Nine of Swords

This card can be associated with trauma – one which may be shameful to confide in others about. Sharing your grief may release you from carrying this burden alone.

Upwards: anxiety, hopelessness,

Reversed: hope, reaching out, overcoming trauma

"Wake up, my love," a voice echoes, stirring Sakura from her slumber.

Eyes still closed; she listens to her surroundings. The calming sound of gently flowing water fills the air. She's warm, nestled deep within a cocoon of blankets so the coolness from a soft breeze is a welcoming balance. Movement stirs to her side and she feels soft lips press against her cheek.

"You can't sleep the day away," the masculine tone urges.

Slowly, pink eyelashes flutter open, to take in her surroundings. She's staring up at the massive branches of an old tree. Round, luminescent fruit hangs down from the white bark, blue veins of magic pulsing beneath the surface. In awe, she takes in the beautiful sight.

Home, she thinks, comforted by the familiar tree.

"Good morning."

Sakura smiles as she turns to the man. "Good morning," she replies.

Handsome as ever, two small braids frame Sasuke's face while the rest of his long hair is tied back loosely. His thin lips curled up in a small smile. Sakura reaches out to touch the small tattoo of a snake that adorns his right cheekbone and, ever mischievous, he turns his head to plant a kiss on her open palm.

Sakura giggles, her tinkling voice echoing in the peaceful forest. She glances around, taking in the beauty of the wood. A small, glowing stream trickles beneath the wide branch they currently lie on. All she would need to do is merely reach down her arm and she could touch it.

While are no animals in this forest, there are other signs of life.

Magic.

It is so strong here, revealing itself without any spells or incantation. Glowing beneath the foliage, humming in the background, Sakura can feel it within her very veins.

She turns back to Sasuke, who has positioned his face directly in front of hers. She knows what he wants, and she willingly obliges, pressing her lips against his own. Sasuke hums in enjoyment, opening his mouth ever so slightly to accommodate. He breaks away from her mouth and begins peppering her face with kisses: both of her cheeks, her nose, her forehead.

"I love you," Sakura whispers happily, closing her eyes in bliss. She can't imagine this moment being any more perfect.

When her lover doesn't respond and moves away from her, Sakura's eyes flicker open to find him. However, instead of the peaceful forest and the loving man by her side, Sakura finds herself sitting in a patch of dead grass by herself. Looking up, she sees her beloved tree withering away until it turns into a pile of dust.

"No," she whispers, as the glow from the stream subsides and the water begins to drain away. Immense sadness rips apart her heart, a fire burning deep within her chest. How could she let this happen to her home? Tears begin to stream down her face, landing on the dead earth beneath her.

"I'm so sorry."

Her head whips up to find Sasuke kneeling beside her, hands on her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. He pushes his magic into her willing it to ease her suffering, but it's too late.

"You did this," she bites out, anger clawing up her throat as the fire within her grows, "You killed my home!"

Sasuke lays a hand on her cheek, his eyes pleading with her to understand. "I had no idea they would desecrate our home. I thought the other humans would come to respect it as we have."

An animalistic cry bursts from Sakura's mouth, a feral, inhuman sound. "This wasn't our home," she barks, "this was my home!"

"Please, Kaguya!" The man tries to reason with her, calling out her name, "I just wanted to end the suffering."

Sakura feels her body elongate, the primal power within her warping her limbs. She feels her Match trying to soothe her with the bond, but she shuts him out. Her rage blocks out all attempts at reason.

"You betrayed me Isshiki!" She yells, her voice more of an animalistic growl than that of a human. As her fury mounts, she feels something within her snap, as if the tie between her and her Match is severed. The last thing she sees before the fire consumes her, is her lover's tear-streaked face, begging her to return to him.

Sakura bolts awake, nearly falling out of her bed with the movement. Untangling herself from the sweat-soaked sheets, she tries to grasp the last remnants of the dream.

Sasuke… no, not Sasuke. It was a different man and they were in a desert… no. Does she remember seeing water, a beach? The details are there in the recesses of her mind, she just can't quite make sense of them. The only thing she can remember is burning from deep within her. Her jaw aches and her throat feels raw as if she had been screaming, but Ino's soft snoring informs her that this wasn't the case. With a sigh, she lies back on her pillow knowing she won't be able to fall back to sleep tonight.

Plink!

Water drips into the sink from Sasuke's dark hair. Glancing up in the bathroom mirror he sees his eyes glowing red. He blinks a couple of times and they shift back to his usual dark color.

Grabbing a towel, he dries the cold water off of his face. He's not surprised the Sharingan activated on its own, as the bloodline power is known to do in times of great stress.

While his other dreams with Sakura have been so vivid, he can barely recall this one. It almost makes it worse that he doesn't know the terror that unfolded and caused him to run to the bathroom and vomit upon waking. He remembers screaming in agony, feeling his Bond with Sakura sever, but that woman wasn't Sakura, something about her was off.

He wanders back to his room and a quick glance at the rising sun through the hall windows indicates it's too late to head back to sleep. Their new classes start bright and early today.

Sakura dances through his mind and he can't help but think back to the Soul Baring. A couple of days have passed, but he remembers her appearance clearly. She had looked immaculate, her body thrumming with the power of the pool. The weeks before the Baring he had been skipping classes and avoiding Sakura at all costs, trying to clear his head of her, hoping that it would silence the way her power sung to him whenever they saw each other. However, it had been more like that distance had multiplied the emotions ten-fold, that was evident the night he found her unconscious in the practice room.

In that pool, he could see her magic dancing behind those brilliant green eyes, but it was not the only thing. He felt her desire, her need to be with him. It equally matched his own body's yearnings. He was ready to surrender himself fully, to be at her mercy. It had been going so well, he wanted to feel the release of becoming one with his Matched, but the second Sakura unlocked the memory of Karin her terror had flashed through their Bond. It was as if icy water had been dumped over a warmly glowing fire, leaving only ashes in its wake.

What was worse is that her fear was directed at him. She was petrified of him. He knew he shouldn't have let her in that memory, but he also knew she would've unraveled the story sooner or later. At the rate things had been going, he figured it was as good a time as any. He had been dead wrong.

Speaking of hidden secrets, he had felt hers. He had almost gotten through to it, but the way she slammed up her mental barriers the second he got the beginning traces of it meant she wasn't willing to share it yet. He had backed off then, respecting her feelings, but now he wishes he would've pushed more. Hell, she'd done it to him, more than once.

His frustration builds the more he stews over this predicament. He really felt that Sakura was starting to understand him, but she wasn't. She was just like the other people at the academy, terrified of him. And, now that they've "completed" the Soul Baring, they'll be in cooperative classes together. Expected to work on building their partner magic like in their private lessons but with more complicated spells and a much bigger audience.

He dreads seeing her face contorted in fear, icy terror exuding from her whenever her memory flashes to that horrible night.

A chill creeps up his spine.

He has no doubt that she won't be able to handle his powers, not in her fearful state of him. He'll have to just work on completing their lessons independently. It would be okay if their tasks weren't perfect, after all, a newly Bared Match would certainly have a time of trial as they adapt to the new power thrumming within them. He just has to make it convincing enough that the professors don't look too closely at their bond. Should they find out that the Baring was not completed, he shudders to think how the Hokage would react.

"Well of course they didn't complete it," Jiraiya huffs from the corner. "We knew it was too soon and that their relationship is too volatile."

"I've been personally working with Sasuke to help him overcome his past… trauma," Orochimaru beings, "His progress was promising, especially when I sensed his feelings for Miss Haruno growing."

"I don't know what more I can do," Tsunade states, her frustration past the point of yelling, and settling as a cold mask on her face, fury burning in her hazel eyes. "We gave them private lessons, partner lessons, tonics, incense." She pinches the bridge of her nose, stewing on the puzzle.

"Maybe that's the issue," Orochimaru points out. "We've coddled them too much, we need to set them up for failure."

"Are you sure we're talking about the same people?" Tsunade snaps, her cool facade done for, "Sasuke doesn't exactly react well to failure."

"I think Orochimaru has a point," Jiraiya adds, moving to place one of Tsunade's hands in his own. "We should send them with another pair to reseal one of the wells. They'll see the teamwork and also be outed when they can't complete the ritual. No harm done."

"I fail to see if that will actually help," Tsunade moves her hand away from her Match's gently but with enough firmness to prevent him from trying to touch her again.

"I think Jiraiya has an excellent point," Orochimaru purrs over a cup of tea. "The last time they had any groundbreaking progress was when Miss Yamanaka charmed that ribbon. This may be the push they need to have another revelation." He ends his statement with a slurp of his tea.

"Fine," Tsunade resigns, seeing the logic in the plan, "but if things don't change when they get back, we'll move on to a different strategy."

Thin lips curl up, hidden behind painted porcelain.

Sakura enters the room of her new class for Soul Bared couples, briefly acknowledging its different layout than the more traditional ones throughout the school. Instead of having a front and back, the room is arranged in a circle with tables just large enough to accommodate a pair of students dotting around the border while the center hosts a raised platform for the instructors.

She makes her way over to an empty table, deflecting slightly when she doesn't spy the spiked dark hair of her partner anywhere. She should have expected this, why would a fake Baring ritual make him suddenly start attending class. Her heart stutters and she's not sure if it's with relief or disappointment at not having to face him again so soon. This hot and cold relationship they have going on is becoming very taxing, but when she pictures her Match, Sakura is at a loss for how she should feel.

Her memory fills with Karin's petrified eyes, the weight of the dagger in her hand - Sasuke's hand. He stabbed her, he killed her, but at the same time, it didn't feel like him. She thinks of the emotions that poured into her in the ritual chamber, his worry of harming her, his hesitation to show his affection. The whisper of gentle fingers brushing her cheek, his forehead leaning against hers.

She's jolted from the thoughts at the scratching sound of the chair next to her being pulled from beneath the table. As if her thoughts summoned him, Sasuke gracefully lowers into the seat, watching her as if she's a deer about to dart away.

Sakura's cheeks burn, feeling the weight of his eyes on her as if he could sense what she had been thinking about.

"What?" he questions, a dark eyebrow lifting into the air.

"Nothing," she clears her throat which suddenly feels as if it's been filled with sand. "I'm just surprised to see you here."

"Why wouldn't I be?" His tone is even and bored, as if just honoring her with an answer is not worth his effort.

"Because you've been skipping class to avoid me," she snaps, irked by his nonchalant behavior, "Why would this be any different?"

His eyes slightly widen as if taken off guard by her bluntness. "Is that what you think I've been doing?"

She's about to retort when Professor Hatake and Shizune appear on the platform.

"Hello everybody, as you've noticed, our class has grown," Kakashi begins, eyeing where Sasuke and Sakura now sit, "Everybody please join me in congratulating Miss Haruno and Mister Uchiha in a successful Baring."

The room erupts in polite applause and with each clap, Sakura can feel her body curling into itself further.

Liar! the noise seemed to echo, you don't belong here.

"Welcome," Shizune nods to them before addressing the rest of the class. "Today we will be working on altering our physical appearance." She grasps Kakashi's hand and his silver hair turns a midnight blue. "This will be the start of us working up to shape-shifting in a couple of weeks, it is a simple spell once you get the hang of it, but takes some finessing to do it well."

Kakashi claps his hands and an abundance of bowls appear on the table in front of each of the students, feathers, shells, leaves, and spices fill them, each with its own rich color. He demonstrates the steps that the students will need to follow as beginners. He mutters a spell while holding a bowl with deep green leaves that appear fresh from a vine. With a wave of his hand, the leaves drain of color as Shizune's complexion takes on a verdant hue.

"Green, really?" Shizune sputters.

"You're the one that picked blue for my hair," the other professor retorts while suppressing a slight chuckle. "Alright everybody, we'll give you privacy to practice and be back to check on your progress in a little bit."

With a blink, dark curtains surround each student's table suppressing the noise level of the room and blocking each pair from prying eyes. A large mirror hangs in the center of the thick fabric, allowing the students to observe the progress of their appearance spells.

"Well," Sakura stutters, "this is cozy." She lays out a bare hand on the table, watching the spiderweb-like scars on her fingers catch the light, waiting for Sasuke to grasp it.

"No."

"What?" Sakura questions, wondering if she heard her partner right.

"I said no," Sasuke's voice is practically lethal as he eyes the bowls on the table. "I can do it on my own." He selects a bowl filled with purple powder and stares it down before turning his eyes on Sakura. He doesn't touch her but maintains his intense gaze.

Sakura watches herself in the mirror as the soft pink of her hair begins turning dark at the roots. She's amazed by how quickly Sasuke was able to start it on his own, but a more focused look at him reveals the truth. Sweat beads on his forehead and his hands shake with effort, the knuckles turning white with strain. Without thinking, Sakura grasps his hands and shudders with a chill as some of her magic flows into him. Her hair in the mirror quickly reflects the deep purple that's now drained from the powder in the bowl.

Sasuke practically falls over as he rips his hands out of her grasp.

"What are you doing?" Sakura exclaims, in a panicked whisper. "You can't just strain your power like that! We're working on partner magic now, you're going to hurt yourself." Sakura falters at the severity on his face as he eyes where her hands had touched his own.

"You're scared of me Sakura," he bites, also keeping his tone low. "I can see it on your face and what's worse is I can feel it every time your magic flows within me." She suppresses a flinch as the words hit home. "You're the one that stopped the Soul Baring," his voice comes out as little more than an angry whisper. "Not me. You can't handle the merge because you're too afraid of what you might see."

This time she does flinch, she knows he's not wrong. She's terrified of hearing her voice again, seeing those crimson eyes filled with fear. Even the idea of seeing the horrors of that night play out in its entirety causes a cold sweat to run down her back.

"You're making it dangerous for either of us to use the other's magic. If you're too afraid to be my Match, you're going to force our magic to reject the bond."

"Bullshit," she retorts, but she knows his words hold truth, she's read of rejected bonds, how the magic of a person's Match can poison their partner from the inside out if they're unwilling to accept it. "You're the one that's closing yourself off to me."

His eyes turn murderous, fire burning behind the dark blue irises. "No," his voice is sharp as a dagger, prepared to cut straight to her heart. "You've made yourself at home poking and prodding through my mind, but the second I pushed you about whatever it is you're suppressing, you backed down."

Sakura's breath comes in short gasps, her hands trembling as the memory rises to the surface, the smell of gasoline threatening to suffocate her, the horrible crash of metal crumbling. She doesn't know what's worse, the feeling of being back on that rainy day so long ago, or the realization that everything Sasuke said was the truth.

Despite the fact that she's about to further prove his point, she pushes through the curtains to escape the room only to find herself standing in Tsunade's office.

"Ah, Miss Haruno, Mister Uchiha, just who I wanted to see," the Hokage says cheerfully.

Sakura blinks, and blinks again, confused by the new surroundings. Everything is as it usually is in Tsunade's office, excluding, of course, Sasuke and the table of colors now resting where the cushioned armchairs usually occupy.

"Sorry for teleporting you without warning, but I have something important to speak with you two about."

Sakura's stomach lurches at the sensation of fast traveling, her knees slamming into the gravel beneath her when the landing tips her off balance. She's unsure if it's from the extreme distance or the stress of the day, but her stomach churns, threatening to spill the little contents she consumed for dinner.

"Easy there," Sai says, hauling her up to her feet. "Using a scroll to travel can be the most useful when you don't want to drain your magic, but also the most jarring since there's less of a magical tie anchoring you. He shoves the piece of enchanted parchment in his jacket pocket and moves to check on his Match.

She can feel Sasuke's eyes on her as she dusts herself off. Her anger at him is boiling after the hurtful things he said in class today, but what's worse is that she knows he's right. The bond is a two-way street and she hasn't been as trusting with her partner as she should have. They both have shortcomings that landed them in this stupid situation. Shame burns within her. It has been so easy just to blame everything on Sasuke, but she knows that she let him down too.

When Sakura had found herself in the Hokage's office only hours early, her heart had stopped, sure that their charade was over, that they were going to be punished for faking a Soul Baring. Surprisingly, the Hokage had "blessed" them with a field trip.

"You two will travel with Sai and Ino to reseal one of the wells of magic to the south."

Sakura had stared at the woman in confusion, unsure what this entails. To her surprise, Sasuke was the one to explain, having risen from his seat. He grasped Sakura's hand and with a brief wave had changed her hair back to its usual rosy color, siphoning some of her own power to assist.

"A well is an old reserve of power, believed to be linked to Kaguya's forest. The magical community ensures they stay sealed to prevent disturbances in the areas they reside." His eyes locked onto Sakura's trying to convey something as he spoke again. "It takes the power of two Soul Bared Matches to reseal them."

Sakura had realized at that moment that they were doomed. There was no way they would be able to seal the well, they had been found out.

"Thank you for that explanation Sasuke," Tsunade stated, "Ino and Sai have completed this before so they'll be more than happy to walk you through the ritual once you're there. Any questions, comments… or concerns?" She drew out the last word.

Sakura could have sworn this was a test of sorts, that Tsunade was challenging them to tell her the truth. The young magician wanted to, she almost opened her mouth to do it, but hesitated when she tossed a glance at her Match. She knew he would be blamed for their failure. Sakura had seen his interactions with the Hokage, it was obvious there was tension there. Sasuke was already riled up, upset at her for her actions, should Sakura betray the one thing he asked of her so soon, she doesn't doubt that their relationship could fracture to a point of being irreparable. So instead, she stared into the hazel eyes of her mentor and shook her head, unwilling to trust the lie on her tongue.

"Come on Sak!"

Ino's voice snaps the girl from her musings, as she realizes everybody is staring at her expectantly. She joins the group as they begin their trek to the well. "How far is it?" Sakura questions, her stomach twisting in knots with each step.

"About a mile," Sai states, "Since there's a possibility that the seal degraded slightly by now, it's too dangerous to use teleportation magic so close to the well. The magic there is untapped and pure, it can turn volatile and seep into a magician's personal reserves," he pauses at the confusion that's undoubtedly painted all over Sakura's face.

"Basically, it can make it hard to control your magic," Ino finishes for her Match.

"So is the sealing ritual dangerous then?" Sakura asks, dread already forming at the expected answer.

"Not if we do it right," Ino responds, sending a lump of guilt settling in Sakura's gut. "Don't worry, Sai and I are great teachers, and with you guys being newly Bared, your magic is at its freshest."

Silence falls on the group at that and Sakura has to force her feet forward with each step, guilt weighing her down.

It seems like an eternity passes and Sakura's sure she's going to throw up. She places her hand on a nearby tree and despite feeling the connection to the earth, an anxious feeling claws up her throat, forcing up the contents of her stomach. She doesn't know how long she's bent over and gagging, but a firm hand on her lower back forces her eyes up.

She lifts her eyes to see Sasuke looking at her with something akin to concern. Though the fabric of her shirt prevents any contact with his ungloved hand, she feels the magic between them crackle. Between the vomit and her terrified features, he must realize how fearful she has become. Sasuke opens his mouth perhaps to tell their companions the truth. However, he's cut off by a confused gasp from Sai.

"This isn't right," the other magician mutters quietly.

Sakura looks ahead and instantly realizes what he's referring to. Up ahead in a grassy field, a pool of darkness churns. It looks almost as if boiling rapids have erupted from the earth, but instead of water, black sludge bubbles.

"It's contaminated," Ino says, her tone not hiding the shock she feels. "Like the seal was broken."

"No, not broken," Sai responds, "The Hokage would've felt that, it's more like a hairline fracture. Somebody's been siphoning power from here."

"This is bad," Sakura states whipping her mouth on her sleeve. She doesn't fully understand what the well is, but the look of it alone and her physical reaction to being nearby sets warning bells off in her head.

"We need to notify the Hokage right away," Ino begins scribbling on a paper, "This is dangerous." With a snap, it bursts into flames.

Sakura turns to her Match, hoping for some sort of reassurance from him, but Sasuke just stares into the tumultuous murk, having come to the edge of its reach, confusion etched into his severe features. "Sasuke," she walks towards him, "What's wrong?"

She reaches out, but before she can grab him, a figure emerges from the inky well, a shadowy form appearing to be made of the bubbling gunk. Green eyes widen as they take in the appearance. While the form itself is nondescript darkness, the aura pulsating around it is suffocating. Great power practically holds Sakura in place as it walks towards them.

"Ino!" Sai shouts for his Match and she nods quickly in understanding, not needing any more instruction to know what her partner plans. She lights a smudge stick of sage she had on hand for the ritual. Using the smoke she begins tracing runes in the air, complex figures intended to seal the darkness in place. Sai mirrors her movements, now on the opposing side of the well, moving as quickly as he can without losing control.

The smoke solidifies as it moves towards the darkness, wrapping around the encroaching figure. It slows, struggling against its herb-scented bindings. Sakura lets out a sigh of relief, thankful for the combined power of her friends.

She turns to Sasuke, hoping his strange trance has been broken but a scream forces her to look back at Ino.

In that briefest of seconds, the figure breaks its bonds and appears in front of the blonde magician. Hands appear from the murk and begin dragging her towards the well. Sakura scrambles near her friend, grabbing her outstretched hands and pulling as if she can prevent the force from taking her away from them. She uses all of her strength but the figure continues to catapult them through the darkness as if they're made of air, the shadows writhe beneath them, wrapping up Sakura's forearms.

Spells fly through Sakura's mind, everything from a chant to make her heavier to summoning lightning to strike the figure down. However, all of them require the use of at least one of her hands, both of which are now clinging to her friend.

"Sasuke!" She yells, hoping her Match can accomplish what she wants. Suddenly she feels a weight gripping her ankles. Glancing back she eyes a vine curling up from the darkness, stopping her and Ino from hurtling any closer to the center of the corrupted well.

The strange figure turns back as if to strike at them but is halted as a ball of fire bursts into its back. The momentary distraction is enough for Ino and Sakura to scramble back, flinging off the dark magic.

"Go to Sasuke," Ino calls to Sakura, already up and running towards her own partner. "We can attempt to seal it together."

Sakura takes in the sight of her Match breathing fire. "Weak!" the figure screeches in a voice that's not quite human. It lifts a shadowy hand and the flames are instantly snuffed out, leaving Sasuke panting with the effort. The chaos of darkness and flame merging is disorienting, toxic fumes bursting forth from the contact. Sakura uses a simple summoning spell of wind to help disperse the blinding fog, running towards where she last saw Sasuke.

Bared or not, she knows if she can just make it to him, just feel his power flow into her, they can figure this out. Especially with Ino and Sai guiding them. She reaches an arm out and a strong hand wraps around her wrist. The contact is reassuring, despite the fact that Sasuke's hand is now riddled with blisters from attempting to wield the fire. She remembers Ino's warning about magic being more difficult to control around the well. She's about to send some of her power through to heal him but is stopped by his voice, tone panicked.

"Later."

"But-" she begins to argue, but sees the figure stalking towards them, appearing more solid, more manlike. A reassuring squeeze from Sasuke shakes Sakura from her daze.

"Together," he whispers.

Sakura's own response is a quick nod as she eyes the conviction in his eyes, the openness. Her courage mounts as she remembers how strong they are as a team. She opens her mouth to ask what their plan is, but only a scream comes out as she's ripped out of Sasuke's grasp.

She hears him yell her name, but confusion washes over her as she realizes she's been sucked beneath the ground. She tries to gain her bearings, but all she can see is darkness. Rather than the earth, she's surrounded by inky murk, it coils around her, dragging her further down like an unforgiving current in an ocean. Her breathing is shallow as the presence suffocates her.

"I've been watching you, little flower," that voice as thick and inky as her surroundings purrs in her head. She tries to whip around, to find where the man is but is only met with black nothingness. Booming laughter echoes around her. She feels a tightness in her chest as if the shadow's tendrils are wrapped around her heart, squeezing. "Naughty girl, lying about completing the ritual," the voice taunts. "If you had just tried a little harder, you could have completed the bond and been able to prevent this." A moist warmth laps at her face and Sakura could have sworn it felt like a tongue licking up her cheek. She shivers with revulsion and tries to swim through the darkness. Fingers made of shadows grab the wrist of her left hand and the scars on her fingers begin to burn as they did her first day at the academy. She swears the black flame of the death card has returned to finish the job. Horrifying screams of pain burst from her throat and she could swear the flames come from within her.

Suddenly, a burst of light crosses her vision and Sakura can feel her head breaching from the thick liquid. Strong arms wrap around her and haul her out of the ilk.

"Sai," she pants, the slime from the well coating her skin. Her head still feels thick with the darkness, but the burning sensation has stopped.

"You're okay," he murmurs, pulling her to her feet. She examines her hands to see if the black char is there, but all she sees are her familiar silver scars.

"What do you mean you never completed the Soul Baring?" Ino yells in the distance, obviously distraught. "Do you know how dangerous it is to lie about that?"

"Where did he go?" Sakura asks Sai, ignoring the embarrassment that now burns on her cheeks at having been found out.

"He's getting a tongue lashing from Ino right now, but other than that, he's okay," he responds.

"No, not Sasuke," she gasps, "the man." Before Sai can answer her question, the shadows ripple behind him. A red hue glowing within.

Her yell of warning is cut off by the sound of her friend's neck snapping. The life leaves his dark eyes in an instant. Sakura goes numb as Sai's body slumps into her. She blinks, trying to grasp what just happened.

A nightmare, this has to be just another nightmare.

Her body shakes with terror as the darkness wraps around her again, strangling her and she's jolted from her daze. She tries to use the teleportation spell she practiced, despite the lack of mediums, her desperation begs her to try, she can't let this thing win. She tries to summon her strength, her power, anything, but it's as if the shadows have severed the connection within her.

A hand emerges from the shadows, the flesh covered in charred burns that glow with heat as the fingers wrap around Sakura's jaw, lifting it so that Sakura's forced to stare into red eyes within the black magic. She's not sure how long they remain like that, Sai's body still leaned against her, the creature studying her face, but eventually, the hand withdraws.

"We'll meet again," the man's voice echoes again before all trace of the inky darkness disappears leaving only a gaping hole in the ground and the echoes of Ino's anguished cries for her Match.