Warning: Contains Dark/Sensitive Material. It will get worse before it gets better!
For all my readers. Thank you for inspiring me.
"Its been a long time coming, but the tables turned around...I'm not running. Its a little different now cause one of us is going down."- 5FDP
Staring at the desolation of the burning city from the clock tower, Sakura felt her chest clench. The mansion they once inhabited lay deserted; the guards crawled its grounds, lighting the structures aflame. Neither Neji nor Itachi had been seen for two months; after her mission to the mansion the trio had split to prepare for war. Time slid further from the hourglass of destruction which awaited her. Like the sword of an execution, it tickled the hair on the back of her neck to stand in warning.
A red sun colored the sky in the same shade as the blood which ran through the streets. Each breath was impure, polluted by the smoke of a fires below, the stench of flesh being burned as the city over turned itself searching for her. The Hyuuga's mansion finally caught; the ash stained its walls black as she watched. There was no one left to mourn the fall of the final clan. Those who lived hid in the shadows, unwilling to pick up the bodies of those who defied the Lord of Rain. Remembering the past peace only brought agony.
She was the city's dark angel. Its protector who brought with her the misfortune of evil exposed to the surface. Jade pools burned with rage; she watched with hooded lids as another building crumpled. When the smoke cleared, the bell cried its heavy tears to the city below. The pink girl vanished with its tolling into the blackness which welcomed her as a lost child.
Blue eyes watched the trees shiver as the sliver of moon faded behind the storm clouds. It was just arriving, lightning fueled by the dust which hung heavy in the air. Blonde hair swayed in the breath of wind which brought with it a brief taste of clean air. His father's sword rested at his hip, sheathed and sharpened. Polished steel with a handle of deep red and gold which fit his hand naturally. Her gift to him, the only thing she had brought in her last visit.
Leaning against the balcony, he waited with a smile, eyes watching only the changing clouds. Hope flickered patiently in his soul, a quiet calm bred of experience. He had waited for a long time… what was a few hours more compared to the weeks of hell?
Still, even in his peacefulness, a thought disturbed the ocean eyes. She had come alone, always alone with eyes bathed by blood and pain. Still, through the blackness he could see the shatter lines growing deeper. Her plan was solid, forming an allegiance which would spawn of new world of peace. Still, when the war was over, would there be anything left of the girl who created it?
"He is like fire and ice and rage… the night and the sun and the heart of the storm."-Family of Blood
Like pieces of a set, they danced along his board, oblivious to the master hand which controlled them all. The Kitsune was running short on room. It would only be a matter of time before he tethered her properly. The Raven and Hawk, after all, sat in his iron cages.
Stroking the creamy thigh of his bed mate, Pein stared at the dark hared beauty's wrists. She had struggled so much when he took her; the metal had chaffed her skin raw. The leather strap eventually taught her stillness as it cracked deliciously over her skin to leave the raised pink stripes. With such innocent features, he had expected her tears but those she had stubbornly held back. Oh she screamed, but never once did those precious droplets fall from the lilac eyes. No, she insulted him until she fell unconscious. The Hyuuga had been bred stronger than she looked.
He eyed the slight protrusion of her stomach, pressing a hand against the firmness. Not fat or muscle, but a child. It would be perfect for the Uchiha-Hyuuga heir. A noble child kept under careful control and raised to be king. Of course he would keep the mother around until the child was off the tit, but then she would be disposed of or locked away for his men to use. Sasuke had already been removed to the dens of sodomy.
Meanwhile, Sakura was the ideal candidate to carry his rival; a Haruno-Uchia, born of the two greatest assassins in the world. Such a tool could topple the nations around them at his master's order. But one issue remained. The Raven and his Kitsune had not been intimate. He ascertained that much from Itachi's enraged threats as he had been locked in the bowels of the earth for the rats to enjoy.
Staring out his window, Pein rose to slide on his dressing robe. She would come to him in all her fury, then drown in the blood of her friends. He would extract her spirit from her body until she was the suitable wife for a god. Then he would use her to complete his empire.
Aware of the lurking presence, Pein glanced at the shadows which stood in the corner. "Enjoy her if you wish, Zabuza… consider it a reward for finding the Uchia so quickly. Then bring the Haruno's entourage to the Pit in one piece."
"Yes, Pein-sama."
Shadows, pieces of forgotten memories stirred in the shadows. Blades sharpened by history waited patiently to devour any who walked into their path without bias. After all, time erased all to dust.
"You put a sour little flavor in my mouth now; you move in circles hoping no one's going to find out..."- Miss Jackson
Calloused hands traced the stone pieces, unhindered by the darkness. Endless circles had worn a depression in the floor's soft dirt; time seemed sluggish to his erratic movement back and forth. Impatiently his boot scattered a loose rock to clink against the iron door. Manipulation of the bands took his mind from the present troubles, but it could only go so far; the iron could not be absorbed without hardening his body.
Sitting back against the cool stones, Itachi let his mind drift through the darkness to his lover. How long had it been since he let her undertake the mission to Naruto? It had been a string of weeks since he last saw the brilliant pink strands, longer since he had been able to taste her. Their last intimate moment had been the afternoon before she left; the result which had left them both burning with satisfaction.
A smile colored the bleak features, at the thought of her breathless sighs and the creamy skin flushed pink. The way her body had shivered under his touch…. A groan of want escaped his chest, ragged and deep in the silence before his fist slammed against the wall in frustration. It had been too long. Too long since he had glimpsed his beauty.
Snapped back to reality as footsteps sounded outside his door, Itachi listened closely. It was just a single person, likely a guard by the jangle of his clothing. The heavier clack of armor and overpowering smell of fresh leather oil confirmed his suspicions. Grating hinges warned of the door opening; a brief puff of fresh air violated the stagnant, dank cell. "Come with me."
The voice sounded with experience, clearly articulated. Usually the guards did not bother as they dragged him place to place. Opening his eyes slowly, the Raven stared through the cloud at the silvery slender form. "Hatake." Itachi smiled stiffly before turning to follow the guard through the hallways. Hewn rock smelled of moss and old growths; there was an eerie silence which hung before Kakashi spoke again.
"Sasuke is also in custody; I will free him once she arrives and take over the Guard. She's raised an army in the forest. Neji and Tenten are leading them to take back what remains. You, Sakura, and Naruto are going after Pein." The report was monotone, recited softly and clearly. "She expects you in an hour at the clock tower."
Nodding, Itachi stared out at the blackened sky feeling the wind sweep through his hair. It cooled the rage to a metered pulse of anger, focused and sharp. New life would come to the city after the cleansing flood of rain. Like a flower it had the potential to bloom if the sun returned… but first had to come the lightning. Vanishing into the darkness, Itachi turned his mind to navigating the border towns back toward the city as the storm broke.
The clock tower stood resilient among the other burned structures. Colored coal by the constant burning of the city around it, its massive hands still spun the accurate time despite the cracks marring its once smooth face. Black bands pooled into his hand with a thought, forming spikes along his fingers. Scaling its wall carefully, Itachi slid through the narrow gap to the inner structure and turned the black metal flush to his arms once more.
Silver gleamed subtly against the flash of lightning; it took a breath before she was in his arms as the thunder crashed. Breathing in her pure scent, Itachi closed his eyes to take in the feeling of the smooth skin, the feel of her body flush against him. Two months of feeling incomplete and the horrors of prison vanished like smoke in the storm's wind.
Her voice woke him from his thoughts as her embrace loosened. The words were flat, colored by reluctance. "We need to go."
She was right, but to give up a moment like this… The air left his lungs in a deep sigh as he allowed her to step away. Straightening his cloak, Itachi hardened his heart. Now was not the time for sentiment. Raising his hood, the master assassin stared at his former apprentice as he donned the mindset of their employment. His hand fell to his blade sheath, checking the leatherwrapped steel was still in place along his thigh.
A shadow behind her shifted suddenly. The hiss of steel echoed through the stone structure; he heard her breathing catch. Her body registered the threat a moment after. Itachi reached for her, bands raising automatically to counter. The hunter's pale white eyes were illuminated by lightning. Itachi could tell the massive form was quick; the swing of the guillotine blade powerful. He watched as it flew for her back. Her weavings were rising by instinct, fluid and unprotecting; her eyes glanced into his own with fear just before there was a heart stopping thud.
Author's Note: Hello lovelies, I know it has been a VERY long time since I worked on Obsidian Sunday (OS). OS is a story that was loved since I started writing it. However, it was also tricky to keep track of. The ending I had originally planned did not answer many loose questions and it was not what you deserved for a finale. The good news is… the pause is off. I have figured out how this story is going to tie up and I am working on it actively again. There will be approximately 2-4 chapters more before the story is completed. Love you all and thank you for your patience!
The Lady Yakamichi