Pompeii
Chapter 46
jaylene

Sakura traced along the salt circle with her feet, slowly making her way around the clinic and apartment. Sai and Yamato were her silent shadows, but she could sense their nervous energy. The lines of salt were no thinner than an inch at any given point and in the areas behind the building the design swirled outward into what appeared to be runes. Sakura sneezed, rubbing her nose at the sheer force of the magic within the salt.

It completely encircled her property.

"What do you think?" Yamato asked, scrubbing a hand through the coarse hairs at the back of his neck.

"It's quite strong," Sakura said, bending down to examine a rune that appeared to be an inverted 'g.' "How much energy did the two of you have to put into it?"

"Shizune assisted," Sai said. "She's been shoring up power within artifacts for decades."

When Sakura still looked concerned, Yamato took her hand in his and patted it. "Sai and I will be running low for a few days, but our apartment and yours are impenetrable."

"And salt alone will do this?" Sakura asked, thinking back to the memorable baking experience where Ami mistook salt for sugar when baking a chocolate chip cookie pie. Perhaps Ami was trying to ward their apartment.

"It's more than salt," Sai said, staring at the different designs. "It's imbued with our magics and our intent. It's able to assess the motives of those who touch its borders and keep them from crossing if they hold hostile intentions."

" You—we'll be safe," Yamato said.

Sakura nodded, a slow smile overtaking her face. "Well, alright then. Thank you both for your kindness and generosity. I guess we can begin your restoration period with a movie marathon. How do you feel about Studio Ghibli films?"

Yamato and Sai glanced at each other before shrugging.

"Oh are you two in for a treat," Sakura said, herding them toward the front door.

"Sakura?"

The trio whirled and Sakura grinned.

"Kakuzu! It's been awhile!"

"Has it?" Kakuzu stepped across the salt, shuddering slightly. He looked between Sai and Yamato's thunderous scowls. "Which of you included the sting in the protection spell?"

Sakura glanced between the men, frowning at Yamato and Sai. She wasn't sure if they were being overzealous or, considering the attitude of the town, properly cautious. Still, as she met Kakuzu's slightly confused gaze, Sakura knew that he didn't mean her any harm. Besides, he'd crossed the barrier of salt just fine.

"It'll be fine," Sakura said, looking meaningfully at Yamato and Sai. "Go ahead and get My Neighbor Totoro queued up; I'll be up shortly."

Sai was the first to turn away, clapping a hard hand on Yamato's shoulder and pulling the glaring man away.

"I hadn't realized they moved in," Kakuzu said, smiling slightly as he looked at Sakura. "A lot has changed these past few days, huh?"

Sakura frowned slightly, letting Kakuzu into the clinic. "Kakuzu, it's been a year since I last saw you."

Kakuzu's eyes went wide and he stumbled as he crossed the threshold. Sakura caught his arm, helping to take a seat. He sat down heavily, placing his head in his hands.

"Are you alright?" Sakura asked, rubbing a hand over his.

"When am I?" Kakuzu asked.

"Well, the last time I saw you was at the Uzumaki party closing out the old year. It's been over a year since then. We've just ushered in a new year. The Uzumaki I'm sure completed the same rituals as last year but without all the fanfare; it was a private affair."

"Private?" Kakuzu asked. "The winter solstice festival has been opened to the public for centuries. There's no way that the Uzumaki of all clans would suddenly close it off."

Sakura grimaced. "Well, a lot has changed in the year since your disappearance."

In halting starts and stops, Sakura told him of current climate in Pompeii, the mysterious illness, and the turn of its citizens upon her. Kakuzu stayed silent throughout, but kept his hand over hers, squeezing at the specific intervals wherein Sakura discussed Pompeii's attitude toward her.

"A lot has happened while I've been away," Kakuzu said when Sakura fell silent. "More than anything that's happened in the past few decades."

"Where were you?" Sakura asked. "Do you normally disappear for months on end like that?"

Kakuzu shook his head, eyes curving up into a smile above his mask. "No, it isn't normal. Usually I'm better able to keep track of the passage of time. I was in the fifty-second dimension which tends to cause one's mind to wander far beyond time and space but…" He fell silent, brows knitting together with concern.

"But what?" Sakura prompted.

"I tried crossing back here a few times," Kakuzu said. "I was…unable to. I had to jump among a few dimensions to finally make my way back here, which has never happened before."

"Something prevented you from returning?" Sakura asked. "How is that even possible?"

Kakuzu shrugged in a particularly blase manner, but Sakura could read the concern in his eyes. "There was some sort of barrier between myself and Pompeii. I couldn't reenter this reality. I was able to brush up against the barrier though and it felt…cosmological in nature."

"Meaning?" Sakura asked.

"The essence of it was ancient, beyond myself or any of the denizens of Pompeii. I've felt such things before, rarely, in my travels." He squeezed her hand. "It is something that has existed since the beginning."

"The beginning of what?" Sakura asked, a trickle of fear trailing down her spine.

"The beginning of all," Kakuzu said. "The beginning of both natural and unnatural existence."

Sakura read the spark of fear in Kakuzu's eyes and felt her body go cold all over. For Kakuzu, a being who sifted the fabrics of time and space easily, to be frightened scared her even more. What could she possibly bring to the table? Sakura curled her ragged fingernails into her palms, scowling. Though there was little she could offer, she'd offer it still. That had to mean something.

It had to.

"It has been awhile since I last saw you here."

Sakura glanced up, fighting the urge to fidget guiltily as she met Hiruzen's gaze. She smoothed back her hair, knowing it was a futile gesture in the face of the war the magical books waged against her. The books on philosophy and the existence of the universe were apparently quite finicky about being handled and they weren't afraid to let her know it.

"Things have been busy," Sakura said, trying to keep from being defensive.

"Ah, you mean the tongues of the town have been busy," Hiruzen said knowingly. Sakura flushed but did not disagree. "Unfortunately, Pompeii is kept running not by magic but by the gossip mill."

"Sir?" Sakura said.

Hiruzen smiled, softening his harsh features to those of a genial elder. "Pompeii has abused you quite harshly. They've forgotten the services you've so willingly provided far too quickly. We may be long-lived creatures, but our memories appear to be much shorter lived."

"You still do not believe this is my fault?" Sakura asked, chest tight with relief.

"Of course not," Hiruzen said. "You, unlike many, have been seeking out the source." He nodded to the pile of books. "Few have even considered coming by the library to use its knowledge. Besides, you know as well as I that there are far more likely candidates than you. The trees are the vessels for the attacks. I can think of only one individual who could possibly command the trees to act in a way so adverse to their nature."

Sakura's face fell. As much as she disliked Hashirama, especially the cold, easy calculation in his eyes whenever he looked at her, she didn't think he'd destroy Pompeii. She'd seen his deep love for the town, quiet but profound. "Is he the only one with such abilities? Certainly, everyone seems to think he's some sort of unique prodigy but he cannot be the only person to possess these particular gifts."

Hiruzen eyed her with contemplation. "Perhaps," he said. "Hashirama himself has experienced great tragedy in his life that may have driven him to such lengths. He lost two brothers in a skirmish with some nonmagical folk, centuries ago. Perhaps he believes he can bring them back, should he harness the powers of others. Besides, no one else with such power exists in Pompeii's history."

Sakura glanced down at the books in her arms. "Maybe not in its written history," Sakura said. "No one has recorded a firsthand account of Pompeii's founding, right?"

"As far as we know," Hiruzen said. "All is legend and speculation; secondhand accounts that create legends larger than life."

"Perhaps they were more accurate than you think," Sakura said, thinking to the knights in the forest. "If nothing else, Pompeii has taught me that truth is far stranger than fiction."

Hiruzen chuckled, patting her shoulder. "You may be right, my dear. Would you like me to go ahead and check out your books?"

"One moment," Sakura said, running back to the shelves. She scanned them, grabbing one and adding it to her pile.

"Legends and Tales of Our Supernatural Beginnings," Hiruzen read, glancing quizzically at Sakura.

"Legend and speculation," Sakura said, smile wry. "This is a land where everything is larger than life. What better stories to explore than those of the gods among the supernatural? Perhaps they will have some extraordinary solution to the problem on our hands."

"I hope you find what you're looking for," Hiruzen said softly, leading her toward the front doors.

"As do I," Sakura replied, nodding her thanks as he opened the door for her.

She stopped dead in her tracks.

Ahead of her, out in the courtyard of the library stood Tobirama, his arms crossed over his dark trench coat and green scarf. He was pale, paler than usual and Sakura knew it was the sickness within him. The stripes upon his face stood out clearly against his unhealthy translucent skin.

"Tobirama," Hiruzen greeted, face unreadable as he moved to stand beside Sakura. "Are you feeling better? Hashirama let me know you'd fallen ill."

"I couldn't stay in bed," Tobirama said, eyes focused intently on Sakura. She kept her gaze averted. He looked angry. And, considering the topic of her conversation with Hiruzen earlier, she couldn't bring herself to look at him. It seemed unlikely for the brother of the potential perpetrator to show up so soon after the conversation. "There is too much going on to stay idly by."

"And are you coming in?" Hiruzen asked mildly, ignoring the tension between Tobirama and Sakura.

"I can't," Tobirama said reluctantly, sneering up at them. "Why have you blocked the entrance against me? I thought all were free to learn here."

"They are," Hiruzen said. "I am not the one preventing you from using the library's facilities."

"Oh yeah?" Tobirama's lips curled in pain as he looked at Sakura. "Are you erecting the barrier?"

"She is not responsible for it either," Hiruzen said, voice still calm even in the face of Tobirama's raw emotion. "The library is an extension of Pompeii itself; I nor anyone else has control over its whims."

Tobirama reared back in offense, hands flashing briefly with gold energy. "What are you implying, Sarutobi?"

"Was that not clear enough for you?" Hiruzen asked blandly. "Allow me to be frank: Pompeii is the power here. If you are unable to walk up the steps of the library, then it must be because Pompeii wants it to be so. The question you should be considering is why Pompeii would do such a thing? It is rare for Pompeii to actually intercede in the physical realm. What have you done to incur the wrath of the town?" Tobirama's eyes flashed to Sakura for but a moment before returning to Hiruzen, but Hiruzen caught it. "It seems you have some idea as to Pompeii's reason for doing this."

Tobirama opened his mouth for a moment before quickly closing it. He shook his head, turning away from them. Sakura and Hiruzen watched until he disappeared.

"Thank you," Sakura said, warmed by Hiruzen's defense of her.

Hiruzen smiled. "I like to fancy myself an observant individual. I pay attention to the town and those it likes or dislikes. You, my dear, are well liked by Pompeii. The town is a far better judge of character than myself or any of the other denizens. Do not give up hope yet."

Sakura shifted the books before reaching out to loop an arm around Hiruzen's neck. "Thank you for believing me."

"Of course, my dear. Here," Hiruzen gently turned her toward the courtyard once more. Now the pink brick led up to circle lining her apartment. "Head on home. The library is open to you whenever you need it."

The quiet movement of water lulled Sakura as she flipped through the pages of the book. In her periphery, Marigold and Daffodil practiced swordplay with weapons that creaked with each strike against one another. The small shrine was an oasis in a sea of uncertainty, untouched by the dark mysteries of the forest. Truly, Sakura thought it the best location to attempt to unravel said mysteries.

She skimmed entries of land masses rising from fights among veritable titans, more interested in stories taking place after the formation of this world.

She paused on a story about deposing a magic drunk tyrant with unnatural fruit, tracing over the illustration that accompanied the text. "Peaches," she murmured, eying the swollen fruits in contemplation.

Perhaps it was an unhappy coincidence, an odd tie between magic and this particular fruit. Sakura closed her eyes, a shadow of the sweet scent filling her lungs.

Perhaps not.

Something tapped the side of her head and Sakura flinched, turning to the source. Marigold stood there, the butt of its sword sliding down to rest against Sakura's shoulder. It clutched the battered sheath within its hand, marigolds spilling over across the sword.

"Sorry," Sakura said, smiling up at the knight. "Did I zone out?"

Daffodil came up alongside Marigold, slapping the back of its helmet. Daffodil seated itself beside Sakura, leaning against her shoulder.

"I was just reading through the stories," Sakura said, sighing as she flipped through the pages listlessly. "I hoped for some answers. So far, not much has come up, but hope springs eternal…"

Daffodil patted her arm in sympathy.

"Actually, I did have some questions for you," Sakura said, pondering on what Hiruzen told her earlier. "Are you, by chance, related by blood to the thing that's harassing Pompeii?"

Marigold tapped its foot twice.

Sakura swallowed against a suddenly dry throat. Perhaps Hiruzen was right about Hashirama, though she didn't want to believe it. "I know that the Maiden was involved the last time the forest acted up. What did she do specifically? Did she fight the entity?"

Marigold tapped twice for yes while Daffodil tapped once for no.

They looked at each other, crossing their arms.

Sakura frowned at the conflicting answers. Unfortunately, there was little they could do to communicate the apparent complexities across the simplistic channel they'd created.

"In the end, she sacrificed herself," Sakura said, tracing along the gilt of the book's lettering. "Is there any way to avoid the sacrifice of the self?"

The two knights turned their attention to her, but they did not respond.

Sakura felt a chill run down her spine and she rubbed at her arms.

"Yeah," she said, pausing to clear her throat at the thickness that lodged there. "That was what I was afraid of."

They stayed in silence for several long moments as Sakura contemplated the worn, tidy shrine across the pond from her. The Maiden, whoever she was, had been willing to give her life for this place, before it was even Pompeii.

"So," Sakura said softly, keeping her gaze to the book. "Where did this grand showdown take place?"

Golden light filled her peripherals. Sakura blinked before lifting her head. All of the hairs on her neck and arms stood on end.

At the very edge of the protective circle of the sanctuary, a will-o'-the-wisp bounced up and down, a buoy on a waveless ocean of air. Twenty feet beyond it, Sakura saw another, and another further beyond it.

The forest was beckoning to her.

The two knights stepped in front of her, hands to their swords.

"It's alright," Sakura said, shaking her head. "It hasn't come to that; it won't come to that. I won't let it."

She stood, stepping around until she was alongside the shrine. Sakura placed her hand on it, a sense of calm overcoming her in the moment. Silvery wisps of light threaded over and across her hand, encircling her wrist.

"It won't end the same way this time."

Sakura tiptoed through the garden, clutching the notice-me-nots close to her chest. Imbued as they were with an enhancement from Shizune, Sakura knew no one was going to see her but she couldn't keep from being nervous as she heard voices from within the house.

She did her utmost to ignore them, focusing instead on the lattice that trailed upward to a small balcony. Sakura tucked the packet of notice-me-nots into her bra, pulling on her gloves before testing the lattice. It was, as she expected, quite sturdy beneath her grip. Thorns bit into the gloves, but left Sakura's skin unscathed. Sakura hoisted herself onto the lattice, trying to avoid crushing the pale purple roses as she climbed. She swung herself over the railing of the balcony, landing softly.

The curtains were drawn and Sakura looked in.

The room was tidy and rich with all sorts of wall hangings and maps. A large desk filled with books and knick knacks stood in one corner. In the other was a large bed piled high with blankets. Beneath those blankets lay Ino, face waxy and wan even at this distance.

Sakura pressed at the door, unsurprised to find it locked. She wiggled her credit card between the double doors, shaking her head when, after a few moments of maneuvering, the doors swung open.

The lack of security was appalling, though it certainly explained how Kin and the rest survived even as veritable outcasts of Pompeii.

She pressed into the room, hating the stale taste of magic and medicine that lingered heavily in the air. It was nearly suffocating and Sakura knew it wasn't good for Ino, magical disease or no. No one needed to live like this.

Sakura approached the bed, heart sinking the closer she got to Ino. Ino's face was sunken and pallid, aging her far beyond her supernatural youthfulness. For once, she almost looked her true age. Lines of sickly green ran close to the surface beneath her skin, interconnected pathways that didn't follow any normal physiological pattern. Sakura guessed that they traced the veins of magic that wove throughout Ino's very being, marking her essence as different from that of a human. Patches of skin were covered with dull feathers, many shed among the blankets that encompassed her body.

Sakura swallowed against her suddenly dry throat, as she came face-to-face with the extent of Ino's illness. Ino was a latecomer to the sickness, the symptoms appearing only a week and a half ago. How much worse off were the early victims?

How much closer to death were they?

Sakura pulled the notice-me-nots away from her skin and brushed Ino's sweaty hair out of her face.

Ino stirred, blinking bleary cornflower blue eyes. "Sakura?" she asked in a husky voice.

"Hey," Sakura greeted, movements gentle as she began to braid Ino's hair out of her face. She didn't ask how Ino was doing. They both knew it was a trite question and Sakura feared the answer. She strummed a thumb across Ino's far too pronounced cheekbone. "I've missed you."

"I miss you too," Ino said. She startled, grabbing Sakura's hand as she struggled to sit up. "Do my parents know you're here? They're angry, even though I told them—"

"It's alright," Sakura soothed, showing her the notice-me-nots. "I hadn't realized how unusual the potted flowers you've gifted me with were until Yamato told me. Were you preparing for a situation like this?"

Ino huffed a laugh, for a moment looking younger and brighter. "I am all knowing."

Sakura grinned, turning Ino's hand palm up so she could trace spiraling patterns over it. "I should listen to you more often."

"You should," Ino agreed. She clamped her hand around Sakura's fingers, waiting until Sakura looked at her. "Listen to what I'm saying now. You need to leave Pompeii."

"What?" Sakura flinched away from her.

"Pompeii is getting worse," Ino said. "I hear them talking sometimes, when they think I'm sleeping—you have to leave. It's too dangerous for you to stay."

"Ino—"

"No!" Ino said, grimacing before falling back into her bed. She coughed and Sakura eased her back into a more comfortable situation. "Sakura, please." Tears streamed down her face as her voice rasped out of her chest. "I love you. You can't die a pointless death; not here, not for Pompeii."

"I won't," Sakura said, bowing her head over Ino's until their foreheads nearly touched. "I won't. But I'm not leaving, not yet. If I must…well, I'm making arrangements."

"Good," Ino said, eyes falling shut. "Good. I'm so tired…"

"Rest," Sakura replied. "All will be well soon." She leaned in and pressed a kiss to Ino's forehead.

She tucked the notice-me-nots back into her clothing, watching as Ino drifted into an uneasy sleep.

"I love you too." Sakura said, taking one last look at Ino before stepping out onto the balcony. "And I won't be repeating history."