Oblivion [A Naruto Story]

Chapter One: Lost

There was a constant, throbbing pain sweeping through her temple. That was the first thing she was aware of when her mind slowly drew out of the haze it’d settled in. A groan burst from her lips, her hands clenching into fists at her sides and reaching up to press firmly against her head. The motion did nothing but set off a wave of pain through her arms.

“You’re awake.”

The voice didn’t register right away. The throbbing in her head causing her still clouded mind to become quite sluggish. When it did, her eyes snapped open in realization. She wasn’t alone.

At first, she saw nothing.

It was all black.

She panicked, immediately launching herself into a sitting position and shifting her fists so they were rubbing her eyes instead of her temple. When she opened them this time, everything was splotchy, but it was there. She blinked again and yet more of the world became clear. When it did, she jolted backwards, her back crashing into something solid behind her.

Leaning towards her, too close for comfort, was a man. His snowy white hair framed his face in messy, untamed strands and his face covered in a beaten blue cloth. A tear cut through the cloth from his right jawline and down towards his neck, a small red cut following it. She shuddered at the sight, something about the mark unsettling her. One of his eyes had been covered by a forehead protector, the symbol on it striking her as familiar and sending yet another wave of pain through her head when she tried to place it.

The man leaned forward in response to the panicked expression that had crossed her face the moment she’d jolted backwards. His hands lightly clasped her shoulders and she faintly picked up on the fact that one of them was stained a faint shade of red.

“You’re okay. We’re fine- for now at least.”

She was struck by the tone of his voice- how it was an obvious attempt to sooth her. If anything, it only caused more panic to bubble up in her already frightened mind. She opened her mouth to question him, then froze as her voice refused to come out. A second attempt revealed the same result. Not even a croak of noise escaped her. She swallowed, discovering that while her throat was dry, there was no pain to indicate a reason for the lack of speech.

Was she mute?

Her body began to tremble.

“You’re alright,” he muttered, that same, soothing tone leaving the man’s lips. His visible, dark-colored eye searched her face as he released her shoulders. “You’re fine.”

She pressed her body further back against the wall, retreating in the best way she could. Her body protested in response, feeling as if it consisted of just one, giant bruise. Her eyes tore away from him for a moment to scan her visible skin. Bile rose in her throat at the sight of the blood matting her clothes, staining pink any visible skin through the tears in her worn clothing. Her skin was dotted with splatters of mud and discolored, much like she thought it might be. A bandage wrapped around her upper right thigh, the material also stained a deep scarlet.

At that moment she also noted that a similar bandage was wrapped around the stranger’s partially bared torso. His shirt was caught on it, as if he’d been adjusting it and had stopped mid-motion. The bandage, while colored, wasn’t near as dark as hers.

Her eyes darted back up to his single, visible eye. His hands, seeming to realize that nothing he was doing was calming her, dropped down to his sides as he retreated a foot backwards, giving her the space she so desperately needed. Once again, his eyes scanned her from top to bottom, this time much more critically than before.

“Reiki,” he asked slowly, his voice still taking on that quiet, soothing tone. “We’re okay here.”

Reiki.