I'll Show You Insanity

Chapter 27

Yuma was sleeping soundly, until...

:Wake up, brat!:

She woke with a start, eyes traveling around for the source of the disturbance. She only saw Sakura, slumbering peacefully in the cot next to hers.

"Sakura," she whispered sleepily, to make sure that it wasn't Sakura that'd woken her. When she received no response, she looked around again.

:You can't see me:, the strange voice said. :You're not strong enough to:

"Who are you?" Yuma whispered, clutching her stuffed rabbit tightly.

:Call me... Aku. Tell me, why haven't you killed them?:

"Who?"

:That pathetic team of yours of course, Baka!:

Yuma scowled. "Don't be stupid Aku, I can't kill them. I promised grampa I wouldn't. Besides... They're my friends."

:Ah, yes. Grampa. How sweet. Yuck, come on! You know you want to!:

"No, Aku," Yuma said firmly.

:KILL THEM. NOW!:

"No!"

"Yuma?" Sakura asked sleepily, raising herself up on her arms. "Who are you talking to?"

Yuma knew hearing voices wasn't a good thing. She didn't want Sakura to worry.

"No one," she muttered. "Go back to bed."

"You're sure?" Sakura asked, looking at the grey haired girl in concern.

Yuma nodded. "Yeah. Get some rest."

"Okay... Goodnight, Yuma..."

"Goodnight, Sakura."

The pinkette returned to her sleep, and Yuma listened carefully for the voice. Yet, for ten minutes she heard nothing, and finally laid down.

She didn't go back to sleep, however. How could she? Not with pain of something clawing at her chest, trying to get out.

Not with the whispers at the back of her mind.

Kill them. Kill them.

~~~

The next morning, Kakashi went to wake up the girls and stopped outside the door. He could hear whispering, and thought at first that it was just the girls. It made him smile to think that Yuma and Sakura were becoming better friends.

Yet, as he raised his hand to knock, he paused. Why? Because he realized that the only voice speaking was Yuma, and she sounded troubled.

"No, Aku, now go away!" He heard her hiss sharply, though quietly. She paused, as if she were waiting for someone else to finish talking. "I said no! I don't want to kill them, but I'd happily murder you in the most painful way poss-"

She cut off, and gasped as though she'd been struck. Kakashi decided then to knock.

"Yuma," he said softly through the door. "Are you alright?"

Quiet footsteps, then the door slid open. He couldn't help but stare at Yuma. She looked awful. Dark bags under her haunted eyes, hair wild, clothing disheveled as though she'd been thrashing throughout the night.

"Mornin," she yawned, rubbing at her eyes.

Kakashi looked past her, into the room, and saw no one but a sleeping Sakura. He looked back at Yuma, eyebrows furrowed. "Who were you talking to, Yuma?"

"Just someone annoying," Yuma grumbled. She seemed to be thinking, then looked curiously at him. "Kakashi... Have you ever... Heard things before?"

"Heard things?"

"Yeah, like... Voices... In your head?"

Kakashi blinked at his younger cousin, then knelt before her, setting a hand on her shoulder. "Yuma, are you hearing voices?"

Yuma looked down and did not answer, which told Kakashi he'd been right on the money.

"Yuma," Kakashi started. "You're not crazy, if that's what you're thinking."

"I'm... Not?"

"Of course not," Kakashi assured.

"... Promise?" Yuma asked, holding up her pinky.

Kakashi immediately linked his pinky with hers. "I promise."

Yuma looked at him, their intertwined pinkies, then him again. He saw some of the tension leave her small body as she sported a small grin.

"Thanks, Kashi."

"No problem. Now head down to breakfast."

"Kay!"

She scampered off, and as Kakashi went to wake Sakura, he recalled that Yuma's birthday was only three and a half months away now. Surely the Akumuchi was getting restless as the date grew closer.

But how to help strengthen Yuma's will to live?

How to make her believe she isn't simply a cold blooded killer?

How to prove to her that many would be saddened with her death?

How to do any of those things?

As Kakashi roused Sakura, and sent her down to breakfast, he found himself sitting, cross legged, beside Yuma's cot, holding the little stuffed rabbit he'd gotten her so long ago, or so it seemed like a long time.

He sighed as he looked into the button eyes of the stuffed toy.

"Who would drive me crazy if you die, Yuma?" He asked aloud. "Who would I tell to not murder people? Who would throw in random methods of torture? Who would call me Bakashi?"

He ended with a heavy sigh.

"Who would be my little sadist?"