What Brings Us Together
Chapter 7
XxXLilumAngelXxX: Wow... O_o chapter 7 already? Never saw that coming. lol Now for the disclaimer. NORI!!!!
Nori: Hi Lili-chan! Am I up?
XxXLiliumAngelXxX: *nods*
Nori: Lili-chan doesn't own any characters except me and Aya (partially) They belong to Kishimoto-sama
XxXLiliumAngelXxX: Thankies Nori!
Gaara picked me up and ran at full speed in the direction of the scream. We were being followed by Itachi, Naruto and Hinata, followed by Kiba and TenTen. Gaara stopped in front of a door in the eastern corridor. The door that led to HIS room. I opened it, and my nightmare began. A shirtless Sasuke was holding Sakura close to him. I switched a light on, and saw the crimson stains on Sakura's shirt. I followed the river of blood to a huge bite on the side of her neck. I ran forward, jumping on the bed and crawling as fast as I could to them. I slapped Sasuke as hard as I could before pulling Sakura out of his arms.
"Saku! Saku, wake up!" I shook her, tears streaming from eyes. Sasuke helped me get her off the bed and onto the floor. I shoved him away while I barked orders.
"Hinata! Go into the bathroom and grab the first aid kit!" I pressed my hand to Sakura's neck, trying to stop the bleeding. The warm liquid spread over my hand.
"Get me a cold, wet washcloth! NOW!" Naruto was next to me with the cloth, and I placed it onto her head. Hinata sat by me with the kit.
"Get me the gauze and bandages! We need to stop the bleeding and seal any of the venom left inside her!" Itachi looked at me, then at Sasuke with a fury that I'd never seen before. Hinata's hands were fluid and steady as she passed me the gauze first. I placed it over the two crescent shaped gashes on her neck before raising the other hand. The bandages entered my open hand instantly.
"Gaara! Hold Sakura's head up as gently as possible!" The action was instantaneous. I wrapped the bandages around her neck tightly, holding the gauze against the wounds. I grabbed the little metal clip and pinned it to the bandages. I placed two bloody fingers onto her pulse. It was faint, but beating at an inhuman speed. It was already starting. I looked at my bloody hands in horror. My best friends blood coated my hands. My rage began to build, and I felt my eyes begin to sting violently. I turned to Sasuke and punched him in the jaw. But, it wasn't my hand!! The skin was a deep cerulean blue, with long, claw-like nails.
Sasuke flew back into a wall, shaking the entire house when he collided with it.
"What the fuck is wrong with you Sasuke!!!" I screamed, but it wasn't my voice! It sounded different, like many voices were speaking at once. (AN: Picture Mystique's voice from X-Men.) My vision turned red with murderous intent as I ran forward. Itachi flew in front of me, stopping my advance. I saw my reflection in his now black eyes. I gasped. This wasn't me! The girl in my cousin's eyes had moonstone silver hair with gray horns shaped like cat ears. (AN: like a diclonius from Elfen Lied) The skin was the same deep cerulean blue as the skin I saw on the clawed hand. The lips were black, and small pearly fangs were visible. The eyes were chrome silver with electric blue slit pupils. A matching blue ring surrounded the pupil, with for blue commas spinning around the slit along the ring.
The Rengoku Sharingan… (AN: Rengoku means "purgatory") There was a dull throbbing emanating from the skin over my left pelvic bone. My eyes refocused on Itachi, who had activated his Mangekyou Sharingan. They spun, and my vision began to fade. The throbbing on my hip began to sharpen into a stabbing pain as I felt myself tumble to the floor. The last thing I felt was a pair of strong, familiar arms catch me and hold me close…
A few hours later…
My eyes fluttered open, looking up at the chiffon canopy above my bed. I turned my throbbing head to the side gazing at the drapes that covered the window through the chiffon curtain. I sat up despite the throbbing in my head and crawled out of bed. A small cramp-like pain grabbed at my left hipbone. I rubbed it, but the pain only increased. I lowered the waistband of my shorts and saw 3 small commas in a pinwheel shape. I poked it and hissed. Yep, that was the source of pain right there. I slipped my feet into my slippers and walked to the door when the memories hit me.
Sasuke… Sakura… Blood on my hands… that strange reflection in Itachi's eyes… I opened the door and limped towards Sasuke's room. Before I knew it, Gaara and Itachi were in front of me. Gaara's black-rimmed eyes were concerned as he scanned me for any injury. Itachi's gaze was soft, but troubled.
"I want to see her." I stated firmly. Gaara scooped me up and walked as gently as possible as he carried me to a different room in the mansion. He knocked, waiting for an answer.
"Come in." Someone rasped from behind the door. Gaara opened the door and carried me inside. The plain white room was still as I scanned it. The silver canopy bed had white chiffon curtains; drawn of course. Sasuke sat in a chair at the bedside, leaning forward, holding a pale, still hand. I was too concerned about the owner's hand to be angry with him right now.
"I can walk Gaara. I'm ok." I whispered into his ear. He reluctantly placed my feet on the ground, but still held onto my shoulders as to steady me. I limped forward and saw her in the bed. She was still as a statue, and just as pale. The gauze and bandages were still wrapped around her neck. Her pink hair was plastered to her head with sweat. I put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder in comforting gesture, and for support. My eyes were stinging with tears already.
"Pass me the cloth, Sasuke." I choked out as I sat on the bed beside her frozen body. He handed it to me without saying a word, and I gently dabbed the cool cloth against her forehead. Her fever was hotter than before. Gaara stood behind me, squeezing my shoulder gently.
"She should be awake in a little while. The conversion's almost over. Her heartbeat is slowing down every second." Gaara's usually monotone voice was filled with reassurance. I checked her pulse. He was right.
"What were you thinking Sasuke?" my voice cracked as I looked at him. His eyes never left her.
"I wasn't thinking Nori. You know how it is for us purebloods." His voice was dry and void of any emotion, as if he were dead inside. Purebloods had a harder time reigning in their instincts, since there was hardly any human inside. They act more animalistic, more driven by the primal feeling they have. I noticed the giant blackish bruise on his cheek. The claw flashed in my head again.
"What the hell happened last night?" I choked again, my tears streaming down like raging rivers.
"Itachi will explain when he comes in here." Sasuke's voice cracked. I continued to watch Sakura; her chest was rising faster and faster as the seconds passed. Finally, her breathing stopped, her fever disappeared. My best friend had died. I held myself back from totally staking Sasuke's heart with a silver stake, knowing that it wasn't over. Sakura shot up, throwing me off the bed in the process. I landed hard, my head pounding and my hip stinging. Gaara stood in front of me, growling like a lion. Sakura just snarled, lashing out slightly. Her normally peridot green eyes were red, and two long fangs were displayed as her lips curled back. Sasuke's roar caught our attention. His eyes were now Sharingan, and Sakura shrunk back, hissing slightly.
"Sakura, it's ok. We're not gonna hurt you." Sasuke's voice was soft as he walked towards the bed. Sakura's head tilted, her eyes scanning him.
"S-Sasuke?" her voice was hoarse and dry. Sasuke just smiled softly and nodded. Sakura launched herself at him, her arms wrapping around his neck as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. He held her there, stroking her rosette hair. Gaara helped me up, the pain in my hip was staggering now.
"What's the matter Sasuke?" Sakura looked up at him, her eyes still as red as his. Sasuke just bit his lip.
"You don't remember Sakura?" she just shook her head. Sasuke brought one of her hands up to her neck, her white fingers pressed against the mound of gauze and bandages on the right side of her neck. Her eyes widened as the shock played across her face. You could almost see her mind replay the events of last night. She pushed Sasuke away, stumbling and falling back onto the floor as she did. She looked at her shaking hands, and felt her face.
"I'm a vampire?" her voice asked in disbelief. I walked forward and squatted in front of her, despite the protesting pain on my hip.
"Nori-chan? Am I?" Her voice cracked as blood red tears filled her eyes. I pulled her into a hug as she cried into my shoulder. She was shaking like a maraca, her small frame shuddering as she sobbed. When her body stilled I froze. Her lips were already at my neck. Before I knew it, Gaara ripped me away from her, roaring angrily at Sakura. She whimpered and shrank back.
"What the fuck is wrong with me!!!" she cried, holding her head in her hands.
"You need blood." Sasuke stated, walking towards her. Her eyes widened. He just moved the collar of his shirt aside, exposing his porcelain neck to her.
"You won't hurt me Sakura. Just do it." His voice was as cold as steel as he pulled her towards him. Gaara still stood in front of me, guarding me in case she went into a blood-fueled frenzy. Sakura stood on her toes and brought her pale lips to Sasuke's neck. Her fangs pierced the skin, and blood oozed from the wounds. Sasuke moved his head to the side, the Sharingan of his eyes spinning wildly. I looked away; the display would be forever branded into my mind.
"Sakura… That's enough." Sasuke huffed. I looked again, and saw Sasuke pull Sakura away from his neck. He wiped the excess blood from his neck, licking it from his fingers. The holes closed almost instantly, and his eyes were once again black. I looked at Sakura, who licked the blood from her lips. She already almost looked like her normal self; her eyes were a bright green again, and her features looked normal instead of sickly.
"Where's everyone else?" her now crystal clear voice rang out.
"They went out for coffee. They'll be back in a while." Gaara stated, his tense frame calming down. I walked out from behind him, staring at my friend.
"Gosh Nori! You look like hell!" she joked as she danced gracefully over to me.
"Well, I was worried about you! I almost killed Sasuke last night!" I stressed the point about last night, looking at my cousin.
"Well, you'll have to fill me in on that." She added coldly. Her solemn expression changed into a smile as she grabbed my wrist a little too hard. I winced, and she recoiled.
"Sorry. C'mon! Let's get ready real quick!" She darted over to the door. I tried walking, but that damn throbbing caused me to wince again. Gaara picked me up and carried me to the room. Sakura just looked at me as he placed me on the vanity chair and gave me a quick kiss before departing.
"Are you ok Nori-chan?" her bell-like voice was thick with concern.
"Some stuff happened last night and… I ... I have no idea what's going on." I shook my head as the blue-skinned girl entered my mind.
"My head feels like I've got a hangover from hell, and this… this… MARK is killing me!" I pointed to my hip.
"What mark?" she tilted her head. I showed her the little pinwheel and her brows knitted.
"Itachi's supposed to explain everything to me, but he still hasn't. I wanted to see if you were ok before that." I shrugged sheepishly. She laughed and grabbed the duffel bag that was in front of the changing screen. She pulled out her clothes before tossing mine towards me. She darted behind the screen while I limped to the bathroom. After brushing my teeth, I splashed ice-cold water over my face. I looked at the reflection in the mirror wearily. My face was paler than usual, and dark purple circles had formed under my eyes. I shook my head and dried my face off with a towel. I wet a cloth before walking out. Sakura was dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans with a black top with hot pink letters that read "WARNING: ATTITUDE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE" and her pink converse. I walked over and told her to stay still as I pulled off the metal clip that held the bandages around her neck. I undid them till I reached the bloody gauze. I pulled it off, looking at the twin crescent scars on her marble neck. Some dry blood had crusted around the flesh, so I wiped it away with the cloth.
I saw Sakura's expression grow somber as I wiped the blood away.
"What's the matter Sakura-chan?" I asked quietly. I threw the cloth into a nearby hamper.
"Mixed feelings…" she murmured.
"About what?" I continued as I went behind the screen. There was a small silence as she contemplated her said feelings into words.
"I like Sasuke, A LOT. But, I hate him… I hate him so much. He's taken something away from me… and he never asked about my feelings." Her voice was cracking slightly; now doubt it was because she was tearing up. I changed into my electric blue tank top and black shorts quickly before walking out from the screen. She was sitting on the bed, her head in her hands. I sat next to her, running my hand on her back in a calming gesture. She looked at me, the crimson tears already running down her face.
"It's a lot harder for the Uchiha vampires Saku. If Sasuke were a common vampire, this probably never would have happened." Why was I defending him? Oh, right. He was head over heels for Sakura, and she was the same over him. Brilliant.
"What do you mean?" she questioned as she wiped her eyes.
"Well, my family is known for its heritage. My family is a clan of Pure Blood vampires. Since there is not a single drop of human blood in their line, their instincts are a little more intense. The animalistic side of them tends to come out more easily." Her expression showed her brain working this out.
"And, only purebloods can change humans." I added, still rubbing her back. She looked forward, spacing out for a few seconds before pulling me into hug. She was holding back; a full-blown hug from her would've crushed me instantly.
"That still doesn't change the fact that I HATE him. I hate that I NEED him with me, that I WANT him still. And he is practically INSIDE me now, liking he's running through the blood in my veins." She whimpered, crying again.
"That's your bond Saku. He's your creator, so you share the same feelings. He feels what you feel, and vice versa. You share one mind now." She pulled away, sniffing.
"But it's not all that bad. You two are closer then ever." She looked at me, and I smiled softly. She nodded shakily.
"Yeah. You're right." She pulled me into another hug, holding me as tightly as she could without killing me. A flood of inspiration hit me as lyrics began to trigger in my head. I waited till the embrace was over before I grabbed my notebook from the bag and scrawled it down.
"Inspiration?" Sakura asked, peering over my shoulder as I wrote.
"Yep."
I quickly closed it and tossed it back into the bag before grabbing my bright blue thigh-high tights and hi-top Converse that were the same blue with black rubber. I slipped those on and let my hair down from the braid, letting it hang in waves. I ran my brush through it as Sakura changed her pink chrome lip ring to a small black jewel stud. We threw on some eyeliner and gloss before looking at ourselves in the three-way mirror. My shorts were low on my hips, showing the pinwheel mark clearly. I tried pulling my top down, but it showed my black bra to the world. I'd rather have the mark show and leave my bra unnoticed, so I pulled it back up. I walked out the door with Sakura behind me and made our way downstairs. We proceeded through the doors to the dining room, which was surprisingly vacant. Then the laughing from the Den tipped us off. Sakura opened the door and walked in first, only to be glomped by Hinata, TenTen, and Naruto.
"You had us worried!" TenTen cried, happy tears streaming down her face. Hinata was sobbing quietly, and Naruto just grinned like an idiot.
"Immortality suits you, Sakura-chan." Sakura smiled at him as she mock-punched him in the arm.
"It's ok." She teased before her eyes widened. I found the source of her expression easily. Sasuke sat in the window seat, his eyes locking with Sakura's. There was an awkward silence as the two began a mental conversation. I decided to bring everyone's attention away from the two.
"Does anyone know where Itachi is? He's got some explaining to do." I looked to Deidara and Sasori, who were in the same spot and position as last night. "
I don't know, hmm? I heard him say something about the library though, hmm?" Deidara pointed directly above us to where the library was located.
"Thanks Dei." I walked to the staircase again and went to the left.
"What the fuck does that mean Uchiha! Stop avoiding the subject!" an angry yell came from the door to the library. I knew that voice too. I opened the door and saw my cousin with an open book in his hand, his face a mask of calm composure as he stared at the enraged vampire standing in front of him. Gaara's normally jade eyes were black with a yellow iris and a small star-shaped black pupil. He turned to me, and I saw his rage fade and his eyes revert to their normal coloring.
"Noriko. Glad to see you've joined us. You're probably looking for answers, aren't you?" Itachi's obsidian gaze met mine. I nodded, and he motioned for me to come. As I walked forward, Gaara pulled a chair in front of him. I sat in it, and he sat on the left arm. He draped his arm over my shoulder before Itachi spoke.
"You go ahead and ask what you want." I immediately launched into "Spanish Inquisition" mode.
"What the hell happened to me last night?" Itachi leaned into the desk and placed the book beside him.
"You awakened an evil caged inside you that reacts to anger and bloodlust." He stated simply.
"Ok, let's try the remix. WHY did that happen? And while you're at it, tell me WHY I have this mark on me!" I pointed to the pinwheel to emphasize the mark.
Itachi sighed and picked up the book.
"Look here Nori." He pointed to a branch on an elaborate family tree of the Uchiha clan. A black ink spot blotted out the spot where my mother's name should've been.
"What's that got to do with any of this?" I crossed my legs and arms, annoyed with the little family history lesson.
"As you know you're mother was disowned from the family. But, it wasn't because she was human. In fact, she was a pureblood vampire." I snorted.
"No she wasn't. Uncle Fugaku told me she was human." Itachi just retorted.
"To protect you from the truth, my dear cousin. Auntie Aya was a pureblood. She was never an illegitimate child. YOU were." He pointed to me before continuing.
"Auntie Aya had an affair with a human. When she found out she was pregnant, she married an elder from the City hidden in the Mist, and pretended that she was with child from him. But, life has a funny sense of humor. You know that if a vampire and a human conceive, there is a 48% chance that the child will be human?" I just nodded, and he continued.
"Well, you were born human. Grandfather Madara was furious, and punished your mother harshly. She was disowned, and they hired a man from the Sound City to place a curse on the child that was no longer family, but an abomination in Grandfather's eyes." Itachi looked at the mark and paused, giving me time to register this in my brain.
"Auntie Aya then left you on our doorstep. I remember that night." He closed his eyes before continuing.
"Mother heard you crying and went to the door. I followed, with Sasuke behind me. Mother called father, who came running instantly. They argued for hours while me and Sasuke watched you. When they walked out, Father took you and did a sealing ceremony on you." He opened an eye and looked at me.
"You had a set of lungs on you. You cried the entire time. Sasuke even dove under the pillows in a vain attempt to shut your cries out." He teased.
"What happened to my mom?" I asked. Itachi coughed and looked away.
"She was killed by hunters a few months after we took you in." I had a feeling that was the case, but the tears came anyway. They fell from my eyes involuntarily in a flood. Gaara pulled me close as my tears ran. There was an awkward pause, but I broke the silence, hungry for more information.
"Ok. What kind of curse?" I choked out. Itachi's expression grew grim. He walked to one of the shelves and pulled out a black book with the Uchiha crest on the cover. He opened it, flipped through a few pages, and finally showed me a section of the book with a mark that was mirror image of my own.
"The Curse of the Heavens. A double-edged sword that winds up eating away at the body of the cursed when entering a state of rage. To further tempt the vessel, the curse grants them power." He stated blandly.
"That's what happened to me last night?" Itachi nodded.
"You're rage at Sasuke and grief over Sakura broke the seal my father placed on you. It had eroded over time; losing power every time your rage spiked." I looked at him as he continued.
"After breaking the seal, it took over your body, changing you into a demonic creature. You're strength doubled. That's why your punch did so much damage to Sasuke." Well, that explained a lot.
"Is there a way to break the curse?" I asked as I stood up. Itachi just nodded.
"You won't like it." He added. Gaara snarled then.
"What? Is it that bad?" Gaara answered my question then.
"That's what we were arguing about when you walked in." I looked at Gaara. He growled before continuing.
"There's two ways to break the curse. Either become a vampire," There was no way in hell I could handle immortality. That was out the window.
"Or you die."