembered the night that my village was attacked.

~

The first snow of the year was falling from the nighttime sky. The moon hidden behind some clouds. I remembered sneaking out to watch the snow, it was so peaceful. That was until a massive explosion blew me away from the tree I had been sitting on.

"What...?" I muttered as I pushed myself to my feet. The village was in flames and I could hear the clang of weapons. The screams of those that had lost their fights and the screams of the women and children that were helpless to it all.

I ran as fast as I could to the village, but by the time I arrived...there was no one left.

"Poor little Mia." I turned sharply, seeing a man with snake eyes staring down at me.

"W-who are you? H-how do you know my name?" I stumbled over my words.

"My name isn't important right now, but I know you from a friend." I shivered as he eyed me up and down as if I was prey. I took a step back as he licked his lips with an abnormally long tongue. "There's no need to be afraid my dear. I'm here to give you a gift."

"A...gift?" My naive little self didn't know back then what was coming as he pinned me to the ground, sealing Shei inside me. The pain I had felt then...it was unbearable. As if I was dying from the inside out. Once the seal had been completed, he had rose and vanished without another word.

From there I had went to my home, where I saw the bodies of my family...or so I thought...

~

"Its been so long..." I whispered as I stopped on a tree near the academy in the village. "To think that Orochimaru had sealed Shei inside of me ten years ago..." I turned my attention to the children, running around a track. Building up stamina. I sat down, feeling content watching them.

"Mia, what are you doing here?" I turned my head as my dad appeared at my side.

"I take it Gaara and them found you?" I touched my chest.

"They're worried."

"Let them worry then. I'm fine." I stated. He placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Mia, please. Just let us see what we can do." I hit his hand away.

"I told them no and I'll tell you no as well."

"Mia, don't make me take you by force." He stated.

"Try it, it will be the last thing you do." I threatened, glaring back at him.

"Mia." I could see the seriousness coming into his eye. I jumped down from the tree, the children turning surprised. "Are you really planning to fight me?" He jumped down in front of me.

"I told you, I'm fine. You're the one who is insistent on taking me away." Snow started swirling around me.

"Mia, do you really want to hurt these children?" He asked.

"I would never. My snow goes where I want it to. They will be okay as long as they stay out of the way." Kakashi looked as if he was about to do something when sand wrapped around my body. "Gaara, let me go." I growled at him as he appeared with Temari and Kankuro.

"Mia, something's wrong with you. We need you to see a doctor before we leave." I struggled in Gaara's sand, but nothing worked. I had fallen into their trap so easily.

"Just hold her steady." I heard Lady Tsunade's voice from behind me.

"You really got the Hokage involved?" I demanded. Tsunade walked in front of me and looked down into my eyes.

"Mia, what did Orochimaru say to you?" She asked. I looked down, I could feel the fear creeping into my body.

"He said I would seek him out for power, which is a lie. He also said that the seal had reached its limit to contain Shei, he said I would die if Shei is released and that he couldn't let me die..." I explained as I dropped to my knees. Gaara released me from the sand. "I'm sorry...I just...I didn't want to believe him, I could feel the fear...the darkness in my heart...I wanted it to go away..." I muttered. Tsunade bent down in front of me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Mia, you're worried that we will think you're a pawn for Orochimaru. But it's the complete opposite. We're worried that we'll lose you." I looked at her surprised.

"Lady Tsunade..."

"That's why your friends came to me. Because they were worried you were slipping away." I sighed and looked at Gaara. He looked worried, but more than that he was afraid. Afraid of what I was becoming.

"I just want to feel normal again..." Tsunade allowed her healing abilities to appear in her hands.

"I can help with that." She pressed it against the seal, which caused a surge of pain. I clenched my fists.

"It...." I panted.

"Its going to hurt, I'm sorry. Orochimaru made it so that Shei could seep his power into you, but you had no way of controlling it. I'll have to create another seal in order to have you control the power." I shook as more pain surged through my body. "Gaara, could you please hold her still while I do this?" Gaara came to my side and cradled me in his arms.

"Its going to be okay, Mia. I promise." He whispered as Tsunade continued to fix the seal. I could no longer hear the children so their teacher must have taken them inside. I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness as the pain started to numb.

"Gaara, don't let her fall sleep!" Kakashi called out.

"Mia, stay awake for me. Talk to me." He said as he noticed my eyes closing.

"Do you remember...when we were kids...and we would sit by the lake...?" I coughed out.

"Yeah, we would sit there for hours before your mom or my dad would come and get us." I chuckled, though it came out as a squeak.

"That was the same...spot that I was at...when my village was attacked...I...was so stupid...he told me...he had a gift for me...I was so naive to think..." I trailed off as Tsunade's hand stopped glowing.

"Its done. She'll be in some discomfort for today, but she should be able to control Shei's power now. I also blocked the connection Orochimaru had with her through the seal. She is going to be just fine." She smiled at me.

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade..." I muttered. She touched my head gently.

"You're welcome. Now get some rest."

"But Kakashi said..." I muttered.

"Only during the process. Because if you slipped unconscious you might not have woken up. But now that I'm done, its perfectly safe." I yawned, allowing my eyes to shut softly.