Now
Indra looks deep into her eyes for a long moment. Sakura is still confined underneath his body, unable to channel strength into her limbs due to the shock of finally recognizing his face. She's seen him before, somewhere long ago.
"You are coming back to me," Indra says, his lips so close that she can feel his breath on hers.
She has a hard time keeping her eyes open, flinching every time she blinks and a memory of the beach, mountains, and forests rushes into her mind. She feels small under him, his godlike presence all the more noticeable.
"Coming back to you?"
Indra lets go of her wrists, standing up from on top of her with such grace that it reminds her of how the feudal lords carry themselves in public. Sakura is too dumbfounded to come up with an attack, considering this spar unfinished with the newly found discoveries in her mind. She is still asking Indra questions, and he is still answering in riddles. It's as if he was trying to make her find out something by herself.
And little by little, Sakura finds that her own reality is gradually mixing with this alternate dimension. Her hair feels longer in her mind than when she touches it with her fingers. The friction of her clothes on her body are almost uncomfortable, as if her skin was used to only the finest of silks, which is a fabric she has never worn before. Her voice sounds a lot softer than she imagines.
She remains on the ground, caught in her thoughts, fully aware that Indra is observing her. His distance is almost troubling her; her skin is too used to being in close proximity to his gentle touch, yet the origin of this comfort is still unknown to her.
Sakura has to snap herself back to her alert state. She narrows her eyes at the Ōtsutsuki descendant, no longer feeling lost in her thoughts.
"You keep talking in riddles," she hisses. "And now you're messing up with my mind. I won't accept that!"
Getting off the ground with incredible speed, her fist lunges forward, intentionally missing Indra's body. It pierces through the thick rock wall, making an opening for Sakura to take.
She runs as fast as her legs permit her. The castle is immense in size, but she has already figured out a way of finding an exit. The terrace they had almost destroyed is now just crumbles after her last punch, giving her an opening to run down the speed ravine leading down to the beach's white sand. She applies chakra to her feet and hands, enabling her to descend with ease.
Sakura feels her head and chest overflow with sensations. She is confused, terrified, panicked, yet still hopeful of getting out of this place. Whatever memories were implanted in her brain, they must not be hers. Indra must have confused her with someone else, someone close to him.
She is just a kunoichi born a millennium after his demise. It is physically impossible for them to have met, in spite of Indra's transmigration into Sasuke. Her heart clenches when she thinks of that name. She just hopes that he is still alive. He was filled with despair the last time they saw each other, and Sakura has to focus on her memories to figure out as to why he was like that.
"Sasuke-kun does not act like that very often," she tells herself, not even noticing the sound of her voice. "Something really terrible must have happened to him." Sakura looks down at her feet, now running in the sand, and almost falls on her face when she finally remembers why Sasuke was in that state.
How could she forget!?
And the answer to her question stands not too far away in front of her.
It almost feels like déjà vu. Indra is walking towards her, his feet touching the soft waves as they come and go. Sakura looks back at the distance she's run, surprised at how large and opulent his castle is and how far it looks from where she is standing. Her eyes return to Indra. He must have followed her. She needs to put up her guard; her seal is still untapped, not wanting to show some of her strongest techniques until it is really necessary.
"We met here before."
"I don't remember," she claims, her voice threatening.
Indra tilts his head to the side, the gesture all too familiar to her. "You do. You just have to try."
Sakura takes out a kunai from her pouch, finally remembering that she is equipped with weapons. He lifts his hand, asking her to halt her attack before it begins, and then extends it as an invitation.
It works as magic on her body. Unconsciously, she lowers her defensive stands, dropping the kunai on the white sand. She is floating, the distance between her and Indra shortening. She is confused, suddenly not remembering her name and her loyalties. She feels exhausted, her mind shooting in every direction, remembering things that have never been revisited but have somehow always been there to see.
"I don't know if I can remember everything," a voice that sounds just like hers says. It takes her a while to realize that those words come from her own mouth, yet they are not connected to her thoughts.
Sakura tries the ultimate chance to test her surroundings and the truth behind Indra's words. She bites her thumb until blood draws, forms the proper hand seals, and slams her palm down on the ground. Her heart races as she proceeds with the technique she was taught in her earlier years. She lets her chakra travel through her body, channeling its path towards the contract she signed long ago.
Yet nothing appears. Katsuyu, her summon, is nowhere to be found. It is enough to confirm that Indra is not lying when he claims that they are in a different time and place. If Sakura was in her reality, then the giant slug would have been summoned, no matter her actual location. However, Katsuyu's absence is enough proof that no one can reach her -and that she cannot reach anyone else.
It adds to Sakura's confusion and it terrifies her. She is nowhere to be found, with a mind getting flooded with unfamiliar memories, in front of an unfamiliar man who claims to have met her thousands of years ago.
Before she can even stop herself, her knees dig deep into the sand and her face buries in her hands, trying to calm her own sobs.
"Help me," she cries.
She is torn.
Help me remember.
Help me forget.
Then
It's difficult to look at him in the eyes. It's even more difficult to forget that her lips have finally tasted Sasuke's.
But to top it off, Sakura cannot forget the metallic flavour she tasted in his mouth.
Neither of them spoke after Sasuke returned to his sleeping quarters, and the next morning came with an awkward silence settled between them as they bid farewell to Nekobaa. Otogakure is not too far from Sora-ku, and Sakura knows that they will get there before nightfall even if they continue with their walking pace.
It breaks her heart to know that he is sick, and that he is moving on with his life without wanting to find a cure. Sakura cannot stay quiet for much longer, though. She senses that Sasuke knows that too. A serious talk is about to occur between the two of them, one that includes a long explanation from his part in regards to his medical condition and the significance behind their kiss.
Sakura knows how she feels; she's known it for more than a decade. There's no denying that she would face the impossible for him, but the clock is ticking, and it is about time to hear if Sasuke would do the same for her. She hopes she is not fooling herself at remembering his promise and gratitude before leaving Konoha.
Nonetheless, this is not how she expected her first kiss, and the aftermath, to happen. She always imagined that kissing Sasuke would happen after finishing a battle, or their first date, or after a very emotional moment. What would follow would have been a confession of his feelings for her, of a reassurance of hers and a promise of being together until they grow old.
The taste of his blood becomes part of her reality, a third variable that she never thought to add up to her equation.
Sakura unconsciously licks her dry lips as she watches her old teammate walk in front of her. His body is once again covered by his large cloak, the wind picking up its ends. She feels a faint shiver running up and down her bare arms, a sign that they are moving northward and closer to Oto.
The memory of his mouth moving against hers is the only thing keeping her warm.
They arrive to Sound's border without an issue or a word exchanged. She wonders if he feels as uncomfortable as she does, or if he chooses to remain silent because he knows that talking about anything will lead to talking about his condition. It puzzles Sakura, and she would much rather prefer Sasuke going on a rampage than him keeping quiet.
Three Oto nin meet them not too far away from the border. None of them look familiar, yet they seem to know Sasuke and do not show any hostility towards Sakura for being a kunoichi from Konoha. She does not let her guard down as they are guided across the thickening forest.
However, the constant silence is beginning to get on her nerves.
"He knows we're coming?" Sakura asks while readjusting her backpack.
Sauske nods. "I had it arranged before I picked you up at Konoha."
It slightly surprises her that he answers with words and not just actions.
They are led into a cave, which acts as the entrance to one of Orochimaru's many hidden lairs. Sakura remembers seeing maps that lay out concealed tunnels on Tsunade's desk when she was still training. She learned that the Snake Sannin is known for remaining in the dark, choosing to cover his secret experiments underground.
Sakura looks around the cave, walking deep into its torch lit ground walls. It becomes colder and colder as the Oto nin escort them to where Orochimaru must be waiting. Since the end of the war, Orochimaru has resumed his life in Sound with the permission of the Shinobi Alliance on the condition that he does not experiment on humans.
As far as she knows, the former Konoha ninja now occupies himself researching the mysteries and legends from all the nations. He is allowed to conduct experiments with the purpose of finding new data about the nature of chakra, special natural sources, or in fulfilling the history of the ninja world. She cannot say for certain if that is all that Orochimaru does -or if he has not gone back to his old habits and obsession with immortality.
Nonetheless, Sasuke thinks that his old teacher's research may help him in understanding his own ancestor. And Sakura can only hope that that is all they need to learn from the Snake Sannin.
Once they reach the end of the cave, Sakura sees her teacher's former teammate sitting on a large chair in the centre, with nothing surrounding him but the Oto shinobi who escorted them.
"Ah, Sasuke-kun," his voice hisses much like she remembers. "Long time no see."
The way Orochimaru's mouth tilts sideways sends shivers down Sakura's spine. She will never get used to his disturbing demeanour.
"And you brought the lovely Sakura. How fitting."
Now
She feels Indra's hands softly land on her shoulders, and without any effort, they lift her up. Her knees are covered with a layer of moist sand, the sound of waves coming from one ear while the other listens to distant birds up in the blue sky.
"I will," he promises.
Sakura's arms are limp on her sides, her hands balling into weak fists. She feels so lost. Everything is clouded in her mind, everything except for Indra's face in the back of her memory, standing at the same place as he is at the moment, looking straight into her eyes. She feels like she is forgetting something important because her mind is occupied with trying to find connections in a past that her spirit once experienced.
She wants to take Indra's hands off of her shoulders, but she cannot find the will or strength to do so. They feel large, strong, omnipresent in all of her body. It is as if something inside of her is reassuring her that Indra's presence is safe. This same sensation encourages her to lean slightly into his long arms, to let them embrace her and protect her from the memories she is forgetting, and the new details she is learning.
Details of a past life, the back of her mind informs her.
"Y-you are confusing me," she mutters into Indra's chest.
It's hard and warm, his heart is palpitating against her ear. He is alive, fully-fledged, every cell of his body is working, every bone and muscle moving. And she is alive too, her memory claiming that finally they get to have their hearts beating while embracing.
"You take me," Sakura continues, "you say you've waited for me, showing me we've met before."
His head rests on top of hers. She feels the two locks sticking from his sides tickle her forehead.
"It will get easier."
Sakura is beginning to find it hard to breathe. Her mind is torn between remembering her past and forgetting everything from her current life. She is slowly fading away, her knowledge of the people she holds dear become more and more difficult to recognize. Indra's embrace keeps her safe from the fear that comes from forgetting who she is, until it triggers her body to a similar sensation she felt not too long ago.
"You took me from Sasuke-kun," her voice becomes hoarse. "You took me from him without saying why, and I am trying to escape from you."
"Sakura-"
"NO!"
Sakura pushes his body away, setting herself free from his protective embrace. She cannot trust those arms, those eyes, his words. She needs to run away, her former plan coming back to Sakura's consciousness. However, once she takes a step towards the opposite direction, her feet betray her and she falls face first on the white sand.
The sea water touches her before retrieving back into the ocean, and the taste of salt lingers in her mouth. She feels tears pooling in her eyes. Her mind and body are not connected, one wanting to run away while the other tells her to stay and listen. Or is it her heart and spirit? She does not know anymore, nothing makes sense.
Nothing except for the painful sensation in her chest as she feels her heart falling fading into darkness.
"I will show you."
She feels a strange pull in her belly button when he lifts her up from the beach for a second time. When Sakura opens her eyes, she finds herself back inside one of the castle's endless, dark halls. Her body is shivering due to the cold water that seeped through her clothing. Indra seems to notice too, as he places a hand on her waist and the other holding her left hand out from behind.
Indra guides her down the hall, the sensation familiar to Sakura. The way he holds her reminds her how noblewomen are guided by their husbands back in the Land of Fire. It feels like they are floating rather than walking, as if their feet were a few inches elevated from the surface by chakra. They glide along the hall, Sakura's eyes not paying attention to where they are going until they stop in front of a familiar door.
It is the same one she saw when she arrived in Indra's castle. Sakura cannot remember how long ago it happened; her sense of time dictates that her presence in this place runs at a different pace than in her reality. Strangely enough, though, it does not seem to bother her. It could be that she has been imprisoned in this dimension for a day, a week or a year, yet she is no longer bothered in that prospect.
He had said that her loved ones and her village are long gone, which had initially upset her. However, Sakura can barely feel any distress from that prospect. Her heart feels numb after so much conflict between her mind and spirit.
When they enter the weapons' room, Sakura's eyes immediately scan the portraits that decorate the concrete walls. The room remains dimly lit by the fire lamps, making them adjust their vision to the darker environment. Just like last time she stepped foot in this room, the faces in the canvases seem to be directing their eyes at her. However, she does not feel the same shiver running up her spine.
No, instead, she feels like she has seen these faces before. They all have the same red eyes, their irises being the only thing that sets them apart. Sakura gasps when the recognizes the portrait closest to the door.
She looks at Indra, then back at the decorated canvas. "That's you," she claims.
He nods once, and then makes a gesture for her to continue looking around the room. Last time she felt that this environment was entirely hostile, yet now she feels at ease with dropping her guard in front of the living legend.
The following portraits carry similar traits: dark, long hair and red eyes. Their gaze looks familiar to Sakura; she vaguely remembers being witness to a similar pair of eyes.
She then moves on to the weapons scattered around the room, tucked between large scrolls, maps and candles. Her hands pick up a gunbai, almost weightless in her grip as she studies it from a closer view. It is a weapon that has been around for millennia, and the one she is currently holding appears to be from an early time period.
"Fans were always your favourite," Indra comments.
His intense stare has not left Sakura's form while she explores the room. He internalizes her gradual progress in remembering who she truly is. No matter how long it takes, she will eventually come back to him. He has to be patient, let her adjust to her surroundings without feeling threatened, let her memory manifest her past without interruption.
Indra wanted to see how strong Sakura's gotten during her life as a kunochi. Though he's watched her show a higher level of prowess, he was still pleased with the way she defended herself. After all, her past self was never a warrior in the same sense as Sakura is right now.
"Fans?"
Her tone of voice no longer holds any bitter resentment towards him. Indra feels how she is changing, remembering, while time passes at a different pace in his castle. There are many more artifacts he must show her before she can fully understand who she is, but this room containing all the portraits of his following lives and relevant weapons has shed some light on his intentions.
He is merely glad that his latest transmigration has not yet been manifested in a canvas. Remembering her past with Indra would be a lot more complicated if she does not gradually forget him. But he knows very well that his younger reincarnation does not deserve the form of love Sakura gives.
No, the intensity of her affection originates from the flame they ignited more than a thousand years ago. And only he should be entitled to reclaim it.
By the time his voice reaches her ears, Sakura realizes that Indra is once again standing closely behind her. "You always carried one, even if you didn't fight with it."
He takes the weapon from her fingers and gently places it back on the ground. Sakura's brow is crinkled, showing her confusion to his words.
"Fan? Like uchiwa?"
Sakura's curiosity is getting the best of her, but there is a connection her subconscious is trying to make, and it appears that Indra is the only one with all the answers. His eyes narrow, understanding the truth behind the new enigma placed in front of Sakura.
"Sasuke-kun," Sakura murmurs, the sound of that name almost foreign to her ears. It ignites something, and she almost bounces at finding the link. She does not even notice when thin trails of tears begin to fall down her cheeks.
Her chin shakes. She once again feels disoriented, but this time at not knowing how that unknown name can affect her so much.
Indra cannot deny that seeing her in such a vulnerable state breaks him. She is clearly confused, but he comprehends that for her to finally come back to him, she must remember by herself. If not, then they run the risk of Sakura being in an eternal state of trance, neither in her first life or her current manifestation. It is a critical matter that needs to be attended with a delicate approach.
Keeping his distance while letting her remember helps, yes, but Indra's yearning for Sakura's well-being eventually betrays him. He turns her around, cupping her face with his large hands, finally feeling the softness of her skin that he's longed for so long. He connects their eyes with lingering determination.
"He is me and I am him," he claims. He lets those words sink in, familiarizing Sakura with the idea that the person she's loved all of her life is, in reality, Indra himself. "That is right. However, there is only one truth you need to know, Hime-sama. You are mine."
You are my princess, my love, and I am never letting you go.
Hey everyone!
Sorry for the long wait. I had work and then, surprise, my laptop died. And then so did my headphones. So now I am writing on a new tablet/computer/thing, which I am still getting used to.
Thank you for all your support and reviews! I never thought this story would become slightly popular, and there is SO much more that I want to write! There was a lot of IndraSaku interaction in here. Sakura is starting to remember some things while forgetting others, which is a crucial part in her relationship with Indra. He cannot do much to help her remember for the fear that her mind will collapse, putting him in a compromised place as he wants to kiss her like there's no tomorrow while still keeping her sane.
Hime-sama, he said. Many of you have guessed what seems to be obvious at this point :P I've been thinking of names for this princess, reading up on some japanese and hindu stories to find inspiration. There is one name I have in mind. Hopefully you approve of it when it shows up in later chapters x3
Sometimes I wish I could reply to the guest messages. Some of them offer constructive criticism, which I do not mind at all, but I wish I could form a conversation with said person without the anonymity.
Finally, I've been working on a long SasuSaku one shot. It is an AU where they have a one night stand and end up having Sarada. Would you be interested in reading it?
Sincerely,
MSM