Kakashi's eyelids fluttered as consciousness slowly returned. A pure white and familiar ceiling was above him. He realized he was in a seated position in a white armchair with his leg propped atop a cushion on the coffee table. The heavy sensation in his body had eased a tad, and he could raise his neck to look around. Across from him was the couch he had landed in front of however many hours ago.

There was a dark red stain on the white shag carpet with a powder haphazardly strewn over it.

That's where… Em. Is she okay?

The barely visible door on his right opened, and he stiffened.

Where was that thing that climbed over Em?

"You're awake."

The soothing voice of Azul came from his right, and she approached carrying two cups with steam rising off their rims.

"She's alright. I've brought her to her room to sleep. She won't wake for another couple hours." she said as she set down one mug onto the nightstand by his armrest. "Have some chamomile tea. It will calm those spent nerves of yours. I do not know if you like it sweetened, so I left it without."

As graceful as ever, Azul crossed to the couch opposite to him while sipping from her own mug. There was nothing strange about her, once again. Kakashi studied her with his tired eyes, wondering if there were any tells into whether that thing he'd seen before was, in fact, the woman now seated before him.

A silence both painful and agitating bloomed through the still air as he stared. Her dark hair settled so precisely over her shoulders, just barely obscuring her torso that was covered in a dark grey top similar to the one Kakashi wore. Her black pants billowed a few inches around her narrow ankles, revealing dark socks and square-toed shoes of the same color.

The tip of her shoe jounced every half minute, as though her entire being were restless, but this tiny movement was all she allowed herself to do.

"I would have healed your leg myself, but someone will be upset with me if I do more than I already have." her voice caused his gaze to snap up.

Who? Em?

"When Em wakes up she can take care of it. For now, you should rest. Have some of your tea."

He watched little puffs of steam lifting from the untouched mug beside him. Her eyes remained on him, steady, unblinking.

"I didn't poison it. If that is your concern."

Kakashi's skin started to perspire once again. His insides twisted in frustration from being in another situation where he was powerless and unsure of what to do.

"I would be very much in trouble if I did you any harm. You can rest assured, I have no ill intentions."

He caught the nearly insignificant glimpse into the enigma that was, Azul. Beneath the calm exterior was something potentially dangerous. The phrase "at the moment" flowed through his mind. It could have followed her statements so nonchalantly, and he doubted it would've surprised him.

"Do you have any questions for me?"

This surprised him. Just a little bit. He did not know if anything she said could be trusted, but to create an excuse to not sample the tea beside him was enough to travel down this new path.

"Where is this?"

"Em didn't explain it to you, then." she let out a soft, strangely feminine sigh. "This is a space that exists between universes. Or worlds, as Em likes to refer to them. In a sense, this place does not exist and simultaneously does. The… I like to call them 'gods,' turned this into an occupiable area for Em and I. When Em is between her missions she'll often rest here. The world she comes from moves extremely slowly so she can spend what would seem like months here and only have minutes pass in her own world. It's a 'base' of sorts."

"Em is in her room?"

"Yes."

"What happened to her arm? Why did it split?"

"Just like any other human, she isn't meant to travel between worlds. To elaborate, if anyone in your world found a way to travel through the walls on their own, they'd perish in the process. Because she is who she is and because the 'gods' have chosen her to do so, she is now able to make those leaps, but not without consequences. The weaker she is, the harsher the recoil."

"But I was-"

"She likely transferred the majority of the energy she had left into protecting you. In doing so… well. You saw the results of that."

"Why are you here?"

Did her lip just twitch? She tipped the mug against her mouth and took a long, slow gulp.

"I rest here as well."

"Em told me that you and she are chained together. Can you explain it to me? I did not fully understand when she told me herself."

"It's both literal and figurative. When she and I met, the 'gods' created a physical chain between us. Though it does not exist in tangible form, we are very much tied together."

Kakashi's heavy lids drooped, suddenly exhaustion blanketed him.

"Rest more if you need it."

"I'm fine." he wiggled his fingers. "Em mentioned that when one of you is asleep the other is stronger and vice versa. If she is asleep now, then you are at full strength."

"No. I will never be at full strength as long as she is alive."

A cold, sinking sensation traveled slowly down his back.

"Which is why they've made it so, if she dies, I will as well."

"Then-"

"I have to make sure she stays well."

The images before him became a tight slant and blurry from the wetness in his eyes. He turned his pupils to the right at the mug he thought should be full but was in fact empty.

Wait. When did I…

"Rest."

He turned back sharply to the voice that had dropped in pitch.

"You need your energy."

The horns. The claws. A beast. A shadow with mass. A beast in a suit. The slightest of smiles. His lids closed and sleep took him.

A new person entered, and the beast's expression softened immensely. Lines turned to curves and her gaze filled with affection. The new person was startled, inquired the situation, then was shooed away with a gentle hand.

In sleep time moved quickly. If time existed in this space, that is. Kakashi awoke just as Em entered the room. Her naturally frayed blonde hair was disheveled, her white shirt was ruffled and hung loosely from her narrow frame. Em slow steps eventually brought her to Kakashi's side.

"Are you alright?" was the first question he managed.

He was in a whirlwind of thoughts, recalling what he saw before he had fallen asleep, but just as concerned for Em.

"I'm fine."

She plopped herself on the coffee table beside his outstretched leg.

"What is that? Chamomile?" she referred to the long forgotten cup.

"...yes."

"She drinks all my tea." came a curt mumble.

Kakashi was jolted by the feel of Em's ice cold hands against his calf. She adjusted his leg, then rolled up his pant to the knee, revealing a skin-color gauze neatly wrapped around his ankle. Em untied the bandage and set it aside. It was a simple sprain with a small gash caused by his impact with the ground. She produced the long narrow stick from before and whispered something that sounded like nonsense to him.

Before the questioning words could leave his mouth a searing pain ran up the length of his leg. He let out a guttural yell.

"She should have healed you. Otherwise, it wouldn't hurt so much."

As quickly as the heat ripped through him, it snapped into a cooling sensation reminiscent of her touch. He breathed out in relief and turned his ankle slowly.

"Still hurt?" Em asked.

"No. Not at all." Energy coursed through him and he straightened fully. "What did you do?"

"Traditional magic. From my world. Do you need any food or something? We have to get going to the next location."

"Don't you need to rest more first."

"No. I'm fine."

There were no marks on her bare forearm and aside from the glare stuck in her expression she was otherwise perfectly unharmed.

"I can't have you help me for much longer anyway. Let's go."

X

The temperature plummeted all around him, and he became acutely aware of his feet buried in four inches of snow. Whiteness rested for miles in one direction with tall, ice blanketed trees and in the other was a town. The wind caressed his scalp through the grey strands, and he watched the warms puffs of air that drifted in front of the mask he had been given permission to wear.

Beside him, Em looked around with languid turns.

"We can head this way. Pull the hood up and lower your head if we come across anyone. You'll look extra suspicious with that scar of yours. Like last time, we don't want to deal with anyone."

"Is there anything here we need to be wary of?"

"No. Just keep a lookout… for a light. Or I guess, for Mitsuru."

They entered town within fifteen minutes. The streets were wide and paved with a smooth black surface unfamiliar to Kakashi. Houses were surrounded by five-foot cement walls. The designs of roofs and homes somehow hinted at a culture similar to his own but had a touch of newness. Signs with writing he could read easily were set on poles. The placards placed outside were in Kanji, indicating the families that lived in each home.

As the pair traveled down the street, took a turn and came upon a school.

"Municipal Mikoto Elementary School." as he whispered the words aloud his gaze fell upon an enormous banner hanging above the entrance. "Ice Hockey Club, 1988 National Champions."

He spotted a small girl in a red coat approaching the school just as the doors burst open and a boy of the same age came rushing out.

"No interacting, hurry up," Em whispered.

Kakashi scooped his grey hood over his head and stepped closer to Em. The boy ran by without noticing them.

"It's close, let's head this way."

In Their World

"Ne, Itachi."

"Yes," he responded while he squeezed water from the dark grey shirt in his hands.

"You remember Kakashi-san, don't you?"

She knew he did. She'd seen his memories and recalled the impact the man had made on Itachi's young mind.

"I do."

Mitsuru took the shirt from him and stretched it out over a smooth stone. The heat from the sun bore down on the material as well as their nearly bare bodies crouched by a clear stream. Itachi gently scrubbed Mitsuru's shorts with a small bar of soap, and she watched from a foot away with her palms curled atop her bent knees.

"Last night, I had a strange dream."

"Was he in it?"

"He was. I felt like… like I was stuck somewhere really dark. I kept walking around in circles, and I kept feeling like something was trying to attack me, but no matter what I did or what direction I went, it was all the same. Like walking in a circle. And out of nowhere, I thought I heard someone call out to me."

Itachi silently set the bar of soap aside and twisted the clothing in his hands. Frothy water poured downwards and flowed back into the stream.

"When I looked for the sound, I saw Kakashi-san. He looked strange though. I don't think I've seen him without his mask before. Have you?"

He paused to consider the statement before replying:

"I don't believe I have."

"But it was him. Even though I haven't seen his whole face before. I could tell it was him. It couldn't have been anyone else."

"That's quite a specific dream."

"I thought so too. I was relieved to see him. I think. It felt like… I don't know how to say it right."

Mitsuru took her shorts and spread them out beside the rest of their drying clothes.

"I was happy to see him… is all…"