Piece title: Breathing into Reality
Submission:
~I wish to take part and agreed to abide by the contest rules~
Breathing into Reality
“Kakashi do you ever feel as if you’re lost in someone else’s dream,”
“No, because I’m always tired…”
“Kakashi I’m serious!”
“Rin, that sounds like a question you should probably ask Obito, or the 4th.”
“…It’s just that I keep having this recurring nightmare. Normally I wouldn’t pay them any mind but they seem so real. You’re in them too Kakashi.”
“Me?”
“Yeah…I-its like you’re trying to save me from something, something terrible," Rin said nervously trying to hide a reddened face.
“That doesn’t sound like me at all," Kakashi said flatly while turning a page in his book.
“Kakashi,” Rin pouted as she turned away from Kakashi.
“We need to meet up with Obito. If we arrive even later than him, I’ll be surprised if they don’t strip our status as jonin.” Kakashi walked off toward the Hokage’s office as Rin gazed at him with a worried expression. Kakashi stopped suddenly and then sighed without looking in her direction. “If I’m the one protecting you in your dreams then their really isn’t reason to worry.”
Rin nodded with a smile and then caught up to Kakashi as they made their way to the Hokage’s office.
PRESENT
The weight of death and hopelessness pressed down on his body as he crawled towards her body. He inched forward like a child unsure of the world outside. His hands trembled, and his heart waivered as he feared that she too joined the others in the afterlife.
“Rin,” Kakashi whispered timidly. Her body was lifeless and her skin pale. “…Please Rin, not now, not after everything I did to get back-“
“….Kakashi,” an adult Rin managed to slip through her lips as blood trickled from her mouth and across her cheek. She slowly opened her eyes to meet his gaze. She couldn’t speak, but everything she wanted to say was evident in the sparkle in her eyes. Even in this situation, she managed to warm Kakashi’s heart. “….Ka-shi, they….ead…all……de…d?”
Kakashi brushed a thumb across her cheek as he smiled through the pain. “I’m not sure,” Kakashi said, knowing it was a lie. Everyone was dead. Obito, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, Guy…everyone. The city was razed to the ground in the blink of an eye. Shinobi, and citizens alike were mowed down without remorse and they were all felled by a single enemy.
“…Hmph, the fourth put up a better fight than I thought would,” the masked man said while cracking his neck. He stepped over Minato’s body as he flicked the blood off of his executioner blade. “Kakashi leave her to die and admire your work. This is what befalls those who tamper with the universe. This
is the universe.” The hooded figure donned a white cloak and a mask. He slowly walked in Kakashi’s direction with purpose and authority.
“What is he talking about? Does he know,” Kakashi thought to himself as he remained frozen in terror as it was all he could do to simply not drown in the bloodlust emitting from the masked man. “Do you think this is what anyone desires,” Kakashi shouted back.
“I know what it was your heart wanted. Not even peace could fill in the regrets you lived with, so your greed led you to forbidden jutsu and you traversed through time,” the cloaked figure stated as he continued to step over the multitude of bodies in the rubble. “Let her die…”
“SHUT UP,” Kakashi yelled again as a drop of sweat ran down has back. He could not identify this man; however, he felt as if he recognized him somehow. He didn’t have time to join in his philosophical banter. Rin would soon her lose her battle with death. He could get away….
“Do you know why I’m here Kakashi? Do you know why I came to destroy this timeline?”
Kakashi ignored his questions as he continued to focus on Rin. He shuddered every time the cloaked figure’s foot hit the ground. The aura became thicker and nauseating. Rin was trying to speak, and he was crying…because she was smiling. She knew he was trying to run away. Somehow, she knew he was trying to save her again.
~FLASHBACK~
“Well Sasuke looks like we’re both old now. At least your generation was easier on old folks like me. Thanks for keeping the peace,” Kakashi said while eating his morning breakfast in bed. It wasn’t like he could eat anywhere else at this point in his life.
“…Kakashi, that just sounds wrong coming from you,” Sasuke said. “Have you finally come to terms. I have to say, even with your reputation, these findings surprised me.”
“Yeah, it isn’t like me to do, but if I have the ability to go back and save them…I owe it to them to try. At this age, I have very little to offer this world.”
“…Don’t say that.”
“Sasuke don’t get sentimental on me now. For once I actually need you to be your usual self.”
“What do you want me to tell the others...”
“Natural causes.”
“….Sure.”
There was an awkward but comforting silence that filled the laboratory. Ever since the battle with Kaguya, Kakashi had been working with Sasuke on a time traveling jutsu. They had discovered that time, like anything else, was a dimension. By navigating the dimension, you could enter at a certain point and time. However, after sending a sample of duplicate plant life 2 seconds back to the past, both the present and past flowers eventually disintegrated. So, they developed a jutsu, similar to the Reaper’s death Seal, to extract one’s soul and then send that soul to the compatible body to meld with their counterpart in the target timeline. The only way to know if it was a 100% success would be to perform the jutsu.
“…Ah that was a good meal…”
“…Kakashi you’re ready?”
“Yeah…I’ll definitely save her this time…”
~PRESENT~
“….Kakashi rejoice! I saved you from needless turmoil! Let her pass on. Let the world pass on.”
“Who are you, and how do you know about time travel,” Kakashi said finally averting his attention to the enigmatic figure. Kakashi figured that he could buy some time in this situation. Once he gave them an opening he would flee.
“Ah…how rude of me.” He removed his hood slowly revealing a rinnegan with various tomoe, and a mess of shaggy white hair. Kakashi was dismayed when he realized that the person that stood before them, the person that destroyed everything he loved, was himself.
“B-but why? Why would I-,”
“It’s because you let Rin live. The universe has a way of creating balance, and you disrupted that balance. Because you let her live, the world became hell.”
“Hell?”
“Obito never joined Madara, and the Akatsuki was quelled. The world was relatively peaceful, and many things remained the same. Some things even changed for the better; however, without Madara the world never united. Without that common foe, the countries continued to vie for power and eventually another shinobi war unlike anything you could imagine broke out. So many died in that war, and the villages were no more. Everyone close to us met an untimely end and I was once again left alone. This made me realize that this is what the universe truly desires. Pain, suffering, destruction, and death, that is all the universe truly is. Madara almost had it right. He wanted us all to live in a dream world, but that isn’t sufficient. The universe would surely find a way to destroy us even in a dream. The only freedom is death. So I, Jinkan Kakashi has come to bring peace, and truth through destruction, the true essence of fate.”
Kakashi stared in disbelief. There was no way that something like this could be happening. There was no way that all of those things could happen. At the same time, he suddenly felt the guilt of a murderer. He killed everyone. He should have never opened Pandora’s box.
“I cannot count how many times I’ve killed you Kakashi, but every time I feel an overwhelming bliss takeover me. No longer shall you live in the lie of this universe, for I bring you its true nature, rejoice!”
Kakashi simply stared into space. His eyes were dead as was his heart. Perhaps he should just fadeaway into a void, allowing his burdens to be dispersed into the vacuum of unconsciousness. Kakashi took a kunai and looked upon his weapon with a lifeless expression. He didn’t have it in him to fight any more…especially if that was what he was to become. He had doomed so many people....so many timelines. He didn’t deserve to exist. As a single tear trekked down his face he lifted the kunai and tilted it toward his neck. Just as he was bout to take his life he felt Rin’s touch, and that was enough to snap him out of it.
“Rin, how could I forget! Rin we need to get-,”
Rin shook her head again and smiled. A pale green light appeared from her hands as she attempted to heal her own wounds; however, Kakashi knew that would only postpone her time. She then pointed to the Kakashi from the future. “…I b-lieve…n….you……kashi…”
Kakashi held back a flood of tears before opening his eyes again. He held her gaze for just a moment to take it all in. He had to accept it all, the guilt, the shame, the fear, the hope…everything. “I will be back shortly…” Kakashi said as he stood up and faced his future self.
“What’s this? Have you not accepted your fate?”
“…The opposite actually,” Kakashi said twirling a kunai in either hand. “I created you…it is my responsibility to kill you.”
“…Kill me? I’m stronger than you could ever imagine. I’ve lived through several timelines and battles. Mark my words, you will break. Then you will die just as the universe intends. I’m no longer a mere shinobi, but an agent of fate.”
“….We will see,” Kakashi said as he stopped twirling his kunai and studied his future self. A gentle breeze ran through his hair as their wills clashed within the silence. Even now Kakashi was overwhelmed. He had no idea how he would beat this
Jinkan Kakashi. Despite how he felt about his state of mind, he could tell he was not boasting. Somehow, he had attained some terrifying power. He looked about 20 years older than Kakashi, and a lot more battle tested. He could hardly believe that was him.
Kakashi then sprinted towards his future self at full speed although his counterpart held his ground without even taking a battle stance. Kakashi immediately opened the 1st gate and burst toward Jinkan Kakashi. He attacked with a flurry of strikes from all angles and directions; however, Jinkan deflected all of his strikes with a single hand without moving from his position. Kakashi continued his relentless onslaught as his attacks became even faster accompanied by his reddened skinned. He had entered the 3rd gate. However, Jinkan easily parried every attack with a single hand as if it was nothing.
“…Your resolve is weak,” Jinkan said before slipping through one of Kakashi’s strikes and returning a blow of his own right into Kakashi’s gut which sent him flying into the remains of a nearby building. Kakashi emerged from the dust cloud with a streak of blood running down his face. He was panting heavily, but he knew he would have to find a way to take Jinkan out.
“…6th gate….,” Kakashi said between labored breaths. Suddenly his skin became even redder as a green aura overtook him while the ground shook mightily.
“…I see…without the sharingan you had to focus on other ways to become stronger…”
“Morning peacock,” Kakashi shouted as he threw a storm of flaming punches at point blank range; however, Jinkan once again avoided every single punch with ease, but just as he was about to counter attack, Kakashi stopped his futile barrage and then proceeded to enter a fighting stance. “Look around you,”
Jinkan’s eyes widened yet again as he realized there were several oddly shaped kunai’s surrounding him. In fact, they were more than just oddly shaped. These were the kunai’s that the fourth used for his flying thunder god jutsu. “…You weren’t attacking me with that last flurry. You were setting these up?”
“Burning Thunder God Lotus,” Kakashi said without answering his question and in an instant, he was behind him. Kakashi attempted to deliver a kick to shatter his skull; however, it was once again parried in the nick of time. He then teleported 3 more times before throwing a punch aimed toward his ribs. This attack was avoided by Jinkan who stilled maintained a calm expression throughout the entire ordeal. Kakashi continued to apply pressure to Jinkan by teleporting and attacking from various directions. This was his trump card for the most part, but he had no choice but to pull it out early before Jinkan got serious. Kakashi upped the speed of his technique, yet Jinkan was still keeping up easily. In fact, this entire fight he had only been using one hand. Kakashi snickered as he teleported to a kunai above jinkan and then spun down as if he was a burning drill.
“…It’s pointless just-,” before Jinkan could finish that sentence a hand came up out of the ground and grabbed his leg which caused Jinkan to finally break his cool expression. In the blink of an eye, Jinkan was dragged down through the earth up to his neck while a clone rose up above the surface simultaneously. Without missing a beat, the original Kakashi crashed through the ground, decimating the clone along with Jinkan as rubble shot from the ground and a dust cloud formed around the area.
Kakashi knelt down within the crator that was formed from his last attack. He was panting heavily and his skin was back to normal. His muscles’ twitched violently as he looked past the cloud of dust. “…Damn,” Kakashi said as he grabbed a handful of dirt out of frustration. Jinkan’s body wasn’t here. As the dust settled Jinkan stood unscathed near the building that Kakashi had crashed into earlier.
“Did you forget I could teleport,” Jinkan said as he pointed toward his rinnegan.
Kakashi slowly stood up, using nearly every ounce of energy he had left. He hadn’t mastered the gates yet, but it was the only way he stood a chance. Even still, a smirk formed on Kakashi’s face as he formed a seal with his hands to Jinkan’s surprise. “…No,” That triggered multiple bright lights forming around Jinkan. Kakashi had placed several paper bomb tags on the ground and the building walls. He had gambled on the fact that Jinkan would switch places with an object that was in his line of sight and it turned out to pay off. “…You might be me, but I’ve never handled power all that well. When I created the chidori I ignored an obvious weakness and nearly died. When I obtained the sharingan I relied on it more than my own natural skills. I could never beat you in a test of strength, but in a test of wits you’re outclassed.”
Jinkan’s cool expression as his face began to warp with anger. “KAKASHI, JUST DIE!”
“It seems like I will.”
One by one the paper tags went off triggering other paper tags until the area around Jinkan became a symphony of explosions that warped into one blazing mass. “…Rin, I did it…” Kakashi said as he nearly collapsed to the ground in relief.
“Never relax on the battlefield,” a cold voice said as it cut through the silence. Kakashi quickly looked up to realize a giant blade was already bearing down upon him, and Jinkan was its wielder. On pure instinct Kakashi managed to block the attack with his kunai; however, the force still managed to send him flying back several meters. Jinkan took advantage of the attack and appeared above the flying Kakashi and delivered a powerful kick which sent him crashing a few feet underground. Jinkan did not take this time to rest, instead he performed a set of handseals in less than half a second. He inhaled deeply and then exhaled a stream of intense flames into the hole that was created by Kakashi’s body. The area around them was engulfed in flames as pillars of fire erupted from the ground due to the sheer force and volume of the flames of the jutsu. However, Jinkan quickly turned towards the sky to discover Kakashi was now above him, holding a kunai attached to a parachute. Kakashi had a kunai floating above just in case he needed to escape one last time. “The flying thunder god again huh,” Jinkan said as he performed another set of handseals before pointing his palm in Kakashi’s direction. “God Spear,”
Kakashi could feel static forming around him; in fact, he could see small particles forming a path between Jinkan and Kakashi. “Shit,” Kakashi said as a giant bolt of electricity was instantly shot from Jinkan’s palm and into the sky, splitting the clouds as it destroyed anything in its path. Kakashi used the flying thunder god to once again teleport to the ground. His breaths were becoming more labored. Although his stamina was not a big issue without the sharingan, he knew he could only use the flying thunder god a few more times before his body would begin to shut down. Kakashi did not have much time to think things over as electric particles began to form around him once again. Kakashi promptly through a kunai and teleported once again as the spear of lightning erased everything, yet something was wrong. In his new position the particles were already formed.
“He predicted my movements,” Kakashi said with widened eyes as he had not yet grabbed the kunai. The spear formed again, engulfing several buildings along the way. Kakashi was above his previous position as a green aura once again enveloped him. The aura faded as quickly as it came, for Kakashi only had enough energy to enter the 6th gate for a split second. He needed the extra speed to send the kunai off in time. Kakashi hit the ground hard and rolled for a bit before coming to a stop. He laid on the ground with his arms outstretched as he looked toward the sky. He had accepted his fate. “I gave it my best shot, but…he’s stronger than me…”
“Kakashi…..,” a faint voice whispered. It was Rin. As fate would have it, Kakashi had landed next to her again. Her efforts to stave off death had been working, at least for a little while.
“Rin I’m sorry…I can’t beat him on my own, It looks like I failed again,” Kakashi said as he turned his head toward her.
“…You’re not….alone. Obito….before he died….gave me-“
Kakashi’s eyes widened as Rin revealed his gifts. He rolled over and crouched beside Rin who stopped healing herself. She pulled down his mask cupped his face with her hands, planting a kiss on his lips as Kakashi didn’t resist.
“How fitting…I can kill you both,” Jinkan said as he watched the scene unfold before him. “At least you have accepted your fate…” Jinkan performed a set of handseals and then held his palm out yet again. Rin’s hand dropped lifelessly beside her body. Kakashi stood up, still facing Rin as the static particles formed around him.
“Goodbye Rin.”
The lightning spear was formed once again, cutting toward Kakashi at great speed. Just before it hit him Kakashi turned around with a mix of blood and tears streaking down from a pair of eyes that revealed a pair of sharingan.
“RAIKIRI,” Kakashi shouted with passion as a mass of lightning formed in each hand. Bolts of lightning flicked around his body as it crackled violently. A powerful shockwave spread through Konoha as the two attacks clashed. Kakashi screamed with a fierceness that he had never displayed before as he held off the attack and then the spear split in two.
“The sharingan…,” Jinkan said as he grabbed his giant executioner blade. “But how long can you last?”
Kakashi in turn unsheathed his white saber. “As long as I need to.”
They burst toward each other and another shockwave was sent through Konoha as they clashed. Kakashi dodged the first swing, ducking under the giant blade as he attempted to gut Jinkan who sidestepped out of the way and into a spinning backhand slash that prompted Kakashi to flip over. Once he landed, Kakashi formed the Raikiri and leapt from his position. With a wave of his hands Jinkan repelled everything around him, sending Kakashi flying across the battlefield. Jinkan teleported, using his rinneagan abilities by switching places with a corpse and appeared behind Kakashi. However particles of lightning started to surround Jinkan.
“…This is-,” Jinkan said in shock.
“This is your jutsu, I’ve already copied it. GOD SPEAR!”
Kakashi thrusted his palm forward and formed the electric spear that pierced through the earth violently. All that remained was a path carved into the ground by the powerful jutsu. As the dust cleared Jinkan could be seen still standing, yet some of his clothes were in tatters.
“So that’s it. You didn’t just get stronger on your own,” Kakashi said as he gazed at Jinkan’s exposed chest. “Hashirama cells…that would explain your increased stamina…”
“Kakashi why do you continue to fight. There is no one left to protect…”
“That’s true, but I’m not the only one who doesn’t want to lose those I care about. I understand that now…”
Suddenly some parts of Jinkan’s body appeared to admit a thin stream of dust. Kakashi’s body did the same as well. “Jinkan, if we don’t end this soon this timeline will reject us both.”
“Don’t worry I planned on killing you anyway. I don’t know what it is, but something is telling me that If I don’t kill you at this very moment, I might meet an untimely end.”
“That would be fear,” Kakashi retorted.
“No, I will show you fear Kakashi,” Jinkan said with a wide grin. The ground shook violently as several hands arose out of the ground until eventually a buddha statue made of wood was created. Jinkan coughed up blood, but continued to smile as he watched the horror form across Kakashi’s face. He was now alone with death knocking at his door. “Rin told you right, you’re not alone,” a voice said which prompted Kakashi to shift his gaze nervously. He was unsure if he was worried, or hopeful. “Close your eyes,” the voice said once again. Kakashi obliged and when he opened them, he was standing in a white void. Across from him was another Kakashi who smiled warmly.
“You were the voice in my head.”
The other Kakashi nodded as he stepped forward. “You are aware of the time traveling method that involves the soul.”
“But they meld together, absorbed by the you of that timeline...”
“That’s true; however, no two souls could meld together perfectly. Not even if I am you. Your critical condition has allowed me to dissociate from you as a separate conscious. If you reach into my memories, you would remember that Obito was able to do the same thing since we shared the sharingan.
“……I’m going to die.”
“No, we won’t let you,” the other Kakashi said with a smile. Expectedly, Kakashi gave him a quizzical look.
“We?”
As if to answer his question several blue flames began to flicker across the infinite plane as far as his eye could see. The flames then attained tangible bodies, revealing that they two were Kakashi’s from other timelines. “What is all this,” Kakashi said in awe of everything that had happened.
“No need to ask when you have our memories. Unlike Jinkan you never lost hope, even when you were on the brink.”
“…I watched her die so many times. I returned so many times. It was truly hell.”
“Kakashi, the man who has lived for over 1000 years. We will lend you our chakra. Up until now you have only been utilizing you own chakra reserves; moreover, you were able to tap into tap into the reserves of the you that was most immediate to your timeline. However, that won’t be enough. It is as I said…you are not alone.”
A tear ran down his face as he unclenched his fist, finally accepting what it was he had to do. “Thank you.”
“Defeat him, and save
your timeline,” the other Kakashi said with a smile before slowly fading away. With a final gaze at the others who came from other timelines, Kakashi closed his eyes at which point he was thrust back into reality. The fists of the buddha statue were already barring down upon him. Jinkan declared victory, but a mass of chakra soon overtook Kakashi, cutting through the fists with ease. It grew to a full-fledged humanoid figure that had the appearance of a winged warrior. It was the Susanoo.
“My hunch was right; you are evolving during this fight. GO!”
Jinkan launched a full-scale assault with the 1000 hands statue. It’s power and speed unmatched and for a brief moment Kakashi’s mind flashed back to the stories he had heard of the first hokage. If it was not someone like him who had this power the world could have very well ended up a different place. Kakashi’s Susanoo matched Jinkan’s ferocity by rapidly throwing several shuriken that sent the arms into the Kumui dimension; however, there seemed to be no end to it. Kakashi took off to the sky with several attacks just barely missing him as they crashed through the ground. He skillfully weaved and phased through attacks from all angles before charging a Raikiri in the Susanoo’s right hand.
“It’s over Jinkan!” Kakashi said as he easily cut through several wooden arms and tendrils aimed to skewer or bind him. Jinkan snickered before weaving a set of handseals and creating a pair of lightning wings that allowed him to jet into the sky. Kakashi changed his trajectory and pursued Jinkan into the sky. Jinkan managed to flash Kakashi another smile as he finished yet another set of handseals. Kakashi looked around nervously when nothing happened; however, he quickly realized that from the distance a meteorite was heading in his direction.
“One thing after another,” Kakashi said with a sigh. Without missing a beat Kakashi’s Susanoo was enveloped in powerful lightning that crackled violently with a purple hue. With a clear conscious Kakashi flew straight at the meteorite with the weight of the world on his shoulders and then they made impact. The air was still for only a moment before the meteorite burst into several pieces in a violent explosion that even made Jinkan tumble around through the air before re-orienting himself. Jinkan shifted his gaze through the falling rocks, but he could not spot the Susanoo. As he continued to look a Raikiri infused kunai grazed his cheek; it would have killed him if not for his trained reflexes. Tracing its path, he saw Kakashi, calmly standing on the falling rocks.
“No more Susanoo eh? Run out of chakra?”
“….No, I’m saving my chakra for the endgame. One of us will die before we hit the ground.”
“Why don’t you just give up?”
Kakashi closed his eyes and smiled as he remembered everyone who sacrificed themselves in this world. He remembered those from several other timelines as well. He then smiled as he took out a kunai and faced Jinkan.
“…It’s simple, that’s my ninja way.”
Rage, frustration, and arrogance overtook Jinkan as he dashed toward Kakashi at near light speeds. Before Kakashi could even react, a large gash appeared on his stomach.
“(The wings don’t just enable flight…they boost his speed. He’s moving even faster than the Raikage. It’s almost as if he is the true Flying Thunder God!)
Jinkan returned, this time breaking the piece of falling rubble that Kakashi was standing on which caused Kakashi to fall immediately. While in the air, another gash appeared on Kakashi, this time on his leg before Kakashi crashed on to another piece of rubble.
“He’ll kill me at this rate. He’s toying with me, but he’s being cautious…,” Well since I’ve already started quoting you…I’m sure you won’t mind if the copy ninja uses your signature technique…...Naruto… Kakashi made a single handseal, resembling a plus sign and then several shadow clones appeared. With his new source of chakra he was able to perform this jutsu without issues. If he couldn’t keep up with Jinkan’s attacks he would overwhelm him with numbers instead.
“And here I thought you would finally go quietly,” Jinkan said with a smile before diving straight into the army of clones. One after another Jinkan mowed through clones and rubble before they could even react; however, as he attacked he began to unintentionally form pathways as the clones turned to smoke. They launched several jutsu and combinations in a feeble attempt to slow him down. 900, 720, 430…the number of clones rapidly decreased in only a few seconds. 300, 112, 88….the slaughter continued. Each bright flash from Jinkan’s jutsu seemed to come at the cost of a handful of clones. “It’s only a matter of time before you die Kakashi. Hiding behind these clones in a desperate attempt to live is not becoming of the great copy ninja.”
32…9…4. Kakashi looked on as he was only left with a few more clones that could only buy him a fraction of a second. “….Okay, I’ll have to do It now,” Kakashi said as his sharingan swirled into the mangekyo pattern as he threw a kunai, but before he could even blink or draw his next breath a stream of blood trickled from his mouth underneath his mask. Jinkan stood before him with a look of pity and authority. His arm ran completely through Kakashi’s chest, as the Raikiri faded from his hand. The remaining shadow clones vanished and Kakashi began to tremble once he realized what had happened. He grabbed Jinkan’s arm; however, he had no strength to pull away, or say anything.
“….It’s over Kakashi. I was too fast for your Kamui…”
“…..You’ve lost….,” Kakashi stated with a smile before drawing his last breath. Jinkan pulled his arm out of Kakashi’s chest and allowed him to fall lifelessly on the descending platform they were on. A pool of blood quickly surrounded his body. His eyes looked up to the sky, despite the emptiness behind them. Jinkan panted nervously, visibly shaken by Kakashi’s last words; however, he began to laugh as he cast them aside.
“Rebellious to the end Kakashi. You can now rejoice in the after life…”
Jinkan remained silent for a few seconds as he gazed at his hand. It was still fading to dust. “With the death of Kakashi the universe should have ended its correction by now…,” Jinkan stated calmly. As he looked up he noticed that he was not the only one fading to dust. The entire world was fading. Cracks appeared in the sky, the sun grew dim, buildings drifted off in the form of dust as did the people.
“Kakashi...what the hell did you do?!”
Jinkan snatched up Kakashi’s body and shook him violently, but there was no response. Even in death his eyes seemed to mock the enraged Jinkan who began to fade even faster. He cursed, he writhed, and tears began to form in his eyes. He eventually threw Kakashi’s body off of the rubble and then began to fly away from the battlefield in an attempt to escape the world around him. Everything was literally crumbling to an end. Portals opened as several other Jinkans entered this timeline in hopes of refuge only to realize that every timeline was collapsing. “Kakashi you couldn’t have…did you actually manage to tamper with the point of origin? Finding it and making contact with it would have required a tremendous amount of chakra and focu-,” Jinkan recalled Kakashi’s eyes and the clones that kept him busy. He then looked at the several other Jinkans dying around him. “…Once you saw me you realized I wasn’t the only one…..but to destroy entire timelines…maybe we aren’t so different after all.” He began to chuckle and then he broke into crazed laughter as the world continued to deteriorate around him.
“BURN IN HELL KAKASHIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
The world had come to an end.
~POINT OF ORIGIN~
“Well Sasuke, looks like we’re both old now. At least your generation was easier on old folks like me. Thanks for keeping the peace,” Kakashi said while eating his morning breakfast in bed. It wasn’t like he could eat anywhere else at this point in his life.
“…Kakashi, that just sounds wrong coming from you,” Sasuke said. “So have you finally come to terms. I have to say, even with your reputation, your findings surprised me.”
“Yeah, it isn’t like me to do this, but if I have the ability to go back and save them…I owe it to them to try. At this age, I have very little to offer this world.”
“…Don’t say that.”
“Sasuke don’t get sentimental on me now. For once I actually need you to be your usual self.”
“What do you want me to tell the others...”
“Natural causes.”
“…Sure.”
There was an awkward but comforting silence that filled the laboratory. They research had culminated to this one event….the official test. Just as Kakashi was about to give the order to begin a kunai came flying seemingly out of nowhere at high speeds. It remained stuck in the ground as Kakashi shot Sasuke a concerned glance.
“Space time jutsu…,” Sasuke said calmly as he picked up the kunai. Attached was a note addressed to Kakashi. Sasuke furrowed his brows and handed the note to Kakashi. “It’s addressed to you…”
Kakashi took the note and read it without changing his expression. He then sighed as he folded the note and closed his eyes. “Sasuke...when you get the chance, burn it all,” Kakashi said as he stared down at his bed sheets.
“………………If that’s what you want, but why the sudden change of heart.”
“No reason at all,” Kakashi said as he forced himself out of bed and into a wheel-chair. Sasuke smirked as he followed him out of the laboratory only to be greeted by Naruto and Sakura.
“YOU TWO HAVE BEEN HANGING OUT A LOT LATELY! THIS IS JUST LIKE LAST TIME,” Naruto said as he pointed toward his sensei and best friend.
“Sorry Kakashi sensei, I tried to stop him, but he insisted,” Sakura said as she face palmed.
“Naruto…that was so many years ago, and I doubt there is anything I could teach you now,” Kakashi stated flatly, ignoring his suspicions.
Sasuke simply ignored the entire situation as if it wasn’t his problem. “So what’s the mission today,” Sasuke said with a smirk. He probably should have replaced the term missions with vacation.
“Don’t change the subject,” Naruto interjected.
Kakashi opened up a brochure that he pulled from thin air and smiled. “Who knows…the possibilities are endless. “ He held up a piece of paper and let the gentle breeze carry it through the wind, its destination unknown but purpose fulfilled.
Embrace yesterday, live for today, and create tomorrow.
-Kakashi Hatake