Survival (A Naruto Fanfic) [Completed]

Part 53 ∞∞∞ Nothing/Everything

Neji stared at me with his pure white byakugans and I smiled. Neji didn't find it amusing and instead pointed a kunai to my throat (despite the fact that he had to stand tip-toed to reach me). I widened my eyes and raised my hand in mock surrender. Neji tch'ed and threw the kunai aside, turning away with distaste. To be honest, I was surprised he can even remember me. Last time I had seen him was two years ago which had caused quite a scene. It's a pleasant surprise he would come to find me by himself without reporting me to the Hokage. A fine addition to my last day here. My mind told myself but I pushed that thought away into the sea of other, useless thoughts.

"How have you been, Neji-chan~" I lured and widened the smile on my face and he gave me another look of despise. I tried to remember exactly what I said last time we met o deserve this scorn and remembered the trip to the Hyuga place and me being extremely disappointed. Oh well... Byakugans aren't very interesting...

"I've thought of what you said last time and the reality of the Hyuga clan," Neji said quietly and looked down at his hands. I raised my eyebrows a little. The first thing to you say to a person you haven't seen for a long time: remind them of the terrible things you said the last time you met. I noted the green symbol carved into his forehead as I thought away and tried to remember if it had been there last time I saw him. He probably did but I probably didn't notice. But there's always the probably.

"So, why are you here?" I asked, slightly annoyed at both myself and him and Neji looked up. Except for the byakugans, there was a blankness in his stare. Neji stayed silent for a while before finally speaking up.

"I swear, I'll prove the Hyuga clan is better than that Uchiha... Despite fate has bound me into the branch family, destined to be servants for the main family, I'll show you and that Uchiha boy, who's stronger." Neji spat and whirled around. I blinked at the back of the Hyuga boy as he jumped away into the sunset. After he completely disappeared from sight, I burst out in laughter and rubbed my eyes, making sure I am where I am. The coldness dawned in onto me a moment later as the sun dripped off the horizon.

"Seriously... brats." I muttered and rubbed my temples. Making stupid promises like that will get you killed...

The wind lashed at my bare cheeks and I pulled the scarf up a little, sniffling. Some part of me wanted to curl up in my apartment and have a nice sleep on an actual bed but the other part screamed at me leave Konoha at once.

"You don't have to lie to yourself."

I shuddered a little and massaged my brows, trying to get the awful drowsiness of the winter off me. The smell of freshly baked bread reached my nostrils but I tensed, forcing myself to block it out. This was the reason I got dragged into all this. Because I thought I might have a home here. I might belong here...

Kakashi

Naruto

Neji

The Third

I went through the names silently as I remembered their faces. Except for Naruto, they had all been hostile, a look of betrayal. And only Naruto doesn't know the horrible things I've done. I smiled sourly.

What if there was one person that doesn't know, or will be unable to know the true me... wouldn't that be fascinating?

Tenzo.

The smile was blown away from my face and I scanned the village for his chakra. He was home. Why did I even think of him? He was such an insignificant... unimportant... small part of my life here... And only 2 years of my 16 or so years are spent here... so... Something dragged me towards him, maybe for a hope to see his face without fear? I don't even remember how he would look without that mask of fear... It wasn't as though if I didn't know what his expression had held while facing me. His eyes wide and hands shaking... it wasn't cold, it wasn't hurting. He was afraid. Afraid of the monster in front of him. The monster with a mask of a half-hearted smile and a monster with gloves, hiding the stained hands below. A monster pretending to be a truth-teller.

"It may be true that I lie to myself... at least I don't lie to others." I muttered and tried. Comforting myself... is that what I'm doing?

The wind picked up its speed as I leapt on the rooftops. I couldn't feel my hands or feet. They were frozen and numb.

The world was a flurry of white and black. Coldness and darkness.

White?

I looked up at the sky. The small white flakes flew into my face. They were icy. Piercing.

"寒いね..." I whispered and closed my eyes, navigating the road with my other senses. No, to be honest, it was only my instincts. The chakra of Tenzo grew closer as I slowed my steps. Why was I tracing Tenzo's chakra again? The veil seemed to blow over me again. The world dimmer and gloomier without anyone here. No one to act to. No one to show the mask to. You'll only know the true you by how you act without anyone around... I could feel the blankness written all over my face. Maybe... maybe if I killed her, I would be more "Yoru". Maybe I'll be the only "Yoru"... If only she was dead... Voiced seemed to echo around my ears as I took a few more steps forward. I could see Tenzo's apartment window. What was he doing? It would be so easy to just activate my eyes... but the serenity of the world prevented me. When was I the kind of admire scenery again?

"Yoru!" A shout echoed from behind me and I whirled around. His white hair was dripping down, wet and icy and his clothes slightly wet, except for that, it was the same Kakashi in the morning. But maybe because of the coldness spreading from my hands, he seemed slightly different.

"I thought you left," Kakashi shouted at me I stopped in my tracks, he was a few rooftops away from me. Kakashi took one determined step towards me and I stepped back, turning away. "Yoru just listen to me! Please! Just for a moment!" Kakashi shouted in desperation and I smiled coldly. Just listen to you? Who do you think I am?

"You have 1 minute," I shouted back. Why am I even giving him time? Do I want to hear an apology? A sincere confession? "To be honest, I don't think even one minute talking to a criminal is forgivable for a Konoha jonin." I added and lapsed into silence, listening to the wind and the snowflakes. The whispering voices and the sound of fire...

"I'm sorry, Yoru," Kakashi said quietly. The night was silent, it wasn't as though if I couldn't hear him, but I pretended not to.

"If you have nothing to say—"

"I'm sorry, YORU!" Kakashi screamed at me and I tensed.

"Disgusting..." I muttered and gave him a final look, activating my Sharingans, and placed a simple, but undetectable, genjutsu on his vision. Goodbye, Kakashi.

I turned around and stepped towards Tenzo's window. It'll end up like Kakashi anyway, what am I even doing...

"Yoru"

A feeble call echoed into my ears and I turned to look at the fading silhouette of Kakashi. His jonin clothes were wet and icy, his hair more snowy white.

"That's not even my name," I muttered. For some reason, I couldn't stop the warm liquid from overflowing my freezing face. It felt somehow comforting and hot... like a burning flame...

"Yoru, what are you doing here?"

The voice shattered my daydream. I turned around slowly and gazed into Tenzo's petrified face. He was leaning out of his apartment window, his eyes staring into mine.

"Tenzo," I whispered to myself and his eyes widened. The orange light seeped out of his room and cast onto my face. The light was warm and comforting, but Tenzo's expression chilled my heart.

"Why..."

"FORGET THIS!" I screamed Tenzo and my eyes whirled to action. There was a dull thud as Tenzo fell back into his room and onto the ground.

Now I've done it haven't I?

Well...

It doesn't matter anymore...

Nothing...

Everything...