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I'm going to kill off Sakura now…but thanks for reading/reviewing HPBabe91, Rostta, Sasukelover64, iamNOTafangirl3221, Blue Moiraine Sedai, runwithskizzers, and Tears like Crystals! Sasuke says that he is pleased. And Sakura is giving EVERYONE her wonderful Sakura blossom-shaped cookies! Yeaaaah! (wait…how can she do that when she's about to die?)
Music: "Under the Moon" by Do As Infinity.
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B r o k e n T y p o g r a p h y
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Chapter 9 - Then There Was Darkness
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Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Flying….
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Her.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
A blur, of…images.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Then…
What…am I doing?
Silence.
Where…am I going?
Pause.
What's…happening?
Silence.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Thud.
The sickening sound of the sword going through his shoulder brought him back to reality.
Silence.
What…happened?
Pause.
He opened his eyes fully, and what he saw shocked him to the core.
They…
Standing there.
A shinobi…
Holding a sword.
A sword, that was…
Was it?
…sticking right out of his body.
He was hallucinating.
Silence.
"…S-…S-…S-Sasuke…kun?"
Or was he?
She was…
Still alive?
But…
But.
He had saw.
Saw…
The sword heading straight for her heart.
I hear them, flitting through my head
Tuning in and out, like a broken record…
He had known
That he couldn't save her.
That it was one time too many.
But…
What…had happened?
Why…
Was she still alive?
Silence.
He turned his head slowly around.
And saw…
Her.
Standing there.
Her face, dirty and tear-stained.
Her beautiful pink hair
Hanging limp and bedraggled.
Her eyes.
Staring wide, shocked, full of remorse and…
And…
Was it?
It couldn't be.
…
Horror.
Undiluted, terrifying horror.
Horror…
At him.
Silence.
He saw…that her mouth was open slightly.
Open, in a silent scream.
Her large, emerald-green eyes…
Staring.
Staring.
Always staring.
Silence.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
He looked down, and saw…
That a sword was sticking out.
Through his shoulder blade.
His left arm, seemed limp.
But…
But.
Why…
Was he feeling no pain?
He had a sword, sticking out of his body.
And yet…
Nothing.
Nothing at all.
Silence.
Something black caught his eye.
He looked down at himself, more thoroughly.
And saw…
That he was covered with black marks.
The seal.
Orochimaru's seal.
Silence.
So…
That was why, she had been staring…
In horror.
At him.
Pause.
"S-Sasuke-kun…"
He looked up, slowly, to her voice.
His eyes locked with hers.
And then…
Silence.
She screamed.
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Hissing
Laughing
Murmuring, softly
Appearing at random
And sometimes, not at all
Their voices, sounding in my mind
Like prying fingers, reaching into my brain
To seek those memories that I have made
And laugh,
Crying like the rain
Filling my mind with hazy thoughts
Images, flashing through my brain
Is it just that all of these things…
Merely voices
Can create such an effect on me?
Maybe so
But I…
I…
Know more than enough
To try, and shut them out of my head.
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He saw, that…
She was pointing.
Pointing at him.
That strangled cry, sounding from her throat.
Her pupils, dilating, with absolute terror,
At him.
Him.
Him.
He felt pain.
But not from the wound.
No.
From her voice.
Tearing through his heart like a razor.
Shredding every single feeling in him.
And leaving him blank, empty.
Like a shell.
A puppet.
Silence.
He watched, as she gasped for breath, still pointing and staring at him.
Then…
She spoke.
"S-Sasuke-kun…"
Confusion instantly invaded his mind.
Why…
Why still the "kun"?
Why not "bakimono!"?
Just, why…
Pause.
"S-Sasuke-kun…y-you're h-hurt…"
His eyes followed her shaking finger.
And, he realized
That she,
Was pointing at his injury.
The sword's blade, still pierced through him.
Silence.
"You're h-hurt…"
He saw that her eyes were filling with tears.
Her body was shaking.
Her eyes, still wide.
Staring…
Not at him.
But at his blood.
Pause.
His feelings arose in his heart once more.
"Sakura…"
He stopped, slightly surprised.
His voice was hoarse and very rough.
He didn't sound like himself.
"Sakura…I'm fine."
He reached up with his right arm and pulled the sword out of him.
Not once making a sign or sound of pain.
Why?
Well…
He couldn't feel any.
Not. One. Bit.
Silence.
He heard her gasp of shock, as he threw the sword aside, still stained with his blood.
Strange…
He didn't feel tired, either.
His chakra was not depleted any longer.
His mind was clearer than before.
His strength, back to normal.
Silence.
"You're not dead?"
Pause.
He had momentarily forgotten about the three sound shinobi that were left.
That…
That…
That tried, to kill…
Her.
He turned around, very slowly.
The Sharingan full activated.
Glaring, with a promise of death.
For the shinobi…
Who dared, to try and send her to hell.
He knew,
That the shinobi had already realized that they were going to die.
"O-onegai…U-Uchiha-sama…"
The words did not penetrate into his brain.
He was going to kill them.
Silence.
His fist tightened on his last kunai.
Pause.
He lunged.
The ninja tried to escape.
But to no avail.
Smirk.
They were screaming in pain.
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I think…
I'm going crazy
These whispers, flitting in and out
Volumes, loud and low
My head, spinning in turmoil
I see, their eyes
They think that I'm going insane
And I don't think that I can disagree
It is true
I'm hearing voices in my head
Of who?
I cannot tell
Of what?
I do not know
But when?
It doesn't matter
Nothing matters
Nothing at all
But to imprison myself
And hope…
That this was all a nightmare.
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He could hear voices.
Pieces of conversation filtering through his brain.
"He…wound…"
Where…was he?
"Saved…never…"
What…were they saying?
"Gone…dead…seal…"
Silence.
And then, it hit him.
Seal.
Seal.
Orochimaru's seal.
The sword, heading straight at her heart.
The blade, sticking out of his shoulder.
Her eyes, wide and horrified.
The scream, ripping from her throat.
His blood, gushing out from his wound.
And the pain…
Pause.
There was no pain.
Silence.
He opened his eyes, slowly, painfully.
His eyelids felt like dead weights, useless, resting upon his eyeballs.
But…
He forced them open.
The sudden light that hit his eyes and made him temporarily go blind was insane.
And he instantly shut his eyes again.
"H-Hey! Look, he's awake!"
He gritted his teeth against the noise, hurting his ears.
"Ssshh, Naruto-kun, not so loud!"
So…
The dobe was here.
And some other woman, whose voice he did not know.
"Ne ne, Shizune-nee-chan, why did he shut his eyes again?"
That dobe.
"Well, he just woke up. Maybe the sunlight's too bright…?"
Pause.
He supposed that he should "wake up" and at least acknowledge the dobe and the nurse.
But he didn't feel like it.
He didn't want to.
All he wanted, was to hear her voice…
To feel her touch.
And look into her soft, beautiful eyes.
Run his hands through her silky, rosy hair.
But…
Where was she?
"Ne, Shizune-nee-chan, where's Sakura-chan?"
"I think she's still outside."
"Oh! I'll go call her in then; she'll want to see Sasuke-teme!"
"No, no, Naruto-kun, don't-!"
Silence.
He heard the nurse sigh.
"That boy…"
Step.
Step.
Step.
There were footsteps, and a rustling beside him.
"Sasuke-san, please wake up. There's no point pretending, and I can see what condition you're in now. You do know…that if I don't check up on you, you won't be able to train for a long time…"
Pause.
His eyes snapped open to the face of a young woman.
But not her.
Silence.
His heart weighed heavily in his chest.
Where was she?
He hadn't noticed, until now…
How he had came to expect these things from her.
Her, running to him.
Her, shouting his name.
Her, adding that affectionate "kun" to the end of his name.
Her, smiling so happily at him, knowing that he was there for her, to protect her.
Silence.
"Hello, Sasuke-san."
His eyes traveled slowly back to the nurse's face. She was peering at him, checking his face for any still unhealed injuries.
"My name is Shizune, and I'm a nurse. I'm also the apprentice of the Godaime, Tsunade-sama."
Something wasn't right about that sentence…
Pause.
Wait a second…
Godaime?
Tsunade?
What about…
What about "old man" Hokage?
Sandaime?
Step.
Step.
And the door burst open.
"Sasuke-teme!"
He winced from the loud shout of the dobe.
"Ne, you're wake, you teme! What did you do to Sakura-chan, huh?"
His eyebrows furrowed.
Did…to…
Her?
"No…Naruto, don't…I'm fine. Sasuke-kun didn't do anything to me. In fact, he…he…"
His head rotated to the side.
And there, he saw.
Her.
Standing at the doorway, eyes downcast.
Her whole form, limp and lifeless.
Moving like a mere puppet, with no energy.
Her hair was no longer shiny and silky.
It was hanging from her head like cobwebs, dangling from her skull.
He watched as she looked up, ever so lengthily.
And their eyes locked once more.
Silence.
He was shocked.
Her eyes, that used to be full of luster and emotion.
Were now dead, dank, dull, and dark.
Like a marionette's listless orbs.
Pause.
Then, her eyes widened slightly.
Some of the emotion that she seemed to have lost returned once more.
Silence.
"Sasuke…kun…?"
He gazed at her for another moment.
"Aa."
The tension in the air intensified.
And then…
It was gone.
"Sasuke-kun!"
He saw, that she was running towards him.
Tears, running down her face once more.
Her emerald-green eyes, shining and filled with emotion.
Silence.
He felt her arms close around him.
Tightening around his body.
Pulling him, slightly forward, against her.
Her face, nuzzled in the base of his neck.
Her tears, cold against his skin.
Her hair, brushing softly over his face.
"Sasuke-kun…"
She was sobbing into his chest.
"You're alive…"
Pause.
He felt his heart lighten somewhat.
Relieved.
Relieved.
That she was here, touching him.
Not looking at him with fright.
Or dead eyes.
"…aa. I'm fine."
He winced slightly as he said this, and felt something in his ribs move painfully.
He knew that she was still crying.
"You're alive…Sasuke-kun. Alive…"
He moved an arm agonizingly and patted her on the back rather awkwardly.
"Aa. I'm not that easy to kill."
He heard her gasp, and take a shuddering breath, her body shaking from the impact. Tears were dripping down onto him, and her grip on him was rather painful.
"Sasuke-kun…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"
He gazed at her. She seemed to be beating herself up inwardly, over something. And he had a suspicion of exactly what that "something" was.
"Sakura."
He watched her attempt to stop crying , and look at him.
"It's not your fault."
He saw her eyes widen a fraction more.
"…S-Sasuke-kun…but-"
He cut across her.
"It's not your fault."
Silence.
"Don't go blaming yourself. None of it was your fault."
He knew that she would not accept that. At least…not yet.
"B-but…Sasuke-kun…if I had listened to you and not have gone after you…you wouldn't have had to come and save me, a-and…and…"
He watched as she broke off, looking down at her hands.
"It wasn't your problem."
The room was silent. The only sounds were the birds twittering outside in the sunshine, and the wind blowing into the room from the open window.
"It's my fault. If I wasn't so…"
He also broke off, not wanting to admit it.
But deep inside, he knew.
He was weak.
"Sasuke-kun."
He looked up. She was staring at him, her face set in an unfathomable expression.
"Don't blame yourself."
Silence.
"You saved me. You came and saved me. It was my problem for getting myself into trouble."
He scowled slightly.
Damn her and her willingness to shut her mind so thoroughly so that she could bottle up all the blame and throw it upon herself.
"Even if they hadn't met you, I'd have encountered them sooner or later. They were looking for me. And if I had Sabaku with me, it would've been even worse."
He saw that she was giving in, although it seemed as though she was still fighting the battle.
"But, Sasuke-ku-"
"Just shut up, Sakura."
Silence.
He knew that she was staring at him, in bewilderment, not knowing whether he was mad at her or not. He sighed and put his head in his hands.
"It's. Not. Your. Fault. Okay? Just stop blaming yourself already."
Pause.
"…I will if…i-if you will, Sasuke-kun."
He raised his eyes back to her face, frowning. Then, he relented.
"Fine."
Silence.
"…Were you hurt?"
He saw her face turn startled, as she blinked.
"Ano…no. Thanks to you, Sasuke-kun."
He watched her smile slightly, albeit a bit sadly.
"Thank you, Sasuke-kun."
He smiled somewhat, although it may have turned out more of a painful grimace.
"Hn."
There was a scuffing sound.
"Ano…ehh, Sakura-chan? Sasuke-teme?"
He looked around at the dobe, as did she.
"…"
He was the blonde scratch his head, looking a bit awkward.
"So! Uhh…um, so, how're ya feeling now, teme?"
He heard her sigh next to him, on the hospital bed.
"Really, Naruto. Sasuke-kun's hurt, and you still call him 'teme'?"
He watched the dobe grumble and flush.
"Well…! Well…! Well…aa!"
He smirked slightly.
"Oh, right, Shizune-san…how's Sasuke-kun's condition?"
Silence.
He suddenly remembered something that had been bugging him when he was talking to the nurse, previously.
"Well, he seems to be healing quite well…although his chakra is still depleted somewhat."
"Whaaaaat? Sasuke-teme's been unconscious for two weeks and his chakra still isn't back?"
His head snapped up.
"What? I've been unconscious for two weeks?"
He felt her move slightly beside him, and he turned to look at her. Her face was slightly downcast as she nodded to confirm this.
He felt shocked. Two weeks.
No wonder she had looked so lifeless.
He knew, that she had probably thought…
Thought that…
He was dying.
He was dead.
"Well, Sasuke-san hasn't been getting enough nutrients and sleep. You don't get all of your chakra back from being unconscious."
"But Shizune-nee-chan, Sasuke-teme looks fine!"
He heard the nurse sigh and reply in voice that suggested that she was talking to a very ignorant and rather stupid child.
"That's because his injuries healed over the course of two weeks, Naruto-kun."
"Well yeah, but-!"
"Damate, Naruto."
He looked around at her.
He saw, that she was glaring at the dobe, her face full of annoyance.
To his surprise, the dobe obeyed, falling silent.
He watched as she turned towards him, her eyes falling upon him, traveling down him and lingering at the places in which he was injured.
"You…you should get some r-rest, Sasuke-kun. A-and, I'll bring f-food later…"
He saw her smile weakly, and slide off the bed.
Silence.
Step.
Step.
Step.
He didn't want her to leave.
His mind was already protesting at the sounds of her feet as she walked away, towards the door, turning around the last moment.
"I'll…I'll leave you for now, S-Sasuke-kun…"
And then, she left.
Silence.
He watched the nurse tap Naruto lightly on the shoulder, signaling him to leave.
"I'll send up some food later, okay, Sasuke-san?"
He nodded, barely moving his head.
The door shut behind the nurse and that dobe.
Pause.
He was alone, once more.
Left to drown in his world of sins.
To be enveloped, by that gaping darkness.
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But it isn't…
My mind, gone insane
Me, rolling on the floor
The only light, that penetrates my mind
Is none at all
Only them
Their soft murmurings
Running through my head
Their nimble hands
Flipping through my thoughts
Sending me visions
Making me hallucinate
With my own insanity
For I'm insane
Made, by them…
My never-ending sorrow.
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So…
Orochimaru's seal had saved him, after all.
That curse that the snake Sannin had bestowed upon him.
Had ended up saving him.
Silence.
The irony.
It was…
Going to drive him crazy one day.
Pause.
He turned, once again, in his bed.
Left alone, with no one beside him.
Left alone, to contemplate his thoughts once more.
He was…
He knew.
That he was…
Weak.
Weak.
Weak.
If he had had more power…
She wouldn't have had that narrow scrape of death.
She wouldn't have to blame herself upon his comatose. His injury. Him, nearly embracing hell.
More power…
It all came down to that.
If he was powerful enough, he could fulfill his promise to protect her.
Hadn't he said…
That as long as he was there, she wouldn't have to worry?
That she wouldn't have the need of tears?
Silence.
But…
He had broken his promise.
That thread, that held their trust together.
Gone.
But…
Just but…
She…
Didn't seem to have noticed.
She…
Still seemed to trust him.
To care for him.
To love him.
Or…or was it just her guilty conscience?
Did she, really…
…love him?
She had never said that she did.
Even when she was about to die.
However…
What was that…
What was she going to say…
That time, when she was nearly killed by the large rat that had been summoned by one of the sound shinobi?
"I'm sorry…"
"Oh, Sasuke-kun…"
"I…I l-"
Silence.
She had never managed to finish that sentence.
But, had she been about to say…
To say, that…
She loved him?
Pause.
Still…
All this, came down to his lack of power.
Power.
He needed power.
More power.
To kill that man.
And…
To protect her, if she ever needed him, in the future.
Pause.
He settled down, closing his eyes slowly, shutting out the last sliver of moonlight shining through the window.
He decided, that…
If he ever got the chance to gain more power
No matter who it was from…
Even from the snake Sannin…
The enemy of Konohana.
He would go, and embrace that opportunity.
For…
He vowed…
He would never,
Ever
Let her come that close to traveling down that trail leading to the netherworld, again.
Not ever again.
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Those whispers
Those ethereal whispers
Ascending from the gates of heaven
Above me
Flowing with the wind
To come, whistling into my head
Making me strain, with fatigue
To understand
What they are saying
What they are speaking
What those words mean
For these are
Angels
Whispering
Angelic whispers
Bestowed upon me
And I know, now
That I, am not cursed
But blessed
With the musings of those otherworldly beings
For me.
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Wooooow! I'm impressed with myself! This is the first time I wrote a chapter in one day! Just one day! Usually, it takes me three-four days, about an hour or less per day (with the exception of this fanfic; it usually takes me two days). But anyways, I updated faster this time!
Haha, I lied about killing Sakura in the beginning of the chapter. I bet there were those who read that and were like "WHAT?! I'M GONNA KILL YOU, YOKO!" - So, she didn't die this chapter. But what about later on, in the future? -insert suspenseful music here- Hm…you'll never know. Until the future. But that's still ages away. And anyways…I like Sakura.
And…if anyone was wondering what happened to the Sandaime…well, of course he died. But it'll all be explained to Sasuke in the next chapter. Oh yeah, and "damate" is "shut up" in Japanese romaji. At least, I'm pretty sure it is…
The lyrics in this chapter are from a song of mine called Angelic Whispers.
Liked the chapter? Got any comments? Tell me, please! (and besides, if you want me to update faster, like this time…)
