Author's Note. So I was going to co-write this with a new friend, but... we lost touch... yeah. xXFallenSakuraXx-chan will probably be mad at me for adding another chapter to this story before TDBRC (The Difference Between Real and Cyber), but this story has hardly any chapters, and you guys have been waiting longer. Gomen for making you wait so freakin' long! I would of killed myself by now if I was in your position. Here is your much deserved chapter and I shall try to make it long and have no more 'Author's Notes' till the very end! Enjoy!
Awakening...
Chapter One:
Aftermath
of the
Protector's
Appearance...
The sun poured it's powerful rays through the twelve-year olds window, causing the room's occupant jolt, startled.
"Wha- What happened?" she asked herself. Her head pounded from the sudden light, and quickly closed her eyes. When she felt that she was able to open them again, she directed her vision to her night stand, where a piece of paper lay with a jewel embedded dagger resting next to it. Cautiously, she lifted the paper and read the script printed neatly on the letter.
Cherry Blossom,
Though to you we only just met, I have known you for your entire life. Fight me, you may, but I will protect you.
Your Protector.
Rage burned throughout her, why would she need him to protect her? Didn't she take out that other vampire last night? Placing the letter down, she gently picked up the dagger covered in jewels. It had its own case to carry it on her person, should need be. One jewel, larger than the other diamonds, caught her eye. It was a crimson ruby with three black comas forming a circle inside. Staring deep down into the jewel, Sakura was lost in it's depths. There was a blinding light as the comas started spinning, and she couldn't look away.
She stood in a room of white, hovering over a woman with red hair. The woman looked to be in her late twenties. She sat rocking in a rocking chair, humming a lullaby to a baby with hardly any hair. If you were to look closely, you would she pink hair atop the babe's head.
"That's my... mother..." Sakura mumbled. Tears started to form in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. As the minutes passed, the scene seemed to fast forward. She blinked, and suddenly the babe was three years older and a man had entered the room of white.
He had long, silver hair, red pupils, and shimmering fangs. He showed grace with each movement he made as he lifted the three-year old child. The three of them, the man, woman, and child, shared a hug that seemed to make Sakura realize what was happening. This was her family... The white and red hair had blended together to make hers pink.
The scene fast forwarded and the child was now four. There was another child other than the pink haired girl in the room of white, though. He was about five or so years older than the girl and he was silently tinkering with a small puppet as she watched him. The strange difference about this scene was that she could hear the words being spoken.
"Sasori-onii-san? What's that?" the small girl asked innocently.
"A puppet Obaa-san taught me how to make. Otou-san and Okaa-san are gone so I want to make a puppet to look just like them," the boy called Sasori said quietly. An old woman stood next to the girl's parents, staring sadly at the boy.
"Because Sasori is a full vampire and not a half vampire like his cousin, he will be able to fit in more easily, but I fear that he may get worse..." the old woman said gloomily. The woman smiled with a shred of hope watching as the small girl grabbed Sasori's hand and pulled him up.
"Let's play, Sasori-onii-san!!" the girl said in a squeaky voice. She spun around with him, tiring herself out.
"But, I'm sure that if Sakura is there for Sasori, they can help each other," the old woman said as she and the two younger adults watched the children play.
The scene quickly fast forwarded in front of Sakura in a blur. It slowed and she saw a six-year-old pink haired child crying softly over two bodies.
"Okaa-sama... Otou-sama... Why? Why did you have to die? Why did you leave me? Why!? TELL ME WHY!!" The girl screamed out her sorrows and tears gathered to the Sakura's eyes as she saw her forgotten past play before her eyes.
A figure suddenly appeared into the room and took the young girl into his or hers arms in a loving embrace.
"Sakura-chan... We have to go. They will come back for you..." the person's voice was deep, signifying the gender of the person to be male. The man had a hat covering his head and wore a black cloak with red and white clouds here and there.
"H-hai," came the stifled replied.
In a flash, Sakura was in her bed, warm and comfortable. Tears slid down her cheeks shamelessly as she gazed down at the beautiful dagger.
"So... I'm a half vampire? Why... How did I forget any of that?" she spoke aloud.
"Because... I blocked it out of your memory..." a still, small voice said in the back of her mind.
"What?! Who... What are you!?" Sakura thought in alarm.
"Who I am? Why, I am another side of you."
"Me? What side can you be?"
"The vampire side that craves for blood. Though seeing as I would have to take over your... our body to get it, I am saving my strength."
"I'm definitely going crazy..."
Three Years Later...
A lot had happened after three years. Sakura's ex-best friend, Yamanaka Ino, turned up missing. She was now fifteen-years-old and a freshman in a California high school. After learning of her vampire heritage, she had relocated herself from Japan to the United States. Summer was speedily approaching and she was to go on a trip with her school to Tokyo, Japan. Funny thing was that she would be visiting her hometown, and the town so conveniently filled with vampires.
Due to the fact that vampires where a dieing race, many of them gathered in Japan.
Sakura had tried to learn more of them, their abilities and any powers that they might posses, but none of the sources could be trusted.
One source said that vampires were the American scientists' faults. Others believed vampires were sent by God or Kami-sama to destroy the human race. All in all, Sakura decided that if she were to ever meet her "Protector" again, she would ask him.
At this day in time, Sakura was packing for her school trip. Packing all she would need, and then some, she set her duffel bag by the door to her apartment, and focused on a problem.
She would be flying on an airplane, and with that fact arose the problem of bringing any weapons. Since the 9/11 bombings and plane crashes, the airport security had gotten tighter, making it harder for anyone to bring weapons on board. She was going to have to find an alternate way to get to Japan...
Of course she didn't need to bring her weapons, but she never went anywhere without the beautiful dagger given to her by her "Protector". Gazing into the large ruby embedded into the hilt, she wished to find an alternate way to Japan with her weapons.
Unknown to the Cherry blossom, a pair of red eyes watched her every movement as they had without the girl knowing for the past three years. Seeing a chance to enter and noticing the girl's problem, he entered through her window quietly without her noticing.
"Good evening, Cherry blossom."
Startled, she flung the beautiful dagger to her intruder, who caught it with skill.
"Your aim is improving, I see," he said as he examined the dagger he once used.
Her eyes widened in shock. That voice... The Protector!?! Her widened eyes turned to glare hard the the man standing at her window. Pulling out a katana that's master had once been her father, she unsheathed it and pointed it at the intruder.
"I see you are also quick to point your blade at others..."
"Save it. Your help is unwanted and unneeded. Leave," she said it firmly, meaning ever word.
"That, I cannot," he said dutifully.
"Your a vampire, correct? One of the higher ups, right?" she asked.
"That is correct," he stated in a flat tone. Sakura's glare intensified. He was one of them. The ones responsible for her parents murder. Learning of her past had been quite hard, but the tale that goes with that story if for another time.
"Come to finish the job under the pretense of being a 'protector'?"
"No, I am here to keep a promise to your father," he replied, the intensity of his red eyes became more unbearable.
Sakura's katana lowered somewhat, then she sheathed the beauty.
"Fine. I understand."
"Do you trust me at all?"
"No."
"Why is that?"
"I don't trust you, it's as simple as that." She turned away from him and started muttering to herself again.
"How to do it..."
"I can have your weapons sent to Japan for you," the protector introjected.
"And how would you do that?" she asked him.
"By my servant flying them there," he replied.
"Isn't the point of them getting there without flying on a plane?"
"I suppose you haven't learned yet... I'll show you then." He turned with his back to Sakura, and then enormous wings seemed to pop out of his back. They retracted and he turned around. "This is how we fly. You are able to as well, yet it takes more energy and strength for you to fly."
Sakura, noticing she was gaping, quickly closed her mouth and filled a duffel bag with all the weapons she wished to bring.
"Of course, I will be coming with you on the plane," he said bluntly.
"What?" Sakura asked, unsure.
"As your protector, I go where you are, as I have for the last nine years."
"And you show up now because...?" she dragged out, hoping for him to fill her in.
"That is for another time. The bag, please," he said, his hand extended to take the bag from her. She gave him the bag, not liking being separated from her weapons, and watched him.
"Reiko," he called. A blond appeared in the window and skillfully caught the bag thrown to him. "Take it to my room in the Japanese castle. Quickly."
Sakura's eyes narrowed to slits. "Castle?"
"'Tis nothing to be worried of. We shall retrieve your weapons once we get to Tokyo."
Sakura sighed, then turned to finish packing. All the necessities were soon packed away in a large traveling bag. Turning to the clock on her bed side table, she gasped.
"Crap! I'm going to miss my flight!" she exclaimed. Grabbing her bag and MP3 player, she dashed out the door, down the stairs, and made it out into the street. There the Protector was, staring at her as she ran down the stairs and attempted to pass him. His arm shot out, grabbing her waist, and stopped her.
"Which airport do you need to go to?" he asked quietly.
"Fresno. I have to be there in a couple of hours," she answered quickly, trying to get out of his grasp. He wouldn't have it.
Easily lifting her off the ground, he put her in a sleek car, threw her bag in the back and was in the front seat in a matter of seconds.
"The bus would be unable to get you there in time, and you have to be a skilled driver to get there without any accidents," he said with a slight smirk. He revved the car, it's engine roaring into action.
Sakura remained quiet, then remembered her iPod. "Thank God for this thing!" she thought. Though before she turned it on, she remembered something.
"Oi, what do I call you, Protector-san?" she asked.
"I suppose it is fine to tell you my name..." he mused. "Uchiha Itachi." Sakura stifled a gasp.
"U-Uchiha!?" Her expression turned sour and bitter. "Uchiha was the surname Sasori-nii-san told me to be weary of. This guy's related to the man who killed Okaa-sama and Otou-sama..." Sakura tried to open the car door, but two things stopped her. One, Itachi's outstretched arm, and two, the damn door was locked.
"Sakura."
Sakura raised her piercing glare to look Itachi in the eyes. "Let. Go," she commanded.
Itachi sighed. "Calm yourself, Sakura. I suppose you remember my surname from your past. The vampire behind the murder of your parents was my father. He is now dead. Several 'rebels' caused a mutiny and he was killed in the strife. Only his few followers that do not believe he died are alive and cause a threat to your safety." The speedometer was dangerously close to hitting 120 mph.
Sakura took deep breaths, calming herself some. Itachi drove down a dirt road, earning a questioning look from Sakura.
Itachi pulled over and was at her door in seconds.
"What..."
Itachi grabbed her bag, put it over his shoulder, pulled Sakura out of the car, then lifted her bridal style.
"Since it's late, we can get away with flying. Flying is also faster," he supplied. Jet black wings unfolded behind him and Sakura gazed at them in wonder. She hadn't seen another's wings since the last time she had seen Sasori so long ago.
Thanks to his speed, they were in a clearing in a matter of seconds. He ran forward, much like a plane would on the runway, and the wind lifted him up. He flapped upward, downward, upward, and downward in a pattern. Gaining altitude, she marveled at his ability to carry herself, her bag, and himself.
Getting used to the air in that altitude, the beating of Itachi's wings lunged her into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Author's Note: So, how was it? I've been working on this chapter for so long that I can't remember when I started. I promise from the bottom of my heart to update more often, but aren't you glad it was longer? More or less six pages. Personally, I'm proud of myself.
So, you know the drill, no reviewie, no chappie. I hope for about... hmm... 15 reviews minimum? Arigato mina-san! Sayonnara!
Kinomi-chan.
