Red Mist (Naruto FanFic)

Chapter 17 - Trust?

"Suigetsu!!" Akai yelled, jolting up awake. Her eyes were wide in fear, while her hands were shaking, reaching out in desperation. Closing her eyes, she took some deep breaths, wiping away the sweat from her face.

"Calm down, Akai..." She muttered, pushing herself up. She sat on the mattress, and opened her eyes once more, letting out a sigh.

"Seriously..." She mumbled, "I still have nightmares, yet tomorrow is the final. What the hell am I even scared of...?"

She stood up, and stretched her arms, looking at the calendar on her desk. "Thirteen years old, huh? I guess there's no cake for me this year... This is not Kiri, after all..."

Her eyes landed on a blue box next to the calendar. Walking towards it, she picked it up, to found a small tag attached to it. There's no name written on it, only a drawing of a small fish.

"Kisame...?" She wondered out loud, opening the box. Akai let out a gasp at the content. There's only a few things, ordinary things with irreplaceable memories.

The first one she recognized was a tantō, with black and gold hilt. She took it, and gently traced the blade, smiling when blood began to seep out. "You fixed it... Dad's tantō, which I broke on our first duel." She recalled, "Never thought I would see this blade again, and in it's perfect condition..."

She spun it around for a bit, testing it with her usual dagger-style fighting, before she put it down, and looked back at the box. A small light blue shark made of ice was put neatly, and this made her eyes got teary. It was her mother's favorite ornament, a gift she received from a Yuki clan's survivor. Akai carefully put the shark on her desk, letting out a small whisper, "Mom... I miss you..."

Wiping away her tears, Akai took the last item. A simple photograph, of herself and her cousins sitting and chatting together after a training session. She, Mangetsu, and Suigetsu were covered in dirt, mud, and scratches, but they were all laughing, smiling. They were happy.

Akai flipped the photograph, and read the message behind it. 'Happy Birthday, Akai', it reads.

"At least he remembers..." She mumbled, before she realized another written message, at the bottom right corner. 'Sorry', just one word. Frowning, she put it back to its place.

From her desk, she picked up a glass of water, planning to pour it down on her uncle if he was waiting outside, a thing he would most likely do. However, as she reached the windowsill, she froze.

On the ledge, a kunai was embedded, and strands of white hair was stuck onto it with blood, with a note tied to it's hilt.

She dropped the glass, shattering it into pieces.

Ignoring the blood on her feet, Akai's hands shakily picked up the note, and read the content, her eyes growing wide as her brain processed the words.

'You're a bad girl, little Akai. You should have gone following what I said, sweetie. Now I can assure you, that you will never get to meet your dear Hozuki ever again. But don't worry, you will die soon, anyways.'

Akai's whole body started trembling in fear. She clutched her shirt, opening her mouth. But her scream couldn't come out.

"No... Suigetsu..."

An image flashed in her mind, followed by another, and another, as she fell on her knees. She reached out, but her breath suddenly hitched.

"A-... N-No... S-Sui-... I-... Akh!"

Her right hand quickly covered her mouth, while her left one supported her weight. Tears fell from her eyes, while she started coughing blood, staining the floor in red.