The river ran a lazy pace, a beautiful blue that painted the surface. I stepped into it, and it immediately was ruined as the grotesque red spilled in and washed away, downstream with the rest of it.

"So, are we gonna talk about what happened?" Haru's voice asked from behind a tree. I ignored him, doing my best to scrub off all the blood from my skin.

I had thrown my clothes to the side, making a note to burn them. I had another pair of clothes at the ready, but I refused to touch it until I'm completely clean.

I scrubbed at my arms, my legs, my torso, I scrubbed my skin raw, just trying to rid me of the incident earlier.

When I scrubbed it all off, I dove under and went to work on my hair. I was worried. Worried that the blood would die my blonde hair.

After scrubbing furiously, I emerged. Haru stood at the edge and held out a bottle of some shampoo. "I picked it up on the way." He told me. I nodded in thanks and took it, cleaning my hair to the best of my abilities.

Haru walked away, giving me privacy to continue washing myself.

The overwhelming presence of madness is pressed hard into my mind. The aftermath of awakening Blood Release. It didn't fully leave. I merely pushed it back into my mind, like I do with everything else.

I stayed there washing off my sin for what felt like hours, it could have been for all I know. Once I was completely clean I stepped out and got dressed.

Haru returned, holding a new weapons pouch. "I cleaned all of your weapons and scrolls for you." He smiled gently at me.

He's trying to be gentle. He's concerned. And while that warms me up it's unnecessary. "Thank you. We will proceed as planned. By now Orochimaru should be no more."

Confliction clouded Haru's face. "I don't know Miyu. Maybe I should stick around with you. After what happened back there . . ." He trailed off.

I glanced at him, eyes cold. "Do you think I have so little control? I have it under wraps. As long as I don't use it, I'll be fine."

He winced at the accusation and my tone. "It's not that I don't believe in you, you know I'll follow you until the end. But that was a pretty traumatic experience." He tried.

I turned to him, placing a hand on my hip. "Personal feeling are unnecessary right now. You should know this. Besides, this is it. The last stretch. I need you to be with Sasuke, help him build a team. Once the team is formed, I'll be called back. And then the search for Itachi will begin."

I looked away as his name slipped from my mouth. "I'm going to try and convince him not to."

The plan is that Haru goes back to help Sasuke. Then I find Itachi and spread rumors of him elsewhere. I'll also be working more with Sasori. I've been working with him here and there, but this time I don't need to hide.

My only problem will arise when I return. I don't believe I can change his mind on the matter. So if I can find Itachi, I'm going to ask him why he did it.

There has to be a reason. Itachi isn't the monster Sasuke or the Leaf believes he is. I know he's innocent. I just have to prove it.

I glanced over at him and the corner of my lip tilted up. "Besides, Karin is his second recruit. You might as well reunite with her."

His eyes twinkled a bit at the thought of Karin, but he remained rooted to one spot. There's his 'Samurai Loyalty'.

At least, that's the phrase Orochimaru usually used. I don't understand it myself, but apparently it's a strong sense that he believed Haru had for him. But Haru already pledged his allegiance to me.

"Haru. Go. I'll be fine." Doubt flickered in his eyes like flames in a hearth. But ultimately he obeyed.

Smiling, I touched his arm gently. We Flash Stepped back near the base. My head throbbed in pain at the distance, but I was used to it.

"Take care of him for me." He nodded, determination in his eyes. "And yourself." I added before Flash Stepping myself away.

I had Flash Stepped as close to the Land of Wind as I could. My first step going to see Sasori. I looked up at the sky, the sun shining annoyingly bright. An image of my brother flashed through my mind.

"Okay Miyu. You can do it. Believe it." I whispered my brothers saying before heading to a meet up point.

~

"You have some nerve to ask about him." Sasori spoke, in his favorite puppet. "I only want to speak to him. Someone is after his life." I tried again.

Sasori was already at the spot when I arrived. I had sent a message beforehand to let him know about Orochimaru's demise and that I'd be paying him a visit regarding it.

Of course I couldn't tell what he's thinking. Not in his normal appearance nor inside his puppets.

"There are tons of people who want our lives. One more isn't a problem. And given your stance as the jinchuriki's sister, this is a dangerous request." I sighed, finally able to sense agitation.

I didn't think he'd help anyway. For me to request anything is still far too soon.

"I apologize. I heard so much of Itachi Uchiha that I'd like to learn from him as well. But that'd be impossible if he's killed." I tried to reason.

Sasori watched me carefully, checking for any deceit or ill intentions. But there is none.

"If you know of him, then you should know he won't be killed easily." I don't know about that. Sasuke has sacrificed everything for this. And he's willing to sacrifice even more.

"You seem quite interested in meeting him. He is from your village. Tell me, did you know him well?" I tried not to freeze up.

Exposing the truth could ruin everything. Or it may be helpful.

No. They don't care too much for attachments here. They are cold and ruthless.

"I never met him, but have heard much about him." I lied with ease. I know Itachi.

Itachi was, is, an important person to me.

Yes, he killed his entire clan, but he spared Sasuke. Why? Itachi is definitely the strongest person I have ever known, even now. He could have easily killed Sasuke, a child, if he wanted to. But he didn't. He spared his life. That is not the behavior of a cold blooded killer.

I don't believe he did it because he wanted to. More than anything, Itachi loved our home. He loved us. His family, friends, and me.

Itachi was my greatest influence growing up. Strong, smart, brave, and kind.

He was my role model. But more than anything, he was the closest thing I have ever had to a father. I may say he's like a big brother, and he is, but he is so far mature then anyone it feels more parental.

I can't find it in me to believe in his words. There had to have been a reason for his actions. And I'll find out what.

Even if by some chance, he was right, I'd still do anything to clear his name. I would never wish him dead.

Never.

I must make use of what little time I have left. By now, Sasuke, Haru, and Suigetsu are probably on their way to Karin, she's closer then Jugo. Which means I don't have the luxury to wait around.

I need information and I need it now. Either proof of his innocence, or more time to convince Sasuke otherwise.

"Well if you're not lying to me, then you must really want to be trained by him." Sasori broke me from my thoughts.

I snapped my attention back to him. "Of course. I want to learn as much as I can. I want to become even stronger." I told him truthfully.

"You are very greedy." He observed. I shrugged, uncaringly.

He's not wrong. I am a very greedy person. I want a lot of things. I want power, I want Sasuke to let the past go, I want Itachi alive, I want to be with my brother, I want to return to the Leaf with my friends. Because most of all, I want that happiness. The feeling of belonging.

To be apart of a family.

I had finally obtained it, a family. It wasn't your typical family, but it was mine. I felt loved.

Something I had craved for since I can remember. The feeling of being wanted, liked, looked up to. I made them proud. I made them happy.

In that village with Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Kiba, Hinata, Lee, Konohamaru, all of them. It finally felt like I belonged.

Like a home.

The only thing I had ever truly wanted. I still want it. To be in that village with all of them. To live my life out and grow old there. I want that.

But those are just selfish dreams of mine.

That's the funny thing about dreams though. They're just that. Dreams.

I do plan on working on making them a reality, but the only one that I am actually succeeding in is power. If I'm lucky, maybe the Itachi thing.

That's what I need to be focusing on most right now. The predicament with Itachi.

The only two dreams I can even hope to accomplish anyway.

Sasori watched me, studied me. Trying to find out what I'm thinking.

Finally, he sighed. "If you're that troubled, I'll let him know to watch his back." Huh? That's . . . unexpected. It's rare for him to do something nice for someone else.

"In exchange-"

Ah.

There it is.