Chapter 2
That evening, Sasuke and Neji were sitting by a freshly made fire, roasting a deer they had caught. It had been quite the battle, since all they had was their bare hands and a small knife, but they had succeeded. Sasuke was staring into the fire for a while until he looked up to stare at Neji. There was something about this guy... about his eyes, that freaked the hell out of Sasuke.
"Are you blind?" He suddenly asked.
Neji moved his stare on the fire towards Sasuke, as he was silent for some time.
"No." He then said. "In fact, I have very keen eyesight."
"Then why do you look like you are?" Sasuke asked. "You don't have pupils." He kept staring at Neji.
"I know." Neji answered. "My whole family was born with pure white eyes. I don't know how that came into the family. It is easy to recognise a family member though." He then removed a piece from the deer that they were roasting and tasted if they could already eat it. "It's almost done." He then said, nodding.
Sasuke nodded back.
"I'm bored, so tell me something about yourself." Sasuke said. He had figured out that his personality was somewhat of a commanding one. He felt like people should do what he said mostly. It just felt like that was how he was.
"Funny that that is the reason why you want to know something about me." Neji replied while he was busy roasting the deer.
"Just tell me, we're stuck together anyway." Sasuke said, once again looking at the fire. It was kind of mesmerizing.
"I don't talk on commando." Neji dryly replied.
"Then what are you gonna do, stay silent all night?" Sasuke asked, slightly annoyed.
"I didn't plan to no." Neji said. "I can also talk without being ordered to."
"Then answer a question. How old are you?" Sasuke asked. Maybe that would get Neji to talk. He couldn't come up with any other question.
"Twenty one." Neji said. "You knew your age as well, right?"
".. Twenty, I think at least." Sasuke said. "What did you do for a living?"
"I massaged people and I was a doctor." Neji replied. "Sort of at least."
"How can you be sort of a doctor?" Sasuke asked frowning.
"I wasn't an official doctor, but people sought me out a lot since I know a lot of the human body, as I told you." Neji said. He started to like Sasuke a little better. At least Sasuke was interested. Neji could ask things too, but since Sasuke didn't know anything now, it had no use.
"Then how come you know so much about the human body? You studied?" Sasuke asked and put his hands near the fire for a second, then retrieved them. Once again, he felt something odd. He didn't want Neji to know he was cold. That sounded pretty stupid.
"As well, but I know a lot from my past lives as well." Neji said, now taking the deer off of the fire and started to cut it. He had found a few flat stones and cleaned them, and was now cutting the meat onto it. "And I guess I have talent for it. It's my thing."
"Past lives? How can you know things of your past lives?" Sasuke asked frowning. "Cut some for me too."
"I am cutting meat for both of us, don't worry." Neji said. "I'm more aware then most persons of my past lives. I have an old soul." He looked at Sasuke now. Was it just him, or was Sasuke trying to dominate him in some way? It sure looked like that.
"Well that's just odd. So you know who you were in your past life?" Sasuke asked. He then suddenly turned around and looked into the forest. Something was out there.
"Lives." Neji corrected Sasuke. He followed Sasuke's gaze and then looked at Sasuke again. "Is something wrong?"
"..Something's walking there. Don't you hear it?" Sasuke asked as he kept staring. He could hear it very clear.
Neji looked at the forest once more.
"..No." He then said. "But even if it is, it doesn't have to be dangerous. It's a forest. It's full of life. It could just be a deer."
"No it's not a deer. It's bigger than that.. I can't place it, but it's about 1 kilometre away." Sasuke said. "I don't think it's very friendly either."
"'...Could it be the monster that attacked the village?" Neji asked, frowning now.
"I don't know, I can't make it out." Sasuke said. "... It surprises me that I can even figure out this much."
"Well you obviously have keen hearing." Neji said, now handing Sasuke some meat put on one of the small stones, as if it was a plate.
Sasuke took the stone without looking as he was still staring into the forest.
"I don't trust whatever is running around there." He said and then turned to Neji. "We should eat and continue walking."
"Is it coming this way?" Neji asked, as he started eating. He started to get slightly worried.
"It's getting closer, but it could be turning at some point. I don't think it knows we're here." Sasuke said as he started eating as well.
"Perhaps it smells the meat?" Neji asked. He didn't want to admit it, but he was scared to death that it would be the monster again. Who knows what that creature might be planning?
"It might. Let's just hurry up with eating and leave." Sasuke said. "I bet if we leave that deer behind it won't follow."
"Right." Neji said. "It's a pity though, we could have taken it with us."
"We'll catch more food." Sasuke said as he already finished eating. Meat seemed to taste great for some reason.
Neji nodded now.
"We definitely will." He then said. "We should wash our hands before we go." He ate the last of his meat now. He actually wanted a little more, but it was better to leave the deer behind now, he guessed.
"Take another piece." Sasuke said. "He's not here yet. Not close enough for us to worry."
"Good." Neji replied as he immediately took another piece. He was starving. He didn't know why, but the thought that Sasuke knew when they were in danger made him feel safe. He let Sasuke take over from now, to take care of their safety. He was not one to stuff his face, but this time it was needed.
They ate in silence for a while, before Sasuke got up.
"We need to go. It's speeding up." He said and looked into the forest again.
"Alright." Neji said, as he quickly put the last of his meat in his mouth and walked towards the river they were sitting close to. He washed his hands carefully, also his face, to get the scent off. "I hope it won't follow our scents."
Sasuke quickly washed his mouth and hands as well and then started walking away from the sounds.
"You have to hurry now." He said to Neji.
Neji quickly followed Sasuke.
"Is it coming?" He then asked, while wiping his hands.
"Yes." Sasuke answered and started walking a little faster. For some reason, this creature was speeding up.
Neji felt his heart beat in his throat as they hurried their way through the forest. He kept his mouth shut though, the creature could hear him talking if it came really close. Although apparently, it had a good nose and knew where to find food. Neji just prayed the food would be the deer they had been eating, and not themselves.
Sasuke kept on walking through the forest and only an hour later, he finally stopped.
"I think it's going away." He said. "You can sleep now."
Neji looked back for a moment, a little freaked out by the fact that Sasuke had kept on hearing the creature, and he hadn't heard a thing.
"Your ears are very good." He then said.
".. I guess they are." Sasuke said. "I still don't remember anything, so I'm surprised myself."
"In that case you probably will find out a lot more about yourself and be surprised more often." Neji said, as he looked around for a nice spot to sleep. It was turning dark quickly.
"Maybe." Sasuke said. "You go to sleep over there, I'll keep watch." He sat down on a fallen tree.
"Are you sure of that?" Neji asked. "We should switch watches." He now sat down onto the ground.
"I'm fine, I don't feel like sleeping." Sasuke answered. "Just go to sleep."
Neji looked at Sasuke for some more time, and then laid down on the ground.
"Wake me up when you're getting tired." He then said.
"Yeah I will. Goodnight." Sasuke said and then stared into the dark forest. He had stuff to think about. He needed to figure out who he was.
Neji closed his eyes after wishing Sasuke goodnight as well. Within five minutes, he was asleep.
The next day, Sasuke and Neji were once more walking, in search for a new place to live, or at least to meet some people that could help them further. As they reached the top of the hill they had been walking on, Neji let out a slight sigh of relief when he saw a small village laying beneath them.
"Finally." He then said.
Sasuke looked down at the village and then started walking down.
"You wanna live here?" He asked. This village looked.. for too small and boring for his liking.
"I don't know." Neji said. "But let's at least stay here for some time. Perhaps there's a good inn."
"I hope so, but there's no way I will live here." Sasuke said. It didn't take long before they had made their way down and into the village. And one of the first buildings in the village was a small inn.
"Should we go there?" Sasuke asked Neji.
Neji looked at the inn and frowned a little.
"No." He then said. "I got a bad feeling about it. Let's search another one." Not accepting any protest, he walked further, to look for another inn. As he looked around, he saw the people on the street looking at them full of mistrust, but there also was some fear to be seen in their eyes. Their image on strangers obviously wasn't a good one. At all. They looked as if they wanted them to leave as soon as possible. Which Neji agreed with. The whole city was made of yellow looking stones, the age of it obvious to see because of the black spots that were covering it, together with a thick layer of dirt. There was no doubt that this little city wasn't ruled in a good way. At all.
"You know, I don't see any inns." Sasuke said as they walked through the city. "I think we should go back and stop bothering all these people's with our presence." He gave a few of the citizens who were looking a glare. How annoying.
"Just be quiet and let me handle this." Neji said, not showing that he was slightly annoyed by Sasuke. He was though. "And don't give them that dangerous look."
"Well they're staring. And you're not my mother." Sasuke said. Not that he knew who his mother was, but this was not the time to think of that.
Neji just ignored Sasuke as he looked around some more. Finally, he spotted another inn and immediately walked towards it.
"Well guess what, there happens to be another inn here after all." He said.
"How wonderful. And it looks so much better than the last one as well." Sasuke said, sarcasm dripping all over that comment. The inn looked almost exactly the same. It was just slightly bigger.
"If you think the other was better then go back there on your own." Neji said. "I'm going to this one. It feels less unpleasant."
"Still doesn't feel pleasant. But I wouldn't want you to get hurt." Sasuke said and gave Neji a smirk before walking into the inn.
"I can defend myself you know." Neji said, as he walked inside as well. He then walked up to the man who greeted them when they walked in. "Hello." He greeted the man. "We would like a room for two, if that's possible."
"Hello..." The man said and looked at Sasuke and Neji as if they were criminals. "Why do you need to stay here?"
"Maybe because we need to sleep. And I'd rather not sleep in the forest." Sasuke said, earning a glare from the man.
Neji gave Sasuke a look that obviously meant 'shut your damn mouth', and then looked to the inn owner.
"We are some of the few survivors of the attack of a monster on our city." Neji explained. "Our houses were burned down to the floor and everyone was dead or gone when we woke up. It's not safe in the forest right now. That's why we are in search of a room."
"... A monster attacked your city?" The owner asked, narrowing his eyes. "And you think you are safe here? Who says that monster didn't follow you?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes now.
"Just let us stay here." He said, ignoring Neji's looks.
"Sasuke here has very keen ears and he hasn't heard anything following us." Neji said. "We're not scared that the monster will follow us, but the forest is just not a safe place to sleep in without being guarded. And we're both exhausted, we walked all day."
"It's going to cost you 20 dollar per person." The man said and Sasuke frowned. He looked at Neji. He was broke.
Neji sighed slightly now.
"I think we both don't have money for that." He then said. "But I'm willing to do something in return. I'm a healer and I also know how to please the body and making it relax to the maximum."
The owner was silent for a while and Sasuke had trouble not staring at Neji as if he was crazy.
"... You're a whore?" The owner asked confused and Sasuke let out a snort.
"..No." Neji said, frowning deeply for once. "I was talking about massages and reki." He felt slightly offended though. What made the man think he was a whore?
"You should pick your words more carefully." Sasuke said as he looked at Neji, who kept silent.
"A massage won't make up for a forty dollar loss." The owner said. "Leave my inn."
"And having sex 'would' make up for that?" Neji now bit out, finding the whole situation very ridiculous. To think that someone said no to an offer like he had proposed.
"It might." The owner said. "I want you to leave, this inn is only for trustworthy people with money."
"That's not very nice, you could let us stay her for one night. It's not like those forty bucks are gonna get you out of this hellhole." Sasuke said calmly, but annoyed.
"We did have money but our city has been burned down." Neji said. "How would you like it when you lost everything and then no one wanted to help you?"
"We need the money. Sorry, please leave." The owner said and turned around, ready to walk away. But Sasuke wasn't done with this guy.
"Just give us a room you ass. That money is not gonna make your stinking life any better. Or that of anyone else in this stupid village." He snapped. He needed sleep.
Just when Neji opened his mouth to stop Sasuke, a voice behind them interrupted him.
"Then why don't you return to where you belong, 'Sasuke'?"
Sasuke frowned as he turned around and stared at a guy who was smirking at him like mad. The guy had greyish hair and glasses and looked... weird, but familiar somehow.
"... How do you know my name?" Sasuke asked.
A slight look of surprise mingled with the broad smirk, but it was barely see able.
"That's a funny question Sasuke." He then said. "Don't you remember me? I thought I made a better impression on you then that."
"Who are you? How do you know me?" Sasuke asked now. If this guy knew his name, he knew who he was. At least for some part. This was his chance to figure it out.
"My my, did you lose your memory?" The guy now asked, and let out a slight laugh. "What a pity. We know each other from the past Sasuke. And hopefully, from the future as well." Neji meanwhile looked at the guy with his normal blank stare, but from the inside he was a little worried and cautious. What was with this guy? He didn't look trustable, he looked like a criminal that didn't plan anything good. At all.
"Then how do you know me?" Sasuke asked again. "Who the hell are you?" He was getting really annoyed by this guy. And it felt like that wasn't the first time either.
"We know each other from the past." The guy repeated. "And let's say that I'm the one above you, but under the one who stands even closer to you." He then smirked. "Your transformation has been interesting."
"My what? I don't get it. If you know me, then tell me who I am." Sasuke snapped, glaring at the guy.
"You are Uchiha Sasuke." The guy replied. He then smirked broadly once more. "See ya." With that, the image of the guy standing in front of them suddenly faded, and it was like he was being blown away by a wind that no one felt in the room. By now everyone was staring at them.
Sasuke stared at the place where the guy had disappeared. He then let out a frustrated growl, hitting a candle of a table. The owner now glared at both Neji as Sasuke.
"Now get the hell out of my inn unless you have something real precious to offer me." He snapped.
Neji now gave the owner a glare and before Sasuke could explode, Neji took Sasuke by the arm and took him outside with him, feeling that it had no use to stay there any longer.
"You don't remember anything of this guy?" He then asked.
"Of course not, otherwise I would have said so." Sasuke snapped, pulling his arm loose. "He seemed familiar but I can't place him at all." This was frustrating to no end. If only he could just get his memory back.
"There is no need to snap at me now Sasuke." Neji replied. "Let's try the other inn now."
"And then? All these people are the same. I vote walking on and hoping for a better city. Or better yet, finding that guy." Sasuke said.
"I think it's better to try to make some money here." Neji said. "So then we can pay for a room next time."
"I'm not going to work in this village." Sasuke said annoyed.
"Then what do you want to do, sleep in the forest once more and having the risk to be killed?" Neji asked, pulling up an eyebrow. "It's not because this inn keeper was not nice that everyone is like this."
"You said you had a bad feeling with the other inn and this one hasn't worked out well at all. Imagine what will happen at the other one." Sasuke said. "I'll just stay awake again."
"What is your option Sasuke." Neji said, not sounding nice anymore now. He had no idea what to do either at this moment.
"I just told you, we move on, hope for another city and if we don't, I'll just stay awake again." Sasuke snapped.
"It's already dark Sasuke." Neji then said. "But fine. I will ask someone." He walked up to a big man that looked more trustable then the others, and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, can I ask you something?" He asked. He just hoped Sasuke would keep his mouth shut.
The man looked at Neji and then answered.
"What is it?" He asked. Sasuke meanwhile sighed as he followed Neji and crossed his arms. This guy was annoying.
"Do you have any idea what is the closest city from here on, heading towards the north?" Neji asked. He just hoped this man would help them and be nice.
"If you are planning to go there now, good luck. It will take you at least six hours by foot to get there." The man said.
"Then do you know a place where me and my friend could stay over the night?" Neji asked. It was so frustrating that the cities were laying so far apart from each other. It was a wonder that they had found a city by the end of the day, but that they weren't accepted here because of the money, was like a hit in the face. They needed money, and fast.
"I can offer you a place to stay. I have a spare bedroom at my place, so if you want you can sleep there." The man said. Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly. That was an awkward offer. All the citizens looked at them as if they were monsters and this guy offered them a place to stay? It didn't add up.
Neji looked at Sasuke for a second, and then looked at the guy again.
"We don't have money to pay you with." He then said.
"That's ok." The man said. "I wouldn't want two young men sleeping outside. Just because most people here aren't that nice to outsiders, doesn't mean everyone is."
"We're moving to the next city Neji." Sasuke said. This guy wanted more.
Neji looked at Sasuke now.
"Why?" He then asked. He didn't get what could possibly wrong with not accepting this offer. The guy was just being friendly. He looked like he had the age that he had kids himself, so Neji could imagine the thought of two young boys sleeping in the forest disturbed him.
"Just because." Sasuke said and grabbed Neji's arm, pulling him with him. He could see the man watching Neji. Looking at him with a dirty look.
Neji walked a little further with Sasuke before stopping them, when they were out of hearing section of the man.
"Now what is the reason you didn't want to go in to that offer?" He asked.
"He wanted to have sex with you." Sasuke said as he looked at Neji. "You're stupid if you didn't see that."
"I'm amazed by the fact you're able to pull off conclusions this quickly Sasuke." Neji said. "No, I didn't see it. Because that's the last thing that comes up on my mind. Even if he did want it, he didn't look like the person to force this kind of stuff onto people."
"Well he was." Sasuke said. "I just know that." It was a downer to realize, but Sasuke knew they were in even more trouble then he initially thought. Not only did 'he' not know his powers, Neji didn't have any and they were both not unattractive boys. Anyone could take advantage if they didn't watch out. No one could be trusted.
"Trust me, if he would have tried that, I could have stopped him." Neji said. "I think we should go back to him and apologize. Even if he wants sex, he did offer us a free place to stay. He didn't say we have to have sex with him. Believe me Sasuke, I can stop the guy if he tries anything. If he touches you, wake me up."
Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"We can't trust him." He said. "We can't trust him and I won't. If you wanna risk him raping you, then go ahead, but I won't. And don't talk to me as if I can't defend myself."
"You don't know your powers but I do." Neji said.
"Well what can you do then hm?" Sasuke asked annoyed. Neji acted as if he had superior powers or something.
"I can control someone's body." Neji snapped at Sasuke, offended by Sasuke's behaviour. "I can take over. So when he tries something, I don't even need to push him off."
Sasuke looked at Neji now, slightly confused.
"... How then?" He asked.
"I control blood." Neji then said, looking at Sasuke with a deadly serious look on his face.
Sasuke was silent for a while as he looked at Neji. That was creepy.
"... Well.. that's a nice power." He finally said, not knowing what else to say.
"So are we taking up his offer or not Sasuke." Neji said. "What is more dangerous, sleeping in the house of someone who might long for sex or sleeping in a forest that's filled with creatures we don't know of and people who might be wanting to kill you?"
"No one wants to kill me. And I still don't think we should sleep in the house of a guy planning on having sex with you. Even if you can control it, he might just do something to stop you." Sasuke said.
"Like what?" Neji asked. He just didn't get the problem. "And you don't know if no one wants to kill you. You don't know what you might have done before you lost your memory."
"What, you think I'm some kind of murderer now or something?" Sasuke snapped.
"Sasuke, would you please listen carefully to what I'm saying instead of jumping out of your skin immediately?" Neji asked. "You 'might' have done something wrong. You simply don't know. People know you, and not the other way around. Just like the guy just now. And answer my question. What could he do to stop me from controlling his body? If he doesn't even know of my powers?"
"You don't know his powers either." Sasuke snapped. "I just don't think it's a good idea, so if you want to sleep there, go ahead. I'll be sleeping in the forest."
"Fine." Neji said, and walked away from Sasuke.
Sasuke scowled at Neji and then followed him.
"If either one of us gets raped, it's gonna be all your fault." He snapped.
"Sure Sasuke." Neji said. "Just wake me up." He then walked towards the man. "I'm sorry for that sir, we would love to spend the night in the room you offered us."
"Really? Well then follow me, I was just on my way." The man said. Sasuke growled a little. No one was this nice. And if anything would happen, he would either tell Neji 'I told you so' or he would beat the crap out of Neji if anything happened to himself.
Neji shot Sasuke a look and then followed the man. They might as well get the chance to find out more about this city and even about the man that knew Sasuke. They walked for some time until they reached the man's house, that stood a little apart from the rest of the houses, but did look cleaner than the rest. Neji knew they had made a good choice. It wouldn't matter who's house they stayed in, every person had a bad side.
