the storm bringer | ✓

XVIII

eighteen.

(—attack on the hidden leaf)

Winter was floating, everything muted out by a faint buzzing sound that grew stronger by the minute. The last thing she remembered was a white hot pain in her chest and the final handsigns the Sound nin had done— Dosu, that ninja's name had been Dosu —but what were those hand signs for? The buzzing grew too intense and the girl winced, her black hair hanging loose and floating around lazily. She suddenly landed on her feet in a familiar part of a forest.

Trees were slashed and broken slightly, parts of grass smoking from direct contact from lightning. Her breath caught in her throat and she looked down, seeing her reflection a small puddle. Long black hair hung down to her ribs, a single braid on the side. She was a little shorter, a little weaker, a little more naive and most of all, she was a little younger. Her eyes were sparkling with the happiness she didn't have anymore. Without meaning to her feet started moving as the younger version of herself skipped towards two redhaired twins.

"No." She whispered horrified at what she was seeing. "I-I can't see this, not again." 

The three Genin talked happily as they discussed their new Jutsu that required the three of them to do. They were so close to completing it and had decided on their day off, the only day their Sensei was out on a mission, to practice it until they got it right.

Eventually they did get it right... and that's when everything went downhill.

***

"She'll be fine, the wound is already healed and she is just exhausted. Most likely she won't wake up for a couple more hours so why don't you go enjoy the last match?" The medic nin told Inazuma calmly. 

The purple haired Jonin looked down at Winter who was lying motionless in the hospital bed. Winter was paler than normal, which was hard to believe seeing how she had alabaster-like skin. Her lips were parted slightly as she breathed slightly, her chest rising and falling showing she was still alive. Inazuma bites her lower lip before nodding, walking over to Winter and brushing some stray hairs out of her face like an older sister would. "I'll tell you all about the match when you wake up." She tells the younger girl softly before walking out. 

The medic nin smiled at the sight before exiting the room as well.

It was silent for a long time before Winter started breathing heavily, her face twisted up into one of pain. Unlike the several hours the medic nin had said it would take for her to wake up, Winter woke up within a half hour. Something was, terribly wrong and she could feel it in her bones. The last time she had this feeling was when her team had been shattered apart.

Winter jumped out of bed, stumbling slightly as dizziness make black spots dance across her vision. She was still shaken up from the Genjutsu that had brought forth one of her worst memories. She hated feeling weak, and right now she felt unbelievably weak and vulnerable. She quickly located her weapons and changed from the weird hospital gown into her clothes from the exams, ignoring the fact they were ripped and bloodied.

Vaulting out the window and landing in a crouch in the shadows of a nearby alley, Winter furrowed her eyebrows at the desolate village. What is going on? She frowned deeply and unsheathed her katanas, spinning them around with deadly precision before bolting off towards the arena. She had to be careful, combining with Minato's spirit had taken a huge chunk of her chakra leaving her with perhaps thirty percent, if that. Not only that but she had several scrapes on her body that ached and she was slightly dizzy from blood loss.