Fog, lift.

Eyes, open.
Ears, listen. Hear.
Fingers, touch. Feel.

Fog, lift, for the first time.

Suddenly, everything seemed crystalline. I couldn't remember seeing anything from other than a distance, through a heavy fog, blurred shapes that weren't quite there. No, my vision was just fine. It was my mind that blurred.
I had only heard from a place of underwater, still distant. It was not my ears that were damaged. It was my mind that distorted the voices.
I had only felt like numbed by a paralyzing poison, numbed by lack of circulation to limbs. A vague tingling. It was not my arms that were lacking. It was my mind that dulled sensation.
It was Raijuu who ruined my mind. It was the poorly skilled sealmaster who allowed Raijuu so much control.

Fog, lift.
Mind, think.
Heart, beat. Love.

Fog, lift.

Lightning, dance on the ground.

Lightning, dancing in eyes.

The puddles around me, soaking the ground, the demolished trees from my rampage, all were covered in electric blue sparks, excess chakra unloading from my system, a painful but clarifying experience. The lightning danced and skittered and rippled over dead bodies of the enemies I'd annihalated, leaving branching, red scars all over them. I could smell burnt flesh.

But everything was so clear.

I could see my male teammate, Kosuke, nursing the broken arm I'd given him, staring at me, awed, terrified. Pitying and sorry; I could finally recognize inky black eyes behind his blonde bangs. Sasami was huddled next to him, administering first aid and pointedly not looking at me; I thought her hair was very pretty. I could see Yuuji-sensei crouched at a safe distance, looking at me blankly, calculatingly, to assure that I was myself again.
I was myself for the first time. No fog, no water, no numbness. my chest felt warm. My stomach dropped.

Kosuke's arm.

I'd broken Kosuke's arm! Splintered the bone, I was sure. I heard, felt the cracking through my ears, so vaguely, but now I remembered fully. Because the fog was gone, I could feel guilty. Kosuke's arm. I'd broken Kosuke's arm. I hurt my teammate. My friend. I'd broken his arm.

I could feel the look of absolute horror on my face for a few moments. Kosuke looked at me, and then he looked sorry for me. Not pitying, now. Sympathetic, compassionate and kind, like he was to Sasami, to the little brother I saw him walk home with from training. Don't worry, it will be alright now. You are fine. I am fine. Just slip back in. I could almost hear the thought on the wind.

And then everything was dull, underwater, foggy and faraway again.

Fog, descend.

Close ears, numb skin.
Stope heart, steal away spirit.
Cloud eyes. Falter feet.

Fog, lift.

Fog descend.

Open, close, pause. Repeat.

Fog, lift.

And someday, ascend.