Dear Itachi

by sintary

What if your partner, your love, your everything, disappeared after committing a horrible act? That is what happened to Sintary Sacuna when her love, Itachi Uchiha leaves her with nothing but a note saying, "I'm sorry." What will she do without her rock, her other half, and the father of her child? And how will she defend her child from trouble of being a murderer's offspring?

43. Meisa's Shinden Part 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the quote below. I just own Sintary, and her children ^^ Also I do not own the other OC Kokuro or his children. They're my friend's.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the United States! As my thanks to all the readers, I gift you with the last installment of Meisa's Shinden. Reminder, this story has crossed multiple dimensions. I tried to keep it simple, but I also couldn't help but to allude to a lot - especially given where Meisa's girlfriend comes from. It also may come across as cheesy, but sorry not sorry, Ko and I love the cheese. I hope you can pick up on all the nuisances provided, and enjoy it as much as I do!

Also, be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom for a sneak peek of the epilogue~

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Part Four

It is said that love is an open door;

a door which leaves you lost in the woods

that leads you into the unknown.

Where the elements whisper to you

to do the next right thing,

for the first time in forever:

show yourself and let it go.

---

Meisa woke with a start.

Her hair covered part of her field of vision and her haori sleeve slipped down her one shoulder. She scanned the room, her body tense and ready for something. Her heart pounded with sudden adrenaline.

She had heard a voice, again.

But this voice was different.

It was feminine in nature, almost angelic compared to the masculine demon whispers she was used to receiving. It also didn't speak, but sang.

Meisa slowly relaxed, not seeing anything in the room she was in. It was a plain area; light pastel pink walls, old white dressers - one tall and one long - both with matching, swirling patterns. She also didn't sense anything outside the ordinary, though she couldn't see outside from where the bed was in the one corner of the room.

She sighed, running her hands through her hair. Where was her brother? Why did he leave her alone in this strange world? Especially after what happened…

The young girl stood, distraught. Her pale lips set in a tight, thin line and her body numb with strain. She needed to find Kazuki.

Soundless feet padded to the door and went to touch the knob when she heard the call from behind her.

Meisa hissed like a cobra and spun, throwing a senbon she had hidden away. But there was nothing behind her. The french doors to the balcony were open and the wind blew in from the unknown outdoors. The black-haired kunoichi pushed past the thin, white curtains, determined to find what was calling her. Whatever it was needed to be stopped or it was going to cause her to make a big mistake - like before.

'Like before…' Meisa thought with realization. It was the same voice that appeared when that… that snowflake-like thing materialized.

Again, it called to her hauntingly.

"No!" She yelled out into the night sky. "Stop calling me!"

The silence that returned was deafening but relieving. Meisa huffed shortly, satisfied with the result. She turned to go back in when it happened again.

"That's it! Now I'm pissed." She snarled and hopped off the balcony.

Activating her Sharingan, Meisa ran into the woods behind her. The ground beneath her was soft and moist, but full of fallen branches and moss. The kunoichi was silent as she moved through the brush, looking around for the one calling to her. She ventured more, the darkness of the night settling around her. Every crack of a branch or flutter of a firefly had caused her to tense like a frightened child.

Meisa rolled her eyes and sighed. 'Yep… Some champion I am. Kami, this deity is probably sick of me. I'm so weak… scared of the frickin' dark.'

A particularly loud crack caused the girl to gasp and react. Her hands flew with Uchiha-graced speed before she pushed the chakra out of her mouth. The natural energy transformed into a barrage of fire, burning everything in front of her. Meisa straightened as she finished her attack. It wasn't as massive as her relatives', but it would do the job here.

The wind blew furiously cold around the dark-haired ninja. She blinked slowly as something started to fall over the scene. It was something small and white. A pale hand extended out to catch one. The substance landed in her hand and instantly disappeared.

'It's not ash… ash wouldn't melt like that…'

Another freezing whip around Meisa caused her hair to fly around her. She closed her eyes out of reflex, trying to open them again when the event ended. The white stuff had to fall in larger quantities now, dampening her flames surely. Meisa noticed that she, too, was getting wet and very cold. She slowly wrapped her arms around her middle, trying to preserve the warmth as she surveyed the area again. Everything was white instead of blackened by her attack. It was surreal, seeing everything covered in this light powder.

Meisa's teeth started chattering as her body shuddered in the now cold air. She pulled her hands out again, noticing her appendages were white and her fingernails were a bluish-purple color. She couldn't bring herself to move. Despite being absolutely freezing, she felt numb… the voices - including her own - were silent, and she just existed.

The young girl fell to her knees, wrapping her arms around herself again. She could feel her bare legs hit the wet, white ground. That went away as the cold settled in more intensely there. The substance still fell around her, steadily; accumulating around her. It was so mesmerizing. She could stay here forever and watch it. How nice would that be…. To be in her own snow globe.

'Snow….' Meisa concluded at least. 'It's snowing…'

"MEISA!"

The young girl turned sharply towards her brother's call. Her vision was blurry now, clouded by the fall of the snow. As they focused again, she noticed the white blizzard that surrounded her stopped. She glanced further to where her brother was running from. There was no snow there. Slowly turning her head as much as her frozen muscles would allow, she realized that only a certain area around her was actually white.

Kazuki tumbled to the ground next to his sister, wrapping her cold body up into his arms.

"Meisa, you're freezing." He whispered, concerned.

"And you smell like smoke," replied his sister courtly, though she didn't pull away in disgust.

The older Uchiha didn't retort as he scooped her up and rose easily. He started into a sprint again, determined to get her warm once more.

The young girl curled into her brother. His simple, black cotton shirt was soft against her cheek, and warm compared to her silks. She remembered nothing other than the heat of her brother's body and the lingering feeling of contentment.

Meisa woke up the same way she remembered falling asleep - in Kazuki's arms. Her head rested against Kazuki's chest and the boy had fallen asleep half sitting up. This was their normal position ever since they were kids. It was nice to know that some things hadn't changed in her absence from Kazuki's life. Meisa then noticed that they were coated in blankets; thick blankets that, honestly, were starting to make her itch and sweat.

She moved not an inch and she heard her brother's breathing change. He opened his eyes moments later.

"I was wondering when you'd finally wake up. Persephone said it could have taken days…" he mumbled and yawned.

Meisa slowly blinked with the information. "How long was I out?"

Her brother's blue eyes glanced out of the window at the sky and the shadows. "Not long; you just slept it off."

It was Meisa's turn to yawn. "What happened?"

"I found you in a pile of snow in the middle of the bayou in the beginning of summer here."

Meisa's hand wiped away the tears that had built up from her yawn and she sniffed. "Snow?"

Kazuki hmmed his response. "Meisa… what were you doing outside to begin with?"

Her mouth twitched as she thought. What was she doing outside in the middle of the night? Especially here in this place. She had woken up…. startled and was going to search for her brother… but that doesn't explain why she was outside.

"The voice." She suddenly whispered. "I was trying to figure out who it was so I could stop them."

"The voice…?" Kazuki asked wearily. She had been referring to these whispers as voices, so why singular now? The young man could only reimagine the darkness he saw around his sister and the horned figure that almost choked him on nothing. It made his blood run cold at the thought.

"Yeah," Meisa spoke, pulling him out of his thoughts. "It's different. This one isn't from Jashin." Kazuki barely acknowledged her declaration before she continued. "This one is high pitch - like it would hurt Uncle Kiba's ears - but it's also sweet - and it's beckoning me."

"What does it say that makes you think you need to find it?" Kazuki asked his younger sister.

"Nothing - it doesn't say anything. It just howls at me; it's so annoying."

"And when did this…. howling," Kazuki fumbled over her choice of words, "start?"

"Well… I woke up in the evening and went to find you when it started." Meisa frowned. "No, that's not right…. It… I heard it at the end of that tarot reading before that thing attacked us!"

Kazuki thought back on that moment. "I heard it too…" he murmured with realization.

"Why didn't you hear it last night?" Meisa asked, confused by it.

A reply formed on his lips, but never made it. He watched his sister's attention suddenly disappear elsewhere and her head cock to the side.

"Did you hear it?" Meisa breathed, shoving the blankets aside and scrambling to her feet.

"No, it spoke to you again?" Kazuki asked, sitting up more.

She nodded, black strands of hair floating slightly in the air from all the static of the blankets. "I have to find it."

"Meisa, wait!" Kazuki called as his sister suddenly was out the window. He ran to the balcony and looked down at her haphazardous form. "You could at least put on shoes!" He yelled.

The young girl didn't heed his advice. She should have though, her feet were raw from last night's adventures and would probably bleed. Her brother was right as usual, but a little blood never bothered her anyway.

Meisa trailed after the sound, trying to pinpoint its infrequent calls. This led her along the bayou's edge, but not actually into the forest-like area.

"There's a million reasons I should go about my day; I have bigger fish to fry." Meisa grumbled as she walked, looking around.

When the kunoichi had walked for what seemed forever, she sighed and sat down, the ground crunching underneath her and most likely leaving a grass stain in her white haori. Why was this voice so important for her to find?

'Because it's annoying,' Meisa immediately thought, rolling her hazel blue eyes as she rubbed chakra into her rusty colored feet.

If it was just a nuisance, she could simply ignore it like she did her mother's naggings.

"Fine, you're not a voice." She declared, triumphantly - as if saying it a loud made the statement true. "You're just a ringing in my ear." She nodded to herself. "Yep. It's super high pitch, so it makes sense."

Then it rang again, only it sounded closer - and human.

Meisa stood and looked into the marshy forest. Her lip curled with fury. "What do you want!? You woke me up last night!" She shouted and suddenly felt a tidal wave of emotions pounding through her. She was angry at this voice. This voice that called her out into this unknown world, away from the walls of everyone she'd ever loved. This voice was causing her to take risks, disrupt the peace she had established after letting Jashin in. The realization of her thought pattern and what she truly felt settled into her like the cold. She was angry because she feared what unknowns the voice brought. Fear of losing control again.

Her hands gripped her black helm as her form started to tremble. "No, no, no…" She begged in a whisper.

Suddenly all the warning talks her mother had given her about the darkness of their power crept back to her. Visions of Jashin and of herself as his tool looming over the body the bodies of her loved ones crossed her mind. Her jaw shook as she gritted her teeth for physical defiance.

It gave way to a distressed sigh as she stared into the dark, shady area. "Are… are you here to distract me so I make a big mistake?" She called, suddenly feeling hopeless. She was going to get everyone else killed… maybe it would be better if she locked herself up or just… didn't exist.

"Aah ooh aah ooh," a girl's voice sang. But it continued this time, into actual words: "Are you out there? Hello? Do you know me? Oh, get yourself together. It's a voice." She argued with herself, but immediately continued like she hadn't scolded herself. "Can you feel me? Cause I can feel you. You've got to know something…. Can you show me?"

A figure emerged from the forest. "Where did you go? Please don't leave me alone…." The voice was soft and young, but Meisa could hear her now that she could see the person. She sounded as hopeless as Meisa felt.

The young girl was slender like Meisa - maybe even about the same height as well. She had strawberry blonde hair that seemed to go to about her waist. She had long bangs with two strands of hair that went to her shoulders and framed her face. She was fair skinned. She was dressed in a forest green dress, her sleeves rolled up at her elbows and a slit down the right side of her upper thigh. Meisa could see she wore black capris under the dress. The young girl also wore a black bodice with gold embroidering along the seams and gold lace in the front. A yellow and orange sash wrapped snug around her waist.

The two girls suddenly made eye contact. Meisa's unusually red eyes connected with the girl's blue ones. Meisa felt her cheeks flushed and instinctively pulled her gaze from the unknown person's. Less known to her, the young girl had done the same: turning her face which was pink in the cheeks.

When Meisa had the nerve to look up again, she noticed the girl also looked her way. The strawberry blonde slowly smiled, a small crooked smile and waved delicate fingers.

An innocent and harmless movement, but Meisa's bloodline picked up the shift of the air, the blue, crystallizing light and the siege of energy towards her.

Blood still on her hand from her wounded feet, Meisa rose a wall of the red liquid to protect her. She gritted as the two made contact, but her shield stood - frozen.

She heard a squeak past her barrier and slowly peeked her head around. "Oh my god!" The girl yelled over to her, her hands now clasped in front of her face. "I am SO sorry! Are you okay?!"

The young kunoichi went back behind her fortress, confused. The girl that just attacked her… was asking if she was okay?

Meisa shook off her distracted feeling and focused. She was under siege, she couldn't start asking these questions. She took a firm step around her barrier to spot the enemy, but was shocked to find the clearing empty.

Two taps suddenly fell on Meisa's shoulder, causing the girl to reflexively grab hold of the offending appendix and yanked her opponent over her own body. The strawberry blonde landed on her back, looking dazed for a moment. Meisa stood ready for an attack wishing she had a weapon to hold. The young girl on the ground blinked a few times before looking at an upside down Meisa.

"Okay, um, wow. You're really strong." She managed to say. "Look, I think we just got off on the wrong foot. Can we start over? I'll start! My name is Bridin, and I like warm hugs."

"You… what?" Meisa stammered out, flabbergasted. "You attacked me!"

"Yeah… about that…" Bridin started, very cautiously turning over. "I actually didn't mean to attack you. I was just simply waving and out shoots the ice magic." She laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "It's a serious problem…"

"You think…" muttered Meisa as she slowly lowered her stance.

Her Sharingan had retreated, but now that the girl was closer, the young Uchiha could see details she had overlooked. Bridin had the coloring of strawberry blonde, but her blonde seemed streaked in like it was highlighted. Her face held delicate freckles along the bridge of her nose and rosy cheeks.

"So, um, what's your name?" Bridin probed curiously.

Meisa slowly focused back on her, well, the pink of her lip which she was nervously grabbing with her teeth… just like Meisa did herself.

"Meisa…" she replied quietly, suddenly feeling the urge to wrap her arms around herself.

"Well, Meisa, I have a question for you!" The young girl replied warmly.

Still wary, the Uchiha girl stayed quiet, letting Bridin continue on.

"Do you want to build a snowman?"

Dark lashes blinked slowly as her trains of thought stopped. "What?" Was all she could cohesively manage out.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?" Bridin asked again with a jingling voice, her blue eyes lighting up with glee.

"I'm not too fond of the cold… or being wet." Meisa told her slowly.

"Oh, come on! It won't be that cold. It'll just be enough snow to build a snowman!" The young girl insisted.

"I've never built one before -"

"Perfect time to start! I am a snowman building expert! Well, I guess I should say snowperson. Snow people can be female as they could be male, so it's best not to label anything until we know."

Meisa was once again, stunned and speechless. They had arrived as potential threats to each other, the girl "accidentally" shot ice at her, Meisa threw her over her shoulder, and now she wanted to build a snowman and was debating its true gender?

"Thanks, but I'll have to take a raincheck. I need to be finding my brother. He and I are on an important mission and we don't need any distractions." The dark-haired kunoichi said detachedly.

"Wait!" She heard Bridin call when she turned her back. "Can I come with you? Please? I'm… I'm sorta lost."

Blue-green eyes glanced back at the girl. She looked scared now, her hand slightly outreached for Meisa while the other remained close to her chest, her lip slightly trembling and her eyes growing misty.

Meisa sighed, relenting. "Come on." She muttered and turned back to start walking.

Bridin quickly caught up to Meisa, relief rushing over her. At least she didn't have to be alone anymore.

The pair walked in silence through the grassfield. Bridin struggled with it; she wanted to talk to fill the void - she hated the quiet. But she didn't want to anger the only person she felt comfortable with. The others she'd seen seemed mean and hurtful; she didn't want to be with them. While Meisa, on the other hand, was enjoying the mute to her racing thoughts. She didn't hear whispering - or singing for that matter. She felt calm and peaceful. Though she could sense her companion's anstiness, which was starting to irk her.

Meisa let out a slow, focusing breathing. "So, how'd you get here?" She asked.

"Hm?" Bridin sounded looking at Meisa, unsure if she'd actually heard her speak. "Oh, um, well, I was following the voice."

"You… you heard a voice?" Meisa asked in disbelief. Was it the same one?

Bridin laughed nervously, suddenly playing with a piece of her hair. "Yeah… it sounds crazy, but my aunt heard it too… twenty years ago." She shook her head with a small smile. "That doesn't make it sound any less crazier does it?"

Meisa gave a nervous laugh of her own, finding no room to judge the girl. "What happened when your aunt heard it?"

Again, the nervous laugh. Bridin didn't mind talking about her mystical aunt, but she wasn't sure how to talk about it to outsiders… how to talk to this girl next to her. "Well, they... It…" she sighed and smiled. "My aunt followed it to the furthest place north and became one with the forest and the four other elements."

"Alright…" Meisa slowly said; it was no more ludicrous than her becoming some god's champion, she supposed.

"And my mom then became queen."

"So… you're a princess?"

"Um, yeah." Bridin said and smiled easily at Meisa. "I'm a strawberry blonde princess."

"The blonde in your hair though… it looks more like it was added in." Meisa found herself suddenly commenting. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean -" How stupid was she? Commenting on the unusual pattern of this girl's hair. Her aunt had pink hair for crying out loud!

"It's okay. It's weird, right?" She held the strand she had been playing with up. "My mom said I was born with hair like her. But then as I started to grow… and my powers started to manifest, these white blonde pieces started appearing. My mom said her hair turned white when she was my age, but it was because of my aunt's magic - when she had no control over it. She does now though, and my mom's 100% normal… well, normal as in okay, no freaky side effects or anything."

Meisa frowned as her eyebrows furrowed. "So, wait. Did your mom have powers too?"

"No!" Bridin exclaimed, exacerbated. "That's the weird part. My mom and dad are regular people - and so were my grandpa and grandma as well! The only one who is magical is my aunt."

"Then… how did you get it?"

Bridin blew a puff of air up to her bangs. "We don't know… My aunt's been trying to find an answer, but she's never come back with anything."

"And… has she been communicating with the… the forest and the elements?" Meisa asked, not sure how she felt about that statement.

"She says she has, but I don't buy it anymore. Like, they had the answers for her when she went looking for them. So why don't they have answers for me?"

"Why would your aunt lie then?" Meisa questioned.

"I don't know," Bridin shook her head, seeming annoyed, confused, and hopeless all at once. "But a few nights ago, I started hearing this high pitch call. I told my mom right away, and then she sent a letter to my aunt who told me to stay put while she found answers, but I got so tired of waiting for nothing. Plus, it kept waking me up in the middle of the night. I haven't slept because of it."

"So you followed it," Meisa finished the thought.

"Yeah. Only it led me to one of those portals that some Lord Kokuro accidentally opened up. But I didn't know it was there! I was just following the voice and walked right through, and landed here."

Meisa had stopped in her footsteps and hadn't really heard the last two sentences. Her hearing had shut off after she heard, 'Lord Kokuro.'

Bridin noticed she stopped and slowly approached. "Hello? Earth to Meisa." She waved a hand in front of her.

"What? Oh, sorry." She said slowly coming back.

"What's up?" Bridin asked her, looking worried.

Confusion flashed over Meisa's face. "Nothing. I just realized who you were."

"You… you know me? That's a little weird," Bridin took a step back.

Meisa rolled her eyes. "I know of you. My uncle is "Lord Kokuro.'" She air quoted his supposed title, a bit mocking. "We were actually heading there next. We can take you home."

It was Meisa's turn to look back at the strawberry blonde girl - correction: strawberry blonde princess.

"Or…" She trailed off a bit, trying to draw her attention back.

"Hmm? Oh. Yeah. Home… that's… that's great. I appreciate it."

"What's with that tone?" Meisa asked, frowning.

"What tone? I don't have a tone…" Bridin muttered the last part seeming more down by the minute.

Meisa jumped in front of her, causing the unsuspecting girl to bump right into her. Bridin didn't fall, but she stumbled back a bit. The Uchiha stood in front of her with her hand on her hip.

"The one that children have when they don't want to do something." Meisa stated. "Why don't you want to go home?"

Bridin sighed, sitting down in the grass at that point. Meisa followed suit, looking at the princess with a questioning gaze.

"I left home to follow that voice just like my aunt did. She found out who she was meant to be… and I feel like I haven't… so if I go home now, it's like this journey was a big waste of time. I thought maybe, at least, I'd have better control over my abilities…" Bridin let out a stream of air. "It just doesn't seem like this is the end…"

Meisa pondered that for a moment. "I'm on this journey for the same reason…" She found herself admitting aloud, her head hanging slightly.

Bridin was taken aback at that. "What? You? No way. You're so confident and put together."

The young girl tsked dismissively at that. "Maybe on the outside… but you know what they say: conceal it, don't feel it, don't let it show."

"Whoever said that is an idiot," replied her companion. "Besides," fair, delicate, cool hands wrapped around Meisa's warm ones, and Meisa's blue eyes met Bridin's big, sweet orbs.
"I'm sure the inside is as well."

Meisa's stomach started doing flip-flops as she stared at Bridin. She could feel her heart flutter in her bosom and felt her lips start to form a was a nice feeling, one she wanted to reach out and hold onto. But then she saw the dark shadow behind the innocent princess. It was Meisa as the devil's black-and-white zombie champion of justice. She held a red and black three bladed scythe in her hands and there was no love in her matching eyes.

Scared, the dark-haired girl pulled away from the sweetness before her. Shutting her eyes and turning away, she closed the door that had been open to her; on Bridin. Meisa had already been claimed by the devil; there was no place for anyone else in her life…. For however long she remained justice's mistress.

"Meisa," Bridin called out quietly. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Bridin…" Meisa started. "Please don't. I… I can't."

The princess pushed forward, "can't what?" She reached out for the Uchiha's hand again. "Please, don't shut me out. I can help-"

Gritting her teeth, Meisa stood abruptly, her eyes singing as her heritage blazed. "Help with WHAT exactly?" She seethed through her pearly whites. "How can you help with me being from TWO cursed clans? From the madness in my head because I use my abilities freely? Can you convince the god of the Underworld to suddenly drop me as his champion?!" She could hear her voice echo in the distance, she was shouting so loud. Her stormy chakra expanded around her, making her feeling larger. Red eyes scraped over the shuddered girl behind her like an alpha commanding her subject to submit to her.

'Weak.' A voice spat in her mind. It was familiar…. A deeper, rough feminine voice… her voice.

"Look at you," the words oozed from her mouth in that tone. "Cowering under me. At least you have the sense to do that. You should fear me. I'm dangerous." Her voice was resigned and quiet at that moment. It broke her to admit that aloud. "I can't control it and it's only getting stronger. So," Meisa tried to sound strong in that moment, but she felt like crying. "For your own safety, you need to stay away from me. We'll take you home and whatever is decided there will happen. But you and I can't even be friends." Not that they could ever be anything more anyway.

It would have been a great time for a door to be between them so she could close it and distance herself from the beautiful pureness that was Bridin. She mentally saw that it closed and with an iron will that had been passed down to her, Meisa locked away her emotions. It seemed impossible at first given she was so driven by them, but it was only seconds for them to creep away from her face and eyes. A minute, and they were shoved deep in her, under a seal that caged them like her Uncle Naruto had described the bijuu being inside him.

If she kept her emotions checked, everything would be okay.

Conceal it.

Don't feel it.

Don't let it show.

It was the only way to stop the storm from raging on and raining blood.

"Um, Meisa?"

Her black head shot up at the sound of her brother's voice. She had been so absorbed in pushing Bridin out that she blocked everything else out as well. If she was back in her parent's time, she'd be dead for sure.

"Lady Bridin." Kazuki regarded the princess with a bow of his head.

"Oh, how many times do I have to tell you. It's just Brid." The strawberry blonde said standing up and brushing the grass from her dress and trousers.

"What are you doing here?" He started to ask, but was answered quickly, but not by Bridin.

"Following the call." Persephone's low voice traveled to them from behind him.

"The call?" He asked the dark woman.

A long finger gestured to the horizon, where Meisa's frozen blood shield stood. "The sweet song of fire and ice." She breathed as the mount burst into purple flames. A warm breeze shot past them and swirled around the burning liquid, scooping it up towards the sky. The fire glistened and crystalized into that same weird pattern.

"Is that the same symbol we saw before?"

"Without a doubt." Meisa finished her brother's question.

The same haunting voice shimmered over them before the structure dissolved in the sun. Meisa shuddered at the voice.

"Grandmother…" A small voice whispered.

Eyes fell on Bridin who was holding a fist to her chest, her eyes slightly misty.

Meisa was the first to break the silence. "Grandmother?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Blue eyes blinked slightly as Bridin refocused on the three staring at her. "Oh… hello there." She said meekly. She wiped her tears with the heel of her hand and sniffled. "The, um, my aunt got the same call when she went north. It was her mother calling her home. So, that's my grandmother calling to me. And that symbol you guys were referring to? That was the symbol for the elements; all five."

Meisa remained silent at that notice, but her brother picked up her unspoken words. "Why would your grandmother be calling to my sister?"

Bridin glanced over at her, but lowered her gaze and looked away. "I don't know…" She all but whispered.

Kazuki then looked at Persephone questioningly. The woman shook her head, her black curls bouncing freely with the movement. "The sign has presented itself. It is up to each of us to come up with our own interpretation of it for it means something different to each individual."

"Kazuki," Meisa spoke suddenly. "We need to alert Uncle Ko about Princess Bridin's whereabouts. I'm sure her family's already contacted him regarding her disappearance since he was on his way there anyway."

The older brother looked surprised. His sister never spoke so formally in all her life; not even to the Hokage.

"But we haven't figured out what Jashin wants with you." He protested.

"What's there to figure out, Kazuki!?" Meisa shouted. "I am his foot soldier; here in this dimension to do his dirty work! I pass judgement and slaughter those in his name and send them to literal hell. That's what he wants with me. That's his master plan! Case closed; mystery solved. Let's move on with our lives, m'kay!?"

The fiery girl stormed off feeling her unrest build again. She needed a place to hide while she calmed down and be away from everything. She rounded a corner and looked to her right. There was some establishment there that began with an "R" that was probably in whatever weird language her brother spoke to the "shadow mistress." Meisa rolled her eyes as she walked up to the door. She placed her hand on it and pulled it open. She thought that was strange given the place was supposed to be closed. She did feel an ominous aura coming from inside. It should have scared her off, but it only lured her in further. The young girl decided it didn't matter if there were people or not; she would just go sit in a dark corner.

Eyes were immediately on her petite form as she walked into the dimly lit room. Six pairs she counted, but she appeared to give them no mind.

"We're closed," a deep voice from behind the counter said.

"I just want-"

"He said, we're closed, little girl. Now scram." Another male said.

Meisa's lip curled slightly as she frowned. "I am going to sit in that corner. Deal with it."

Her ears picked up a "wooshing" sound when she turned her back and suddenly there was a hand gripping her black hair. She was forced to stand on her tippy toes as her hands gripped his.

"The adults told you to leave, little girl." His raspy voice echoed in her ear.

"I'm not a little girl!" Meisa growled as she stabbed his hand with a senbon that had floated in her hair.

The hand on her hair tightened and she couldn't help but to let out a gasp.

"That actually sorta hurt, but still tickled." The man chuckled and she heard him lick his lips. "Let's see if this tickles."

Lips latched around a tender area on her neck. Meisa's breath hitched as she felt a tongue lazily sweep over the area… followed by teeth.

Her body pulsed as she felt herself freeze. This psycho was drinking her blood. What the - nope, she wasn't going to even reference god… or a god.

'Think, Meisa, think. You're a kunoichi. You can totally get this blood sucker off of you. You have a whole arsenal of jutsu -'

Bingo.

Meisa envisioned her blood clotting as it left her body and into his. It began thicker, harder to suck, but unsavory for any that did get in.

A growl emitted behind her as the man rudely yanked out.

"What the fuck did you do?" He hissed and shook her from her hair. Blood dripped in clumps from his mouth to her shoulder. "Don't make this worse for yourself, little girl."

"I told you," Meisa seethed lowly as her grip on his hand shifted. "I'M NOT A LITTLE GIRL!"

With that roar, she squeezed his hand, hearing bones shatter before throwing the full grown man over her body and onto the weak wood table before her that shattered on impact.

The Uchiha then glanced back over her shoulder, her red eyes glowing in the dim light.

"Who else wants to call me a little girl?"

Blink.

They ran to her, using their inhuman speed to try and blindsight her. But her kekkei genkai made them seem mundane. Punching, kicking, blocking, knocking this one to that side and another into that one. It was basic taijutsu. They weren't trained fighters, the ninja noted as she was able to fend off most of their attacks despite their strength. The only advantage was the numbers. She was having difficulty finagling all six of them on her own.

A blood whip formed from the liquid oozing down Meisa's neck. A twirled lash drove her opponents away.

All but the one she forgot.

His good hand pierced through her back and she could feel it squeeze, causing a surprised sound to emit in her throat.

"I don't know what you are, girl." He wheezed. "But you certainly have a heart, therefore you can die."

The hand squeezed inside her chest cavity and Meisa stilled. However, her body didn't collapse and her soul didn't leave her body. Blood dripped down from the opening, but that was the only sound the six could hear.

"She's still… alive?" A woman told the man behind her.

He snarled and squeezed again, squeezing until he was sure the organ would pop.

Only it didn't.

The lights flickered.

And then her skin was black and white.

"You really thought you could kill a god's champion?" Meisa asked haughty. Her own voice seemed to echo with another, darker, one. "Such naivety."

Her opponent felt his hand release her heart and start to exit her body. He gritted his teeth as he tried to fight against it, but his body was moving at its own accord.

Meisa turned around, her eyes now a swirling black and red pattern. "You were the one that drank my blood, were you not?"

"What the fuck are you?" He muttered, his jaw quivering as he forced the words out.

Her black head tipped to the side slightly, her hair tousled from the fight. "I told you already: I am a god's champion." She held up a hand and clenched her fingers in slightly. A cruel smile slipped over her lips as she heard the man gasp at the feeling. "I guess I can be more specific though. I serve Lord Jashin of the Underworld. I pass judgement in this realm and he decides which pit you will spend eternity in."

Instead of squeezing his heart to death like he tried to do to her, the blood he had ingested from Meisa formed spikes and ripped from the inside out, cutting the man in two at the middle. The gore sprayed onto her and a sigh escaped her now bloodied lips. It felt like a nice shower on her skin.

Meisa turned back to the other five. The first that met her eyes started screaming as she crumbled to the ground, holding her head. She quickly went mute.

A tsk emanated from the black and white girl. "Such weakness."

She didn't wait for the next one to attack first. The kunoichi sprung forward and bashed another's head in with her foot.

That was three down.

"I don't know what you are, but you must be some sort of witch with all that crazy magic. And all witches burn."

A bottle was thrown in the air and a lit lighter quickly collided with it. The contraption exploded sending shards of glass and fire everywhere.

Glass embedded itself in Meisa, but she didn't feel the pain. She plucked out a few chunks, but others had flames licking at her skin.

"Cute little trick," the young girl commented. "Do you wanna see mine now?"

Without waiting for an answer, she placed a black hand palm up in front of her. The fire slowly drew from her body to her hand. It was a small little ball of hot energy. She then carefully moved it to her left towards a rafter that was caught aflame as well. Those yellow and orange whisps pulled into her controlled ball. Larger and larger it grew until it had a mind of its own. The flames morphed and started to slither up her arm. It burned, and Meisa could feel the heat bubbling her skin, but the pain didn't reach her. Not even as it crept around her back and down her other arm.

Meisa pivoted slightly and raised her other hand, palm down a pointed. The edges of her lips curled in a satisfactory smirk as she heard the hiss before the fire lashed out.

Her remaining opponents tried to take cover, but one unfortunate soul was too taken aback by the fire taking the shape of a snake to avoid being devoured. His body caught fire and then set off like a bomb sending waves of heat and death where it went.

Screams reached over the singing flames of the burning building. It was a picture of black and orange from the outside as alarms rang.

"I know she can this way." Kakuzi said, looking around and seeing the burning building. "Shit…" he muttered.

A shadow at the top of the building caught his eye. It was gone before he actually looked, but he swore he saw the shadow of a person perched on the top of the building in the rising sunlight.

A brush of cold air whipped around Meisa when she finally pulled herself from the daze she was in. Her blue-green eyes blinked a few more times as she gathered her bearings. She was surrounded by miles and miles of snow.

The young girl looked behind her, not remembering much at the moment. She saw blood staining the pristine white ground. Her gaze followed the trail all the way back to her.

That was when she took note of her state.

Her haori was covered in blood - again - and her sleeves had been burned off, and her arms had burns on them. She didn't feel any pain though, and it was a scale-like pattern which struck her as odd. Well, the whole situation was odd.

How had she ended up like this?

Meisa's blood went as cold as the outdoor temperature.

She killed someone - or someones. She knew.

And she had a black out during it.

A sudden, overwhelming dread and grief filled her and in her fury of emotions, she unleashed the Phoenix Fire Jutsu her father had taught her and sent multiple fireballs in the general direction she had come.

"I've never seen that jutsu used in such a mundane way,"

Meisa's spine straightened as she reflexively pivoted and flung her leg out at the one who dared to come up behind her. She knew who it was immediately, but she was so jarred she couldn't help herself.

The sage easily jumped out of the way of the kick, almost floating a bit away. His silver eyes outlined every detail on his niece.

"What happened?" He asked her.

Meisa looked at him with such despair and distraught on her face. "I don't know." She whispered.

His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"That I don't know!" Meisa shouted suddenly. "I blacked out like always."

"Meisa, how could you be so irresponsible? To be in another dimension and lose control on innocents?"

Her lips that were caked and dry with blood quivered as she felt a knife in her heart at her uncle's words. She saw a flash in front of her, a memory. The feeling of something razor sharp in her neck.

"They weren't innocent!" The young girl protested. "One of them attacked me. See! I have a puncture wound on my neck!" Whipping back her matted, sticky hair, Meisa showed her uncle where she had been bitten.

Kokuro's face was hard and unrelenting as stone. "So are you lying about remembering?"

Meisa's shoulders dropped as her mouth fell open.

"I don't like liars, Meisa." His voice was disapproving and cold.

"I'm not lying!" She replied finally, desperate to gain control back. "I don't remember what happened."

"Then how do you know you were bit?"

"Because it just came to me!"

Kokuro rolled his eyes. "Meisa, out with it. All of it." He said, his tone giving no room for denial.

Meisa still resisted in his view. "I. Don't. Remember." She gripped her hands into fists. "Why don't you believe me?!"

She saw more flashes, but they were blurry. But the heightened emotions were bringing it back. The rage, the desperation, the loss of hope. The storm of emotions were making way for her muddled mind.

Kokuro watched his niece. Her Sharingan had activated on its own accord it seemed for she was far away, watching something. Then she launched herself in a taijutsu formation. He blocked for the most part, only going on the offense to shove her off him or back. There was no need to return her fury, though he was royally confused.

That only seemed to enrage Meisa off more. "Fight back!" She demanded as her leg connected with his arm. "Hit me!" She growled as Kokruo sent her back and away from him. She stomped her foot in irritation causing the elder to raise white eyebrow. What was her problem all of a sudden? "I am not a frail, little girl. I am a kunoichi of the Leaf Village. Treat me as much!" She roared as she launched herself in the air.

Kokuro sighed, 'Alright,' he thought inwardly.

A pale hand extended, palm open as Meisa came down. She boomeranged back the way she came with an, oof. She landed on her back in the snow, and even though it was fluffy, there wasn't enough of it to cushion her impact. He heard her groan in pain - whether from his attack or from her landing, he wasn't sure.

Kokuro walked over to his niece, pulling out his pipe and lighting it as he looked down at her.

"You asked for it," he reminded her at the sight of her glare. "I am not your father. If you are going to act a fool, I am going to bop you."

"That was more than a bop, Uncle Ko," Meisa wheezed, her throat constricted from the pain.

A white eyebrow lifted again. "Would you like to see what 'more than a bop' really looks like?" He threatened.

Meisa shook her head. She couldn't move from that effortless move. He had ended her assault on him with the palm of his hand similar to the stories she heard of her father trapping someone in a powerful genjutsu with a move of his finger. She shuddered at the thought of their sheer power. Even her mother who could stop a heart with a thought possessed it

"Now are you going to tell me what that was all about?" He asked, staring down at her.

"I was… remembering." She managed to say.

"I swear she just walked right through he-" Kazuki's voice cut off as he stumbled through the same rift his sister just came through.

Kokuro took a long drag off his pipe as he nodded to each of the newcomers. "Nephew, princess, witch."

"Uncle Ko, have you seen Meisa?"

The sage tilted his head towards the ground on his right. A thin arm slowly rose in the air with a wave.

Kazuki sighed and trudged over to his sister who laid in the snow. In a more controlled matter, he sent warm air to the area around them, melting the snow. He then knelt next to Meisa and sent green chakra to his hands. Assessing damage and healing a sprained ankle was about all the young Uchiha male could do.

"What in kami's name happened?" Kazuki asked. "Your arms are burnt, half your hair looks burnt off too, you are COVERED in blood -"

Meisa rose a hand to her rambling brother as she slowly sat up. "Now that I can actually remember." A burning rose in Meisa's throat as she turned, coughing up a bit of blood which she spit out. "Definitely more than a bop," she muttered hoarsely and looked at her uncle.

The uncle rolled his eyes. "On with it."

"Okay… so, I was walking all angrily when I stopped in front of that restaurant. I felt like I should go inside - no, I don't know why, I just did." Meisa answered the question before it had even been asked. "I was literally just going to sit in the corner and cool off. But this guy tells me to get out, and another calls me a little girl. I tell them I'm going to sit in the corner and they can deal with it.

Next thing I know, this bastard grabs me by my hair telling me they said to get out, and calls me a little girl again. I stab him with my senbon and he just laughs. That's when I realize this guy isn't normal. But I still didn't expect him to bite me!"

"You were bit?" Kazuki asked her puzzled.

"Yeah! See?!" She showed her older brother.

"Meisa…" growled Kokuro, a headache brewing on his brows.

The young girl sighed at the impatiences. "Okay… so, this guy is biting me right? I panicked, but then realized I could clot my own blood in his mouth and at my neck so he couldn't get it. That just angered him even more. BUT, he called me a little girl again, and my anger returned ten-fold. I gripped his hand, snapped some finger bones and flung him over me! My Sharingan activated then because the other ones were on me. They were actually moving pretty fast like you and Uncle Sasuke, Uncle Ko." Meisa thought. "It was weird seeing it there. But I fought them off and got them back with the blood whip I formed. But then that guy I had broken the hand on? He shoves his good hand in my back and wraps his fingers around my heart!"

Persephone rolled her green eyes. "Typical move for that lot."

"He was pretty pissed when my heart didn't pop." Meisa recounted

"They… it didn't?" It was Bridin that had spoken.

Blue-green met blue. "I, um, well no." She looked away, flushed with ashament.

"Why…? I mean, I'm glad you're okay, and everything." The strawberry blonde nervously continued. "But isn't that physically impossible?"

Her brother spoke next. "You transformed, didn't you? Like you said happened at the temple."

Meisa couldn't bear to look up at anyone. She just looked down at her burnt hands, remembering they had been black with white stripes. "Yeah…. I did."

Bridin had gone to ask for more clarification, but Kokuro shook his white head, ordering the girl not to continue that trail of questions.

"What happened next?" The older man asked.

"I… I forced his hand out of me - like I've heard mom could do… but I've never been able to do that before…. And then I turned my blood that he ingested into a shuriken basically and ripped him from the inside out."

"Ouch…" Kazuki hissed next to her. A hand went to his abdomen, imaging the pain and the thought of being torn at the middle by his own food.

"Then…. I don't know what happened, but I looked at the woman in the group. I just looked at her and she started screaming, falling to the ground before going silent…." Meisa searched her hands, trying to find the answer to that. She didn't find one, so she shrugged on. "I kicked another's head in. Then another called me a witch and threw a bottle of, well, alcohol at me and then quickly threw a lighter at that and blew up the place."

"That little thing wouldn't have blasted everything in there. It would start as a small fire." Persephone discounted, shaking her head.

"Okay, yeah." Meisa said begrudging, feeling like her thunder had been stolen. "It hadn't, but I was embedded with flaming glass. So, then I raise my hand out and all the fire from my body starts forming there. I wasn't thinking about it or anything, it was just gathering there. Then I moved my hand to the rafter that caught on fire, and those embers joined my fire ball. The next thing I know the fire is slithering up my arm - which is probably how my sleeves got burnt - and then it slides along my - wait, you said my hair was burnt off!?"

The young girl squealed in dismay as she ran/tangled her fingers in her hair, but yes, some parts were shorter where the hot energy had touched.

Her shoulders caved in as she sighed at that defeat. "Alright… well, that sucks. But the next part is sorta cool. Remember what I said about the fire slithering? Well it moved down my other arm in the same fashion, and I heard it hiss before snapping out and engulfing whoever was in front of me. That's when the explosion happened, and I jumped to the top of the building."

Kazuki's blue orbs widened. "I knew I saw someone there!"

"You weren't the only one." Persephone stated and turned around her phone. "It's all over social media. I saved it before we crossed over."

It was a picture of someone perched in front of the sun on top of that burning building. She was crouched on all fours, her hands resting down the middle as her knees pointed opposite of each other. Most of her was shrouded in shadows from the light behind her, giving an ominous feeling about her.

"That…" A new voice joined them.

Kazuki and Meisa looked behind them to see their father's brother standing above them, staring at the photo. His face was paler than they've ever seen it - like he was going to be ill.

"It's Meisa." Kokuro's voice washed over them like fresh rain. "She just murdered some night dwellings in their den."

Sasuke swallowed the mixed emotions, and managed a nod. "It.. It must run in the family."

It was then Kokuro clued in. "The night of the massacre… I wasn't there when it happened."

"What do you mean?" Kazuki asked them. They both knew of the massacre and the events surrounding it and the impact it had on their family.

Sasuke let out a steady breath. "When I came home that night… I was running late from training, and as I was running towards the compound, I thought I saw something on top of the light pole. I did see someone though… Itachi had been perched there… like a panther waiting for its kill."

A somber silence settled over the group as they digested the information. Kokuro understood there was much more to discuss, but he needed to handle things diplomatically first before he could pursue the family drama.

He turned to the other two girls. "Would you like to return Perse?" He asked.

The dark woman nodded. "It is not my time to be here." She said. With a tip of his head, a portal opened. "Be sure to seal the rift. You wouldn't want any vampires or werewolves coming to this beautiful word." She reminded him before walking through.

Another eye roll. "No shit," he muttered, exasperated. With a snap of his fingers, both the portal and the rift were sealed.

Turning to the strawberry blond princess, Kokuro noticed she was nervously twisting the ends of her hair around her finger.

"You're going to pull it out if you continue that, Brid." His voice was calm as a breeze.

Brid still jumped hearing it. "Oh, yeah. Well, nervous habit," she said trying to laugh in between to blow it off.

"Your mother is worried sick." He said.

"Mmm… yep…" The young girl replied as she pressed her lips together.

"Why did you leave?"

Blue eyes looked up at him. "I heard the call…" She whispered, mystified. "So… I followed it like my aunt did."

"Your aunt told you to stay put."

"Yeah, well, staying put wasn't getting me anywhere." Bridin replied stubbornly.

"And where exactly did this get you?" Kokuro replied drily.

Bridin's answer froze in her throat, but her eyes reached past the sage to the dark-haired girl rolling up some snow and throwing it expertly at her brother.

"It led me to her." She whispered. "I… I think she's the one I've been waiting for my whole life."

Kokuro raised a white eyebrow before glancing back at his niece and nephew who were sitting like old times as they spoke softly to Sasuke.

"Meisa? You've been waiting for that hot-headed cat of kunoichi your whole life?"

Bridin nodded softly, watching the two with gentle, warm eyes. "My grandmother's call led my aunt to her destiny… to discovering herself and who she was meant to be… and this time… her call led me to Meisa. And it led Meisa to me."

Kokuro wondered if his eyebrow was going to get stuck where it was arched on his forehead. Maybe he should switch to one-syllable replies like his brother-in-law did.

Once he gathered up his motley crew, the sage escorted them all to the queen and the guardian. The two sisters were overjoyed to see Bridin again, safe and unharmed. Kokuro prompted Bridin to explain herself before suggesting the strawberry blonde join them for training. The white-haired man illustrated and demonstrated he, too, could multiple nature in a similar manner and could teach Bridin to not only control her abilities, but to be able to fully embrace them - and thus herself. It had taken a few days for details to be worked out and for motherly - and auntly - concerns to be soothed. If Kokuro didn't already have white hair, he certainly would have had a full set of it after those few days.

Many moons had passed since they officially started training. Bridin had trained with Kazuki and Meisa all the same, despite having a slightly different way to connect to her abilities. Kokuro had mostly worked with her given there weren't many ice users left and also due to his expertise in controlling the changes of nature. However, when it came to actually learning how to fight, she was taught hand to hand and put into spares all the same. Bridin had grown tremendously in those two years; now, she was able to confidently manipulate her ice and snow magic without the fear of setting off an eternal winter or striking someone accidentally with ice.

Meisa had also grown. Similarly, she had trained with her uncle on the changes of nature. They had tried fire given that's what she wielded when she slaughtered and passed judgement, but she couldn't seem to even summon the flames. But as her wise uncle pointed out, Meisa could manipulate a form of water without chakra - blood. From there, they focused on using water to learn the mechanics, and Meisa had just learned how to apply it to fire a few months prior.

In conjunction, the young kunoichi had trained under her other uncle with regards to snake summonings. Meisa had been hesitant at first because everyone else in her family had a bird companion, but her uncle explained he originally signed with the slithering creatures before signing with the hawks. Kokuro had then reminded her that the fire took on the shape of a snake, making it an obvious sign that she would be compatible.

And compatible she was.

Meisa adorned the serpents, and spent many hours with a large group of them. She let them slither around and over her. She held no fear for them really, even the poisonous ones. This was also around the time the group discovered she was immune to most toxins. She had jumped in front of a bystander from one of her snake's quest for food. The snake's fangs had lodged in her, already wet with poison. Meisa hadn't reported the incident to her uncles until later that day, at which case they went back to Konoha for her to be checked on by Sakura and Shizune.

For all that it was worth, the deity that attached himself to the little girl was watching out for her wellbeing.

They stayed at home for three months that time so that Meisa could study poisons. Shikamaru had been baffled at how quick she learned it and how willing she had been to sit in one place. But he had been grateful to see she was calmer and more in control.

As quickly as they came, the group had to leave again on a lead. They traveled and trained where they could, learning all that was available.

There had been a run in Mist shortly after they had set out from home that left a bitter taste in Meisa. Shizuma had gotten a hold of Samehada again and taken off with his gang of misfits. Meisa had offered to help track him down and Bridin had wanted to come with.

That's where the mistake had been.

They had been the ones to find Shizuma and his gang, and they had taken Bridin. She still hadn't gained full control over her powers at this time. It was hit or miss whether they would actually cooperate with her.

Meisa had incompacitated Shizuma when one of his own had grabbed Bridin as a shield and gripped her wrist too hard, causing the princess to scream in pain and fear. With her blood pumping with adrenaline, the shrill had sent her into her own mad rage. Meisa had grabbed her uncle's famed sword. It's teeth sliced her hands, but she didn't feel the pain. Her body transformed causing the sword to purr at the flood of chakra it felt, obeying her at that moment. She wouldn't remember until later, but Bridin's blue eyes had widened in terror at the sight. No sooner did Meisa yell for her to duck did she send her captor to Jashin using Samehada.

Kisame had prided her for using his sword, but Meisa barely felt his praise. The look in Bridin's eyes had haunted her ever since.

But despite that display of fear, the strawberry blond didn't steer clear of the kunoichi. They two still ended up getting closer through training - physical and diplomatically. The Uchiha siblings and the princess became fierce opponents in multiple different ways.

All their travels eventually lead them back to Bridin's home. She was sixteen, a whole year older than Meisa, and her family wanted to celebrate - given it was one they could actually celebrate on her true birth date. It would also be the group's send off. Kokuro had taught all he could to Bridin, and Meisa had to return home to be with her squad. She had left them after a failed attempt in the Forest of Death as an uncontrollable girl. She was no longer that little girl. She might still be uncontrollable, but so were the Otsutsuki twins. They were living chaos. But even chaos had its subtle finery.

Plus, she was getting tired of going head-to-head with her brother. They were evenly matched - even with Meisa's control in the changes of nature, Kazuki could match her with his own. He had mastered the lightning release and could wield it just like his uncle, and his fire release was much stronger and more versatile like his father. They both were well versed in kenjutsu as well, another gift from the family as well. Meisa wielded a ninjato she called, Sesshi. Given who his sensei was, Kazuki carried a chokuto he named, Hikari.

That was actually what they were training with that morning while Bridin was getting prepped for her birthday celebration.

Their swords kissed with blinding intensity, both wielders already panting heavily. They had been going at it for a while and their practice was coming to a climax.

Red eyes met equally red eyes.

Only a subtle look at alluded Meisa to her brother's next move. She acted first. Her body burst into a bonfire, causing Kazuki to leap back at the heat. Meisa then emerged from a snake with a small smirk.

"When did you get so good with those changes of nature? There wasn't even a chakra flare." He commented.

"Guess that's just what happens when you train with the best." She replied smugly.

Kazuki raised a dark eyebrow and vanished before her eyes.

"Fuck." Meisa swore as her red orbs searched for her brother.

That was one thing he had over her - his raw speed. Sasuke had drilled him relentlessly in the aspects of speed, and it had paid off. Even with her Sharingan, Meisa had a hard time tracking her brother - especially from a distance. Up close, she had more of an advantage since he was in front of her. At a distance, she was completely blind.

'Shit, shit, shit.' Meisa thought as partially merged with her snake summon.

Her vision shut off, opening up her ears to the different vibrations in the air. She pivoted ninety degrees to the right. Sparks flew off the combined swords. They only held for a moment. The force of the impact caused their uses to push back.

"When did you get so fast?" Meisa hissed as she ummerged.

"I was taught by the best," Kazuki replied with equal smugness.

With no words exchanged, swords were lit with fire and lightning and they danced again. Heat and electricity both had their reaches, but since the siblings were so accustomed to feeling both burns, neither shied away. They deadlocked several times more, ignoring as the sun continued to revolve around the earth.

Given they waited until the last minute to end their sparing, Meisa only had an hour to wash the dirt and sweat from her body and pull on fresh clothes from when they had finally ended. Blue-green eyes glanced at the ballroom style dress. It was the color of fresh blood and the bodice was decorated in white gems that emulated newly fallen snow. The dress was shoulderless, which Meisa found impractical. It would surely fall down because she had nothing to hold it up.

The young girl turned her back on the dress and pulled on a clean black tank top and matching compression shorts before pulling her white haori over the top and finishing with her red sash. She did pull on the black, strappy stilettos that had been left out. Meisa liked the look of them - plus they could probably do damage as a weapon if needed. She wobbled slightly, her legs reacting like a fawn's after just being born. However, she was a kunoichi gifted with chakra. She stabilized herself and took a few more confident steps. Moving to the vanity, the young girl did pick up a kohl pen and lined her upper lash line. She and Bridin had experimented on one of their journeys and the dark-haired girl had taken to the look. Meisa also adored a dark red lipstick; it was the color of wine, and she was absolutely obsessed.

With her crimson red paint on her lips and dark eyes, Meisa strutted out of her room into the hallway. She flowed down the stairs with chakra-aided ease, practically spinning at the end of the banister and strolled to the ballroom. The party had already commenced, allowing guests to freely move in and out of the room as needed. Meisa remained near the door, just taking in the scene. She saw her two uncles standing on the opposite site in a corner, talking quietly to each other while scanning the room occasionally.

Meisa rolled her blue-green eyes - would they ever take a break to just live?

She would never understand though… never understand the true life of the shinobi.

Her brother and his shadow mistress were the next to spot. Kazuki had asked Persephone to attend as his date - the two had grown close over these past few years. The dark woman was dressed in a black dress that had a laced bodice that seemed to mimic sporadic tendrils of smoke forming straps and creeped down the front of her dress. The rest was flowing satin ruffles. She, too, was wearing strappy stilettos. Her thick black hair was pulled up into a bun on the top of her head, leaving small pieces down to frame her face. Persephone's smile was radiant, and Meisa could see she had dashed gold highlighter on her cheekbones and on her eyelids so it glittered when she moved in the light.

Her brother was dressed elegantly next to her as he leaned up against the wall. He was dressed more like them rather than back home. Kazuki dawned a black suit jacket and equally matching black slacks. He wore a white dress shirt underneath. His black hair remained wild - like he had electrocuted himself after his shower. Their father said the style mimicked an old friend of his and then his face took on that solemn look he always got when he talked of the past.

"I see you didn't wear the dress I had put out for you," a voice as smooth and sweet as ice cream commented.

Blue-green orbs fell on the girl emerging from the crowd. She was pushing back some strawberry blond hair that had fallen over her shoulder. Two strands on each side were braided back to keep the majority of her hair out of the way. Her bangs were neatly combed to one side, though they were starting to split a little. She was dressed in a gown that looked like the evening sky - light and medium blue silks with royal purple tulle over her skirts. Her bodice was glittering iridescent blues and purples that seemed to blend into her clavicle region like it was a part of her. Her dress was sleeveless, exposing her pale shoulders. They weren't flawless - well, at least to anyone with heightened vision or those that stood too close to her. Meisa could see the white lines of scars from their training. Bridin would never have as many or as deep of scars as her fellow trainees, but she could never be marked as a "normal" civilian who was completely ignorant of the ways of battle.

Her scars were beautiful… so beautiful Meisa felt queasy staring at them.

"Are you okay?" Bridin asked concerned, breaking the young Uchiha's concentration.

"Um, yeah. Why?" She responded with ease.

Blue eyes looked at her with a small, worried frown on her pink lips. "Your eyes flashed red like they do when you get angry or during training."

Meisa grimaced inside. Well, the Sharingan responded to any strong emotion…. "No, I'm not mad." She waved it off with an easy smile. "It happens sometimes. Everything's fine."

Bridin's soft smile returned. Did her face just light up? Or did she step under a light? Wait… she hadn't moved.

Meisa then turned her attention to the crowd, watching couples pair off and start to dance to a new tune. She welcomed the distraction from the… other distraction next to her. At least this one didn't make her turn red.

Then she got a feeling; the same feeling she got when Bridin wanted to say something, but was hesistanting saying it.

Her dark-lined orbs glanced over at the strawberry blonde as a way to permit her to speak. The girl squeaked instead, and looked away.

Meisa was aware Bridin was taking deeper breaths to calm herself as she waited for her to gather her courage again.

"Hey," the princess finally, coming up to Meisa's left more.

The kunoichi turned more to face her, but remained silent.

"Do you wanna dance?"

Her surprise must have been evident on her face, but Bridin didn't continue babbling for once. She had this hopeful look on her heart-shaped face.

"I… I think it's more of a, um, guy-girl dance." Meisa finally replied nodding towards the pairing.

Bridin didn't miss a beat to that. "Yeaah, but there's no rules saying that two girls can't dance together." Meisa's eyes refocused on her. Did she look like a lioness now? When did her eyes get that look in it? A fair-skinned hand grabbed a hold of her pale one. When did Bridin get so bold? "Besides," she seemed to purr since their hands were joined. She was starting to pull the shocked nin. "It's my birthday… and," she added, almost innocently. "I am a princess, and people have to follow what I say." Meisa shuttered at that verbal flex of her prowess. "And if I say two girls can dance together, we can dance together."

Meisa's mouth opened, she meant to speak or wet her lips, or something, but she shuddered instead as Bridin's words washed over her on repeat in her mind. She didn't even realize they were moving until they stopped. She glanced around at everyone who continued dancing but stayed graciously away from them.

"I don't know how to dance." The young girl suddenly blurted out, as if the confession could save her.

Bridin smiled and giggled behind it. "It's very simple. Only one of us has to know how to truly dance. The other one just follows the leader. Just like in training. You just have to trust me, can you do that Meisa?"

'Yes… but can I trust myself to fall back?' Meisa thought to herself.

Suddenly, their joined hands lifted and Bridin guided the position. Her other hand grabbed hold of Meisa's other and placed it on her waist. Bridin's hand then went to Meisa's shoulder.

"Ready?" Bridin asked, her voice deep with anticipation.

Meisa could only give a timid nod as the tune changed.

"Take a breath and take one step," the princess commanded gently as she moved.

Meisa breathed and stepped with her. Her head immediately went down to try and make sure she didn't step on her foot. Soft finger folded under Meisa's chin and gently pushed upward.

Blue-green met blue. "Keep your eyes locked on mine, and let the music be your guide."

Meisa swallowed again and nodded before beginning to move again.

The two swirled around, letting the instruments' rhythms sway them. Meisa began to relax in Bridin's embrace.

"I wanna try something," Bridin told her after a while. "Place both hands around my waist, and don't let go, okay?"

Nodding her black helm, Meisa placed both hands firmly on her waist. Bridin smiled, her hands on Meisa's shoulders at first.

"Start moving in a circle." The strawberry blond told her.

Their feet started moving. Before long, Bridin let go and bent backward. Her heels lifted up so she could be spun. Meisa panicked slightly and pulled Bridin's waist against hers. Their pelvises colloid, hip bone hitting hip bone. The kunoichi groaned quietly in the back of her throat. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling. In fact, it sent a shiver down her spine as a reward.

Bridin came up after a few more spins, her face flushed with the blood that rushed to her head. "Oh boy. That was fantastic." She laughed. "Your turn!"

Meisa started to protest, but Bridin had her hand on Meisa's waist and her other pushed Meisa lightly back.

Now, such a push wouldn't normally knock the young Uchiha over, but she felt inclined to comply with the princess. Meisa dropped back with grace and let her arms hang above her head as Bridin twirled her. Being a shinobi, she also used chakra to keep her balanced, not waiting to put the strain on her partner.

Meisa swung back up, breathless. She felt giddy, a large smile spreading across her face as she laughed. "Oh wow, that was fun." She stated when she finally caught her breath.

"See! Come on, we'll do half ones down, but take turns with each spin." Bridin plotted, getting them into position.

So they went, alternating who let go. They kept a hand on each other's waist so they could switch with ease. They laughed as they went at it, loving the rush of blood to their heads and the dizziness that accompanied their spinning. The music seemed to pick up as they varied up their moves became more daring.

Meisa had no idea when it ended, but they were in the same position as they started. Except there were some differences. Meisa's hand was nuzzled at the small of Bridin's back, and she had the princess pressed flush against her. Their other hands were extended up and out of their way. Meisa felt so warm, but it was more than just exertion. She was panting lightly as well, Bridin's breath was heavier against her cheeks.

Their eyes met and Meisa suddenly felt cold. She recognized that look. It had never been directed towards her, but she had seen it in others - her mother and father and Uncle Ko and Uncle Kiba; even Kazuki shared it with Persephone.

Love and desire.

Meisa felt a light tremor take her over, and she crumbled.

"No," she whispered under her breath as she pulled her arms back to herself and took a step back.

The ghosts of her mind seized forward. They whispered how she was unworthy, that she was claimed already, that she was darkness's mistress and could never be in love with a mortal of the light. Louder ones shouted that Jashin would make an example of her, using Meisa as his vessel as he rightly should. Then she saw the fear in Bridin's eyes like that day she had transformed in front of her in Mist.

Terror seized Meisa's veins as she turned and rushed off.

"Meisa!" She heard Bridin call out as she pushed through the doors.

Her ears picked up a, "no I'll handle it," before she was out of range.

The kunoichi plowed down the steps two at a time, stumbling from right to left. The night air graced her as she pushed the door off its hinges. Her breath was frantic now as she looked to escape the fear.

She spun in circles as the whispers encased her. One of the heels got stuck and her ankle twisted. The pain shot rage through her fog of terror. She unstrapped the heel and held it in her hand.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" She screamed into the dark abyss.

Her outburst stilled the rippling water as if it hadn't wanted to feel her wrath. The night suddenly got quiet, so silent that Meisa didn't realize the voices weren't with her anymore.

"Meisa -"

The stiletto whizzed past Bridin who had been standing in the stony doorway. Her blue eyes were wide with shock, but not fear. She knew Meisa wouldn't hurt her.

She tried again, "Meisa -"

"Stay back!" The black-haired girl insisted, the other shoe in her hand already.

"Put the shoe down, Meisa." Bridin commanded softly. "I know you're not going to hurt me."

"Bullshit." Meisa choked, her face crumbling. "You don't know that. You don't know what I'm capable of."

"I know you're very capable of using that stiletto like it was a shuriken. If you wanted to hit me, you would have." The strawberry blond countered.

"That's just the tip of the iceberg." Meisa whispered. Tears were clouding her eyes. "There are things that I can do that I'm not even aware of. I have blackouts in the middle of battles and wake up with people dead around me. I have no immediate remembrance of what happened, but they come back in pieces aided by rage and grief."

"Your uncles say -"

"MY UNCLES KNOW NOTHING!" Tears flowed down now. "My uncles don't know what's going on. They've never seen me during a black out. I'm always alone surrounded by scum. We can't even induce the form because he won't allow it! I can only transform when passing judgement, and that means killing someone, and usually at his discretion. I do not have control over this."

Bridin took a step towards her, but Meisa took a measured step back. "Meisa, please. We can talk this through."

Black hair swept back and forth as a reply as another step was taken. The water was cold, almost hissing at the heat from Meisa's skin. The chakra that she had used for her heels transformed so she could walk across the black depths of the fjord.

"It's for the best."

The words no sooner escaped her red stained lips when she pivoted and broke out into a sprint across the water. This aggravated its stillness, currents rushing from the force of her feet.

Bridin hadn't hesitated. She took across the inlet as well; however, instead of chakra, ice paved her way. It extended before her to keep her afloat and the princess made a conscious effort to make sure it melted after she left it. She certainly didn't want to freeze the entire thing. Bridin was also normal - more or less - basically, she didn't have chakra and wasn't born a shinobi. She didn't have the speed to keep up with Meisa's unconscious effort.

Snow and ice sprouted forth from Bridin's hands as the shore approached. She couldn't keep up with the kunoichi, but she could try and slow her down as well as track her.

The snow prints Meisa left behind led Bridin north. Then she noticed the tracks disappeared at the side of a mountain, meaning the athletically inclined young woman started to climb. Bridin used her own abilities to her advantage and started her ascent up a staircase made of ice.

She no longer needed the snow to lead her.

She knew where Meisa was heading.

It was a place Bridin had been drawn to as well.

The palace stood tall and proud away from the mountain it nestled in. Its blue crystals reflected any light it obtained giving it a sparkling appearance. Its architecture was simple with smooth and straight lines. Modern, yet sophisticated enough for the queen.

At the top of that staircase, Bridin noticed the door had been left ajar. Meisa was there. The strawberry blond gently pushed the passageway open and looked around at the first level. She headed over to the other flight of stairs - one that was thankfully shorter than all the others. Her blue eyes spotted Meisa at the top of it, sitting on the landing. The startled girl stood when she saw Bridin.

"You don't have to protect me." Bridin insisted. "I'm not afraid. Please," she begged, taking the steps towards her. "Don't shut me out. Don't slam the door closed on us. You don't have to keep your distance."

"Bridin, please," Meisa begged, taking a few small steps back.

She closed the gap and grabbed Meisa's hand despite the other girl's protest. "Meisa, I've loved being around you these past few years. Watching you and practicing with you…. It's like I'm in a dream or something. I feel we're on the same wavelength… and I've never had that with anyone. You keep saying there's this darkness inside of you, but I haven't seen a lick of it. It must not be very big or predominant to have not shown its ugly head this entire time. I think you're giving it a bigger ego that it actually has because you're scared."

"Of course, I'm scared!" The Uchiha shouted suddenly, her bloodline activating with her burst of emotions. "You would be scared too if some god claimed you as his champion! I was a thirteen-year-old girl who knew nothing about the world, but now I have to pass judgement on people and send them to this god for eternal punishment. You don't think that's terrifying?! Then add on top of it, the transformation - I'm a freaking black and white zombie that can't be killed in that state, nor do I really remember what happens when I go into it! I am literally a fucking puppet!" She had only momentarily paused to realize she swore, but it was brief. "THEN, AND THEN, he's in my head. Literally. He is always there. I constantly feel the weight of him on my shoulders, his aura breathing on the back of my neck. He is darkness and evil, Bridin. And you don't deserve that. I cannot control this storm inside me. I just can't. And I can't bear the thought of something happening to you because of me, by me. Because he will use you against me and will dispose of you if you get in his way. The god I am bound to is a cruel one, Brid… you don't deserve that… and I don't deserve you."

Bridin pursed her lips, her own emotions bursting in her bosom as the girl she loved poured her fears out.

Yes, love.

She loved Meisa.

And the girl she loved was one of action, not words. So, the only way to get her feelings across was to show her.

Bridin grabbed a hold of Meisa's hands and yanked her towards herself with strength she didn't know she possessed.

"Meisa," she breathed against the other girl's lips. "If I have learned anything from all the stories I've heard from my mother and aunt, it is that true love is the most powerful thing in the world. It can turn a curse into a blessing, can thaw a frozen heart, end a spontaneously winter, and be a bridge between us and the spirits. And the spirits brought us together, Meisa. We are halves of each other, and thus, we need each other. If you are the darkness, let me be your light. You're afraid the evil in you will burn me like fire, but that's perfect because I am blessed with ice and snow. And even if I melt, some people are worth melting for. I love you Meisa, and I will not let you close the doors on me - ever."

With that declaration, Bridin crashed her lips against Meisa's. For a brief moment, she considered what it would be like if they were red with gore and not with lipstick. The princess didn't care. She accepted all the bad that came with this person that made her feel so wonderful. She knew they could figure out a way to keep Meisa in the light and maybe eventually free her from the god, but for now, she wanted to be with her and everything that it entailed.

Bridin could feel Meisa give in to her own temptation. She had been right - Meisa felt the same pull she did. They did meet for a reason. They were supposed to be together like the earth and the sky, day and night, sound, and silence, dark and light. One was not enough; they were both needed like yin and yang - like fire and ice.

Meisa melted into her other half, wrapping her arms around the young woman in front of her. She pulled her closer, unwilling to let her go now that she had given in. She was trembling, but not from the cold or from her fear. She was trembling because this was so familiar to her in a way she couldn't explain. It was all a dream that she didn't think she could reach or hold, but Bridin was there in her arms, accepting her for all her faults. It was like Bridin was a friend she always knew just waiting for her. Meisa had arrived finally, and it felt like home for the first time in forever. This stubborn princess was going to stay whether Meisa pushed her away or not - and the Uchiha had accepted that fact.

And the spirits sang their praises.

Aaha, aah oh.

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"Persephone," he spoke with ease as he stopped in the doorway. "What are your intentions for my son?"

Her green eyes stared at his back in confusion. "I," she stuttered, lost for words.

"Let me assure you,"

Persephone gasped, feeling his breath on the side of her cheek. She was frozen - paralyzed in fear because he had just been at the door.

"While you may be a shadow mistress," his low, lethal voice purred. "I am the dark side, and there will be no shadow that you hide in that I won't find you if you hurt him."

The room flashed red and black causing Persephone to flinch. When her eyes opened again, Itachi was standing in the doorway like he had been, the presence behind her missing. She looked over her shoulder, shaking from fright.

"Do I make myself clear, Persephone?" Itachi's calm voice cut through her scare.

The woman in question stared at Itachi's back. His form was so relaxed, so nonchalant. Was this really the same man that just threatened her like…. Like an overprotective father…

"Crystal." She answered, her voice still quivering a tad. But understanding was starting to overcome her.