Wonderland

Nightmare

It wasn't rare for Arisu to have nightmares. Often she'd have repeated nightmares of her father's death by the hands of the mysterious Masked-Man. But this time it was different...

It was Sasuke leaving her.

She begged him to stay, she cried and pleaded but he simply walked away...

And then a familiar voice spoke...

"Silly, silly girl...he never really loved you..." Orochimaru whispered as his snakes coiled around her.

Then was the worst part...

Bodies everywhere. Konoha burning along with everything she worked hard to protect!

And there in the midst of the destruction was Sasuke.

He did this.

He did this.

"No..." murmured Arisu in her sleep, "N-no...!"

Tobirama heard the cries of his great granddaughter from inside the sword and came out to try and help...

Gently he stroked her hair. Part of him believed it was useless since he was a ghost and ghosts don't have physical bodies but surprisingly Arisu calmed.

"I love you Arisu..." Tobirama whispered gingerly.

Arisu stirred in her now seemingly peaceful sleep and Tobirama slowly returned back into the Shinjitsu.

-

Arisu woke up that morning and left immediately. She did not go to the Hokage tower and instead sent a clone to do that for her.

She herself surrounded herself in ancient scrolls and styles of fuinjutsu. She needed to know enough for what she was going to create.

That nightmare...she could remember it so vividly. The destruction of Konoha...and the fear and sadness she felt. The loneliness and pain...

She never wanted to see it again whether nightmare or not.

And the thing that scared her the most was that it was completely possible. Perhaps it wouldn't be Sasuke or perhaps it would but there were definitely people out there who were capable of bringing Konoha to ashes.

Arisu needed to be prepared for that.

Maybe she was just being paranoid or maybe prepared. Arisu decided it was a bit of both.

And so this was the result.

Her own seal...

Forbidden style: Hell's Gate.

A seal that sealed its target directly into the underworld, trapping it there for all eternity.

And another..

Forbidden style: Living Death.

She'd have to strike her target with such a chakra enhanced force that their soul would be pushed out of their bodies and give her the opportunity to place a seal on their bodies. This seal would make it impossible for their souls to return unless she herself broke it.

The target would be practically useless without a body and their body would be stuck in an eternal slumber until the day they died.

Arisu needed to be stronger.

And she would protect Konoha no matter the cost.

-

Arisu returned home late that night.

"You're late..." Tobirama frowned.

"I was...busy." She answered vaguely.

Tobirama cocked a transparent brow.

Hashirama frowned. There was something wrong.

"What's wrong Arisu?"

"Nothing." She replied blankly as she sat down on the couch. "Nothing at all."

"I see... okay then." Hashirama said seemingly letting it go, "Why don't you and Tobirama converse amongst yourselves I'm going to go...look in the mirror!"

And Hashirama left to go to the next room over.

"But-! Ghosts don't have reflections..." Arisu trailed off.

Tobirama sighed at his brother's antics.

"Hashirama..." he sighed, "so...Arisu, How was your day?"

She sighed and decided to simply come clean. "I created two new seals."

Tobirama's eyes widened. "Really? Tell me about them."

"It doesn't matter..." Arisu said softly, "I've classified them as forbidden seals."

Tobirama sighed deeply, "May I ask what brought all of this on?"

Arisu glanced up at Tobirama and confessed.

"I had a nightmare...I had a nightmare that I failed." Arisu whispered, "That I failed as Hokage. I failed as Kage and I failed...as a friend. Konoha was burning and people were dead. Everyone was dead and I couldn't do anything."

Arisu suppressed a sob.

"It was worse then the nightmares I have about my father dying." She whimpered, "it was worse then dreaming of t-that masked man killing me too..."

'Masked man?' Thought Tobirama in concern, 'Arisu...'

"I just...I just woke up really scared that I'd make a mistake or I was too weak so I tried making something that would insure I'm strong enough to protect Konoha but..." Arisu shivered, "These techniques are terrifying. What if an enemy of Konoha got ahold of it? Or managed to copy them-?"

"What are these seals that they make my own gifted, talented, beautiful and strong great granddaughter afraid?" Asked Tobirama gently.

Arisu froze. Tobirama has never complemented her like that before. Slowly, Arisu explained what terrible seals she had created.

"Arisu, I'm proud of you." Tobirama smiled, "The fact that you created these and had the right of mind to question whether they were safe proves that you are responsible."

Arisu glanced up at Tobirama in confusion.

"Not only were you talented enough to create them but you were mature enough to judge them as dangerous." Tobirama explained, "this shows that you are responsible enough to use them correctly. Others would use this to destroy peace...you created them to protect it. In my opinion that proves that these are your techniques."

Arisu nodded as she wiped her tears.

"You're right. Thank you!" Arisu smiled as she slowly reached out to Tobirama and hugged him.

Initially she thought that she'd phase through him and embarrass herself further but instead she was greeted by a pair of warm arms.

Tobirama was still a ghost but somehow he earned the ability to physically touch things!

It must've been that Senju bond that was there that night.

But honestly, who knows?

Tobirama was just as startled as she was and after releasing each other from their embrace he attempted to pick up a scroll.......his hand slipped right through.

"It seems that the only thing I can physically touch is anyone with my blood." He realized, "this is useful information."

Arisu nodded, her eyes lit up.

"I have an idea."