REVIVAL
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."
Lao Tzu
Chapter XXV: The Calm
I'm going to die?
The room spins, the voices around her drown out like she's dipped underwater. Her body grows numb, too weak to even lift a finger. Her breathing pauses as she stares at nothing. It's like a glass wall has barricaded her from her surroundings. No one can come through.
In a week, she could die.
"Tenshi," a voice finally pierces through. It's Kakashi's. With a wide eye and a tiny pupil, he looks back at her, a hand on her shoulder. It's cold, it's shivering. "You will live, okay? I swear to you, you will live. I don't care what it takes."
His words rain over the raging fires inside her, calming the chaos. He's scared.
"Thank you, Kakashi." She forces the corners of her lips to turn upwards.
But he just stares back, unconvinced.
For the rest of the day, she sits at the hospital. Numbness fills her heart. She can't stomach food, she can't sleep. She dismissed Gato and Anzu, asking them to rest while she recovers. Kakashi stays by her side, watching her, caring for her. Not even saying a word.
The others come by to visit, trying their best to hide the fact that they know the news by now. But tears still stream down their faces. Even Mira. Kakashi holds her hand through it, the poor man patiently waiting for her to break.
But why should she? Why is everyone treating her like she's damaged beyond repair? Like what Kakashi said, she's going to live. Why is everyone already grieving like it's her funeral?
Late at night, those questions fog her brain, the numbness turns into a boiling heat deep within. She's not weak. She did not make the wrong decision. She will live. The Copy Ninja refuses to leave her side, refusing to even sleep even though his eye is drooping.
She's not dying. There's just no way. It can't end like this…can it?
"We move for the Hidden Stone after we talk with Gaara tomorrow." Tenshi says.
The man beside her tenses. "You need to rest, Tenshi. You haven't fully recovered yet."
A bitter chuckle leaves her lips, she shakes her head. "I don't have much time, as you can see."
He watches her, assessing her mood before saying, "You're not going to die anytime soon, Tenshi."
"I know." Golden dots reflect through her window from the Sand Village's lights. She turns to him. "But I might."
This time, he couldn't say anything. As much as she appreciates his attempts at comforting her, it feels more like he's trying to convince himself more. Right now, she doesn't need the constant denial and comfort from her possible death. Right now, what she needs is to move. To do what she can with the possible time she has left.
Everyone expects her to hate the Akatsuki. Her friends earlier hurling all kinds of insults their way. And in a way, she does abhor them. After all, they did wipe out a great amount of her fellow countrymen. But at the end of the day, she's still to blame.
As for her prism, she can't even get angry. Why should she? They took it from her fair and square. Because she isn't a fighter, all she can do is throw a bunch of nice words their way and hope for the best.
They were able to take it from her because she is incapable. Plain and simple.
Sitting next to a shinobi feared by nations, she can't help but feel a wave of envy towards Kakashi. Unlike her, he's cool-headed and calculating. He doesn't let his emotions or sudden impulses get the best of him. He's a skilled ninja, one of the best even. If he had the Royal Prism, it would have never been taken away from him.
Why then is she cursed with something so precious when she's incapable? Even her sisters were highly regarded, they could've been better fits than her. Anyone but her.
"Tenshi, please talk to me."
Her fists tighten. "I…can't."
"Then just sleep, eat, anything." He takes her hand. "Please."
The look on his face pulls her away from her negative thoughts. The gray cloud over her lifts.
Laying a hand on his cheek, she smiles at him. "Thank you, Kakashi." And so she eats the cold bowl of porridge beside her and takes a shower. By the time she exits the bathroom, Kakashi is already on her bed. That night he holds her a little tighter than normal, even when she lays still beside him.
10 days left.
Mira and Gato are already waiting for them outside the Kazekage's Office. The woman's lips purse at the sight of her, eyebrows furrowed. "You're not supposed to be here, Tenshi. You should be resting in the hospital," she says with a matter-of-fact tone. From her slender shoulders, Rubichan transfers to Tenshi's snuggling up to her in quiet comfort. She purrs.
Tenshi passes by her, ignoring her statement. The three behind her exchange looks but she just enters the building anyway.
Gaara awaits them inside. Temari and Kankuro by his side, his siblings also participated in the Chunin Exams last time. They bow at the young Kazekage, introductions are exchanged.
"Gaara-sama, I will cut to the chase. We need the Prism shinobi to join us in battle for reclaiming our homeland."
"I understand. The Hidden Sand is more than happy to help in any way that we can. Since we are the closest compared of the five nations to the Land of Prism, I believe it is best if you gather your troops here."
She smiles. "Thank you, Kazekage-sama. It'll be a big help."
"No one has to go through what your nation did, Tenshi-san. I wish you all the best. Just send a raven over and I'll open our gates for the others Prism shinobi to enter."
Tenshi bows. "I will. Thank you."
"No." He stands from his desk and lays a hand on her shoulder, a smirk on his lips. "Thank you for showing kindness to Naruto. It says a lot about your heart to love the unloved. We were always regarded as monsters."
"Everyone deserves to be loved, Gaara-sama. Especially the so-called 'monsters'."
They smile at each other, his siblings beaming behind him.
After grabbing some lunch, they go on their way to the Hidden Stone. Endless miles of sand await them, the heat pierce like tiny needles on her skin. Everyone speaks in low volumes around her. The heat from last night boils over her once again. Why are they tiptoeing around her once again?
"Tenshi," Kaida says, "Be honest with me, are you okay?"
"Kaida, don't." Aoi interjects.
"She isn't, though. Aren't I right, Tenshi?" Mira joins in.
"Now isn't the time."
"Skree…" Rubi croaks with drooped sapphire eyes.
Tenshi shuts her eyes, trying to still her breathing. "I'm okay. I'm fine. Stop treating me like I'm not. Because I'm fine." She smiles at them. "The best thing we can do is to make it in time. We have to defeat the Akatsuki."
An image hits her, making her heart skip a beat. She freezes.
"Kairi-chan, come to Kaa-chan," a woman's calming voice says, "You're my strong girl, aren't you?"
A woman in her early forty's with dark eyes looks back at her, her brunette locks framing her face. Beside her, a teenage girl rolls her eyes. "How can she be strong? She cries so much."
"Stop that, Kumo-chan. That's no way to talk about your baby sister. She's closest to your age, you two should get along."
Kumo sighs, unimpressed dark blue eyes stare back at her. But she smirks anyway and takes her hand. "Come on now, Kai-chan. Let's play outside and maybe you can show me how strong you really are."
"Kumo…"
Gato's eyes widen. "Tenshi-san, you…you remember Kumo-chan?"
"I think so. I'm not sure."
"Kumo is the third oldest among the four of you. For someone so young, she was exceptionally great at war tactics."
"An infamous prankster too," Anzu giggles.
"The two of you were like peas in a pod, inseparable."
A painful pang hits her in the chest, almost making her cry, much to her surprise. But she holds it in. She can't be weak right now.
As she continues on her way, a calloused small hand rests on her shoulders. She turns to Kaida, sparkling amber eyes look back into hers. "What's up?"
"Gai and I have been working on a new jutsu of mine that'll get us to the Hidden Stone in hours," she smirks.
Aoi's eyes widen, overhearing their conversation. "That's amazing, Kaida-chan!"
"It is a truly magnificent ability, everyone." Gai gushes, cheeks pink.
Taking one of her globes from her pouch, Kaida says, "I've been having a hard time figuring it out. But after seeing that blonde idiot from the Akatsuki, I got an idea. So…"
Everyone gives her space, eyes glued on what she's coming up with except Gai. The Noble Beast just stands to her side with a proud grin.
"Wind Release: Zephyr Eagle!" A large cloud of smoke emerges as the globe hits the ground. As the white haze lifts, everyone's jaws drops. A loud squawk resounds throughout the wide expanse of the dessert. Standing before them is a ten-foot-tall eagle made of blue wind chakra. "Hop on, don't be shy."
Kakashi offers a hand at her, his eye in a curve. The gesture, although small, warms her heart. Since her recovery, he's done nothing but support her, not even trying to push her into doing something. Or saying something. He's just there, patient. She holds his hand, guiding him up to the eagle, their fingers intertwined.
After taking their seats, the eagle flaps its large wings and they take off.
Chocolate hair shifts to auburn, eyes to a soft green. They're officially in the Land of Earth. Tenshi sits by Kakashi, body leaning into his. Rubichan snuggles into his lap, fast asleep. At this point, the idea of people seeing her display of affection doesn't faze her anymore. And no one dares comment either. Not even Kaida.
"So, Kaida-chan," Aoi starts, she and Mira exchange mirthful glances, "When were you planning to tell us that you and Maito-san are together?"
Tenshi chuckles from beside Kakashi, the silver ninja's eye widens. "Gai? You're…?"
"I can't believe you didn't notice, Kakashi." Tenshi shakes her head. "Congrats you two, I'm happy for you both."
The couple's faces turn red at the sudden attention, Gai scratches his face. "I was going to tell you, Kakashi. But you have enough problems on your plate."
"What a well-matched couple, don't you think so, honey?"
"Yes, yes. I've always noticed something between them from the beginning."
Hari remains silent as he sits beside Aoi, a soft smile on his face, a far-off look in his eyes. From the other side of the blonde, Mira turns to Aoi, the two share a giggle. Hari turns to her and the two share a smile before turning back to their ways.
"There it is," Aoi says, pointing at a gray town from a distance.
The thought of her parents makes her heartbeat faster. She hasn't seem them in a while, and they parted on bad terms. Are they going to be mad at her? Disappointed? Happy that their daughter has come back?
She has no idea.
Just outside the walls of the village, a small encampment emerges. The familiar sight almost brings tears to her eyes. After all this time, missing her parents has taken a backseat in her mind. But they're so close.
"Alright, Hari," Kaida says, rising from her seat, "You're headed in there first."
"Why me?"
"Cause you're the favorite," the three other Group members chorus.
The curls on his head flatten as he sighs. "Fine."
Kakashi back straightens as they approach the ground, Tenshi turns to him. "You okay there?"
"Well…what do I say to your parents?"
The innocent question earns a laugh from her, the Copy Ninja's brow creases.
"I'm serious."
"I know you are," she says, "That's why it's even funnier." She lays a hand atop his gloved one and smiles at him. "Just be yourself, Kakashi. They're gonna love you. Trust me. They're not as…conventional as they seem."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Oh." Kaida chuckles. "You'll see."
Mira shakes her head, her calm demeanor ever present as she rises from her seat.
The impact of the Zephyr Eagle's landing jolts the canvas tents lined up nearby, enough to alarm the people residing inside. A crowd of older people start to emerge from the encampment. A pair of familiar faces look back at them, a head graying black hair and a pale red head.
Kaida shoves Hari towards them, the poor man gulps and approaches them. He bows to a ninety-degree angle. "Kenji-sama, Yua-sama, we've come back." He says as he keeps his eyes on the ground.
"Hari-kun? What are you doing here?" The older woman asks. But upon laying her eyes on their group from behind, her crystal blues widen. "Tenshi?" She walks past him, fists tight and lips to a straight line.
She gulps at the older woman, Kakashi's visible eye widens, his arm ready to get in between them. But the woman just pulls her into a hug, rubbing warm circles on her back. "You're back."
The two words reverberate in her ears like a melody. After all this time, Tenshi never really gave herself time to process because of how fast things have gone. Right now, the energy of the Group, the hug of her parents, are exactly what she needs. She hugs the older woman tighter, tears brim her eyes.
"I'm…sorry," she says.
"Tenshi!" A masculine voice calls from behind. They turn to face him, the thin mustache around his lips wave about as he runs up to her. Tears drip from his eyes, the large man's loose clothes bounce in the air.
"Tou-san!"
The other two ladies approach her parents, everyone pulling each other into a hug at the reunion. "My favorite girls are all home!" He cries.
Kakashi watches them with widened eyes, not knowing what to do. The rest of their teammates share his expression. Tenshi laughs.
They mustn't have expected them to be like this.
"It's been a while, Akito-san. Or is it Gato-san now? Anzu-san, I've missed you," Kaa-san says.
The women pull each other into tight hugs, so does her father to poor Gato.
This time, it's Tenshi's turn to stare at the scene unfolding before her.
"There's a lot you need to catch up on, Tenny-chan," her mother says.
The four of them settle down on a table outside her parents' tent, Kaa-san serves them mandarins. In an attempt to make a good impression, Kakashi helps her, settling next to Tenshi after. She's already peeled him a few, the white fibers around the fruit removed. He smiles at her in gratitude.
Gato and Anzu converse with the other older people from the Group, making easy friends as usual. The rest of their friends disperse off to their own ways.
"I've heard a lot about you, Hatake Kakashi," Kaa-san says, a polite smile on her face. "Your father, the White Fang, defeated the son of one of my closest friends from the Hidden Sand Village." She raises an eyebrow at him.
Kakashi gulps at her, but Tenshi just shakes her head and chuckles. "Kaa-san, cut it out. You're scaring him." She takes an orange piece and chews on it. "And why am I the only one who doesn't know who he is?"
"If you paid attention in your classes more, maybe you would've."
"Kaa-san!"
This time, it's the Copy Ninja's turn to snicker from beside her.
A pair of hands slap the table, and before they all know it, her Tou-san is already staring the shinobi in the eye. Their faces only inches away from each other. Kakashi's visible eye bulges.
"C-can I help you, Sir?"
"How does it feel to have a sharingan all the time? How was it implanted? How was it awakened?" he spouts out one question after another.
"Um…" he gulps once again. "Well…"
"Kenji, he's not one of your lab rats."
"Sorry, sorry." He plops back down on his seat, a sheepish grin on his round features.
Tenshi and Kakashi sigh in relief.
"So I'm guessing this," she points between them, "started in Konoha?"
The pair freeze, eyes bulging. None of them could answer. But the older couple are snickering from their seats, clearly enjoying the torture.
"Why don't me in my laboratory, Kakashi-kun?" Her father says, standing from his seat. "I promise I'll only show you my experiments. For now."
"Young lady, you're coming with me." Kaa-san calls out.
They exchange glances before separating, but something about Kakashi's expression shocks her. Determination. As the men go on their way, her father is already asking him to do chidori and asking him to open lift his headband. The poor shinobi beside him complies.
As much as she doesn't regret leaving, she missed the familiarity of their camp. They catch up as they retreat into her parents' tent, her mother sharpening her tools and weapons.
"You don't look too well, Tenshi." She lays a hand on her forehead, the gesture enough to make her sob. "Are you eating well? Something isn't right."
So Tenshi tells her about everything. The prism, her identity, the possible time limit she has left to live. Working on polishing her scalpel set, she pauses, her hands grow shaky. Never in her life has she witnessed her mother cry.
Until now.
"There has to be something we can do, I'm telling Kenji."
"Kaa-chan, I have to retrieve it. It's the only way." She lays a comforting hand on her shoulder, seating the woman back down. Tenshi tells her the plans their team has been coming up with to defeat the Akatsuki. With Mira and Kakashi's tactical expertise, Gato and Aoi's knowledge, Tenshi ensures her that she's got the best people for it.
Cupping her clammy hand into her warm ones, Kaa-san looks her in the eyes and says, "The Group will be behind you, Tenshi. We may be old but we've still got spunk in us."
"No, no you can't join us. No way." Her eyes widen. "Not when I can't protect you. It's a real battle. No, there's just no way."
"And we're not letting our daughter go into battle on her own," her father says from behind her, entering the tent and plopping beside her, "Tenny-chan, you're going to be needing a medical unit. At least let us help out there."
Warm tears start to stream down her face. She doesn't deserve their kindness, why are they being so nice to her?
"I'm sorry for running away."
"We knew it was bound to happen," Kenji says, "Your sense of independence has always been stronger. If anything, I'm proud of you, my little Tenny-chan."
"Stop babying her, Kenji. She's 25."
"But she's my baby!"
That evening, they all gather around the campfire. Tenshi's heart grows warm at the sight. This is her childhood, when times were simpler and no men in cloaks or murderous snakes are after her. From a distance, Gai tells Kaida a joke, the woman laughs and punches him in the arm. He winces but laughs along anyway. They look so happy.
On the other side, Hari gives out bowls for the older folk. Much to her surprise, Mira helps. The two share a brief smile before going on their ways.
She feeds Rubichan a piece of beef as she lays on her feet. The dragon the size of a doberman at this point.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Someone says from behind her.
The sound of his voice rings in her ears, she smiles up at him. Kakashi sits beside her, sighing.
"What did he make you do?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
Grabbing the warm bowl of gyudon on rice she saved for him, she hands it over. "For your hard work."
"Thank you." He smiles back.
"I like him," Tou-san declares. "They're both a better fit than she ever was with Hari-kun, as much as I love the boy."
"Me too. She needs someone calm. Lord knows the girl can be too passionate sometimes."
"I'm right here."
"Good, because I want to get that through your thick skull."
"Kaa-san!"
"There's something I wanted to talk to you about, if that's okay." Kakashi starts, a pensive eye on his bowl.
"Sure."
After dinner, they stroll along the moonlit forest nearby. Her heartbeat quickens. After their last 'talk', it completely broke her to pieces. She has no idea what she's expecting from him now. He assists her on climbing atop a short boulder, the breeze making his silver locks dance around. The stars twinkle extra bright up above, their world completely calm.
"How are you?" He asks.
The question, although simple, shakes her. Sure, the others have asked her about it multiple times. But not Kakashi. Her lip quivers, her voice shakes. "I'm…not okay, to say the least."
A gloved hand takes hers, he rubs his thumb along the ridges of the back of her fingers. "I know."
Tenshi turns to him, tears brimming her eyes. "I don't wanna die, Kakashi." She cracks. "I'm scared."
His brow furrows, a tear trickles down his cheek at her words. "You don't have to be scared alone. I'm scared too. I…I don't wanna lose you."
"And I don't wanna lose you too."
Kakashi pulls her to rest between his legs, warm arms wrapping around her. The two of them shiver, the possible impending doom getting more real at every moment. She's grateful that he didn't try to deny her feelings, in fact, admitting that he's scared too must have taken more courage for him.
A lingering silence surrounds them, they contemplate on the events swirling around them like tornadoes.
"I love you."
A pause.
Her eyes widen, her jaw drops. The three words almost unbelievable. But as they travel down her heart, they melt into the sweetest warmth in her stomach.
"Come again?"
Kakashi chuckles, he draws nearer to her, pressing his lips against the shell of her ear. As if the words are only for her to hear.
"I love you, Tenshi."
She turns to him, the silver moonlight touches his face. This is him. Kakashi Hatake. If she had to go through all that trouble again just to hear him say that, she would. At this moment, Tenshi can't believe her lucky stars. Whatever coincidence or divine plan was set-up for her that brought her to this man, she's content. She's more than happy.
"I love you too, Kakashi."
They stare at each other, cheeks pink from their confessions. Slowly, she pulls down his mask, his lips curling into a smile. He takes her chin between his fingers.
"I'm never letting you get away this time."
"You better not, Hatake."
And their lips meet.
And at this moment, nothing can touch her. Not tomorrow, not yesterday, nothing. Because this man loves her. With just three words and she's stronger than ever before.
No.
She's invincible.
Author's Note: Ahh! I hope you guys liked this chapter. :D I loved how this turned out but please let me know about your thoughts. :) Submissions for the Spotify playlist is still open!
'Til next week. ;)