The monster cried out for battle as oily tendrils shot out at Chiisai. They both jumped out of the way, avoiding the creature as it lashed out again and again, flowers withering with each movement it made. Electricity crackled around Kakashi's sword as he sliced down on an arm. The broken limb turned to ash as another arm shot out. The sky grew dark, the air turned sour, and still the creature continued after them, spindly arms constantly bursting from its surface to snag Chiisai up.
Chiisai spun fire from her hands, hurling it at the nightmare. "I don't know what I'm doing!" She yelled over the thrashing of the monster. The fire only sizzled into a hiss as the creature gave another shrill cry.
Kakashi leapt through the web of dark spindles as they hurled themselves at Chiisai. He curled his arm around her waist, pulling her tight against him as he absorbed the impact. "I was hoping you had the answer," he replied breathlessly after they hit the ground.
She pushed him off of her as she threw a barrier up. The monster rammed into it. Red glowing slits bore into Chiisai, rousing her fear. Slowly, the creature seeped through the barrier like black tears as her breath quickened. The creature reformed. It grabbed her arm, the contact making fear flow thick like blood. Images crossed her vision, words filling her head as her heart thudded against her sternum.
It's your fault.
How could you do this to us?!
You're a monster!
You're a murderer.
You deserve this.
The monster's eyes widened slightly, a gurgle choking from deep within. The black substance bubbled up like hot tar before bursting into onyx liquid. Kakashi stood where the creature had been, his sword still resonating his chidori.
They both stared at each other, their lungs forcing air in and out as they processed what had just happened. The metal sword disappeared. "You alright?" Kakashi extended his hand, which Chiisai gratefully took as he helped her up. She gave a short sigh of relief before replying, "Yeah. You?"
He shook his head. "That felt too easy."
"You have goop on you." Frowning with disdain, she placed her fingers on the green fabric, wiping the leftovers of the monster away. "It's like molasses." She shook her hand furiously, trying to fling the black liquid off of her. "It came off of you, why won't it come off of me?"
"Here, hold still." Kakashi ordered as he grabbed her hand. At that moment, electricity flew from her palm, flinging the mess off and jolting the jonin.
"Oh, my bad." She covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. She pointed, "you're hair…Is more spiky than usual. Here," she leaned forward, "let me-"
He stepped out of her reach, placing a hand on his hair. "I think you've done enough. Now hold on." Kakashi flicked sparks on Chiisai, watching as the black liquid darted on her skin. "You're right," he frowned. "It's not coming off."
Narrowing his eyes, he gazed over her and added, "It's on your feet too."
She shielded her body from his wandering eye and replied, "Stop eyeing me!" Chiisai yelped as black liquid slid up her leg. She shot electricity at it, but it only darted behind her knee, still traveling up her body.
Kakashi took a defensive stance. "It's coming for you."
She followed Kakashi's gaze. The spluttered remains of the creature slid towards her like a snake, slithering up her legs as she shot out electricity. Black globs covered her hand as Kakashi tried to free her. The droplets connected, slowly overtaking her body as she tried to move. "The lightning isn't working, Farm Boy!"
"Hold on!" Kakashi grabbed a hold of her free hand, trying to yank her out of the black mass. Slowly, she inched closer to him. The blackness grew warm again, and she heard voices. Chiisai's eyes fluttered, her body going limp.
"Chiisai!" he shouted.
Her eyes flew open, her expression dazed as she attempted to move against the growing darkness. The thing shot out at Kakashi, pushing him away from its victim. His hand slid farther, their fingers now the only thing keeping them together.
"Kakashi, I can't." Her onyx eyes rolled back, her body going limp.
"No!" he protested. But her fingers slid between his as the rest of her was swallowed by the monster.
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She had fallen into an abyss. No, at least she'd feel the wind rushing against her. But here there was no wind. Nothing was what met her eyes. It was a blackness so deep and dark she was blind in it. Robbed of taste and touch, Chiisai mind drifted further and further away. She lurked past the edge of oblivion, beyond any hope of seeing the light.
Light…What was that? The mere concept of the word was beautiful in itself. Light. It was a warmth that filled your soul, something that came in every form imaginable, filling your lungs and your heart and giving life. But she could not recall what light was, nor could she remember the significance of its existence.
The thought dwindled away, the darkness devouring any good thing she could conjure. Its lust for darkness overtook her, consuming the emotions rising up from her past.
But her past also held things that could not be broken so effortlessly. The connection of her heart to others remained sturdy, unyielding towards those that would oppose it. Her mind would not let go of those few, its roots far too deep to be pulled out.
Was she a monster? A murderer? Did she deserve this? These questions burned down the chains of her anchorage, weakening the connections she needed so desperately.
She had invited a madness as fierce as her denial of reality. Running all her life, Chiisai was left floating in a darkness she had created herself.
She killed her father. And though it had been an accident, she had wanted him to die.
And then her mother. Chiisai's words were the final nail struck into the coffin. Words that seemed so little at the time pronounced her mother's death sentence. Her words of hatred and bitterness only led to a darker path.
She had killed more. Their voices cried out to her, begging to be brought back. She had lacked control of her abilities, and the consequences had been to great.
Light…What was that again? A beautiful word and nothing more.
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An eternity had passed before something finally stirred within her. It had frightened her at first, this forgotten and unknown thing. She retracted, her body aching with movement, finally feeling something other than this utter emptiness. The stirring rose once more, tediously trying to pull her out of the nothingness. But the unknown was a scary place, and she'd rather dwell in the nothingness than risk such feelings the stirrings caused. Her fingers clawed back into the pit of her fears.
A man called out to her.
The unyielding part of her heart flared up, her anchor fighting back against herself, reaching further up the branches of her body and seeking her mind. It shined red with passion, and for a moment her thoughts revived, seeing blood and flower petals and eyes that glittered with black designs. Sharingan- the people she cared about possessed it. The boy who slaughtered his clan and the man who broke a promise. Those people cared about her, no, they believed in her.
A spark struck deep within her, shining so small yet so bright against the darkness. She felt her heart pump blood within her. The spark nurtured into a flame, its light reaching over the retracting darkness as it flickered around her.
Light. That was what she recognized. It had come from the ones she cared about, of the hope that sprung from their trust in her.
The darkness screamed, You're a murderer, a monster! Look at the ones you cared about in the beginning, look what happened to them! Look what caring has led you to!
But the light refused to dim, refused to give in. Slowly, steadily, it grew brighter, causing the darkness to recede with a screech.
No! Those you care for will die! Everyone you touch dies! They don't care about you, they only care for the village!
"I am a part of the village," her hoarse voice sounded foreign to her. The man's voice called out to her again. Her power resonated around her, her chakra glowing as she whispered, "And the monster I fear is myself."
The flame burned with new energy, pulsating like a heartbeat as it extinguished the darkness around it. The roots of her heart shined with new life as more connections sprouted.
The boy who dreamed of being Hokage.
The woman who wished for recognition.
The father who wanted to protect his children.
Their dreams she cared for and protected in the past weren't just dreams, but reflections of souls. She grew tired of the constant battle hidden in her mind, tired of the guilt she had thrust on herself over the years. Her voice was small as she said, "I killed my parents, though it was an accident. I can't deny what I did. But that does not make me a monster!" She shouted now, her hands in fists as she thought of Itachi.
The light shown like the Sun, the will of fire swallowing up the darkness.
She felt a grip on her wrist, pulling her out of the dying monster. Kakashi and Chiisai stumbled out of the black film, falling to the ground. He caught the glowing woman, and they both watched as the monster gave a shrill scream as it twisted against itself. The creature fixed its eyes on Chiisai, trying once more to call to her, to help feed the false reality she had believed for so long. But the light made it shrivel and shrink until it was nothing more but ash in the wind.
There was a moment of silence.
Chiisai breathed, her eyes still gazing where the monster had last stood. "It's gone." She turned to Kakashi, her body shaking with laughter. Glowing with new life, she flung her arms around his neck. "We did it, Farm Boy!"
His caught her, hesitating at the sheer joy spilling from her. Her carefree laughter rang like bells as red poppies sprouted up around them. Her joy effected their surroundings, the backdrop becoming bright as the Sun hung high in the cerulean sky. His arms finally settled around her waist, his eye crinkling into a smile.
She drew back, a smile written across her face. It dissipated though on seeing how close they were. She cleared her throat and stood, saying, "Thanks, Kakashi."
He blinked in surprise as he rose to his feet. "Oi, did you say my name?"
"Is that bad?"
He scratched the back of his head and muttered, "The nickname was growing on me."
She shrugged and replied, "Fine, fine. Farm Boy it is." She smiled up at him, still glowing. "Alright. It's time we mind hop."
He lifted an eyebrow. "Whose mind are we hopping into precisely?"
She shrugged, her eyes trained on a butterfly. "Don't know. But it's not wise to stay here for very long."
Nodding, Kakashi replied, "Agreed, but we still don't have a plan. We need information. We don't know Kuroi's full motivations, but his goal is to take over every mind in the village."
"Well, let's just gather intel. Maybe seeing what's happening in other people's minds will help." She grabbed his hand again.
"And we need to lie low," Kakashi added. He entwined his fingers with hers as she nodded. "Agreed," she said. "Now hold on to your headband, Farm Boy. I haven't done this in ten years, so it's may get a bit bumpy."
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They landed roughly into darkness.
"You in one piece?" Chiisai wheezed as she sat up.
"I hope so," Kakashi replied. He blinked into the darkness, asking, "Where are we?"
"Not sure," she gagged," but it stinks and I'm sitting on something lumpy."
His eyes narrowed, his body going still. "I know this smell."
Fire came from Chiisai's hands, illuminating the night. What she saw made her stagger back with a gasp. Kakashi caught her arm as she lost her balance, causing the fire to go out. He whispered, "Lie low, remember?"
Chiisai squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. "I hate this dream. I hate this." Her fingers dug into his wrist as she asked, "Can I please erase it?"
"Shhh, it's alright. We're facing it together, remember?"
Gradually, she nodded, the tension in her body easing off. "Alright."
Chiisai then opened her eyes, and with Kakashi, they slowly made their way out of the endless sea of shinobi corpses.