I'll Show You Insanity

Chapter 18

Yuma was at the gates before anyone else on her team and saw Tazuna standing impatiently at the gateway. The guards, as usual, were asleep as Yuma approached.

Tazuna looked up as he heard footsteps and saw the homocidal brat from the office. Paling, he froze and tensed as she grew closer and closer. She was smiling that innocent smile that he didn't like in the least. Despite her promise at the office, he felt sure that once she had the chance, she'd kill him. Maybe he shouldn't have doubted her and angered her. If only these stupid guards were awake! He was a sitting duck! And she was mere meters away.

"Hiya, Tazu-chan!" Yuma chirped, grinning at him. "You seem nervous! Don't worry, I ain't gonna hurt you!"

"Why not," Tazuna said immediately. "You seemed so intent on it in that office."

Yuma grinned and giggled. "Nah, I was just a bit angry. I'm okay now. And Im ready to get you safely home. Besides, grampa Saru and Kashi would be angry if I killed you, and I don't want them to hate me too," she said, her smile softening. "You can, if you want. That's okay. But I want Kashi and Saru to like me."

Tazuna felt the tension melt away as he saw the sincerity in her small smile. She didn't look so crazy anymore. "How come?" He found himself asking.

"Grampa Saru was the first person to accept me as I am," Yuma said. "And now, Kashi treats me like I'm just a normal Kid, not a serial murderer. I'm more grateful to those two than I've been to anyone in my village."

Tazuna had nothing to say, so moved by her words that he didn't have it in him to treat the girl so coldly. "So why did you slaughter your village?" He asked. "You seem like a sweet girl when you aren't being homocidal. You must have a reason."

"They all tried to kill me first. They said I was harboring a demon or something like that and tried to sacrifice me to some weird god. I think they were all just crazy, and I had to kill them all to escape."

"That's awful," Tazuna said gently.

Yuma shrugged. "I don't Miss any of them, really. They hurt me, so I hated them. But ever since then, I've grown to love killing." As she spoke, a slow smile crept up her face and Tazuna grew wary.

The creepy grin fell away as she blinked. "But now I only kill for grampa. I help him get rid of people on death row. It helps the murder urges."

"I see," Tazuna said slowly.

"So I promise I won't kill you, Tazu-chan," Yuma said, beaming cutely up at him. "I'll get you back to your village safe and sound, even if it costs me my own life."

Tazuna, touched by her vow, smiled a bit and pat her head, inwardly hoping it wouldn't come to that. "Sure Kid, thanks."

Kakashi stood off to the side, observing the scene before him, a mixture of sadness and pride welling in his chest.

Soon, the others appeared, and Yuma greeted them enthusiastically, in her own... special way.

"Oh! Hey guys! Lets go before we miss any assassins!"

The group headed out, Yuma skipping ahead as her eyes scanned the surrounding forest them.

"Hey, Tazuna-San?" Sakura said.

"What?"

"Are there ninja in the land of waves?"

Kakashi answered. "No, Sakura. Don't worry. This is just a simple escorting mission. We won't have to get into any dangerous fights."

He pat her heads comfortingly and Sakura smiled.

"And if we do," Yuma called back. "I'll kill them before they can so much as glance at you. So no worries!"

"There, see?" Kakashi said lightly. "If that doesn't inspire confidence, I don't know what will."

Sakura giggled, but Tazuna didn't feel as secure.

Two dark figures rose steadily from a nearby puddle the blissfully unaware group had just bypassed...