Summary: Kyoma reflects, and ends up with inevitable pain and betrayal.
Note: I feel like I've been posting way too often lately... *sweatdrop*
Chapter 2
When I wake up, I know I’ve missed the small funeral prepared for Hiroto and Yukina. If you look out the window, it’s completely black outside except for a sliver of the gleaming moon.
The Raikage wouldn’t be the type to wake me up for this. I mean, I don’t think he’d want me to hang around the graves all day. That’s a habit some of the more mentally unstable ninjas have, looking at the names of lost ones.
At the same time, he’s trying to force me to sleep it off, which in my opinion doesn’t help anything.
I’m not sure if the Raikage is cruel or an avid fan of ‘tough love, kids’. It’s very confusing. I know he’s sheltering Killer B in our village, who’s potentially the strongest ninja in Kumo.
Darui, Mabui, Killer B, and C are as easy to read as opening a book. I guess Lord Raikage’s just different.
The Raikage has a temper; therefore, most people think he’s easy to figure out. It’s not that simple.
He can be secretive with his plans. The Raikage might not even tell his most trusted subordinates with his secrets. I don’t know.
I sigh to myself.
…I’m back at the hospital, trussed up in bland white covers again. Fortunately, I’m without an angry nurse hounding my bed in case I wake up. What a relief.
I slip myself out of bed, pulling on my jacket, head protector, and boots lying on a table beside me.
I’m grateful that this hospital has windows in patient rooms. Makes it easier to escape. The hospital defenses are pretty relaxed anyways. Which is strange, considering this place is filled with wounded ninja. A couple of slices and they’d all be dead. Which is not so great.
I leap out the window and land silently on the ground below, looking around for patrolling ANBU. They’re usually just guarding the hospital entrance, but you can never be too sure.
After checking for nearby chakra signatures, I make for the gravesite. It’s where all dead Kumo ninjas are remembered. And possibly buried.
The gravesite’s surrounded by an onset of tangled trees. It’s also tucked into a corner of the village. Luckily, it’s also quite close to the hospital. Y’know, for certain reasons.
There’s a bunch of slabs lined up, names carved onto the stones. Some of the old ones get removed and placed somewhere. The recent ones are right in the front.
I scan the memorial stone for my teammates’ names, and sure enough, they’re already carved onto the rock. I lightly brush my fingers against the stone.
The urge to pick up a stone and cross their names out is tempting. Their names feel so wrong on the memorial stone, like they don’t belong there. Like they shouldn’t be there.
Clenching my fist, I punch the rock their names are carved on.
A dull pain explodes in my fist the moment it makes contact with the tombstone.
It’s not a sign of disrespect for my teammates. At least, I hope they think so up in whatever heaven there may be.
They weren’t killed like noble ninja dying in combat to save their village from enemies. Not at all.
Nothing is ever what it seems.
My chest hurts from my t* heartbeat.
My chest hurts from the pressure, while I hurt from the binding su*ion I have on the Raikage.
---
The next morning, I get up at approximately four in the morning to look for answers. I won’t find anything if I sit around here and cry my eyes out. Even though that’s exactly what I did yesterday.
I Body Flicker to the Raikage’s office, rushing past some other people who like getting up early in the morning. I’m intent on picking up a mission immediately. The people managing the missions don’t even look surprised at my presence at four in the morning, which is great for me.
As I look through some C-rank mission scrolls, the Raikage begins to speak. “Kyoma. Maybe it’s not a good idea if you take a mission now.” I can hear how tense he is in his voice. Does he expect any sort of weakness from me?
If so, he’s not gonna get it. Not unless he drags me somewhere for interrogation suddenly.
I drop the C-rank mission scroll I’m reading and pick up an A-rank mission scroll. It’s not like I actually want to take an A-rank mission, but it’s a vague threat against the Raikage.
“It’s now or never, Lord Raikage. Like you said, now is not the time to cry.” Ironically, I feel like crying right then.
“We took care of the Konoha ninja that killed your teammates. Don’t go thinking about revenge. Konoha’s a huge nation.” That line doesn’t stop me either, but I set the A-rank mission scroll down after glancing at the Raikage’s face.
I’m not sure if I should call his expression threatening or panicked.
In the end, I take a C-rank mission. It's a bit of a stretch doing it alone, but I don't plan on the mission protocol completely. And besides, the mission is exactly where I want it.