Rag Doll Sakura Chapter 11: A shining world, a naruto fanfic

Hikari kagayaku sekai wo

He kept screaming until his voice was hoarse and dry. His throat hurt as if someone was running a rake of pin prick over his throat. As Mudo screamed out his remorse, with such dismay and horror, Sasuke felt a build up of energy— immense, like a huge blanket of crackling, compressive energy— falling over the village. The temperature skyrocketed several degrees. Small red beads of energy rose in the air, visible to the eye— swirling, popping beads that scraped at his skin. It was painful, making him wince uncharacteristically.

"Damn it…"

Sakura.

The memory came back. Her big soulful eyes, the blood running down her front. Her blank gaze. Her small body punctured with dozen knives.

He ground his molars as he closed his eyes. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. DAMN IT!

Sasuke growled a vicious curse, snapped his blazing red eyes open and dashed towards the direction where he last saw Sakura.

I don't care… I… I will—

The tree tops began to smolder. "What—"

Mudo wasn't screaming anymore. But someone else began to scream.

"UAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—"

Mudo-san. Mudo-san! MUDO-SAN!

(his screams died into small whimpering sobs. His arms cradled two decapitated heads.)

Mudo-san. Mudo-san.

(blood, thicker than anything else, covered his front and a small pool of it had gathered beneath him.)

Mudo…-san.

(it was… a very soft voice. Fluttery, small… innocent.)

What…happened?

(he rocked back and forth, sobbing.)

What happened? Please tell me what happened what happened what happened Mudo-san Mudo-san MUDO-SAN!

(silence)

(stillness, the world seemed to pause for a second)

Miya…-chan? Where's Miya-chan, Mudo-san? Your wife… where is she?

(he rocked back and forth)

…please tell me they're alright… tell me they are alright… TELL ME!

(it was a scream this time.)

(he did not have to tell her)

(because she knew. It was one of her abilities. To know death.)

…no

(the world was shining)

…blood— there is so much blood…

(the world was weeping)

-so much blood… blood blood blood… am I bleeding? No no no no. I'm not… why is there so much blood, Mudo-san… why why why are you crying… why are you bleeding… why why why AND WHAT ARE YOU HOLDING IN YOUR ARMS?

(silence)

Carrot-colored hair. Red hair.

(the world was shining)

No… please. Please. Tell me they're alright. Tell me, tell me THEY'RE ALRIGHT tell me, please!

(it was…weeping, weeping, weeping—)

why are you crying?

(the world wept)

"Sakura…"

(Mudo was speaking.)

"Sakura. Sakura…-"

(the world wept harder…)

"SAKURA!"

-silence-

"SAKURA, DON'T—"

"UAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—"

It was a shining world.

Mudo was tossed aside as something gold and red, a swirling, twisting mass of energy exploded.

"SAKURA!"

Several feet away, Sasuke's head snapped. Sakura? He looked up. What the hell… this CHAKRA! Sasuke shielded his eyes and felt air pressure pushed him back. He dug his heels, skewering the ground with Kusanagi as an added support as more vicious air and noise pressure pushed at him. Around him, the world shone with eeriness.

Of golden red.

Blood.

"Sakura! STOP IT!!"

Hearing her name, Sasuke fought hard against the pressure. His effort made wild crackling lightning around him, neutralizing the air pressure and beads of chakra that gathered in the air. This is like… Kyuubi's chakra. It melts.

"SAKURA!!"

…she's alive? But— how?

"STOP IT!"

Mudo was screaming.

"Fuck." He yanked the Kusanagi, gritted his teeth and turned on his Sharingan. Chidori Nagashi! More electricity came out form his body.

"PUSH IT TOWARD THE SKY!"

Someone grabbed at Mudo's arm. The man looked around. One of the goddamned fuckers. "Let go!" he screamed vehemently, struggling. He turned back to the swirling ball of fire. The little girl was screaming with such despair that Mudo feared her mind had cracked. With trembling hand, she reached back, grasped the end of the bayonet that pierced her body. With a wet punching sound, she yanked the blade off, a flow of deep red blood followed.

"…Sa…kura—"

House after house exploded, sending orange fireworks in the air.

"STOP IT!" Struggle. "Let me go, asshole!" More struggle. More fire.

"SAKURA!"

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAA~"

More houses exploded. Trenches of fire, taller than trees, zigzagged across the village, the forests, the people.

"Let me go…-"

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAA~"

"SAKURA!"

Slash.

"Arghh—" Thud.

"Huh?" Mudo looked around. "…Uchiha…?"

"Mudo!" growled Sasuke. "What the fuck were you screaming about?"

"Sakura…"

"But she's…dead…" his voice trailed off, his eyes staring, widening as his gaze located Sakura's bleeding and burning body. "Sakura…?"

"…the Project… It has— she has regeneration ability. This ability… it's like rapid cell regeneration." Mudo explained, wincing as he watched Sakura removed the blades embedded on her.

"…regeneration?" Like Naruto?

"Hai. The ability to heal itself. High physical durability. The Project…" He paused with drooped shoulders. "…Hei ko shi hen kei is the greatest weapon ever made."

Sasuke clenched his jaw. "Sakura…is not a weapon."

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAA~"

"It hurts."

Mudo stared.

"It hurts."

"Uchiha…"

"She's in pain, asshole!"

Sasuke snarled, his eyes flashing in hatred. Sheathing his sword, he started to approach Sakura.

"Uchiha!"

"Fuck your fear! She's…" he pressed his teeth together, ignoring the build up of heat and fire. Under his lashes, he glanced at Sakura who whimpered, struggling with the blades on her body. She was bleeding… bleeding blood. How could she bleed? She's a goddamned object. A thing. Object. Something, not someone.

But… IT HURTS!

Project Sakura seemed to scream. Her eyes… gold and gleaming— it hurts… it hurts… MAKE THE PAIN GO AWAY!

Black blurs appeared, surrounding the Project Sakura. Beside him, Mudo gasped. "They're here!" The masked ninjas paid them no attention, lifting their bayonets.

"Simultaneously."

"Roger."

Mudo's eyes grew wide in realization. "DON'T!"

"Wha—"Before Sasuke could move, bayonets soared in the air, aiming at Sakura's bloodied form.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

But before the blades could embed themselves in Sakura's flesh, the power leapt crazily out of her, pulverizing the blades into metal dust. The ninjas tensed, drawing sets of kunai in each hand and other blades.

"Stop it! Stop attacking her! YOU'RE PROVOKING HER!" Mudo shouted over the screams but they ignored his warning and proceeded. "IT'S SUICIDE YOU ASSHOLES!"

And he was so right.

"Alright…" Naruto looked up as scorched treetops fell. "Damn it!" He leapt in the air and swooped down to grab a young girl away from harm's way as the treetops crashed down. This is hopeless! A sound— like of a roaring wind, a crackling thunder— rose in the air. Curiously, Naruto looked up and his jaw dropped in astonishment.

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?"

A giant hand made of fire rose in the air with a massive black eye on its palm, decorated lavishly with thick long lashes.

"What the hell…"

The giant fiery fingers uncurled, twisting and enlarging before shooting down to the ground where the ninjas stood and where the villagers flee.

Mudo stepped forward, pale and terrified, his eyes bulging out. "STOP IT! PROJECT SAKURA!"

Instead of heeding Mudo's request, the hand multiplied into three other hands… then to more fiery gigantic hands with roars of wind and vicious air pressure. More gigantic eyes appeared, covering the fiery hands inside out.

"…what the hell?" murmured Sasuke, astonished at Sakura's display of power. The chakra she emitted was hideous. A power so terrifying that Sasuke felt the world was weeping. Such small body… where could her body possibly hide those powers? She was tiny, so frail. But looks… really were deceiving. Sakura was crouching on the ground. Below her was a pool of blood. Her eyes were shining pure gold, her wounds… closing up, healing… regenerating. Pink tendrils whipped around her as vast amounts of energy surrounded her.

"UAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH~"

The ground gave a loud deafening crack and boulders came out. Mudo was screaming.

"STOP STOP— STOP!"

The fire was spreading across the forest until the whole small village was engulfed in fire. Naruto and Kakashi landed on either side of Sasuke.

"What the fuck was that?!" demanded Naruto. "Everything was burning!'

"STOP!"

And Sakura kept screaming. The gigantic 'hands' zigzagged, twisted, burning everything it came across with. Pitiless. Like a monster, a genuine article.

"She's a… monster!!!" a scream. "MONSTER!" The voice kept screaming until fire gnawed at the skin and he was no longer a man but a burning scarecrow.

"Mudo-san," Kakashi began, "is there any way to pacify her?"

"…she was provoked." Mudo replied wearily, watching Sakura scream. "The Project Parallelogram… the Project is terrified of blood."

The three male ninjas gaped. "…blood?"

"Hai. It was unexplained but Parallelogram Projects display extreme anxiety which leads to violence and loss of control when they see and smell blood. They go mad. They go into killing spree. They… self-destruct." Mudo continued. "Her powers are so vast that a restriction system was established but…only a Haruno descendant can have such restriction system on the Project Sakura."

"At this rate…" Kakashi's voice trailed off, wincing as the wind cut at his skin. Chakra… so much chakra in the air. Sooner, this power will rip the world apart.

"…yes! That's why she must be stopped!" Mudo exclaimed. "Or else… fire will fill this world!"

"…tch." Sasuke sneered. "What an annoying pest."

"Teme!"

"Shut up." Sasuke snapped, stepping towards Sakura.

"Where are you going?! She'll—"

"I said, shut up."

"But—"

"We have to try, damn it!" With that, Sasuke walked faster, approaching Sakura who was twisting, surrounded with a thin film of red chakra. You really are annoying. Electricity burst in his hand. With a sharp jerk of his wrist, he cut through the thin barrier. He felt his nape hair stood up in a shiver— what an impressive amount of chakra— it was literally burning. His nose hairs were crisping.

"Sakura."

She screamed. From his distance, he can see her slender neck, veins popping out as she screamed. The pressure around her was preventing him from moving closer but he did not yield. He pressed on.

Cuts appeared on his pale face, on his arms and legs. Sasuke extended an arm, reaching for her. What will happen if I touch her? Will I burn?— but he did not hesitate, he grabbed her arm— she's…

…cold?

It must be the lost of blood.

"Sakura!"

She was not crying— of course, she's a doll. But she kept screaming and screaming and screaming.

"Sakura!"

Sasuke bent down and took hold of her shoulders. "Snap out of it!" She stopped screaming and when her golden eyes focused on him, Sasuke felt his skin crawl.

"…who…?"

Her voice was so small. So ironic… so small and yet she was burning the world.

"Snap out of it, Sakura."

It's so fucking hot.

The haze was starting to thicken. Another gigantic hand was forming in the sky. "Wake up, Sakura!"

"I…" Pause. A shiver. Temperature rose. Sasuke felt it. His bangs were crisping; his fine hairs on his arms were standing up, shivering with a small sound like of sizzling eggs. Then— "GET AWAY FROM ME!" A force hit him squarely on the chest but Sasuke held on, gripping her shoulders.

"Damn it, Sakura!" He snapped, wincing. It fucking hurt. Then a feeling of being enclosed in a capsule of heat engulfed him. The sound of sizzling eggs grew louder. His hair was—

"YOU'RE ANNOYING!"

Gold eyes blinked.

…

-you're annoying!-

-don't be stupid. You are their target!-

-you'll jut get into my way-

…

Slowly, the gigantic hands made of fire shrunk until they were formless.

"Hey! They're disappearing!" Naruto said, pointing. The haze was clearing but the flames were still there, whipping, dancing.

"…Sa…"

Sasuke's grip tightened.

"Sakura, are you—"

The gold eyes disappeared, replaced by green, innocent orbs.

"…Sasuke-sama?"

The feeling of enclosed heat disappeared instantly.

"Sakura!" he moved closer, cradling her shoulders. "What the fuck—" her eyes were gold again. "Sakura—"

Around them, the fire slowly shrunk into tiny flickering flames, then dissipated into smokes. Astonished, the males looked around, watching as flames shrunk into smokes until the red colors were gone, only the dark, blackened remains of the forest, village and… humans were in sight.

Sasuke looked back to Sakura. "Hey…"

She was panting, her skin was very pale and cold. She had her eyes closed, her eyebrows scrunched in the middle as she panted. Grimly, Sasuke forced her to her back, cradling her body in one arm. With his free hand, he flattened his palm on her chest and ripped her ripped clothes open. The holes made by the bayonets were gone. Her flesh was scar-free, smooth and pale. Frowning heavily, he massaged her skin, running his hand over her breasts, stomach and back again to her collarbones.

As if nothing pierced her. He thought, gazing at her body. Even her legs, long and sexy, did not bear any scars or indication that they were pierced to pieces by bayonets. Realizing that he was almost groping her (he blushed terribly at this), he transferred his hand on her face. Thankfully, her face was unharmed. Muttering how annoying she was, Sasuke rubbed her cheek, his thumb on her cheekbone.

Her eyelids fluttered.

"…Sa…Sasuke-sama…?" she whispered.

"Hn."

"…I—" her eyes were clouding over. "…I'm sorry. I didn't…" She blinked. "…mean to. They… they killed—"

"Sasuke-teme! Sakura-chan!" Heavy footfalls fell beside Sasuke. "Sakura-chan!?" Naruto bent down. "Are you… she's alive? Where are your wounds? And there is…so much…blood."

At the word 'blood', Sakura winced and snuggled closer to Sasuke's chest.

"Idiot." Sasuke grunted.

"And your blouse is open, Sakura-chan."

Smack!

"Oww!!"

"Pervert." Sasuke sneered, closing Sakura's blouse. He slid an arm under her knees and effortlessly lifted her up. Her breathing was even, indicating that she had fallen asleep. Naruto stood up too and they looked around at the macabre remains of the village.

A while ago, the world was shining. A burning world. Red and weeping. But now, it became a cemetery of black, scorched corpses of men, women and children. There were few survivors and Sasuke counted them as nine. He glanced down to the bundle in his arms. So small, so fragile, so beautiful. Was this the extent of her abilities? No. There must be more, more, more power inside that body. She will burn the world down.

I must be careful.

"Sasuke."

The boy turned to Naruto curiously.

Blue eyes stared at him.

"Do you think…" he cleared his throat. "…something like this will happen to Konoha?"

Sasuke raised a brow. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Naruto lowered his eyes. "…if she lost control again, something like this—"his eyes scanned the surrounding, "might happen."

Unconsciously, his arms around Sakura tightened.

"No."

The blonde frowned.

"I trust her."

Naruto's face softened as he gazed at Sakura's pink head.

"I trust Sakura."

"…"

"It's complicated but—" Sasuke's face darkened. "I trust her. Like the way she trust me."

Sasuke looked down to her sleeping face. "You said it yourself: don't treat her as if she's an exploding tag. And I don't." Dark eyes met blue.

Sasuke spun around and walked away.

Voices.

Muffled.

Then, there were screams.

And smell of burning flesh.

AHHHHHHHHH—

And blood.

So much blood.

STOP IT!

Green eyes snapped open.

What happened?

She smelt something burning. And the sky was covered with smoke.

Smoke. Burning.

Sakura sat up quickly.

"Sasuke-sama!" she called out in panic, struggling to get up.

"Sakura."

Her head whipped around at the direction of the voice. Her eyes were wide. "Sasuke…sama." The tall thin boy approached her, carrying a bag. There was a band-aid across his cheek. He crouched in front of her, rummaging inside the bag.

"Here." Sasuke handed her a new pair of clothes. "It's not your size but this will suffice for awhile."

She did not take the clothes. "What happened… to Mudo-san?" she asked instead, gazing at him, wide-eyed.

Sasuke cleared his throat. "He's fine. Coping."

"…and the village?"

He did not reply. He pushed the clothes toward her.

"Take the clothes and change. Your dress is full of holes."

Sakura looked up to the blackened sky. "Sasuke-sama—"

"It's not your fault."

"No!" she replied vehemently and stood up, running towards the clearing.

"Sakura!"

She ran until she reached the clearing. "Oh…god." She whispered, horrified, her hands on her face, her eyes as large as plates.

"Oh…god."

Black. Dust. Ashes.

"No… no…" she whimpered.

Ashes. Burnt flesh. Burnt bones. The village. Burnt village. She killed people. She burned the village down.

No… no… no… NO!

Weakly, with trembling legs, she fell on her knees and hands, her palms flat on the ground. She was shaking. Oh god, she was shaking, trembling.

What have I done?

Soft footsteps.

"Sakura…"

"I burned them."

Silence.

"I burned the village. I killed people."

"…it's part of our job. To kill."

"They're villagers!" she shrieked, turning her face to look at his passive form. "They're…innocent and I…" her face contorted and for a moment, Sasuke thought she'll cry but she faced the ground again. Her fingers fisted on the dirt. "… but… it's blurry. I…"

"…"

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

"Sakura, get up."

"…it's my fault. I killed people. I KILLED—"she bit her lip. Her body was shaking, her insides were twisting, coiling. It was painful. Sakura moved back, sitting on her claves as she wrapped her arms around her body. She rocked back and forth, like a child scolded by her mother.

Beside her, Sasuke looked around the blackened remnants of the small village. Naruto, Kakashi and Mudo were digging graves in different locations. The survivors huddled in a corner, sobbing, confused at the fate of their village. With a frown, he glanced down at Sakura, her hands on her face. She was shivering, like leaf against a cruel breeze.

With a sigh, he approached her, standing beside her hunched form. Dark eyes watched as locks of pink hair, dirty and dry covered her face. He bit the inside of his lips. A look crossed his face but he shook his head and placed a hand on top of her head.

"Sakura."

She kept quiet.

"It's not your fault."

Silence.

His frown deepened. He lowered himself beside her. "Sakura."

"Am I monster?"

Sasuke's dark eyes widened at her question. Then, he scowled darkly. "What the hell are you talking about?" he snapped and with his other hand, he yanked her hands off her face, grabbed the side on her head and forced her to look at him. He froze for awhile, his expression stilling. After a few seconds, a grim look replaced his expression as his grip on her face tightened.

"…don't say that." He said in a tight voice.

Her lips were quivering. If she was normal and human, Sasuke would have thought she'll cry.

"…it's not your fault."

"You keep…saying that."

He snorted. "It's the truth."

Her eyes looked away. "…if only… if only I was strong enough." Sasuke lifted a brow at this— are you shitting me? Strong enough? She was goddamned too strong!

"I would have…" she closed her eyes. "I would be able to protect Mudo-san's family." The hand on top of her head slid down to cup the side of her skull. "…they don't deserve it… they…" she bowed her head.

"Sakura…"

"And I almost burned you up!" Sakura shook her head. Sasuke involuntarily shuddered at as he remembered the feeling. "I'm…despicable!"

"Shut up."

"I'm a monster—"

His hand slid to the back of her head and without thinking, Sasuke brought her to his chest.

"That's enough."

"Sasuke-sama…"

"…you cannot alter the past. The best you could do is to protect the future."

Green eyes widened, long lashes brushing against his shirt.

"Don't be a loser. Pick yourself up because no one's going to do it for you." his fingers tightened on her hair. "If there is something you must do, look forward."

Small hands clenched into fists.

"Sasuke-sama…"

"…?"

"…I'd do anything for you."

This time, dark eyes widened in surprise. He moved back, looking down to her bowed body.

"…I will do anything… anything for you."

"Sakura—"

"I will protect you." Her voice was small, like fluttering butterflies. Sasuke almost jumped when she gripped his arm. She was…warm. "I will protect Sasuke-sama. I will, no matter what happens." Her teeth dug into her bottom lip. "This time… I will not fail!"

The Uchiha looked away. "I don't need to be protected…" he grunted, scratching his hair to hide his discomfort.

"I will live for Sasuke-sama and for Sasuke-sama alone. I will live for you, kill for you. Burn the world for you… Rip the world for you. Make the world weep for you."

Sakura…

She slowly lifted her gaze to him. Her eyes glowed softly, her expression serene, incredibly calm. Even though her words were enough to make an ordinary man shiver.

"Sasuke-sama…"

Uchiha clenched his jaw. Big hands gripped at her arms. Without difficulty, he hoisted her up to her feet.

"I don't need you…to do those things for me."

"…"

"If there is something I must do, I will do it myself."

He released her arms.

"Get dressed." Sasuke turned his back on her and went to Naruto.

Note: Er, I'm back? (grins) sorry for the long wait! I'm back from my self-dug grave. Thanks for reading.