Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Caution: Awkward chapter! Very awkward chapter!
Warning: Gory/bloody. (somewhat)
Puppet in Pink
18. Not the One
Let not the wise disturb
The mind of the unwise...
And do thy duty...rather than
Another's...
To die in one's duty is life:
To live in another's is death.
-The Bhagavad Gita
The building was silent. Silent and dark. The silence of a basic genin-level sound-proofing jutsu. The pink-haired girl closed her eyes—they were useless now, anyway.
A gray glow in that corner. Gray, color of wisdom, color of scrolls. She crept over to it, letting herself blend with the dark; drawing in her aura until she was just another statue in the dusty room. A smashed display case surrounded by a heap of scrolls tossed aside.
The placard dangling rakishly from the exhibit told, in the flowery language museums seem to prefer, that the glass case laying in shards on the floor had held the katana of a famous swordsman.
Sakura couldn't resist a smirk. Typical bandit-rogues. That was what they wanted—good, solid, earthly weapons. Weapons that they could hold, grasp, test the keen blade on the nearest living thing. That was what they all wanted. And the scrolls were just thrown to the side without a glance, like so much rubbish...
A stealthy hand scooped up the rolls of papyrus and slipped them with care into the depths of a ragged shoulder bag.
One man's trash is another's treasure...
The saying had never made more sense than it did to her.
Naruto raced through the alley, vaulting trash cans and sending the city rats scurrying. "Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan! Where are you?!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.
The time-bomb's ticking reverberated in his ears like a cynical heartbeat. He knew it wouldn't stop, the ticking wouldn't cease, until the bomb had exploded. And then it would be too late...
He could smell his own fear.
"Sakura-chan!!!" His voice rose to a desperate, high-pitched wail, making dogs he couldn't see howl madly in reply. How dare they...thinking they could sympathize with his loss...
"Shut up about yer girlfriend, stupid brat!" The old woman, hair wrapped in curlers like a shiny mutant wig, slammed the window shut, not before chucking a vase in Naruto's direction.
"Yikes!" the boy yelped, leaping to the side as the porcelain shattered like a splash of white water. He let out a breath, a discouraged sigh.
The time-bomb mercilessly counted the seconds against his eardrums. It was getting louder, so loud, so loud he couldn't feel himself curl up instinctively in waiting.
But he did feel the blast.
A raven-haired boy crouched against a chimney. The soot-stained brick caught on the cloth of his shirt, right over the symbol he wore on his back.
Surprisingly, he didn't feel the sting of the memories attached to that simple icon. But he was drunk on the voices; he could have set himself on fire and felt nothing until his death.
Oh, he liked this new voice, yes he did, he could listen to it all day without a negative word. Because this voice flattered him, praised him for the powers he had, and some that he didn't. This voice was his. His friend.
Rescuing that idiot girl and the brat would be an excellent time to remind those wimps who call themselves 'ninjas' about the meaning of the term 'genius'...it sneered in sinister encouragement. Sasuke said nothing, nodded enthusiastically like a child.
Suddenly, the world exploded into a blindingly bright flash of crimson. The red was all there was to see.
And then it was gone. Angry neon dots swarmed Sasuke's vision. He blinked them away and switched on his Sharingan eyes. Was that really an explosion of chakra? Or something else...?
He blinked again as he focused on the source of the energy. The voice whispered in his ear.
This is the perfect time...the perfect time to play hero, the time to save the day...
Blood coated the walls of the high-ceilinged room like a layer of bright paint. It was splashed over the rows of tan, vinyl-covered seats, pooling in the aisles and staining red carpets a deeper scarlet tinted with brown. It trickled down the sign that read "Museum Auditorium" in raised, gilded letters, covering the words in a cleanly messy way.
The room was decked with fragments of humans, in all types and sizes. Some stood out prominently like they had been arranged by a professional decorator; others followed the more subtle style, crunching underfoot like twigs in a forest. An arm dangled cheerfully from a balcony railing, a head rested serenely on the speaker's podium, staring at the world through bulging olive eyes.
All was silent, save for the delicate drip of blood...and that unnatural electric hum, echoed in the pulsing crimson light that hung like a residue in the air.
Three figures hurried up the stairs of the stately brick building. They stormed inside, hoping they weren't too late. Prepared to be attacked, to be ambushed, to be challenged by hordes of shinobi hiding in the shadows...
The hall was dark and empty, except for a single ray of scarlet light that slithered from a half-open door. The sign on the wall above it read "Museum Auditorium" in bold black print. They threw it open, rushed through to their fate. Drew in a collective gasp at the sight that greeted their eyes.
Eeep...such a dreadfully awkward chapter...the next one will be awkward too. Guaranteed (bows apologetically). I don't want to make Sakura appear too powerful, but don't worry—she's gonna have plenty of problems. If you have any minor suggestions on how I could make this chapter less...I dunno, weird, then please tell me! I'm more than willing to rewrite this chapter if I could make it any better!
And thanks so much to all you guys who told of experiences with that breed of psychotic teacher. It helps to know I'm not the only one! At least it's not my math teacher who's doing this...math is most definitely my worst subject...(sigh) I started one of those C2 things...though I don't know what to do with it...does anyone have a clue as to what they are? Does anyone else have one?
I say this every chapter: Try to review! Maybe they should make that request a standard thing...y'know, like those annoying godforsaken disclaimers...