Hey guys, did you miss me? That's right IIIIIII'MMMM BAAAACCCKK! Soooo sorry for the wait. Fun news! I am graduating from college! HO LEE SHIT! How did I get so old. Was it not just yesterday that I wrote my first, poorly written, fanfic? God I feel old, and Naruto has ended and they are all paired off in somewhat strange couples... but I shan't spoil that for you all. Anyways I still choose to write my own InoxSasuke stories, because I know I love to read em. So enjoy this long awaited chapter and keep an eye out for my other stuff...
April
April 4th
The quarter moon slowly rolled across the night sky, its light reflecting on the sleeping city. The streets were clear of traffic as the people lay dreaming in their beds. Light spring breezes swept along shaking the newly budding branches as they went. Bright green stems which had recently burst forth from the earth swayed gently in the wind.
Sasuke leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes. His head was aching and he just wanted to sleep for a year. Behind him on the couch Ino sat with her legs crossed under her and a book in her lap. She looked down at him and frowned.
"I think we should call it a night" she announced, slamming her book shut. She climbed to her feet and walked over to the kitchen table. Books were scattered over every inch of the table and she dropped the one in her hands in a pile.
"No, it's still early. We've barely started!" Sasuke protested. Ino looked him over and sighed.
"You're exhausted. For the past week you've stayed up all night reading those books. Between that and your work how much sleep have you gotten?" she asked seriously. He turned away from her and stared at the darkened window.
"I'm fine" he replied stubbornly. She watched him sadly then turned towards the door.
"Maybe I should leave" she said quietly. His eyes shot over to her and he stood up quickly.
"No!" he said suddenly. "Please stay." His voice grew softer and she looked back at him. "We'll put the books away."
She studied him for a moment then nodded. They stacked to books on the table then sat down on the couch.
"I think we're getting close to finding an answer" Sasuke said with a grin. He corners of her lips turned down into a slight frown. "I just know we're gonna figure this out."
"Sasuke, there may not be an answer to what I am. I don't want you to get your hopes up" She said gently. Now he frowned.
"You can't think like that! I'm sure we'll find something that can tell us how to fix this. You'll be just fine" he assured her.
"Just don't let this consume your life" she pleaded.
"I thought you wanted to find answers" he said watching her with confusion. She looked at her hands folded in her lap.
"I do, but… it's just I don't know if I'm worth all the effort you're putting in" she told him shyly. He reached out and touched her cheek softly. She turned to look into his dark eyes.
"I promise you that you are worth that and so much more. And I will stop at nothing to find a way to save you." His hand rested on her cheek while they stared into each other's eyes. She leaned in slowly and kissed him on the lips. He closed his eyes and melted into the kiss.
A few moments later she pulled away. "I-I should go" she whispered. As she was moving to leave he grabbed her arm and pulled her back into another kiss. She fell into his lap and he wrapped his arms around her.
"Don't give up hope" he told her. She snuggled closer in his embrace as tears silently slid down her cheeks.
April 15th
Sasuke sat at his desk tapping his pen against the keyboard and staring at the computer screen. He reread the page for the seventh time and sighed out loud.
"What's eating ya buddy?" Naruto asked leaning over the cubicle wall. Sasuke quickly clicked away minimizing the page and revealing his desktop background. It was on a rotation of the sample pictures that came with the computer. Today it was a photo of a wolf howling at the moon.
"Nothing" he replied looking up at his blonde haired friend.
"Dude, come on! You are totally neglecting your friends. We are all worried about you! Kiba thinks you've been body-snatched and he's managed to convince Choji and Lee that the invasion is coming. It is not a pretty sight" Naruto explained grimly. "Don't let this chick take over your life!"
"Back off, man. I'm a grown up and I can spend my time with whoever I want to" Sasuke snapped back causing his friend to frown.
"Don't tell me you forgot what happened the last time you let a woman control you. That bitch kicked your heart in the ass and you still bent over backwards to make her happy."
"I don't want to talk about Karin. Ino isn't like that" the raven haired man grumbled.
"I see the pattern repeating. She's got you wrapped around her little finger and you are gonna get hurt again" the blonde stated.
"Go fuck yourself" Sasuke growled.
"Fine, but when she breaks your heart do not come crawling to me! I'm done trying to help you when you clearly don't want anyone's help." Naruto turned to storm off but stopped a few feet away. "Oh, and the boss wants you on a conference call Friday." With that he continued his storm off.
Sasuke sighed again and pulled up the page he was browsing. The title read "The Triple Goddess, the Moon and You". He skimmed over it again and frowned then scrolled down to the bottom and read the byline.
"Written by Wiccan High Priestess Katara Akiyama" he read silently. He clicked the contact button and was brought to a page with Katara's picture and contact info.
Sasuke opened his email and created a new message. He told her about his research, without revealing the truth about Ino, and attached a picture of the mural. After reading the message again he took a deep breath and hit send.
Later he met Ino in the alley as she appeared. She rushed over and threw her arms around him. He held her tightly and just enjoyed the moment before she pulled away. They held hands and walked down the street together.
"How was your day?" she asked. He shrugged nonchalantly.
"Eh, boring."
"Just promise me that you didn't get distracted by my problem" she said glancing over at him. He thought for a moment then nodded.
"Don't worry about that. I promise it isn't taking focus from my job" he explained reassuringly. She smiled brightly and they continued down the road.
April 16th
Sasuke yawned at his desk and glanced back at the clock. He scratched the back of his head and opened up his email. There was a quiet ding indicating a new message but it was the name of the sender that got his attention. Quickly he opened the message.
"Dear Mr. Uchiha, thank you for your inquiry. You brought up some interesting questions. I could answer them better in person. I am available to meet this Friday" he read quietly. Below the message Katara's address was written. He jotted it down on a post it note and replied to the email.
April 19th
Behind the wheel Sasuke calmly contemplated where he was going and what he might find there. He gripped the wheel hard to keep his focus on the road as he moved farther away from the city. He was acutely aware how unlikely it was that this witch could provide him with the answers he sought but he knew he had to try. Shaking off the doubt he turned the car down a dirt road which led to a little farmhouse.
On the extended front porch stood a young woman who Sasuke immediately recognized as Katara Akiyama. She smiled and waved as he parked the car, shut it off and climbed out. He walked up to the stairs that lead to the porch and he paused to shake the woman's hand.
"Sasuke welcome. I hope you had a safe ride" she greeted. He nodded then she gestured for him to take a seat on one of the plush chairs beside him. "Would you like some herbal tea or lemonade?" she asked handing him a plastic cup.
"Thank you" he said as he took the glass and she poured some liquid into it. As he took a sip she set the photograph he had emailed to her on the table.
"This is a very interesting photograph" she began. He glanced down at that familiar image and nodded. "May I ask where this is?"
"On a building in the city. It is an alley between three buildings" he explained. She nodded thoughtfully and took a sip of her tea.
"Is it near the crossroads of Abigail Street and Crescent Avenue?" she inquired. He looked at her, stunned.
"How did you know that?" He was more than a little confused by her words but she smiled at him.
"That is a part of town well known for being the residence of witches" she said and his eyes grew wide. "Well it was back in the day. Now it seems to house mostly trust fund babies. But back when the town was in its infancy there was a coven of witches who lived around that block."
"Were these, like, real witches, with broomsticks and black cats, or like that new agey hippie crap… no offense." The woman laughed at his words and waved them off.
"None taken. Honestly these women were neither. They were very powerful practitioners of the most sacred magic. They were called the Sisters of the Lunar Goddess. They prayed to and served an almighty goddess who controlled the moon."
"Wait, aren't there like hundreds of moon goddess in mythology?" he asked, scratching his head.
"Yes, there are. Every culture as their own name for the goddess of the moon. These witches believed that all of them were the same goddess whose name they may never know, so they simply worshipped the moon itself. They made offerings to her during the full moon and in returned received her wisdom and power."
"Do you mean, like… human sacrifice?" he asked nervously touching his throat. Katara laughed out loud then smiled at him.
"No, not human. Maybe a goat or two though. They offered the sacred blood of the animal to the goddess and if she found it worthy she would grant them special powers."
"What kind of powers?" He leaned in unconsciously hanging on her every word.
"Things like ways to grow better and more crops, techniques to conceive and healing and restorative abilities" she said. The last one caused Sasuke to perk up even more.
"What does that mean? Restorative?" he asked.
"Well it is believed they could heal mortal wounds and restore their people to full vitality. They could essentially beat death, or at least put it off a bit. These powers came and went with the waxing and waning moon and were at their most potent during a full moon" she explained. He nodded thoughtfully and looked down as he thought.
"So, these sisters lived where that mural is now, and they cast their spells and did their rituals in the same place… what happened to them?"
"Well many were tried and found guilty of witchcraft and hanged for their crimes. Although it is believed their descendants are still around and that mural is proof. The images are taken directly from the prayer/spell book of the Sisters of the Lunar Goddess" she told him pointing to the photo. He nodded.
"And does Halloween have anything to do with all of this?" he asked. Katara raised her eyebrows at him then spoke.
"Well actually yes. The day of All Hallows Eve has always been considered the day when the veil between the living and the dead is at its weakest and it was the day the Sisters would commune with their ancestors for guidance as it was the day their souls would walk the Earth once again" she stated.
"And would a Halloween… or All Hallows Eve, with a full moon be…"
"Oh that would be an incredibly powerful day. Souls would be stronger and the pull from the moon would increase the witches' powers tenfold. It is believed that on such an All Hollows Eve the Sisters would be able to bring a person back from the land of the dead to the land of the living" she said.
"Do you mean, like, physically, or would they, like become ghosts?" he asked, unsure of himself.
"Oh, no, with the power of the Sisters combined they could physically restore a human soul to its body. Physically and spiritually they would be restored" she answered.
"Is there any reason one would, hypothetically that is, be saved from death, but only at night, and cease to exist in the daytime?" He watched her nervously after the words had left his mouth.
"Well, I suppose if they were not restored by the Sisters themselves, and it was just the magic in the land and the full moon, it could hypothetically be possible to be trapped in a half existence only under the moon" she theorized.
"Would there be a way to fully restore the person?" he asked, getting excited. Katara frowned.
"I suppose you would need a full circle of witches and a full moon on All Hollows Eve. But that isn't possible, I'm afraid" she finished. Sasuke's heart fell.
"Why?"
"Well first, a full circle is seven witches; around here you would be lucky to get two. Second they would have to be direct descendants of the Sisters, and it would be impossible to track them down. Third, even if you did track them down there is no guarantee that they would be practicing witches. Overall it just does not seem like a plausible course of action. Many people don't even believe in the old magic anymore. I'm actually amazed that you seem so into it" she told him.
"Well, I have one last question then," he began. "Do you believe it would be possible to replicate the effects I mentioned before?" Katara thought about it for a while.
"Hypothetically, if you had a full moon on All Hollows Eve and you were in a place of magic, one could restore a soul to a half existence, although I have to imagine it would be an incredibly lonely existence."
April 22nd
Sasuke walks into the office yawning. He gets to his desk and sets his stuff down. As he is getting settled he notices Naruto staring at him from afar. He waves a little then the blonde walks away. He shakes his head and logs into his computer and begins work.
After a few minutes he looks up and sees his boss approaching. He smiles politely at the man.
"Good morning, sir. What can I do for you?" he asked.
"You can explain to me why you weren't at the conference call Friday" the older man demanded with his arms crossed over his chest. Sasuke's eyes went wide as he recalled that detail.
"Sir, I am so sorry… I uh, I had a family emergency and I completely forgot to call in. I take full responsibility for that" he explained quickly.
"You bet you take full responsibility. You're fired." The boss spoke with an air of finality and the other employees were leaning from their desks to try and hear better.
"Uh, sir, please…" Sasuke started.
"Sir, it's my fault" Naruto chimed in. All heads swiveled to stare at the blonde man. Sasuke's jaw nearly dropped as his friend walked over to them. "I forgot to mention to Sasuke that he was supposed to be on that conference call. That's my bad." The blonde rubbed the back of his head and shrugged. "I'll take responsibility."
"That-" Sasuke started before being cut off by the boss.
"All right, I appreciate your honesty. You will be docked a week's pay but you can both keep your jobs" the boss said. Then he walked away. The room returned to working and Naruto stood in front of Sasuke who was gaping.
"You didn't have to do that, Naruto" the raven haired man stated. Naruto shrugged again.
"Forget about it" he replied turning to leave.
"Wait," Sasuke called. Naruto looked back. "I'm sorry for snapping at you last week."
"Whatever," Naruto said nonchalantly. He waved and walked back to his desk. Sasuke watched him go and smiled.
April 30th
Sasuke threw open his front door and stumbled in. The sun had long ago set and he had just returned home from work. He slammed the door behind him and collapsed on the couch face first. He sat there with his face smashed into a pillow for a few moments then rolled onto his side and nearly screamed. Ino was inches from his face, she looked concerned.
"Sorry" she whispered.
"No, it's OK. You just startled me a little." He sat up and set his feet on the ground. Ino remained where she was, watching him. "What's up?"
"You're home really late again" she stated.
"I know. I'm sorry; I've just been pulling a lot of overtime. There's this big merger coming up and we're all going into overdrive to prepare" he explained groggily.
"I'll leave so you can get some sleep." She moved to get up and he reached out to her.
"No, please stay." He grabbed her arm and she looked at him. She studied the bags under his eyes and felt her heart ache.
"You look exhausted. You need to sleep" she told him.
"I need more time with you" he replied. She sighed and smiled at him sadly.
"Go lie down in bed and I'll sit with you until you fall asleep" she compromised. He nodded and got up from the couch.
After a few minutes she entered his bedroom as he was sitting down on the edge of the bed in his pajamas.
"Now lie down" she instructed as she went around the bed. He stretched out and let his head hit the pillow. She lay down next to him and he turned his head to look at her.
"How was work?" she asked with a grin.
"Exhausting. I'm trying to make enough money to pay back Naruto for the week he was docked" Sasuke said closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Why was Naruto docked pay?" she inquired. Sasuke's eyes shot open. He had not yet told her about meeting with Katara or skipping work to do so, knowing she would not approve.
"Oh, well, I did something stupid and he covered for me" he answered. He wasn't technically lying either. Ino had sensed his hesitation but said nothing she simply nodded. He leaned back again and closed his eyes. "He is a good friend; I need to hang out with him more. I know he worries about me… but I'm doing OK.
"Are you?" she said quietly.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing" she said soothingly. "Just rest"
"You won't leave, right?" he asked without opening his eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere. I promise." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"I love you" he sighed happily, then drifted off to sleep.
She sat there watching him sadly for a while longer.
"I love you too."