AFTER DARK | naruto

49 | eyes opened to reality

"I have no interest in that." She answered. "There's no reason to talk about it. They're dead, and that's all there is to that story."

Well, that was a blunt answer. She didn't care. That story—to her—was so irrelevant that she didn't even want to talk about it? There was no one else she could turn to about this story—other than you. Though, you supposed she just didn't want to see you. Could you blame her?

"... Then... Why were you looking for me?" You managed to ask—the sweat on your face could be taken as the rain that fell. "If you don't care for talking about it, there's nothing I want to talk about, either."

She didn't respond for a bit, her eyes solely on you, narrowed and cold. You wanted to pretend as if you didn't care, like, if anything, it annoyed you. But you did care. The last link of family you had. Wendy had already passed – and Rogue, someone you hadn't even met, had passed, too. Beyond that, you weren't sure of any relatives. Kokujū had mentioned that the Jinchuuriki of the light dragon had been close to Rogue, but they weren't related. Which, in turn, meant that you weren't related. The metal dragon was a complete mystery to you, though that was the last thing you should focus on.

"I guess there's something I can share." She spoke after a pregnant silence. "About our parents." You watched ahead with beaded eyes; brows knitted in confusion as you allowed for her to continue speaking.

"I assume you know at the very least, how someone unlocks the fifth state of the Seishingan." Well, sure—if that was just the way she called her own Poltigan. "And that is to kill someone close to them."

You could already tell where she was getting at here, but you dreaded the full conclusion.

"At five years old—killed our parents. In cold blood." She finished—confirming your suspicion.

Though, at the same time... "You expect me to believe that?" You narrowed your eyes, a sour expression on your face. "You—at five, killed our parents?" You scoffed. "At five years old, you didn't even know how to wipe!"

She was silent for a second—her brooding was dimmed due to your vulgar words. But it didn't seem to discourage her too much, "I've had access to each stage of the Seishingan for as long as I've lived." She explained. "For each person I kill that I share a bond with—I get one more contract, I don't care for replacing the ones I already have." That's—not how it worked. Only once—one special blood bond that you couldn't reverse. Not multiple that can come and go. Well, if your clan wasn't cursed, she'd surely be suffering the worst sort of purgatory.

"Including your dear teammates." You were sure your heart skipped a beat—not in the good way, either. Your teammates... You'd seen them just before you took the lacrima, they were in fine health. What could have happened within the last week? Did you sleep through one of their deaths unknowingly and run away?

"Everything you've known, everyone you loved, will die. Pain has already begun his attack on the Hidden Leaf village. Right after I managed to lure you out." Your sister explained, causing your heart rate to increase. Lure you out? During an attack on the village? So they'd planned that all along. Though, as to why they wanted to lure you out of all people was beyond you.

"It's a shame, really. They were as young as they were annoying. That Rock Lee one was determined to go down with a fight. Rather annoying if you ask me, nothing more than a pest."

Lee... Had he died? You found yourself believing her, your own breath catching in your throat.

"That Neji one was annoying, too. But he put up more of a fight than the last. Though, I'd say he's just as arrogant as the day you first met."