A Hummingbird's Prey (TLU Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-One: Another Casualty

Meilani couldn't process what had just happened. One moment she had just pressed her lips against Kakashi's, the next there was a crash and a loud whoosh beside their faces. She smelled sulfur, and heard the crackling of a paper bomb sizzling down to the concentrated chakra it held. Her eyes snapped to the kunai it was attached to, a black string holding it together. And a separate black string holding Hachi to both.
"No!"
Mei was pulled by her waist and teleported outside of the building. Kakashi had left a clone behind, pulling Hachi free and launching away from the blast.
"Meilani!"

Meiji launched pellets of water into the broken window, each with enough force to break holes in the walls and furniture. Including tearing through the paper bomb before it could detonate. Mei took hold of Hachi, choking back a sob at the sight of his mutilated wings and legs.
"I'm so sorry," she cried. He lifted his head an inch, with barely enough energy to blink at her.
"Don't worry about it, kid." He spluttered. "Just need a rest... Some sugar water... I'll be back on my legs in no time."
"Ingyo!" Meiji roared, staring at the top of the building behind them. "This is between us! Face me, you coward!"
Kakashi squeezed Mei's shoulders as her tears coated the motionless hummingbird. Panicked citizens began to flee the area, Shinobi began to make their way towards the trouble. Kakashi opened his Sharingan and blocked Mei from Ingyo's vision.

Hinata analyzed the scene before her, running towards the elders stuck in their place.
"Meilani-sensei, Kakashi-sensei!"
"Take him, Hinata. Please." Mei extended her hands until Hinata cupped Hachi's lifeless body, holding him to her chest as Mei followed behind her father chasing after a fleeting silhouette. Hinata looked at the bird, her eyes changing to their Byakugan form.
He's still warm, maybe I can....
Hinata's hands began to glow a faint green that flickered weakly.

"You bastard!" With a loud shout, her body sprinted forward. Ingyo threw shuriken behind him without glancing back. Mei caught each one with the tip of a kunai and launched it back. Her adrenaline spiked at his pained yelp while a shuriken hit the back of his knee and another landed on the right side of his lower back. He stumbled just enough for Mei to grab a hold of his cloak and pin him down, a kunai against his throat.
"Sensei?" A familiar voice came forth from where she had been walking. If she had walked any slower, Mei and the old man running from her would've landed right on top of Sayori.
 
"Sayori, alert the Hokage." Mei didn't dare turn her head away from Ingyo, pressing her knee deeper into his abdomen to deepen the shuriken still embedded in his back . "Tell her we've found the intruder we've been looking for."
Sayori immediately fled, calculating the fastest route to Lady Tsunade's office.
Ingyo stared up at Meilani with a malicious smirk, as though he were on the verge of laughter.
"You think I'm afraid of you, you sick fuck?" She sneered. "When you take out everyone around me but you're too much of a pussy to face me yourself?"
  
"On the contrary, child." Ingyo lifted his neck further, challenging the kunai against him. "I think you're too bold, and need some sense knocked into you. In fact, it's not about you at all. I won't rest until I've destroyed everything around your father. Mentally, and then physically. Much more fun that way."
"Why?" The kunai dug deeper. Mei yanked her free arm away from whoever tried to pull her off of him. "This is your only chance to explain willingly. Before I take the answers myself."
"Do it," he challenged with widened, encouraging eyes.
"Meilani, do not!" Meiji approached quickly but was too late. Meilani had already activated her jutsu.

*****

Mei was back on the island, locating where the sound of laughing children had been coming from. Three to be exact, two young boys and a young girl. They couldn't be more than 12 or 13 years of age.
"Slow down, Meiji." The boy in green called out. "Yaeko's dress is too long on her."
"I'm fine, Ingyo." The girl sighed, lifting her dress an inch above it's length. "I should've worn my hakama pants."
"It's not too much farther. Ingyo, stop smothering her."
Ingyo stuck his tongue out at his brother, who returned the favor before taking hold of a thick branch and used it to lower himself to the side of a cliff. Leaping to the flat bed of rock sticking out of the cliffs side.
"I don't know about this, brother." Ingyo peaked his head over the edge.