The Angel's Ambivalence [Naruto]

Mission: Kill Scarlett: Failed

"The way you move is like a full-on rainstorm, and I'm a house of cards."

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Recap: I lifted my katana up higher, holding it straight over her heart. Then, with one final grunt, I brought it down...

Ryuu's POV

"Stop!" Someone shouted, running over to me and grabbing my hand blindly. I paused, my katana only centimeters away from piercing Scarlett's heart.

I turned to Rin, who had just located my hand and covered it with her own, a scowl on my face. "You better have a good reason for interrupting this," I said.

"Interrupting it? I'm stopping it! They're connected, Ryuu! Scarlett and Minxie! Everything you've done to Scarlett has been hurting Minxie! You let that-" she paused, feeling the katana in my hand to find out what it was- "katana pierce Scarlett's heart... And you kill Minxie, too!" She shouted, alarm and fear in her voice.

And that was it. Everything had just fallen apart. Nothing made sense. All the damage we'd done to Scarlett, Minxie had taken as well. And I was just about to... I was just about to...

"What happened, Ryuu?" Scarlett asked, tilting her head in mock innocence. "You were all for killing me a few seconds ago. What happened to all that murderous intent? Drive the katana through my heart. I won't care. But I do hope you're prepared to lose your sister, too."

I turned around to look at the rest of the guys and found that they were all as shocked as I was. Naruto's kunai dropped to the floor, the sound echoing and breaking the wall of silence that had built up. His cerulean blue eyes were widened impossibly.

Kiba was kneeling next to an injured Akamaru, shock etched onto his features. Mitchell and Neji were helping up Shikamaru, but had paused in the process at the news Rin had brought.

I looked back down at Scarlett, who was smirking at me and challenging me with her blood red eyes. I glared at her, gripping my katana so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

I lifted it up once again and swung it down, causing Rin to gasp. But, instead of making it hit Scarlett, I stabbed it into the desk, right next to her neck. I let go of her roughly, turning to look at Rin.

"Go check on Minxie," I ordered. She opened her mouth to say something, but I shook my head at her. "Don't. Just go check on her. Bring her here." She sighed, but nodded, releasing my hand and disappearing down the hall.

"Don't look so shocked," Scarlett said. "Did you really think I'd come to live here without having an ace up my sleeve?"

"You lied," Mitchell said harshly. "You said you told us everything. You challenged us to kill you."

"I didn't lie," She argued. "I told you that you could kill me, but you'd just lose something precious as well. Of course I didn't elaborate on it and tell you what you'd lose. That was my leverage, and I always have leverage. It's how I stay on top."