Chapter 6: Confrontation

Natsumi focused on what Tsunade had ordered of her, apparently she was going to work with the Eight Tails Jinchuriki in order to learn to control the Nine-Tails. And she wasn't the only one, even the other Jinchuriki were going to be there. Somehow, despite having been extracted, half of the Tailed Beasts remained with their hosts. This would allow them to connect with one another and prepare for the battle ahead.

She had taken her training their seriously and upon finishing she came back, despite everyone arguing the fact. At this point the amount of power she commanded was only rivaled by the more refined skill of Bee…and he was in total agreement as her. The truth however is that the vision had haunted her day and night…she needed answers now! And her mother and father, who they both had been there to help her deal with the Nine-Tails, had encouraged her to find answers as it was their beloved son and her brother who had been cut down.

Now she, alongside her friends were headed for their place atop the Hokage monument, little did they know that she had prepared a trap. Bombs and traps were set to restrain them until she could get proper answers.

Sure enough when they got up there…

BOOM!

"Run! We're under attack!" Sakura had actually thrown her to safety, she hit the ground and looked on with abject horror as they were all restrained…sometimes painfully, such as in Hinata and Sai's cases…by the traps that sprang to life. When the deed had been done not even Sakura's enhanced strength could break out as the seals and materials used were chakra draining. When everyone looked at her they saw the horrified look shift to one of a cold-blooded killer.

[Pain's Theme]

"Now that I have your attention…" she said coldly. Her friends looked up to see absolute shock and horror on their faces.

"Natsumi what the hell is going on!?" barked Kiba. The others were with the same mindset.

"Oh don't worry you'll be released…if you answer properly," Natsumi said, her eyes were crimson and slitted.

"Those eyes…" Sakura uttered in shock, "You're a Jinchuriki?" The others' eyes widened in further shock, before looking at their captor.

"Indeed I am, I held half of the Nine-Tails…just like my brother…who you murdered!" she snarled, to hear such an accusation from their friend…the sister of their hero…it was heart breaking.

"Y-you think we could kill Naruto?" asked Ino, her face showing her disbelief.

"I am the one asking questions, now…the Nine-Tails is now fully powered within me, and he showed me the memory of his other half from Naruto. It showed all of you, beating Naruto down within an inch of his life, before telling him ya'll were going to use me…then you cut off his head!" she roared, her fangs were now elongated, her nails now claws. She looks like a beautiful, yet frightening demoness, and they couldn't help but be afraid.

"How dare you!" screamed Hinata, this actually caught Natsumi off guard. She had watched Hinata change, just like herself, but now she was showing her own rage.

"How dare you accuse us…ME, of harming the one man I ever loved!" Hinata continued to scream, "I would NEVER lay a hand on him to harm him! I fought and nearly died to protect him from Pain! Why would I ever put myself in his way if I didn't love your brother?!"

"Then how did you explain what I saw!" Natsumi roared back, "I watched as you all beat him, crushed his soul, and deprived it of all hope! It was YOU who shoved your palm into his chest and destroyed his heart after calling him a demon!"

"NATUSMI!" roared the great beast from within her mind. Her eyes glazed over as she was pulled into her mindscape. The others wondered what exactly had happened to her…that is except for Sakura.

"She was pulled into her mind by the fox," she told them, they all looked at her confused, "I've seen it when…Naruto used to before he died."

"Why would she believe we killed her brother anyway?" asked Chouji, "It makes no sense…"

"I don't know, but she was beyond angry, whatever happened while she was gone…she truly believes we did it," Shikamaru answered.

"But what could have possibly…you don't think it has to do with the Nine-Tails do you?" Tenten asked.

"She did say that she was shown a memory," Neji mentioned, "Perhaps there was a nightmare?"

"No…she's had plenty of those, she never grew vengeful from them," Ino said, "I've helped her to deal with the stress."

[Inside Natsumi's Mind]

Natsumi was now enraged, the fox had stopped her from getting justice, after two years she was on the verge. Now the stupid fox was in the way.

"Dammit Kurama why did you stop me!?" she screamed, the fox snarled at the human.

"Watch how you speak to me human!" he roared, "Or I'll rip my way out of this seal! I pulled you in here because they are telling the truth. Particularly the princess, I can read negative emotions and when one lies, and they are innocent."

"Then explain what you showed me!" she screamed, "How can what I saw NOT be them!?"

"I don't know! While it was their chakra signatures…their minds were not active, like they were under a genjutsu…" Kurama answered her.

"A genjutsu…why didn't you say so earlier!?" she screamed.

"I would have had I known you would not be able to control yourself, you were on the verge of killing them!" he roared back, his tails swishing around angrily.

"What are you getting at? Danzo controlled them somehow?" Natsumi asked, the great fox shook his head.

"No…even he was not in his right mind…an outside source was effecting him…" he answered, "I'm saying that at the very least they do not know they did it, therefore are not responsible. Hinata was right, they would never hurt their friend…not intentionally."

Natsumi let out a gentle sigh before looking at the fox, "You better be right…"

As she vanished Kurama was deep in thought, "I have not seen this power since that blasted Ranger was possessed by the Elf Lord…and since then it was a power similar to his, yet greatly increased due to something…Madara Uchiha had a mind-penetrating power so similar to Master it was discomforting…probably why I hate the Uchiha so much. If only Master had not been destroyed by that infernal Hobbit!"

[Reality]

It was then that Natsumi came out of her mindscape and let out a slow sigh. Her eyes reopened to show they had returned to their cerulean blue. Everyone watched with baited breath as she thought about what was to be done. It was at this moment that she knew she would have to lie for the sake of her friends, otherwise they would be broken beyond repair.

With a flick of a few kunai the traps were all undone.

"I don't know how…but the Nine-Tails said it wasn't you," Natsumi told them, "He apparently can read negative emotions and lies, and you had neither."

"Damn straight it wasn't us!" Kiba barked, however he was stopped by Hinata…when everyone looked at her, it was like how she used to be, the kind and gentle Princess. She walked up to Natsumi and grabbed her in a hug.

"We will find out who truly killed Naruto-kun, and like your brother, I never go back on my word," she assured her, "THAT about me shall never change."

Natsumi, with tears in her eyes, nodded as she grabbed her friend into a hug and sobbed.