. . . Tainted White . . .
~Chapter Numeral 1~
~Can't Be Late~
Everyone's heard of Alice in Wonderland, haven't you? I suppose everyone has, but never quite like this. Wonderland is a place where everything is at the upmost importance, yet at the same time it's completely unnecessary. Wonderland is a place where everything is what it is, and everything that it is not. Wonderland is a living question mark. Ever, yet never changing. Believe what you wish, but you'll find that your point of view is at a constant changing rate.
You probably think me mad. Well, before you go to certain conclusions, read this story. You'll probably see why I became this way. Everyone eventually goes mad there, after all.
Have you ever wondered about the White Rabbit? Have you ever wondered why he became the way he was? Did you know that he is exactly what he is? The White Rabbit, is white. Pure white, but this one was tainted. He was tainted white. He's a scarlet white. Red and white. Did you know that makes pink?
'Shall we get started?'
Welcome One.
Welcome All.
Wonderland awaits, and she can't be late.
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Sakura Haruno has never had a perfect life. No, actually it was the exact opposite. She has lived a life that she has never even wanted. One of pain and misery.
Her beautiful mother had always been the shining star when she was a child. An angel. That's why when she died, everything was consumed in shadows. She had been murdered by a serial killer. The murderer was never even caught ether.
Her father was a decent man. He wasn't quite like her mother, but he had done his job as father well. That is, until his mother's death. After that, he had died mere months after her mother. He was lying in his chair, with beer in one hand. He was a drunkard after her mother's unlikely death. She could only hope that in his last moments that he was thinking of his lost love. At least that was a bitter end.
Instead of letting her life fall completely apart after their deaths when she was a lowly child, she crammed her head into books. By the time she was a preschooler she was far more advanced than anyone else in her grade, perhaps other than the born geniuses in her class.
She had friends. You could say that to a certain extent. There was never anyone that could truly see her though. The real Sakura Haruno, who in all actuality was a depressed girl that wanted love.
She wanted to end it all a few years ago. She almost had some times, but she was never quite at Death's door. She still had the marks that scowered her body. There were so many bruises that would probably never go away for the rest of her life. They were a dark reminder of past times. She never wanted to revive those days, they were far to morbid for her now. She knew that she could never let herself intentionally die.
Sakura held a mask. It was almost like she was at a Masquerade Ball everyday. Every, single, day, she put on a mask that betrayed her actual face. The depression was always hidden behind a bright smile, that for the life of her was almost never a true one. There were very few instances in her life where she had actually grinned, or even done an all out laugh. Most of it was fake.
Sakura could only hope that there would be someone that would break this mask of hers. She didn't want to be at a Masquerade anymore. She was tired of the act.
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Sasori Akasuna never thought that he would fall in love. Never for the life of him, did he think that he ever would. Not that he would ever tell any one of his feelings, but even now, quite awhile after his realization he was still shocked to the core. Not many things can surprise Sasori Akasuna, after all.
Sasori was well known for his impassive nature, people can even say that he was in the same category as Itachi when it came to that, if someone wanted. Not many things entirely mattered to Sasori. Most things he would just wave off. If he tried, he could ignore easily, but that wasn't to say that he did.
Sasori was a genius. He was one of the smartest people you will ever meet, albeit a little quiet. No one would ever really know of that trait unless you knew him well or if someone was in his class. Even then, it was a rarity that people knew.
He had friends. Quite a few actually. All his friends actually had a group name for themselves, Akatsuki. Dawn. He never understood the purpose of the name, but could never find it in himself to fully expand his sense of curiosity to ask. He didn't really care either way. There was also Taka, an extension of the Akatsuki reserved for Itachi's brother, Sasuke, and his small bundle of friends. He never understood the reasoning behind that either.
You could say that he was good looking. He had never really known of it himself until he had fangirls. He never really cared for girls. Most of them were either annoying him, or completely ignoring him. There was only one, that was neither.
He had fallen for the girl before the supernatural phenomenon of Wonderland appeared into his life. Somehow he wondered if that was a good thing. Family and friends in the Game are a terrible drawback if an enemy finds you in real life time.
The Game was created a little over a century go, as far as what the Game Master had told him. Alice hasn't won in a decade. The same Red Queen or King has been enthroned for ten years. Sasori was told such almost the moment that he arrived, or more so Chosen by the Gatekeepers. To say the least, it was not reassuring. It kinda found its way onto one of the few things that discomforted Sasori.
Everyday he wonders just who the unlucky lady will end up being. Maybe she will be like him, and never want to relive such a malice filled fantasy ever again. Or, maybe she'll be absolutely sucked into the world that she would never want to leave it.
He hated Wonderland. Truly he did. Everyday he had to live his life, wondering if he would die. Whether it be in the real world or in Wonderland. It wasn't like he could just stop being the what he is, or else he would be vulnerable in the Game. If he gave back the weapons and magics that the Game Master had given him, he would died long before Alice even arrived in the Game.
Wonderland was never truly in state of peace. Alice's Company-as Deidara had called it-was almost constantly in battle. Some liked the Game more than others. Deidara and Hidan have found the life of a renegade quite lovely. They loved the abilities that they were granted. Sasori had them too. The abilities he was given were definitely very valuable, and his position required it so.
The White Rabbit was faster than any creature in Wonderland. The only other person, that was even remote was the Mad Hatter, which was also very much so required. The Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit were Alice's most trusted servants and guardians, after all. They were her forefront of her protection.
The Game hasn't even started yet. Alice has yet to arrive. 'Wonderland awaits.' The Gatekeeper always said such things after he arrived, 'And she can't be late.'
There was one thing though, that he couldn't tell weather he loathed or loved. The White Rabbit's pocket-watch. With a constant tickety tock, the hands went round and round. It has never stopped. It was... Eternal. The strange thing about the trinket was that only himself and Alice could hear the ticking.
Sasori could still hear the steady tick tock of the pocket-watch as he stared out onto Konoha High's front yard.
"Wonderland awaits," He whispered to himself, "And she can't be late."
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All she could see was the tiny pocket-watch that swayed from left to right. The rest of the world was an abyss of darkness. She had never been so mystified in her life. The little trinket was so beautiful. The golden chain extended far out in front of her. She couldn't identify just where its' end was located.
The swing motion made a beautiful whisping sound. It echoed throughout the area, enveloping her in it's beauty. It was music in her ears. She has never been so mesmerized by the simplicity of such a small antique before.
There was a steady tick tock sound that connected with the swaying. She had never seen something so filled with pulchritude.
The little thing was golden rimmed, while there was glass that covered its contents. Instead of numbers, there were roman numerals. The numerals were crafted with the most divine of writing. She had never before seen such written work with that much beauty. The hands were like a tiny version of Big Ben's black hands. Where the hands met in the middle there was a numeral for thirteen, she found it odd, but all the same it was beautiful. Hidden behind the numerals was a picture of a scorpion. The detail it had made it look so realistic. It reminded her of something, maybe even someone.
Scorpion.
Scorpio.
Pocket.
Watch.
Wonder.
Scarlet.
Tainted.
Time.
Chocolate.
Malice.
Strings.
...Rabbit...
...White...
The words came rushing at her before she could even comprehend what they meant. They were so mismatched, but at the same time together. It was a mystery to her. They were harsh whispers in her mind. They were enticing her. It was almost like the words themselves wanted her to be curious enough to figure out what they meant.
'Alice... Time is ticking...Alice...Alice...Alice...'
'Time to wake, my dearest Alice.'
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Sakura
'Sakura'
"Sakura"
Sakura
'Sakura'
"Sakura."
Sakura Haruno woke with a jolt. Before she even knew it, the adrenaline was coursing through her veins. She could just feel the extra boost it gave her. She needed to get out of here, before she got killed!
Slowly she looked up. What she was met with surprised her. Sasori Akasuna. Here he was standing before her desk. He expression looked so impassive, but his eyes showed otherwise. Those deep dark chocolates for eyes looked so lazy.
"Sakura," He said, once more.
Sakura shivered at the way he said her name. His voice was so silky, and deep, yet so lazy. It was so Sasori. She could just feel the pleasure in her at just merely hearing him say her name. She felt like she could just fall...back... asleep...
Wait...What?! This was Sasori! He was barely even considered a friend! Since when did she start feeling like this?!
"Sasori," Sakura mumbled sleepily.
Sasori's eyes widened slightly, but went unnoticed by the girl in front of him. He shivered slightly at her voice. Sasori felt a dull ache in his chest after that.
Instead of portraying his emotions, he said to her, "Sakura, class ended a couple minutes ago."
Sakura snapped out of her daze, and looked frantically around the room. Her mouth was agape in shock. When she looked back to Sasori her brows knitted in confusion and shame. "I'm so sorry. I don't normally sleep in class. Thank you for waking me though."
"I know," Was all Sasori said in reply.
Sakura straightened in surprise. Such a straightforward and direct answer. That was so Sasori. Always so blunt with his words. "Oh."
After that she got up from her desk. She gazed at Sasori, who held it. The silence seemed to pass over so quickly, but it was longer than expected. It was Sasori who broke the silence. "Classes will start up again soon, you know."
"Ah, right," Sakura said timidly.
When they walked over to the door Sasori opened it for her, one hand on the door handle, one showing her out the door.
That was when she say his form change.
Sakura gasped aloud, her eyes like saucers.
Instead of the schools uniform he was in an old fashioned light brown plaid vest that in the back extended down too his knees. While the undershirt was a light blue, that was also plaid. He wore a fuchsia tie that looked exactly like her hair color. His pants were trousers, and the purest of whites they were, and escaping from one of his pockets was the pocket-watch from her dream. His hands were covered with white gloves that went well with the ensemble. His shoes however were an old fashioned brown. Within the bloody locks of hair were small glasses. What surprised her most of all though was the long white bunny ears that sprouted out of his head. Along with the fact that instead of Sasori's usual impassive face was the tiniest of smirks.
She'd never seen someone so handsome.
What was even more shocking than Sasori himself was the background. The door was like a checkered tile flooring. While the world outside the door, was a world that was more wondrous than anything she has ever seen. Forest, mountains, clear blue skies, castles within the distance. There was so many features that she just wanted to run to. There was something though that stopped her.
The atmosphere that surrounded the world seemed be to hiding something. She couldn't tell whether it was morbid or joyous, and that's what frightened her most.
The world seemed to shimmer before going completely out of sight. Sasori looked at her strangely for a moment, contemplating what she was staring at him for like he just came from another world. Sasori quirked a red brow in question. "Is there something amiss?"
Sakura gaped. She was dumbstruck. What the hell was that? "Uh..."
Sasori's hands dropped, before he crossed his arms and leaned against the door. "What?"
Sakura shook herself before looking at Sasori timidly. "Its...um, nothing."
He didn't understand, and that was saying something. What had she saw to make her go into shock. He became irritated. "Sakura."
"I gotta go," Was all she said before disappearing down the hall in a dead sprint. She didn't even look back, but she could hear the sound of a steady ticking clock as she ran away from Sasori.
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'Why am I running from Sasori?' Sakura thought, frightened by her own behavior.
She questioned this over and over in her mind, hoping so badly for an answer. She questioned her dream. That tick tock sound that she loved so much, but scared her with it's haunting melody. That scorpion drawn inside the pocket-watch seriously couldn't mean Sasori could it? That's what his name meant. Sasori means Scorpion. Why did she dream that?
She ran corridor after corridor, not seeing a single soul as she passed by. She wasn't even breathing hard, and she was definitely not this in shape for sprinting. What is going on?
Who is Alice? Some voice, she couldn't remember where it came from, but it sounded familiar, called her Alice.
What in God's name is Wonderland? It awaits? For what? For her? With shaken curiosity she could feel the confusion turn into saddening frustration. She could feel a lump in her throat at all the madness. She felt like bursting into tears from the craziness that all seemed to come from...from...somewhere!
Wait. Rabbit. White. Those two fit together, didn't they? They were backwards though. White Rabbit. The words seemed to spark a memory long past in her life.
Sakura stopped running, and realization set in. Those two fit together, because it was a name of person from a book. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, if she was correct. All of it came flooding into her mind. All the characters. The Mad Hatter, The White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, Tweetle Dee and Dum, The March Hare, The Caterpillar, The Dormouse, The Duchess, The Red Queen, The Jabberwocky, The White Queen, and most importantly, little miss Alice herself. That had been her favorite story back when her parents were still alive and happy. She was read that book quite often as a child.
She could remember the story now like it was yesterday. All of it came back in such a rush, she didn't even realize that her feet had began moving again, and just where she was going, until she was there. She was at the school library.
Sakura gaze turned to the clock on the far wall. Luckily this was her off period, not that she had noticed it earlier. She wasn't even thinking about class during her time with Sasori, and her unbelievable dream.
She sat herself down on the computer desk, and searched the Library web site for the book that she was looking for. She needed to find this book, but to no avail there wasn't a single book that portrayed Alice in Wonderland. Sakura didn't know why she felt like she needed to see those pages so desperately since she could remember the story so vividly. Something was drawing her to them. She growled in frustration at the lack of info.
Taking a calming breath, she strode over to the Head Librarian's desk. Miss Kurenai. The lady with glasses looked up from her paperwork, and Sakura put her tiresome mask back on her face, portraying a soft smile.
"Sakura, can I help you deary?" Kurenai asked, politely.
It was very common for Sakura to go to the library during her off period, since most of the time she either needed to research something, work on a project or simply to find a good novel to read. Because of that, Kurenai knew Sakura decently well.
"I'm looking for a book, or anything even remotely about Alice in Wonderland," Sakura replied.
Kurenai raised a brow, "A children's story? Well, thats certainly not what I expected, but we actually have an entire book filled with olden day fairytales. It's on display, in the Fantasy section."
Kurenai pointed to the section in the far corner of the room, it was smaller room that connected to this one.
"Thank you!" Sakura cried, running off, leaving a confused Kurenai in her wake.
The room was a small one, and was a few steps lower than the rest of the library. The four walls were packed with books, almost as if the room were in need of more space. Apparently the fantasy section was bigger than what she thought.
In the far left of the space windows scattered the wall, while in front of the wall there was a few steps to get higher, while on the highest step was a book stand. It held a large old hardcover book. It was very big, far larger than any of her textbooks, and thicker too.
Sakura walked curiously up to the largest book in the Fantasy section. Before she knew it she was face to face with it, and just like many things today, it was beautiful. Their was only a name for it but no writing on who the author was. The name of the book though was: Wonderous Fantasy.
Slowly she turned to the Table of Contents. Most of the stories were created by the Brother's Grim almost a century ago, while others were unknown names to her. The thirteenth story that was featured though was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and she grinned in satisfaction. She found it!
That grin was no fake. It was as real as reality could create. There was no mask to hide her there.
Wait, Sakura think. Why does this and the number thirteen sound familiar? She thought about it, and she was startled at the knowledge. Thirteen was the numeral written into the pocket-watch. Right in the dead center of it all.
She looked down to the last story, and found that there was only twenty-six stories in all. Right in the middle is thirteen.
"This seriously can't be coincidence, can it?" Sakura mumbled, stunned.
She moved her gaze to the window, that overlooked to front of the school. She saw a long black top hat that was flying on the wind and a white rabbit running across the grass from her spot on the window.
Sakura gripped her forehead in confusion. What was going on? Nothing made sense!
Sakura growled at all that was happening. She whipped through the pages of the fairytales quickly until she stopped at the one she was searching for. She started reading, looking at the exquisite detail that the pictures presented on the right side. The words flowed so simply yet confusedly.
Madness.
The word crossed her mind. She wasn't even sure if she was the one that thought of it.
Wonder.
What?
Curiosity.
Huh?
Beauty.
She didn't understand.
Strength.
Would she ever understand?
Malice.
She has never felt so hopelessly confused in her entire life.
These are all the things that Alice and Wonderland are, or at least, will be.
What was talking to her?
She kept on reading, the voice receding back into the depths of her mind, whatever it was, anyway.
It was then that the pictures started coming to life. Little Alice, and the rest of the characters started speaking their lines to one another, letting the story literally come to life.
Sakura swears that she couldn't become even more shocked.
Then the pictures started to peel themselves away from the storybook pages.
"What?!" Sakura yelped, before tripping and landing on her bottom, "Ouch."
The characters started to enact their story, letting her watch them go along with the already long ago written tale. She watched them with wistful curiosity. Their movements were so fluid and lifelike that she swore they were real people and animals. Though, they were see through. They were like, projections, but some of the characters started interacting with her; mostly unnamed plants and animals. Sakura could feel them, like literally feel them. She could even smell the aroma of the magical flowers, and the woodsy scent that animals emitted.
The flowers and animals smiled at her, the plants had faces. Beautiful and mystic faces and features. They led her along with the story, letting her watch with her own emeralds how the story that she loved so much was played.
When the tale ended, she could still see little miss Alice, she smiled to Sakura, and walked over to her.
Sakura was-you could say-starstruck, dumbstruck, and could not find words within her voice. There was so much to say, to ask, but nothing could be formed properly.
The storybook Alice smiled so happily at Sakura. The women was very little, but so very pretty. She was far prettier than anyone else she met-even more so than Ino- and she had the most legit blonde hair that she had ever seen. Her sapphire like eyes seemed to twinkle in the light from the outside world. Even her satin blue dress was nothing that she had ever seen before. The stockings were a striped black and white. And then there was the necklace that she wore. It was a card, but unlike any other she has seen before. It bore all the card symbols, and in the middle was a 'W'.
Alice could see the amazement in Sakura and chuckled lightly, before putting her petite hands to the little card on her neck, before turning it around. The other side was blank.
"Why is it.."Sakura started.
"Why is it blank you ask?" Alice finished, smiling brightly.
Sakura nodded curtly the curiosity filling her world. The wonder was like it was a second skin to her now that she had met Alice and her dream worldly friends.
"It needs to find its chosen one. The one that opens the most doors. The one that 'Alice' loves more than anything else, and that includes both worlds."
Sakura was taken aback by that. "But, your Alice."
Alice shook her head softly. "Anyone can be Alice, Sakura, it just depends on who is Chosen for the greatest duty of all."
Sakura shook her head. She just didn't understand. Would she ever?
Alice started to shimmer more broadly than before. "My time is running out Sakura, Wonderland awaits, but not just for me."
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.
At that Alice giggled. "I hope you enjoy it more than I did. I didn't have as much time as I would like to have had."
"What are you talking about?"
With one last smile she spoke happily, "Wonderland awaits, and she can't be late."
With that Alice was forced back into the storybook with one last burst of light.
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Itachi Uchiha couldn't believe what he was seeing, and that was saying a lot after living in Wonderland for the last few months. Even though he was stunned at this revelation, his eyes barely even widened. He smirked, letting the shock diminish into resolve. Well, this was certainly not what he had expected to happen, but he suppose that this Alice was far more into the story than the past ones.
No one had ever actually spoken to the original Alice before. Was this suppose to mean something then? Of course, it just had to be. It was a good Omen. Perhaps this Alice was blessed by the Original.
The Mad Hatter stood on the steps to the Fantasy section of the Library. He had seen the original Alice speak to another girl; Sakura Haruno, if he thought right. An acquaintance to Sasori, and friend to his little brother.
His form flickered from the Mad Hatter to Itachi Uchiha. It was almost like the worlds were colliding with one another, forcing him to switch back and forth.
The strange thing about all this was that no one, not even Sasori had known about this most recent turn of events. The White Rabbit was suppose to find her and bring her to Wonderland. He was also the first one to see her, and know of her existence as Alice. Only Itachi knew at the moment. His brow furrowed. This was not suppose to happen.
He always knew something was amiss. The Game Master and Gatekeepers always did seem a little troubled. Apparently this was why.
The Game Master had said that there had been a few kinks this year during the setting up of the characters, but all in all they had said that they had tied up any lose ends. They obviously had been wrong, or they had been withholding information from the new Alice's Company.
Itachi could only hope though that things weren't going to end in a disaster. The Red Queen or King was very powerful, and Itachi didn't want a repeat of the past when it was their time to shine. Alice must win this time around.
Then there was the question of the girl, since this was not suppose to occur this way. Lifting his flickering top hat in a silent goodbye, he left the Library.
Sakura hadn't even seen or heard him as he came and went.
As he strode away he whispered to himself, "The time has come, and madness will not go undesired."
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Sakura Haruno awoke to herself screaming. The darkness that surrounded her room not helping her fear. She was panicking, her breaths harsher and harsher every moment. She could feel the tears in her eyes forming, then spilling over her rosy red cheeks.
This was years ago.
Her mother, Tsunade came bursting into her room, flipping the lights on as she came in. The burst of light was dim, but just enough for Sakura to relax. "Hush child hush!"
Sakura started to scramble out of bed, before her mother came over to her bedside. "Mother! Mother! Oh Mother!" Sakura cried desperately, grasping her in a tight hug with much more strength than the average girl.
Tsunade's natural exasperation rested for a moment, and she held her little girl in her arms. Sakura was comforted almost immediately by the warmth her mother radiated; Sakura loved it.
"Sakura, dear, did you have those dreams again? The one with the rabbit, hatter, cat, and hare?"
Sakura nodded mutely, not wanting to relive the events in the real life time. A story in a dream as it may be, the dreams just became more and more vivid. Practically lifelike.
"Mother, do you think me mad?" Little Sakura asked quietly.
Tsunade smiled softly before giving them a little distance. She played with her daughters long pink strands. She knew that Sakura loved when people did that to her. "Do you want me to tell you a secret, my little cherry blossom?"
Sakura nodded profusely. She loved hearing secrets, she was so naturally curious. Tsunade giggled at her daughter's antics. She was such a card. A treasure that has yet to be found. A pearl within it's shell. She knew that someone someday would love that trait in Sakura, heaven knows she's always been like that.
Someone would find her, open a door and let her shine with all it's brightness. It was simply bound to happen someday. She smiled down to her daughter happily.
"All the greatest people are."
. . . Tainted White . . .
Author's Note:
Well, this took far longer than I expected to complete. Phew! Gosh. It's been awhile since I wrote a longer chapter in just one day.
I really loved, loved, loved writing this chapter, and I cannot wait to keep on writing. I will update this story after I update New Beginnings. That's another Sasori and Sakura story. (SasoSaku)
Have I ever mentioned how much I freaking love Alice in Wonderland?! It is so nonsensical it's insane, and sooooooo awesome! I honestly can't tell whether Lewis Carroll is a genius or a madman? I'm thinking both at the same time.
Please, please review! I really take them into consideration, and also I'm open to constructive criticism!
Ja-ne!
-Cassandra