Getting Lost...
"I thought you'd be ready to have it," Orochimaru smiled between coughs, lying in his bed in his room. Kabuto had summoned her, and though hesitant, Izumi dutifully appeared in the doorway.
"What is it?" she asked apprehensively. The red gift paper shimmered softly in the candlelight, decoratively wrapped with golden string.
"Izumi-chan. This is a gift from your sister," Kabuto picked up the package that lay at the foot of Orochimaru's bed and handed it to the girl.
"Where did you get this?" Izumi snatched the gift from his hands, immediately feeling the familiar magnetic trace of her sister's chakra and an unpleasant pang of longing in her stomach. Kabuto looked at Orochimaru tentatively, but he nodded in approval.
"Right after we rescued you from the Rain Country, her summon animal appeared delivering this."
"Mitsuki... You have nothing to fear, but you probably know that already. Akira can find me anywhere, there's something in our clan that allows it, some gene, I don't know what to call it. But she won't bring Akatsuki after you. My purpose with them is finished. Now they'll hunt for the next demons..."
"That's what we thought. This works out well."
Izumi weighed the package in her hands, likely containing some materials. Kabuto approached her, carefully placing two short swords in her hands. Izumi gasped, having not seen the second one in many years. The sisters had divided their mother's traditional wakizashi when they fled their home village to start a new life. Long ago, Akira had cast a spell on them, transforming them into flutes they used for their musical jutsu, hidden from the world.
"I don't even remember why she wanted us to hide them..." she whispered to herself, unable to tear her eyes away from the engraved swords, worn by many battles. "I had forgotten what they looked like..."
Izumi returned to her room, staring at the package and wakizashi before her for a long time, lost in thought. The attached note from her sister contained brief birthday wishes and promises of safety. You're ready to proudly represent our colours, wear them with your head held high and fight bravely, like Midori, in the name of freedom, read the final words carefully written in her sister's hand. Izumi rubbed them with her finger while holding the note as if waiting for them to smear, confirming their impermanence, but they remained as she tried to process the events of recent days.
Birthday. She didn't even remember it - was it already time?
"Hey." Izumi stopped mid-step walking down the corridor. She hadn't seen him all day since he'd slipped away from her room like a night shadow chased away by morning. She'd tried to keep herself busy, discovering the nooks of Orochimaru's hideout, watching his helpers at work, lost in thought. What next wouldn't leave her in peace; she wanted to escape from this new limbo she'd been thrown into, return home, but she had to solve the problem of how.
Sasuke surprised her, standing a few steps away holding two short swords under his arm. She was intrigued but lowered her gaze, feigning indifference, embarrassed by the rejection of the previous day. A double rejection, at that.
"Let's duel," he said briefly. "You'll answer my question when I win," he extended his hands holding two short wakizashi. They weren't her family weapons, probably found in Orochimaru's supplies, but they should suffice. Izumi accepted them and balanced them in her hands; they felt just right. She smiled slightly, feeling her old spirit slowly awakening within her.
They stood in position, sizing each other up for a moment. Izumi's gaze calmly wandered to Sasuke's penetrating eyes. They took a breath. They began. Izumi raised her short swords and made the first move, blocked easily by Sasuke. His relaxed face gave the impression he was certain his opponent wouldn't pose any challenge.
Another strike. Their feet shifted across the smooth floor, single sparks flickering as their blades struck each other in the candlelight. Their dance was equal, measured, careful. They were warming up, trying to sense each other.
They had probably never fought each other before. Maybe. Certainly not for several good years. Their childhood duels always mimicked older ninja fights, usually with wooden sticks, kunai, or fists. In Konoha, boys weren't used to duelling with girls, much less treating them as equal opponents.
The strikes slowly intensified. Izumi began blocking and dodging more often than Sasuke, moving several steps back as he grew more confident. Good. Let him feel stronger, his vigilance lulled. Their eyes flashed in the candlelight, but they weren't using their dojutsu.
Ah, although no. They had one duel, how could she forget about that? Then, when she appeared in his apartment, after so many years, visiting Konoha for the first time.
"We were twelve, remember?"
"Huh?" It distracted Sasuke for a moment, not expecting the question.
"When we first fought each other," she replied, parrying another strike, grunting slightly, "seriously."
Sasuke furrowed his brows and nodded, delivering another blow, forcing Izumi to retreat deeper into the corridor. The space wasn't too wide, not giving them room to manoeuvre, particularly limiting for long swords like his. He managed surprisingly well though, which didn't escape the girl's notice.
"You never wanted to fight me seriously, explaining that you don't fight girls until I kicked your ass then," she said, grinning warmly. "Always just Naruto this and Naruto that."
"Yeah. There was someone like that," Sasuke replied nonchalantly with cold indifference in his voice. "Everything's changed."
Turn, strike, block again. Their breathing quickened. Sasuke executed a jumping strike, certain he would knock the girl down and force one of the swords from her hand, but Izumi was faster. He hadn't expected that. Her energy changed in the blink of an eye. She dodged and spinning quickly found herself behind his back, delivering a kick to his rear.
Sasuke stumbled forward, grunting angrily. He hadn't expected this humiliation. This time when he turned toward her, Izumi noticed in his eyes that he was starting to take her seriously.
"Finally," she muttered, provoking him further.
A hail of strikes poured down as they danced, breath for breath, so close to each other, in equal tempo. She felt good again. She loved doing this, measuring herself against good swordsmen before, duelling in Akatsuki, but doing it with Sasuke she felt a new energy.
Her smile widened as beads of sweat began appearing on their temples, glistening in the dim candlelight. With one sweep of his sword closer to the wall, Sasuke cut through a burning candle in the wall sconce, which falling to the floor went out with a hiss, shrouding them in shadow. Izumi jumped forward, blocking and trapping Sasuke's sword between her wakizashi, with a kick knocking his weapon from his hand, which fell to the floor with a dull cling. Not finishing the movement, with a half-turn she struck him in the chest, forcing him to fall to his knees.
Her blades found themselves at his neck from both sides. "Yield," she threw out, being so close to his face. Surprise and frustration crept onto Sasuke's face; he swallowed.
"Looks like no answers to your questions today," she replied, catching her breath with a wide smile. Sasuke couldn't remember the last time Izumi had smiled like that, but at this moment his attention was focused on repairing his broken ego.
Izumi stepped back, releasing him and balancing the wakizashi in her hands, with satisfaction headed toward the exit outside, whistling without looking back.
The waterfall's steady roar did little to mask Sasuke's approaching footsteps. A bolt of electric chakra sizzled through the air right past her ear, striking the bark of the tree growing from the rocks across from her, sending splinters all around. Izumi grinned to herself, perched on a boulder near the cascading water, but didn't turn around. She'd been expecting him, she knew Sasuke wouldn’t let go so easily, not with his precious ego.
"Leaving so soon?" His voice carried that familiar edge of irritation that appeared whenever someone got under his skin. "Or are you afraid of a rematch?"
Izumi tilted her head back, letting the water's spray cool her flushed skin. "Afraid? No. But watching you sulk after I disarmed you was getting a bit..." she paused deliberately, "boring."
She heard his sharp intake of breath and bit back a grin. Sasuke Uchiha could handle many things, but being called boring wasn't one of them.
"Stand up," he demanded, already unsheathing his chokutō.
Finally, she turned to face him, raising an eyebrow. "Now, now, Sasuke-kun. Is that any way to ask a lady for a dance?" She rose gracefully, drawing her wakizashi with theatrical slowness.
"Besides, aren't you curious what question I'll refuse to answer when you lose again?"
His eyes narrowed. "When I win," he corrected, moving into an offensive stance, "you'll tell me why you really didn’t kill Itachi when you had a chance".
"Oh?" Izumi's eyes sparkled with mischief as she circled him, downplaying the seriousness of the question. "That's what you want to know? Not why I was watching you sleep last night?"
The statement had its intended effect. Sasuke's perfect form faltered for just a moment, his eyes widening slightly. "You—what?"
Izumi struck in that split second of distraction, her wakizashi singing through the air. Sasuke barely managed to parry, forced to take a step back on the slick rocks.
"Just kidding," she laughed, dancing away from his retaliatory strike. "But your face was priceless." There was nothing in her demeanour that resembled the hesitant and confused girl from yesterday. She could change so quickly.
"You talk too much," he growled, but there was something else beneath the annoyance in his voice – a hint of amusement, maybe even intrigue.
Their blades met, again and again, the clash of steel mixing with the waterfall's thunder. Water sprayed around them, making the rocks treacherous and their clothes heavy. Izumi's dark hair clung to her face, and Sasuke's white shirt had become nearly transparent, outlining every muscle beneath.
"Getting tired?" she taunted as they locked blades. She was close enough to see water droplets clinging to his eyelashes, to feel his breath on her cheek.
"You wish," he murmured, and there was that voice again – the one from earlier, lower and rougher than usual.
This time, he was the one who spun away first. Izumi noticed his eyes lingering on her rain-soaked form before snapping back to her blade. She filed that observation away with a secret smile.
The fight continued, their movements becoming more intense, more intimate. Each clash brought them closer, each retreat seemed more reluctant. The peaceful afternoon air filled with the sound of their breathing, their footwork on wet stone, the musical ring of steel on steel.
Finally, Sasuke saw his opening. In a move too fast to follow, he hooked his foot behind her ankle while binding her blade. Izumi's eyes widened as she lost her balance, but instead of letting her fall, he caught her wrist, pulling her against him.
Her wakizashi clattered to the rocks as her free hand instinctively grabbed his shirt for balance. They stood frozen, her back against a boulder, his body pressing her there, both breathing hard from the exertion and something else entirely.
"I win," he said, voice rough. His face was inches from hers, dark hair dripping water onto her cheeks.
"Mm," Izumi hummed, making no move to push him away. "So you did. One question, Sasuke-kun. Better make it count."
His eyes searched her face, dropping briefly to her lips before meeting her gaze again. For a moment, she thought he might not ask anything after all. But then he stepped back, though his hand lingered on her wrist a heartbeat longer than necessary.
"Why didn't you kill him when you had a chance?" he asked in his cold voice.
"Hey, you two!" An angry shout pulled them from their trance, as for a few moments they'd forgotten where they were. Kabuto ran up flustered, separating them both. "Have you forgotten the rules, is it so hard to follow them? I said—"
"Alright, alright." Izumi rolled her eyes. Sasuke instantly pulled away from her as if burned. The girl shrugged and bent down to pick up the Wakizashi sheaths before heading toward the hideout.
"You are forbidden from training outside," Kabuto continued, irritated.
"You don't need to repeat yourself," Sasuke snapped, but obediently headed toward the entrance right behind Izumi. Kabuto clenched his jaw but was unyielding. After all, as Orochimaru's right hand, he had the final word here. Izumi turned one last time toward the waterfall, looking back at nature for the last time.
A knock at the door broke him from his reverie. He sensed her instantly, that familiar and pleasantly joyful scent from childhood, impossible to replicate. Sasuke lazily got off the bed where he had been staring at the wall, lost in contemplation of recent days, just after dinner.
The girl was leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest when he opened the door. She smiled slightly and invited herself in without a word. She swept her gaze around the room and sat against the opposite wall, gesturing across from her for Sasuke to join. Sasuke closed the door and settled opposite her on the floor, leaning his back against the bed. The girl extinguished the lamp with a snap of her finger, sending a gust of wind, leaving only the light of two candles in candelabras on either side of her.
"Look me in the eyes and trust me." These words startled/frightened him, but he swallowed. Trust? Who? Could he really trust her?
"What are you planning?"
"I know where we can train."
"Is this an invitation to your Abyss? I was there a few days ago and don't consider it a place I'd gladly return to."
"Trust me, this time will be different. After all, I'm myself again here."
Sasuke didn't argue further and nodded slowly. Izumi activated her Shinengan, taking a breath. "Let's go then."
They plunged into the Abyss, closing their eyes. Breath taken away. Nothingness.
They landed on a soft path that shimmered with cosmic dust. The world around them was unlike anything Sasuke had witnessed before - a realm suspended between reality and dreams. Each step forward caused the landscape to shift subtly, as if the very fabric of this place was alive, breathing, evolving with their presence.
The ground beneath their feet seemed to pulse with ethereal energy, scattered with tufts of grass that glowed with an inner light. Cosmic dust spiralled upward with every footfall, dancing in the air like starlit fireflies. Above them, the sky was a masterpiece of impossible colours - a gradient that transformed from rich turquoise at the horizon to the deepest violet overhead, where countless stars pierced the darkness like diamonds.
A massive turquoise moon hung impossibly close, its surface etched with patterns that seemed to shift when viewed directly. Its light bathed everything in an otherworldly glow, creating shadows that moved with an almost conscious grace. The eternal twilight painted everything in dual tones - things appeared both more vivid and somehow muted as if existing in two states simultaneously.
Around them, an ancient tree's branches stretched endlessly upward, its bark gleaming with patterns of cosmic energy. The branches seemed to weave through reality itself, some disappearing into pools of starlight only to emerge elsewhere, creating a natural architecture that defied physical laws. Small streams wound between weather-worn stones, their water reflecting the stellar canvas above, making it impossible to tell where the water ended and the sky began.
Hills rolled out to the horizon, but they seemed to shift and change as Sasuke watched them, like a landscape painted on flowing silk. The transformation was subtle - a boulder might be slightly larger with each glance, a cluster of trees might have moved a few feet to the left, yet nothing felt jarring or wrong. It was as if they walked through a living painting that was constantly being refined by an unseen artist.
Sasuke noticed something peculiar about his chakra here - it felt lighter, more responsive as if the very air amplified its nature. Each breath drawn in this twilight realm seemed to fill his lungs with pure energy. His fire-nature chakra, usually a controlled burn within him, now felt like it could dance freely, unbound by physical limitations.
He glanced at Izumi, who was watching him with barely contained pride, clearly pleased by his quiet wonder. Her own chakra signature was fascinating to observe here - it rippled outward like waves in a pond, interweaving with the fabric of this reality she'd crafted. Unlike the oppressive, dark energy he'd felt during his unwanted first visit to the Abyss, this version of her inner realm felt... harmonious. The Moth's presence was still there, but instead of threatening to devour, it now seemed to cradle this space like a protective cocoon.
"This is… impressive" he admitted. A rare compliment coming from him, he noted how her eyes sparkled with satisfaction.
"I know! So proud of it myself" Izumi stretched her arms wide, her chakra pulsing in sync with the cosmic environment around them. "This is the first time I've had complete control over shaping it. I hope! No darkness bleeding through, no unexpected... visitors." She spun around once, and Sasuke noticed how the starlit particles in the air swirled in her wake, responding to her wind chakra like eager companions.
He felt perplexed realising how their chakra signatures seemed to resonate with each other here. When she moved closer, he could feel his fire-nature chakra reaching out instinctively toward her wind-nature, creating subtle, beautiful disturbances in the air between them - like aurora borealis in miniature.
Izumi must have noticed too, because her smile widened. "It's different when there's harmony between the host and the Moth," she said softly. "Huranaishi and I... we've reached an understanding. Eventually, I guess. This is what we can create together. She’s more protective of me now and I think you had something to do with that too."
She started down the path, gravel crunching beneath her feet as Sasuke followed. Before them, new details began to paint themselves into existence the further they ventured forward. On the horizon, a hill took shape, surrounded by numerous rocky outcrops and an uneven path. Right at its summit stood a small wooden cabin.
"And now what?"
"Now, Sasuke," Izumi grinned "we race to that little house"
"That's it?"
"Hahaha, yes, that's all. I don't want to tire you out too quickly!"
Sasuke snorted, which made the girl smile even wider, fixing him with her warm gaze - she loved teasing him.
"Now," Izumi spat. She didn't have to convince him twice; Sasuke shot forward, and she moved with him.
Their chakra trails left shimmering paths in the cosmic dust as they took off, his a fierce amber, hers a silvery turquoise. The path ahead seemed to respond to their presence, details crystallising just moments before their feet touched the ground as if the realm itself was eager to participate in their game. Behind them, the pathway they'd already crossed began to shift and change, ensuring no two glances back would show the same scene.
The cabin remained their constant focal point, though the route to reach it seemed to wind and transform with each stride. Izumi had crafted this challenge carefully - it wasn't just about speed, but about reading the ever-changing terrain, adapting to a landscape that refused to stay still. And from the playful glint in her eye, as she matched Sasuke's pace, he knew she had more surprises planned before either of them would reach that hilltop.
Dark figures began emerging from between the trees, trying to intercept them. Sasuke's Sharingan activated instinctively, helping him track their movements. He caught glimpses of Izumi on a parallel path, her black Shinengan flashing as she wove through the obstacles - in this realm, they held an otherworldly gleam that matched the surrounding twilight.
They leapt across stone formations, their movements a deadly dance. When shadow figures lunged at Sasuke, his blade found them with precise accuracy. Izumi moved with equal grace, her acrobatic flips carrying her through clusters of opponents. Occasionally their paths would cross, and they'd unconsciously coordinate - Sasuke providing cover while Izumi vaulted over him, or her wind jutsu clearing his path.
A chasm suddenly opened before them, appearing from nowhere. Izumi, too focused on the path ahead, didn't notice in time. As she fell, Sasuke didn't hesitate - he dove after her. But she wasn't helpless; with a swift manipulation of their surroundings, they both tumbled through thick vegetation down the ravine. For a moment, they seemed lost, until looking to their right - impossibly, the cottage was there, though it should have been in a completely different direction.
They exchanged a quick glance, both processing this mind-bending shift in reality. Without hesitation, they sprinted forward, Izumi shoving Sasuke playfully with a laugh as she took the lead.
She’d play with her illusion, throwing more and more obstacles in Sasuke’s path which he’d smash with his sword, almost effortlessly proving himself a worthy opponent in this weird race. They burst out of the ravine, getting to the cottage in seconds and finally collapsing breathless on the veranda steps.
Sasuke, panting, realised with some surprise that he'd actually enjoyed himself - really enjoyed himself. It had been... fun.
"I win," he managed between breaths, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.
"Fine," Izumi conceded, still catching her breath. "One question, as promised."
The race had been more than just a game - it had shown them both how naturally they moved together, how their different abilities complemented each other. And perhaps most importantly, it had let them both forget, just for a moment, about everything else.
Only for a moment.
As Sasuke contemplated his question, the world around them began to shift - not with the playful fluidity from before, but with something darker. Izumi suddenly grabbed her head, wincing in pain. The illusion started to blur at the edges and uninvited shadows began pouring into their reality, seeping from behind trees and around corners. These weren't part of her design.
"No, no, no..." Izumi whispered, her control slipping. The shadows moved with malicious intent, nothing like the playful adversaries from their race. She was losing her grip on the illusion, the carefully crafted realm starting to crack and distort.
They were abruptly yanked back to reality, finding themselves on the floor of Sasuke's room. Izumi was trembling, eyes wide with terror, still clutching her head. Sasuke forgot about his question, looking at her with concern, but she waved him off dismissively despite her obvious distress.
Before he could say anything, she scrambled to her feet and fled the room, wiping her forehead as if trying to erase something terrible that was mixing with her thoughts. The door slammed behind her, leaving Sasuke alone with the unsettling feeling that whatever had just happened was far worse than a simple loss of chakra control.
Slimy snakes aggressively coiled around her, wrapping around her legs, hips, and arms; the hiss of hundreds of reptiles flooding the room was sickening. Izumi tried to scream, but only a silent whimper escaped her throat. Darkness heavy as tar hung over her room. Snakes seemed to crawl from it like from a demonic portal. She tried to reach the bedside lamp, to light it, but in vain. Nothing worked. Her hands were bound, so she couldn't make signs. From the corner of her eye, she saw snakes coating the door, blocking it. Izumi began screaming harder, finally a rasp, a whisper emerging from her throat though it felt like she was tearing her lungs out. The snakes pinned her arms and stretched her legs apart; she had the impression they were laughing mockingly, pressing harder, taking away her breath, licking away the tears that began flowing down her cheeks, mixing with sweat.
"Izumi..." her name resonated somewhere behind the door, repeated by a familiar voice; someone was looking for her, but she couldn't answer.
Neither Huranaishi, nor Chomei, nor any person was with her. She was completely alone, just her and the crushing darkness.
"Izumi! Wake up!"
Sasuke shook her shoulders, trying to wake her. Izumi gasped, opening her eyes. She was crying, screaming.
"What are you doing here, what have you done to me!!" Her first reaction startled Sasuke, who pulled back as if burned.
"You were screaming, so I came, you were having nightmares and couldn't wake up..."
Embarrassed by her defensive reaction, the girl hugged her arms and withdrew, wiping her face. "I'm... sorry. I didn't... I thought someone, something..." she couldn't find the words, sobbing again.
"It's okay now. I guess. You're here."
"In reality."
"In reality, yes," he nodded, sitting uncertainly on her bed. He looked at her as she lowered her gaze. She seemed completely different than during the day, when self-assured, playful, and fearless, she faced everything. At night, she seemed so small, uncertain, fragile.
Izumi pulled up her knees, hugging herself, and pulled the duvet around her, suddenly feeling the cold in the bedroom. Sasuke hesitated and scratched his head, not quite knowing what to do. Izumi looked at him in the dim candlelight by the bed. She felt his tension, while simultaneously feeling her own dissipating in his presence. She swallowed, too ashamed to ask, until the boy stood up.
"No, please," she reached out to him seeing him move toward the exit. He didn't protest. He looked at her for a moment before sitting back on the bed; Izumi moved to make room for him, gave him one pillow, which he used to lean against the wall. She moved to the edge and snuggled into her pillow next to the sitting Sasuke. He didn't speak again, but his energy changed; she felt something like a protective aura, something he himself wanted, needed. His scent soothed her, chased away thoughts of the nightmare and tearing loneliness.
“I was too weak”
“What?”
“I couldn’t kill Itachi by myself,” she whispered. “So I eventually gave up. This vendetta belongs to you, Sasuke”
“Mhm” he turned his head contemplating. They haven’t said anything else, but these few words seemed to have brought them some peace.
Izumi lay for a long time, hearing only his steady breathing. His intoxicating scent kept her awake for long. Finally, he placed his right hand loosely beside her head, and the girl felt how close his skin was again. Darkness gave her confidence, so she placed her hand on his forearm and began gently moving her thumb over his taut skin, feeling the muscles defined beneath her fingertips. She tested how far she could go before he would run, startle. But Sasuke stayed. She felt he wasn't sleeping. Goosebumps covered his forearm, but he allowed her to caress him. She moved her forehead slightly closer to his hand, leaning against him, being a little closer still. Her heart was beating hard again. The girl moved her trembling warm hand toward his fingers, learning through touch his calluses, scars, and the history his body had written over the years. Sasuke moved with trembling, reciprocating her caress on the back of her hand as she slipped her fingers into his. A wave of heat flooded her body; she felt as if an intoxicating illusion had possessed her, paralysing her in pleasant euphoria. She had no idea how much time had passed, absorbed in this intimacy.
Both were grateful for the sweet darkness of night; they didn't count the hours, unhurriedly consumed by the dance their burning fingers performed on each other's hands and forearms. They had no idea, never before experienced such deep, sweet, pleasant intimacy as given to them by gentle squeezes and tender movements of fingers sliding across their hands. Each touch spoke hundreds of words in this night's silence. Screaming with longing, despair, need for closeness, unsatisfied loneliness, the idea of love that years ago was buried along with the spilt blood of the Uchiha clan.