THE WILL OF FIRE: 1. The Serpent (A Naruto Fanfic)

The Serpent, Chapter 2

“You…”

“Stop it with the ‘you’ thing, it’s annoying me.”

“Lord Hokage, her presence is a danger to all of us,” said Anko and pointed sharply at me. I kept calm.

“Child, you have some nerve showing up here,” said the old man.

“You people don’t listen, do you? I told you I came in peace.”

“Why should we believe you?” asked Anko.

“You may hate him, but you don’t have to hate me. I wasn’t the one who hurt you, you know. And we all know that my place is here and why I didn’t stay here after the attack.”

That shut them both up. They probably didn’t think I knew. Well, my Uncle wasn’t a fool. When I told him about the dreams, he told me the truth.

“I wouldn’t have come here if I had a choice,” I touched that spot on my neck and caught Anko wincing with the corner of my eye. I continued regardless, “Despite everything, he was trying to warn me. The people I lived with…” Even though they knew, I couldn’t bring myself to say their names, “…they knew danger was coming, too. Everyone knew, except me. And I still don’t know. They told me to run here because of my family-”

“How can you take anyone here as family, you...”

“Traitor? Because the last time I checked I was only an infant when I left the village. Tell me in what way could I betray it?”

“She has a point, Anko,” said the old man and he started blowing on his pipe again, “Let her finish.”

“So, I ran. But I knew you guys know who I am. So I had to think of a way to convince you that I really don’t mean any harm.”

“So, I recon you came up with something?” asked the old man.

“Yes. As a matter of fact, it’s about saving one life and protecting many.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Anko impatiently.

“I’m talking about my Uncle Orochimaru, of course.”

She winced and the Hokage put down his pipe once again. They both knew about it, yet I still surprised them. I took a deep breath and continued,

“It’s regarding his new vessel.”

“You can’t just show up here and expect everyone to believe you!! Not after that!!  You say you’re protecting the lives of many but you had your chances…you were there…you just WATCHED THEM DIE!”

“I would’ve stopped him if I had the strength!” I barked back at her. She was really irritating me.

“You were trained by him! You had all the strength in the world!”

“He tried to throw me into Forever Lake, you know,” I said quietly. That shut her right up and I knew her expression turned horrified, but I continued anyway, “He tried to perform the Ritual. He believed only my body could sustain it but I was only eight. Even if it’s true, my eight-year old body couldn’t sustain that.”

“How’d you get out,” she said and gulped.

“My cousin saved me. The one on my father’s side.”

They both just stared at me, looking as though they were actually seeing me as a human being.

“I don’t hate him, not exactly,” I continued and stared at my lap, “I just hate the fact that he gets to use people as his tools and I want to put an end to that. I’m not naïve so I’m not hoping for any ‘normal family’ reunions. I just know there’s still good left in him and I want to bring that side out again.”