The Yukiko and the Yamaki [P][Navi/Ayama]

With a thrust of his palm Navi slammed into the Demon with cataclysmic force, the action causing a shockwave of trembles through the air. The Nanabi screamed, and the loud roar that it emitted cause Navi to shudder slightly at the horrid sound. The demon shrunk back deep into the abyss, retreating further into his conscious after being successfully beaten back. With the defeat of the Bijuu would come the vanishing of the crimson tails, the beast losing its influence and power in his mind.

With the threat now suppressed, Navi would return, flying by the light of his own illumination back to Ayama. The abyss was deep and still no brighter, but soon he would find her. His approach would be similar to that of a far away train in the distance. A small blue light drawing near and seemingly shining more as it grew closer. He would arrive soon, and then intended to return her to the real world.

“Such beautiful hair you have my girl, like expensive silverware or the moon,” Ayama cringed curling into a tighter ball, struggling and failing to hold back her tears. She placed her hands over her ears trying to block out the voice but to no avail. The woman’s crooning continued to invade her thoughts, rambling on and on. Her eyes flickered up briefly taking in the visage of the specter haunting her. The woman was small, petite and pretty. Her heart shaped face and chocolate colored eyes only added to her general beauty. She looked soft though, kind and delicate in a way not even the most fragile looking of ninja ever did. Her dress was plain brown, with green stitching and her hair was thick and wavy and long falling to the middle of the woman’s back. The only thing that would really set her apart from any villager in fire country was her hair. Her hair was dark grey, like smoke or storm clouds, with lighter accents to it. She smiled benignly down at Ayama, her hands nestled in her lap and Ayama burrowed her head back in her arms.

“It’s not real it not real. She’s dead she’s dead, you killed her she’s dead,” she chanted softly squeezing her arms around her head in an attempt to block out the woman.

“Who are you talking to deary?” the woman asked calmly, brushing a strand of hair back into place and smiling warmly at the girl, “Do you need your father?” Ayama cringed and curled up tighter tears streaming down her face as she tried to stop the visions tried to block it all out. It was real, it wasn’t real. It was just the dark screwing with her, it was just the shadows mocking her.

“Ayama?” this voice was deep and rich and masculine, a tenor Navi would never even hope to reach. She shuddered and began to to rock back and forth. It’s not real, it’s not real, it’s not real, it’s not real, its not real, its not real.

Its never real.

His wings rhythmically flapped a few times before he landed gently next to her. It had been worse then he thought, Ayama must have had a terrifying fear of the abyss for the way it was practically controlling her. He knelt down by her violently shivering body now, reaching out to touch the scared girl. The light Navi emitted cast some dim light on the void around them, appearing to be a single spot of light in the sea of darkness. His presence would hopefully awaken her from the hallucinations she was having and his touch perhaps fending off the darkness that was overcoming her.

With his other hand he extended his index finger and would proceed to lightly touch her forehead, the motion returning Ayama to the outside world if she allowed it. Her subdued consciousness would then rush into her body, and Navi himself would awaken from his dream like state. He expected that she would still be distraught, probably very shaken up and perhaps not even entirely self-aware. Navi awoke in the real world, his eyes immediately snapping to Ayama.

Instinct took over and Navi immediately appeared at her side. The rain still poured heavily on the young couple, the weather soaking their clothes and an accompanying cold wind. He then proceeded to pick her up and out of the puddle that she had slumped over in and lifted Ayama into his arms.

Navi carried the probably half conscious girl into the remains of the Yamaki estate. He entered the abandoned building, carrying Ayama out of the harsh weather and into the shelter of his old home. He set her down now, kneeling by the girl and watching over her, waiting for her consciousness to fully return.

Navi had left her to fend for herself against a legendary demon in an abyss of darkness, and she had survived. The level of scarring that she now exhibited caused pangs of guilt to shoot through his mind. Ayama had been dragged into a world and had paid through difficult sacrifices to save him. In her current state she didn't seem like a hero, but her actions would not go unnoticed. Navi felt that she owed a debt to the girl now, and if they were to be together, he vowed to also make her stronger.

Her eyes flicked, light turning her lids pink and slowly she opened them. She caught a brief glimpse of Navi crouched over her, his blue wings glowing warmly in the darkness, before his finger touched her forehead and she felt like she was flying.

------

Hisoka paced nervously by the limp bodies of his partner and her… boyfriend. His gaze once more flickered to Navi’s limp form and his claws dug into the mud. It would be so easy, a flick of his claws or a crunch of his fangs and the nuisance would be dead. The threat removed and he and Ayama could happily move on. He moved closer to the young mans form, sheathing and unsheathing his claws as he considered it once again. But finally he gave a frustrated huff and turned back to his partner’s body, padding over to sit by it.

He couldn’t kill Navi now, Ayama’s mind was in there and he wasn’t sure if she would return to her body or die alongside Navi if he clawed the bastard’s throat out. Snarling in frustration he began to pace again. Then something happened, he could feel her at the other end of the connection. He keened verbally, dismay evident on his face at the state of her mind. Immediately he rushed over her, coiling his own mind around hers and conjuring soothing memories as he tried to push the split pieces of her sanity back together. While he had been busy with that Navi had gone and picked her up, moving her to a drier spot. Hisoka wanted to be pissed but he guessed it was probably a good idea. He followed quickly bounding after them.

Entering the compound he instinctively shook himself, before surveying the scene before him. Navi seemed almost reverent and perhaps a bit pained by Ayama’s wounds. Hisoka huffed “good he should be” he mentally snarled.

Stalking over to the two he briefly bared his fangs at the Yamaki boy before settling by her side and curling around her, offering what warmth he could. Resting his large head on her chest he closed his eyes and continued his careful repair of her mind, startled to find her already awakening.
----
Ayama felt Hisoka’s warm presence, coiled like a dragon around her mind. She smiled softly gently brush his mind with hers in reassurance as her eyes flickered open. Her hand came up and rested on his head. Rubbing in soothing circles despite the twinges of pain that ran up her arm.

Her head turned her eyes searching and she smiled wanly to see Navi there next to her.

“You alright?” she mumbled softly worry flickering through her eyes. That battle had been fierce and terrible. She never wanted to see that Bijuu again for as long as she lived. Her body still twinged as she remembered the damage done to her by that monster.

“Don’t think about it,” Hisoka hummed both mentally and physically as a comforting purr vibrated through her chest from his head, “they weren’t real none of it was, you’re safe now.”. She smiled at him, patting his head gently and flinching at the pain it caused her damaged hands. Then her gaze returned to Navi.

“You alright?”

"Yeah, I'm fine," Navi mumbled quietly.

His eyes glazed over as he looked down at Ayama, but his focus remained on Hisoka in his peripheral vision. If anything, he had given that demon another reason to hate him. Now it wasn't just Navi who was "dangerous", but it was the Nanabi within him, and even he couldn't deny that fact. His mind wandered for a moment as he stared down at her with a blank expression, the residual effects of the hallucination she had experienced still causing her to be a little shook up.

Navi didn't know what those hallucinations were about, but Hisoka would, and in this case that cat would be in a better position to comfort her then he was. His emotions were cloudy now, dull but difficult to read.

He leaned over now and kissed her gently, holding it for a moment before standing up. The Nanabi had to be suppressed, and Navi wouldn't let himself put Ayama in any more danger because of his lack of control.

"I'll be at home," he said, leaving the shelter and walking outwards into the pouring rain. A moment later his form would blur away and vanish, a product of his raw speed as he disappeared into the forest.

[Navi Exit]

Ayama lurched upwards as Navi turned to leave, a protest flying to her lips. But the world spun violently and she felt terribly ill forcing her back onto the ground with a pathetic whimper. Hisoka glared venomously at the mans back before nudging his sick partner.
“Come on,” he hummed mentally opting for the closer choice and weaving his mental supports into a tights net around her mind. “Lets get you to a hospital and get those hands looked at”. Ayama didn’t acknowledge him at first, her eyes still fixed on the stop where Navi had been. Then her face harden and her eyes sharpened.

“Yeah, the sooner I get healed the sooner I can kick up my training and become stronger.” She growled, clenching her fists and ignoring the screaming of her tortured skin. Hisoka frowned, his expression darkening at her resolve, her determination to stay by a ninja more dangerous than words could describe. She ignored his each and every warning blatantly disregarded everything he said to her. She was his partner damnit they were supposed to listen to each other. Shaking his head he helped her up and acted as her crutch as they limped to the hospital.

[Ayama exit WC 5,814
-1000 to level 2 kagane
-3000 to level 3 kagane
1000/4000 towards level 4 kagane
4 sp left]

Approved