"But I'm telling you something is out there."
"That's nice, Kei." The young woman huffed at her older brother who tended to the fire.
"You don't believe me." The man said nothing. "It was in the distance. It didn't look like anyone we know."
"We're the only ones out here. There is no one else and you better not let father hear you talking like that... again."
Her jaw clenched, but chose to ignore that last comment. Her brother, Aaron, wouldn't even so much as look at her. Not since the bruise on her cheek formed, making the area swell. He should feel guilty.
"It would be wonderful if-"
"You saw nothing."
Anger boiled in her veins. "I don't think you understand, he is killing me-"
"You're only speaking like this because they've gone out on the hunt."
"I won't survive. You know that, Aaron, and don't you dare tell me otherwise. One day he will go too far and I won't stick around to find out when that is."
"You think I care?"
That stung, trying to stay strong. "But I want you to come with me," the young woman whispered.
"Just go and do whatever you want."
The anger was quickly back. There was no love here. Women we only seen as a worthless items in this family... but she could hardly even call themselves that. Just a group of people who we slowly killing themselves. They were once great, but like the harsh, frozen landscape on the outside of their cave everything was slipping away, crumbling.
There was only one thing that had kept Kei going as of late. A dream of a place that was not covered in snow. One where the sun shone and there was a forest filled with lush plant life. It was warm, while walking down the trail and doing so she would come upon a man. They were startled when they first met, but each time she came it almost grew more natural to be around the other. And very few words had to ever be said. That was when Kei began seeing the thing in the distance. On the long walks the young woman would take to try and distance herself from the cave for a while something drew her feet to walk in a certain direction. And she saw the dark outline of an unknown figure.
"Fine." Moving away from his back, and the fire, Kei tugged the parka closer against her body. To hell with the blizzard outside. She'd rather brave the elements then stay here a second longer. The hood was pulled up and tied around the chin so it stayed in place. Let Aaron for once feel the hand of their father against him because once realizing she was gone he would be angry.
When the young woman's footsteps had disappeared, Aaron's brows furrowed. "Kei?" There was no answer and he stood abruptly, whirling around. The man panicked. "Kei!"
He ran outside, barely seeing his younger sister's silhouette in the distance. It kept being obscured by the gust of wind that sent the snow on the ground and falling from the sky into a frenzy. "Kei!" he attempted yelling over the roar. "Kei!"
She could just hear him, not daring to look back. Eyes squinting at the far mountain range there was a figure who stood still. Kei paused, staring at them. This was how the two had been meeting each other as of late, at a distance. But she could never make out their features. Only when the minutes began to tick by they would finally turn away and walk towards the mountain. But the young woman never went with them. This time, however, when the person turned away, cloak moving in the wind she followed.
"Kei!"
A color ignited from a cave up ahead, illuminating the figure when they looked over a shoulder. Moving inside Kei quickly ran after them. But he was gone. The cavern was dancing with orange and blue colors along the ceiling from an unknown light source. Pulling off the hood she was in awe by the sight, moving further in and finding a pool of water covering the path. Something was drawing her forward, the liquid warm to the touch. Removing the parka and snow pants she waded into the water in a white T-shirt and pants. The area around Kei sparked with color before a transparent orange cube surrounded her and caused the young woman to pause. It was solid to the touch, wondering just what was going on, before suddenly the ground beneath gave way and found herself hurtling down a shaft.
She stumbled in the compartment, trying to steady herself. Rocks that lined the cavern rushed by making Kei disoriented. Gravity began to shift, the space tipping and causing the young woman's feet to leave the ground. There was a bright light from above and upon impact the cube broke. Startled by the rush of water that now surrounded her, Kei blinked to adjust to the environment. It took no time to right herself, swimming towards the surface. She gasped for breath, moving towards the water's edge. But it wasn't not cold, the heat in the air quickly drying the clothing as Kei made her way down the mountainside. It was a jungle to be exact that stretched as far as the eye could see. Nothing resembled her home, looking around in wonder. There was a shift in the tree line, which drew her attention. The figure in black. The lighting still gave nothing away, but based on the broad shoulders under the cloak she guessed it was a man. He was quick on his feet, merging between the trees. Kei scrambled to keep up.
Another cavern she came upon, moving deep into the earth to a point where it grew difficult to see without a fire. Yet Kei did not allow that to stop her when suddenly the same light as before appeared and dropped her in another cube deep into the darkness. Just how far was this thing taking her?
This time the light that came was not orange, but a blue, leaking through a mist. When the gravity stayed in place Kei pressed her hands against the walls and looked down. The fog went rushing by and didn't take long to break, sunlight so bright it caused the young woman to blink rapidly. Everything began to come into focus, realizing that she was in fact falling from the sky. Below sat a forest, off in the distance seeing the hint of a village of some sort. Never had she seen buildings before and wished to be higher so more could be seen. But the closer she hurled towards the ground the more the trees began to cover it up.
Now focused on the ground that was coming quickly she grew nervous. Would this cube break like the first one or kill her upon impact? Kei's eyes closed. This had been her decision, to make this journey, and whatever would happen she had no regrets. The transparent, blue cube slammed into the ground, producing an after shock that sent the gust of wind through the trees and kick up dirt, leaves, and broken branches. Eyes fluttering open they watched as the cube flickered before disappearing. Now free, Kei was intrigue, slowly walking away from the indent. Just where had she landed? The cloaked man was nowhere to be seen.
The young woman climbed over rocks and fallen trees, moving in the direction of the buildings. It was almost easy to travel through this landscape since it was not covered in snow and ice. Something disturbed the birds as they quickly took flight, causing Kei to pause and watch the landscape. Just because she was somewhere completely new did not mean it didn't have its own share of dangers like in the icy mountains.
Eventually, the thing revealed itself. Neither moved, though that was due from the shock at first and realizing that neither of them were in fact just a dream. Getting over their initial reaction, the two met halfway, staring at each other. "What took you so long," he teased.
Kei gave him a lopsided grin. "We weren't as close as you think."
His eyes landed on the bruise. "He hit you again."
"Because I was late."
"You were looking for the figure in black, weren't you?"
She nodded. "He's the one who led me here."
A gloved hand reached up, tangling in the young woman's dark hair. "This isn't another dream, is it? When I wake up you won't go back to him and be hurt."
Kakashi. The man who she could pour her heart out to. Kei had no idea that her physical appearance would be projected in dreams, and when he saw her with a black eye for the first time he grew concerned. And it all came out. Where she lived due to the parka, the abusive father, the emotionally detached brother, and the uncaring tribe that turned a blind eye to everything that happened. Kei wanted to escape, and told Kakashi about the man in black.
"No. Everything I did to get here was very real."
The ninja pulled down the mask quickly and kissed her without hesitation. And unlike the other times when he would attempt this neither disappeared and woke up. The emotion was real and the pull of the attraction. Kei gripped at the vest when his free arm wrapped around the waist and pulled them closer. They broke for air, trying to catch their shaky breaths. "Let's go," Kakashi said. "Some people saw your little entrance and are wondering what it was."
Kei bit her lip in embarrassment. "Sorry. It wasn't my choice."
He chuckled and kissed her again before pulling back on the mask. "I don't mind. It lead me straight to you."