Its the 10th chapter! I actually didn't plan for the story to be this long but I wanted to make Sasori and Sakura's relationship realistic. I think this is my favorite chapter so far! I hope you enjoy it!
Sakura was surprised to find that the town was no larger than half the size of a shopping mall. On one side there were small houses, which were made of mud and clay. On the other side were similar buildings, which seemed to be used as shops. There were what looked like a small grocery store, a small furniture store, a clothing store, a spice store, a store for random merchandise, and a small library. Each one had a small, wooden porch with 3 steps leading up to it.
She looked around in astonishment. What could I possible be able to find here? Everything is so small. Konan what were you thinking? She shook off her doubt and trudged off through the crowd. Despite the size of the city, it was fairly crowded. The narrow streets were filled with carts and stands selling all kinds of fruit, vegetables, candy, clothes, jewelry, and even ninja supplies.
Avid to come out of the crowd, she weaved her way around the people and ran up the small, wooden steps onto the porch of the library. The door was an arched wooded door which squeaked when she opened it. A small bell was heard when she walked in. The librarian looked up at Sakura and smiled. She was a woman of sixty-seven. She had her long, grey hair pulled into a bun which only seemed to emphasis her growing age.
"Is there anything I can help you find, dearie?"
Sakura was about to ask for medical books, books of dark arts, and forbidden techniques but thought better of it.
"No, thank you, ma'am; I'm only looking."
"Let me know if you change your mind dear."
Sakura smiled and nodded at her and then made her way over to one of the shelves.
This doesn't look like it's going to take very long. There is hardly anything here! I bet I won't even find anything.
Sakura was right. The Library was very small. It appeared to hold no more than two-hundred books of various sizes. As she scanned over most of the tittles, most of them even proved to be useless.
Psychology of Plants, Beyond the Human Mind, Peace and Serenity, Understanding your Element, Palmistry: a Beginners Guild…What is all of this? Its all books that somehow relate to the occult! How is this ever going to help me!
Sakura sighed as she moved on to the next book shelf.
I must have just been in the wrong section.
But, she wasn't. The whole library was full of books on the occult or spirituality. She sighed and put a hand over her face.
I'm not getting anywhere. I don't have time to dwindle; Sasori is dying right now. Why did Konan send me here? There were plenty of other villages around. Why did she send me to this small, remote town?
Sakura usually wouldn't get upset with the village she was in, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to go to Sasori's hometown, to see if she could figure out how he made himself a puppet, but that was more than five days away.
"You looked troubled, dearie. Are you sure that there isn't something that I can help you with."
Sakura looked up wearily and sighed.
"No, thank you. I'm just going to take my leave."
Sakura started towards the door. On her way out she heard the librarian call to her in a almost mocking tone.
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
Sakura spun around quickly and met her eye. She could have sworn that it held a small twinkle as the librarian raised an eyebrow at her.
"No. No, I didn't"
"Pity dear, but sometimes it is easier to find what we are looking for if we looked beyond what we expect, hm"
Sakura gazed at her for a moment before she shut the door. This bit of advise made no more sense to her than the reason for Konan sending her to the tinny town. She knew what she wanted, a way to heal Sasori. She started to walk down the porch when something fell out of her bag. It grazed her leg softly, which made her shiver. She looked between the steps for the item. It had fallen in-between the first and second step. Sakura would have left it alone, but Konan had given it to her. It might be important, and she was not about to tell Konan that she lost something.
She leaned down to pick it up. When she grasped the item, a strange look passed over her eyes. The ground felt hard, almost like wood. She kneeled down and felt around. Before long, her hand collided with a metal ring. She was about to pull it to the side when the librarian walked out of the library. The two locked eyes. Sakura shot up. A blush spread across her face.
"I, I, er, I was just ,um, picking up something I dropped."
Sakura held up the item she had dropped. It was a small glass cylinder with a scarlet feather inside. The librarian's eyes widened. A sly smile spread across her face and her eyes were twinkling all the more brighter.
"I trust you have just found where you need to go. I shall be waiting for you after dark. Please wait until then, my dear."
After she had locked the library, she disappeared into the crowd. Sakura stared curiously after her for a little while; then gazed down at the feather in her hand.
Is this the payment Konan was talking about, a feather? I should come back to the trap door when it is dark. I wonder what that lady was talking about. She sure is strange!
She put the feather back into her bag. Suddenly a giant rumble sounded out. Sakura's eyes widened with surprise and her face grew red.
I'm Starved!! When was the last time I ate!
She looked around, embarrassed, to see if anyone had heard her stomach talking to her. Sitting down on a nearby bench away from the crowd, she pulled out her bag and started rummaging though it. Her eyes lit up when she found a bag full of coins. She jumped up and punched her fist into the air.
"Yes! I won't be starving today! HA!"
She sat down quickly due to the funny looks she received from the people passing by. Ug, why couldn't Deidara or Tobi come with me! It's kind of lonely. She signed and pulled out at piece of paper that was in her bag. It read:
Sakura, I need you to pick up some
things for me while your waiting!
Please get everything on the list!
1. Role of Black silk
2. Role of Red silk
3. Role of White silk
4. A farmers straw hat
5. A Name plate (with nothing on it)
Thanks, Konan
Sakura slapped her forehead with her hand. Only Konan would have her go shopping when she was on such an important quest! Having nothing else to so, she made her was to the various shops and started to purchase the items, crying as her lunch money was slowly disappearing. After she had gotten all of the things on her list, she had just enough money for ramen. Then she sat on a bench and waited until nightfall.
o0o0o0o0o
As soon as it was dark Deidara entered the village. The only light was from the street lights which illuminated the road. Not even the moon was out to give away his presence. He started singing softly under his breath to break the silence:
"I dream of the winter in my heart turning to spring" (Under the Rose by H.I.M.)
o0o0o0o0o
Sakura's eyes slowly opened. She had fallen asleep on the bench.
Ug, it's finally dark. The crowd is gone to. Now I'll go see where that trap door lead to and met that lady. I wonder if this is really going to help.
She rose from the bench and started walking through the pitch black night to the library.
o0o0o0o0o
Deidara stopped when he arrived at Sakura's apartment. He took out a small key and put it into the door. It made a soft click.
"While the ice gives way under my feet"
He pushed open the door and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
"And so I drown with the sun"
o0o0o0o0o
Sakura stopped at the steps to the library. She crouched down on her knees and reached between the steps for the metal ring. After pulling on it seven times, it slid to the side, giving out a shattering squeak of protest. However, she could not find a way to enter without destroying the stairs. Foot steps came from behind her and then a voice.
"Now, now, now, lets not be too hasty, dearie"
Sakura stood up and spun around. The librarian was standing right behind her. She held out her hand as if wanting something.
"The feather, if you please."
Sakura quickly reached into her bag and pulled out the glass cylinder with the scarlet feather inside. She handed it to the women who took it gently. After admiring it through the glass, she put it into a pocket in her dress.
"My name is Cecilia Remzenya. It's a pleasure to met you Sakura."
Sakura's eyes widened. How Did she know my name?
"It's best to not waist time. I believe your friend will be here in a short while."
Sakura looked at her confused but thought it was better not to ask. Cecilia leaned down by the steps and produced a key. She then proceeded to unlock something, not even Sakura could tell. After the click of the lock sounded, the steps appeared to fold up making it possible to enter the trap door. Sakura sat down near the hole and dangled her feet until they found the first step of a ladder. She looked up at Cecilia who was smiling at her.
"Your not coming down."
She shook her head slowly.
"No my dear, I am not. What you are looking for is in the phoenix. Good look, my dear. You have one hour until the stairs will lock you in. I do hope that we will meet again in the future."
After she had finished, she motioned for Sakura to travel down the trap door and turned away. Sakura watched her leave until she was out of sight. As if shocked, she plunged the rest of her body into the hole and traveled down the ladder.
o0o0o0o0o
Deidara walked across Sakura's dusty floors until he found her bedroom, all the while still softly singing.
"I've been burning in water and drowning in flame"
He trudged to her dresser and started thrusting some of her clothes into a bag. He then took any books relation to ninjutsu, her piggie bank, and her ninja supplies and shoved that into his bag as well. He walked over to her nightstand and picked up the old photo of team 7. After staring at it for a while, he threw it on the grownd. The glass shattered.
"To prove you wrong and scare you away"
o0o0o0o0o
Sakura quickly hopped off the ladder and started traveling down a dirt tunnel. It was small so she had to bend down while she walked to avoid hitting the ceiling. The hall was illuminated by strange red lights that seemed to swirl when she walked by. At the end of the hall was a rotting, wooden door. She opened it carefully for fear that it would fall apart when touched. Inside was a small library. She put the bag of things Konan had asked her to buy aside and gazed at the room. The walls were covered with old scrolls and books of all shapes and sizes. There were also jars and jars of dried herds, different colored liquids and small figurines. In the middle of the room, was a statue of a bird. It was identical to the one that had been inside the volcano only this one looked fiercer. Its wings were outstretched. Its beak was open as if giving a battle cry. Each feather seemed to be sharpened into a deadly point. Its eyes were made of the same stone which the other statue held in its mouth.
"What I'm looking for is in the phoenix?"
o0o0o0o0o
Deidara leaned down and picked up the picture of team 7 which he had thrown on the floor. He winced as some of the glass cut his finger. He started to bleed.
o0o0o0o0o
She walked up to the statue and circled it, looking for any type of opening.
This is so stupid. How the hell is a statue going to save Sasori? I should be looking at these books, not a statue!
Despite her thoughts, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was looking in the right place. She ran her hands along the statue, looking for a secret compartment. She winced as the sharp feather-like scales cut her hand. She stated to bleed.
o0o0o0o0o
After putting the picture in his ninja bag, Deidara walked into the kitchen and started pulling out oil and cleaning chemicals, which he pilled up on the counter.
"I admit my defeat and want back home"
Once he had gotten every thing he needed, he opened the oil and started pouring it all over the kitchen and hallways. He splashed it over the furniture and then opened the cleaning supplies and emptied them all over the house. Not a single drop fell on his clothes.
"In your heart under the rose"
o0o0o0o0o
She checked the bird's beak for an item. As soon her blood touched it she heard a soft click. Her head turned towards the noise which came from the back of the bird.
o0o0o0o0o
After Deidara was satisfied, he walked over to a drawer and pulled out a small rectangular box.
"I open my eyes with a sigh of relief"
o0o0o0o0o
She looked underneath the tail and found that a small ring had popped out. She pulled it out of the statue. It was a rectangular stone box.
o0o0o0o0o
Deidara opened it to reveal seven matches. He walked to the door, with the bag he had filled of Sakura's thing swung over his shoulder and the matches.
"As the warmth of summer's sunlight dances around me"
Opening the door, he stepped outside. Without closing the door, he stood facing the hallway. It was all too easy.
"And I see you with dead leaves in your hands"
o0o0o0o0o
The first thing that she pulled out of the box was a scroll. The next thing that fell out was two smaller rectangular, velvet boxes. She opened the scroll and read the inscription.
As time goes on life stretches on
Your age is long your blood is old
the black nights love will kiss your song
your light will fade your smile will cold
-
but tho your own will be your death
the weakness in your soul shall test
I give the fire of thine own breath
That with it thee might cheat thou rest
In too much of a hurry to contemplate the meaning, Sakura opened onw of the velvet boxes and found a large glass cylinder, similar to the one the feather was contained in. However it was completely filled with a red liquid. Sakura almost dropped it when she realized that it was blood.
o0o0o0o0o
Deidara pulled out a match from the box and struck it against the side of the box. A small flame flickered in his hand.
"I've been burning in water and drowning in flame"
He let go of the match and ,as soon as it hit the floor, shut the door. The inside of the house shot up in flames. He took the picture of team seven out of his bag and threw it into the air
"To prove you wrong and scare you away"
With a flick of his wrist he flung a kuni at the picture. It tore through the picture and attached it to a large wooden pole a little ways from Sakura's house. The kuni was directly on naruto's face.
"I admit my defeat and want back home"
Not wasting anytime he ran into the woods and formed his clay bird. Flying off into the dark, he could see the growing fire of Sakura's house in the corner of his eye and the cry of the townspeople running to put out the flames.
"In your heart under the rose"
o0o0o0o0o
Sakura's thoughts were racing.
A phoenix: a bird that dies and then is resurrected by ashes. It symbolizes rebirth. How is this going to help Sasori? Is this blood from the bird? I must need to use this to save Sasori. What if I were to do a blood transplant? No, that wouldn't make any sense. He still wouldn't have a body. How did that Ceila know this was here? Does she know of Sasori? Maybe she was trying to distract me so that I can't find the cure. Is this blood the cure? Can it heal any illness? Wait, don't I just have an hour? I need to leave.
Sakura turned to leave but stopped. She still hadn't found a way to help Sasori. All she knew was that the blood was the key, but if she could just look at the books. She started to look over the titles when she heard another click. It was far away but clear. The stairs were closing. She snatched her things and shoved the two velvet boxes with the scroll back into the stone case. Raceing through the halls, Sakura scrambled up the ladder and squeezed through the closing stairs by a hairs width.
The wind whirled around her, hair whipping her face. She wasn't sure if the blood belonged to someone or not but she wasn't going to find out. The road seemed narrower then before as she ran. Her heart was racing, but it was her own fear of being caught that made her blood pump. As she ran she couldn't help but suppress a laugh that was waiting to bubble to the surface. She had missed the rush of adrenaline and it was too sweet of a taste. She hurried out of the village but had to travel on the ground, from the weight of the stone box.
After she was no longer in sight of the village, a large clay bird landed in font of her, blocking her path. Sakura looked up in surprise.
"Get on, hm"
Deidara was onto of the bird. He looked worn, but had his arms outstretched to help her on. Instead of giving him her hand, she thrusted the stone box into Deidara's hand.
"Omf"
He gave her a quick glare but dug the box into the clay for protection. Sakura hoisted herself onto the bird and grabbed on to Deidara's coat, which earned her another glare. As soon as she was on, the bird took off. It was so much nicer traveling by air then on foot. The sky was almost pitch black from the absence of the moon. She let out a sigh as her breathing cooled down.
Sakura was surprised Deidara wasn't asking her if she had found a way to help Sasori or not. She had expected him to ask right away.
Perhaps he is giving me time to organize my thoughts. I wonder if he knows anything about how Sasori became a puppet. Maybe if we transmute the blood of the phoenix into Sasori's heart it will give him strength to fight. Phoenix blood has healing properties so maybe it will do something. However, he still wouldn't have a body. The poem odiously means the blood is a way to cheat death but it he doesn't have a body…
Suddenly, it hit her like a brick.
"Deidara"
"hm"
"Does Sasori have another puppet for himself?"
Deidara turned abruptly and looked at her.
"Yes, he had a lot of them, hm. Why?"
Sakura smirked.
"Were going to need it."
Deidara looked at her curiously but simply nodded. Sakura couldn't help but smile. Looks like he trusts me.
Still feeling anxious about the possibility of it failing she tried to make herself more comfortable as they soared through the air. She set the bag of fabric next to her. Another bag sat next to Deidara, which she looked at curiously.
"What is in the bag?"
Deidara turned to her and gave her a friendly smirk.
"Something that you're going to like, hm."
"HM! What is it! Tell me! Tell me!"
"Nope, you'll see. Its for you tho, hm."
Sakura looked at him skeptically and eyed the bag wondering what it could possibly be. She considered just snaching it, but decided against it.
She let out a huge sigh. The anxiety started to fill her like a plague as they landed and traveled down the ladder into the volcano. Deidara was carrying the box and Sakura was carrying the two bags. Her eye's locked onto the stone eye's of the phoenix, the female. As they walked through the dark corridors to Akatsuki's main base her growing dread left only one question. Would she really be able to restore Sasori?
Song was Under the rose by H.I.M.
If Deidara was a little creepy, I was trying to bring out his crazy, villian side! XD I think Sakura was a little out of character but hopefuly not too much!
This is my fave chappie so far! I'm getting into poetry so the poem was realy fun to write. Please Review! Anything you didn't like? Want to see? Side pairings? *hint hint* XD