The world looked like a dream. Fuzzy, constantly changing, and timeless.
What was an oppressive underground room with cold stone walls became an aquarium filled with clouds and filaments of light. I could swim in it, drifting mindlessly. When I passed through the lights, it tickled and I felt a little giddy, a little stronger.
I wasn't alone in the aquarium. There was a predator who I stayed away from. It looked like a jellyfish, translucent enough to let me see the light inside, but I didn't touch it. I was worried it would sting. It didn't seem to see me anyway. I ignored it, and it did the same. Good enough for me.
The predator was moving around other bodies of light that might as well be corals. They rarely moved and their light was dimming as if the water was polluted, toxic for them. Poor things. Some of them ended up as corpses pretty quickly.
Well… quickly was relative. Time here was relative. I certainly didn't make any sense of it.
I was peacefully swimming — feeling weaker now that I had absorbed all the surrounding light and there was none left anymore, no more 'food' — when a bunch of sharks jumped in the aquarium and made a mess of things.
The predators fought each other, releasing a lot of light clouds while they were at it. I steered away from them but basked in the clouds as soon as they were darting away. As usual, none of them seemed to be aware of me. Nonetheless, I stayed away from the two Megalodon who seemed to be the main fighters.
I gorged on the light and felt better.
This world was strange, but I didn't need to worry about anything as long as I had light. Good enough for me.
I was drifting again when another Megalodon appeared, and two of them started to absorb the light. It came from the walls all around. I had been limited to what was present, but they called the light to them. They absorbed it like sponges and became so bright that I fled away in fright.
I wasn't the only one to leave. Several of the smaller sharks exited the aquarium. I followed them along paths I hadn't noticed until then. One of the sharks with characteristic white light was carrying a piece of coral. It wasn't in good shape. However, being in the shark's presence didn't make it worse, which was a first in my experience of the aquarium's creatures. I followed him. It felt instinctive and easy.
To my wonder, the tube led us to an ocean. There weren't any walls, just the sky above and the earth under. And there was so much light everywhere ! Amazing. I chased clouds and filaments of light, so thoroughly distracted by this new environment that I forgot all about the boring predators.
Then there was a weird feeling of displacement, and the woods surrounding me were replaced by a new aquarium, a better one maybe but still an aquarium. Disappointed and frustrated, I lost interest in everything and drifted.
I drifted for a long time (I thought? Who knew? Who cared ? not me) before the displacement happened again. I shook myself (or what felt like it when you had no body) and looked around, hoping for the forest. It was a new aquarium, again, but this one had an open wall leading to…
Oh. Oh!
Konoha. I was back in Konoha.
As I found the familiar landmarks reminding me of home, slowly the world adjusted itself around me. It was like when you watched a stain and realized it looked like an animal, then it was the only thing you could see. It made sense, and you couldn't figure how you didn't see it before.
The aquarium was a room in Konoha. The sharks/jellyfishes filled with light were shinobi and I… Maiko was the coral resting on a bed in the middle of the room. I was a ghost... or at least a spirit separated from their body.
…
What the fuck did Orochimaru do to me ?!
oOo
Between reincarnation and out-of-body experience, I was getting several points for the title of 'The Weirdest Human' (although, in this world, I had a lot of competition).
Despite my new awareness of the world, I still had some difficulty measuring the passage of time. I wondered since when I had been kidnapped and consequently since when I was in a coma.
Orochimaru had done something to me to put me in this situation, obviously. What had he done? I couldn't recall. I didn't remember anything past my abduction (which didn't trouble me much, I was quite alright with forgetting torture and medical experimentations, thank you very much; I considered it a blessing).
A dozen people came to visit more or less regularly, which led me to think that it had been at least several days, if not more, since I was in a public room at Konoha's hospital.
I recognized the white chakra guy who had carried me out of Orochimaru's hideout. It was Kakashi. He came back once to see me then disappeared for a while. Probably gone on a mission.
Oh, I hoped that everyone was alright, that Obito didn't bother them anymore and, with a little (a lot of) luck, that they killed Orochimaru! That would be great news for when I woke up… if I woke up.
I tried talking to those who came in. None of them heard me. I continued to greet them mechanically out of principle, but I didn't really listen. Listening took effort, as if we weren't on the same plane of existence, and I had to prick up my ears to hear anything. It was exhausting and rather depressing. The last time I tried, I heard my mother crying. I couldn't even remember the last time I saw my mother cry…
No, I felt better just… waiting.
It wasn't like I got bored. I drifted when there was no one to pay attention to.
It was easy and peaceful.
Sometimes, I left my room and looked around, but nothing interested me much.
I was drifting around in the hallways when someone stopped in front of me and — wonder of all wonders — stared right at me. Startled by this event, I focused on the jellyfish filled with light until the world adjusted itself to a more human vision. I recognized the kid — because it was one, his core as small as a fish — as a Hyuuga.
"Ooh, Hyuuga can see chakra. I'm probably a construct of chakra. Can you see me? Hi!" I waved.
He startled and took a step back.
I drifted lower to the ground and waved more gently. "It looks like you do. Hi, kiddo. Didn't mean to scare you, sorry. I won't eat you, promise. I am a nice ghost."
The boy reached out toward me. I let him touch me, wondering what would happen. Nothing. At least, not for me. I didn't feel him at all just like I didn't feel anything when people went through me. That's why I stayed near the ceiling out of principle, but I was truly an intangible ghost.
After a while, the kid lost interest and walked away.
"Oh, no, don't go! You're the most interesting being around," I whined, following him.
With his Byakugan activated, he noticed. He stopped and tried to wave me away.
"Nope," I denied. I would be pouting if I could.
Later on, I might feel ashamed for stalking a child but, in my defense, I wasn't exactly in full possession of my faculties at the time. You didn't reason the same way when your soul was mostly detached from your body (which led to worrying considerations on what staying that way would do to me in the long term).
I followed him home (shame on me). He tried to mention it to an adult, but they dismissed his worry rather shortly. I was offended on his behalf and made a face as I thought: "Rude!"
"They're always like that."
He was talking to me!
"You understand me?"
"I'm sorry. I don't understand sentences. I'm still learning to read."
I realized that my shape changed to reflect my thoughts and expressions. With enough focus, I could form hiragana!
Now that I could answer his questions, the boy warmed up to me and introduced himself: Neji. I was talking to the little genius of the Hyuuga clan!
His father (saved when I had prevented Hinata's abduction) was on a mission. When this was the case, he was mostly left to his own devices (unacceptable! he was five for Sage's sake!). Outraged, I decided to watch over him.
While Neji pretended he didn't need my advice, he obediently followed my instructions when I showed him new stretching exercises to try.
With a goal in mind, I learned to control my shape and form a human figure. It wasn't precise enough to have features, but it was good enough to show how to throw a wooden shuriken.
Time passed even more quickly and unaccounted for as I focused on Neji's wellbeing, forgetting everything else. As a ghost, I didn't have the ability to worry or care for more than one thing at a time.
Neji could walk around the village freely, although he rarely did. He was a loner, only talking to the adults who made sure he had something to eat and clean clothes to wear or who taught him how to use his Byakugan and how to punch air.
I didn't approve.
"Friends," I repeated regularly.
"I don't have any. I don't need any," he repeated.
"Park. Go. Play. Fun. Friends!" I insisted. I was a really pushy ghost.
"No." He was a stubborn kid.
"Friends. Good. Fun. Good. Go. Park. GO. GO!" You couldn't beat the pushiness of a being who couldn't get bored or get tired. I won.
"I'm going once! Once and then you let it go!"
"Once. But. You. Play."
I stayed close when he entered the park. He was scowling, but I was determined to make it fun for him so he'd come back of his own volition. I focused more intently than I did in a while to take note of everyone and everything going around. That's how I managed to notice Shikamaru, although he was laying down in the grass.
I drifted toward my little teddy bear and hovered above him. With great concentration, I managed to write "play" with an arrow pointing at Shika, like he was a quest point in a video game and Neji needed to come here and press "interact".
Neji scowled a little more, crossed his arms, and didn't move. He didn't answer, of course: he was smart enough not to speak to a ghost in a public place.
"You. And. He. Smart. Play!"
Neji wavered but covered his temptation by looking at the kids playing in the sandbox. It occurred to me that, isolated as he was, Neji probably didn't know how or what to play with other children. That was an issue. I couldn't communicate well enough to suggest a game and explain its rules.
The solution arrived in the shape of a round boy with sandy hair and a bag of chips in hand.
"Do you want to play hanafuda, Shika?" Chouji asked his friend.
Shikamaru stirred and opened an eye, but he didn't look enthused. Strange. He was generally accommodating for Chouji. Maybe he had trouble sleeping?
I changed my target, pointing now at Chouji while I insisted: "Play!"
As I thought, hanafuda being a traditional game (and a quiet one, as such being acceptable even for the Hyuuga), Neji was familiar with it and took the opportunity. He stepped forward. "May I play?"
Chouji, bless his heart, grinned at Neji and nodded enthusiastically. "Sure! I am Akamichi Chouji."
"Hyuuga Neji."
Shikamaru stared at the newcomer but didn't introduce himself. Chouji had to do it for him before commenting:
"It's the first time I've seen you here."
"Someone insisted I should come and play," Neji replied as he accepted the cards Chouji handed out.
"Someone?"
"A ghost," Neji grumbled. "An annoying one who decided to haunt me lately."
It was probably meant to be a jab at me and a test of his new friends.
Chouji froze and looked a little wide-eyed. "A ghost?"
"Why is it haunting you?" Shikamaru asked as if he was humoring the new kid. However, he was staring at Neji's eyes.
"It's bored. I can only see it with the Byakugan. That's why I have it on, if you're wondering."
I was a test on his endurance. When he wanted to ignore me, he deactivate his jutsu, but he had a 6th sense to know where I was and when I was trying to talk to him (which didn't stop him from ignoring me when he wanted to).
"So all the Hyuugas can see it?"
"They should, but they don't pay attention."
"Mh…" Shikamaru dismissed the subject and turned around to nap.
"Does… does it do anything mean to you?" Chouji asked warily.
"No, it's just pestering me about eating, being careful, playing with others, telling me to stop training too much and have some fun…"
"It sounds like a mom."
"I think it's a girl. It does this thing where it wraps itself around me when it thinks I'm sad."
"Like a hug?"
"I think so."
"That sounds silly," Shikamaru suddenly piped up.
"RUDE!" I shouted, waking up from the doze I had fallen into while I listened to them. "Tell. Little. Teddy Bear. Bad!"
"She says you're rude. And… I think she's calling you a little teddy bear?"
Shikamaru abruptly sat up. "What?"
"I probably didn't get those hiragana right. Or maybe it has another signification, like an insult?"
"What's her name?"
"What?"
"The ghost! What's her name?!"
"I don't know."
I offered my name, but Neji didn't understand it.
Shikamaru stood up and grabbed Neji by the wrist. "Come."
"Shika, what's wrong?" Chouji asked as he grabbed the cards and followed them.
My little teddy bear went to a teenager nearby, a Nara, probably his babysitter. He made Neji draw the name I had shown him and watched the girl expectantly: "It's a name. Which one?"
"It means Maiko. Why? Is this about the Hokage's assistant?"
Shikamaru looked uncharacteristically determined. That didn't escape his babysitter's notice.
"Oh no, uhuh. Whatever you're thinking about, I'm not doing it. You'll just have to talk to your parents about it tonight."
"Neji won't be here to explain tonight," Shikamaru said.
"Well… You know who might want to help you and be able to do it?" She pointed with her chin toward a teenager and a child standing together a little further. "I heard Uchiha Itachi was friend with this Maiko."
There was nothing scarier than a motivated Nara. That's one of the little sayings everyone knew about clans, but I had never seen it embodied before. Shikamaru was a genius on a warpath and nothing — not Neji's protests, Chouji's questions, Sasuke's hostility nor Itachi's bafflement — stopped him from catching the feared and respected Uchiha heir and telling him that there was a ghost of their acquaintance right here with them.
Sasuke snorted and dismissed it immediately. "That's ridiculous."
Itachi was more curious. "The Byakugan can see her, you say?" He activated his Sharingan and looked around carefully.
"Well?" Sasuke said, crossing his arms impatiently. Clearly, this was encroaching on his ' aniki time '.
"I can't see anything, but it doesn't mean much," Itachi replied patiently. "The Byakugan can see chakra better than the Sharingan does. If anyone can see... supernatural beings, it's them. What does this… ghost look like?" he asked Neji.
"Like a cloud, most of the time. When she wants to say something, she forms hiragana, and when she shows me how to stretch, she takes a human shape, but a blurry one," Neji explained reluctantly. Only his respect for a renowned shinobi of talent stopped him from clamming up. He didn't like to admit that he was seeing things that no one else did (or admitted to, anyway, I was pretty sure that other Hyuuga had seen me. Was it some kind of taboo? Did they see ghosts on the regular and learned to ignore them?).
"What does she do, right now?"
"... She's wrapped around you, like she's giving you a hug. She does that to me sometimes, when I'm sad. I don't know why she's doing it now."
Itachi stiffened.
Shikamaru looked triumphant, with his arms crossed in victory. "She does it to you too, uh?"
"She does," Itachi admitted.
"What? Giving you hugs?" Sasuke asked, baffled. "You don't like hugs."
"I… do not dislike them in certain conditions," Itachi replied stiffly. "Let's test your theory by asking her questions. What is her favorite weapon?"
I took the shape of a fan to make it easier for Neji. I doubted he knew the hiragana for tessen.
"And what is her biggest fear?" Itachi asked once Neji had replied.
I became a serpentine shape moving on the ground. It must have been quite realistic because Neji stepped away from me.
"Alright," Itachi sighed. "It checks out."
"So… there really is a ghost? And it's your friend?" Sasuke asked, wide-eyed.
"It seems so."
"What should we do?" Chouji murmured, clutching a bag of snacks against his chest (he had been nervously munching for a while; he was probably a stress-eater and certainly not a fan of ghost stories).
"We have to inform Hokage-sama so he can verify this information and react in consequence." Itachi waved toward the Hokage tower. "Please follow me. Nara-san, if you don't mind."
The babysitter of Shikamaru and Chouji moved from the bench where she had been intently listening to the conversation and followed along as they went through the streets of Konoha. "Did you ever hear of such an occurrence, Uchiha-san?"
"I do believe that there are some traditional stories mentioning that the Byakugan allows to see ghosts or supernatural beings, but they are considered legends."
"Every legend has a grain of truth, I guess."
"Indeed."
"Who is she?" Sasuke whispered not too quietly to Shikamaru as they walked behind the two pre-teens.
"My cousin, Kojika."
"I don't like her."
"She isn't going to steal your brother," Shikamaru muttered in reply. Now that Itachi was leading the investigation, his laziness was back in full force. He was yawning, slouching, and burying his hands in his pockets as if the mere effort he had produced had emptied his energy.
Offended to have been exposed so easily, Sasuke huffed and sped up to go walk by his brother's side.
Kojika wisely ignored the glare he sent her. Itachi did the same, and no one mentioned that the two might both be genin but they had three years of difference and a whole lot of other priorities than each other.
"If your mother asks, I'm throwing you under the wheels," Kojika murmured to her cousin. "This is your idea. I'm not taking responsibility."
"Yeah, yeah," Shikamaru grumbled, scratching his cheek. "Troublesome woman."
"Maiko-san says you're being rude again," Neji helpfully informed. He seemed to have accepted readily enough the alleged identity of the chakra construct he was talking to, probably because it sounded better than being haunted by an imaginary ghost.
Shikamaru sighed and slouched a little more. "Such a drag."
"She says she loves you too."
"I like her," Chouji helpfully piped up. "She sounded nice when you described her, but you didn't say she said such nice things too. I hope she'll feel better soon so I can meet her."
"She's giving you a hug," Neji informed him with a touch of exasperation. My tendency to hug everyone for whatever reason didn't impress him much.
"Oh, that's nice. I like hugs. I wish I could feel it."
We arrived at the Hokage's office and were met by the suspicious stare of Yoshino.
Oh! The poor Yoshino probably had to replace me with no prior warning! I hadn't thought of that. Damn! I wished I could apologize. She looked tired. I'd have to buy her flowers, and a fruit basket, and chocolates, and… whatever I could think of, as soon as I got back to work!
"Yoshino-san, could we talk to Hokage-sama, please? It's about Maiko-san," Itachi explained politely.
"Maiko? What could all of you have to say about her?" She asked, frowning as she noticed Neji, who seemed a little out of place with the others (although any children asking to see the Hokage would be odd).
"It's a long story, mom," Shikamaru sighed. "It's not a joke, I swear."
She hesitated but Itachi's presence, more than anything else, convinced her this was serious enough. "Alright. The Hokage doesn't have any meetings right now, but I'm coming with you, and if you're all wasting his time, you'll be hearing about it, I warn you," she said, staring at her son. He slouched a little more and grumbled under his breath what sounded suspiciously like a "troublesome".
She led the way inside, under the curious glances of Raidou and Iwashi. "Hokage-sama, these children would like to speak with you about Maiko-san."
Minato looked up from a mountain of paperwork. He seemed tired, too. A lesser man would have dismissed the strange group entering his office, but he smiled, welcomed them, and listened. During Itachi, Shikamaru, and Neji's explanation, he stayed quiet, even stopping Yoshino from interrupting to express her skepticism.
"I believe this should be verified, Hokage-sama," Itachi concluded. "Maybe an experienced Hyuuga could help."
Minato hummed. "It needs to be verified indeed, but if at all possible, I prefer that this stays between us... Allow me a few moments." He sat still, his hands in position for molding chakra, and his eyes closed.
"What is he doing?" Sasuke whispered very quietly to his brother. Itachi replied with a finger to his lips under the stern stare of Yoshino, guardian of the Hokage's meditation.
Even if I hadn't guessed, I could feel and see it: Minato was absorbing natural energy slowly but steadily. This was what I had felt during the fight at Orochimaru's hideout. It had scared me, not without reason. To my eyes, Minato was starting to glow like a star. He was filled with senjutsu chakra and soon entered the Sage Mode recognizable by the orange pigmentation around his eyes.
The children gawked at their Hokage when he opened his frog-shaped eyes. Even Itachi lost some of his composure.
Unaware of their awe, Minato looked around. I didn't have to wait long for his attention to fall on me. I knew he could see me when his eyebrows raised in surprise. I waved.
"Oh," he breathed before smiling. "Hello, Maiko."
"Hi!" I replied with hiragana.
"Yoshino, could you please take the children outside for a moment?" he asked, turning toward his assistant without looking away from me as if he was afraid that I would disappear out of his sight.
"Of course, Hokage-sama," Yoshino replied, mostly out of reflex, I bet, because she looked quite flummoxed. She herded the kids out of the office and closed the door behind her.
"This is a surprise. You have been in a coma for three weeks now," Minato told me. "The medics were quite puzzled by your cerebral activity. They believed the worst… We feared the worst." He stood up slowly.
Not knowing what to say, I formed a tentative: "Sorry?"
"How are you feeling?"
"Fuzzy."
"Well, I suppose this state might be… a different experience."
"Yes."
"Are you in pain or discomfort of any kind?"
"No. Just feel weird."
"I imagine. I sent Kakashi to find and bring back Tsunade-hime. They shouldn't be much longer and, hopefully, she'll know how to help you."
"How did you convince her?"
Minato rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I promised to pay her debts."
Of course. Money… I couldn't be bothered to care, though. There were more important details like… "Orochimaru?"
"Injured, but he managed to flee with some outside help. Before you ask, Obito appeared to distract us while Orochimaru abducted you. We haven't seen him since Rin punched him."
"Go Rin!"
Minato chuckled and leaned against his desk. "Yes, she didn't approve of some of his comments."
It was becoming difficult to focus on Minato's words. They became a little indistinct.
"Maiko? Why are you becoming… cloudy?"
"Can't focus. Tired. It happens."
"I see." Considering the face he made, he didn't. "Will I be able to talk to you later?"
"Yes. I'm going to stay with you. Neji's tired of me."
"Very well. My Sage Mode's coming to its end. I'll try again later."
The world lost its edges. Minato lost his frog eyes.
I could still see him (or jellyfish-him) open the door and talk to Yoshino and the kids, but I couldn't hear them.
Neji was lying across several chairs, asleep. He was tired after using his Byakugan to stay in contact with me. He was still so young, and yet he rarely ignored me for long… Loneliness or consideration? Maybe both.
oOo
Even when I was in a drifting state where I didn't focus on the world around me, Minato's gathering of natural energy was obvious enough. It was also a sure sign that he wanted to talk.
Focusing was like opening your eyes after a nap, it included some resistance as if you were yawning and your eyes closed as you did.
However, as soon as I managed it, nothing could distract me from the people I was surrounded with: Genma, Kakashi, and Rin were all there!
Minato chuckled. At the questioning glances he received, he explained: "Maiko is curled up around you, Genma. I've been told this is how she gives hugs in this state."
Genma's face did a complex thing. For a moment, I thought he was going to cry before he cleared his throat and asked with a husky voice: "So, she's really fine?"
"Can you be fine when you're separated from your body?" Kakashi asked. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, not far from Genma.
"It's still better than the alternative, right? Her… mind's still whole. We just have to…" Genma gestured helplessly.
"Put it back in her body?" Kakashi provided helpfully.
"Yeah."
The door opened. Senju Tsunade stepped through, followed by her apprentice Shizune. That's when I realized we were in the hospital and more specifically in my room. That was my body in the bed. I hadn't even noticed. Lately, I followed Minato as I drifted but didn't really care otherwise. Following the Hokage wasn't anything new and exciting for me. I didn't even know how much time had passed since I left Neji.
"So?" Tsunade asked Minato.
"She's listening. She's wrapped around Genma."
Tsunade glanced toward me and squinted as if she was trying to notice something different near Genma. She didn't find anything and waved a hand around. "Alright, here is the deal: most of the time, you — your body — appear to be brain dead, except for some occasions..." (Shizune pulled on her sleeve and pointed at a glowing seal stuck to my body's forehead) "Considering it's happening right now, I'd guess it corresponds to you trying to listen. Good to know."
"This is Orochimaru's doing, but we don't know what he did," Rin explained. "Do you remember anything from… then?"
"No," I replied, "and I don't want to."
Tsunade scowled at Minato's interpretation. "Look, kiddo, for some reason you're important enough that I was dragged back here for you, but I don't intend to stay one day more than necessary so get a grip."
Minato cleared his throat before saying for me: "If you're too scared to face your fears, why should I?"
Tsunade flushed, and everyone carefully stepped away from her. "It's not my life at stake!"
"Isn't it? I wouldn't exactly call what you do living. Surviving would be more appropriate."
Minato stopped translating and winced. "Maiko, I don't think this is helping…"
"Oh no, go on Minato," Tsunade said, obviously seething. "I'd love to hear what the girl has to say."
What I was going to say was: "I might be the one without a body here, a ghost, but you're a shell of yourself and that's not much better." However, I recognized that probably wasn't wise once Minato pointed it out. This state interfered with my usual tact. It's like I just didn't care about the consequences.
"Let's make a deal," I offered.
"I'm listening," Tsunade grumbled.
"Spend a whole day with Naruto, and I'll try to remember."
"Naruto? The kid? Why?"
"He gives people strength."
"This doesn't make any sense, and I don't see why I should do anything for you when you're the one needing my help!"
"Because you need money."
"Girl, you're lucky you're currently intangible," Tsunade growled, clenching her fist. "Fine! You can haunt this damn place for as long as you wish for all I care!" She stormed out of the room with her apprentice on her heels.
"Maiko," Minato sighed. "Was it really necessary? I know you said that Naruto once convinced her to stay in Konoha and become the Godaime, but he's only three and the circumstances are different."
"Worth a try."
Minato tilted his head in thought. "If I tell Naruto she needs to stay to help you, he might kick up enough of a fuss to convince her. He's quite upset by your state."
"You're worse than me."
"Well, it's for the good of Konoha," he replied with a mischievous smile. "Do you want to say something to your friends before I go?"
"To Rin: congrats on punching Tobi. I'm proud. To Kakashi: thanks for getting me out of that awful aquarium and fetching Tsunade for me. To Genma: the last thing I told him still stands. "
Rin chuckled. Kakashi nodded. Genma signed "same" as his jaw clenched around his senbon.
Minato left, soon imitated by Rin after she checked my IV line.
I started drifting again.
I didn't realize that I hadn't followed the Hokage, not until Kakashi and Genma started talking together. They were standing quite close.
I was too curious to resist. I focused to eavesdrop.
"Tsunade and Rin will bring her back," Kakashi was saying.
"Yeah," Genma replied in a breath. "Shit, Kakashi. Remember when I used to tease the guys anxious about their girlfriends? Look at me now: a wreck in the same fucking position."
Throwing an arm around Genma's shoulders, Kakashi pulled him close, squeezing gently. "So next time you see them, buy them a drink. In the meantime, I do remember what you used to say... Wasn't it 'do you need someone to kiss it better'?"
"What? No, that was when the guys were—"
I formed a round shape like a "Oh!" as I watched Kakashi kiss Genma in a surprise attack.
Genma punched Kakashi's shoulder as he drew back, but he was smiling.
"Feeling better?" Kakashi teased as he adjusted his mask.
"I do, asshole."
Oh. Oooh.
It looks like we had things to talk about… once I could kiss them, too.
oOo
Tsunade spent a day with Naruto, as agreed. She didn't seem very happy about it. Such a shame.
I wasn't looking forward to remembering the torture I went through either.
Unfortunately, a deal is a deal...
O
I could hear Orochimaru in a corner of the room. Obito was closer.
I was lying down on a table, slowly waking up and taking note of my surroundings with my eyes closed. I had a headache from the hit I took when they abducted me.
The sounds were echoing strangely. We were in a large room with high ceiling and stone walls.
Obito was ranting in a low murmur beside me. "She hit me! She knew who I was, and Rin hit me! I can't believe it. It's their work! I know it. All of them! Including her!" He punched my leg.
I had to sink my nails in my palms and bit my lip not to make a sound.
" I should have dumped all those snakes on you rather than on your desk. That would have taught you!"
" Tobi, are you manhandling my guest? Remember, she's mine."
" You'll make her pay."
" Yes, yes, I gather she won't appreciate her stay. Don't you have better things to do now? Zetsu must be looking for you. You're supposed to find the six-tails jinchuriki."
" Stupid Land of Waves," Obito hissed, but he left. I opened an eye to see him disappear in a vortex.
I used the opportunity to test the restraints binding me. They didn't budge.
Orochimaru came closer. "You're awake, I see. Don't mind my partner. Brainwashing has never produced the most stable beings. I must admit that I sometimes miss Sasori's composure, but as long as I leave Tobi to have his fun, he doesn't care about my own occupations, which is much more agreeable." Orochimaru leafed through a book. "Now, let's get back to your presence here. I worked with your grandfather. He had some interesting ideas about reincarnation. I obtained a copy of his work — incomplete, unfortunately. From what I understand, you might be the living proof of his success. Let's see if it's correct and how I may improve it. I do like reverse engineering," he admitted, licking his lips in delight.
I held back a whimper.
Soon, I wasn't able to hold back the screams.
O
"Maiko! You're alright! You're at the hospital in Konoha!"
I was screaming. It hurt too much. I didn't want any more pain.
"We're losing her again!"
"Minato, what's that seal?!"
"It looks like the one used by her grandfather, but there is something new on it, it destabilizes the matrix. Yin and yang chakra aren't mixing right, they're separated—"
Their voices were becoming distant.
"Blood pressure and heart rate decreasing. We're losing her."
"Can you fix it, Minato?!"
"I… If I don't take the time to think it through, it could kill her!"
"She flatlined twice already. She is dying!"
"Alright. Fine. Fuinjutsu—"
oOo
"—My seal was temporary. I think it blocked her soul inside her body. The new seal should cancel Orochimaru's modification without side-effect. Fuinjutsu isn't exactly something you can improvise without consequences, Genma."
"Her brain waves are returning to normal. She's waking up."
"Maiko? Maiko, can you hear me?"
I let out a small whimper in reply to the Yondaime. Only a lifelong habit of obeying him pushed me to do so. I was feeling like hell. My body was so heavy, and my mouth was full of cotton.
"Here, Maiko, suck on this ice chip, it will ease your throat," Rin said somewhere on my right.
Something cold and wet touched my lips. I opened them just enough to get it inside. It was already a tremendous effort.
"Do you recognize us, Maiko? Nod if you do."
Glancing toward the Yondaime with half-opened eyes, I complied.
"Thank fuck," Genma whispered nearby.
"I don't know what you remember, but—"
I interrupted him by slowly raising a hand. What he had to say didn't matter. I could wait to know. He could not. I tried to form hand signs with my clumsy hands. It took a while and Minato had to interpret.
"The enemy… Orochimaru? No. Tobi? No. Akatsuki? Alright, what about Akatsuki? … Chasing target. Who? Six? Beast? Six… the six-tails jinchuriki? Yes? Alright, that's good information, Maiko, but we can't do anything without… Waves? In the Land of Waves?"
I nodded and let my hands drop on the mattress.
"I'll send a team to check this information," Minato promised. "Unfortunately, it might be too late… Maiko, you have been in a coma for six weeks now."
I made a noise of disgust as I sucked angrily on that ice chip. Of course, the only information I get from that whole ordeal, and I was sleeping when it might have been useful.
Sage, I was so tired.
oOo Change of PoV oOo
"You're leaving for the Land of Waves, then?" Genma whispered to not disturb Maiko's sleep. He was standing in front of the open window while Kakashi balanced on the sill.
"Yes. Even if we might be too late, sensei wants to know if the jinchuriki has been taken or not."
"Good luck, then."
Kakashi nodded and glanced toward the pale figure lying still. "How is she?"
"Still sleeping. At least now she's waking up now and then. She smiled and thanked me the last time I gave her ice chips. There is progress."
"She'll get better while I'm away… What do you intend to tell her?"
"What we discussed."
Kakashi nodded slowly.
"Did you change your mind?"
"No. Don't tell her I love her. I'll do it myself."
"Damn. I never thought I would hear you say those words."
"Shut up."
"Make me."
With a grunt of annoyance, Kakashi leaned forward, grabbed Genma by his jacket, and pressed their lips together, never mind that his were still covered by his mask. A second later, he was gone in a whirl of leaves.
Genma chuckled and closed the window before going back to the bed. He caressed the back of Maiko's hand before bringing it to his lips.