In Their Shadow

Chapter 50

The sound of running water permeated the restroom. Steam began to form on the mirror as the temperature raised. A boy covered in soot, blood, and dirt stood beneath the shower head; his body trembling. As the blood being carried away by the water streaming down his body stained the bath red, he cried.

Inari cried, as the image of the little girl and mother being crushed to death became all he could think of.

He began scratching at his skin. First slowly, then frantically.

"Dirty...I'm dirty...so...so dirty..." He mumbled to himself, his mind devolving into a mild panic as he began to relive...

The dead bodies.

The screams.

Those fucking screams.

He couldn't get them out of his head.

And worst of all...

He was one of the people responsible.

"Mom...Dad...I-I can't do this..."

He fell to his knees, unable to stop trembling as he continued scratching at his hair.

Dirt that had been clinging to his body for who knows how many weeks, began to wash off him, reminding him that both his body and soul...

Were now stained.

*Knock. Knock.*

"Hey kid, how long are ya gonna be in there? We gotta get going." The voice of Hidan sounded out from outside the restroom door.

Inari's body stilled, a surge of fear overtaking his body.

"J-Just a minute!" Inari hastily called out, turning the shower off.

"Just hurry up! We have a new assignment!" Hidan called out, annoyed.

Inari stopped, his hand mere inches from the curtain.

"...W-We do?" Inari asked, fearful of what that meant.

Of the carnage he may have to bear witness to again.

"Yeah. Apparently another Jinchuriki has been spotted. It'll take us weeks to get there. So hurry up! Lord Jashin demands more sacrifices!"

Inari waited a minute, making sure he heard the man walk away, before collapsing to the restroom floor.

"...G-Get up..." He said to himself, tears pooling beneath his eyes.

"...T-The leaf killed them...Stop being a baby...I-Its your responsibility to avenge them...Y-You n-n-n..."

...

...

Twenty minutes later, the door to the restroom opened, steam pouring out.

The glass mirror was shattered and bloody.

Inari stepped out, his knuckles torn and bruised. Being mentally exhausted, he was unable to see Kisame waiting for him outside the hallway, and bumped into him.