Just Imagine

Chapter 17

Ima's pov

I stared at the stars as Oberon stomped out the fire. The sky was familiar out here. My bubble didn't really reach space, so I wasn't able to change the sky. That's what Oberon said. I'm glad that I wasn't able to change something so important. Besides, if the sky wasn't blue, that would mean the ocean wasn't blue. And the ocean, according to Sasuke, is the prettiest blue in the world. So I really want to see it. 

"Oberon, where did you come from?" I asked, turning to the half-goat half-man. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye, smiling wryly. "Somewhere very, very far away." He told me, kicking the charred logs one last time before stepping away from the fire. It was hard to see in an area so dark, but I didn't comment on it. I wondered what had happened back there, in my wilderness.

"Let's get some sleep." Oberon turned and began to walk toward the trees. I blinked, but stood to follow him anyway.

Third person pov

"How odd." The Hokage hummed, looking down at the records Iruka had handed him. The man looked nervous. "Sasuke hasn't missed a single day since he started the the school year, except for the time when his clan was murdered. Other than that, he's been present every day!" Iruka exclaimed. "I'm worried for him. He's been getting better, I think. This is unlike him. He seemed perfectly find yesterday." 

"I can see how this might strike you as concerning, but surely even Sasuke is allowed a day off." The Hokage set the papers down. Iruka gnawed on his lip. "Normally I would agree with you, sir, but something seems... off, about the whole thing. He didn't inform anyone, which is pretty irresponsible of him. And Sasuke really isn't irresponsible." Iruka told the man. 

"Iruka," The Hokage started. "Sasuke will be there tomorrow. It's graduation; he wouldn't miss it. Have faith." 

"You're... you're right, he wouldn't miss something that important, no matter the reason!" Iruka seemed to decide, although he seemed to be saying it more to himself than to the Hokage. Nonetheless, the third smiled. Iruka was a pretty nervous, anxious person in general, so he was used to out of the blue meetings like this with the young man. He was a nineteen year old teacher, one who'd started at the young age of sixteen. His life was a chaotic one, especially with kids like Naruto and Sasuke in it. 

Awkwardly placed time skip to the morning because I structured this chapter wrong but I'm too lazy to change it-

"Oberon, you have no idea where we're going, do you?"

"Psh, what? Of course I- okay, no. I'm lost."

Ima sighed. This was so like Oberon. Who knew where they were at this point! Sure, her dome had been in the Land of Fire at some point, but apparently it could also move. That meant she could be anywhere in the world, and any distance away from Sasuke. Not only was that an issue, but she wasn't feeling all that well. The air, and the climate... it was different out here. Nothing like how she'd imagined it. She was having a lot of trouble adjusting.

"Look, we'll run into civilization eventually." Oberon ducked under a branch. "And when we do, we'll buy a map or something. Ask for directions. Anything will do. Even just finding a town might give me some sort of idea as to where we are. I used to be a pretty big traveler, you know."

"Whatever you say." Ima rolled her eyes, trying not to show him how labored her breathing was becoming. They hadn't been walking all that long, and Ima's stamina was pretty high do to all the running around she and Sasuke had done in Her Wilderness. He would see that something was wrong, and that would delay them from getting to Konoha. She needed to get to Konoha! 

Ima did her best to stay behind Oberon for the next couple of hours, trying to ignore how exhausted she was getting. Her vision began to blur together, and her head became so light that sometimes she'd find herself wondering where she was. Something about the air here was weird, and she didn't like it. It wasn't... right, and Ima wondered if what she was living off of before was even oxygen. And if it was, was it the same oxygen as this was?

"Oh, look, I think I see something." Oberon announced, pushing through a bush. "R...Really?" Ima asked hopefully, her voice dreary. "Yeah, I think so. I thought I saw a building through the branches, and where there's buildings, there's people." He grinned, weaving through the trunks of trees. The forest was becoming thinner, another good sign. Ima hoped this meant they could rest soon, and get directions.

"Alright!" Oberon exclaimed triumphantly as they broke the tree line. Ima brightened slightly, her eyelids drooping. Oberon looked around excitedly. "I know where this is! This is the Land of Waves, which means- Ima? Ima, are you okay?" Oberon paused when he saw her pale face, and saw how shallow her breath was becoming. His heart sunk. Something was wrong.

"Y...Yeah Oberon." Ima gave a weak smile. "I'm f...fi...ne..."

She fell forward.