#follow up to that question can you travel interdimensionally on accident. asking for a friend

[pinktwingirl]

Rats, Squirrels, and Unlikely Friends

A quick oneshot in which Squirrel Girl travels to the DC universe and meets Ratcatcher II. Enjoy! :) @oh-its-jennyyy

Doreen knew she wasn’t supposed to be doing this. Stark Industries’ prototype wormhole generator was strictly off-limits to anyone but authorized staff, and that certainly did not include Doreen. She was a new hire, fresh out of college. She didn’t belong in top-secret labs, tampering with cutting-edge technology that could alter the fabric of space and time as we knew it. And yet, there she was, hacking into the “supposedly” un-hackable security system to check it out when no one was working on it. (She was slightly more skilled in the firewall breaching and data encryption area than her supervisors were aware.)

Every cell in her body screamed at her to stop. God, what was she thinking?! If anyone caught a glimpse of her doing this, she’d be fired on the spot. But whether it was her unending curiosity or her stubbornness to blame, she kept going. She just couldn’t help it; the whole concept of wormholes and interdimensional travel was so cool! She only wanted to see what the thing could do and how far they’d come... and hey, maybe if there were any areas for improvements that she could offer ideas on-

The device, a tall, silver arch, suddenly illuminated in a bright white haze, with its center forming some sort of black void. She must have somehow turned it on by accident.

“Ohhhh shit...” she grumbled.  

Frantically scrambling around to find an off-switch, Doreen quickly realized that there wasn’t one. In fact, there were no buttons or cord connectors on the device at all. Was it motion activated? Voice activated? Maybe thermally activated from body heat?

There was no time to find out. Before she could move or do anything, she felt her body pulled into the void, and everything went dark.

                                                       …

It took Doreen a while to fully process her surroundings when she regained consciousness. A bright light, that she assumed was the sun – or, at least, a sun, given that she was in a new universe – was shining in her eyes, and she had to blink a few times for her vision to adjust. She could feel hard gravel pressing on her protesting back, which begged her to sit up. When she did, she came face-to-face with a young woman posed in a defensive stance, ready to strike.  

Doreen took a moment to size up her potential assailant. The woman had a small stature, much like her, with short, dark hair, a dirty black coat, and, most bafflingly of all, a rat sitting on her shoulder, which didn’t seem to bother her in the slightest.  

“Who are you?” the woman demanded. She certainly had a bit of an accent, although Doreen couldn’t quite place what it was. Not that it would really matter, though; countries could be entirely different in this world, assuming that this even was another Earth in the first place.

Well, at least people in this universe could still speak English. That would make communication easy.

“Umm...” Doreen got out. “Would you believe me if I said I was from another universe?”

Before the woman could respond, they both jumped when they heard loud squeaking behind them. Doreen was shocked to see her three faithful companions, Monkey Joe, Tippy-Toe, and Mr. Liebermann, bounding to her side.

“Wh-? What are you three doing here?! Did you follow me?” Tippy-Toe nodded and gave an enthusiastic chirp as Doreen stroked her back. “Oh, you silly squirrels... You know you’re not supposed to come to work with me...”

The dark-haired woman, much to Doreen’s surprise, was looking at her not with disgust or judgment, but instead wide-eyed wonder and fascination.

“Are these your... friends?”

“Huh? Oh! I guess it would be rude to skip introductions. These are my pet squirrels, Monkey Joe, Tippy-Toe, and Mr. Liebermann.” Doreen stuck out her hand. “I’m Doreen Green.”

Reaching her hand out as well, the dark-haired woman tentatively shook it, apparently having decided that Doreen wasn’t a threat. “Cleo Cazo. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too! So, um... yeah... I guess you’re... wondering where I came from?”  

Cleo nodded.

“Well, so... the company I work for kind of built a wormhole generator that could transport people to alternate universes. And... I guess this place is one of them. Although, I actually wasn’t supposed to be messing with it. This was all a huge accident.” After a moment, she gave Cleo a sheepish grin. “I guess that must all be hard for you to believe, though...”

The rat on Cleo’s shoulder squeaked something into her ear, and she smiled. “No, it’s okay. Sebastian says you are telling the truth. He can sense that you are an honest and kind person!” The rat suddenly scurried to a patch of grass nearby to chew a dandelion off its stem and present it to Doreen. “Aww, look! He is offering you a flower as a token of his goodwill!”

Doreen giggled as she took the flower and put it in her hair. “Thank you, Sebastian! Would you like an almond?” Sebastian squeaked happily as she reached into her pocket and handed him his gift.

As Doreen stood up, Cleo was surprised to see a long, bushy tail extending from her backside. “Forgive me if this is a rude question, but... do all people in your universe have tails?”

“Oh, no. I’m actually the only one. I was born with altered DNA that made me part squirrel. They call me a mutant because of that. Do you have mutants here?”

Cleo shook her head. “I do not think so. I have heard of people born with altered DNA, but I have never heard the word ‘mutant’ used to describe them. Your powers are so cool, though! I wish I were part rat. But I don’t have any rat blood in me. I just communicate with them and tell them what to do.”

“That’s still pretty impressive! How do you do it?”

Cleo showed Doreen her rat-guiding light. “With this. My papa taught me how. He was the original Ratcatcher. When he passed away, I became his successor: Ratcatcher II.”

“That’s amazing!” Doreen smiled at Sebastian. “Do you mind if I pet him?”

“Not at all! Can I pet your squirrels?”

“Sure!”

The girls swapped rodents, with Cleo stroking Monkey Joe, Tippy-Toe, and Mr. Liebermann and Doreen scratching the head of a very happy Sebastian. After a moment of silent contemplation, Doreen spoke up again.  

“I’ve never... met anybody like me. I mean... someone who talks to small rodents. It’s a really underrated ability!”

“I know, right? Everyone always thinks I am weird or gross.”

“You know, I never got why people hate rats so much. They’re so cute and fluffy! I mean, sure, they eat garbage, but it’s not their fault! They don’t have anything else to eat! What else are they supposed to do?”

“That’s what I keep saying!”

“So... are countries still the same in this universe? Is this the U.S.?”

“Yes, we have a United States. And a Portugal. That’s where I am from. Does your universe have a Portugal?”

“Yep! It sounds like we have all the same countries! That’s a relief.”

“But this is not American soil. We are in the Hispanic nation of Corto Maltese.”

“Oh... I guess it’s a good thing I ran into you, then, instead of the natives. I don’t speak a lick of Spanish.”

“Neither do I. I don’t live here.”

“Then what are you doing here?”

Cleo pointed to what looked like the ruins of a tall building off in the distance. “Cleaning up that. The ruins of Jotunheim.”

“Jotunheim? You mean, like, the place where frost giants live?”

“What are ‘frost giants?’”

“Oh... you... don’t have those here? I have a friend who’s a frost giant, so I thought that’s what you were talking about.”

“Jotunheim was once a research laboratory. They used a giant alien starfish to conduct experiments with the creature’s mind control abilities. Many people died in the process, and the American government was behind all of it.”

“That’s horrible!”

“The government sent me with a team to cover it up. But when the monster got loose, we destroyed it instead. Now, we have to clean up the damage in the city. It is not as glamorous as saving the world, but no job is too menial for the Suicide Squad.”

“The ‘Suicide Squad?’ That’s what you guys call yourselves? That’s a pretty bleak name. See, I’m part of a team called The Avengers. Now, that’s a much better name."

“Well, it’s only a nickname. Our official codename is Task Force X.”

“You know, why does the letter X always make everything sound, like, ten times cooler? Like, ‘Task Force Y’ or ‘Task Force W’ just wouldn’t sound right, would it?”

Cleo giggled. “I guess not.” She handed the squirrels back to Doreen as Sebastian happily bounded back to her side.

“Well, this has been a real treat, but I should probably get back now,” Doreen laughed. “I don’t want to get-” She froze as she looked behind her, realizing that there was no wormhole device. “Oh... I... I don’t know how to get back... Oh no, this is bad...”

Cleo put a hand on her shoulder before she could start to panic. “Don’t worry! I’m sure my friends can help you figure something out! Let’s get you back to my teammates.”

The two walked down several blocks, where a tall man with heavy-duty armor and a walking shark were waiting for them. Cleo grinned at Doreen.

“Is seeing a giant shark with legs strange in your world?”

“Well, I’m friends with a talking tree and racoon, so, not really, to be honest.”

The tall man gave Doreen a weird look. She wasn’t sure if it was because of her tail or her last rather bizarre-sounding remark. Maybe both.  

“Who is this?” he asked.

Doreen cheerfully stuck out her hand. “My name’s Doreen Green, also known as Squirrel Girl! I’m from another universe!” She paused. “It’s kind of a long story. I also need help getting back home now.”

The tall man tentatively shook her hand. “Robert DuBois. Or Bloodsport. I guess we can get you down to the science people if you really want to come with us.”

Doreen took a moment to peer at him. “You know, it’s weird... You look just like this guy one of my friends used to know. Would you happen to be related to a guy called Heimdall at all? Guardian of Asgard? Watchman of the Gods? Is that ringing any bells?”

After staring blankly at her for a moment, Bloodsport turned to Cleo. “Is this girl on drugs?”

“Excuse me! I most certainly am not!” Doreen protested. “It’s strictly against company protocol to be under the influence of any substances during work hours! And I’m technically still working!”

The shark suddenly pointed at the squirrels. “Nom nom!”

Cleo sighed. “No, Nanaue, that’s not nom nom. Squirrels are friends. Just like rats.” She patted the shark’s back as he gave a dejected slump. “We’ll get you food when you get back.”

Out of nowhere, Doreen suddenly felt a tingling sensation in her body. Moving of their own will, her legs suddenly starting stumbling backwards. Her squirrels instantly jumped on her shoulder, ready to protect their human from any harm.

“Hey, where are you going?” Bloodsport called.

“I...” Doreen got out. “I think the device is pulling me back!”

“You’re leaving now?!” Cleo shouted.

“I can’t stop it!” Doreen grabbed onto Cleo’s hand in a last-ditch moment of desperation. “Cleo! Take good care of Sebastian! And don’t ever let anyone underestimate you! Trust me, I learned the hard way! People think we’re weak because they don’t understand us... But you’re stronger than you th-”

Before she could finish, she was gone.

                                                           …

Doreen collapsed on the ground, her heart racing at the familiar tile patterns. She knew this laboratory! She knew this building! She was back!

Her excitement quickly faded when she realized that return would mean consequences. Yep, she was definitely fired...

Except... there was still no one in the lab. No one had come back. Doreen checked the time. 2:15. She’d only been gone for 5 minutes! She looked around in awe at the silent room. All she would have to do now was sneak out. Had she really gotten away with it?

Slipping out the door and quietly returning to her workstation, she did her best to ignore her coworker’s questions about why she took a fairly lengthy bathroom break and whether she knew what they were supposed to be doing, instead giving them quick, uninvolved answers. Her mind was on Cleo and that strange, strange universe. It was so different, and yet... so similar to hers. The multiverse was certainly big and daunting, but no matter what people found in it in the future, no matter what research lied ahead, she knew it would always give her one source of comfort:

She’d found a friend that was just like her.

[kusunogatari]

[ Portal Peril || Chapter Two ] [ @abyssaldespair ] [ Uchiha Obito, Suigin Ryū, Namikaze Minato, Hatake Kakashi, Nohara Rin ] [ Verse: White Hands of Healing ] [ Previous || Next ]

The walk back to Konoha is mostly silent, Ryū keeping her mind busy with small, distracting thoughts while Obito gives her worried, curiosity-tinged glances. All things considered, he’s extremely confused. Never did he imagine that Kamui was a plane he shared with anyone, let alone another...version of himself. The implications of another timeline - a world so like his own, and yet different - are ones he’s never considered before.

“Will we...be able to see Minato-sama right away?”

Her question snaps him back to the present. “Hopefully. He’s a busy man as the Yondaime, but he always makes time for his old team.”

Ryū gives a thoughtful hum, still staring at the path they’re walking. Even now, he can still see the somber worry on her face.

“...hey. It’ll be okay. We’ll get you back where you belong, and everything’ll be fine. There’s not a problem sensei can’t solve!” He flashes her another grin, trying to reassure her.

But though Ryū looks up, she can’t manage a smile of her own, just letting her eyes fall back to the road.

Obito’s lips purse thoughtfully. “You, uh...you seem awfully worried about m- about, uh...Obito. Is he...a friend of yours?”

“...he’s my whole world,” Ryū admits softly, which makes Obito jolt a bit in surprise at her blunt honesty. “We...met at a crossroads of our lives. We changed each other, for better and for worse. I’m not sure there’s any separating us now. There’s been...too much between us.”

That gets him to soften a bit in understanding. “...no wonder you were so upset. Sounds like you...you really love him.”

“...with all I am.”

Not used to tackling such a topic so openly, Obito clears his throat a bit awkwardly, a hand at his neck. “...well, we’ll just have to work double time to get you back! Both Kakashi and I can use Kamui, since we share Sharingan. Depending on what sensei says, we can both work on getting you back home, Ryū-san.”

In spite of herself, she then gives just a hint of a smile, glancing back up to him. “...thank you. I’m...sorry if I startled you before. And I didn’t mean to snap, I just…”

“No apology needed, ma’am. You’re upset, and I can see why. I’d probably be just as confused and freaked out if I hopped out of a portal into another world!”

A soft laugh escapes her at the title and his exuberance. He’s definitely...different, this Obito. It brings about a curiosity about who Obito was when he was younger. If he’d not faced all the hardships brought upon him by Madara...would he still be like this? So...excitable, and full of smiles? In a way...it makes her sad. She loves her Obito just as he is, but...to see him in what seems to be a far better frame of mind, part of her heart can’t help but ache.

...of course, she doesn’t know what else may have gone wrong for him in this world. So she won’t make any assumptions. But it almost feels eye-opening, meeting this version of the one she loves so much.

By then, they finally reach the village gate. Ryū then pauses. She has her travel papers, but...well, she’s not sure they’re exactly valid in this world. How does one explain that they are from Konoha, just...not this Konoha?

Thankfully, Obito takes the lead, spinning a tale of a young woman needing to speak to the Hokage. The chūnin at the gate look a little confused, but...agree to allow it, given he’s the Hokage’s student.

“C’mon, we’ll head straight to the administrative building. He can fetch Rin and Kakashi, and we’ll figure all this out.” Strangely, he seems to gain a bit of a serious edge, face set determinedly as they cut through crowds toward the Hokage’s office.

Glancing to him curiously, Ryū just follows.

As luck would have it, someone’s in ahead of them, and the pair have to wait outside the office. Arms folded, Obito ticks an impatient finger against his arm, scowling just a bit at the door. Still a bit overwhelmed, Ryū just stands quietly, trying to figure out what to say. How to...explain.

Once a genin squad and their sensei take their leave, Obito wastes no time in making his way in. “Hokage-sama!”

Behind the desk, Minato gives a soft huff, clearly amused. “Obito,” he greets, arms folded loosely atop the lip of his desk. “What can I do for you?”

At that, Obito glances back, gesturing for Ryū to step forward. Doing so, she can’t help but wring her hands a bit nervously.

“Oh…? Who’s this?”

“S...Suigin Ryū, Hokage-sama,” she replies, suddenly nervous. She never had the chance to meet Minato in her own timeline. “I’m...well…”

“Look, uh,” Obito cuts in, moving the blond’s gaze back to him. “We had a bit of a, um...accident…?”

A blond brow perks. “...meaning?”

“She’s not...from here.”

“Well, we see travelers all the time, Obito.”

“No, I mean…” He gestures widely. “Here. This...world.”

That gets blues to go wide. “...I beg your pardon?”

It’s then he does his best to string together their theory. “So, you know my Sharingan dimension - the one Kakashi and I call Kamui.”

“...yes.”

“Well...I was going to head into it today, and...she just sorta...fell out.”

In spite of himself, Minato gives a small, choked laugh. “...she fell out of Kamui? Just…?”

“Yeah! Startled the hell out of me, but...well, she says she’s from some sort of...alternate timeline. There’s another Obito, and everything! Seems he was putting her into his own Kamui on his side...and she fell out on this side. What we’re thinking is that we happened to open a portal in the same place at the same time. And...what we’re afraid of is that it might be really difficult to make it happen again, so we can send her home. I thought...I’d ask you for help, given your expertise with space-time ninjutsu. Maybe you’d have some ideas to make this work?”

As Obito goes on, Minato’s expression grows more and more serious, fingers steepling and leaning his chin thoughtfully against them. “...I see...space-time is a tricky facet of ninjutsu to begin with...and yours is completely unique, given its ties to the Sharingan. I’ve not studied it much, so I’m not too familiar with its more intricate details. But I agree...it sounds like this was indeed quite the sequence of events to create the perfect ‘hole’ between this world, and the other. To recreate it will surely take a great deal of minute intricacies. The same angle, position, time...in order to perfectly align the two planes, and allow passage from one to another.”

At his rather grim analysis, Ryū can’t help but wilt, expression falling as tears threaten to build. “...I see…”

Minato watches her for a moment, seeming to think. “...for now, Obito and I will return to the area where the ninjutsu took place. See if we can figure out the best approach for making this work in reverse. In the interim, miss, perhaps it’s best you stay here.”

“Here…?”

“It will take concentration to start mapping out portal placements. Thus it will likely be easier to do with fewer...distractions. But as soon as we find something, you’ll of course be fetched. And...it’s likely best we keep this to just a few trusted people. Crossing planes and timelines may have unpredictable effects.”

“O-of course.”

“I’ll have Rin and Kakashi fetched to keep an eye on you. I trust them best, as does Obito. If you need anything, just let them know. Hopefully we’ll find a way back sooner than later, and you’ll be on your way.”

Lacking any more words for the moment, Ryū just gives a somber nod, watching as Minato sends a hawk after his other two students. For the moment, she remains in the office, perched tensely on a chair. Kakashi she knows fairly well from her own time...but there’s a knot in her stomach at the prospect of meeting Rin. Someone who meant - means - so much to Obito. Who she herself has a fair number of parallels with. Meeting someone so revered by her loved one, so similar to herself...it’s a little daunting.

After a few minutes of silence, there’s a knock before the door opens. Jolting slightly, Ryū looks up to see none other than the rest of team Minato. Kakashi enters first, and to her surprise, looks...just about the same. Maybe a slight bit less somber in his chakra signature, but...well, three of the people he lost (or thought lost) in her timeline are alive and well. And like his counterpart, he still has a Sharingan as evident by his tilted hitai-ate. Just like this Obito’s.

And right behind him...is Rin.

Ryū has only really seen one photograph of Rin: a copy of the team picture Kakashi still has of himself, her, Obito, and Minato the day their team was registered. That was back when she was about...twelve or thirteen. And now, she’s in her thirties.

Unlike her younger self, her hair is much longer and tied toward the bottom, the same violet clan markings upon her cheeks. A flak jacket sits over a long, loose-sleeved shirt, red fingerless gloves disappearing up past her elbows. The same red is in stockings that reach up beneath the dark skirt falling just above her knees. And as she spots their guest, amber eyes alight with curiosity.

In spite of herself, Ryū stiffens just a hair, a light flush on her face. She’s...really pretty...

“Yo,” Kakashi greets first, lifting a hand.

“H...hello,” Ryū stutters, still taking things in. “I’m...Suigin Ryū. I guess...I’m not sure how much Minato-sama was able to tell you in the note…?”

“He mentioned you were some kind of...interdimensional traveler?” Rin offers, a thoughtful finger at her chin. “And that this was to be kept an S-rank secret for now, given the implications it might have on our timeline.”

“Yes, um...I guess I’m supposed to just...wait out while he and Obito-san look over where I crossed,” Ryū adds. It feels...odd to say his name so formally.

But...this isn’t her Obito.

“He also mentioned you know another Obito - that it’s how you came through Kamui,” Kakashi muses.

At that, Ryū wilts just a hair. “Yes, I...I do.”

“Just for curiosity’s sake - and so we’re all on the same page - mind recounting how that happened?”

As best she can, Ryū tells again of her mission, the bandits, Obito sending her into Kamui, and...the other Obito making her fall right back out.

“How strange,” Rin murmurs. “To think that that dimension is somehow connected to another timeline…”

“It makes a bit of sense, all things considered,” Kakashi offers, arms loosely crossed. “After all, it’s a dimension accessed purely through space-time ninjutsu. That’s how planes are connected.”

“Well, yes...but the odds of this happening are...astronomical! Trying to recreate it, it’s…” Rin fades to silence, catching Ryū’s somber expression. “...well, between you, Obito, and Minato-sensei, I’m sure we’ll figure it out! I feel bad I can’t contribute much...I’m just a combat medic. Unless you need me heal the wormhole, I’m not much use.”

“Me neither,” Ryū murmurs. “I don’t even have combat going for me, really...I can defend, but mostly I’m focused just in medical ninjutsu.”

That gets the Nohara to perk up. “Oh? Are you one of Tsunade-sama’s students?”

“Well...no, not exactly. I’m from a clan of healers. I learned mostly in the village hospital, and then my sage arts through my clan’s teacher, Suigin.”

At that, amber eyes go round. “You...you have sage training?”

Ryū’s cheeks go sheepishly pink. “...yes…”

“That’s amazing! I wish I could do that…”

For a moment, Ryū almost tells her it might be possible, and then...hesitates. Because the thought leads to a whole string of other thoughts. Other...dangerous thoughts.

...there’s so much that’s different about this timeline. Obito doesn’t know her...and neither do Kakashi or Rin. If...if her dimensional double were in Konoha, surely at least Rin would have crossed paths with her, right? Is she...not here? Is she dead?

...or...is she home, with an intact village?

As Ryū seemingly freezes up, the other pair glance to each other questioningly. “...uh...Suigin-san…?”

Rin’s voice breaks the train of thought, and Ryū looks up blankly for a moment. “...sorry, I...I got lost there for a second. I’m all right.”

“Well...seems like there’s at least some parallels between this timeline and your own,” she then muses. “Are there any...notable differences?”

“I’m not sure we should get too deep into that,” Kakashi advises. “Knowing things about a line separate from our own might have...unintended effects.”

“Yeah, guess you’re right,” Rin sighs in reply, looking a bit disappointed. “But still...I’m super curious since she knows Obito! Is he still as big of a goof in your world?”

Blinking, Ryū thinks for a moment. He...has his moments, but it’s clear this Obito is far more light-hearted than hers. Which...makes sense. “...he...is on occasion,” she replies a bit vaguely. “Obito in my world, he...he’s been through a lot. He lost much more, suffered much more, in my world than this one. Or so it would appear, given what I know.”

That makes his team go a bit still. “...man...it’s a bit hard to picture that,” the other medic murmurs. “He’s such a bright, determined guy.”

“He’s still driven. Or...well, sort of.” Much of that drive - that which pushed him through so much adversity and to the near-end of his plans - was lost when he gave that up. What’s left seems to be largely focused on attempting to make amends.

And, well...her.

But that feels awfully awkward to admit...and would lead to a lot more questions she’s not sure she’d want to answer. It’s clear that this Obito is still loyal to Konoha. And while Ryū has her doubts about the village - especially after her stint in Root’s captivity - she overall doesn’t want anything to happen to it. Letting these two know of her Obito’s actions feels like it would somehow...taint the image of the Obito here.

“Hm...so, are you two...y’know…?” Rin gives a grin.

“W...what?”

“Oh, come on...I see the way your face changes when you talk about him,” she retorts, arms folding and giving a sly look. “You love that Obito, don’t you?”

Well...she already confessed as much to this Obito...surely there’s no harm, right? “I...y-yes.” Of course, doing so here feels more...awkward. After all, Obito is rather smitten with Rin...right? “...very much so.”

“Aww...well, I’m glad he’s got you,” Rin offers, smiling more warmly now.

...that earns a pause. “...really?”

“Well sure!”

“But...I thought…?” Ryū’s brows wilt, confused. “Aren’t...aren’t you…?”

Blinking, Rin thinks for a moment before laughing. “Oh, me? And Obito?” A hand waves. “Gosh, no...I mean, yeah, there was some uh...crossed wires when we were younger. And I think maybe he’s still a bit...hung up. But no, we’re not together.”

Next to her, Kakashi gives a subtle shift. Ryū, ever watchful, catches it...and puts two and two together.

“So...you and Kakashi…?”

As the tables turn, it’s Rin’s chance to go pink. “...well, yeah. It uh...took a while. He’s rather stubborn. Mostly we try to keep it more...private. A shinobi’s life can be rather...difficult. Relationships aren’t always easy.”

“Call it us not wanting to jinx it,” Kakashi offers in addendum

“...yeah. Being open about that sort of thing tends to attract...tragedy,” Rin murmurs.

“...I see.” Ryū’s head bows a bit. So...this Obito is alone…?

“Well, if that Obito found himself some romance, I bet ours will someday too,” Rin quips. “It’s not like he’s old and past his prime!”

Still rather awkward, Ryū gives a half smile. “True…” Well now she feels bad after all she told this Obito...hopefully it didn’t in any way hurt his feelings…

“Well, anyway...is there anything you need? Or...want? I guess while you wait there’s not too much more for you to do,” Rin muses, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “It’s not that fun just sitting here in sensei’s office, either.”

“Well, I...I don’t want to be a bother -”

“Oh nonsense,” Rin cuts in, waving aside her concern. “Besides, if you just sit in here, that means we have to just sit in here!”

Oh, well...she has a point.

“Maybe we’ll just...relocate a bit. Sensei can send another hawk if he needs us, but...something tells me he’ll be out there for a while with Obito. You hungry, maybe? Or we could get some tea.”

“...tea would be nice,” Ryū then finally admits. Maybe a nice hot drink will help her settle her lingering nerves about all of this.

“Perfect! Maybe we can chat a bit more about you - that should be safe territory, right? I mean...neither of us know you. I’ve never even heard of the Suigin clan...at least, not that I can recall.”

“Um...all right. I’m not sure there’s that much to really...know.”

“Well, we’ve got to pass the time somehow. C’mon, I know a nice little place will all sorts of tea blends! Coming, Kakashi?”

“Guess I might as well,” he sighs. “I almost wonder if I’d be more help going with Obito and sensei, given my Sharingan.”

“Hm...maybe. Well, we’ll see if he sends for you. Until then, you can drink tea with us,” Rin offers with a grin.

“Hai, hai…”

Quiet as the pair banter, Ryū just follows, mind full all over again. So Rin wants to know more about her…? And no one seems to know of her clan. Not surprising, given their reclusiveness. But it brings up the question of Kusunokizan’s fate all over again. Does she even want to know…? If the village is still whole...then…

Her head shakes. No...she won’t give into the temptation. It would just make reality all the more depressing. And though nothing could sway her from returning to her home timeline...that would be the hardest hurdle to overcome.

Best not to even consider it.

“Hah...hah…” Heaving for breath, Obito braces hands on his knees. For nearly twelve hours straight, he’s been attempting to create some kind of opening in Kamui. Standing in the same place he last saw Ryū, he’s been carefully combing over the spot he knows he sent her through, opening portal after portal after portal.

And so far...to no avail.

His body shakes with fatigue, chakra running on empty. He hasn’t even taken a break to clean himself up, still peppered with dirt from his fight...and long-dried blood. His shinobi gear - rather than his typical mantle - is stained and partially torn.

But he can’t spare a moment. Who knows what might be happening on the other side, if Kakashi’s theory is correct? What if another Obito is trying to open the bridge between their realities? He can’t miss it! He can’t...he…

For a moment, it overwhelms him. Atop his fatigue, it brings him to his knees, head bowed as he caves in to his exhaustion. The entire situation has him so stressed, so worried, so manic, he can hardly stand it. The one reason he clawed and fought to live past the fourth war...is beyond his reach. The thing that’s been grounding him, that let him live through Konoha’s treatment of him after he woke...being here without her...it’s so indescribably lonely.

“...I’m trying, Ryū,” he murmurs, voice cracking. “Please don’t give up...don’t give up on me…”

For a moment, the thought surges new determination through him, and he attempts to stand...only to crash back to the ground with a groan. It’s been a hell of a long time since he’s pushed himself this hard...and his body just can’t keep up with his will.

“...urgh, damn it!” A fist slams against the leaf-littered floor, teeth gritting in a spike of temper. Kakashi only gave him a few more days until he has to report back to Konoha...he can’t afford to waste any more time…!

“Obito…”

Stilling, he looks up, heart pounding. That...that was…!

“Don’t push yourself so hard, koi...you have to rest…”

Constitution already weakened with fatigue, Obito can’t help a few stinging tears as he hears what she’d surely say. Her stern yet gentle chiding to take care of himself. A lump forms in his throat, swallowed down harshly.

“...I know...I just…” A heavy breath escapes him. “...you’re right. You’re always right…”

Shifting his stance to kneel, Obito stares at this place, now eroded from his pacing. One last thing...he has one last idea. Something tells him it’s fruitless, but…

With his last surge of chakra, he takes himself into Kamui. It’s still dark, silent...and depressingly empty. Reaching into his leg pouch, he draws a scroll, tearing off a piece and withdrawing a dull pencil.

Whoever finds this note...keep trying to open a portal here. I’m working on the other side. Please don’t give up. I have to have her back.

Maybe a little desperate, but...logic tells him the otherworlders won’t find it. Kamui, something tells him, isn’t the shared plane...but rather where they align. They can’t get into his, nor he into theirs, unless they create the same portal at the same moment.

Still...just in case, he lays the parchment nearby. Too tired to warp back out, he instead curls up on a stone nearby, body bound tightly. He misses her warmth, her softness...he misses her.

Ryū...I’m coming...don’t give up...

     Another chapter! Technically I've had this one (and the next one I'll post in a jiffy) done for a while now, just...haven't had time to proofread and post. Life is SUPER busy for me lately, so updates are gonna be sporadic (not that there's much order here to begin with, lol), so if things are few and far between for a while...that's why!      Anywho, we get to see Minato, Kakashi and Rin! Ryū's meeting all the canonly dead people today, haha - and there will be more! But yes, trying to make sure the other timeline doesn't end up tainted by her appearance is going to be difficult...and now she's got her own temptations to deal with. Poor Obito is really putting in the work to try to get her back - hopefully it'll pay off soon...!      With that though, time to go upload the next chapter! Then...who knows when I'll be back xD But thanks for reading!

[kathyprior4200]

Entrapta’s Nightmare

 Entrapta happily slurped on a small fruit smoothie, complete with a tiny umbrella and straw. She used her other hand to pop a small cupcake shaped like a kitten into her mouth.

 “Log 175,” she spoke into her recorder. “It appears that after several simulated scenarios of the portal’s potential, there’s a 99.8% chance that reality as we know it will collapse and get sucked in by the gateway. Best to collect as much as I can. Oh how I envy one who can collect data when getting stuck in a loophole!”

 Had Entrapta been in the modern world, she would’ve happily sung along to the band Muse’s song “Unsustainable,” and compared herself with Fu, the mischievous purple time traveling ki from the Dragon Ball Super show. He would bend reality and bring people together to fight in the name of science and entertainment. Oh, and getting to meet and debate with Bill Nye the Science Guy would’ve been interesting as well.

 Entrapta shook her head and laughed. “Back to the task, shall we?”

 Entrapta was lost in the working moment, fixing up another bot and trying to come up with an alternate safer portal machine to make. She heard footsteps from behind her and turned around. Hordak stood in the shadows, glaring down at her with angry red eyes.

 Entrapta, however, was unfazed. “Oh, hi, there Hordak!” she said. “I remember trying to tell you that opening the portal would be very dangerous and cause everything to be sucked in and blown up. So now here I am, coming up with an alternative interdimensional gateway that could be opened with other types of First’s Ones…”

 She was interrupted with a growl from the Horde leader, his sharp teeth bared.

 “You would dare let the princesses in, behind my back?”

 Entrapta stared back in confusion.

 “What? I don’t know what you’re talking about, Hordak.”

 “Don’t play the fool. I should’ve realized that trusting a princess could only spell trouble for the Horde.”

“I’m sure they probably let themselves in. It’s not my fault that I left Adora alone for a bit…I was just typing in potential scenarios on the screen to see what would happen if the portal were opened.”

 “What’s done is done,” he sneered. He turned away from her. “And here I thought, we would be compatible…associates.”

 “Well, we are still lab partners, right?” Entrapta pressed. “There’s no need to get upset over some minor setbacks.”

 “This setback was not minor! I heard what Catra said, ‘did you really think she was on our side? Oh, you can’t trust anyone, especially a princess. They’ll just use you to get what they want.’”

 Entrapta gasped. “She… said that to you? But that’s not true. I’d never…”

 “I have no time to deal with your lies,” Hordak spat, cutting her off. “You have betrayed me and you betrayed the Horde. Your actions will have grave consequences.”

 “But…but…surely you’d understand the dangers of the portal…and our love of technological advancement.”

 “Maybe I should’ve killed you myself,” Hordak muttered, almost to himself. “Or banished you to Beast Island, along with the others who foolishly questioned my authority.”

 “I’m telling the truth, I swear,” Entrapta protested. “I never let them in.”

 Tears erupted from Entrapta’s eyes, even though she didn’t consider herself emotional that often. “Who will help modify your suits of armor and keep you company? Who will encourage you to keep going and pursue your goals? When will you realize…that being different is never a bad thing…”

  “I don’t need your help nor your guidance!” Hordak bellowed. “I will get my revenge on Horde Prime and conquer Etheria on my own. And no more princesses will get in my way!”

 Hordak yelled in rage and smacked her hard across the face. She fell down to the floor, quickly picking herself up with her lavender pensile hair.

 “GET OUT, TRAITOR!”

 Entrapta sprinted out of the room, as fast as her legs could carry her. Not too far behind, Emily, the round bot, hurried after her on four metal legs. She ran down the metal walled corridor, wiping tears from her eyes. From up above, she could hear Hordak’s voice.

 “We are not friends, anymore…never were to begin with…”

 In the back of her mind, she knew it was Hordak’s imp, using his voice to intimidate her. But she was too heartbroken to care.

 “You wouldn’t, and yet you did let them out. You’re useless to me now. Useless…”

 The word “useless” echoed off the walls as the blue imp flew around her, cackling as he went.

Entrapta swiped at the pest with her hair, but the imp dodged her extra limbs. She ran and came across the same screens she had typed in earlier. The screens glared red and a skull with crossbones stared back at her. A low rumbling sound came from the other room, and the hairs stood up on Entrapta’s arms and neck.

 She could sense the portal opening up. Sprinting into the other room, she saw a figure pull down a lever. The figure turned around, revealing Catra, staring at Entrapta with an evil smirk.

 Entrapta had been too late.

 “What have you done?!” she cried. “Reality will collapse as we know it.”

 “I only did what I had to do,” Catra replied.

 Entrapta looked around at the collapsing room and the expanding cracks spreading through the floor and the ceiling.

 “I have to get out of here,” she thought.

 In the blink of an eye, Catra rushed behind her and stabbed her hard in the back with the stun weapon. Painful shocks of electricity flooded her body. She yelped in pain until her world went dark.

  Entrapta slowly opened her eyes, panting for breath. Looking around, she appeared to be in a plain metal cell, nothing much save for a hard bunk bed and a hole that served as a toilet. A loud roar from outside jolted her completely awake.

 “What…what was that?”

 She lifted herself up to the window and peered through the bars. Vast palm trees and flora were spread as far as the eye could see. Ocean waves crashed roughly on the rocks and against a nearby cliff wall. Entrapta noticed a huge footprint in the dirt, which appeared to belong to a dinosaur. In various spots were animal skeletons of those unlucky enough to come into contact with predators.

 Entrapta headed over to the door, and swept her hair underneath the small crack. She searched for a key or anything to escape, but there was none.

“Good luck getting out,” said a voice.

 Entrapta looked at an adjacent cell and saw another Horde soldier inside.

 “Or better, yet,” said another prisoner to her right, a gator man who had briefly defected to the Rebellion, “Don’t go out there at all…unless you want to get eaten alive by monsters.”

 “Or get skewered by the savage tribes,” added the first soldier.

Fascination with the strange land plowed into her thoughts. Yet the sense of curiosity was quickly replaced by concern. She could still feel the burn marks on her back and skin.

 ‘Catra knocked me out…and sent me here. Will Hordak ever trust me again? Will I be stuck forever, abandoned by…everyone?’

 “What is this place?” asked Entrapta. “I need to get back to the Fright Zone.”

 The soldier sighed. “The place where “worthless” Horde cadets are sent to. Welcome to Beast Island.”

  Hours later, Entrapta paced around her small cramped cell, lost in thought. Her mind briefly wandered back to one of her earliest memories, back at Castle Dryl.

 She had only known her parents for a very short time when she was little. Both of them supported her in her pursuit of science. Even as an infant, Entrapta was endlessly curious, rather than scared of the world around her. She began using the short purple tendrils from her hair around the time she learned to walk. In her early years of schooling, she messed up on a science project, the contents blowing up in her face as her classmates laughed. While she broke down in tears back at the palace, her father said that failure is a vital part of all experiments. Adding to the conversation, her mother encouraged her to always try again…whether it meant following the steps, or taking an alternative direction. She had called it “divergent thinking,” a term Entrapta still endeared to this day.

 Entrapta’s father was an esteemed inventor and engineer. He had been part of a team providing blueprints for the architecture of several Fright Zone buildings. He was an easy going fellow but also possessed a stricter side, (he was the ruler of Dryl after all).  One of his better known projects was programming the training fight simulations for the Horde cadets. However, he had also helped design the holographic map which Queen Angella used for the Rebellion. So in a sense, Entrapta and her family had been neutral from the start. His eyebrows were dark and his mustache black and bushy.

 On the other hand, her mother was a scientist by day, artist by night. Her hair was short and lavender purple like Entrapta’s and could even stretch out like hers to a lesser extent. She taught Entrapta how to paint, and frequently, they would spend quiet time together in their room, using paintbrushes of various sizes and thicknesses to create unique strokes of color. (The colors were mostly deep purple, white, and black, Entrapta’s favorite colors). Though her mother, Entrapta also developed her love of tiny food and cute animals. Soon, painting cute kittens, pugs, dinosaurs, and outer space became a regular past time until she got older.

 Times changed. Entrapta’s interests changed as well…from artistic to technical. She began using her recorder to keep track of her projects as a way to stay organized (and mostly to keep herself entertained). When her parents suffered a serious accident, Entrapta was left alone with her servers, both human and robotic. It wasn’t long before Entrapta became totally engrossed in her research and work, isolating herself from the outside world, and then from inside the castle walls.

 Perhaps it was a new dedication to create something grand. Maybe it was to make up for the aching loneliness she felt, whenever her mind drifted to her parents. Entrapta still remembered posing in between the two robots she had invented, one resembling her mother, and the other, her father. She made a peace sign with her left hand and held a wrench in her right, clad in blue overalls, her thick purple hair in two buff ponytails.

 “What were their names again?” Entrapta asked out loud to herself, briefly back in the present. “I think Dad’s name was…King Pliar! That’s it. Mom’s name was Queen Rachet! Now I remember!”

 Whatever the cause of her closure was, she would’ve been stuck with only her robotic servants and friends, had Adora and the Rebellion not entered her life.

  But then again…would that have been for the better? Adora and the others did abandon her after Adora had been rescued. Although things were fantastic for a while, with her having the freedom to work on anything she wanted, things then took a turn for the worse just before the portal’s activation.

 “Catra’s my friend,” Entrapta repeated to herself. “My data said she is based on compatibility, proximity, and mutual interests. How could it be wrong? My data’s never wrong.”

 Yet her mind flashed back to that searing pain she had received from behind her back. Did Catra literally betray her behind her back? Or was her mind overthinking things again?

  Entrapta took a deep breath and tried to focus. She had to find a way to escape.