-:-

"He has green eyes… Our son has green eyes!"

Kotone sat up with a jolt at the feeling of falling. Cold sweat dampened her brow, and she felt the tickling of her wilted ponytail on her back. The tent she was in was filled with bustling ninja, and she was surprised she hadn't awoken earlier. She peered around, wondering if Temari was still present, or even Hiromi, and her unspoken question was answered by a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Kotone," Hiromi softly inquired, "how are you feeling?"

Her throat felt dry, like she hadn't had anything to drink in years, but her voice came out smoothly, "I feel… like I'm alive."

The blonde shinobi didn't hide a grin, "That's good. Your ribs are coming along nicely, though I would advise you as both your friend and caretaker that you should avoid kicks to the stomach."

"I can ensure you that I will be as careful as I can," Kotone rubbed her neck, taking a moment to assess her bare stomach.

The tree-branch like scar from the lightning ninjutsu was hardly visible, but it was present. The nagging pain in her belly was just that; nagging yet bearable. She was impressed by whatever treatment she had received, but was immediately reminded of her surroundings.

"What's the situation on the battlefield?" She queried as she swung her legs over the side of her stretcher.

She could remember being in a bed before, so she figured that she had been moved after her condition stabilized. Peering over at Hiromi, she tried to gauge how long she had been asleep. There were wisps of blonde hair flittering all around the tired shinobi's face, and her eyes looked heavy. Hiromi was wearing green gloves speckled with dots of red, and she had a medical mask that was hanging around her neck. Perhaps a more complicated surgery had come through her door.

The shorter teen used the back of her hand to wipe away some of the heavier tufts of hair in her face, "Nearly all of the resurrected ninja have been taken care of, yet… the real battle is just beginning."

When Hiromi noticed that Kotone was looking at her expectedly, she sighed and continued, "We're heading out soon. Madara Uchiha has been revived, and it doesn't seem like he's going down without a fight. There's a monster, like a wooden creature, and all of the squadrons are being summoned to battle against it."

Her words sunk into the heavy environment, and Kotone took a second to realize that the rush around her was due to the packing up of essential items and preparing to move out.

"I see," her voice was quiet as she finally stood, "then, shouldn't we be going?"

Hiromi peeled her gloves off, "This isn't going to be easy. In fact, I've never seen something more terrifying in my life. When you leave the tent, you'll see it. It's giant… like some kind of demon."

She slithered an arm around Kotone and assisted her outside. There were hundreds, if not thousands of shinobi doing the same for injured comrades, and others stampeding with supplies. Sakura and Shizune were prominent organizational figures, directing traffic and even providing assistance for those more severely injured.

But the focus wasn't on the crowd; it was on a creature in the distance. It was a small figure from afar, taking on the appearance of a demented doll. Its slender limbs swung wildly, and just as it destroyed some of the landscape, Kotone realized that it would only become larger as she approached.

Yet, she was not afraid. She took a moment to take down her hair, shaking her head gently to release the stiff strands. Then, she threw it back up into a tight ponytail at the top of her head, and turned towards Hiromi, who looked like she had aged many years since their last meeting.

"While we pack up," Kotone offered, striding to Hiromi's side, "please, inform me of any details I missed while unconscious. I owe you my life and my thanks, but for now, I need to understand our enemy."

Hiromi smiled, "Of course. I'll tell you what I know."

-:-

"Tobi!"

Obito wasn't surprised. If anything, he had been waiting for this moment for a while. He watched as Kakashi and the other shinobi's faces contorted in shock. Naruto looked disgruntled, if anything, and bit his tongue.

He turned his unmasked face to look at her. She looked heartbroken, which wasn't something he was expecting. Her lips were quivering, and he wondered absentmindedly if she was going to cry.

"What's the meaning of this?" She hesitantly stepped closer to him, "What about… where is… where is my family?"

For a moment, Obito was lost, but he remembered what she thought of the Akatsuki. He straightened himself and beckoned her to his side. Maiko followed obediently, appearing beside him, not even sparing the others a glance.

"Maiko," he said, reaching out lightning fast to grab her wrist, "it was fun, but… you've outlasted your usefulness."

Realization dawned upon her, and her black eyes spun around in fear. She wriggled and screamed, but Tobi snapped her wrist with little to no effort, and she shrieked, collapsing on her hind legs.

Kakashi stepped forward, but Tobi moved quickly. It was almost too easy, and he wondered if this was truly something evil. His kunai nearly slipped between the teen's ribs, and in a last effort, she gently rested her hand over the one gripping the knife. She looked up at him with something akin to terror.

"Tobi," she croaked, "how long… have you been-?"

He twisted his hand, "Since the beginning, Maiko-chan."

Maiko was speechless. Her mouth hung open, searching for words, but instead, Obito kicked her away from him, leaving the kunai buried within her stomach. She felt arms around her, and she lashed out, swiping at Kakashi's face like a wild cat. He dropped her after she bit him harshly, and she scrambled to her feet, putting a hand to her wound.

"Maiko!" Naruto called out, "It's me! Naruto!"

She ignored him, looking at the palm of her hand. Instead of the familiar crimson, black liquid dripped from her stomach. Her own life blood had been replaced by something else entirely. Her fingers twitched, and her eyes widened. What was happening to her body?

"W-… what have you done to me?"

Obito shrugged nonchalantly, "Nothing. You chose this life, Maiko. You chose this path, including all of its consequences."

Maiko ripped away the kunai, turning to face Naruto. He gaped at her wound, flabbergasted by its unusual color, and she hissed.

"Stay away from me!"

And she did the only thing she could do. She ran away.

-:-

Moments before he arrived, Kotone felt his chakra. It was something akin to reuniting with an old friend, and she looked up at him when he appeared. He looked different, and Kotone noticed that there was something missing from him. He was lighter, it seemed. Some kind of heaviness was lifted from him, and he stood taller. He looked brighter, his skin was nearly glowing, or perhaps Kotone was just seeing things. She was currently seeing him look directly at her, with familiarity, and confidence, and all she could think of was the fact that many years ago, he had seen more of her body than anyone else. She felt… embarrassed. She had never truly had the feeling before, and put a pale hand to her hot face.

"Kotone," his voice was velvety, and deeper than it had been during their last meeting, "you've changed."

Did he mean that she was not the girl he had known? That was true. Did he mean that she was someone else entirely, perhaps not even in a good way? She couldn't think of anything to say. Luckily, she didn't have to.

"Sasuke-kun?" Ino appeared, sharing the same shocked face as Hiromi, who stumbled to Kotone's side.

"No, stay back! He's our enemy!" Shikamaru warned.

Kiba leapt in front of Hiromi, blocking Sasuke's path with his arm, and Akamaru barked viciously, baring his canines. As if for stability, the blonde kunoichi grabbed onto the large dog's fur with a tight grip. Kotone didn't have anything to grab onto, so she just kept her hand on her cheek. It was still burning up. She wondered if she was sick.

"You're as boisterous as ever," Sasuke commented nonchalantly.

Kiba growled, "You've got a lot of nerve showing your face here!"

"Sasuke," Kotone finally spoke, removing her cold hand from her face, "why have you returned?"

He turned to her, eyeing her as if evaluating her current state. It made her feel like there were hundreds of bugs on her skin, moving in sync with her little movements. She believed that the feeling was… nervousness.

"A lot has happened and I've decided to protect Konoha," Sasuke spoke clearly, "and furthermore, I'm going to become Hokage."

No one looked too impressed by his statement. In fact, Kotone caught the expression on Hiromi's face and it looked confused, if anything. Her partner, Kiba, looked ready to throw a punch.

"That's so funny I forgot to laugh!" He finally exclaimed, furious, "I didn't know missing ninja knew jokes! Do you even know what being Hokage means?"

"And do you really think we would forgive you for everything you've done?" Shikamaru added.

Sasuke turned to address him with a determined look, "Would you forgive Maiko?"

The air turned thick, and both Hiromi and Kotone whipped their heads towards Shikamaru. He looked incredibly surprised by the question.

"So," he sighed, "you've seen her recently, I'm guessing."

"She's gone," Sasuke responded, "Her doujutsu has driven her nearly insane. She's barely a shell of who she used to be."

"No way!" Hiromi cried out.

Kotone furrowed her brows in thought, "There must still be a way to reason with her."

"I don't know," Shikamaru heaved another heavy sigh, "I've already tried."

-:-

He was practically gasping for air, hoping it would fill his lungs and his heart with relief. So, Hidan was no more. Or at least, he wouldn't be moving anymore. Underneath the rubble, Shikamaru could still hear some of the missing nin's ramblings, but that's all they were. Hidan wouldn't take another life again.

The deer around him seemed to seal the fate of the man underground. Shikamaru let himself take a brief respite, letting one of the usually skittish creatures sniff at his collar. Its damp nose felt cool against his neck, and he let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. It felt like there was a weight off of his shoulders. Something heavy and alive with hatred had flown away, buried deep with Hidan's dissected body.

He didn't take notice when the deer whipped its head away from him. Shikamaru knew they were very antsy animals. But he did snap to attention when he heard someone panting, like they were breathing heavily between their teeth. He looked around wildly, and noticed that the deer was fleeing, leaping away. It was heading towards where Shikamaru had just buried Hidan… did it think he was less of a threat than what was coming?

He took a step towards where the deer was heading, but stopped in his tracks when he noticed the head of mint hair. It was… it was Maiko. She seemed to see him at the same time that he saw her, and they both stood still for what felt like ages. Then, she smiled, a grin full of sharp teeth, and charged at him. She had a blade drawn, and Shikamaru barely had time to make a plan in his mind before he stumbled away.

He was running, and though he knew she was close behind him, he felt like she was marching towards him at a steady pace. She was slicing her blade any time he was within reach.

"Maiko!" He tried not to look over his shoulder out of fear, "Stop! It's me, Shikamaru!"

"You killed him!" She shrieked back, "You killed my friends!"

Her friends? Shikamaru thought to himself.

He took a second to glance at her, and his eyes widened at the sight of her Akatsuki coat. It was torn up at the collar, allowing for her neck to be exposed, revealing marks akin to hands around her throat, and it wasn't buttoned up correctly, showing some skin that was deathly white with lines of blue and purple visible beneath. She wasn't healthy. Hell, she was hardly alive.

Shikamaru tripped at the sight of the edge of the woods. He was nearing where everyone else was! He let himself look at Maiko again, noting that she was doing just as he thought, taking steady slow steps, but still keeping up with him. Her eyes looked like holes were her odd pupils had once been, and there was some new piercings on her face that hadn't been there before. In the back of his mind, he wondered vacantly if someone in the Akatsuki had done them for her. Who was taking care of her? Who gave her the clothes she wore?

He hardly had any time to think, scrambling to get to his feet as Maiko took a risky action and chucked one of her blades at him like a spear. It landed too close for comfort, and Shikamaru kept running.

Just need to make it to the clearing, he thought, just need to make it there.

He tried ducking behind a tree to buy himself more time, and breath, but she must've had some force behind her stab, because her blade went straight through the bark, and nicked Shikamaru's cheek. He pushed himself off of the rough surface, and made a break for the clearing. Though the sun wasn't shining through the tree line like a beacon, Shikamaru felt like it was a lighthouse. Kakashi would know what to do, wouldn't he? Someone would know what to do, but it definitely wasn't Shikamaru, at least right now anyways.

When he tumbled out of the woods and into the clearing, he could feel Sakura and Sai nearby. If he just held out a little longer, he could-!

In an instant, he was pinned. She had grabbed his foot and pinned him down using her raw strength. She was so small and thin, yet she was stronger than ever. He looked up at her with a glare.

"So, what are you going to do, huh, Maiko?" He bit out.

"Well," She hissed, "how about something like this!"

Shikamaru howled in pain, sparing not even a look at the blade she sent through his hand. It went all the way to the earth beneath him, effectively trapping him in place like a bug waiting to be dissected.

"You killed my friends," Maiko growled.

"They're evil, Maiko! They're only using you!"

She smacked the ground next to his face, as if as a warning, "You're a liar!"

"Maiko, I would never lie to you."

She raised her fist as though to punch him, but stopped at the look of sincerity on Shikamaru's face. He didn't look like anyone she had ever seen before. He wasn't like Deidara, who used her body, or like Pein, who abused her mind. He looked like he meant what he said.

"Shikamaru!" Sakura called out.

Maiko's head whipped towards the reinforcement, and Shikamaru noted that she looked afraid for a split second. The fear was wiped away, and she growled down at him, bearing her teeth like an animal.

"Come back to the village with me, Maiko. You belong back home."

"You're just trying to trick me!" She spat at him, missing his face by a few centimeters, "Hah… Deidara told me that you would try this."

"Listen to me," Shikamaru leaned up off the earth, a bit taken back when Maiko allowed him, "the Akatsuki is using you, Maiko. They don't really care about you. But…"

He took a deep breath, using his free hand to reach out for her. She flinched, moving away just a tad. He felt pity, pity for the girl he saw, and anger, anger for whoever made her fear people.

"I care about you," his voice was soft, nearly quiet, but he knew she heard him when her brows furrowed together, and she released her grip on the sword in his other hand.

"Come back with me. You can start over. You don't have to be their slave."

Maiko shifted further away. Her coat moved a bit, and Shikamaru saw that there were bruises all along her body. He tried to hide his fury, so that she didn't think it was aimed at her, but it was impossible for him to not clench a fist.

"I know you are listening to me, Maiko," he was nearly sitting up now, with Maiko no longer pinning him down with her strength, but sitting on his legs, as if to keep in control, "You can still do what's right."

He reached forward again, and this time, Maiko leaned towards him, letting her eyes settle on his. Shikamaru placed his hand on the back of her head, giving her tangled, matted hair a gentle rub. She looked confused, nearly surprised by his actions. He knew Sakura and Sai were close, and that he had to act fast if he wanted to take her into custody. Sakura and Sai weren't far at all. In fact, they stood only feet away. Sakura held up a hand to keep Sai back.

When asked why, she answered, "This is Shikamaru's fight."

But, he couldn't fight her. This was Maiko, his best friend. He couldn't just treat her like a criminal. Shikamaru felt for a moment what he believed Naruto felt. Yet, looking into her eyes, he saw something that perhaps Sasuke did not feel; fear. She looked absolutely terrified, of what, Shikamaru didn't know. When he released her hair, settling on placing his hand on her face, she nearly leapt out of her skin. It didn't take a genius to figure out why. She thought he was going to hit her.

"Maiko," he was nearly mumbling now, quietly, and only to her, "I would never hurt you."

Her response was so low, that he hardly heard it, "I know."

"Please, come with me."

She wasn't looking at him anymore, but at the ground beneath them. She wasn't moving away, either. Shikamaru held her cheek in his hand. It was frigid.

"I can't. They'll hurt us."

"I can protect you. I will protect you, Maiko."

"Not me," she whispered, "They might hurt you. I might hurt you."

"We can get you help, Maiko," he felt like he was begging, and he knew that really, he was, and he didn't even care, "Just come with me."

"Y-you… you killed Hidan…"

"He killed Asuma-sensei," Shikamaru responded hastily.

Maiko flinched at the familiar name, her face twitching beneath his hand.

"Asuma-sensei had a family… He had Kurenai-sensei."

"Family…" She looked far away, as if she was seeing Konoha, "They are my family now."

"No, Maiko, we're your family. Back in Konoha, you have family!"

"No, you're wrong… Dai… is gone. Everyone is gone. I have no one left."

Her fists were clenched, and she tilted her chin towards the earth.

"Maiko," He lifted her chin, meeting those onyx eyes, "let me be your family."

For a moment, he thought she was going to hug him. She reached her two hands towards him, and then, her eyes changed, like a stone was dropped in the black pools of her eyes, and she lunged for his throat, wrapping her talon-like fingers around it. He gasped out a choking breath, and hoped that maybe if he got some more words out, he could calm her down.

"M-maiko! I-! M-marr-! Marry me!"

She stopped. Her eyes were as wide as saucers, and so were his. Shikamaru didn't think about if he really meant what he was saying, though he had a feeling he did, but he just continued.

"We can have a family together. You can come live in Konoha, and we can do anything we want to. You don't have to ever see the Akatsuki again. Tsunade-sama is a healer, she can fix whatever is going on that you're so afraid of! Please, come back with me."

Maiko didn't say anything. She was looking deep into his eyes, searching for some reason that he would even love her, searching for some kind of chink in his reasoning she could use. She could choke him to death. She could kill him right now, and yet he felt no fear as she searched his eyes for a reason to.

He loved her. So, that was it, huh. All of those times as children, he didn't know why he felt attached to her, why he felt obligated to go out of his way to be in her path. And now he knew. It was because he loved her. He loved the way she laughed, and how if she got too excited, she couldn't sit still. She would wiggle in her seat in the Academy right before the bell rang, and she would tap her feet on the floor when she saw her food coming.

Shikamaru loved the way that, when she was really thinking about something, her nose would twitch. He loved that she was so passionate, almost making up for his lack of enthusiasm with her own. He loved Maiko Arakawa.

Making a decision, she pulled out the blade in his hand, and for a split second, he saw a chance, but she aimed it towards his throat, and began to swing. Shikamaru shut his eyes tightly, as if that would shield him, waiting for the metal to spill his blood, and even when he felt nothing, he did not open them. It was only when he felt a drop of rain on his cheek that he let one eye peel open.

It wasn't rain, he noticed. Multiple drops of bitter tears hit his nose and forehead, and he saw the heartbroken face Maiko was making. She was crying so heavily, he didn't even know what to say. Her blade was tossed to the side, and she was leaning over his body, spilling her tears on his face. One of them landed in the crease of his eye, and slid down his cheek.

"Please," she whimpered through her sobs, "please, help me."

"Maiko, I will-…"

She kissed him. It was salty with tears, but she still tasted like blood. Maiko hardly let it last more than a second, shoving away from him and grabbing her sword with haste. She scrambled away so quickly, that not even Sakura and Sai were able to see where she went as they came to Shikamaru's aid. Sakura tended to his hand, noting the tears on his face. There was always a bit of blood smudged on his lips, and Sakura wondered if it was his or not.

"Are you alright?" Sakura asked after a moment.

He took a second to respond, looking back at the forest that was Hidan's resting place. A large deer had stuck its head out from the trees, as if it knew that the true threat had gone.

"She can be saved," Shikamaru said finally, after a pregnant pause, "I know she can."

-:-

"But," Hiromi pleaded, "You said it yourself! We can help her!"

"She can, but I doubt it would be easy," Shikamaru responded.

"You're right," Sasuke stated, "The way she is right now, she would never accept your help."

"We'll think of something! I know we will!" Hiromi stepped forward.

"You're right," Kotone affirmed, "We shan't give up that easily on our comrade."

"For now, though, let's focus on the enemy at hand. Sasuke, why should we trust you in the first place?" Shikamaru crossed his arms over his vest.

"I figured you wouldn't let bygones be bygones. But honestly, I don't care what most of you think of me. The Hokages are the reason all of this has happened, so I plan on being the Hokage who ensures that nothing like this happens ever again."

Kotone stepped to Sasuke's side, "I believe that his words are truthful, if not… extremely late."

She sent him a glance that could be described as sly and continued.

"I support him, as a fellow soldier, and especially as… as my friend."

Hiromi smiled, "Okay, then, it's settled! Let's support Naruto and Sasuke as they fight!"

"Hiromi!" Kiba gaped, "You really have faith in this guy?"

"Well, no, but… anyone who Kotone likes is alright by me."

"Ha! Yeah, right. I'm going to be Hokage," Naruto stood by his friend's side, making a swift recovery and sporting an excited smirk.

"Isn't this kind of nostalgic?" Ino smiled, watching Team Seven gather themselves.

Shikamaru sighed, "Whatever. If we're going to work together to take these guys down, this is our only chance to do it… Though I don't like to admit it."

"What the hell? I'm the one who's going to be Hokage!" Kiba was calling out at Sasuke and Naruto, but it was clear the two weren't listening.

"I'm sure you will," Hiromi tried not to giggle, "but look! It's been so long since all of us have gathered together like this!"

"Let's show them what we're made of!"

-:-

When Kotone opened her eyes, she didn't know where she was. She was in a house, a traditional one it seemed, but she wasn't familiar with it. It didn't look like her home back in Konoha, but it was pleasant to the eye. She sat up, and realized that she had been in a bed. Resting, perhaps? When did she fall asleep?

She scanned the room, noting the little trinkets and plants scattered about. There was some warm food on the kotatsu, and she eyed it with interest. It looked like Hinata's cake and Hiromi's truffles! Kotone whipped her head around, looking for anyone else present, before helping herself to a few pieces. It was… so good! She ate so much, and was so engrossed in it; she didn't hear the door slide open.

"Good morning, Kotone!"

She flinched, and turned towards the door. Aiko was standing there, looking down at her with a big grin.

"A-aiko!" She mumbled between the sweets.

Kotone instinctively raised a hand to cover her full mouth. She must look so undignified! It's a good thing, she supposed, that Aiko was blinded.

"Oh, my! Did you find the snacks that Hinata and Hiromi left for you? You've got icing all over!"

"What?" She was no longer embarrassed by the pink around her lips, but shocked at the sight of Aiko's sparkling emerald eyes, "I-… How did you…?"

"Come on, now, Kotone," Aiko knelt down and grabbed her friend's hand, hardly minding the sticky icing, "Everyone is waiting for you!"

"Waiting.. for me?"

"That's right! Let's go!"

The door slid open, and Kotone stumbled out. It was snowing outside at a sluggish pace, and out on the yard of snow, there were people waiting, just as Aiko said.

"Good morning, Kotone!" Hiromi greeted.

"Good morning…"

"Are you ready for today?" Akio asked, stepping forward.

Kotone was blindsided by his voice, taking a step back. Why was this so surprising…? He could always speak, couldn't he?

"I-… yes, I am."

Aiko and Akio grabbed her hands, and began to tug her towards the gathering of people. She could recognize a few faces, like Maiko, who waved, and Hanako who was holding her child. Gaara was there, smiling like she had never quite seen before, and Sasuke was present, too. The two stood side by side, as if they were good friends. Wait, they were good friends, weren't they… Everyone was friends. Kotone had so many of them… She had so many friends!

"Let's go play, Kotone!" Akio beckoned.

She felt a lot smaller, and noticed that she was in fact, a child again. Aiko and Akio let go of her hands, and were running towards a playground, where everyone was gathered. Kotone came to a halt.

There was something tugging at her, underneath her skin, like she was forgetting something…

"Aren't you coming?"

She looked up at the outstretched hand of Hiromi, and without a second thought, Kotone smiled.

"Of course! Let's.. let's play!"

-:-

"Ah, what about this one?"

"Hm," Hiromi put a hand to her chin in thought, "I don't know how I feel about sleeves."

Hanako smiled, "Come on! It'll be fun just to try it on. You have to experience something new every once in a while."

The brunette woman tugged the bag off of the rack and handed it off to a nearby employee.

"Hey, nice choice, Hanako-sensei!" Maiko poked her head out from a rack, her hair sticking up due to the static electricity, "I bet Hiromi-chan will look so pretty in that one!"

"Ahaha, come on, let's keep looking! We've hardly scratched the surface!" Hiromi playfully pushed Maiko back into the sea of white dresses.

"I don't… quite understand why this store is dedicated to only white dresses," Kotone had stated upon entering, "but if it makes Hiromi happy… I will be here."

"A girl's wedding is very important, Kotone!" Hanako scolded her in a mock tone.

"I understand."

"Exactly! That's why we must be here to support Hiromi as she makes a very difficult choice!"

"Which is?"

"What to wear!"

"Oh."

Hiromi had only been there for twenty minutes, and had a whole rack of dresses waiting for her in the spacious dressing room. Maiko had pulled out something that looked like a chicken's feathers, claiming it to look like an angel. Kotone looked lost, yet still managed to grab two identical dresses and hand them off to Hiromi for approval. Hinata had arrived a bit late, and reassured Hiromi that whatever she wore would look absolutely astonishing.

"I'm sure Kiba-kun will love anything you pick out," She had said, giggling at the bright red Hiromi.

And lastly, Hanako had selected ten dresses, each different and bound to cause a scene, according to her. Hiromi was so lucky to have so many friends in her life that cared about her. She excused herself, and went into the dressing room, while what the employee had called her entourage, waited.

She stood for a moment, alone with herself and the first dress. She was so nervous… There was something tugging in her stomach. The feeling that she was forgetting something, perhaps?

She poked her head out of the dressing room with a sudden realization, and called out, "Maiko!"

The green-headed girl went to Hiromi immediately, "What's up?"

"I, um," the words were lost on her tongue, and she smiled instead, "I'm glad you're here."

"STOP BEING SO GOOFY AND TRY ON THOSE DRESSES!"

"Ah! Okay, I'm sorry, Maiko-chan!"

-:-

When her eyes fluttered open, she didn't quite know what she would see first. She was expecting white, like what you're supposed to see when you die, but all she could see was blue. It was the sky, she thought to herself. It was morning, wasn't it? The sun was somewhere, and she could feel its heat on her face, but she couldn't feel much else. Her body felt entirely numb. There was an odd murmur around her, like a million voices all whispering at once, and it was hardly settling soon. She tried to turn her head, but she couldn't move. It was like someone was holding her back. Someone… was holding her with tight arms, in a snake-like embrace.

Don't be sad, okay? We want you to be happy in your new home.

Kotone sat up so fast, her forehead slammed into Hiromi's chin. The blonde girl rolled away, clutching her now sore chin, and Kotone rubbed at her reddening head.

"Ow, ow, ow!"

There were all kinds of shinobi, all being unwrapped from some sort of organic material. Some who were freed from their cocoons were prying others out of the odd pods. Kotone slowly looked over to Hiromi. She was sitting on her haunches, with tears in her eyes from the surprise headbutt.

"Hiromi," Kotone softly said, "we've won."

The other girl's face turned serious, "Not yet. There's still one more thing we have to do."

"Of course," Kotone made a motion to stand up, "Maiko must be recovered."

"Kotone!"

She whipped her head towards Gaara, who had a look of panic.

"Gaara?" The pale kunoichi stepped towards him, "What is the matter? You look ill."

"Come quickly. It's your companions."

-:-

"Aiko! Akio!"

Kotone rushed to their side, lifting Akio's head to her lap. At his side was Aiko, who looked worse for wear. She wasn't speaking. Her lips were dry and encrusted as she lay beside her brother. Her body was skeletal, like all of the life had been sucked from her. Kotone didn't hesitate to press her ear to Aiko's chest. Nothing. The medical nin gathered around went to cover their mouths with their hands.

She tried looking down into Akio's eyes, but she saw that they were glazed over. He had something akin to a wooden spear through his chest and another through one of his feet. Gaara placed a hand on her shoulder.

"When were they discovered?" Kotone wasn't looking up from Akio's eyes.

"Earlier in battle."

"Were they moved?"

"No. They… were here when it happened."

A few minutes passed, and Kotone couldn't look away. Akio looked like he was waiting for something. Perhaps he had been waiting on her, his once beloved companion, to save him. She failed him. She failed them.

She leaned down, so that the wisps of her tucked away hair tickled Akio's unclosing eyes. They were fading. They had once been the color of the ocean. Now, Kotone imagined they would be beautiful stain glass: windows leading to an empty church.

She tried to open her mouth to speak, to apologize, to do anything, but nothing came out. She had promised them a life free from slavery and war. She had promised them that she would do everything in her power to keep them safe. She had given them a new home, and taken it all away. She was a monster. She had pierced Akio's caring heart, and she had sucked the life away from Aiko.

"...sorry."

Gaara didn't try to turn her away. This was her family. She deserved the right to know what happened.

"I'm so sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

It was a mantra. She was whispering, hoping her words would someday reach the faraway ears of her beloved family. Aiko's mouth was agape in terror. Akio looked scared. The more she apologized, the more she thought of how much pain they must've been in. How helpless they must've felt.

"I'm… sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me."

She pulled their bodies to her, caressing their hair. A handful of curls came out of Aiko's mane. Kotone began to scream.

"Forgive me! FORGIVE ME!"

She felt arms pulling her away, and she fought against them. She was screaming and screaming, trying to anchor herself near the twins, but strong arms were around her waist, and she didn't have the strength to resist. Someone was pulling her away and she felt something wet on her face. She hadn't ever felt such a feeling. Her eyes were overwhelmed with liquid, and they poured out over the edges of white lenses. Someone was petting her matted hair. She couldn't seem to catch her breath. There were droplets streaming into her ears, past her nose, and onto her lips. It was salty. She felt wrecked by waves of inconsolable sorrow.

Time was slower than ever. People were rushing by her, to the hollow bodies of her family, and her hair was swayed by the breeze, yet she felt like no one was moving. There was nothing changing around her. Someone was leading her to a large tent. The medical tent, she wondered. She was sick. She was leaking from her eyes and nose. There was a hollow feeling in her chest, and she was horrified by its familiar feeling.

"We can be together forever, Amaterasu…"

Yes, she thought to herself, it feels exactly like it did then. Like her heart was ripped out. She felt even paler than she ever had been. The people around her were gray. She was sat down somewhere, and she felt something warm grab one of her hands. She tried to look through her blurry vision, but all she could see was gray.

Kotone had never felt grief before. She didn't like how it made her feel empty. She couldn't hear her own heartbeat when she touched her chest. She felt…

-:-

"Kotone! Can you hear me? Say something!"

Kotone was crying, yet her eyes were far off, somewhere west. Hiromi was scared that she was going to disappear. Gaara had retrieved her as soon as he sat Kotone down, and he wasn't moving from her side. The last thing Kotone needed was to be alone.

"….sorrow."

Hiromi looked up at Kotone's face. Her eyes were pools of moonlight, but they weren't so far away now.

"Is this," the white-haired kunoichi squeezed Hiromi's hand, "sorrow?"

Someone shoved past the cot, moving it slightly, as they rushed to a patient's side. Kotone didn't look unnerved.

"I'm… so sorry about… Aiko and Akio," Hiromi put her other hand atop of Kotone's, and her own tears fell onto their conjoined hands.

"I…" Her voice was small and it shook, "I don't know… what to do."

Gaara put his hand on her shoulder, and she looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, "Rest, Kotone."

-:-

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Reviews/Responses

Guest (So sorry for the wait! Already a couple of pages into the next chapter, don't worry.)

amandaplis (Wow. Your review had me feeling so humble and wonderful at the same time! Thank you so much for sticking with this story. I'm in college, so updating regularly is a struggle, but seeing how much you've enjoyed this story inspires me to write more often! I have to agree, though, I do not usually give stories the time of day if they aren't completed, but I can't say how grateful I am that you stayed here. Thanks again for the sweet words of encouragement. I hope I don't disappoint in the new chapters and stories to come.)

LEE (Thanks so much. Here's the next chapter; hope you enjoy!)

ShadowBloodNinja (It has been quite a while. Thanks for the warm welcome! I don't plan on abandoning this fic, don't worry. It's almost done, actually. I hope you enjoy!)

-:-

Sorry for my absence, but I will be trying to wrap up this fic nice and pretty. With a bow and everything. A bow as in the thing you put on the present and a bow from me, as an author on a fictional stage, I guess? I hope you all enjoy the latest chapter. I'll be posting another pretty soon.