Aww!! I love all my reviewers to smithereens! And the Story-Alerters, the Favoriters, lurkers, and even anyone who just clicked on the story because it looked interesting.
(But mostly the reviewers).
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto but I can pwn him...
x.Serendipity.x
The Curse Mark
A twist of sound, a high, keening voice – Sakura was rushing headlong up, up, up, to the right – in circles – she didn't know.
The tunnel was dark and petrifying. She did not know where she was going, only knew this had to be a dream, must be a dream.
And then – light. Agonizing light. She blinked, seeing figures around her – she was in no other than the Forest of Death – a burst of blond hair.
It's Naruto! And…Sasuke…but what are they doing here? And what am I doing here? Hadn't we already completed the Chuunin exams? Is this a mission?
A rustling sound –
She saw the snake appear out of nowhere, driven towards Sasuke.
A burst of intuition and adrenaline flowed through her veins – No! Is this a flashback? This has happened before – I – Sasuke –
Because of her memory and the semblance of his pain; Sasuke's pain – she could not let this happen again. She could not.
Rushing forward with a speed she didn't know she possessed, she pushed Sasuke out of the way, falling in the air –
And then the snake, whizzing forward – the ugly, mottled face; she saw the snake, saw it drive its head into – and then a simultaneous burst of aching hurt. She was thrown back, choking on blood – her blood. Her neck burned and she felt lightheaded, crashing along the forest branches.
Let it end, she prayed unconsciously. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her front felt heavy with gleaming dark blood. Her eyes closed as the fangs that had punctured so deep into her skin disentangled and moved away.
She felt so…useless. Te trees whistled past and the ground was rapidly rising to meet her, but she could not move, immobile – she could only hope to die.
The pain –
And then, impossibly, she was rising, elevated. Slowly the pain leeched away but she didn't dare move. "You're okay, Sakura," she heard a low whisper, just as a spasm hit her neck.
It's coming back – Why am I bleeding so much –
A fresh spurt of blood was coughed up.
Am I going – to die?
Xxxxxx
Sakura clenched her fists angrily at her defenselessness. Weak. Worthless.
She hadn't done a thing to stop the snake. It had gotten what it had wanted, hadn't it?
In the mirror she gradually noticed a sudden difference, diminutive but distinct.
A black mark.
Frowning, Sakura squinted in the hazy image – it cleared rather suddenly – she recognized that mark – Cold realization flooded her senses. The mark was that of Sasuke's – the snake had bitten him. But no –
In a flash it all came back to her. Her body froze, but her minds' eyes was clear, listing the facts sternly, without pause.
The day before he was gone, I met an old woman. She offered to stop Sasuke from leaving. And I accepted.
Everything that's happened before – that he got hit by that thing in the Chuunin exams –
I went back in time…
Her eyes widened and her mouth made incoherent biting sounds. Her teeth chattered.
No…that was – erased. I changed it…That – that –
She tore her eyes onto the picture of herself. Her eyes were compulsively huge and scared.
The scar – the mark – the curse mark -
It wasn't Sasuke who was bitten – it –
It was me!
She recalled the pain and recoiled, cringing.
I w-will I survive…w-where am I?
The old woman came again in a dream. Sakura did not know though…a dream? Or was this reality? …Or a whole other dimension, universe, heaven, hell?
Sakura's image dissipated into a wrinkled, crookedly smiling – the same withered crone, the same long, angular fingers –
"W-where am I?" she cried out. The mouth that she did not could talk spoke of its own accord and Sakura could feel – she felt the curiosity, the confusion, the being prone to explosion –
"W-why? Why? Why?" she burst out. Her teeth clenched so hard she thought they might crumble to dust. "Where am I? Where's Sasuke?" Her first thought naturally traveled to him – his dark eyes, mysteriously- "Where's the snake? Did it bite me?" Trembling, she brought one hand to her neck.
It burned.
"Well," came the voice, and Sakura could not figure out if it was man or woman's. It was not monotonous but full of cricks. It was crackled and a hiss. "You did it." And then the old woman laughed.
The young kunoichi drew back, horrified. "Please – t-tell me…"
"Well," repeated the crone, her eyes hid. Her mouth grew into the same large dark hole. "You did it."
"W-what?"
"You traveled back in time…you rescued him…"
"N-gh…" She had thought this was untrue, false, that she would wake up to the same world before. "Y-you're lying…that's I-impossible!"
"Really?" came the voice. "Really?"
And then there were the hisses – echoing off one another, bouncing around Sakura –
Really? Really – really – really?
She drew back, tears stinging her eyelids. "S-sasuke," she mumbled, terrified. Without knowing it she bit down firmly on her lip, drawing blood. "Sasuke…Sasuke…Sasuke!"
Really…really…really?
"No…!" she clasped her hands over her head, shuddering. "I – I don't want to be here!" She felt rage, antagonism, resentment – this was not possible, it could not happen. It was only an illusion –
"No! I want to g-go back!" she shouted out, her voice cracking with heaving sobs. "Don't keep me here! I w-want to g-go back!"
Really…really…really?
Her courage collapsed. She cradled her face in her hands, shaking her head. "Please…don't do this…it'snot true…I couldn't have…!"
"But you did," came the voice, now thick with amusement. "Now, do you wish to go back?"
Really…really…really…?
"Y-yes," Sakura bit out, eyes tightly squeezed shut.
The old woman seemed to reconsider. "Ah," she said at last, "so be it. But you will come back for more power…"
Sakura didn't hear her.
She was knocked into oblivion.
Xxxxxx
Days passed. Even months. Seconds ticked by, and people returned to their activities.
Little was said aloud, but many words exchanged in soft whispers around the town.
After the Chuunin exams the air of caution in Konoha grew. There were no kids milling along the streets anymore.
Ninja trained in set hours with their sensei circumspectly guarding them.
No one dared to set foot into the Forest of Death anymore.
Not anymore…
Not anymore – not since –
The pink-haired Haruno girl had been – bitten – unconscious. Not since the gates had closed.
And then the attack on Konoha had been devastating.
The death rate was frightening high, the injured even higher. The attack was one of the third stage of the Chuunin exams between the battle of a dark-haired and a red-haired shinobi. It was surprising, astonishing, shocking.
Konoha barely held its own, ninja dying for their families, loved ones.
It was a massacre. But in the end the enemies – the leader of which yellow-eyed, snake-tongued – were forced back.
And gradually, slowly, the pace grew back.
Everyone pitched in to reconstruct all of Konoha. They mourned for the loss of the Third Hokage, but welcomed the arrival of the Fifth.
Little by little, leisurely – not in any way hurried…
The news of the Haruno girl in the hospital sunk to the ashes. Most forgot about her. Most did not think about her anymore. She was just one single life in all of the world, in what appeared to be a coma.
Most likely, the people of Konoha had concluded, she was dead. She would not come back. Miracles did not occur often. Hope died for her, and new hope was found instead to rebuilding Konoha.
No…not many wondered about her.
Only her teammates, a select few…
And then on that day – that same day that had occurred, though no one knew but she – the day before Sasuke had left – her breath was regained once more and she delicately passed the fine line between death and life.
And it was so her eyes opened.
It is sort of a cliffie...Sorry if it's confusing. Is it confusing? With the whole time-skip idea?
1.) By the way, many questions derived from the old woman; who is she and what is she doing; and what does she want. Can't answer this. She's a very important character but for now it's up to you to decide if she's good or evil.
2.) What to expect of this fanfiction: Lots of action (of course!). Longer chapters. Way longer. Major friendship on Team 7. And, obviously, romance :)
Also, vocabulary...I love vocabulary! (You probably noticed this by now). And dialog; fighting scenes.
3.) What not to expect: Undetailed writing. I can't do undetailed writing. And don't expect unclear pairings. Most of the pairings are obvious, I suppose.
I need reviews like food, water, and caffeine!! (Yes...caffeine. Lol). Thank you so much!
Edit 2-13-08: Fixed spelling errors!