Everlasting Night

-------So long as we live among men, let us cherish humanity. - Andre Gide, 1869-1951


Chapter 2 Exploring Humanity

Sakura's Journal August 1, 2009

Hello again. I haven't really had time to write recently, so I'm just gonna make a quick recap.'

Master sent us (meaning myself, Naruto, and Sasuke) on a mission to this town called Konoha in search of a girl who is apparantly The Hyuuga Heiress, (This could be a lie, however, because I know better than anyone that looks can be decieving). We are to pose as students at the school here. I was given a necklace (SO not going into details..) that makes me look and feel like a human. I hope it works... were at the apartment now. Naruto wants to explore and Sasuke wants to rest (with the necklace, I can sleep yay...).I'm remaining Switzerland, I hate fighting.

Love,

Sakura Haruno

Sakura POV

"Let's go look around!" Naruto cheered for the fithtyith time. Sasuke and I groaned.

"Were tired. Let's rest." Sasuke said in his usual, emtionless tone. They glared at eachother.

"Explore."

"Sleep."

"No."

"Yes."

They both turned to me to make the final vote. I sighed. "Let's just go to the apartment and then figure out what to do." Naruto's expression instantly brightened.

"Yeah. I'll go to the apartment with Sakura-Chan. Sasuke can go die in a hole." he sneered. I rolled my eyes as Sasuke glared at Naruto. I don't really know why, but Naruto thinks of Sasuke as a rival for my heart. I know that will never happen, what with Mary...no. I swore to myself I wouldn't think of her, or anything that happened back then. It was over, and Sasuke would never love anyone ever again.

I had been so caught up in my thoughts, that I hadn't noticed Sasuke and Naruto start walking into Konoha. "Oi!" Sasuke called. "You coming?" I frowned, and glided to catch up to them.

I hid with Naruto in an alley while Sasuke went to get the apartment key. People would probably scream if they saw me. I couldn't blame them. Naruto and Sasuke called me scary on many occasions. Naruto glanced at me excitedly.

"Put on the necklace Sakura-Chan!" he grinned. I eyed him warily, what if I appeared naked? Then I hesitantly put it on. Naruto gasped, and I hurridly looked down, prepared to rip it off me, but then stopped.

My skin... it wasn't transparent anymore. It was a healthy peach color. I was standing on the ground. Standing. This was absurd. Slowly, I raised my hand and touched my face. It didn't go through it, it touched it. My skin was smooth, and warm. Wow. This was the closest I had ever felt to being human again. I looked at myself. I was wearing the same white dress I had when I was transparent, but now it was clean, and real, with only a few tears in it. This was unbelievable.

All this time, Naruto was gaping at me with a mouth big enough to rival a fish. I glared at him, and he snapped out of it.

"Wow, Sakura-Chan, your hot!" I groaned. Just what I needed, more adoring fans. "Can you walk?" he asked, looking at me curiously. I thought about it, then shrugged.

"Naruto, I haven't since the 1800's you know." I tried taking a step, and would have fallen on my face if he hadn't caught me. He slowly raised me up and out my arm around his shoulder, supporting me.

"Come on, let's go." he grunted. Then, he tripped on a hole in the ground, and we both toppled over, me on top of him. He started grinning like an idiot, and I could feel myself blushing. Crap. Appearing human meant having horomones again. This sucks. He was about to lean in and... kiss me? When we heard a voice.

"What the heck are you doing?" we both turned, dreading the voice. Sasuke. Oh, today was so not my day.

Sasuke's POV

I went to get the apartment key, because Sakura couldn't and Naruto wouldn't know how. The idiot. I walked throuht the village, ignoring the giggles from girls oogling me as I passed. It didn't matter. I never noticed girl's anymore. I looked down at the piece of paper in my hand.

1782 East Street was written on it. Hopefully I would find it soon. Naruto was going to blow something up if I didn't hurry.

When I finally reached the place, the woman at the desk (what was she? Thirty?) smiled at me flirtingly. Lady, I look 16 to you, but I'm way older.

"May I help you?" she asked in a seemingly innocent voice. I knew she was thinking of about 100 ways to violate me right now.

"Yes, I need to pick up my key?" She didn't seem to notice I spoke until I pushed a piece of paper onto the desk.

"oh! Yes!" she rummaged around and handed me a small brown box. She looked at me longingly. "Have a nice day." I walked out without saying anything. I didn't really care if she was offended.

About halfway back to where I had left Sakura and Naruto, my path was blocked.

She was a girl, who looked about my age. She had red hair that reached about mid-back. Her outfit was the most revealing thing I had ever seen. (Seriously? Don't the teens today have morals?) and really thick rimmed black glasses. She stepped closer to me, and I backed up. Way too close for comefort...

"Hi. I'm Karin what's your name?" she asked in a flirty voice. It almost made me wish I was back in the prison. Almost. I glared at her and tried to go around her. She blocked my path again. "Come on, you can come with me to my place..." I wanted to throw up. This was disgusting. I turned to head down an alley way (AN: Noooooo Sasuke! That;s where it always happens!) She followed. For a girl in high heel boots, she was suprisingly fast. She got right up in front of me and forced me into the wall. Okay, I let her, but only because I had to look human. No need to blow my cover right?

"Don't be like that honey..." She stood on tip toes and leaned in to kiss me. Okay, never mind, Extreme need to blow my cover. I pushed her off a little too hard, she flew into the brick building behind her. I took off running, and I didn't stop until I reached the alley way.

What. the. heck?

Sakura was laying on top of Naruto, human. I hadn't seen her like that for years, and she seemed even more beautiful than before. Peachy skin, good curves, her soft pink hair falling gracefully to her shoulders. The white dress looked almost brand new. She was gorgous...

Stay focused, Sasuke. Back to the full picture. She was lying ontop of Naruto in a very..suggestive way. Naruto was leaning in to kiss her...no. This was to much.

"What the heck are you doing?"

"It wasn't his fault." Sakura's voice, melodic once again, broke through my thoughts that contained hurt, betrayal, and every curse word I knew directed at Naruto. Sakura, like always, knew exactly what I was thinking. Well, most of it.

We were sitting at the small kitchen table. The apartment wasn't that bad, actually, two bedrooms, two baths, and a pretty balcony view of some lake. Naruto had gone off to explore. leaving and uncomfortable moment in which I was thinking, and she was glaring at me. I glared back at her,

"What, are you saying you forced him to do that to you?" I scoffed. She flushed, and then frowned.

"no. I fell." at that, I barked out a laugh.

"Sakura, your really that clumsy? And I thought you were smarter than Naruto..." She stood up, and I was shocked to see hot angry tears welling up in her eyes. Oh yeah, she had horomones again lovely...

"I haven't walked for years Sasuke, you knew that." She stalked off to her room and slammed the door, leaving me feeling guiltier than before...

Naruto's POV

Stupid Sasuke. He just had to ruin one of my few chances with Sakura, didn't he? They may not realize it, but it was true love. He just had to make her feel guilty of course!

I headed off onto the main steets, and stopped dead. All of my rants about Sasuke were ereased from my head. Wow. So this was what the modern world looked like.

Everything was so high teck,,, gleaming tv's, sparkling lights, it was mesmerizing, I would have to bring Sakura down here sometime. Sakura, Right.

I headed into a nearby diner, and sat down inbetween a woman with a poodle and a girl about my age.

She was about my age (not the poodle you idiots) with midnight blue hair. Her eyes were white, and kind of strange, but in a cool way. I grinned at her and she blushed, making her look adorable.

"Hi! I'm Naruto! Who are you?" I asked, watching her closely.

"H-hinata" she said, with a stutter that made her seem even more adorable, if that was even possible.

We talked, and she treated me with some delicous thing she called "Ramen" I think I was in heaven. The perfect girl and the perfect food, all in one perfect night.

"Well, I'll see you around. Bye Hinata!" I called heading off to the apartment. She smiled and walked the other way. I compared her to Sakura, and found that if I had the choice, I would choose her evey time. Maybe I can forgive Sasuke after all....