Amaya Uzumaki POV
The first thing I felt was warmth.
Not a burning heat, but a comforting one. Even with my eyes closed, I knew it was the rays of the mid-morning sun.
My body felt nothing but that cozy warmth on my skin and the softness beneath me. The faint smell of grass hung in the air around me, along with the sound of children's voices, seemingly playing further away.
Everything is so calm, so serene..., I thought lazily. I wish I could stay like this here forever...
– And leave your friends? – A young male voice asked close by.
I immediately opened my eyes and sat up, wherever I was. I had to shut my eyes for a moment because of the brightness of this outdoor place.
I heard a soft laugh to my left, and then the sun's rays vanished from my face, though the rest of my body still felt their heat.
I opened my eyes again, slower this time, seeing someone's arm holding a hat in front of me, blocking the light from my eyes.
– The sun tends to be more bothersome for people with light eyes, doesn't it? – The boy asked again, which made me focus my attention on him.
And I could swear I forgot how to breathe right then.
The straight, medium-length hair, an extremely pale blond, falling over his shoulders, the same shade as Inoichi's. The pale skin and the soft, extremely gentle smile on his features. And the black eyes, like those of the Uchiha clan members.
– S-Sukea...? – I managed to stammer, barely able to form anything coherent beyond the name the boy had once told me.
– It's good to see you again, fire-haired girl – He said, smiling more cheerfully.
A horrible anguish rose in my throat at that moment, and I felt my eyes burning. The first person like me I ever met, and the first life I took..., I shuddered. Right in front of me, smiling. Happy to see me... Even after I had...
– Hey, hey, hey... – Sukea spoke and lowered the hat he was holding, moving closer to me.
– No! – I yelled, alarmed, and recoiled from his approach.
He stopped for a moment. The smile he had before was replaced by a more serious expression.
I tried to control my body, but my hands were shaking – not from fear of him, but of myself, of what I had done to him. Just like I was trying – and failing miserably – to control my eyes, which were now pouring out all the pain I felt.
– I-I'm s-sorry... – I apologized, my voice choked with the tears that were now falling uncontrollably – P-Please... I-I'm sorry for... – But I couldn't finish.
Sukea moved towards me so fast I only realized it when his arms were already around me, in a hug, pulling me close to his chest.
– You have nothing to be sorry for... – He whispered to me – I'm the one who should be begging for your forgiveness for burdening you with all of that – The boy paused for a moment – So please, let me share with you everything I made you go through...
And for the first time, I broke down.
I couldn't hold back all the pain anymore the physical, emotional, or psychological pain I had felt until then; the suffering contained and hidden in the darkest corner of my mind.
All the barriers I had built, day after day... They all fell, one after another, without me being able to control them.
And I cried.
I cried for the life I was given and that was stolen from me for other people's interests. I cried for what I had to endure for others' benefit. I cried for all the days of suffering that seemed endless.
I cried for all the lives that perished by my hands, starting with Sukea's. I cried for every day I fought in the combat room and wasn't the one ending up dead on the floor.
I cried for my powerlessness to fulfill the role I took on after Sukea, to protect and save the other children. I cried for not having died with them. I cried for getting a new chance to live, while none of them ever would.
I cried for having the possibility of redeeming myself in Konoha, protecting my comrades, but still letting Takafumi die. I cried for making my brother get hurt because of me, more than once.
I cried for not doing something to help Sakumo, even though I noticed he had eyes like mine, filled with pain and resignation from life.
I cried for letting other village comrades die investigating the lab, when I should have guided them to survive.
I cried for selfishly choosing Kakashi and Shisui to make me feel safe on the investigation mission. I cried for putting them in danger from start to finish.
I cried for disbelieving my instincts about the Anbu accompanying us and the hidden danger I felt from him. I cried for not being able to feel anything but fear in the face of my creator.
I cried for myself, for Sukea, for all the lab children, for Shisui, for Sakumo, for Kakashi... Everyone I knew carried some pain with them and who, like me, never wanted to face it again.
I cried for absolutely everything I blamed myself for and that others blamed me for, and possibly still blamed me for. I cried everything there was to cry for my sake and even more.
And there I was, face to face with it all. Finally confronting everything I had kept inside all these years. Finally seeing it all. And it was...
– Liberating – Sukea and I said softly, in unison.
I pulled away slightly from his embrace to look at him. Like me, the boy's face was marked by tears that had already dried. And he smiled. A warm, comforting smile, like the sun that had warmed my skin before.
And so I allowed myself to finally smile. A smile that came with a laugh, the purest and most genuine of my life so far. And also the saddest, as the tears returned the next moment.
Between the laughter and the crying, I couldn't tell which one I was showing at that instant. I only knew one thing: The lightness. For the first time, finally having faced everything, without just keeping it to myself.
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, with my eyes closed.
– You've been through a lot... – Sukea's voice sounded soft in my ears.
I opened my eyes calmly and brought them back to the boy, who still held me in his arms.
– We both have, Sukea – I pointed out calmly.
Just as he now knew what I had been through, I also knew about him. Although not completely, we had come from the same place. We knew the same pains and anxieties related to that place and...
That's when it hit me. The calm expression I had at that moment gave way to confusion, making me jump to my feet.
– H-How are you here?! – I asked hurriedly – I went back to the lab and you... – I stared at him – You had...
– Died – He expressed with some amusement – Yeah, that's right.
– But then how am I here talking to you? – I continued questioning him, and something came to mind, the words of our creator:
"Death is coming for you too..."
– If I'm here, talking to you... – I said softly – That means I really... – I stared at Sukea, worried.
Worried not for myself, but for Kakashi and Shisui who were in the lab. Because of me... But Sukea's laugh pulled me from my thoughts, making me look at him without understanding.
– Sorry... – He said a moment later, trying to stop laughing – It's funny to me because I already imagined you'd have a reaction like this – He looked at me – But your expression was better than I thought.
– If you find my reaction funny, that means I didn't...
– No, you didn't die – He promptly cleared my doubt.
– Then what is this place? – I looked around, finally observing the landscape before us.
The place resembled a vast field, with extremely green grass and numerous small flowers scattered about. Some trees filled the area, creating large shadows.
I couldn't see far away clearly, but it seemed there were other children around. I heard them before...
– It's a kind of intermediate plane for those who have died – Sukea clarified, and I turned to him again, staring.
I didn't know much about religions since there were many different kinds. But from what I'd heard of them, they all seemed to have the same things in common:
A supreme deity and lesser but equally powerful deities; and spiritual planes, divided between Heaven, Hell, and Earthly – the first for those who did right in life, the second for those who abused the free will given by the supreme deity, and the third for the living.
– Intermediate plane? – I questioned him, as this wasn't part of my knowledge.
– This plane is for the souls of those who have some unfinished business with the earthly plane – The boy explained calmly – And until they can resolve their issues, they'll stay here... Waiting.
– And why did you stay? – I asked – I mean, for what reason exactly?
– I was waiting for you – I stared at him without understanding, and Sukea gave a weak laugh – My unfinished business was with you, what I asked of you when I left my memories with you before dying.
"So, for all of us, I need to ask you two things that might make you freeze:
First, bury your feelings as deep as possible and do anything to stop our creators from achieving their goal. If they can get their hands on the sharingan, I can't imagine what will happen to us..."
The words of Sukea from back then, from his memories passed to me, echoed in my mind as if I were hearing them for the first time.
– You fulfilled my request with a perfection I'm not even sure I could have managed – The boy spoke calmly, and I looked at him – You created a mask for yourself and buried all your feelings deep inside the lab, day after day – He smiled slightly, but not happily – Even though you suffered internally because of it – He turned his eyes forward – And you didn't let anyone get the sharingan...
"And the second is, if by luck you find a way to escape this place, come back here to get what I hid about the experiments. Since you have my memories with you, you'll know where the documents are when you look.
I know it's very likely you'll never want to set foot in here again, but... This is our story, our origin. And so others don't have to go through this, please, do your best to find those responsible [19]."
– And you really managed to leave the lab – Sukea smiled weakly, this time genuinely – But even so, even fearing that damned place, you returned. And you even managed to go further... – He looked at me – You managed to control your fear to fight one of our creators.
– I didn't control my fear – I corrected him quickly – I was afraid from start to finish of the fight against him. My body just wanted to run away from him...
– But you didn't – Sukea pointed out – Once again you put your own desires aside – He looked at me with a smile – You chose to give up yourself to protect others, like you did that day we met – I lowered my eyes.
Yes, he was right. Although the situation wasn't the same, I had set aside what I felt to put others' safety first. I gave a weak laugh. I finally realized that doing this was more common for me than I had noticed...
– And I was right about one more point in my choice – The boy said, making me look at him once more.
– About what?
– About you being strong – He smiled – Initially when I saw you, I thought you were physically strong, especially for a girl – Sukea looked at me – I even thought you might be a boy, but I soon realized that wasn't it – I couldn't help but laugh at that – But I see you're extremely strong-minded too. Whether it's enduring everything alone, or making people around you feel good – He smiled – You... are amazing.
And I couldn't help but smile at that. It felt good, like when I was with the people important to me in Konoha.
I sat back down next to Sukea on the grass. A soft breeze blew, making the environment even more refreshing, even though it was a sunny day.
– There's still one thing I don't understand... – I said, and noticed Sukea turning his eyes towards me – If this place is for souls of those who died with unfinished business... How am I here? – I stared at him for a moment, and he leaned back on his elbows, closing his eyes.
– I'm not entirely sure either... – He admitted – But maybe it has to do with your current condition – I looked at him without understanding.
– What do you mean "current condition"?
– I mean your current physical condition – He brought his eyes back to me – You're not dead, but you're close, aren't you? – I lowered my eyes.
– Apparently, since one of our creators said that... – I commented more quietly.
And at that moment another question came to mind, making me look at Sukea again.
– You knew about this – I pointed out – You already knew we were all sick. That's why you told me that day I had much better chances than anyone you'd seen – I clenched my hands – You chose me because you knew I was the only experiment who hadn't gotten sick like you – He allowed himself a slight twitch of his lips.
– As perceptive as ever... – He praised me softly, but given our proximity I could hear clearly – We were all on borrowed time in the lab. Some were aware of it or at least felt it – Sukea looked at me – We were born to die.
– And is there a cure for this? – I asked – Didn't any of our creators ever think of some treatment?
– At first they seemed worried about the chances of losing all the experiments – The boy spoke with a more serious expression – But after a certain time it seemed they didn't pay attention to it anymore, after all, their goal was always to achieve the...
– Sharingan – I said quickly and lightly placed my right hand over one of my eyes.
The doujutsu I now carry..., I thought. The fruit of experiments and torture on each of us, and which I awakened through the death of everyone in the lab... I felt Sukea's hand rest on my left shoulder and brought my eyes to the boy.
– Don't feel bad for having it – He said with a weak smile – Just try to use it as you have been until now: To protect those who are important to you – I nodded.
The wind, which until then was a soft breeze, became stronger, lifting dozens of leaves that were scattered across the vast field before us. Dense clouds appeared in the sky, darkening everything beneath them.
An uncomfortable feeling arose in me, and I stood up, followed by Sukea a moment later.
That's when I felt a single chakra close to us, so dense its presence was almost suffocating, though it wasn't energetic or black i had never felt anything of such magnitude. But I couldn't see anything or its origin, I just felt it.
– Sukea, what... – But I stopped speaking as soon as my eyes fell on the boy beside me.
His gaze was fixed ahead of us, as if staring at someone, or something, there. His expression wasn't scared, much less confused, I'd say it was... Content. Sukea nodded slightly and brought his eyes to me, with a weak smile on his face.
– Sorry, but it seems our time is up – He informed me calmly.
– What's happening? – I asked and looked again in the direction where I felt someone's presence.
– I explained before: A soul only remains trapped in this plane until its unfinished business with the earthly world is resolved – He smiled weakly – Now that ours are resolved...
I looked at him again. I was going to ask what he meant by "ours," but he moved closer to me, hugging me quickly. And for a moment I forgot the doubts that had arisen earlier, returning the gesture.
The blond boy pulled away a moment later, with a content smile on his face.
– It was a pleasure to meet you and see you again, but I hope we don't see each other again too soon, red-haired girl – I gave a weak laugh.
– Amaya – I corrected him and smiled – That's my name now. And I also hope not to see you again too soon, Sukea – The boy smiled even more cheerfully.
And the next second, his body transformed into a kind of mist, in a sky-blue, extremely light hue. The mist rose to the heavens the following moment.
And only then did I notice other sources of mist like the one that was before me, rising quickly to the sky. There were many at once.
Other souls leaving this plane...?, I wondered internally.
Exactly, human girl...
A deep voice sounded in my mind, and I went on alert. Instinctively, I looked towards where I felt that dense energy. A eerie laugh echoed around me again, and I tried to find – unsuccessfully – where it was coming from.
Curious..., the voice spoke again. A human soul, not dead, who can feel my presence, though she cannot see me... Truly very curious...
That being remained silent for a few seconds, leaving me even more apprehensive. Until I heard a soft laugh coming from it again.
Let's see how you react then...
I heard a metallic sound, as if someone were unsheathing a blade. And in that same instant, before I could do anything, I felt something hit my left hand – an extremely small cut formed there.
When I looked again in the direction of that overwhelming presence, unlike before, there was now someone there. Or rather, something before me.
A gigantic figure, wearing a kind of completely white kimono, levitated above the ground. Its skin was a shade of purple I had never seen before. Its hands had long, visibly sharp nails, as well as a small tantō in its right hand.
Its physical structure was skeletal, with the chest bones well-defined. Long, unkempt white hair fell over its shoulders, down to chest level. A pair of red horns stood out amidst that hair.
Its eyes had golden irises and black sclera. Its expression showed a smile revealing all its teeth, which were pointed, sharper than an animal's.
Its appearance could easily be classified as frightening, but... It didn't really seem threatening to me. At least not at this moment..., I pondered. The only thing that made me uncomfortable was its incredibly strong chakra presence.
Very interesting, especially for a human..., it commented again.
Who are you?, I questioned it mentally, since it seemed to understand me when I thought.
I have many names, although I represent the same being for all cultures.
Was it this being that Sukea saw earlier?, I wondered for a moment. From what I've read about religions, there's only one being responsible for souls after their death or near-death...
You are a shinigami, I concluded. And I noticed the smile on the being before me widened at my thought.
Why can I see you?, I asked. Only the souls of those who have left the earthly plane have that right.
You are marked now, girl..., it elucidated calmly, but without losing its ominous tone.
I glanced briefly at my hand, where the small cut had been made.
Why?, I questioned it. Why would a God of Death allow me to see it, since I'm a soul that hasn't passed on?
Your coming to this plane resolved some of my pending matters, all at once, with many souls, it explained.
'My pending matters with many souls'...?, I reflected on its words. What does it... But I stopped the next moment, remembering what had happened before: The dozens of small mists rising to the sky, right after Sukea.
All those souls had unfinished business... With me?, I asked the shinigami again.
121 souls tied to a single human girl, the God of Death said. And none trapped here out of hatred, but out of gratitude... Its eyes rested on me. Towards you
121 souls...?, I thought. But who could they all be... And once again I stopped my thoughts, recalling the little I had discovered in the lab. My number as an experiment was 122, the last one produced. Which meant that before me there were...
The 121 children from the lab..., I thought. They were all here, just waiting for me?
As I said, something very interesting coming from a single human soul..., it stared at me. Your future, as well as past and present, are curious, especially for me, imagining which paths you will take from now on...
I stared without understanding. Do you know everything I've been through, am going through, and will go through?, I asked. And why do you seem curious about it? The shinigami's smile widened again.
You'll find out soon, Amaya Uzumaki...
And the next moment after its sentence, I felt the ground beneath my feet disappear.