Am I me?

I was floating in darkness, not worried about ever waking up. That same question rang through my head.

Am I me?

Am I just something Orochimaru created? Did he make me, everything from my personality to what I look like? Is he controlling me now? Did he create me, knowing one day I would wonder about this very question?

Am I me?

Speaking of which, what makes me.... me?

Is it my hair? The dark browns, the lighter highlights, falling down to my back? 

Is it my wings, browns and blacks and tans stretched out in there twelve feet of glory?

Or is it how I feel, how I react to different situations. The way I'm untrusting but care, and will stand by my teammates, no matter what?

Is it the way my heart breaks a little more every time I'm called an outsider, when people look at me with those eyes...

What is it? Why do I exist? Am I just an experiment?

And how does one fact shake my footing, my faith, my beliefs so much? I thought I had it all figured out, but a little truth in my world of lies throws everything upside down. I felt as though I was falling, falling through my own mind, spinning out into oblivion.

And I have nothing to keep me grounded.

But there was a light in my darkness. Naruto's voice shining through. "C'mon, Keira-chan! We need you!"

Sakura's voice came next. "Let's be friends. A clean slate?"

"Hn...She has her own way of showing how much she cares. We'll always protect her," Sasuke.

I hear another voice though. I felt as though I vaguely recognized it. It was raspy, deep, yet childish. It held emotion as vast as the ocean. "You still haven't found me, Kiko-chan!" It called gleefully. "Just remember; the closer you look, the less you see!" 

A wave of nostalagia burst over me. I didn't even know this person... but I felt as though I needed them. Why? Who was that person to me? I needed to find them. I needed to know who they were. But for now, I needed to protect my teammates... my friends.

It was time I woke up.

***

When I woke, the first thing I heard was the sound of punching. "Get this crazy b*tch off of me!" Someone cried out. Oh, he must be talking about Sakura... I sit up, trying to ignore my pounding head and dry mouth. 

I look to the side, seeing Sakura being beat up by a Sound nin. I'm suddenly wide awake. Always hated waking up to a fight, I thought into Sakura's head, then sprinted over, grabbing the Sound nins next punch. 

I was slow from the poison, but still managed to get there very quickly. "Is there a problem?" I asked slowly, mockingly. I begin to tighten my hold on his fist, feeling the bones grind together. Sakura collapsed to the side, and I stepped on the arm she had been biting.

I chuckle darkly. "Mmm, picking on my teammates? My friend? I don't like it," I his, then stomp on his arm, breaking it. 

"Aaahhh!" He screamed in pain. I smirk slightly at the sound. It was nice to feel in control. "So, Sakura-chan, do you think you can handle the girl?"

She looked at me in shock. "Just remember your chakra control," I give her a closed eyed smile. "I have faith in you, Sakura-chan!" She nods, but before we can do anything, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji appear in front of us. 

"Sakura...... Keira..... Your teammates are down. Look after them," Ino commands. I'm tempted to just kill her, but I see the state that Sasuke is in and nod, heading towards him. Sakura remains sitting, to tired to move.

"Sakura-chan! What's the source of his injury?!" I demand.

"Uhh..." She stalls.

"Quickly!" I shout.

"The snake guy bit him! Now there's some weird bruise on his neck," She says hurriedly. I look at it. An evil chakra is leaking out of his body. I bite my thumb. Should I put a chakra seal on him? That would render him useless for the rest of the exams, though! If he can control this chakra...

I heal his leg the rest of the way, thinking. Kuso, I don't know what to do! The chakra is getting thicker, something is bound to happen soon! I can barely breathe the air is so thick with it! He began to stand, the chakra spiraling around him. I would have been thrown back if I didn't send chakra to my feet to keep me rooted to the ground.

"Sasuke-kun," I said lowly, "I have a chakra seal that goes on you the moment you get out of control. Understand?" He looks at me with smirking eyes, tatoos lined across his face. He backhands me, and I don't block it, to shocked to move.

"Oh, but I already am... out of control," He growls lowly. He turns to Sakura. "Sakura..." He mutters, "Who did this to you?" She stares in shock, not answering. "Who. Was. It." He demands to know. 

"Wh-what happpened to you?" Sakura whimpered.

"He gave me a gift. Made me understand, that to be an avenger, I must get power at all costs. Even if it means being consumed by evil!" He declares.

"What then?" I ask calmly. "What happens after you avenge your clan? You'll be consumed by evil, you'll have turned you back on all of us... then what?"

"It doesn't matter. I will become an avenger at all costs! Now, who did this to you, Sakura?"

"That'd be me," The man whose arm I fractured said cockily. Sasuke shifts his gaze to him. The man does a jutsu. I jump out of the way, but to slow. My legs are caught in the jutsu, and I feel my right knee blow out. I grit my teeth, not even a whimper escaping my lips. Kuso, that is painful.

I feel arms around my waist. "Sorry I was slow," Sasuke smirked. I shoved his arm off me and scooted back two feet, trying to stay away. 

"S-Sakura," I lay down on my back, knee stretched in front of me.

"Yes?" She asked quietly.

"Can you... try to heal my wound? Can't concentrate... from pain... so I need you to... do it," I explain through gritted teeth.

"Uh... Where are you hurt?" She asks.

"Knee,"  I reply, pointing. She nods, and positions her hands over my knee. The pain fades first, and I feel it slowly healing. With her help, it should be better in a couple of hours. She stops healing.

"That's all I can do for now," She says tiredly. I nod my thanks and begin to heal myself. The pain is much better now. In about ten minutes I should be able to walk on it. I ignore th rest of the fight and talking, just focused on healing myself.

I look, up, only to see that everyone but my team has left. I stand slowly, testing my knee. I had been healing it for fifteen minutes, and it seemed pretty much better now. "Keira-chan, we're going to head towards the river, alright?" Sasuke asks.

"Yes, Sasuke-san," I agree. He flinches when I use san, instead of kun. I didn't look at him. If he was going to leave us... why should I get close to him? It would only hurt me. But.... if I pushed him away, then I would blame myself for him leaving. You just can't win. 

"I apologize, Sasuke-kun," I sigh, "I'm just stressed, and I'm taking it out on my teammates. I'll meet you all at the river. If I'm not there, just start traveling towards the tower. I'll meet you there," I jump away, not giving them time to disagree.

I jump through the forest, not heading in any direction in particular. But when I sense a particularly large chakra, I deteur towards it. I sit on a branch. It was Gaara. "It... It's still not enough," He murmurs.

"C'mon, for once you should listen to what your big brother says!" Kankuro insisted.

"That's to bad... I don't think of you as my older brother. If you get in my way... I'll kill you," Gaara growled, lifting his hand towards the terrified genin hiding behind the bush. I appear in front of the bush, and Gaara looks at me.

"Now, now, Gaara... that wasn't very nice. How about you apologize to your nice big brother there?" I tease. Déjà vu.... He glares at me, then clenches his hand. A cork appears in it. 

"Fine, Temari, Kankuro... this time," He says in his raspy voice. I stand there, unfazed, as Temari and Kankuro stare in shock. I give a closed eyed smile then dissapear in a flash. Well, that was fun.

I sit in a tree, thinking and writing a song. I hum the tune aimlessly. "Sing," A voice says. I turn, and there's Gaara. "I won't attack you, you don't attack me.  have my scrolls and my siblings are nearly to the tower. Just sing," He said.

Well, that came out of no where. I begin to sing, keeping an eye on him. 

"Yet"

All attempts have failed 
All my heads are tails 
She's got teary eyes 
I've got reasons why 

I'm losing ground and gaining speed 
I've lost myself or most of me 
I'm headed for the final precipice 

But you haven't lost me yet 
No, you haven't lost me yet 
I'll sing until my heart caves in 
No, you haven't lost me yet 

These days pass me by 
I dream with open eyes 
Nightmares haunt my days 
Visions blur my nights 

I'm so confused 
What's true of false 
What's fact or fiction after all 
I feel like I'm an apparition's pet 

But you haven't lost me yet 
No you haven't lost me yet 
I'll run until my heart caves in 
No, you haven't lost me yet 

If it doesn't break 
If it doesn't break 
If it doesn't break 
If it doesn't break your heart 
It isn't love 
If it doesn't break your heart 
It's not enough 
It's when you're breaking down 
With your insides coming out 
That's when you find out what your heart is made of 

And you haven't lost me yet but 
No you haven't lost me yet 
I'll sing until my heart caves in 
No, you haven't lost me yet 
Cause you haven't lost me yet    

By the time I look up, he's gone. Strange. I shake my head slightly, trying to rid myself of the strange encounter. Next time I see yoou, Gaara, I'll kill you... If I can.

If I'll let myself.

_________________________________________________________

Chapter Thirty Two! 

Yeah, I enjoyed writing it, I suppose... 

Okay, hope you enjoyed! Coment with things you like, dislike, things you think will happen...

Well, that's pretty much it!

Comment! Vote!

Bye!

gaara119