Prologue: Run

Little Haruka ducked under the sturdy sculpting table when her house began to crumble. She quivered, knowing exactly what was happening. What could have finally set him off? What terror had his father inflicted this time?

Sand was blown into the house and into her desert brown eyes, making the orbs water. It had felt like hours while she was just trembling under the table. She'd never been afraid of him before, but it was hard not to be right now.

When the tremors outside died down, Haruka worked up the courage to look for her mom and dad. She was already in the sculpting room, so she went to their bedroom.

Haruka had some trouble getting through the rubble. She was only seven; she hadn't even started to learn any ninja skills. She did her best not to ponder the deathly silence of her own house.

The door to the bedroom was broken, so she climbed over it while trying to avoid splinters. Her eyes scanned the room.

"Daddy!" Haruka yelled when she saw a lean figure under two ceilings' worth of rocks. She rushed to him. The man groaned and looked up at his daughter.

"Ha...ruka?" He asked hesitantly, not trusting his eyes.

"Daddy, where's Momma?" Haruka looked around frantically. Then, with a sudden clarity, Haruka had remembered her mother had gone out to get something at the store she'd forgotten. She worried for her mommy, but knew she had to help her daddy first.

She got closer and attempted to pull the rocks off her dad. Her eyes watered even more and her arms started to hurt as she made no progress in pulling the large boulders off her dad.

"Haruka... It's okay," he told her. No, she thought, it was not okay. She wasn't strong enough to help her daddy.

"Oh!" She exclaimed. "I know! I'll go get Ga-kun, Daddy! He can get you out!" She turned to leave before he stopped her.

"Wait, Haruka... I'm sorry, but it's too late. I need you to do something for me before I pass on..." Her dad pleaded with her. She turned back to him with tears in her eyes. "Listen... Listen closely, Haruka. In the drawer... there's a kunai and... and a book. Go get them."

Haruka scurried over and followed her father's instructions. She tried to open the book.

"It won't open, Daddy!"

"It will open when you become a true kunoichi. Now, you have to end my suffering, Haruka. Only you can do that." He grunted in pain. "Take the kunai and kill me, Haruka. I can't be saved. I don't want to hurt anymore."

"But, Daddy!" Tears leaked rapidly from her eyes. "I can't!"

"You must! Find... ugh... find your mother and... and go somewhere safe. Go... go to Konoha. Run and be safe. That is my wish."

Haruka couldn't help but shake as she steeled herself. She'd do anything for her daddy. She thought she'd choke on her spit when she felt a lump form in her throat. She approached her father, taking him in for the last time.

Blood matted her dad's messy hair, which was a dirty brown similar to her own. His usually bright yellow eyes were dulled. Haruka always wondered how he got them after he said his eyes were originally green.

When she was close enough, her dad helped her position the kunai above his heart. She closed her eyes and pushed with all her strength. Haruka felt the kunai make contact and felt it stop in something squishy. She opened her eyes to a bloody scene, noticing her father's eyes were now empty jade orbs. She gripped the kunai and the book. Then, she ran.

Haruka ran around the whole village, ignoring her fatigue. She had to find Mommy. Daddy said she had to.

She finally came to the entrance of the village, only to find something she never wanted to see.

A woman with suntanned skin was sprawled on the ground, eyes wide open and fearful. Blood was dripping out of her mouth like drool. A pile of sand was slowly collapsing. She got closer and noticed the sand's original shape was similar to a spear, and it was sticking right out of her mother's stomach.

Haruka clenched her fist around the kunai and book. That was unforgivable. Her daddy said to go with her mom and now she couldn't. She had to go on alone.

She bowed her head, hair concealing her expression.

"I'll run, Daddy. I'll run." Just as she said those words, Haruka turned to Suna's gates and ran.

She never turned back.