❝The longer you live, the more you realize reality is just made of pain, suffering and emptiness.❞ ㅡ Madara Uchiha
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CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR:
RAIN
No sun greeted the morning; dull clouds concealed its light, painting the sky grey. Ashes prevailed within the air, floating about the village and increasing the feeling of despair in which the civilians momentarily lived. The calm breeze had oddly stopped, only blowing from time to time — with the occasional swaying of leaves, as to not let the city fall too quiet.
Raindrops began to plummet from the hazy sky, and soon enough, it was pouring heavily. Water soaked the streets, drenched those who had dared to leave their homes without an umbrella, and cooled down the atmosphere. As the rain broke the silence by crashing onto leaves, roofs and pavement; the villagers gazed up into the gloomy welkin.
It was an unusual sight — they were not used to such ruthless attacks by Mother Nature.
Up on a hill, as green as high, Rei mimicked their action and looked up. Her orange eyes got lost into the endless abysm of grey; her soul far too gone for her to mind the gelid rain. Her clothes glued to her body as it soaked her to the bone, but she couldn't care less.
Mixed feelings gripped her heart, closing in on it like solid walls.
Perhaps it had been too long for her to remember, but Rei had never felt so desolated. Anguish embraced her in an asphyxiating hold, images kept replaying in her head as her mind travelled in time, back to the day before.
Blood flooded in waves from the hole in her chest when she drew her arm back. A gurgling sound escaped her throat, before a red trickle slid from her parted mouth. Her dark eyes were blank, void of life — the life she had just taken.
Sobs brought her back to present time, and Rei eventually blinked her trance away. Her gaze drifted to look at her friend, who always wore a grin, wide as the hole in her chest.
Naruto was shaking; blue eyes filled with despair as he watched the scene taking place below them unfold. Big tears streamed down his cheeks, his hands clenched into fists. He had long since given up on trying stopping himself from crying; it would be pointless, after all, for there was no way he could ever hide his feelings from Rei — she knew him too well.
"Why" —he hiccupped— "did he have to die? W-why did this happen?"
She had no answer to that, nor did she have the necessary strength to wonder about it. However, her stomach twisted as another sob escaped him; she felt guilty: about Maki, about the Hokage's death and about everything in general.
She now knew the reason behind the attack, behind the arrival of Akatsuki. But she couldn't bring herself to tell the truth — not even to Naruto —, felt too confused and betrayed to talk about her worries.
Her hand reached to clasp around his, and she squeezed it lightly. No matter what, she would stay there, if only to give him the support he needed at that difficult moment.
Nevertheless, as her eyes fell upon the faces of those who were attending the funerals, Rei faltered. The little boy was crying hard, hand clasped around his mother to retrieve as much comfort as possible.
And then, Aido Hashiri looked up and looked her straight in the eye.
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Solitude
Fanfiction"He's not that boy anymore; now he's a bloodthirsty monster. And you're not his friend either; you're his main target." An uncovered secret. A mysterious clan. A girl who has the power to change the ninja world as it's known. Between dealing with a...
