"Orimaru! What are you doing?!" The one behind seemed shocked by his companion's actions, his eyes flickering between the dead man on the floor and his fellow Uchiha.
"Shut it Takaho, there can't be any witnesses. Do you know what will happen if word gets to the Hokage about the coup?" Unfortunately Ayame chose that inopportune moment to walk back into the room, a tray of tea balanced in one hand. Time seemed to slow as she took in the scene in front of her; two men standing over Naruto, kunai poised to strike; her father on the floor, blood still spilling from his throat as his empty eyes stared at her.
Her scream carried out into the night only to cut off a moment later as three kunai found their way into her stomach. She could only stare down at the growing red patch forming on her usually pristine apron, a quizzical expression on her face as if she couldn't quite believe what was happening. It only lasted a moment before she fell to the floor, first to her knees then, with a dulled thump, onto her side.
Silence once again fell on the small room as Naruto stared in shock and horror at where his surrogate sister lay on the floor, unmoving and pale. The Uchiha's arm was still outstretched from throwing the kunai and his friend was looking at him in even more shock. Then, as if a silent command had been given, everybody moved. Naruto scrabbled to his feet at the same moment the lead Uchiha lurched forward to grab him. The small blonde just avoided his grip, sliding across the floor to where Ayame had fallen.
"Ayame-neechan! Please Ayame-neechan!" He tugged fruitlessly at her clothes, willing her with all his might to wake up, to turn over and show that she was okay, that she was still alive. Suddenly rough hands grabbed him by the collar, yanking him around to face Sharingan eyes once again. The black tomoe framed by fields of red spun slowly at first before picking up speed. Soon they were a blur, as hypnotising as they were frightening.
Naruto suddenly felt incredibly drowsy, like a huge portion of energy had been ripped from his body. He couldn't explain it; it was like a battery had been pulled out of him leaving him cold and tired. Out of slowly closing eyes he caught sight of his hands, coloured red by Ayame's blood and suddenly something new welled up in his chest. Anger, a blind, roaring fury that he had never felt before. Fury at these people for taking those people precious to him, rage at the world that could be so cruel to him and most of all anger at himself, at his own inability to protect the people that meant more to him than his own life.
"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Pain, sudden blinding pain welled up behind his eyes like somebody had lit them on fire. Suddenly he wasn't tired; he had more energy than ever. Everything seemed to slide into perfect focus, colours coming alive like they never had before. Then a pressure seemed to build up inside of him, welling up and begging to be released. Everything flashed for a brief moment in perfect clarity, time frozen as if captured by a picture then... nothing.
Naruto woke up with a groan; he wasn't sure how long it had been but he definitely wasn't in the hospital of his apartment so it couldn't have been long. In fact when Naruto looked up he could see the night sky; the moon stared back at him blankly. He lifted his head wearily, surprised to find himself in what looked like a large crater in the ground. He didn't want to be here to explain what happened when ninja arrived so he quickly staggered to his feet.
His vision swam for a moment but in a way he was unused to; everything seemed more vivid than it used to, colours were brighter and far more visible than they should be this late at night. What's more a strange glow seemed to permeate the area, as if everything was emitting a strange ethereal light. Confused and disoriented he quickly clambered out of the crater, his hands finding purchase on the recently disturbed earth with surprising ease.
After a few moments of aimless wandering down the road he finally stopped, falling to his knees. He never even noticed when he passed right out the gates; the Chuunin guards strangely absent from their post. He just stared at the ground for a moment, the hard paving stones feeling rough and uncomfortable underneath his knees, not that he particularly cared. First one, then two small drops of liquid pattered onto the ground, staining it a slightly darker colour.
He stayed there for a while, just crying to himself silently as the full force of what happened hit him. At some point the skies above him opened and the rain began to pour, lightly at first but with increasing intensity. It was as if the heavens themselves shared in his lament. The only family he had ever known, the only people he had ever known to truly love and care for him were gone; killed in front of him.
Not only that, but he had killed. There was no mistaking the sight of the two mangled corpses next to the large crater; the police-force symbol emblazoned on ragged strips of cloth. It didn't matter that he had no idea how he did it, he just knew he did. One moment there was a surge of power behind his eyes, the next he was waking up in a nightmarish scene. He hadn't even seen Ayame or Teuchi's bodies and he wasn't sure he wanted to after seeing the state the two Uchiha were in.
After what seemed like an eternity of just kneeling there in the rain Naruto pulled himself back onto two shaking legs. He couldn't go back, not now, not after he had killed two Shinobi of the leaf. He may have been called naïve and sometimes even stupid but he knew the punishment for murder. With a choked sob he nearly fell back to his knees. He was a murderer; what would his Jiji think of him now? What would Ayame or Teuchi think; they were the kindest most caring people he had ever known.
What would it be like for the Hokage to have to sign his death warrant?
He shook his head viciously, he wouldn't let that happen; he would just go away, far away where he couldn't hurt anybody anymore and nobody could hurt him. His mind made up, if not still slightly shaken, Naruto took first one hesitant step before breaking out into a run. He didn't know where he was going and at that moment he didn't particularly care, just that it was away from Konoha, away from what used to be his home.
Chiriku was having a strange day; that much was certain when his teacup had unexpectedly cracked, staining his robes. After that one of the clocks on the walls had fallen off as he passed and he had found a dead bird on his windowsill. He had never been a particularly superstitious man despite being a monk, he had seen far too much in his time in the Twelve Guardian Ninja for any of that nonsense. Even so it was fairly hard to ignore all the strange omens he was receiving.