A/N: I want to thank all of my reviewers and followers or anyone who has favorite this story for your continued support. Oh, and be sure to also read "Emulation of Apathy" by Slytherstein. This starts two years prior to mine and .Rose's stories and centers around Sasuke during his time with Orochimaru, and when all three stories meet up, she will be writing from Sasuke's POV.
Vigil of Sorrows
Chapter 5
"Acceptance of Many"
…..
The sound of clanking dishes and laughter filled the shinobi's ears and roused her from her slumber. Sakura felt very refreshed compared to the last few days. Her dreams weren't entirely pleasant, but it was one of the rare occasions that they didn't turn into nightmares.
For the past few years, every time she slept, wonderful memories replayed in her mind only to be replaced by horrifying images of her friends dying. They never occurred the same way, but the end result was always the same: she would be standing alone, crying, with no one to comfort her because they were all gone.
Sakura frantically pushed the memory to the back of her mind and forced a smile to appear. 'Come on, Sakura. Focus. Just be happy with your current situation. It could be worse...but it's not. So quit acting so childish and get out of bed.' Sakura nodded; she kicked off the blanket and enthusiastically rose to her feet.
"Onee-chan!" Yorito ran up to his sister, and grabbed her hand. He looked up at her excitedly, a large grin on his face. "Let's go play!"
Sakura was about to comply with his wish, but her stomach grumbled loudly in protest. Her face flushed, "I'm sorry. That's really embarrassing."
Nobu laughed from his seat at the table. "Not at all. You're hungry. There's no need to be ashamed of that. In fact, I'd be surprised if you weren't hungry. Yori, your sister needs to eat breakfast before she can play with you."
Yorito's face fell and he stuck his bottom lip out, but Sakura shook her finger in his face, smiling. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. What did I tell you, Yori? I want you to smile, okay? I don't want to see any frowns or tears."
Yori's face instantly lit up, and he nodded energetically. "Okay, onee-chan, but can you please hurry?"
Sakura mirrored his nod and led the child back to his seat. She released his hand, and he seemed saddened by this for a moment, but the smile instantly returned and he crawled into his chair. Sakura walked around the table and sat across from the beaming four year old.
The small table was laden with a small gamut of appetizing fruits. Sakura didn't recognize any of them, but each reminded her of a similar fruit she'd eaten back home in Konoha. Red and ripe apple-looking fruits along with something resembling green grapes filled a large bowl in the middle of the table. Steaming biscuits and a jar of some type of jam lay in front of Sakura and she couldn't restrain herself from grabbing one and spreading the condiment across it.
Koyori giggled. Sakura turned to her, the biscuit hanging out of her closed mouth. This caused the rest of the family to burst out laughing. The shinobi grabbed the food out of her mouth and blushed a deep shade that rivaled her hair, but joined in on the laughter.
"Onee-chan is funny!"
…..
About one hour later…
"Onee-chan, look at me! I'm taller than you are!" Yorito called down from one of the higher branches of a leafless tree.
Sakura giggled and continued her own climb up the tall tree. "Just be careful, Yori."
The boy grinned happily. "Don't worry. I practiced!"
The pinkette finally reached the boy and joined him on the branch. She gasped at the sight she saw. The place might be red and creepy at night, but during the day it was a lifeless shade of gray and there wasn't a sun, from what Sakura noticed. Mountains towered above each other as far into the distance as she could see. It wasn't exactly what she would describe as a beautiful sight, but it was definitely stunning.
A cold breeze blew through Sakura's short hair and she shivered in her borrowed coat. She could see her breath every time she exhaled and the freezing air penetrated her lungs when she drew it back in. 'Why is it so cold here, anyway?'
Yorito shivered beside her. Sakura smiled gently and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulling him closer to her. He crawled into her lap and rested his head against her warm chest. Sakura soon heard his methodical breathing lighten along with the steady rise and fall of his chest. 'Was he that tired?'
Sakura brushed the child's short bangs out of his face. He smiled and leaned in closer to her warm touch. "You're such a sweetheart, Yorito. You kind of remind me of a…friend of mine. I didn't know him when he was your age though. Hell, I didn't even really know him until we were twelve, but I've had a crush on him since we were eight years old. That's a long time, now that I think about it. I'm sixteen now, and I haven't even seen him since…he left almost three years ago." Sakura chuckled coldly. "Yeah, that's right. He…left, and it's all that murderous bastard's fault. That's the truth and I believe it completely. "
Sakura sighed and bowed her head, "Then why do I have this strange feeling in the pit of my stomach…that something just doesn't seem right about the whole situation? Do you know why, Yori?"
Yorito mumbled incoherently in response. He nuzzled closer to Sakura and folded his hands underneath his head.
"No, I don't suppose you would. You're still a child, but...I am, too. I am a shinobi of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, but still just a teenager. It's strange the ways our lives turn out, but that's just life, I suppose."
"Onee-chan, don't go. I still want to be with you," Yorito uttered quietly, but it was loud enough to reach Sakura's ears.
Sakura smiled affectionately at the child sleeping on her lap. "I can't promise that, Yorito and it's not because I don't care about you. My friends need me and I have to go home. That's where my life is, but I will make this promise to you: I promise to come back and we'll play together again. I might not be your real sister, but I already think of you as someone important to me, like the little brother I never had." She leaned her head down and kissed his forehead softly.
Yorito smiled and stirred from his slumber. He sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "…nee…chan…how long…was I sleeping?"
"Only a few minutes, sleepyhead!" Sakura ruffled his hair playfully and helped him onto her back. She then proceeded to climb back down the tree and landed heavily on the hard grass. She lowered Yorito to the ground and grabbed his hand as they made their way to the small farmhouse.
…..
Nobu and Koyori were harvesting vegetables from the garden when Sakura walked up to the house with Yorito trailing behind, sleepily. They waved at her as she approached and she returned it with her free arm.
Koyori placed her hoe against the fence and wiped the dirt from her hands onto her apron. "Did the two of you have fun today?"
"Yes, very much. Yorito seems to be very tired from it."
Yorito nodded lightly before he yawned. "I'm alright, Mommy. I…don't need to sleep."
Sakura giggled at the child's antics. 'Little kids are just so cute.'
Koyori shook her head and gently grabbed his hand and led him into the house.
Sakura turned back to Nobu and joined him in the field. "Need any help?"
Nobu wiped the sweat off his brow and grunted. "Sure. Grab that hoe and help me dig up these roots. This haul needs to be ready by week's end."
Sakura pulled her hair back and followed his instructions then soon joined him in the tedious task of farming. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about that. Where do you take your produce?"
"You don't know much about anything, do you? That's alright. We actually prefer to keep you youngsters in the dark. Well, every week, my wife and I leave Yorito with a distant relative of mine and go to the center city. That's Churitsu in case you didn't know. It's a very beautiful place and it's where our land, Kanashimi, and the only neighboring one, Yokusei, meet. Somewhat like the middle ground. There's a feud between us that's been going on for ages. I don't think anyone alive knows what it was like before the fighting started, except for Leader that is. A war hasn't broken out yet, but it's only a matter of time. The tension between us and them is always higher with every visit. I can only expect the worst to happen. Why do you ask?"
Sakura pulled out a rather tough root and threw it into the basket. She shrugged, "I was just curious about this place." The name Kanashimi wasn't familiar to her at all and neither was Yokusei or Churitsu. Where exactly was she? "Umm…do you know where Konohagakure is from here?"
"I'm sorry. Kona-what?"
"Konoha, the Hidden Leaf Village. Ever heard of it?"
Nobu shook his head, "Can't say that I have. You'll get that same response from anyone, by the way. The only places we know about are here, Yokusei, and Churitsu. You'd have to go to Leader for something like that."
"I see. So, you'll be going again in a week?"
Nobu nodded, "That's right. The people of Churitsu are dependent on our produce, and we're not going to be the ones who let them down."
Sakura laughed, and took a drink of water. "Do you think I could go with you?"
"Of course! My wife and I enjoy your company and it won't be a burden on us. Besides, we can't risk you having another run-in with those Jisatsus, can we?"
The thought of those beasts sent a cold chill down Sakura's spine. They were terrifying creatures. "No, we certainly don't. Oh, and who's leader? You mentioned him a couple times when you were explaining everything."
"Leader? Isn't the name alone obvious? He lives in the castle in the center of the city. Directly in between our villages and even the city of Churitsu, lies his domain, the Court of Tortured Souls. Leader is the person to see if you have any…odd questions. If I were you, that's where I would immediately go upon setting foot in the city."
"Thank you, Nobu. I think I'll do that. Are we done with the roots?"
"For now," Nobu sighed. He collected the gardening tools and locked them away in a crate before making his way inside.
Sakura pulled the holder out of her vibrant pink hair, letting it fall into its proper place on either side of her face. 'Just one more week, Naruto. Wait for me until then. I'm on my way.'
…..
The town was actually pleasant, much to Sakura's surprise, expecting it to be as cold and dark as the rest of the place. Vendors lined the streets on both sides, advertising their merchandise to the passerby. Sakura looked at some of the stalls, her curiosity drawing her to them. However, having no money on her, she was forced to decline the offers and move on.
Nobu and Koyori sang in unison with each other, a song Sakura didn't recognize:
Oh, we toast our cups to you!
Listen, I'll tell you a tale.
They jump, but do they e'er walk after?
No!
They dive deep down in the sea, but do they e'er come up?
NO!
Oh, Great Leader…feed them to the BEASTS!
When the couple reached the verse about the sea, the villagers in their stalls had joined in with the song. It ended with a loud yell, cheers and joyous laughter following after the exclamation.
They even saw suicide as something to laugh at in a song. 'How could anyone think that way? It's horrible.'
Suddenly, an ear-piercing scream came from above, and, quickly looking in the direction of the source, Sakura's eyes widened. It all happened in a flash: one instant, the man was atop the building, and the next he landed on the concrete with a sickening thud.
The scene replayed through the pinkette's mind. That man had just committed suicide, and no one even blinked. They continued on their way, not caring about the life that man had just robbed himself of. "Nobu, Koyori, that man just killed himself."
Koyori turned to the shinobi, smiling casually. She glanced at the dead man for a moment then back at Sakura. "Oh, don't worry about that, dear."
"It happens all the time," Nobu added, continuing his journey through the town.
Two men, dressed in guard uniforms, walked to the corpse, shaking their heads, but there was a discernible grin on both of their faces. "How many is that for today? Five?"
The other guard nodded and they both dragged the body to a wooden cart. It was piled with several other bodies and they threw the new one on top of the stack. "Off to the mouths of the Jisatsu with these folks and Suicide Hill." The guards laughed at their jokes, dragging the wagon down the street.
Sakura watched the scene unfold, horrified. She knew she would never be able to get the image out of her head. That man falling willingly to his death, ignored like some common stone on the ground, and then carelessly thrown into a wagon, en route to be fed to the man-eating beasts. 'I have to get out of here. I can't stay here any longer. Where are the Tachikawas?'
The couple was but a few meters ahead of her and she quickly caught up to them. They didn't even seem to notice they had left her behind, but that didn't matter to Sakura. She just knew she needed to get to the city as fast as possible. She was greatly indebted to the Tachikawas and she cared about Yorito, but Yokusei was filled with too much blatant death for her to handle. "How far are we from Churitsu?"
"We'll be there by red moon, dear."
…..
The sky had darkened hours ago, but they continued traveling. Sakura had grown accustomed to seeing red skies at night, creepy as it was, and was surprised to see the night sky looked similar to how it was back home, stars twinkling brightly overhead.
Sakura recalled a memory from the time when Team Seven was still together. They had completed a rather grueling mission in the Land of Lightning, and were headed back to Konoha. Kakashi-sensei had ordered her, Naruto, and Sasuke-kun to stop for the night so they found a pleasant grassy meadow to rest in.
"Ah, finally!" Naruto whined, plopping onto the soft grass, mimicking a star shape as he lied on his back.
Kakashi pulled out his favorite orange book and lied down supinely as well.
Sakura glanced at Sasuke, but he didn't make any motion to acknowledge her. He just stared up at the sky, probably lost in thought. Sakura sighed sadly and sat beside Naruto, who grinned mischievously at her.
"Hey, Sakura-chan! It sure is cold tonight." Naruto scooted closer to her.
Sakura glared at him and punched him in the rib.
"Ow! Sakura-chaaan." He clutched his side, holding back a cry of pain.
"Hn," Sasuke grunted. He dropped his pack on the ground and lay down, his back to the rest of the group.
Sakura smiled at him, but quickly turned back to the orange-clad loudmouth. "You deserved it, Naruto! I already told you to keep your distance." She leaned back and gazed up at the beautiful stars. "Well, night, Naruto and Kakashi-sensei. Good night, Sasuke-kun."
"Hey! Why does he get a good night?" Naruto asked, pointing an accusing finger at Sasuke.
"Go to sleep, idiot," Sasuke replied nonchalantly.
"What'd you say, jerk?" Naruto countered.
"Listen to Sasuke-kun, Naruto."
"But why?"
Sakura sighed, "Good night, Naruto."
Naruto smiled triumphantly. "Good night, Sakura-chan."
Sakura smiled fondly at the memory. It felt like it had been a lifetime ago when that happened. A short time after, they entered the Chuunin Exams and that was when everything started changing. In the Forest of Death, specifically. Orochimaru made his first appearance when he attacked them there and gave Sasuke-kun that wretched curse seal. From that point on, everything seemed different, but it didn't go completely downhill until he showed his face in Konoha. 'Bastard.' Uchiha Itachi was a terrible person and a murderer, and Sasuke-kun had every right to want revenge for the deaths of his family; he didn't need to abandon his friends to do it, though. 'We were happy, Sasuke-kun. Was that not enough for you?'
Sakura had become so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize they had arrived at the city. Only when Koyori exclaimed that they had arrived was she pulled from her silent reverie. The pinkette lifted her head and gazed in awe at the sight of Churitsu.
A large stone wall, too high to climb over, encircled the entire city and the only entrance was through the wooden double doors directly ahead of her, which she proceeded to walk toward. A single guard stood on watch and bowed his head at her as she approached. Sakura returned the motion, walking past him and entering the immense city.
Sakura breathed in deeply; she had never seen anything like it before. People filled nearly every corner of the marketplace. It was a miracle they could move around at all. Shops, bars and houses were all crammed into the city along its sides and a ridiculously long flight of stairs led up to an extravagant building, which appeared to have been built on the top of a mountain. A long spire reached to the starry sky, daring to penetrate its serenity.
Nobu stood beside her, grinning. "Didn't I tell you it was spectacular?"
"Yes, you did. I just…didn't have this in mind when you told me."
"I understand. Few can understand its true beauty, but I'm glad you can see it too."
Sakura nodded, "So am I." She forced her eyes off the building and cleared her throat. "Umm, where do I find this leader, exactly?"
He chuckled and pointed to the building that had caught Sakura's attention. "Up those stairs and in that building. That's the Court of Tortured Souls, Sakura. That's where Leader lives."
The shinobi made a mental note of that information. "Do I need to make an appointment first?"
Now, Nobu burst out laughing. "An appointment?! Why would you need one of those? Leader will see anyone and answer their questions regardless of where they hail. That's why he's the perfect person to have in charge."
"Oh. He sounds like he's extremely important."
"He is, Sakura. Don't show any sign of disrespect. Men have been known to go mad after crossing Leader."
Sakura swallowed uneasily. 'This leader sounds worse every time I hear about him.' She simply nodded and held her hand out. "Thank you very much, Nobu. You don't know how indebted I am to you."
Nobu shook her hand fervently. "The pleasure was all ours, Young Sakura. Feel free to stop by our farm anytime and don't be a stranger next time. I'm sure Yorito would be happy to see you again."
"I will. I promise. Say good bye to Koyori for me. She must've taken off."
"My wife has many friends in this city. When she's with them, everyone else leaves her mind. That's one of the reasons I love her," Nobu stated with a slight chuckle.
"Thank you again, Nobu. For everything."
Nobu smiled in return and headed back toward the marketplace. "See you around, Stranger."
As he was walking away, a question popped into Sakura's head. "Nobu, wait. There's something I want to ask you."
He turned back to her, a curious brow raised. "Yes?"
Sakura hesitated a moment, fearing his answer, but she shrugged off the feeling. "Why are you so accepting of the way things are in Kanashimi? You're daughter killed herself and was left to be fed on by ravenous beasts. Doesn't that make you feel grief and anger? Why are you so accepting of…death?"
"Because it's the way things are, Sakura. I told you on that first night that you shouldn't judge a person before you know them and needed to look deeper didn't I?"
Sakura nodded. "That's why you trusted me and let me stay in your home."
"Exactly. I waited until I knew who you were before passing judgment. Well, when you live in Kanashimi, you have to think the complete opposite when it comes to death. You shouldn't think too much about it because that will only cause you pain. We don't mourn the dead. They're gone and that's how it is. Nothing anyone does is going to bring them back. The reason me and the rest of Kanashimi are so accepting of everything is because life is easier that way. I'm not saying it's the best thing in the world, but that's how we are raised. All of our negative emotions are kept locked away, never to be touched. That's our nature. After seeing death as often as we have, we learn to ignore it."
"But why would you choose to live like that? It sounds so cruel!" Tears filled Sakura's eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall. She wouldn't allow herself to be weak.
"It's who we are, Sakura. Accepting of fate. Let me give you some parting advice: never shut out your emotions. If you feel like smiling, then smile. When you're on the brink of tears, let them flow freely. You don't need to hide your true self to anyone. I knew you weren't from around here because your emotions came genuinely from your heart. Never lose that part of yourself." Nobu gave her one last parting smile, then turned on his heel and disappeared into the crowd.
Sakura's eyes stung and her cheeks were wet from the tears she finally released. "Thank y-you, Nob-u-u." She stood by the wall for several minutes, crying for all the times she held it in. Why was she always so weak? She was a shinobi, but she had a poor way of living up to that reputation.
"No. I have to be strong. I swore that I would become strong so I can protect my friends. I have to be strong now and get them back to them. I'll deal with these feelings later," Sakura stated determinedly. She wiped her eyes and straightened her posture. "I'm going to talk to Leader and he's going to tell me how to get back."
HELL YEAH!
Sakura resolutely marched toward the steps and began the long ascent up the mountain. By the time she reached the top, the sky was beginning to lighten but she didn't care nor did she stop to catch her breath. Sakura had a mission and she was definitely going to see it through to the end. And she had a promise to keep to Yorito and the rest of the family.
The shinobi gazed in the direction of the Kanashimi and bowed her head respectfully. It might be a corrupt and twisted society, but she knew the people were all good, deep down. That's why she wouldn't mind going back again, promise or not.
'I never did find out where this is exactly. I suppose that's something else I can ask Leader.' Sakura suddenly remembered what Nobu had told her about Leader, and her hand shook on the brass door handle. "I wonder if he's really like that. Those are all just stories, right? Like that story Tsunade told me about the blind man. The one who went most of his life asking for money when he didn't need it, and when finally he realized it, light shone. His eyes opened and he could see clearly. It's just a story."
The Tale of the Blind Beggar always brought a smile to Sakura's face. She loved the moral meaning behind it. It always gave her the courage to do the right thing, and it worked again, just like it did every time.
Having gained the sudden boost of courage, Sakura tightened her grip on the handle and pushed the door in. It pivoted easily for such a large door. She had expected it to be heavy and resist her attempts to open it. 'At least I don't have to worry about that anymore.'
Sakura put one foot over the threshold, then the other and slowly made her way into the dimly lit room. 'Step one: accomplished!' The door unexpectedly swung shut behind and she was left in almost complete darkness. She gulped. Three candles burned in the center of the room: two closer to her and one slightly further away. Together, they formed a triangular shape.
"So this is the Court of Tortured Souls, eh? Hmm, interesting," she mused, walking toward the closest candle. Sakura observed the dancing flame curiously. 'Is it like any other fire?' She extended her hands and left them hovering around it. The warmth from the blaze spread through her and she smiled in contentment. 'Well, that was nice. Anyway, where is this leader?'
Sakura glanced around the room, noticing it was bigger than she originally thought. She saw several people scattered about, but none looked like the leader that was described to her. To her immediate right, there was a person standing in the shadows. She was unable to make anything else out, but maybe he worked here? 'It's worth a shot. Perhaps he'll know something.'
Sakura lifted her head and casually ventured to where the man stood. He was taller than her, but she didn't care. She cleared her throat loudly and tapped him impatiently on the shoulder. "Excuse me; do you know where I can find Leader? You see, it's very urgent that I speak to him."
After a silent pause, the man replied, "I don't anything more than you do."
Sakura shook her head, disappointed. She'd hoped he would know something. "Well, thanks for nothing. Can you point me in the direction of someone who actually knows something?"
"I recall you referring to me as a great prodigy? Does that not imply that I should know something?"
'Wait, what?!' Sakura suddenly recognized who this person was. "Are you kidding me? You bastard! What do you want now? What the hell are you doing here?!"
"I assume that we are both here for the same reason."
Sakura glared at him and replied coolly, "Sure we are. What else would I expect from the Uchiha? He trapped me here and now he's lost himself. Oh, the things people would say."
"What other reason would I have for being here, if not looking for an escape myself?" he replied calmly.
"I don't know. Maybe you changed your mind and decided to kill me yourself. It's all about proving your superiority."
"You believe that I would risk failing an important mission assigned to me by my superiors in order to pursue and kill you?"
'What is he getting at? Is he testing me again?' Sakura decided this was probably the case. "Yeah, a mission. You're the heartless bastard who killed his family without so much as blinking. You continue to torment Sasuke-kun and Naruto by always pursuing whatever amuses you. So, yeah."
"You mentioned all of that already. Also…I have to wonder if you are still actually afraid of me as you have been staring into my eyes this entire time. If I had wanted to kill you, I would have done it already," he paused, "and there is very little that amuses me, the pursuit of which I consider to be unnecessary. So…yeah."
'Is he really mocking me? Bastard, but…I suppose he does have a point. He could've easily disarmed and killed me the minute I walked in. Not that I would be able to fight back. I can't use chakra…' Sakura smirked. "Hmm…if you're stuck here like I am, then you shouldn't be able to use any chakra. Or is your all powerful Sharingan above that?"
"I will assume from that statement that you are now in agreement with me that we both find ourselves within the same unfortunate situation?"
Sakura frowned. It was true that she agreed with him, but there was no way she trusted him. She would continue to keep her guard up. "Fine, whatever. Anything to end this stupid conversation."
"A conversation you started," he replied. The Uchiha nodded and looked away from her, "But you are right. I too, believe that it would be wise to end it."
'Finally!' Sakura rolled her eyes, "Good for you. Now, I have to find Leader." She turned around and scanned the chamber once again.
She noticed the Uchiha walk toward someone. 'Perhaps he knows where Leader is?' Sakura quickly ran past the bastard and stopped in front of the man he was heading towards. "Hello. I was wondering if you could help me."
There was a silent pause before the man answered her, "What is it…that you need help with?"
"I hope you know something," Sakura shot the Uchiha a smug smirk, "because I'm trying to find the so-called Leader. You do know where I can find him, right?"
He slowly nodded, "Yes, I do." He then called to another person behind him. "Will you kindly let the Leader know he has a pair of visitors?" The man turned back to her, "his steward will fetch him for you. If you will follow me, I will take you to an appropriate place to wait for him."
'Good! I was beginning to lose my patience!'
The man then proceeded to turn and ambled to the room's center. The Uchiha followed him, and Sakura grudgingly walked behind him. They were led to a short set of stairs, which they ascended and he directed them to sit down beside a throne.
The Uchiha made no motion to accept the seat, and their guide walked off, resuming his previous post.
'That looks extremely boring. I would not want a job like that.' Sakura decided to take up the offer of the comfy looking seat. She casually strutted toward it and crossed her arms as she eased herself onto the bench. "Now this is nice. Much better than standing forever," she thought aloud.
"Since you are disagreeing with my decision to stand, would you perhaps prefer that I take the seat beside you?"
Sakura scowled, but forced it behind a smirk and shrugged indifferently. "I don't care. Do whatever you want." Her thoughts were loud and pleading in her mind. 'No. Please don't sit beside me."
"Then I will remain standing. I appreciate your kind approval, however."
"Bastard," she replied immediately.
"Do you have a name?" he asked.
Sakura furrowed her eyebrows. "Why would you care?"
"I don't necessarily care. I would honestly just like to know."
"Oh. Well…fine then." Sakura released a sigh and her emerald irises looked directly into the Uchiha's onyx eyes. "My name…is…Haruno…Sakura."
He blinked after she revealed this to him. "Pardon?"
Sakura scoffed. "Is something wrong with your ears as well as your eyes?"
The murderer closed his eyes, sighing. "Yes, perhaps so."
A triumphant grin appeared on her face. Did she finally make him reply without some snide remark or turning it around on her?
HELL YEAH!
A loud voice from behind suddenly echoed around the chamber. "Welcome! To my Court of Tortured Souls."
Sakura's eyes widened in surprise. She had completely forgotten the reason she had come here. 'Damnit, Sakura!' The pinkette slowly shifted her gaze and it fell upon a man standing before her, a rather beautiful mask covering his face. 'This must be the Leader. He's not as intimidating as I imagined, even if his entrance was unexpected.'
Sakura cocked her head slightly. Something about this man's voice was oddly familiar. She was unable to place the name of the person, but the voice had caused a slight ache in her heart. 'Who is this person?'
