"Ngaaahh!" *chews on feety-toes* Just in the mood to make random noises. XD
Thank you for your reviews: Evee9109 (XD "Go Eevee! I choose you!"), Silver-Firelizard (Cool pen-name), Anonymous (Hell yeah!), SixDaysofDecember (Happy birthday! XD), HinatasHelper (Mommy likey! XD), tobi-is-an-artist-too, Akiko J. Suzuki (:D), Rather Preferred, BribriGTC, XeniaKunoichi (^_^), SakuraBlossom07 (OMG Really? O_O Ahhh! Is honoured!), Bell555 (*licks your hand*), Anonymous2 and Animelover351 (Yay! Mermaid stories always make my day! You're welcome).
You guys made me so happy with your response, here's your gift! - read it!
A Mermaid's Tale - Ninyou no Iwaku
Chapter 3: Starlight, Star-bright
The darkness in the secret stairway was five shades darker than it was in the hall above the trapdoor. Sakura stayed at where she was, body pressed flush against the cold granite wall, crouching at the base where it met with the ground. Her breathing - rapid yet silent, assisted with keeping her composure in check. Sounds of clanking armor and the mersoldiers' prodding apparatus from above ground reverberated through the permeable layer that separated the two rooms.
'THUNK! THUNK!'
Startled, she muffled her outburst into her hands. She knew she had to move and she has to do so now.
Wasting not a second more, the rosette flapped her tailfin with as much strength she could conjure and sailed through the concentrated liquid, praying for her eyes to focus in the dark and begging Kami to help her escape. The tempo of her heartbeat spiked, sending adrenaline to flood her every vein, manipulating her body to swim in the direction it took her on its own accord. Exactly where she was heading to now was no longer pursuant to her earlier plans.
Maneuvering through the maze-like structure, the princess endeavored to escape her 'pursuers' making it past corner after corner before realizing that the mersoldiers would have probably let up on the search. Even if they had trailed after her, they wouldn't be able to locate her that effortlessly by now.
She slowed to a halt and propped her palm against the wall for support as she allowed for her frantic breathing to stabilize while she rested her jade eyes in effort to calm herself down. Frightening as the experience may seem at the moment, she had to admit that there was a rush. Never had she felt so alive!
A grin formed on her features and she suppressed an amused chuckle. Lifting her lashes, her eyes had newfound vision in spite of the obscurity of her confines. She paused to assimilate her surroundings while her mind laboured to piece everything into perspective. Deciding on the most logical choice, she continued down the path into the unknown. She knew she was probably lost in a maze of sorts, but what she had learnt from fraternizing with that blonde-haired loudmouth was to never surrender, especially when all odds appeared to be a hindrance.
She followed the pathway deeper into the structure, past meandering roads. It felt as though she had been circling for hours in the shrouds getting nowhere, until a faint glow from around the bend greeted her. At that very moment she swore she could scream in praise to Kami for his guidance as she sped towards the source. Her heart skipped over beats in anticipation of a doorway to freedom, but all she found was a miniscule puncture in the wall that allowed the gentle ray of light to seep though. She heaved a heavy sigh of disappointment.
As she approached the gap, the soft beam spilled onto her creamy skin and refracted off her scales painting the encompassing darkness with a tinge of crystal clear emerald. Positioning her right eye over the peephole, she peered into the other room, recognizing it instantly to be the throne room where the queen would be stationed daily, delegating duties and attending to the needs of merpeople. Though why the lights would be switched on at this time of night eluded her and those murmuring voices...
Her curiosity piqued and she shifted herself slightly to the left, just enough for two individuals to enter the scope of her vision. Her mother. And judging from the posture and composition of the male she was conversing with; his stature; height; long black hair; he was, without an ounce of doubt, the merman she had danced with at the ball. What was his business here?
Straining to make coherent the distance droning of the duo, she silenced her breathing into little zephyrs.
First came the undeniable voice of the queen emanating with habitual authority and confidence. "Are you certain, Neji-ouji?"
Sakura watched as the prince tilted this head just slightly to the side as he replied in a tone unrushed and heartbreakingly apathetic. "Hai, this marriage will be beneficial to both sea-nations. Imagine the political possibilities, Your Majesty."
There was hesitant pause as her mother inhaled a quiet breath. "Then, it shall be so. Sakura will be your betrothed at dawn."
Emerald eyes widened as she raised a hand over her mouth to stifle the oncoming outburst of bewilderment. And that was nothing but an understatement. Determining that they had not heard her, she backed away from the tiny vantage-point until her back came into contact with the wall, while she listened to her mother issuing orders to her personal assistant.
"Shizune! Prepare the necessities for the announcement."
The ongoing battle in her mind betrayed the calm expression of cogitation on her face as the rosette sat on the cold stone floor of the passageway, piecing together the rampant thoughts into rational ones in futility. All that her mind could form up was 'leave', 'flee', 'go' and the sound of her heart beating in her ears that never returned to the calm rhythmic tempo it had minutes before, clouded her judgment.
The next thing she knew, she had lifted herself from the ground and swam. Swam as fast as her tail could propel her through the waters. Away from her fate. Away from the foisted duties of royalty. The sting in her tear-ducts informed that she was close to breaking down. She had to leave this life if she ever were to find true happiness. Lifting her arms straight out before her to part the suddenly denser liquid, she peregrinate quickly past each bend, not fully knowing where she was heading to, yet depending only on her instincts to lead the way.
Restraining the pressure of body-wrecking sobs, Sakura endeavoured to find the way out of this secret stairway and not before long, her perseverance paid off. She arrived at the dead end, or so she believed, until she noticed the trapdoor and its lever ingeniously concealed by deep sea foliage. She laboured at untangling the weeds from the device, shredding from the roots and finally, wrapped her sleek fingers around the shaft and dragged it down. The mechanism initiated with a resonating 'clank' and the un-oiled gears ground as it unbolted and opened inch by tiny inch. Sakura hitched her breath as a cool, refreshing flux rushed against her skin.
Dusting off the remnant particles that clung unto her, she peered out timidly from behind her hiding place, ensuring that her safety was secured prior to her emergence. She was still on palace grounds – the gardens, to be exact. The long unanswered question of why the humongous giant clam that seemed somewhat out of place was logical now that she knew it was the other end of the secret stairway. She observed as the clam closed its mouth, sealing shut tightly without a slightest gap in between and everything returned to its quiet state of rest.
Aware that the probability of detection would be greater if she stuck close to the seafloor, she turned, flipping her fin and cautiously sped to the nearest coral tree. She ducked behind its long, sleek trunk from view, managing to not evoke the attention of the merguard that mechanically patrolled pass.
Sakura inhaled a much needed breath of fresh oxygen to focus herself on the matter at hand, taking the next most relevant step to her escape - analyzing her 'enemies'. She watched closely from behind the tall trunk as the merguards went about their route, back and forth, each one passing by another, reinforcing the security.
She muttered under her breath, "How do I do this?" Her emerald eyes wandered along the sleeping seafloor, coming to rest on a pebble the size of her palm and a strategy started to form in her mind. She bent down low to gently reach for it. Fiddling with the piece in her hand, she absorbed the sensation of its serrated edges against her skin – a beautiful element of nature that would aid in her mission.
She bolstered strength in her arms, aimed and flung the stone the same way Kakashi-sensei had taught her to, towards the large boulder at the farthest most corner of the garden. When the two collided, it created an unadulterated sound that reverberated through the waters, echoing long enough to attain the merguards' attentions. The results were as she had foreseen and while the guards busied themselves with their duty to verify the suspicious noise, she launched, at a speed that amazed herself, into the vast ocean.
Never had she in her eighteen years ever experienced adrenaline pouring through her veins, the quickening of her heartbeat or the way she swam as if her life depended on it, like the way it was now. She could not believe she was doing this – running from the castle; leaving not just royalty behind, but also her friends and family.
The audible voice in her head repeated itself, 'You can turn back now if you want, Sakura, and live the life that people have planned out for you...', only stirring up passion and determination to disappear far, far away from all this.
She could see it now, the glimmer of soft white moonlight shimmering above her before she burst out from under the surface for the very first time into the air – our air. The deafening noise of the waters parting in disagreement filled her ears as did the sound of frantic beating wings of rudely awakened seagulls. All time seem to have halted for a moment as she glided over the sea. Her body suspended as if by a thin invisible thread in a perfect curve before gravity pulled her back into the ocean.
Not hesitating for a bit, the rosette once again emerged from beneath the surface, this time remaining afloat. Words could not describe the things she saw for the first time. All fell short of the splendor and magnificence that greeted her eyes. Sparkling white stars littered the deep midnight canvas while whimsical gray clouds added the final touches to creating the masterpiece of a flawless night sky. The prominent entity that caught her attention was the bright crescent-shaped moon with ends as sharp as a knife's edge, showered its illuminating rays onto earth. It mesmerised her.
It took everything she had to peel her inquisitive emeralds away from the heavens and swim her way to the nearest rock. With a strong flap of her tailfin, Sakura perched on the flat stone, stabling herself with only her two arms. The translucent material of her gown clung to her like a second skin and the sheen on the exposed portion of her flesh caused by the rays of the pale moonlight, made her appear almost immaculate.
She lowered her lashes for a moment to catch her fleeting breath, inhaling the air for what was her conscious first-time. The oxygen that journeyed into her lungs saturated it with a strange wholeness and the scent of salt and sea that came along with it blew her mind in proportions she never thought possible. She tilted her chin just slightly to savour the sensation of gentle zephyrs caressing her moist skin, pushing back the stray strands of pink that hindered her vision. Releasing a sigh of utmost appreciation for nature, the princess remained perched on the lonely rock, in the middle of the sea, musing and contemplating her next course of action.
It soon dawned on her that the world had suddenly gone silent. The birds had halted their chirpings. The waves had stopped colliding against the cliffs. Everything was at an abrupt standstill and there was an ominous feeling about it all, so much that the tiny hairs at the back of her neck stood on ends. Something was wrong and she knew it. But what was it?
She gazed to the shoreline and noticed that the waters were receding swiftly from the banks as if the ocean was beckoning all that belonged to return to its heart. She continued to observe with incredulity as the liquid gradually hauled back farther and farther away from the shore, exposing the tiny crabs scurrying on the seabed, seeking shelter in their temporary dug-up holes, while the barnacles, embedded onto the rocks and cliff-walls, found security within themselves. Even her tail was no longer submerged under the sea.
Turning around to analyze where the source of the pull was, her emerald eyes widen in sheer horror when they caught sight of what appeared to be a rapidly building wall of water. It was pure terror to imagine the results of such a disaster unleashing upon the city beyond the shores; the devastation; the wrecks; the precious human lives taken in unawares. If fear was what she had felt while escaping from her sea kingdom, this was far worse. She was petrified.
Diving down into what shallow waters that remained, the mermaid swam as fast as she could in the opposite direction, towards the shore. She zipped past, avoiding random obstacles and flotsam, but when an assertive current came in full force, it proved too strong for her. Maybe jumping headlong into the sea was a bad idea, but it was too late now. A turbulant surge dragged her back with it as she struggled to escape. She flailed her arms to reach out for anything she should could grip onto, but found nothing of aid. The more she trashed about, the worse it became. She could feel the sensation of her tender scales peeling off and delicate tailfin shredding under the immense pressure. No matter how loud she cried out, no one could hear her. It was, indeed, too late now.
As the violent flux dragged her back and upwards into the building wall of sea, she parted her lips and issued a frantic plea, 'Kami-sama, if you hear me, grant me this last wish before taking me... Onegai, Kami-sama, spare them.'
A blinding light burst forth from her chest, eradicating the darkness of the night and a rush of heat flooded her being right to her fingertips. All she saw was white and nothing else. A strange yet peaceful power surged through her, throwing her head back on its own accord and she felt it flow down her tail. Then a sharp pain enveloped her, as if katana pieced it way entirely through her at the pelvis and advanced in a slow agonizing pace, little by little to her fin. It toyed with her mind – that the intangible blade was cutting her; slicing her into bits and pieces. Maybe then her remains would sink to the very ocean; returning her to the depths where she belonged.
She clenched her fists, digging crescent impressions into her palms; squeezed her eyes tightly shut as her features contorted to portray perfect torment and screamed as loud as she could in attempt to counter the pain, yet not a single sound escaped her mouth. 'No… Iya da, kore… (I don't want this…).' The consciousness she struggled to hold onto fleeted away.
The man, donned in an exquisite full charcoal gray suit, grunted as he dug the key into the doorknob and twisted it opened. Obsidian orbs darted around room, inspecting every detail under the dim moonlight; even the layer of dust that collected on the Victorian furniture did not escape scrutiny and until he was satisfied that everything was as he had left it to be, he shuffled into the carpeted room. Shutting the door behind him, he chucked his bulky luggage by the corner and proceeded up the stairs to the second level.
Unraveling his maroon necktie from around the collar of his pressed white shirt, he allowed it to slip from his fingers to the floor as he headed down the narrow hallway to the opened balcony at the end of the pathway. His gravity-defying hair fluttered as a tiny gust of wind journeyed his way, parting the long forelocks that obscured his flawlessly sculpted face. The pair of eyes that reflected the pale light of the moon was set deep with wonder, affixing themselves beyond the shadows of the horizon.
He leaned his palms on the railings and inhaled the scent of the place he had forsaken. How long has it been since he had returned here… to Konoha. He can never forget.
It was his birthday – his eighteenth. Five years of which he spent alone. The same five he spent chasing every single lead he learnt of, that only resulted in barrenness. But no, failure was never the answer he'd be appeased with. Vengeance was his to claim and he vowed to claim it. To find – he hissed through clenched teeth – the murderer responsible for his family's death.
Returning here brought a barrage of memories - beautiful, yet painful. He recalled her smile, precious row of white; the soft gentle voice with the uncanny ability to make all troubles disappear; her long straight tresses that he'd tangle around his little fingers when he was a child; the only woman he had known and loved - his mother.
He went on to remember his father. A man of pride and dignity; who even with an apathetic front, was able to express little semblances of care and concern. Owner of the famed organisation, Sharingan Inc., which was willed to the man he sought after. The man - he slammed an anguished palm on the metal bar - Uchiha Itachi.
The Konoha Military had notified him that two bodies were found, mutilated beyond recognition, on the beach five years ago. It was in the middle of the Great War when it happened, but because of the Uchiha's immense wealth, further testing and DNA comparisons were allowed and the results showed that they were indeed his parents. It was after the media announcement that the death of his parents was sabotage and not as casualties of war that Itachi mysteriously disappeared without word. Upon further investigations and probing by the CIA, with the aid of an anonymous witness, it was concluded, without a speck of doubt, that his bro— no... that that man had killed his parents.
"Otou-san (Father)… soshite, Okaa-san mo (and, mother too). I will definitely avenge your deaths." He held the railing in a death-grip as rage overwhelmed him. "Zettai da (Definitely)!" He slumped to the floor. "Zettai da…"
Hours past with the boy of eighteen sitting there, spiteful and bitter, grieving for the happiness he once knew. He had his face buried in the arm that rested on his raised knee. How many nights he had spent sleepless? Calculating; pursuing; researching. He was tired. Slumber was like a friend long lost, but it chose now to finally lull him into its depths and he was so close to surrendering. Until a low rumble reached his ears, dragging him rudely out of sleep's embrace. All weariness left as he lifted his head from his arm to scan the area surrounding for the source of distraction.
He noticed the once star-littered firmament was now bare and insipid, as though the life-force had been sapped away and the breeze that had flowed his way became stagnant. Propping himself up, the raven-haired man stood to his full height and gazed over the balcony. Something was amiss and he could sense it. He squinted to discern the indistinct silhouettes, when a miniscule glimmer in the darkness beyond the caught his eye. It appeared to be suspended from the atmosphere, like a fallen star from the celestial encompass.
Then, it increased in intensity, becoming shinier, brighter with every passing millisecond. Oh, the slight expression of horror, despite the proficiency of keeping his every emotion concealed, crept onto his features when he saw that wall of water. 'This cannot be the apocalypse! It must not! Not when my revenge has yet to be extracted! God forbid!'
A ripple of blinding white burst from that little 'star', sweeping over the sleeping city and sped towards him in a flash. Almost mechanically his instincts took over. He couched over and shielded himself from ethereal blast. It did nothing, except wash over him and the town. As the brightness waned, he cautiously lowered his arm and immediately searched for the 'star'. Had he been a split second late, he would not have witnessed the seemingly infallible liquid wall disintegrate, taking with it the faltering starlight and peace was restored to the sleeping town.
It somehow unsettled him. "What the hell…"
A/N: Well, what do you know? "Otanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu, Sasuke-chan! ^_^ MAY ALL YOUR WISHES… save for the successful execution of your revenge on Konoha x_x… COME TRUE! :D"
Reviews would do me much good! ^_^d For the sake of my little brother-in-law. O_O Wait, didn't anyone tell you? I married Itachi a month ago, that's why I couldn't update as quick from all the *ahem* we've been having. Now! Ask me if it's scandalous to write lemons about my new relative and his girlfriend. XD