Flames Of Recollection

Chapter 5

After walking for most of the day, Our group of ninja finally arrived at Akiya's village. What they saw left them utterly speechless.

As Akiya stepped into her village, she burst into tears and put her hand over her mouth slowly as shock and fear slowly crept into her mind. Ash and blood covered the ground. The buildings were almost completely decimated. The walls of the village were little more than crumbling ruins. Even the forest around the village was burnt and crumbling.

" What...Did i..." Akiya struggled to voice more than a few words as Sakura spoke forcefully with tears in her eyes.

" NO! Your not responsible for this! " Sakura ran to Akiya and held her gently as a soft voice echoed through the village.

" Well...not to be harsh...but she is responsible for this. " An elderly woman was walking towards them slowly. As she finished speaking, Akiya fell to her knees and burst into tears.

" Why... Why did i do this.." Akiya had her head against the ground as tears streamed down her face.

" I said you were responsible. Being responsible for something doesn't make it your fault little one. " The old woman sat down slowly as Akiya jumped to her feet.

" HOW IS THIS NOT MY FAULT?! " Akiya screamed before turning and running out of the village.

" Akiya wait! " Sakura called after Akiya but she didn't stop running. As Sakura's temper flared she turned back to the old woman. " Well that's just perfect! Here we are trying to be careful and gentle and you go and do the one thing we were trying to avoid! "

" It was an unavoidable evil. She would have found out either way. Better to hear it straight away and learn to deal with it than go about life feeling as if she should have prevented it. Besides i have not yet explained why it is not her fault." The old woman pulled a pipe out of her robe and lit the end with the candle she had been carrying.

" I don't care! I'm going after her! " Sakura turned to run after Akiya but the woman seized her arm. " No! Let her deal with this on her own. In her own time. "

Sakura forcefully pulled her arm out of the woman's grasp. " I cant! I love her! " Sakura quickly followed Akiya as Kakashi spoke.

" Explain to me. I will tell her myself. " Kakashi sat down slowly as the woman spoke.

" Firstly, My name is Kamura. Akiya is my granddaughter. Akiya's mother died giving birth to Akiya and her sister Kaliya. Her father was overcome with grief and took his own life. I raised those two girls since birth. Preparing them both for the hard life of a shinobi. When they were still young, A young woman came to our village with a vessel. She said that it contained Matatabi. She said that it was imperative that we seal Matatabi within one of our clan. At the time Akiya and Kaliya were only three years old. Our elders immediately convened to decide who would be the Jinchuriki. They however did not decide. The woman who brought us the vessel was dying. In her final moments, She sealed Matatabi inside Akiya saying that she could feel her chakra and that she was worthy of becoming the Jinchuriki. So we trained Akiya relentlessly. Over time however, Kaliya became jealous of her sisters power. She began to despise Akiya right up until the day before our villages destruction. On that day, Kaliya confronted Akiya. Saying that Akiya was always favoured. That Akiya wasn't worthy of being a Jinchuriki and that it was unfair that she wasn't herself considered for it. Kaliya attacked Akiya. For hours they fought but it wasn't until Kaliya wounded Akiya that her dormant power awoke. Matatabi awoke inside her and released its chakra. The resulting explosion completely decimated the village. The only survivors were myself, Akiya and Kaliya. Akiya left the village when she awoke that evening. By then Kaliya was already long gone. I have stayed here waiting for Kaliya and Akiya to return but to no avail. Until now. " As Kamura finished speaking, Kakashi was wide eyed with shock.

" I see... And to think it hurt her to know she caused this... When she finds out her sister is at fault.." Kakashi sighed softly.

" Indeed. However that young pink haired girl seems to care deeply for Akiya. Perhaps together they can unravel the guilt Akiya feels. " Kamura smoked her pipe calmly as Kakashi, Naruto and Hinata stood slowly.

" We must find her immed..." Before Kakashi could finish speaking, A huge explosion sounded from the nearby mountains.

As they all looked in the direction of the sound, A huge black dome dissipated slowly before erupting into blue flames.

Kamura dropped her pipe. " Matatabi... "

Kakashi quickly turned to Naruto and Hinata. " We need to move! NOW! " They both nodded and set off towards the explosion.

Meanwhile

" It wasn't your fault Akiya! Please calm down! I want to help you! " Sakura spoke as quickly as she could as another ball of black chakra flew past her.

" How?! HOW IS IT NOT MY FAULT?! " Akiya screamed before throwing another ball of chakra. " Just leave me alone! I'm too dangerous to be around! "

Tears streamed down Sakura's face as she did her best to reach Akiya. " That's not true! Your not dangerous! Your beautiful and gentle and kind and i love you with all my heart! I don't care what happened! Please just come home! "

Akiya screamed as blue flames encircled her. " I can't.. I'm sorry... " Akiya turned and ran on all fours towards the horizon as Sakura continued to chase her.

" Yes you can! You belong with us at the leaf village! You belong with me! Please Akiya. Please come home! I can't let you go like this! " Sakura tried her best but couldn't keep up with Akiya. As she stopped running and fell to her knees, A red blur streamed past her.

" N...Naruto? " Sakura looked on in shock as Naruto sped after Akiya. He was entirely covered in red chakra as he ran on all fours like an animal.

" Indeed. Naruto has tapped into his nine tails chakra to try and control Akiya. What happens when they clash however..." Kakashi sat next to Sakura and pulled a book out of his jacket.

" Will... Will they be ok? " Hinata spoke nervously as a tear rolled down her cheek.

" I hope so. " Kakashi said plainly.

" I cant lose her...I cant... I swear if Naruto hurts her..." Sakura was saying anything to avoid the thoughts of Akiya not coming home.

" Naruto wouldn't! He wouldn't! He isn't like that! " Hinata spoke shakily as she sat down next to Sakura.

Meanwhile

" Akiya stop! Sakura needs you! " Naruto had caught up with Akiya.

" I can't Naruto! I'm too dangerous to be around! " Akiya struggled as Naruto leapt forward and tackled her. " Let me go! I can't allow it to happen again. I can't put Sakura in danger! LET ME GO NARUTO! " Akiya put her foot against Naruto's chest and threw him off.

" And i can't let you leave her like this. It will destroy her and she doesn't deserve that. You think your dangerous? I have the nine tails in me. You have no idea how hard it was growing up in the village that the nine tails tried to destroy. Everyone looking at you like your scum. Everyone treating you like an abomination. Trying every day to prove you aren't a threat. I know what's its like to feel like that. You aren't dangerous Akiya. Your just misunderstood. Like i was. " Naruto looked at Akiya with fire and determination in his eyes as he spoke.

" I can't risk it Naruto. You don't understand. You didn't destroy your own village because you couldn't control the power. You didn't kill everyone you loved because it was too much. I have to live with that for the rest of my life Naruto. I can't put anyone else at risk ever again. I can't be around people anymore. I'm too dangerous. Now leave me alone. I'm not going back. I can't." Akiya again turned to run but this time Naruto blocked her path. " Move Naruto! "

Naruto shook his head slowly. " No. I wont let you leave. You aren't dangerous. "

Akiya screamed as the blue flames encircled her again and formed a blue chakra much like Naruto's red chakra. " Then i will make you move. You will not stop me from protecting Sakura. I will not allow her to be in danger because i can't control the power. Now get out of my way. "

Naruto again shook his head as he made the signs for a Jutsu. " Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu! " As the smoke cleared, Akiya saw nearly fifty Naruto's standing before her.

Akiya knelt slowly and dipped her arm into her shadow. " You wont stop me Naruto. Even with all your clones. "

As Akiya finished speaking she quickly pulled her arm out of her shadow and lashed it towards Naruto. A huge black line whipped towards Naruto. As the majority of the clones dodged, Naruto himself was hit by the dark line. As he hit the ground his clones disappeared. Before he could react, Akiya was running past him. As he moved to chase her, Naruto heard a thud and the sounds of Akiya struggling again.

" Please stop Akiya! PLEASE! " Sakura had tackled Akiya and was begging her to come home.

" I can't Sakura! I cant put you in danger! " Akiya had tears flowing down her cheeks as Sakura held her down.

" You aren't dangerous! It wasn't your fault! Kakashi told me everything the old woman told him! It wasn't your fault! " Sakura broke down into tears as Akiya slowly calmed down.

" How is it not my fault. Look at my village. " Akiya stopped struggling.

" You were in danger when you lost control. Your sister attacked you and provoked Matatabi to defend you. It wasn't your fault. Please come home and let me explain. Please.." Sakura sat up and let Akiya go as she spoke softly.

" M... My sister... I have a sister... Sakura what...who.. " Akiya was completely speechless.

" Her name is Kaliya. She left the village after Matatabi overwhelmed you. No one has seen her since. Please Akiya it really wasn't your fault. Please come home with me. I can't lose you. " Sakura pulled Akiya close and held her lovingly as she cried.

" Why would she do this...Why would she attack me?...Why? " Akiya broke down into tears as Kakashi put a hand on her shoulder.

" We will tell you everything but you must come home. You belong at Hidden Leaf village. " Kakashi spoke softly as Akiya pulled away from Sakura " But i... "

" Enough stupidity! You belong with us so stop saying your dangerous! You cant endanger anyone in the village any more than i do so quit it! " Naruto yelled loudly enough that it echoed through the air.

" N...Naruto.. " Sakura spoke softly with a look that told him to shut up.

" No Sakura. She needs to realise that she is just being an idiot. She needs to stop this stupidity and come home. It wasn't her fault so let go of the guilt and lets go home. I'm getting hungry. " Naruto crossed his arms as Hinata yelled at him.

" Naruto that's so insensitive! You shouldn't say things like that! " Hinata looked angry as she spoke but quickly calmed down when Akiya's voice broke the tension.

" Its ok Hinata. He's right. I belong with Sakura. I belong at the Hidden Leaf. I can't trust myself anymore but i will come home until i decide i want to leave. If i do leave i don't want anyone to stop me. i want them to understand why i have to leave and why i can't be there. But i want to explain it first. Lets go home. " Akiya stood up and walked past everyone coldly before everyone followed her.

There we have it another chapter!

I apologise for the long wait between chapters and updates for my stories. Work and life are very full on so ill be updating when i can make time.

As always i hope you enjoy reading.

Read and Review! ^_^