Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto.
Chapter III: Toilets
Shikamaru twirled his tea and sighed. He did everything in his power to not slump against the table and nap. He sure as hell did not want Ino pinching him awake. He let out another sigh, drowning out Ino's babble. The escorter and the escortees were almost a half an hour late. Loud laughter erupted from the table across from them.
The adults were already getting drunk.
"Ne, Kakashi, where is your little pretty kunoichi?" Anko smirked
"Probably cursing Tsunade considering she forgot to mention she would be escorting the Kazekage." Jiraiya teased causing more laughter from the table.
Naruto's smile faltered at the mere mention of the pink haired girl causing Shikamaru to frown. He noticed her iffy behavior today too.
"So, Sai. How do I look today." Ino moved her head to the side vaunting the pale florid charms and Shikamaru let out yet another sigh. She had insisted they wear nice clothing for the Blue Moon festival outside. Choji did not really mind, he on the other hand was fussed over by his mom who wanted him to dress up nicely for a particular pretty girl. She even gave him a bit of money so he could buy her something nice.
Ino lift her long purple sleeves, showing the fine embroidery and Sai watched her for a second, knowing he had to say the opposite of what he thought. "They look.." he noticed Naruto's shoulders tense. "...beautiful..just like you." he thought that was a nice finish. Naruto let out a breath he did not know he was holding and Ino's cheeks turned pink.
"Yes, they are t-truely b-beautiful." Hinata gave a small nod.
"You're dress nicely as well." commented Tenten who had worn a red qípáo with golden brocade. Two red bun ornaments set on her hair. Hinata blushed and hid behind her sleeves. The trinkets in her hair twinkled.
"Yeah! Your dress matches your eyes really well, Hinata!" Naruto nodded and grinned at her, causing her blush to deepen, mumbling a thank you.
"Every lady at this table is beautiful! But no one is as beautiful as my youthful Cherry Blossom!" he jumped from his seat, pumping fistfuls of youth and what not, evoking Tenten to grab the back of his collar and forcibly yank the speeding green rocket back down.
Huh, speak of the devil. The Nara mused as Sakura and the Sand Siblings appeared from behind the red curtains, led by a small woman who gestured them toward their table. Naruto sprung from his seat and raced toward Gaara to greet him, while the girls approached Temari and dragged her over. Sakura watched the happy exchanges with feign interest. She really had not wanted to come but it was not fair to the Sand Siblings when they had a welcoming party planned for them. Gaara asked her if they should just cancel, but Sakura insisted they should not.
Dinner went on in happy activity. Choji inhaled his barbecue strips at an incredible rate while Shikamaru was slapped by Ino several times for even closing his eyes to which Temari cheered her on, much to his chagrin. Shino spoke to Hinata quietly and Kiba challenged Narutō on who could gulp down the most pork strips. Sai sat in the middle of them, unintentionally unsettling them with his ever fake smile. Tenten and Neji tried to stop Lee from joining the rivals and choking on any meat.
Kakashi ignored Gai's attempts of challenging him to a drinking contest while Gai grew infuriated of his rival's 'coolness'. Anko's cheeks were flushed, but clearly not as much as Tsunade who was getting reprimanded by Shizune, telling her she had stacks of paperwork flooding her desk and she will whine and complain about it tomorrow and be extra moody because of the all the alcohol today. Jiraya just laughed at Baki who refused to drink with Anko.
Kankuro sat across Choji, trying to see if he could get a strip of pork before the boy's chopstick could snatch it away. Sakura sat in between Gaara and Temari, feeling the most comfortable knowing they knew what she was going through.
Ino watched her from the corner of her eye who seemed to be staring at nothing in particular. She had not said much, only a few words here and there. A nod or two. She bit her lip. She could not help feeling uneasy. There were certain occasions where she would look around the room as if something were to pop around the corner then sigh in relief and relax. "Hey forehead, why didn't you dress up?"
Ino's question had drawn most of the table's attention and Sakura suddenly felt a whole lot edgier. "I didn't have anything to wear." she inwardly winced when it sounded more like a question than a answer.
"You should have told me! We could have gone shopping together today."
Naruto frowned "Yeah you do! What about that red one you wore last time! I thought it looked really pretty on you."
"That one...I just honestly didn't want to dress up. I think I look okay in this. What does it matter?" Sakura sighed. Naruto watched her, she had been acting odd since breakfast, even though he did not see her for the rest of the day until now. He watched her fiddle with the pale pink fabric. He would expect her dress in something fancy like Ino, Tenten or Hinata, but she was wearing her combat clothes..not that there is anything wrong with that. Maybe he was just reading too much into it.
Seemingly satisfied with her answer, most returned to their chat while others could not help but to question her defensive behavior. Temari watched Sakura fidget with her fingers. She looked so small. Like a child who knew they had done something wrong and felt guilty about it. Yet that notion did not apply here. She had been so languid and apathetic the entire way here. Something so out of character for someone like Sakura. She knew the girl was paranoid, even as she sat in a brightly lit room with friends. She knew she was still scared to be alone and the blond knew that as of now, that was when she was most vulnerable.
"Hey. Why don't you eat something? It might help." Temari watched with a warm smile when she nodded and moved to get a strip of pork, to which Choji paused for her to take some. Much to Team Ten's surprise and Kankuro's irritation. Sakura offered Gaara some, who politely declined and Temari felt a pang of sadness. She watched her offer Kankuro whose face lit up and eagerly took some. She did not deserve this. Any of this.
Sakura plopped back down and sighed. Maybe Temari was right. Maybe she just needed to eat and then her nerves might calm. She picked up the pork strip and chewed, eyes glittered with sparkles. "Man, Choji these are really good! I can see why you like them." earning a light blush and smile from him. Some how Ino found the tension lift off her shoulders. It was the first real smile she had seen all day.
"Isn't it Sakura!" agreed Naruto who was just as happy to see her smile. Sakura ate happily, enjoying listening to the conversation between Gaara and Naruto.
Why she did not do this sooner was beyond her. She stood and walked over to Naruto's side to the tray of sweet salmon.
'But Mommy'
"What?" Sakura blurted out and Kiba and Sai looked up at her.
"What?" Kiba swallowed down his food.
"Did you say something?"
"Um...no?"
"Oh..I could have sworn.." she shrugged and scooped up a handful of rice.
"I read in this one book people who start to hear things might suffer from sci-" Sai tried hard not to gag on the bread roll she shoved into his mouth. He watched her lean close to his face, emerald eyes piercing.
"Don't bring up mental disorders in front of me. Don't compare me with mental disorders. I am not in the mood for your crap and I certainly don't need your crap." she snapped. Her fingers whitening from her grip on the plate.
"Um..Sakura, your plate is going to..burst." the table was silent, watching the exchange. Naruto watched her with worry and glared at Sai. Sakura stood up and sat in her seat, completely ignoring the looks Ino sent her.
She felt bad. She should apologize to Sai later, but it is just she finally felt 'free' and now she was on high alert again. Hearing things? Just great. She thinks she would be schizophrenic if it were not for the knifes the grey children left.
Why her? Why her of all people? Why was this happening and how could she stop it? She could not go on living like this for the rest of her life. Not in fear. Not like this. She had to help Naruto get Sasuke back. She had to help him grow stronger and protect him from danger. How could she if she knew at any moment she could be attacked? In the bathroom, at the hospital, on the streets? She could not have Temari or Ino or anyone accompanying her to the bathroom just because she could not be left alone. They had lives and Temari had to go back to Suna eventually.
She would only cause emotional drain and anxiety. How would she sleep at night? How did she know they would not come in her dreams? In the shadows of her room. She let out a whimper and clutched Gaara's sleeve. He looked down at her and sighed. He leaned and spoke almost inaudibly to her. "Do you wish to leave?"
Sakura shook her head and tried to stop her bottom lip from quivering. "No. I'm fine." she leaned against him and tried to stop the flow of what would soon be a river of tears. "It's nothing really...I'm..just tired." she closed her eyes and a single tear escaped.
"What..do you see?" he was almost afraid he would bring up something worse.
"I...hear a.." a faint thumping noise reached her ears and Sakura tried to pinpoint where. She looked around her and even ducked under the table. Gaara watched her, earning questioning looks from his sister. She suddenly stopped and blanched.
"..heart." pumping in front of her was a human's heart, surrounded by grains of rice. Her mouth suddenly went dry. "Gaara...what's on my plate?"
He watched her with concern and locked eyes with his sister. "..salmon."
"I thought so.." her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she went limp. Gaara instantly caught her and the entire table sprung alarming the adults.
Sakura groaned. Her arms felt like they were about to be pulled out of their sockets. There were voices arguing.
'No!'
She found herself staring at a worn out wooden planks. Colossal harsh hands gripped her wrist, dragging her from her spot. She struggled, her arms strangely weak, and dug her feet into the floor. She tried to yank back, keep herself from being pulled away.
'I don't want to!'
What is that voice? Who is there? Help! She felt strange. In fact her entire body felt strange. She felt small and scared. Her clothing felt constricting. Like how dresses made her feel. Her feet felt strapped down. She caught glimpse of blue. Long blue sleeves covered her arms. White faded stockings pinched her legs and these strange little black shoes covered her stubby feet. Black coating chipped and cracked, peeling away into the grey material underneath.
'Do what mommy tells you, now'
This voice did not belong to anyone she knew, Yet she knew who it belong to. Like a dream where you do not know why that is, but you somehow know what it is. Maybe this all a dream, but it felt so real. There was another voice in the room sounding frighten and so small, pleading 'no'. Sakura soon realized it was her mouth pouring out emotions. She tried to gain control over it, but it continued like it had a mind of its own.
'I don't want to do it!' she yanked herself from 'mother's' clutches and looked at her. The woman might have been in her mid fifties or sixties. High cheek bones, sunken cheeks, narrow nose, pale skin. A grey veil curtaining her short ash brown hair. Medieval dark brown ceremonial robes cloaked her. She stood bare foot. A black and red striped tie hung loosely around her neck.
'It would make everyone happy and it is for your own good too.'
What would? Who is everybody else?
'Oh, but mommy. I just want to be with you. Just two of us. Please understand.'
'Oh yes, I see...Maybe mommy has been wrong,' Sakura inexplicably felt weight lift off her shoulders. 'Why didn't I see this before? There is no reason to wait.' the woman's words became distorted and she felt her smile vanish and fear well up inside of her. She watched on in alarm when thin black tendrils crawled and snaked their way into her vision, obscuring until she found herself facing the ceiling. Red and orange lanterns brought red dots to her vision and Naruto's hair tickled her face.
"Mmm..Naruto?" the blond snapped his head up and smiled. His eyes slightly red. Had he been crying?
"Naruto! You idiot! Get off." a hand shot out and shoved his face away. Sakura looked to Tsunade who sat next to her. She tried to sit up, but she just gently pushed her head down. "Nah ah, you get some rest."
"But I feel fine. Honestly."
"You should have seen her." spoke Jiraiya who stood next to a sulking Naruto. "The minute you went out like a sack of potatoes, she sobered up and went into mother hen mode."
Sakura smiled at the glare her teacher sent the Sannin. She then suddenly realized that her friends and several teachers were missing. "Ah, they were sent into another room, seeing as Lee was annoying the hell out of Tsunade. You should have had listened to Shizune. Alcohol makes you moody." Jiraya spoke.
"Even Kakashi?" he nodded. "Then why is Naruto here?" the said blond's head snapped up and regarded her with a hurt expression.
"Sakura! How could you say that!" he pouted and She smiled at him, reaching over to ruffle his hair
"I only said that because everyone else is not here."
He smiled and puffed out his chest. "I had to be with my Sakura. To make sure she is okay!"
"He snuck in." and Naruto's chest deflated.
"Could we come in..?" Their attention snapped toward Ino whose head popped out from behind the shoji door. Sakura nodded and Ino stepped through along with Hinata who looked at her friend in worry. The door slammed open and Lee bounded out shouting for the blush haired girl and ran to tackle her, but Tenten caught his collar before he had any chance to.
Tsunade stood and Ino took her place. Her friends surrounded her. Kakashi knelt down next to her asking if she was feeling well to which she nodded and thanked him for his concern. Ino reached over and brought her into a hug. "You really scared me there forehead girl." she pulled away "Try not out win Choji next time" she teased.
"Are you f-feeling b-better?" Hinata let out a soft sigh of relief when she nodded. "G-good. I'm glad."
"How long was I out?" she noticed Gaara standing away from them, His back leaning against the wall and his arms crossed over his chest. I wonder if he...god I hope not.
"Five minutes." Tsunade crossed her arms "Nothing too bad..." she sent Sakura almost a knowing look. I really hope he didn't.
"So, what happened forehead?" time to lie.
"I'm just tired...I was fixing this woman's radio and it nearly took most of my day." she laughed sheepishly. Alright so it is half a exaggerated lie. Sakura tried to not to wince at the non-believing looks they sent her way. Her eyes suddenly lit up and she stood, the world almost whirling.
"Maybe you should rest." suggested Neji. "Here I'll take you home." he stood along with the rest.
"No!" Both Narutō and Sakura yelled, sharing questioning looks. "I mean..." she looked away from him, missing the blush that appeared on his cheeks." If we are done here. Why don't we go.." she spotted a brochure, reading 'Blue Moon Festival' "..go to the festival! Yeah! I been meaning to get some mochi." she finished quickly when they began to follow her line of view.
They watched her and Sakura felt her smile beginning to hurt. Anko rubbed her chin thought and grinned, hooking her arm with Baki "Nice one kid! C'mon mister. Lets get some dango."
"Wait who is gonna pay?" Kiba suddenly blurted out and everyone shared looks before they scattered. Sai was pushed around, face passive and unable to decided what to do.
"Oh well, I think I should go." Kakashi smiled under his mask, disappearing in a puff of smoke, leaving Gaara, Sakura, Sai and Baki. Sakura let out a loud sigh and watched Baki sulk and trudge over to the front. She turned to Gaara and he pushed himself off the wall, following her into a small hallway leading into the restrooms.
Sai watched them go. Naruto appeared from the front walking passed the gloomy jonin and bounded over to the artist. "Hey Sai, is Sakura here?"
He nodded. "Yes, she went to go make-out with the Kazekage." he had read in a book once that when two people were in a relationship, eye contact was all that was needed to ask for a private make-out session. He watched with interest as Naruto's eyes and mouth went wide.
"WHAT!"
Gaara leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. "You should try not reacting like that. I am obviously not the only one who noticed."
Sakura blushed and bit her lip. "I panicked. I don't want anyone finding about this. Who knows how they might react."
"You shouldn't underestimate them. You should tell-"
"Tell them what! Tell them I see monsters from something out of a nightmare? That they choose to attack me at random? That I hear things? My food turns into human organs? That I now get out of body dreams!" she had not meant to snap. He stayed with her after all. He believe in her, but how was she sure that the rest would and would not diagnose her insane? She looked at her feet. Most of all she did not want to worry them. They have enough with the band of criminals and Naruto's safety to worry about her running into another abused dog.
"Out of body..?"
"It was me, but I couldn't control my actions. It was almost like a memory. Someone else's memory."
"Hmm.."
"Gaara?"
"Yes?"
She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close. His eyes widen in surprise. "This really means a lot to me. You don't know how alone I felt."
He smiled and slipped his arms around her. "I think I do."
"It's just.." her voice cracked and her eyes burned with tears. "It's so hard. I feel like I am going insane."
"You won't. You're strong. You have me, you have Naruto and you have your friends who will do anything in their power to protect you." he rubbed her back as her tears dampened his clothes. "Remember that Naruto and I have dealt with demons of our own. Literally. Fearing everyday they might take over at any minute." for some reason Sakura found he was referring more about himself than Naruto.
Sai watched Naruto hide and peek behind a tall fringe of bamboos. He sneaked next to him, startling the wits out of him and spotted the blush haired girl and the Kazekage embracing each other. "Damn it Sai!" the blond glared at him. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" he watched in alarm when he suddenly stood up and yanked him back down. "What the hell are you doing! Are you trying to get us caught!" he hissed.
"Why are you peeping on them?" he watched the blond. "Are you afraid he is not a pussy like you?"
Naruto gave him an incredulous look and somehow managed to crush the urge to beat him to dust. "You know Sai, you got to work on your people skills." he gritted his teeth as he watched the pair. He felt anger surge within him and jealousy rise to the roof. He yelped when Sakura pulled away and he ducked down behind the stretched dark stone box, pulling down the passive artist with him.
Sakura's eyes roamed out the small hallway. "What is it?" Gaara's sand shifted inside his gourd, ready to strike.
"Nothing..although I could have sworn...maybe its just my nervousness." she smiled, patting her friend's shoulder. "..uh..I have to go to the restroom..but I can't be alone...but you can't go in there yourself..."
Gaara nodded catching her drift. "I'll go in there if necessary." Sakura watched him in surprise. He lifted an invisible delicate eyebrow. "What?"
She sighed and smiled at him, playfully pinching his cheek. "You're so cute and innocent. Unlike most men I know." she growled slightly, leaving him befuddled. She stepped through the restroom's threshold and took a deep breath. She could do this. She could do this. Sakura approached the black and white mosaic stalls repeating the mantra in her head.
Pressing down the handle Sakura exited the stalls, the rush of water broke through the silence of the facility. She scrubbed and rinsed her hands under the motion sensored faucet, drying them with paper towels and throwing them into the bin. She felt tense the entire time she did so. Stealing quick glances at the mirror in case something loomed behind her.
She pulled the knot loose on her headband and inspected the small bald spot. One of the main reasons she wore her combat clothes was because of the patch of hair those 'children' ripped from her scalp. It would seem rather odd for her to wear her headband without them and she really did not have time to primp herself up. Not that she wanted to anyhow. Right now it was time to take precautions. Wearing pokkuris while out running a abused dog was not within her agenda.
She could not have Ino or Naruto or Tsunade wondering and questioning her about it. Although she had a hunch Tsunade knew more than she led on, however she did not think she would even come close as to guessing what was really going on. She placed the headband back on her head, giving the knot ears a nice tug. Who knows, it might save her from a claw injury to the head.
A sudden squishy noise had her eyes snapping around the room. She felt the blood drain her face. The paint from the walls chipped and peeled, revealing a rust stained tiled wall underneath. The fleshy emitting chunks squirmed off the walls like maggots, vanishing into nothing. Something brushed against her hand and she looked back to find crimson tendrils bleeding from underneath the surface of the mirror and latching on to the glass. The lights above her flickered dangerously. She slowly backed away as the floor below her cracked and stained. She found her voice temporarily leave her before she screamed for Gaara.
He instantly barreled through the door and stopped short, his eyes widening with fear. "Please tell me you see this too! Please tell me!" the tendrils latched themselves to the surface of the sinks, drenching them in blood. Sakura immediately moved away, standing back to back with Gaara whose sand poured out of the gourd. They watched on as the room rearrange itself completely.
The black and white mosaic tiles chipped off and vanished to the ceiling. The toilet rolls burned away into ashes and the stainless steel toilets stained and cracked into pieces. Everything peeled and melted into the ceiling like upside-down rain.
Sakura was aware of the dull siren in her head that began when everything changed. Her heart skipped several beats when bathroom door slammed open and bursting in the room were her Teammates, freezing at the chaos around them. Narutō was about to question it all when the siren projected itself out and cut through the fleshy sounds that were beginning to grate on Sakura's sanity.
She felt lightheaded and her knees buckled beneath her. She was vaguely aware of her friends dropping down like flies before it was lights out.
End of Chapter III
Ah...my eyes are dry.
I have found it a bit draining and difficult to write so many characters at once. However I can handle four.
And for a shocker this one didn't have little split sessions.
Yes! Kurtulmak , thank you very much I appreciate your thoughts. I was actually a little concern if I grasp the horror mood well. I tried to write while trying to scare myself as well with the ideas that were flowing through my head but I was troubled when I did not feel the fear myself.
I have found sitting in the dark in a small room leading into a hallway with a large mirror on the side very inspirational when coming up with the creep factor. Especially when my eyes begin to manifest shadows creeping here and there and even manifesting someone in the mirror or creeping by it.
As for why I spell Narutō like this..I can honestly say I typed it like that because it looked interesting. I am not familiar with the Japanese or Chinese characters, but thank you for the insight and I'll change it if it confuses readers.
I really have problems with this site's program, because I tidy it all up nicely but when I submit my chapter; sentences or words are suddenly cut off. It is ridiculous. Like so, "The walls and tiles where white and intact, exactly how they were this glass in front of her was clean and unblemished by rust and dirt."
This was not how I typed it. I fixed it though. And another thing, when I first submitted the story, I categorized it in the crossover section, but it kept putting silent hill as the first category and Naruto as the second therefore placing Alessa as the first character and Sakura as the second. So I just decided to leave it as just Naruto.
Yes I mixed some elements between silent hill: origins and silent hill 3 with the transforming rate AND I know the siren does not happen a minute after the transformation starts, but this is fanfiction. It's gonna be different here.
Speaking of toilets. I found this robotic toilet (for 'men') that holds your penis for you while you pee. I giggled madly until I imagined it malfunctioning on me and holding me captive and I couldn't help but to laugh some more!
Ah! and as always. Feedback is most appreciated.
-x-x-
I want to watch some Masterpiece Mystery! Or a Sherlock Holmes case.
Still revising.
Nyan nyan nyan-
wait that's not right.
