Oceanna

I was lying on Kisame's bed, peacefully reading Kitai his bedtime story when said shark-man burst through the door and grabbed my wrist. He picked up Kitai and started dragging us out the door.

"Woah, what's going on? Kisame where are you…"

I was hushed when I spotted a familiar mop of blonde hair. Luna looked tired, but when she saw me she smiled and waved. We stopped in front of her and I looked from Kisame to her and blinked.

"Hey," Luna cracked her neck.

I was sure I was making a confused face but I didn't care, "Uh… hey. Luna, what's going on?"

Kisame put Kitai in Luna's arms and continued to hold onto my wrist. Luna looked at me and smiled softly, "We're going back Oceanna. Just for a little bit, okay?"

My eyes widened in realization. This was it. This was Kisame's plan all coming together. I nodded slowly and gently repositioned my hands so it was in Kisame's. He didn't move away when I did.

I squeezed tight and I watched as Luna screwed her eyes shut. I blinked once, twice, and a third time before everything started melding together. I looked over and could clearly see Kisame. His eyes were shut and his breathing even.

Across the way Luna and Kitai looked to be fading. I tried to reach out for them but I couldn't move. They were fading quickly, and the colors started spinning. I felt sick so I shut my eyes and held on.

After what felt like safe amount of time I opened my eyes. I was on an unfamiliar grassy plain. I looked around, confused, it was still dark outside so I couldn't see much. I let go of Kisame's hand but he immediately reached for it again.

I felt a wave of nausea pass over me. I just about doubled over but Kisame's hand in mine steadied me. I gulped heavily as a headache bloomed at the base of my neck and traveled upwards.

"Luna?" I called out. My throat suddenly felt dry. I bit my lip.

When she didn't respond I moved closer to Kisame, he was warm and I was a little chilly from the sudden winds. I couldn't tell for the life of me where we were. I took a hesitant step forward, and immediately tripped over a rock.

I cursed in pain as I scraped my knee and looked back to see that it wasn't a rock at all. It was a short headstone. I squinted my eyes and it was so hard to tell, but this grave had been freshly dug, I could tell from the lack of grass in this spot.

"Can you read that?" I asked Kisame. Maybe there would be some kind of indication as to where we were. Maybe I knew the name, maybe it would say the name of the place, I don't know, I was kind of panicking a little. The pain wasn't helping in the slightest either.

Kisame knelt down and leaned towards the headstone for a second, then he backed away. He held out his hand and I took it, "It says Olivia C. Anna Hester."

I felt my body stiffen, "What?"

"Olivia C. Anna Hester," even in the dark I could tell he was giving me a funny look, "Do you know her?"

My body began to shake as foreign memories blew up in my head. Olivia was me. That was my name. It was before I changed it. Most people thought it was one word when I wrote it all down, so I went from being Olivia C. Anna to Oceanna somehow.

That name… that was me. This was my grave. This was…

"It's my name…"

I felt myself falling and I would've landed face first in the dirt had Kisame not caught me. My legs stopped working and he was telling me to get up but I could no longer feel them.

Kisame quirked his head, "Your name is Oceanna."

I shook my head violently. No. No, how do I explain it? That me! This is me, buried just a few feet below us! How do I explain that, "No… it's not just that…" I started weakly.

I heard Kisame sigh. "Stand up. We need to find your friend."

I gripped his cloak sleeve hard, "You don't understand! I remember now. I'm dead here, that's why I'm in your world. And I can't move, my legs are so…"

They were so numb. I couldn't feel them anymore. I remember the last moment of my life so sharply that it hurt. The windshield, the truck, the dashboard on my legs. Everything was so crisp.

Kisame picked me up and held me bridal style. I looked down to see that my legs were turning a dark purple and I couldn't look at them without freaking out. Kisame noticed this too and held me tighter.

"Oceanna?" his tone was worried. And what was even weirder was that he said my name. I would've been happy had it been in any other situation. There was an ache starting in my feet and it was beginning to burn really badly. The pain slowed, but now my legs were a weird veiny and dark colored mess.

It hurt so badly, I didn't understand. What was happening to me?

Kisame looked at me for a moment longer, then his eyes seemed to widen in a form of realization. I felt his grip tighten ever so slightly, "Shit," he said, "I get it now. I can't believe… it was stupid of me to think otherwise." Kisame started moving, "we need to find Luna immediately."

I felt dizzy, "What's going on?"

"You're dead here, aren't you? You said it yourself. There can't be two of you."

It felt like someone had just tried to bury me in a pile if steel beams. Metaphorically and psychically. My head started to spin and I stuck my face in Kisame's chest to try and ignore the chaotic world around me.

He was right though. I was dead. Way dead.

Kisame started walking in an obscure direction. He headed for the gates that could just barely be made out in the dark and misty night air. I saw the name of the graveyard, and nearly had a heart attack.

We were by my old neighborhood, in my old town, and that meant we were far away from Luna. I know she told me that when she steps from world to world it's through our home, which is way north of here.

It would be at least seven hours before we get there.

"We need to call her, someway, somehow," I said, "I don't know if I'll make it otherwise…"

"Don't say that," Kisame cut me off harshly. I looked up at him but he refused to even glance my way.

I smiled softly and leaned up with what little strength I had, "Once more… just in case…"

He didn't move away or stiffen or anything when I kissed him. He let me have my peace and then I promptly fell limp in his arms when the last of my energy was spent. Kisame started walking again, and as we neared town I spotted a payphone. Honestly I didn't even know those things still existed, but right now I was eternally grateful since I didn't have my cell.

I forced Kisame to go over to one, but soon came to the realization that I no change.

Groaning, I told him to forget it and hop on a bus.

We went into an alleyway where he transformed to look like anyone else, and I was surprised when he poofed me into a bird.

"Dude," I screeched out.

"You'll blend better. I saw a guy with a bird on his shoulder earlier. Besides I can't carry you, it'll look suspicious."

I pecked his hand, "You could've gotten a wheelchair."

Kisame frowned and picked me up, "I'm a ninja not a magician. Now be quiet."

I could already tell that this adventure was going to suck. I let him put me on his shoulder and out of sheer exhaustion I curled up against his neck. He felt warm and soft and his hair was a nice place to lay on.

There was a vague sense of movement and I heard doors closing. I told him our destination quickly before I passed out. I was just suddenly so tired. I could hear people's voices in the background, saying how I was such a cute little bird. I ruffled my feathers, unintentionally making the crowd find me even more adorable.

Had I been fully awake, I would be eating this attention up. Had my body not been screaming in pain every time I blinked, I would have reveled in there excitement. Right now though, I just wanted to sleep.

When the noise finally died down, I felt Kisame sit just as my legs gave out and I fell limp against his neck even more than I already was.

"Are you okay?" I heard him whisper.

"Probably not," he helped me readjust, "we have a long road ahead. Seven hours give or take. So relax, take a nap or something. Just please don't be surprised if you wake up and I'm dead. Again."

Somehow I think this comment angered him. He didn't say anything, but I could feel a murderous aura coming off in waves towards me. I shoved my head into his hair and laughed, "Calm down. For you, maybe I'll try to hang on just a little longer…"