the attack pt. 8: ibukis prison

~ibuki~

im able to activate my prison jutsu to save myself from the flames, i imagine its fuya because of the style and coloration of the fire but it very well could be an enemy. the prison jutsu is different this time, it appears to be constantly changing, it calms me, im at the cliff face where i would go with mayumi every day. but its different, whenever i try to go to the edge of the cliff it appears to back away from me.

"buki" a voice says in whats barely louder than a whisper. my heart drops. it sounds like mayumi, i turn around but no ones there. "buki its ok dont be scared. im here with you"

"mayumi! where are you!?" i look in every direction frantically, am i still in the prison jutsu? i must be because the sky looks like the walls of the prison.

"buki calm down its ok im right here"

"where are you!" i yell, i can feel myself tearing up.

"this is your prison buki, just the way you wanted it" what does she mean? my prison? and then it hits me.

"im trapped in here arent i" theres no response. this is the consequence of the prison jutsu, i used it too much and now its trapped me in it. i took advantage of the power it gave me and im being punished for that. "mayumi how do i escape this prison"

"i think you know the answer to that" i know but i cant bring myself to do it. there has to be another way.

"you cant kill shadow and butcher for my sake, if you truly want to kill them you have to do it because you want to, not because of me"

i begin to cry, i cant keep going, i cant win this fight. im too weak.

"buki you have to take care of your friends that are alive, you have to let go of your guilt"

theres one way i can leave here. i stand up shakily and hobble to the cliffs edge, this time it doesn't retreat from me. i stare over the edge of the cliff. i stare over it for what feels like an eternity, memories of mayumi rush through my head as i reach for the headband tied to my head, i untie it slowly and the memories keep coming, all i can think about is mayumi. i look at the headband and flip it over, in red thread is mayumis name. i clutch the headband tightly for a few moments and then i hold it over the edge, i take a deep breath

"im proud of you buki." mayumis voice says and i let go of the headband, it falls in what appears to be slow motion. its engulfed by the waves below and gone forever. the prison shatters as im freed.

good bye, mayumi