~The broken otsutsuki~

Chapter 44

Solana floated in a vast ocean keeping her eyes closed as she embraced the warm sensation all around her. The sound of water was all she heard. Moments later a cold and eerie feeling emerged. Slowly creeping her eyes open she saw that away stood the Otsutsuki with the crown-shaped horn. He appeared spaced out before narrowing his eyes at her and Instantly a hand was wrapped around her neck. Surprised, she gasped inhaling the fluid around her.

As she struggled the otsutsuki emerged in front of her with his hand gripping her neck and choking her. Solana stared wide-eyed and frightened as the otsutsuki smirked. Solana gasped as her eyes shot open. With nothing but her small pants clearing the silence of the room, she stared at the ceiling. A beam of sweat fell from her forehead as she sat up. Looking around the room she noticed jigen wasn't there again. Its been 3 days since the last time he came back.

Solana convinced herself it was because she made him uncomfortable and he was now avoiding her because of her way to "make him understand". With it not being the first time jigens disappeared for days she usually wouldn't worry about his whereabouts, but this time something felt off.

Although she thought he was merely avoiding her for some strange reason she felt he was up to something suspicious. For the past 3 days jigens been away, solana's had the same dream about that otsutsuki with the crown shaped horn every time she slept, though it'd be a different dream each time. Someway, somehow she knew jigen not showing and that otsutsuki suddenly coming into the picture was not a coincidence. "If only i could talk to that otsutsuki".

After minutes of pondering for a solution, she came up with a hectic and risky one. Closing her eyes she focused her mind on one place. knowing of her ability to teleport to places she deeply desires she thought to enter the area where 10tails were being held and question the otsutsuki, this time only little concerned of how jigen might react.

Seconds later feeling that the air shifted she opened her eyes revealing the wall with the otsutsuki horn engravings. She made her way to the enormous wall with the carvings of her clans horns and placed her hand on a specific shape. In sequence, the wall glowed and she jumped down onto the platform a few feet from the otsutsuki who turned to her and immediately stuck his hand out creating chakra rods.

Solana stepped off the platform and witness the being freeze just like before. "There's no way to communicate with him. If I'm on the platform he just attacks. If I'm off he just.." Solana thought and watched him vanish. She sighed turning around. "Was it all just coincidence? Even this bad feeling I have about jigen. There has to be something going on" she said to herself.

As solana was about to return to the room an all too familiar sound came to her ears. Following the sound of a portal opening below the platform she jumped down and stood next to one of the pillars holding the structure up. As she observed the growing portal she noticed a shadowy figure behind a pillar on the opposite side of the platform.

She then redirected her attention to the portal only to find jigen float out. She wasnt that shocked to see him in a place like this but since its been a while since shes physically saw him she was still surprised. "What is he doing here?" she mumbled watching as he looked down at 10tails who was still being held down by rods. The best noticed him floating above. "how are you doing 10tails? are you behaving?" jigen nonchalantly asked it.

"he doesn't seem to notice im here yet" she thought. The beast gnawed its teeth towards jigen causing him to fly back a little. "woah. You cant eat me I still need my vessel" he said. Solana sadly glanced at jigen. The mention of him still needing his vessel reminded her of multiple things about their situation. Jigen then held his hand out. "im sorry I need to take a little bit more" he said. solana furred her brows in confusion. "what is he talking about?" she thought.

Both jigen and 10tails started to glow red. While 10tails appeared to stop moving as if he was getting drained of power jigen held steady for he was actually taking this beasts power. Solana eyes widened as the look of sheer horror wiped her face. she watched as a horn emerged from jigens head. not just any horn but the horn of the male otsutsuki shes been dreaming about. Covering her mouth stepping back her eyes stayed glued to jigen. As the 10tails stopped moving jigen put his hand down and his horn slowly started to vanish.

From the corner of her eye the figure she noticed before came into her sight as a head. she could see the look this strangers face had was the same as hers. All of what she just witnessed was too much to take it. It became overwhelming to her as she grabbed her chest closing her eyes. All she wanted to do was get back to the room.

The air then shifted. Solana slowly peeled back her eyes as she continued to grip her chest. breathing heavy she stared at the ground. there was only two questions she could process from what she just witnessed. who was the figure that was there? and.. "what is jigen!?" she thought.