Inner Explosions [A Naruto Fanfic]

Chapter Thirty

Blood gushed past my lips. The kunai passed straight through me. The man sobered up instantly, and the world began to slow. My knees hit the pavement. My scream, the sound of a wounded being, echoed and doubled back on itself so rapidly that it sounded like I was in every corner of the Village. The now functional ninja chanted the words "oh my god", "I'm so sorry!" and "what've I done" like a mantra that would save him if he repeated it often enough. If he honestly believed it would help him, he would be greatly disappointed. Nagato's chakra surrounded me in a flash, his body shielded mine from the sober and horrified Konoha nin. I struggled to breathe.

"What have you done?" Nagato's voice screamed the words so ominously that they could've passed for a death sentence in disguise. I lost my battle with gravity and crashed face first into the sidewalk.

"It's my fault." I gurgled. "I should've known he would fake passing out." Nagato's rage was uncontrollable.

"I-I'm so s-sorry!" The ninja exclaimed. "I was d-drunk and-"

"Apologies won't fix the damage you've done!" Nagato thundered. I pushed myself off the ground and managed to balance myself into a kneeling position.

"Let's find Tsunade, Nagato." I said, rising off the ground. Nagato made two clones sent them off in search of the Hokage.

"Lie down, Nayami. Moving will make it worse." Nagato's voice seemed gentle to me. Then he noticed the ninja inching away from us. "Where do you think you're going?" The venom in his voice was award worthy.

"N-Nowhere!" The man answered rapidly, wringing his hands. "I'm not going anywhere!" I chuckled with amusement.

"There's no need to make him wet his pants, Nii-san. He already has the knowledge that he's attempted to kill a comrade resting on his shoulders." Nagato snorted.

Footsteps came toward us. The sound of Tsunade's shoes was unmistakeable to me. I'd heard their clacking noise so often that I could recognize them easily. "What happened?" Tsunade demanded. I opened my mouth to answer, but Nagato answered instead.

"This ninja," Nagato said, pointing an accusatory finger at him, "tried to kill Nayami!" Tsunade's eyes darted from me to him before narrowing into a glare.

"Well?" She asked, beginning to heal me as she spoke to the ninja. "Do you have anything to say?"

"I was drunk, Lady Hokage. Admittedly, I shouldn't have been drunk, but because I was I couldn't think clearly." He answered. I felt as if I should recognize this man, but I didn't.

"Why would you attack a member of our Village?" She asked, caramel eyes narrowing even further as she sits back and gives me room to breathe. Five minutes passed before he answers again.

"I'll admit I have a grudge against her. Look at her!" I snarled at him. "Okami no Yoru! In Akatsuki! Surrounded by Akatsuki members! She has no Will of Fire! She's a tool gone awry!"

My fury this time was the one that cannot be contained. "I'm human, too, you know." I hissed threateningly. "Who are you to judge me?"

The Konoha ninja gave me a confused expression. "Who are you to judge me!" I yelled. "You haven't seen what I've seen! You haven't done things I was forced to do! Until you've walked my path you can't judge me by my story!"

"Go rest, Nayami," Tsunade said smoothly. "Nagato, please take her. As for you... Come with me." Nagato bundled me up in his jacket (which was longer than mine) and carried me home. 

"I can walk, you know." I said quietly. "You don't have to carry me." Nagato remained silent for the duration of our walk, and I let him stay silent. I didn't want to argue with him. I didn't want to upset him. I'd gone and gotten myself hurt again. I should've seen the kunai coming. I should've known something like this was going to happen. "I'm sorry." I said after a few more minutes, as our home came into view. "I got myself into trouble again. Please don't tell Deidara."