I got my internet up and running! this is a LONG chapter so be happy!
I thank all my reviewers but I want to get this updated as quickly as I can but i thank you all!
Chapter 25:
"The Image That Doesn't Fade With Time"
Dreaming
A boy. He was about my age. He was also walking through the snow, just like that girl who had my necklace. His hair was blond, it was sort of long. His hair reached past his ears, it was also sort of spiky. His skin, a soft tan color, full of life. His eyes were a cold gray-ish color.
The boy wore the same black cloak that the other girl wore but his hood was down. He also had a chain similar to mine but instead of barbed wire his heart had a picture of fire etched on the heart. He seemed to walk on without a destination. He reminded me of myself. His face held an emotionless look, he looked almost sad.
Without warning, the scenery turned dark, almost black. The boy stopped in his tracks and he clenched the heart that hung around his neck with his neck, the same as the other girl. He closed his eyes and looked down at his feet. Without noticing it, I realized wings had appeared on his back. They were the same color as his eyes, a cold gray. He looked towards my direction and he changed his expression. He was angry now.
End of Dream
I awoke with a start, my heart pounded and I wiped the sweat off my forehead with my arm. I looked out the window and saw a full moon. The sky was free of clouds. I clenched the heart on my chain as I recalled my dream. They all had the same chain as me.
'Why are my dreams so strange?'
I sat up on my bed to get a better look out of my second floor window. I could see the trees swaying as the wind blew. The wind howled but I didn't mind. I would have to go to school tomorrow even if I was sick, my mother had left today before I fell asleep. Her work required her to leave on a business trip. I hadn't spoken to either Kankuro or Gaara since yesterday. Weird things have been happening to me but it must have been my imagination.
Do you call my a part of your imagination?
My heart skipped a beat. There it was again, the voice. When my mother came back, I was going to ask for a psychologist. Maybe I was going insane, how would I know? I was beginning to get nervous, I always became frantic when I heard the voice.
It's almost time now.Time for what? Maybe I'll never know what it meant by that. The clouds began to appear out of almost nowhere. The moon still stayed where it was almost glaring at me. Then my chain started to burn.
I yelled something out in pain and fright. I clenched my chain but the burning was still there. I was panicking, nothing like this has ever happened to me.
This is such a relief. Maybe I'll be released from you now.
'What? What are you talking about! Why is my chain burning!'
You'll soon remember everything.
'Remember what? Mahaku gave this to me! I remember perfectly! He gave it me…'
I paused to think. When had he given this to me? I had never taken it off but I knew it hadn't been for a long time. My birthday! He gave it to me for my birthday! I remember! And Gaara gave me the matching bracelet!
I checked my right wrist, yes there it was. The bracelet. I smiled, forgetting the voice and the burning. I remembered Gaara and the world seemed to almost slip away.
You shouldn't drift away to wonderland just yet Hateshi.
'My name isn't Hateshi! It's Kusota!'
That's what you think.
I am sure I was going insane now. Maybe the trauma of my past made me emotionally unstable? I didn't get to completely my thoughts because the room started shaking. An Eathquake!
No Hateshi, they are calling for your return.
'Return? What return?'
Your followers, the ones who created you. The ones you control.
'What?1 What are you talking about!'
I was truly going into madness now. The room kept shaking, my belongings were falling and breaking. I was kneeled on my bed now. I had my hair in my fists and I was crying with gritted teeth and closed eyes. My bracelet was burning now, more than my chain. I began screaming out for my older brother, yelling for his rescue. No one came. I was alone, the shaking became worse, I tried to keep my balance on my bed but I fell to the floor, still screaming, still crying. I heard the door open and I saw a figure through my tears. I yelled out Mahaku's name once more. He was walking towards me…too slowly. The world was fading but he came close. I was on the floor crying and I saw his hand reach out to grab me. I also tried to reach his arm and then I saw myself. I was see-through.
"What is this!" I screamed out.
I looked at my hand but then I kept on reaching. I had to grab Mahaku's solid hand. His face was a blur, consumed by darkness. I didn't care I kept reaching until I saw my hands had completely vanished. The world melted away and the dark was all around me.
We're almost there.
The voice was calm, not worried at all.
"Why aren't you scared! Aren't you me!" I was screaming at it.
I closed my eyes, preparing myself for what was yet to come. The screaming stopped the crying stopped. It stopped so suddenly, I wonder if it was I. The darkness left, light replaced. A hand placed itself on my head, I didn't dare open my eyes.
"It's alright now"
It was the voice. Only it didn't sound hollow or inside my mind. It sounded more human. I was still scared, confused. I started to cry.
"You don't need to cry anymore. You're home now."
Home, how I longed for it. I decided to take a chance so I opened my eyes. This wasn't my home. The boy from my dreams was looking at me, his hand on my head. This had to be a nightmare, all of it. there was no way. No, I was dreaming.
"What, who are you!" I yelled as I shot up, sitting on a strange bed, in a strange room.
The boy looked taken back, but he recovered and replied to my question. "I am Kashaku."
"You're the voice!"
I laid back down, not believing anything. This had to be a dream. Where was I? Who was he? Where were Gaara and my brother?
"You're home Hateshi." Kashaku said. His face was the same as in my dream. He even wore the same black cloak.
I was angered, "My name is Kusota! Not Hateshi!"
"I'm sorry Hateshi but everything here knows you by your proper name. You're not in that fantasy anymore."
"What? What are you talking about? Are you calling my brother a fantasy and my mother? Are you calling my friend a fantasy?"
Kashaku looked away from me and he looked at my chain. I still had my chain and he had his.
"Why is your chain so similar as mine!" I asked.
The boy sighed, "I am a follower. We are the Forbidden. You are the head Forbidden. We follow your orders. Listen, you are Hateshi. We all follow the government and we are the ones who prevent any betrayal to the government."
I was completely lost, where was I again?
Kashaku went to retrieve something from one of the drawers. He pulled out a cloak similar to his and handed it to me.
"Put this on" he commanded.
Kashaku stood against the wall with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.
'Gaara…where are you?'I can still read your thoughts.
I almost shrieked as I looked over to Kashaku. He didn't change his stance but I knew he spoke the truth. I was in a strange world with no friends or family. So I decided it was best to do what these people said and figure out how to get back home, wherever home was.
I took a quick shower in the bathroom. I noticed there were no mirrors yet I didn't mind. I changed into the cloak and walked out. Kashaku was still there. He had been waiting for over an hour, I took long showers. I wondered who he was and why he could read my mind. Where was I? Had someone kidnapped me and took me to an unknown city? If so, then why did Kashaku call my home a 'fantasy'? I knew it wasn't, how could it be? I had lived there my whole life. I was going to go back home as soon as possible. I stood in front of Kashaku signaling that I was done. He was about 4 inches taller than I was. Even though he was obviously stronger than me, I stood my ground. He had said I was the leader.
Kashaku finally opened his eyes and lead me out of the room. The hallway showed there were at least 4 other rooms on the same floor. I followed the boy down the stairs and came upon what seemed a luxurious home. I gasped and looked around to look at everything. I figured Kashaku was going to feed me because he lead me into the dining room. There were exactly 5 chairs, the dining room was about 7 feet long.
Kashaku directed me at the head of the table and I sat on the leathery chair. I felt like a queen, waiting for her servants to fill her every need and then again I felt like a wanderer lost from the path.
I heard footsteps and saw three more black-cloaked people come in. their hoods were on and they walked in a straight line. Their gaze were turned towards me, I was their leader after all. Kashaku introduced each member of The Forbidden. Nagori, Hitori and Rosuto were their names. Kashaku then ordered each of them to remove their hoods; I wondered why they wore them. First was Nagori, a thin pale boy a little older than I was, he was about 17. His hair was a white blue hue and his eyes were a hazel color. His hair covered one of his eyes, his left eye to be precise. Hitori was a pretty girl, I think she was also Nagori's age. Her blond hair was short, falling before her shoulders. Her eyes looked as if she was miserable, she had a frown even though she was really pretty. I loved her crystal clear green eyes. The green was a soft color, the color of apples. Last was Rosuto, his hair was red, a flame burning red. His hair wasn't as long as the others, it looked sort of a mohawk as it was spiky in the middle. His eyes were a cold black color and he stood with his arms crossed.
'He looks like a rebel.' I thought.
He is.
I looked over to Kashaku's direction and saw him smirking, I had forgotten that he could read my mind and he knew I had forgotten. The maid had fed us all breakfast. I sat there, staring at my food. I had lost my appetite. I didn't care anymore if Kashaku could read my mind.
'I miss you Gaara. I hope you're ok, wherever you are.'
That earned a look from Kashaku. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw them looking at me, staring at me. Tears threatened to spill form my eyes; I suddenly stood up and ran back towards the room that I woke up in. this was all strange. This wasn't my home. I belonged with Gaara and Mahaku and my mother. I didn't want to be here, would I ever get back home?
I locked the door and sank to the floor with my face in my hands. I was scared of everything. Those cloaked monsters downstairs, this room, all of this. In a way I was afraid of myself as well. What was I really? I always thought my name was Kusota but now I wasn't so sure. Maybe it was Hateshi…
The world began spinning again, my stomach churned and I felt like I was going to be sick. I ran to the bathroom, there was no mirror so I just washed my face hoping the feeling would go away. Tears made their way down my cheeks and mixed with the sink water. I wanted to be strong. I wanted Gaara to look at me, I wanted to see him again.