Falling into Black
I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!
The whizzing sound of yet another kunai knife hit his ears. He fell into a defensive position, released his chakra and began to spin. The dome of chakra that followed repelled the weapon with a satisfying 'clink'.
They had been at this for hours. This simple mission to the Village Hidden in the Clouds had taken a dramatic turn for the worst. Rogue ninja from this land had ambushed the small group almost as soon as they set foot out of the village boundaries.
The white-eyed male stopped his spin, but continued to whirl his head around in search of his female companion. He spotted her about 30 yards off, battling with three rogue nin at once. He would have rushed to help her if not for the fact that he was currently having problems with enemies of his own.
Damn it! This isn't working! he thought as he evaded the sharp edge of a sword. I need to finish this so we can get out of here!
He rushed forward, hands flooded with chakra and ready to strike. Ducking out of the way of another nin's weapon, he thrust his palm directly at the man's heart. The strike landed, killing the man instantly. Quickly dispatching the other four he had been dealing with, he whirled around to find his companion.
She seemed to be dealing fairly well on her own. She was now down to just one opponent and was clearly gaining the upper hand. He smiled; comforted that she was able to handle herself.
He used his sharp eyes to scan the area for more enemies. Not seeing any, he turned his attention back to his companion. He looked at her to see that she had finished off the last of her enemies and was now looking around for him. Their eyes met and he smiled at her. He seemed satisfied.
His satisfaction faded all too soon. A smoke bomb was thrown between them, creating a dark barrier of black smog. The young man called out the name of his companion, suddenly desperate to find her. Even his sharp eyes could not see through the thick barrier of dust and smoke.
As the smoke began to fade, his vision cleared and he could see her not far from his position. He broke into a run. His breath began to become raspy and short due to the amount of residue being inhaled into his lungs. He could feel he was getting closer… So close he could almost touch her. Almost…
He stopped. No, was brought to a halt is a more appropriate term. He could no longer move his body. He seemed to be caught in an invisible trap. His limbs on longer were able to budge. He was absolutely and inescapably immobile.
Shouts could be heard throughout the area just beyond him. His companion was calling out to him. The desperation in her voice was almost tangible and cut him deeply, knowing he could not risk her safety by answering. Just as he was about to try and free himself, the sound of cynical laughter cut through the smog. A sound of a madman going in for one last act of defiance before being taken away by those who fear him.
The owner of the voice yelled in triumph, calling his victory up to the high heavens. As he yelled, he released another knife into the air, heading for his helpless victim. The young man, knowing he could not evade the attack, waited calmly, accepting death.
Something hit him, hard. The strings that had been holding him in place snapped, sending him sprawling out on the ground. His mind was foggy, but through the commotion in his head he could make out the sounds of soft material landing on dirt, metal weapons hitting the ground, and an unidentifiable squelching sound.
He sat up, the only real pain in his body coming from his back where he had landed on a rock after flying through the air. The smoke had finally cleared, allowing him to get a good look at the now horrific sight before him.
The man who had been laughing not too long before, now lay lifeless on the ground with several kunai lodged in his throat and chest. Weapons that had missed their targets lay forgotten in the dirt and his companion was on the ground, unmoving, at his feet.
The young ninja panicked. Kneeling down, he brought her body into his arms, cradling her against his larger frame. Her breathing was shallow, clearly inhibited by the knife protruding from her chest. She had jumped in front of the weapon to save him. She had given up her life to protect the likes of him.
She opened her eyes and stared up at him. Her once fiery eyes were now empty and cold. Yet, she smiled up at him. That same warm, caring smile he had known virtually his whole life.
"Was I fast enough, nii-san?" she asked softly. Her tone was so weak and frail. He lost it. The tears he hadn't been allowed to shed for years now fell freely down his face.
"Why?" he asked, "Why did you do that? Why didn't you just let the knife hit me?"
She smiled again. "You and I both know that you are of far more worth to the ninja world than I am."
"Don't talk like that! What about your team? What about your father and sister?" He paused. "What about me?"
The girl slowly reached up and wiped the tears from his face.
"I realize that I never was able to fulfill all the promises I made. When you get home make sure all my friends and family know that I am deeply sorry that I couldn't live long enough to see them all through," she whispered.
"Don't talk like that!" he whispered urgently, "You're going to be fine. I'm going to get you home. We'll get you some medical treatment. I'm not going to let you die… not like this…"
The girl took in a shaky breath. "You always were the realist of the family. What happened to that side of you?"
"…"
"Nii-san," she began, quieter this time, "Live on for me. Live the life that I no longer can."
"No… Please… Don't leave me…" he begged.
"I love you, nii-san…" she whispered breathlessly. Her eyes closed and her chest stilled. The young man gasped. Fresh tears spilled from his eyes. He tightened his hold around her, pulling her still form close to his body. His shoulders shook and he threw his head back in an anguished wail.
"HINATA!"
Wow… what a night! It is now officially almost midnight and I just barley finished the first chapter. Yikes!
I got the idea for this while listening to the song "Lucy" by Skillet. It's a great song. If you ever get the chance, definitely look it up. It's really touching. The title of the fic itself is also derived from another Skillet song called "Falling in the Black". Yet another great song.
And as always, I do NOT have any connection to Naruto or Skillet. The title, songs, and characters all belong to them. So there!
PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER!