Spoiler:

The silence of nature always managed to calm Chisaki's wayward heart. Yes, nature was never truly silent but it was in comparison to the village. The hectic lifestyles that everyone lead in the village left little time for any introspective thoughts whatsoever. So it was the forests of Konoha where Chisaki Senju found her silence. The trees stood as sentinels, hiding her from the untrained eye as she walked down a path unknown to many. They swayed gently in the summer breeze, their leaves creating the strangest of melodies. Beneath the green canopies, in the shade of the dense forest did she walk. In her everyday life, she was kept constantly busy by her careers. The Head of a clan, and Captain of the Medical Corps. Both of these roles took immense amounts of time and energy to deal with simultaneously. Therefore, today she had taken a break from it all. She had left a note at home explaining to Sou where she was. Of late, they had not spent a lot of time together, barely any at all in fact. Not since the incident involving Risu... At the thought of him though, the ghost of a smile flickered across her face. Her one shining light in the darkness that was consuming her entire being slowly but surely. At night, she could feel it. Nightmares of a hellish world tormented her and on multiple occasions she had woken covered in sweat, unable to return to her dreams. Stopping on her walk, she lift her right hand to place it above her own heart. Medically, there was nothing wrong with it. It beat steadily and often. Yet, anyone trained in sensory jutsu would be able to detect the vortex of black emotions raging inside of her heart.

The Demon did not rest, it never slept. It was constantly there, urging her to become something she was not. The title "Queen of Demons". Sheer willpower kept the thing in place, kept it locked within the prison of her own heart. Yet during the flow of battle, often times she had no other choice but to submit to the vast power stored within her. Her abilities became even stronger, she gained access to jutsu she could not even dream of performing in her normal state. Yet while transformed, she was no longer Chisaki... The Satan Soul Reversion technique not only transformed her body into a lethal beauty, but it corrupted her mind. That was the true risk of that jutsu. That one day she might never be able to escape from its corruptness. Chisaki knew she was among the elite shinobi of the world, he strength surpassed most... Yet, it was not all her own power. Most of it came from the primal forces within her, not her own power. Once upon a time, she had thought she might tame the great power. Tame the darkness lashing out in its cage. Every time she used it, it blackened her heart a tiny bit more as its own power continued to grown exponentially. She has questioned her parents about it, even questioned the Great Owl Sages, yet they had been utterly clueless about the demonic presence within her. They could sense it, fear it, yet none of them knew the source of it.

Lowering her hand from the steady beat of her heart, she resumed her walk, her light robes swishing along to the whistle of the leaves as she nimbly moved along the path. Before long, she came to a clearing. In the middle of the clearing stood a sakura tree, tall and proud. During her youth, when she was still mastering the techniques of her clan, she had come here to plant this tree. Since that day, the nature chakra that converged on this spot had helped the tree to flourish into the beauty she saw today. Walking up to it slowly, she lifted her right hand again, placing it on the bark of the tree with a half smile. Back then, the demon had been a mere specter, unable to even effect her dreams. Now, it nearly had as much willpower as she did. Turning, she rested her back on the tree, leaning on it for support for a moment before she eventually slid down to sit at its base. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against the tree. Who was she? Was she Chisaki Senju, Clan Head of the Senju, Sage of Owls and Captain of the Medical Corps? Or was she Chisaki Senju, Queen of Demons, Harbinger of Nightmares? Maybe it was simply and identity crisis to the extreme. Maybe she was being a hypochondriac... Or, perhaps, she was right. Maybe there was a reason to be worried. A breeze stirred the glade and sakura petals danced to the ground around her. Chisaki felt the breeze stir her clothing and hair and she sighed once more, her sigh a mere whisper in the wind.

The silence basked in the well lit room as the sunlight poured in from the window panes. The furniture arranged to such perfection and not a speck of dust to be found. It could be seen as rather envious to most to live in such prestige but to share it with no other, would it not be a waste? The note lay waiting for Sousetsu to find even with a quick glance across the room. There it was, sitting, waiting. Waiting for the man it was intended for him to find. The Senju lifted it carefully, refusing to crease any of the folded paper before catching a small and familiar scent. Lavender. It had been some time since he had seen his partner. Not since that day. The day Risu, the captain of the ANBU, was used in order to find him and deliver a threat on his very doorstep. The day Sousetsu unleashed a devastating flurry of attacks to the assailants, only to be struck down by the sight of the one he loved dearly. Chisaki honed a dark presence and for how long, he did not know. A twisted and dark passenger that seemed to mock the Hokage. Was the Senju so smitten that he became blind, never to see this before him? He stared into the darkness countless times and it just laughed back, deaf to its beholder.

Closing his eyes and turning his head, his teeth gritted as a wave of regret filled his body. A clenched fist was not enough to express his anger, neither was tearing the paper he held. The contents were that of a meeting place he could find the one that may have fooled him. 'May' have. She cared enough to write him a letter after all. Was there more to this dark being? Was it a curse? Sousetsu was always a man to hear both sides of an argument but he could not shake this eerie feeling. How many more secrets were contained from him? What good would it have been to demean his reputation as Hokage by having something so sinister dance before him. Eat with him. Sleep with him. Share its life with him... His hollow white eyes seemed to lose its life as it began to sit with him once more.

What would be the final decision? Would he leave this house, go back to his days as the Hokage and remove her from his life? Or would he find her, and hopefully the answers he is not so sure he would be willing to hear? He knew he had to. His curiosity was always something he had to feed if nothing else. His long white robes and bandanna flew frantically as he exited the premise hastily. The day was like any other, warm with a gentle breeze. But he could not shake the cold that he felt. A wave of dampened sadness let his eyes sag with a darkened hue of their own. It seemed that only his body worked as his mind was sent off on a quest of its own to find itself once more. Searching for answers that were not there because only she knew.

Before long, he seen a figure in the distance that sat beneath a sakura tree. The pink and snow-like petals that fell with such grace around her had shown him who it was that he had fallen for. It was not a dark presence, but a loving and caring soul. She deserved to have her moment, her reasons to be heard. His eyes were still lost in this battle however, still void of what little happiness it could muster as the man who possessed them, was a man who had suffered too much betrayal in his life. It just never got easier for him to bear. He dashed and appeared before her in an instant. The sakura seemed to dance with the loose ends of the bandanna and tails of his coat. He did not speak. He lay in waiting. Much like the letter that was meant for him. Waiting for the rightful person to find them and open to find what was inside. But much could already be told by first glance. If only she looked into his eyes.

Spoiler:

The silence continued on for an eternity. Seconds slipped into minutes which slipped into hours. How long she sat there she could not quite say. The sun lazily crawled it's way over the blue sky as the summer breeze stirred the grove. Not a cloud sat in the sky, it was just blue. Blue for as far as the eye could see. Opening her eyes, she tilted her head upwards to look up at said sky. The occasional bird flew over her small clearing in the dense forest, its wings beating rapidly as it soared, free. Most envied birds, but not Chisaki. No, Chisaki could fly among them should she wish it. That was the power and beauty that justu could hold if you allowed them too. The way of the ninja extended far beyond ruthless massacres and blood baths. Opening the palm of her right hand, she looked down. With a flicker of thought, a small flower blossomed in her hand. It was a deep blue, like that of an ocean or perhaps a sapphire. Smiling a little bit, she placed the the flower delicately on the ground. With another thought, as fast a bullet, the flower dug its roots into the ground. Sighing with another smile, as soft as silk, she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the tree once more. Taking this day off was important. The silence that had created a blockade between herself and Sousetsu was devastatingly large. Heart-crushingly large. It was her fault as well and that made her even more mournful over what they had lost. Afraid of his reaction, she had kept the darkness hidden away. He had unknowingly helped her with that. The light and laughter he brought to her previously lonely existence had sent the shadows into hiding, hissing like coiled vipers in a pit. The pit that was her heart. Another breeze, and more petals were sent dancing up into the blue sky. Opening her eyes again, she watched the progress of two of the petals. They span around each other slowly, whirling downwards in a spiral. Before they hit the ground, another gust of wind sent them spinning away from each other. That brought an expression to her face full of melancholy.

The sound was silent at first, no more than a gentle sigh of wind, quieter than the actual wind. Had she blinked, she would not have seen him enter the glade. Looking up at him, her heart experienced what can only be described as a catharsis. Quietly, silently in fact, she stood up. Dusting herself down, she looked up. Hesitant at first, but then she remembered who this was. Sousetsu Senju, her light. With that one thought in mind, of candle flames, she looked up into his eyes. The result? A single crystal-like tear falling from her right eye. The same fire he always ignited in her, that had been dormant, relight itself. The ghost of a smile painted itself onto her features once more, as another tear fell to join the other one on her cheek. Taking a deep breath, she rubbed them away with the back of her hand before bringing her hands to rest before her, her fingers intertwined. Taking another deep breath, she nodded a little bit before bringing her eyes, still wet with tears, to meet his own.

Another breeze stirred her clothing, and the petals above her were once more sent down in a cascading fashion. Taking one final breath, she opened her voice and began to speak. In her head, she has reherased this conversation a thousand times... Yet now, she spoke not pre-written words but the words etched onto her heart. The pain on the tip of her tongue. "You... probably have a lot of question, maybe a lot of anger as well..." No doubt he did, she thought "I understand if you walk out of this glade right now and never speak to me nor hear from me again. I will accept that as my atonement. But if you still have any feelings for me, any at all no matter how small, please just hear me out, Sou..." Another tear, before she spoke again "The darkness has been apart of me for years, I only became aware of it about a year ago, however. I guess, if there are Gods out there, they decided one person shouldn't hold so much light... The darkness, the demon, whatever you wish to call it, attached itself to my heart when I was younger but only became active a year ago. I thought... well, I thought you would leave me if you figured out what pain and chaos I had hidden within me. I couldn't express regret with mere words, so I just hope you can see it in my eyes. I didn't ask for this, but if I can use this darkness to protect those I love then I will try to withstand its corruption..." Another deep breath, as she looked into his eyes again. A pleading expression no doubt present in her wet eyes.

His sorrow-felt eyes twitched to and fro, from Chisaki to the raining blossoms that fluttered in the surrounding. She lifted herself from the soft earth beneath to stand before him, keeping her composure with intertwining fingers that tied her hands in front of her. His eyes met hers. They both shared the pain of a sense of loss. Drifting apart, struggling to find the balance, the two seemed to also meet the fate of their relationship here. A tear accompanied another as they traveled down Chisaki's cheeks. A deep inhale was made with a clenched jaw before his mouth slowly opened as he had finally realized the pain that she was experiencing. The woman that stood in a radiated beauty before him was the woman he had fallen in love with some time ago, not this 'dark passenger.' She began to speak with words he could feel from her heart, asking him that if he had any feelings left for her, he would stay to hear them.

His shoulders grew limp, his heart began to sink, and he began losing his stoic posture as the words echoed in his mind. How could she think that he would deny any emotions he felt for her? She spoke of a darkness that latched itself onto her heart from an early age. It lay dormant, awaiting the day it would finally reveal its power which was only one year ago.  

"I thought... well, I thought you would leave me if you figured out what pain and chaos I had hidden within me. I couldn't express regret with mere words, so I just hope you can see it in my eyes. I didn't ask for this, but if I can use this darkness to protect those I love then I will try to withstand its corruption..."

Would he have left her then?

His breathing began to grow deeper. His eyes locked to hers. Sousetsu could see the pain and chaos that she spoke of. She thought he would leave if she asked anything from him it seems. She fought a battle with him along the sidelines, only he could not see who was winning. He noticed a hint of blue behind her. A blue flower in a bed of sakura petals. A colour that resembled him greatly. Was she thinking of the outcome? Could the flower be a remnant of their relationship if he was to part ways here? He looked her in the eyes once more. He could find the plea within them. But he could also look at them for an eternity as he could easily be lost within them.

When Sousetsu had first met Chisaki, he was unsure of his future, only to become Hokage. When the title was bestowed upon him, he then spoke of questioning his own leadership for the role. It could be said that he appeared weak before her. Had any of this caused a hindrance to the knowledge of this? Could she not tell him... because of him? The Senju finally closed his eyes, unwilling to look at hers any longer for the pain would soon share. He opened them once again and made his way over to Chisaki, standing not a foot from her before placing both his hands on the sides of her face. With his right hand, his finger in a half-curl, he brushed the wetness from her cheeks gently.

"I don't like to see you in pain, Chisaki... Especially when it is I that causes it." His eyes attempted to revitalize as he forced a small smile.

"You are a fool if you think I had lost anything I had felt for you. But I must admit... This hurt me greatly. A dark presence that latched onto your heart, and you never told me?" His smile began to fade as he looked into her eyes deeply once more, his head slowly coming to hers.

He wrapped his arms around her, allowing his hand to rest behind her head, stepping closer to her. "You will never fight a battle alone while I am here. Remember that."

"All I ask... All I ask is for you to not use it. You are strong, Chisaki. It needs you, you do not need it." He rested his head on hers.

The embrace of Chisaki was all he needed to remember why he came here. His words full of sincerity came from his own heart to hers. All he could hope for was to find the Chisaki he knew and loved to come back from the pit of despair she had fallen into, and take his hand once more.

Chisaki watched the man before her with a heart full of despondency. During their brief time together, they had already experienced so much together. Heartbreak, loss yes but besides all that there had been a lot of joy and moments that still brought a fond smile to her face. Like welcoming home an old friend. Quietly, she wrapped her arms around herself, holding her in her own embrace. Mayhaps it'd be the only embrace she ever knew. Another gust of wind stirred the glade, another shower of petals as her robes and hair began to dance in a strange pattern with one another. Despite the wind however and the display it put on, Chisaki's blue eyes remained on Sousetsu's own eyes. People often agreed upon the fact that waiting for something to come, sad or happy, is one of the most excruciating pains there can be. Chisaki would be one of those people to agree on that statement. The wind was the only thing that broke the silence between the two for a time, whistling and sighing like a lamenting lover. Chisaki could see the cogs working in Sou's head, see him mulling over what she had said. Today had been a gamble and Chisaki was not known for being the most successful with her gambles. Even from this distance, you could feel the power that Sousetsu radiated. Unlike her own strength, that was a yin-yang, his was purely yang. True, Chisaki could also feel the dark memories within him but in comparison to her, he was a being of light. By what right did she hope to walk besides him?

Her question was answered when he took a step towards her. Goosebumps appeared on her skin as she shuddered involuntarily. She saw his hands move but she did not truly feel them. All she could feel was the tears now running down her face. How was she considered strong at all, by any standards? Here she was, crying and she didn't even truly know why. Chisaki listened to Sou speak in the tone he seemed to only use with her these days. A tone full of sadness, but at the same time hope. Another ghost latched itself to Chisaki's face as a small smile creeped onto her face as he spoke. "Sou, you caused me no harm, of that I am sure... You're one of the few things that doesn't cause me harm or pain." She would have shaken her head to prove such, but she couldn't do so because of his hands. Her own smile faded somewhat as he resumed speaking after she had spoken. A small little nod was all she managed before she spoke again "I... I'm sorry, Sousetsu, I would have told you, but this was the one thing that I was truly afraid of... Of you leaving me alone, in the darkness...."

Chisaki recalled a time she had thought she had long since forgotten. A time in a wood just like this, a walk just like this one. That was when she had first discovered the darkness within herself. The first transformation had been excruciatingly painful, for both her and the nature around her. There was still a blighted glade within the wood to mark the place. It was corrupted, but the corruption would not spread, of that she was sure... Another gust of wind, and another thousand blossom petals danced around the embracing pair as Sousetsu wrapped his arms around her and she did the same. It was ironic, her name literally meant "a thousand blossoms". The location was fitting. This forest truly held within it everything that Chisaki was or would be. Chisaki shook her head somewhat at Sou's final statement as she took a step backwards. "I can't not use it, Sou. If I don't use it, it builds up within me, so by using the reversal I not only gain the strength to protect those I love but I also remove the build up of negative energies. There is no way to remove it without killing me in the process either... But, knowing that my light will be besides me, I can always come back... Knowing that you, Sousetsu, my light, are there to guide me home" Not the words he wanted to hear no doubt, but it was the truth. Not using the technique was not an option, but with him there she could always come back, she was sure of that.

In that brief moment of solace that he received from the one he cherished, it was taken from him with little warning. A small space between the two at first confused the male Senju as he pondered for the reasoning behind doing so. And within a short moment, he found what it was he was searching for. Chisaki spoke of being forced to use the power she was chosen with. The dark presence that fed at her heart left her in the darkest of places, latching onto each negative energy that passed. Her life would come to an end if anything were to happen to the darkness that had come to dwell within. Sousetsu's heart sank deeper than ever before. This was unlike any other technique or illness he could have imagined and a cure seemed to be non-existent without the death of its host. Given this, he could only see it as a leech, something he would find a way to deteriorate its life source as she spoke of its weakness that she only knew of. It's only fault seemed to be with him...

His jaw found it difficult to close as what she had told him only added onto the hardships he had to endure in this life. Was this the same the others? Would he be left in his own world, burdened by another soul he could not help? The damage had already left its scar making this nightmare seep through to reality. It was odd. A beautiful everglade of far off green pastures, surrounded by countless blossom petals, healthy trees blooming from every direction, and in front of the one he loved most. And there he stood in fear. A beautiful nightmare. Never before would he ever think that such a place existed as he looked into the deep blue eyes once more to find himself drowning with apathy and sorrow for the woman before him.

"You..." he paused as he carefully chose his words. His hands lingered by his sides, hesitant as each finger flickered as if he was suppressing an addiction.

"You have to use it?" he gave a saddened look as if he was left alone once more already. Anger would soon follow as he slowly created a fist with each hand. A stern voice returned to the usual high authority figure that stood before her. It was not stern in such a way that he was beginning to lament, but rather to protect. "Can't you see? You are not releasing the negative energies, but letting it out! It's growing! If I can sense that, is it not enough to realize?" Sousetsu proclaimed with his own energy.

The male Senju's chakra began to rise as his anger did. His head turned so he could become lost in thought once again. The blossoms that danced around him were soon repelled from his personal space, bouncing off as if they were knocked back. A stronger gust of wind was beginning to well up from beneath him, causing his white attire to flail at an increasing pace. His teeth came to a grind as his eyes began to restore to that which a Hokage should bear. All of this power beginning to erupt only to be contained with a few deep breaths held by a tensing neck.

The vast images of those leaving him, turning on him, opposing him, would flash like a lightning storm. Was Chisaki to join them? The dark power within her would soon become too much to bear, he knew this. Despite him staying by her side until that day, nothing would change. Was it wise to leave now? To sever the bond they shared up until now so that he would not feel any more pain some time from now? The more questions that filled his mind, the harder the decision became. Another glance to Chisaki was all he needed. And so he had done so, finding a woman who wished only for her light from fading. To stay above the darkness and not sink into the muddy waters it provided.

A petal danced onto Sousetsu's shoulder. His power restored to normal in an instant. His choice was made at that moment.

He fell to his knees with a soft thud. His head sunk into his chest as he bowed before her, his chest pumping from a series of deep breaths. A wet spot now formed on the soft earth below him that only his raised head could confirm was a tear. He met her eyes with a soft and warm smile to accompany it.

"I... I can't let that happen. I can't let you live in fear. I can't allow you to live alone in darkness..." his soft smile lingered as he tried to maintain his endearing tone. "I promise that you never will..."

His smile continued to stay while his thoughts returned to his own. 'But if you are gone... I will forever be searching for you in my darkest place.' Something he could not share with her. Something he knew she would already know at heart.

Every single other noise in the glade fell utterly silent to Chisaki. The birds no longer chirped, the trees no longer sighed and whistled. It was just... silent. The only noise she could hear was a subtle whispering sound and the throbbing of her own bleeding black heart. The darkness within her throbbed with her own heartbeat. It had been months since she had last used the demon release... Far too long. Its chains were weak, the links of her humanity barely strong enough to hold it back. Sousetsu was her last hope, only he could shine bright enough to forge chains anew for her demon passenger. Chisaki could feel the desperation in the pit of her stomach, no doubt it shined in her eyes as well. The tears were gone and no more joined them as she continued to watch her light. When she had met the fabled Azure Beast, all those months ago, she hadn't expected her feelings to blossom like the flower behind her into what they were today. A reliance, desperation, lust and passion alike kept her bound to this man. For fear of loneliness, perhaps. The dark energy seemed to shudder at the thoughts, either out of amusement or disgust she could not tell. Sometimes it was barely there, no more than a sleeping entity. At times like these, it felt truly alive. It fed off her happiness, gained sustenance from her despair. Right now, it was truly gluttonous in the way it consumed all her negative emotions. In her minds eye, she saw the great dark mass laughing hysterically as she wallowed in self-pity and fear. Fear, such a strong emotion and by far the demons favourite. Chisaki shuddered somewhat, as she took a few steps back to lean on the tree in exhaustion. Despite the fact she was well-rested physically, mentally she could not have been more drained from this never-ending battle.

Chisaki watched Sousetsu's body language as he digested her words. The conflict in his eyes was palpable and the strain in his body language was even worse. Chisaki felt her self sigh as she leaned against the tree for support. Since she had most likely lost her other pillar of support. Chisaki briefly recalled a Senju tale from her youth. The tale told of a Senju lover who had been so scorned and broken by her people she had sighed herself into a tree for all eternity. How easy that must be, she thought. Trees had a concious, if you looked hard enough, but the thoughts were always broken and dream-like, never truly there but awake in the nature energy. As a Senju and as a Sage, she was more aware of this than anyone.

Chisaki blinked as Sousetsu's voice raised in tone. This was perhaps the first time she had ever seen anger in his eyes and actions. She felt sorry for those who crossed him in battle without a care in the world. It... scared her, as well. Nothing truly scared a shinobi, the villagers would often boast. They would boast of the Will of Fire present within each and everyone one of their proud shinobi, the will to fight on. It had abandoned Chisaki in those brief moments and she seriously contemplated just sighing herself into a tree. The burst of power frightened her more. Her own power and Sousetsu's weren't that different, yet she could practically feel his own will and emotions rage in that chakra cacophony. The delicate petals were sent fleeing into the air as his chakra stirred a wind up more powerful than those before it... Chisaki watched them. One, two, three and more all fly into the blue sky. Closing her own eyes, she continued to lean against the sakura tree. Blinking in surprise and relief, she sighed in thanks as he calmed the raging typhoon. The petals all came dancing back onto the ground. Behind her, her pillar still shook from the winds that had raged mere moments before. By what rights, did the shinobi govern such a force? The strongest of the strong were truly masters of nature. But, by what rights did they hold such power? Who decided the strong from the weak, right from wrong? In that thought, that gale of wind, Chisaki was shocked to find she no longer knew. The strong were supposed to protect the weak, she had once thought. But if someone had put them on the pedestal of strong and the others in the excrement of weakness, why should they bother to waste their time? The darkness throbbed in glee at the thoughts to Chisaki's horror. She shook her head, attempting to shake away both the energy and the thoughts.

Souetsu fell to his knees, much to Chisaki's dismay. If he couldn't support himself, how could he support them both? Chisaki saw the tears hit the ground, but she did not hear the words that followed. Clutching at her chest, she gasped in pain. With her thoughts and seeing the sight of Sousetsu the Azure Beast on his knees, the darkness had snapped the final chains that held it back. Chisaki shuddered again as she clutched her chest. Her final thoughts were of regret, sadness and the sight of Sousetsu on his knees. Chakra, pure black in colour, exploded out from her body to engulf the glade in darkness. In an instant, the sakura tree withered and died and the petals decayed into nothing. The trees at the edge of the glade died in the same fashion as the sakura. Chisaki screamed, but no sound came from her throat. The darkness span around the glade, before slamming her in the chest. Her body convulsed as the darkness took all that she was and hoped to be. This was the feeling she knew from her reversal, but this was not a simple and temporary transformation. The tips of her hair turned white first, before it all turned pure white. Not a gentle white like fresh snow, no this was the harsh whiteness and bleakness of winter and ice. Her left eye turned the colour of blood, while the right eye turned icicle blue. Her clothing shifted as well, her robes being ripped away and replaced with shorter versions (See avatar)

The entity stopped moving and it took a step forward. It then laughed. Quietly at first, before it turned into a hysterical and truly black laugh. It admired itself for a moment, looking up and down at its new attire with a look of triumphant approval. It then spoke, in a voice that purred like silk but hid twelve daggers beneath said silk. A voice and expression that did not belong to Chisaki Senju. "My dear Sousetsu, she was never alone in the darkness, she always had me beside her. When she was chosen as my vessel at a young age, I never expected her to turn out quite so beautifully. All these skills at my disposal, oh the fun I will have! Out of respect for what remains of her concious, I won't kill you or destroy the village. Well, not yet anyway..." The entity placed her hand on Sousetu's shoulder. It leaned down to whisper into his ear "She truly did love you... A shame you abandoned her to my will, is it not?" The entity took another few steps forward, so that she was behind Sousetsu. "I suppose I can't call myself by her name, no that'd be rude and I abhor a person without proper manners. Hmm... You may call me, Kurohime, the Black Princess of the Demons. How dramatically fitting, no?" Kurohime laughed again at this "The technique you just witnessed was a once in a lifetime thing, I do hope you consider yourself honoured, dog."

Her body rested against the tree that hailed the blossom petals around them, clutching at her heart, panic in her eyes and a scream that could not be heard. Her veins pushed against her neck as if they were mere inches from freedom. The tears still soaked his eyes as he was beginning to witness something unlike anything he had seen before. The tears however, began to blur his vision where he could only see a dark presence emitting from her body. The petals continued to fall around them only to be halted suddenly as the life force from the tree suddenly vanished. The last pedal danced along the wind, flailing back and forth and as it touched his hand that lay dormant on the earths floor, whiteness filled his vision.

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Sousetsu stood peering into a window pane, watching himself wrapped around Chisaki with their backs to a tree eerily similar to that which he had just seen. The blossom petals swayed around them, landing on various areas but still never seemed to grow in number, as if they had been reset to relive that moment over and over again. Smiles were worn on both faces, caressing their hands against each others, touching the delicate skin that they became familiar with. The sounds of nostalgic laughter from the two erupted within the meadow. All of the laughs he had shared with her, his fondest memories, his happiness.

"It can't be..." he reached forward, placing his hand on the window pane firmly.

"I'm afraid it is..." his own voice echoed throughout the white hallway of dreams. Or rather, the Azure Beasts. His footsteps echoed along the walls until he was by his side, looking into the glass along with him, both remaining transfixed on what was on the other side. Sousetsu's open palm soon became a fist banging against the unbreakable and transparent solid that resided on the wooden door.

"Chisaki!" he yelled as his fist continued to pound.

"You know you can't enter." the Beast interrupted.

"Then trade my place with his just as I did with you!" his teeth gritted before his head crashed into the door. Blood trickled down the center of his face, making its way down and reaching eye-level before slowing its pace, curling to the right side of his nose and continuing its journey to the floor as it dripped from his jaw.

The Azure Beast remained collected as opposed to the sole owner of this hallway. He was the fearful side, the brave, the strong attributes that contributed to him after all.

"You can't... When you traded places with me, it was because I wanted out. Do you think he would want to leave?" he tilted his head as he tried to find Sousetsu's eyes.

Nothing but a deep sense of regret began flooding his mind, weakening his body once more. The banging against the door became increasingly weak as each punch passed. Tears soon reached the blood, moistening the flow of the fluid. He knew that the happiness he seen on the other-side would refuse to even move an inch. It was tranquil where he was, a haven. He fell to his knees just as he had done so before entering this world that he created. Now facing the Azure Beast as if he was begging his own life to be spared from him.

A dark laugh could be heard echoing through the hallways, painting the walls in black the further it traveled. The lighting faded greatly, leaving the two in a dark and dim-lit hallway. Sousetsu knew full well who this was as did the Beast. A tensed jaw and a stoic presence never left the one who stood before man wallowing in self pity. Sousetsu curled his palms into fists once more but relieved them before long, a cycle he continued to repeat as the pain of loss was too hard to bear for him. Not knowing what he should as the dark laugh grew louder, clouding his mind as the sound resonated throughout.

It began to speak with words like knives carving its way into his own heart. It applauded its 'vessel' and mocked his current state, leaving him be for the time being. Sousetsu placed his hands over his ears hoping that the voice would simply disappear into the void. She could not be here. But she would soon claim it. The Azure Beast placed his hand on the shoulder of Sousetsu and leaned closer to his ear which, in turn, he looked up only to reveal a petrified expression.

"She truly did love you... he began to speak. A shame you abandoned her to my will, is it not?" the Beasts mouth moved but his own voice did not come out. It was hers. His eyes widened as he looked into the man he was feared to be. He could now see what others may have seen in him. Despite it not being his voice, the woman he had grown to love, overcome by darkness, still harnessed the strength to make Sousetsu lose himself in thought. The very idea he fell in love with began to become his bane.

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"I did not abandon her!" he shouted before the dead tree, punching the soft earth beneath him. His chakra began to elevate much more than it had done so before. The petals that covered the earth in its soft sheet began to lift into the air to dance once more. Gusts of wind spiraled around him causing the loose ends of his clothing to flail wildly in response.

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A panicking Hokage continued to stare deeply at the Beast that lay his hand upon his shoulder. The teeth coming to a grind and clenched fists to accompany, made the two look more alike than they already did. What he was unaware of was that the Beast was refraining the Hokage to move, allowing the nature energy to build up around him. His voice may have changed by his thoughts did not. They both began to evolve their bodies with such rapid precision as the now perfect Sage would soon show himself.

"The technique you just witnessed was a once in a lifetime thing, I do hope you consider yourself honoured, dog."
"The technique you just witnessed was a once in a lifetime thing, I do hope you consider yourself honoured, dog."

The voices echoed in unison. One filled with authority. The other with malice.

"Sousetsu! Let me out!" The voice of authority added.

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Sharpened nails, long braided white hair, a red face with golden markings etching their way across revealed the Azure Beast and a Sage. He stood tall and stoic as he was known to be, before vanishing and reappearing not two feet from the woman Chisaki had now become. The infamous speed of the Seventeenth Hokage. The petals caught in the wind had soon followed him, circling and intertwining between the two. Nothing but a dark aura surrounded the kunoichi before him, spitting out like flame on an open fire as the sage could now see with such clarity, the type of presence this was.

"You call me a dog when you were the one on a leash, until now." he reaffirmed his authority. His hands lay dormant by his side, only allowing his chakra to reveal his strength as the surrounding were now burdened with the weight of his presence. Small stones were beginning to crush, dissolving into minerals and seeping into the earth around him all the while the gust of wind that combined with his aura remained unscathed.  

"I know she is still in there. Somewhere. Where you used to dwell..." he had hoped.

"Let her go!" he ordered as an extreme burst of energy emitted the wind that enveloped him. This was the Beast's roar. His sharpened teeth came to a grind and his piercing and determined eyes darted to hers. A stare that could see past a simple appearance, rather staring into the darkest depths the kunoichi could muster.

"You dare threaten to take my life, or any, when you have not yet lived your own for a mere moment. A life that I will take away personally. Give me a reason why I shouldn't!" he hastily retrieved his blade placed it before her neck. Daring her to lie in order to give him a reason to end this here and now.

Chakra: 350/370

Sage Mode: