Master of All Beasts

3 | Friend

Karasu smiled brightly, as she walked around the Yugakure. She adored technically everything; the village, the people, the weather. In Ame everyday is always raining, Kirigakure, according to Kisame, is.... not a very welcoming village, and as how Sasori told her, Suna is full of nothing but sand, and it sounds so boring.

She entered a small random shop, to found it as a candy shop. She started walking around, grabbing some sweets as her 'food supply'. Ara was about to take a cotton candy, when another hand grabbed it at the same time. She looked up, to see a boy a few years older than her.

Ara's eyes widened, and she gulped awkwardly. "You can take it..." She muttered, and ran away.

Realization soon hit her, and she slapped herself mentally. That's the last cotton candy, and I am a traveler, I can't visit shops all the time! Why did I just let it go like that?! Ara shook her head lightly, letting out a sigh as she reminded herself that it's just a candy. She soon forget about the accident and continued wandering around the shop, before paying for her snacks and left not long after.

"Ah, sorry!" She shrieked as she accidentally bumped on someone, and fell to the ground, dropping her axe in the process.

"Need help?" A voice asked. She looked up, to meet a boy with silver hair and magenta eyes, similar to hers. It's the boy from before! He was offering his hand at her, and she took it immediately, letting him to pull her up.

"You okay?" He asked calmly, as he handed her her axe.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you." She replied as she take the axe and tied it on her back, while dusting her white dress.

"You're the girl from before, right?" He asked curiously. She gave a small nod. "Are you new here? I've never seen you before." He commented, examining her.

She nodded again."Yeah. But I'm not staying, I'm just passing. I'll leave this village tomorrow."

"Where are you staying, then?" He asked, causing her to look down.

"Well, I usually just sleep in the forest or alleys. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll found an abandoned building." She muttered.

The boy grinned widely. "Then why don't you stay for the night in my house?"

"B-But-..." before she can finish, the boy had already dragged her away, to the point that at last she let him pull her to Kami knows where.

*/*\*/*\*

"Welcome!" He cheered as he entered a small house at the corner of the village. Ara just smiled at the boy's excitement, as he turned on the lights, and everything went clear. He walked into the kitchen, with her still following him. "You hungry?" He asked. She gave a small nod, putting down her axe, and sat in front of the table.

"By the way, I'm Hidan. What's your name?" He asked again, as he gave her a cup of tea.

"I'm Karasu." She muttered, "But you can call me Ara."

"Okay then. Hey, Ara-chan, no offense, but how old are you? You're so short." He asked curiously, as he put 2 bowls of ramen on the table. Her visible eye twitched.

"I'm 4." She replied shortly. Hidan, who was drinking his own tea, almost choked.

"Four? You're still 4 and you had already traveling alone?!"

"What's wrong with that?" She asked calmly, eating her ramen. "I bet you're not much older than me." She stated, causing him to frown.

"I'm six already. 2 years older than you."

She giggled, and continued eating.

"Ara-chan, you might not like this question, but... Where's your parents?" He asked nervously. He soon realize that it was a bad question, and he gulped, seeing Karasu's face.

Karasu let out a heavy sigh. "My mother died on labor, my father hates me. I ran away from my old home." She replied, tears threatening to spill.

"A-Ara-chan... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry... L-Let's talk about something else, okay?" He stuttered in panic, having no clue on how to stop a girl from crying. He rushed to his room, and come back immediately, bringing a big soft, fluffy cotton candy.

"Here. I think it should have been yours."

Karasu stopped crying in an instant. She took the treat, and grinned widely at him, following him to the living room.

"What's your favorite color?" He asked, as they took their seats on the couch.
"Black. And white. I love grey, blue, red, and purple, too. How about you?"

"Red and white."
And it continues, 'til both of them stayed up all night, not sleeping at all.

*/*\*/*\*

"You really have to go?" Hidan whined, not wanting his new friend to leave.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, Hidan-kun. But I really have to go. I have to continue my journey." She stated, as she bit her lower lip, frustrated at the reality. Hidan had treat her so nicely, to the point that she want to stay.

But she knew she can't. She knew that she's the last Kigaeru in the world, and many people wants to use her power. She had already reached the first stage of kekkei genkai: talking to animals. There will be 4 more stages, before she can fully control her power.

Hidan sighed, seeing her sad face. Instinctively, he pulled her into a tight brotherly hug. "Well, if that's the case, then I'll just wish you luck." He said, trying to sounds happy, but his voice come out hoarse and shaky.

A tear rolled down from her right eye. She hates it when someone's sad, especially because of her.

"Hidan-kun... Don't worry. I promise we will meet again one day. Here, keep it." She said softly, handing him a small box.

Then she smiled, and waved, before walking away from the village. Leaving Hidan standing alone in the middle of the gates.

When she was out of his sight, he opened the box in his hands. There's a small statue in it.

A wooden crow statue.

Hidan smiled. Did she made this? he wondered. However, he stayed silent, as he put his hands in his pocket, and walked away from the gates.

The small crow is enough to lighten up his mood.

*/*\*/*\*

-edited