"That is... Rather odd. I'm actually baffled by this. Isao, what are your thoughts on this matter?" Eiko was pacing back and forth in her office, clearly irritated. Kameko and Isao had just completed their report of their journey so far and the most recent events with Kameko's "dream" had been rather concerning to her.

"I'm not entirely sure what to make of the situation, madam. It's a strange phenomena that I don't know how to explain. Kameko shouldn't be able to dream, not since her accident all those years ago." He seemed to be trying to decipher exactly what this could mean. Surely she couldn't be actually dreaming? It's technically impossible, so how was it that she had had that experience?

"Kameko, nothing different has happened as of late, correct?" He questioned.

She nodded her head and finally spoke up. "My routines, eating habits, and sleep cycles have all been consistent. The only recent change was the leaving of Konoha, however I doubt this has anything to do with that. I've been preparing myself to leave there ever since we arrived, seeing as I knew it wouldn't be a permanent thing."

If anyone was more confused by the recent 'dream' (if it couldn't even be called such a thing), it was definitely Kameko. She had been the one to experience it. She had been the one to fear it.

Ever since that event she seemed to have trouble falling asleep at night. Every night she would lay away, wondering if those images would repeat themselves and every night she hoped and prayed that they wouldn't. So far she had been lucky, since it seemed to be a one time only thing.

Her mentor had seemed the most troubled, however. She assumed that this was because Isao had been left in charge of taking care of her. Surely he never wanted her to come into harm's way in any way, shape, or form, so this too would prove to be stressful on him.

Kameko hadn't realized that she had zoned out until her mother had called her name. "Kameko!"

She made eye contact with her, her own orbs glazed over with thought. "Yes, mother?"

"It seems that we don't have any answers for now... I'm sorry about that, dear." A frown graced her face. Eiko surprisingly looked young, despite her being a year or two older than Isao. "Please, let either of us know should this event ever occur again. Until then we can't do anything but write it off as a fluke of some kind." She held her chin in her hand, eyes spacing out in thought. "I'll continue to investigate this and discuss with the elders. Surely they'll have some input that will give us some enlightenment."

Kameko nodded, understanding the answer. She hadn't expected her mother to have a real answer - no one did. It was a phenomena that it happened in the first place. "Thank you, mother. May I be excused?"

Eiko gave an approving nod to her daughter and turned back to Isao and the few documents she had sprawled on her desk. Although Kameko was done for the day, her mother was far from it.

She repressed a sigh as she stood and left the office. Her mother's job was not something she wasn't looking forward to inheriting. Obviously she was grateful to be born in the position of nobility, but it wasn't what she wanted.

But even though Kameko knew what she didn't want, she had no clue what she actually desired. She had hoped that her travels so far would have enlightened her, but so far they hadn't. And they wouldn't be continuing for another three weeks. The thought of staying so still after traveling for almost three years wasn't pleasant to her. She was used to the life of a nomad, always moving, never staying still. However, she wouldn't let her wandering soul overtake her responsibility. It was her duty to become a leader, and so she must prepare to become one.

She got back to her home just after seven. Most families would have already had dinner by now or were sitting down to. Her dinners usually consisted of going to Jun's to eat with him and his parents and younger siblings. They always welcomed her to their table, she was family after all. But tonight she wasn't hungry. Tonight she just wanted to sleep and stay asleep. She didn't want to stay up all night in fear of waking up breathless and in a cold sweat again.

I need to relax, she told herself. Perhaps a bath would help calm my nerves. With that, she went to the bathroom that joined to her bedroom and began to strip.

The tub was more akin to a sunken in basin. She liked it this way, it was easier to relax and lay her head back to rest on the ledge. Now fully undressed, she turned on the faucet to let hot water begin to fill up the tub. While she waited for it to fill up, she walked over to the short mirror hanging over the sink and pulled her hair into a high bun.

As usual when she caught her own eyes she couldn't help but stare. There they were, the reminders that she saw every day. That everyone saw every day. The reminders that she had committed a taboo within her clan, that she had broken a vow and misused her own powers. She couldn't help but to glare at her own reflection. Had she been younger she would have smashed the damn thing. Broken it into a hundred pieces. But she had learned that no matter how many mirrors she shattered, no matter how many reflections she tried to destroy, she couldn't change what had happened.


She had only been in the tub for a few minutes, lavender incense burning in the background to calm her nerves, when the knock came at her door. A frustrated sigh left her lips. She really didn't like being disturbed after she retired to her room.

"Who is it?" she called out, letting out a huff to herself.

"It's me," the muffled voice came through the door.

A sharp laugh came from her throat. "How descriptive," she replied. "May I have a name?"

She definitely heard the irritated groan on the other side of the door. "It's Jun. I'm coming in, okay?"

Kameko didn't bother replying, Jun would do as Jun pleased. The only people who could ever stop him effectively were his mother and Isao, neither of which were there. How fortunate for Jun.

"I'm taking a bath, so don't come in the bathroom," she warned. She wasn't too sure if Jun wouldn't actually listen. She was aware that Jun knew that she liked her baths with enough bubbles to almost overtake the tub, so he would know there was no chance of seeing his cousin indecently.

Jun entered the bathroom anyway, just as she had predicted, and sat down on the bench that connected to the wall, in case she ever needed to sit. He sat, and he waited.

Fortunately, Jun was never as patient as she was. "Well?" he started. "Are you going to tell me what the hell happened? Did they figure it out?"

Kameko lifted her head up from where she was resting it on the edge of the tub and turned around so she could lean her arms there instead. Luckily for both of them, nothing below her armpits were exposed.

"If we had discovered anything, don't you think one of us would have sent word to you?" The look he gave her said all he needed - "no". She huffed, finding her patience for everything to be rather short today. "We didn't figure anything out. We're just as clueless as we were when it first happened."

Now it was Jun's turn to huff. It was possible he was hoping more than she was that they might have figured something out, or even gotten pointed in the right direction. Anything really. Jun always hoped to solve mysterious, he didn't like to leave things unfinished.

She frowned when he started to fidget with his hands. He only did that when he was worried, and by the way he kept picking at callouses and trying to smooth one hand on the other, she could tell her was completely stressed by this whole incident. Perhaps he was even more afflicted by it than she was. He had always been the worrying type.

"Don't frown," he snipped at her. "It just makes me worry even more because it makes me think you're worrying. So please."

All that did was deepen her frown. Surely he wasn't blaming her for him picking at himself?

"I'm getting out, please leave," she spat at him.

He froze for a second, not used to being the target of her venom. With a small and childish "hmph" he stood up and returned to her bedroom. She knew he would be waiting out there. He was no where near done talking with her.

With the bathroom now empty, so climbed out of the tub, pulling the stopper to the drain out with her, and walked to the cabinet that held her towels. She wrapped one around her body and went to sit where Jun had been only moments ago.

Kameko took a deep breath, relishing in the small moment of quiet that shouldn't wouldn't be able to have until he left. And Jun was hard to get rid of if he wanted to be.

Minutes later she finally stood and exchanged the towel she had for the robe that was hanging on the back of the bathroom door.

"A moment, if you will," she said as she walked out into her room, robe fully secured. She went to her dresser, grabbing clothes to change into and returned to the bathroom to change. Finally, she emerged from the bathroom, clothed and pink in the face from the heat of the bathroom. "Okay, I'm decent. Feel free to carry a conversation now."

Jun snorted at her as she sat down on the other side of the bed. His face softened right after. "Kameko," he began. "You know I'm only worried about you. That dream or whatever the hell it was shouldn't have happened. You shouldn't have had to gone through that. It's not... right."

If there was one thing Jun was, it was caring. Perhaps he cared too much. She would let him care and worry, because if she didn't she knew he would explode from trying to pretend not to care.

"I know." That was all she could bring herself to say for now. What else could she say? 'Don't worry Jun, everything will be fine. It's just that I committed a taboo and now strange and un-explainable things are now happening to me'? What a foolish way to reassure someone.

It was silent for some time, neither one looking at the other. As always, he was the one to break the silence.

"I know you'll be mad, but I almost did something the other day." That had caught her attention. She gave him a look that told him to go on. "I know that you've already seen it, but... I almost looked at it." He paused, making eye contact with her, a look in his eye asking for forgiveness. "Your death, that is."

She shot up from the bed, almost ready to hit him. If she had, she knew he wouldn't hold back from hitting her back. She was ready for that. But before she couldn't even swing her fist back to strike he held up his hands in a surrender.

"I said almost, Kameko. Almost, but I didn't." She pulled back, taking a step away from him to show she had stood down. "You never talk about it. Hell you never even told anyone how it happened." He paused. "How it's supposed to happen," he corrected. "I thought at the time that maybe if I saw it for myself that we could talk about it, compare versions. I wouldn't be breaking any oaths since it wouldn't be my own, you know? I was thinking that maybe you had seen a fluke and that it wasn't real."

He waited for her to speak. "And?"

He bent his head down, hands tugging at each other again. "I didn't do it. I couldn't do it. I knew you would never trust me again if I had. Or at least you would never speak to me again." He held back, but only for a moment. "And then I remembered... your eye. That doesn't tell a lie. I felt like an idiot for even thinking that there was something I could do to change it..."

Kameko sat back down, this time choosing to sit right beside him. She looped her arm with his and patted his hand in comfort. "I understand," she whispered. "You're scared. I am too, you know? It's not easy, knowing when you're going to die." She refused to pay any mind to the heat that threatened her eyes. "I wish every day I never had seen it. But it wasn't a bad ending, Jun." The water began to pool in the corners of her eyes, but she kept going. "I'll be fine. I'll be ready."

She was hoping that assuring him that she was okay with her fate that she too would come to terms with it. She knew she never would be. How could anyone be prepared for their own death? Especially one at such a young age.

Crying was something that Kameko tried desperately to avoid constantly. But sometimes, she just had to breakdown. She just had to cry. Surely it was okay sometimes, right?

At least it would have to be okay this time. Jun helped her in to bed as her vision blurred. He shushed her calmly as he pulled the covers over her and stroked her hair, hoping it would calm her. And there he stayed, playing the protective big brother to her until she finally fell asleep, exhausted from the day, the tears, and the future.


When she woke up she had no clue what time it was. It was long before dawn, that she knew. But she had missed dinner and that meant that hunger had woken her up. She was just grateful it wasn't for other reasons.

She went to the kitchen and began looking for something easy to fix herself. She had settled on making herself some ramen, since it seemed to be the easiest thing at the time. What Kameko hadn't expected was for her sensei to find her as she sat down to eat.

"Ah, Kameko. It's only you," Isao whispered. He sat down across the table from her as she ate her noodles. "It was late and when I heard a noise from the kitchen I feared it was an intruder. I was going to have a stern word with the guard in the morning if that were true, but it's only you." A smile grew on his face, always reassuring.

She returned his, much smaller but it was there. "I missed dinner last night on accident. I was hungry and I couldn't go back to sleep without eating something."

It was a simple and innocent explanation, so why did the smile fall off of Isao's face? It was only for a half second, but she saw it drop, right before it returned to his face. "My Lady, you know that you shouldn't miss meals. It's not good for your health." Scolding as always. But he always meant well.

"I apologize, sir. I'll try to not let it happen again." As she chewed her noodles she thought it odd that he had called her "My Lady", a title usually reserved for her mother. She shrugged it off, Isao was probably just beginning to grow accustomed also addressing her with as such, for after her training was done.

"Good, good." He turned his head to the door, as if he heard another noise down the hall. "Ah, my apologies Kameko. I believe there might actually be an intruder. Please, take your food to your room and lock the door, just in case." He stood from his seat and left just as quickly as he had came.

Not hesitating to follow orders, Kameko picked up her bowl and glass of water and returned to her room, locking the door behind her. She was sure that the noise Isao heard was simply a mouse, something that her mother would have to talk to the housekeepers about. But she would always listen to the sage advice of her mentor.


Her head was fuzzy and all she could hear was buzzing. That annoying damn buzzing. Her eyes shot open and she immediately wished that she hadn't. She really really wished she hadn't. She was there again. In the never ending sea of blue that surrounded her everywhere. It took everything in her to not panic, to not begin to run looking for an escape. She knew better by now that there wasn't one. Not until the dream wanted her to leave.

"Please," she begged. "I don't understand, I shouldn't be here. I can't be here. So please, just tell me what you want, what you want me to do!" Her voice was raspy. She wasn't sure if it was from fear or from the atmosphere, the vibrating air.

Her hands stretched out in front of her and she began walking forward, as if hoping to run into something. Surely this place wasn't entirely endless?

She was somewhat right when the fuzzy blackened shape appeared before her eyes again. Yet again, calling out to her. "Hurts... Please..." The voice sounded so hurt, so broken. But what could she possibly do to help? Tears began to crowd her eyes. She had never felt so helpless before.

"Just tell me your name. Who are you?" She got no answer aside from a groan. "I want to help, but I can't if I don't know who you are!"

Her only response was the same falling feeling she had had the last time. This time, she was prepared, this time, she would fight it. But when she tried she found that no matter what she did it was inevitable; she was falling and there was no going back.


The scream she let out that time was possibly worse than the last one. She wasn't sure how her lungs were capable of such a thing, but apparently they were. Tears streamed down her face and there was banging at her door. Sure it was Isao or perhaps one of the guards that often patrolled the manor.

"Lady Kameko! Please, open your door!" She recognized the voice as a guard, but her name just wasn't coming to mind. Her head was fuzzy, she couldn't think straight. In lack of a response, she heard rushed voices behind the door but couldn't make out the words. Were they speaking the same language as her? Surely they weren't or else she would have understood.

She didn't even flinch when her door was broken down and sent clattering to the floor, she couldn't seem to really process what was happening. Instead she was just sitting her, her hands twisted in her blankets and her face wet with tears and snot, her eyes locked onto her mentor and her mother that was right behind him.

"Please," she breathed. Was it possible for her voice to be that weak? "I just want them to stop."


A/N: Woo a new chapter! This one is a bit longer to make up for my absence. Hopefully I will be able to update a bit more often! Thank you all for the reviews, follows, and favorites! They mean a lot to me and I'm so happy that you are enjoying Kameko's journey so far.

Anyway, thanks so much again! Hopefully I'll have another update this week or the next.~