Scarlet Justice - ep. 117
"Stella Maris"
[Sweet Child of Mine: Feature 3]

Another two weeks pass at the mansion.

Emi has mostly fixed the financial problems at Kobayashi Rice, enough to let herself relax at the least. In lieu of execution, she fired the previous accountant hired by my father and forwarded relevant information to the local authorities. A new person has been picked from our staff here, meaning that life will go on as usual.

While she was away, I deepened my bond with Rose. Her patient help meant that I could get her movements down to a science of sorts, making predictions here and there to head off any possible discomfort. Touka has taken on my lessons very quickly, and Emi rolled up her sleeves after recovering some to join in. It means that at this point, Rose is extremely spoiled in this house of ours. But that couldn't be anything other than a happy calamity.

Today is the day that I head off to work. I have a particular experiment I want to try, and right now I also have the free time to do so. Something that will give me an extra step, in a world where every inch must be earned. It's not terribly admirable to think about work so much while on vacation, but...this is my life now as an elite shinobi. I might as well learn to embrace it properly. As soon as I wake, I drag myself to the bathroom in order to wash up. The drowsiness quickly falls away; I then change into a loose training shirt and shorts for the day's activities. My hair goes up and out of the way, secured at the back of my head with a wooden barrette.

"As always, we are already awake. Ready to take on the day once more," I say to Rose. My hand reaches down to stroke her cheeks, and she takes hold of a finger firmly.

Determined as ever. She will be a fine child, and an even finer woman.

"Your elder sister has something important to take care of. I know you don't like me working too hard, but such is life. Remember my face, for my aura may very well change upon my return."

"Uu."

"Yes. As long as you understand. I won't be gone for long, my love. Will you wait for me?"

"Au."

"Thank you," I say with a smile. "Let's bring you to Touka."

She slowly lets go of my finger, and I pick her up from the crib. We leave the room and find Touka, who is making breakfast. I set Rose down in one of the many baskets we have placed around the mansion for her sake, and wait for my meal to be delivered. Weighty enough for a proper training session, followed up with two glasses of my favourite fortified milk.

"I see we're dressed to impress today." Emi walks into the dining room and sits, where Touka delivers a hot cup of coffee immediately. "Something important? Or just a day out with Rose?"

"It's business," I say. "Rose won't be coming."

"Sounds important."

"It is." I pause a moment. "Do you...remember the request you made of me, on the day she was born?"

"Yes, I do."

"This is the first step to fulfilling it. In this savage world, I need to be that much stronger than others in order to see my dreams come to pass."

"I understand. It was once said that strength controlled everything in this world. Even that Hashirama Senju, called a harbinger of peace, could not accomplish what he did without the overwhelming might he had at his command."

"That much is true."

"Return safely, Lili."

"I shall, Mama. For you and Rose both."

She nods. "Then...until the next, Miss Kobayashi."

"Until the next." I rise from the table and acknowledge Touka as she gives me a bow. I walk to the front door and switch out my slippers for a pair of athletic shoes, then head out and past the large gates at the front of the mansion. Inaho is relatively quiet at this point in the morning, but I want to find somewhere that's truly secluded for what I'm about to do next.

"Hmm...where to. I think I saw a good place earlier, but I can figure it out from here as well." I limber up for a bit, then take off into a light sprint down the closest road. The town's buildings and landmarks flow past me as I head towards the outer edge of it. Rice fields are visible in the distance, and I head past them along well-worn paths in the countryside. There should be a clear place nearby.

"Here. This looks lovely."

A wide and grassy field that stretches into the distance, dotted with wild flowers of all kinds. They're thriving in the spring sun and warm climate; I sniff at them and the aromas are as delicious as I would expect. Ino would love to romp around a place like this.

The most important part is that I'm finally alone. That means...it's time to begin.

"The plan is as it always was. We'll start with the most difficult thing first, since I'm blessed with time."

I determined how it would start during that carriage ride weeks ago, then worked on refining it further and further until this point. A new level of power. It's what I need more than anything, especially now. So the first point will be...shifting my chakra mode to its current limit. I take off my sneakers and plant my bare feet in the grass. My eyes slowly close, and I focus.

"Lightning Release Chakra Mode, Fourth Stage. Twin Drive..."

I can feel the energy surging into my chest.

"Activate."

And it comes as easily to me as ever, with the same amount of strain. Now comes one of the harder parts, maintaining that flow. I let the energy burn until I feel my body start to quiver slightly...that's the signal to go further, and I have more chakra surge through me. It really is getting painful, and a bit beyond my original estimates...but...

"S-still...within calculations," I growl. "Not done...it's coming."

I have to make sure my focus remains steady, because it's the next part that will make or break this venture. It's dangerous. Risky, perhaps. Quite reckless, even for me. But it's necessary. The ability to overcome my own limits once more, with that gift from heaven...

I grit my teeth and open my eyes.

"Let me touch the plains of heaven once more..."

I feel like my bones are starting to creak from the strain. I might be fried inside out if I'm not careful. It's not too late to turn back, but of course my ego won't let me do something so silly. I'm not going to die here. But...maybe I've bitten off more than I could chew this time?

"..."

The endless blue sky ahead of me...it makes me think of those bright blue eyes. Makes me think of Rose...that person I swore on my soul to love and protect.

Resolve...yes. That's right.

"True Lightning Release..."

Okay. Let's go beyond.

"Quantum Drive!"

The energy inside of me doesn't...explode, like I thought it would. No, it's swelling up. It's spreading and filling me with this strange warmth, and I know that I'm going to be overwhelmed by it. I can't feel anything...but I'm floating...

"All things under heaven and earth are created with the strength of the cosmos. Let us be humble in all things...and bring that strength out from within us, to make the world right again."

The words of the woman who helped give me wings...they echo through my head as I regain myself. I am in a strange place.

Is this...the cosmos?

"..."

I am floating among stars, suddenly. Weightless, wearing a dress made of the galaxy itself. Small comets and nebulae float slowly across my frame. There are asteroids that rotate along the hem at the bottom. Stars blink on and off. There is a gas planet spinning at my hip.

It's...warm here. I'm reminded of the sun at the beach, being warmed up while lying on a towel in the sand, without a care in the world. As I continue to float freely, I hike up my dress to see what happens. The stars move and shake as I do so. My legs and feet are bare, and present thankfully. It seems like I'm all here. I'm fascinated by all of this, but worried at the same time.

Where is this? And...why is this? Can I get back? Mama and Rose will surely worry if I don't come home tonight. But...there is also a distinct feeling, like time is no longer the same in this place, wherever it is. I can't really have entered outer space. Left the Earth's atmosphere...the moon isn't here, so that's already suspicious.

"What should I do? That experiment really was too reckless, wasn't it. I didn't die...I'm already intimate with that sort of experience, unfortunately." I think on it. "It feels closer to that time...where I ran through the sky to punch out Sasuke. So I'm alive on some level..."

Directly ahead, I can see a person floating towards me. I can't sense any hostility, so perhaps they could be of assistance? Whoever this is...I can tell that it's a woman from the shape of their body. They have long brown hair, and a dress with traditional forest patterns and shapes. They wear moccasins as well, which I feel like I've seen somewhere before. And I can't see this person's face, since it's covered with a fierce looking wolf mask.

Interestingly enough, all of their clothing and items are coloured black. But there's a sort of glow to all of it that captivates me. Ethereal is the word that comes to mind. Luminous...

"Oh."

I know this person. Which makes this all the stranger...this person who spent their last moments with me, within a snowy forest.

"Fubuki-senpai."

"Ah. You remembered me."

"How could I forget? You were a splendid warrior, and a beautiful opponent, Luminous Black Wolf."

She removes her mask and it floats away before turning into golden sparks. I can see her beautiful face once more, with a smile that I make sure to capture in my heart immediately. Serenity radiates outwards from those hazy grey eyes of hers. What a sight she is, my senpai.

"Scarlet Viper...or shall I say, Lili Kobayashi. I am glad we could meet again."

"All of this...was this foretold by the universe?" I ask.

"It was not. Which is exactly why this event is so delightful, and of great importance. This place we float in is called the plane of the cosmos. It's a place that only a chosen few could ever touch. Being able to reach it in life is even more remarkable."

"This isn't the next world, then."

"Hm. It is and it isn't. This plane runs parallel to the heavens. It is neither here or there. Distinct from the Pure Land as well. We currently exist in a separate place, a world that welcomes those ascended and enlightened spirits."

"Goodness," I say with awe. It's confusing in many ways, but...suffice it to say, I'm definitely not dead. And if this were the land beyond, I would have come across Momma already, surely.

"Envoy of Heaven...tell me what you seek on this plane."

"What I seek..." I realize exactly what she means. Reaching this place must have been a manifestation of Emi's wish, the one that I sought to fulfill earlier. The reckless outpouring of power to ascend, and now this. I see it now. "I seek confirmation, senpai. And understanding."

"To what end?"

"I seek to surpass the self. No...not just that, actually. I want to surpass the bounds of gravity."

"Ah...!" Fubuki's eyes widen in surprise, before she settles into an adoring look. "You could see that much...truly amazing. And on your own as well. I could not fathom such a thing until I reached this place. You are wonderfully gifted, Lili."

I feel my cheeks heat up. "Senpai..."

"I have the answers you seek. Come with me, and I will tell you everything that I know. You can simply ask this luminous wolf, and she will give you the desires of your heart."

A blue sun greets us. Fubuki floats towards me and takes my hand in hers. It's pleasantly warm, and makes me feel even safer than before. We start to float through the cosmos together.

"I'm sure that you have many questions, kouhai."

"Yes." I squeeze her hand gently. "Senpai...what is this place, truly? How did you make it here?"

"This place, as said earlier, is the cosmic plane available to all who have escaped the bounds of humanity. You, who exists as God's precious envoy, one who came upon heavenly strength through her experiences in the world, are one such person. The bounds of humanity are often known as 'gravity', or the weight that holds souls firmly to the mortal plane. As for me, I arrived here shortly after my death. Time here is different. I have already absorbed millennia of lessons and experiences, just to come to a basic understanding of this place. For me, it was a short time. A productive one as well. Freedom from mortal constraints is...certainly an experience. To explain it would not be possible."

"I see. So if you had lived, you eventually would have been able to visit as I am doing now?"

"Yes. But that does not make me sad. The opposite, actually. I am thankful to be free, and can go to and fro as I please. I have no regrets. More than that, my final dance with you was wonderful. I would not trade it for anything."

"Escaping...the Earth's gravity," I muse. "To become one with the stars and realize the true self. To exceed all limitations within mind, body, and soul."

"You seem to understand it already."

"I had some related thoughts before I began this ritual. My original intention was to further accelerate physical function, like the enhanced perception one gets from activating the Lightning Release Chakra Mode. Controlling that kind of flow would mean better access to that heightened state, allowing one to create a world of frozen time nearly on a whim. The human body could only take so much strain, which is why I sought to capture a fragment of that strength in a form that I could easily reach at all times."

"However..."

"However," I continue for her, "it seems that it is no longer a requirement. That heavenly power is now completely internalized, as a result of yet another reckless venture."

"You've done this before?"

"When I fought that person, I accessed that strength in order to save my loved ones."

"Mm. The scion of the Uchiha."

"Yes." I look at Fubuki. "Many things have come to pass, and I have managed to ascend yet another step. But...I know there is more, senpai. Will you tell me?"

"I will. That unexplained feeling inside of you is important, much like everything else. Your arrival here on this plane means that you can become complete. Completion does not mean you will stop feeling, or that you will stand definitively above humans. But you will be able to endlessly reach forward, for the sake of your dream, a reflection of the grace of heaven."

"What must I do, then?"

We float past the blue sun and end up alongside a comet. Its tail starts to lengthen slowly as we watch.

"Once you have escaped the Earth's gravity, you can definitively form the true self. For those who have passed on, such as myself, we solidify our previous existences. My form as the Luminous Black Wolf, Great Mother of the Inugami, reflects this," Fubuki says.

"Yes."

"For you, who still exists on the mortal plane and has a living form, it is different. You can solidify your existence as the Scarlet Viper, and all that comes with it. The darkness, the hunger, the self that you keep firmly inside. I can already see that you have changed quite a bit since our last meeting. You have been fractured, and you fought to make yourself whole again by absorbing the world's dark essence. It gave you a magnificent strength. But this is also a part of your true self, you see."

"But...I could always walk away if I'm not ready. Isn't that the case?" I ask.

"Yes."

"What do you think I should do, senpai? What should I choose?"

"Mm." She gives my hand a soft squeeze. "My heart flutters for the girl that I call the World Serpent. But I cannot decide your destiny for you. Lili, this choice has to be one that you make, coming from your own heart. Truly, there is no advice I could give, in this moment or any other, that would be adequate."

"I see..."

"However, I want you to know this. I will look fondly upon you, no matter what happens. And you will never be lacking in favour. You are gifted, strong, and truly blessed. The heavens smile upon you perpetually. Whatever choice you make will be the right one. And if it's not the right choice at this moment, then you will have the strength to make it so. This is what I believe, in my heart and soul."

"Fubuki..."

She smiles at me tenderly. "No matter the outcome...in the end, this luminous wolf will be by your side."

I can't help but smile back, bringing her hand to rest against my chest.

"Then...I will make my decision, senpai." I feel as if...this was what it would always be. From the moment I entered this space. Perhaps it's Fubuki's warmth that makes me feel this way. But it's right. It can't be anything but right.

I am going to change this world. I made this promise to myself, and to so many people. To give the ones I love the chance to live their own lives, the chance to experience freedom, and a world without boundaries.

I will grab hold of the strength in front of me, to protect the world's possibilities. Just as the greatest guardians in my life did. Caroline, my mother who gave me the wisdom of heaven. And Midoriko, my sister who gave me the strength of heaven. I know who I am.

And so, I part my lips to speak.

"To ascend beyond Earth's gravity is to transcend the limits of mortals. I accept the nature of my true self."

I let go of Fubuki's hand and float away from her. A scarlet glow starts to envelop my body...my dress changes to that same colour, and I feel myself being filled with warmth. It's a sign...to keep going, and to embrace my truth.

"I know who I am, and what I have done. Everything that I have accomplished. Every act that I have committed against mankind, in violation of their fragile order. Every bond that I have made. Every single life that I have taken. Every drop of blood that has been shed, by me for the sake of others, and by others for my sake. I know who it is I love. I know the people that I cannot, that I will not forgive. And most of all...this darkness inside of me. This lust for blood and carnage. This brutal nature. The pleasure that I wring our from crushing bodies and spirits. Yes, I know it well. It is a part of me. And I accept it, all of it, no matter what might become of me as a result."

My dream to change the world, for a more perfect order...with this strength, I will make it reality.

"I am the World Serpent, who will crush this world within her jaws.

I am Bushin, the great goddess of war and battle.

I am an elite of the Hidden Leaf Village, their great hope, their sword of justice.

I am the most terrifying soldier, the avatar of destruction, the woman called the Crimson Nightmare.

I am the blessed child who has danced on the heavenly plain, a princess of the stars, a precious envoy of God.

I am a beloved daughter. I am a precious sister. I am a trusted friend.

I am, in all worlds, the Scarlet Viper of legend. My name is Lilith Caroline Kobayashi."

And at that, the scarlet glow spreads out beyond me, colouring the cosmos around us until everything is swallowed up by it completely.

Fubuki floats towards me in the endless space, and gives me a warm smile.

"I hoped that you would make this choice. You always managed to be more magnificent than I could ever imagine."

"Thank you, senpai. I have accepted all that I am now. And because of it...I am ready to face whatever might come my way."

"Lili Kobayashi. You have truly been blessed by heaven. Remember this moment. Lock it away in your heart. You have transcended the bounds of mortals. This luminous wolf is proud of you, and always will be. She will forever be by your side."

The scarlet glow retreats back across the canvas of stars, flowing into me as I close my eyes. I am filled with new strength, and as I open my eyes again, I can see that the cosmos are restored.

"It is time, Scarlet Viper."

"Already...I see."

"Yes. You must return to the mortal plane for now. In your times of rest, come and visit me. We can explore this world together."

"Senpai...could you find Momma for me? I want her to know..."

"She must be aware. Caroline Athena Rothschild, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"I will see if she has time for me. The woman with divine sight and wisdom...it's no wonder that you turned out like this, Lili."

"You flatter us, senpai."

"You both deserve nothing less."

"Fubuki-senpai...please take care. Thank you."

"I shall. You must do the same, kouhai. Heaven be with you. Praise be."

"Praise be."

I feel a pull on my consciousness, and then the vision of the cosmic plane slowly fades. I close my eyes and allow myself to go with the flow. A slight shaking, and then a familiar tingling in what I can tell are my fingers.

"Ah...!"

My eyes fly open, and I immediately shut off the chakra mode, falling to my knees. It's oppressively hot...I can see that smoke is streaming from my body. That...that was indescribable. And it was only a few seconds?

"Ugh..."

My body didn't like it at all, but...from what I know, I won't have to do something so reckless again. The strength inside of me has truly been solidified. I don't have any desire to test it out right now, but I can feel it. All of that was real.

"Really...it's little wonder people question the whims of heaven."

But then, I am one of a kind, after all. To reach towards this path requires a special kind of person in the first place, doesn't it?

"We can ponder such things later. Right now...I need to lie down."

I feel reasonably sure that I won't die the moment I close my eyes, so I let myself fall to the grass face first. For at least a little while, I can rest...