Chiisai extended her hands, blasting out a wave of energy. Kuroi bolted out of the way, but his daughter was a rage of fury. She was on him again, shoving him against the ground. Before she could make a hit, Kuroi had dematerialized and reappeared behind her. Eyes glowing red, Chiisai turned in time and sent him flying across Kakashi's mind.
He skidded against the ground, smiling as he wiped the blood from his lip. "You really want to play this game, Small Crow?" A hundred Kuroi's suddenly surrounded her. Chiisai's fist came down on the ground, sending a ring of fire outwards before they could react. It bombarded each target, making them disappear as quickly as they had come.
"When do you intend on actually killing me, Chiisai? I don't think you have it in you!" Kuroi mocked as he came at her once again. Chiisai retaliated with a snarl. Her chakra emanated around her body, causing her to glow. The energy sailed to her opponent. Kuroi's chakra connected with hers, attempting to pull out the energy radiating within her. She locked on, leaving them both immobile as they tugged back and forth.
"You're mine, Chiisai." Kuroi grinned as he yanked back, taking her chakra with him. She choked out a cry as her chakra began to leave her. But she wasn't losing this time. Steeling herself, Chiisai used her hand and released lightning onto the link between them. The lightning, enhanced by the chakra, sailed along the path straight to her father.
Kuroi let out a gasp, and unable to move, was immediately jolted. His body convulsed with electricity before he was forced to let go. He fell to his knees as smoke rose from him. His chest heaved, his eyes gaping at Chiisai. She gave him a smile, obviously enjoying the surprise etched on his face.
Kakashi suddenly landed back into his mind. On seeing their tattered and glowing state, he turned to Chiisai. Anger crossed his face. "The plan?"
She shrugged, which didn't appease him.
But Kuroi was on them again, causing the jonin to jump out of the way. The Copy Ninja lifted up his headband. "Chiisai, what did I say about revenge?"
"You said it wouldn't satisfy me, but you said nothing about it not defeating my father," she snapped back. Her aura was red again as Kuroi came at her. "It's been working so far!"
"No, it's nearly gotten you killed," He replied as he pulled her out of the way. "Get your head together and stick to the plan. What about doing this together?"
Three Kuroi's appeared around the two. Fire came out of each of their lips. Kakashi pulled up a wall of earth as Chiisai shot water from her hand. "Easier said than done!" Steam sizzled, causing a fog to rise up.
"Well, you're going to have to." Kakashi replied sternly. "There can't be any mistakes." He glanced around the area, and pulled his Sharingan up. They were now fighting under the dream tree.
Kakashi flew upon each Kuroi, his chidori laying a path of destruction on each clone. Chiisai's voice rang out suddenly, and he turned around. The fog had thickened, but Kakashi rushed toward the sight of her chakra. The jonin reached out, and Chiisai grabbed onto his hand.
Her shoulders broadened and her hair receded, her image shaping to that of her father. Kuroi's grip tightened on Kakashi's arm. His chakra surrounded the jonin, forcing him to remain still.
"I can't believe that actually worked. You really do care about her, don't you?" He asked thoughtfully. "How touching."
"Kakashi!" Chiisai yelled. She stopped ten feet away, her glowing eyes widening at the sight before her.
"I'll give you a choice, dear daughter." Kuroi forced Kakashi to his knees. A kunai appeared in Kuroi's hand as he stepped in front of Chiisai. "You turn yourself in, and I won't destroy the son of the White Fang." He paced back and forth. "Or, you resist, I kill him before your eyes, and then I imprison you again." He smiled.
Chiisai watched Kakashi, his eye pleading for what she knew she couldn't do. Heart thudding in her chest, Chiisai whispered, "You'd kill him anyway, wouldn't you?"
Spinning the weapon on the tip of his finger, he replied, "The world he's lived in has given him more hell than most. Doesn't he deserve happiness too? I'll weave him a dream worth living. I'll maybe put a version of you in there for his pleasure." His black eyes found his daughter as he held the kunai to Kakashi's throat. "Now, what is your decision Small Crow? You're running out of time."
His hand dug into Kakashi's hair, pulling his head back and exposing his throat. Kuroi pressed the blade to Kakashi's neck, and the fabric of his mask tore. At the sound of the material ripping, Chiisai stepped forward. "Wait."
Kuroi lifted an eyebrow in her direction. "Well?"
Tears escaped her eyes as she mouthed to Kakashi, "I'm sorry." Shoulders slumped, Chiisai whispered, "Don't hurt him." She took another step and lifted her hands up.
Kuroi appeared before her, shackling her wrists. She let out a scream as pain rushed into her, causing her to sink to her knees. He stroked her hair and asked, "Was it really worth one man?"
His smile faded upon seeing her face. A grin formed on her lips. At the same time, the chains took away Chiisai's chakra, taking with it the façade.
Kakashi now glared up at Kuroi, his Sharingan spinning as he met Kuroi's gaze.
It was too late to react. The Sharingan had Kuroi under its control.
The skin on the frozen Kakashi cracked and fell away to reveal Chiisai. She stood and walked up towards them as she popped her knuckles. Using her chakra to free Kakashi, she said, "Did you have to make me look so sappy?"
"To be fair, you missed the first five minutes of the battle. You were quite violent then," he said without looking at her.
"Let's just get this over with. I'm still a bit rundown from giving you so much of my chakra." She turned to her father who stood still, which forced him to listen. Wiping a strand of hair back, Chiisai said, "Truth is you're a pretty awful father." She placed a hand on his shoulder as she felt for her chakra. Chiisai glowed now as her chakra began to reabsorb back into her. Power surged within her now. "And I'm ready to be done with you."
She placed her other hand on him. Her chakra poured back into her. Faster it traveled, leaving her gasping for air. It was too much, but her hands were stuck to his skin. Her body shook with power as it spilled back into her. The chakra couldn't be controlled, even when she willed it stop. It forced its way into her and she absorbed it all like a wet sponge.
Kuroi had spent ten years marinating in the chakra that sat behind the seal. Her chakra had tangled itself inside him, delving deeper into him than she thought possible.
Kuroi's body was just an empty shell now. Chiisai fell back to the ground as her fingers dug into her chest. Kakashi stood over her, his eye wide with worry. The place quaked with energy as Chiisai's glow brightened further and further.
"Chiisai!"
Her eyes found his before her body convulsed, her pupils flickering to red. She grabbed onto her head. "Get…out…of my mind!" She yelled to the crackling air.
Kakashi took hold of her shoulders, but he was instantly blown back. The air was knocked out of him as he collided into the tree. He staggered to his feet and gazed in horror of what lay before him. She was on her knees, her hands in fists as the ground around her burst upwards, defying gravity. The air spun around her like a storm, tugging at his hair and clothes.
"You've lost, Small Crow," her voice was low and booming like thunder, her eyes glowing blood red. "The dream world will be everyone's reality. And I now have the power to do just that."
She extended her hand. A map of the land of Fire projected into the sky. The energy that radiated from her traveled into each mind that surfaced on the map, turning into hundreds of branches that bloomed into dreams. With each second, more and more victims fell to Kuroi's control, and the dream tree grew in size, bending under the weight of people's dreams.
"S-Stop it!" Her body staggered and the image flickered out. Chiisai struggled against her father, even using her body to get him out of her. She slammed into the ground again and again, but it was no use. The aura around her darkened as she boomed, "Give up already!"
Kakashi, with his hand shielding his eyes, slowly edged closer. The wind was like a tornado now, but still he held on with determination in his eye. They had come too far to let this happen. His feet slid against the dirt as he stumbled closer. "Chiisai!" He yelled over the wind.
Her eyes lit up for a second at the sound of his voice, but he was soon drowned out by the wailing of the wind. His voice lost, Kuroi was back in control. Her furious eyes narrowed at the jonin as she shot a wave of flames and shurikens towards him.
With nowhere else to go, Kakashi quickly used earth release and dug underground. . If Chiisai still responded to him, then there might be some hope to get her back.
The jonin shot through what little ground lay between him and Chiisai. She jumped away at the sight of him, but Kakashi was quick to grab her. "Chiisai," his voice beckoned her out.
Her furrowed eyebrows slowly rose, her eyes widening as she gazed up at her comrade. "Farm Boy," her lips mouthed the words. The wind died down and the pieces of earth fell as her attention focused on him.
"Errr," She groaned as she grabbed her head. Kakashi tightened his grip on her while saying, "Hold on!"
But she was no longer listening or in control. Her hand flew out but the jonin deflected her attack.
"You can't defeat me," her voice scratched out. "You never could. The dream world is mine, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!" Her body radiated a burning red, hitting Kakashi the closer he came to her. Daggers materialized and aimed at him. He weaved through them, trying to get to his comrade. His clothes tore and skin ripped open, but still he pushed forward. With one last effort, Kakashi took a leap through her attacks. Fiery energy scorched him as he finally faced Chiisai.
In one swift motion, he grabbed her by the back of the neck, jerked his mask down, and crushed his lips against hers.
She pulled back, but Kakashi didn't let her go. The scorching energy burned against him, blistering his skin. Slowly, her resistance stopped, along with the burning chakra.
The chaos came to an immediate halt. He pulled back, noticing her eyes returning to their normal color. Her fingers dug into his torn and singed vest as she met his eye.
Her lips spread as she whispered, "You…"
A gust of wind came out of her palm, hitting Kakashi as he was thrown back. Chiisai wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and yelled, "That was completely unnecessary!"
He pulled his mask back up. "You needed some motivation."
Her eyes flickered between red and black, but her anger towards Kakashi shown through. Her hand radiated white as she dug her fingers into her chest, searching for her father. Her fingers grabbed onto a link of glowing chakra. With a furious shout, she yanked the energy out of her, though her body struggled against it.
"No!" Her low voice resonated, her eyes flickering back to red. Her fingers trembled over her chest, but Chiisai wouldn't stop.
"I…won't let you…win," She said. Her fingers clenched into her skin once again. The action was slow and meticulous, but each inch separated her from Kuroi. The villagers, Itachi, and Kakashi surfaced in her mind, fueling her determination. Sweat beaded her forehead as she moaned, "I will protect this village!"
With one last strenuous pull, Chiisai flung her father out of her. The form of Kuroi took shape on the ground. Kuroi darted forward as he went for her again. Chiisai extended her hand. Chains appeared on his wrists and he let out a cry of rage. The same chains used against his daughter now held him firmly in place.
Her gaze shifted to Kakashi. "And don't you ever do that again, Farm Boy."
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She trudged up to what was left of her father. The chains had sucked up all the chakra left that was Chiisai's, leaving Kuroi weak and struggling to stay up. His eye glinted with hatred as he snarled, "You may have defeated me, but it's not over. Your power will slowly consume you until someone else comes after it. You will never be free," he smiled grimly. "Your reality will make you suffer as long as you live."
She ignored him, and having nothing left to say, traced her finger over the cool metal. It sucked up the last of her stolen energy that the chains had untangled from her father. His body shuddered and he grew frantic. He shouted again, "You will never be free! You hear me, Small Crow?!"
His daughter's fate left him laughing long after he faded out of existence.
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Chiisai sank to the ground, her body shaking as she let out a deep breath. Kakashi was immediately beside her. She shrugged away from him and struggled to say, "I'm fine."
He let out a hopeless sigh. "Obviously you're not."
"Yeah," Chiisai sighed with him. "You're right." She turned to him, and upon seeing him, gasped, saying, "Did I do that to you?"
He glanced down at his hands, which were raw from holding on to Chiisai. His body was covered in fresh splitting blisters, and pain pulsated with each movement he made.
"That's what you get for kissing me." Nevertheless, she placed a hand on him, her healing touch traveling to the rest of Kakashi's body.
They sat silent beside each other in what was left of the field. The tree still stood, the dreams of everyone flickering like stars. "How will you wake them up?"
Shaking her head, she replied, "I'm not sure yet." She rose to her feet and observed the tree. Itachi's words came back to her, and she added, "But I'll figure it out."
Kakashi nodded calmly and shoved his hands in his pockets. "How long?"
She glanced back up at him and replied, "How long what?"
"How long will you stay in the dream world?"
She shrugged. "My ability has a hold of thousands of minds that extend outside the village. I can sense them in the back of my mind…Yet it's not taking me over. My father seemed to have more control over my power than I ever did," she muttered.
He sighed again, following her gaze back to the tree. "It will take a long time then."
"Yes." She elbowed his shoulder and half-joked, "I expect a ton of books waiting on me when I wake up though."
He smiled. "Heart's content, I remember." Kakashi's smile faded as she stepped away from him. He extended his hand, paused, and brought it back to his side. "Chiisai," he began.
He wanted to say more, she could tell. Chiisai gave him a faint smile as she replied, "Sorry, Farm Boy- time for you to wake up again."
She extended her hand, and then she was gone, along with the dream tree.