Chapter Two: A True Awakening
Time picked up, blurring around her and she wondered exactly what the others had felt, and seen. Her body quivered like a leaf preparing to fall from it's branch and she shivered, wrapping the large blanket off the back of the couch around her quickly to cover the remnants of the dress that had been burned away by the decay of stolen time. She passed her parents a look, and they seemed to look to each other shocked for a moment about something. Then back to her. She didn't see. She was already heading back towards her room. First thing she needed to worry about was getting changed into something that wasn't falling off her body.
Then she needed to make sense of his words.
It was as if it should've been easy. As if it was the simplest thing she should've ever been able to do. Wake up. That's all she had to do. But she didn't even know she'd been sleeping. How did someone wake up, if they didn't even known they were asleep? It seemed as though it was the impossible request and that's what drove her crazy. How was she supposed to feel?
When you awaken, all of time will be yours.
She didn't understand what the hell he meant. Did he always have to be so damn cryptic, and stoic? Stupid Sasuke. Stupid stupid God of Time. She heaved a sigh, and pushed the thoughts of him from her mind, for the time being. She pushed her way through the bedroom door and she was already rummaging through her closet. The remnants of the white dress were gone now, there was nothing left of it. As she shucked the blanket from her shoulders and pulled on a dress in a muted green. It was the next best thing that was hiding within the closet. Though it wouldn't replace her favorite dress by a long shot.
Why didn't he tell her about them sooner?
She heard a knock on her bedroom door.
"Ey! Forehead open up or I'm going to bust the door down!"Ino was the first voice she heard beyond the wooden structure of her door.
"I-I don't think you need to do that, Ino."Hinata's tone was barely audible, so soft and gentle. She was always that quiet though. It wasn't like the soft spokenness bothered the rose haired girl anymore.
"She's right ya know. I don't see any reason we have to destroy her door to get her out of there."TenTen's voice was the next to follow, Thank the Gods for the voices of reason.
Sakura breathed out a sigh and finished straightening her new dress. She forced the morose feeling to the side exchanging it for a jovial facade. It was her birthday after all, her guests didn't need to feel the confusion and the over all gloom that resided inside her. She hated parading around with a fake smile. But how was she supposed to be geniunely happy when so much had changed in a split second like that?
It felt like an eternity, but in reality the chain of events probably occurred within seconds.
"Okay. Okay. Don't break the door down. It's unlocked you know."The pinkette spoke, sounding more upset by the idea of her door breaking, which she was thankful for, considering the fact that the upset tone of her voice was far from directed at the idea of a wooden door that was easily replaced.
When you awaken, all of time will be yours.
His words haunted her, the sound of them calling to something deep within her soul. Hinata came in first, followed by Ino. TenTen lingered in the hallway a moment, out of sight, and Sakura could've sworn she heard a low voice speaking to the woman out there. Probably Neji. Hinata's cousin was more than a little interested in the dark haired studying Historian.
"We saw you- uh-run from the party and we thought we'd come c-check on you."Hinata played with her fingers. And Sakura inhaled.
"Yeah. Sorry about that. A lot of things happened. Between me and Sasuke. So I just needed to get away for a minute. You guys should go back out there and enjoy the party. You really shouldn't hide in here with me. That's no fun."
"Sasuke? Was that the name of the cutie you were talking to?"Ino piped up and Sakura realized that she should've known better than to say anything. Of course Ino would be interested too.
"Yes. And unfortunately for you, Ino-Pig. I doubt he's interested." Or that she'd ever have the chance to meet him. After all Sakura had just watched him fade into time as though he and the beasts he'd fought had never been there in the first place, aside from a few minor reminders. The tattered dress that had disappeared to the wind, and the necklace that rested around her neck, a charm that seemed to be almost ethereal in its existance. Despite being completely corporeal. It shouldn't have been real. It almost seemed illogical that it was.
"Damnit!"The blonde cursed, as Hinata pulled her from her room. "Look just join the party soon okay? Don't make me have to come back and drag you out there."
When you awaken, all of time will be yours.
She watched the two girls leave, Hinata closing the door behind them, leaving Sakura to her thoughts. She took another deep steadying breath. She seemed to be doing a lot of that. She supposed it had something to do with her nerves. After all, it was hard to pretend what she'd witness hadn't happened. She turned to look at herself in the mirror. Her eyes finding the pendant at her neck, time slowed. The stone glowed with a brilliant incandescence and then- It happened. All of it all at once.
Before her in the mirror she saw time passing. She saw herself ageless as her friends grew old and there was one who remained beside her. Sasuke. She watched as time stretched before her displaying all of its possibilities and it's power. The gem glowed even brighter, it's light consuming her. She felt as thought she was being torn from the inside out. Her head throbbed with a migraine that rivaled anything she'd ever felt before and her heart pounded like an eight o' eight drum. She couldn't think she do anything.
All she knew was that everything the dark haired, stubborn, annoying God had ever done had been for her.
All of time now belongs to you. You are his power. You are his strength. You must not fall, or time will fall to chaos.
The voice was like a lullaby mellifluous in it's tone. And then- there was nothing. The world fell black, and her form collapsed to the floor encompassed by the last rays of vibrant light. Every moment of time. Since Sasuke had become the new God of Time. Every moment he'd lived. Every life in which he had her, and he lost her. All of it was clear now.
She'd truly faced an awakening like no other.
Time moved languid in its motions. It seemed to take an eternity, before she found her eyes opening to the world again, and facing the fact that she had in fact figured out exactly what he'd meant.
Now she just had to figure out how to find him, before it was too late to help him.