Rising from the Red Sand
Chapter Three
A dark small figure hidden within the shadow's at the gate of the Konohagakure, waiting. The rain poured harder than before, soaking him completely to the skin, and he felt angry within each strike of lightning. Involuntarily, he shuddered from the cold, raising his small scarred hands and stared at it.
This feeling of coldness…he doesn't like it at all.
"I see you're here way before I did, it was difficult to enter without anyone noticing."
He didn't turn from the voice. "You're late," Sasori said with an annoyed grunt. "I won't accept that excuse."
The shinobi made his way to stand in front of him. All Suna-nins annoyed him, no matter what. Even though the larger man was trained to hide his expression, it's obvious he wasn't happy with his remark.
"You have no right to talk to me that way…you're merely a tool to us and nothing else." Grey-chestnut lazy eyes sharply lifted to the ninja's face. "The child image surely fits you well, don't you agree? So how does it feel, walking around like a little monster I know you are?" Now he's getting personal. "I'm surprised you can hold that jutsu for so long without getting caught. Sasori…you better know where you stand, your life is own by us."
"There's only one man that holds my life in their hands and I clearly don't remember you being that person," Sasori retorted, his fingers twitching at his side. "Not to mention, this person is dead. And speaking of where I stand, I find it funny, seeing how you will speak to me that way when you are clearly a mere nin - a lowly puppet - under the Kazekage's orders."
Sasori felt him grabbing the collar of his shirt and lifted him to his face. "You…" he stopped and gave a mocking laugh. "Ah, you actually got a reaction from me. You're lucky; otherwise, I would have a bit of fun hurting you." The Suna-nin purposely tossed him to the wet ground and stood over him. "I'm not here for a chit-chat, there's an order for you."
Sasori stood up slowly, covered in mud.
"The Chunnin exam will be starting in a couple of weeks, you have to be prepared. We got confirmation that the Land of the Wind Daimyo is going to attend. You remember what you're supposed to do."
"An order?" Sasori's eyes harden noticeably. The shinobi failed to keep his fear hidden, taking a slight step back and froze with a curse. "You're quite daring to be coming here and speaking to me personally."
"You are ordered to do this mission successfully."
"Does it involve with you going back alive…?" Sasori felt a pleasurable tension within his muscles. The shinobi still has great fear for him, everyone in the Sunagakure does. He once was named Akasuna no Sasori after all…Sasori of the Red Sand. But like the Kazekage before, he's only a tool; his life is held down by the one who gave him life.
Ebizo, the damn fool. He never really like his granduncle.
No use spreading the Suna-nin's filthy blood, it will draw too much attention. Sasori turned and left him as he descended back to the village. The coldness nearly numbed his whole body and he felt amused to feel soreness in his throat.
Is he getting sick?
Once, it was highly impossible. It was years since he ever felt anything like this so he wasn't sure. This body of his…all in flesh and blood…he's not completely accustomed to it yet. He should be strong enough to surpass this, but his body had been abused lately. It can only take so much.
He coughed and felt his throat burning. It's official, the former S-class criminal of the Akatsuki is definitely getting a cold. Odd.
"You should NOT be out here." Sasori halted in his tracks and stared at the blonde shinobi in front of him. Naruto. A very pissed Naruto.
"Dobe, why do you always give yourself away?" Another voice is heard over the rain from behind as Sasori slightly turned his head to look at him. An umbrella in hand, both his appearances and looks are dark, his black onyx eyes observing him threateningly. Ah...the only living Uchiha is now back in Konoha.
Naruto growled. "Teme! What the hell are you doing here?"
"I saw you following him. Didn't think it would be this brat you were talking about earlier."
"And here I thought I was the only one who caught him walking around without Ugly." The third one stepped out from the side, his eyes and lips smiling. Sasori briefly recognized his annoying fake face. "I suppose it's no use being sneaky."
They're a bunch of idiots, Sasori confirmed.
Naruto ruffled his wet strands, clearly irritated, and then glared at Sasori. "You brat, how did you get away from Sakura-chan?"
"Sakura…" His umbrella abandoned, Sasuke immediately rushed toward the woman's house but not before throwing a quick, "Restrain him!" over his shoulders. Sai got a hold of the redhead tightly as both him and the blonde followed after their captain. Sasori gave out an annoyed sigh, irritated with the itch at the base of his throat as he was kindly transported home like a sack of potatoes.
Sakura's home.
Entering the apartment, they literally ripped the door to her bedroom down and clearly expected a wounded Sakura on her bed. But instead, all three men caught either a fist or foot in their faces and they each flew back into the living room painfully. Sasori struggled away from Sai where he was knocked against the wall and made his way to stand by the fuming kunoichi.
He couldn't help but stare at her. She was too kind not to destroy her home from the unwanted guests. Though angry, she certainly gave off a different light. Not to mention from her choice of sleep wear - it's appropriate but it failed to hide the curves of her body – it was sufficient to have the three men's jaws dropped, as painful as it is to them.
"Sa…Sakura-chan!" Naruto cried, red in the face, trying to look anywhere but her. "I'm sorry! I didn't…we didn't think…I mean…" He's completely loss for words before changing the subject. "Why the hell did you hit us like that?"
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked him indignantly, pointing at the broken door. "You barged into my home and into my room!"
Sai's face turned away quickly, nursing his sore right eye. Sasuke, in awkwardness, stood from his spot and gave her a furious look before speaking, "Sakura, we found the kid lingering outside."
"What?" Sakura blinked down at the staring Sasori. "When did you…?"
Might as well use the sickness to its advantage, how does a sick person even act? Sasori coughed heavily and groaned, cringing when feeling her hand on his forehead, checking his temperature probably. Faster than he can blink, Sakura kicked all three protesting men outside and slammed the broken door where it holds in place from the force. She rushed to his side, stripping him off the wet clothing.
He must be very sick for her to react that way. Sasori wasn't able to say anything to her, he couldn't. He only watched her when she gave him a new set of warm clothing, forcing him into bed and tended him, flowing her chakra into him, healing him. This feeling of being cared for, he would lie through his teeth if he said he didn't like this.
"By morning, we're going to have a little talk," Sakura warned him and that was the last thing she said for the rest of the night. Sasori stared at Sakura's face. The warmth crawled under his skin, soothing him and he felt very content for the first time.
Other than the fact that he's feeling wearily and aching. Another thing in his 'hate' list. Sickness; curse the damn thing.
Sakura. Though he's not close to her, he can still feel her spreading warmth, her soft scent within the sheets, the pillows, everywhere around him. That's one of the reasons why Sasori couldn't even sleep.
He also knew that Sakura is still awake, her body may be relaxed but there's a sort of sense in the air that tells him that one movement which may seem threatening to her, a kunai would instantly be at his throat. Either that or she's making sure he won't be out of her sight again. She looked bothered even, wondering how he would have leave without her knowing.
No doubt, those three nosy men are outside in the rain, waiting for him to make another move. Good, he needed their attention strongly on him for the plan to go well. Hopefully, their Hokage would be distracted too.
He never expected less from the ANBU ninjas. Definitely not Sakura. And to think this woman once challenged him and won the fight with Chiyo when she was only a mere young girl. He can never forget her, he remembered the strong desire to turn her into what he once was; not a human, not a puppet. To understand him. But that was so long ago. This woman now…
…She's different.
He can't let her stay up the whole night because of him. Sasori slowly raised a hand, the burn marks are visible and his lazy eyes narrowed in thoughts, remembering the flames, feeling his skin melting in the fire, the cries of the burning bodies. This is now his life. He mentally gave an ironic snort; him, a master of puppetry, has his own strings controlled by a dead man.
Gently, he caressed Sakura's smooth cheeks, feeling her body drowning in a deep sleep, her breathing level. Again like earlier when he left, the jutsu had taken over her drowsy mind. Beyond his own control, his longing took the best of him as he came a little closer to her.
He remembered clearly well how it felt during his death when his parents' puppet arms are wrapped around him before his death. It was empty but the gesture was enough. If only he can get rid of this child form, he wishes to hold the pink-haired nin, to know what it truly feels like. But he couldn't do that; he couldn't force a person to give him what he wants.
"Sleep well…Sakura…"
Her warmth is surely enough.
The darkness…
It's back again. Sakura could feel it surrounding her thickly in layers but her eyes can not adjust to it, she can't find her way out or knowing how she came here in the first place. Her eyes are open as wide as possible, reaching her arms out trying to feel her way around but can only touch nothing, see nothing.
The first time she was here, she knew this place doesn't belong to her. If this is her dream, she will never create this illusion of thick darkness. Even if it's her dream and she has no control over it, she can use her sense to escape from it, or she can just force herself to wake up.
But earlier, she can do neither one of it. Sakura's aware of it all, the feeling this place is giving her, locking her in a place she doesn't want to be. It confused her and made her very aggravated.
The first time she was in this place, it frightened her, before she woke up, witnessing her door being broken down by none other than her three former teammates. Because she was trying so hard to wake up and would have failed if it weren't for them, her anger rose when she saw their faces. She felt guilty for taking it out on them even if they deserved it.
Now she's back in this dream but the feeling is different. The darkness doesn't feel…vacant, as before. She felt something else, and this time when she reached out, she can almost taste a sort of presence in her lips.
Sakura is not alone.
There's a sudden distant echo, so soft, she could barely tell what it was. As she made her way towards it, careful with her steps, the darkness followed before it compressed together to form an image of a small young boy. It was the sound of soft crying that she'd heard.
She either created him with her mind or the presence of the boy decided to appear; Sakura don't know which one had happened. All she cared about is the boy in front of her.
He was curled up tightly on his side, his face buried within his knees. Gently so she wouldn't startled him, her fingers stroke his soft hands where it was at his side. The boy all but flinched; his crying didn't stop and curled up even tighter than before, trying to shut himself away from everything. It was difficult to reach out to him.
"No…you're not them…" He was mumbling before the darkness that was surrounding them slithered away. Sakura noticed that she's on her knees in front of him on a large bed now, the rest of the room they're in is dark and cold. She shivered. The place, even if it's her dream, feels so empty, so lonely.
That's when she saw two large figures on each side of them on the bed, both facing in their direction. But they are not moving, the room is too dark for her to see them. She can't create the image of their faces.
"I can feel you…" The boy said in front of her between cries. Sakura stared at him in confusion. She's holding his hands, does he not see her? Hysterically, his fingers gripped onto her wrists almost painfully, desperately holding onto her as if afraid that she will leave. His face is shadowed but she can make out the grey-chestnut color of his eyes only. Those eyes…she knew those eyes…
Sakura opened her mouth to speak but words are unable to release from her lips. She grew alarm, thunderstruck. Why can't she speak?
"I can only feel you…! Why can't I see you?" He bellowed at her between heavy tears and hiccups, his fingers now digging into her skin. "But…you're not them!"
Them? Sakura glanced at the two sleeping figures. Why are they not waking up?
"Okaa-san! Otou-san! YOU'RE NOT THEM!" Sakura winced, his nails digging deep into her skin, but she doesn't want to let it go. This boy needs her. "They're gone…I want them back…I need them to be back…"
Both of his parents are gone? Sakura stared hard at the bodies, wondering who they are. That's when a sudden light of the large moon shifted to the window behind her, its powerful rays shone onto their faces and her body runs cold.
"Why can't I feel them? Why only you…?" The boy had the same identical face of Sasori, his body shaking as he fell forward and placed his head on her lap. His grip was slowly releasing, having no strength. He held onto her as much as he could, wrapping his arms around her waist. Is this the same person she's caring for? "Chiyo-baasama…she lied to me. I made them. I thought by doing that, they will never leave me."
No…this is the true Sasori, grandson of Chiyo. A man she'd fought against so long ago. His words only rushed into her mind but she cannot react. The faces of his parents – his puppet parents – are mocking her, their empty eyes looking at her.
It was sickening; horrifying.
Sakura let out a piercing scream.
