The tension in the Hokage's office was suffocating. The normally warm, welcoming room felt like a battlefield, with Hiruzen Sarutobi glaring across his desk at Nyx and Itachi. His hand rested firmly on the table, shaking slightly, a sign of the weight of his decision. Outside, Konoha remained oblivious to the conversation that would alter its fate, but inside, all three shinobi knew that things could never return to how they were.
Nyx stood there as calm as ever, her piercing blue eyes locked on Hiruzen. She showed no sign of fear or regret—only cold, measured understanding. The thin layer of frost beneath her feet reflected her inner state, quietly betraying the storm of thoughts swirling beneath her composed exterior. The air itself had grown slightly colder since she entered the room, but Hiruzen wasn't focused on that.
Itachi stood beside her, equally silent, his dark eyes fixed on the Hokage, though his fists were clenched at his sides. He had expected resistance, but this...this felt like an inevitable clash of ideals. They had done what they thought was right, and now they were about to pay the price.
Hiruzen's voice finally broke the silence, cold and cutting. "You acted outside the village's authority. You executed a mission without my express permission, and the consequences of your actions have left Konoha teetering on the edge of chaos."
Nyx, unflinching, met his gaze. "We did what needed to be done. Danzo was a threat to the Uchiha and to the village itself. You knew this."
Hiruzen's fist slammed against the table, shaking the room with the weight of his anger. "That doesn't matter now! The village is divided because of this. The council is in an uproar. Danzo may have been a danger, but you didn't follow orders. You defied the chain of command."
Itachi, normally composed, finally spoke up, his voice filled with a quiet urgency. "Hokage-sama, you must know that if we hadn't acted, Danzo would've caused even greater harm. The massacre would have been inevitable."
Hiruzen's expression softened for a moment, his shoulders sagging under the weight of leadership. Deep down, he had known what Danzo was capable of, and in his heart, he had hoped Itachi and Nyx would act. But the reality of the aftermath—the political fallout, the growing unrest—was now something he had to confront. And as Hokage, he needed someone to take responsibility.
"I do know," Hiruzen said slowly, looking between the two. "But the consequences of your actions can't be ignored. There must be accountability."
Itachi opened his mouth to speak again, but Nyx stepped forward, silencing him with a gentle, raised hand. Her movements were controlled, and though she didn't speak, her gesture told Itachi all he needed to know. This was her burden to carry.
The Hokage's eyes narrowed as he shifted his focus fully to Nyx. "Nyx Hyōketsu... as a result of your actions, you have forced the village into a precarious position. You acted without orders, without permission, and now... the council demands justice."
Nyx's icy blue eyes never wavered. She knew this was coming. Her role in Danzo's death was undeniable, and she had anticipated the cost. This was the path she had chosen the moment she decided to strike.
"You are hereby banished from Konoha," Hiruzen said, his voice tinged with regret despite his anger. "You will leave by nightfall, or you will be considered a rogue ninja."
Itachi's eyes widened in shock. "No, Hokage-sama, this isn't right—!"
Nyx raised her hand again, this time laying it on Itachi's arm. The touch was brief but firm. Her cold touch caused a thin frost to form on his sleeve, but she didn't seem to notice. It was her way of telling him to let this go, to accept it.
"Itachi, this is how it must be," she said quietly, her voice like a winter breeze—soft but chilling. "You have a place here, a purpose. I don't."
The Hokage looked down, his face a mixture of anger and sorrow. This wasn't the outcome he had wanted, but the council had forced his hand. Nyx had become the scapegoat to maintain Konoha's fragile stability.
With a final, cold glance, Nyx turned and walked out of the room. Itachi followed her, his heart heavy with unspoken words.
Later, as dusk settled over the village, Nyx stood at the edge of Konoha. The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows over the land. It was here that Rina found her, sprinting down the dirt path to catch up. The child's face was streaked with tears, her breathing ragged from running.
"Nyx!" Rina shouted, her voice cracking. She skidded to a stop beside her, clutching at her sleeve with small, trembling hands. "You're leaving, aren't you?"
Nyx turned to face her, her expression softening only slightly. "Yes, Rina. I can't stay here any longer."
Rina's face crumpled, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. "But... why? Why do you have to go? You said you'd protect me!"
"I have protected you," Nyx replied quietly. She knelt down so she could look Rina in the eyes. "But Konoha is where you belong now. You'll be safe here."
Rina shook her head violently, refusing to accept the words. "No! I don't want to stay here without you! I need you, Nyx!"
Nyx sighed softly. The frost beneath her feet glimmered in the fading light, reflecting her own internal conflict. She didn't want to leave Rina behind, but this was the safest place for her.
She reached up, pulling her white scarf from around her neck. The fabric was soft and cool to the touch, infused with the very essence of her ice. Nyx wrapped the scarf around Rina's small shoulders, her hands lingering for just a moment.
"Take this," Nyx said, her voice still calm, though there was a faint tremor of emotion beneath her icy exterior. "This scarf will keep you safe. It's a reminder of everything we've been through together."
Rina's hands clutched the scarf tightly, her eyes wide and wet with tears. "But... I don't want just the scarf. I want you to stay with me!"
Nyx gazed at her, feeling a pang of guilt. "I can't stay, Rina. But you'll be fine here. You're stronger than you know."
Rina sniffled, holding the scarf close. "Will I ever see you again?"
Nyx didn't answer right away. She wasn't sure what her future held. "I don't know," she finally admitted. "But as long as you have this scarf, a part of me will always be with you."
The child looked down at the scarf, then back at Nyx, her tears slowing as she nodded. "I'll... I'll wear it forever."
Nyx stood, brushing a hand lightly over Rina's hair. "Good. One day, I might return to see if you had really been wearing it."
"That means you'll return one day, right?" Rina asked with hopeful eyes.
"We'll meet again."
Without another word, Nyx turned away, her footsteps leaving a thin trail of frost on the ground. She didn't look back, knowing that if she did, it would only make leaving harder.
As Nyx passed through the village gates, the reality of her banishment settled over her like a heavy cloak. She was leaving Konoha behind, perhaps forever. But in doing so, she had given Rina something to hold onto—a symbol of their bond and the strength they had found together.
Rina, standing in the distance with Nyx's white scarf wrapped snugly around her, watched as her mentor disappeared into the night. Though her heart ached with the loss, the scarf's cool embrace gave her a sense of comfort, a reminder that she wasn't alone. Nyx's strength, her resolve, and her icy calm would live on in her, no matter how far apart they were.
I'll become stronger for you, Nyx!