"No! Not Gonna Die tonight!
We're gonna stand and fight forever!
(don't close your eyes)
No! Not Gonna Die tonight!
We're gonna fight for us together!
No we're not gonna die tonight!"
Not Gonna Die (original Skillet)©
Someone nearby. Someone looks at me tenderly. But doesn't pierce, just glides. I feel it though eyes closed. Easy to guess who; I'd recognize that chakra among a thousand.
Pretend to sleep — breathe evenly, don't move. Don't want him to leave, let him stay. Feels nice. By internal clock about ten. Should've woken hours ago, but overslept from fatigue.
Tune abilities and sense house: Kakashi discussing something with Tazuna and daughter in kitchen, Naruto sleeps, Inari… sits by window in his room, Sasuke right here squatting before me.
He looked a bit, then quietly left room. I rolled on side wanting to continue fascinating sleep, but suddenly simple truth hit, making me jump up despite muscle pain.
They wanna leave without me!
Chuckling a bit at my slowness, hastily dressed. Kimono, bandages, equipment. Done! Bullet out room and quick to wash up. Already feel them leaving. Bastards!
Did everything in minutes, even left clone, zipped to first floor. No time to eat, so wished Tsunami good day, left house and ran after team. Didn't wake Naruto, hope he wakes himself: have insurance — clone. Anyway, if not for Sasuke, wouldn't wake, so thanks to him.
Bright sun accompanied short path; minute later caught team on forest path.
"Good day everyone," Teme and Kakashi clearly not surprised by my appearance, but Tazuna nearly jumped when I suddenly appeared beside.
"Hm… knew you weren't sleeping," Sasuke noted with signature poker face, but crystal clear he's glad.
"And you know a lot," reply same brick-face, but eyes betray me. Yes, unspeakably glad to see him, though don't show.
Others said nothing, silently headed to bridge.
Arrived on time, like a date. Cold fog began thickening again, sensed chakra of potential enemies in it. Kakashi warned, we stood back-to-back. Looked at Sasuke, saw fire in his eyes. Anticipating coming battle.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kakashi. See you're still messing with kids…" heard sinister voice from fog.
Zabuza's clones appeared sharply around us, but in instant Sasuke dispersed them all. Didn't interfere; he wouldn't like. Clear he itches to beat them, and I have bad premonition…
"Seems you have worthy opponents, Haku," they emerged from fog opposite us. Already reached for tekko-kagi, but had to draw kunai. Forgot sword at Tazuna's house! Girly memory! Damn, why this crucial moment?
"So my assumptions were right…" Hatake noted while I mentally slapped myself.
"So it was brazen lie?!" architect indignant.
"Girl's not bad either, pick who you want, Haku, be interesting…" Demon of the Hidden Mist smirked slyly under mask. Feels like auction. Doesn't matter who he picks, price one — death, discount today.
"You're right. I'll pick…" Ice Prince didn't finish, interrupted by my teammate:
"Me! I'll be your opponent!" Sasuke stepped forward.
"Volunteered. Go, Haku!"
"Yes," he said and dashed at Uchiha; meanwhile I made three normal clones surrounding architect.
When Haku and Sasuke engaged, speeds equal. Haku attacked Sasuke with long senbon, Uchiha blocked with kunai. After failed attacks, Yuki switched to ninjutsu. Created ice needles from water, sent at Sasuke, but he dodged, instantly at enemy, solid kick sending him to Zabuza.
Still, Teme outsped him, saw movements without Sharingan. Handsome! Not for nothing top of our class.
Standing, Haku released icy chakra. Gave me goosebumps. Can chakra be that icy? Hate cold, prefer heat.
When released enough energy and formed one seal, ice mirrors appeared around Sasuke. Incredible technique… Transforms chakra away from self! Stunning element control. Proves how weak I am, need more training!
Kakashi ran to mirrors, but Zabuza blocked.
"I'm your opponent," Zabuza growled crudely drawing sword, "consider him dead: that technique ends him."
As he said, heard gut-wrenching pain scream from mirrors. Like tearing someone apart. That scream chilled my soul. Again. Again this fear. Pierces bones, freezes mind. Don't know what to do next. Want to save him so bad, but can't. Can't. Leaving Tazuna alone wrong. Inhuman to abandon one to death to save another.
"Calm down and concentrate…" I whisper to self, trying regain self-control. But nothing works.
Damn, why no Sharingan? Already developed to second stage in training. Wait. Training?! Right! Trained Chidori yesterday, technique devours chakra! What was he thinking? Reserve didn't recover!
Damn, same crap with me. Reserve full only one third; if go there, leave one improved clone here — takes one fifth total reserve. Then left exactly for Body Flicker Technique to move self and another. Sasuke lacks strength now. But using it empties reserve completely, I'll die.
Where's Naruto?! Why no clone memories yet? What happened?!
Damn canon changes.
Another scream from mirrors from comrade; bit lip so pain distracts. Need control and think clearly. Worries no help.
If don't intervene now, Sasuke dies! But other consequence options no better. Remember, anime had Sakura in my place; she'd die if Zabuza attacked Tazuna. So he didn't (or Kakashi protected).
"Finish him, Haku. Taking too long," swordsman said.
"Will do," voice from mirrors.
"Ariza…" worried sensei addressed me. His look told what he thought. "You know what to do."
Nodded, made four normal clones around Tazuna and one improved — forms much slower, like materializing from air.
Didn't wait long, dashed to mirrors. To destroy, attack outside and inside simultaneously.
"Go, Sasuke!" I yelled; both formed seals for Fireball. Targeted one ice mirror with techniques.
Fire died, same ice, just slightly melted. S-o-o, attacks too weak for chakra-packed ice. Here'd be Madara's Great Fire Annihilation. Hm… gotta learn that technique somehow, but later. Now solve how extract Sasuke from trap.
"Won't melt ice with such weak fire. Sorry now, but must kill you. Zabuza-san's order," Haku said sadly, creating ice needles. Seems not in anime. Or forgot? Mirrors glowed bright, blinding; then ice needles flew at Sasuke.
Next second I bolted and crashed into mirrors. Acting stupid, but can't help. Fear and adrenaline seized body. Moving on reflexes, quickly unsealed kunai from bracer and started deflecting flying needles.
"You don't need this," Haku said, and just a few seconds later, I was deprived of my bracer. Damn it! Plan B is canceled—all my explosive seals were in there! I deflected a few more needles, and the attack stopped.
How strange that I could see his needles, but not him. That means he was deliberately throwing them slower so we could deflect them. Maybe he was trying to lure me into a trap on purpose? Or he just didn't want to kill us? Which is very illogical for a killing machine.
My thoughts were interrupted by a strange numbness in my thigh that made me drop to my knees. I saw the wound.
The ice began to turn red, and blood dripped onto the stone. I'm sure the adrenaline will wear off soon, and the pain will return. But that's fine—by then, Naruto will surely arrive.
I remembered one technique I created when I first started studying medical ninjutsu. It's freezing the nerve endings using wind chakra and the water accumulated in the body. But here, water isn't needed since that's what pierced me.
So I quickly melt the ice, treat it with medical jutsu, and start bandaging the wound.
I turn to Sasuke, who's on one knee, breathing heavily. His skin is covered in many small scratches oozing blood, but luckily, none of the ice needles hit him.
"Where did you go rushing in?!" he hissed and gave me a worried look. It hurt a little, but I stayed silent. After all, I perfectly understand that he's worried.
"You guys are tough and move well," Haku praised us from one of the mirrors and pulled out senbon. Is he going to stuff us with needles like a pincushion now?
"How does he attack?!" Sasuke said aloud. I look at him and see from his eyes that he's deliberately stalling. And it's obvious from him that he's close to figuring it out.
"He's teleporting, Teme," I said unexpectedly and stood up. "The essence of his mirrors technique is that only he reflects in them," I nodded toward the nearest mirror, where we weren't reflected, like vampires. "And he moves through them at tremendous speed. To him, we're probably not moving at all."
"You're no slouch. You noticed everything correctly," the opponent smirked.
"What kind of technique is that?" Sasuke asked a fairly interesting question.
"It's an Ice Kekkei Genkai. This technique is passed down only by blood inheritance," I continued stalling. Sasuke needs to rest, and I need to accumulate chakra. While I'm explaining, Haku probably won't attack: after all, he has honor and dignity, even if he's just a weapon in the swordsman's hands. "And it can't be copied even by the strongest Sharingan. This technique is based on genes."
"Damn it…" Uchiha gritted through his teeth and held up two fingers, answering my coded question. During my explanation, I asked how many more minutes he needed to activate his Sharingan.
Suddenly, the mirrors began to glow, blinding us, and a bunch of senbon flew out. At first, I couldn't track them. They stabbed like stings into arms, then legs. But now… I duck. Step aside. I deflect the weapon with a kunai and try to get closer to Sasuke, but the next attack from the opponent makes me fall.
"Damn…" I whisper, holding back a scream and trying to stand on shaking legs. Does he want to beat us to death? To make us die from blood loss?
Where does he get so many senbon? Is he using cloning? Wait, cloning? Exactly!
A plan suddenly formed in my head. I know how we can get out. For that, I'll have to use the fire drill, but I can't do it without Sasuke. I've accumulated enough chakra for the Body Flicker Technique, but only for myself. There won't be enough for Sasuke, and I'm not planning to abandon him. That's why I'm not using that technique.
"Sasuke, I have an idea, but I need your help," I said to him when Haku stopped attacking. Apparently, he needs a rest too. Uchiha nodded, and we stood back-to-back. It's easier to defend that way. I just opened my mouth to explain when the opponent interrupted me:
"Forgive me, but I won't let you escape from here," that sad voice again, as if he's being forced to kill us. I feel sorry for him, even though he's caused us a lot of pain. "Your end comes on this bridge!"
"No! We Won't Die Tonight!" I shouted and created clones that started attacking the mirrors, while I stayed next to Sasuke. In response, ice needles flew at us again. They're not that fast, and I manage to dodge. While my clones distract, I need to tell him:
"Sasuke, listen carefully…" I just started speaking when suddenly the needles sped up so much that I couldn't even blink before all the clones dispersed.
Why did they get so fast?!
Sudden pain in my left leg made me drop to my knees and clutch the wound. Damn! I was already practically standing on one leg, and now I can't move the second one either!
While they weren't attacking me, I decided to check on my friend to see how he's doing. And his situation is really bad. Even though he activated his Sharingan, the problem is his body can't keep up with his reactions. So a second later, he lost his kunai.
"Sasuke!" it burst from my lips. He turned toward my voice and shouted back:
"Behind you!"
"I won't make it!" — flashes through my head as I turn. And I already know what's coming—I won't dodge. If I calculate the trajectory of even one of the three needles flying at me, they're all aimed at vital organs.
I see Sasuke pulling three senbon from his pouch and throwing them to knock the needles away.
"Phew, close call…" — I mentally exhale in relief. Sasuke saved me.
A fraction of a second before they collided, the ice needles froze in the air! Waiting for the senbon to pass! And they move again!
What the hell?!
From surprise, I couldn't even move, and I could only wait for my fate. And time, as if on purpose, became stretchy, prolonging this moment.
"Is this really the end?" — I think, but suddenly Sasuke stands in front of me.
I look up and see from his face that he's already buried himself. Sasuke closes his eyes and waits for the pain, and I still can't move!
I can't budge!
I have to do something!
Push Sasuke away or deflect the attack.
Anything to save him! I don't have enough chakra to heal his wounds!
I can't let him die.
Damn it, come on…
I touch Sasuke's arms and quickly use Body Replacement.
The first thing I feel is pain in my chest. Intense, piercing through my whole body to the bones.
Blood drips down my chin, and my eyes start watering.
I don't know what's damaged, but I can't breathe. My legs give out, and I fall backward.
"Why?" Sasuke asked quietly when he caught me. "Why?!" — I look into his eyes full of despair, as if I can't get enough. "You said you wouldn't die!"
"I don't know… It just happened," I mumble hoarsely. Some feeling stirs in my soul. Sadness? Maybe sorrow? I don't know. "I wanted to tell you: sorry…"
"You can't, you can't die now…"
"I won't…"
I want to hear his voice one last time, and feel his scent. It's so sweet. But even though he's close, instead of peaches, I smell blood, and instead of his voice—only ringing in my ears.
My thoughts start to jumble; I don't know what to think about: not fulfilling Rikudo's mission, or that I haven't lived much in this world either? But I know for sure I want to live. Very much. I don't want to die. I don't want to end up with the Devourers.
But I can't do anything: my vision starts to darken, and consciousness sinks into the abyss.
"That feeling again…" — with a note of sadness, it flashes through my head.
The feeling that someone's watching me.
Did Rikudo decide to check how I screw up?
Hah… and he was right… it's not that easy…
…to be a Transmigrator.
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: Granulan