𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 | 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐨 [HEAVY EDITING]

𝟏𝟒 | 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭: 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐧𝐞

I wake up with a start... or at least... I think I wake up. I'd quite obviously passed out next to the shoreline, so why is it I'm suddenly sitting in the middle of a hallway, and especially one that, for some reason, looks just so familiar to me? Shaking my head to try and jog my memory, nothing comes to me except a sharp pain to my left temple. I must be thinking things, I tell myself.

So, then, am I dreaming? Is this a pain-induced hallucination? My arm feels like it's still on fire and I resent ever trying to attempt to learn the Fireball Jutsu all on my own; I resent being so stubborn and secretive about it that I'd lied to my teammates and Sensei about where I'd been going – it'd probably been too obvious with the cylinder-shaped lump under the flap of my qipao that it wasn't to go into the forest and stargaze before bed. Now, I wish that were what I'd been doing instead of this.

Groaning, I carefully swing my body into a sitting position, my head still aching as if it'd been struck. Maybe I'd hit it when I'd fallen? I touch a hand to where it aches, feeling for any such lump or scrape or gouging, but there's nothing – no blood, either. My arm, on the other hand, I can't bring myself to look at it a second time without my legs tingling from the unpleasantness.

"Gross, gross, gross, gross..." I grimace with a shudder, just thinking about it.

The tatami flooring beneath me is surprisingly soft. I'd been so used to the rough and uncomfortableness of Makara-sensei's cabin for so long, but when I'd moved into my new home, I didn't expect to be on floors of this kind again – but it's strange how cushioned they are. I finally swivel my body onto my knees and rise, carefully cradling my forearms in a way that neither of them would touch the other.

The hall I now stand in seems almost endless, open door upon open door upon open door stretching as far down and behind me as I can see with my own two eyes. I don't bother to try and find an ending to them; it's unrealistic. But at least, by this deduction, I know that this is a dream. Thank goodness. The only issue now is just how do I wake from it? I should be back at the pond, writhing in pain, if I'm being frank. I'd rather be there, because being here stresses the aching point inside my skull.

I know this place, I find myself insisting. I recognize it, from s-somewhere. I grit my teeth in frustration, silently cursing my ruined memory.

Shuffling further down the hallway, I end up coming across a single door that's left closed, unlike all of the others I've come across. From behind the rice paper frames, there's a small glow of blue light that immediately entrances me, almost like a moth to a lamp light. But it's not the only thing coming from the room. Somehow... I can sense a presence. And then, there's a murmur – a woman's voice.

"Ah, so you can feel me," the mysterious voice says, and I automatically step away from the door, frightened. Knowing I'm injured, if it comes down to some kind of fight, I wouldn't do well to survive in it. "Please don't be afraid," the woman inside suddenly says, almost pleadingly. "Please don't be afraid of me."