Chapter 36: Hello, Again
Sakura woke up groggy and unprepared for the morning's arrival. She had slept heavily, having been stripped and drained in every way by the time she returned to her quarters. She had been mentally exhausted from breaking away from Madara's sharingan. Then running from a raging bull through the unsolvable maze of tunnels and shifting walls, which was immediately followed by the brief fight against the eight tails, had worn her out physically. And then ending the already late night, tending to Sasuke and talking with him until the early morning, had taken an emotional toll on her.
Now as she lay on her back, looking up at the carved ceiling above, it was hard to imagine that all of that happened in a span of hours and it had only been a few hours since it had concluded. It all seemed like a very long dream and all she wanted to do was roll back over and slip into a dreamless slumber. But of course, as soon as her mind was conscious enough to form thoughts, they came flooding in. Making the possibility of even a restless doze impossible.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she slowly sat up. The covers fell off of her and she found herself still dressed in her jeans and t-shirt from the night before. Her shoes and socks were trailing from the door of her room to her bed, having managed to pull those off before falling to the soft mattress and pulling herself under the covers and succumbing to her exhaustion.
It took a delayed moment of staring down at herself to realize just how filthy she was. Her shirt which had once been white was now more of a faded grey color after crawling and rolling around to escape the bijuu. Her jeans were torn at one knee and there were some splatters of blood from when she had sliced the minotaur's' hand. Not to mention the layer of grime and sweat that had dried and crusted on her skin. The feel of it made her disgusted and she could only imagine how much she reeked. Any time Naruto and Kakashi came back after a heavy battle, blood soaked and sweaty, they always smelled.
She caught a whiff of herself and wrinkled her nose in disgust. Pushing herself free of the covers she made her way to the bathroom. Her legs felt stiff and sore from the exertion she had expelled in the labyrinth, her muscles having been neglected from their usual heavy exercise since coming to this realm.
She had only managed to hobble halfway across the room when she heard a light tapping on the door. Sakura paused for a moment, trying to think who it could be. Mikoto was usually more enthusiastic in her knocks when announcing her arrival. Sasuke, when he did knock, more banged on the door. And while the light rap matched Itachi's nature -who was usually more polite and quiet in his mannerisms- he had never checked on her this early in the morning.
Forgetting her state of dress and disheveled appearance, Sakura walked over to the door and slowly opened it. The moment she had it open wide enough to see who it was, she paused, slightly taken aback to see Sasuke standing at her door.
He looked exhausted. His dark eyes bloodshot as heavy dark circles made him look paler than usual. However unlike her, it seemed he had at least showered and changed his clothes in the few hours they had been separated. His hair was still damp from a recent shower causing his bangs to hang heavily in front of his eyes as he peered down at her.
His dark eyes roved over her, and Sakura suddenly became conscious of her more than disheveled appearance. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice strange, and unsure.
Sakura's hand quickly went up to her hair, raking her fingers frantically as they caught and pulled at the knots of her bed hair. "Um...yeah sorry, I was just about to get cleaned up," she quickly explained.
"Hn," Sasuke hummed, not sounding fully interested or even really listening to her explanation. He seemed more preoccupied with staring down at her neck.
"Was there something you needed?" she asked, causing his obsidian gaze to flicker up to her.
Her question seemed to break him free from his starring. "Ah," he sounded before clearing his throat. "I wanted to tell you that I am leaving for the surface."
It was then that Sakura took in his full appearance. He was wearing a black sleeveless shirt that was made out of a heavy leathered material and a pair of loose pants. Bracers were secured around his wrists and sticking out from the belt around his waist was the unmistakable handle of his sword.
"What do you mean leaving?" she asked, a slight panic coming to her voice.
"I will be back later today," he supplied without any true explanation.
"What for?" Sakura questioned again, eyeing the weapon and bracers he had. He was not exactly dressed for a massive battle, but it was definitely not an outfit that was worn to simply blend in with the mortals.
"Nevermind that, just stay here. Understood."
Sakura slightly frowned.
"But-" she cut herself off as she let out a sigh and nodded, there was no point in pressing the matter. After what happened last night, she realized it would be best that she start taking at least some of Sasuke's warning of advice, else she finds herself being chased down by who knows what else could be found in this dark world.
He gave his own satisfied nod before moving to turn away. Sakura watched him, her mind pondering what he could possibly need to go to the surface for. And as she watched him start to leave she was suddenly overcome with a panic.
Her hand shot out, latching onto his forearm. "Sasuke, wait," she quickly blurted, causing him to stop and look down at her hand on his arm. She quickly withdrew herself from him, tucking her hair behind her ears. "I just...what if...what if I need help while you're gone?"
"Just stay in your room until I get back."
"But what if something happened. What if-" her voice became hushed- "Madara," she whispered, as if the very mention of his name too loudly would summon him.
"If there is an emergency then you are to go to Itachi," Sasuke instructed.
He didn't like the idea of it. He didn't like what was going on between her and his brother. She just seemed so...comfortable with him. And that bothered him to see her at such ease with his brother but not with him. He knew full well the fault was all his own, but it did not mean it bothered him any less. But as much as he disliked their kindredship, he trusted Itachi to keep her safe the most. Mikoto would not be of any harm to Sakura, but Itachi could stand against certain others in this realm.
To be honest he had debated about taking her with him, not wanting to leave her on her own given her habits of getting herself into trouble. From what he knew of their connection, it was weakened with distance, and severed when in different realms. But he could not risk walking into a trap that would result in her being reclaimed. Yes he was feeling guilty for bringing her here, but not enough to let her go...not yet. He still wanted answers and deep down, he still wanted her, whomever she was.
Sakura seemed to take in his words and finally nodded. "Don't-" He watched as she seemed to struggle with forming what she wanted to say. She licked her lips and then looked up at him. "Just promise you will come back," she said in a worried tone. "You can't just leave me here."
Sakura watched as Sasuke's brow drew together and his head tilted ponderously, as if trying to understand where her words were coming from and what they meant. She herself was not able to understand why exactly she was saying them. But all she could think about at this moment was the panicked worry of him leaving her here, all alone. Perhaps it was because he was possibly the only person who could manage to set her free, but deep down, she knew it was because the thought of being abandoned by him did not seem survivable. In more ways than one.
He took a step towards the door, his hand coming up to push the heavy barrier farther open before letting his hand drop down. For a moment it hovered near her face, as if he was contemplating what action he wanted to take. His dark eyes focused on her forehead for a moment and his fingers twitched, as if to move forward but slowly curled into his palm at the last moment.
Sakura was not sure exactly what he had been about to do, but she was aware of the sudden feeling of disappointment by the second thought of his actions. She frowned, but then suddenly started when she felt his fingers suddenly graze the skin of her neck near her collar bone.
She looked up at him to find his eyes focused on the spot that he had touched, a deep look coming to his eyes before suddenly flickering up to hers as he withdrew his hand away from her. He let it rest on the hilt of his sword as he looked down at her. With her heart beating wildly in her chest she looked up at him as he peered down at her with a sooty gaze, full of intense intrigue.
"I will not be gone long," he said, before adding, "just stay here."
Sakura nodded without any question this time. His words had held a tone of promise that put her at ease as he turned around and began walking down the hall. She watched him from her open doorway until he turned sharply down another corridor and disappeared. The moment he was gone, Sakura's body let out a heavy shiver.
Breaking her out of the vacant staring of the empty hallway, she quickly shut the door, latching it firmly as she slid the lock into place. For a moment she let her head rest against the heavy wood, focusing on the tethered feeling of Sasuke's presence growing fainter and fainter as she tried to swallow down the unease that came with the idea of him not being there. It was strange to think that just a few weeks ago she had dreaded his presence but now...the thought of not having him near terrified her, like a piece of her was breaking off.
After a moment, she raised her head back up and turned away from the door. Determined not to let such thoughts worry her, she made her way to the bathroom. Leaning over the tub she began to run a hot stream of water into the large bath as she poured scented oils and salt mixtures into the water. She watched them dissolve and mix together with a fragrant froth for a moment before she stood and began to peel away her clothes.
As the basin of the tub continued to fill, Sakura walked over to the mirror above the sink, taking in her image and grimacing. Despite her earlier efforts, her hair was still a mess and she grabbed up the comb sitting on the counter. As she began to carefully sort out the knots as best she could, she leaned her head to the side as she worked on a particular tangled mess. As she did, her hair cascaded to the side, exposing her neck.
The moment Sakura saw it she froze, her green eyes staring widely at the dark oval mark at the juncture of her neck. Dropping the comb, Sakura quickly leaned forward, tilting her neck even more to get a better look at the purple spot. It only took a moment of inspection before her hand automatically went up to the spot and rubbed vigorously at it. When the mark did not rub off, the reality of what she was looking at hit her and her face grew heated and flushed.
It was the spot that Sasuke had touched just before leaving, it was the mark that kept drawing his eyes attention during their awkward exchange. As she stared at the purple bruise, the recollection of how such a love bite came to exist came rushing back into her memories. And she found herself staring at her blushing reflection as the memories rushed back in. Not just her mind, but her body seemed to recollect every touch and caress as goosebumps formed across her skin at each place his hands had been.
She shivered.
How she had managed to not immediately reflect on such a heated exchange when she had woken this morning, she was at a loss for answers. But the mortification that came with the realization of what she had done with him had her covering her face. A drawn out groan escaped her as she shook her body in an agitated dance.
What the hell had she been thinking?
The answer to that was she hadn't been thinking, she had been feeling.
Slowly her hands fell away from her face and she found herself staring back into her forest green irises. They were dilated wildly, a hidden lust lurking behind them as the memory of the heated kisses, the feel of his fingers grasping at her hip, his thumb brushing against the underside of her breast. Suddenly she found herself wanting to moan for a whole other reason, which only served to make it all even more horrific.
She came to this world knowing she would be in trouble. However, never did she expect to find herself troubled by such matters. She was already struggling to handle being around him with his captivating dark eyes that drew her in with allure. While her past self had obviously had a deep connection to him, one that was passionate and trusting, Sakura was more than aware that Sasuke, at least Sasuke now, was not good.
But even as she turned away from the mirror and began to submerge her naked body into the water, she could not help but think about the way his body had felt pressed up against hers. The way his fingers had felt against her skin, trailing across it with such practiced movements it was like muscle memory. While the bits and pieces of memories that Madara had drawn from her were muddled together and confusing, there were certain flashes and images that told Sakura that he knew her body just as well as it was hinted last night.
She bit at her lip and a heady feeling took over her. They said all good boys go to heaven, but bad boys bring heaven to you. And if heaven was her home, would it be so bad if she allowed him to bring it to her down here in hell?
Up on the surface, long blades of dry grass covered a field as a gentle stream cut through in a meandering pattern. Sasuke stood at the center where a lone tree once grew but had long since fallen and decayed. Now a small cluster of trees grew, most likely the saplings of the older generations that had grown from the original.
Of course they would choose this place, Sasuke thought to himself as he stood in the small clearing.
He detested that Naruto and Kakashi even suggested this place, most likely as some sort of tactic to mess with his mind. Or just punish him. And as much as he hated every second, standing and waiting in this glade, he could not think that it was also appropriate that it take place here. The place where it all began.
To think that this island had hardly changed in the thousands of years that had passed by was only proof of how insignificant living out a life on this rock was. There were a few changes, the small temple shrine at the top of the hill of a mountain was now a crumbled ruin. He had flown over it earlier, only to find the skeletal remains of a few foundation stones and a couple of weather worn and eroded pieces of the original columns. Most of the farms and manors that had been sparsely found throughout the country portion of the island were all gone now too. A pestilence had come through at one point in history and wiped out all the crops. Now all that remained were a few wild growing olive trees and untended wheat fields. Near the coast of the northern side of the island people still remained. But it was mostly for tourism. With it being the low season of the year, the island was practically vacant except for a few locals who lived by the sea.
Sasuke stood alone in the middle of the wild and overgrown field. The longer he stood there the more impatient and agitated he became. With every extra minute he remained there, waiting for Kakashi and Naruto to show up, it meant one more memory that flashed through his mind. This place held so many memories that he could stand here waiting an entire day and not run out of them.
He had found this island when he first started coming to the earthen realm alone. There was just something about this island that he had been drawn to. He could not describe it, but there had been a day in spring that he had felt a pull and followed. Afterwards he oftentimes found himself returning to the island and wandering its minimal mass of land. One day he had lingered a little too long after dawn, and that was when he and Naruto first met outside of the seraph society. As it turned out, Sasuke was tempting the same mortal that Naruto was guiding and so began their rivalry. Somehow between their banters during the transitions of dawn and dusk, Sasuke found himself in a strange, rivaled friendship with the sunny seraph.
Then Kakashi began to train them whom Sasuke had already been familiar with as it was his cousin's eye that he wielded. During the early days of Konoha's establishment and it was still relatively peaceful between the fallen and blessed, there was a special group made up of both fallen and blessed seraphim that were chosen and branded as protectors. The special ops made up of arch angels and demons were split into teams and had the duty of searching out rogue seraphim in the mortal realm and destroying them. On a particularly failed mission, Obito met his demise and had gifted Kakashi the eye before his death. And if Sasuke remembered right, there had also been a mortal girl that had died in the incident as well. But he had never bothered to delve into the details. Back then Sasuke did not care about insignificant mortals or their fates. And how the fates decided to cruelly teach him a lesson for his apathy.
For on this same island, not long after he had begun to visit it, he had met her, Sakura. The mortal woman who dwelt and lived on this island. Who had wandered it for nearly two decades without him knowing of her existence. Then one day, that changed, and now he could not look anywhere without being reminded of her presence on this gods forsaken rock.
Oh yes, the fates were cruel but Kakashi and Naruto were sadists for forcing him to return to such a place. He had come to this island once after Sakura's death. But the haunting ghosts of reminder had nearly driven him insane.
Now being here was like having an itch he could not scratch. The longer he was forced to linger in wait, the more he was forced to recall the many memories he had made on this island. And the harder he tried to push the itch away and ignore it, the more irritant it became.
Soon Sasuke was prowling back and forth like a caged tiger as he waited. But as soon as he heard the heavy flap of wings, he whirled around, hand going to the handle of his katana as his dark eyes caught sight of the two angels descending from the skies.
It was a scene nothing like the mortals wrote and fantasized about. There was no pillar of light, there was no gentle slow descent, and there was certainly no cherubic choirs and triumphant trumpets. They came in like a pair of eagles, graceful but fearsome. They swept low towards the ground as they both took a hard landing, wings spread out as drag behind and slow their hurried feet.
They came to a landing stop a good distance away from where Sasuke stood.
Despite their landings, both angels looked ready for anything. Each of them taking a solid stance as they looked out across the laden grass to where Sasuke stood darkly in the shadows of the trees. Slowly they walked towards him, the grey clouds of the overcast day causing Kakashi's grey wings to look darker than usual as Naruto's light hair and blue eyes contrasted brightly against the dark backdrop.
They strode towards him until they were a good twelve feet away and came to a stop. For a long moment, only the rustle of the dried grass around them made a noise as the salty breeze from the sea that surrounded the island moved its way through the clearing. Sasuke watched as Kakashi's lone visible eye fell onto his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"We did not come to fight you, Sasuke," he claimed. "We came to talk, there is no need for you to act so defensive."
Sasuke made no move to remove his hand. "So talk," he intoned gruffly.
"First tell us if Sakura is okay," Naruto demanded, giving Sasuke a threatening glare. "You haven't done anything to her? I swear bastard if you have touched her or a single feather of her is out of place I will break every bone in your body before ripping off your wings."
Sasuke's eye twitched at what Naruto was insinuating. "Do you really think me so low that I would physically harm something under my care?"
Naruto took an aggressive step forward but was stopped when Kakashi held out an arm to stop him. Naruto looked at the silver haired seraph but the older man's attention was fully on Sasuke. "We know you would never do such a thing," Kakashi assured. "But that does not mean she could be harmed or suffering in other ways. You cannot blame us for questioning. However our worries do not rest with what you have done. What of Madara? Has he been in contact with her? What has been her treatment there?"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed at his questioning of Madara's involvement. It had his mind wondering the same things he had been for several weeks now, what interest would Madara have in her. "I am doing what I can to keep her interactions with him limited," he answered honestly.
He kept the details of Madara's most recent interaction to himself, as well as Sakura's habit of getting herself into trouble. He wanted to first see what they had to say before he revealed anything. The less they knew, the harder it would be for them to tell him more lies from what he had noticed and witnessed of Sakura's abilities and traits.
"As for her treatment she is not in want for anything."
"Except to be home and with us!" argued Naruto.
"Naruto," Kakashi warned under his breath, catching the resentful annoyance in Sasuke's face.
"You said there was something I needed to know," Sasuke commented, ignoring Naruto's words. "So what is it?"
He watched as Naruto and Kakashi glanced at each other. Their wings fluttered with nervousness as they exchanged a look. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the exchange but his attention quickly cut to Kakashi as he stepped forward.
"We first need you to swear something to us."
"I didn't come to make deals and barter," Sasuke intoned. "I came to collect what was offered."
"What we are about to tell you cannot be so easily gifted. If the wrong person were to gain this knowledge it could be catastrophic to the seraph world."
"Our world is already catastrophic," Sasuke intoned dryly.
Kakashi shook his head. "I am talking about the end and destruction of everything we know, our livelihood, our purpose, the whole reason for our existence. And not just ours but the gods and mortals would be at stake. Nothing would be as it should be, it would upset the balance of our coexistence, like introducing a predator into an ecosystem that never knew any dangers."
Sasuke's brow raised. "And who would this predator be?"
Kakashi gave him a knowing look that indicated Sasuke knew exactly whom Kakashi was speaking of. Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Madara has his own plans, none of which are involved in my own," he assured. " What dealings and knowledge I possess is not shared with him. At the moment, I am only working with him until my ambitions are fulfilled, I could care less about the success of his stratagem."
"And what is your agenda?" Naruto accused. "What do you need Sakura for?"
"My agenda is my own," Sasuke replied coolly.
Naruto let out a growl and moved forward as if to pounce but Kakashi grabbed him by the neck of his coat and pulled him back. "We just need to know you will not harm Sakura, nor reveal anything we tell you today to Madara," Kakashi said calmly as Naruto twisted in his grasp.
Sasuke's face hardened at his words. "I would never hurt Sakura," he quickly defended himself.
Kakashi's brows rose in surprise by the almost offended tone in his voice. Taking in his wayward students, Kakashi did his best to observe. He knew there would be no sense in asking just what exactly had happened between himself and Sakura in the past month. Sasuke had never been one for sharing the details of his life, let alone his relationships. But Kakashi could tell something was developing. While Sasuke never verbally revealed his privacies, his body, actions, and emotions did. The clenched hands, the sincerity in his voice, and the deep look in Sasuke's eyes. Even the mention of her name seemed to bring the faintest of color to his cheeks. And he spoke her name with an underlining reverence. It made Kakashi wonder if Sasuke already knew the truth.
"As for Madara," Sasuke continued. "I already told you, our business is separate."
"And what exactly is your business with him?" Naruto questioned. "What deal did you make with that devil?"
Sasuke's lips curled into a slight sneer at Naruto's questions. And it was there that Kakashi caught something. While Sasuke's exterior was as always, he caught the faintest of glimpses in his face before that reaction. It was hesitancy and unease. And he realized Sasuke had no knowledge of what Madara was up to or his full plans.
"You don't know what he is planning or even your part of the deal...do you?"
Sasuke's eyes looked at him sharply, but he made no effort to correct Kakashi. He did not even deny it. And underneath his silence, Kakashi saw the shadow of unease. And it told him that Sasuke had just realized the gravity in which he had just gotten himself into blindly.
Kakashi let out a sigh and covered his face, weary and worried. The mess they were in could have been avoided so easily. But you reap what you sow and this was the consequence for meddling. He would like to blame it all on Tsunade, but he was just as much at fault. He should have made more of an effort to persuade Tsunade. He should not have let the lies go on for this long. Now, the last two people who should be blamed were paying the price. But the lies stopped now.
Looking at Sasuke, Kakashi knew there was no other way to do it. Sasuke deserved this. The actions that he had committed over the centuries were unfathomable and unsavory. But for the first time, Kakashi truly saw why he had done them, he understood them.
"Sakura, our Sakura, the Sakura that you currently have residing with you...she's yours."
"Tch. Seeing as she currently resides, that statement is pragmatic," he scoffed. "You cannot give me what I have already taken."
Kakashi shook his head at the arrogance.
"He doesn't mean we are giving her to you, you arrogant bastard," Naruto yelled. "He means she's Sakura, Sakura from this island. Sakura the mortal is Saskura the seraph. They are one in the same."
Sasuke looked at Naruto as if he were speaking in tongues. There was a long pause as the sea breeze came through the dry field and rustled Sasuke's hair. He then looked at Kakashi, his mind comprehending and contradicting back and forth. Until finally he took a step back.
"That's impossible," he denied, his heart pounding in his chest rapidly as a sick swirling churned in his stomach.
"It isn't," Kakashi responded. "She─"
Sasuke pulled his sword from its sheath with a growl. "Stop. With. The. Fucking. Lies! Sakura was mortal," Sasuke shouted. He pointed to the ground as if gesturing to the realm in which he left Sakura in. "And that girl is seraph."
"I know, I know," Kakashi said quickly, raising his hands in delicate defense. "And we will explain it all, if you will just swear to us that you will not reveal what we are about to tell you. Just hear us out."
Sasuke's hardened stare burned with rage as he glared between Naruto and Kakashi with hatred and distrust. He raised his sword, pointing it at them. "You want a sworn oath? I swear to the gods if you tell me another goddamn lie or try another filthy hand at trickery, I will destroy your damned castle in the clouds before slaughtering you both. I promise to bring ten fold of what you fear Madara will bring forth." His words hung in the air heavily as he paused for his words to sink in before continuing. "How's that for swearing?"
"Bastard, we are serious."
Sasuke focused on Naruto. "So am I," he replied with an empty darkness.
Kakashi let out a sign. "Please Sasuke, just...hear us out."
After a short glare down with Naruto, Sasuke finally looked at the grey haired seraph. "Very well, speak. But the moment I detect so much as an omission, I am gone."
Kakashi physically showed his relief as his shoulders relaxed. He knew Sasuke was going to be difficult but he had been expecting more of a fight. Which made him wonder what exactly had happened in the past few weeks. What developments had come about between him and Sakura to make Sasuke less hostile.
He took in a deep breath and began to speak. "As you know the seraphim were created by Kaguya. But what is not well known is that Hagoromo Otsutsuki, and the original twelve were once mortals. And it was when they drank from the cup that contained the blood and chakra of gods that they evolved to a higher level of being. It was with this method that we saved Sakura from death and why she is now a seraph..."
Sasuke stood silent and still, his hair the only thing moving in the occasional breeze as he listened to Kakashi tell a history that was so respun, it made the tale he had been told since he was a child completely irrelevant. Seraph's, who had always thought themselves higher than the mortal beings that dwelt in the fragile world they called Earth, were really not that much higher. For as it turned out, they were nothing but distant cousins within the same hereditary species.
Before Kakashi had even begun to explain how this new found knowledge was tied to Sakura being Sakura, both one in the same, Sasuke's intelligence had already begun to string the pieces together. As Kakashi began to describe the events of that fateful and haunting night, Sasuke found himself taking in quick and shallow breaths as he took in Kakashi's worlds.
It was a night he knew in well detail as he had relived it countless times over the years. The fight with Naruto, the explosive collision of them, Sakura's limp body. He remembered every sensation like the feeling of her warm bodice clutched to him tightly as he furiously propelled himself through the night sky to the temple. He remembered cold lines being painted across his cheeks as panicked and unchecked tears ran down his skin and cooled against the wind of his speed. And finally, the sound of her last breaths and the strength of her mortal hold loosening from his as she stared blankly up at him. Those were no details he had ever forgotten nor needed reminding of.
But like the new version story of their creation as a species, as Kakashi relayed his own version with an insurmountably altered ending, Sasuke found his own version being revised. He had long stopped thinking about the cup but now he found himself recalling the search and the desperate frustration in which he had found it. He also remembered the crippling disappointment he had felt when nothing happened after Sakura had drunk from it and nothing had happened. He had not even questioned or even known what the end result was supposed to be. All he had cared about was that she lived.
And he had never noticed Tsunade even taking his blood. Yet as Kakashi relayed the story, he recalled the tears turned blood streaming from his eyes and down his cheeks. They had dropped down onto Sakura as he had cursed the other seraphs across from him over her lifeless body. It must have been from those bloody tears that Tsunade had collected the needed blood to transform Sakura.
"...We took an oath to never reveal what had occurred for what we thought was best at the time. The Uchiha had just destroyed the earthen village. Tsunade was newly established and she had to make a decision that was on an executive level, not personal. Though perhaps her personal emotions played a far more influential role in her decision when she instructed we were not to tell you of Sakura surviving," Kakashi admitted.
"We thought eventually, with time, Tsunade would allow us," Naruto chimed in, a solemnity in his voice. "But then you joined Orochimaru and became…" Naruto struggled to find the right words without sounding accusing. "You had changed so much and Sakura had grown on Tsunade. By that time she would never even consider revealing her existence out of paranoia. She feared if her enemies found out about her familial bond, they would hunt her down just like the direct members of her clan had become practically extinct from Madara's genocide."
After everything had been explained, Kakashi and Naruto stood expectantly, waiting for Sasuke to say something. Only Sasuke never did. He looked up from the ground where he had been staring blankly as they explained themselves. Dark eyes moved from one, to the other, then he took a step back, his head moving slowly back and forth as he took another step back. And then he turned around and began to walk away.
"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, but it was to no avail.
"Sasuke," came a more firm and deeper call of Kakashi. It was the tone he used back when he was training both younger seraphs. "Promise us you will protect Sakura," he said when Sasuke paused, although he kept his back to them. "If you will not let her go, then keep her safe. It is your responsibility now."
Kakashi's words echoed out and died across the glade. All the while, Sasuke remained with his back to them as a drawn out silence fell over them.
"Sakura or not, you do not deserve her. You manipulated and lied to her for centuries and yet she is so desperate to get back to you," Sasuke responded so quietly, it was only with the help of the wind that his words reached the other two.
As his remark reached them, Sasuke's knees bent before he thrust himself into the air, his wings beating furiously to propel his body high into the low hanging clouds that meandered above them. Not once looking back to the pair that remained grounded as they watched his body become nothing but a speck in the sky.
"It didn't work," Naruto said, disbelief in his tone. "I-he doesn't believe us Kakashi." He looked up with a worried expression. "Sakura, we just put her in even more danger."
Kakashi did not answer him immediately. His lone visible eye was tracking Sasuke's form in the sky until he disappeared into the low clouds over the sea. "No," Kakashi finally said. "We did the right thing, he will accept the truth. If anything he accepted it a long time ago, he just didn't know it."
It was far later than he had originally expected to get back when he did. But then again, he had not expected to gain the knowledge that he had. After he had left Kakashi and Naruto on the island, Sasuke had found himself traveling across the mortal sea until he reached yet another location that he readily avoided.
Dropping down from the clouds, Sasuke landed amongst the ruins of the ancient temple that had once been where Konoha had stood proudly. It was also the place where Sakura had died. At least that was the way he had always seen this place. But according to Kakashi and Naruto, it was also the place where she was reborn and remade. And because of that, he looked around at the space with a new perspective.
The information that he had been given required time to process before he could face her again...that is if he ever could. As cosmically profound as the revelation was, deep down Sasuke had known. He had put up a good fight and did everything he could to sabotage that knowledge, stubbornly refusing to believe it. But it seemed his dreams and wishes from long ago finally came true. Unfortunately that dream was quickly becoming a nightmare.
He felt like King Midas being granted his wish, but it turned out that this was not what he truly had wanted. There were factors that he had not considered and far too many barriers that he himself had caused. The blessed had vilified him in Sakura's mind but he had done well to live up to that reputation and in more recent actions, confirm such a title by letting Sakura witness that. He had screwed it all up.
Instead of a golden touch like Midas had, Sasuke burned everything that he tried to grasp. He had wished and sought after something and when he had it, he found he had ruined it. He had been granted his deep desire to have Sakura back, but now, he didn't know what to do. In truth he was afraid to face her, worried that if he touched her he would destroy her like he seemed to destroy everything good in his life. It was something he was good at. Destruction and peril, that was what he yielded best.
He found her in his mothers garden. And while slightly perturbed that she had ventured out of her room, he found himself not the slightest bit angry as he silently crept through the shadows to stand at a ledge that overlooked the cavern his mother claimed for herself. It was a decent sized space that formed a circular room with a medium height ceiling. From the venting cracks in the floor, a warmth circulated through the room from the lava flow in the levels deep beneath them. Combined with the moisture that trickled down from the ceiling and walls from the underground river that flowed in the level above this cavern, it created the perfect environment for plant growth. Draperies and under growth of what would be terrestrial looking foliage to mortals, but normal plant life for this world, sprouted and flourished in the terrarium like cavern.
In the center of the cavern floor, Sakura was to be found. Kneeling down next to a plant as she trimmed its translucent leaves. Void of chlorophyll, it looked ghostly as the faint blue glow emanated from it. Around her a few shimmering moths fluttered around lazily, their glowing blue wings making them look like earthen butterflies. Above her the ceiling was littered with spotted lichen, giving the illusion of a galaxy strewn sky as a thin haze of mist accumulated at the apex of the roof from where the humidity of the heated cavern collected and cooled.
It was fitting that he found her here. Looking down at the scene, having been told what he had just been told. It was like a strange confirmation that this truly was her. No reincarnation, no doppelganger. Just Sakura. His Sakura being Sakura. Like the many nights he had watched her in the mortal realm, kneeling in the dirt and blissfully tending to her little garden under the watchful starlight of the night.
"I thought I told you to stay in your room."
Sakura startled, uprooting the plant she had been gently tending to at the sudden deep voice that spoke out. With the acoustics of the room, there was no telling from which direction the voice had come. As it was, Sakura naturally whirled around to where the entrance was but found no one there. Slowly standing, her brow quirried at the absence of someone until something caught her eye. A light flutter of wings to her left, and she turned and looked up.
She knew it was him before she even fully made him out in the shadow of the overlook. Having been distracted before, lost in her world of thoughts as she gardened, she had not noticed the connection being reinstated. But now that she was alert, she could feel the familiar tug. As she looked up at him, there was something so familiar about the situation, something so settling and assuring within her that she could not help but smile.
"You said you would not be too long," she retorted, her voice holding a gentle chastisement.
When he made no comment, she suddenly became aware of the aura around him. It was not like he was angry or annoyed. But there was some sort of unsettled nervousness coming from him. He was sitting on the ledge, one foot hanging over the edge while the other was pulled up and bent as he leaned against the rock wall. His arm was extended out and resting on his bent knee while the other one rested at his side. His wings draped behind him, only half folded in as they rustled every once in a while. As she looked up at him, taking in his face, she noted there was a somber look of sadness and worry that she did not understand. And while she looked up at him, she found he only held her eye for a moment before looking down at his lap, and she saw a distinct look of guilt.
"Are you okay?" she found herself asking, tilting her head to the side and looking up at him curiously.
Sasuke remained silent. But he shifted, rising to his feet from where he was perched, he lightly stepped off. His wings spread out, controlling his descent where he landed gently down next to her. As he steadied himself, rising to his full height, his dark eyes took her in with an intense scrutiny that made Sakura shift uncomfortably. He tilted his head to the side, giving her a hawkish look that made her feel like a watched prey. It both unnerved and excited her as she awaited his next move.
Tentatively he approached her and she watched him closely but trustingly as he slowly raised his hand.
Sakura was unsure as to what he was doing, but she did not move a single muscle as his fingertips lightly grazed her throat. She swallowed deeply as his touch ran up the column of her neck and only when she felt the gentle nudge beneath her chin did she raise her head and found herself caught in his stare.
The moment her gaze connected solidly with his, her mind pulled a flash of memory from the depths of her mind. It was a memory of Sasuke looking at her just like this. But he was not just looking at her, he was looking into her. Reaching into her and looking past the forest green color and searching into her very soul. Before, as a mortal, she would not have known what he was doing. But given her heightened senses and knowledge of what he was doing, Sakura could feel him examining her soul, reaching in deeply.
Just before he reached the core she felt him hit against the sealed block of her mind. She felt him push against it and she did her best to not resist but a sharp pain echoed in her mind like a hammer striking an anvil and she winched slightly. She tried to hide it but his heightened eyes caught the twitch in her face and he immediately pulled back. Dropping his hand from her chin he stepped back and looked at her silently for a long moment.
"Are you really her?" He finally broke the silence.
"...What?" was Sakura's delayed response, as she recovered from the intensity of what had just happened between them.
"You are her, Sakura the mortal," he all but whispered. "They made you seraph."
Sakura's initial response was panic. Her heart skipped a beat before beginning a thundering pace in her chest as adrenaline flooded her system, making her feel queasy. Her first instinct was to deny it but she was so very tired of lying and it was obvious that he already knew. The only question was how he had come to learn of it. Was it of his own conclusion or had her mouth's mistaken slip ups finally given her away?
"How do you know that?" The question came out in a quiet whisper as she tentatively allowed the tabooed topic to fully breach the surface of their conversation.
"I saw Naruto and Kakashi."
Sakura looked shocked. "W-what…" She began to shake her head. "Where?"
"We had a meeting," he expanded.
Again she looked shocked. "What for?" She asked warily, not sure if she should be hopeful or not.
"They wanted to talk? They said they had something to tell me."
Sakura licked her lips with anticipation. "And what did they tell you?"
"Everything."
"..." She was speechless.
While she had grown to accept that she and Sasuke had some kind of relationship and history that was beyond her comprehension due to its complicated nature, there was always that ignorance between both parties that made it seem unreal. However, with her flashes of scattered memories, the reality of it all was unnerving her. It seemed like the more she knew, and the more evidence there was, the harder it was to fully accept.
With Sasuke being ignorant of all of it, it was easy to continue to live in a fantasy world where she did not have to fully accept the reality. She was working on coming to terms with the idea of it all. But she was not sure if she was ready, or wanted to accept it all. When it came to how she felt about Sasuke, everything was muddled and twisted. Ignorance had been bliss.
However if Sasuke knew the truth, she would not have that luxury, she would have to address it. She would have to accept it.
"Everything as in…?" It was not that she doubted him...but she had to be sure. She had to be cautious. If Naruto and Kakashi really did tell him everything it meant they trusted him, which meant she could trust him. But she could not just assume, she needed him to tell her.
Sasuke raised a brow and then it was like stepping into the past as a familiarity came about his face and he began to pace around her. "Everything as in, you do not come from a clan because you were not born seraph. You were a mortal, you lived a mortal life and died a mortal life. But you really didn't die did you?" he commented as he came around from behind her and continued to orbit her, not once looking at her as he circled around. "Tsunade turned you into a seraph and from what I understand I played a part in that when she took some of my blood. And for hundreds of years, you were ignorant of all of this because you have no memories from that life." He finished his second orbit and came to a stop, turning, he came face to face with her, his expression hard and difficult to read. "And that you are her. Sakura, the original Sakura and not just some look alike doppelganger that only shares her face. You were the woman that I knew, the woman I originally thought you to be. And all this time you have been with me, you kept that truth from me."
Sakura swallowed thickly. There was a hardness and anger in his voice. But along with it, there was a hurt tone.
Unable to hold his gaze, Sakura looked down at her hands.
Sasuke cocked his head to the side. "Did I miss anything?"
She kept looking down at her hands, trying to keep the emotions within her separated from the emotions seeping from him through the connection so she could distinguish how she felt and also monitor his mood and gauge his thoughts.
"No," she said quietly.
"And all of it is true."
At this Sakura paused and looked up at him. Her eyes flickered back and forth, trying to read him and understand, then after a moment, she shrugged. "It is everything that I have been told."
There was a slight disappointment that came to his eyes and Sakura felt a tightness within her chest. Did he not want it to be true?
"So you really don't remember me at all," he nearly whispered and Sakura felt a small relief.
He was not disappointed that it was true, he was disappointed that she did not remember him.
Sakura chewed her lips, trying to decide how to answer. "Well...that part might not be fully true." His dark eyes seemed to shine, lighting up as he looked almost eagerly at her. Sakura took in a deep breath. "I have...flashes of recollections. Not enough to be a memory but enough for it to not just be something created with my mind."
Sasuke's brows crumpled. "But Kakashi said there was a seal-" he broke off when something came into his mind. "Madara. Last night when you looked at me…"
Sakura nodded her head. "Kakashi has tried for centuries to unlock the seal but I never gained so much as an image. Only a bad headache. But when we first met, before even I knew the truth I started having dreams. I don't think they were memories but they were impressions or interpretations of emotions trying to express themselves. However last night, when Madara used his power, I saw things and I think they were memories."
Sasuke did not respond as he quietly studied her. Sakura watched his face as he seemed to go deep into thought, his lips pulling into a thin line as her brows drew together in concentration. The longer the silence drew on, the more nervous Sakura became as she waited for some kind of response.
"So what now?" Sakura asked hesitantly, drawing him from his thoughts.
Sasuke looked at her and stared for a long time, then he covered his face with his hand, rubbing vigorously at his forehead before letting out a curse and running his hands through his hair.
"Shit. I don't know," he admitted, turning away from her as he shook his head before coming to a stop with his back to her. She watched as his head fell back and he stared up at the glowing ceiling blankly.
"Does...does this mean I can go home?" Sakura tested, biting at her lip in apprehension.
She watched as his shoulder stiffened, then he slowly turned to face her. "Do you wish to leave?" he asked in a tone that almost sounded hurt.
Sakura thought for a moment, caught off by the surprise that he would even ask her opinion. For some reason she had expected him to scoff and cruelly dismiss her. But she also found herself stunned because she did not have an immediate answer.
"I don't think I can," she answered, surprising even herself. Because her answer had nothing to do with being held here against her will. The idea of home was wondrous, but the idea of being apart from himーit was hard to explain but it was as if her soul knew she could not survive it.
"You mean you want to stay?" Sasuke exhaled, his tone voicing his confusion to her answer. "With me?" The last part he did not mean to ask but it had just slipped out.
Sakura shook her head. "Do not get me wrong. I miss my home. I miss the warmth of the sun and the brightness of daylight. I miss my family, I miss my friends, my duties. But for now I need to stay here. I want answers that I don't think I can get anywhere else."
Sakura could hardly believe that she was even saying this. She had spent weeks and countless nights trying to find a way out. She had nearly perished because of her desire to escape and now she was declaring she needed to stay. It was not as if Sasuke had openly said she was allowed to go, but she felt if she asked for it, it would not be an immediate denial.
Saskue's dark eyes flickered back and forth as he took her in. "Do you only want to stay to get your memories back?"
Sakura was not sure. Yes that would be nice but the memory of Madara mining into her cognitive last night had not been pleasant. And she did not even know what she needed from here, she just felt there was something she needed to find.
"I don't want Madara doing that again," she finally said.
Sasuke shook his head. "I was not suggesting he do it. But I could do it or at least try if you would let me."
Sakura was still not sure about this. "Maybe...but not right now," she said uncommittedly. "I think...I think I need more time."
Sasuke nodded and a heavy silence fell upon them. Sakura tucked her hands behind her back and looked down at her feet as she toed the ground. It just felt awkward now. Everything was out in the open, no more secrets, no more lies, and yet everything felt ten times more complicated. How do you just recover from all of that? Did they just pick up from where they left? Did they just accept and move on? And if they moved on, how would that be? Separate or together?
"I didn't know," Sasuke suddenly said, breaking her from her thoughts. Sakura's head popped up, finding Sasuke was observing her. His eyes flickered away when she caught him but they came back to her when he tried to speak again. "I would not haveー" He shook his head, then tried again. "I don't know how to..." Again he failed to finish.
Sakura watched him struggle, trying to understand what he was trying to say in his limited half sentences. And soon an understanding came to her. It was obvious that he did not apologize often...possibly ever. But she could see that he had a desire for something of that nature. To what extent she was unsure, but she was curious enough to find out that she decided to give an offering for a chance.
"What if we start over?"
Sasuke gave her a confused look and she moved forward, closing the gap between them. When she was a couple feet away, she stopped and held out her hand.
"Hello, I'm Sakura."
Sasuke looked at her for a moment, his eyes ponderously taking her in. Then finally, he understood. He lifted his own and enveloped her small hand in his.
"Sasuke."
She smiled up at him brightly and his hand slightly tightened around her as he took her in. Finally after what felt like a long time, Sasuke's mouth curled into the faintest of smiles. The reaction only caused Sakura to glow more warmly before slowly retracting her hand. And it took everything in Sasuke to let it go, because once long ago, he lost her, and now that he had her again, even while he was not sure where he stood or what to do, his heart beat determinedly in his chest, telling him he could not let go this time.
For anyone who follows me on Tumblr, I told you I was working on this story still! It's been a crazy several weeks...couple of months but life is settling back down so my updates for stories should not be as long as this last little wait. Now that Sasuke knows, Sakura and Sasuke can finally start coming together to form sasusaku which will start in the next chapter before Madara's intentions are revealed and we hit the climax of it all. Thanks everyone who checked in with me and expressed their love and support for this story!
As always take care and be excellent!