Kakashi Hatake lay motionless on his back. He was all alone, he remembered nothing and worse than that he saw nothing, even with both eyes wide open. There was just an endless sea of black and he was immersed in it.
An empty, hollow feeling crept inside of him. Was this a dream? A nightmare? He wasn't sure. They all seemed so similar to him. And his body felt so heavy, as if he was weighed down by the entire earth.
He didn't need to have both his eyes revealed to see that suddenly everything turned white, though he wasn't sure why. Like the suns first light over the horizon the shadows retreated beyond his sight and comprehension; there was just no sun or no horizon, not here. He wished he was able to activate his Sharingan, but it didn't seem to work in… whatever this place is. He still remained motionless. His arms and legs spread out in this blank slate. He gazed up with both eyes as he lay with only the color of white to be seen, though this new canvas did little to brighten his spirit.
Where did this start? A better question is when did it end? He couldn't even move his head to find out.
He exhaled a deep breath and it's echo was all to be heard in this place. He didn't know where he was, how he got there, or how.. if he could even get out.
Then he heard something strange. Not strange because it was so unheard of, but it seemed so very out of place with where he was now. But then again all sounds were.
He heard giggling.
A flash of darkness flew across his gaze, but he could not see what it was. He half expected for the darkness to return, permanently this time. His eyes darted around and he tried to move ,but he could not budge. Whatever it was it was fast. At least his heart was still beating, he could hear it pounding in his ears. But that sound was soon dulled by another.
"Come on Kakashi, your better than that" a woman's voice he didn't recognize told him playfully "Get up!" she commanded yet retained her playful manner.
"Huh?" he let out a groan confused. What was going on? Suddenly a pair of bright golden eyes were inches from his. The endless void of white was now shrouded in gold as they stared at each other, but said nothing.
But Kakashi finally spoke; he did not know this voice or it's golden eyes. He would have remembered something like this, but he appreciated the sight of this much more than the darkness before.
"How do you know my name?" he asked as he remained paralyzed looking up. At least he was able to open his mouth. The eyes backed up to reveal an alluring face and as far as he could see a body sitting with his head practically in her lap. She was dark skinned with purple hair and wearing an orange shirt with straps on her shoulders.
"Shouldn't I?" she asked confidently crossing her arms "A lot of people know your name."
Kakashi faltered. This was true even if he'd never met her before. So he decided to move on in the conversation.
"Where am I?"
The woman's looked down with a raised eyebrow "What? Your not gonna ask me who I am?" she asked offended.
Kakashi faltered again "I-" he paused "didn't mean to offend"
"Don't worry about where you are now." she told him, whatever irritation she had had clearly faded away as if it was never there to begin with "You'll be out of here soon enough" she said reassuringly. He wanted to believe her. He just didn't know if he could. How did she know? He did notice his heart beating had slowed down.
"How do you kn-"
"I was sent here to come get you" she said giving an answer before he finished "But you're far from coming with me. There's so much more you have to do"
"But how do I-"
"Just get up" he suggested casually. Easier said than done it seemed.
"But I-" he protested, but she cut him off again.
"Just try" she said as she moved back and out of his vision.
"Wait I-"there was no sight, sound or sign of her. Now he was alone again. He let out another breath. Then he felt the wind blow by him. Wait? The WIND?! Where was that before?
Then he heard voices. But he recognized them instantly.
"Kakashi-sensei!" a boy and girl called who he easily identified as his students; Naruto and Sakura.
"Get up Kakashi" the woman's voice came back to him clearly among the clamor of the other two. With a new found determination he fought to pick himself up. Popping his shoulder blades back he arched his chest up. Pushing off that he placed his limp arms against a now solid ground; something he was sure wasn't there until now. Using that to stabilize himself he propelled himself forward and onto his knees. Taking a moment to compose himself as his arms dangled by his side and his head hung down he took in a deep well deserved breath. He continued to hear voices all around him and feeling started returning to his body. With each move he made he felt lighter and lighter, but he still felt weighed down by so much. He could feel grass and dirt beneath him, wind blowing through him, sunlight shining on him. He could smell clean fresh air as he inhaled another breath. Struggling now he brought his right leg up and planted his foot solidly onto the ground. His head hanging down he looked at his own knee. He was prepared to bring his other one up, but knew it would be more difficult than the last. The longer he waited the less energy he had to complete the task. The voices faded, his senses faltered and his feelings reverted back to nothing.
"Come on Kakashi. Almost there!" the woman's voice returned to him, urging him on.
Tensing up Kakashi raised his left leg and brought his foot down. Then slowly he arched himself up until he was standing at full height.
Kakashi suddenly flung forward from the ground nearly knocking Naruto and Sakura in the head with his own, but still scaring the daylights out of both of them.
"Ah! He's alive!" Naruto cowered.
"That's a good thing, you idiot"! Sakura chided him getting it over it much easier than him.
"But what if he's a.." he leaned over to her "... zombie?" he whispered in fear to his teammate. She could do nothing, but grunt her annoyance.
Kakashi sat up on the ground with his arms propping him up. Sweating, he took deep rapid breathes and evident at the look in his eyes he seemed to be in shock. "Wasn't I just standing?" he wondered.
"Kakashi sensei are you alright?" Sakura asked returning her attention to him as she got up to him and Naruto soon followed.
Kakashi did not respond immediately as he was observing his surroundings. There were multiple other ninjas around them clearly defeated in some battle, but not exactly what he had in mind.
"Uh Kakashi sensei?" Sakura said "Are you alright?" she asked again.
He now turned to his two students "What happened?" he panted placing a hand on his head.
They looked at him with puzzled looks "We were walking down this road as an escort as part of our mission" Sakura told calmly "Then suddenly a group of ninja attacked us."
"Oh" Kakashi exhaled closing his eyes, calming down now and remembering what happened. It was all starting to come back to him. They were walking down the road when he was attacked from behind and knocked out on the first blow. They were smart to go for him first-though it didn't seem to do them any good- but he was stupid for being careless. Some C rank mission.
"Aw don't worry about it" Naruto boasted crossing his arms "We took out all the bad guys..even without your help"
"Shut up Naruto" Sakura nagged.
"But it's true" he said back defensively. Kakashi now picked himself up and looked around. Indeed they did defeat all the enemy ninja around, but that did not preoccupy his thoughts. He saw the man they were escorting standing petrified against a tree as his two students argued with each other in the middle of the road. The man was alright although this undoubtedly shook him. But again, strangely this was not his biggest concern at the moment.
"Did you see her?" Kakashi asked looking around.
"Hm?" they let out turning to him "Who?"
"That woman" he said turning to his students. Maybe she was the one who did this to him? But she seemed more like she was trying to help.. in some weird way.
"What woman?" Naruto let out confused "There's no woman around here"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sakura shouted at him ignoring her teachers pressing question. The two began to bicker and argue some more.
"Uh never mind" Kakashi sighed as he expected them not to understand what he was asking. He didn't think he understood it himself. He had likely imagined it considering it seemed like an near death experience. But that did not discourage him from still looking around for her.
"Kakashi-sensei" he heard Naruto asked and he looked down to him and Sakura "Shouldn't we keep going?"
He shook his head "Yeah, sorry about that" he put his hand behind his head "Let's keep going"
"Alright! I'll lead the way!" Naruto proclaimed as he sprinted off.
"Naruto, hold up. You don't know the way!" Sakura shouted after him. Unnerved their escort followed them shakily, but Kakashi stayed behind. He wanted to observe his surrounding one last time. Needless to say this search was as meaningless as the last. He took a step forward and reached into his left breast pocket for the latest novel in his favorite series; probably the very thing that got him into this predicament in the first place. But he found his pocket to be empty. He patted his chest and other pockets frantically as he soon realized it was pointless as it was likely lost in the struggle.
He let out a heavy sigh. "This just isn't my day" he thought to himself.
But then heard something. Soft steps against the ground behind him. "Meow" something let out.
He turned to see a black cat standing by the road and at its feet was the exact novel he was looking for.
"Oh" he let out as he walked forward and knelt down before the cat. Surprisingly it did not run away from him as most would from any human. It was still as it watched him. He reached his arm forward and picked up the book examining it. There were no battle scars or scratches from the cat. He looked from the book to the cat. "Thank you" he said. He reached forward and ran his fingers across its head. The cat let out a satisfying purr as it squinted it's eyes. Kakashi chuckled and retracted his hand.
The cat turned to him and opened it's eyes and then when he noticed something; bright, piercing golden eyes.
Although he didn't show it he was very much taken back by it. He sat there regarding the cat and it's eyes. They seemed so very familiar to him. The cat seemed just as interested in him as it stared back at him.
"Kakashi sensei!" he heard Naruto call from all the way down the road. He turned his head back to them before looking back at the cat. It cocked its head to the side as it gazed at him.
Fixated on him and his every movement the cat watched as he stood up, placed the book back into his pocket, followed by his hands, but never moving his eyes from the black cat before him.
The cat let out a final meow as they had their last staring contest.
"Well, see ya around" Kakashi waved before turning around to rejoin his students in their mission. He wasn't sure why he said that, it just seemed like the right thing to say at the time, even if it was to a cat. He walked down the road walking at his own pace and taking his time. He rotated his head back one final time and he saw the black cat had not moved. It remained at the side of the road and watched him go on his way.