Darkness...
Utter darkness...
Is there no light..?
Falling...
Just...
Falling...
Away...
(Aki.)
No light...
(Aki.)
Who was that..?
(Aki...)
Where are you..?
(...Aki...)
I can't see you...
(...Aki.)
Aki found herself standing in shin high water, the place illuminated by an unknown source of light.
{Aki.} She slowly turned to see who had spoken to her.
Aki gawked at the silver gates that reached the ceiling of the water dome she stood in.
"Who's that?"
{No need to fear. Just a lonely body.}
"What do you want?" Aki didn't know what to make of this voice.
{Talk. Just to talk. I have had not a soul to converse with.}
Aki carefully drew near the gate, but she couldn't see beyond it.
{Closer. Please, come closer. I'm so lonely.}
She felt pity for this voice; she should have known better.
"What did you want to talk about?" She gazed at the height of the gates, and took second thoughts.
A deep growl from the throat reverberated against the walls of the dome, making Aki's ribs into a xylophone.
{YOUR DEATH!!}
She was blown back as the silver gates swung open, clanging against the concrete. A fish spine- like tail slithered out into the water. Aki stood horrified at what rose from the water.
It had to be at least fifteen feet tall, its wingspan three times that. Its thick serpentine tail was piled in the water like a python ready to strike, strange fin- like webbing running up the spine. Long, thick black talons sprouted from the fingers and toes, glimmering in the light of the dome. And glowing from its gaunt dragon face was crimson red eyes.
Those red eyes...
The dragon bellowed a howlish roar that made Aki lose her nerve, and charged for her. She dodged, and ran to the door out, but it shut tight. Aki wheeled around, and pressed her back to the door as the dragon rose up on its hind legs, covering her in shadow. It roared again, dug its claws into the stone bottom, and charged for her again. Waiting at the last second, she jumped onto his head, and ran down its back to enter the water again. The dragon screeched in pain; Aki had to cover her ears.
{There's no use surviving me!}
"Oh yeah?" Aki shouldn't have taunted.
She snickered as though he was no match for her.
"You should know who you're messing with," She cut her palm with one of her nails, "This was over before it began!"
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
She punched her bloody fist into the water, a ring of liquid crimson surrounding her wrist. Ha! This couldn't get any easier, could it?
Bubbles foamed around her arm.
(This is it! Here he comes!)
The bubbles grew more violent, and continued for a couple of seconds, and then...
Nothing.
Absolutely. Nothing.
Crap.
A thin, malicious grin curled the dragon's lips.
{Over before it began? Don't mind if I do.}
Falling on all fours, he leapt and smacked Aki with the back of his large hand.
{You can't use chakra here!}
It sent Aki flying into the opposite wall, then slumping into the water. The dragon elusively sank underwater.
Aki stood up shakily. What happened?! Why couldn't she use chakra in here?! She didn't have time to think for she was suddenly shot up into the air from the dragon lifting her up with his scaly snout. He spread out his bat- like wings, and took flight up towards a momentarily suspended Aki. With a swirl of wings and body, the dragon slammed his thick tail into Aki's back like a tennis racket, sending her smashing into the bottom of the water.
This had to be it for Aki. The dragon smiled in triumph, but it was soon changed to an incredulous scowl. Aki was trying to stand up, but her legs gave way. Seeing this, the dragon swooped down with open jaws. With what little energy she had left, she pulled herself out of harm's way, making the dragon eat stone and water.
"Why don't you go on a diet?" Aki just didn't know when to quit.
This 'irked' the dragon. In a sudden snap, he had its tail wrapped tightly around Aki's body.
{Now you will die.} He started to squeeze.
Aki couldn't breathe; her arms were pressing into her sides. She had to think fast, but her brain was close to out of juice. The sudden light bulb flashed in her head.
"So...you want...to kill yourself?" She had a hard time talking.
{What nonsense are you speaking of?! I want to get rid of YOU!}
"But...you'll kill yourself...doing...so..."
(Keep awake, Aki. Keeping breathing, and keep awake.)
{How's that?!} He squeezed tighter and faster.
"You...need...me..."
{Bah! When you're dead, you body shall be mind to control!}
"You...wanna...bet...on a...whim?"
This got to the demon.
{You're right.} He hated to admit it, but he did.
He let Aki slip out of his grip, her body thudding against the impact of the water.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's amazing how just thinking ahead can assure victory.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aki, though wheezing, scuttled up from the water, and ran for the gates. The dragon's eyes flashed in shock. Incensed, the dragon charged for Aki on all fours, his wings bobbing back and forth in sync with his gallops. Kicking off with his powerful back legs, he lunged for Aki, his claws growing longer and sharper.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aki slid out of the way just in time to let the dragon soar right back into the dark hole. The silver gates started to swing back to shut the hole. Realizing this, the dragon hurtled back towards the gates, his hope shrinking as fast as they were closing. As he leapt, the gates closed in his face. Aki jumped back from the sound of clashing metal and angered roars of failure.
Seeing that he was sealed back behind the gates, Aki blew raspberries at him, chanting a victory sentence.
"Oh yeah! Uh- huh! I beat cha! I beat cha! Little dragon lost, ha ha! Ooo yea--"
The dragon squalled ferociously, shutting up Aki.
{I'll get you, girl!}
"Riiiiiiight. Love to see how you'll get out this time."
{Mark me, I WILL find a way out of you, and then I can kill you!}
"That'll be a while." Aki was starting to lose focus for some reason.
{Silence!} Tentacles of shadows exploded from between the bars, aiming for Aki.
Her vision blacked out suddenly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She stirred, her eyes and body groggy. She half expected to see her room full of Naruto posters with Karma staring at her with her googly eyes, telling her to get up and that all of this was an insanely crazy dream of escapism, but when she saw a wild mane of silver hair, her feeble hopes were crushed.
"Kakashi?" She could barely get past a whisper.
"Shhhh. Calm down. Everything's fine." His voice cast that once again hypnotic spell upon her, making her feel agreed to anything he said or did.
"Where...what?" Aki couldn't breathe very well, and every time she slightly turned her head, an extreme whirling took over her sense of sight and balance.
"Ohhhhh, dizziness!"
"What?"
Aki curled up in her futon, regardless of the pain she felt, and clutched her head.
"Did I bring my meds.? No. Well, did I know this was going to happen? No!" She hissed to herself.
She had suffered from a vertigo disease that not even the hundreds of doctors she went to could figure out. It seemed that she was destined to medically suffer for the rest of her life.
She lost her breath suddenly, and couldn't speak. She jerked a couple of times from fear, but when Kakashi placed a firm grip on her shoulder, she calmed down almost instantly. She couldn't feel any part of her body, nor could her mind command anything to move that was voluntary. Catching her breath, she noticed that the room was dim.
"Where are we?"
"We're back in Mr. Tazuna's house, and you and I are in a secluded room for silence. You've fought off the poison, but I'm still confused as to why you were attacking us."
"I WAS?!" Aki was losing it.
"Yeah, you were, but no one got hurt, luckily."
Aki slowly buried herself underneath the blanket, and started to cry to herself. As if this whirling tornado of insanity ever stopped for her. This was basically the third strike. She almost KILLED the characters! Who knows that could have done?! She started to cry harder, hardly able to keep it silent anymore. She curled up tighter, unaware that she could barely breathe. The dizziness came back full front, making her feel like she was on a boat in the middle of a typhoon.
As if her consciousness was a cord, it suddenly snapped. Blackness outlined the edges of her sight, then swept her gaze completely.
"Please...don't leave me!" Kakashi's image was growing darker.
Darkness pursued.
(DON'T LEAVE ME IN THE DARK!!!!) She cried, but no one heard her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Closing quote:
"The bright day is gone, And we are for the dark."
- William Shakespeare
Utter darkness...
Is there no light..?
Falling...
Just...
Falling...
Away...
(Aki.)
No light...
(Aki.)
Who was that..?
(Aki...)
Where are you..?
(...Aki...)
I can't see you...
(...Aki.)
Aki found herself standing in shin high water, the place illuminated by an unknown source of light.
{Aki.} She slowly turned to see who had spoken to her.
Aki gawked at the silver gates that reached the ceiling of the water dome she stood in.
"Who's that?"
{No need to fear. Just a lonely body.}
"What do you want?" Aki didn't know what to make of this voice.
{Talk. Just to talk. I have had not a soul to converse with.}
Aki carefully drew near the gate, but she couldn't see beyond it.
{Closer. Please, come closer. I'm so lonely.}
She felt pity for this voice; she should have known better.
"What did you want to talk about?" She gazed at the height of the gates, and took second thoughts.
A deep growl from the throat reverberated against the walls of the dome, making Aki's ribs into a xylophone.
{YOUR DEATH!!}
She was blown back as the silver gates swung open, clanging against the concrete. A fish spine- like tail slithered out into the water. Aki stood horrified at what rose from the water.
It had to be at least fifteen feet tall, its wingspan three times that. Its thick serpentine tail was piled in the water like a python ready to strike, strange fin- like webbing running up the spine. Long, thick black talons sprouted from the fingers and toes, glimmering in the light of the dome. And glowing from its gaunt dragon face was crimson red eyes.
Those red eyes...
The dragon bellowed a howlish roar that made Aki lose her nerve, and charged for her. She dodged, and ran to the door out, but it shut tight. Aki wheeled around, and pressed her back to the door as the dragon rose up on its hind legs, covering her in shadow. It roared again, dug its claws into the stone bottom, and charged for her again. Waiting at the last second, she jumped onto his head, and ran down its back to enter the water again. The dragon screeched in pain; Aki had to cover her ears.
{There's no use surviving me!}
"Oh yeah?" Aki shouldn't have taunted.
She snickered as though he was no match for her.
"You should know who you're messing with," She cut her palm with one of her nails, "This was over before it began!"
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
She punched her bloody fist into the water, a ring of liquid crimson surrounding her wrist. Ha! This couldn't get any easier, could it?
Bubbles foamed around her arm.
(This is it! Here he comes!)
The bubbles grew more violent, and continued for a couple of seconds, and then...
Nothing.
Absolutely. Nothing.
Crap.
A thin, malicious grin curled the dragon's lips.
{Over before it began? Don't mind if I do.}
Falling on all fours, he leapt and smacked Aki with the back of his large hand.
{You can't use chakra here!}
It sent Aki flying into the opposite wall, then slumping into the water. The dragon elusively sank underwater.
Aki stood up shakily. What happened?! Why couldn't she use chakra in here?! She didn't have time to think for she was suddenly shot up into the air from the dragon lifting her up with his scaly snout. He spread out his bat- like wings, and took flight up towards a momentarily suspended Aki. With a swirl of wings and body, the dragon slammed his thick tail into Aki's back like a tennis racket, sending her smashing into the bottom of the water.
This had to be it for Aki. The dragon smiled in triumph, but it was soon changed to an incredulous scowl. Aki was trying to stand up, but her legs gave way. Seeing this, the dragon swooped down with open jaws. With what little energy she had left, she pulled herself out of harm's way, making the dragon eat stone and water.
"Why don't you go on a diet?" Aki just didn't know when to quit.
This 'irked' the dragon. In a sudden snap, he had its tail wrapped tightly around Aki's body.
{Now you will die.} He started to squeeze.
Aki couldn't breathe; her arms were pressing into her sides. She had to think fast, but her brain was close to out of juice. The sudden light bulb flashed in her head.
"So...you want...to kill yourself?" She had a hard time talking.
{What nonsense are you speaking of?! I want to get rid of YOU!}
"But...you'll kill yourself...doing...so..."
(Keep awake, Aki. Keeping breathing, and keep awake.)
{How's that?!} He squeezed tighter and faster.
"You...need...me..."
{Bah! When you're dead, you body shall be mind to control!}
"You...wanna...bet...on a...whim?"
This got to the demon.
{You're right.} He hated to admit it, but he did.
He let Aki slip out of his grip, her body thudding against the impact of the water.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's amazing how just thinking ahead can assure victory.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aki, though wheezing, scuttled up from the water, and ran for the gates. The dragon's eyes flashed in shock. Incensed, the dragon charged for Aki on all fours, his wings bobbing back and forth in sync with his gallops. Kicking off with his powerful back legs, he lunged for Aki, his claws growing longer and sharper.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aki slid out of the way just in time to let the dragon soar right back into the dark hole. The silver gates started to swing back to shut the hole. Realizing this, the dragon hurtled back towards the gates, his hope shrinking as fast as they were closing. As he leapt, the gates closed in his face. Aki jumped back from the sound of clashing metal and angered roars of failure.
Seeing that he was sealed back behind the gates, Aki blew raspberries at him, chanting a victory sentence.
"Oh yeah! Uh- huh! I beat cha! I beat cha! Little dragon lost, ha ha! Ooo yea--"
The dragon squalled ferociously, shutting up Aki.
{I'll get you, girl!}
"Riiiiiiight. Love to see how you'll get out this time."
{Mark me, I WILL find a way out of you, and then I can kill you!}
"That'll be a while." Aki was starting to lose focus for some reason.
{Silence!} Tentacles of shadows exploded from between the bars, aiming for Aki.
Her vision blacked out suddenly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She stirred, her eyes and body groggy. She half expected to see her room full of Naruto posters with Karma staring at her with her googly eyes, telling her to get up and that all of this was an insanely crazy dream of escapism, but when she saw a wild mane of silver hair, her feeble hopes were crushed.
"Kakashi?" She could barely get past a whisper.
"Shhhh. Calm down. Everything's fine." His voice cast that once again hypnotic spell upon her, making her feel agreed to anything he said or did.
"Where...what?" Aki couldn't breathe very well, and every time she slightly turned her head, an extreme whirling took over her sense of sight and balance.
"Ohhhhh, dizziness!"
"What?"
Aki curled up in her futon, regardless of the pain she felt, and clutched her head.
"Did I bring my meds.? No. Well, did I know this was going to happen? No!" She hissed to herself.
She had suffered from a vertigo disease that not even the hundreds of doctors she went to could figure out. It seemed that she was destined to medically suffer for the rest of her life.
She lost her breath suddenly, and couldn't speak. She jerked a couple of times from fear, but when Kakashi placed a firm grip on her shoulder, she calmed down almost instantly. She couldn't feel any part of her body, nor could her mind command anything to move that was voluntary. Catching her breath, she noticed that the room was dim.
"Where are we?"
"We're back in Mr. Tazuna's house, and you and I are in a secluded room for silence. You've fought off the poison, but I'm still confused as to why you were attacking us."
"I WAS?!" Aki was losing it.
"Yeah, you were, but no one got hurt, luckily."
Aki slowly buried herself underneath the blanket, and started to cry to herself. As if this whirling tornado of insanity ever stopped for her. This was basically the third strike. She almost KILLED the characters! Who knows that could have done?! She started to cry harder, hardly able to keep it silent anymore. She curled up tighter, unaware that she could barely breathe. The dizziness came back full front, making her feel like she was on a boat in the middle of a typhoon.
As if her consciousness was a cord, it suddenly snapped. Blackness outlined the edges of her sight, then swept her gaze completely.
"Please...don't leave me!" Kakashi's image was growing darker.
Darkness pursued.
(DON'T LEAVE ME IN THE DARK!!!!) She cried, but no one heard her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Closing quote:
"The bright day is gone, And we are for the dark."
- William Shakespeare