the storm bringer | ✓

Chapter Twenty-Five ~ Fake Truths

This chapter is dedicated to the lovely PaciFicAMV for creating the beautiful drawing of Winter above. Go check her out!

~Chapter Twenty-Five~

The group stayed camped on the second mountain for the rest of the day, most too shaken up to even think about their mission. Winter had slipped the metal headband that rested around her arm to her pocket, not wanting to deal with Misaki's reaction when she saw it. She stumbled down the mountain with the others, dark bags slowly forming underneath her eyes. Luckily for them the third mountain; San no Heiw, the Mountain of Peace.

It was a nice change, the mountainside filled with soft and lush green grass. There were a few aspen trees and some wild flowers that dotted the landscape, the place having an instant effect on calming their catastrophic minds.

Winter walked ahead of everyone, taking long strides to distance herself as she let her emotionless facade crack. Her eyes shone with distress and sadness as she hiked up the mountain, her swords now slung on her back in an X formation.

Her black hair had come undone from its ponytail and hug down to past her hips, swaying softly in the gentle breeze sweeping through the area. Licking her dry lips she came to a stop at the peak of the mountain looking at the next mountain in the distance. Even from here she could just barely see the gray streaks around it showing the on going downpour of rain.

Cracking her neck she started walking down ignoring the curious stares she could feel on her back. She could hear the fragments of a conversation between Naruto, Kakashi and Lady Misaki making her sick to her stomach.

"She barely acted like she was affected, believe it!"

"It is strange..."

"I bet she knew all along and just didn't bother to tell us. I told you she had crossed this mountain range before."

Her jaw clenched slightly and she suddenly whirls around, sick of hearing them talk about her. "You know what? Just, Shut. The. F***. Up." She hisses at them venomously, her eyes glinting. "You know nothing about me or my past, and you have no right to judge me."

The three blink in surprise, not having been expected to be called out. "I don't know what is going on with you blonde but I guess that I was right, friends bring nothing but trouble." Naruto's ocean blue eyes flash with hurt before glazing over. "It's not like I ever wanted to be your friend anyway, I only felt bad for you believe it!" He snarls back making the other two Genin look at him in shock.

"Whatever, let's get this mission over with." Winter spits out and starts walking faster, her hair whipping in the wind. Her entire body was tense with pent up emotions she had suppressed for so long and she knew that it was only a matter of time before she lost it.

She was a ticking time bomb.

***

Gulps were heard as they stood at the base of the fourth mountain; Shi no Namida, the Mountain of Tears. Rain was pouring relentlessly down on the barren mountain, sharp rocks being seen all around. Winter stalked into the rain without a care in the world, the rain bending around her leaving a dry spot for her and her alone to walk in.

Sakura went in next, the rain bending around her as well making the pinkette let out a sigh of relief. Sasuke followed her with his hands stuffed in his pocket, the rain making way for him too. Feeling confident Lady Misaki walked in only to get drenched in freezing rain. She gasped and wrapped her arms around her stomach as the rain pounded relentless down on her.

Kakashi frowns and walks in, receiving the same treatment making his gravity defying hair droop a little. Naruto was last to walk in and his teeth started chattering immediately as the icy rain hit him. The three stared at the others who weren't affected by the rain and frowned in sync.

"Winter do something about the rain." Kakashi snapped, his patience wearing thin as he clothes got soaked. "Can't, sorry." She shot back walking faster, "This isn't normal rain, it reflects your sorrows in life and your recent actions. If it judges you and finds that the light in your heart outshines the darkness it casts away the rain. If it feels as thought you are succumbing to darkness or are already engulfed in darkness it will let the rain pour down on you in hopes of washing the horrors away."

It's dead silent afterwards, the words hitting the three covered in water hard. Winter continues on walking as if she hadn't just said something that would change their lives, her voice ringing out through the roar of the rain.

"It is true that darkness is needed for stars to shine. And yet light is what creates the shadows who destroy us first."