The Flower That Blooms in the Darkness

The captivating scent of wildflowers compelled me to open my eyes.

All around me, tall grass waved in a cool breeze.

I sat up and looked around.

I was in a large, hilly meadow, with waving grass as far as the eye could see.

“Natsumi.”

I recognized the melodic voice instantly, and began to walk towards it.

It led me to the end of a hill, to a point where I could peer down and see into a space where the base of my hill and another met.

I guess you could call it a small valley.

Two familiar faces peered up at me.

I sighed. “I should’ve known it would be you two.”

Yumi grinned up at me, ”Yeah, nice to see you too.”

She was lounging on a boulder. Her black wings fanned out behind her, almost blending in with her long, black hair. Even her apparel was black: a simple, black, spaghetti-strap dress. Her red eyes contrasted nicely against her pale skin and all the black.

Asaya was standing. She wearing almost the same dress; the design was the same, except Asaya’s was white. Her long, blonde hair stretched to about waist-length, the same as Yumi’s. Her blue eyes shone out, as if they were a pair of brilliant gems.

I hesitated. I knew a talk was coming on, but did I really want to listen to what they would have to say?

Asaya smiled gently, and waved, “Why don’t you join us; we have a lot to talk about.”

Her voice was so warm and inviting that I knew I had no reason to fear or to have any apprehension. My body reacted instinctively, and before I knew it, I was already in the small valley, facing both Asaya and Yumi.

“Natsumi, do you know why I was placed in your body?”

I thought about it for a minute, “Actually, no.” I said sheepishly.

She smiled again. “It was to control Yumi.” They looked at each other then, then at me. Yumi grinned at my shocked expression. “Your village, which was going through a war, decided that you would be chosen to be Yumi’s vessel. You would be the only hope to save the village, even though you were still a small child, only six years old. When she was being placed into your body, however, her power was out of control. It was too much for your body to handle on its own. And that’s where I come in.” She placed a hand over her heart, and looked at the sky. “I was chosen, in your family’s haste to keep you alive, to inhabit your body, and to control and keep a watch over Yumi.”

I stared at Yumi, and her grin broadened.

Just how powerful is she?

“More than you could ever imagine.” Yumi said vaguely.

I jumped at her response. “How did you -- ”

“Know what you were thinking? We share the same body; I can hear your every thought. Don’t you remember? I’ve talked to you before through thoughts.” She chuckled at my ignorance.

I started to retort, but was silenced by a look from Asaya. “The Kuragari clan underestimated a lot of things.”

“And one of them was me.”

Asaya nodded. “They underestimated her strength and power, as well as what an ageless spirit would want to do after being imprisoned for hundreds of years.”

“Yeah. I mean, saving a village was definitely not the first thing I wanted to do.” Yumi scoffed.

“I, however, understood my purpose in your body, and have been suppressing Yumi since the moment I was ‘installed’. She has only broken my hold twice in your life: when she was placed in your body and during and after the experiments with Orochimaru.”

Both of their faces darkened after Asaya said his name.

“And this is where I come in.” Yumi straightened from her place on the boulder, and stretched. “When he was experimenting on you, I took over because, to be honest, he just pissed me off. ”

“And I couldn’t stand the fact that someone was tampering with the host.”[/b Asaya put in. “Some of the experiments could’ve killed you.”

“So we teamed together to not only keep you alive, but to make you forget all that happened to you as well. So you wouldn’t be scarred for life.”

Tears welled up in my eyes.

These guys can be annoying sometimes (okay, so maybe only Yumi), but they looked after me in my weakest moment. That means a lot.

Asaya gave me a heart-warming look, walked over to where I was standing, and gave me a hug.

Yumi made a gagging noise. “Hey! I’m still here, y’know!”

“What? Do you want to get in on the hug-fest? Is someone feeling lonely?” I cooed.

She scowled and Asaya laughed, the melodious sound echoing across the hills.

Asaya let go after a minute, and commented, “You’re taking this pretty well.”

“Nah, I’m just used to the weirdness that has become my life.” I grinned.

Asaya’s face became somber. “There is one small thing I haven’t mentioned.”

I didn’t like the look on both of their faces; Yumi’s was gleeful and Asaya’s was sad.

“You know I’m the Angel of Death, right?”

I stiffened.

“Well, after I was released from my imprisonment and summoned into your body, things got a little....messy.” She grinned maliciously at that, then continued. “Your family began to shout orders at me, demanding that I save the village, yada yada yada.” She waved a hand through the air, nonchalant. “So naturally, I was angered. I mean, I’m the Angel of Death! Not some mutt to be bossed around! And, in my rage, I killed a few people.”

Asaya gave her a look. “You murdered everyone within a thirty-mile radius. That includes the Kuragari clan and their whole village, not to mention the other village they were in a war with. That’s a little more than a ‘few people’.”

“Yeah, but it was fun.” She chuckled.

I stared at them in shock.

“Natsumi...your whole family was killed by Yumi, and it was all because I couldn’t suppress her fast enough. I am truly sorry.” Asaya knelt to the ground, her head bowed, and Yumi snorted.

I stared at Asaya in amazement. An angel was bowing and apologizing to me. Me!
“Afterwards, I took over and brought you to the gates of Konohagakure. You remember the rest.”She spoke to the ground. “It was the least I could do after failing you.”
Of course I remembered the rest. My first “memory” was awaking to the sound of leaves falling and birds chirping, and a pair of gates opening beside me, bursting with people concerned for my well-being. Kakashi-chan was one of them.

“Asaya.” I spoke her name after a few minutes. She glanced up at me, looked ashamed. I offered her my hand, and she took it. After she stood up, I smiled at the both of them. “In a weird way, I’m kind of glad that everything happened the way it did. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have met some special people that I have in my life now.”

Yumi started making gagging noises again, and I rolled my eyes.

“Some things never change, do they?” I asked Asaya.

“Sadly, no.” She smiled.

“I can hear every word you’re saying, you know.”

“No, really? Gosh, I thought you were deaf!” I said innocently.

“Ha ha, very funny. Jerk.” She muttered that last part.

“What was that? Miss ‘I’m-so-deaf-that-now-I-mumble-incoherently-like-a-retard’.” I leaned towards her, as if trying to hear her better.

She flipped me the bird in response.

“Aw, love you too.” I stuck out my tongue at her and we shared a laugh.