I didn't want to die; not at all, actually. Some part of me really clung to the hope that I'd eventually feel better about the decade long rut my life had fallen into; I was only twenty-seven after all, there was plenty of time to steer everything back on track. The thing is, I didn't much care about that at this point.

If over a third of a film is complete ass, it's just common sense to stop watching the movie at that point, not hope that the ending can somehow turn it all around. It was the same way with this; this was just a means of escape, a way to close shop early. It didn't have to be more complicated than that.

Leaning on my bathroom sink I examined my face in the mirror. Taking a finger to dab at the purplish patch beneath my eyes I wondered if the bags darkening my face had always been this pronounced; I looked like a fucking panda. It was kind've embarrassing, especially since I'd talked to the sweet old woman that shared my duplex for a bit.

I decided to let it happen in the shower with the water running so any left over mess would just get washed away down a drain. I couldn't help but find something ironically funny about the thought; someone about to pull the trigger on their life is worried about staining their floor tiles.

Taking a sparse moment to collect myself, something that didn't really quell the knot jumping up and down my throat, I pushed off the sink and toward my shower.

I stepped out of my clothes first and foremost, as regardless of the occasion stepping into a shower clothed just felt unnatural, and sat cross legged under the near scalding spray.

One deep breath and I began to think things over for close to the hundredth time. A second breath latter I reconsidered the whole shebang. A series of breaths after that a raised my right hand and rested the cold barrel on my incisors.

It tasted like if you had a mouth full of nickels and accidentally bit a few. I found the discovery slightly interesting, and my mind started to wander right before I closed my eyes.

I wonder what a bullet casing tastes like? Copper?

After one last deep breath and a soundless whimper a deafening pop echoed through the room. Next door an older woman was startled awake from the noise, panicked, but soon fell back asleep as she wrote it off. Four days later after noticing four newspapers unattended in her neighbor's driveway, the old woman grew concerned and waddled over to check on the boy next door. Ringing the doorbell multiple times and receiving no response, even after calling out, she hurried back inside and dialed for the police.

On June 23rd, 2014 Levi Hamilton of 437 Faulker Drive in Waterbury Connecticut was found with a gunshot wound through the head by police dispatch after a call from his neighbor was received. The cause was labeled as probable suicide and victim was labeled dead at the scene. After days of searching no next of kin or claimants of the body were found, leaving Levi to be cremated in a cost effective manner before having his ashes scattered at the local cemetery. Aside from the funeral staff, a single elderly woman was in attendance, a saddened and solemn look in her eyes.

Sometimes Hisen Ikari hated his position. It was practically blasphemous for a shinobi, much less a village leader, to admit, but regretfully it was often times the truth. He loved Takigakure with all his being, that would never falter, but what was occasionally required of him for the betterment of the village left an uncomfortable weight on his heart. He'd never actually utter this displeasure to anyone, that'd be asinine, showing a exploitable weakness, but he had no qualms thinking it to himself.

Looking through the incubators glass shell at the premature newborn boy, Hisen felt a all too familiar pain lurch in his chest. This was definitely one of those times.

A nervous cough from his left snapped his attention to the medical nin in the room who was anxiously waiting for him to ask him any questions. The man was chief of staff here at the hospital, the best the village had in the field of medicine, so seeing the man stiff as a board just being in his presence was...minorly exasperating.

Thinking on any possible inquiries, Hisen didn't really have any if he were being frank; the entire village would know by this point if the procedure had gone wrong, so he assumed all was relatively well. Still, he decided it was better to humor the man before he burst a vessel.

"Were there any unforeseen mishaps during the operation, Kasaya-san?"

Kasaya jumped a bit at suddenly being addressed after minutes of silence, but quickly began to give his report.

"The procedure went as well as could be expected given the short term notice we received. Luckily we had already been preparing a sealing array in preparation to the eventuality that a new vessel is required. There were no hiccups during the transfer to the babe, though unfortunately as the seal was was rushed in its final stages it is likely that it will need some touching up in the next few years, my best guess being five."

Kasaya paused here and took a glance at the currently snoozing infant.

"Another complication was that...well...the boy is premature, Ikari-dono. While no complications arose in regards to the transferral, the boy's body could hardly take the strain. At one point we even had to resuscitate him."

Noting the unreadable expression Hisen was currently wearing, Kasaya decided it was time to finish up.

"It was touch and go at some intervals, but all in all I'm happy to report that everything was a success in the end," ended Kasaya as he watched his leader closely.

While Kasaya had been speaking Hisen's gaze had returned to the boy in question, or more specifically the markings that could be seen faintly branching outward from his navel.

Silence filled the air between them once more, and Kasaya began to worry that Hisen would take even longer than before to speak again.

"Does he even have a name," Hisen asked after a moment, speaking quietly enough that it was almost to himself.

Kasaya hesitated at the unexpected question before cautiously shaking his head in the negative.

"His mother died from the birthing process, she didn't have the opportunity."

There was the lurch again. Giving an unnecessarily deep sigh Hisen leaned back against the wall closest to him and let his eyes droop close.

"That'll be all, Kasaya-san," Hisen said, "If you could stop by the waiting room on your way out to tell Shibuki that I'll be a few more minutes I would appreciate it."

"Of course, Ikari-dono," said Kasaya as he bowed low before quietly exiting the room.

With the space now only having to occupants, the only sound was the beeps and pings of the menagerie of machinery that the child was attached to.

Hisen stayed awhile longer, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of the child's tiny chest as he breathed.

"Even a weapon has a name," Hisen said to no one, before heading toward the door. Stopping with one foot already in the hallway Hisen pivoted on his heel in order to flip off the lights before fully exiting and letting the door click shut behind him.

You know how everyone has at some point had a preconceived notion about something that turned out to be horribly inaccurate? Well dying was what I had gotten wrong.

Death wasn't at all what I expected it to be. It wasn't the instant dark nothingness that I'd expected, floating in a kind of endless void almost like you were asleep, instead I would describe it as sort of like blinking. The darkness had been present, but only for a split second, before suddenly everything was nearly blindingly bright.

I would being lying if I said I was peachy, as I was feeling disoriented as all hell, and I was pretty sure wherever I was I was on my back and certainly not on a bed.

That revelation made me feel significantly better, as the last thing I wanted was to wake up in a hospital on suicide watch, and being on the ground after a bullet to the head didn't sound like standard protocol.

I was also nearly certain that I had indeed kicked the bucket, as a quick feel of my mouth confirmed that there was no blood to be found.

I hope the drain got most of it.

This all left me with the million dollar question of where the hell am I. Blinking again from the light I sincerely hoped that I wasn't in heaven to be judged because I could tell you that I was certainly not a very model catholic.

Lucky for me my bison decided to return from its unscheduled vacation and actually let me see something.

Looking up I was more that a little flabbergasted by the sight of what looked like a skyscraper sized cork floating freely above me. Sitting up and rubbing my eyes I looked again to make sure I hadn't just gone and gave myself brain damage instead of death.

On my second inspection I realized that I had indeed been wrong, and that the the cork wasn't actually flipping gravity the bird but instead held up by near invisible glass.

Am I in a giant bottle? Seriously?

Yup! Lucky us! It kinda pretty right?

The booming voice that flooded my skull made my whole body tense up in shock. Looking around for the source of the voice, I failed to see anything near me that could've spoken.

...what the hell?

A voice poured into my ears as before, only this time it was giggling like a toddler who just hid their sibling's crayons.

Are you looking for me? Just look down silly!

Without much thought, because at this point I was more that a little out of my element, I did just that and rolled over to get a better look at what was below I saw was...unsettling.

What I had assumed was just really uncomfortable flooring was actually what appeared to be a massive amount of chitin, like what the shell of a lobster was made of. Which begged the question of why I was on a massive heap of it. On top of that I still didn't see anyone who could be talking to them.

Suddenly the whole world felt like it had decided to start doing the Macarena and I was nearly tossed off whatever I was on, something caused bile to launch itself into my mouth because oh my god I'm going to fucking die twice in one day only for a massive something to catch me.

What ever had snatched me up didn't give me time to process jack as it brought me up into the air so fast that I thought I'd get whiplash, only to stop just as abruptly as it positioned me in front of some giant statue thing.

At least that's what I thought, until the state thing turned its giant head as it examined me.

Sorry about that, my wings started ta fall asleep so I had to move around a little.

What ever thoughts I had were suddenly derailed as I took in what exactly was holding, and speaking, to me. Chitin wasn't also related to lobsters, but also bugs, like beetles, which was exactly what had decided to curiously give me a once over. A giant, talking, snickering beetle.

Anyway, I'm Lucky Seven Chōmei, pleased ta meetcha!

I'm completely unashamed that I started screaming.

Ciao!

Welp, not going to lie, i'm kind of nervous uploading this. I've had very little experience in actually allowing others to see my writing, and to be honest one of the main reasons I wrote this story is to help me practice. I don't plan on making this story follow canon to the letter, in fact I plan on changing quite a few thing here and there, so I want to be upfront about that. Another thing is sadly I have to return to school fairly soon (summer comeback! T-T) so I wont be uploading super fast. Ill sure as hell try, but I cant make any promises.

I think that's about everything I wanted to get out of the way. If any of what I said turned you off then I completely understand, so no hard feelings. Also, as I stated earlier, this is a form of practice for me, so constructive criticism is welcome! Just no flames please, I burn easily.

Until next time!