Beyond the Hourglass
A/N: Again, I must apologize for taking so long to update but my life has been hell at work these past couple of weeks. I have had to work 12 hour shifts so I am completely drained by the time I get home. And so now, I'm looking to find a new job but sadly I have come up empty. I kind of feel like the quality of this chapter sucks, so I may or may not go back to rewrite it at a later point in time. Updates will still be slow as I have so much stuff going on in my life. I won't give up writing though.
By the way, I am looking for another site to post this story when it goes up to M rated, excuse me, MA rated. is going to be taking down fics with graphic violence and adult content, it seems. The chapter title comes from a song by Adele.
Anyways, onward we go! (I apologize for the shortness of the chapter).
Chapter Three: Many Shades of Black
Everything was deathly silent for what felt like an eternity before Sakura spoke up again. She looked up at him with imploring eyes that he answers her question. She didn't know why, but she just felt like she had to know just who this butler truly was.
"Are you a jinchuriki?" She asked again, this time with more strength in her voice. She wasn't going to back down until she had her answers.
Jinchuriki? That was a word he hadn't heard in a very long time, perhaps not in over a century or two since he's been alive. Of course he knew what Jinchuriki was. Jinchuriki were what the hosts of demons were called. The demons that were caught and sealed away into the bodies of humans were seen as the lowest class of demons. Sure, to the humans they were terrifying creatures with great power but to other demons of a higher class, such as himself, they were nothing more than filth masquerading as demons. They were unworthy of being called demons in his book. Being captured by humans was pathetic and even if he, himself, was contracted by his master, he could still hold up high his pride because he still had his power and he could very easily break the terms of his contract with Ciel if he so wished it. But he had decided that he would not. He wanted to see this little game of Ciel's come to its end and see the outcome of it.
And here was this human girl who asked him if he was a jinchuriki. The very thought of having been confused for such a pathetic and insignificant creature repulsed him greatly. He had half a mind to grab the girl by the neck and correct her about her erroneous assumption. But, he held back not out of pity for the girl, but because he didn't want to dirty his hands with a human. He also didn't wish to explain to his young master why he had attacked his guest. Nor was she worth him exerting his energy over. She was just a worthless human girl, after all.
"I'm afraid I have no idea as to what you mean, Miss Haruno. I have not the slightest idea as to what a Jinchuriki is." He feigned as he looked down on her with suspicion still remaining in his eyes. "I am merely a butler serving my young master. That is all."
Sakura sighed and turned her head to the side, facing a large window on the far side of the room. She sensed that he was not telling her the whole truth which made her think that she was right, but even so she wasn't sure as to what to do about it."
"Returning to the matter at hand, I want to know as to whom you really are and for what reasons have you come here. I am unsure as to believe that this accident was merely that. Or did you plan all of this as a means to an end." Sebastian questioned her. The way he spoke to her with all these questions made her head spin. She then realized that he believed that she had purposely thrown herself in the path of the carriage for a reason. She turned back and glared at this man only to find him sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at her a little too closely for her liking. She felt her heart beat faster inside her by his close proximity to her that she wanted to look away, but his eyes mesmerized her into remaining still. She couldn't understand any of this. How had she gotten here to this unknown place and how would she get back home? This place, where ever it was, was making her feel weak and useless. This place drowned out her kunoichi senses. She was sure that she still had chakra but it felt different. Heavier and not as fluid as it used to be.
"I am who I say I am. That is all I can say. I still don't know where I am. Or how I got here. All that I know is that I must find a way back home." She said, her voice sounding desperate and fearful as if she was lost. "I need to get back to my village. Konoha is in danger." Bits and pieces of memories swirled around in her mind causing her head to spin and suddenly she felt black spots dancing across her vision. She tried to remember what had happened before she woke up in this strange place but nothing came to her.
"Konoha, you say. Is that where you say you're from." Sebastian asked. "I'm afraid I've never heard of such a place, are you certain that is where you're from?" He was suspicious and Sakura could tell that he didn't believe a word she had said.
"I am not lying if that's what you're insinuating." Sakura shot back, feeling her confidence returning to her. She glared back at Sebastian. Her emerald eyes meeting his scarlet ones with determination. Gone was the frightened and disoriented girl only to be replaced by a determined and strong woman.
Sebastian felt a cynical smile grace his features. "You're a feisty one that's for certain. My oh my and here I thought you were just a weak little girl but now I see that you are not."
He was amused by her and thought that perhaps he wouldn't kill her. At least not yet because he knew that there was more to her than she was letting on. He was much too interested in seeing more to this human girl than to en d her existence. He would let her live but only because he was curious about her. And perhaps, he might even form a contract with her once Ciel was gone. He could sense her soul deep within her and he could tell that it would be a delicious morsel. And he'd be damned if he didn't take her soul for his own. After all, how many times would a soul like hers just fall into his hands, ripe for the taking? Poor, little Sakura. She did not yet know that she'd stumbled upon a wolf's den. And a very ravenous wolf at that.
A/N: Also, If there is any artists out there who like this story, would it be too much to ask for some fanart?
