Damn, I really need to keep on top of updating this!! Even though like nobody reads it... But still.. And as for you guys who read my SasoSaku story too, that'll be updated by the end of this coming week. So figure July 27th or so.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any characters therein; Masashi Kishimoto does.
Dusk and Daybreak
Chapter 10: Fragile Bonds
When Yugito woke up, she couldn't recall any of the events once the seal had been released. The last she could remember was doubling over near the playground, and after that, only a very bad, dark and sinister feeling.
"Otousama, what..what happened? How did I get back home?.. The.. the demon didn't get out, did it?..." Yugito said panicking, trying to get out of her bed.
Her father gently pushed her back down, not wanting her to get injured any more, or irritate her burns. "Yugito, lie down. Nothing happened for you to worry about and-"
He stopped abruptly at a loud pounding noise coming from somewhere at the front of the house. "Yugito, just stay here, you shouldn't be up with burns like that. I'll be right back, and I'll send your mother in." Akio quickly got up and left the room.
"…So I'm glad that the mission was a waste of time. People with black coats or something, heh. But I hope we get another mission like this soon…" Mai just blushed and giggled stupidly as Eiji held her chin and tilted her face upwards, passionately kissing her.
"Damn, they should get a room, don't you think Isamu-san?" Taiki pretended to vomit.
"Whatever, just keep walking toward the village and leave those two alone, and everything'll be fine." Isamu stared straight ahead indifferently.
Finally Eiji and Mai separated, and her hand quickly went up to her hair to rearrange the rare white flower Eiji had picked for her on their trip, as it started to fall. The two walked hand in hand after their teammates to the village gates.
"Where is everyone?" Taiki randomly said as they walked back into the village. Looking around, Mai was surprised to see that the village seemed nearly deserted. "I don't know… You don't think they were attacked?" Mai panicked. "Well, the village isn't destroyed, but it's possible." Mai bolted towards her house in a panic, hoping her family hadn't been killed or taken hostage.
"Mai, wait!!..." Eiji called after her, before glancing at Taiki and following after her.
As she approached the Hoshikori estate, Mai slowed to a stop. "Well… there're all of the townspeople…. But, what's going on?.." There before her were at least three-quarters of the village residents. Some were just standing back watching the spectacle, but a good portion of the people were screaming profanities and pounding on the front gates to her family's property.
Mai walked over to one of the bystanders, pulling her ANBU mask over her face. "Um, sir, what exactly is going on here?"
"Oh, ANBU! Good, about time you got here… that mob is goin crazy, I guess the Raikage sent you to help settle em down and break down that gate."
Mai went along with the man's assumption, "Yeah, the Raikage sent us when he heard there was some sort of disturbance. He asked that we find out first what's wrong, and then go settle down the mob."
"Well, one of those damned self-righteous little Hoshikoris killed two kids. I always knew that clans were a bad thing- no wonder why Hidden Mist went and got rid of em all, look what they do!! They're tryin to friggen take over and kill us all and take over the village for themselves!!"
Mai looked over at the mob, shocked. "Um, thanks sir, I'll get right on it.." She said, hr voice shaking as she ran off towards the mob. Nobody in her family would kill anyone, not unless they were on a mission and being attacked, like any other shinobi would. And taking over the village, that was crazy…
"Hey, give us the damned bitch and we'll let you be!!" "Screw that, down with the Hoshikori clan!! If one of them does this, they all will!!" "That girl has that demon in her!! They're going to kill us all just like those poor boys!!" "Give us the fucking girl or we'll burn down every last inch of your property, and you assholes included!!!!" "Shoulda killed that damned demon bitch when we had the chance!! All those jinchuuriki are the same, they'll kill all our children!!!"
Mai tried to shove her way through the crowd, but they were so tightly packed it was impossible, as the mob pulsed forwards waving kunai in the air, a few carrying lit sticks that reminded Mai of the torch carrying mobs in stories. A few of the Raikage's personal advisors moved through the crowd as well, screaming about the clan's plans to overthrow and enslave the village, only provoking the mob even more. His plans to destroy his old rival's life seemed to have come to perfect fruition, as he watched from the window of his office.
As Mai bolted back through the crowd to catch her breath, she stumbled into Eiji and Taiki. "What the hell is going on?" Eiji said concerned, holding her in his arms and pulling her mask off, staring worriedly into her eyes.
"I..I don't know…" she stuttered. "But they, that mob, they're threatening to kill my family, they said Yugito-chan did something.. Don't you hear them?!" Eiji grasped her shoulders for a moment looking over Mai's head at the mob before them, before brushing past her, "I'm going to find out exactly what the problem is, instead of all this confusion."
"No, wait, Eiji-san!!" Mai started to run after him, but Taiki held her back. "Mai, shut up! Let's go, there's a back way into your property, right? You don't want that mob seeing that you're here, let them focus on the gate.." He led her quickly away, barely getting a glance from the bystanders, Mai's yelling having gone unheard over the mob's din.
"Do you think Eiji-san will be okay?... Some people might know we're engaged.." "He'll be fine Mai-san. Don't panic. He'll be here in no time. Just be quiet… and are we near the entrance yet?.." "…Almost, the entrance is in the basement of the hall of records… And I am being quiet Taiki-san, I just can't help but worry though. And what if this entrance is being watched too?" Mai glanced around nervously before pulling Taiki along after her around the corner.
"Mai, wait!!" She stopped and turned, hearing Eiji's voice. "Oh my God, he's okay!" She dropped Taiki's hand, running back to the corner and into Eiji's arms. "Mai, I wasn't sure if I would find you two alive. Supposedly, your sister went to a playground yesterday, and attacked and killed two 5 year old boys…" Mai looked up at Eiji as his voice changed from worry to a more serious tone that she almost mistook for anger.
"Well, Eiji-san, I mean, I'm sure that didn't-"
He waved his hand dismissively. "It seems the Raikage has documentation that she was ordered to do so by your father. That your entire family is guilty of treason. If you were gonna pull this shit Mai-san, I would've thought you would at least trust your fiancé with all this- but no, I guess you were planning on having me killed or something too, when you took over the village as though you were God or something, huh? Killing defenseless kids isn't right no matter what!"
"What?! You can't really believe this!! You know me, know my family, we would never…! And why would the Raikage say those things?..." Mai stared at him in disbelief as the panicked tears she'd been holding in since arriving home let loose and cascaded down her face.
"I know what your sister is, and the Raikage wouldn't lie!! He'd have no reason to! I can't believe I thought you loved me Mai..! I mean, damn, I never thought I could be so stupid! But enough, I'm going to end this little charade, this is bullshit, and I don't like being played around with like some freakin' doll or something!" Eiji pulled Mai's racking body closer to him, as she collapsed to her knees in anguish. "I really love you Eiji, why won't you believe me?! Why is this happening?!" He pulled her shaking body back up, brandishing a kunai with lightning speed, and plunged it towards her back.
"No, Mai-san!! What the hell?!" Taiki ran towards the couple, trying to perform handseals and stop Eiji's kunai. But he wasn't fast enough to stop it, and just barely reached Mai, as the kunai slammed into his back, leaving only a slight gash along hers as he pushed her desperately to the ground.
"You bitch!!" Eiji screamed, quickly pulling the kunai from his best friend's back as he hurriedly sent chakra to his hands for medical ninjutsu. "You freakin' bitch, now look what happened!! I hate you!!" He reached for her with one hand, but Mai quickly backed away and stood, taking off running.
"Hurry Mai-san!!" Taiki called after her weakly. "Please hurry, and don't die… Eiji may be twisted by their lies, but I know you, and I'll always love you…" Mai didn't hear him though as she took off into the hall of records and the underground entrance way to her estate, Taiki meanwhile shoving Eiji's hand off of him and using what little strength he had to use a lightning jutsu on his 'friend' so that Mai wouldn't be followed.
Mai quickly crawled out of the trapdoor, slamming it shut and rushing out of the family temple.
"Otousama, Okaasama!!" she screamed as she ran towards the house. She was worried when there wasn't any reply, but as she burst through the door, she saw her mother frantically packing suitcases, while her two younger brothers and her youngest sister stood around terrified. Her father had been standing near the door, and turned, five senbon ready in his hand, but lowered his defenses quickly as he saw it was his daughter.
"Mai, what are you doing here?! Weren't you on a mission? You shouldn't have come here, didn't you see what's happened?!" Her father grasped her shoulders, in a mix of relief at seeing her alive, and panic for her now being stuck inside with the rest of the family.
"I..I saw the mob when I got back. We got back early, there weren't any people around the borders with long black coats… But, I had to make sure everyone was okay when I saw the mob! Everyone thinks that we're going to kill them or something!" As if to emphasize Mai's panic, a loud cracking was suddenly heard, which Mai and her father both realized must be the front gate buckling under the mob's efforts.
Akio let go of his daughter, a dejected look on his face. "It's the damned Raikage, I know it. This is his sick way of getting revenge after all these years… Mai, listen to me, that gate isn't going to hold out long, you and I both know it!... I'm going out there, to try to talk some reason into these people, explain that the Raikage is lying. I'll come around from the back, you'll have time to get away."
"What?!" Mai's mother panicked, running over to her husband and grasping onto him. "You can't just leave us and go out into that mob! Akio, don't you dare-!"
"Midori, Mai is the heir to this clan. She might as well become head of it now, rather than later, what difference does it make?! Someone has to distract them while the rest of you get away. If I can get away, I'll meet you at the boat, but dammit Midori, I'm not going to let him win! I'm not going to let him destroy my entire family!!"
He grabbed Kikyo's hand, clasped her mother's around it, and shoved them towards the door, before turning to Mai. "Mai, I'm counting on you to make sure the family gets out of here, do you hear me?! Don't worry about me, just get everyone else out! Now go!"
"But-!" Mai's father was gone though before she could even argue, hurrying through the same underground passageway that had brought Mai to the house.
Mai stood there for a minute, not knowing what to do. Finally though she snapped out of it as she heard the gate cracking again. "Come on… We- we're going!.."
Mai slammed the suitcase shut in front of her mother, to her protests of it not being packed fully yet. "We don't have time!! Just go!" Mai hoisted the suitcase haphazardly under one arm, and grabbed Taikimaru's hand with the other, rushing out of the house towards the dock.
"Okaasama, get Kikyo and where's Yugito?! Leave everything else!" Her mother rushed back into the house, having forgotten about Yugito in the commotion, since usually she would be the first one out on any trip. Akeno led Kikyo towards the boat while their mother went back.
Mai threw the suitcase onto the boat, yelling to their captain to get the three young children onboard and then wait for her mother and sister to arrive, but not to wait any longer than necessary for herself. As the servant herded her brothers and sister onto their yacht, Mai thanked him quickly for his loyalty and ran off towards the house.
"Mai…" Yugito said weakly as she met her mother and sister halfway down the hill to the yacht. Mai couldn't believe how terrible her sister looked. "Mai," Yugito tried to smile, "where were you going? I can walk you know.. You didn't have to come and act like the big hero."
"I'm going back to the house. I'm going back to help Otousama."
Mai's mother tried to grab her, but since she was supporting Yugito as she walked, couldn't reach over in time as Mai ran off. "Get on the boat, I'll meet you there!" She called back to them over her shoulder. "Get on it or I won't come back!!" Mai didn't really know if she would come back, but as long as her mother and sister would go to the yacht and get away, it didn't matter to her. As her thoughts raced, they kept returning to the hate filled villagers- but most of all to the look on Eiji's face as he betrayed her trust and nearly ended her life.
Upon reaching the house, Mai saw that her mother and sister had left just in time. The gate now had a huge gaping hole in it, and was on fire. The mob was doing its best to push through, and a few of the villagers had already made it onto the property and were running into the house. Mai stared at them for a moment, pulling out three kunai, and balancing them carefully on her fingers as she went through a series of handseals.
A few of the crazed villagers, these ones ninja, stopped suddenly. "Hey, that's one of them, isn't it?" "Burn her along with the old man, then find the rest!"
Mai dreaded finding out exactly what they meant by their statements, but as the gate finally collapsed, eaten away by the fire, she saw exactly what they meant. There in front of the gate she could make out some people kicking a mangled looking body, while others poured some kind of liquid on it. Even someone who was retarded could have figured out that Mai's father had been killed by the mob, and that his body was being defiled.
Mai pumped chakra into her hands and focused as much light as she could, using Raiton: Mai no Hagane (Lighting Release: Brightness of the Sun). The ninja's hands flew to their eyes as they did their best not to scream in pain at their now permanent blindness.
"Mai, what the hell do you think you're doing?! You see, and then you had the guts to say everything wasn't a lie?!" Mai heard Eiji's voice, and saw him emerge from near the front of the crowd, a huge gash running down his arm and going ignored.
At that point, Mai didn't fear death, because everything she loved seemed to have been torn from her. Her father was dead, her love had deserted her and tried to kill her.. and God only knew what had happened to poor Taiki- the life she had known for 19 years was gone. If she could save her mother and siblings, she'd be thankful forever. But she would have to use that jutsu, the forbidden jutsu that only three people before her in the clan's history had ever even learned. 'If I die, at least I'll know they got away, and I took some of these people out with me. I have no choice!..'
Mai focused all of her rage and hatred onto one spot- Eiji- as she ran towards the crowd like a madwoman. A few of the people seemed taken aback by her sudden fit of craziness, and backed away, but most only flashed kunai or kitchen knives, a few even performing handseals for jutsus. Mai finished the handseals for her jutsu much more quickly though, suddenly stopping only a few feet before the mob, as she unleashed Raiton: Kujo, Ranpu Ichidou no Kokushibyou.
She could feel the chakra being ripped from her body as though somebody was tearing her skin off piece by piece with a burning hot razor, but ignored the pain as she focused the gamma rays onto the entire mob before her. Mai could see when the jutsu started to take effect, breaking down the cells of its victims. Yet one Kumo shinobi managed to send a powerful lightning jutsu at her as his cells were ripped apart. Mai fell to the ground, but refused to let herself lose focus, or pass out from her injury until she had stopped the mob.
When their screams died down, Mai released the jutsu, her head falling to the ground as she slipped in and out of consciousness. Determined not to die there though, Mai rolled herself onto her stomach, and dragged her exhausted, chakra-depleted body along the ground. Eventually she made it to the hill by the water, and with her last ounce of energy, pushed herself to sort of roll down it.
Luckily for Mai, her mother had refused to leave without her. Mai was taken onto the boat and put into one of the beds, her mother wondering how she had survived so long- and Mai the sole being in Kumogakure to know that she had murdered over half of the village.
If this chapter confused you, then good. I meant for it to be very chaotic, to kind of give the feeling that Mai and her family are feeling at this time in the story. And as for Eiji..well, tons of people can get very easily swayed by other's ideas, especially when it's a group that is saying something. Most people, sorry to say, act like sheep. Eiji just bought into the lies, because he's like most people out there.