A flower by the flame (Self Insert)

16

The first thing I noticed was that I felt nothing. No pain, no sadness, no life. Then I saw where I was. The endless expanse of my inner mind. I stood on the water and looked around. I walk and walk. I see nothing. The sage was not here this time. Suddenly there was a growl. Turning around, I see a larger white tiger with blue stripes looming over me. Oh hell. Am I going to be one of those fanfiction characters with a inner beast? I've seen all those and it does not look fun.

"No." A feminine voice rumbled across the area. "I am the thing you created after training with the wild cats of the forest. You built up the skills along with my form. You gained me as an ability. Something like sage mode but I am more like a..." She was quiet as if trying to remember. "Inner." I look up at her face and see that she had solid violet eyes with bright magenta slit pupils. "You know why you see me now don't you? You had a lot of time to think while being shredded apart." I sigh, knowing that she can hear my thoughts and was practically a part of me. "Yes. I avoided brutal combat and went for small ambushes. All because I thought I could do things cleanly."

"You need to get dirty now." The tiger glowed bright white and melted into a new figure. A ghostly white outline of myself with the blue streaks in the swirling hair. She held her hand out. "No defense jutsu. I know you want to respect the sage but that can't be done right now." I take her hand and the light envelopes my whole body.

Next thing I know, I snap my eyes open. This room seemed oddly familiar. Well. Good news is I do not have a inner demon like the lovable Gaara. Bad news... Dropping my resolution means I have to kill the normal ninja way. Yay. Note the dripping sarcasm. "Not so bad is it?" My brand new inner chimed in. This is insane. I'm going insane. The only fun I had killing is in video games. "Think of it as a video game." No. They are real people now! Not characters. "You are a kunoichi. A ninja. And all ninja kill. Madara has probably killed hundreds of people by now." I take back what I said before. She is an inner demon. Fine, fine. I get it. But what can you do you suggest? You can't expect me to do this like these people. They have a war mode. I only got mama mode.

There was a silence after that. Guess she has to think on it. I look to the door and try to get up but it seems I'm wrapped stiff with bandages. I feel like a mummy. I can't even heal myself. Bringing my arm up to my mouth. I begin chewing through the layers of wraps. After getting free, I untie my legs to get them loose. I still look like a mummy. I sit up and begin healing the bruises and thin cuts. There were some that looked already healed. There will be lots of scars from this. I cant hide the marks made by the deeper cuts. And I thought the only mass scarring I would suffer were mosquito attacks from my old life. Tobirama enters the room and takes one look at me before leaving.

I grin and chase him down, tackling the boy to the ground. "Yes! A familiar face. Oh how I missed my little Tobirabbit!" I hug him and rub my cheek against his as he tried getting free. Hashirama came around the corner with rags and a water bowl but froze when he saw me. "How are you even up already....did you chew your way out?" He asked, looking down at the ripped bandages. I just smile at him. "You know me so well." I stand up and release Tobirama who was coughing from my hug of love.

"Mother and Father want to see you."

"Good because I have a lot of questions."

.....

Hashirama sat beside me. Tobirama was leaning on the door frame eying me with some suspicion which I don't know why. I didn't do anything but get kidnapped. Akane looked at me in a way I never expected. She looked relieved but also sad. I get straight to the point. "Who was Keisuke Senju to you?" She looked up with widened ruby eyes before they softened.

"Keisuke... was my twin brother."

Hashirama jumped up immediately. "Your telling me that Rei is my cousin?!"

"Yes. We were hardly the same in appearance. My albinism made sure of that. He was softer though. He didn't take part in the battles unless he really had to or the elders made him. The latter was usually the most common. After his first few fights, he demonstrated a fierce talent for swordsmanship involving the kodachi." My hand automatically moved to my hip where mine used to be. "He used two of them. One he gave to Kikyo. I had hoped his enemies would not figure it out but even with you taking most of your appearance from the Hara genes, the Onimizu still figured it out."

Akane held out two kodachi, mine that must have been retrieved, and another that was exactly the same minus the indigo ribbon. "I'll give you his half of the duel set." I take them and look at the dust covered sheath of my father's sword. I loved it. Not because it was a new blade but because it felt like I had both parents with me, fighting by my side. I bring it close and hug it. "Thank you."

"I can't believe I'm related to you." Tobirama scoffs. Way to ruin the mood.

Looking over my shoulder, I smirk. "I wood love to test this blade on you." Hashirama snorts. "And yes I said wood. What are you gonna do about it tree boy?" He holds his hands up in surrender.

It's good to be back.