Masks
Chapter 4:
Undead
Footsteps echoed through the empty streets of the city. It was very late and the city, so alive during the day, now seemed dead. Using the shadows to her advantage, a girl masked her presence and suppressed her chakra. She silently ran toward the gates of the city and quickly slid past them. Not turning back even once, she ran into the dark forest ahead of her as fast as she could.
A couple of hours later the village was cruelly awoken by high-pitched cry of despair.
-NEE-SAMA!-
Oboro gasped loudly as she suddenly jolted back to consciousness. She sat up and ran a hand through her long dark hair as she tried to calm her frantic breathing.
Another memory.
Since those shinobi from Konoha had gotten to the village, she kept having dreams of the past. Memories she had tried hard to forget. Memories that involved all of them.
She had known from the very beginning who they were, as she had sensed their unmistakable chakras the moment they set foot in Tsuba.
She took a quick shower and got dressed before leaving her room.
Kuromane Danjo woke up at the crack of dawn, as usual. He wasted no time and got up from his futon and walked to the bathroom. Just for today, he would let the maids take care of his room.
He emerged freshened up and called for Hoshiko. Soon, the head housekeeper was knocking on his door. After a curt 'come in', the elderly lady walked into the room, a set of carefully folded ceremonial robes in her hands.
-Good morning, Danjo-sama- Hoshiko greeted as she handed the clothes to the priest –These are your robes for today's purification ceremony.
The bald man took them with a smile –Thank you, Hoshiko-san. You may leave now-
The small lady bowed and quickly left the room, and he could hear her give off commands here and there as she walked away.
Danjo thought about his daughter as he changed. Today was the day when she would have to face all that she had been running away for. He knew she was mad at him for bringing team 7 in without her knowledge, she wouldn't have gone to practice her performance somewhere else if she wasn't. He sighed, his daughter was as powerful as she was complex.
He left his room and made his way towards the dining room, where Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were waiting for him to begin breakfast. He greeted them and sat down. Almost immediately, a couple of maids appeared and began laying dishes in front of them.
-Excuse me, Danjo-sama- one of the maids spoke –Oboro-sama says she will not be joining you for breakfast today. She said she will be waiting for you and our guests at the waterfall-
Danjo nodded –I see. Very well, you may leave- he watched as the maids retired and turned to his guests -I hope you all had a nice night- he was rewarded by silence, and he felt tension rising. He wisely chose to ignore it and grabbed his chopsticks, his guests imitating him.
-Danjo-san! I didn't tell you this last night, but you have a very talented daughter!- Naruto said, trying to make conversation and lighten the dark mood.
The priest looked at the blonde boy, a proud gleam in his eyes –Oh, yes! She is indeed very talented- the man chirped –She even wrote the song she sang last night!- he added.
Sakura watched the priest and her boyfriend talk about the mysterious girl they had yet to meet. She frowned. She decided at that moment that she didn't like that Oboro girl. With slender hands she raised her teacup to her lips and took a sip, trying to cast any negative thoughts away. She wasn't there to socialize, but to complete a mission. Plus, it was also way too early in the morning for any negative thoughts.
Breakfast concluded fairly quickly and Sakura and her teammates were sent to their rooms to get ready for their purification ritual. The pink haired girl quickly changed into the white yukata that had been provided and then made her way into the living room, where she saw Naruto and Sasuke, both wearing similar white yukatas.
The pink-haired girl felt her heart grow heavy, when neither teammate acknowledged her presence. She cleared her throat loudly to get their attention, but only Naruto turned to look at her. She felt anger bubbling up slowly inside of her. Just how much did she have to do to get Sasuke-kun's attention?
The sound of the shoji door opening snapped her off her thoughts. She turned towards the door and saw Hoshiko's small frame, her usual smile on her lips.
-It seems you're ready- the elderly lady said. She slowly walked through the room and opened another door –we will now go to the shrine, please follow me-
They followed Hoshiko in silence through the many hallways until they finally stopped in front of an immense looking cave located at the very end of the backyard garden. A pair of grandiose ebony gates sealed the entrance to the cave, and were guarded by two young priests who immediately opened the doors for them.
As they walked deeper into the dimly lit cave the sound of water rushing became louder, and the strong smell of herbs together with the thick curtain of steam made it hard to breathe.
-Here we are- Hoshiko said as they stopped in front of a large waterfall. They were told to sit down and wait for their turns in separate corners. The moment they sat down they realized that there was something on the air that made them feel slow and somehow dizzy.
As soon as she realized her senses were slowing down, Sakura reached into one of her pockets and retrieved a tiny flask. Is this a trap? She swiftly uncorked the flask, but was stopped by a small, wrinkly hand when she was about to drink from it.
-You shouldn't drink that, Sakura-san- Hoshiko said as she gently lowered the pink haired girl's hand –It is not necessary-
Sakura was startled –But this smell is hindering my senses!- she explained –My duty is to protect Danjo-san! How am I supposed to do it if my senses are not in full alert?-
Hoshiko smiled –What you think the purpose of the ritual is?-
-Cleansing and purifying, isn't it?-
Hoshiko nodded –Exactly. The combination of herbs, the thickness of the air, the smell, everything has a sole purpose, remove all demons and negative energy.- she gestured to Naruto and Sasuke, who were apparently able of dealing with the situation –The effect it has on you depends on what you need to rid yourself of-
Sakura looked at the small lady –What you mean to say is, the more negative feelings we harbor, the more we will be affected?- she asked incredulously.
-Exactly- Hoshiko smiled yet again –But worry not, you will get used to the feeling soon. Also, people who come into this area with ill intentions would not be able to even walk, so rest assured-
Sakura visibly calmed down.
Hoshiko headed for the door and told her that she would come to fetch her when it was her turn.
Sakura sighed and tried to calm down, drowning herself in thought.
Naruto was the first to undergo through the purification ritual. After scaring the priests with his loud yelling and wailing ('The water's too fucking cold!') for half an hour, he had returned to the waiting room where Sasuke was sitting, shaking from head to toe yet he felt more relaxed than he had ever in the last years.
It was then Sakura's turn. Her purification took the longest, a good 2 hours. He heard her first yelp but then wisely tuned her out along with Naruto's constant shivering and sneezing. He dozed off, with his senses still on alert, and was awoken by the door opening.
A small priest motioned for Sasuke to follow him. He was led to the waterfall, and told to bathe under it.
He obeyed and slowly walked into the pool of water. He could feel his skin tremble and his hair stand because of the freezing water. Without a second thought, he submerged himself into the lake. As an Uchiha, he was no stranger to this kind of rituals, and knew that the faster he got into the water, the faster he would get used to it.
He followed the priest's instructions and stood directly under the waterfall, his eyes closed. He barely felt the water his head, shoulders and back. He was in a daze, barely hearing the priests chanting incantations. He didn't know how long he had been under the waterfall, but he had time to think about everything and anything. From his parents to Konoha. Danjo and his weird advice.
After a good hour, his ritual was done and he was allowed to leave the waterfall. He was told to change into the clothes provided and head back outside with his teammates.
As they left, they caught a glimpse of the person who was being purified. She was a petite girl in white robes. Her long, dark hair clung to her like a second skin and hid her face. She held a black-beaded rosary between her hands and was muttering incantations along with the priest's and Danjo.
-That is Oboro-sama- Hoshiko answered their unasked question as she walked along with them.
The sight of the girl made team 7 stop dead on their tracks. She was familiar, way too familiar. Everything from her hair to her build to the color of her skin reminded them of the friend they had lost three years ago.
Their minds were going haywire at the sight, but were crudely interrupted by Hoshiko, who pushed them towards the exit.
-You should refrain from watching Oboro-sama's cleansing- she said but was stopped by a loud, high-pitched scream.
The group turned around to see the priests stop their incantations and jump to the water to retrieve the dark haired girl who was now clutching her head between her hands.
-DON'T REMOVE HER FROM THE POND!- Danjo screamed at the priests –THE RITUAL MUST BE FINISHED!-
Naruto looked at the priest, surprise evident on his face –WHAT? Look at her, Danjo-san!- he pointed to the screaming girl, who was now being held by two priests –She's suffering!-
Danjo raised a hand, asking for silence –You don't understand. It is not her own pain which she is experiencing- he explained as he signaled for another priest to continue the ritual.
Naruto looked confused. What is this monk talking about? He wondered. Sakura was trying hard to decipher what the priest meant.
-Is she some sort of sensor?- she asked.
Danjo shook his head –The right word would be-
-A Seer, am I wrong?- Sasuke cut in. Naruto and Sakura turned to look at him.
Danjo nodded –A Seer, yes. Are you familiar with them?-
Sasuke nodded –I used to know one- he said and turned to look at the girl, who was now whimpering.
-Oboro-chan is part of the few blessed with the ability to see into the future- Danjo sighed –It has a big toll on her, though-
-Should I check up on her, Danjo-san?- Sakura asked.
-Please do so after the ritual is done. She cannot leave the waterfall and you cannot go in either-
Sakura hesitated a bit before nodding –Yes, Danjo-san-
They waited for what felt like hours, listening to her whimper, until the priest leading the ceremony spoke.
-We are finished, please help Oboro-sama out of the lake- as soon as the words were out, the priests hurried to remove the girl from the water. Danjo ran into one of the huts and came back with a big towel. The priest covered his daughter with it and realized that his priests had a hard time holding her weight.
-Let me help carry her- Sasuke offered. Danjo nodded and the Uchiha was there in a second, taking the barely conscious girl in his arms.
As he walked out of the cave he heard a soft whisper -….T-t-three d-days…-
-Three days?- he asked. A small, pale hand shakily made its way to his robes and clutched them.
-In… T-three days…- the girl whispered again, her wet hair sticking to her face like a mask –Kuromane… D-Danjo w-will- she gasped and pulled Sasuke towards her with what little strength remained in her. Sasuke looked at her. As he took a small second to study her, he almost dropped her on the ground as he took a look of her face.
-Sasuke-kun?- Sakura asked as she caught up with him, Naruto tailing behind.
-…die- the girl's body went limp.
Sasuke couldn't move. His brain was racing. Her resemblance to his lost friend wasn't just an uncanny coincidence. She had the same hair, same build, same skin color, but most importantly, the same eyes.
They were white.
Naruto approached his teammate, worried as he saw he was frozen on the spot –What is wrong, Teme?- he then looked at the now unconscious girl and his blue eyes widened.
-H-HINATA?-