She no longer had the voice to scream. Burning pain pulsated through her body as she focused her chakra. It entered Kakashi's hand as tears streamed down her eyes. Her body spasmed. In the next moment, it was over, and Chiisai was left heaving.
Kakashi took a harsh breath as he placed his hands on the thred of chakra binding her. Closing his eye, he pictured it snapping, and made the image come alive.
Crack!
The chain split apart and faded from the dream world. Her wounds were fully visible now, the bone white against the raw red flesh that hung from her wrists and ankles.
A heavy groan escaped her lips as he pulled her head to his lap silently. She barely noticed, there was so much pain. But now she had access to her chakra, and it slowly spread to her limbs, sending a warm sensation down her spine. She extended her arms with a whimper. Her muscles stretched themselves back over the bone with the sound of pulled leather. The tissue followed, weaving itself layer after layer until her wounds healed. Chiisai clenched her teeth as Kakashi watched with a widened eye. Her skin reformed and pulled itself over the wounds, leaving no trace of her imprisonment. There was no more pain, and briefly she wondered if her life ever existed without it.
Her eyes fluttered open to see Kakashi watching her intently. Chiisai gave him a reassuring smile, but on noticing their seating arrangement and his hands holding her face, she quickly sat up. They sat in silence as she flexed her arms and legs. Her bones popped as she stretched. Dirt and dried blood still clung to her like a second skin, and she quickly changed out of her past defeat.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow and rose to his feet with her. "Interesting choice."
She tightened her ponytail while scolding Kakashi. "What? It's the comfiest workout clothes I own. You probably couldn't hurt to have some new ones yourself."
He replied, "I'm not complaining- far from it."
Perplexed, she glanced down at herself. Compression shorts, a cropped tank, and her old workout gloves. It was what she wore when it rained on her mornings runs and she was forced to stay inside.
With an exasperated look, Chiisai said, "Okay, Mr. Icha Icha, stop messing around. We need a plan." Her hands glowed red. Pacing back and forth, she continued on before he could reply. "I used to feel so guilty for thinking I killed him-for wanting to kill him." Her body radiated with anger, and orange lilies suddenly sprouted forth around her. "But now I am going to kill him with no regrets. I've-I've never felt like this."
Concern crossed Kakashi's eye, and for a moment his mind flashed to Sasuke. "It's called revenge- something you shouldn't indulge in."
The red radiating from her faltered as they made eye contact. Kakashi, relieved at her wariness, placed a hand on her shoulder. "We will stop Kuroi, but revenge won't satisfy you in the end." There was something obviously different about her, he noticed. Her emotions were haywire and they impacted anything around her. What had happened to cause such a thing? There was no time to dwell on that though, not when another plan was already forming in the back of his mind. "We're going to have to take on your father again."
Her eyes darted away at his last statement. She opened her mouth, paused, and stared down at her wrists. It was then that small clusters of purple flowers budded up at her feet like tiny bells.
"Chiisai, we will stop him," Kakashi said.
She said unsteadily, "I failed the last time I saw him. He'll use us against each other."
He replied, "That can be worked to our advantage. Oi," he added, "you're making flowers grow."
Chiisai glanced down, noticing them for the first time. "Oh. Would you look at that."
"What are you feeling?"
She blinked in surprise at the question. Her thoughts wandered to what all had happened, to the insanity of it all, of Itachi's words, defeating the nightmare, and dying. Drawing away from him, she replied, "Hatred towards my father, caring for what happens to the village and wanting to protect them… and you." she finished with a whisper. "I don't want my father to hurt you or anyone else."
He lifted her chin up so she would look him in the eye. Even though she wasn't a ninja her Will of Fire shown. His voice was low as he responded, "Chiisai, you don't know how powerful you are. We're going to protect the village together, remember?" His thumb grazed the side of her face, his touch flooding her with warmth.
She nodded silently as bluebells began to sprout. Chiisai sighed and rested her head into his vest, replying, "Thank you."
Kakashi, though surprised at first, slipped his arms around her and pulled her closer. His feelings for her were getting out of hand at an alarming rate, but he realized he no longer cared. Not when she was alive and in his arms.
Tilting his head down, Kakashi pressed his lips into her hair.
The room crackled with energy. Chiisai's eyes bolted open and her face flushed red. She drew back instantly, making sure she was out of arm's reach. Kakashi gave out a chuckle at her embarrassment. "What?" She frowned up at him and then immediately looked away. She crossed her arms, knowing the the angrier she got, the redder her face turned. "That was completely unnecessary."
"That's how I knew it wasn't you," he said thoughtfully.
She opened her mouth, but hesitated, remembering when, not so long ago, she had watched her clone kiss him in Kuroi's crumbling palace. Turning away, she scratched her head and said, "What's your plan?"
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"It's only a matter of time before you yourself will succumb to sleep. And then you can be reunited with the family you always wanted."
The Hokage's punch went sailing through the air as it struck Kakashi's body square in the chest. He flew back, smashing against the wall behind him in a shattering crash.
Shizune raised an eyebrow in the Hokage's direction. "Kakashi's body-"
"I'll heal him myself once Kuroi is dead!" She barked with clenched fists."
"How amazing it is to feel again," Kuroi whispered. "Even broken ribs are refreshing," he laughed to himself.
"Your plans have pushed this world on the brink of war for the Land of Fire. I suggest you wake everyone up before that happens." Her words were full of authority and shook the room.
"Sorry," he sat up, "I can't comply with such demands." He stood, shaking the rubble off of him. "This reality isn't an ideal place for anyone to live in- not even for you."
"This is not a philosophy discussion. You will only be causing more death!"
"I don't care about this world, so why should I reconsider, hmm, Lady Tsunade? What tidbit of information can you give when I have killed your only hope of saving this damned place?"
"She might not have one, but I do," I voice rose from the table. They turned to see Chiisai pulling her hair back, meeting Kakashi's eye evenly. "I'm alive, you asshole. And I'm going to take you down."
Kuroi spoke through. "Maybe I would feel threatened if I didn't know you were Kakashi."
"Oh, he's here, would you like to speak with him?" She smiled. Her eyes suddenly narrowed, her expression hard. "Obviously, we had a change of plans, Lady Hokage," she said in a monotone voice. "Chiisai is indeed alive- he can't use her chakra without her."
"Kakashi?" Tsunade stared at Chiisai.
"Hai."
Tsunade looked from Chiisai to Kakashi. Kakashi's body stiffened as he gave Chiisai a hesitating glare. "Amusing, but merely a distraction."
Chiisai's body faltered, but she immediately straightened as her eyes brightened. "I'm glad you find it amusing. Since Kakashi was talking, I've woken several people up. Can you sense it?"
Kakashi's fists tightened. "I'm impressed, Chiisai. I'd never thought you'd be able to free yourself. You've taken advantage of me being absent in the dream world. And you've even mastered your ability enough to use on a greater scale. But I'm afraid you forgot one thing." Her eyes widened as Kakashi took out a kunai. Tsunade took her stance, ready for an attack.
His eyebrow furrowed as he said, "I'm in control of Kakashi's body." And then the weapon went down.
The kunai pierced through his vest and shirt. His eye shrunk in his socket as his arm went rigid right as it dug into him. He glanced around with a wild eye. The weapon fell to the floor with a clank, the tip gleaming with blood. "What's going on?"
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Chiisai hovered in the front of Kakashi's mind. With a deep breath, Chiisai pressed herself against the wall of his mind. Her hands dug into it, feeling for her target. Fabric brushed against her fingers. She grabbed a hold of Kuroi and slowly dragged him out. He resisted, but Chiisai dug her fingers into his sides.
Someone appeared behind her, his breath brushing against her hair. His hands clamped unto her shoulders as Kuroi whispered, "Wrong move, Small Crow."
Chiisai's eyes widened. The Kuroi she was currently holding onto poofed into thin air as the real one stood behind her. She smiled. Chiisai then flickered away as well, leaving Kuroi by himself.
He gave a laugh. "Now you're thinking like a ninja! My, Chiisai, how much you have changed in such a short amount a time!"
Her voice echoed around him. "Well, I've beaten most of my inner demons. All that's left is you."
He smiled into the darkness as chains appeared in his hands. "This time, I'll make sure you won't be able to leave your little prison again."
He saw her then, her small body encompassed in a burning red aura. This wasn't the daughter he had watched behind a seal all those years. Gone was the guilt and self-pity, and now stood a confidence that matched his own. The floor cracked with the weight of her power, and Kuroi was left standing in awe at her new form. Her look was terrifying as she met his chilling gaze. Fire radiated from her hand while she said, " I don't think I can wait on Kakashi." She lept off the ground and hurtled herself towards him.
Kuroi watched his daughter with a smile as he sprinted towards her, chains at the ready, knowing that she was more similar to him than they both ever realized.