Red Eyes (Naruto FanFic)

Chapter 12 - Killer

'Busted.'

"What are you talking about?" Akai asked, frowning slightly, "I didn't see Sasuke. If I did, we wouldn't be here to look for him."

"I doubt Pakkun would make such a simple mistake," Tenzo commented, sending her a doubtful look.

"So you doubt me instead?"

"Cut it out, Akai," Kakashi glared at the swordswoman, "I know you're lying."

The others stared at her, waiting, so Akai finally gave in. "You got me." Akai averted her gaze to the large crater in front of her "I helped Sasuke to fight an Akatsuki member here. A rogue nin from Iwa, Deidara. He died from this explosion, and Sasuke escaped already."

In a blink, Naruto had grabbed Akai by her shoulder, his nails digging into her skin. "And you just let that happen?!" he yelled, "First you pretend that you're dead! Now you helped Sasuke to kill someone?!"

"He was the enemy!" For a second, her eyes flashed red, but Akai still tried to hold back.

"Even if he was the enemy, you didn't have to kill him!" Sakura added, "We could bring him to Konoha, interrogate him, possibly finding out Itachi's whereabouts!"

"If I wasn't there to back him up, you would be looking at Sasuke's corpse right now!" Akai tried to defend herself, but none of her teammates is listening.

"Sakura, Naruto, I think you should stop..."

At Hinata's words, Naruto shook his head. "We need to find Sasuke as soon as possible. Akai, you are the almighty Red Mist! One of the 7 Kirigakure's Swordsmen! Back there, you could have done something, anything!"

Akai's grip on Hiramekarei tightened. She may be the Red Mist, but she is also human. Why are they expecting so much?

Sakura didn't stop, either. "Do you enjoy killing that Akatsuki member, Akai?! You don't even look guilty, not at all! Do you find it fun to end someone's life, as easy as that?"

Akai snapped. Her left eye turned red, she let out an angry growl. She pushed Naruto away from her, as she harshly threw her sword onto the ground.

"Fine! What am I supposed to do, then?!" she exclaimed, "Saying sorry for helping your ex-teammate so that he wouldn't die?! Apologizing for killing a rogue nin who almost had your so-called friend's head?!"

Akai raised her hands and ran her fingers through her hair, before she clutched her head and looked down. "Because I don't know what else I can do," her voice was shaking, but she stayed on her feet, "I was raised to kill people. I grew up as a soldier, a weapon. I grew up as a monster."

"Akai..." Kakashi tried to say, but she dropped her hands and looked up, glaring at the remaining Konoha nins.

"When someone died, be it a friend or foe, I was told to take everything they have. Money, weapons, even information. I was taught to burn their body, to destroy every trace of their existence."

Faint dark blue chakra began to seep out of her figure, but no one dared to move.

"It was something I had to do to survive, so tell me, tell me what am I supposed to do! Tell me what I have to do so that you're not scared of me! What is it that I have to change, so that you can see me as a normal human?!"

At the silence, Akai scoffed. She walked towards Hiramekarei and picked the sword up ever so carefully, looking at it as if the blade was a very precious treasure.

"Funny how you're the only one who always stays by my side, ever since the beginning," Akai whispered to the large blade, before she placed it back in its sheath.