Before starting anything, i would like to apologize for my inexcusable tardiness. Lack of brain juice and school forcing even more to be wringed from my already dry brain cells did not help. And projects! Don't you just hate the word and its whole meaning? Guh! It should be banned! Especially before Term Tests and in the two weeks break after it. I mean, come on! Squeezing three major projects into two measly weeks would be a killer! And I'm not even in University yet. Lol.
Anyway...
I thank you all for waiting patiently, and for those who read the rants and complaints, above, hugs and slobbery kisses for all! This is the next chappie of Voices. Hope you all like it. It's a bit of um, (look below to have the spoiler word) but once again, I'll try not to break my promise of updating fast.
Dozo.
Ah. Disclaimers apply.
Voices of a Distant Star
CHAPTER 5
The ships were readying to go into hyperspace jump again. The ever calm, crisply professional voice of the communications' officer through the speakers made sure everyone in the fleet knew of it.
"In 48 hours, the fleet will execute a jump to the Sirius Binary Star System."
And everyone did take notice of it – no one could really ignore the cutting voice even if they tried. Perhaps it was one of the reasons the woman was made into such an officer. Perhaps as well, it was the reason why the crew along the corridors looked quite astounded that a boy was running past them as though he had done the seemingly impossible feat of ignorance.
"The distance is 8.6 light years."
Not one of them bothered to ask why the young teen was running so hard that his breath came in harsh pants. Not one of them bothered to wonder why he seemed in a rush. They knew he was one of the younger – and perhaps even the rumored youngest by his Junior High School uniform – pilots but they knew not to be involved with the likes of such people. Anytime now, any day…
"All messages to Earth…"
There was a small beep as the teen pressed a button by the entrance of a metal door. With a silent hiss, it slid open.
"…are to be sent before the jump."
A familiar gray head looked up. "Sasuke?"
The raven panted by the door, a look of pure anxiety and worry on his pale face. "Commander…"
The man only beckoned the teen over and pointed to one of the many array of lighted screens in the dark room. "Over here…speak to the monitor."
Still panting, the raven did as told. Another familiar face, albeit more than simply a little worse for wear, was seen on the said monitor. The intercom crackled slightly before letting a tired voice call out.
"Is that…Sasuke?"
A wash of relief melted through Sasuke's heart. His voice trembled with the warmth as he whispered to the older teen. "Neji…" – and without even meaning to, his tears spilt past his red-rimmed eyes to his porcelain cheeks. He threw all pride to the winds and sobbed his gratitude to the other.
"Thank goodness you're alright…Neji…"
The intercom crackled again. "Sorry I got you all worried…I was rescued and taken by another ship…"
Sasuke sniffed. He blinked rapidly and wiped his tears. "Hn…"
"But…they're sending me back to Earth…"
All movement by the raven paused. His dark eyes widened in the shock even as the older teen smiled softly. A wet trail had already marked his way down the one un-bandaged side of his face.
"I wanted to go to Sirius with you, Sasuke…I really did…"
Shock slowly receded from the raven's system to let in the recently ever-present sorrowful emptiness. There was a moment of pause before he answered a quiet, "I know…"
"I won't forget you…"
A questioning gaze. "Hn?"
"We'll be eight years apart…
"But you'll always be in my heart, Sasuke…so…"
The words left a deep, warm comfort in him. Once again, the raven's dried cheeks grew wet.
"Don't worry about me. Just go on ahead to Sirius…"
Sasuke sank to his knees. His dark head rested on his pale arms as his slim shoulders shook with his renewed sobs. Finally – I'm not alone.
"I will…"
Thank you, Neji…-line-
Thank you.
-line-
It was lunch break. Yet, Naruto found himself standing at his school's rooftop, staring absently off into the sky. He didn't know why but that day, the never-ending blue seemed empty. He started when he felt the light pat on his back. A sort of familiarity overcame him as he looked at the girl. Her dark, dark bangs that looked almost blue—
"Didn't you hear me…?"
Her question brought him out of his thoughts and he grinned sheepishly. "Eh, sorry…you are…?"
"Hi- Hinata…from 1-A. Hyu- Hyuuga Hinata."
Naruto watched as the girl stepped forward quietly. Her name somehow sounded familiar to him. And the pale eyes surely couldn't be so easily forgotten.
"We were in the Student Council together in the first semester. Don't you remember?"
The blonde shook his head. The sheepish grin was now replaced with an absent look. "…No. Sorry."
He didn't notice the girl's expression dropping. Silence once again invaded their space. Once again, it was the girl that broke it.
"Um, I heard y- you quit kendo…"
Naruto started again. "Huh?" – the absent look was still on him even as he noticed the question – "Oh…yeah…"
Getting a response, the girl pressed on. "E- Everyone knows how tough the training in the Kendo club is, b- but we all noticed that it never got you down. So- So we were wondering, um, why you quit all of a sudden…" – realizing that she had just burst forth without notice, Hinata had never been one to talk much, the pale-eyed girl flushed and looked down bashfully – "Ah, I mean, that- that's all…"
An awkward silence settled over them. Hinata fidgeted nervously. It seemed that Naruto would not answer. Perhaps the question was personal—
"I…"
Hinata started. "Ah, hm?"
"I just didn't know…" Naruto had no idea what he was saying but he felt the girl deserved an answer. He had forgotten about her after all. Besides, he felt like talking about it.
"…If that was what I really wanted to do…Somehow, I just…
"I just don't care anymore…"
This time, a contemplative silence took over. After awhile, the girl spoke.
"I- I think I understand…honestly."
Naruto turned to her in mild surprise. He wondered idly what it was that had happened to make her that way.
"I- I'm in the Archery club right now. I go there just to um, let m- my hair down." Hinata smiled shyly when she received the blonde's attention. "It's- It's kind of like a place to de-stress."
Naruto proceeded to blink at the sudden change of topic. He knew he was dense in these kind of things and at the moment, he had no idea where Hinata was getting to with it.
"Um, do feel free to drop by when- when y- you like it."
Naruto blinked again. So she only wanted him to join a club? "Oh. Sure, I'll do that."
"Ah, I- I'm going this way. So- See you…"
Grinning brightly at the pale gaze, Naruto waved at cheerful goodbye. He turned back shortly after to continue gazing at the clouds. He still couldn't keep his mind of that emp—
"H- Hey."
Blue eyes broke away from its absent stare to lock onto the familiar pale, lavender ones.
"Can we…" – Hinata flushed under the blue orbs – "Can we do this again tomorrow?"
-line-
"This place feels rather empty without Neji."
Sasuke paused at the steps going up his quarters to look at a concerned-looking commander. He smiled softly at the man and nodded. "Hn…"
Later, they sat by the wide observation windows, basking in the comfort of each other's presence. Or rather, Sasuke was basking. The gray haired commander was the one exuding the comfort.
"Um, commander?"
Kakashi inclined his head in question. "Hm?"
Sasuke's voice seemed even quieter in the large room. "What does it feel like to be pulled further and further away from everyone on Earth?" – the raven looked away absently to stare at the floor – "I hear you've been around since the second expedition. So it crossed my mind to ask you…"
The young raven hadn't expected his commander to answer, even being as open as he was. It was a personal thing, after all, and he was a little shocked when he heard the man speaking again after a long moment of thoughtful quiet.
"You hardly feel it when you're here…but it's scary."
The words startled Sasuke. It puzzled him. Usually the commander would try his best to assure his subordinates – not frighten them. His dark eyes stared questioningly at the melancholic gaze of his superior as Kakashi went on.
"Actually, I had a chance to return to Earth. But I was so afraid of the time lapse that I—" – Kakashi's gaze turned inwards to a past Sasuke could not see – "I couldn't do it."
Sasuke sat in the familiar thoughtful quiet that followed. It terrified him that even his commander – someone he respected very much – was feeling that way, somehow, he felt lighter. He heard the man beside him chuckle awkwardly and apologize. That kind smile made its way onto the elder's face again.
"I hope I didn't make it worse for you."
Smiling, Sasuke shook his head. "No…In fact, I'm relieved."
And he knew that deep inside, in a small way that he couldn't really tell, he was.
I'm not alone…-line-
"Twenty-three, twenty-four…" – Sasuke was currently counting. His pale digits curled almost delicately on against an equally pale palm with each increase in amount. He let out a nervous giggle as he finally thought about the total. "Wow…twenty-five years old…hard to imagine…"
His nervous laughter faded away slowly, allowing the mecha's comforting hum to envelope him. The mobile was in his hands once more.
By the time this message reaches him, a year from now…He looked away from it and let it hang limply in his grip. He couldn't really think with its luminescent screen watching him, anyway.
…I'll be in Sirius.
Out of sheer habit, Sasuke wound his arms below his knees. It seemed the best position for him to take to think.
One by one, everyone's turning into a stranger…His dark eyes grew impossibly darker—
I'm being…And his head dropped even lower.
…left behind.
"…will I be forgotten?" – the thoughts spilled from his mouth naturally now. There wasn't really anyone there to bother him with it – "Am I to be cast away from your heart, Naruto?"
Suddenly feeling cold, Sasuke clutched himself tighter.
"Will your memory of me…"
The mecha's speakers fizzled and a stern voice spoke through. "Standby for hyperspace jump. All crew members…"
-line-
Back on Earth, on the rooftop of Anbu High School, a blonde youth stood, staring wide-eyed at the girl before him. Yes, he had admitted he was dense. But this—
Thoughts raced madly through his mind in an attempt to formulate a proper answer. After all, a girl that he barely knew had—
-line-
"…evaporate into thin air?"
...to be continued...
So. How it was? It was how? How was it?
Comment please.
Oh, and for the bracket thingy above. It's (cliffhanger). Yes, it's a sorta cliffie which I also hate. Hah.
Gah.
BLEARGH.
:watcheva:
