Inner Explosions [A Naruto Fanfic]

Chapter Sixteen!

My eyes blazed happily as I observed the vast amount of chaos that had ensued followed Deidara’s departure. Pein and I were trying to find the Kyuubi Jinchuriki, although I was much more gentle than he was. Pein had been killing citizens, but I wasn’t. They would live and suffer in their destruction, a fate I myself might’ve dreaded. 

“Where is the Naruto-kun?” I whispered softly into a quivering shinobi’s ear. He stared at me, green eyes wide and pale skin draining quickly of blood. 

“Like I would tell you that!” He said, his voice quivering with his lips. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity. 

“Nayami! If he’s being dishonest kill him!” Pein shouted at me before darting off to kill another. I turned back to the man.

“I don’t want to kill you. You’re a loyal shinobi, and I admire that.” I whispered slowly. “I’m sorry it came to this.” I placed the shinobi onto the floor, but kept him pinned to the partially destroyed wall. 

“Why did it come to this then?” He demanded. “Why are you rogue?” I closed my eyes before staring deep into his emeralds, which hid behind snow-colored hair. 

“My name here is Okami no Yoru.” I said in my quiet, pained voice. “For years I allowed this village to use me as a tool, feeding from my blood, sweat, and tears while I toiled namelessly. I didn’t mind at first. But then, the Hokage, a woman I had loved and looked up to, abandoned me on an S-Rank mission. It wasn’t official, but when I was needed, I came, to end up knowing that I wasn’t needed. I wasn’t wanted. To know that I was nobody, and did no favors. That I belonged with criminals.” My voice was a hateful snarl. “So I thought to myself, if I could feel pain like this, everyone else should know what it feels like, too. They will grow up.” I stepped away from the man. 

“I am Okami no Yoru, the Leaf’s wolf on a leash, but I am also Uzumaki Nayami, and I will not be erased. I am a shinobi who will stand up for what they believe in, and I am human.” I smiled at the quivering, sad-eyed man. “I hope we meet again, in better terms. The Leaf Village is too strong to die this day, but it will never be the same.” I moved away further, my hands prepared for jutsu. “I’m not going to ask you for the Kyuubi. I’m just going to ask for a little bit of empathy.” I darted up the side of the building and spun around the corner before the man yelled. 

“Wait!” He called. I peeked up from the roof hesitantly, fully prepared for an attack. “My name!” I frowned. 

“What about it?” I replied. 

“It’s Hareni Kuzuko!” I smiled at Kuzuko. 

“Until next time, Kuzuko-san!” I darted off and went about, asking gently if anyone knew where Naruto was. At their refusal to answer, I smiled, congratulated them, and darted off to find the next person I’d whisper to. 

After a few minutes, I came into contact with one of Pein’s Paths. “Keep to the walls, Deva’s going to use a jutsu you probably can’t defend against.” The Preta Path said. I nodded and leapt for the nearest wall, only a few hundred feet to my left, before the Deva Path flew up into the air. I shielded my eyes desperately as an explosion sounded and I was pebbled with debris. I squealed as I opened my eyes and light blinded me. 

“Pein!” I shouted, “I can’t see!” A heavy hand landed on my shoulder and I spun around, eyes squeezed shut, hands in front of my checking chakra. 

“Relax, Nayami-chan...” a voice whispered in my ear. “I won’t hurt you.” I took a few steps backward, trying to channel my chakra into the air so I could get a rough idea for where things were. 

“Who are you?” I demanded, my surprise more evident than I’d liked. “Who?” My legs were shaking in an effort to keep me balanced at the precarious edge the wall. A boom sounded and Pein’s chakra called to me. I was drawn, like a moth to a flame. I darted past buildings, Pein seeing for me as one of his Paths ran alongside me, his arm barely brushing mine.