Forewarning: This is a story I wrote and was working on in early 2013. I like to think that I have grown in my writing since then. Nonetheless, I was surprised, when I was reading back on this, by how much I actually liked it. So here's to a 2017 rebirth.

Falling

1

Great. Wonderful!

I'm dead.

I would say my mom would kill me if she found out, but well, given the obvious it doesn't look like that'll be happening any time soon.

I have to admit—despite the circumstances, only one thing was on my mind

Did I pick up my little sister from school before I died?

It scared me to have to think about it, attempting to revisit the time before I came to the realization that I was aware and distinctly lacking a body. There was a certain level of fear creeping up into my thoughts at having to struggle to recall it and then... I did.

It was an instant relief. The memory was fuzzy and distant but there she was, clambering up the steps to our house as I shut the door of my car. I had been sighing, thinking of all the dishes I would have to wash the evening. Then that's when I died.

Something slammed into me, stray car or truck or whatever. Don't ask me, it's not like I actually want to remember that part.

Either way, it was ironic. "No good deed goes unpunished"? Great. Awesome.

Shit, I really need to stop with the sarcasm.

This isn't great. This is lame. Super lame.

Damn it, kind of makes me tear up with how lame this is.

But on the bright side of things, I don't have a body to cry with so I can't look like a complete tool. I suppose that's the point of things when you die. No unhappy tears in heaven, right? I mean, that's where I gotta be if I'm completely and utterly surrounded by nothing but white. Honestly, the lack of color was astounding for a place said to be paradise.

Was it actually limbo? Purgatory? Oh Christ, anything but that.

Despite it all, I feel myself shift awkwardly in the air and realize I do actually have a sense of self, weirdly enough.

With my new found feel for freedom, I looked down. Which was a mistake, as it only served to confuse me further. There was nothing there. I actually saw nothing. Same if I glanced up.

Which made me think; was there any end to this? I really hoped so. All this boredom and free time was really cramping my style, being the the sort of person aching to be constantly in motion.

Besides, I was actually getting scared, terrified if I was being totally honest. My sense of humor could only get me so far. It was disconcerting, to say the least, not knowing what in the hell was going on, only realizing that I had died. Where was I going after this or was this my eternity?

I realized late that I should probably spend this time thinking about important things, like how my family was faring and less about myself if I needed to prove myself to heaven. So I did my best to correct myself and thought about them. Being that I was a control freak in that household, they might have actually be glad I got myself killed.

But before I could spend any real amount of time on that line of thinking, a figure approached. A small and slim profile came into view and I felt the oddest sensation of attempting to squint but being unable to.

"Does the end justify the means?" It asked with a soft gentle voice, sound ambiguous in gender. Which was probably what could be an angel thing, right?

"Is that a trick question?" I wondered, maneuvering my way closer to the entity for a better look.

"If you want it to be," they replied with, a soft chuckle following after. Or was it more a giggle?

"I don't," I quickly replied with before charging on ahead, questions on my lips, "Who are you?"

"I am—well, it doesn't matter who I am, so much as what I am. Right?"

"I guess so. What are you, then?" I paused to wait for a reply but then thought again, "Wait, first, I'd like to inform you of my atheist status. I won't believe in anything too farfetched and idiotic."

It was kind of a stupid thing to say but I didn't care. What if I wasn't dead at all and was just high off my ass? I was really starting hope that was the case.

As the figure came more into view and I closed the gap, I realized that this person/thing was a girl or at least a girlish looking boy. Very pretty, cute, and young. I shivered. I couldn't help it. She looked to be my sisters age. Actually, if I squinted a bit, she looked just like her. Long black, wavy hair, crystal clear blue eyes and tanned skin. Something I looked very similar to when I was younger. But I guess I don't actually look like anything now.

Still, it was unnerving as the being before me went to speak.

"I am a very powerful being and I'd like to make a deal."

Er, what? Say again?

"A deal?"

"Yes, in exchange for a brand new life."

I outright laughed, "Huh? Is this something like reincarnation then?"

"Eh? No, it's more like falling into something but who cares about what it's really like. What's important is that you accept the deal."

Yikes. That isn't strange at all.

"Then," I mulled her words over in my head, "what's the catch?"

"It's simple. You just have to do three things that I ask you to do in the next life."

Which didn't actually seem to be all that bright of an idea.

"I think I'll wait for God or Jesus or something," I answered, attempting to steer myself away from the crazy in front of me.

"Wait!" The girl cried, reaching out a hand to touch me. Suddenly my shaped formed into the reality and my arm was there, being caught. I stared wide-eyed and certainly panicking at the absurdity happening before me.

I'm actually dead.

Oh my god.

What the fuck.

I jerked myself away and in an instant, my body fizzled away. My mind, so clear as it had been just a second before, went fuzzy and everything fell into a disarray as my thoughts battled for my attention. It was like...like I was disappearing or something.

"I don't think you'll like what's coming to you if you don't accept my offer," she said, her voice soft and as if she actually cared.

I shifted towards her and something inside me was hungry. Just for a touch, just to be real for another moment.

"I guess..." I settled on saying but inwardly I panicked.

I'm nuts. Officially batshit insane.

"Do you accept?" She asked and suddenly put on the spot to say something, I nodded, cringing as I did so. I mean, what's the harm? Another chance at life, and besides, it's only three things to do. How hard is that? Worst case scenario would be if this person/thing was lying to me.

Grinning, a happy glint in her eye, the girl launched herself forward. I doubted my actions instantly as I watched her fingers stretch out to touch me. However, I didn't move, still as stone as her palm came to rest on me. Inwardly, I blanked but again, my body reappeared and my mind suddenly sharpened.

Then, just as I heard a taunting laughter ring through me, a great darkness enveloped everything. But it was just a moment and when I opened my eyes, I slumped forward. With a surprising amount of difficulty I opened my eyes, finding myself still standing in the white place. The girl also stood there but it was a bit disorienting as I found myself to be closer to her height now. My eyes met hers directly.

Again, what the fuck.

"Now lean down," she whispered and I obeyed, abruptly lacking the ability to control my body as she waved her hand over my left eye. I closed it in an involuntary reaction. Inside, I panicked at her close proximity but she was unbothered. Calm, she brought her hand away before slowly, as if to suspend the moment, she leaned in. Her lips puckered slightly as they made contact with my closed left eye and I grimaced instantaneously.

Fast and like lava, a searing pain gripped me in its hold before I came to clutch my burning eye.

"What did you do?" I groaned out, having to fight against the whim to cry as my eyes watered.

"I sealed the contract!" She shouted pleasantly, "It is what demons do!"

Then, I was falling.

Shit.

Right from under my feet, the white room opened up, traces of its presence evaporating into the suddenly windy air. Gripping onto instinct, I clawed the air desperately, ebony locks of hair floating around me as if suspended on strings before my body picked up speed. They, and my clothing, began to whip violently around me as I rushed my limbs into obeying me.

In a struggle, I finally managed to maneuver my arms and legs to flatten and extend outward, my hair finally clearing away as I took in the scene before me. The view would have been breathtaking, if I had any to give as I struggled to breathe through my nose.

It was a sight I had never seen before and most likely never would again.

I was falling into a forest, the sun slipping past and into the surrounding mountains in a truly magnificent sunset. The remaining rays of sunlight seeped out into the land, cascading over the trees and despite my innards rearranging themselves, I could still appreciate the view as I let out an ear-splitting scream.

Then it was all coming to an end, the view vanishing before my very eyes.

As I neared the top of the trees, my breath came in short panicked gasps. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, wincing in preparation for the moment I hit something. But then an odd force seemed to take my body into its hold. Against it, I let out a violent yelp before I opened my eyes to see that I was actually glowing. The wind calmed instantly and my blown hair fell in a tousled fashion as my body—controlled by what could only be called magic—was lowered down towards the ground.

When it finally felt as if I had landed, I didn't feel a single ounce of pain.

No, I felt one last gust of whirling wind whip at my feet, allowing me a soft descent to the forest floor. With only a few gasping breaths, I finally got my footing and my head stopped spinning soon after. But before long, I found myself growing frustrated.

How dare that demon trick me!? Yeah, yeah, its what demons do but why me? Obviously I wasn't in the right mind already, as I actually chose to believe that little shit despite the fact that she shouldn't be able to exist, just like the afterlife. But I suppose the evidence had presented itself. The demon was a demon and I had been conscious of myself in that white place. Still, the demon was a stupid one in choosing me to do her dirty work. What the hell was she thinking in sending a city girl to a forested area. I'd die, again, in a heartbeat.

"Alrighty!" I yelled out, voice coming out shrill and child-like. Wait, what the? Still, I pushed on, screaming out words at the top of my lungs, "Come out demon! I swear to god I will flay you alive!"

"My, my, settle down!" The familiar voice made me sigh in relief, yet I quickly grounded myself with anger as I turned to face the little shit with a scathing glare.

"Where am I? What's going on, you stupid demon!?"

"Hey!" The girl pouted, pointing at me with one perfectly manicured finger, "I have a name, meanie. It's Hatori." After a pause, she grinned, "Neat, huh? I picked it myself since Master picked such a lame one. I mean, 'Ken?' What the hell?"

"Hatori...?" What. Oh. Is this—Is this a Japan-loving freak like my younger sister?

"Yup! And your name is Sarah Mitchell, right?" Hatori asked and I nodded, struck with the bizarreness of the situation. From dead to alive, this whole day had been utterly unreal. "That kind of name won't do here. They'll totally see you as an outsider. Hmm. I know a good one! Sata Miyazaki!"

"Sata... Mi-Mi-Miyazaki!? Are you taking this seriously at all, demon? What have you done to me? Why is my voice so high pitched? Why am I so short? Answer me, De-Hatori!"

Hatori glared at me, taking a few steps closer as I matched them with a step back, "Don't be such a child. I may have implanted you into one but you're still an adult mentally. Act like one."

I reeled back from the insult, "I—what? What about you!? What kind of 'adult' thinks it's perfectly fine to put people in dangerous territories where bears may roam? And what on Earth do you mean, implanted me into a child's body?"

Obviously frustrated, Hatori growled, eyes lighting up with a fire-like radiance, "Human, learn your place! Then, I will inform you." She paused, her eyes flashing brilliantly, "Besides, bears are the least of your concerns now, Sata-chan."

Okay, Sarah, calm down, calm down. I breathed in slowly and out before nodding, "Sorry." I murmured in an obvious struggle to rein in my palpable anger.

"That's better. Now, as I was going to say before you freaked out, I have placed you into the body of an orphaned child by the name of Miho Saeki. Don't worry about her soul though, she's passed on already. I just placed you in her dead body. Notice that if you look at the skin, you'll see it's discolored. But there's still nothing to fear! I can heal you to be just fine and dandy."

She grinned. I wanted to die again already.

Satisfied with my reaction, she continued, "Ahh, what else? Oh yeah, so the reason I brought you here was to change something I didn't like, with Master's generous help. Gosh, humans are so irritating with the way they always cause so much drama," the last part was said in an off handed way as if she were remarking on the weather. Which was windy, god damn it.

"Change... what?"

"Shh! I'll get to that later. For now, you need to know that you are in the world in which your sister, Mariah, cared for so deeply. I believe the series is called 'Naruto'?"

I froze. You have gotta be shitting me. No way. Nope. It can't be. I can't be in that morbid world, where people jump around like gods. I gave a choked noise of surprise before nervously laughing, looking at her doubtfully as I asked again, "No, really, where am I?"

"At Kannabi bridge, the place where the gods do not help!" Hatori announced cheerfully, "Just perfect for a demon's work!"

I shook my head, staring at Hatori in dawning horror, "What's the time... arc...? What's the political situation?"

"Bleh, politics are so boring," Hatori promptly stuck her tongue out in a gagging motion, "but to answer your question, I do believe I entered you around the time that one of the main antagonists are crushed by a boulder in an attempt to save a pal. Quite noble, I'd say but I'm a demon, what do I care about nobility?" Hatori laughed before noting my open mouth, urging her forward to speak again, "I'm not clear on the names. Master is a bit scatter brained about them and I just never really care about the side characters."

I wasn't clear on them either. Faintly I could remember my sister's ranting voice, upset over something or other. Obi...Obiko? That sounds Japanese enough, right? But no—it had a 't' in it. But where? Whatever, he was crushed by the boulder and was later saved by... Mad—Madman. Right. I totally got this situation under control.

Hatori let out a laugh just as I was mouthing the name, trying to figure it out, "I almost forgot! I have a book that Master prepared for you! It's a databook of all the characters and a summary of the complete storyline." I breathed a sigh of relief but quickly covered it up with a cough as I reached my hand out for the thick leather bound book. It was pretty plain, but seemingly fresh in age. Losing interest for the outside, I opened it up for a quick look, flipping through the pages and then pausing as my eye caught on one name in particular, "Obito Uchiha."

"Oh that's right!" Hatori said merrily, "That's the name of that ugly brat."

I shook my head, never a fan of name calling as I gaze at the picture of a 'genin' him. "He was pretty cute before the accident." As I read on, memories came knocking as I realized he had been one of my favorite characters when I had gone through my childish stage of obsessing over anime and the like. Yet I had to put a stop to it, as it got in the way of my studies. But it wasn't like I cared anymore, having pushed all those feelings away long ago. Shaking my head once more, I looked to a bored, yawning Hatori.

"So I only have to do three things for this contract to be over, right? Saving this boy is one, right? Well, lead me to him, stupid girl."

Hatori frowned, eyes narrowing, "What on Earth made you think I'm a girl? I'm male, through and through."

I blinked, caught off guard, "Your... hair?"

"So just because I'm a boy I can't have long hair!? I'll have you know that Master loves longer hair."

"Wait," I paused, "Do demons even have a gender?"

He gave me the stink eye before hesitating. Then his eyes grew wide, "Holy crap. I don't know. Hey, wait here! I'm going to go ask Master!"

"Huh? No! WAIT!" Damn it, the little shit was gone already, having disappeared by way of dissolving into the air. Great, I was left there all alone, with no means of survival. It was insane, totally batshit insane.

I want to cry.

A Demon's Deal

"Miss me?"

"You little freaking piece of shit!" I shouted, standing up, arms flailing as I attempted to restrain myself from strangling the shithead. Hours, it had been hours since he left and it was fully night now, with noises of wildlife to prove my point of it clearly being too dangerous for me. I had felt like my heart was going to burst several times already and Hatori's sudden arrival hadn't helped that in any way.

"Oh, man you need to calm down. Master says that isn't a very good thing for a recently revived corpse."

"Screw you!"

"Haha, that reminds me. Master asked for me to tell you 'What are you, a stupid punk? Demons don't reproduce asexually. Punk.'"

On the brink of insanity, I outright slapped myself on the forehead, releasing a tiny growl that was filled with my renewed hate for all things little and annoying as hell, "I wasn't even aware demons reproduced. At. All."

"Harsh! How do you think I was born? I mean, you need to stop with all this prejudice too, it's pretty exclusive for you to only think girls can have long hair."

I need to get myself away from this. Why, oh why, hadn't I ran away when I had the chance?

"Hey, Sata, I think we should go look for Oboto-kun"—"Obito."—"We don't want him to be crushed by the boulder."

I looked at the night sky doubtfully before nodding hesitantly, "Hatori, do you even have any idea on where he is?"

"'Course I do! Master drew me a map!"

"Hand it over." I really did not trust this fiend with anything so important. But soon, it became clear that with the lack of light I wouldn't be able to see worth a shit. Then Hatori held up his finger and it began to emanate a brilliant white light. With a nod serving as a thanks I looked thoughtfully to the map.

The directions were relatively easy to follow (as they weren't really drawn, save for a nicely illustrated image of a pile of rocks). Luckily, they were just orders of how many steps to take in each direction and what not. Easy enough, we soon found ourselves even thicker in the forest than I've ever been before. I will just say warningly that city girls and forests aren't a very good combo, and never would be. However, when I was younger I spent summers with my dad in the mountains. So at least I had that to keep me calm even as my heart pounded heavily.

Seeing the need, I struggled to recall every word of advice he'd given me. It was useless and difficult the moment I realized how far away that life was starting to become. Thankfully and before long, it became evident that we didn't need the advice as we were soon met with the sight of a pile of rocks similar to the drawing that had been on the directions.

Gasping, I lunged forward.

"Were we too late?" I asked, worried as I reminded myself of the time of night we'd made it to him. "Damn it! This is because of you going off to your pathetic master!"

"Master isn't pathetic!"

"Ugh, just shut up! Help me dig. He's still alive. Madman shouldn't have taken him yet." I know this is a serious situation but for the life of me I couldn't recall that damned Uchiha's name. Only about how hot he was. But that was useless information to me in the moment.

"If you apologize, Sata-san, I'll help."

Breathing out a short growl, I shouted out, "Fine! Sorry, your Master is the greatest demon of the entire demon world!"

"Good," Hatori replied with, before grinning as he took a step closer. Taking me off guard, he suddenly dissolved before my eyes but as a gust of wind blew past me, my body became charged with a strange power.

What are you doing? I asked in my head, alarmed that I couldn't speak them myself.

"Helping," that child-ish voice of mine—I mean, Miho's replied with. Oh great, I was being possessed.

With great strength, Hatori lifted the rocks up from out of their places one at a time, tossing them aside easily. Soon, we were met with the sight of a disfigured body, lying in a bloodied matted mess, a large boulder having been tossed aside roughly and landing a little bit away.

Let me go now, I ordered, feeling more than agitated as my mother instinct to care came in.

Hatori, surprisingly, complied as my body sagged with the evaporation of the monster strength, leaving the body back into my care. Breathing out a sigh, I kneeled at Obito's side, whose eye slid open, leaving the sight of a hollowed socket. I shivered.

"Who are you?" His voice was weak, broken as he croaked out softly, almost making my heart strings break with how hard they were being plucked.

"I'm here to help," I murmured, then turned to glare at Hatori, "Tell me what to do!" I snapped, "What sort of back up plan did you have?"

"Back up plan?" Hatori looked thoughtful before shaking his head, "I had no such thing, silly!"

Shaking with rage, I resigned myself to the fact that I was speaking with an idiot and shouldn't be so surprised. Then I looked up to the sky with a silent prayer before I glanced at Hatori helplessly, "Do you have any ideas? Any demon tricks up your sleeves?"

There came the glint of mischief to Hatori's ice-blue eyes once more, "Oh, but it'll cost you if I tell you."

"Cost me? What? What will it cost me?"

"Ten years."

"Ten years...?"

"Ten years off your lifespan."

I looked back to Obito, feeling caught. Ten years, or this boy's life? Well, that brought up a lot of things. What did I have to live for anyway? What was even the point to life if it wasn't just something to be afraid of losing? As well, it wasn't something that had treated me well in the past. I mean, a drunken mother who barely even sobered up for my graduation and a deceased father who only left fond yet painful memories to remember?

Even now, this new one didn't look very attractive either. What would it be to lose, just ten years in what might just be agony and waiting to finally die again?

Holy fuck, I am a pessimist.

But it helped me make my choice.

"Alright," I whispered, "Ten years. Now tell me."

"Good choice, Sata-san! Hmm, oh yes. Your blood."

"M-my blood?"

"Yes. This is a body of a corpse, one that I had to bring back by infusing demonic blood as well as a compatible blood type from another human. Luckily, that blood is yours, as I managed to gather enough of it before those doctors took it away for an autopsy."

"But how can I use it to save this guy's life?"

"He has to drink it of course! It should give him enough life energy to heal up without much of a scratch but the price is steep. Each time you let another person take a sip, it's ten years off!"

"That's pretty demanding," I muttered darkly before I turned back, "What if... what if his body rejects it? I don't even know my blood type."

Hatori laughed, "Silly! It isn't the blood type you should worry about, it's the demon. If the demonic blood so chooses to reject him, not vice-versa, it will not be pretty. But it's really all in your control, the demon blood obeys you until it chooses not to."

I gulped, nervously looking back to Obito.

But it's the only way...

Breathing in and out in quick gasps, I grabbed a stray jagged rock. "Okay, Obito," I talked to him softly, "I'm going to do something that may or may not work. Here's to trying," I muttered to myself as I angled the rock at my palm, quickly swiping it across none too gently. Even then, there was only the barest of a drop forming.

Skin was more difficult than she previously thought to cut open.

"That should do it," Hatori said, despite my hesitance.

Sucking in a breath, I brought my hand up to the Uchiha's mouth before using my other hand to fish out his tongue. Upon pressing my palm to the dry thing, it seemed to work instantly. Eww, eww, how unsanitary. Still, as I felt a trace of his saliva touch me, I began to feel exhausted. Almost as though I hadn't slept in a week, if not a year. Or ten.

"Haha! It's done, it's done~!" Hatori sang before grinning at me merrily, "Now we wait! So, should I explain a few more things before you go to sleep, Sata-san?"

"Sure," I sleepily replied with, feeling too tired for any form of banter.

"Hmm, what to say—oh yeah, okay. Your left eye. Since I made a contract with you in such an important place, the stronger our bond is. As a sign of it, your eye now has the symbol of my Master's household of demons. As each request of mine is filled, three, like we agreed upon, the symbol with fade bit by bit."

"Why my eye?" I asked, recalling an anime I had watched with my sister a while back. Something about a butler.

"I recently enjoyed the great show of Black Butler as Master wanted us all to watch it."

"Huh."

"I'm not going to lie, I was greatly influenced by Sebastian Michaelis and may or may not have started a fanclub dedicated to the worship of him."

"Huh."

"Ne, Sata-san, don't worry about me being seen by others. I'm invisible to the naked eye. Kind of like the Shinigami in Death Note."

It was then that I realized it.

This wasn't a new life for me. This was hell.

Christ, stop with these damn references!

A Demon's Debt - End