Conundrum
Curiosity Killed the Cat
Sakura stood abruptly, her body stiff and pale as a day-old corpse.
All eyes immediately turned to her. She could just imagine the horror-stricken expression upon her parent's face.
Even she had to curse herself inwardly.
"I-I…", she gulped, noticing the calmness on the men's faces, "I feel ill", she finished unconvincingly. She heard her mother call her through gritted teeth, but chose to ignore it.
Sakura turned to her father, inhaling shakily, "I apologize". Without looking twice, she walked pass him and towards the stairs, her heart beating violently.
Once she had safely made the ascent, she run to her room and shut the door, locking it behind her. She sucked in a sharp breath, falling to the ground as her knees buckled. 'Who are they?', she searched for an answer, an image, a name; anything that could make sense of her condition.
What made her so curious and yet uncomfortable at the same time?
Certainly, they were handsome – especially the pale one – but she was not one to be swayed by looks alone. Their faces, their names, their personalities – why did they provoke her?
Sakura clutched her head in between her hands, attempting to find an answer, and soothe her aching head all at once.
The ticking of a clock counted obnoxiously.
There was an unexpected knock at her door, causing her to freeze in her place. When she did not attend the door, rooted to her spot in confusion and terror, the action was repeated. She knew for a fact that this was not her mother or father, considering the gentle knock, and the absence of an aggressive utterance of her name.
"Ye-h-yes?", she had to fight a shiver.
"Miss Sakura", she recognized the lazy intonation, "I have been trained in simple medicine. If you would allow it, I may be able to help you", it was Kakashi Hatake who was at her door. She breathed deeply, calming herself.
It could be worse.
After a century of fretful procrastination, Sakura finally rose from the ground, slowly approaching the door. She was surprised at the man's patience.
Maybe if she played smart, she could discover something of value through an interaction; if she played her cards right, she would surely come to understand what was going on, and hence, keep her sensible world.
Her apprehension partially replaced with determination.
Sakura opened the door to the tall gentleman. He smiled, a curled hand raised between them, as if he were ready to knock again. He lowered it immediately, "how are you feeling?" She shifted back at the wide smile and eye crinkle.
Maybe this was out of her depth.
"I-I am just tired", she spoke softly, in a near whisper, "I suppose".
A callous voice interrupted their conversation, "you suppose?"
She spun her head to the source, tensing at the sight that greeted her.
There stood the magnificent Sasuke Uchiha, lo and behold, regarding them both with aversion. One of his hands remained on the railing, while a scowl set on his perfect features.
Sakura's eyes widened and she felt her cheeks heat, yet her blood drain. Kakashi turned to his partner, "Why are you here Sasuke?" He received a humorless snort.
"We were in the middle of business Kakashi", the man's tone was flinty and scolding, "and yet you left to babysit a girl who is suppose-dly ill?" Sakura flinched at the brutal words and cold sneer of his voice.
Kakashi shuffled, as if noticing her discomfort, "I'll be there soon". Sasuke glared at the man.
Without another word, the Uchiha turned around and headed downstairs.
Kakashi noticed the rigidness of Sakura's form. He smiled comfortingly at her, "you'll have to excuse him, he's an…acquired taste", the man chuckled uneasily.
Realizing the girl had lowered her eyes, he sighed.
"Sasuke has…", Sakura shot her head up in curiosity at the softness of his tone, Kakashi held an unyielding stare, "he has lost the most on his road of life".
Sakura straightened in shock.
Kakashi smiled again, before taking a few steps towards the staircase, "you seem better now", he turned his back to her, walking away with a hand held up in goodbye, "make sure to rest".
A second later, he was gone.
Sakura remained in place, pondering upon the meaning of his words, or rather, the details behind them.
She closed the door, in a trance, and tread to her vanity.
Curiosity killed the cat
Sakura looked aghast.
"What?!" She shouted incredulously.
Her parents remained surprisingly composed, although her mother shot her a glare and her father emitted a lax sigh.
"We're invited to afternoon tea at the Uchiha's".
Her father and mother once again busied themselves with the preparations, completely ignoring her. She gaped. This had to be some sick joke.
She clenched her hands into fists, "then shouldn't father go alone?" Sakura tried not to let the desperation leak into her voice.
Kizashi frowned, "it's a tea party, not a business meeting, we're all invited", he paused to give her a small glare, "and considering what you did last time, we're lucky to be invited at all", she winced at the truth of his words.
They were more than lucky to have this deal, or any deal in fact, and she had come so close to ruining it.
Sakura hung her head in shame.
Mebuki intervened, ordering her to arrange for her prettiest dress. The woman sat on the sofa, stitching together another marvelous frock for herself, with the jewelry set onto the table in front of her. Mebuki was voracious in her appetite for appearances and minute details.
Meeting her father's firm stare, she followed her mother's orders. Sakura left her parents and marched upstairs, divided between agitation and anxiety.
Reaching her room, she sighed tiredly, flexing her peculiarly aching joints.
Sakura headed to the cupboard and rummaged through her best dresses. Luckily, she did not have to look long; she only owned one dress lovelier than the pink. The girl yanked out a slim cream-colored frock, with ruffles at the back and lace at the neckline.
The moment she felt the material of the frock, her eyelids began to droop.
Lowering the garment, she yawned widely as a horrible weariness hit her. She administered a tight grip on the fabric, while stumbling her way across the room.
There wasn't even time to panic.
Sakura collapsed on top of her bed, unable to hold herself up; the strange lethargy pulling her into a deep slumber in a matter of minutes.
The girl could do no more than emit a weak whine.
Black covered her vision for a second, and in another, she sprung up in alarm. Her energy returning to her.
Sakura groaned, rubbing her head.
"She's-"
"-Younger than she ought"
Sakura twisted her head around, searching for the voices. Her eyes widened.
She was not in her bedroom anymore.
A thick canopy of trees encompassed her, and the only entrance for light was the clearing to her right. Curious flora littered the forest floor, and the sky – what little she could see – was an orange, though the sun was up. She rose hastily, pinching herself several times in the process.
What was this?
"She shouldn't be allowed here", a deep voice interrupted her stupor. She turned towards the direction of the sound, coming from the bushes in front of her, "hello?"
No one answered.
Sakura stepped cautiously towards the greenery. "Stay", the command halted her.
Another voice butt in, "don't be so rude, Neji!" This one was soft and meek. Sakura started shaking, "y-you're Ja-japanese?"
There was another moment of silence.
"he-h-hello?", she quivered with fear and confusion.
A rustle was heard before two unusual beings revealed themselves.
A half-eagle, half-lion and a half-turtle, half-cow stood before her. Sakura recoiled at the strangeness of the creatures.
The presumed gryphon, or gryphon-like animal, squawked angrily at her, halting her moments to none.
The other hybrid creature put a fin in front of him, effectively stopping him. The gryphon looked indignant, but stilled, turning to the pink-haired girl. "Why are you here if you can't stand the products of your own interpretation?"
Sakura jerked at the harshness of his voice.
"I-Inte-terpre-ta-tation?" she could barely stutter the words. The turtle nodded gently, "we are not quite ourselves?" her tone was far politer than her companion's, "but then", she gave a telling look, "neither are you".
Sakura gasped and stumbled backwards, falling to the forest floor.
"Y-you don't know-"
"We know you too well", the gryphon interceded, "Sakura". Her eyes widened at the detail of her name. She was beginning to suspect the lucidity of the dream.
She looked over each of the creatures, "I created you".
She remembered.
But any fleeting sense was lost when the female hybrid shook her head and opened her mouth.
"No, you merely reimagined us".
The 3rd chapter will be much longer, and it will have more interactions between Sakura and the guys.
Thanks for reading!
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