Chapter I: Amidst the Ashes
'And it's hard at times to ask
if you can leave my heart for last
and it's hard to face the facts
when the darkness fades to black.'
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD – City
A/N: A second fanfiction from me ^-^ Yes, I know, I seem to have an obsession with FemNaruto... but who wouldn't? D: Anyway, hope you enjoy this one and note that this one will be very different from 'Changes'.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any media used in this work belong to their rightful owners. Enjoy!
Sasuke Uchiha ran a hand through his spiked up hair as he stared into the sunset. The sun had swollen up from its white orb to become a huge red mouth that threatened to engulf the world, sinking slowly into the horizon. Smokey clouds fluttered across the sky like lazy moths. He inhaled deeply, the air clean and fresh for his stuffed lungs. After spending eight hours in a school – a whole hour more than he had to! – he was relieved to be able to inhale such fresh air.
He hugged his unique blue jacket closer to him – the one with his family's well-known symbol on the back – and started to regret wearing white shorts as a chill settled around him. He pulled his black rucksack further up both of his shoulders and continued to walk the familiar path to the Uchiha complex, an area in Konoha devoted to the huge family of Uchihas and their businesses. The Uchihas ran many malls – in many different cities and even countries – so their name was very popular.
Sasuke smiled as he walked down the path from his school. The city of Konoha was large and a popular tourist attraction. This was the hometown of Hyuuga Banks and Uchiha Malls, after all. Despite its large size and high population, the crime was incredibly low. Everyone who lived here was kind and abided the law. Ruled by a leader known as the Hokage, crime was punished swiftly and calmly. Nobody really knew where criminals went, but it surely wasn't back into civilisation.
Konoha didn't believe in second chances, from what Sasuke had heard.
Because of this reason, Sasuke didn't fear that he – a vulnerable, alone seven year old – would get attacked by someone older, crueller and more powerful.
And his normally naïve assumption was proved correct as he got to the black iron gates which were behind the Uchiha Mall and led into the Uchiha complex. But his eyes didn't meet a bunch of beautiful, rich homes and the scent of roses.
His eyes met the powerful trail of smoke that was funnelling into the sky, using the matching clouds as a disguise. Desperate and scared, his hands fumbled around with the gate while his young – yet genius – mind struggled to find rational reasons.
Perhaps they're having a barbecue. Or a bonfire.
Sasuke knew that these were perfectly normal for any other family but his family had different ideas of fun family time. As this was the last Friday of the month, it was of course 'Uchiha bonding time'.
This was a time when the entire family would gather in one of the huge manors to socialise over wine, a three course meal and some classical music. The children of the families would be in the nursery and the older kids would be downstairs. Sasuke didn't want to be late.
He pushed open the gate and ran through the complex, passing many empty houses, being glared at by empty windows and the stars seemed to be darkening. As he got closer to his own home, the scent of smoke got heavier, filling his lungs until he started coughing. Then the first flames were seen. They engulfed his huge manor, screaming pouring out like the endless flames that licked at the night sky. A scream scraped through his throat as he hysterically looked around for one of the phoneboxes that lurked everywhere.
Dialing the number for the emergencies, he babbled his problem on the verge of tears. A woman with a powerful voice answered him.
"Where?" She demanded.
"U-Uchiha complex…" he choked out, tears pooling on his face.
"We're on our way. Don't go anywhere near the fire. Stay right where you are." She commanded and hung up.
After an eternity of torturous waiting, an ambulance turned up. A youngish woman with a big bust and blonde hair pulled back jumped out and walked towards him. "My name is Doctor Tsunade. I was the woman on the phone." He watched as endless firetrucks turned up, the brave men and women pooling out to battle the flames. They were engulfed by the house quickly.
"I-Is my family gonna be okay?" Sasuke asked, tears threatening to pool out his eyes again. The heat was becoming unbearable as the fire spread. Water hissed around him and the woman, who had a strange diamond marking on her forehead, thinned her lips.
"I'm not sure."
Her honesty shocked him. Where most people would gently whisper 'maybe' or 'of course'. She stared at him, as if she knew he was too intelligent to be lied to. He nodded quietly.
"I understand." His voice barely touched a whisper and her gaze seemed to soften. Her hands wrapped around her neck and unclipped something and she held out a chain on her palm. A dark green crystal was visible on the end.
"Here. This is my crystal, and it's guided me through a lot of hard situations," her green eyes shimmered with emotion yet her voice stayed strong and focused. "I want you to take it. I also want you to know how to use it correctly," something in her eyes didn't mean 'keep it'. "Do you understand?"
"I understand." He repeated, nodding, clasping the crystal in his pale hand. He wrapped the chain around his neck and clipped it, hiding the dark green gem under his shirt. The woman stalked off to go deal with the situation as Sasuke was wrapped with a fuzzy blanket and given a warm drink. The scent of chocolate made him wrinkle his nose. He wasn't the biggest fan of sweets but the taste was strangely hypnotising. Before he knew it, he had drunk it all to the very last drop, leaving him with a scalded throat.
The noises around him were loud and yelling was dominant amongst the other noises. The voice that was the strongest was Doctor Tsunade's. His lids began to become heavy so he stumbled up to his legs and shuffled about dreamily, looking for a bed.
But any slither of a hope of sleep became moot as the scent of charred flesh dominated his mind and his eyes met the familiar shapes of what could only be his parents. The pale skin of his gentle, kind mother was burnt black, peeling off to expose the bloody insides. Their eyes were wide and staring, their mouths open to reveal charred throats and toasted tongues. Their eyes were goopy messes of black and white in their skulls.
Overcome by a simultaneos need to vomit, to sob endlessly and to pass out, Sasuke ran. He ran from the flame which threatened to scorch all sanity. He ran from the grief which threatened to drown him. Trapped between two awful fates, he fell to his knees and shook. His bones rapidly vibrated and his muscles convulsed and soon, vomit pooled around his pale hands.
A presence seemed to make the air heavier around him. Eyes burning and tears stroking his face, he trembled as he looked up. A boy with spiked blonde hair that fell to his round chin stood there, bright blue eyes worried. "Are you okay?" The voice was slightly husky, but feminine. It turns out that the boy was actually female, then.
"Do I look ok-" his uncharacteristically sarcastic comment was cut short as the girl grabbed him up from his perch and hugged him.
The scent of vomit was overwhelming and the girl's shirt must have absorbed the disgusting bile but she continued to embrace him. "I don't know what happened but I'm sorry." She whispered. Her voice was more than husky, it was loud even when she whispered.
It was also the prettiest he'd ever heard.
He nodded mutely as she pulled away and seemed to vanish into the mist which surrounded him like a constant gloom.
Somehow, somehow that girl made him feel better. She put things in perspective.
And he didn't even know her name…
He clutched his crystal and decided that that would belong to her when the time came. He would make sure of it.
