I'll Be Prancin' Around In My High Heels And You're Cherry Red Lipstick...
"What did you want to see me about?"
"Mi-chan... I have to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"We can't..."
Tears ran down her cheeks. She stared into the sky above her. In the snow cloaked pine, the world seemed to at peace. Even in the darkness the moon made each crystal sparkle. It was so beautiful. Too beautiful. She remembered with a heavy heart the year previous to that. He had been beside her then. Together, they had gone to festivals, laughing and eating until they fell asleep in the other's arms. Hearts seemed to beat together, as if they were one. The two were so at peace, so oblivious, so in love... How had things ended up so wrong? How had their hearts been shattered but still beating?
"Why were you taken from me?"
She stood, her legs a bit wobbly and unstable from the shock of hearing his voice echoing in her ears. That warm, velveteen voice that had the low volume of a regular male. With just his voice he had caused her to feel so at peace. She could melt into the sea of his vocals. They were just as she felt. Melted. Just how she liked the chocolate on her rice cake. She could always hear his voice now, but every time she listened close, it always faded and left her heart aching. Memories were painful. If all went well, she wouldn't just have the memories anymore...
Eyes stared across the sea of white. Sparkles from the ebonite snow made her want to cry. She remembered a time when he had once stood beside her and whispered, "It's so beautiful.." She heard his voice now as the wind swept over her auds, pink and flushed from the cold. Her nose glowed softly in a light crimson tint and fingers and toes were numb. She didn't mind so much. The tora kept her warm enough. Even then she could feel it, pulsing with her veins. It swung around in a roaring cloud, like a tornado fighting to be freed of some invisible rope. The chain never held it in place very long. The more you tried to hold something under your control, the more you lost that control. The same went for the akuma. It couldn't be controlled. No matter how much she willed it.
She shivered, rubbing her arms briefly to warm them. She had stolen a new article of clothing. Something of that Hinata girl's. She'd return it as soon as the night was over. She picked it up from where it was seated on the branch beside her and draped the warm cloak over her shoulders. It was so much warmer than the cloth she had used before. No snow dampened this one. She stared out at the landscape. Ahead, lights glowed silently. The village hidden in the leaves... Konoha. So many lives lay there. So many people with hopes and dreams. So many fine shinobi training to prove themselves. Was it really worth it? Was she just being selfish? Was it really worth all the liv--
A sharp pain caught her in the back. She screamed in surprise and agony, losing her balance and slipping from the branch. She found her lower body paralyzed from the weapon's assault. She was falling, and had no way to stop. Luckily, snow made a perfect cushion. Cold, yet she didn't seem to have broken anything as she most likely could have, she managed to sit up. Pain made her collapse, tumbling onto the floor near the large bank. Here, no snow lay. It was bare, dead ground. As if someone had planed for her to be there. She lifted her eyes, glaring at the shadow that dropped down gracefully in front of her.
"Konichiwa Mi-chan."
She hissed menacingly, feeling the pain throb in her lower spine. She whimpered, reaching with her hands to take out the kunai. Another caught her shoulder, making her arm drop lifelessly to her side. She screamed out, blood rushing down her arm and soaking the snow beneath her. Immediately, the wound glowed, forcing the weapon out ever so slowly. The akuma was healing her. But if another struck her throat in a fatal blow, there would be no healing. She knew the shadow. She knew she was safe. Or so she suspected. She was vital. He would not kill her. Not yet...
"What do you want?!"
"Tsk, tsk. Not the kind of conversation I wanted Mi-chan. I expected something so much more along the kinder tone."
"Go to hell!"
A laugh emitted from the mask. He caught her chin, staring into her face. Digits caught the black mask, pulling it down to reveal thick, full lips. A snake-like tongue slid across the upper one, scarred from recent fights. He pushed his lips fully against her's, tongue dragging over them. She shivered, not having the strength to pull away. He captivated her. Those kisses... They were so familiar, so lustful. They held her in a trance, paralyzing her. She felt herself craving more of him, wanting more of those dangerous movements. Still, her heart belonged to another and guilt pulled her head away. He smiled, pushing the mask back up. A match was lit and the wind seemed to shrink away from the oddly colored flame. It was green. Dangerous like venom, yet so beautiful.
"This flame is like your time. It's running out, Mimi-chan. Things have changed. These people still don't trust you. So, we're going to gain their trust. Several konoha shinobis have been captures. You're going to help bring them back."
She spat at the man's feet, getting saliva onto his toes. He smirked, wiping the sandals into the snow before kicking some into her face. He pulled out the kunai in her arm, returning it to his side pocket. The one on her lower back felt like torment. His digits dragged over her skin, playing and teasing the sensitive area there. She wanted so badly to kill him, but she stayed still. He had kept her in that trance with those silver eyes. He finally took out the kunai with strange gentleness. He held it in front of her face, already she could feel her legs but dared not move.
"I know how you think Miharu. That shinobi, that one with the colorless eyes... He won't love you. You're here for one reason, don't forget that."
As quickly as he had come, he vanished as the wind blew around him. Snow covered his frame, and when cleared he was gone. She sat up, her wounds healed. She rubbed along her arm, feeling the crusted blood and picking it off. She could easily wash it away with snow, but she felt cold enough already. She looked at the cloak, sighing a bit. There wouldn't be any return.. It was ruined by the crimson stain. She looked up at the trees.
"He won't love you. You're here for one reason, don't forget that..."
She didn't like Neji at all. What was he even talking about? It was disgusting. Besides, she had had her heart broken once, and in order to accomplish her goal she would try to mend it. She still had a mission. That boy didn't matter. He was just a part of her game. Neither did Hinata. They all didn't matter. None of them did. She turned, walking along the snow. She had a mission to complete. This was just a step. She wouldn't dare let anyone get in her way. The konoha village was going to fall, one way or another....