"... I've been hard at work bringing Lord [Father] to full health..." She spoke, her black hair flowing in the wind. "But the useless man died." Your father was dead. But being deceased meant little to a [Lastname]. Especially a full blooded one.
"So I did the only thing I knew how to do." She continued, lifting her hand - her Akatsuki ring matched the color of the darkened skies. "In honor of his spirit, I took his soul."
Even from so high above, you took note of her eyes. What looked like Poltigans—but a bit different. Instead of its usual diamond-like shape, it looked like a simple star—the rest of it a black abyss. Those were the same eyes you saw Shisui possess a few days prior.
The feeling of dread was quick to consume you, a heavy sweat making quick work on your face.
"This is the true power of a [Lastname], with eyes unseen for thousands of years. Eyes with incomprehensible power..."
"What you're looking at..."
"Is death itself..."
Had it been any other scenario, or any other person, you could've laughed in their face—but your voice was caught in your throat now, your heart skipping a heavy beat as you looked up at her.
But it wasn't just her. Hundreds, if not, THOUSANDS of ghosts.
With a shaky hand, all you could manage to do was pull out a Kunai and activate your own Poltigan. Idiotic, perhaps—but it was all you had in you to not kneel over and throw up at the horror of seeing something so horrifying.
There were thousands of ghosts, and you recognized some, like... Deidara. He died a few days ago due to Sasuke, yet his injuries weren't seen—unlike they should've been, they were supposed to be visible a few weeks after death.
And most blaringly obvious to you amongst the crowd was Neji. You were sure you felt your resolve falter, your mouth falling open if it hadn't already. There were other faces you recognized in the crowd, but the dread you felt had been produced mostly by the look of your teammate.
It made no sense. If he's alive, then why would he be amongst the crowd? Kakashi, and Guy Sensei, too... The pace of your breath had increased—an unsurprising side effect of the terror that consumed you. Neji had a different sort of outfit on, some wort of turtleneck joined by a Jounin vest.
It was a good look on him, but that was beside the point. What was reason for concern was why he was there at all—as far as you were aware, he was fine. At least, your cat said so before you had run off.
"And you actually expect to kill me with that?" Your sister eyed the knife you held with both hands; the way your hands shook revealed everything she needed to know, as well as the way you warily turned toward her. You couldn't do it, even if you wanted to, you wouldn't be able to kill her. Your sister smiled, tilting her head away. "... You have a feeble heart... You wouldn't kill me... You couldn't kill me." She put a hand against her chest, "Because I'm just your baby sister."
You narrowed your eyes, yea, sure... Your 'baby' sister. "You look pretty grown to me..." You managed to say, a bead of sweat rolling down your face but maybe she was right about the feeble part. Not once had you managed to truly make up your mind. It was always changing, always faltering, always so impressionable. If someone had the right words, they convince you into anything. "I just came to talk, [Sister]."
"Talk? She repeated. "What's there for us to talk about?" She asked—voice loud so that you could hear her from above.
About what? "Well, what other than our clan?" You asked back. "About what caused our clans demise—"
"I have no interest in that." She answered. "There's no reason to talk about it. They're dead, and that's all there is to that story."
Well, that was a blunt answer. She didn't care. That story—to her—was so irrelevant that she didn't even want to talk about it? There was no one else she could turn to about this story—other than you. Though, you supposed she just didn't want to see you. Could you blame her?
"... Then... Why were you looking for me?" You managed to ask—the sweat on your face could be taken as the rain that fell. "If you don't care for talking about it, there's nothing I want to talk about, either."
She didn't respond for a bit, her eyes solely on you, narrowed and cold. You wanted to pretend as if you didn't care, like, if anything, it annoyed you. But you did care. The last link of family you had. Wendy had already passed – and Rogue, someone you hadn't even met, had passed, too. Beyond that, you weren't sure of any relatives. Kokujū had mentioned that the Jinchuuriki of the light dragon had been close to Rogue, but they weren't related. Which, in turn, meant that you weren't related. The metal dragon was a complete mystery to you, though that was the last thing you should focus on.
"I guess there's something I can share." She spoke after a pregnant silence. "About our parents." You watched ahead with beaded eyes; brows knitted in confusion as you allowed for her to continue speaking.
"I assume you know at the very least, how someone unlocks the fifth state of the Seishingan." Well, sure—if that was just the way she called her own Poltigan. "And that is to kill someone close to them."
You could already tell where she was getting at here, but you dreaded the full conclusion.
"At five years old—killed our parents. In cold blood." She finished—confirming your suspicion.
Though, at the same time... "You expect me to believe that?" You narrowed your eyes, a sour expression on your face. "You—at five, killed our parents?" You scoffed. "At five years old, you didn't even know how to wipe!"
She was silent for a second—her brooding was dimmed due to your vulgar words. But it didn't seem to discourage her too much, "I've had access to each stage of the Seishingan for as long as I've lived." She explained. "For each person I kill that I share a bond with—I get one more contract, I don't care for replacing the ones I already have." That's—not how it worked. Only once—one special blood bond that you couldn't reverse. Not multiple that can come and go. Well, if your clan wasn't cursed, she'd surely be suffering the worst sort of purgatory.
"Including your dear teammates." You were sure your heart skipped a beat—not in the good way, either. Your teammates... You'd seen them just before you took the lacrima, they were in fine health. What could have happened within the last week? Did you sleep through one of their deaths unknowingly and run away?
"Everything you've known, everyone you loved, will die. Pain has already begun his attack on the Hidden Leaf village. Right after I managed to lure you out." Your sister explained, causing your heart rate to increase. Lure you out? During an attack on the village? So they'd planned that all along. Though, as to why they wanted to lure you out of all people was beyond you.
"It's a shame, really. They were as young as they were annoying. That Rock Lee one was determined to go down with a fight. Rather annoying if you ask me, nothing more than a pest."
Lee... Had he died? You found yourself believing her, your own breath catching in your throat.
"That Neji one was annoying, too. But he put up more of a fight than the last. Though, I'd say he's just as arrogant as the day you first met."
'The day I first met?' You found yourself repeating her words in your head. What was that even supposed to mean? She shouldn't know of any event in any point of your life, especially not the day you and your teammates had all been assigned to Team 3.
"And I can't say you'll reunite with them, [Firstname]." She closed her eyes for a second. "Because as a [Lastname], we're damned to nothing. Damned to be forgotten. Do you know the difference between a Seishingan, and a Poltigan?" She opened her eyes, showing to you her Seishingan that already had a blaring physical difference.
"Those with the Poltigan are damned to no after life. Those with the Seishingan are damned to be forgotten."
That was quite the information drop—being cursed into being forgotten was a cruel punishment for anyone. Your very existence and being, no matter what sort of things you'd been through. "As a full-blooded [Lastname], that's the burden I must carry." So the curse came with the eyes, and not the bloodline. That's what you were picking up here.
"And as a full-blood, it's increasingly clear that I'm the indisputable winner." She claimed, the look in her eyes changing into something you couldn't quite describe.
Despite her bold claims, they went ignored. Your eyes wandered back toward the sight of your teammate. All you saw was Neji, Lee seemed to be no where around. You gulped, lips pressing into a flat line—the sight of him didn't leave your mind, thousands of questions pouring into your mind. Despite the thousands of ghosts, he was the only one that caught your attention.
The longer you stared, the fuzzier your vision seemed to get, warping into some strange sight. It was already dark enough, but now—it seemed nightfall had already settled within minutes.
You squinted your eyes, trying to make sense of it as it continued to warp itself. Dark, desolate, and his arms were spread out – as if he were shielding something, or someone, from an attack you were sure you were able to see. Right when it seemed the attack was going to land, a searing pain shot out through your entire body, as if you'd been pierced.
It felt surreal—it looked like it, too. When you took the time to glance over your body, you were met with the sight of piercing rods. And the only thing you could think of in that moment was; what the hell? What kind of attack was that?
You initially thought it was fake—but when you fell over, giving into the damage of it – you were sure you could feel those rods slide against your organs. That feeling alone nearly had you throwing up. That feeling was far too realistic to be fake.
"One." Your sister began to count something down, holding her pointer finger up.
The feeling of the first attack didn't have the opportunity to subside before you were seemingly hit with some other attack—the sight of Deidara, that Akatsuki member you held no personal feelings toward—flashing through your mind, a similar vision to the earlier one of Neji. The pain could rival it, too – as if every single cell in your body had burst.
"Two." She counted, holding up her middle finger along with her index.
The feeling of the explosion was replaced by a similar, but instead—it was hot, a type of searing pain you'd never felt in your life that you were sure was the pain of being burnt, you hadn't even thought that possible for the likes of you, having been born with Diaval taking you as his host. But you found yourself experiencing a lot of new things today. Now a realistic view of Might Guy flashed through your mind.
"Three." She held up her thumb.
You weren't being given a chance between each new experience she put you through, new bursts of pain shooting through you in the span of minutes at most. Your thoughts couldn't keep up, lagging behind for every new sharp pain and struggling to register each one. But one thought in your mind was a constant.
How had you ever felt an ounce of love, or remorse, for this girl that was hardly your sister?
1,147. That was the number the countdown began to slow at. 1,147 faux deaths you'd experienced within the last 24 hours. Nearly a death per minute, yet they all seemed so agonizingly slow. At one point, it felt as if they all overlapped over one another—impalement, explosions, burning alive, electrocution, being torn apart – all of it reduced you to a crying, panting mess on the floor.
You weren't even sure if your eyes were open, you couldn't feel yourself blink, you couldn't feel yourself breath, you couldn't feel a thing that remotely led to a hint of life within you.
1,148—another death added to your already long list. This one was familiar, the feeling of your heart bursting and being torn apart. You'd experienced that twice before, with the Sound ninja in the forest of death, and during your fight with Hidan, and here now, with your sister.
Yet you lived.
Although, at this point, you weren't sure you wanted to be. It was like a grand punishment, for anything you'd done in this life, and the one before that, and the one you'd live through after. The pain was excruciating, yet somehow, through all those deaths, you managed to live.
A genjutsu was your guess, there was no way that there was another Kekkei Genkai out there that allowed for this extreme display of power. To kill someone over 1000 times, in different ways, without truly being killed. It was as impossible as it was inhumane.
"I warned you. "She spoke after hours of delayed silence. "The difference in power between us is absolute. You were never capable of getting close." She was rubbing salt in your non-physical wounds.
"There's a knife," She pointed out, the object of subject on the floor, just an arm's length away from you. Something she'd more than likely placed there, herself. "The only way to end this, is to take it—and end your own life." That was a tempting offer in the current situation.
The stagnant tears in your eyes rolled down your cheeks after a blink, clearing the way for you to see something.
The sun was out now, mocking, really—every other day leading to this moment, you remembered the rain. Or at the very least, a dark sky accompanied by clouds. Not a bright sun illuminating the entire village to call everyones attention to your pathetic form on the floor.
Though, the rays of the sun reflected off the blade a few feet from you, a glint of light shining off it that made its presence increasingly highlighted in your eyes. With any strength you had, you lifted your arm.
"It's a shame, really."
Your hand—albeit shaky—reached out.
"A ninja who experienced the worst of the worst, ending her life with a simple blade.
Without much strength, your hand landed on the floor with a thump, palm against the blade you'd been reaching for.
"Though, I can't blame you."
Your closed your fist, letting the blade pierce your skin as you held it by its sharp side.
"Anyone would yield and end their life in a moment like this."
You lifted it, your hand sliding over and onto the handle, you stared at it, the light reflecting off—and your reflection came to view. 'Pathetic...'
Though, your attention didn't linger long on the sad look of your reflection, and instead redirected itself to another reflection, one that wasn't yours, or your sisters. You were initially afraid, but fear changed into shame. Who had been watching the two of you? How long had they watched you motionless on the floor?
"100x more powerful than oneself." Your sister finally finished her monologue, each word going in and out of your ears.
You looked further into the blade, trying to decipher who or what was there with squinted eyes. The only thing you could make out was the color orange.
Orange... The only person you knew with that color scheme was Naruto, but you doubted he'd be watching. Especially so silently, considering he loved to cause a scene every which way he went. Though, now that the thought of him entered your mind, you couldn't help your wandering thoughts that wondered; how was he doing right now?
Whatever was happening with him, there was no helping him. As was there no helping you.
'just remember, your teammates are ok.'
Was your mind so desperate for life, or for comfort, that you'd really think of what Shisui had told you before you left the Leaf?
'She also has my Mangekyo Sharingan.'
And then again, a mention of your teammates. 'if you see her, just know, your teams are OKAY.
Staring into the unmoving reflection on the blade you held, and the sudden recalling of words Shisui had told you knocked you out of your stupor. Like a sudden gain of sentience, you didn't realize you'd been stripped of to begin with. Your previously shaky hand grew firm in its grip over the blades handle.
With Shisuis Mangekyo Sharingan, she not only managed to get you under what had to be the worst Genjutsu anyone could be put through, but nearly managed to end your life before you'd realize what had been done.
All just an illusion. That surreal vision of Nejis impalement was a lie, as was Might Guy practically burning alive. All just lies—that now that it had come to your attention, pissed you off. She knew a lot about you, a lot more than she should've about the people you cared for, and she used it against you.
As weirdly specific as they were, and the sensation of experiencing each gruesome, painful death that was so realistic you were sure you'd actually been killed that many times. You died again, and again, and again.
You initially walked into the fight hesitant, but your mind was clear now, void of any doubts and setbacks. 1,158 faux deaths would have anyone on their last straw, and you were beginning to see now, whatever special abilities you were born with, you were still like all the others.
Whether was she showed you was a lie, or reality, it did well to piss you off. It was more than likely that Shisui had been the one to tell her mostly everything she knew about you—but it wasn't Shisui that angered you when that thought came to mind, it was your sister.
She was the one that took Shisui.
She was the one that took Wendy.
She was the one to use your teammates. And she was also the one that claimed to kill them.
She was the one that caused you to die over 1,158 times.
"You're hesitant," Her voice seemed to grate your ears now as she noticed your lack of movement while staring into the reflection produced by the knife in your hand.
But you weren't hesitant, not anymore. After years of cowardice, going back on your word, unable to make up your mind, you finally settled on a conclusion.
You were going to kill her.