Another chapter for everyone! Consider it a Christmas gift ; ) Something Tangible is coming very soon too. Thank you for your patience guys.
There are some fanarts I would like to share. Please visit my profile page for the full links, under the section 'Fanart for Quietus'. They are beautiful pieces, and major thanks and love go out to the artists! I feel so lucky and fortunate to have received these, and so glad my humble story has inspired so many people! One of them is a direct companion for this chapter by the wonderful aria once again; it shows the scene where Sasuke has cornered Sakura into the chair.
Enjoy the Sasuke and Sakura interaction guys. And keep in mind that although Sakura is quiet and frightened at the moment, it will all boil over… eventually xD There's only so much a girl can be pushed, after all, and this is Sakura-chan we're talking about!
Chapter IX
And with her departure,
The flowers do grieve,
For who could have foretold,
That Spring would leave?
As a noiseless phantom,
That cannot see,
Where nightmares are wrought,
Her dreams will be,
Lo! The hearty bloom doth wilt,
As its mistress,
Alone, bereft.
Sasuke came to a stop by the water's edge, his eyes glinting like hard coal. The surface was perfectly serene, completely at war with the cold fury coiling within him. He had sent out an order to all the inhabitants of his realm ahead of Sakura's arrival; that a mortal female would be residing in his palace and any who were foolish enough to even entertain the idea of bringing her to harm would have to answer to the wrath of the death god.
The reckless sirens had clearly not heeded his warning. And yet suspicion nagged at Sasuke beneath the outer layer of anger; it was not in a siren's nature to seek to ensnare a human woman. It was the men of the race they despised and wished to doom to untimely demises. Why, then, had they lured in Sakura?
There was only one way for him to obtain an answer.
"Surface," he commanded of the creatures lurking within the pool's deep depths. They dwelled in his world, were bound by sacred oath to his servitude. He watched as heads began to rise from beneath the liquid and instantly recognised the golden-haired siren who had dared to bare her teeth at him. His gaze locked onto her, and she stared boldly back.
'Great God,' she communicated telepathically to him. Her companions huddled close; it was clear to him that she was the leader of the coven of underwater beings.
"Explain your actions," he demanded curtly, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. His eyes flashed an additional, silent threat that advised her not to test his patience by feigning any manner of ignorance.
The golden-haired siren looked unruffled by his glare. Indignantly, she answered his wordless accusation. 'We had no intention of harming her, Great God. We would never dare to cross your authority.'
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. As he had suspected, there had been more to their actions than what had been apparent. "Well?" he pressed.
She exchanged glances with the other sirens, who all wore nervous expressions upon their ethereal faces. From the corner of his vision Sasuke glimpsed one of them shaking her head frantically, as if trying to dissuade her friend from doing – or saying – something unwise.
But the golden-haired siren continued unashamedly, 'I will not conceal our intentions from you, Great God; we sought to return the girl to the surface.'
The other sirens cringed and luminous turquoise eyes flew to anxiously regard the death deity, standing so stoically over them. Sasuke's face remained impassive as he processed her disclosure. Sirens, much like nymphs, were mischievous creatures. But what motive would they have to act in such a way? Why would they desire to rescue Sakura?
His voice deceptively calm, Sasuke questioned, "Why?"
The siren bowed her head, her eyes lowering in a display of apology that did not quite seem genuine to him. 'I have been sworn to silence, Great God.'
Her companions gasped as they sensed an abrupt fall in air pressure around them, recognised the ominous, chilling aura of Sasuke's terrifying anger.
"You will answer me," he hissed. Crackles of blue-white electricity began to spark menacingly around him.
'W-we have been bound to silence by another deity,' a white-haired siren attempted to reason quivering fearfully beneath the devastating weight of Sasuke's disapproving stare. 'We cannot disavow our oath, Master-'
"You reside in my realm's waters," Sasuke snapped. Their allegiances were, first and foremost, to him. Had the foolish creatures forgotten that fact? His sharp mind raced at the knowledge that another entity had instructed sirens to search for Sakura. Who had it been? Sakura's mother? But no – her word could not hold precedence over his law. His thoughts suddenly stilled as the only other possibility presented itself to him. There was one other whose command could overrule his own – the deity who governed the element from which sirens were formed; the master of the sea and the oceans.
They averted their eyes, signalling that they could not cooperate. Sasuke's suspicions flared once more. Was it conceivable that the individual he had in mind was the driving force behind the sirens' attempts to steal Sakura back to the land of the living? And if so, what business did he have to interfere? Sasuke knew that the Sea God was as impish in nature as the creatures floating in the water before him, but choosing to deliberately irk the Underworld's ruler was most certainly not a wise course of action.
He knew it was likely the aquatic women had already relayed the information that Sakura was in the Underworld to their king; which meant that Sasuke could not afford to waste any time in verifying whether or not the Sea God was indeed responsible for their rescue attempts. And if his hunch was correct, then he expected to receive an angry visitor very soon - a visitor who would demand that he account for the actions he was about to perform.
"So you will not speak," he stated flatly, quietly.
The golden-haired siren stared him brazenly back in the eye. Her silence spoke volumes, provided him with an unmistakable answer. Sasuke's wrath-veiled gaze lowered to rest on the water's sparkling green-blue surface.
'Forgive us, Great God,' another siren who had the sense to sound and appear sincerely remorseful entreated.
A tense silence ensued as they apprehensively awaited the death deity's response. It came swiftly and without warning, in the form of crackling, furious tendrils of blue-white energy. The screeching sound of electricity resonated deafeningly in the cave and merged in grisly harmony with the high-pitched, anguished wails of horrified sirens.
Sasuke watched with frighteningly ruthless detachment as the crystal clear waters before him stained crimson, a vivid, deathly colour that reflected the fury simmering in his piercing eyes.
The exquisitely detailed underside of the golden-threaded canopy stared down at Sakura as her eyelids fluttered open. She blinked up at it in confusion for a minute. Then her heart sank into her stomach as her sluggish mind supplied a reminder of where she was, dashing any lingering hopes she might have had of being trapped in an unpleasant nightmare. She was in the bedchamber assigned to her by Sasuke and still a prisoner in his palace.
Her body felt pleasantly warm and she looked down to find that she was covered by a soft thick bronze throw-over. The subtle scent of lavender wafted to her nose. It caused her stomach to growl and Sakura was overcome by how extremely hungry she was, but even worse than that was the unbearable thirst in her throat. How her lips yearned for the cool kiss of water! Slowly Sakura sat up, pushing the covers aside, only to gaze down at herself in confusion. She was wearing a lacy white nightgown. Her eyebrows furrowed. Hadn't she been wearing a silver one when she'd stepped out of the bathing room…?
Her breath suddenly caught as she recalled the events that had preceded her falling to sleep. She'd been exploring the palace's beautiful gardens and had been led to a cave by a strange silver-headed girl with flowers in her hair. She'd entered the green-walled cavern and heard enchanting women singing to a tune she had recognised as the one her mother had always hummed to her as a child. They had told her they could return her to the surface; she'd allowed them to pull her into the sparkling waters, and then…
Sakura couldn't remember what had happened next. She must have fallen asleep. But that didn't explain how she was back in her room. Who had brought her here, and more importantly, who in the world had changed her clothing? Even her hair was perfectly dry, tumbling like a silky, wavy river around her. She felt disturbed and violated. Flinging the remainder of the covers back, Sakura stood up, her heart pounding. She had to get back to the cave; she needed to be absolutely certain that she hadn't somehow imagined the entire experience. Padding over to the wardrobe drawers, she pulled out a deep purple satin robe, wrapping it hastily around her flimsily-clad form. The double-doors opened as Sakura approached them and she froze when she found herself staring at the equally as surprised faces of Chizu and Ume.
"Mistress!" Ume exclaimed. "You have awoken!"
"Are you well?" Chizu asked concernedly. She was holding a small silver tray laden with a golden bowl of steaming soup. Next to it was a plate with buttered slices of bread. Ume held a jug full of chilled looking water. It caused Sakura's mouth to salivate hungrily, but she ignored the smell of delicious food and focused her full attention on the two.
"Who changed my clothes?" she demanded. Her heart thrummed as she hoped they wouldn't provide her with the answer she so desperately did not want to hear.
"Forgive us, Lady. The Master carried you here, and you were sodden with water. We feared you would catch illness-" Chizu began.
Sakura's lips parted. Sasuke? Sasuke had pulled her out of the spring? So she definitely hadn't dreamed the encounter with the unearthly beautiful, wide-eyed, musical young women. The fact made her feel even more uneasy. How had they known her mother's song? She remembered the floating lights in the gardens and shook her head slowly. How could such magic truly exist? Her rational mind was still struggling to accept it. Was it perhaps all an illusion? No, she silently countered, everything she was suffering was too frighteningly vivid to be anything but reality.
"-we exchanged your clothing," Chizu finished. Relief washed over Sakura. For an awful moment, she had been afraid that Sasuke had been the one to undress her. She certainly felt like his eyes did so whenever he looked at her.
"Your ladyship must be hungry…" Ume began timidly. "We have brought some simple-"
But Sakura didn't give her a chance to finish. She walked distractedly around them, hurrying to the doors.
"Mistress!" Chizu called after her in dismay. "Please-"
"I won't stay here!" Sakura exclaimed. She had to return to the cave, to find out how the women knew her mother. She needed answers, and since Sasuke obviously didn't seem inclined to give her the explanations she desired, she had to rely on her own wits to find out whatever she could from whichever sources were available.
Her stomach gnawed at itself in protest. The pangs were starting to become difficult to ignore, and Sakura knew that she needed water, and soon. She had to find a way out before she succumbed to her body's hunger. She wouldn't eat a thing in this place. It was probably poisoned, or would affect her adversely, even if her attendants and captor insisted otherwise. She couldn't trust anybody in her new environment – nobody but herself.
Disregarding Chizu's calls, she rushed out of her room and ran in the direction that led toward the sprawling gardens. Her senses were dazzled once more as she stepped into them again. The milky trees were no less impressive and the lights no less captivating. But Sakura didn't stop to admire everything as she had before. She dashed straight to the cave, was breathless by the time she reached it. The moment she set foot into it, she knew something was wrong. The lights illuminating the walls had vanished, and she couldn't hear the soothing sound of cascading water. Everything was deadly silent. She spiralled down the winding path, nearly tripping in her eagerness to reach its base. What she saw when she made it to the bottom and stepped up to the overhanging rock's edge made her heart plummet within her.
The pure, beautiful waters had frozen over. They were encased beneath a thick block of impermeable ice. The waterfall had also crystallised, forming spectacular, jagged formations against the walls. Sakura's eyes darted over the hardened surface in bewilderment. What in the world had happened? Where had the young women gone?
Something glinted in the farther-most, left corner of her vision - something gold. A harp, Sakura realised, was lying broken on the surface of the ice, its strings clipped. The sight sent a tremor of dread rattling along her spine.
No, she thought, her hands rising to her head in senseless dismay as panic began to creep into her again. Her only potential lead to information had vanished. What was she to do now? The answer that presented itself to her set Sakura's heart thudding unpleasantly. There was really only one individual who could answer all of her questions, and he was the precise person she had been trying to make a point of avoiding.
But she wasn't a fool. She knew it was inevitable. She had to talk to Sasuke again - and properly this time - without panicking and freaking out or breaking down in tears. It was surely the only way for her to shed further light on her unfortunate situation. With one final, lamenting look at the frozen spring, Sakura made her way up the curling path again and through the gardens. As she entered the first section and approached the short set of stairs leading back into the palace, she caught her breath and came to an abrupt stop. Standing proudly at the top of the steps was none other than Sasuke himself. Sakura's body tensed the instant his eyes fell upon her. She had intended to gather her thoughts before confronting him first; she hadn't expected to encounter him right away.
For a long moment they regarded each other in silence. Sakura was disturbed by how hard and fast her heart was racing. Just looking at him set it thundering uncontrollably within her – from fear, she told herself, and fear alone. But she wouldn't allow her fear of him to hinder her attempts at getting answers this time. She opened her mouth to address him, but Sasuke spoke first.
"Do not heed a siren's song."
Sakura felt her jaw slacken. Sirens? She had read about them in mythological books and ancient fables. Was he actually suggesting that they were real? She could have laughed at the irony of it all – how a girl like her, who had always dreamed of encountering the magical creatures she loved to read tales about, was living out a secret fantasy. Except her fantasies had turned out to be horrifying nightmares, and Sasuke, who she was certain was the very personification of darkness, embodied every single thing she feared.
Her kidnapper began to stalk down the stairs, his graceful movements languid and purposeful. "They wished to drown you," he added, staring at her with an intensity that almost suggested he couldn't look away. And, terrifyingly, neither could Sakura, as the floating orbs of light drifted over his face, emphasising his regally refined and exquisitely sculpted features. He was extremely unnerving, yes, but also dreadfully handsome. Terrific genes, Ino would have claimed. The fleeting thought of her best friend snapped Sakura out of her mindless gaping and set her firmly back on task.
The singing women had intended to drown her? But they had mentioned her mother. Had that just been a ruse to lure her into the waters? Or was she simply being misled?
"What happened to them?" she questioned nervously, forcing herself to stand her ground as Sasuke completed the final step and began to walk toward her. Part of her feared the reply she would receive, but she felt the need to know.
Her pulse sped faster when his eyes trailed appraisingly over her. She felt vulnerable and self-conscious beneath the weight of his scrutinising gaze. After another heavy pause, he answered nonchalantly, "Forget them."
Sakura felt frustration beginning to crest within her again. Why didn't he answer any of her questions? Why did he seem to believe he had some kind of right to dictate what she could and couldn't discover? She wanted to know what had happened to the young women. Sasuke, however, was clearly keen to let the subject drop. Why? A sudden thought occurred to her; had he done something to them? Uncertainty whispered through her as she looked up at his face, trying to find clues as to what he was thinking. But it was impossible; his expression was utterly indecipherable.
You're being ridiculous, Sakura, she scolded herself. How could Sasuke freeze water over? But she thought of all the other magical and supernatural things she had seen since first waking up in the Underworld, all the things the laws of science claimed did not exist. Was it so outrageous to believe that Sasuke had certain – capabilities - too?
She swallowed, fighting the overwhelming urge to retreat and place distance between them as he drew to within a mere arm's length before her. Every muscle in her body stiffened as he began to circle her, like a majestic hawk swooping down on its quivering prey. Licking her suddenly dry lips, Sakura focused on the questions circulating in her head. She needed to remain in control.
"You were at the fair," she began, inwardly cursing the way her voice wobbled precariously as she spoke. But she couldn't help it. Her body was devastatingly aware of his presence as he moved behind her. It was as though static charge had filled the space between them.
"Yes," he affirmed coolly, his liquid voice like silk-wrapped steel. She suppressed a shudder at how very close he was, how he seemed to have absolutely no regard for personal boundaries. As if he had every right in the world to stand at such proximity to her. Don't think about him, she told herself, fixing her gaze on the moonlight coloured blooms directly before her. Just concentrate on getting answers.
"You were waiting," it came little above a whisper as Sakura pieced together everything she already knew to be certain, in an attempt to build a fuller picture of what, exactly, Sasuke's motives were.
His silence confirmed her thoughts. She had known it, but it made the truth no easier to stomach. He had operated the carousel ride with the purpose of drawing her to it. He had known she would come and likely intended on snatching her back then, but Ino and Sai had arrived just in time to intervene-
Sakura's breath stilled. Sai. His drawing had shown a flower field. And that night, when he and Ino had found her, he had looked concerned, and somewhat distracted. Her mind raced. Had he known something was going to happen? And if he did, was there a chance that he had informed her mother? Hope filled her, but she quelled it. There was no way she could be certain that Sai knew anything at all.
"And- the field – how did you do that?" she got out with much difficulty. How had he split open the ground? How had he even known where to find her? How was it humanly possible for him to do either of those things?
A sudden possibility struck her, one so absurd that she almost released a hysterical laugh. She couldn't even believe she was entertaining the thought that the young man circling her was somehow not completely human. She had watched far too many supernatural thriller movies with Naruto over the last few months. She absolutely hated them, but Naruto always turned his huge, puppy-dog eyes to her and Sakura always found herself reluctantly indulging him.
But what other explanation was there? How could Sasuke have possibly caused a natural disaster? Unless it was all a crazy coincidence – which it couldn't be – because Sakura was indeed underground. She had seen it with her own eyes. And she most certainly had fallen into a crevice. She still remembered the way her heart had leapt when the earth had slipped away like quicksand beneath her feet.
Sasuke stopped behind her. He could see the fine trembling of her shoulders, could sense her perplexity. She had managed to unravel enough to know that something was not quite right about him – but her mind had not yet been able to settle on precisely what. He toyed with the idea of telling her, of putting her out of her agitated misery. On the other hand, her confusion was somewhat entertaining, and he wanted to see how long it would take her to arrive at her own conclusions.
"How can you live here?" she disregarded the mystery of how he had caused an earthquake and jumped to the next one.
There was a brief pause. Then, Sasuke replied, "It is my domain."
His domain? He made it sound like he was a king of sorts. But what kind of king resided underground? And in the company of dead people, no less?
Unless- Sakura's mind froze. Unless he was dead, also?
No, she thought. That was ludicrous, and made no sense whatsoever; if Sasuke was dead, he would be more like the spirit people she had seen on the river bank in appearance. Besides, the finger he had trailed down her cheek had been solid. Despite being certain of the fact that her kidnapper was very much alive, Sakura couldn't help but question, "Are- are you-" it was a struggle for her to get the final word out, "-dead?"
For a few horrible seconds, he was quiet. Sakura's heart had never galloped so fast. She didn't dare to breathe, her sense of horror mounting at his silence, when he finally supplied, "I rule the dead. I am not of them."
She slowly exhaled, her mind working to process the trickles of information he was providing her. He ruled the dead? What did he mean? How could he rule over spirits? Overcome by confusion, she rigidly turned to face him. He was regarding her with eyes that were rendered unearthly bright beneath the glow of the floating lights.
"What does that mean…?" Sakura asked in a hushed voice, her eyes wide as they trailed over his unreadable features. His regal beauty was mesmerising – yet so cold and distant. He was standing so close, and she knew she ought to move away, but somehow she couldn't. She was anticipating his every response, waiting to learn more.
Sasuke blinked. "You shall see," he answered shortly, cryptically. Sakura shook her head at him. That wasn't the kind of response she wanted. And she still had so many other queries. Her racing mind was suddenly overflowing, and all the questions she so desperately needed answers to were spilling in a jumbled rush from her tongue.
"What are all these lights? Those singing women – how did they know my mother's song? How did the spring freeze over? How come there are stars in the sky here if we're underground? And those boats - where do they lead?" In a despairing, broken whisper, she finished with the most burning query of all, "I don't understand; why have you brought me here? Why are you doing this to me?"
Sasuke was silent. His attention had been snagged by her disclosure of the sirens singing a song which she claimed belonged to her mother. Deciding he would consider the implications of this when he was alone - for it was impossible for him to dwell on the matter with Sakura so close in front of him - he said, "I will answer you – if you eat."
Sakura inhaled sharply. He had completely and unremorsefully ruined her life, and he still had the nerve to enforce demands upon her? She stepped away. Casting an incredulous look at him, she exclaimed, "You kidnapped me. You can't just expect me to- I'm not-" she fumbled for words beneath the weight of his stare, before bursting out, "I won't eat a thing until you give me an explanation!"
Something unbelievably hostile flashed across his dark eyes, and Sakura's temporary display of boldness rapidly shrivelled away. All at once Sasuke was advancing on her again, and an alarmed Sakura rapidly retreated, trying to maintain breathing space between them.
"To what end, Sakura?" he hissed, placing great emphasis on her name. The way his tongue seemed to caress it sent a jolt of terror down her spine. "Depriving yourself of food and water will not kill you." He paused, before adding meaningfully, "You cannot die unless I permit it."
"Wha-?" Sakura floundered, unable to articulate anything more. The sweltering intensity of his eyes was rendering thinking straight a laborious task. She couldn't die unless he permitted it? What did that even mean?
In a movement too fast for her to anticipate, Sasuke quickly stepped forward, closing the gap between them. She felt coolness against the back of her neck; his hand, she dizzily registered, far too late, had lifted to rest there. The skin on skin contact caused disturbing tingles to radiate through her. She tried to move back, to free herself from his hold, but it was as though her treacherous legs had frozen to the spot and she could no longer lift them. She remembered the golden bangles glued around her ankles, felt hysteria seeping through the mask of composure she'd fought so desperately to keep in place, as she wildly wondered whether the ornaments were responsible for her sudden inability to control her own two feet.
Sasuke's face lowered to within inches of her own, causing the oxygen to arrest entirely in her lungs. "If I wanted you dead, Sakura," he breathed, reading the frightened, unspoken thought in her eyes, "you would be."
Sakura's heart was thundering impossibly fast, shaking her body from the force of its beat. The terrifying thing was that she completely believed him. Sasuke looked like the sort of ruthless person who had absolutely no qualms about killing people. And that frightened her beyond anything. She was powerless to look away from his captivating gaze. It consumed her, swallowed her up, left her feeling asphyxiated. She could scarcely draw a breath, was aware of the air escaping her mouth in short, rapid bursts. And she was painfully conscious of his proximity, as he slid a hard, vice-like arm around her waist and jerked her forward against him, his eyes never leaving hers. Sakura's hands began to move instinctively with the intention of pushing him away, but what happened next was literally a blur. One moment she was standing with Sasuke in the garden – and the next, she had been transported, somehow, back inside the palace.
Sakura released a strangled little scream of alarm and backed hastily away from him, her legs under her command once more. She was in the banqueting hall again. But how in the world had Sasuke transported them like that? She hadn't felt a thing – just a quick rush of biting wind. Her head spun as she returned her gaze to him, her mind too overwhelmed to form a coherent sentence.
Suddenly the notion of Sasuke not being human didn't seem so ridiculous. And when he began to advance toward her, Sakura felt a primitive, overwhelming urge to run; the need for a prey to escape from its predator.
"How did you," she gasped hysterically, "how did you do that?"
He didn't answer, just continued to stalk forward. Something solid bumped against the back of Sakura's thighs, and she lost her balance, toppling backward into something comfortable. A chair, she realised; Sasuke had forced her back into one of the two dining chairs. She clambered back into it, raising her knees defensively to her chest, as if it was a barrier that could protect her from him. But Sasuke closed in, the look in his eyes positively menacing, as he leaned forward and placed his hands firmly on each arm-rest, effectively trapping her in her seat.
Lowering his face so that it was once again just inches away from hers, he uttered with complete authority, "You will not leave this room until you eat."
Sakura gulped. His eyes burned even brighter than the candles in their holders on the sprawling table behind her. She could do nothing but stare up at him in shock, and her heart lurched violently when Sasuke's gaze shifted to examine her lips. For an awful moment she was petrified that he was going to lean even closer toward her, frantically wondered how she could get away if he did, but his head suddenly snapped distractedly to his left, and he seemed to listen intently for a few seconds. Then, without another word, he straightened and stepped around her.
Sakura released a shaky breath and counted five seconds before peering around the massive chair's back, only to discover that he had already exited the food hall.
She hadn't even heard the door close behind him.
When Ino finally dragged herself out of bed and regarded her reflection in the mirror, she saw a pale-faced young woman with blood-shot eyes and dark circles. She hadn't slept at all the previous night; how could she, when her mind had been plagued with guilt and worry over her missing best friend's well-being? Her tortured thoughts had warded off any chances of slumberous respite. Was Sakura alright? Where was she at that moment? Ino desperately needed to know, but Sakura had been missing for over fifteen hours and nobody had heard a thing about her. The police had stopped by again to take further statements after Sakura's mother had left late the previous night, and had promised they were thoroughly investigating the matter. But they were seemingly making no progress at all, and that frustrated Ino to no end. She was ready to pull her beautiful hair out with grief.
How could they have found no other traces of Sakura whatsoever? It was baffling. Surely the detection dogs would have picked up on at least something? How could she have just completely vanished into thin air?
Ino felt despairing tears sting at her eyes and angrily forced them back. She was supposed to be the strong one. If Sakura could see her now, see the quivering, anxious wreck that she had been reduced to, she wouldn't believe her eyes. Because the truth was, Ino relied on Sakura too. Her sensible best friend was the person who always kept her grounded. And not knowing where she was, and whether she was even alive and well, pained Ino more than anything.
After rinsing her mouth and scrubbing her face, Ino padded out of her en suite-bathroom and grabbed her purple cell phone from her desk. Her heart sank when she discovered the only new messages she had received were from a concerned Tenten and Hinata, asking whether she'd heard anything new. She hadn't. It was almost ten thirty, and a college day. But Ino had already decided she wouldn't be attending. How could she possibly concentrate on anything else? To think that just twenty-four hours earlier, Sakura had still been with them…
Stop it, she scolded herself, swallowing miserably. Stop thinking about her in the past tense. She's out there, and they're going to find her.
She had to believe that Sakura was fine. Because believing the alternative was too agonising, proposed a reality that she couldn't handle. She began to change automatically, her mind so preoccupied that at first she didn't even hear her father's knock on her door.
"Ino?"
Ino's blinked out of her thoughts. "Huh? Dad?"
"Are you up?"
"Yeah." As if she had slept. "Just getting dressed."
"Come down for breakfast when you're done. You've got a visitor."
Ino opened her mouth to ask who, but her father's sure footsteps were already treading back down the landing. She didn't think she could stomach any breakfast, but it was sweet of her stern yet caring father to prepare it for her. She quickly finished changing and secured her hair back in its signature, long ponytail, before exiting her bedroom. As she hurried down the stairs, she wondered who she'd find waiting for her. Her heart fluttered like a caged bird within her as she stepped into the kitchen to find none other than Shikamaru sitting at the table. A bowl of breakfast had been set in front of him, and Ino's pulse sped up when his eyes shifted to her.
"Ino," he greeted with a nod.
"Shikamaru, hi," she said, puzzled at his unexpected presence. She hadn't even heard him arrive, and she was quite certain she had been awake all night. "When did you get here?"
"About twenty minutes ago," Inoichi answered, placing another steaming bowl for his daughter opposite Shikamaru on the table. He gestured for her to sit down. She did so, and when Shikamaru picked up his chop-sticks, Ino felt her stomach rumble. Maybe she would be able to eat a little after all.
"Dad?" Ino noticed her father wasn't serving anything for himself. "Aren't you eating too?"
"I already did," he answered. "You two go ahead. I have a phone-call to make. Excuse me."
Shikamaru called his thanks after Inoichi, before turning his full attention to Ino. It was the first time he had stared at her so attentively, and Ino was certain her heart was ready to burst out of her. He was so handsome, carried such an 'I-really-don't-care-what-you-think' air about him. And she found that exciting.
She was quite content to simply watch him eat, as she questioned eagerly, "Any news?"
Shikamaru shook his head, taking a bite of his rice bowl. "Nothing."
Ino's happiness at seeing him promptly deflated. She buried her face in her hands and bemoaned, "How could she just disappear?"
"It's definitely suspicious," Shikamaru agreed. "And those troublesome officers don't seem to know where to look."
Ino peeked at him through her fingers. "Then what are we going to do?"
Shikamaru gestured pointedly at her bowl with his chop-sticks. "You're going to eat. You'll be of no use to Sakura sleep-deprived and hungry."
Ino flinched. Was it that obvious that she hadn't slept? She thought her foundation had covered it up quite well. But she knew the object of her affections wasn't specifically referring to her looks. It didn't take a genius – which Shikamaru was – to figure out that Sakura's best friend likely hadn't gotten a wink of sleep the night after she'd gone missing.
She reluctantly picked up her chop-sticks and began poking at her bowl. What motives had Sakura's assailant had in attacking or abducting her? Apart from the obvious fact that Sakura was exotically beautiful. Their immediate fears of Sakura being raped had been laid to rest by the fact that no evidence had been found of a struggle or clothing and blood being shed. She hadn't been sexually assaulted in the forest at least; but who was to say that she hadn't been taken somewhere else and tied down, before someone disgusting had taken advantage of her?
Ino swallowed, any remnants of appetite vanishing at the dark thought. Tears began to blur at her eyes again and she desperately tried to suppress them. She couldn't cry in front of Shikamaru! But the fact that he was the one sitting before her only seemed to make matters worse, and she felt wholly pathetic as warm liquid streamed down her cheeks. She wiped hastily at the tears, trying to minimise the damage they were causing to her characteristically confident and composed exterior.
Shikamaru had set his chop-sticks down and was regarding her silently. "Ino," he began quietly.
"I'm sorry," Ino's voice quivered. "I'm just so worried. I'll be fine in a second."
He sighed, his eyes lowering as if seeing her in such a state made him uncomfortable. "I came to ask you about the Festival."
He didn't add that he had also stopped by to make sure that the young woman sitting across the kitchen table from him was alright.
"What about it?" she sniffled after a moment.
Shikamaru's eyes slid back to her face. "Tell me exactly where you found Sakura after we left the square."
Ino stared at him in confusion. Why was he asking about that? What relevance did the events of that night have to Sakura's situation? But she answered, "She was alone, next to some carousel ride."
"Was the ride operating?"
"No," Ino frowned.
"Then what was she doing there?"
"I don't-" Ino sucked in a breath, as it suddenly occurred to her that she hadn't even thought to ask Sakura what she'd been doing there. She'd been so caught up in her own little love cloud on the drive back to Sakura's house that she hadn't even noticed how preoccupied her best friend had seemed. It was funny, Ino thought, how she was remembering that now. "I didn't ask her," she finished in a near-whisper.
"You were with Sai when you found her," Shikamaru continued, like a police officer verifying the validity of witness statements.
"He helped me," Ino said, nodding. Now that she thought about it, it was almost like Sai had known exactly where to look. Wasn't that odd too? Or was she just being unreasonably paranoid?
"But Sai didn't return with you."
"Huh?" Ino blinked at him, feeling even more muddled and foolish. "No, he…" her voice trailed off as she recalled that they had left Sai behind. "He probably left after us on his own."
"But you're not sure," Shikamaru pounced, looking intently at her. She shook her head uncertainly at him.
"Shikamaru, what are you saying? That Sai has something to do with Sakura going missing?" she questioned incredulously. Sai was strange, but he didn't seem like the type who would purposefully harm anybody. Then again, Sakura had always acted uncomfortable around the pale-skinned young man.
Shikamaru shook his head. "No. I don't think Sai's responsible," he answered slowly. Ino's shoulders relaxed; she was relieved to hear it. Shikamaru's gaze shifted away from her to stare into the distance, and he wore a thoughtful expression on his face for a minute. Then, abruptly, he rose from his seat.
"Where are you going?" Ino asked worriedly.
"I've got an errand to run," Shikamaru answered.
"Can I come with you?" Ino said, and felt heat pool into her cheeks when the love of her life raised his eyebrows in response. "I mean- I won't get in your way or anything. I just think I'll go a little crazy if I stay here."
Shikamaru looked hesitant, as he responded, "Not right now, but soon."
Ino blinked at him, perplexed. What did he mean by that? "Shikamaru-"
"I've gotta go," he nodded at her bowl. "Try and eat something. I'll call you if we hear anything."
Before she could protest, Shikamaru had left the kitchen. She thought she heard him say something to her father on his way out – something she didn't quite manage to catch – and then the front door shut, and with it sank the hope in her heart.
Tsunade scowled as her cell-phone rang for the umpteenth time. It was the hospital again. She'd ignored them up to that point, but she knew that if she kept doing so, she'd only continue to be inundated with pestering calls.
"Yes?" she practically barked into her mobile.
"Ah! Dr. Haruno," a voice spoke politely and formally on the other side of the line. "It's Dr. Yakushi-"
"What do you want, Kabuto?" Tsunade said acidly, throwing all formality out the window and reminding him that she was his superior. She thoroughly disliked the junior doctor and had been intending to remove Sakura from under his watch at the hospital. But now Sakura had been removed from everyone's watch, even her own. And Kabuto was the last person in the world who she desired to speak with.
"We were just wondering whether we should expect you in the operating theatre today. We've been trying to call you unsuccessfully for a couple of hours."
"I'm busy. And I won't be coming to work. Inform everybody; I don't want to be disturbed again," she ordered.
"Of course, but as you know, today is the day of Ai Tozuna's heart surgery, and it's a very complex operation-"
Tsunade's temper flared. Was the little weasel trying to play on her conscience? She was well aware that her patient had a slightly greater chance of dying if a less skilled surgeon performed the operation for her. But Tsunade's team were talented and possessed a brilliant track-record. She had every confidence that her head nurse Shizune would overlook matters in her absence.
"I already answered you," she answered frostily.
"I'm very sorry to trouble you," Kabuto apologised smoothly - a little too smoothly. His voice grated on her frayed nerves. "I do hope you and Sakura are well and enjoying the-"
She abruptly disconnected the call, and slowly exhaled. His words caused her heart to twinge in pain. The fool believed she had taken a day off to spend in her daughter's company. Little did he know the true reason why she was absent from work. Suddenly, none of her patients mattered. The only life she was concerned with preserving was her daughter's.
She slammed the cell onto the kitchen table and looked around the room. How quiet the house was without Sakura. How empty and devoid of warmth and the soothing, musical sound of her laughter.
Damn it, Tsunade's eyes burned with unshed, frustrated tears. She was a woman of action, and sitting around and waiting was enough to drive her out of her mind. She glanced at the clock. It had been a couple of hours since Kakashi had departed. She wondered whether he had yet reached his destination; after all, it wasn't an easy place to get to, and many trials would stand in his way.
Her gaze moved to the windowsill by the sink, and stopped on the small geranium flower resting in its clay pot upon it. Her honey eyes widened as sudden realisation struck her. How had she not noticed before? Something was wrong with the flower's posture.
It looked like it was wilting.
Sasuke stared intently into the freezing white mist. Directly behind him, yawning like a gigantic, carnivorous mouth with icy stalactites and stalagmites forming jagged, rocky teeth was the dreaded entrance to the Underworld. It led to a winding, narrow path, at the end of which was the colossal, iron-coiled gateway that allowed passage into his realm. The gates were impenetrable, eerily glowing barriers, specifically constructed to allow the influx of souls but to prevent any outflow. There were no exceptions to the rules; once a person entered the land of the dead, there was no way out - not unless its ruler permitted it.
And Sasuke was not known to be a benevolent god.
He had received word from Nagato that his gate-keeper was growing restless, a sure sign that a living visitor was approaching the mouth of the Underworld, and had swiftly left Sakura to meet his guest, but whoever it was had yet to arrive. And so he stood in waiting, keeping a close, watchful eye on the ginormous, three-headed hell hound stationed dutifully at his post ahead of him.
Proud, wild Cerberus was gargantuan in size, a petrifying, blood-thirsty bulk of razor sharp teeth and steely muscle. He possessed a sleek black coat, long, shredding, blood-stained claws, and a lashing, stinging tail. Around each of Cerberus's individual heads were spiked collars of iron, and around its mighty paws thick shackles, imprinted with the will of his master. Eyes the colour of hell-fire blazed in slanted, feral sockets. They promised pain and suffering to any mortals who haplessly stumbled within his range.
Cerberus had an infamous penchant for living flesh; it was this fact that made him the perfect guardian of the gates to the Underworld. He allowed the deceased to pass freely into Sasuke's realm – and tore to pieces any mortals who dared to trespass in or sneak out. The overpowering stench of death and decay hung in the chilly air, and the sickening crunch of bones beneath Cerberus's hefty feet was a testament to the horror that awaited those who were foolhardy enough to attempt to defy the will of the Death God.
The beast's heads released a unified, famished growl, saliva dripping from ravenous jowls. Sasuke tensed, instantly on the alert.
"Stay," he murmured quietly, as he sensed a presence approaching. Cerberus released another rumbling sound of protest, before growing obediently still. Sasuke watched as a tall figure slowly materialised through the thick fog. His face remained completely impassive as his visitor casually strolled past a growling Cerberus without so much as a second glance, and came to a carefully measured stop before him. But beneath his aloof exterior, he was mildly surprise. He hadn't quite expected to face the person standing before him so soon.
"Sasuke," the voice was light, but laced with caution. Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he sized his visitor up with open contempt. He hadn't changed much, but then, why would he? They were immortals, after all.
"Kakashi," he uttered coldly.
"I'm sorry to disturb you," the masked man apologised, "and it isn't my intention to trespass, but there's been a … development on the surface that I wish to discuss with you."
Sasuke was silent as the silver-haired man raised his hands. Sparks of blue-white light crackled and merged, forming a glowing ball that hovered between his palms. A familiar image began to take shape within it, pastel colours blending together, pink and green, apricot and yellow.
"Tsunade's child is missing. Her name is Sakura Haruno. She's eighteen, and this is her likeness." He looked down at Sakura's smiling face and paused, before adding casually, "You haven't, by any chance, seen her pass through your gates today?"
Sasuke's gaze lifted from the orb and rested on Kakashi. He didn't miss the way the masked fool was watching him closely whilst attempting to feign detachment.
"No," he answered curtly. It was not completely a lie; after all, Sakura hadn't actually passed through the mouth of the Underworld.
Kakashi sighed tiredly. "I see," he said simply, and the ball dispelled effortlessly from his hands. They stood in silence for a long moment. Kakashi thought that Sasuke appeared even colder and more withdrawn than when he had last seen him; but it had been a very long time.
"Then forgive my intrusion," he said politely. His gaze lowered sadly, as he added a much quieter afterthought, "I hope you have been keeping well?"
One corner of Sasuke's lips twisted into a scornful sneer. In response, he stated, "Leave." His eyes spoke out the remainder of the threat – leave before I change my mind.
Without another word, the ruler of the Underworld spun dismissively on his heel and disappeared into the darkness.
Author's note
So, I was debating adding more to this chapter, but if I had continued with the next big section, it would have been over ten thousand words long. I try to keep my chapters between six thousand minimum and eight thousand maximum – which is pretty long anyway xD
A sneak peek for the next one: Sasuke will return to Sakura – has she eaten? Or is she still on strike? What will he do if she still isn't cooperating? What will she do if he keeps ordering her around?
Sasuke meets the Water God and he's got some beef to pick; any clue who it could be? (Pretty obvious – I've actually already described him somewhat in a previous chapter xD)
Poor Sai gets lots of visitors all of a sudden.
Aaaand….other stuff that I'll keep under wraps for now.
Please do be sure to check out the fanart. Next chapter I will have more to share; specifically, one depicting Sakura's abduction, which the artist has promised me will be done in time for Christmas. How exciting!
Thanks for reading, and a very Merry Christmas to you all in advance, be safe and happy, everyone! And make me happy too by leaving lots of lovely reviews, mwaha. They'll motivate me to work faster on the next bit. See you next update!