Hey goise. :3
Enjoy this latest update! These two now officially mark the end of all the chapters I had written up in advance. -.-''
Promises Not Made are Promises Never Kept
Flashback Twenty-Three: Burn
Dark dark so dark and it felt so good so warm so alive little things in front of him yummy delicious weak perfect wanted them needed them hungry craving BLOOOOOOD-
Sasuke awoke with a start to see a relieved face above him. One that he knew and understood and desired so completely it hurt-
"HAKU!"
He leaped up into a sitting position, catching the other across the chest and burying his face into the other's clothing, letting the smell of snow and lilies engulf him as he clung to the older boy.
"Are you okay?" He asked, voice muffled as Haku embraced him. He felt so alive and warm and it made Sasuke almost want to cry- "Are you okay? Oh Gods I was so scared-!"
"I'm well, dearheart," Haku breathed softly, rubbing the boy's back reassuringly. "For you, I will always be well. You were the one we were worried about."
Opening his eyes, Sasuke gazed over Haku's shoulders to drink in the foreign, sparsely decorated room that had only one window, two doors and two plain beds. Noises of a bustling street crept upwards through the window, hinting to Sasuke that they were at least higher than the second floor of the building. He immediately saw Tyra leaning against the wooden dresser that the TV sat on, her arms crossed, and she smirked slightly at him and gave him a little nod before his eyes continued on. In the middle of the room stood Zabuza, looking at him with something akin to worry over Haku's shoulder. Sasuke managed to smile weakly at him, and the man seemed to visibly relax as he looked away to the window that was letting sunlight stream in, hands in his pockets. Ah, now the boy understood. Zabuza couldn't look weak in front of his little gal pal. The idea almost made Sasuke laugh.
But he didn't see the young girl, and he was relieved. He wasn't confused about her anymore.
Just afraid.
"What happened?" He finally asked, releasing Haku. As Haku sat beside him on the edge of the bed, Sasuke raised a hand and touched Haku's shoulder softly. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"
"No, they didn't," Haku reassured him, lifting a hand to take Sasuke's within it and hold the younger boy's palm to his cheek. Haku's skin was warm and soft and comforting beneath Sasuke's touch, and the young boy sighed. "They weren't allowed to." Moving Sasuke's hand to his lap and embracing it with both of his, Haku continued. "Some great beast saved us. Tore all of those wicked men apart. I can't say I'm not grateful for it, but…" Haku shrugged, and looked away with a troubled expression on his face. Sasuke's stomach rolled in nervousness, even as Haku's thumb caressed the back of his hand. "The way in which the creature dispatched those men was… gruesome. As if it enjoyed ripping those poor people apart." He shrugged, mostly to himself, before looking back to Sasuke and smiling. "It saved us though, so I suppose I can't complain, right? It saved you, and I am forever in that beast's debt." Raising a hand, he touched Sasuke's cheek softly. "I never would've been able to forgive myself if I had let something happen to you."
This made Sasuke smile as his heart swelled. Turning his face into Haku's touch, he nuzzled it.
Funny. He thought happily. I could say the same thing about you.
He was so, so relieved.
It's okay. He still loves you.
"It's good to see you're okay, brat," Zabuza stated as he walked over to the bed, ruffling Sasuke's hair. "You were asleep the entire first day we were here."
This made Sasuke blink.
"We're here?" He asked breathlessly. "We made it?" He looked around more attentively now, drinking in the faded wallpaper, old carpet and too-clean sheets. "We're in Andora?"
"Yep," Zabuza replied, almost proudly. "It was a bit of a pain in the ass, but we finally did." He eyed his student a little more seriously. "Did you manage to get a look at what saved you? I wanna find whatever it was that did it and thank it. The number it did on that asshole guide was just fantastic." Sasuke could tell the man relished the memory as he gazed dreamily upwards. "The blood… oh the blood and guts were just everywhere!"
Sasuke blinked and realized he had absolutely no memory of what happened.
At least, he thought he didn't.
"Ah, no," he replied, honestly enough even as he felt his nerves begin to quiver again. "I guess I got knocked unconscious."
Zabuza seemed a little disappointed but shrugged, patting Sasuke on the shoulder.
"It's okay. It doesn't matter," he told the boy. "What matters is that both you and Haku are safe, and the bitches responsible for making you not safe were given very unpleasant deaths. That's all I can ask for." He smiled at Sasuke from under the bandages. "Rest, okay? Get your strength back. We'll get you some food and then we'll go look around the town. I'm sure you'll find it exciting."
He turned away, Sasuke noticed that Tyra wasn't in the room anymore, and Haku smiled at him, leaning forward to plant a kiss on Sasuke's cheek.
"I'm so happy you're okay, my dear," he breathed, running his fingers through Sasuke's hair lovingly as the younger boy rested his head on the other's shoulder with a smile. "We'll be back soon."
With that, Haku and Zabuza departed, leaving Sasuke very alone.
He wasn't entirely sure he liked that, and he pouted, feeling vulnerable.
Swallowing, he looked down at his hands. He couldn't see any blood on them, but they felt hot – as if they were burning with it.
He felt dirty. Dirty and scared and so horrifyingly strong-
What was that? What did that?
"I'm sure you're not surprised you're drained."
He jumped, pushing himself back against the headrest at the words as the second door across from the bed opened, Tyra walking out of it and drying her hands with a towel. Wordlessly, she gave him an easy half-smile, and Sasuke allowed his eyes to drop by her knees.
The girl stood there, eyes big and black and full of nothing.
"What did you do to me?!" Sasuke stammered, feeling his heart in his throat. "What have you done?! What kind of Jutsu lets you-?!"
"That was no Jutsu, Sasuke," the girl stated simply, walking over to him. Tyra moved as well, but to the single dresser, setting the towel atop it as her gaze went back to her blonde charge. "That was simply you. Don't be frightened. It was beautiful."
"You're a monster!" Sasuke bit out, realizing only after how hypocritical that sounded. "I don't know what you did, but-!"
"I allowed you to protect the one that you love," she interrupted emotionlessly, the simple statement making the boy fall silent as he stared at her. Climbing up onto the bed, she sat in front of him and crossed her legs, dress shifting to cover her knees. "There is something great and horrifying within you, Sasuke," she began as he gazed solemnly at her. "It is terrible, and you must keep watch over it. It can be your greatest ally. It can protect you and everything you'll ever hold dear. It can allow you to never experience defeat or death. But it is dangerous, and it will destroy you and everything around you if you are weak. Your past haunts you like a ghost, and you must keep it at bay. There is much darkness in your heart…" she raised a hand, and touched his forehead softly even as he winced away from her fingertips. At the contact, he felt his heart grow warm, and his chest tingled pleasantly without his consent. "But darkness is only a bad thing if you allow it to be. You have a chance to do great things, child. Terrible, but great." She withdrew her fingers, and Sasuke suddenly found himself turning cold as he opened his eyes to gaze at her. Suddenly, those big black eyes didn't seem as terrifying as before. It frightened him that he suddenly felt at peace in this girl's presence, and he couldn't deny the terror that came with the easiness.
What had she done to him?
Silently, the girl turned away from him and slid off the bed, moving towards the exit door. Tyra, who had silently resumed the position Sasuke had initially saw her in at the dresser, watched her charge pass her before standing straight and silently following.
Before she reached the door, however, the little girl paused and turned to look at Sasuke silently over her shoulder.
"You must be careful with yourself, Sasuke Terranova," she stated as Tyra paused as well. "If you do not, everything around you will burn." Her eyes seemed to darken as she turned back towards the door. "Again."
Sasuke swallowed thickly, unable to say a word as the two vanished, and he knew he had questions and knew he wanted to ask them, but at the same time he knew they wouldn't be answered.
He got the feeling that she would not elaborate anymore than what was already said.
Sasuke… Terranova…
He closed his eyes. For some reason, the name seemed to fit him perfectly, and he was a little bitter about it. She ruins everything he thought he knew of himself, and she decides to name him? What nerve.
Still. He couldn't deny the kinship he felt with the word.
Terranova. Terranova.
"Terranova…"
Yes. I am a Terranova now.
And I can't let it happen again.
End Flashback Twenty-Three: Burn
Oh my!
Did you enjoy? I hope you did.
The conclusion of the battle is up next!
Much love,
DDB
