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Chapter XXV
Mirrored in dark eyes,
Is plain to see,
Desire and want,
Burning endlessly,
If only she would care to gaze,
Into that tangled, unfathomable maze,
She would glimpse,
His need – ablaze.
Sakura's fingers trailed over the book spines slotted neatly in the shelf she was examining. Sasuke had returned them at hurtling speed to the palace's stables following their exit from the jewelled cave, before promptly taking his leave, no doubt to see to the many responsibilities he shouldered as ruler of the Underworld. He had left before she could earnestly thank him for the tour he had given her. They had only visited two extraordinary places – but it was a start, and Sakura found herself eagerly looking forward to any subsequent trips.
After some deliberation, she had headed to the library to do what she had been intending for a while, but had never gotten around to doing. Her eyes had been opened to the wonders that existed in the Underworld, and she was keen to learn more about its different areas. If only she could find a map! But she knew that Sasuke would never permit her to look at one until he absolutely trusted that she would not embark on any further escape attempts.
So it was down to her to do her own research. She searched intently for any book relating to the Death God's realm and the afterlife – anything that would help advance her understanding. But finding information was easier said than done in a library as gigantic as Sasuke's. She had already hunted through the History section, and was now browsing under Religion - but none of the books she had examined up to that point had seemed relevant. Frustrated, she turned her attention to the shelf above, and her eyes almost immediately came to rest upon a blue-bound book, with the printed title, Life after Death: Ancient Accounts. Her interest firmly grabbed, Sakura drew the thick book off the shelf and scoured for any others.
She had read many mythological tales, but they had always belonged to a variety of different cultures and religions. The Underworld she was trapped in didn't belong in particular to anything she had ever read about, which prompted her to wonder which tribe of people it was that had worshipped Sasuke and his fellow gods to begin with. What had happened to wipe them – and all accounts of their beliefs - out?
Selecting two other books entitled The Purpose of Life and Ancient Gods and Goddesses, she made her way up to the Astronomy room with the telescopes and the giant globe. Settling in the comfortable chair by one of the study tables, Sakura dumped the books down and pulled the first one in front of her: Life after Death: Ancient Accounts. Then she opened the book and examined the contents.
Introduction… The significance of death… Burying rituals… Ancient Customs… The Afterlife… Bingo! Sakura thought, and turned excitedly to page seventy one.
Many ancient faiths believed in the existence of an afterlife. Some called it reincarnation; others believed that life on Earth is merely one form of existence, and a stepping stone in the soul's journey to more elevated places…
Sakura already knew that. Her eyes scanned the page, looking for any mention of the Underworld. Her heart fluttered when her gaze finally rested on the word.
People in the past believed in the existence of a place which housed dead souls, and served as a location where they were filtered before passing to their next destinations. This place has commonly become known as the Underworld and is ruled by different deities, according to each respective faith.
The text went on to talk about heaven and hell, and its variants. Sakura's shoulders slumped. There was nothing there that she didn't know. Disappointed, she flicked through the remainder of the book, her eyes stopping on various interesting snippets of information, but none that helped her cause. Sighing, she placed the book aside and opened the second one, entitled The Purpose of Life. The contents page revealed the book to be very philosophical.
That won't do, Sakura scowled, and turned her scrutiny to the third and final book – Ancient Gods and Goddesses. She opened it and flicked through the pages. Deities from different cultures and religions were organised into appropriately named sections. She took great interest in the ones that represented death, but none of them were called Sasuke. Sakura sat back, tapping a finger thoughtfully to her chin. Was she searching under the wrong name? Sasuke seemed too normal, could pass for a human. Perhaps he had an alternative god title? There was no mention of an Underworld with boats and river shores, or a majestic palace. For there to be no accounts of the realm in Sasuke's library at all…
Unless… a sudden, troubling notion occurred to her; unless he had purposefully removed all texts…? But the only way for her to make sure was to look through every single book in all relevant sections – which would take her forever. Some books weren't even printed in languages she could read, which only added to her building frustration. She closed the book and stared sullenly at the large globe in the centre of the room. Was it a possibility that Sasuke had taken out all relevant information about his realm and himself? Perhaps he had not wanted her to learn anything – perhaps he had resorted to doing so to control what she learned and how much she knew.
Her fingers curled into angry fists. That sounded like something meticulous that Sasuke would do. It was funny how certain she felt of it. Deciding to ask Suigetsu about it later, she was just about to get up and examine the globe more closely, when-
"Sakura."
There was only one person alive who drawled her name sensuously like that. Sakura glanced guiltily down at the books on the table. Her first thought was that she couldn't let Sasuke see what she had been reading – but quickly dismissed it. She had nothing to hide. Yes, she wanted to find out more about the Underworld – hadn't she told him so herself? She had every right to snoop about in the library – it wasn't like he had made it off-limits to her.
She hurried down the steps that led to the second floor landing and peered over the golden railings at him.
"Yes?"
The Death God tilted his head back to regard her. "What are you doing?"
"Just looking around," she replied evasively, and before he could probe her further, added, "Did you want me?"
Sasuke was silent for a moment as he gazed up at her. He always wanted her – but Sakura clearly had yet to catch onto the fact – at least, fully. He intended that to change, though – and fast.
"Meet me in the dome," he instructed.
Sakura blinked at him in surprise. "Right now?"
"Now," the death deity affirmed curtly, before turning swiftly on his heel and stalking out of the library. Sakura stared after him, frowning. Training again already? She had planned to spend a little more time looking for books, before sneaking into the dome to practice alone. She hadn't expected Sasuke to call for her again so soon. But then, she reasoned, that it could have been several hours since they had returned to his palace. She had no notion of time, no idea of just how much of it was passing.
Sighing heavily, she left the books where they were behind her and made her way to one of the staircases.
Hinata glanced anxiously at the multitude of apprehensive faces seated around the large, circular table. An emergency meeting had been called at the news of Inoichi's apparent disappearance, a troubling addition to the confounding mystery surrounding Sakura's case. Her pale, slender fingers fidgeted nervously with the hem of her silver, loose fitting cardigan as her gaze finally settled upon a noticeably subdued Naruto. He had not been himself since Sakura had vanished. It was almost as though the light and bursting warmth that dwelled within his soul had been sucked out and replaced with dark, morose dejection – a painful and stark reminder of just how dearly he held Sakura in his heart. Hinata's own ached with the near choking need to comfort and soothe him, even when she dared not close the distance between them. She wished there was something she could do to help, to ease his suffering, but felt as powerless as a sail-boat without compass, cast amongst the tumultuous waves of an ocean.
They had gathered again in the assembly room in the secret base, a hidden sanctuary located deep in the heart of Konoha's bordering south-western mountain ranges. Entry into the sanctuary was restricted only to those who possessed the knowledge to unlock the ancient seals guarding the magic-bolted doors. The sanctuary could only be reached via an underground tunnel, which itself required the cracking of a complex, five-part seal to remove. Those who knew the location of the tunnel's entry and exit points were sworn to utter secrecy.
Tsunade rose from her chair and placed her palms on the table. It was an unspoken signal for silence, and the room immediately quietened.
"It has been twenty four hours since Inoichi headed toward the eastern mountain ranges in search of…" here she paused and threw a disgusted glare at an oblivious Jiraiya, who sat leisurely in his seat with his feet propped atop the table. "Jiraiya," she bit out, prompting the white-haired god to smile and raise his wine goblet wryly at her. Ignoring his acknowledgement, she continued, "Ino has been unable to contact him, and our subsequent searches have proved fruitless."
"I don't get it," Ino exclaimed, her slender hands tightening to form agitated fists in front of her. "Why would anybody target my dad?"
"Are we certain that is what has happened here?" Asuma questioned.
"It's most likely," Kakashi sighed. "This cannot be a coincidence."
"First Sakura, then the oceans, now Inoichi…" Kurenai shook her head in concern. "What does this all mean?"
"We must connect the dots!" Gai exclaimed. "Whoever is responsible may come for any of us in turn!"
"We need to figure out why whoever is responsible would go after Inoichi," Shikamaru said. Directing his gaze to Sai, he said evenly, "Has Suigetsu attempted to contact you recently?"
Sai stared back at him with inky eyes. His heart accelerated as he wondered what the correct response would be. Saying yes would direct further blame onto the water deity. On the other hand, stating that he'd received no word would indicate that Suigetsu was acting independently – or somebody else was responsible.
Suffocated by the guilt he harboured deep inside his chest, Sai chose to tell the truth. "No," he answered. "I have not heard from him."
Ino clutched at her hair in frustration. "I can't believe this. I can't believe it's taking us so long to find that bastard!"
"We all know Suigetsu delights in causing mischief," Kurenai stated, "But for him to go to such lengths to keep Sakura from us…"
Jiraiya, looking bored by the entire affair, spoke up.
"What evidence do we have that he is directly responsible for Inoichi's disappearance?"
"We were planning to synchronise Inoichi's telepathic abilities with one of your toads to navigate our search underwater," Kakashi explained.
"Hmm," Jiraiya rubbed at his jaw and raised his eyebrows. "So in blaming Suigetsu, you are suggesting that he was somehow made aware of this plan…?"
"Damn it," Tsunade hissed. "There's no way he could have known, unless-" she drew a sudden, sharp intake of breath.
"A spy?" Gai stood up, completing her thoughts, his eyes ablaze with anger. "Someone is watching us?!"
"Or…" Jiraiya proposed lightly, "…somebody with knowledge of our plans has perhaps relayed this information to him - if it is indeed Suigetsu who is responsible."
Asuma held up his hands. "Now wait a minute-"
"What are you saying, old hermit?" Naruto demanded.
Ino was appalled. "A traitor? Is that what you're seriously suggesting?"
"But who would do that…?" Kurenai wondered aloud, shocked by the very idea.
All at once, everybody began talking over each other. Asuma's calls for order went largely unheeded as his friends began to speculate over the possibility of a double-agent.
Hinata glanced again at the faces around the table. Everybody appeared upset and disgusted – everybody except for Sai, whose eyes were lowered, his expression unreadable. Her gaze lingered uncertainly on him. As if sensing her scrutiny, Sai looked up at her and stared blankly back, revealing nothing of his thoughts on the matter. Hinata flushed guiltily and quickly averted her attention, embarrassed to have been caught staring so openly.
Tsunade furiously slammed her palms down on the table, loud enough to enforce silence once again.
Glaring at Jiraiya, she snapped, "You've clearly been away from us too long if you think that anybody in this room would turn traitor!"
Jiraiya set down his goblet and leaned forward in his seat. "Times have changed, Tsunade, and what I am telling you is that it is unlikely Suigetsu is acting alone in this, if he is acting at all!"
"You seem reluctant to believe Suigetsu's involvement in this," Tsunade pounced suspiciously.
"I find it hard to imagine that the great Tsunade would have been deceived so easily," Jiraiya pointed out. "Suigetsu is crafty, but he has never acted against us in the past."
"It seems strange," Kakashi mused in agreement. "For him to neglect his duties for such a delayed period of time; if the water levels rise any further, towns will begin to flood. Those on the edges of shorelines have already begun to feel the effects."
"But he must be involved!" Gai cried. "There is something in the water that he does not want us to see! Why else would Inoichi have been targeted?!"
"How did he even know about our plan?" Ino returned the focus to the most pressing question. "There's no way he could have found out, not unless somebody who knew told him."
"And everybody within this room knew, I assume," Jiraiya sat back, satisfied that his point had been taken into consideration at last.
"Fine! We'll swear an oath!" Naruto suddenly suggested, pounding a fist on top of the table. His eyes burning with challenge, he exclaimed to Jiraiya, "We'll prove to you that nobody here's a traitor!"
"This is ridiculous-" Asuma began in protest. "We've stuck together through thick and thin, to even suggest-"
"I swear!" Naruto interjected, holding his hand to his heart. "I swear on the Styx that I'm no traitor to Sakura-chan!"
Hinata gasped, alarmed. To swear on that dreadful river… any who broke their oaths were doomed to drink from its foul waters – which induced consequences feared even by immortals.
"Wait a second, you idiot!" Ino snapped, pointing. "Your dad upheld that law before, back when the Clan still served him. Who's going to do it now? It doesn't mean anything when we can't even get to that forsaken place!"
"Chiyo will know," Kurenai reminded them softly. "The Erinyes still uphold the law, and will punish any traitors."
Tsunade nodded. Determined to prove Jiraiya wrong too, she ordered, "Each of you, swear by it!"
Tiredly, Shikamaru muttered, "How troublesome. I swear by the Styx, I haven't betrayed us."
"Of course I'm not a traitor to my own best friend!" Ino said fiercely. "I swear on the Styx!"
"I- I swear by the Styx…" Hinata began tentatively.
Naruto quickly bypassed her, knowing full well that hell would sooner freeze over before Hinata ever committed an act of treachery. "Asuma?"
"I swear by the Styx," he vowed solemnly.
"I swear my youthful soul on the Styx, that I am as faithful to our cause as I have always been!" Gai saluted, causing a few of them to cringe at the vehemence in which the promise was uttered.
"I give my word, upon Styx, that I am no traitor," Kurenai pledged.
"On the Styx, I swear that I am no traitor," Kakashi sighed.
"Sai?" Naruto pressed next, when the youth did not immediately speak. "C'mon, swear it!"
Sai's heart was racing. He found it a miracle that he was able to keep his composed façade from slipping from his face entirely. He knew the consequences of promising an oath upon the Underworld's river, and what would happen to him if he broke it, or swore falsely. The moment he stepped into that realm again, the fearful Erinyes would be onto him, ready to tear him to shreds. Every vow made was heard by the death deity who ruled there, too. Would Sasuke spare him, knowing he had lied for his sake? Or would he use it as the perfect opportunity to feed Sai to the metaphorical wolves, after decreeing that he had no further use of his services?
Caught in an impossible no-win situation, Sai had a split second in which to make his decision. Refusing the oath would flare up their immediate suspicions. But talking about Sakura would result in his death. On the other hand, swearing an oath would damn his soul – unless the Underworld's King intervened on his behalf. Sasuke was not known to be merciful. And yet Sai found no alternative but to trust that the Death God still required his assistance – and would save him from the hot water he was about to fling himself into.
"I swear that I am not a traitor," he said, as coolly as he could manage – and prayed they would not notice his omission.
But Jiraiya was onto him in an instant. "Swear by the Styx, Sai."
They were all staring at him intently, all waiting for his pledge. Swallowing, and feeling sick to his stomach, Sai amended, "By the river. I swear."
"You see?" Tsunade sneered at Jiraiya. "Now you swear by it! If anybody warrants suspicion here, it's you with your endless absences!"
"Ladies first, my dear," Jiraiya flashed a grin that did not reach his eyes.
She clenched her jaw tightly. "Of course I would not betray my own daughter!"
"Swear on it, like the rest of us have," Jiraiya prompted.
Insulted, she ground out, "I swear by that godforsaken river."
"As do I," Jiraiya sighed. "The Styx knows of my honourable intentions."
Tsunade snorted contemptuously, before moving swiftly on. "Then it is decided. A spy beyond these walls is involved. Orochimaru's appearance is no coincidence either – it's possible he is watching us."
"Suigetsu's gotta be working with that creep," Naruto slammed a fist into his palm.
"Are the phials safe?" Kakashi murmured to Tsunade.
"Yes," she nodded stiffly. "Shizune and I have stored them in the vault."
"We must exercise caution," Asuma warned. "We must not discuss Sakura's situation beyond these walls. We don't know who might be listening!"
"What is your next course of action?" Jiraiya enquired.
"I can tap into my seal and find Inoichi-" Naruto began.
"No. It's too risky!" Kurenai admonished. "If we're being watched, we can't take any chances. We need somebody else's assistance, somebody who also has tracking abilities but is unhindered by a seal."
"You said you're in contact with Chiyo," Shikamaru glanced at Tsunade, who nodded again.
"Can she help us?" Ino asked hopefully.
"She discloses what she sees fit to disclose," Tsunade muttered. "I will appeal to her again… but Chiyo is unpredictable. She has a preference to allow fate to unravel its strings."
"Can't the old hag make an exception?" Naruto lamented. "Who else is there?"
"Sasuke."
Everybody tensed at the uttered name. Heads snapped to gaze incredulously at Jiraiya.
"Jiraiya-" Kakashi hissed beneath his breath. "I've already warned you about getting him involved-"
"He is able to locate any soul he wishes," Jiraiya continued, ignoring his friend's protests. "I don't see why we don't invite him here and make him a profitable offer."
Naruto's hands gripped tightly onto the arm-rests of his seat. He swallowed miserably.
"Hah!" Tsunade dismissed. "And what offer would be profitable enough to tempt that traitor to aid us? Unless you're able to restore his family, he will deem everything else beneath his time and effort!"
"Sasuke has always craved power. If we offer him something based on that…"
"You're crazy!" Ino gasped. "His abilities aren't sealed like ours. He isn't exactly lacking in power right now. We shouldn't meddle with him-"
"I agree," Kurenai shook her head. "We didn't part on good terms, and if he realises Sakura's worth, he might use her to get back at us."
"He wouldn't," a quiet voice spoke up, quivering with emotion. All eyes turned to Naruto, whose head was bowed low. "He wouldn't do that. Sasuke wouldn't stoop that low!"
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered in dismay.
"Still clinging to your false beliefs?" Tsunade glared. "He certainly stooped much lower when he stabbed us in the back!"
"NO!" Naruto exploded, jumping to his feet. "That's not what happened! He didn't know-"
"Naruto!" Kakashi interjected harshly, reaching out to clamp a restraining hand around his wrist. "That's enough!"
Naruto yanked his arm out of his hold, his chest heaving. "I'll vouch for him! He wouldn't take Sakura-chan to hurt us, or use her for revenge! He isn't like that!"
"Calm down, Naruto," Shikamaru raised his hands, knowing how sensitive the subject of the death deity was to his friend. "We have to exhaust all possibilities-"
"You really think he'd leave his seat of power and come up here for a friendly chat?" Ino exclaimed in disbelief. "This is Sasuke we're talking about!"
"Perhaps… a few of us could venture down instead and request his assistance?" Asuma began uncertainly.
"That would be foolish!" Gai exclaimed. "We would be walking straight into a trap-"
"You don't even know what you're saying!" Naruto shouted.
Everybody started arguing loudly again. Giving reasons as to why it was a terrible idea – and reasons why it was worth a try, at the very least. What was the worst Sasuke would do, some reasoned – refuse them? He certainly wouldn't do anything as reckless as attacking them, and if he did, then it only proved he had something to hide.
Sai listened to the exchanges in muted silence, his heart never ceasing its pounding.
Kakashi shook his head at Jiraiya, trying to block out the din of disorder that had broken out over the table. Telepathically, he admonished, 'You already confronted Sasuke about it. What are you thinking? He made it clear what he'd do if you trouble him again!'
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. 'And I already told you, I don't trust that boy. Don't let old sentiments cloud your judgement, Kakashi!'
Before Kakashi could respond, they were interrupted by the sound of heavy doors opening. Iruka burst in, red-faced and breathless.
"The oceans!" he panted. "The oceans have settled again!"
When Sakura stepped into the training dome, she immediately noticed that something seemed different about it. Walking up to the central area, she quickly realised what it was. The lowered, stair encircled arena had morphed into what she could only liken to a human chessboard of sorts. Alternating grey and darker grey panels formed a large eight by eight square. Sasuke, who had been seated in waiting on the third row of steps down, rose languidly to his feet as Sakura approached.
He noted that she had exchanged her dress for a pleasing green and black hued sparring outfit. Sasuke thought it flattered her figure remarkably well.
Intrigued, Sakura came to a stop at the top of the steps. "What's this?" she asked curiously. The Death God took position on the panel at the top left of the square, and gestured for her to take hers diagonally from him at the bottom-most panel to her right.
"A basic strategy exercise," he explained. "Move from your starting position, to the opposite end, without allowing your opponent to cross your square."
A game of human chess. Sakura had always enjoyed the mental stimulation a challenging game of chess provided, and was immediately interested in the activity. It beat physically sparring with Sasuke, at least - although the sword sheathed in its scabbard at his waist informed her that he probably intended to make use of it later.
"Can I move in any direction?"
"Not backwards."
"How many squares may I cross per turn?"
"One."
It seemed simple enough – but Sakura was still wary of a catch. "What happens if I win?"
Sasuke tossed her a haughty look. "Hn. I do not lose."
Her eyebrows shot up at that. The word 'humble' clearly did not exist in Sasuke's vocabulary. He was utterly arrogant - and utterly unashamed of it. "Really? If you're so sure you're going to win, then why are we even playing this game?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips. It irked her that Sasuke was so ready and willing to write her off – and made her all the more determined to prove him wrong.
He stared at her. "This is no game, Sakura."
Sakura rephrased her question. "What happens if I lose?"
Something about the manner in which one corner of Sasuke's lips curved to form a dark and sinister smirk set loose a strange, fluttering sensation in Sakura's stomach. She decided she didn't want to know what would happen if Sasuke reached her, was adamant that she absolutely would not lose - and was glad when he gave her a curt nod, signalling that they begin.
Rather than stepping forward without thought, Sakura sensibly scanned the board, mapping out her potential options. She couldn't simply head a direct path forward. Sasuke would reach her at the second last square – which meant she would have to move in numerous directions.
"Does remaining in place count as a turn?" she questioned, without taking her eyes from the panels before her.
"No," Sasuke stated.
So moving backwards was not permitted. Realising that it was useless to plan out a precise strategy given that her direction would very much be influenced by Sasuke's, Sakura took a step left and watched as Sasuke moved diagonally to his. Looking around her again, Sakura next stepped diagonally up to her right, and the death deity took another diagonal step left.
Sakura's eyes darted over the panels as she took the time to mentally recalculate her route. She needed to carefully consider every decision she made if she wanted to stand a fair chance at beating Sasuke.
Sasuke watched her intently, wondering just how much of Sakura's surface-admired intelligence she was about to put to good use.
Slowly, Sakura took a step forward. Sasuke moved left, and she answered with a diagonal step up to her left in turn, her pulse picking up pace a little. Only a single square separated them diagonally. If she put a foot wrong now, she would lose.
Focus, Sakura willed herself resolutely. You can win this. Ignore his staring. Just keep your eyes on the board. Cautiously, she weighed each of the five options available to her, before settling on a diagonal step up to her right. Sasuke's eyes narrowed at her choice as he realised her course of movement, and had no other alternative than to move onto the square to his left.
Immediately, Sakura moved forward, her stomach fluttering when Sasuke stepped left again. He was on the square right beside hers – but her next movement would take her behind him. And going backwards was against the rules.
Yes! She thought, allowing a small grin to dance upon her lips as she cast Sasuke a triumphant look and slipped diagonally up to her left, so that she was positioned directly behind him.
The scowl he directed back at her only made her success all the sweeter and more amusing. Smothering back a giggle, for Sasuke did not seem to be someone who would take kindly to being laughed at, Sakura commented casually, "I thought you don't lose."
Before she could complete the final step that would take her to the other end of the board and seal her victory, she felt resistance in her legs. More specifically, her feet. She didn't need to look down to know that the pretty gold shackles around her ankles were responsible for her sudden inability to move.
Alarmed, Sakura looked up to meet glowering dark eyes. He had not miscalculated; he had made all the right moves. He had just not anticipated that she would choose all the right ones at the first attempt, also. She'd only had to make one mistake, and he would have claimed his win.
But Sasuke, unaccustomed to suffering a defeat of any kind, was not about to admit that he had underestimated her. He regarded her aloofly down the barrel of his nose for a moment – before his glare completely vanished. Sakura drew in a sharp breath, all remnants of amusement evaporating as she watched the Death God's lips curve to form a smug imitation of a smirk – and one that was anything but friendly.
"I don't," he said, his gaze falling briefly and pointedly to her feet. Meeting her eyes again, he added, "You have not completed the final step."
Sakura's jaw dropped in disbelief. The jerk! She was all at once overcome with the terrifying urge to break something – a far safer alternative to wanting to wipe that infuriatingly stupid, stupid, damned sexy smirk off his face. She had won honestly, using nothing but brain power, and Sasuke, the sore loser, was not letting her claim her well-earned victory! Fuming internally, and flustered at her helplessness, she exclaimed, "You're cheating! I've won!"
She tried to focus on her legs, willed them with all her being to move, but her struggles were hopeless. She stiffened when Sasuke stepped forward, and her heart nearly leapt out of her throat when his left hand slid down her right side, before coming to a snug stop at the curve of her waist.
Leaning in close, he whispered, "I make the rules, Sakura."
It took every ounce of willpower to suppress the shudder that threatened to shoot down her spine when Sasuke exhaled lightly over the sensitive skin of her right ear. Then she said indignantly, "I followed the rules you gave me. I won fair and square- wha-!?"
Blessedly, he drew back, but not before grabbing hold of her left wrist and yanking her to follow him off the board and onto the steps encircling the lowered arena.
Bemused, but glad that her legs were back under her control again, Sakura looked on as he pulled back the lever set in the top ring of steps. To her amazement, the chessboard floor began to retract, and was soon replaced by the default, sandy base.
Curiosity overruled her need to complain, and prompted her to ask, "How many floors are there?"
"Many," Sasuke answered vaguely, which to Sakura was the equivalent of not answering at all. Without giving her a chance to pose any further questions, he ordered, "Prepare yourself."
A flitter of apprehension filled Sakura as she watched the death deity gracefully draw Kusanagi and take his position on the restored floor. He had lost the warm-up exercise, regardless of what he'd said, and Sakura was oddly sure that as a result, he would ensure that her main training drills were going to be exceptionally gruelling. Which was just perfect.
She joined him, unsheathing her own blade. Sasuke adopted a ready stance and Sakura nervously mirrored him. The time had come. Finally, they were going to begin physically sparring. Sakura had been dreading the moment all along, had hoped that he would have a different routine planned for her instead. She just prayed that he would not be too tough on her.
"-arry me," the Death God completed his instruction, and Sakura's distracted mind chose that second to tune in to what he was saying. She blinked, startled, her confused brain initially mishearing his words to be something else. What had he just said?
"Huh?" she double-took.
Sasuke looked mildly exasperated as he repeated, "I said, parry me."
Parry. Oh, of course that had been what he'd said. Sakura gave herself a mental shake as he began to circle her. For a long minute he said nothing, just prowled around her like a majestic lion closing in on his kill.
Sakura's posture bolted upright when the hilt of his sword prodded between her shoulder blades.
"Your back is your most vulnerable point. Always cover it."
Immediately she twisted, her sword raised protectively across her body.
Am I holding this right? Sakura asked herself. She felt more secure wielding her blade with both hands, and assumed that unless Sasuke stated otherwise, she was fine to hold it that way. They continued to circle one another, until Sakura's side-stepping movements gradually began to become less jittery.
"Keep an eye on your opponent's feet," Sasuke said next. "And be quick on your own."
She tensed as he abruptly stepped forward, swiping down at her ankles with Kusanagi. She stumbled away just in time to avoid his blade as it connected with the ground, sending particles of sand up into the air.
Sakura gulped. He wasn't going lightly. The force behind his strike indicated that he had absolutely no intention of easing her gently into the art of sword-fighting.
She watched his feet intently, trying to guess where he might move next. But her inexperience made her hesitant and uncertain. What if she read incorrectly? What if she couldn't dodge in time? She looked up questioningly when he suddenly stopped circling her.
"When I strike this way, raise your arms to parry me," he instructed, swiping down slowly with his back hand. Sakura lifted her arms, and Sasuke pressed his blade against hers. "Use the force of impact to deflect my attack. If your hold is too weak, you will be disarmed."
Sakura nodded, and he drew his sword back, swiping slowly once more, allowing her the opportunity to test out her newly learned reaction.
"Like this?" she met his sword with her own again.
He nodded.
"What about if you attack with your forearm?"
He adjusted his hold on his sword hilt accordingly. "This attack has less precision and power," Sasuke demonstrated. Sakura instinctively raised her sword to defend, striking against his blade.
"Hn," he scoffed, pulling his arm back for another go. "Use more power. Again."
She parried, putting more strength into the warding blow.
"Harder," he ordered sternly.
Frowning with effort, she struck her sword against his more forcefully – and was met with resistance when the death deity's arm held firm. Sakura thought it felt like she was pushing against an unwavering, unbreakable iron wall.
"When two blades are locked," Sasuke explained, "the battle becomes one of physical prowess – unless you are able to distract your opponent."
He stepped forward, and Sakura gritted her teeth, trying to hold ground. He wasn't even pushing anywhere near full power against her sword, and the strain on her muscles was already nearly unbearable. There was no way she could beat him physically, but maybe if she could utilise a distraction…
Her eyes moved back to his feet, and an idea suddenly occurred to her. She was smaller than he was. If she had another weapon, she could have tried dropping her blade and slipping around him before he could pull his arm back. That was how it played out in her mind, at least.
"Sakura," the Death God's admonishing voice drew her attention back to his face. "Never allow your opponent to read your intentions."
She flushed. He meant that he could read hers. Well, she had been looking down rather obviously…
"Would it have worked?" she questioned, referring to her intended strategy.
He gave her a condescending look that conveyed a resounding NO, before releasing the lock between their blades with a force that almost wrenched Sakura's sword from her grasp.
"To defend against a stab, parry your blade upwards," Sasuke tutored next. He jabbed lightly forward with his sword, and Sakura struck upwards – but her deflection was shaky and lacked stability. She knew from Sasuke's scowl that he considered her defence pathetic, and half hoped that he would give up on her. Instead he responded by stabbing more forcefully. Sakura yelped and instinctively deflected again – this time much more firmly.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, his mind forming a rapid conclusion based on the few observations he had made of her so far. When Sakura thought too carefully about her actions, her response time was slower. She was more stable when she acted on instinct, which meant he had to put her in situations that would force her to defend based on her gut reactions.
Without giving her an opportunity to recover, he closed in again, this time with a stab and a swipe. She parried back the stab, awkwardly warded off his swipe. He aimed at her head, and she ducked it, raising her sword unseeingly above her. In the next second, her feet had been swept out from underneath her and she landed ungraciously on her rear.
"Ouch!"
"Careless," Sasuke censured.
Sakura winced and brushed the sand off her skirt. "You aimed right for my head!"
"Your choice of defence was incorrect."
She grumbled, "I've never done this before, Sasuke."
"Hn," he dismissed, as if that wasn't anywhere near an acceptable enough excuse. "Get up."
She rose, and after drawing a deep breath, took her position again, deflecting the series of strikes Sasuke directed at her as best she could. He let her know whenever she moved incorrectly and left herself open to attack by angling the tip of his blade at her throat, his searing eyes silently disapproving, before continuing with a fresh sequence of attacks.
Slowly, Sakura began to become more familiar with the motions. She kept her eyes lowered as Sasuke had taught her to do, alternating her gaze between his feet and his left hand. Looking at his face, she'd quickly realised was pointless – no matter how strong the urge was to do so. Eventually they fell into a steady routine, with Sakura making fewer mistakes and managing more confident blocks. Sasuke spoke little and only when required to guide her reactions, allowing her to concentrate fully on reading his attacks and on her own footwork.
Then, gradually, the death deity began to pick up pace. He stabbed to her left, and she side-stepped away, raising her sword automatically to deflect his next swipe. When he struck at her head again she moved on instinct, hopping back to avoid him.
"Hn. Better," the death deity briefly acknowledged, but he was relentless. He went on the offensive once more, delivering blow after blow, and for a few adrenaline fuelled minutes the metallic clanging of steel against steel was all that Sakura could hear, along with the rushing of blood in her ears. She felt the muscles in her arms strain as he brought Kusanagi down with force, locking against her own sword.
"Too weak, Sakura," Sasuke mocked, lowering his face so that it was level with her own. Sakura ground her teeth with effort, pushing against his blade as strongly as she was able – when abruptly the pressure in her arms was released, and Sasuke circled around her again. Breathless with exertion, her posture slouched for an instant, her gaze lowering – and that split second was all Sasuke needed to slip behind her.
Her breath hitched in her throat at the feel of cool fingertips trailing down the underside of her right arm. The feather-like touch caused an unexpected jolt of electricity to pass through her, as Sasuke's voice murmured into her ear, "I told you to watch your back."
She swallowed as his fingers wrapped around her own and gently, insistently, began to pry her grip on the sword hilt lose. His other hand snaked around her left side, and began to slide toward her abdomen. The foreign sensations that followed in the wake of his movements disturbed and disconcerted her – yet she found that she couldn't move, her stumped mind still stunned by how quickly he had turned the tide against her. He was standing so close behind her that she could feel the heat radiating from his body.
This time she could not suppress the shudder that racked her spine when she felt him exhale over the sensitive skin of her ear. Unbidden, her fingers relinquished their hold on the blade.
"You have been disarmed," Sasuke breathed, as her blade fell to the floor with a dull thud. Sakura felt the kiss of cold metal as Kusanagi hovered at her throat. The fingers on her stomach curled, clutching at the fabric of her top. Flustered and angry at herself for being so diverted by his proximity, as well as the offending hand that had no right to invade her personal space, she grasped onto his left wrist with the intention to yank it off – and that proved to be her second mistake in a matter of minutes. Before she could even blink, the world had spun on itself and she found herself lying flat on the ground.
Sakura panted, fighting to swallow down oxygen. The fall had fractured the air cleanly from her lungs, swarmed her vision momentarily with stars. But her merciless tutor did not give her an opportunity to regain her bearings. She stiffened as Kusanagi stabbed into the dusty ground just inches away from her head. In an instant, Sasuke was hovering over her, his legs straddling her sides. Sakura's heart leapt to her throat as the death deity, with one hand still clutching his blade's hilt, lowered his head, close enough for strands of raven hair to tickle her face. Close enough for the tip of his aristocratic nose to nuzzle against the bridge of hers.
"You are distracted, Sakura," he taunted quietly, silkily. Immediately, heat bloomed into her cheeks, and Sakura averted her head to the right. She had the overwhelming urge to connect a fist right into that arrogant jaw. He knew how uncomfortable his closeness made her – and seemed to delight in using that fact against her.
She expected him to move away, but to her utter mortification, Sasuke leaned in further, dragging the tip of his nose down her left cheek. She felt the fingers of his right hand entangle in her tresses. Sakura's pulse thundered in response, and she felt another tremor shoot down her spine at the intimate contact – one wholly unrelated to fear.
Her efforts to ask him just what he thought he was doing by taking the liberty to touch her so freely were foiled by her treacherous tongue, which decided at that precise moment that it did not wish to articulate any coherent words.
"And if you are distracted..." Sasuke continued, the warmth of his breath causing her skin to tingle, "You invite your enemy to take advantage."
Sakura bit her lower lip. The bastard was mocking her. Anger burned in her throat, triggering her voice to return. "Please get off me," she finally managed to utter stiffly. His presence was overwhelming. She could scarcely draw breath. Her entire body was alive and responding to the crackling aura that encompassed him, her mind whirling from thoughts she didn't particularly want to consider. Like how even more beautiful and arresting his eyes were this close, how those eyes made her feel like she was burning on the inside, a feeling she couldn't understand, and more frighteningly, did not want to.
Her drumming pulse accelerated into even further agitation when Sasuke's smirking lips whispered emphatically into her ear, "Make me."
Wha-? Sakura thought incredulously. Was this some kind of game to him? If so, she decidedly did not like it, neither did she like the way it was causing butterflies to flutter frantically in the deepest pits of her stomach. She turned her face slightly, meaning to glare at him, to let him see how thoroughly upset she was – when she froze at the lightest brush of warm lips across her left cheekbone, a rendition of a phantom caress.
The fingers interlaced in her hair tightened. The lips hovered in place. Time seemed to suspend for an instant, in which all Sakura could hear was the racing of her own heartbeat – and then chaos erupted within her. She didn't care about being polite. She just wanted him off her. With a surge of strength that Sasuke had not expected, she lifted her arms and shoved him away with all her might, succeeding in pushing him back enough to slip out from underneath him. Breathing rapidly, she scrambled away, a hand raised to her burning left cheek, which felt like it had been scorched by the touch of flame.
Sasuke sat back languidly, nonchalantly, regarding her with fathomless eyes, and she would have believed that he thought nothing of the encounter, had her gaze not happened to chance upon his hands, curled into tense fists on the ground by his sides. His chest seemed to be heaving, as if he, too, was fighting to restore oxygen to his lungs. She looked bewilderedly back to his face, thrown by the buzzing thoughts that were ricocheting dizzyingly inside her skull. For a long, immeasurable moment, they stared at each other in crushing silence. And the longer Sakura gazed at him, the more she unnervingly felt like she was being drawn into bottomless black vortexes.
Then all manner of thinking stilled, and only one instruction remained. She needed to leave. She needed space. The training session, as far as she was concerned, was definitely over.
Making absolutely sure her eyes remained fixed on the death deity, Sakura fumbled for her sword, felt the reassuring coolness of its hilt beneath her seeking fingers, and quickly rose to her feet. The realisation that her entire body was pulsating from the sheer force of her heartbeat only served to escalate her distress further.
Swallowing thickly, she took her leave, paying little attention to the automatic words that fell from her lips. "I'm tired. Sorry, I-" she stared hard at her feet for a moment, before finishing tautly, "Excuse me."
She could feel Sasuke's heavy gaze piercing through her back as she turned rigidly away and hurriedly exited the training dome.
Sasuke's jaw clenched and he inwardly cursed as the rotating platform disappeared, carrying Sakura out of sight. He had not initially intended for his lips to connect with her cheek. But the softness of her skin had been so inviting, its apricot glow so lovely and enticing. Coupled with the sweet scent of her, his senses had been engulfed by irresistible allure, and he had gotten too close, far too close to pull away in time, even if he'd wanted to, when she had suddenly turned her face toward him.
And now she had left. He had read the startled confusion in her eyes, the sliver of dawning understanding as her gaze had noted the tension he had evidently failed to conceal from her. Raking his fingers through his hair in frustration, he angrily found himself questioning what need there was for him to do so. He was a god! And he had granted her time enough to adjust to his realm, far longer than what other immortals would have gifted her. The blood in his veins was alight with the need to be close to her. He could not understand it, yet that same, maddening need compelled him to reach out, to touch her. What had begun as a game on his part, pinning her beneath him to see how she would respond and break free, had ended up backfiring. He had wanted to do more than trace the curve of her cheekbone with his lips.
By Tartarus, what he had really wanted to do was-
'Great God.'
A familiar voice reverberated in his mind, the urgency behind its summoning call unmistakeable, causing Sasuke's features to cloud over further. The intrusion was an unwelcome one when he desired nothing more than to follow after Sakura – even when he knew the girl required space.
Rising and sheathing Kusanagi at his waist, the Death God took a few minutes to compose himself before flickering soundlessly out of sight.
Sakura burst into her bedchamber and headed straight toward the bathroom, twisting the lock roughly behind her. Her thoughts were hurtling at head-spinning speed. Had Sasuke just- had his lips really just…? She couldn't call it a kiss. It had been more of an instance of brushing, experimental contact.
It had set her face alight all the same.
Her initial stunned response was that it must have been an accident on his part. But upon reflection… she shook her head, dumbfounded by disbelief. No. It had not been unintentional. It couldn't have been; even a girl as inexperienced in men as she was had been able to read the unspoken intent in his body language. With his inhuman reflexes, the deity could have easily averted his face in time, but had chosen, instead, to allow his lips to linger lightly in place.
But why? Why? The question tortured her. Was it all some kind of cruel game to Sasuke? Some twisted manner of entertainment? Her throat and eyes burned with indignation. Was this how gods viewed and treated humans? Did they just decide, on a whim, to ensnare whichever hapless mortal it was who happened to be unfortunate enough to capture their attention? Did they leisurely play on their emotions before disposing of them as they wished?
That sounded nothing like the benevolent deities she had been taught about throughout her education.
The tips of her nails dug into her palms, hard enough to indent skin. She half hoped the pain would snap her out of the nightmare she was drowning in, but Sakura was now convinced Fate hated her and was determined to make an absolute mockery of her.
Was Sasuke, as she had thought all along, purposefully misleading her and testing her responses as part of some higher, godly agenda, or was he setting her a deathly trap? Or was it neither of those things? Was it even remotely possible - as outrageous and ludicrous as it seemed - that he genuinely did hold a baffling interest in her – one that clearly surpassed the simple need for detached observation?
Fresh heat assaulted her cheeks. Her brain was at war with itself. A naïve, foolish part of her that was still clinging to long shattered remnants of denial insisted that it hadn't meant anything. Sasuke was a Death God, and she was just an ordinary girl. Why would an almighty deity be drawn to her, of all people? Sakura didn't consider herself to be particularly beautiful. She could perhaps pass as pretty on the best of days, but stunning was a word reserved to describe other women. Like her mother. Or Ino and Hinata. There was no way Sasuke possibly found her physically attractive. It was a gross sin to even entertain such an idea. She would just forget that it had happened at all.
But the other, more significant part of her, the part that she suddenly felt had perhaps known the truth all along, was telling her to face the limelight. The unnerving physical contact. How he always seemed to make a point of initiating it. The way he stared so intensely at her. The fact he had even bothered to abduct her to begin with.
Oh, God, Sakura sucked in a deep breath, trying to get a grasp on her riotous emotions. I feel sick.
Gripping tensely onto the edge of the marble basin as it rapidly filled with water, she did not wait for it to reach its brim before telepathically calling out, 'Suigetsu!'
As if he had been expecting her summon, the water deity's face rippled immediately into existence.
'Pinky! Good timing. I was just about to-'
Not allowing him to finish, Sakura interjected, 'Why has Sasuke brought me here? What's the real reason?'
Suigetsu blinked up at her. 'Huh? This again? I already told you-'
'What does he want? What's he after?'
Suigetsu looked bemused. 'I've been asking myself the same thing,' he answered slowly. 'I've thought about it over and over. He can't just be after a screw or two.'
Sakura's vision was briefly unfocused by the threat of tears, which she miserably forced back. 'How can you say that so casually? I'm a human. He's a god-'
'Sakura,' the water deity communicated seriously, 'I wasn't kidding when I told you that gods have pursued mortal women in the past. Why can't you just accept that?'
'Because it's wrong!' Sakura mentally cried.
Suigetsu gave a telepathic snort. 'Sasuke doesn't seem to have a problem with it. I can sort of see why you're having a hard time stomaching it, though. Sasuke's never looked at any girl twice before. For a god who's as emotionally constipated as he is, this is a pretty earth-shattering development.'
'This is so wrong,' Sakura echoed again, clutching agitatedly at her tresses.
'Is it? Are you telling me you don't even find that bastard a little attractive?'
'What?' the bluntness of the question caught her off guard. 'I-'
Suigetsu wiggled knowing eyebrows. 'C'mon, Pinky; I know Sasuke's not as much of a catch as I am, but there has to be something about him that makes girls go all starry-eyed.' He scratched at his chin as he continued thoughtfully. 'Maybe it's that chicken-ass hair…' He blinked, before directing his attention back to her. 'Let me rephrase this. If Sasuke was Sasuke… but without all this Death-God-living-in-a-gloomy-haunted-neighbourhood baggage… would you be interested?'
'That,' Sakura tried to ignore the way her heart was pounding. Why was Suigetsu asking her such a thing all of a sudden? 'That has nothing to do with-'
'Can't you just answer the question?'
'I-' Sakura frowned down at him, conscious that the heat in her cheeks was likely giving out the wrong impression. 'He's rude, and arrogant, and selfish, and shameless! How can you even ask me that?'
Suigetsu rolled his eyes and released a dramatic sigh. 'Okay, listen. Sasuke's into you, like it or not. I don't think this is something that's just physical, either. You've got him running around, asking questions. He never asks questions. That bastard thinks he knows everything.'
'What?' Sakura was puzzled. 'What's he asking?'
'Never mind about that,' Suigetsu dismissed. 'Let's get back on point. Now, you've got two choices. You can either keep acting like a coy little schoolgirl – or you can actually work this whole thing to your serious advantage.'
'What are you saying?' Sakura demanded.
He flashed a suggestive grin. 'You know what I'm saying.'
'I'm-!' Sakura stuttered, flushing even more deeply in mortification. 'I'm not doing anything like that!'
'Whoa! Easy. I wasn't even thinking of that-'
'Liar!' she glared. She'd had enough interactions with the Ocean God to know that he was even more perverted than Naruto – something of a feat in itself.
'Heh,' Suigetsu chuckled. 'Alright, alright. I'm not telling you to let him jump you – you've got more sense than that, anyway. But you're gonna have to give him a little more than what you've been giving him so far. Which I'm guessing is nothing. Has he made a move on you, yet?'
Sakura's mind reeled from her recollections. Did touching her and initiating physical contact count as 'making a move' in that way? She did not know. Sasuke was intense one moment – and cold and dismissive the next. The swiftness and ease in which he alternated between the two extremes made her head hurt.
Suigetsu clarified, 'Has he…' here he pulled a sour face, '…kissed you yet?'
Sakura's face burned. She couldn't believe they were talking about kissing. How had it all come to this? Then she considered the question. Had he kissed her? She didn't quite know what the touch on her cheek had been. No, she decided. Definitely not a kiss. The mere thought of letting Sasuke do something so intimate struck her with inexplicable terror.
Mutely, she shook her head.
'No?' Suigetsu looked surprised. Then he winked. 'I admire your resilience. Most girls would have given in to temptation by now.' When Sakura simply stared back at him in disgust, he added seriously, 'Patience was never one of Sasuke's strongest traits. What's the hold up? I wouldn't have waited this long to-'
That was the primary reason why Sakura had, up to that point, refused to fully believe that Sasuke's intentions geared toward anything physical. Not allowing the water god to complete his sentence, she interrupted, 'I told you; I'm not flirting, or doing anything like that! And I'm definitely not going to let him do… that!' She finished heatedly, referring to the kissing.
'How else do you plan to get that asshole to lower his guard around you? You're a woman, Sakura. All women know how to flirt!'
'I don't!' she snapped back. 'And Sasuke probably knows that! What kind of person would I be if I tried to use that to trick a god?'
Suigetsu looked exasperated. 'Oh, please. Nobody's going to judge you. You've got my full permission to act disgracefully. I'll even put in a good word for you. It's no more than that asshole deserves.'
'But Sasuke-'
'Sasuke can't pass judgement on you until you're dead. And I already told you, he isn't going to kill you. So relax.'
'How can you be so sure? If he finds out-'
'Pinky, Pinky!' Suigetsu held up his hands. 'He's going through a heck of a load of trouble just to keep you here. He wouldn't bother if he planned on ending your life anytime soon.' Folding his arms across his chest, he reprimanded, 'Stop worrying about his feelings. You think he cared about yours when he brought you down here? He isn't going to find out. Just act on instinct, and think about it. Would it hurt to be a little nicer to him? I know,' he pounced, before she could give voice to her protests, 'I know you have no reason to be, because what kind of monster is he to abduct you in the first place? But if you want him to warm up to you, you'd better start batting those pretty eyelashes of yours.'
Sakura was caught between wanting to laugh at the absurdity of it all, and wanting to weep in horror. She could scarcely believe that a deity was seriously advising her to utilise seduction as a means to deceive a fellow god. Of course, women had used their charms over the centuries to bend men to their will. To trick them into getting what they really wanted. But Sasuke was no ordinary man. Surely he would not fall to such simple guiles. He would immediately be suspicious of her. And even if Sakura attempted such a hazardous thing, how could she possibly live with herself afterwards? She would essentially become the kind of woman she had always looked down upon and detested.
But… a tiny voice reasoned in her head. If it means freedom…
Suigetsu seemed to be thinking along the same lines. Scowling impatiently, he communicated, 'I don't know what's happening between you two, but you have to make a choice here, Sakura. What's more important to you? Your integrity or your freedom? If you want to play the perfect Girl Scout, you can kiss those blue surface skies goodbye. This isn't some kind of test. I know all this has been hard for you to take in, but if you really want out, something's gotta give. You've got to be prepared to make a sacrifice.'
The memory of Sasuke's fingers lacing in her hair, of his lips brushing fleetingly across her cheekbone, returned to plague her. Tears blurred her vision. This time she didn't bother restraining them. The true gravity of her situation was finally sinking in, and there was no more room for denial. Suigetsu's words were hitting home, and reality was echoing harshly in her skull, along with the urgent need to do something.
'I've heard you're a smart girl,' the Ocean God added, his features softening a little on witnessing her open distress. 'You can figure out a way to pull this off, and you can control how much you give. But that's what you've got to remember. You are in control here, as long as Sasuke wants you in his realm.'
Sakura opened her mouth, and began to whisper thickly, "Suigetsu, I…"
But Suigetsu's time was up. 'Someone's coming. We'll talk again later. Just keep in mind what I've told you, and beat that bastard at his own game. Later, Pinky.'
His face faded, and Sakura was left staring at her own reflection, the reflection of a troubled girl whose red-rimmed eyes were full of woe.
Author's note
So, Sakura finally gets concrete evidence, and Sasuke finally gets… err… something akin to a touch of some sort. It wasn't a kiss… let's distinguish between an almost hesitant, fleeting touch and a full out peck on the cheek. Now that Sakura is finally coming to terms with the kind of 'interest' Sasuke really has in her, things are about to get interesting.
Lots will be happening next chapter, including a tension filled surface scene. There will be a dream sequence next update too. The dance scene for those interested is also coming up in the next few chapters.
I'll do my best to update again before September, as I have the next one mapped out already in terms of content. I really appreciate feedback, so please kindly consider leaving a review, and see you next chapter. Thank you for reading.