Unclear with no understanding inconspicuous and unnoticeable with little to none distinction. Obscure. Actuality & actual existence, and obvious or accepted fact, no doubt. Truth. How far would you go to separate the lies from the truth? One shinobi is about to find out, just how far someone is willing to go for someone they love.
Death's Hand: Obscured Truth.
Suku woke up to the strong smell of bleach and bright Florissant lights. Her eyes wondered around the room, the dull lifeless dark blue eyes found nothing of interest and she laid back down onto the bed. The hospital door creaked open and a small raven haired boy walked in. Her eyes wandered, mixed emotions of anger and extreme sadness were vivid on her face. Then she saw his face, he emotions grew to a higher level. His eyes, his hair, his face…it's him…Why has he come back? Suku's breathing increased as she looked at Sasuke in the doorway. Her hands gripped the sheets of the hospital bed, her eyes bloodshot with anger.
"Why?!" Suku yelled, finding herself choking the seven year old boy; Suku's mind showing her an image that of Itachi instead of Sasuke. As his body became limp, Suku woke up from the dream screaming. Looking around the room she did not find Sasuke or Itachi. She did not find anyone. The room was dark, neither the moon nor the stars shined that night; the sky entirely black.
Again like so many years ago, Suku stared down at her hands trembling. The familiar memory of her first mission, of lying in the same bed, curled up in a ball crying. So Suku returned to that comfort, returned to what she knew; returned to the cold icy heart that Itachi had slowly melted away. The heart he had healed then crushed cruelly. Her dark blue eyes dulled, no longer holding any happiness. The memories of that night became frozen within her mind, they were however not forgotten. Nothing could make her forget her life with Itachi. Nothing could make this pain go away. (1)
Nothing.
---
Suku spend a week in the hospital. Physically fine, the doctors could no longer keep her in the hospital. She was emotionally unstable, and she hid it well from everyone. She created a mask, a mask of nothingness, a mask that would protect her from the world. When she arrived back at home, Naruto pounced on her, tears streaming down his face. When he hugged her, Suku's body automatically reciprocated the hug. She remembered him, yet her love for Naruto was not the same as before. Suku's vision of the boy had changed. She did not see him as a son anymore, the thought was unbearable. Instead of trying to be the loving mother neither of them had, Suku became his strong older sister and sensei.
And as years passed, Naruto's behavior began to become that of Suku's. His view of the world and personality changed dramatically. He was no longer the loud annoying brat, but became known as the Genin of the Year, a strong, smart shinobi that Suku was could proud of. He graduated the academy at age nine, instead of the normal age of twelve. He talked more than Suku, and kept a close relationship with Shikamaru, Sasuke, and Kiba. Naruto was put on a Genin team, but he held no relationship with them, much to their dismay. He kept his distance, only risking his life for them for the sake of the mission.
-3 years later (Naruto age 9 ½ & Suku age 19)-
"Come at me with the intent to kill," Suku commanded falling into a defensive stance, "I am your prey,"
Naruto charged his speed feeling like slow motion to Suku. He aimed a kick towards her abdomen that she easily caught. Standing on only one foot, Naruto began to hop around like an idiot.
"Do not let the prey become the predator." Suku whispered in his ear, "I win." She then hurled him across the clearing.
Flipping in mid air, Naruto landed softly on his feet smirking, "Not yet, Onee-sama." He then went threw a couple hand seals, and disappeared into the ground.
Suku stood in the middle of the clearing with her arms across her chest. Her eyes staring down at the ground; she then jumped up into the air as hands come out of the earth reaching out to grab her legs.
Suku shook her head, "Techniques I have taught you will not work on me. Create something of your own."
Naruto frowned then threw a couple Kunai towards Suku. She dodged them, landing on the ground gracefully. Naruto however smirked and began creating hand seals, then breathed the fire jutsu onto the nearly invisible wire that the kunai were attached too. The thrown kunai were embedded into many trees surrounding Suku.
"Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu,"
Not expecting this, Suku's eyes widened as she was surrounded by the hot flames. When the fire dissipated with only the smoke lingering, Naruto walked towards the area where Suku had been standing, only to find it empty. He then felt the cold blade of a kunai to his neck.
"I win again, Naruto." She whispered into his ear pocketing the kunai.
Naruto groaned in defeat and began walking back to the Senshi Estate with Suku.
The two ate a simple dinner that night. A light salad, vegetables, and oniguri (sp?).
Naruto passed out an hour after dinner, his long day of training had tired the Chunin out. Suku however left as soon as he was sleep, heading towards her favorite bar.
"What can I get you tonight Suku, the usual?" Komori asked, the largely built bartender smiled down at Suku.
"No, how about something stronger; Shochu mixed with some oolong tea should do the trick." Suku replied sitting down at the bar.
The bar was fairly quiet, with only a few shinobi drinking their sake; it was understandable sense it was a Thursday night. Suku came to the same bar about twice a week. Komori brought her a small tea kettle and a cup. The liquid warmed her body and the alcohol numbed her senses. Slowly, cup by cup Suku drank the contents of the kettle, only stopping to listen to conversations. Her usual drinking buddy was Kakashi but he had been busy with his new team of Genin and Rina lately so she hadn't really seen or bothered to actually talk to him.
Suku paid then left the bar, her mind now fully numb yet completely aware of her surroundings. She drifted through the streets, heading the opposite way of the Estate. The air was not cold anymore like she liked it; it had become hot, the air thickening to the point of suffocation, Suku hated it. She hated Konoha, the villagers, and the entire country. Oh how she wished to leave this village. Be free, go and do whatever she wanted.
Yes, to be free is what she wanted.
When she finally returned home, Suku stumbled loudly into her room and passed out onto her bed. The cool sensation of her air conditioner left a small smile on her face as she slept.
The next day the sky was covered with clouds and the village was bombarded with droplets of rain. The sun was hidden behind the massive dark rain clouds, dropping the temperature a few degrees.
-Training Ground-
Kakashi stared up at the falling water droplets,
'So today's that day again…'
He then announced, "Training is cancelled today."
A pink haired girl squealed, "Yay! Thank you sensei! Now my hair won't get ruined!" She then pranced back to the village.
A boy wearing a fury hooded jacket with a dog in it yelled, "What do you mean cancelled?! Sensei it's only rain, we can still train!" Kakashi waved him off and began walking towards the raven haired boy who hadn't had any objections; a smirk was plastered onto his face.
He too stared up at the rain; the dark intimidating clouds seemed to taunt him. 'You can't escape me, you can't escape my attacks, and you can't escape the pain…'
Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder, "Please, keep out of sight from Suku. Now of all days would not be a good day for her to see you. You don't want to repeat what happened last year…" He sighed then puffed away in a cloud of smoke.
- Local Shinobi Bar –
Genma and Anko sat in a bar conversing, the bad weather still beating down on the village, "Today's the anniversary, the anniversary of the Uchiha Massacre." Anko grimly spoke, "Every sense that night Suku has never been the same. When ever Naruto spares with Sasuke, Suku leaves the house. She can't bear to see him, can't bear to see the resemblance of the two. It sickens me that Sasuke would smirk and rub that pain in her face. He wears that disgusting Uchiha smirk; and it pains me to see her like this, the once strong shinobi full of passion withered into nothing but an emotionless empty killing machine."
Genma nodded chewing on the Senbon in his mouth, "Yeah, I heard she joined Koga's team and their team has never returned from a mission injured sense. She has become the number medic in Konoha." He then added more quietly, "As much as it pains me to say this, I think Itachi killed his clan and left on his own free will. He meant to hurt Suku, he wanted to hurt her."
Anko gasped, "Genma! How can you say that? Those two were the only people I have seen in my life that were that madly in love with each other."
Genma continued, "Yes, it is true that they loved each other. I saw as it happened, Anko. They were my students you know. But, I know Itachi well and he hated many things and one thing he hated most was his family. He had the knowledge and the strength to do it single handedly. Plus, he had hurt Suku before. They have had previous fights where he nearly killed her. Their love was strong, but his love for power was greater. He had been like that sense his Genin days. It was always strength and power not love that he worked for. Love just happened to occur on the way towards power. And when he no longer needed it, he threw her away."
Anko shook her head, yet she knew what Genma said was true, "Where do you suppose he is now?"
Genma sighed then drank a cup of his sake before replying, "My guess is, just wondering the world as a missing-nin usually does. But personally, I think he has taken up work somewhere to receive money and shelter."
Anko nodded, she too drinking her sake. The conversation mellowed out, the topic no longer interesting.
- Senshi's Private Training Grounds -
Behind the tall thick trees stood Naruto panting, sweat dripping from his forehead and onto the ground. He gripped his arm in pain, as blood slowly traveled from his shoulder down to his wrist then trickled down onto the forest floor from his fingers. Sasuke stood opposite to him in the clearing; his arm bent in ways that shouldn't be possible.
Each boy grimaced at the other; their deadly rivalry was now reached a new height. Sasuke detested the fact that Naruto had surpassed him so easily and was already a Chunin while he was still a mere Genin. The very thought made his blood boil with anger to the point where he thought of killing him.
Naruto on the other hand, did not hate Sasuke the way he hated him. It was not the difference in strength but the difference in personality, his attitude; his Uchiha smirk, his arrogance over the fact that because of his name and lineage that he was better, stronger, than everyone else. He even had the nerve to hurt Suku in ways that no other person could. He loved making her remember Itachi, the pain that he had caused her. And he was the only person that resembled Itachi to the point where people mistook Sasuke as Itachi.
Naruto remembered on the two year anniversary, that Sasuke had pushed Suku over the edge. She had straight up threw him up against a wall and began choking him till he was literally blue. If Kakashi wouldn't have stepped in, Sasuke would be dead right now, because nothing would have stopped her that day. Quiet frankly Naruto could careless if the Uchiha died. All Naruto wanted to do was get revenge on Itachi for hurting Suku the way he did. Even though he had been pretty young, Naruto still remembered him; his teachings, his wisdom that he shared, everything. So he couldn't imagine what Suku was feeling.
Ten years…ten years of memories of solely Itachi.
The two boys finished their spare and went their separate ways as the sun fell below the mountains. The moon easily raised high in the sky, though it did not provide the same warmth of that of the sun. The orange yellow glow leaving the village, replaced by the cold stillness of the moon, the never changing white snowball in the dark sky.
- Elsewhere -
The temperature dropped significantly to the point where one could see their breath. The breath of frozen life disappeared into thin air, gone with out a trace.
Suku sat on the fourth Hokage's head looking down at the illuminated village, the rain still steadily falling from the black clouds.
"Where are you," Suku whispered, her hand reaching out for his invisible hand, "Take me with you. Take me with you…" Her hand fell softly to her side unable to grasp his out reached had. Her drenched clothes stuck to her body, her hair draped in front of her face like a curtain. Suku's head raised towards the falling rain, looking up she muttered, "Why did you leave? What was so important that you had to leave?" All her questions were returned with the pitter patter of the rain hitting the ground. She sat there for a little over an hour, then she picked herself up and looked directly down at the ground below her then at the stairs leading safely down to the village.
Shrugging Suku stepped off the cliff and let herself drop threw the air. The feeling of weightlessness was bliss to her, the feeling of wind and water against your face, and the slow of your heart beat as you saw images of your past. Yes, this was truly happiness.
- Enter Suku's True Memories-
Suku saw herself and Itachi staring at each other on her first day at the academy. Their gaze interesting the other, as they could not pull away; the curiosity building between the two.
The image faded away to their first mission, the first emotions she had ever felt in years. But Itachi looked different than the way she remembered. Maybe it was her mind that twisted his image to what she wanted to see instead of what was really there. But her memory had never lied to her; it had never failed to show Suku, remind her of what had happened in the past as accurately as possible. And what she saw now in her memory of Itachi was someone she did not know. She refused to believe that that was her Itachi. The man she has loved for years. But oh yes, it was.
As Itachi placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her, he held a small smirk on his face and his eyes glistened with excitement that screamed malice and wickedness. It was the smirk of a tainted Uchiha, with very evil intentions.
The image shattered into tiny pieces much like glass and another appeared. The two of them hugging in the garden. The first physical contact that they had shared and it had felt to right at the time. But his face was plastered with a smirk. It disgusted Suku and she shook the memory away, not wanting to remember anymore. But another popped up this time in the forest when Suku had returned from Kiri; when they had their heated make out session.
But the image remained untainted. He seemed changed, from the other memories of when he was younger. He did not hold a look of hatred in his eyes or a smirk on his face. His expression was that of true pleasure and happiness. And deep down in her heart, Suku too was happy. Happy that the feeling he had for her were not a lie, that he did love her.
Suku was eager to see the next image, already knowing of what it would be. The night of the festival. Yes, that was the last and final image that appeared before her. The intimate moment was and will always be a happy memory for both of them. No matter how much Itachi would deny it, Suku knew; she knew that he had loved her. Even if he at evil intentions at first. Suku did not care.
She didn't care about anything else, as long as he had truly loved her in the end. That in the end of all this, that it too had hurt Itachi to leave.
- End of Memories -
Suku opened her eyes the ground rapidly approaching her. At the last second she flipped in the air and landed gracefully on her feet. Her expressionless face looking at the shocked villagers.
"Did she-
"How can that be-
"Why would she-
Suku walked by them, her dull eyes looking past the worthless, weak, villagers that she was obligated to protect. As she walked the streets, all she saw were spoiled old men and women that sat in luxury enjoying life while others suffered. To lazy and cruel to lift a finger and help out those in need of it.
Her eyes were slowly opening and seeing the harsh reality of this disgusting village. She was slowly seeing what was hidden from her eyes. Senshi Suku realized there was a curtain over her eyes that had been lifted. She was seeing the world for what it truly was.
(1)- picture of that scene without the spaces: http://xdarkfoxx. deviantart. com/art/Nothingness-122551230