Puzzle Me
Oi Guys! I missed you all so much! Sorry, the end of the school year is coming up and I've had a lot of shit to do! By the way, to whoever got the homestuck reference, you rock! I hoped someone would catch that. And yes. I realize this story jumps all over the place but I promise it will make sense later on!
Anyway, please remember to review/follow so you can keep up with new updates!
Chapter Nine: Missing Pieces
She sat, shirtless in the middle of no where forest, her elderly and newly-acquainted grandmother rubbing some foul-smelling clay-like substance down her spine. It was cold and left an uncomfortable suction feeling behind. It made her want to shiver is discomfort but she kept her strong-face on. This needed to be done.
"Try gathering chakra to your fingertips." The elderly woman said dully as she continued coating the silver-haired girls back in a special mix of herbs and dirt.
Sakura complied, trying to call her chakra to her fingers, but it wasn't working for some reason, she couldn't move it at all. She stared idly at her hand, "It… isn't working?" She said, a tone of wonder escaping her lips.
"Good. This will make things easier." The elder nodded, adding one last coat for good measure. She didn't want to accidentally kill her son's daughter, after all. Not when she was trying to redeem herself.
"But why? How am I supposed to master this jutsu without- HEY OW!" The girl yelped out when her grandmother struck her atop the head with that damned cane of hers, hard.
"Alchemy is not a jutsu, it's a science. A damned one at that. But still a science. You don't need chakra to enhance it!" The elder scolded, coming to stand before her granddaughter, throwing a roll of bandage her way, "Make yourself decent." She sighed, noting the deep flush on the silver-haired child's face as she hurried to wrap her pre-pubescent chest.
"So now what?" Sakura questioned, now finished restoring her decency and comfort.
"Okay. The center of alchemic science is a transmutation circle, however, as you've already used the scroll, you've no need to do that. The connection of your hands however, is necessary, as it works as an amplifying spark to connect your own alchemic circle. Are you following?" She questioned, waiting for the young girl to nod before continuing, "The laws of alchemy is simple. Equal exchange. If you want something, you must have a source of whatever compounds it is made of. If you want a stone statue, you need earth. If you want to create ice, you need water. If you want to create paper, you need bark, if you wish to make bread, you need grain. Equal exchange. Do you understand?" She questioned, looking deeply into the emerald eye of her granddaughter.
"I guess." Sakura answered uncertainly. This was all too odd.
"Good, first things first, here." The elder said, searching through the baggy sleeve of her kimono she pulled out a leather book, the pages yellow and torn with age. "This is a book on alchemic science, please read this in free time, cover to cover, three times if you have to." She said, ruthlessly chucking the book at the small girl who caught it with ease and pocketed it in her thigh pouch.
"Now, all you said you've used for raw material is stone, correct?" She questioned, Sakura nodded and the elder rubbed her wrinkled chin in thought. "That's a simple compound, you could make metal weapons, or bend the earth to your will. Both useful, but sloppy in time and style. You must be aware of how to use it in battle, and what you create with it."
"Here," She said, handing sakura a… brass door knob? The girl looked at the object in dumbfounded confusion, "Is this where my doorknob went?"
THWACK! "OW! You crazy bat!" The silver-haired girl whined, rubbing the welt on top of her head.
The elder woman crossed her arms, "Don't question my methods!"
Sighing, Sakura gave in to the annoying hag, "Well, what the hell do I do with it?" She hissed, annoyed for the vicious cane beatings.
"Transmute it into something else. A knife, a small statue, anything. Re-shape it into something of use." The elder commanded. Taking the knob from the girls hands and placing it on the ground before her, the girl shrugged and went to take the object into her small hands, but the harsh smack of a cane interrupted her, "Idiot girl! Your alchemy won't work unless you touch your hands and make the circle!" She sighed angrily.
Sakura grumbled obscenities as she clapped her hands together, pressing them on the ground on either side of the small door knob, focusing on turning it to something else. A bright light momentarily blinded her, but as the small puff of smoke cleared, she sweat-dropped.
A small butchered figurine of a cat sat before them, looking as if a three-year old had made it in art class.
Another smack with the cane. "Idiot!" Her grandmother hissed, then with a defeated sigh, she produced a leather sack, dropping it before the girl. "Do it again." She said, sitting cross legged across from the girl, figuring she'd be here a while.
"Did you… did you remove all the door knobs in the house?"
THWACK!
"What did I say about questioning me!"
…
It felt like hours had passed before she'd made something her grandmother found 'suitable', and by now she thought she had a concussion from her getting smacked in the head with a cane every time she messed up. She knew she'd have some sore lumps for the next week or so.
It was a small, brass dagger. The handle a bit sloppy, but the blade sharp and pronounced. "You've done well."
Sakura felt a little shocked by the compliment, that was probably the first nice thing her grandmother had said to her since she'd arrived.
"Now, best off to work." The elder woman said, entwining her wrinkled fingers behind her back innocently. Sakura felt the blood rush to her ears, "Work…?" She questioned dumbly, unsure if she'd heard the hag correctly.
"The light bill needs paid soon, and the water and heat. Wouldn't want your poor sick mother and little old granny to freeze to death, would you?" The woman said with a cheeky grin. Sakura would have growled had she not felt so beaten. The old hag was right.
"Yeah, yeah! Whatever!" Sakura snapped childishly, pulling on her oversized orange T-shirt, the one she'd bummed off Naruto before storming off, not seeing the delicate smile her grandmother had presented to her back, one with a hint of pride seeping through.
Storming her way through the forest, she huffed about the silly training, all she'd done was play with doorknobs, which meant, she'd have to buy more. Which ultimately meant that on-top of missions with her team… well, what was left of it and training, she'd have to pick up extra shifts at the market.
Groaning in defeat she was half-tempted to drop her face into her hands. Her entire life had changed ever since she opened that fucking scroll. It felt like if she didn't have one thing going wrong, it was another. It was like someone said 'Hey! Yeah, that girl has it too easy! Let me just piss all over her life, wouldn't that be neat!'
It felt like the gods were making a mockery of her.
As she entered the bustling market she checked to make sure her eye-patch was securely in place and the bandages that hid her shameful markings were in place before tying the white apron around her waist and sprinting toward the fruit stand, seeing Nagato already there, smiling that odd smile that didn't touch his eyes as he handed an elderly woman a bag full of crisp, red apples.
She felt that odd heat touch her cheeks as he turned to her and offered her a delicate smile, as if happy to see her. "It's good to see you Sakura-chan."
Her cheeks lit up bright red at the friendly '-chan' he'd added to the end of her name, before shaking it off and smiling awkwardly back, "Sorry I'm a little late. My grandmother needed my uh, help with something." She lied, awkwardly looking everywhere but at him.
She swore an amused glint passed through his eyes, but in a split second it was gone, forcing Sakura to think it may have never been there in the first place. "So… What are we doing today?" She asked, holding her arm awkwardly, feeling as though those piercing lavender eyes of his were peering straight through her form.
Chuckling, he pointed to the cart behind him, "Could you stock some apples and pears for me? Everyone seems to be going for them today."
Nodding, she tucked a stray silver strand behind her ear before turning on a heel, not expecting a cool hand to clasp gently around her wrist, with a wide jade eye she turned to face the dull eyes of Nagato, who offered a strange smile, pointing to her back, "You seem to have dirt crumbling out of your shirt."
With a deep, crimson blush Sakura jumped away from the man, scrambling uncomfortably to try and knock the dried clay from her back, she knew she'd forgotten something dammit. But she was already late! She couldn't have had time to-
"Here, come with me." Nagato chuckled, leading her into a small building behind the fruit stand. As they entered, she noticed it must have been his home, yet it was so bare, as if no one had been here in a very long time.
As he began to lift the back of her shirt, her face turned the color of a cherry and she jumped back, holding her shirt forcefully down at the hem as if he would come and rip it forward. The crimson haired man didn't seem surprised and offered a small sigh, "You can't reach it. I mean only to help."
Awkwardly, she nodded, moving slightly in his direction, though her face stayed the same bright red as before, she felt the cool air on her back as he lifted the back of her shirt, flinching as a cool, wetted cloth touched her skin, but keeping silent as he wiped her clean.
The crimson haired man stared bemusedly at the slight peaking of black marks on her shoulder, though said nothing as he dropped her shirt and offered a light smile, "All done."
"T-thank you, Nagato-San." She squeaked, still trying to regain her composure of a man lifting her shirt within his home. It felt all too perverted for her.
"Now.. about those apples and pears?" He laughed, lightening the mood. Sakura nodded eagerly and practically raced out the door to stock the fruit.
Though, staying behind stood the red-haired man, the light expression dropped from his face, a cool, dark look replacing it. "Interesting." His voice echoed, sounding painfully different. As he looked down to the mud-stained cloth in his hand, he mused, "So interesting."
Sakura clumsily dumped the apples into the container on the stand, aiming to be careful not to bruise the fruit as she had accidently done with the pears. She'd however hidden her mistake by hiding the bruised ones at the bottom, hopefully no one would notice.
Why did Nagato make her so uneasy? She only acted this way around Sasuke… The thought of him brought a heavy weight to her heart. She didn't even get to say goodbye, she didn't get the chance to make an attempt to make him stay or even see him before he disappeared…
Trying to take away the urge to cry with heavy, forced breathing a furious blinking she smiled at customers and bagged their chosen fruits. Wondering where Nagato had gone but decidedly brushed her off, she'd only get clumsy again when he appeared.
Time clicked by and he'd yet to return until the day was coming to a close, only offering her a tight lipped smile and assuring her that he would close the stand himself, saying she looked tired. Which in all honesty she was, but she knew it had to do with something else. She just didn't have the guts to voice it.
As the sun disappeared and blackness appeared through the sky, Sakura felt… safer. For some reason sunlight caused a carnal fear in her, as if she were exposed in the light, she felt everyone's eyes on her, weather they were looking or not. In the dark… She felt shrouded, covered from the prying eyes of others. The breathless anxiety she felt around others felt a bit lessoned.
Yet it didn't stop her from taking the backroads she knew people didn't travel. Going through alleys opposed to busy streets. She tried telling herself that she wasn't being paranoid, yet somewhere deep down she knew it to be a lie.
Carefully taking a break and leaning against the brick walls of an abandoned building, she sighed. Closing her eyes for a mere second. Although a creeping fear crept to her chest. A low growl echoed from the distance, her eyes flew open, nothing, nothing was near her. Nervously, she stepped out of the alley into the empty street. Walking a bit faster than usual.
The noise sounded once more, as if it were a bit faster. She started to sprint wildly, a pain in her chest turning her blood to ice as the noises became louder, others joined in, it felt as if she were being chased by a crowd of beasts, she could hear the wet snapping of hungry jaws and her heart beating sporadically in her ears.
She found herself tripping over her own feet, to scared to catch herself she smacked hard against the ground, scraping her palms roughly. Practically hyperventilating she scrambled onto her back, turning her head.
She saw them, oh kami they were here, a crowd of a hundred demons, their long arms dragging the ground as they neared her, walking, as if mocking her. She was frozen with fear, begging her body to move, but it denied any command she gave. Her eyes teared violently as she let out a series of screams, begging for help.
They were mere feet away, before the growling felt as though it were directly in her ear, her screams became louder until her throat felt as though it would rip any second. She saw a flash of deep crimson, before her world spiraled black.
….
She awoke to the sound of birds outside her window… yet, it sounded odd. As she felt around her bed, she realized the sheets were softer, cooler, as if lying in an unused bed. She jolted forward, ignoring the rush of dizziness in her brain as she began to violently blink, trying to get the world to appear less blurry.
"You're awake."
She jumped at the familiar voice beside her, but before she could turn her head, her arms were pinned above her head, the sheet that had once been covering her body only seconds ago was flown into the air as a steely pair of so familiar, yet unfamiliar eyes caught hers.
"N-nagato?" She whispered horsley, noticing the mans close proximity brought heat to her face, feeling his body pressed roughly against hers, his large hand holding both of her own in place above her head.
His eyes looked so different, they were cold, stoic. Unreal. It was as though the smiling man with the sad eyes were simply an illusion. "You shouldn't move around so much." He whispered amusedly into her ear, the feeling of his breath on her neck made her freeze in place.
He let out a soft, fake chuckle before releasing her and taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "You looked tired, I thought after I closed up I'd come and make sure you were okay, but you seemed to be having some sort of panic attack. So I brought you home with me." He said, staring out the open window to the bright blue sky outside.
Still in utter shock over what just happened, Sakura remained speechless. She'd never seen this side of him, but it brought on a deep feeling of fear in the pit of her stomach, as though she should have ran as soon as she woke, but her mind kept her frozen in place.
"You know," Nagato said lowly, his lavender gaze falling on her, almost as if he were staring straight into her cursed soul ", keeping secrets isn't very friendly, Sakura." He said, a tone of dark amusement she'd never expected dancing in his voice.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Sakura found it hard to find her voice. "W-what's going on?" She questioned dumbly, that being the only thing she could muster to ask, she had no way to word this situation, but it scared her. It felt heavily trapped and if she stepped on the wrong nerve she'd accidentally activate a landmine.
The man offered a small sigh in return, his eyes turning back to the window, as if she'd said something disappointing. "Sakura, have you ever intended to do something and another issue come into place?" He questioned, though it sounded as if he was musing more to himself than her.
She chewed nervously on her lower lip, "I do not understand…" She whispered in response, this was too strange.
In a split second, her chin was pinched between his index and thumb as he forced her to look at him. "Say I came here to meet a very important person, but then I met you. You seem to have secrets, Sakura. And I want to know what they are." He whispered, a dark tone of lust in his voice, one Sakura had never heard a man use on her before.
She sat frozen in fear and confusion, as he seemed to fill in even more space between them, tilting his head ever so slightly, his lips were nearly ghosting over hers now, "But there isn't time for that, I suppose. I must say goodbye to you now, Sakura-Chan."
And with that, his lips touched hers with a gentle, yet hungry need.
When she opened her eyes, he had disappeared, all that remained was her fast-beating heart, the ghosting sensation of his lips on her own, and many more questions.
…..
Sunlight invaded her pupils as she trudged back to her home. What the fuck just happened to her? One minute she was coming home from work, the next she was having some fucked up daydream, then… her boss kisses her and says goodbye? When did her life get this random and complicated? It was like a jumbled mess of confusing fuck-ups.
Things were happening so fast, it was like some choppy movie with missing scenes. One minute, things seemed good before another confusing mess was dumped back onto her life. She couldn't understand. She didn't understand.
All she had were questions without answers, again. Should she tell someone? Should she bring it up?
Sighing, she kicked off her shoes at the door, sluggishly walking into her kitchen to find everyone sleeping and a mess of mail on the counter. Opening a letter addressed to her, (With no sender, perfect.) she nearly lost her breath as she stared at a wad of money, more than her apartment and everything in it was worth.
Who the hell…? She thought, looking deeper into the letter.
A strand of hair… bright, crimson hair.
