The corridors swallowed her whole. Without knowing what to expect, she had pictured a blank space, but received the exact opposite. Each turn brought her to a halt, wondering if there was truly a hallway before her, or just empty space. It was too late to retreat. She couldn't even think of such a result. There was really only one way this could end.
"Maiko!" Her voice echoed back in more despairing tones, some even screaming in pain, "I'm going to save you, no matter what!"
-:-
When Hiromi exited the medical tent, Shikamaru was waiting with a group of others. Kiba rushed to her side alongside Akamaru, who gave her an experimental nudge with his nose. Hiromi tried to smile.
"It's now or never," Shikamaru noted.
"I know… it's just… I wish," Hiromi stopped, thought for a moment, and then continued, "that there were more of us."
There wasn't as many as she had hoped. There were five total, including Hiromi and Shikamaru. Ino and Choji, of course, had volunteered. Kiba was determined to assist as well. Shikamaru later said that he had to force Naruto to stay put and recover.
"The fewer of us, the more controlled we can be in our approach," said Shikamaru, eyeing the tent.
"I… understand."
She really wished that Kotone could be here. They had received last minute approval from Tsunade, who rested in the same medical tent, to seek out and capture Maiko alive.
Shikamaru quoted her saying, "Bring that girl back here. We've got some explaining to do."
"If Akamaru can pick up her scent, then we can find her in no time," Kiba stated, breaking the silence.
"Alright, here," Shikamaru dug out a hitai-ate from his jacket, holding it out for the large dog to sniff, "This should be a good starting point."
"Is that-?" Hiromi stopped.
There was old blood staining the forehead protector.
The laidback ninja had an unreadable expression, "Yeah. It's hers."
Of course he kept it. Who else would?
"Shikamaru," Hiromi watched as Akamaru shoved his nose into the bloodstained cloth, "where is Maiko's family?"
Ino raised a brow, "I was told her cousin had to leave the Fire Country for a secret mission. He's been gone for ages."
"But wouldn't he be around for the war?" Choji rubbed his chin in thought.
"I'm pretty confident that I know what happened to him," Shikamaru sighed.
Akamaru barked before the shinobi could continue.
"Looks like we're ready to head out," Kiba smirked.
"I guess I'll let Maiko answer my questions," Hiromi tried to smile again, but her lips felt too dry.
"Shikamaru, what's the strategy?" Ino inquired.
The genius rubbed the back of his neck, watching as Kiba and Hiromi mounted Akamaru, "I have a few ideas, but I need to see the terrain. If she's out in the open, then we need to encircle her, but if she's somewhere already confined, then half of our job is already done."
"Let's get moving, then," Ino gave her friend a pat on the back, "You two have a lot you need to talk about, right?"
Shikamaru lazily smirked, "Yes, we do."
-:-
She felt heavy. There was something sitting on her chest, cold and stiff. It was suffocating, but Kotone could breathe. There was a commotion far away. It sounded like the muffled sound of panicked people. She wondered what they were doing. Were they saving lives? Saving soldiers? Why didn't anyone save Aiko and Akio? Why wasn't she there?
Kotone turned her head, letting a tear trail down her cheek and pool in her ear. She saw the tuff of red hair that was Gaara beside her. He hadn't said anything. He didn't need to. His hand was wrapped around hers, keeping it warm. She was cold all over. Her feet were icy, and she looked back up at her chest. There wasn't anything there.
The muffled voices of people were getting louder. Even Gaara was paying attention, finally looking away from their entwined hands. Kotone thought she heard Sasuke's name, and she slowly sat up. The blanket on her chest fell off, and she was reminded of her battle wounds. She expected her chest to be hollow. It felt empty. Yet, she placed a hand over her breast, and felt a quiet fluttering. She was still alive.
The voices were suddenly vivid and present, and Kotone watched as Sasuke and Naruto were attended to. Each young man was missing an arm. In the back of her head, Kotone thought of Hiromi. The blonde girl had confided in Kotone once that she felt alien with only one arm. Perhaps now, she would not feel so isolated.
Naruto beamed at Kotone while a medical kunoichi focused on his bleeding stump, "Hey, Kotone, Gaara!"
The Kazekage let a small smile grace his features. Kotone thought he looked nice. She tried to mimic it, but Naruto flinched. Her message must've not come across as smoothly as she had hoped.
"What's wrong?" he questioned.
She looked over at Sasuke. He looked worse for wear. There was blood all down his side, yet he looked content.
"I-," Her voice was a whisper, "Aiko and Akio are…"
Dead.
The word just wouldn't escape her lips. It wasn't true until she said it out loud. It wasn't real until the word was spoken. The two shinobi were looking at her expectedly. Kotone looked down at her lap. There were a few droplets of water on the blanket. Was it raining?
Sasuke had never seen her cry before. Her eyes were swollen beyond belief, and there was snot and tears all over her face. She was disgusting. The pillow she had been laying on was damp, as well as the collar of her shirt. He noticed that Naruto sobered up immediately.
Kotone used her free hand to feel her face. It was wet again. It was pouring out of her eyes like the river that separated her country from the rest of the world. The river where she was kidnapped and the river where she had created lifelong friends. That fateful river had ruined all of their lives. If she just hadn't been so nosy, perhaps Aiko and Akio would be alive today. If she hadn't been so foolish, maybe she would have stayed a human forever. This was all her fault.
"….all my fault."
Gaara squeezed Kotone's hand. She was gone. Her eyes were glazed over, whiter than he'd ever seen them, and she was far away. She was whispering under her breath, talking to someone who wasn't there anymore. A lock of her hair slid to cover her face. Gaara reached to move it, but stopped.
Sasuke stood up, his bandaged upper body looking much different without his arm, "Kotone."
"Sasuke, let her-" Naruto started, but his voice faltered when Sasuke went to her bedside.
"Let me talk to her. Alone."
She looked up, but she was staring right through him. She couldn't see him at all. Gaara stood up, hesitantly releasing Kotone's hand. He eyed Sasuke cautiously, as if warning him to act out, and then pulled a curtain to surround Kotone's bed and the area around it.
It felt like her own little world. On the other side of the curtain, perhaps Gaara and Naruto were catching up, talking like old friends. Maybe the medical ninja were packing up their supplies, preparing for the long trek back to the village. But here, in this tiny space, time was frozen. Sasuke looked incredibly serious. He was trying to meet her eye, but she was looking in the direction of where Aiko and Akio's bodies were found. She could still feel the slight tug when some of Aiko's locks came undone. She wanted to scream again.
"I know you can hear me."
There was a pregnant silence. Sasuke watched as Kotone's hands twitched back to life. She brushed a lock of hair out of her face. She finally returned to the present.
"This war has caused quite a bit of suffering," Kotone said softly.
The two teenagers sat quietly for a moment. There was the sound of bustling people outside of the curtain, and Kotone thought she could hear birds whistling to one another.
"In my time on the battlefield, I received this scar from the Raikage's lightning," Kotone lifted her shirt a bit, "It was incredibly painful."
Sasuke glanced at her skin. The pink pattern across the white canvas was similar to a branching tree.
"And surely, when your arm was removed, you felt pain."
She didn't bother gesturing to his bandage, but one of her hands twitched, as if she had thought about it.
"Yet," Kotone's voice wavered, and she tilted her head down, to hide her oncoming tears, "I don't believe there is anything more excruciating than this feeling in my chest. I-!"
Her voice cracked, and her overflowing eyes spilled, "They died because of me. My only family
left is gone."
Sasuke let her cry. He sat down where Gaara had once been, and waited. Kotone's face
fell into her hands, and her body shook.
"It's called grief," he eventually spoke, "When someone you care about dies, you grieve for them."
When she didn't respond, Sasuke continued, "Back in your home land, when you found your mother's harp, you were mourning her, weren't you?"
"My mother?" Kotone whispered, lowering her hands. She wasn't shivering anymore.
"It's the same, just fresher. Aiko and Akio are gone. There is nothing you can do to bring them back."
"I know that," Kotone sounded a bit angry, but her tone settled down, "yet my chest still feels… void."
Sasuke pictured a family, and closed his eyes for a moment, remembering, "I know. It'll be like that for a long time, until you learn to… to forgive."
"Forgive? Forgive who?" Kotone pushed her blanket aside, as if to ready herself.
"Yourself."
She laid back down. Herself? Why? She… she let down her family. She let down the people who believed in her.
She must've said that out loud because Sasuke leaned forward, appearing serious, yet comforting, "You didn't let them down. If they were truly your family, then they wouldn't hold this against you. You shouldn't, either."
Kotone felt something warm on her face, and observed as Sasuke used his hand to wipe away the wet on her face. She put her hand over his without even thinking.
"T-… thank you."
She didn't feel quite as heavy.
-:-
"So, what do you think?" Ino inquired, putting her hands on her hips.
Akamaru had led the group to a patch of forest, nearly untouched by the war. There were fallen trees every few steps, and some random debris, but the majority was clear. They had followed a path solely based on Kiba and Akamaru's noses, until Ino finally pointed out the ink, or at least, what appeared to be ink. The droplets of black had started off as nearly invisible dots, but developed into puddles gathered beneath the trees the Konoha shinobi were using to travel with. The trail matched Maiko's scent, and they followed it until they reached the overpass.
Where two trees had fallen, a small arch had been created, and according to both Kiba and Akamaru, the scent stopped here.
Shikamaru had a hand on his chin, "This will work out one of two ways. Either, this leads us straight to Maiko, and we've cornered her into a confrontation, or this goes through a body of water, and we'll have to split up to find her."
"Let's assume that she's in there," Ino offered, "what's your plan?"
The Nara moved to sit down, but stopped. They didn't have the time for him to go into deep thought. He had to think quickly for Maiko's sake. He eyed Hiromi, who was gazing deep into the overpass.
"I think I have an idea," she said, before Shikamaru could ask.
"Let's hear it!" Choji prompted.
"If we can just subdue Maiko somehow, then maybe we could use some kind of seal to keep her docile so we can take her back to the village. But that still leaves us with how to capture her," Hiromi sighed.
"That's a good idea." Shikamaru nodded, as if prompting his mind, "If we focus on overwhelming her with our offense, we might have a chance of trapping her somehow. I'll keep on the sidelines and focus on using my shadow jutsu to keep her still. When that happens, we'll need some kind
of sedative."
Choji jolted, as if remembering something, and pulled out a single pill from his tool kit, "This isn't necessarily a tranquilizer, but it's a chakra suppressor. It's meant to keep spies from being discovered by their chakra. It may keep Maiko from using ninjutsu long enough for us to find some way of containing her."
"Good thinking! Without her ninjutsu, she'll have to use taijutsu against all of us, and there's no way she can manage against all of us," Kiba smirked.
"Still, we should be careful. If we underestimate Maiko, we may lose our chance of rescuing her," Hiromi thought back to Hanako-sensei's death, shaking away the feelings of guilt that still lingered.
"Okay! So let's go in there. Shikamaru will stay back, and the rest of us will focus on corralling her towards his range of attack." Ino tried to appear ready, stretching as if it would do anything, but only she could feel how her knees were wobbling.
"Everyone," Shikamaru addressed them again, as they prepared to go through the overpass, "be careful. We don't know what state she's in. The last news we received is that she's injured, but I wouldn't imagine that stopping her. Stay on guard."
The fallen trees created a shadowed tunnel for a few moments, but the group was soon led into a clearing. There were a few large boulders that must've been spat out here by the earlier battle and they weren't the only things that looked out of place. There was another trail of black ink, leading to a puddle gathered at the stump of a tree. Maiko's form was lying there; nearly lifeless had there not been the visible rising and falling of her chest. One of her wrists was twisted at an ugly angle, and her other hand was pressing her stomach, where the ink flowed out from.
"Do we really still need to sedate her?" Kiba whispered.
Maiko's head perked up, and she faced them. Her expression didn't give anything away, no hint of what was happening inside. She moved to stand, and more black poured from the hole in her stomach. It finally occurred to Hiromi that it might be blood, but if Maiko had been losing this much of it, she wouldn't be alive. The blonde took a step forward, thinking of what she should say, but Shikamaru beat her to it.
"Maiko," he called out, his voice gentle and calm, "I came back to help you, like I said I would."
She didn't say anything. Instead, she stood perfectly still, like a wild animal that wasn't sure it had been spotted yet. Her eyes, however, seemed to bounce between each of the shinobi in the group, and when they landed on Hiromi, they stayed there for quite a while.
"You can come with me, if you want. Tsunade-sama can heal your wounds." Shikamaru gestured towards his own stomach, and Maiko's eyes were pulled away from Hiromi's wooden arm to where she had been stabbed.
"Maiko, Obito and Madara are gone. They can't hurt you anymore!" Ino called out.
"You're right." Maiko spoke finally, her voice coarse and quiet, "They're going to try and take you away."
"W-what?" Ino glanced at Shikamaru, but even the genius shinobi looked confused.
"Yami, you're so smart. Of course we should kill them. I'll drink from the fountain, and we'll kill them together." Maiko's eyes were still on her stomach, but it was unclear who she was addressing.
"Maiko, please!" Hiromi cried out, her throat tight with the urge to cry, "We want to help you! We're here to help you!"
"Make it go away. Make them all go away, Yami."
In an agonizingly slow gesture, Maiko dug her hand into her wound, crying out in pain as she did so. She yanked it out only after her wrist was engulfed, and let the ink from her hand drip into her mouth. Ino turned away in disgust while Hiromi covered her mouth. Akamaru began to growl viciously, and Shikamaru even clenched his fists. Whatever was about to happen was not going to be good.
"Everyone, be ready!" cautioned the Nara.
Maiko dropped her hand back to her side. She didn't have any weapons, and her other wrist was broken. She was obviously at a disadvantage, but she had something the others did not. She had the Dragon Eyes. She had Yami.
She doubled over, and vomited, the sound of her retching filling the clearing. Black liquid poured out of her mouth, and instead of puddling, it grew, like an avatar of clay, to the form of a person, unlike Maiko. This creature was tall, the color of ink, and as quick as lightning, it appeared in front of Shikamaru, slashing at him with a transformed arm.
He leapt back, but not without feeling the sting of the blade on his shoulder. It burned and sizzled, like something unsavory had been poured into the wound, and Shikamaru immediately covered it with his hand as if to control the damage.
Kiba and Akamaru leapt into action as soon as the avatar made its strike, and the large Inuzuka dog attempted to take a bite of it. It let him, but the dog shied away, whining and crying as his mouth sizzled in pain. In retaliation, Kiba swiped at the beast, but it dodged him, trying to make its own attack against him.
"Shikamaru, are you alright?" Hiromi rushed to his side, her hand already reaching for her medical equipment.
He hissed, keeping pressure on his wound, "I'll be okay. I don't suggest letting that thing touch you, though."
"But look, Maiko is vulnerable!" Ino pointed, and lo and behold, the Arakawa was still doubled over, leaning on the tree stump to keep from collapsing.
"We just have to get past that thing! Let's go!" Choji charged in.
With an expanded fist, he made a swing at the avatar of ink, and it seemingly connected as it was distracted by Kiba's advances, but like water, it dripped through his fingers until it reformed near his body. It transformed its arm once again, this time to a mallet, and smashed Choji directly in the stomach, knocking him back.
"I'll try and heal Shikamaru," Ino put her hands over his shoulder, green chakra already manifesting, "Go help the others, Hiromi!"
The blonde nodded firmly before turning to the battle at hand. Choji recovered from his wound and went to roll towards the creature as Kiba and Akamaru kept it busy. However, it performed the same trick as earlier, and slipped to another place, like moving water. Hiromi glanced at her useless wooden arm before leaping into the fray.
With one arm, there was only so much she could do, but she had to do something. She made a move towards Maiko's body, but the creature intercepted her, swinging its mallet arm at her. Hiromi leapt back, the overwhelming stench of blood wafting from it nearly making her dizzy.
"AGH!" Maiko yelped, suddenly, and Hiromi whipped her head to her friend.
The black ink that had once been pouring out of her was crawling back inside, seeping into her stomach wound. She screamed once again, in agony, before falling onto the ground, wriggling in pain. Hiromi went to go to her side, but the avatar stopped her, pointing its
arm-turned-blade at her neck.
"Keep that thing distracted!" Shikamaru called out, and Hiromi could see him out of the corner of her eye, inching towards Maiko's body with Ino by his side.
Kiba and Akamaru charged at the beast first, trying hard to tear it apart with their claws and fangs. Choji went in, trying to catch it in his big fist, and Hiromi tried not to look at Shikamaru as she punched and kicked at the ever flowing creature, trying to catch it even once. Her fist connected with its flesh, and splashed, as though it did not even have a form. Then, she couldn't
pull it back out.
"Let go of me!" She yanked and tugged, but the beast's form slowly inched up her arm.
Choji used his expanded hand to swat at its body, careful to avoid Hiromi, but it only reformed closer to her, using its other limb to pull her into itself. The ink crawled up her shoulder, and Hiromi nearly shrieked. It was the coldest substance she'd ever encountered. It was as if frostbite was working to cover her entire body. She could hear Kiba yelling for her, but she was
too shocked to reply.
"LET HER GO!"
Akamaru, despite earlier, tried biting the head of the creature off, and Kiba grabbed Hiromi around her waist, pulling hard.
Hiromi-chan. Hiromi-chan, don't fight it.
The blonde thought she was going crazy. She looked back at Maiko's body, as it lay in Shikamaru's arms, unconscious and unmoving. There was no way the girl could've spoken! How was she…?
Hiromi-chan! Let go.
Hiromi stopped wiggling. The ink was nearly to her chin now, and Kiba was desperately tugging her away, as Akamaru's mouth sizzled and Choji panted from overusing his expansion jutsu.
"I-! I have an idea!" She said, urgently. Her voice wavered, and she wondered for a moment if she was going to regret this.
Kiba remained steadfast, "I'm not letting you go!"
"Just do it! Trust me!" This wasn't the time for him to argue with her! This… was going to be painful and was probably insane, but she swore she could hear…
Trust me, Hiromi-chan. Come!
"But-!"
She knew that voice, and she knew it was coming from inside the ink! If only the creature had grabbed onto her wooden arm, then she could pry off Kiba's arms and … do what? She wasn't sure yet. However, she saw her false arm, the gift from Kankuro, begin to do as she willed, fighting against Kiba's grip.
"Hiromi is hardly known for her bad ideas. I trust her, as should you, Kiba."
That voice!
The blonde looked to the entrance of the overpass, and there was Kotone. Her face was raw from grief, but there wasn't a hint of weakness in her expression. She looked terrifying. Her traditional shinobi gear was torn in multiple areas, revealing some scars that Hiromi had seen when healing her friend. Then, Hiromi noticed Kotone's hand. Her chakra strings were almost invisible, but she had her hand up, and the blonde made the mental connection. Hiromi's mechanical arm shoved Kiba away with alarming strength, at the motion of a few of Kotone's fingers.
"What are you doing?!" Kiba cried, "This is insane! That thing will kill her!"
"No, it won't. Can't you hear it?" Kotone stepped forward, revealing her blade in her other hand, "That voice… it's Maiko's."
Hiromi could feel the ink swallowing the rest of her body, but her face was still free, "I'll be okay, Kiba! Kotone, are you… are you sure?"
The white-haired kunoichi glanced at her weapon, then at the beast, "I cannot say with one hundred percent certainty. I must respect the loss of my family by continuing to live, and save my friend. I will help the others keep the beast busy, but… whatever is it you must do, you must hurry. I trust you Hiromi, and I know that you can do this."
"Thank you. Kiba," She turned to face him, feeling the ink inching towards her mouth and eyes, "I'll be back! With Maiko!"
Then, she was gone, absorbed into the ink as if she hadn't been there in the first place. The avatar shivered, and then turned its blade towards Kotone, who stood ready. Their weapons clashed, but the kunoichi was able to duck and slash at its legs, which splattered apart before reforming.
"Kotone, what are you doing?! It's got Hiromi!" Kiba's voice was laced with anger and concern, mixing together.
"Look closer. Hiromi is not a part of the monster, but inside." Kotone swiped again at its ink flesh, and revealed that there was, in fact, no remainder of Hiromi whatsoever, as it slipped apart into a puddle before reforming elsewhere.
"But then… where did she go?" Choji inquired, looking a bit taken back by the discovery.
Kotone readied her blade, "I'm unsure, but I know that… that she is with Maiko. I am sure of it."
"You're not making any sense!" Kiba growled, his dog joining him in his distress.
"Be sure of this," The beast reared itself, and Kotone pointed her sword at it, "I promise on my life that Hiromi is alive. However, we must occupy this creature until she returns."
Kiba and Choji took a moment before standing at her side, each ready for battle.
"You better be right about this," the Inuzuka murmured, his tone unsure, yet determined.
Kotone eyed Maiko's body, and solemnly nodded. She had to be right about this, whatever it was. Hiromi could do this. She knew it.
-:-
The world around her was as dark as the ink that swallowed her. She didn't know what she had been expecting inside the avatar, but it was not this place. There was seemingly nothing ahead of her or before her, just an expanse of blackness. Hiromi stumbled forward, and fell, catching herself on her arms. Then, she saw her reflection on the ground beneath her, as if it were a mirror made of darkness itself. Her body was smaller, and her hair was tucked in an extravagant braid, tied off with a red ribbon. She was a child again. She was twelve years old.
"Hiromi!"
She whipped her head up, and there she was. Maiko stood there, lanky and arrogant like the day they became teammates. Her choppy hair was going in every direction but down, and her eyes were black and white, like a rippling puddle.
"Maiko! What are you… How are we… here?" Even her voice was younger, lighter and higher than she remembered it being.
The Arakawa smirked, and then jogged down the corridor before suddenly disappearing at a turn. Hiromi did the only thing she could think of. She followed her. She clambered to her feet before running after her. When she arrived at the turn Maiko had taken, she saw a tuft of green hair round another corner further down. Hiromi was going to have to pick up the pace if she wanted to catch her.
At every turn she took, she was a little bit closer. She could see Maiko's back as she ran, but couldn't get close enough to grab her. Hiromi kept following her trail, running and running as fast as she could, but Maiko kept a few paces ahead of her, twisting and turning down paths that Hiromi could barely keep up with.
After making another turn, Hiromi realized that she had found her destination. Maiko's form, which had seemingly grown younger during their chase, stood in front of a grand door. It appeared wooden and as old as time itself.
"Hiromi, you must convince me to leave this place," the young Maiko urged, her voice similar to Haru's.
The blonde stepped forward, towards the door, "But how? Where are we?"
Maiko smiled, as if she had a secret she didn't want to share, "I can't say."
She wanted more answers, she wanted to ask questions until her mouth was dry, but Hiromi gravitated to the door, silent as a statue. She pressed her hand against it, and it was cold, as icy as the ink that swallowed her. The young Maiko stood to the side, and Hiromi thought she saw her run off in the corner of her eye. When she turned to finally ask another question, Maiko was gone, and the door swung open.
It was an awful room. Everything was dyed black, swirling and menacing beneath the ground as if waiting to consume the entire place. The walls were made of the ink-like substance that created the avatar, and it was pouring slowly onto the ground as though to fill the entire room. Hiromi peered around, cautious of the walls and saw that there was a throne ahead of her, sitting atop a few wide steps. Maiko was sitting in it, no longer a toddler, but a child. The same age as Hiromi was in this strange place.
On either side of her were two statues, one black and one white. The obsidian statue, Hiromi thought, was moving, leaning over and whispering into Maiko's ears. The other, made of a faintly glowing marble, was silent.
Hiromi slowly made her way to the throne, but stopped when she saw that Maiko's black and white eyes were upon her. Her friend's face was blank and uncaring, an expression that didn't fit her.
"Hi, Maiko."
The black statue whispered something into her ear, and the Arakawa spoke, "How did you get here?"
Hiromi almost wanted to ask that herself. Instead, she said the first thing that came to her mind, "Do you remember when we first met?"
Maiko said nothing, but when the whispering statue leaned towards her, she brushed it away. Hiromi took that as a good sign, and continued.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't. We were young, maybe four years old. I was walking with my mom to the Academy, and you ran into me. You were… wearing blue, I think, and your hair was longer than mine is now." Hiromi chuckled to herself, tugging at her red ribbon, "I remember telling my mom that night that I wanted hair like yours. When we were put on the same team, I didn't recognize you at all. I just remembered that you were an Arakawa, which meant my parents didn't like you, but I kept thinking that… you weren't bad at all."
Maiko scoffed, "You obviously had no idea who I was."
Hiromi took a step closer to the throne, "No, I did know you. I still do. You're Maiko Arakawa, and you love food, but you hate tea. You like picking fights, and birds, and one time you got in trouble in class for saying bad words to Iruka-sensei."
The black statue flinched, as if someone had struck it, and the white statue came to life, peering at Hiromi with pupil-less eyes.
"When you went missing, I… Shikamaru and I went looking for you. We kept searching for you, but we only ever found your hitai-ate. I cried the night we found it. I cried for so long that I thought I wouldn't be able to cry ever again."
"…Why?" Maiko's voice was so soft that Hiromi nearly didn't hear her.
"Because you're like a sister to me. Do you remember when we made that pact before we took the chunin exam? We were scared of Kotone, and you said you couldn't trust her."
Maiko clenched her fists, as if she was in pain as Hiromi advanced the stairs leading to her.
"I remember what Hanako-sensei said that day. She said, 'Sometimes, your sister may choose a bad path. You must protect her from danger even if she hurts you.'" Hiromi knelt down to be at Maiko's level, realizing that she was now at her true height, and her left arm was missing, as it
should be, "I think, even at the very end, she still loved you."
It was sudden, but Hiromi blinked, and she was sprawled on the ground at the bottom of the steps with her head spinning. When she sat up, she saw that Maiko was laying beside her, no longer a child, and the two statues were alive.
"You can no longer keep her here, Yami." the white statue announced, her voice echoing throughout the hall.
The other statue said nothing, hissing and howling like an animal. Its form morphed and mutated, turning into a hideous demon. It was unlike anything Hiromi had ever seen. It reminded her of the creature she had fought no more than a day ago, alongside her colleagues during the war. It was spindly, with arms and a mouth open in a scream. However, Hiromi wasn't scared. All she could think of was how beautiful the white marble woman appeared, and how she looked a bit like Maiko, but older.
"Leave this place, Maiko," she commanded, gentle and authoritative, "Drink from the fountain of hope, and never return."
"Hikari!" The Arakawa struggled to stand, but Hiromi helped her to her feet.
"Do as I say, child." The statue, Hikari, paused, considering the changing and hideous form of
Yami, "Do not make the same mistake as me."
Something flashed across Hikari's face, and Hiromi thought she saw green hair and brown eyes, but it was gone as quick as it appeared. Maiko must have seen it too because she abruptly leapt up, glancing around the room.
"Maiko," The ink was inching closer and closer and Hiromi stepped towards the wooden door,
"We need to leave!"
"No!" The Arakawa's ankles were swallowed by the darkness as she trudged forward, towards something that Hiromi couldn't see, "If I don't do this, then nothing will change!"
It was glittering, like a beacon in the sea of black. The fountain was little more than a drop of pure light, dripping from a cracked bowl. Maiko could barely walk, her legs getting stuck in the ink as she moved. She saw Yami in the corner of her eye, how the beast was contorting and changing into something else entirely. Perhaps Yami had always had this appearance, and Maiko simply couldn't see it before. Hikari's true form, on the other hand, was so familiar that Maiko had a feeling if she squinted hard enough, and thought about it for a long time, she would know who she was.
Maiko tumbled forward, her hands digging deep into the sludge. Her heart sank. The fountain was so close, yet she couldn't pull herself out alone! In a matter of seconds, a strong arm yanked her up by her collar, and Hiromi gave her a powerful, reassuring smile.
"Go, Maiko! You can do it!" She cried.
The Arakawa leapt for the fountain, cupping her hands beneath the dripping liquid. A single droplet fell into her palm, and Yami released a hellish shriek. It pooled in her hand, appearing like a mirror. Maiko peered into it, seeing herself young and scared. She could see the first time she came to this place, but she was someone else. She was her mother, her sister, her aunt, her cousin, her grandmother.
She saw herself, as a young girl, when her mother's eyes turned black like shadows, and her sisters mutated into creatures. Maiko saw them rampage, saw them kill one another and their father, their brothers, their husbands. She saw herself, small and innocent, hiding somewhere they'd never find her, holding a gift from her mother; a small music box. She sat and listened to the horror, imagining she was somewhere far away, with only her music. Then, after what must have been years, a white mask with the markings of a fish opened the door. The ANBU officer pried her fingers off of the music box, and cradled her in his arms. He took off his mask, and smiled at her with big, fat tears in his eyes.
"I'm Daisuke," he said.
Maiko tipped her cupped hands to her mouth, her tears mingling with the drink. It was bitter, and she nearly gagged, but it went down smoothly, and pooled in her stomach like a warm beverage. She hadn't realized she was closing her eyes until she peeled them open and saw Hikari, standing between her and one of Yami's outstretched claws. They were crumbling. Their stone forms were breaking apart slowly, and Yami fought against it, wriggling and slamming against the walls, which were beginning to cave in.
Hikari, however, knelt down, and tossed her green hair over her shoulder, "Go, Maiko."
She reached out to touch Maiko's face, but instead shoved her back into Hiromi, whose tight grip could've bruised her shoulder. She let Hiromi drag her towards the wooden door as she watched Hikari and this room which had been her whole world for so many years collapse. Then, the door shut in her face, leaving her with the image of her mother's smiling face, and Maiko's eyes snapped open.
-:-
The beast froze. Kotone wiped the blood from her chin during the brief respite, anticipating when it might move again. Choji went in to strike it, but hesitated. It twitched, subtly at first, then violently, like it was having a seizure. It shook and vibrated, its arm-turned-mace dripping away to reveal a wooden arm. Kiba leapt forward at the sight of it, gripping it tightly without a second thought. Kotone watched as the ink washed off of Hiromi's form, as if she had been inside the beast the entire time, until it was simply a puddle on the ground. The blonde was unconscious, her face strangely peaceful for where she had been, and Kiba held her like a bride.
"Hiromi, can you hear me?" He called out to his lover, placing a hand on her face.
Her eyes groggily opened, as if waking from a dream, and at the sight of her blue eyes, Kiba ducked down to kiss her. Kotone, feeling a bit embarrassed, looked away.
"Kiba!" Hiromi exclaimed, then remembering where she was, she sprang up in his arms, "Maiko. Where is she?"
"I'm here."
The group turned to her voice. Maiko was sitting up, now, with no ink on her body. Her stomach had an angry red wound, and her wrist was still mangled, but there was no darkness. The most noticeable thing that Kotone could see was her eyes. The black was gone, and so was the white that once balanced it. In its stead, were two pupils swimming in a deep chestnut color.
Shikamaru, the closest to her, appeared stunned. His arms, which once held his friend's body, hovered around her, as if afraid to touch her. Ino, by his side, leaned closer and grabbed her wrist quick like a viper, startling herself but not Maiko. The green-haired Arakawa was resigned, with such a solemn expression that Kotone wondered if this was even the same girl she had met years ago.
"M-maiko," Hiromi climbed out of Kiba's grasp, though he kept her flesh hand in his own, "Do you… your eyes… are you okay?"
The Arakawa considered where Ino was gripping her tightly, both women unsure if she was doing so to keep her there or to affirm her existence. Then, she peered up at Hiromi.
Her new brown eyes were dry, but her voice was strained as she replied, "No."
The group was shocked. While the beast had been meddlesome to battle, and would have been impossible to defeat had the fight lasted longer, they had expected more of a struggle from her. There was little to no need for Choji's pill, but Shikamaru made Maiko take it anyway. She swallowed it without question, and said nothing as Hiromi healed her wounds. Ino didn't release her wrist until they tied Maiko up, and even after that, she demanded to be the one to hold the rope.
Hiromi and Kotone glanced at each other periodically as they walked beside her. The plan was to meet back up with the Konoha army, and bring Maiko to Tsunade, who would decide what to do from there, but there was still a hint of uncertainty in the air. What would happen to her?
"I must admit," Kotone said, after a few minutes of silent travel, "that I am… surprised by how well this mission went."
Shikamaru sent her a guarded look before taking in Maiko's expression. It was somber and considerate. He wondered if she was remembering all of her crimes, remembering everything she'd ever done while under the spell of her own eyes.
"Me too. I expected we would come back with more injuries." Choji admitted, much more relaxed than his teammates.
Hiromi looked off to the side, as if to avoid the tension in the air, "I'm glad that we didn't. Tsunade-sama would have been angry with us."
"I pray that she is as pleased with our results as we are," Kotone whispered, but everyone heard her, Maiko included.
-:-
Tsunade was seemingly indifferent. The team entered her tent, which was actively being packed up before they arrived. When they saw Maiko, tied up in her restraints, everyone shuffled out of the tent except for Tsunade and Shizune. For a heavy minute, no one said anything.
"So," Tsunade stayed seated, her stomach and face bare from the war, "did you come with them willingly?"
Maiko stayed silent, her eyes rooted on the floor. Ino, with her death grip on the rope, tried to nudge her, but still, she said nothing.
"When we first encountered her, she put up a fight, but settled down." Shikamaru admitted, his tone giving away none of his emotions, "I gave her one of Choji's chakra suppressing pills and she hasn't acted up since."
"Hokage-sama, if I may," Hiromi stepped forward, though she glanced at Maiko seemingly for affirmation, "Maiko was not conscious of her actions. It was her-"
"The Dragon Eyes. I'm well aware of what they are and what they do." Tsunade crossed her arms over her chest, staring deep into Maiko's skull.
"Could you share that with us, then? The history of Konohagakure's kekkai genkai is not beyond me; however, I was never informed of the Dragon Eyes." Kotone inquired.
"I can, Tsunade-sama," Shizune offered, and with a nod from the Hokage, she began. "The Dragon Eyes are purely passed down to each female of the Arakawa family. The origin is unclear, but it became apparent that there was a malicious pattern. For every generation of Arakawa's, there was a multitude of women who would inherit the Dragon Eyes. Shortly after the kekkai genkai's awakening, which records show to be sporadic, these women would go on a murderous rampage, killing everyone in sight. However, not every single Arakawa was killed in these events, thus their lineage continued."
Maiko lifted her head during the explanation, her brown eyes bearing the fact that she was attentive and if anything, curious.
"The cycle was thought to be broken, but the Arakawa household once again erupted into chaos around five years after Maiko was born. She…" Shizune paused, then directly addressed the Arakawa, "You were the only survivor. The first ANBU officer on the scene, Daisuke, fought to be your guardian after discovering you. For the longest time, the village thought, perhaps the Eyes had been lost, since you were no longer amongst your family, but… shortly after your fourteenth birthday…"
"I killed him."
Maiko's voice was rough, like her throat was strained, and Ino felt her tug against her restraints.
"I went on a rampage, just like every Arakawa before me, and I killed Daisuke."
Tsunade leaned forward, "Do you remember anything from that day? Anything at all?"
"I do. Daisuke told me… he told me the truth; that we weren't related at all, and he took me in after finding me at… at the crime scene. It was like I flipped a switch, and when I awoke, he was… he was dead."
Maiko's tears finally flowed, silently pouring down her face as she recalled the day that had ruined her. Hiromi laid a hand on her shoulder, the warmth startling the girl.
"I… I ran away," she continued, "I ran because I didn't know what else to do. That's when the Akatsuki found me. I'm not even sure if I was what they were looking for, but they must've known who I was, and what I could do because they took me… and I… I stayed with them."
"Willingly?" Tsunade prompted.
Maiko's head bobbed in a nod, and she let her head fall.
"I see." The Hokage laced her fingers in front her face, "I need more time to make a judgement on this. We'll be escorting you back to the village as a prisoner, with guards and chakra suppressors at all times."
"But she isn't-!" Hiromi protested, but Tsunade shook her head.
"I understand that you think she's no longer a threat, but there are precautions we must take, in case the Dragon Eyes resurface. Now, I'll have some officers take over while you all join the others."
Ino was unwilling to hand over the rope to Shizune, but relented. Choji gently dragged the blonde out of the tent, all the while reassuring her that Maiko would be fine.
"I'll see you soon." Hiromi said softly, squeezing the girl's shoulder, before leaving with Kiba.
Kotone had so much to say, but she wasn't sure what to begin with. She approached Maiko, whose eyes did not stray from the ground, and knelt down.
"I am unsure of where to start," she stated. "But I am positive that we will have enough time in the future to… catch up."
Feeling as though she had said her piece, Kotone exited the tent, as well, leaving Shikamaru in the Hokage's presence.
"If you'd like," Tsunade stood, "I can step out for a moment. I need to arrange an escort party for Arakawa-san anyways."
Shikamaru nodded to her, "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Shizune hesitantly released the rope and followed Tsunade out of the tent. When Shikamaru could no longer hear their footsteps, he went to Maiko. He stood in front of her, and crouched. Her eyes were locked on the floor, as if refusing to even address his presence.
"So, Ino has a new squeeze now. His name's Sai. He's kind of awkward and too blunt for his own good, but they're good for each other." Shikamaru began, watching as Maiko's eyes drifted up to his. "Ah, and Hinata and Naruto seem to finally be coming around after all this time. Funny how all it took for them to get together is a war."
When she continued be unresponsive, except for her new eyes following him like a hawk, Shikamaru continued, and took a seat beside her, propping his elbow up on his knee.
"Even Choji said he and some girl from another village were getting along pretty well. Who knows how that will end, but I'm happy for him. Everyone deserves to be with someone."
He studied her reaction to his words, watching as she wriggled in her restraints, but otherwise remained rooted to the ground.
"Asuma-sensei," her mouth opened a bit, and Shikamaru took it as a good sign, "and Kurenai-sensei have a baby girl. Can you believe it? Sometimes when I look at her, I see his face. Hopefully, she won't look much like him growing up."
"And Kakashi and Hanako's daughter," Maiko's eyes fluttered away from his face for a moment, "Ah, what was her name?"
"Haru."
Shikamaru took a moment to consider Maiko. She appeared as though every syllable had punctured her heart, with a tremble visiting her lips.
"Yeah, Haru. She's four years old, now. It's so strange to think about how quickly time flies. Before we know it, the next generation will be taking over for us."
"Do you really think that?" Maiko suddenly whispered, her voice as quiet as a breeze.
Shikamaru looked up at the fabric of the tent, "That we'll be passing everything on to another generation?"
"No. That… that everyone deserves…"
When she trailed off, Shikamaru moved himself in front of her. Maiko's eyes were filled with tears, but she was expressionless.
"Yeah. I think so."
"I'm hardly even human anymore." Maiko choked, and Shikamaru could clearly see her lips quivering now, "I don't deserve… I can't be…"
"You know, I thought about you almost every day that you were gone. I thought about how much I missed seeing your stupid hair in the village, and I missed how you always called me 'Shika.' I also missed how you always seemed to be angry about something. You were my best friend. You and Choji were all I needed in the world."
Maiko's eyes were swimming, and she gasped out a sob. She fell into Shikamaru's chest, and with no way to wrap her arms around him like she needed, she cried into his vest.
"You were my best friend, Maiko." Shikamaru held her as tight as he could manage, "and I can't wait for it to be that way again."
She burst into heavy sobs, with thick drops of tears racing down her neck. Without the use of her hands, she couldn't wipe them away, along with the drool and snot. She had never cried like this before. It was an ugly cry, filled with her ugliest emotions and fears, but Shikamaru simply held her, uncaring of how damp his shirt was. Maiko was convinced that he would never let her go again, and nothing would make her happier.
It could've been years. Maiko felt like her sorrow was unending, and it came in waves. As she would calm, it would strike up once again, and she bit down on Shikamaru's vest, trying to keep her anguish contained to the tent. He took one of his hands off of her hand, and stroked her hair. It was mangled and matted, but he patted her tangled green mop lovingly.
"What a pain," he said, endearingly, and Maiko coughed up a laugh.
-:-
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Reviews/Responses
Guest: Thanks for the review! I think I might make two separate "endings" so that those who want Kotone with Gaara and those who want her with Sasuke will both be happy.
Guest: A lot of people seem to favor Gaara and Kotone... I did develop that relationship a lot more, I think. I hope you still enjoy this chapter!
MyNameIsLaura: Thanks so much for the review! I hope you enjoy the story! Sorry about the long hiatuses but life is a bitch!
Rebellion of a Trickster (Guest): Hey! Sorry for taking so long. I hope you enjoy this chapter! I am trying to wrap this story up with a satisfying conclusion, but it's turning out to be harder than I thought. Lol, maybe by 2020 I'll have finished it up. That's a joke, by the way.
We're so close to the end now!