Yo! I've been wanting to write an SI/OC for a while now; I didn't expect them to be any good tbh, but I've read quite a few that have blown my mind. M/M (?) Maybe? Possibly? Don't know yet. Won't have any pairings for a long time any way. Here goes nothing!

PS. If y'all have any fun plot ideas feel free to comment or PM at any point

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter 1: Curveball

I am humming softly along with the ambient music, pleased with my haul today. I weigh the pros and cons between buying a shampoo and conditioner in one versus buying them separately, going through the details at the back. Neither of them have any sulphates.
18 dollars versus 24 dollars… I mumble beneath my breath, as I lift one option and then the next in my other hand, as if they're on a weighing scale. Oh well.. I dump both of them in my cart in a flourish, and roll out of the bath aisle to the checkout counter.

To my utter dismay, the queue is long and I groan inaudibly, neatly slotting myself in the line. I briefly wonder if I can bail, just push the cart off to the side and come again another day. I back up a little but to my utter astonishment there are already five more people behind me. What in the world?! I'm stuck.

Looks like I'm going through with this, I think miserably. I try to peer around the people in front of me. There's a really large lady who just got done and is exiting to the left. I sigh obnoxiously and a man in front of me throws me a dirty look.

Another ten minutes pass and I am drumming my fingers on the handle of the cart.

Something feels.. off.

To be absolutely honest, I felt uncomfortable a half hour ago, ever since I zoned out in the bath section. Call it a sixth sense. The prickly feeling at the nape of my neck when I'm being watched, the plummet in my stomach when I know I am in danger and right now, that sixth sense is on fire. Every little bit of my skin is buzzing, tense for… something. The sky outside has darkened and lightning flashes in the distance. A storm is brewing.

I gulp down my fear, and I try to play it off, to look nonchalant. I look back to the man behind me and ask hesitantly, 'Excuse me, do you know the time?'

He doesn't answer immediately. He forces a smile and glances at his cellphone. 'It's about 4:15', he says casually.

I nod, distracted, and turn back to freeze. 4:15?! Late afternoon, and it occurs to me that I have no memory of what I did all day. A blanket memory wipe… before turning up in that aisle. A thrill of foreboding zips through my spine. Am I lucid dreaming?!, I think incredulously. I ponder over that thought for a moment before discarding it. My dreams have never been so… benign.

But there's always a first time.

Still, I do feel uneasy. And if I am lucid dreaming, I can easily take control of the situation and leave. Yes. I breathe out heavily. Time to skidaddle.

I gently push the cart out of the queue. 'What are you doing?' The man behind me asks.

'I'm running out of time' I say. And doesn't that sound fucking ominous.

'You can't leave now..' He's blocking my path now. I look at him bewildered. I turn around to see everybody staring daggers at me and man, this shit is creeping me the fuck out now.

'Excuse me?' Nobody tells me what to do, I raise an eyebrow at him.
But then my dream decides to give me a curveball.

'Please step in to the line-'

Holy Shit. The security is here, two men… they're crowding me to keep me from leaving. I feel hella claustrophobic and panic sets in.

Yeahhh.. nope. I'm outta here.

I drop everything and book it. The man I push out of the way yelps and I skid down an aisle, turning around to look for a second. Holy shit, they're following me. I giggle hysterically.

Not my dream, he said.
Too benign, he said.
Yes, I am aware my thought bubbles are sarcastic, thanks for being self aware, brain.
What am I doing, Run!

I dash down the aisle towards a white blurry pyramid. I squint.
No. I balk at my idea, OCD creeping in. Then I mentally shrug.
Yep, I'm doing it!
I sprint and collide spectacularly into the beautiful 5 foot pyramid of toilet paper rolls.
'Whoop!', I cackle. Security trips behind me. I pick myself up and I spy a fire exit to my right. My car's out front, I think. But I gotta get out of here. Something is coming. I can feel it. And I need to get out of here before it arrives.

I race to the fire exit and yank it open.

'No!' The security is yelling behind me.

I throw myself into inky blackness.

And that's how I am introduced to The Void.