The Diary of Tsara Shikamuno: 25
Besides the running of the river, the sound of shoes sliding on bark was all that you could hear in the small clearing. Pontel was desperately trying to climb up the tall tree I sat in. It was pretty comical to watch what appears as a stuck up prince (almost put pirate ha!) turn into a horrible mess of anger.
"Give up any time now."
"Never! I'm going to pull you by the heel down that tree and end this nightmare!"
"That is if you can get up in the first place." I giggled audibly which was followed by an odd silence. "How come you could turn into Sasuke?"
"Magic."
"Why not use magic to get up here then?" He sat there in complete and utter frustration. Finally, he started to move again but away from the tree. Pontel went to the river and jumped in. I could see bubbles rising to the top quickly. Is he trying to drown himself? Something caught my attention. I could here a slight sound coming from where Pontel sat in the rushing water. Ha, he's screaming but is too proud to do it at normal hearing. He came up briskly to get more air and then continued.
When he came up again he didn't continue. Over his anger at the obvious solution, he walked back and started to cast a levitation spell. As he lifted off the ground I stared at him.
"What's that look for?"
"Nothing." He was picking up speed and getting higher. When Pontel reached my level, he reached out and grabbed my arm.
"Something's up; you're not resisting."
"Yup! But you'll never know why until it happens." I said with a giggle. We fell down to the ground as Pontel released the spell. He dragged me over to the water and pushed my head under. Entertaining him, I writhed under his grasp, but after about thirty seconds I stopped moving. Pontel let go and stepped back. A puff of smoke encircled the clone and it disappeared.
"I see." Pontel started the long run back to the city with Nashiki following.
-
"I wonder when it'll kick in." Sasuke's voice echoed in the small cell.
"Who knows?" A voice came from nowhere.
"Huh? Whose there?"
"You."
"What?"
"I'm you."
"How can you be me?"
"Did you drink anything? Some bad water or a potion?"
"N- Wait. They did force some vile liquid down my throat."
"Who made it?"
"Tsara."
"Yeah. So… You want help?"
"With what?"
"Getting down from there or even out of here."
"I can take care of myself."
"Kay." Another Sasuke jumped out of the real Sasuke and started to unlock the chains from the real Sasuke.
"Wha- Who- How?"
"That stuff they made you drink was really a potion to make a copy of yourself. Tsara made it so she could escape the wedding, but then you showed up and ruined the plans."
"How did she escape?"
"While the fake was in her place at the palace waiting for the maids to take her to the wedding she went out the window. Then she went to the fields and took the only horse out of the meadow and went on her way."
"One last question: How do you know all this?" Sasuke asked as he landed feet first on the ground.
"Well, potions tend to create a bond with their creator so anything made by the potion knows what's going on."
"I know I said last question but… Do you know where Tsara is?"
"Yeah." He disappeared in a cloud of smoke and when it cleared there stood Tsara.
-
After putting a shadow clone in my place at the river, I ran for the palace to get to the prison underneath. Tukuno hid it underground so Sara wouldn't get upset over having 'poor innocent souls' locked up.
In the main hall I pulled down the corner of a painting and then pulled it towards me. I turned the hidden doorknob and went into the new room. The walls were lined with hundreds of small crystals. "Second crystal to the right." I went to the right side of the room and yanked on the correct crystal to open the next door. "Had to hide it so well. Jeez, if I ever inherit this place I'm going to relocate this prison."
After a few more hidden locks and doors, I reached the iron door to the prisons. I pressed my ear against the door and heard someone talking. "-tions tend to create a bond with their creator…" I leaned back and started to remove the locks. The door was heavy but easy to move. I pushed it open and stepped in to see a small cloud in the middle of the dank room.
When it cleared I jumped with relief. "Sasuke!" He seemed angry yet at the same time too happy to comprehend.
"Oi, what's up?"
"Doofus!" I ran to hug him and tackled him to the ground. "You should have known I could take care of it!"
He flipped us, putting me underneath, "Yeah, well, you're dumb." I giggled and hugged him again in the awkward position.
"C'mon we gotta get outta here."
"Wow, real princess-y talk."
"Ha-ha, yeah, I'm embracing that side of my life. Now let's go!" I pushed him off and grabbed his wrist to pull him along until we got to the door that was opened with the crystal. "Wait here." I whispered at him. I crawled out and scurried like a beetle to the next exit… There were voices on the other side. I went back to Sasuke who was sitting peacefully with his back on the wall. "We gotta use another entrance; follow me."
We backtracked until we were almost at the prison's door. "Why'd we come back here?"
"There's another exit down here but it's hardly used anymore and I don't like it." I said feeling along the cracks in the wall.
"Why?"
"Ever been in a sewer?"
"A couple of desperate times for missions but still yes."
"Take all of the sewers you've been in and combine them, then multiply that by about ten times; this is worse than even that."
"Oh." I found the entrance and the stench swept over me and caused me to gag. Sasuke stepped forward and sniffed the air, "It's not as bad as you say." He looked at me and saw I was in pain, "Why is it so bad for you?"
"I dunno; maybe it's the heightened senses from the ears and tail.
"Where are your ears and tail?"
I looked at my back… No tail. I touched invisible ears on my head. "S'ok." I released the spell hiding them and pushed forward into the tunnel trying my best not to get sick.
As we walked on a path next to what I think was water Sasuke asked, "Hey Tsara?"
"Yeah?"
"Why are you still wearing that?"
"Wearing what?"
"That!" He said pointing at the now torn up wedding dress.
"I really don't know. I would have changed if I had had the time but with all of this I guess we don't really have time." A scaled back slid through the water as we walked and Sasuke pushed closer to the wall. "Relax," I said to Sasuke. To the water I spoke, "Funny, funny Mauler. Anything else you want to do to make us more miserable?" The water rippled and a big tail lifted up and came back down, splashing me and not Sasuke with the could be water. I stomped and light flicked into my eyes. The possible water shifted around and the tunnel cooled drastically. Some of the water was starting to freeze when a giant alligator crawled out.
It snorted an answer, "You should respect those who are older."
"Yeah, yeah I hardly respect any of my elders here, only those in my home."
"But is this not your home?"
"Not at all; my home is in the village hidden in the leaves."
"I see. Do you wish to escape to the upper levels?"
"Not yet, I want to come out in the woods."
"Then you know you are going the wrong way?"
"O-of course."
"Yes, of course, indeed. I shall take you there young one, as well as your friend."
"Really?! Oh, thank you Mauler!" I heated the water back to normal and let Mauler slide up to us in the water. We sat gently on her back and rode up to the spot in the woods. "Thank you Mauler; I will return someday to help you somehow."
We made our way through the woods and walked out into an open field lined and filled with soldiers. At the head of the company were Tukuno and Sara.
Sara was hysterical, "Why did you do this you commoner!? My favorite daughter's wedding is now ruined and it's your entire fault!"
"He didn't ruin it Sara!"
She gasped and continued, "How dare you refer to me like that! You are to call me mother! And look at you! You're filthy!"
She continued on so quickly that I was surprised she was still breathing. I started to get annoyed and eventually yelled, "That's it! Shut up you old hag!" She gasped and was about to say more but I stopped her and continued with my rant. "My life has been miserable because of you! I had to waste my childhood studying magic so I could hide a secret from you! Everyone's been protecting you for too long you should know the truth and accept it, if not I'll make your life from here on out more miserable than mine has ever been. You should have just sent me away and then forget about then." I put my hands on the ears and ran up so she could see.
She screamed and stuttered, "Wh-who are you?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm your favorite daughter, Tsaralan." I spat out the last word.
Again she screamed, and Pontel ran forward to help her. I gave a slight smirk and snapped my fingers. Magic flowed out of my hand unnoticed up to Pontel's head. Sara looked up and screamed one more time before fainting. Pontel looked around as I chuckled loudly and everyone else stared.
"What? What is wrong?" I pointed at my ears and then at him. He reached up and touched magical ears. "Get these hideous things off of me!"
"Aww c'mon I think they're adorable… On me!" He charged but that was a big no-no. No matter what you don't attack a child of the crown in the middle of a field swarming with the royal guard. Before he knew what had happened he was surrounded by spears and swords along with the men on horses who carried them. Pontel was immediately taken to the hidden prisons and to be prepared for expulsion from the country.
"My daughter, the kingdom is in chaos because of you. There is no containing you and so I must let you do what you must. Run off to distant lands and neither I nor my people will stop you. I grant you my blessings for whatever it is that you wish to do. Just remember you are always welcome here." For the first time, I ran over and hugged Tukuno upon my own will.
"Thank you," I whimpered as tears rolled down my face. "I'll come here whenever need be without any regrets."
"And you, boy." Sasuke looked up. "Take care of her or else I will send everyone in this land to hunt you down, but never the less good luck when the appropriate time comes."
-
The next day Sasuke led the way back to the village. When we arrived, Naruto tackled the both of us somehow at once and dragged us to the ramen shop saying, "You guys owe me."
Once we bought Naruto his ramen we excused ourselves and went back to our apartments. Sasuke walked me back up to the door and watched me find the right key and put it in the lock. I turned the key and opened the door. He pulled me close and kissed me and pushed me inside when he finished. Sasuke pulled the key out of the lock and handed it to me.
"G'night." I said in a whisper of exhaustion.
"Yeah." I closed the door and went to my room for a long night of sleep.
It's almost done… I'll miss you guys so much, waaaah! There's one or two more chapters after this so don't stop reading just yet.