Final Words

The morning came in like a lion; hungry and consuming.

Rin kept to her word of staying in bed, but she hadn't slept.

Her eyes stayed focused on the wall, separating her from the person who threw her world into a tailspin.

Even if they weren't together, Rin could sense Yua's presence, just as she was sure, Yua could sense hers.

The years they spent at each other's side, working, laughing, making the shop viable, all of it faded away.

"I know you're there." The voice stuck in her mind like an ice pick.

"I've been here." Rin replied silently.

There was a pulsating of chakra shared between them, as both mind-melders healed from their wounds, their connection growing stronger.

"Why haven't you come to see me?"

Rin's eyes narrowed. "Trust me, I've been working on it."

"Well, aren't you sweet?" The voice sneered.

She'd sensed Yua trying to connect all night. Any time she'd drift off, the nagging draw to open her mind caught her again, but she wasn't ready to let her in.

With the rising sun in her window, the world seemed less terrifying, but with light, came visitors, chiefly Gaara.

If what Temari promised was true, Yua's ending was close and Rin wouldn't get another chance to speak with her alone.

She took a breath and allowed the connection to complete.

In her mind's eye, she saw Yua standing before her, looking so much alike, it wasn't surprising they shared the same DNA.

Rin's image crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

"Who says I want anything? Maybe I'm just bored."

"You've been pressing at my mind all night, clearly you want to talk to me about something."

Her eyes scanned the image and found it fading in and out. Whatever they did to Yua in the next room, weakened her.

She raised her arms above her head and stretched. "It feels good to move again, even if it's only on this plane."

"You're confined, I take it?"

Yua lowered her arms. "Unfortunately. For some reason, they find me dangerous. Can you imagine that?"

Rin gave her a face. "What a wild assumption."

Her mother sighed. "I don't have much time left, Rin. Can we pretend to be nice to each other for a moment?"

"What do you want?"

"Are they feeding you well? I'm hardly getting anything."

"What. Do. You. Want?" Rin's voice was clipped.

Yua jaw tightened. "Okay, I see you're not in a playful mood. I assume you know everything about why I did what I did, from Haru. I can't imagine he'd leave you in the dark."

"He didn't."

"He's passed on then, has he?"

Rin's chest hurt. "He has."

"That's too bad."

"Don't pretend like you're sad about it."

Yua held her own arms, cradling herself against Rin's anger. "I am, though. I know that's difficult for you to believe, but I'm sorry he's gone."

"Bullshit."

"Language, young lady."

Rin's image approached Yua's, her voice frigid and dangerous. "I'm disgusted looking at you. Say what you must, but don't lie to me anymore. You didn't care about Haru. You tortured him and sent him out to kill me. I've had enough of your deceit. Spit out what you must and be done with it."

Yua regarded her, scanning her eyes up and down Rin's angry frame. "My, my, look at you. My little Sparrow has grown up to be quite fierce, indeed. I'm almost proud. You really are my daughter."

"I'm nothing like you."

She smiled. "Aren't you, though? We share more than a physical resemblance. All your power came from me. It bled out of my body and into yours. You wouldn't be anything without me."

Rin turned away, walking towards the edge of her mind. "I'm not listening to this. You've wasted your last chance to speak with me. Goodbye."

"Wait! I do have something to say. Something important, I promise!"

Rin stopped and listened.

Yua's breath came out hard. "I'm dying, Rin. You know that. I'm not sure I'll make it to whatever punishment they've lined up for me."

"And I care?"

Yua smiled. "I thought we didn't want any more lies between us. You're putting on Mommy's clothes and acting like you have my callous nature... you don't. It's what makes you different than me. Better than me, in some regards."

Rin turned and looked at the woman she considered family. "I never wanted to be better than you. It wasn't a competition for me. Why was it that way for you? Why couldn't you just love me like I'd always loved you?"

Yua shrugged. "It's just my nature."

Mother approached daughter, her hands up so Rin could see them, no sudden movements made. "You were made softer than me; gentle, instead of fierce. I couldn't understand why. Why would he bother with you, when he had me? I was the prime weapon for his purpose."

Rin sighed, looking down. "Because not everything is about power. Everyone has a weakness, even him."

"Lies."

She looked into Yua's eyes, even now, she couldn't conceive that their creator had any flaws.

How she could believe such a thing, after everything they knew, astounded Rin.

"Yes. You think Orochimaru wanted me as a plaything and partly, that's true, but do you know the real reason, I was made for him?"

Yua waited, her face a veil of disbelief.

Rin bit her lower lip, memories of her time with the frightening man, flittering around them.

Yua looked up to see Rin sitting on the bed, Orochimaru sitting on the floor, his head resting in her lap.

Rin combed her fingers through his long hair, humming softly to herself.

Yua took a step closer to the image, marveling at the tender smile on his face. "What's that expression?"

Rin looked at the picture and down again. "There were times he'd use me for the things you've imagined, but mostly, it was like this. Secret, vulnerable times, when he'd drop his guard and rest. You should know, Yua, he did love you... in his way."

Her face shot to Rin's and studied it for any trace of deceit.

When she found none, she raised a hand up to touch the image. "Then why? Why wasn't I the one he made that face for? Why bother with you?"

Rin gave her an incredulous look. "Because you live in a world of fear and control. You were designed for battle. I was made for healing. It just so happened, he liked our face and our justu. That's it. That's the big mystery. That's the thing that's driven you to bring so much cruelty in my life."

Yua turned away from the image and regarded Rin, her face a mixture of emotions. "I won't apologize for my actions. I don't regret them."

"I know, you don't."

Both women stared each other down, their faces blank.

Yua swallowed, her image fluttering. "I can't hold onto to this anymore."

"Then go."

"Do you have anything to say to me, Rin? Last chance."

She stepped closer, taking Yua's hand into hers, though it felt like air in her grasp. "Only this. I owe you nothing. After you pass, I won't think of you. I won't give you another second of my time."

Yua's eyes widened.

Rin nodded. "It shouldn't have been that way. If you'd remained who I thought you were and I lost you, I would have grieved. I would have cried away your memory, but now, all I feel for you is contempt."

She pulled the woman close, so that her words were quiet and deadly. "You could've hurt me in any way and I still would have loved you. That's how a child feels for their mother. But you crossed the line, when you hurt the men I love. First Haru and then Gaara. You could've had everything and you chose to abandon who you were for jealousy and madness."

Rin's words were cold even to her own ears. "So, die Yua. Die the way you chose to live... alone."

Her mother faded from view, but not before she gave one last, cruel laugh. "Well, what do you know? You're more like me, than I thought... little Sparrow."

Rin's eyes opened and fixed on the wall again, twin trails of tears sliding down her cheeks.

Her heart thundered in her chest, the realization of their final words, crashing over her in cold waves.

"Oh, you're awake. You didn't respond to my knock, so I wasn't sure. Ready for your treat?"

She looked to Temari, who was standing over her bedside.

Rin cleared her throat, wiping away the tears. "What treat, is that?"

Temari brought in the wheelchair from the hallway and settled Rin into it. "The captive is to be tried and executed today. Gaara wanted you to be as far away from it as possible, but I think you deserve to speak your piece. I'm going to take you into her room, so you can give her a piece of your mind."

Rin almost laughed, but it stuck in her throat.

The Captain dismissed one of the guards and wheeled Rin into the neighboring room.

The sight made her jaw drop.

Haru's voice came to her memory. "She used Orochimaru's jutsu to bring me back but lacked his control. Cost her, her youth, if you can believe that?"

Laying in the bed, wasn't the woman Rin knew.

This wasn't the fair, dangerous beauty, who made men's eyes dance when she passed in the market or the savvy business-woman, who carved their lives out from nothing.

This was an old, shriveled woman, with missing teeth and weathered hands, that were tied to her chest.

A shell of the person she was.

Temari helped Rin to her feet. "Okay, now's your time. Tell her off. Go ahead."

The young shinobi stared at the broken woman, she'd loved so much.

She wanted to hold onto the hatred she'd felt and stand true to the promise of forgetting her, but she couldn't.

Even after all the torment and lies, Rin's heart broke at the condition Yua was in.

Temari looked from the prisoner to Rin. "Well? Anything you want to do?"

"Just one."

With that, Rin loosened herself from Temari's hold and braced her hands on the bed. She brought her lips down to the wrinkled brow of the woman, she considered to be family, and gave one, quick kiss.

"Goodbye... Mother."

Temari stared, her face a mask of surprise. "Okay, not what I was expecting. I'm surprised at you, Rin."

"I'm not."

The voice at the door made Rin freeze in her tracks.

The old, dying woman beneath her smiled. "You came for me, my Lord."