Lurking Within
(Part 1 of the trilogy)
Chapter 13: Vicious cycles
He was accustomed to the darkness and the solitary that his life brought. In fact, on nights when he is reminded of his humanity, Sasuke desperately sought after it. It both comforted and alienated him from the outside world. Turning over in his cot, Sasuke focused on the moon visible through the bars of his window. Was his teammates watching the moon too? Even miles away, Sasuke can't help but feel the thin thread of fate that connected him and his teammates in Konoha. The creeping feeling of melancholy and nostalgia shifted a strange feeling, stirred something, and he fought hard to push it away; instead focusing harder on the darkness that surrounds him. He can't afford to be distracted. The justice and vengeance for his family rests on his shoulders. Even Naruto's bright smile, Sakura's loving viridian eyes, and Kakashi's strong presence, will not distract him from his goal; to slaughter his once beloved aniki, the way he did to their family.
Shutting his eyes from the useless thoughts running through his mind, Sasuke embraced the lulling darkness once more. Tomorrow his plan for revenge will bear fruit. He will finally be one step closer to not only destroying Itachi for killing his family but also for killing the person he would've been; in another future, Uchiha Sasuke would have been a great man.
It had took longer than expected to not only find the hidden base but also for reinforcements to arrive. The original team was forced to waste an extra day as they waited for confirmation of orders and the backup from Konoha. It did not go well with Naruto but the threat of the squad resigning had quelled the beast. Once everything was in order, Neji took full command with Kakashi as co-captain.
"It's time, get ready." Neji signaled.
Sakura sneaked a peek across the forest floors to the blonde. Naruto looked as if he was barely holding on to his excitement. After so long, they were finally at the doorstep ready to take Sasuke back to where he belonged; with them.
Shaking her head free of any thoughts, except for the successful completion of their given mission, Sakura focused on Neji for his signal to infiltrate. Sakura wasn't sure who threw the first kunai. She had thought that it was her impatient hands but she would later hear that some had seen a Sound-nin throw the first move. Either way did not matter, it would've brought the same outcome: war. She was in the midst and she was not; while her hands and body reacted, all her mind could think of getting closer and faster to her Sasuke-kun.
She almost froze in mid-attack. It has been a while since she last heard his name with that affectionate suffix attached. Even in battle, she felt her heart squeeze uncomfortably. She had not come to terms with her (still) apparent feelings for the dark avenger. No matter, Sakura smirked, it will be settled once she dragged him back home, back to Team 7, back to her.
"Sakura, we are never going to reach teme at this rate!" Naruto yelled through the battlefield. Even among all the fighting and screaming, his voice still rang clear. "Use your friend" Naruto added as he dodged and fought.
Sakura felt 'her friend' quiver in excitement and amusement.
'I do not recall ever declaring that I was someone's friend.'
Smirking, Sakura mentally gave a playful swat at the demon. "Let's get this show started"
No sooner had she said such words that a looming dark figure meld out of the portal etched on the floor. Those that were somewhat familiar with the shadow demon looked up in awe while those who witnessed his might for the first time froze.
"Does he know?"
Kabuto shook his head, "Konoha is getting close but he does not suspect anything yet."
Orochimaru gave a hissing laugh before sending his most loyal subject away, "Well let's not keep our guests waiting. I'm sure they're just dying to see Sasuke-kun again. Prepare everything and Kabuto?" The said medic of Sound gave a bow in submission. "Make sure this all goes to plan or you will understand why I don't have many long term subjects."
Bowing once more, Kabuto quickly his way to the young Uchiha's holding.
It was time.
Dodge, attack.
Her body was on auto pilot as she fought her way, side by side, with Itzal. The shadow demon had taken the term 'slaughter' to a whole new level. His form gracefully weaved in and out of the shadows. If Sakura didn't know any better, she would have thought the sound-nins were attacked my ghosts.
Her amusement came to a screeching halt when her heart clenched tightly. At first she thought she was hit with a jutsu but running her chakra for a quick check, she determined that nothing was amiss. Sure she had a few scratches and some minor injuries but nothing that would warrant the response she received. A bitter taste entered her mouth and she saw Itzal pause slightly.
'There is dark magic at play.'
Trusting Itzal's judgment, Sakura raced to find Neji and Gaara fighting alongside each other. Saving the small observation for future blackmail, Sakura jumped in and blocked an attack to Neji's blind spot. "I need to talk to you."
Growling, Neji merely pushed her aside and continued on.
Hit. Hit.
A lithe hand hindered his next move and he stared in frustration at the hand grabbing his vest.
"I said that I need to talk to you!"
Flicking a kunai at a failed attempt of a sneak attack, Neji gave a small nod to the scene in front of them. "Maybe you failed to notice but we are in the midst of a battle with these damn reappearing roaches so-"
"I need to talk to you!" She all but screamed in his ear.
The Hyuuga might be all seeing but he lacked in all of his other senses, listening being a severe defect it would seem. "There is a change in the air. I need to find Sasuke."
In reality, Neji only took maybe a minute or two to reach a decision but to Sakura, it was a lifetime. She took his shove as permission and got onto the Shadow Wolf's back in a mere blink. Just as she was about to ride off into the shadows, she felt a tendril of sand wrap around her wrist.
A small whisper from behind and the sand was gone.
You better still be alive.
He knew it was time even before Kabuto came to call on him. Looking around his dank place of dwelling, never a home, Sasuke slowly walked out to meet his fate.
Today was the day his years of training bear fruit.
Today was the day he would fulfill his promise to his brethren.
Today was the day he would prove that leaving home..
leaving Team 7,
leaving them,
...was worth something.
"How kind of you to grace us, Sasuke-kun." The old snake hissed from his position on the seal drawn to the floor. "Come, come! Today is the day I will give you everything you want."
"Hn" Sasuke made his way into the center of the seal and sat down.
His eyes for power to avenge his family was something he could not pass over.
"Anything to kill you, dear brother." Sasuke repeated this as if it was a mantra, as if this would quell the tiny ball of fear in him.
It had felt like a soft tickle in his mind, but no warning bells sounded. He had brushed it off as nothing and instead focused on the different methods he would filet his once dear aniki. It wasn't until the tickle became a full on stream that he tried to clear his thoughts.
Something felt wrong.
The slow and steady feeling of his mind being filled to its maximum capacity was nerve wracking and something he does not recall signing up for. He could slowly feel his own conscience being spilt over as excess and that was when he saw it.
The plans that Orochimaru had all along.
His vengeance, his promises, his mind.. They were never part of the plans to begin with.
No matter how much Itzal does it, Sakura will never get use to the feeling of floating and falling at the same time. Her senses were taken over completely in darkness and she struggled to stay calm. Slowly light flooded her vision and she blinked furiously to adjust to her surroundings. Just as her senses came to her, darkness flooded her vision once more. This process happened quickly and repeatedly. Nausea crept in slowly once Sakura realized what Itzal was doing; they were cutting corners by going through the walls.
"This is the fastest way, mistress."
Finally Sakura resolved to close her eyes and push down the excitement growing within her.
She would soon be reunited with Sasuke.
It was forever, or felt like forever, before the dizzying swirls of light and dark slowly cleared away to a somber amber lighting. Glancing around, Sakura allowed one, two seconds for her eyes to adjust before quietly making her way around the pillars in the room. To some the room would be considered relatively dark but to her, the room was brightly lit. Sakura had always thought of herself as having an overly active imagination. But as she rounded the last pillar, her imagination could not have prepared her for the scene before her.
A large bloody seal was drawn on to the floor and black candles were burning around the edges. Sasuke was shirtless in the middle of the seal and had runes drawn around his flesh. Sakura could faintly make out a bundle of flesh that looked as if it was melting over his neck and back, dripping down his torso like candle wax. The yellow eyes glowing from that chunk of flesh hinted that that grotesque blob was Orochimaru. But it wasn't the scene, the scent of blood, or the idea that Orochimaru was sinking deeper and deeper into Sasuke's body that scared her.
It was Sasuke's expression.
His mouth was frozen open in an open silent scream, that face locked in horror. His eyes, oh those beautiful eyes, stared straight at her in fear, pain, and regret.
She didn't know what to do. At that moment in time, Haruno Sakura did not know what she could possibly do. Every scene that she saw, every situation, every emergency at the hospital, did not prepare her for this. Nothing could have prepared her for this day. The full impact of failure started to creep into her hardened armor, undoing every carefully laid brick and wall.
"Mistress"
She watched as Sakura's pale skin got even lighter. A choked gasp sounded from Sasuke's throat and oynx eyes painfully focused on her.
"S-Sakura"
"Mistress!"
Something within her snapped, prompted her to take action as she watched hints of yellow start to bleed into onyx.
He wanted to be there.
He wanted to be right there when Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi stood together in the same room.
He wanted to be together with his most important people as they all convinced, beat, drag, bound, his bond brother home.
But these damn nettlesome sound-nins would not let up.
The thought of becoming Team 7 again fueled his every move. Each punch, each kick, got him closer to that dream. The yells and screams around him eventually became a dull roar that he associated with war. Not even paying much attention to the sounds, Naruto focused on adding more chakra to his punches as he got even closer to the entrance. Suddenly a heavy, ominous chakra fell upon them.
"Where is my foolish little brother?"
The rasengan in his hand abruptly faded. He turned and standing in the midst of chaos was Uchiha Itachi. A heavy sword swung next to him and Naruto became face to face with the one and only, Kisame. Razor sharp teeth glared back at him as the shark man jumped away and into the middle of the battle.
Those who knew Itachi proceeded with extra caution, giving a wide berth. Those who didn't know about Itachi foolishly dove in.
Black tomoes slowly began to spin and for a second, Naruto had high hopes that maybe, maybe, he would be seeing Sasuke soon than he thought.
She pushed and pushed her legs to go faster, faster, faster damn it! But even with her added chakra, she couldn't cross the short threshold in time to stop his dark eyes (his oh so precious eyes, her beloved Sasuke-kun's, precious apologetic eyes) from bleeding to a wicked gold. Skidding to a stop and somersaulting just out of reach, she looked on in horror through her curtain of pink hair.
"Hello Sasu-chan's teammate."
This had to be a dream, a nightmare!
Please, dear kami, please let this be nothing but a nightmare.
Eerie yellow eyes stared back at her. It was strange, unnatural, uncanny to see such unholy eyes on Sasuke's face. His cold angelic features were twisted to something sinister and Sakura couldn't stop the chills from running down her spine. This man, this monster, was defiling her memory of her precious comrade.
"It was perfect. His need for revenge, his hatred, had blinded him. Such irony. Such youth." Even though Sakura knew it was Orochimaru speaking, it was unnatural to hear it through Sasuke's voice and from his mouth. "Never suspecting and so arrogant this one," Orochimaru continued, "but it is too late. Dear little Sasu-kun is sleeping now."
"Once the memory is gone, so is the soul they say." Orochimaru crackled.
"Foolish brother - what have you done?" A new voice from behind Sakura kick started her reflexes into high gear. She flipped and skid to a stop at equal distance between the two men, her hackles raised and guarded. It was hard to tell which of the two, Orochimaru or Uchiha Itachi, was a bigger threat.
Keeping a closer eye on Sasuke's older brother, Sakura noticed a flicker of emotions. He turned briefly and met her eyes, his surprisingly showing the same amount of disgust and regret as her - if only they were here a second earlier. "Itachi, what a pleasant surprise." The snake in front of them greeted. "Unfortunately it would seem that Sasuke and I are in a bit of a hurry. I'm afraid we can't give you a more, proper welcome." Orochimaru chuckled to himself and from within the shadows, a figure jumped out towards the Akatsuki member.
Itachi must've foreseen this, or at the least was much more prepared than Sakura, because he was already in full offense. Kabuto and Itachi were busy dancing around a short distance away, each switching between defense and offense. Even with the sounds of combat and the telltale sign of it being a fight to the death, Sakura couldn't bring herself to help, jump in, move.
The man in front of her - her comrade, her friend, her love of her life - was physically still there. The way his raven locks hung in disarray, the way his mouth was forever locked in a self-indulgent smirk, his stance, he was right there!
"Sakura, who hurt you?" Even his voice, she could so clearly hear it in her memories. Her heart raced, beating faster and stronger, as it tried to keep up with her head; that being standing before her was Orochimaru. That wasn't her Sasuke.
It'll never be Sasuke again.
Sakura tried to process who's loud scream she heard from a distance away before realizing that it was her. A halo of light opened from above her and she felt herself grow faint. Her last recollection was a pair of silver eyes, followed by a curtain of black, appearing before her. Orochimaru, who had already turned to leave before he heard the scream, spun around to eye the new addition with interest. This was most definitely new.
Where the small pinkette had once been now stood an unearthly tall being with a long cascade of black hair and cold silver eyes. She adorned a shredded outfit of white with a great broad sword, but that wasn't what caught the sannin's attention. It was the pair of enormous white wings behind the woman, slowly shedding feathers on to the ground.
"I will cleanse your soul." The woman claimed.
It was truly remarkable the difference a young, strong, body made from all his past vessels. He found himself matching in stride with the angelic woman as they exchanged blow after blow. It wasn't until he found himself clutching a chunk of white feathers in his hand, tips slightly bloodied from being yanked out, that he truly admired his new vessel. He couldn't say the same for his opponent however. As time went on, her offenses came sparingly and defense increased. Ragged breaths and a layer of sweat gave away the woman's current state and Orochimaru could see himself ending this fight in exactly two moves.
A pity, he thought, that something so novel was so useless.
Not a second later after his train of thought, the former pink-haired Konoha brat faded into existence. The other woman had simply disappeared with a scatter of floating white feathers as evidence of her once being there.
No matter, Orochimaru giggled, all lives will come to an end today.
He took a step forward and pulled his arm back, only to find that this body was no longer obeying. "No," Golden eyes narrowed in disbelief. "What are you doing?!"
Sakura looked up tiredly, feeling more drained than she had ever been. One second she was trying to move, to get closer to her Sasuke-kun, and the next she woke to Orochimaru screaming. "S-Sakura." Sakura gasped and rushed over. Those eyes, onyx and sorrowful, belonged to her Sasuke. One hand went around his shoulders and the other pulled him closer to her body, she comforted herself with the knowledge that he was there in her arms. "Sakura, there isn't much time," Sasuke grimaced and clutched his head tightly. "You need to end this."
"What?" Sakura must've heard wrong. "We need to get you to shishou, she will be able to help. You've heard of Tsunade? She is well known for her medical abilities. I'm sure she knows what to do in this situation. We just need to sneak -"
"Sakura!" Sasuke interrupted her nervous rambling, "I can't. It is too late." He stated. "Kill me, Sakura. That is the only way." Struggling to compose herself, Sakura could only shook her head. The image of Sasuke was becoming blurry and she struggled even harder to keep the tears at bay, burning the image of this Sasuke into memory.
"If only I was not an avenger, but an average man." Sasuke gently murmured, "I think that we would've been in love. I'm sorry."
Seeing him now, actually seeing him, as Uchiha Sasuke, the sole survivor of the Uchiha massacre, the man who held her heart after all these years - hands shaking from exertion, onyx eyes cycling continuously between yellow and their true color, broke her heart. This was not the memory of Sasuke she had wanted to keep in her memory. She hugged his quivering body closer to her own trembling body, imprinting this feeling of being with him in his arm, of finally being together.
As she ripped his still warm, beating, heart out from his chest.
A choked gasp shuddered from his lips as his heart in her hand gave into its last beat, "Thank you Sakura."